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Jimi Hendrix Valleys of Neptune Review

admin — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:24:16 +0000

"Hendrix" - Valleys of Neptune - Jimi Hendrix, guitar; Noel Redding, bass; Billy Cox, bass; Mitch Mitchell, drums; Rocky Isaac, drums - Sony Legacy, 62 minutes ****1/2:

The new Jimi Hendrix album is probably the best of his posthumous releases. It contains twelve tracks of never-before-released tunes and alternate takes on previously-released material. The music has the feel of completion, far more so than his other posthumous albums like Cry of Love, War Heroes, and Loose Ends.

I heard one cut live in November of 1968 and later wondered why it had never made it onto an album: Sunshine of Your Love. It’s an instrumental version of Cream's best-selling song. The first thing you notice is the faster tempo; the second of course is Hendrix’s phenomenal guitar work. How he handles the piece differently from Eric Clapton is best summarized by Franz Joseph Haydn’s quote on W.A. Mozart: “People say I have genius, but Mozart stood miles above me.” After a minute, the piece slips into a rhythm guitar riff that charms with its subtly variations, then erupts into untethered virtuosity. Hendrix’s jaw-dropping musicianship reminds me of his guitar work in All Along the Watchtower.

Ships Passing Through the Night has also never been released before. The lyrics are nothing extraordinary, but the solo guitar riffs may send you back to the days of Electric Ladyland. Clocking at 5:52 it’s one of the longer cuts on the album and features wild perambulations. The title piece, Valleys of Neptune, melodic and furiously inventive yet still ragged, has never appeared in this full band version. Bleeding Heart differs from the version on War Heroes and contains solo guitar work and tight playing that should amaze anyone. Contained wildness. The longest track, Hear my Train A Comin, is the only full-band version of this 12-string acoustic song (from Jimi Hendrix:Blues). Blues is right. He even scats while playing. Listen close to the last minute, when the tempo mysteriously slows, the volume drops to a whisper, then bang! There’s a final shout and a stinging guitar coda. Another blues tune, Red House, contains expanded arrangements and shows that Hendrix had not only been listening to B.B. King, but had actually surpassed him. Like the recently released At Carnegie Hall (Thelonious Monk quartet) and My Dusty Road (Woody Guthrie), Valleys of Neptune is a welcome visit from beyond the grave. Who knows how many more are out there lurking in dusky catacombs?

TrackList:
1. Stone Free
2. Valleys of Neptune
3. Bleeding Heart
4. Hear My Train A Comin'
5. Mr. Bad Luck
6. Sunshine Of Your Love
7. Lover Man
8. Ships Passing Through The Night
9. Fire
10. Red House
11. Lullaby For The Summer
12. Crying Blue Rain

-- Peter Bates

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Fender Classic Player Telecaster Thinline Deluxe Review

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:07:53 +0000

By Dave Durban, Guitarist Magazine

These Wide range humbuckers are an entirely new, updated design
The Thinline Deluxe combines two of the guitar world's most classic designs – the Telecaster and Gibson's ES-335. In the construction stakes Fender has excelled with all the Classic Player series guitars, but the Thinline is even better.

The overall fit and finish is genuinely superb, especially considering its price. Moreover, a silky black finish is entirely blemish-free, even around the tricky f-hole.

Just like the original, we have a more traditional slab Tele body – unlike the solid Deluxe there's no belly contour. However, thanks to its semi-solid design, it's light and comfortable; even lighter than many originals we've encountered.
"Blues players, this is your Fender/Gibson hybrid sound."

Meanwhile, its distinctive and shapely, off-white pickguard gives this Thinline that desirable vintage vibe, enhanced by its correct, early seventies-style Tele neck and headstock.

We also get Fender's modern, flatter-than-vintage 9.5-inch radius with bigger frets along with the original-style six saddle bridge. In addition, the neck features four, rather than three bolts.

Strummed acoustically, although the Thinline's intrinsic character is very similar to the solid, humbucker-equipped Deluxe, because of its semi-hollow construction it's less dense sounding with an airy, swirly tone.

Clean, the bridge pickup's soft low-end and bumped mids help mellow this sprightly guitar. More gain gives individual notes plenty of cut and thrust, while open chords sound lush, thick and resonate in typical semi-hollow fashion. There really are few limits tonally.
Sticking with the overdrive, the middle position offers sweet and snappy Gibson-type tones, perfect for edgy rhythms – blues players, this is your Fender/Gibson hybrid sound.

The neck offers a creamy mid-range with ES-335-like thickness, which carries a similar single-note, airy resonance. Overall, the Wide Range humbuckers aren't as hot as a modern ES-335 and are brighter and snappier, in true Fender style.
This guitar represents astonishingly good value. It takes two iconic models and brings a real Fender-y take on the ES-335 format that will surely appeal to both traditional Tele and Gibson semi-hollow lovers.

A very affordable blend of ES-335 tones, but with a snappier Tele edge that really opens this guitar up to myriad playing styles.

fender telecaster thinline tele hollow guitar

10 Bids

US $270.00

1h 3m

NEW FENDER MINI ELECTRIC GUITAR STAND FMEGS

US $10.99

1h 4m

FENDER TELE F HOLE THINLINE ASH BODY 3 COLOR SUNBURST

US $654.46

1h 9m

1967 FENDER CORONADO II ELECTRIC THINLINE GUITAR

17 Bids

US $510.00

2h 5m

Fender® Special Run 72 Telecaster® Thinline Tele NEW

US $799.00

13h 31m

2005 Fender TC 90 Thinline Telecaster Guitar

US $800.00

16h 27m

Gibson Dark Fire

admin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:08:48 +0000

Gibson Guitar announced the limited availability of the Gibson Dark Fire guitar. Embracing the spirit of innovation and technical advancement that inspired the original Gibson Digital guitar in 2006 and Robot guitar in 2007, Gibson's Dark Fire guitar is poised to change the music industry overnight.

The world's most technically advanced guitar will rock the music industry to its core and will soon become the most sought after musical instrument of its time.

An Exceptional Look
Gibson's flowerpot inlay graces the headstock of the Dark Fire as seen on other classic Gibson models such as the Byrdland and the 1911 F4 Mandolin. In addition to traditional touches, Gibson developed an entirely new look that required many changes in the manufacturing process.

The Dark Fire has a nitrocellulose finish created especially for this exclusive 1st run. The mahogany back and neck of the Dark Fire are given a satin finish, while the headstock face is sprayed with a gloss finish. The Dark Fire's chambered mahogany body helps deliver an optimum combination of tone, balance and weight." The result is a comfortable, lightweight guitar that is acoustically louder, with increased sustain and resonance.

Outstanding Playability
Taking much of its inspiration from the 2008 Les Paul, this instrument features a super fast and comfortable ergonomic neck shape with asymmetrical carving and with Perfect SetupTM. This is made possible by a computerized PLEK system, a computer controlled device scans and dresses a guitar under actual playing conditions, strung and tuned to pitch.

The tune-o-matic piezo bridge has been redesigned. It is much sleeker and the bridge now locks to the studs with new technology and works better. The nut is made of a new high tech material which includes Teflon (allowing for the tuning action to be smoother and faster [without breaking strings] and has a higher density than bone.
The bridge lock and the new frictionless faux bone nut insure maximum tone and sustain. The locking tuners insure that tuning and string tension are maintained during lots of hard playing.
The instrument will feel like butter in your hand even after 4 or 5 hours into a gig.

Tone Monster With Chameleon Tone Technology
The Gibson Dark Fire combines two of the most popular pickups, the P90h in the neck position and a Burstbucker 3 in the bridge position. Both are capped with new carbon fiber-like pickup covers, designed to match the Dark Fire's finish. There are 6 low noise relay switches giving you more than 20 separate combination of pickup coils leading to an incredible variety of tonal possibilities.
The resulting pickup combinations are directed through optimized traditional volume and tone controls and then through a studio grade 4 band parametric equalizer/preamplifier. This awesome Chameleon Tone Technology is a pure analog signal path preserving the authenticity of instruments tone while giving unimagined tonal possibilities.

Add A Little Acousticness Please
The Gibson Dark Fire gives you the ability to adjust and blend the acoustic sound from the piezo bridge pickup with the sound from the guitar's traditional pickups using a revolutionary rotary potentiometer which is part of the pickup toggle selector. Twisting the toggle head blends the piezo acoustic sound from 0% acoustic sound [100% traditional pickups] to 100% acoustic sound [no traditional pickups].
The piezo bridge pickup consists of six individual piezo pickups, one for each saddle/string, which can be brought out as individual audio channels.

TV On Control Knob
The key to controlling the new functions of the Dark Fire is the Master Control Knob (MCK), which incorporates a sophisticated, full color matrix display (mini TV screen ). The Dark Fire's new MCK also controls the ability to change pickups, coils, EQ settings and tunings allowing the ability to adjust all quickly and simultaneously even several times during the same song.
There are 8 tone guitar settings that cover the most popular guitar, and 18 different guitar tunings. In addition, there are 24 user defined guitar setting. All can be accessed with a quick use of the MCK.

Robot Gets Steriods
The redesigned power head tuners on the Dark Fire are radically faster and significantly smaller, compared to the original Robot Guitar tuners. You can access any preset tuning in less than one second, so you can change tunings in the middle of a song.
The powerhead tuners are lighter than traditional tuners. The tuners can be used either by hand or automatically without the need to engage them. The battery uses new technology that results in exceptionally long life and light weight.

Computer Hardware And Software Included
The Robot II comes with a small box about the size of a pack of playing cards that acts as a high quality studio preamp and a full interface to a computer using a firewire port . We call it a Robot Interface Pack [or RIP for short]. RIP can be used live, in real time.
With a headphone out, you can carry RIP in you guitar case and set up your playing environment anywhere with or without your computer. The RIP's front panel carries a single 1/4-inch stereo input for the Dark Fire, a 1/8-inch headphone out with level control and a pilot light, which changes from dim blue to bright blue when the Dark Fire input is detected.

The rear panel carries two balanced 1/4-inch line outs, a FireWire connector to link to your amplifier or sound system and a hex connector that carries the analog outputs of each string, which can drive Roland or Axon guitar-to-MIDI converters.
To make full use of your laptop or computer, Dark Fire comes with two of the most powerful and popular software packages being sold today; Native Instruments' Guitar Rig 3 (recognized as the industry's most flexible amp and effects simulation software), and Ableton Live 7 Gibson Studio Edition (a multipurpose recording environment for everything from songwriting, to demos, to full-blown productions).

Both companies have collaborated with Gibson to ensure you can install all the software wand be using it in minutes (on any contemporary Microsoft or Apple operating system) and be harnessing the enormous music-making power of these studio tools. By working with the software developers, Gibson has fined tuned the software specifically for Dark Fire and included simple and powerful templates.

The combination of Dark Fire's on board Chameleon Tone Technology and the software tools, dozens of effects and emulations puts a truckload of sound and thousands of dollars of capability in the hands of the player simply and easily.

Dark Fire Gets An Internet Community Site
Gibson is setting up a Dark Fire community site to allow the lucky owners of this exceptional guitar to share tips, get new information, and discuss how to best use this state of the art instrument.

One amazing capability that comes with the guitar is software that allows you to use your computer to change user presets and store them. Users can then publish their personal favorite preset designs.

More Dark Fire Gear Being Designed
Gibson Guitar is already developing a range of audio equipment designed specifically to work with the new Dark Fire, some of which is already scheduled for release in early 2009, including a small transmitter module designed to work with Bluetooth wireless technology, allowing you the ability to connect wirelessly to your computer or laptop.

Limited Quantity 400 Stores World-Wide
The world's 1st run limited edition Gibson Dark Fire guitar will go on sale on December 15, 2008 at 400 dealers throughout the world. Each store will be limited to carrying only 5 of the sought after guitars and no guitar can be sold before 5pm on Monday, December 15, 2008. Once the guitars are sold out they will not be reproduced.

This highly collectible guitar will be available in the Dark Fire finish only. To find the list of exclusive Gibson Dark Fire guitar dealers go to www.gibson.com/darkfire.

MINARIK LOTUS STUDIO XTREME OCEAN BURST ELECTRIC GUITAR

US $499.00

21h 48m

MINARIK LOTUS STUDIO ANTIQUE CREME ELECTRIC GUITAR NEW

US $449.00

1d 2h 18m

MINARIK LOTUS STUDIO TOBACCO BURST ELECTRIC GUITAR NEW

US $499.00

1d 2h 36m

MINARIK LOTUS STUDIO XTREME GOLD TOP ELECTRIC GUITAR

US $449.00

1d 3h 11m

MINARIK LOTUS STUDIO ORANGE BURST ELECTRIC GUITAR NEW

US $499.00

1d 3h 25m

MINARIK LOTUS STUDIO DARK CHERRY BURST ELECTRIC GUITAR

US $499.00

1d 3h 39m

Martin Guitar Announces 2010 Debut of the “Performing Artist Series” Of Acoustic/Electric Guitars

admin — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:44:41 +0000

C.F. Martin & Co. is proud to announce the launch of the "Performing Artist Series," an innovative line of acoustic/electric guitars set to debut in 2010. The three models that form the foundation of the new series include the "DCPA1" Dreadnought, "OMCPA1" Orchestra Model, and the new Grand Performance "GPCPA1." These acoustic/electric models provide flexibility and professionalism for guitarists, from small coffee houses to large arenas to simply recording with your laptop or in a professional studio.

These new models combine Martin's legendary tone and styling, while adding player comfort and on-stage performance capability. The DCPA1, OMCPA1 and the modern Grand Performance GPCPA1 all share the same aesthetic blend of contemporary and traditional features. Additionally, all Performing Artist Series guitars are equipped with Fishman's newly designed onboard sound reinforcement system, the F1 Aura®.

"A good percentage of the market wants to plug in their acoustic guitars, either for performance, studio or home recording," said Chris Martin IV, Chairman and CEO Martin Guitar. "As musical trends evolve, we will remain committed to providing the finest acoustic guitars available in both acoustic and acoustic/electric configuration."

Each model in the Performing Artist Series offers its own distinctive acoustic and plugged-in sound for the discerning player. The DCPA1 offers the powerful and resonant Martin Dreadnought tone. The OMCPA1 is well balanced, offering warm bass response with crisp clear trebles. The new GPCPA1 shares characteristics from the big rich sound of the Dreadnought and the clarity of the Orchestra model and combines them into a new sonic signature all of its own. All three guitars share the same well-known Martin construction including solid East Indian rosewood back and sides, a solid Sitka spruce soundboard with hybrid scalloped bracing, a genuine ebony headplate, fingerboard and bridge, and a patented mortise and tenon neck joint.

The Performing Artist Series features many firsts for the company, including a more parallel neck profile with a slimmer taper at the 12th fret, giving the guitar comfortable width in the first few frets plus a faster feel for lead-work as you move up the neck. The new smaller bridge design reduces mass and increases the soundboard's tonal response.

Striking new aesthetic features include a pearl Martin block-style logo inlaid into the ebony headplate. New fingerboard inlays use traditional squares in colorful blue paua, flanked by arrow designs adding to the guitar's sleek modern style. A newly-designed two ring rosette borders the soundhole with a stunning combination of blue paua and wood fiber inlays. Finely polished gloss lacquer highlights the body's beauty, while a durable satin finish on the guitar's neck adds to the quicker feel and player's comfort.

The new Fishman® F1 Aura® features the stunning realism of award-winning Aura Acoustic Imaging technology in a distinctive and easy to use onboard preamp system. State-of-the-art features include: digital chromatic tuner, volume and blend controls, independent 3-band EQ for both pickup and image signals, compressor, phase control and an automatic anti-feedback filter with up to 3 notches. The heart of the F1 Aura is its ability to replicate the sound of nine different world-class studio microphones. Fishman engineers have carefully captured images of the sound that these high-quality microphones "hear" and allow you to blend it in with the legendary Gold+Plus under saddle pickup. The preamp design utilizes low-noise components, 32-bit internal processing and 24-bit audio conversion for an incredibly clean and quiet output.

A Limited Lifetime Warranty covers all "Performing Artist Series" models purchased from authorized Martin dealers in the U.S. and Canada. To protect your investment, each guitar includes a brown hardshell case.

Martin HD28 Acoustic Guitar Used Less than 1 Hour

1 Bid

US $1,829.00

45m

MARTIN OMC28E FISHMAN AURA MOST COMMANDING SOUND AURA

US $1,980.00

1h 10m

Vintage 1973 Martin D 28 Roesewood Back Acoustic Guitar

22 Bids

US $1,900.00

1h 17m

Guild D4 Nt electric acoustic guitar LOW RESERVE

US $799.00

1h 43m

Martin Co DX1K Acoustic with solid spuce top

US $599.00

3h 43m

Martin DM Acoustic Guitar w Case EXCELLENT D 28 LOOK

22 Bids

US $315.00

3h 58m

Ibanez BTB470 Bass Guitar Praised

admin — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 07:24:55 +0000

The stunning Ibanez BTB470 Bass Guitar has been praised this month by Guitar & Bass Magazine.

The Ibanez BTB470 bass guitar has all the professional features that musicians crave such as neck-thru construction and deep cutaways that give full fretboard access. Select woods and top-shelf electronics also contribute to the big sound and lasting sustain that have been the hallmark of Ibanez basses. The BTB470 has a mahogany body, a 5-piece maple/bubinga neck, Bartolini MK2 pickups, and active 3-band EQ for precise tonal adjustments.

Ibanez BTB470 Electric Bass Guitar Features:
• Solid mahogany body
• Scale: 35"
• Neck-thru joint
• 5-piece maple/bubinga neck
• Rosewood fretboard
• U-neck contour
• 24 medium frets
• 1.73" (41mm) nut width
• R305mm fretboard
• Monorail II bridge
• Bartolini MK-2 bridge and neck pickups and controls
• Die-cast tuners
• Cosmo black hardware
• Iron pewter finish
• Abalone dot inlay
• Mono-rail II bridge

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Gibson USA Les Paul Studio Guitar

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:42:14 +0000

Sometimes less is better. In the case of the Les Paul Studio from Gibson USA, however, a little less is breathtaking! Ever since hitting the streets in 1983, Gibson’s Les Paul Studio has been the ultimate offering of traditional Les Paul performance with a modern, no-frills attitude. Introduced as a guitar mainly for studio musicians, the Les Paul Studio has become one of the most desired – and popular – Les Pauls for its tremendous harmonic and sonic qualities. All of the essential elements of a Les Paul Standard are there, including a carved maple top, solid mahogany back and genuine Gibson humbucker pickups. What the Les Paul Studio lacks in extras, it makes up for in performance. If you don’t believe us, ask any one of the thousands of musicians who call it their No. 1 axe. The Les Paul Studio is one of Gibson USA’s best-selling instruments. Don’t you want to find out why?

Available Finishes
Take your pick between four gorgeous finishes — Ebony, Wine Red, Classic White and Fireburst — all of which are applied by hand in a process that demands several coats and many hours. Unlike a lot of our competitors, who settle for a polyurethane finish, Gibson opts for a nitrocellulose finish that will encourage the natural vibration of the instrument for a purer tone. In addition, a nitro finish is very porous and actually gets thinner over time. That way your guitar’s wood can breathe and age beautifully, like it’s supposed to.

Fast & Comfortable Rounded Neck Profile
Gibson’s traditional rounded neck profile, which graces the neck of each Les Paul Studio, is a thicker, rounder profile, emulating the neck shapes of the iconic Les Paul Standards of the late 1950s. Each neck is machined in Gibson’s rough mill using wood shapers to make the initial cuts. But once the fingerboard gets glued on, the rest — including the final sanding — is done by hand. That means each neck ends up with ever-so-subtle differences that make each one as exceptional – and unique – as the next.

Crank out modern tone with a vintage edge
Gibson’s 490T and 490R pickups (“T” for treble, and “R” for rhythm) have the traditional characteristics of the original “Patent Applied For” pickups of the late 1950s, but with two key modifications. First, a four-conductor wiring scheme allows the 490s to be connected to any push/pull knob, which lets players split the coils and increase versatility. These pickups also take advantage of wax potting, which does away with any air space inside the pickup, therefore lessening the chances of microphonic feedback. The result is a humbucker with the tonal characteristics of an original PAF, with a slight increase in upper mid-range response. The Gibson 498T bridge pickup is the 490’s ideal complement. Taking the 490 one step further, the 498 swaps the Alnico II magnet to an Alnico V, thus making it slightly hotter with emphasis on mid-ranges and highs. The pole pieces on the 498T are also aligned a little further apart to accommodate the spacing of the strings at the bridge, which is different than the spacing of the strings at the neck.

Ebony or rosewood fingerboard: get the best of both worlds
The fingerboards on Gibson’s Les Paul Studios are constructed from the highest grade rosewood and ebony on the planet. Both are personally inspected and qualified by Gibson’s team of skilled wood experts before they enter the factories to be fitted onto the neck of the Les Paul Studio. The resilience of these dense and durable woods makes these fingerboards extremely balanced and stable, and gives each chord and note unparalleled clarity and bite. The 12-inch radius of the fingerboard provides smooth note bending capabilities and eliminates “dead” or “choked out” notes. The ebony fingerboard is only available on the Classic White Les Paul Studio, and the rosewood fingerboard is available on the Ebony, Wine Red, and Fireburst models.

Enjoy enhanced tone with Gibson’s lightweight, chambered body
The expert craftsmen at Gibson USA carve carefully mapped-out chambers in the Les Paul Studio’s solid mahogany back using a Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) router before the maple top is glued on. The positioning of the routes was established after careful examination of the resonant characteristics of the Les Paul. Gibson approached this process with the awareness that every change to the formula would have repercussions on the instrument’s sound. So, in addition to relieving the stress on a player’s back and shoulder, these lighter Gibson guitars also enhance the tone palette in a manner unique only to these guitars. The results are comfortable, lightweight guitars that are acoustically louder, with increased sustain and resonance.

1992 Gibson Les Paul Studio Gold Hardware Ebony board

US $1,175.99

1h 52m

♫ RICKENBACKER Gem→1999 ↔ 360 12V64 FG ↔ 99 MINT ‼‼ ♫

5 Bids

US $2,025.00

2h 54m

Amazing Costum Gibson Les Paul Studio

US $999.00

3h 9m

Gibson Les Paul Studio Guitar 1996 Nice Used

15 Bids

US $465.00

4h 12m

84 GIBSON Les Paul Studio VINTAGE Tim Shaw PAFs BLONDE

US $1,795.00

6h 15m

Epiphone Elitist Les Paul hard shell case

US $1,000.00

7h 1m

Gibson hails Angus Young for promoting the SG

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:13:04 +0000

Gibson has commended AC/DC's electric guitar player Angus Young for helping to popularise the Gibson SG.
According to the manufacturer, the Scottish-born rocker has inspired countless musicians to invest in an SG, his guitar of choice.
Young was praised for his "incendiary" lead tone and "mammoth" rhythm sound, both of which were said to have inspired "wave after wave" of rock guitar heroes.

"He has done it all on a Gibson SG Standard," Gibson remarked.
"No-one wallops out the massive bone-crunching tone like Angus Young on his Gibson SG."

The electric guitar manufacturer noted that Young purchased this instrument in 1970 and used it on all of AC/DC's albums and tours in subsequent years.

Gibson added that the band have represented the archetypal big rock guitar sound for more than three decades, thereby setting the standard for lots of other groups.

AC/DC's hits include rock standards such as Highway to Hell, Touch Too Much and Whole Lotta Rosie.

Gibson SG Gothic 2001 Excellent

5 Bids

US $461.00

19m

2007 Gibson SG Faded Cherry Solid Electric Guitar

0 Bid

US $550.00

1h 14m

2008 Gibson SG Diablo Limited Edition Silver 194

US $1,499.00

1h 21m

GIBSON LES PAUL JUNIOR JR 1987

16 Bids

US $610.00

1h 28m

VINTAGE 78 GIBSON DOUBLENECK

US $2,500.00

1h 46m

Gibson SG Standard Red 6 String Electric Guitar w Case

22 Bids

US $650.00

2h 6m

Seagull S6 Acoustic Guitar

admin — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:16:23 +0000

Seagull The Original S6 Acoustic Guitar
Great-looking award winner with solid cedar top and genuine lacquer finish! Highly recommened as a first guitar.

Gorgeous domestic wild cherry back and sides provide a unique tone blending the warmth of mahogany with the crisp definition of maple. Silverleaf maple neck on a shorter 24.84" scale with a rosewood fretboard is easy on the fingers while specially aligned machine heads make for quick, stable tuning.
Seagull The Original S6 Acoustic Guitar Features:
• Solid cedar top
• Wild cherry back and sides
• Rosewood fingerboard and bridge
• Tusq nut and compensated saddle
• Semi-gloss lacquer finish
The perfect combination of precision luthiery and low price.

Seagull Entourage Mini Jumbo Acoustic Guitar Rustic NEW

US $329.99

19h 33m

Seagull S6 Slim Acoustic Guitar S 6 In Box

US $299.00

1d 2h 46m

SEAGULL S6 {Original} Q1 ACOUSTIC ELECTRIC Handmade

US $519.00

1d 19h 6m

Seagull S6 Original Acoustic Dreadnought Guitar Cedar

6 Bids

US $52.00

2d 44m

Seagull S6 Original Series Acoustic Guitar w GIG BAG

US $327.20

3d 43m

Guild D-40 Acoustic Guitar Review

admin — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 19:35:38 +0000

By Charles Saufley

With a lineup of classic flattop models including the F-30, F-50, F-412, and D-55 and a league of devotees that has included Nick Drake, Tim Buckley, Ralph Towner, Richie Havens, and Ryan Adams, Guild is among the most loved and respected acoustic-guitar companies. But while rightly regarded as an institution, Guild has had several homes, counting New York City; Hoboken, New Jersey; Westerly, Rhode Island; Corona, California; and Tacoma, Washington, as headquarters during its 57-year history. Late last year, Guild’s parent company, Fender Musical Instruments (who acquired the brand in 1995), announced that Guild was on the move again—this time back east to the New Hartford, Connecticut, factory that is home to Ovation production. (Fender also owns Ovation’s parent company, Kaman Music.)

Our review specimen of Guild’s stalwart D-40 dreadnought is among the first to emerge from the new facility. The quality, timeless style, and vibe that has always made Guild guitars special was evident the minute I took this guitar out of the case, and it only took a little picking and strumming to discover that the D-40’s tone and versatility are worthy of the Guild legacy.

A MAHOGANY LEGEND
The D-40 first appeared in 1963 along with the rosewood-and-spruce D-50. The two guitars were critical to Guild’s growth as it transitioned away from jazz archtops, and they were well timed to coincide with the acoustic guitar boom of the 1960s.
Except for a few noteworthy exceptions, the Connecticut-produced D-40 is faithful to the design and spirit of its 1960s forebears. It’s built around a lovely Adirondack spruce top with subtle bearclaw figuring and rich, chocolatey mahogany back and sides and finished with a flawlessly applied nitrocellulose lacquer that gives the guitar a mirror-like depth and shine. Guild’s trademark art-deco headstock—capped here with ebony—looks as sharp as a bespoke suit, sporting deco-inspired Gotoh 700 tuners, a pearl “Chesterfield” inlay (named for its similarity to the Chesterfield cigarette logo), and a pearl Guild logo that lend the guitar a distinctly American elegance. Among the changes to the original design are details such as a slightly tighter 30-foot top radius (earlier versions had a 40-foot radius), which Guild says increases the guitar’s sustain and projection, and a dual-action truss rod, rather than the older single-action type.

The three-piece neck (which has a slightly smaller heel than most older Guilds) is made from mahogany with a walnut “skunk” stripe at its center, and the rosewood bridge is cut in Guild’s signature twin-peaked shape. As on so many Guilds, there are plenty of small luxuries that make the guitar feel like some¬thing more than an ordinary factory ax: black-and-white rosette with a delicate ring of tortoise; tortoise binding and heel cap; and bone nut, bridge, and bridge pins.

FAT, WARM, AND LOUD
I’ve played a lot of D-40 dreadnoughts (as well as all-mahogany D-25’s and spruce-topped D-35’s) over the years, and I’ve always loved their playability, punch, and warmth. They’re like the guitar equivalent of a 30-year-old baseball glove—supple, responsive, and ready to go. Tuning up and laying into some first-position chords, I found that this D-40 displayed much of the power and glow that I remembered in those old Guilds. Like a new baseball glove, it felt a little stiff at first, but a fresh set of strings brought the D-40 to life—making the guitar feel a little faster under the fingers and adding a little extra shimmer to its kick and warmth.

Eager to break in the D-40, I had a go at my favorite Fred Neil vehicle for fast and heavy strumming, “Looks Like Rain.” The Guild’s warmth and clarity made me feel right at home, and I was impressed with the D-40’s responsiveness and tone under both a light and heavy touch. This is a dynamic and touch-sensitive guitar—not prone to harshness or harmonic blur when you push it, as some mahogany guitars are, nor apt to lose bass or high-end when you take your foot off the gas.

My interest piqued by the D-40’s sparkly, high-mid voice, I snapped a capo onto the third fret and improvised around the chord melody to “Shady Grove.” In this context the Guild was as responsive to delicate arpeggios as muscular, staccato picking—again demonstrating a wide dynamic range that will delight flatpickers and vocal accompanists. And I couldn’t help but think how much I’d value this guitar if I played in a band that worked in a wide range of styles. This guitar has a considerable presence that would find a place in any mix.

Fingerstyle explorations, in this case, improvisations in D A D G A D and C G C G C Eb, benefited from the D-40’s impressive range, too. The lower tunings showcased the D-40’s formidable low-end sustain, color, and overtones, and a driving, uptempo original tune in D A D G A D that relies on a droning sixth string sounded orchestral thanks to the D-40’s bottom-end muscle and high-end detail. Changing strings yet again—this time switching to light-gauge strings to facilitate faster bends—made the guitar feel even livelier for fingerstyle workouts. And though it took slightly more effort to summon the same low-end thump, the guitar remained balanced, responsive, and full of character.

NO-NONSENSE STYLE, RICH TONAL PALETTE
Over the course of the month I spent with this Connecticut-bred D-40, it became an ever more-rewarding companion. Though I enjoyed the guitar’s warm, boisterous voice most when strumming with a heavy, percussive, Neil Young–style attack (especially with the sixth string dropped a step or more), the D-40 was a great companion for delicate, late-night fingerpicking sessions, where I could appreciate its sustain and rich palette of overtones. It’s also a subtly gorgeous instrument, built with all the style and attention to detail that has made Guild a favorite of no-nonsense guitarists. If this D-40 is typical of the Connecticut factory’s work, it bodes well for Guild’s continuing legacy as a guitar maker for serious players who value utility and timeless style over flash.

At a Glance: Guild D-40 THE SPECS
Solid Adirondack spruce top. Solid mahogany back and sides. Three-piece mahogany and walnut neck. Dovetail neck joint. Rosewood fretboard and bridge. Bone nut, saddle, and bridge pins. 25.63-inch scale. 111/16-inch nut width. 21/8-inch string spacing at the saddle. High-gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish. Gotoh 700 tuners. D’Addario EXP 17 medium-gauge phosphor-bronze strings. Made in USA.

Guild D40 Bluegrass Jubilee USA MADE setup CLEARANCE

US $1,299.99

51m

Guild D 40 Bluegrass Jubilee in Antique Sunburst

US $2,395.00

19h 30m

Guild D 40 C Acoustic Dreadnought PERFECT Condition

US $1,200.00

1d 19m

Guild D40 Bluegrass Jubilee USA MADE setup CLEARANCE

US $1,299.99

1d 1h

GUILD D40 BLUEGRASS JUBILEE D 40 D TAR ACOUSTIC W CASE

US $2,399.00

1d 18h 11m

The Jesus Papyrus

US $3.25

4d 16h 59m

Taylor Big Baby Review

admin — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 03:18:44 +0000

Matthew Wig, Guitarist

The success of Taylor's smallest and by far its least expensive model, the three-quarter size Baby, introduced back in 1996, may have taken the company by surprise, but, unsurprisingly, Taylor responded with the introduction of another similar, but fuller-figured model.

Sticking generally to the same structural and visual template, a full 25.5 inch scale length now replaces the Baby's 22.75 inch scale. An increase in dimensions has created a 15/16ths size dreadnought body, although it is, proportionally, slightly shallower than a regular dreadnought.

New Neck
One of the original Baby's unique features was its neck joint. Its development helped pave the way for Taylor's 'new technology' necks. The Big Baby's neck is almost identical except for some internal modifications to the neck block.

A little bit like an electric bolt-on design except the cross-head screws are sunk in through the fingerboard – this virtually heel-less neck is mounted into a precisely machined socket, routed out of the soundboard and the underlying section of the extended L-shape neck-block. This might sound like a flimsy platform for an acoustic neck, but it's really an extremely rigid structure.

Apart from the advantages of being quickly and easily removable/re-settable, this also results in the mahogany neck extending all the way to the end of the ebony fingerboard, with no part of the latter joined to the soundboard. It is this basic principle – avoiding the distortion of the fingerboard due to soundboard movement – that is behind the NT neck, although that is a considerably more complex, intricately machined design.

The remaining construction details couldn't be simpler. Although the top gets a regular X-shape spread of scalloped braces, the Big Baby body doesn't used kerfed linings (apart from a couple of two-inch sections at either of the upper bout's main brace) and there's no bracing on the back.

Instead, the back is given a pronounced arch, for rigidity and improved projection that looks similar to that of an f-hole jazz guitar, but is pressed rather than carved into this shape. It isn't possible to mould solid wood in this way, showing that Taylor has made creative use of these laminate panels with this design.

With no linings, the internal join between back and sides is, understandably, a little more gluey than we're used to with Taylor. With no purfling, binding or scratch plate, the soundboard is a Spartan affair, but the laser-etched rosette is a subtle yet phenomenally precise work of hi-tech art.

The two-piece neck features the new NT-style finger-jointed headstock, offering a neat, structurally reliable and resource saving alternative to the one-piece concept. Aside from the arguably unsightly crew heads (there for the sake of honesty, apparently) the fingerboard and frets are quite immaculate.

The headstock is veneered with Lexan (a trade name for a polycarbonate material) and houses a mechanically solid sextet of tuners. Though normally purveyors of Tusq nuts and saddles, Taylor has opted for a non-brand substitute here.

The choice is a commonly used, hard, durable phenolic plastic (Micarta is a well-known trade name for phenolic). As you'd expect, they are respectively seated and slotted with extreme accuracy, although they could both do with some smoothing of their sharp corners. It's reassuring to see that the solid ebony bridge is as finely buffed and bevel-edged as you'd expect on any Taylor.

There's a grainy, occasionally rough but natural look to this thin mat-satin finish, which adds to the puritanical, sparse look of the Big Baby, but there's nothing half-baked about the way this guitar has been assembled.

Sounds
Taylor is famous for its supremely playable acoustic necks and this model is no exception; in fact, due to its virtually heel-less design, there's better access to the upper frets with any regular full-body acoustic.
A typical hybrid profile, giving a C-shape with a soft V influence, this bolt-on neck is desirably unbulky and shallow throughout its entire length while retaining enough width and string spacing to guarantee free range finger gymnastics. The sides of the fingerboard are not contoured into the neck profile, so they seem a bit square but, considering that it is unbound, the fret ends are consummately trim and the top edge is nice and smoothly beveled for maximum comfort.

The playing surface has everything it needs: lustrously finished frets and a beautifully prepared stretch of flawless and even mottled ebony. Although this finish leaves a noticeably 'open grain' sensation, which some may find off-putting, it's actually butter-smooth to touch, and nowhere near as 'squeaky' as some matt finishes.

Needless to say, the setting of the neck is pot-on (and there's no excuse for it not to be), as are all other aspects of the set-up on this review model. But even if the set-up wasn't too you're taste, with the neck alignment correct, everything else can be much more accurately adjusted.

Long-life corrosion resistant light-gauge Elixir strings (the wound strings are coated with a very thing plastic film) come as standard, but they do have the habit of becoming furry as the coating wears off.
In short, however, this Baby plays like a dream, and when you feel this at home with a guitar you can play anything in any style. Obviously this guitar is not going to sound like a standard Taylor dreadnought; and in fact it's quite surprising to hear how unlike a dreadnought the Big Baby tone is.

Lighter, brighter and more articulate sounding, this model makes a surprisingly good medium for finger picking. Its minimalistic construction and finishing leads to a responsive instrument with excellent projection and clarity, requiring little effort to summon a fairly poky output.
While it might sound a bit thin on the highest top string notes and a tad lightweight in its bass registers, a satisfyingly growling mid-range combined with excitable top-end sparkle lends an almost Flamenco 'clunk' to the bottom strings, with notes shooting out in a highly kinetic fashion. Great fun.

Flat-picking predictably brings forth the edgier, harsher side of the Big Baby's tone, but if a brilliant sheen of sound is what you require then you're in luck. Get your fingernails on the job and you'll be rewarded with a sense that your mitts have been to elocution lessons.

Boys' Toys
With such incredibly mechanized, hi-tech production, it might seem surprising that the company hasn't already gone more budget-orientated, aiming to become the undisputed, world-dominating acoustic super-power. With the Baby already under its belt and now another excellent value, sure-fire seller on the production line, it must be tempting for Taylor to follow this lucrative path more aggressively.
It's obvious, however, that both the Big Baby and its predecessor are not merely relatively cheap guitars, but; more accurately, quality guitars designed and built with such cunning as to not cost so much. This approach is much more in keeping with Taylor's image and renowned high standards, and any other way would result in an unacceptable level of compromise; you just wouldn't get such a good guitar for your money. You could criticize this model for being plain, but, realistically, fancy trimmings are a luxury that a mid-price acoustic can ill afford.

Verdict
Constantly moving on, it's hard to keep up with Taylor's cauldron of steaming ideas, but someone's got to lead the way forward, and it seems we're in reliable hands.