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The recent passing of guitar legend Les Paul, who, in many ways, made the music world the way it is today, left a hole in the guitar community that will never be filled. Epiphone, being part of Gibson almost since the beginning of time, had a long relationship with Les and has brought out the Les Paul Tribute Guitar to honor Les’ memory and the iconic guitar he helped to create. The Tribute is a Les Paul Standard with traditional mahogany and maple construction, two humbuckers, four knobs, and all the other features that have made this type of guitar a part of our everyday life since the 1950’s. The cool part of this tribute is the list of upgrades not normally found on an Epiphone instrument that make this guitar not only a great value but a fitting memorial to the man who started it all.
The Tribute features the original Les Paul deep-set neck joint, which is a hand-fitted glued-in connection that extends the solid mahogany neck well into the neck pickup cavity. This provides maximum sustain and transfer of energy and gives the Tribute the real Les Paul sound we all have come to love. Buyers also have a choice of neck profiles they can mull over. The guitar can be ordered with either a 1960’s Slim Taper neck, which is a comfortable D-shaped carve used on many famous Kalamazoo-made instruments of the vintage era, or a more modern Asymmetrical carve which combines a rounded D-shape on the bass side with a flatter C-shape on the treble side, along with a compound radius fingerboard.
Electronics here are not the normal Epi pickups and wiring, but a pair of USA Gibson 57 Classic humbuckers, which recreate the famous P.A.F. pickups of the 50’s. The pickups use four-conductor wiring and are set up to do series/parallel pickup switching, courtesy of two push/pull pots that allow for a wide variety of sounds to be generated from traditional to modern. Other upgrades include a Switchcraft U.S.-made pickup switch, Mallory tone caps, Grover tuners, and a premium hardshell case. All of this adds up to an instrument truly worth of the Les Paul name and one that will serve as a fitting memorial to Les. The best part is that, with a retail price of $1332.00, this is one tribute that everyone can afford to pay. Epiphone Introduces 14 New Guitars for 2010.
Price Les Paul Tribute Guitar
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Guitar Icon Dean Zelinsky Launches DBZ Guitars Web Site
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DBZGuitars.com will link to an equally fascinating DBZ Site called, “The Dark Side of Dean,” which exclusively caters to the heavy metal fans who value Zelinsky’s innovation and craftsmanship, and will be debuting 21 new guitar designs. Zelinsky stated that this will be an exclusive club. The Dark Side of Dean will be password protected, and only die-hard Dean Zelinsky fans will be admitted. Clues to unlock the mystery of the Dark Side will be located on the DBZGuitars.com site as well as various internet sites. The Dark Side will also host its own DBZ Dark Side guitars forum.
Zelinsky, along with co-founder Jeff Diamant, launched DBZ Guitars August 26, 2008. Diamant, who founded Diamond Amplification, and Zelinsky will be hosting the DBZ/Diamond Booth #3290, Hall D at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA on January 15, 2009.
About Dean B. Zelinsky:
Since 1976, Dean B. Zelinsky has been legendary for pioneering the custom high-end guitar market, and creating stage-worthy electric instruments exceeding professional players’ expectations. His innovative designs have been embraced by rock and roll's top artists spanning three decades. The spinning fur ZZ Top guitars made music video history in the ’80s along with the "ML" design, which became as much of a part of "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott as his crushing riffs and gregarious persona, and remain a heavy metal standard today.
The roster of world-class guitarists who have relied on Dean’s craftsmanship and creativity include the following: "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott (Pantera, DamagePlan), Dave Mustaine (Megadeth), Leslie West (Mountain), Michael Schenker, Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill (ZZ Top), Trent Rezner (Nine Inch Nails), Jerry Cantrell, Elliot Easton and Rik Ocasek (The Cars), Rik Emmett (Triumph), Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Sammy Hagar, Kerry Livgren (Kansas), the Doobie Brothers, Nancy Wilson (Heart) and many more.
About Diamond Amplification:
Led by President/CEO Jeff Diamant and co-designer/engineer Martin Golub (formerly of Bob Bradshaw’s Custom Audio Electronics), Diamond Amplification focuses on a minimal number of lines, ensuring the highest quality for each of its products. The Texas-based company has five products on the market: Spec Op, Nitrox, Phantom, Spitfire (I and II) and The MAC-2. Diamond Amps’ roster of endorsees includes Clint Lowery (Sevendust), Al Anderson and Junior Marvin (The Wailers), Keri Kelli (Alice Cooper), Jason Krause (Kid Rock), Wayne Swinny (Saliva), Jonathan Montoya (Saliva), Virus (Dope), Nathan Connolly (Snow Patrol), John Corabi and many more.
Visit DBZguitars.com for more information.
Photo of DBZ Cavallo V
Photo of a DBZ USA Barchetta Corsa
AXL Badwater Jacknife Guitar Review
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Main Features
The AXL Badwater Jacknife, priced at an affordable $359, features a solid alder body like many other guitars in this price range. Alder is considered to provide a broad spectrum of tone, tight swirling grain, and in this case, there is no exception. The Jacknife's body features a uniquely distressed; “worn in, not worn out,” beatified look.
The Jacknife comes standard with two EMG-designed over wound P-90 pickups that provide maximum output and power that today’s rock and metal guitarists demand. Obviously, the guitar will not out-perform in every aspect of a more expensive flying V guitar, but the Jacknife holds its own against other guitars in this price range.
If you love the vintage-guitar look, then you'll appreciate the Jacknife's design, as it comes in three different Badwater-vintage style designs (black Mayhem and red Bloodsport series). All Jacknife guitars come with antiqued hardware, antiqued cream web pickguard, giving the guitar a very mature look, perfect for the vintage guitar enthusiast.
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Even though the Jacknife is aimed at hard rock and metal guitarists, it can also give a sweet modern rock tone. So if you doubt the Jacknife’s flexibility and ability to handle other sounds, rest assured, with the proper tweaking, the guitar delivers… with style.
Among the other features that make the Jacknife noteworthy is the Tune-O-Matic Bridge, which provides a nice comfortable worn-in feel. The guitar’s Tailpiece is a string-through body, for added sustain. In addition to the ultra thin maple neck designed for fast, comfortable playing, the neck has a bubinga stripe, abalone dot inlays and an aged-look to the headstock
Given all of the features and the quality hardware in the guitar, it is quite surprising that AXL Guitars kept this guitar in such a small price range, which is all the more reason metal guitarists’ should take advantage of this sweet deal while the price is so low.
Gear-Vault Classifieds is an eBay alternative. Come sell your music equipment with us, for FREE! @pingfm @plerb
Eddie Van Halen EVH Wolfgang Guitar
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Beginning in January 2009 there is going to be a new kid on the block: the new EVH Wolfgang electric guitar will be introduced to the world. Eddie Van Halen has been testing, researching, and developing this masterpiece for two years now. With Eddie’s 35 years of experience with guitars the all new EVH Wolfgang electric guitar is sure to be a crowd pleaser. During Van Halen’s 2007-2008 tour, the EVH Wolfgang was tested and approved from one the greatest guitar player’s of all time.
Van Halen’s massive 2007-2008 tour, gave Eddie the opportunity to perform hard core live “road testing” through performance trials. The tour started in the fall of 2007, Eddie experimented with early versions of the new EVH Wolfgang each night, jamming with every updated prototype onstage to adoring fans. The EVH Wolfgang reflects Eddie’s specifications and features of the Wolfgang guitars he plays and performs with.
"Every aspect and component of this guitar has been examined and upgraded to the highest standards possible: stainless steel frets, double-potted custom-wound pickups, five-piece binding on the matching body and headstock, custom-made signature tuning machines and Floyd Rose bridge, new low-friction pots, and the list keeps going... we left no stone unturned," said Eddie. "Everything that I've built, destroyed, stumbled onto, learned and experienced is in this guitar."
In 1978, Eddie Van Halen made his debut into the rock n roll world. He made his appearance to the world with his homemade guitar later called, “Frankenstein”. At the time when his phenomenal technique and tone demanded unbelievable performance he created his guitar to match his almost untouchable standards. Thirty-five years in the making, Eddie has continued to examine and dissect every variable within a guitar and it comes life with his creation of the new EVH Wolfgang.
In 2007, Eddie and Fender guitar designed the first EVH brand high performance products which included the new EVH 5150III amplifier, the limited Eddie Van Halen Frankenstein replica guitars, and an array of top line EVH brand accessories.
For more information, visit EVH's official web site at www.evhgear.com.
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@pingfm @plerbUse Your Illusion - MJ Mirage GT
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Details seem to be the watchword at MJ Guitars, and the Mirage certainly bears up to scrutiny. The level of workmanship is very high: the glassy finish has been flawlessly applied to the complex curves, and the tricky, masked maple binding is surgically clean. The medium-size frets are well-seated and highly polished, and the mother-of-pearl bar inlays are a classy touch. Finally, the innovative pickup mounting deserves special praise: rather then split all the GT's liquid contours with a pickguard, Johnson has mounted the pickups beneath a central plate that's graded and finished to integrate seamlessly with the top. The body's multiple curves must have made this feature a real head-scratcher, what an elegant solution.
Once plugged in, the Mirage did not disappoint. The Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro II pickups deliver fat Tele tone, beefed up and rounded out by the semi hollow body and set neck. Clean sounds are crisp and fruity without any harshness producing punchy twang from the bridge pickup and warm and woody tones at the neck. Stroke up the overdrive, and the GT shifts up a gear, delivering greasy boogie, sustaining blues and that tough Tele raunch that can over rock a humbucker. A surprising array of buxom tones can be easily pulled from the GT's simple electrics, but if you have different recipe in mind, look no further than the comprehensive option menu. Want a GT with 24 frets, 30" baritone neck and a B-Bender? You can have it, along with your choice of pickups, frets, finished and just about anything else, all for a reasonable charge.
BOTTOM LINE
So many companies offer to redesign the electric guitar for us, but it takes something very special to sway our loyalty to the traditional big names. Mr. Johnson has designed a superb instrument that could sway more then your loyalty with its intelligent balance of form and function. It plays great, sounds great and, in between, you can just enjoy looking at it.
@pingfm @plerb
Gretsch Duane Eddy 6120-DE Review
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The Gretsch 6120 is the ultimate lean, mean rockabilly machine. Look no further than the recordings of Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Chet Atkins (for whom the guitar was originally designed) and Brian Setzer for aural testimony of what this buxom hollowbody can do. Then, of course, there’s Duane Eddy, who, relying heavily on the 6120’s factory equipped Bigsby vibrato, more or less defined what’s come to be known as “twangy” guitar. At the early-Sixties apex of Eddy’s mainstream popularity, his film noir-like “twang” could be heard everywhere, perhaps the best example being his 1960 hit with the Henry Mancini-penned theme to the television show Peter Gunn.
Gretsch’s 1997 Duane Eddy 6120 was a near-faithful reproduction of the 1957 instrument that has been Eddy’s main axe for 41 years. Essentially, it’s a stock 6120 from that year, with the standout feature being a “flat bar” on the Bigsby that hasn’t been available for decades prior to the re-release. The 16-inch, three-inch-deep body is almost completely hollow, with one-piece laminated maple sides bound with white and black purfling that also surrounds the guitar’s f-holes. The guitar’s 24 ½-inch scale neck is two-piece rock maple with a brass nut and a bound, 22-fret ebony fingerboard that meets the body at the 14t fret. Players who regularly work out in the upper registers won’t exactly find the 6120 easy to move around—there’s definitely not much access to the guitar’s upper reaches—but this is still a super-easy guitar to play. Overall, workmanship is top notch throughout, with excellent playability and intonation, despite non-adjustable bridge saddles.
Of course, aside form that gleaming, golden hardware, this guitar truly shines when you plug it in. The neck pickup produces Fender-like snarl mated with a hollowbody guitar’s throatiness. Adding the bridge pickup yields more highs, while employing the bridge pickup exclusively gives you ore of a straight-ahead rock sound. The 6120’s Bigsby vibrato, thankfully, doesn’t throw the guitar out of tune, and as long as you don’t expect it to divebomb, it will add style and character to your hottest licks..
The End Line
The Gretsch Duane Eddy 6120 DE is a legendary classic made from 1997 to 2000. Ultimately, playing the 6120DE is pure ecstasy, almost revolutionary. These are becoming harder to find but if you do find one, embrace yourself for some true twangabilly tone, nothing else will do.
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