Gibson SG — American Icon Guitar: I Love My SG Summer

There is a seemingly ubiquitous appreciation today for nostalgic pop-culture references that hail from The ’60s and now span into contemporary days, spattered with some of the most memorable faces, infinite historical moments, countless celebrated names and equally distinguished brands. The ’60s were a time of cultural Read more

Sterling by Music Man SB14 Electric Bass Guitar

The Sterling line by Music Man is designed to deliver classic Music Man vibe and performance at recession-friendly prices. The new Sterling SB14 electric bass is an excellent example of this idea and is a worthy choice for anyone considering a new bass while on the same old budget. The SB14 is built on a basswood body that is small, comfortable, and delivers great sustain. It has a maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard, open gear tuners, and, of course, the distinctive 3-and-one Music Man headstock shape, along with a satin finish (the body is done in gloss). Read more

Danelectro Dead On ‘67 Guitar

Danelectro guitars have long been known as great, affordable instruments and many guitarists have used them for everything from entry-level department- store thrillers to character-filled alternatives to the more commonly seen Gibson/Fender/Gretsch axes we all know and love. Dano’s thing is keeping their retro vibe alive. They maintain the style and feel they have always had and, in a world of constantly shifting styles of guitars, they remain a touchstone to the classic rock era. Read more

Carvin BX1200 Bass Guitar Amplifier and Cab

The 600w BX600 ($399) and 1200w BX1200 ($549) offer the bassist tone that extends the ability of the player. Three EQ sections extract all the tone your instrument can deliver – whether your bass is active or passive. String definition becomes so articulate that every note is distinct with defined punch and attack. Perfect pitch is now definable because the accuracy of your instrument is fully transparent thanks to the distortion free class A preamps. Read more

Electro-Harmonix Voice Box Harmony Machine and Vocoder Review

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. Read more

DigiTech TimeBender Review

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. Read more

Eastwood EEB-1 Bass Guitar Review

Leo Fender invented the fretted electric bass when he released the Precision Bass in 1951 and the Fender bass has been the dominant force in the market ever since. There have, however, been a number of bass designs from the Golden Era that have maintained an identity and a place in bassists’ hearts. Read more