GEAR-VAULT

Marshall MG15FXMS Micro Stack Guitar Amplifier

NAMM — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:02:27 +0000

Harmony-Central–The MG15FXMS Micro Stack is the latest addition to the popular MG4 Series of Marshall amplifiers. The three-piece micro stack includes a 15-Watt compact head plus two matching speaker cabinets—one angled, one straight. Each cabinet is loaded with a full-range 10″ speaker. In addition to being highly transportable, the MG15FXMS also allows many entry-level and budget-conscious players to enjoy the look, feel, and classic tone of the iconic Marshall Stack.

Preserving the best features of the MG4 series, the MG15FXMS provides a three-band EQ section and features four programmable channels—Clean, Crunch, Overdrive1, and Overdrive2—to provide a wide range of tone colors from a single amplifier. The Gain, EQ, Volume, and Master Volume knobs are presented in Marshall’s tried-and-true layout for extreme ease of use. Push-button channel switching offers smooth, silent transitions.

Digital Reverb is built-in, along with a full complement of Digital Effects—Chorus, Phaser, Flanger, and Delay. The Delay time can be set using the Tap button on the front panel, and the Effects are programmable to match each channel.

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The MG15FXMS Micro Stack provides a versatile array of inputs and outputs. The Line Input allows players to jam along with an MP3 player, CD player, or other source. The combination Line Out / Headphone Out features speaker cabinet emulation, so the full Marshall sound is always preserved when recording or practicing through headphones.

The optional STOMPWARE® footswitch provides seamless transitioning from sound to sound, as well as tap tempo control and display for the built-in tuner. STOMPWARE technology allows this multi-function pedal to be connected using a traditional guitar cable—eliminating the need for special or hard-to-find cables.

The MG15FXMS Micro Stack carries an MSRP of $510.00 and will be available in October 2009.

Visit marshallamps.com for more information.

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Electro-Harmonix Voice Box Harmony Machine and Vocoder Review

NAMM — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:39:22 +0000

Big Muff. Small Stone. Electric Mistress. Deluxe Memory Man. Holy Grail… Should I go on? So many instantly recognizable and oft-copied effects bear the Electro-Harmonix name, and in turn, those effects appear on countless recordings spanning decades, from Pink Floyd to Mudhoney to the White Stripes. Founder Mike Matthew’s ingenuity and passion for music has made EHX the go-to company for guitarists and bassists for years. And now, with the introduction of the Voice Box Harmony Machine/Vocoder, singers can get in on the action too.

Preaching to the choir

The Voice Box is a virtual choir in a convenient stompbox, and its sonic depth is matched by its ease of use. There are nine operation modes in all, including six harmonizer settings as well as Octave, Unison + Whistle, and Vocoder functions.

The Six-knob control set is standard Electro-Harmonix: simple but powerful. I had the most fun with the Gender Bender parameter, a formant adjuster that makes select harmonies sound more male or female. The control will apply this formant shifts to certain harmonies depending on the mode you’re in, making it a snap to add gender variance to the affected vocals. In addition, you can easily program a preset for each mode, so you can instantly recall your settings without having to adjust any knobs.

Connecting the Voice Box is a cinch. On one side is a balanced XLR input for your mic and a ¼” instrument input (the Voice Box uses an external instrument to provide the reference pitch for complex harmonies, though the Octave and Whistle modes don’t require one); on the other are matching outputs. There’s a small two-way switch to set the gain on the mic preamp to best suit your microphone of choice, and phantom power is provided for condenser mics.

Perfect harmony

Let’s first look at the Voice Box’s six harmony modes: Low, High, Low + High, and Multi Harmony 1, 2, and 3. The first two are pretty self-explanatory–the Low setting gives you two harmonies below your sung vocal, while the High does the opposite. The intervals of the harmonies will adjust to the chords of your instrument, so if a fourth is required instead of a third, the pedal will output the harmony appropriately. The Low + High modes, with one voice above yours and one below.

The Multi Harmony modes take things a step further, providing up to four part harmonies in addition to your own voice. Multi Harmony 1 provides lower third, lower fifth, and upper third harmonies; Multi Harmony 2 adds in an upper octave; and Muli Harmony 3 replaces the lower third with a low octave and adds an upper fifth.

Not only is the Voice Box incredibly versatile and musical, it sounds fantastic. The harmonies sound remarkably natural, even when you tweak the Gender Bender knob to enhance the male/female tone of select harmonic intervals. The glissando–the “glide” in pitch from one note to the next–is also spot-on, with no artifacts or weirdness in sound when your voice climbs or drops pitch–the harmonies follow right along with your voice.

In Unison

In addition to all its wonderful harmonizing functionality, there are some extra goodies that put the Voice Box over the top. The first is its amazingly articulate 256-band vocoder. Once I got the hang of it, I found it very easy to coax out those signature tones that have graced many popular tunes over the years (personally, I had to learn some licks from Pink Floyd’s Animals). In Vocoder mode, the Voice Mix and Gender Bender knobs let you shape the sound and articulation of the effect even further.

As if the Voice Box didn’t do enough already, Electro-Harmonix also saw fit to include a great-sounding reverb with separate controls for both your dry vocals as well as for the harmonies the pedal generates. Additionally, there is a “double mode” of sorts called Unison + Whistle. Using the Voice Mix knob, you can blend the two effects, or use one of the other. In Unison mode, you can change the formant of your vocal without altering the pitch. So, say you want to sing a female part–just enter Unison mode, turn the Gender Bender knob clockwise, and voila–your voice will sound more female! Moving the Voice Mix knob clockwise takes you into Whistle mode, which adds a whistle effect that’s two octaves higher than your voice. I enjoyed using this to add a haunting, eerie effect to my vocals.

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Raise your voice

No longer do guitarists get to have all the fun! The Voice Box from Electro-Harmonix delivers all the exceptional sound you’ve come to expect from their pedals, making it a snap to add rich, natural-sounding harmonies to any performance. Beyond that, it’s also a full-fledged vocoder, and features enhanced controls and operations modes for unmatched versatility, live or in the studio. Heck, I’ve even read about people running horns through it! Vocalists, singer-guitarists, and even instrumentalists who may never have thought about signing will find incredible inspiration in this powerful tool.

By Ara Alizian, Musicianfriend.com Staff Writer

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Performed by: EHX

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Street Price: $215.00 / MSRP: $286.00

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Marshall MG2FX Mini Guitar Amplifier

NAMM — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:18:12 +0000

Harmony-Central–Marshall Amplification has added the portable MG2FX to its popular MG4 line of guitar amps. It offers a user-friendly interface consisting of four dual-function knobs (augmented by a Tap/Shift button and a single-character LED display) to provide instant access to ten distinct gain stage settings, five digital effects, a two-band EQ, and a tuner. For the ultimate in mobility, the MG2FX can run on battery power (via six “C” cells), and also includes an AC adapter for use in the home or any place power is available. The Gain and Volume knobs—along with the ten-position Mode knob—provide popular tone flavors, including a shimmering clean tone, the famous Marshall “Crunch,” and all the overdrive needed for an over-the-top lead. The Treble and Bass knobs offer further tone tweaking. Digital Reverb and Delay are built-in, with an intuitive “Tap” button for setting the delay time (holding down the Tap/Shift button also activates the onboard tuner). In addition, a Chorus, Phasing or Flanging effect can provide extra downstream sparkle to the sound. The MG2FX includes an MP3/line input for jamming along to any audio source. The headphone output allows for private practice, and also serves as a line output for recording or for connection to a larger sound system. The 6.5″ speaker is powered with two Marshall-sized Watts for true rock sound.

The Marshall MG2FX carries an MSRP of $205 and will be available in October 2009.

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Paul Reed Smith Sunburst 245 Guitar

NAMM — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:40:24 +0000

Paul Reed Smith has spent more than two decades building the kind of guitars many of us dream of owning. From concept and design to fit and finish, PRS has a reputation as one of the best in the business and has attracted legions of fans who love their instruments. Their Sunburst 245 is no exception. The Sunburst simply reeks of class as soon as the case is opened. It features an extra-thick mahogany back, a figured maple top, a 22-fret mahogany neck built to a 24.5-inch scale and wide/fat neck profile, and a rosewood fingerboard with bird inlays. It also ships stock with a PRS hardtail bridge/tailpiece, vintage-style tuners, and two 57/08 humbucking pickups which give the guitar excellent tone and clarity. The 245 is finished in nitrocellulose, which is the finest finish for a guitar, and it is also outfitted with two volume and tone controls as well as a three-way toggle switch on the upper bout of the body, which is where the pickup switch truly belongs on a guitar of this type.

The Sunburst 245 is an instant fit for players who are used to the old-school single-cutaway guitars of days past. The highly sought-after 57/08 pickups give the guitar a voice that is fresh yet familiar and are perfect for live gigging and recording. As per usual with Paul Reed Smith, those who have already bought these seem to love them and customer loyalty remains high. The Sunburst 245 seems suited for blues and classic rock, but will do an excellent job for whatever a player can dream up. Indications are that the Sunburst 245 will maintain an important place in the Paul Reed Smith product line and, more importantly, will give those who purchase one the right tool they need to get their gigs done night after night.

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DigiTech TimeBender Review

NAMM — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:03:15 +0000

For years, effective echo and delay effects could only be created in a professional recording studio. Now you can duplicate your complete list of favorite record echo effects with the DigiTech TimeBender. But it does so much more than that. While modern guitarists appreciate those classic delay effects, they also want a delay pedal that lets them create their own new sounds. The Timebender has powerful and innovative technology that elevates it above simple delay pedals by including new types of delays, pitch-shifted repeats, ready-made delay patterns, a variation on tap tempo that lets you set tempo, key, and time patterns by strumming. I’ll get to those later, but first, the basics.

The TimeBender gives you five seconds of true stereo delay from 10 types, starting with the classics you’re familiar with: Analog, Digital, Moving Head Tape, Fixed Head Tape, and Reverse. It also has totally new delays such as Dynamic Repeats and Envelope. The TimeBender pedal is built like a Humvee to withstand the rigors of the road. The controls are logically laid out with the basic delay functions on the left and the more advanced applications on the right. The LED display is large and well-lit to eliminate any guesswork. Two foot pedals control delay and looper on/off, memory, and tape tempo.

Space–the final frontier

I began my TimeBender sessions by duplicating some of my favorite record guitar echo effects such as Jimi Hendrix’ spacey slide solo in “All Along The Watchtower”–easily accomplished with a couple of simple delay settings. To simulate the feedback loop tape saturation that climaxes the intro to James Gang’s “Standing in the Rain,” I used the Moving Tape Head delay with repeats set to max (infinite), hit a mute strum, and decreased the delay time until the repeats overfed into each other and produced that characteristic white noise “kkkrrrsshhh” used on ‘60s and ‘70s recordings.

With the Dynamic Analog delay, I re-created the echoed slide guitar of James Gang’s “The Bomber.” This is a way cool delay, because Joe Walsh’s solo alternates echoed slide runs the gently strummed E to D chording. Most delays would destroy the contrast between the two parts by applying the echo equally. The TimeBender’s Dynamic Delay setting duplicate Joe’s effect perfectly by “ducking” the repeats as I played while leaving them intact when I stopped. I manually adjusted the rate and repeat using the tap tempo on the right foot pedal.

Other features include a Modulation knob to add a chorus-like effect; the Tempo Multiplier button that produces delays in-between beats and makes complex patterns such as triplets much easier to configure; a Memory function for storing the settings of four of your favorite creations; and an expression pedal input that works with any standard ¼” mono passive expression pedal for morphing between two saved settings for amazing new effects.

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The power of the strum

Here’s where the TimeBender gets really interesting. With the Pattern knob, you can choose from 10 ready-made delay patterns. Instead of evenly spaced delays–or taps–as in Simple Delay, Pattern can offer up to six taps with varied spacing. Dual Delay pattern has different delay rates for each line. When using stereo output, each line feeds a different amp to create the illusion of more instruments. More complex delays are available with Multi-tap Pattern including three-tap and six-tap. Each f the Pattern delays can be combined with pitch-shifting repeats that are controlled by the Voicing knob. Choose from more than 100 voices to create harmonies and arpeggios. You can either choose a harmony based on any scale interval such as a lower third, a higher sixth, an octave above or below, or a combination of scale intervals. For example, I selected the Root-Based Pattern Delay to create evenly spaced arpeggios based on the root note I played. I selected the 3U-3H voicing, so when I played any note, TimeBender repeated an arpeggio pattern–the lower 3rd harmony, the 3rd above, and the root note. Because DigiTech knows that most guitarists make lousy drummers and can’t keep time with their feet, as an alternative to using tap tempos, you can activate Smart Strum by pressing and holding the right footswitch and strumming a multi-tap delay pattern. I used Strum to duplicate the pulsating bass intro to Pink Floyd’s “One of These Days.”

With Smart Strum, I strummed an A chord to set the key I would be playing in so that TimeBender could intelligently add the correct harmony or harmonies based on the Voicing I selected. To illustrate, I selected the 6-tap Multi-tap Pattern delay, and a 5th and octave Voicing. To keep things simple, I chose only one repeat. For each note played in the key of A the six taps would alternate between the two voices. With stereo output, one amp played the 5th and the other amp, the octaves with the root note coming from both amps. With the mix knob turned to Dry, only harmony notes could be heard. Very cool.

Super looper

The TimeBender also has a 20-second Looper. I started off with a simple riff, and after a couple of practice runs, pressed the left pedal to lay down the first part. After working out a harmony riff and practicing it a couple times, I pressed the left pedal again to go into overdub mode. I added three more harmony pats before I turned off overdub so I could improvise freely over the massed guitar harmonies. I also created a four-chord loop sequence with digital piano, bass, and guitar parts. The looper is a great practice, performance, and ear-training tool.

The DigiTech TimeBender gives you unlimited delay possibilities that once required a rack of effects and hours of programming. It lets you go beyond normal delays to create custom repeat rhythms or patterns with intelligent harmony on the fly as you strum. It’s a well-designed, well-built delay system that’s advanced yet easy to use.

Places to Buy………………….Check for Price

By Dan Day, Musician’s Friend Staff Writer

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Performed by: ProGuitarShopDemos

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VHT Classic 6 Tube Guitar Amplifier

NAMM — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:36:18 +0000

Harmony-Central–VHT announces the release of the Classic 6, a simple, low-wattage amp with a big sound. The Classic 6 has been carefully designed and tested in VHT’s Brisbane, CA workshop.

The design of the Classic 6 was inspired by stories of famous records that were recorded with a low-wattage single-ended amp that sounded gigantic. The Classic 6 is designed for players who want a sound that they can make their own. With this in mind, VHT designed the Classic 6 with a 12″ VHT Special Design speaker. The amp sounds great with the stock speaker, but VHT engineers based the design on the assumption that 12″ speakers are easiest to find, which allows for a broad range of customization options to reflect the player’s personal taste. The signal path is uncluttered and simple, and the output transformer was designed so that the amp could be turned up loudly without getting fried.

The Classic 6 has two controls, Volume and Tone, and has both high and low inputs. The preamp is a single 12AX7 tube, and the power amp is a 6V6. It’s really a sweet sounding, versatile amp. If you don’t drive it much, it sounds like a classic American-style tube amp, but if you crank it, it starts to break up like an old-school British amp.

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The tone control is also simple. It’s basically a high-frequency cut, so when players open up the tone all of the way, the amp produces a lot of harmonics, and players can use the tone control to carefully adjust for the harmonics they want. This amp is as simple and straightforward as possible, so players can get as much out of their guitar as possible, and it can be used comfortably and effectively for recording, practice or small gigs.

The VHT Classic 6 was specifically designed with simplicity in mind, for players who just want to plug in and sound great. It’s an amp that allows players to get the most out of their amp to enhance their individual sound.

The Classic 6 lists for $549.99.

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VHT Lead 40 Tube Guitar Amplifier

NAMM — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:09:09 +0000

Harmony-Central–VHT announces the release of the Lead 40, a powerful 2-channel all-tube amp perfect for both classic and modern overdriven tube tones. The Lead 40 has been carefully designed and tested in VHT’s Brisbane, CA workshop.

The Lead 40 is a powerful 40 Watt RMS 2-channel amp with separate Clean and Overdrive channels. It has reverb and a master volume. Both channels have a shared EQ. VHT engineers have carefully voiced both channels so that they can effectively share the EQ. When switching channels, the frequency response is unaffected, so no EQ adjustment should be required when channel switching.

The VHT Lead 40 is based around the same design as VHT’s Lead 20, with double the tubes, providing 40 Watts RMS from 4 EL84 tubes. The cabinet is fitted with one 12″ Celestion G12H30 speaker and one 12″ VHT Special Design speaker, deliberately chosen for their complementary sound. The Celestion’s great midrange sound fits perfectly with the VHT speaker, which has been specially designed to reinforce the highs and lows of the amp. An 11-ply birch plywood cabinet covered in classic black tolex houses the chassis and speaker.

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The VHT Lead 40 is a loud, great sounding, versatile amp. The Clean channel stays crystalline until it is turned all the way up, when it starts to color the sound with a little grit. The Overdrive channel picks up where the Clean leaves off, allowing for a highly overdriven, crunchy sound perfect for today’s modern rock music.

The VHT Lead 40 lists for $1699.99 and is available now.

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Thomas Corbishley Guitars Introduces the Takoba Handmade Electric Guitar

NAMM — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 04:33:06 +0000

Thomas Corbishley Guitars Introduces the Takoba Handmade Electric Guitar

Press release–Thomas Corbishley Guitars is proud to announce the availability of the Takoba handmade electric guitar. The Takoba combines gorgeous looks, stunning tones and exceptional playing performance in a uniquely designed instrument.

Two variations of the model, the C-1 and C-2, are available. Both feature a mahogany body, maple through-neck and ebony fingerboard. The guitars incorporate Steinberger gearless tuners, an active EMG pickup system and chrome hardware. The Takoba C-1 is fitted with a Schaller fixed bridge. The Takoba C-2 is equipped for the most extreme playing and is fitted with a Schaller Floyd Rose tremolo bridge and locking nut. An ergonomically designed body provides excellent upper fret access and allows for exceptionally comfortable playing. The guitars are available in a range of metallic colors and are finished with polished nitrocellulose lacquer. Customization options are available on request.

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Pricing:

Takoba C-1 $2500
Takoba C-2 $2800

For more information or to subscribe to the TC Guitars mailing list, please visit Thomas Corbishley Guitars – Handmade Electric Guitars.

Takoba C-1

Takoba C-2

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Steve Vai chooses 2009 Guitar Idol Winner

NAMM — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:30:57 +0000

Guitar legend Steve Vai chose his personal favorite from the finalists of Guitar Idol, the world’s biggest online talent search to find the hottest undiscovered guitarists on the planet.

Organized by online magazine All Out Guitar, and leading online guitar tuition community Lick Library.com, Guitar Idol 2009 saw the public and professional judges select the best guitarists from around the world. The 12 Finalists included contestants from Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, Hungary, Bosnia, Italy, Thailand and Chile, each of whom were invited to play live for an audience of thousands via live webcast and to an enthusiastic crowd at the London International Music Show.

A special ‘Steve Vai’ award category was created, to be judged by none other than Mr Vai himself.

Steve Vai chose Daniel as his winner after watching live footage of the competition broadcast on licklibrary.com, and was’ blown away’ by Daniele’s playing on the track ‘Cardiology’ which he deemed worthy of the special prize; an Ibanez Jem signed by Steve.

After watching the contestants, Steve said “There is a whole new breed of guitar players emerging. Players that are redefining the parameters of guitar virtuosity. It was a pleasure to judge the Guitar Idol contest and see many of these young innovators in action.”

You can watch Daniele’s winning performance from the Guitar Idol final at the London International Music Show on http://www.licklibrary.com/Channels/Guitar-Idol

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Electro Harmonix POG2 Video Review

NAMM — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:51:13 +0000

Back in 2005, Electro-Harmonix unveiled the original POG, a polyphonic octave generator that enabled guitarists to conjure everything from the surreal jangle of an 18-string guitar, to rich, thick walls of symphonic sound.

The POG2 will take you even higher. Use the new attack control to fade in lush, smooth swells. Tune in the new second sub-octave to reach deeper than ever before. The 2-pole resonant low-pass filter now includes two additional Q modes. Slide in the newly enhanced detune to further refine your sound.

The POG2 delivers unrivaled tonal variations–and now you can save your favorite settings, and recall them with a click. The POG2 just plain sounds better, thanks to an enhanced algorithm that delivers a more focused and in-the-pocket harmonic performance. And all this is now packed into our rugged and pedalboard-friendly diecast chassis.

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www.ProGuitarShop.com – “The Electro Harmonix POG2 Polyphonic Octave Generator is the newest effects pedal from one of the originators. If you loved the old EH POG the new Electro Harmonix POG2 Polyphonic Octave Generator will blow your mind.”

MSRP $432.99
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Reviewed by: ProGuitarShopDemos

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