by Simon Bradley

The most affordable model in Ibanez's new Premium range

Ibanez can take a great deal of credit for reinvigorating the 1980s rock guitar market.

In 1986, Van Halen had parted company with original singer David Lee Roth, who immediately teamed up with another hot shot, a certain Steve Vai, to produce two albums of jaw-droppingly brilliant music.

The story of the development of Vai's then-new signature model, the JEM, has been told numerous times, but the knock-on effect was that other players wanted the same style of instrument.

Ibanez quickly realized this and within months of the introduction of the JEM777 in 1987, had also introduced the RG550, with four color options that included both Desert Yellow and the newer Fire Alarm Red, alongside black and white.

Resetting the controls of our time machine to 2011, we welcome a trio of new Ibanez electrics - including this one, which forms part of a new affordable series. This is the most affordable model in the new Premium series, and is therefore best suited to demonstrate the thinking behind it.

"The concept of the Premium range was to bring high-end features and production methods into the price bracket of the normal gigging musician," says Chris Taylor of Ibanez's UK distributors, Headstock.

"Craftsmen from the Japanese Prestige production factory were used to implement the Premium production line in Indonesia to ensure that quality was of a high standard."

The DiMarzios are replaced with CAP-VM pickups designed by Ibanez using oxygen-free copper wire specifically for use with selected Premium instruments and the neck, although comprising the five-piece laminate, has a rosewood board with a slightly more curvy 400mm (15.75- inch) radius.

It does feel a bit fatter than the higher-priced RG3250's, and the smooth feel of the fret ends adds a true dollop of class.

Hardware is an obvious area from which to shave costs without necessarily impeding the performance, and the vibrato here is an Edge-Zero II, which is the cast rather than machined version of the full-spec Edge-Zero, and it operates in the same manner.

Sounds

The marginally tighter radius allows for a more conventional feel and the fretwork is without doubt of the highest quality. In other words, the RG870 is a player's guitar and although the Edge-Zero II doesn't allow quite as much upwards play as the RG3250, the gamut of vibrato techniques are realistically attainable.

If anything, the tone is slightly fuller on this guitar - no doubt thanks to the bigger neck and slightly higher action - and is therefore a more versatile option. Rocking with AC/DC riffs sound more convincing here than they do with the RG3250.

So, admirable tonal versatility, excellent construction and a more than attractive SRP? Sign us up.

The RG870Z should have a wide appeal, retaining the luxurious feel of the high-end Prestige guitars at a significantly lower price and, aside from the pickups and hardware, we're hard pressed to spot where any cost-cutting measures have been made.

It offers the classic Ibanez feel without any over the top livery and, as a first proper rock guitar or even a quality spare, it'd serve you very well indeed.

Playing guitar is supposed to be fun, and you'll be grinning like a loon when you have this in your hands. Why not try it out and see what we mean?

Verdict

A genuinely impressive modern rock guitar, with a feel and tone that belies the rather attractive price tag.

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Ibanez RG Premium Series RG870 Electric Guitar - Black List Price: $1,056.65

Description

For 2011, we offer the new Premium series of guitars designed for hardworking musicians. These guitars are for players who push their guitars to the fullest every night on stage and who demand real professional quality instruments, both functionally and visually.

Features

• Specially rounded Premium fret edges for smooth play and comfortable neck grip
• Premium grade, select woods
• Wizard Premium neck has same construction and thickness as Prestige Wizard
• High-end DiMarzio and CAP-VM pickups
• Ultimate tuning stability with Edge-Zero II bridge/tremolo w/ZPS 2

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Ibanez has always been masterful at combining high quality and affordability. And though the days of Ibanez’ selling Japanese-built guitars that rivaled their American inspirations for a pittance are long-since gone, the company still applies their formula for building great guitars for less in developing manufacturing centers elsewhere in the world. Most recently, Ibanez opened a specialty factory in Indonesia, with the intent of producing guitars with quality as close to their Prestige line as possible while keeping the price to a minimum. The RG920QM is one of the latest guitars from that facility.

Premium Perks
Ibanez’s newest addition to the RG line is a sight to behold. Despite its mid-level price, the RG920QM looks and feels as well built as the company’s prized Prestige models, with deep, three-dimensional hues in the body’s finished wood, high-end pickups, an excellent vibrato system, and super-comfortable neck.

The RG’s body is fashioned from American Basswood and capped with a quilted, two-piece maple veneer in a beautiful Red Desert finish. The headstock shares the same finish treatment and has its own vibrant quilting pattern. There’s a strip of ¼” wide, unpainted maple binding surrounding the body, which gives the illusion that the top is actually that thick. But it’s applied with precision, making it difficult to detect that the top is actually significantly thinner.

The body is home to Ibanez’s brand new Edge Zero II with ZPS3Fe (zero point system) vibrato system, which is extremely close in design to the celebrated Edge Zero that you find on the Prestige models. Some of the coolest aspects of the guitar’s performance are related to this fantastic vibrato system, which features locking studs, individual knife edges and a removable cross bar and counter spring that snaps the bridge back to the zero point with precision. Pulling out the cross bar and spring effectively converts the bridge to full-floating mode, which feels looser and more ideal for quick Steve Vai-style note flutters. It’s also extremely easy to adjust the spring tension via the Edge Zero II’s spring adjust knob, which conveniently pokes through the cover plate on the back of the guitar.

Two Dimarzio IBZ humbuckers—the result of a partnership with Dimarzio and Ibanez to make custom-voiced pickups for their high end instruments—are bolted directly into the body and controlled by single volume and tone knobs and a five way switching system that should feel familiar to RG enthusiasts. Ibanez describes the output of both the neck and bridge pickups as medium-hot, but the output sounds closer to the hotter side of the spectrum. The bridge pickup—an IBZ-B model—belts out an output close to 430mV, which is in the range of Dimarzio’s Super Distortion model. The IBZ-N neck pickup was no slouch either, measuring an output close to 400mV—which is higher in range than even The Breed—making it a legitimate fire-breather.

The switching system gives you access to a multitude of drastically different tones. The full-aft position puts you in full bridge humbucking mode. From there, you can combine middle single coils of the neck and bridge at position two, both pickups in full humbucking mode at position three, the neck pickup in parallel at position four, and the neck pickup in humbucking mode at position five. The system puts a lot of sonic potential at your fingertips, though I would have liked to have had the option of controlling the neck and bridge pickup tones separately, as I enjoy switching between a sharp, biting rhythm tone and a soft, round tone for leads.

Despite its mid-level price, the RG920QM looks and feels as well built as the company’s prized Prestige models, with deep, three-dimensional hues in the body’s finished wood, high-end pickups, an excellent vibrato system, and super-comfortable neck.

When the RG line hit the streets decades ago, their smooth and fast necks sparked the attention of guitarists with speed-demon shred tendencies everywhere. The neck on the RG920QM is no exception. The 24-fret, five-piece maple and walnut neck with rosewood fretboard feels slightly fatter in my fretting hand than that of the super-thin Ibanez Wizard, but was still pretty comfortable and easy to move on. The extra bulk in the middle does lend the sense that there’s more to hold on to, helping me hang on to chords while adding little flourishes such as double stops and hammer-ons.

Accessing the truss rod is easy thanks to Ibanez’s why-didn’t-I-think-of-that sliding plastic truss cover, which makes it a cinch to access the nut inside for adjustments. It’s small, yet innovative designs like this that show that Ibanez has a keen eye for detail and improvement, even upon a guitar design that’s almost 30 years old.

More Than A Feeling
After strapping on Ibanez’s new lightweight shred machine, I plugged into a 2011 Mesa/Boogie Multiwatt Dual Rectifier head, running into an Emperor 4x12 with Weber C1265 speakers. In bridge humbucking mode, the tone was crystal clear and defined from my first open chord to my last speedy legato lick and the neck made it feel like I could reach just about any note that I wanted at any time.

The second position is great for funk rhythm tones and perfect for guitarists who like cutting ’70s rhythm rock tones. Dynamic response to my pick attack was excellent and I really enjoyed moving between this pickup position and the fourth one—neck humbucker in parallel—while indulging my funkier, more authoritative side. The fourth position offers the same type of scooped, percussive tone as the second position, but with a little added girth and dimension that made it stand out—perfect for playing entire staccato chords instead of high-pitched, razor-sharp triads.

When I switched gears to arpeggiated chords the tone could sometimes sound relatively lifeless. Both of the pickups—especially the bridge—seemed to have a rather noticeable midrange hump. Getting a pristine, shimmering clean with a clean picking style wasn’t impossible, but there was considerably less bite on the highs. These aren’t pickups that like to be played softly, something that became more apparent when I switched to the Mesa’s orange channel.

The Ibanez and Mesa orange channel conspired to create a pummeling overdrive that was tighter than a drum with a vicious midrange cut that was perfect for palm-muted metal rhythms. Moving from a riff to a slick run and then back again was effortless. And the spaces between changes were dead silent too—even in high-gain situations—and the IBZ humbuckers remained feedback resistant at the most deafening levels.

A hint of graininess in the upper mids shone through slightly when I pulled my palm away from the bridge and let the strings vibrate freely, but it was something that I had to listen for. Moreover, the tone of each pickup is balanced exceptionally well, with that ever-present, beautifully voiced midrange pushing through the mix. I could really hear it when I would delve into a quick legato run and hang on the last note until it was awash in harmonic feedback. The sound was surprisingly textured and thick enough to make me forget how affordable this guitar is.

With the Mesa’s red channel engaged, the tone morphed into a fluid, crisp wall of sound, perfect for sustained leads and super-heavy riffage. Again, the pickups were quite hot, so I had to back off the guitar’s volume knob slightly and drop the amp’s gain control a bit to keep the tone crisp and clear.

The Verdict
Ibanez outdid itself—and honored its own tradition of affordability—with the RG920QM. Its tone and playability puts it in the same realm as much more expensive guitars. The clean tones can be a bit stale at times, but the harmonically rich personality of the guitar in the high-gain applications it’s meant for trump such complaints. If you’re in the market for a Prestige-level RG but don’t have the scratch to make it a reality, the RG920QM is a sure-fire winner and a real surprise

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Ibanez RG Premium Series RG920 Quilted Maple Electric Guitar - High Voltage Violet List Price: $1,267.99

Description

For 2011, we offer the new Premium series of guitars designed for hardworking musicians. These guitars are for players who push their guitars to the fullest every night on stage and who demand real professional quality instruments, both functionally and visually.

Features

• Specially rounded Premium fret edges for smooth play and comfortable neck grip
• Premium grade, select woods
• Wizard Premium neck has same construction and thickness as Prestige Wizard
• High-end DiMarzio and CAP-VM pickups
• Ultimate tuning stability with Edge-Zero II bridge/tremolo w/ZPS 5

Reviews

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Surely we don't need another P-Bass from Fender? Well, surprisingly it seems that we do!

The new '70s P-Bass is a welcome addition to an already wide range.
When Leo Fender launched the Precision Bass onto an unsuspecting bass-playing populace in 1951 it was met with a degree of distaste and suspicion.
However, it took little more than a quick go on one to win all but the die-hard traditionalists over. Something so much more compact than an upright bass, with the ability to be amplified, was just too good to ignore.
It was almost perfectly designed from the start, but by 1957 with a few modifications to the body, headstock and pickup, the Precision as we know it today was complete. The story does not stop there, however, as over the years Fender has continued to offer the beloved P-Bass in a variety of styles and prices.
In both the three-tone sunburst and Olympic white finishes this is a very attractive prospect indeed.
So surely, then, there's already something to suit everyone? Well apparently not, for here comes the new Japanese-built '70s P-Bass, and it's actually a welcome addition to this already wide range.
In both the three-tone sunburst and Olympic white finishes this is a very attractive prospect indeed. The black block inlays and binding on the maple neck, used originally on the Jazz Bass, are incredibly eye-catching. Add to that the three-ply black scratchplate and the welcome return of the thumb rest (positioned above the strings), and that 1970s vibe is captured brilliantly.
Other features of this model are the F-stamped neck plate, a vintage-style truss rod system, knurled chrome knobs and the appropriate 1970s-style Fender logo on the headstock. There's also a pleasing tint to the maple neck, which gives it a slightly aged look, while the shallow profile and wide 'board make this bass a real joy to play.

Sounds
With all the usual passive electronics in place, this naturally sounds like a good Precision, which means that the reason for choosing this particular version is all about
looks and feel.
The sound, of course, remains fat and solid no matter what position you set the tone control. There's enough top available to make your speakers spit out the notes, but it's the warmth and depth of the bottom end that gives the foundation for consistently great sounds.
Most players work with the tone control slightly off centre, using a treble bias for the funky or hard rock stuff and a bass bias for the traditional old-school sounds, but with well-defined notes.
This period of Fender basses has been all but forgotten – it was a time of old jigs producing poorly fitting parts. But some good designs also emanated from this period that are worth remembering.
Manufacturing problems are now a thing of the past and this model offers a striking combination of 1970s elements and is a welcome and justified addition to the vast current P-Bass catalogue.
Surprisingly, there are only three current P-Bass models that are manufactured in Japan -¬ the other two being from the Steve Harris Signature model and the Sting. In short, if you like the look, the sound and playability won't disappoint.

Verdict
Undeniably attractive, the appeal of this over any of the other Precision models lies in its looks and excellent feel.

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Fender '70s Precision Bass, Olympic White, Maple Fretboard List Price: $1,099.99 Sale Price: $849.99 You save: $250.00 (23%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days 4 new from $849.99

Description

Fender’s new Classic series ’70s Precision Bass authentically evokes the era when our first bass rocked with more versatile use than ever, from prog to punk and metal to funk. Vintage touches include bass-side thumb rest (first adopted in 1974), ’70s-style large headstock logo and bound neck with block inlays.

Features

• A vintage-style split-single-coil P Bass® pickup provides great foundational tones.
• A bound neck, large headstock, block inlays, thumbrest, and '70's style logo recall all the visual hallmarks of the decade.
• A '70's style bridge, tuning machines, and Fender stamped, open-gear tuners offers rock-solid performance.

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As Gretsch launches its signature version of Beatle George's 'first real decent guitar', we ask the obvious question: what took so long?

So, why has it taken so long for Gretsch to get the signature of its greatest ambassador on a
headstock? Well, as Gretsch Custom Shop master builder Stephen Stern reveals,
it hasn't been for want of trying.

"Fred Gretsch was working with George on a signature Duo Jet," Stern tells us.
"When we went to see the Harrison family to discuss the Tribute model,
they had one of the prototypes.

"It wasn't 'right'. But with its manufacturing facility through Fender, I think Gretsch is
in a better position now to make a George Harrison signature model."

"The bridge unit sounds fantastic with a generous splash of reverb, especially when
you start shaking that whammy bar."

Opening the deluxe tweed case of the new G6128T-GH George Harrison Signature Duo Jet, it's
hard to argue with Stern's assessment. If you don't gasp a little when you see
that flawless black paintwork and gleaming chrome hardware contrast with the
bubblegum pink lining of its case, you're not the right punter for this guitar.

The Japanese-built Signature is not an exact replica of George's original '57 Duo
Jet. If you've got your heart set on something like that, bite the bullet and
find the £15,118 and pocket change required for the US-made G6128T-GH George
Harrison Tribute Custom Shop Duo Jet - this Signature is basically a '57 Duo
Jet reissue with some obvious 'Georgian' tweaks.

Like his original guitar, the Signature has a pair of DynaSonic single-coil pickups, a
Bigsby B3 True Vibrato with a Phillips screw holding on the arm, a rocking bar
bridge, and the offset lower strap button. It also features 'hump-block'
fingerboard inlays (which only appeared on the '57 model), thin vintage-style
frets and an all-black finish like George's guitar.

The Signature is also the only import Duo Jet reissue with period-correct body dimensions.
Like George's original guitar, and therefore the US Tribute model, the
Signature's chambered body is 51mm (2 inches) deep, while the other Duo Jet
reissues bottom out at 44.5mm (1.75 inches).

There are some details that George's original Cavern blaster and the new Signature version
don't share.

For example, the shape of the scratchplate support brackets and wood bridge bases don't
match. Neither do the screws that hold the Bigsby hinge in place: George's
guitar has chrome slot-head screws; the Signature has black Phillips-head jobs.

The Bigsby B3 vibrato's baseplate sits closer to the body of the original guitar than it does
on the Signature; the tuners are a bit different too. But these are small
things, which can be 'fixed' by true detail freaks.

The most important difference in the spec sheets of these guitars is the fingerboard
radius. The Signature model has a 305mm (12-inch) radius fingerboard; George's
old '57, and its Tribute doppelgänger, have a 229mm (9-inch) radius 'board.

The playability offered by the Signature, however, is first class. That flatter 'board radius
makes noodling above the 12th fret a more practical prospect than on a vintage
Gretsch.

The only niggle we have here is with the bridge - like many Gretsch guitars, the bridge on our
Duo Jet can slip out of position on occasion. A pinned bridge would solve that
little problem.

You'll also find that the intonation offered by the bar bridge is far from precise, but if
you buy a vintage reissue you just put up with this sort of thing - it's part
of the charm of old guitars. Moaning about it is like complaining that the
brakes on a '60s MG Midget aren't too clever.

Sounds

The inherent hum that plagues single-coil pickups may be a deal breaker for some, but after
plugging the Signature into an amp we say, hum be damned. These DynaSonic
pickups sound great.

Gretsch guitars loaded with DeArmond DynaSonics (as they were branded back in the day) powered
the music of George Harrison's heroes: the likes of Eddie Cochran, Duane Eddy,
Chet Atkins and Cliff Gallup, the peerless Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps
guitarist.

These modern Gretsch-made DynaSonics pump out oodles of vintage twang. The bridge unit
sounds fantastic with a generous splash of reverb, especially when you start
shaking that whammy bar.

Engaging both pickups works great for rockabilly and old school rhythm and blues licks. The
neck pickup is the go to setting if you want jazzy chords. All you need to get
the most from this guitar is a decent valve amp, some reverb and an echo chamber.

While the Signature sounds great straight from the case, if this was our guitar - and we
really wish it was - we'd slap on a set of tape-wound strings to warm it up a
little.

That small change would promote an even more authentic fifties rockabilly tone (think
Cliff Gallup on Gene Vincent's Race With The Devil); and the sound that filled
The Cavern Club in Liverpool back in the early '60s, courtesy of a young man
called George.

The £70 (not forgetting the IOU for £20) that George paid for his original Duo Jet was a lot
of money in 1961. Well, the £2,818 price tag hanging from the new Signature
version is a fair old wad of cash these days as well.

That said, the thrill you'll get every time you lift the lid on the G6128T-GH George Harrison
Signature Duo Jet's case makes missing a bunch of nights out or a holiday
abroad an easy sacrifice in our opinion.

This flawlessly built guitar transports you back to one of the most exciting and important
periods of British rock 'n' roll, when four young lads from Liverpool learned
their craft in the tough clubs of Hamburg - before going on to change the
world.

Living with the Signature, you can see why George loved his Duo Jet. This guitar gets under
your skin.

When you're not playing, polishing or looking at this Jet, you'll be thinking about it. Just
like George did that night in summer 1961 when he returned home with his 'first
real decent guitar'.

Verdict

It might not be the Tribute, but with its top build, great playability and '50s tone, this is
no consolation prize.

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Gretsch Guitars G6128T George Harrison Duo Jet Electric Guitar Black List Price: $5,000.00 Sale Price: $3,499.99 You save: $1,500.01 (30%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days 7 new from $3,499.99

Description

The Gretsch G6128T-GH George Harrison Signature Duo Jet Semi Hollow Body Electric Guitar is a stunning replica of the guitar played by George Harrison as seen on legendary early footage of the Beatles performing at Liverpool's Cavern Club; where the group played from February 1961 to August 1963. Georges prized instrument of choice was a black 1957 Gretsch 6128 Duo Jet, serial number 21179, with a Bigsby vibrato unit. The guitar is clearly visible in the footage. After acquiring the guitar in the summer of 1961, Harrison used this guitar almost exclusively during the historic three-year span when the Beatles parlayed their local fame into legendary status. This guitar is heard on the Beatles' debut album, Please Please Me, and the song of the same name that was their first number-one hit. After retiring this guitar in 1963, he gave the guitar to his close friend Klaus Voorman, (who is famous for designing the Beatles Revolver album cover, and later became the bassist for John Lennons Plastic Ono Band). A quarter-century later he re-acquired this legendary guitar and used it for his acclaimed 1987 solo album Cloud Nine; as also seen on the now iconic cover art.The body is carved from mahogany, and is chambered for improved tonality and weight relief; and is capped with a 3-ply Maple Top. The neck is carved from mahogany with a rosewood fretboard and a comfortable 9 radius. The electronics feature a pair of DynaSonic Single-Coil Bridge and Neck Pickups, Custom Made by Seymour Duncan. You will be able to relive these legendary sounds in your own hands. The vintage style tuners and the Bigsby B6C vibrato tailpiece perfectly complete the vibe.Order your Gretsch G6128T-GH George Harrison Signature Duo Jet Semi Hollow Body Electric Guitar from Sam Ash Direct today and own a piece of Rock & Roll History! Be sure to take advantage of our fast, free shipping and our 45/60 day return/price protection policy.

Features

• Mahogany body with arched maple top
• 24.6" scale mahogany neck with 22 fret rosewood fingerboard
• Pearloid hump-block inlays; Bound body and neck
• DynaSonic pickups; Grover V98CM Sta-Tite die cast tuners
• Premium tweed case included

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Purchasing a guitar may be an intimidating process, particularly if you've never purchased one before. There are several components to take into account and so many guitars obtainable. Novices will certainly feel overwhelmed. Fear not - help is obtainable

What helps make one guitar unique from another? Is a guitar which costs $3,000 better than one that is $500 or $100? Naturally it is, but a far more elementary query to be asked is whether or not a novice needs a top-of-the-line guitar.
Each aspiring guitar player fantasizes about playing a classic Martin D28. Having said that, if the guitarist is a novice simply starting out I don’t propose spending any more than $500. It is an excellent strategy to first ascertain if the interest continues and the expertise is present before investing a large sum of money on a guitar like those played by the legends. All of the guitars detailed beneath are lower priced acoustic guitars. All however, present good value for their respective cost. You will be able to discover substantially discounted prices at The Best Guitar Shop at http://www.best-guitar-shop.com

1. Seagull S6 Acoustic Guitar

These Canadian-made guitars are terrific guitars - really highly regarded, both for their beautiful sound, and their superb value. The Seagull S6 acoustic guitar features a solid cedar top and mahogany back and sides. Although the cost may be slightly above what most may possibly be prepared to end up paying for a first guitar, it should be considered an investment.

2. Yamaha FG700S
Probably not in the same league as the Seagull, the FG700S remains a solid newbie instrument, and for the selling price (considerably less costly than the S6), it's a great value. The Yamaha FG700s features a solid sitka spruce top, with nato back and sides.

3. Takamine G-340
This beginner model Takamine guitar features a laminated spruce top. Although it clearly isn't on par with some of the higher end Takamine guitars, the general consensus is the G-340 offers a very good bang for the buck.

4. Fender CD-140S
This lower cost Fender acoustic offers a solid spruce top, with laminated mahogany back and sides. Less expensive Fender products have a tendency to be occasionally guilty of lackluster workmanship, but, considering the solid spruce top, this guitar could be desirable to newbies.

5. Epiphone DR-100
The DR-100 comes with a spruce top, with mahogany back and sides. This guitar can normally be seen at a rather inexpensive price, which can make it attractive to beginners. Many look at this strictly a newbie instrument; nevertheless, it may not be long before you'll need to trade up.

6. Fender CD-60
Desire features you'd anticipate in a significantly more costly instrument? The CD-60 is your guitar, with features including a spruce top, mahogany back and sides, die-cast tuners.

7. Ibanez AC30NT
The Ibanez AC30NT is another well-constructed instrument with solid Engelmann spruce top and mahogany back and sides. This mix creates a warm, bottom-end tone with bright highs.

8. Taylor Baby Taylor
The Taylor Baby Taylor is a 3/4 size dreadnought guitar, making it a great option for more youthful guitarists with smaller hands. Taylor has a reputation for becoming one of America's greatest guitar producers, and although they've cut a few corners here to meet a low-price point, the Taylor Baby Taylor acoustic guitar is still a solid instrument.

9. Martin LX1
One of the most highly esteemed guitar manufacturers has offered this 3/4 size guitar, designed for guitarists with modest hands and small pocketbooks. The LXI features a solid sapele top, back and sides. The Martin LX1 acoustic guitar is a very good guitar for a novice

A great place to begin your search for that first guitar is The Best Guitar Shop at http://www.best-guitar-shop.com. You will find the guitars discussed above as well as hundreds of others, all at substantially reduced prices.

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Seagull S6 "The Original" Acoustic Guitar Bundle w/Gator Hardshell Case and On-Stage Guitar Stand List Price: $651.99 Sale Price: $449.00 You save: $202.99 (31%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days 1 new from $449.00

Description

Seagull Guitars, made in North America, are designed by Robert Godin. Limited Lifetime warranty. High quality players guitars at affordable prices.

Winner of several awards, the S6 is perhaps the instrument that best represents the Seagull philosophy. The S6 offers entry level players the opportunity to experience the great feel and superb sound provided by a hand finished neck, solid Cedar top and genuine lacquer finish.

Features

• Gator GC-Dread Acoustic Hardshell Case Included!
• On-stage XCG-4 Guitar Stand Included!
• Neck: Silver leaf maple
• Fingerboard: Indian rosewood
• Top: Solid Cedar top

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Yamaha FG700S Acoustic Guitar Bundle with Yamaha Hard Case, DVD, Picks, Strap, Strings, Pick Card, and Polishing Cloth List Price: $369.99 Sale Price: $219.99 You save: $150.00 (41%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours 1 new from $219.99

Description

Bundle includes Yamaha FG700S Acoustic Guitar, Yamaha Hard Case, DVD, Picks, Strap, and Strings, plus pick card and Polishing Cloth.The Yamaha FG700S Acoustic Guitar is a classically styled guitar that is designed for beginners as well as individuals who may have a moderate amount of experience with guitars. With a wide variety of stringed instruments available it does help to have a good understanding of this particular product before you decide whether you are going to buy it or not.The FG700S by Yamaha is considered by many to be an entry level guitar but it still has the versatility, styling and ease of playing that will make it a welcome addition for any individual. This 6 stringed acoustic guitar has the easy playing design that invites people to test it out. The fret has narrow lines and the strings are located close to the fret board which means less pressure will be exerted on the hand and fingers of the person who is playing. For those with shorter fingers and small palms this could well be the ideal guitar for them to use when they are learning to play for the first time.

Features

• Sitka Spruce Top with Nato Back and Sides
• Nato Neck with Rosewood Fingerboard and Bridge
• Die-cast Chrome Hardware
• Includes Yamaha Hard case, DVD, Picks, Strap, and Strings, plus Pick Card and Polishing Cloth
• Black and White Body Binding

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Takamine G Series G340 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, Natural List Price: $359.00 Sale Price: Too low to display   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days 16 new from Too low to display

Description

G Dreadnought Mahogany A

Features

• Body Shape: Dreadnought
• Rosette: Abalone
• Top: Spruce
• Inlays: Abalone Dots
• Back & Sides: Mahogany

Reviews

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Fender CD-140S Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, Natural List Price: $299.99 Sale Price: $199.99 You save: $100.00 (33%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours 11 new from $199.99  2 used from $165.79

Description

New and improved for 2011. The CD-140S dreadnought offers full, resonant sound and great value, with a natural-finish solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. Upgrades include a new tortoise shell pickguard and mother-of-pearl rosette design, new compensated rosewood bridge design, aged bridge pins with black dots, mother-of-pearl Fender logo headstock inlay, and smaller (3 mm) dot fingerboard inlays. Features scalloped X bracing, 20-fret rosewood fingerboard, dual-action truss rod, and die-cast tuners.

Features

• Solid Spruce Top, Laminated Mahogany Back and Sides
• Scalloped X Bracing
• Rosewood Bridge with Compensated Saddle and chrome die cast tuning keys
• Additional Features: Dual Action Truss Rod, Tortoise Shell Pickguard, 3mm Dot Position Inlays, MOP Rosette, MOP Inlaid Headstock Logo, Rosewood Headstock Veneer and Aged Bridge Pins

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Epiphone DR-100 Acoustic Guitar, Natural List Price: $182.00 Sale Price: $99.00 You save: $83.00 (46%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days 3 new from $99.00  1 used from $99.99

Description

The DR-100 features a Select Spruce top; Mahogany back and sides; and Rosewood fingerboard and bridge.

The DR-100 dreadnaught is Epiphone's best selling acoustic. All the basic elements you want--traditional shape Mahogany back and sides, Select Spruce top, Rosewood fingerboard and bridge make this a great entry-level instrument. Epiphone's best selling acoustic. Mahogany body with Select Spruce top. Rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays. Body Tonewoods The top of the DR-100 is made from select spruce, while the back and sides are constructed from mahogany, giving the DR-100 balanced expression, warm bass, and excellent projection. Rosewood Fingerboard with Dot Inlays The fingerboard of the DR-100 is constructed from rosewood. The resilience of this durable wood makes the fingerboard extremely balanced and stable, and gives each chord and note clarity and bite. Angled Headstock Unlike cheaper designs, all Epiphones feature a 14-degree headstock that gives you more pressure at the nut and so you get more sustain with less tuning hang-ups caused by "string-tree" gadgets. Specs Hardware: Chrome Scale: 25.5 inches Nut width: 1.68 inches Neck: Set, Mahogany Fretboard: Rosewood Inlays: Dot Body material: Mahogany Top: Select Spruce Finishes available: Ebony, Natural, Vintage Sunburst

Features

• Mahogany body
• Select Spruce top
• 25.5 scale

Reviews

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Fender CD-60 Acoustic Guitar with Case, Natural List Price: $299.99 Sale Price: $199.99 You save: $100.00 (33%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours 15 new from $199.99  2 used from $173.00

Description

New and improved for 2011. The CD-60 dreadnought boasts features you’d expect on much more expensive instruments, with a spruce top and choice of natural, sunburst and black finishes. Upgrades include a new black pickguard and mother-of-pearl acrylic rosette design, new compensated bridge design, white bridge pins with black dots and smaller (3 mm) dot fingerboard inlays. Features include scalloped X bracing, black body binding, 20-fret fingerboard, dual-action truss rod and die-cast tuners. Hard-shell case included.

Features

• Laminated Spruce Top, Laminated Nato back and sides
• Scalloped X Bracing
• Roseweood Bridge with Compensated Saddle and chrome die cast tuners
• Additional Features: Dual Action Truss Rod, 3mm Dot Position Inlays, Black Pickguard, White Bridge Pins, and Crushed Acrylic Rosette

Reviews

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Taylor Guitars Big Baby Taylor, BBT, Natural Acoustic Guitar with Planet Waves/GO-DPS 16 Pick Sampler (#PW-SAMPLER), NS Capo Lite, Snark Tuner, Ultra Stand, Planet Waves Humidifier, Planet Waves Polish, Taylor Polishing Cloth and Taylor Guitars T-Shirt, Beanie & Strap Sale Price: $489.99   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days 1 new from $489.99

Description

The Baby Taylor's big sibling, a 15/16-scale Dreadnought with a solid Sitka spruce top and sapele-laminate back and sides, boasts a surprisingly full voice, comes with a lightweight gig bag for easy portability, and makes a trusty companion wherever you go - even if it's just to the couch. Guitar Comes Standard with Elixir® Light Gauge Strings with NANOWEB® Coating & Taylor BBT Padded Gig-Bag. Includes: Planet Waves/GO-DPS 16 Pick Sampler (#PW-SAMPLER), Ultra Stand, NS Capo Lite, Snark Tuner, Planet Waves Humidifier, Planet Waves "Shine" Spray cleaner with Taylor polishing cloth, Taylor Guitars T-Shirt, Beanie & Strap.

Features

• Big Baby Taylor 6-String 15/16 Size Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar with Sitka Spruce Top & Sapele Laminate Back & Sides, Scale Length 25 1/2"
• Body Length 19 1/2" - Body Width 15" - Body Depth 4" - Overall Length 40 ¼"
• Tropical American Mahogany Neck with Ebony Fretboard, 20 Frets with Pearloid Dot Inlays - Nut Width 1 11/16" - Lexan Headstock Overlay
• Tusq Nut & Saddle - Enclosed, Die-Cast Chrome Plated Tuning Machines
• Includes: Planet Waves/GO-DPS 16 Pick Sampler (#PW-SAMPLER), Ultra Stand, NS Capo Lite, Snark Tuner, Planet Waves Humidifier
• Guitar Comes Standard with Elixir ® Light Gauge Strings with NANOWEB® Coating & Taylor BBT Padded Gig-Bag

Reviews

The new Modern Player series continues that great "my-first-Fender" tradition, with thoroughly modern features and several distinctively unconventional new takes on our most revered instruments - all with outstandingly attainable value.
The Modern Player series holds a few surprises in store, too - including the long-awaited return of an acclaimed Fender bass guitar model not seen since the 1970s (back now in potently hot-rod fashion), an unrelentingly lean-and-mean version of the venerable Jaguar guitar, the resurrection of a fabled and seldom-heard Fender name from the 1960s for a scorching new guitar model, an utterly volcanic new Jazz Bass with dual humbucking pickups, and a powerful new take on the acclaimed modern-era Jaguar Bass - back in the ring with a versatile new pickup combination and streamlined control configuration.

Eight new instruments
There are eight instruments in the series; five guitars and three basses. They are the Modern Player Stratocaster HSS, Modern Player Telecaster Plus HSS, Modern Player Telecaster Thinline Deluxe, Modern Player Jaguar, Modern Player Marauder, Modern Player Telecaster Bass, Modern Player Jazz Bass and Modern Player Jaguar Bass.

Modern Player Marauder
In addition to heralding the return of a fabled and seldom-heard Fender name from the 1960s, the Modern Player Marauder is one of the most distinctive new guitars in the family, uniquely marked by a new body style, Modern Player Jazzmaster neck pickup and volcanic-sounding three-coil Fender Triplebucker bridge pickup.
Other features include a koto body, C-shaped maple neck, rosewood fretboard with 22 jumbo frets, five-way pickup switching with lower horn blade selector switch, four-ply aged white pearloid pickguard, Jazz Bass-style control knobs, vintage-style synchronized tremolo bridge, vintage-style tuners and nickel/chrome hardware. The Modern Player Marauder comes in Black and Lake Placid Blue.

Modern Player Stratocaster
The Modern Player Stratocaster HSS offers the tonal versatility of two Modern Player single-coil pickups and a full-throated Modern Player humbucking pickup at the bridge, with the addition of the second tone knob serving as a push-pull coil-split switch for the bridge pickup.

Other features include an alder body, C-shaped maple neck, rosewood fretboard with 9.5-inch radius and 22 jumbo frets, five-way pickup switching, three-ply pickguard, vintage-style synchronized tremolo bridge, vintage-style tuners and nickel/chrome hardware. It's available in Olympic White and Silverburst.

Modern Player Telecasters
The Modern Player Telecaster Plus HSS is that rare bird among Telecasters - a triple-pickup model - further distinguished by a pine body and mini-toggle coil-split switch for the Modern Player humbucking bridge pickup.

Other features include C-shaped maple neck, maple fretboard with 9.5-inch radius and 22 jumbo frets, Modern Player single-coil Telecaster neck pickup and Modern Player Stratocaster middle pickup, five-way pickup switching, three-ply pickguard, knurled "chrome-dome" control knobs, vintage-style Stratocaster string-through-body six-saddle hard-tail bridge, vintage-style tuners and nickel/chrome hardware. It comes in Honey Burst and Charcoal Transparent.

The Modern Player Telecaster Thinline Deluxe casts an already distinctive classic Telecaster model in a whole new light with a full-throated pair of single-coil Modern Player MP-90 pickups.

Other features include a mahogany body, C-shaped maple neck, maple fretboard with 9.5-inch radius and 22 medium jumbo frets, three-way toggle pickup switching, three-ply pickguard (parchment on Sunburst model; black-white-black on other models), four skirted amp knobs (two volume, two tone), vintage-style Stratocaster string-through-body six-saddle hard-tail bridge, vintage-style tuners and nickel/chrome hardware. It's available in Three-color Sunburst, Black Transparent and Vintage White.

Modern Player Jaguar
The Modern Player Jaguar is a lean, mean and stripped-down version of the classic Fender model, with a full-throated pair of single-coil Modern Player MP-90 pickups on a sans-pickguard mahogany body.

Other features include a C-shaped maple neck, rosewood fretboard with 9.5-inch radius and 21 medium jumbo frets, three-way toggle pickup switching, Jazz Bass-style control knobs, vintage-style Adjusto-Matic bridge with anchored tailpiece, vintage-style tuners and nickel/chrome hardware. It's available in Two-color Chocolate Burst, Red Transparent and Black Transparent.

Modern Player Tele Bass
A classic Fender bass design returns with an unusual new twist delivering utterly seismic sound. The Telecaster Bass is back at last in the smart new form of the Modern Player Telecaster Bass, which boasts not one but two massive humbucking pickups.
Features include an alder body, C-shaped maple neck, maple fretboard with 9.5-inch radius and 20 medium jumbo frets, dual Modern Player Wide Range humbucking Precision Bass pickups, three-ply parchment (Sunburst model) or single-ply black (Butterscotch Blonde model) pickguard, three knurled "chrome-dome" control knobs (neck volume, bridge volume, master tone), vintage-style bridge with four brass saddles, open-gear tuners and nickel/chrome hardware. Its back in Two-color Sunburst and Butterscotch Blonde.

Modern Player Jazz Bass
The Modern Player Jazz Bass is a volcanic new take on the time-honored Jazz Bass thanks to its dual Modern Player humbucking Jazz Bass pickups. Other features include an alder body, C-shaped maple neck, rosewood fretboard with 9.5-inch radius and 20 jumbo frets, three-ply pickguard, vintage-style four-saddle bridge with brass saddles, open-gear tuners and nickel/chrome hardware. It comes in Three-color Sunburst, Olympic White and Black Transparent.

Modern Player Jaguar Bass
Finally, the acclaimed Fender Jaguar Bass is back in the sleek form the Modern Player Jaguar Bass, which presents a lean, mean and stripped-down version of the model with a powerful P/J configuration - a Modern Player Precision Bass middle pickup and Modern Player Jazz Bass bridge pickup - and streamlined control layout.

Features include a koto body, C-shaped maple neck, maple fretboard with 9.5-inch radius and 20 jumbo frets, three-ply parchment pickguard, three Jazz Bass control knobs (middle volume, bridge volume, master tone), vintage-style four-saddle bridge with brass saddles, open-gear tuners and nickel/chrome hardware. The Modern Player Jaguar Bass is available in Black.

The original Thinline was produced from '68 until '71.
Fender's American Vintage series is the closest you can get to a vintage Fender guitar without buying the real thing from yesteryear or moving into the more elite Custom Shop.
This new addition – along with the American Vintage '72 Thinline and Custom Teles - is already available in lower-cost Fender ranges, but not at this quality or with this much vintage detail.
The '69 Telecaster Thinline, aims to replicate the original Thinline, which appeared in 1968 and lasted until 1971.
Classed by Fender at the time as a 'semi-acoustic' it was offered initially with just mahogany or ash bodies with a natural finish. Semi-hollow construction aside, it retained the Tele's dual single-coils and master volume/master tone control layout.
Build
"One reason why the Telecaster has survived is that it has graced every genre from country, jazz and blues through to modern rock and metal."
The historians tell us that the Thinline concept came about in an attempt to reduce the weight of the Telecaster.
Here the solid slab body is machined from the back leaving a centre section that stops just after the end of the bridge surrounded by hollow 'wings'. A back is then added and a single f-hole cut on the top's bass side.
This lightweight American Vintage version uses mahogany for the body - there's no ash version - and we get either the two-color burst or Olympic white, which is £72 cheaper. For a guitar that retails not too far short of £2k, it seems a miserly color choice reinforced by a complete lack of options.
The body and neck finish on all these models is 'gloss lacquer' (aka nitro-cellulose) applied to a high standard, although on this sample there's a light patch around the f-hole and a splodge of darker color on the inside of the soundhole making things a little untidy.
An original '69 Thinline would have been finished in polyester so, strictly speaking, this finish is inaccurate but few will have a problem.
According to Fender's Neil Whitcher: "The finish is a more modern nitro-cellulose lacquer with a poly undercoat; we felt that this would be a tonally superior option to go with for the guitars."
The guitar features an all maple one-piece neck/fingerboard with a rear skunk stripe, and uses a body-end truss rod adjustment and the classic four screws and rectangular neck plate neck-to- body join.
The 21-fret face is clearly lightly finished in a slightly orange-toned gloss. We get the original small fingerboard radius, small frets and a modern 'C' profile that most players should feel comfortable with.
It also sports 'F' logo tuners, with their distinct squared off buttons, and a single butterfly string tree that increases the string angle behind the nicely cut synthetic bone nut. It's nicely done but that gloss finish does look and feel a little bit cheap, and rather sticky, too.
Spec'd with two American Vintage single-coils, one meg ohm volume and tone pots and the ubiquitous three-way lever pickup selector, it's period correct business as usual save, of course, for that scratchplate, which holds all the electronic components plus the neck pickup.
As usual the output jack is side-mounted and, of course, the bridge pickup is mounted in an old-style Tele bridge plate with three steel saddles.
Sounds
One reason why the Telecaster has survived all these years is that it has graced pretty much every genre from country, jazz and blues through to modern mainstream rock and metal.
It's not always an easy ride: some swear by the bridge pickup (and swear at the neck pickup), others find an endless soul and funk groove from that middle, hollowed mix. There are even a few of us that actually like the neck single-coil for its smooth, jazz-edged voice.
On the '69 Thinline platform, and compared to an original solidbody '69 Tele, we have a different flavor. There's immediately less mid-range solidness to the sound, which makes that bridge pickup even spikier; conversely both the middle mix and neck pickup sound wider and fuller.
Definitely more hollowbody sounding, it's a step towards, perhaps, a P-90-style ES-330, with of course more Tele-like spike and Fender-ness.
This guitar was originally conceived at a time when Fender began to lose its way. However, 40 years on the guitar has been elevated into Fender's top drawer, thanks to numerous often left-field players who wanted a piece of 'vintage' Fender but simply couldn't afford the high-value classics.
Although this guitar has been available for some time in both Mexican- and Japanese-made guises, this American Vintage guitar improves on both those and the original, with its lightweight build and lacquer finishes.
Features such as the three-bolt neck joint and bullet truss rod adjusters (when done properly) make a lot of sense, too. The small frets and fingerboard radius, not to mention the paltry colour choice, won't endear it to all, but with street prices already around £1.5k, this updated blast from the past remains a powerful draw.
Verdict
The best-yet production version of a now-classic Tele, with excellent vintage detail and sounds.

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Fender Classic Series '69 Telecaster® Thinline Electric Guitar, 2 Tone Sunburst, Maple Fretboard List Price: $1,099.99 Sale Price: $799.99 You save: $300.00 (27%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours 3 new from $799.99

Description

The semi-hollow body design of 1968's Telecaster Thinline guitar was originally an attempt to reduce the weight of ash-body Telecasters. With its f hole and reshaped pickguard, it was a truly distinctive take on Fender's first great instrument. The Classic Series '69 Telecaster Thinline brings it all back, with features including a lightweight semi-hollow mahogany body with f hole, U-shaped maple neck with 7.25"-radius maple freeboard, vintage-style single-coil Telecaster pickups and vintage-style bridge and tuners.

Features

• Vintage style single-coil Tele pickups and a light-weight, semi-hollow mahogany body combine to offer a really unique and musical voice.
• U-shape neck, 7.25" freeboard radius, and vintage style frets combined offer playability that's great for riffing, rhythm playing and rhythmic leads.
• 4-Ply White Pearloid pickguard sets this model apart visually, and inclusion of a deluxe gig bag allows for easy transport.

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Fender’s tribute to one of their most renowned instruments is a fantastic blend of old school, don’t-fix-what-isn’t-broken mentality and current, more reliable technology.

Few guitars are as historically important as the Fender Telecaster. In fact, you could argue that the stalwart instrument is the most influential guitar of all time. Since its official release in 1949 as the Broadcaster, the Telecaster has been prized and praised for its no-nonsense tones, and simple and elegant design. It’s been used in pretty much every form of music that ever called for a guitar part and spawned countless variations tailored towards players of all walks and musical styles. And while countless electric guitar innovations have come and gone in the 60 years since the Telecaster’s birth, the core Tele’s design has remained relatively unchanged—standing the test of time and flash-in-the-pan musical fads.

To honor the 60 years of the guitar’s life—and its immeasurable impact on music—Fender released the 60th Anniversary Telecaster. But the guitar is more than just a simple vintage-themed reissue. It also feature several modern appointments and refinements that make it an especially sweet playing Tele.

Birthday Tele-bration
The 60th Anniversary Telecaster model screams with vintage vibe and sophistication when you open the guitar’s custom SKB hardshell case. The guitar’s mustard-hued ash body is finished Fender’s nitrocellulose-based lacquer, which is closer in composition to the finishes that Fender used before changing to a nitro overcoat and poly undercoat finish (to increase strength against dings and wear). The ash wood grain was clearly visible through the body’s paint job and the finish felt smooth and glassy underneath my fingertips.

Classic Telecaster appointments include a black pickguard, three-way switching, and volume and tone controls, while the pickups are from Fender’s own American Vintage Series. There are some noteworthy updates that are less than totally obvious—Fender used the popular Delta Tone No-Load tone circuit, which eliminates attenuation issues for brighter, more powerful tones. And instead of using a vintage-correct set of three brass saddles, the Anniversary uses a more tuning- and intonation-friendly six saddle set.

Tele lovers have long understood that the unique feel and shape of the legendary guitar’s neck can be as integral to the tone as its body and electronics are, and the 60th Anniversary features a traditional one-piece maple neck with a 25.5” scale length with more modern features like a 9.5” fretboard radius, medium jumbo fretwire, rolled fret edges and a modern C profile. A traditional four-bolt neck joint kept the neck snug against the body, along with Fender’s Micro-Tilt adjustment feature and a classy-looking 60th Anniversary Edition neckplate.

Sultry Delta Tone
Before I even plugged the 60th Anniversary Tele into a warmed-up Fender Twin Reverb reissue combo, I could almost instantly tell that this wasn’t your average guitar. The guitar’s resonance unplugged was immediately noticeable while I fingerpicked a simple, country-infused riff, with each pluck of the piece’s bass notes causing the neck and body to purr lovingly against my body and fretting hand. In addition, the rolled edges of the fingerboard and superb fret job allowed me to throw in various double stops and bends between each chord, with a negligible amount of resistance from the back of the neck’s finish.

The uncanny resonant qualities of the Tele only got better as I plugged it into the aforementioned Fender combo. Each note sustained and bloomed with a high amount of sustain, something that was uncharacteristic of the guitar—most players have had to rely on compressor pedals to overcome that common ailment. Fender’s American Vintage bridge pickup also scored high points in terms of touch sensitivity and sag, yielding an impressive range of tones as I varied my pick attack from light and precise to fast and strong. The top end of the pickups bit and snarled with quick snaps of pull-offs and Jerry Reed-esque fragmented chord progressions, and backed off with a smooth, detailed purr when I gingerly plucked jazz progressions.
The Fender Telecaster has never had a reputation for being a dull-sounding instrument, yet the Delta Tone’s ability to cut itself out of the circuit added a great-sounding, forceful, punchy bite to the Tele’s natural sting, without being too overbearing or icepicky.

Adding their Delta Tone circuit to the 60th Anniversary Tele was a spot-on decision by Fender. Its ability to completely cut out the tone attenuation is perfect for guitarists looking to put more sass in their tonal strut. DIY’ers have been adding a variation of this mod to their guitars this to their guitars for decades, by paining a thin coat of clear nail polish over the portion of the tone pot’s internal disk (where the tone pot would normally touch at its maximum setting). This breaks the connection between the pot and the circuitry, increasing the volume slightly and adding a fair amount of top end sparkle. The Fender Telecaster has never had a reputation for being a dull-sounding instrument, yet the Delta Tone’s ability to cut itself out of the circuit added a great-sounding, forceful, punchy bite to the Tele’s natural sting, without being too overbearing or icepicky. Since the Tele is already a pretty bright-sounding guitar, I had to keep the Tone control just below its top setting for most of my playing—then roll it back up to max when I need some high end spank on leads and fills.

Dirty Deeds
Dirty tones with the Tele were equally smooth and defined through a 2011 Mesa Boogie Multiwatt Dual Rectifier head. With the amp set to the clean channel and the Push mode engaged, the Tele ripped through like a bolt of lightning, carried along by a creamy midrange and snappy low-end response. Feedback wasn’t an issue until the amp reached more extreme gain settings, but I was content with leaving it in the realm of smooth, slightly crunchy classic rock territory. Again, keeping the Delta Tone-enabled Tone control below its maximum setting was essential to taming the sound, unless I needed a razor sharp top end that sliced through like a hot knife through butter.

Teles from the ’50s tended to have pretty beefy neck profiles, commonly referred to as a “boatneck”. I was a little worried that this particular neck wouldn’t have the same beefy feel as a correct-spec, early ’50s Tele, but it had enough meat on its bones to sit comfortably grab notes, while also allowing me to move up and down the neck with ease. The only amount of resistance I met when I would try to fly up and down the fretboard was against the neck’s coat of slightly sticky lacquer. Whether or not a coated or an uncoated neck makes for the perfect Tele neck has been a debate amongst guitarists since the instrument’s inception 60 years ago. Regardless of the fact that I had very little issues moving quickly around the frets, you’ll need to apply your own judgments in this instance—it’s an intensely personal thing for Tele players, one that can make or break a great playing experience.

The Verdict
Fender’s tribute to one of their most renowned instruments is a fantastic blend of old school, don’t-fix-what-isn’t-broken mentality and current, more reliable technology. The additions of the company’s Delta Tone circuit, lacquer finish, modern C neck shape and six saddle bridge offer even more precise tonal tuning, and the vintage snarl that put the Telecaster—and Fender—name on the map is there in full force. For those players who aren’t keen on a finished neck, the company offers a multitude of other models for consideration. However, for those who want a near-perfect blend of old and new to cure their Tele jones, this one’s hard to beat.

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A Grand Performance from Martin's Performing Artist series with live performance friendly features such as the Fishman Aura F1 system

If Martin never introduced another new guitar, their place as a gold standard in studios and on stages everywhere would remain forever assured. But for all their heritage and iconic guitars that are already practically perfect, Martin hasn’t stopped innovating or building new guitars for new niches and evolving players.

The Performing Artist series is one of the most recent manifestations of that commitment. In this case, Martin is reaching out to the sizable chunk of the contemporary acoustic market that’s plugging in and turning up—not just for performance, but also for recording at home and in the studio. The GPCPA1 Grand Performance reviewed here addresses those needs by including a Fishman Aura imaging system, as well as enhanced-playability features like a slim-taper neck. But for all its concessions to the needs of new-world singer-songwriters and pickers, the GPCPA1 is a Martin through and through and a joy to play in any situation.

A Feast for the Eyes, Nose, and Ears
The first thing you notice about the Martin GPCPA1 is that it smells as good as ambrosia on a warm summer night. It’s beautiful to look at too, with a curvaceous Grand Performance body built around East Indian rosewood back and sides, and a solid Sitka top. The “select hardwood” neck (in Martin’s nomenclature) looks like mahogany or sapele and is shaped in the Performing Artist profile, which tapers gradually down its whole length. The nut, saddle, and endpins are Tusq, which always provides a certain oomph that’s a lot like you’d expect from bone.

Ornamentation is subtle and lovely, with simple arrow-and-square fretboard inlays, a striking pearl rosette surrounded by a black-accented double ring, and triple black purfling around the top. The pickguard deviates from the trademark Martin template and evokes a vague country-western look. My favorite feature, though, might be the ebony headplate with the old-fashioned C.F. Martin block letter logo in pearl descending the center. I’ve always preferred that bold, blocky look to the more common script logo, and it looks great with the gold Martin tuners. The satin-finished, 25.4"-scale neck has a fingerstyle-friendly 1 3/4" nut. The fretboard is bound in golden-tinged ovangkol that matches the body binding, and a peek inside the soundhole reveals a hybrid scalloped X-brace.

The Fishman F1 Aura system interface is placed familiarly enough on the upper bout. But rather than a clunky plastic frame-and-plate section for the controls, there are just two low-profile knobs and an LED indicator to tell you what options you have selected. The knob closest to the top controls Volume, and the knob closest to the player is used to select Aura settings. There are nine Aura images available that you can modify using a tap and a twist of the edit knob to adjust Treble, Mid, Bass, and Compression settings. The F1 Aura also has a tuner (unlike some onboard tuners, this works with any tuning) and a really slick 3-band anti-feedback system. Conveniently stashed at the endblock, the 9-volt battery that powers the FI Aura is easy to access and—according to the manual—will last up to 54 hours with a lithium battery and up to 27 hours with a standard alkaline cell.

Sweet Acoustic or Electrified Tones
The GPCPA1 has a truly intoxicating tone. The spruce and Indian rosewood pairing produces a beautiful combination of warmth and clarity, bursting with overtones that will keep your ears ecstatic for hours. Lower tunings like C–G–D–G–B–D and DADGAD, showcased the Martin’s impressive capacity for big bass sounds without overdriving the box or sounding tubby. In standard tuning the guitar has a sweet fingerstyle tone, but when you dig in with a flatpick, it can really bark with great definition.

A lot of folks don’t completely understand the principle behind the Fishman Aura systems. First of wall, it is not a modeling system. It does not make a bad guitar sound like a great guitar, nor will it make your Martin sound like a Telecaster or a Les Paul. Fundamentally, the Aura system emulates the sound of your guitar played through a microphone instead of through a pickup system. And by using an algorithm that emulates a microphone’s interaction with the warm, breathy, woody, open presence of a real acoustic, you can get studio-level clarity that can be turned up really loud. The microphone emulations in the Martin’s F1 Aura system include some very cool specimens too: the DAP 4011, Schoeps CMC64g, Earthworks QTC 30, AKG C414-B, Neumann KM 84, Soundelux E47, GT Velo 8, Shure SM57, and a Neumann U 87.

I had the chance to gig with the GPCPA1 with my rhythm section, which happened to be in a pretty rowdy mood the night of the gig. These musicians play a lot of classic rock, R&B, funk, and blues, so they like to get loud. And the Martin had the goods to help me hang tight in the mix.

Following Martin’s directions (which you can explore via an included DVD), my first step was to set the volume as high as possible without overdriving my amp. Then I turned the Edit knob to blend between the undersaddle pickup and the Aura image (Martin recommends a 65 percent pickup balance). I chose the microphone image by pressing the Edit knob, and then turning the knob to move between images. There is a clear difference between each image, so spending a little time getting to know them before trying to pick one out for a given situation is key.

For the solo section of my show, I chose the Schoeps CMC64g condenser microphone image, which gave me a awesome mix of dark, rich, and brilliant overtones when I plugged into my very transparent L.R. Baggs Core 1 amp. But while the Schoeps tone was beautifully balanced, I decided to tweak it further by dialing the bass back a touch and kicking the presence up just a hair, which made the already warm image that much more enveloping.

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10 things that amateur guitarists can do to play more like a pro.

For some reason, I’ve been getting out more often lately and experiencing live music. It’s been a mixed bag. Some have been national acts in large venues, while some have been at the local bar and club level. Most recently, I was a judge in a local guitar competition. After seeing the more polished national acts, I got a little spoiled hearing well put together sets that paced themselves and built up to a peak in the evening. All the musicians’ playing was spot on, and they were great experiences. Coming down to the local level, I witnessed a lot of similarities in players that were quite different from the national level acts. Of course this is to be expected to some degree, but it was overwhelming how many fundamental aspects of playing seemed to be overlooked. Here’s what I witnessed on the local level. It’s not a representation of everything that’s out there, but it hasn’t been pretty. Therefore I’m compelled to present my list of 10 things every guitarist should be able to do. It’s not too tall of an order, but it is an important list.

1. Stay in key.
Before you get up onstage, it’s a not a bad idea to know the notes on the fretboard! Sure, most people at the bar are already drunk and most likely can’t tell the difference if you nailed the solo in “Free Bird” note for note, but hey, it’s a point of pride to know you understand what you’re doing. Would you hire a plumber that didn’t know how to use a snake or plunger?

2. Tune up.
We’ve got tuner pedals, tuners built into guitars, tuners you can attach to the headstock, portable tuners, iPhones, iPads, pitch pipes, tuning forks, and keyboardists. NO excuses on this one! It shouldn’t take but a minute to tune up before a set and a few seconds between songs if the guitar has started to slip from climate changes, or got beaten up on that last killer solo. Hey, even if you can’t hear that you’re out of tune, any of the previously mentioned devices can. Use ’em, and keep your listeners from getting their ears punished for no good reason.

3. Hold your notes.
Sure it’s fun to play fast, but I like to hear a note held out every once in a while. Make it the first or the last note in the solo—or even in the middle if you’re crazy—but give us a little something to hang onto and ponder. If you’re still speed-crazy, think of it this way: The fast notes will sound so much faster if you’ve got something slow to compare it to.

4. Incorporate vibrato.
Maybe I came up in a time when this was more of a personality statement, but it seems to have gone the way of the dodo bird. To me, the first mark of a great player and their tonal character is the mighty vibrato. Call me a geezer, but Hendrix, Paul Kossoff, Van Halen, Yngwie, Gilmour…they all had it. You could tell the player from his vibrato alone, and that’s a beautiful thing.

5. Pay attention to phrasing.
Those notes that you play are all part of a story. Are you a good storyteller? My fellow columnist Paul Gilbert has recently talked about this, so if you haven’t yet, swing by his area and check out the killer advice. He knows what he’s talking about and backs it up with fantastic phrasing on every solo he’s recorded.
6. Dial in great tone, even if it’s not your rig.
Guess what? Sometimes you won’t have your main rig with you. Maybe it’s a backline rental, maybe you’re at a jam night, or maybe you need to use a different rig while yours is in the shop. So many guitarists I’ve met don’t even know how to dial in a good tone, regardless of whether it’s their own amp or belongs to somebody else. Take the time to understand what those knobs do. Too much treble? Back it off. More power tube saturation? Crank it up. Do you understand how a master volume works? These are all things that should be the most basic of skills mastered as a guitar player and used to your benefit. Amps are built (for the most part) to be inspiring and offer an extension to your hands, not just to make notes louder.

7. Play a few more licks.
It doesn’t take a lot of effort to expand your licks base. We have more than enough places to learn from these days, and while it’s easy to get stuck in the comfort zone, there is no reason you couldn’t add a dozen new licks each week. Spend some time breaking out of the box and dazzling your listeners and bandmates by sprinkling some newness on them. Oh yeah, don’t just string ’em together either. Refer back to #5 and make them part of a story, otherwise they’re just a bunch of phrases tied together with no purpose.

8. Nail your timing.
Play with the band—they are there for a reason. I’m not sure what’s going on—perhaps too many people are segmenting themselves off in their bedrooms or something like that—but I’ve never heard so many players sound like they’re not even in the same room as the rest of the band. It’s as if they’ve stopped listening and are just playing in a vacuum! Ahead of the beat, behind the beat, and everywhere in between. You have to listen to each other and play off of each other. This is music folks, not just a platform to show off the new licks out of context. Open your ears and feel the music. Like The Force, it is there to guide you.

9. Balance your volume with the band.
Yes, you can do this from the stage. Even if you don’t get a soundcheck, it’s imperative that you have your volume balanced with the band. Drop the ego and make sure you can hear everything. If you’ve got a wireless, you’re in better shape because you can drop off the stage and listen from the audience’s perspective. Yes, the soundman has a job to do but you can help by not making it impossible on him. I know you love your new Dumble, but make an honest assessment of your volume situation and keep it in check. Trust me, no matter how great that new amp sounds, nobody is going to care if you’re just blowing doors down to show it off and drowning out the rest of the band in the process. Oddly enough, I’ve never heard a guitarist that wasn’t loud enough in the stage mix, unless his amp wasn’t big enough. How strange.

10. And the granddaddy of them all: Don’t saw the lady in half first!
A long time ago, my first guitar teacher told me that a soloist is a lot like a magician—they both have a bag of tricks. The best magicians know how to pace the show. Start with a card trick here, maybe a little cup and ball trick followed by something like a disappearing rabbit. You get the idea. You never see the magician start the show off by sawing the lady in half. That’s saved for the finale (unless he’s really good and has a better trick up his sleeve). Do the same as a player. If you blow your wad in the first 10 seconds, you’ll wow the crowd once, but put them to sleep for the rest of the night when you can’t deliver beyond that. By the way, notice how I waited for #10 to saw the lady in half? It’s magic!