tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85501344088946303472024-03-14T01:51:50.654-07:00Everything Guitar NetworkA blog that reviews acoustic guitars, electric guitars, amplifiers, peripherals and effectsJohn Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-20002799934445408722016-06-13T13:20:00.001-07:002016-06-13T13:20:22.562-07:00Everything Guitar Network Shop Mods!Copperhead Audio Electronics CapacitorsUpgrade Fender Tube Guitar Amplifiers<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Everything Guitar Network</span></i></b></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Brevis...</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Price: variable</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Likes: clean up your amp sound</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Dislikes: someone has to install ‘em</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Wow Factor: clean, more open tone</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">More Info: </span><a href="http://copperheadaudioengineering.com/products.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Copperhead Audio</span></a></i></b></span><br />
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<i><b>by John Gatski</b></i><br />
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Like the hot-rodding of cars that has gone on for as long as there have been cars, guitar amp hacks and mods have been pursued for that ultimate “golden tone.“ Most mods from amp specialists or the tech-savvy do-it-yourself-er are designed to give that vintage tube tone from the 1950s-60s, the so called "golden age."</div>
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The Copperhead Audio custom capacitors are designed, according to Owner Doug Weisbrod, to improve the tone of any amplifier — from a Fender Tweed to Silverface, to Marshall JCM’s and everything in between. Yes, even the new Fender reissues — such as the Deluxe, Twin and Princeton Reverb 65’s — are candidates.</div>
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These custom cap kits were developed, according to Weisbrod, because amplifier mod/repair customers were constantly asking him if there were small signal capacitors available that would be upgrades for the stock capacitors.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">CAE offers custom voicing caps in different values</span></i></b></td></tr>
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In the audio capacitor world, there are the “audiophile capacitors.” “orange drops,” stock replacements like “Illinois Capacitors,” and recreations of the “Fender Blues,” and the “Marshall mustard's.” That’s about it. The replacements are cheap metal film types and the recreations suffer from the same flaws as the originals. The “audiophile capacitors” are often poorly made, standard manufacture variety that offer little in the way of sonic improvements. They are just made from more expensive materials, that may offer some benefit, but they do not take advantage of construction techniques that will make them the best in terms of sound.</div>
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The effect of tone capacitors on guitar amp tone is significant, yet subjective. One kind of tone may be liked by one owner, but the next guy may not like it at all. That is why making a good cap that has wide appeal is tricky.</div>
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<b><i>Bit by the Copperhead</i></b></div>
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Capacitors are an integral part of many audio components including guitar amps. They are used in the power supply, phase coupling and tone stages of tube guitar amplifiers. Most capacitors are made from electrolytic, film and foil, metalized film, ceramic or mica.</div>
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Copperhead Audio capacitors are made from a special material formula created by Weisbrod, and are claimed to the lower the Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR), Dielectric Absorption and Corona effect, all of which Weisbrod believes can negatively affect the sound of an audio circuit.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">A CAE Fender amp "cap" mod kit</span></i></b></td></tr>
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Tone cap mods in guitar amps have been offered for many years, but Weisbrod said the Copperhead caps open up the midrange/treble sound of an amp — with a significant smoothing — and the change tightens the bass to the point that you can turn up the tone controls to lessen the filtering effect when it is used extensively. Copperhead Audio capacitors also increase sustain by reducing ESR and mechanical distortion when the part is under load, Weisbrod added.</div>
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<b><i>The upgrade</i></b></div>
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So the guinea pig for the Copperhead mod was my 1966 blackface Deluxe Reverb (AB763). Doug had done a basic tune up, a year before, which was mostly filter cap replacement and a few resistors. With a Jensen Neodymium speaker and stock value tubes, the Deluxe Reverb sounded like a typical BF Deluxe, but I could never use the treble control to open up the sound because the midrange sound gets too hard. Most stock Deluxe Reverbs sound the same in stock form.</div>
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With the Copperhead cap mod, Doug replaced all the tubes, and replaced all the tone and bypass caps with the Copperheads. He only did just the reverb channel, since it is more widely used in the Deluxe Reverb amps. According to Weisbrod, my Deluxe Reverb amplifier was received with the original Fender “Blue” capacitors. Also original ceramic values of .47pF (Bright) and .10pF (Reverb Filter) were there. There was one non-original capacitor which was a .01uF “Orange Drop” at the phase inverter input. That should have been a ceramic .001uF.</div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The Copperhead mod’s sonic improvement becomes more evident as you turn up the amp. In stock form, the congested dynamics of the 6V6’s limited output, combined with stock caps, made for reduced dynamics. The Copperhead mod’s sonic output was not so grungy.</span></i></b></blockquote>
Ultimately, Weisbrod did two rounds of mods: Round 1 — the Fender “Blues” were replaced with the CAE Coppers. The non-original Orange Drop was swapped with a CAE Black .001uF. The ceramic .47pF and .10pF were replaced with Silver Mica. Doug said Ceramic and Silver Mica both have a gritty audio nature and have both been used by Fender over the years. Silver Mica has a lower ESR and, therefore, allows a bit more sustain. Silver Mica caps are also more expensive than ceramic types — which is why Fender prefers to use ceramics. Currently there is no film and foil improvement for these values — with the exception of the old Phillips film and foil polystyrene and aluminum capacitors. While these are better-sounding materials than Silver Mica or Ceramic, they have a variably higher ESR, since the leads are “laid in” rather than soldered — making the internal lead connection resistance rather high.</div>
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<b><i>Initial impressions</i></b></div>
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To make sure that the tube change was not changing the sonic variable more than the caps in the Deluxe, I listened to the mod with the old tubes and the new tubes. Other than taming some noise, the tubes did not make that much difference. After the first phase of the mod, I played the Deluxe with a number of guitars using my normal demo Wireworld Micro-Solstice guitar cable, the most transparent cable I have ever used (excellent high frequency extension and zero microphonics). Guitars included the first-year production Fender Mark Knopfler Stratocaster with Fender 60th anniversary ’54 pickups, a 2001 American Series Telecaster and a modified 2008 Gibson Les Paul Studio (Seth Lover pickups and a Bumblebee Cap kit /CTS pot upgrade).</div>
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Upon playing the Knopfler Strat, I immediately noticed a tighter, focused sound from the 50-year old Deluxe using the CAE caps. I could finally turn up the treble controls without it sounding so harsh. Upper-end detail from lead picking, as well as bridge pickup rhythm, was so much more apparent with the cap upgrade.</div>
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On the negative side, the amp lost a bit of the compressed warmth sound that the blackface are noted for, and there was still a tinge of midrange grittiness. I enjoyed the openness and the ability to use the tone control, but I wanted back some of that 6V6 character. A delicate balance, to be sure, but I was confident that Doug could get me there.</div>
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<b><i>Tweaking the caps</i></b></div>
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On the second round, the Silver Mica .250pF treble input capacitor was replaced with a CAE Black in both channels. Doug said that during this round of cap tweaking, he made a switch to the CAE Black .250pF, which he believed would cure the midrange grittiness of the stock .250 pF Silver Mica cap.</div>
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After a week of tweaking the Deluxe, Doug returned it to me for good. And wow, what a difference the final selection of tone caps made! As mentioned, the bass was much tighter, yet full, to the point where you could actually turn the control to “5.” The same with the treble control. The high-mid and low-treble opened up, as I could hear more string/pickup harmonics, yet it retained the vintage tune smoothing that we all love in a Fender BF.</div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Upon playing the Knopfler Strat, I immediately noticed a tighter, focused sound from the 50-year old Deluxe using the CAE caps. I could finally turn up the treble controls without it sounding so harsh. Upper-end detail from lead picking, as well as bridge pickup rhythm, was so much more apparent with the cap upgrade.</span></i></b></blockquote>
It took me a while to dial in exactly where my favorite tone control positions needed to be with different guitars — since the old settings no longer applied. Instead of treble between 2 and 3, it could now run at 4-5, depending on guitar. The bass I could now run at 5 without the flabby tone that the old caps imparted. This also improved the lower-mid’s impression.</div>
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On all guitars, the opening up the top allowed me to hear more of the guitar, and less of the filter effect of the stock cap amp circuit. My Yamaha SA-2100 ‘335 clone, with Seymour Duncan Seth Lover humbuckers, really came alive with the Copperhead mod, less midrange edge and more air, yet still classic tube.</div>
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The Mark Knopfler Strat — with the limited edition Anniversary 54 pickups, the best set of Strat pickups ever made (IMHO) — rang like a bell with the cap upgrade. BTW, the Copperhead mod’s sonic improvement becomes more evident as you turn up the amp. In stock form, the congested dynamics of the 6V6’s limited output, combined with stock caps, made for reduced dynamics. The Copperhead mod’s sonic output was not so grungy. Shall I dare say, the old Deluxe was, er, articulate. If you swap out the 6V6’s for a set of 6L6’s and rebias (which I did try), the dynamics improve even further.</div>
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<b><i>The verdict</i></b></div>
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The Copperhead capacitor modification for the vintage 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb reverb channel resulted in a nearly perfect balance of vintage, yet truer-to-the-guitar/pickup tone, than the stock, replacement tone caps that were in the amp. The parts cost, excluding new tubes, was $240, the labor was another $200. But that is with Copperhead Audio doing the actual work. Do-it-yourself-ers can save the $200, and according to Weisbrod, those who are handy with a soldering iron and can read a schematic, it is pretty easy to swap out the caps.</div>
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All types of guitar and pickup combinations revealed the improved sonic transmission of the Copperhead Cap mod, including the Les Paul, a P90-equipped SG Special, Gibson L5 jazz guitar, and Telecaster. The upper-end harmonics of my Mark Knopfler Stratocaster showed a marked decrease in mid harshness, but yet had a more-open top-end without being edgy. You could turn up the tone control and let through more treble. Equally impressive was the dynamic tightening of the bass, which also allowed me to turn up the bass tone control.</div>
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Kudos to Copperhead Owner Doug Weisbrod for coming up with an inexpensive way (if you do the work yourself) to improve the tone of classic and modern amps. I can’t wait to try the mod in a modern amp, such as an Orange or Marshall. This cap kit is an Everything Guitar Network Grade A Award winner.</div>
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<i> Copperhead Electronics is located in Manassas, Va. The web site is <a href="http://www.copperheadaudioengineering.com./"><b><span style="color: blue;">http://www.copperheadaudioengineering.com</span></b>.</a> Phone number is 540-439-3162. ©All original articles on this site are the intellectual property of the Everything Guitar Network. Any unauthorized use, via print or Internet, without written permission is prohibited.</i></div>
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John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-65712438051263507552016-03-14T05:37:00.003-07:002016-03-14T10:00:03.744-07:00Guitar Pedal Review!Gizmo Audio Sawmill Plus,RIPSAW Distortion Pedals<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Everything Guitar Network</span></i></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>Brevis...</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>Price: $180 each</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>Likes: deeper OD and distortion tones</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>Dislikes: no internal battery connection</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>Wow Factor! USA-made pedals nail the OD</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a1481;">More info: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue;">G</span>izmoAudio</span></span></span></i></b></span><br />
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<b><i>by Matt Rubenstein</i></b><br />
These made in USA guitar pedals that were sent to me for review - the Sawmill Jr. medium/light overdrive”, and the “RIPSAW” high-gain distortion, are both the brainchildren of Charles Luke, president/designer of Georgia-based GizmoAudio.</div>
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A wise man once said that “necessity is the mother of invention.” And these pedals are, literally, inventions – as the Sawmill Jr. is a patented design. And, because Mr. Luke, an engineering graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology, could not find the sound from the current crop of OD’s that he was hearing in his head, his invention was also a “necessity.” And considering that there are hundreds of different overdrives available on the market today, being awarded a patent on an overdrive design is, by itself, an impressive feat.</div>
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<b><i>Features</i></b></div>
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Both the Ripsaw and Sawmill Jr. are priced at $180 (direct order from the GizmoAudio web site.) , and are similar looking, high-end pedals. The key to the Sawmill Jr.’s signature OD sound is its MOSFET design, containing both internal bias for the locating the MOSFET’s “Sweet Spot” and circuitry for canceling non-musical intermod that allows for breakup that does retains the the guitar tone’s upper-end harmonics without the excessive “smear” that most pedals exhibit. The medium range OD features a 15V internal power supply for high-headroom. The controls include Drive, Tone, Bass Cut, and Volume.</div>
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The RIPSAW is similar in its design and control layout, but it dishes out much higher amounts of drive for full-on distortion. Both pedals need external (power from a pedalboard or standalone wall wart DC power supply).</div>
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<b><i>The audition</i></b></div>
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For this review I used a Carvin Bolt hardtail “Strat” loaded with Lollar Tweed low output single coil pickups. I ran it into a Rivera Pubster 25, 25 watt 1 x 10 combo. I would consider the amp a Fender Princeton/Deluxe Reverb hybrid spin based on the power section of 2 6v6 power tubes. I ran the amp clean. This clean, fundamental set-up provides an easier way to isolate and identify the sound, and gain, coming from the actual pedals - as there is only negligible gain coming from the guitar and amp. I also kept the tone controls on the amp at Noon across the board - again, in an attempt to isolate the actual sound of the pedals. </div>
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Initially, there were a few design elements of these pedals that I felt were a little idiosyncratic, and created a slight “learning curve” in placing them on my board, and dialing them in. First off, the Input and output jacks are reversed from the typical location on pedals with top jacks. I was still able to wire them up side by side with 8” patch cables – which would be the most demanding scenario for patch cable length. But the pedals were a little tight next to each other. But this could be easily remedied by running slightly longer patch cables (basically anything 9”or longer would be perfect), or by running either one of them between conventionally wired pedals.</div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> The Sawmill Jr. overdrive is a very versatile pedal that can, on a busy pedal-board, serve as both an “end of the chain” clean boost/tone sweetener/light overdrive, as well as a post dirt “refinery.”</span></i></b></blockquote>
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The other idiosyncrasy I discovered was the way that the volume control was tapered on the Sawmill Jr. With the gain dimed on the Sawmill, the tone at Noon, and the volume on “0”, the pedal was still mildly boosting the signal. This ultimately did not matter at all to me as even at this setting, the pedal was still giving me just the right, subtle volume boost I wanted. And I found the most useful drive settings to be between 12:00 and 3:00 anyhow, and at those drive settings, unity gain is easily achievable, if it is even desired.</div>
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And finally, neither one of these pedals take batteries. But let’s face it, unless you are powering a Germanium Fuzz-Face with a carbon battery to get that extra 5 to 10% out of it, there simply is no need, or want for that matter, to use batteries to power pedals anymore. And these pedals also have unusually high power requirements for analog drive pedals, so a battery is really a non-option here anyhow. But, above said, the sonic attributes that both these pedals bring to the table far outweigh these slight, and very easy to deal with; just niggles.</div>
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<b><i>Cutting with the Sawmill Jr.</i></b></div>
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“Touch sensitivity” is undoubtedly a term thrown around in many pedal companies’ marketing jargon, and also a term that gets endless play and discourse on guitar gear forums. But, that said, The Sawmill Jr. Medium/Light Overdrive is certainly touch sensitive. With the gain at 3:00, the tone at Noon, the volume set to unity gain, and the bass cut toggle “off”, a gentle pluck of the guitar string yields absolutely no noticeable distortion. And as you start to dig in more, you notice various shades of mild “grit” that stay quite true to your fundamental tone – along with a slight thickening, as well as a touch more sustain. I found the subtle thickening ideal for my single coil equipped guitar. But if this particular effect is not desired, or if you use humbuckers, the “bass cut” toggle switch will afford you a different voicing. </div>
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While obviously not the same, the Sawmill Jr. can have a similar effect on your sound as a high quality, subtle, transparent compressor. You hear more “information” coming off your fingers and your pick, and you get a bit more sustain - just like a compressor. In fact, I would say that the Sawmill Jr. would be a good choice for guitarists who have been through several compressors before finally coming to the conclusion that sometimes, you just don’t want your pick attack “limited”, at all, by a compressor - like yours truly. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b><i>Inside the Gizmos</i></b></span></td></tr>
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As far as overall gain range is concerned, I would place the Sawmill Jr. between a clean boost and a light overdrive. For example, it has less gain/saturation range than a stock Tube Screamer. And while the Tube Screamer, with its midrange emphasis, excels at “pushing” other pedals and amps - the “mid-flat” Sawmill Jr., really shines when being “pushed”. The Sawmill Jr. made any dirt box I ran into it sound either equally as good but just different, or just flat out better. When running an original whiteface Pro co Rat into the Sawmill Jr., the iconic grit of the Rat smoothed out, the touch responsiveness improved, there was more sustain, more focus, and there was more body. It also had a very similar effect being pushed by a Keeley Modded Boss DS-1 </div>
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One of the many guitar sounds this reviewer has chased over the years is Sir David Gilmour’s soaring Big Muff fueled lead guitar sound. And part of Gilmour’s “secret tone sauce”, in addition to having Pete Cornish on retainer, is that he ran his Big Muff into an overdrive/boost pedal - most notably the B.K. Butler Tube driver, or the Colorsound Overdriver. But the “wrong” overdrive after a Big Muff, regardless of how you dial it in, can make the Big Muff sound “choked”, unfocused, and messy. But this was certainly not the case with the Sawmill Jr. It really shines in this application. Placed after the Big Muff, the Sawmill Jr. smoothed out the grit without choking the sound, increased its focus, thickened it and made it sound even huger, and increased the touch sensitivity. </div>
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<b><i>RIPSAW tears it open</i></b></div>
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The RIPSAW distortion pedal has a similar tonality to the Sawmill Jr. overdrive. But they don’t sound the same. I heard a slight midrange emphasis on the RIPSAW that I didn’t hear from the Sawmill Jr. Not anywhere near the pronounced iconic “mid-bump” of a Tube Screamer, but more of a subtle “seasoning”. And this reviewer found that subtle mid-bump to be just what the doctor ordered when pushing the Sawmill Jr. The RIPSAW also happens to have the same exceptional “touch sensitivity” as the Sawmill Jr. And in regards to gain range, the RIPSAW is capable of considerably more gain than the Sawmill Jr. But I would still not classify the RIPSAW as a “high gain” distortion. I would consider my Big Muff, my Rat, and my modded DS-1, high gain distortions. And all of these pedals are capable of considerably more gain/saturation than the Ripsaw. But if you want sublime, singing, mid-gain distortion – look no further than the RIPSAW. </div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i> I would consider my Big Muff, my Rat, and my modded DS-1, high gain distortions. And all of these pedals are capable of considerably more gain/saturation than the Ripsaw. But if you want sublime, singing, mid-gain distortion – look no further than the RIPSAW. </i></b></span></blockquote>
One of the most desirable guitar sounds this particular reviewer has ever heard, is the sound Larry Carlton achieved on his seminal “Larry Carlton – Last Night” live album. During that phase of his career, Mr. Carlton was not using his trademark Gibson ES-335. He was using a single coil EMG loaded Valley Arts hardtail “Strat”, into his Dumble amplifier. And just as the creator of the RIPSAW refers to the sound of his pedals as “clean distortion”, that is precisely how I would describe Larry Carlton’s sound on this album. And while myself, being a mere mortal, will never be able to play like Larry Carlton, I was able to enter his amazing “sonic arena” with the RIPSAW in my set-up. And then get even “closer to the stage” running the RIPSAW into the Sawmill Jr.</div>
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<b><i>The verdict</i></b></div>
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In summation, these GizmoAudio OD's are two unique, and great sounding drive pedals. The Sawmill Jr. overdrive is a very versatile pedal that can, on a busy pedal-board, serve as both an “end of the chain” clean boost/tone sweetener/light overdrive, as well as a post dirt “refinery.” Throughout my own, personal pedal odyssey, these are two tricks that very few ponies can pull off at the same time. And the Sawmill Jr. overdrive can pull off both these tricks with aplomb. And the RIPSAW distortion truly provides what its creator claims as “clean distortion.” By itself, it occupies a very musical, and hard to find, place in the “distortion spectrum.” And when “pushing” the Sawmill Jr., just like everything else, the RIPSAW sounds even better. Overall, both pedals get our <b>Everything Audio Network</b> <i>Grade A Award.</i><br />
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<i>Matt Rubenstein is a guitar player, and resident pedal reviewer at the</i> <b><i>Everything Guitar Network</i></b>. <i>He also spent 20 years in the pro audio industry.</i></div>
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John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-30069614787974928382016-01-20T07:37:00.000-08:002016-01-20T07:37:12.317-08:00Acoustic Guitar Review!Taylor 614ce Grand AuditoriumAcoustic-Electric Guitar<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b><i>It's a dirty job, but someone has to review these nice guitars</i></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>Brevis...</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>Price: $4,198</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>Likes: rich sound, amazing playability</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>Dislikes: USA guitars are quite expensive</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>Wow Factor! maple never sounded so good</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a1481;">More info: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/acoustic/614ce" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Taylor 614CE</span></a></span></i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>by Bob Kovacs</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> It is hard to resist the Siren song of a new guitar. The look, smell, touch, feel, sound… all are intoxicating to a guitar fan. The new Taylor 614ce maple body acoustic/electric hits all the right marks with those sensations, making it a pleasure to hold, play and admire. I played the Taylor 614ce for a month, and was able to use it at least one live performance. It plays like a dream. Made in El Cajon, Ca. Taylor 614ce has a list price of $4,198.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Features</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The Taylor 614ce is a grand auditorium guitar with a cutaway that gives access to higher notes on the neck. Size-wise there are a couple of slight differences between the shape of the 614ce and a standard dreadnaught guitar: The 614ce is just a bit thinner (by about 1/2 inch) and slightly more pinched at the waist than a full-size dreadnaught guitar. These are not a big differences but you will see them if you look. Taylor refers to the size as “Grand Auditorium,” but it is nearly identical to a full-size guitar in sound and handling.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Like many guitars today, the 614ce is electrified. In this case, it uses Taylor’s Expression System 2 electronics that has three pickups in the saddle, a pre-amp circuit board inside the guitar and a 9-Volt battery at the base of the guitar next to the strap button. There are three controls on the forward edge: volume, bass and treble, each with an identical knob and center detent. The pre-amp has a phase-reverse switch that can be reached through the sound hole.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> A big feature of the Expression 2 system in the 614ce is that it has three pickups, one each for the E/A, D/G and B/E strings. There are small adjustment screws for these pickups, but the two-page manual for the Expression system cautions against anything other than the most careful adjustment. It does say that you can change the timbre of the sound by adjustment, so really picky players do have some room for tweaking to tailor the sound.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">New bracing and maple back/sides make this guitar sing</span></i></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The top of the Taylor 614ce is sitka spruce that has been processed with what the company calls “torrefaction,” which ages the wood by warming it to provide a seasoned sound and less tonal change over the life of the guitar. Taylor says that the finish on the top is unusually thin, which causes less dampening than usual guitar finishes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The sides and back of the 614ce are dark-stained maple – in the case of the guitar I received, the maple has a beautiful tiger-stripe quality. The fretboard is ebony with variegated plastic inlays on a hard rock maple neck. (Taylor calls the fret inlay material “Grained Ivoroid Wings.”) The neck has a truss rod that can be adjusted through a removable plate on the head.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The 614ce has nickel-plated Taylor tuning machines that otherwise resemble Gotoh tuners. The nut is made from Tusq and the saddle is Micarta. The guitar comes stringed with Elixir Phosphor Bronze HD light-gauge strings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> One of the more interesting construction features of the Taylor 614ce is the bracing on the inside of the guitar’s back. Instead of being perpendicular to the neck of the guitar, they angle at quite a noticeable slope. Taylor calls this bracing design “Advanced Performance with Relief Rout.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The Taylor 614ce comes with a snug-fitting hard case that has five latches to secure the lid. Inside, there is soft padding that cushions the guitar. The storage compartment is fairly spacious – you won’t run out of space to carry a couple of spare picks with this case.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>The audition</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I may have worded things above in a way that makes it sound like I wasn’t impressed with the Taylor 614ce. However, this is a beautiful guitar that plays and feels like a premium instrument. Everything about it is well built, and it exudes an aura of fine construction and quality materials. The spruce top has no flaws, and the maple on the sides and back is perfectly matched. It works together as an attractive package.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The bracing and internal construction are neat as a pin, with no excess glue anywhere. The three sound controls (volume, bass, treble) on the forward surface of the guitar turn with a pleasant tactile feel. The tuners – which I seldom had to touch because the 614ce held its tune so well – feel just right. They make it easy to find the sweet tuning spot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> And “sweet” just may be the best one-word description of the Taylor 614ce. The action on the neck was low enough to minimize finger pressure, yet without a hint of buzzing. My hand wrapped around the neck as though it had been there for years – it’s a completely natural feel for me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Most guitar players will say that different guitar brands have their characteristic sound, and Taylor is no exception. To me, Taylor guitars always had a strong bass that took nothing away from the treble tones. If anything, this 614ce extends the richness of the brand’s bass, while somehow making the top end sweeter as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">And “sweet” just may be the best one-word description of the Taylor 614ce. The action on the neck was low enough to minimize finger pressure, yet without a hint of buzzing. My hand wrapped around the neck as though it had been there for years – it’s a completely natural feel for me.</span></i></b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I’ve also found that my favorite guitars transmit the instrument’s vibration to my body in a pleasing way. The Taylor 614ce has that sensation. It’s hard to describe, but it feels like the guitar is talking to my chest when I’m playing it. In the case of the 614ce, it was saying, “Yes, this is what you’re supposed to do.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The Taylor 614ce sounds great when noodling around the house, or even taking out on the front porch to share the tone with my neighbors. However, I wanted to get some experience playing it in front of a crowd, so I went to the local folk club’s weekly gathering to see what others thought of the sound. This was an all-acoustic night with no amplification, so the goal was to play and sing loudly – usually my forte. The room was packed with 80 or so people, most of them musicians who know the sound of a good instrument.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Beautiful striped maple embody this Taylor</span></i></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> When it came time for my performance, the 614ce had no trouble filling the room. Granted, the rules are that no one can talk when someone performs. However, singing along is encouraged, and most of the room sang along to the familiar songs I played. It was a fine experience, helped in part by the Taylor 614ce’s good projection and balanced tone. The guitar’s sound got only positive comments when the night was over.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Of course, that didn’t test the pickup quality, so I plugged the 614ce into a PA system at home. There is an amazing amount of volume, and the three knobs worked exactly as I expected. The plugged-in sound of the Taylor 614ce is more naturally “acoustic” sounding than either of my other two guitars with pickups. However, it still isn’t quite the same natural sound quality you get when you mic a guitar properly. It is quite usable though, and no one will mistake the sound of the Taylor 614ce with that of a Fender Telecaster. The 614ce’s plugged-in sound is clearly in the acoustic range, and about as close to a natural acoustic guitar as I have heard from a built-in pickup.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>The verdict</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The Taylor 614ce is an expensive guitar, so we should expect that it will have quality construction, fine sound and excellent playability. The 614ce definitely met my expectations in this regard. Only you know if you have the disposable income for a really fine guitar – if you do and you are in the market, the Taylor 614ce will not disappoint.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> What I liked most about the 614ce was that great feedback it gave my body when I played. In my experience, the best guitars have that kind of feedback, and that puts the Taylor 614ce right up there with the best I have ever played. The Taylor 614ce most certainly gets our <b><i>Everything Guitar Network</i></b> <i>Grade A Award.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i> Bob Kovacs has been playing guitar for 40+years, and has several performance videos on YouTube. Be forewarned… he usually favors novelty songs. </i></span></div>
John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-42293543475957934792015-01-20T13:46:00.003-08:002015-03-05T14:30:44.167-08:00 Acoustic Guitar Review!Eastman E20D Solid-WoodDreadnought Acoustic Guitar<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><b><i><a href="http://everythingguitarnetwork.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Everything Guitar Network</a></i></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><i>Brevis...</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><i>Price: $1,500</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><i>Likes: traditional build, open dread sound</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><i>Dislikes: sunburst finish a little blotchy</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><i>Wow Factor! classic tone at 1/4th the price</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a1481;">More info: </span><a href="http://www.eastmanguitars.com/e20d/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Eastman E20D</span></a></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><b><i>by John Gatski</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> Let's face it. The world economy is bringing products to the US that we once thought would be impossible to make elsewhere. Twenty years ago, a high-end, Asian acoustic guitar was somebody’s dream. But today, the guitar market has changed. Low-end guitars from China and Indonesia are as common as USA-made Silvertones were in the 1960s, but also there are more and more top-class guitars being made in China.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> The Eastman Instrument Company has been making premium jazz guitars, mandolins, cellos, violins, and woodwind and brass instruments for decades, and began producing quality jazz guitars in the early 2000s. In fact, I wrote a review on Eastman’s first hollow body single pickup jazz guitar back in in 2003. It was bit rough by today’s company standards ,but it played nice and was a full, carved solid wood archtop.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> Today, Eastman Guitars has a full line of upper-end guitars, including acoustics. These guitars are designed to rival Martin, Gibsons and other USA-brand, top hand-produced acoustics. Based on my review of the E20D dreadnaught, these guitars are pretty darn good, especially when you can can buy them at 1/4th the price of a USA-brand equivalent.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><b>Features</b></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> The E20D acoustic is a full-sized, solid-wood, dovetail neck, dreadnaught — similar to D28 Martin upper-end models. It features solid, Adirondack spruce top, solid East Indian rosewood back and sides, 1940s traditional style, 5/8th-inch, scalloped X-bracing, ebony fretboard with snowflake inlays and herringbone/plastic body binding. The glued-in, dovetail neck is solid mahogany with a 25.5-inch scale length. Body width is 16-inches and body thickness is 4 and 23/.32-inches thick The rosewood veneered headstock gets Gotoh vintage style open back tuners.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> <b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Because of the extra emphasis on the midrange/low treble, the E20D is an excellent fingerpicker for a dreadnaught. Some dreads are not great fingerpickers because of the extra mid-bass. The E20D, however, has a rich, percussive character.</span></i></b></span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> The E20D also sports bone nut and saddle with a carved ebony bridge. The guitar comes standard with Diaddario EXP light gauge strings (.012-.053) and is shipped in a nice case. In the case, is a stick on pick guard you can attach yourself — if you want to lessen the chance of scratching the top with a pick. I left it off. since the pick guard does have some sonic mute effect on the treble. The E20D is offered in a natural finish and the E20D-SB sunburst model, which I received for the review. There are also other dreadnaught, jumbo and parlor-sized Eastman models.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><b><i>The audition</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> The E20D reminds me of recent Martin reissues that pay homage to by-gone eras of the classic acoustic guitars. The E20D is closest to the Martin D28 Marquis or HD-28V Adirondack Edition — with their forward-shifted, scalloped bracing — which dates back to the late 1930s and solid Adirondack spruce tops, which is harder and relays a crisper, midrange and low treble with a tight, authoritative bass. In fact, the E20D looks a lot like the D28 Marquis in sunburst.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> Upon closer inspection, the E20D bracing is not quite like the Marquis standard “golden era” X-bracing that crosses once inch from the soundhole. The E20D braces cross about 1.25-inches behind the soundhole.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> The E20D’s top has that customary Adirondack wide-spaced grain and its apperance was accentuated by the thin, nitrocellulose lacquer finish. However, the E20D-SB test sample finish had some irregular blotching in the sunburst, which is not as attractive as blemish-free top-graded tops, but the aesthetic does not affect the sound.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> Inside, the perfing and braces looked professionally glued in and uniform, with just a smidgen here and there of excess glue. The saddle was little taller than I normally see from a top-grade Martin or Gibson acoustic, but the action was setup to compensate for it, and the action felt nice with the light strings.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The Eastman E20D really showed its power. It is very close to the tone of a D28 Marquis — with a slightly brash midrange and low treble but plenty of volume.</span></i></b></span></blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> The E20D was a fresh guitar, and as such, needed time to season before I did any serious playing. Its initial tone was fairly loud, but a bit constrained as the wood was still quite “wet” The inside was very dark and damp looking. Thus, I left it out of its case for several months, playing it only occasionally.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> After four months, of “drying,” the Eastman E20D really showed its power. It is very close to the tone of a D28 Marquis — with a slightly brash midrange and low treble, but plenty of volume. Now I have played some D28 Marquis’ that were not as open as others. The broken-in, seasoned E20D was quite open under full strum, with perhaps a little less bass volume than the best Marquis, but enough volume to play with a Bluegrass band, and a bit of top-end sparkle. It reminded more of late 1950s D28 in sonic texture. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">Though not as midbass pronounced as an Adirondack-top Martin, the E20D bass performance, nonetheless, was quite good, a tight mid bass that was in balance with the mids and treble.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">My Tester Eastman E20D</span></i></b></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> In my sound SPL level test, using an AudioControl RTA, I measured the E30D sound level at full strum with a large triangle fender medium pick. With the light EXP strings, I got 96 dB at 1 meter. Plenty loud to keep up with a banjo or other acoustic instruments. The loudest acoustic I have ever played was a Martin D28VS at 99 dB.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> The Eastman neck/fretboard has the Martin feel with easy to fret and pick. My fingers never felt cramped. The guitar’s high saddle was compensated by a medium action, Thus, the string tension was m manageable. When I switched to Martin SP light/medium strings, the pinch to the fingers was more noticeable. If I played these strings, or true mediums on a daily basis, I would plane down the saddle a bit.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> Because of the extra emphasis on the midrange/low treble, the E20D is an excellent fingerpicker for a dreadnaught. Some dreads are not great fingerpickers because of the extra mid-bass. The E20D, however, has a rich, percussive character that gets more pronounced if you have a bit of extra fingernail.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><b><i>The verdict </i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> In this increasingly global world of commerce , the Eastman Instrument Company has learned how to compete in the musical instrument realm. Its jazz guitars and acoustic guitar line, such as the E20D tested here, is faithful variation of a USA-made dreadnaught with just a bit of extra mid/treble sparkle to give it is own character. After a few months of seasoning, I was impressed with its playability, quality setup and feel. Best of all for the customer, this guitar is only $1,500. A dovetail, lacquer-sprayed Martin D28 Marquis will cost you about $5,700. There are of course, less expensive Martin with different fretboard and bridge materials, and the mortise/tenon-attached neck, such as the HD-16 Adirondack ($3,199), but feature wise, the D28 Marquis and the HD-28V Adirondack, ordered through the custom shop, are the intended competitors.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> Don’t get me wrong. Heck, I love Martins, and I have saved up the extra cash many times to buy various top-end models, including a John Gatski-custom OO-28V and my beloved J-40 standard, as I love USA-made instruments. But if you can’t afford the American brand, there is nothing wrong with looking at an Eastman. They are excellent acoustic guitars, and there electrics ain’t too shabby either.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>©All original articles on this site are the intellectual property of the<b> Everything Guitar Network</b>. Any unauthorized use, via print or Internet, without written permission is prohibited.</i></span></div>
John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-9254135104922195232014-11-03T07:30:00.000-08:002014-11-03T17:47:24.664-08:00Acoustic Guitar Review!2014 Taylor 810E Acoustic Guitar:“Rebraced Dreadnaught SeriesNets More Bass, Overall Volume"<br />
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><i>Brevis...</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><i>Price: $4,000</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><i>Likes: Bigger bass volume</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><i>Dislikes: prices keep going up</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><i>Wow Factor! A more balanced dread’</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c0c99;">More info: </span><a href="http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/acoustic/810e" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Taylor 810E</span></a></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><b><i>by John Gatski</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Over the years Taylor guitars have developed a reputation as an acoustic guitar that has a great cutting presence, with a tight, focused bass. They have become quite popular as “live performance as well as recording guitars. But vintage acoustic buffs often lament about Taylor’s perceived lack of low-end power, versus the venerable Martin D-28 or a Gibson Advanced Jumbo dreadnaughts that have plenty of bass oomph.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Well, this lack of low end is no longer the case with the Taylor’s new 800 series dreadnaught (810, 812, 814, 816 and onboard pickup and cutaway versions) . A redesigned, Taylor bracing pattern now adds much more authority to the low end — without sacrificing the punch, present midrange and high-end sound Taylor is known for.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> As part of an update of several models with reworked bracing and ultra-thin finish, the Indian rosewood/sitka spruce top 810 dreadnaught series is the best version of the popular dreadnaught that I have ever auditioned. And I have played numerous Taylor dreadnaughts — from the early ones to various recent standard and customs.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Trust me the 810 can be played with a Bluegrass band, Rock, Country, etc. and not get lost. And you will notice a significant bass boost. The sample I auditioned had enormous power that got louder, when I switched to uncoated strings.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>Features</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The 810 series includes the non pick-up, standard non-cutaway 810; the non-cutaway 810E, with Expression internal pickup/preamp system, tested here; and the 810CE (cutaway), which also is equipped with the Expression pickup.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The 810 series features Taylor’s standard, bolt-on, tropical mahogany neck with a 25.5-inch scale length. The comfortable, satin-gloss neck’s width is 1-3/4 inches and features a varigated ebony fretboard. The 16-inch body is comprised of solid Indian rosewood and a two-piece, solid sitka spruce top with fantastic uniformity in the grain across the two pieces. The company’s ultra-thin, 3.5 mill UV cured polyurethane finish protects the body, but allows it to move to provide impressive volume.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">"The new 810E is the best sounding Taylor dreadnaught guitar I have even played and worthy of our Everything Guitar Network Grade A Award!"</span></i></b></span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Of course, the key to the new 810’s performance is the advanced performance bracing. This bracing optimizes top vibration in the lower and middle frequencies to greatly increase volume. The combination of the forward shifting of the X-bracing, that was done ten years ago, with the newly implemented “relief routing” in key braces, produces a much louder bottom end than the last 810 that I played in 2008.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The new 810E test guitar produced a loud mid- and low-bass without being boomy, and the overall volume is significant. In my opinion, the bracing changes make it a better balanced dreadnaught. This guitar would have no trouble staying with a brash banjo players or an aggressive fiddle player in a Bluegrass band.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Ejy1XcptZNi-B4Xacf2jIM3xZPz7lg1aDk7VmGp-LB7rZ1ZZ8uk7yR2GpC30Hnks_adE8gf3b5iWGMc04LxxBfqA0z77ajF0QHMP1Iqjc3TBiI_yey529UBw-Y6q6aeiiuZCmS4vSAg/s1600/Taylor+810ceuse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Ejy1XcptZNi-B4Xacf2jIM3xZPz7lg1aDk7VmGp-LB7rZ1ZZ8uk7yR2GpC30Hnks_adE8gf3b5iWGMc04LxxBfqA0z77ajF0QHMP1Iqjc3TBiI_yey529UBw-Y6q6aeiiuZCmS4vSAg/s1600/Taylor+810ceuse.jpg" height="162" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The 810CE: a cutaway version with electronics</span></i></b></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> As found in the new 800 Series Taylor guitars, the 810 features rosewood pickguard, Tusq/micarta saddle and Ping nickel tuners. The setups on Taylor guitars are always excellent with perfect action and intonation up and down the neck. My tester was no exception. For $4,000, I expect these niceties from a made-in-USA acoustic guitar, and Taylor delivers.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The Taylor 810 Series, as with most Taylor guitars, comes in a well-padded, heavy duty, case to protect your precious guitar. I have noticed in recent years that other guitar companies are starting to cheap out on the cases. Not Taylor. In fact, they still make their own cases.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>The audition</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I first tried the Taylor 810E with its stock Elixir coated strings. Upon its first play, I could tell the bass authority was much enhanced over the older Taylors. I have played. Yet the midrange and treble were not lost. It seems that the increased bass, with a mild increase in midrange volume, makes the 810, a much more balanced dread — at least in my book. I have played some Martins that have had too much bass bloom — where the bass overpowers the top end, but other Martin models, such as the 1950s Brazilian rosewood/sitka top D28 produce a loud bass that is perfectly matched by the top end.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The Taylor reminds me, in essence, of a late 1950s D28‘s projection and tonal balance with an authoritative bottom end. I won’t say that an 810 sounds exactly like a ‘59 D-28, but the new 810 does exhibit a desirable balance of tonal balance with significant volume on the bass without bass boom — a trait of the old D28.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The new 810s get increased power via enhanced bracing</span></i></b></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> After several days of paying the 810E with the Elixir phosphor bronze strings, I changed to D'Addario phosphor bronze, medium strings and the sound was even better, That powerful bass and crisp highs now had a more pronounced midrange punch. Flat picked notes using a Fender triangle medium were loud and clear, as were aggressive strumming. Versus the old model, the 810 has a significant dynamic range bump, without compressing under hammer strums. Volume-wise, I measured 95 dB at full strum with the test mic at one meter. This guitar can be loud.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> But as powerful as it can be with aggressive strumming/picking, the 810E was a pussy cat for fingerstyle playing. Yes, the bass was a bit louder than the old models, but you still get clarity and definition with finger-picked notes, as Taylors have always excelled. For extensive finger picking, I would go down to light strings for easier playability, but even with mediums, I got a great tone, though a bit tougher on the finger tips.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVOjbdmrbiv1jt5Ty1s-qTFzibRO308kOzErILU0qZq-znwiABNZKJPVFpG6pAXDWpNvyr34YbekUeCGJI49wAJOosoyVeeZcqmWD-YnwAzt3Y7pXrNiEnd8XC9E6gOmnBOiK0iB4xYg/s1600/hero-acoustic-guitar-features-electronics-taylor-guitars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVOjbdmrbiv1jt5Ty1s-qTFzibRO308kOzErILU0qZq-znwiABNZKJPVFpG6pAXDWpNvyr34YbekUeCGJI49wAJOosoyVeeZcqmWD-YnwAzt3Y7pXrNiEnd8XC9E6gOmnBOiK0iB4xYg/s1600/hero-acoustic-guitar-features-electronics-taylor-guitars.jpg" height="180" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The 810E's Expression pickup controls</span></i></b></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Plugged in, the 810E, offers Taylor’s Expression System acoustic electric tone, which I have always liked. It is not so etched or shrill on the treble strings and records smoothly. To my ears, the enhanced bracing does not make so much of a difference plugged in. Which is typical of onboard pickups; they kind of take away some of the wood’s natural acoustic character. A really good microphone, such as the Shure SM-81 or Audix SCX-25, really showcase the mic’s true tone.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>The verdict</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Overall, I am quite impressed with the new package found in the Taylor 810. As a result, the Taylor 810 picks up volume in the low to mid bass without being boomy, and there is a bit more midrange punch as well. The result is a better balanced, Taylor dreadnaught guitar, louder playing volume, yet the top end is still pure Taylor. The bracing does not make it sound exactly like a Martin, Collings, Santa Cruz dreadnaught, but the enhanced design gives the Taylor tonality a desirable volume boost in the low end and midrange. The new 810 is the best sounding Taylor dreadnaught guitar I have even played and worthy of our <b><i>Everything Guitar Network</i></b> <i>Grade A Award</i>!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>©All original articles on this site are the intellectual property of the<b> Everything Guitar Network</b>. Any unauthorized use, via print or Internet, without written permission is prohibited.</i></span></div>
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</span>John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-53270173675439358542013-10-03T05:22:00.000-07:002013-10-03T05:23:58.771-07:00 Acoustic Guitar Review!Martin Grand J-28LSESolid Wood Baritone<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CqhSrCvJLEnZBiSCwOSKGwcTa3NtoOdGrjNqgAynuccj6T_LrrtLxZ9kNzXGMiQQBEg0yezXSTA2izzMHelqjDREoR9HE3dOgJG8Jnh4k3oriIc4xZXiCfrh2eSLmFxWjPRthyQtgEI/s1600/j28+Use.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CqhSrCvJLEnZBiSCwOSKGwcTa3NtoOdGrjNqgAynuccj6T_LrrtLxZ9kNzXGMiQQBEg0yezXSTA2izzMHelqjDREoR9HE3dOgJG8Jnh4k3oriIc4xZXiCfrh2eSLmFxWjPRthyQtgEI/s400/j28+Use.jpg" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">“</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Amazing Volume From Martin Baritone"</span></span></i></b></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Price: $3,999 Retail</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Like: Real loud, intoxicating bass</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Dislike: bigger strings, bigger callus'</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">More info:</span><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span><a href="http://www.martinguitar.com/acoustic-electric/item/170-grand-j-28lse.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Martin J-28SLE</span></a></span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>by Ty Ford</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> The Martin Grand J-28LSE baritone acoustic guitar is a cross between a bass and a guitar. The body isn’t particularly bigger than typical jumbo-sized guitars, but the neck is slightly longer to accommodate the longer scale. It does not look that unusual. You might just think it is just another full size acoustic — until you play it and hear how much volume it projects.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><b>Features</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> The Martin Grand J-28LSE is termed a Grand J, 14-fret model which is slightly larger than a the normal J series (J40). The key to its distinctiveness is the 27.5 inch scale neck, as opposed to the typical 25.4-inch scale of modern dreadnought and typical jumbo acoustic guitars. Longer scale gives you a wider octave spectrum of notes from which to play, including lower-than-standard bass notes.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> To accommodate the longer scale and to drive the top, the Martin J28LSE is set up with bigger strings — .70-.014. In contrast, typical dreadnought strings run .56 to .013. Martin supplies the guitar with Martin Lifespan strings .014 to .070 strings for baritone tuning, which are made for Martin by Everly Music, under the Cleartone banner. The Cleartone strings are treated with an ultra-thin layer that resists contamination from finger grime and oxidation, yet has less of a dampening effect on the string tone. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> The J28LSE body is made from solid East Indian rosewood and the top is a solid sitka spruce. Finished in Martin’s standard, gloss nitrocellulose lacquer, the natural sample sent to me was an excellent example of a finely made, made-in-USA guitar. The top is designed with Martin’s standard ''X'' bracing and progressively scalloped tone bars. The fingerboard is ebony. The modified, low-oval neck is made from “select hardwood” (usually mahogany or Spanish cedar) and finished in the satin. The neck is thinner than my 1969 D28S neck and feels comfortable. Fifteen frets to the body, twenty-one total, no cutaway. The fingerboard width at the nut is: 1-3/4-inch; the fingerboard width at the 12th fret and bridge is 2-1/4 inches.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> To capture the big sound of the J28SLE while plugging in, the guitar is equipped with a D-Tar Wave Length Multi Source pickup system comprised of an under saddle pickup and a small omni mic mounted at the lip of the sound hole. There are two controls. One varies the volume of the mic, the other is a master volume control for both. The AA-battery compartment is inside the sound hole, which requires moving the fifth and sixth stings to change the battery — a negative in my book. I think every acoustic guitar built today should have batteries accessible without dropping the strings. Martin does so on its Performing Artist Series.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><b>Getting acquainted </b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> When you first pick up the J28LSE and start to strum, the first thing you’ll notice is that the strings are bigger. When you start playing it, you are immediately intoxicated by the increased bass response of the guitar. The Martin SP LIfespan 92/8 phosphor bronze strings that come with it run from .014 to .070 are significantly heavier than the normal mediums I use. Martin’s Tim Teel also says you can run with standard mediums and tune to “E” to “e” to have the more familiar feel, but the baritone setup is where you get the power.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"><b><i> When you first pick up the J28LSE and start to strum, the first thing you’ll notice is that the strings are bigger. When you start playing it, you are immediately intoxicated by the increased bass response of the guitar.</i></b></span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> With baritone tuning, the slightly longer scale means those first four frets are wider requiring more finger stretch. The fingerboard is 1 3/4” at the bone nut. A little wider than a D28; more like my 1969 D28S. The larger gauge of the strings and their tension has a lot to do with the massive sound, as does the construction of the instrument.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">As a result, even if you capo up to the second or third fret, this guitar sounds a lot more massive than a regular six string tuned E to e. Using a capo on the fourth fret or above, however, takes away the real mojo of the open or low-fretted fifth and sixth strings.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> At first, I though that players who are used to lighter strings would be put off by the bigger stringed J28LSE, but my friend local actor/singer Pete Papageorge (<a href="http://petepapageorge.com/">petepapageorge.com</a>) stopped by to take the baritone for a spin. Though he normally plays lights on his acoustic, he said he quickly got used to the string tension and longer scale.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><b>The audition</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> Normally, I am fingerstyle player and don’t use finger or thumb picks. The day after playing for several hours, the outside edge of my playing thumb was tender from working the bigger strings. New calluses formed as I continued to play.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> Because my finger nails seldom last and regular maintenance is too fiddly, I trim them and play with flesh. That results in a softer sound. After working with a flat pick and enjoying the attack, I tried a National medium on my thumb. After getting used to it, I was very pleased. Clean, clear and punchy. The J-28LSE sounds larger than life. The 4th, 5th and 6th have a lot of power. I found myself sort of waiting for my thumb to hit the sixth string to savor the big low note. Boom! What fun!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The old and the new: D28SL and J-28SLE</span></i></b></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> As a vocalist, I’m a baritone and the best key for my singing voice, melody depending, is “A.” I’m used to singing the the same notes as the fifth and sixth string notes on my guitar. “A” baritone guitar goes even lower; to a “B” or “C“ below the “E” to which guitars are normally tuned. So, if you play a first position “E” chord on a baritone, what you get is a “B” or “C“ chord, depending whether you tune from “B” to “b” or “C” to “c.”</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> This down tuning difference caused me to rethink songs on my list. If the baritone is tuned “C” to “c,” when I play a first-position “A“ fingering, I’m really playing an “F.” So I had to transpose some songs or learn to play them with differing fingerings; not very efficient. What it did do nicely is put some songs I like to sing in range, without having to use extreme capo positioning. So, some gain, some loss. Caution: After playing the J-28LSE for a few days, my D28S, which most folks tell me sounds great, felt small and sounded thin.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><b>Comparisons</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> Appalachian Bluegrass here in Baltimore had both the Taylor six-string and eight-string Baritone on the rack, but no Martin baritones. I made an appointment with Tim Kolberg and stopped by with the Martin baritone to check them out and see how they compared. After spending about half an hour with the J-28LSE, I switched to the Taylors. When I switch to my old Harmony 12-string, it normally takes a while before my right hand gets used to the double strings. I felt the same sort of awkwardness with the Taylor eight string, but it did have a very rich and complex sound.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> The six string Taylor felt good, but the action was slightly higher than the Martin and I think the strings were slightly lighter gauge. Both Taylor guitars were brighter than the Martin; Taylor bright, if you get my drift. After playing the six string Taylor for about twenty minutes, both with and without the Bose system that Appalachian Bluegrass has set up, I switched back to the Martin. There was the big Martin bottom, and it was also obvious that the Taylor, with its tone controls centered, sounded scooped in the mids and smaller.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> Tim and I thought maybe if the bottom on the Martin wasn’t quite so big, the sound would be more balanced. Maybe with a .065 instead of a .070 on the sixth, a .048 or .050 instead of the .054 on the fifth and maybe a .038 to .40 instead of a .042 on the fourth and the low end would tuck in some.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>The J28LSE body is made from solid East Indian rosewood and the top is a solid sitka spruce. Finished in Martin’s standard, gloss nitrocellulose lacquer, the natural sample sent to me was an excellent example of a finely made, made-in-USA guitar.</i></b></span></span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> Martin only offers one set of big strings, so, at Tim’s suggestion, I contacted D’Addario to search for alternative sizes. If you like experimenting with string gauges, D’Addario makes a very complete line of single and three pack Phosphor Bronze strings from .020 to .070 that you can buy online. They were kind enough to forward me Phosphor Bronze .039, .047, .049 and .064 for this review. Swapping out to lighter fourth, fifth and sixth strings did make for a more balanced sound that was easier to record, but I have to admit, I sort of missed the big low end.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> I noticed that the .070 and .064 sixth strings were a little quieter than the other five; more so with skin than with a pick. I’m not sure if the strings’ frequencies were below the resonant frequency of the body or something else. I restrung with a set of Keyser PowerCore Phosphor Bronze (KA230) Mediums that run .013 to .056. I use those strings on my D28S Martin. I tuned “E” to “e,” as Tim Teel of Martin had suggested. The J-28LSE sounded noticeably brighter than these strings ever sound on my 1971 D28S, probably because of the scalloped tone bars. Not high-strung bright, but definitely brighter. All strings were equally loud.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><b>Recording the beast</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> I found that the J-28LSE’s huge low end was too big for my usual recording methods, swapping my Schoeps CMC641 microphone when placed eight inches from the body. Next I tried a Neumann U 89i, in omni mode, to reduce the proximity effect. The J-28LSE was still huge, but I could get the mic closer. That, however, still didn’t give me a sound I liked. Bottom line: I think this guitar needs a little more mic space than others. Pulling back the mics to about 16-inches to 18-inches worked best.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> As I continued to work with the J-28LSE, my performing style began to change. I capo’d on the second fret and used the fingerings that I knew to try to bring some of the songs back into my vocal range. I could hit the notes, but many were in the bottom of my register and below the power range of my vocals. That meant I was singing softer and with less force. After a while I realized that I liked that a lot more than my “regular” voice on some songs, which, to me, can be a little harsh, even as a baritone.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Taking more than one guitar to a gig is a chore, but you can eliminate the extra case by using the J-28LSE and a capo. Capo’ing on the 4th fret brings a C tuning back up to E with 12 frets to the body</i></b></span>. </span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> Flat pick strumming the J-28LSE required a new touch. I usually use medium picks for the folky, strummy stuff, but lights worked better because mediums overworked the 4th, 5th an 6th strings making the low end sound jumbled and muddy. If you’re flat picking is less folky and more bluegrass, picking out individual notes, you’ll do just fine with a medium pick with the Martin. If you’re used to banging the chords out for rock, you may have to pull back and/or use power chords rather than full chords because you may overplay the very responsive low end strings. Just switching to a Fender Light flat pick cleaned up the bottom and made the guitar sound a lot brighter.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> Taking more than one guitar to a gig is a chore, but you can eliminate the extra case by using the J-28LSE and a capo. Capo’ing on the 4th fret brings a C tuning back up to E with 12 frets to the body. Unless you are currently playing up the neck a lot with a cutaway, this is a very workable solution to the too many guitars conundrum; give your regular guitar (and the bass payer) the night off and just take the J-28LSE and a capo.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><b>The verdict</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> The Martin Grand J-28LSE baritone acoustic requires adjustments to your regular playing style to maximize its advantages over a regular jumbo or dreadnought, but it is a great sounding and nice playing guitar. It offers new playgrounds in tonality, string choice, pick choice and key choice. It’s definitely worth a trip to the store to have a Grand J-28LSE in your hands — so you can find out for yourself, but watch out! That low end is very intoxicating.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i> Ty Ford is an accomplished musician and professional;l audio recording engineer. be reached at <a href="http://www.tyford.com/">www.tyford.com</a></i></span><br />
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</span>John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-24832042909772333182013-04-03T08:54:00.000-07:002013-04-03T17:16:31.163-07:00Wireless Guitar System Review!Sony DWZ-B30GB Transmitter/Receiver"Entry-Level Wireless Relays Clean Audio"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIfNY_aDlb0J5jNR7E-Z7ao5AiKJuyNBMvO3GMriO3Wmkvk418oQUW0ZLSiqoQLSREYKFOxaEYxKJVvxWuPNFcvkBUhf0mG3rJeUZQan30bQCi11qyKo1QZ6D_ooZ-GlWSxCD29fadoE/s1600/Sony+DWB30GB+Wireless+Main+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIfNY_aDlb0J5jNR7E-Z7ao5AiKJuyNBMvO3GMriO3Wmkvk418oQUW0ZLSiqoQLSREYKFOxaEYxKJVvxWuPNFcvkBUhf0mG3rJeUZQan30bQCi11qyKo1QZ6D_ooZ-GlWSxCD29fadoE/s320/Sony+DWB30GB+Wireless+Main+Pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Brevis...</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Price: $499 Retail</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Like: •Exceptional Audio Quality,</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>•Robust Build-Quality, •Six Channels</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Dislike: •No Functional Complaints</i></b></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">More info:</span><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><a href="http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-audio/cat-wirelessmics/product-DWZB30GB/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">DWZ-B30GB</span></a> </span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><i>by John Gatski</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> Wireless guitar systems have improved so much in the last few years that plugging-in now means attaching a little box on your belt with a small locking cable and a receiver box placed near your amplifier. No longer is it necessary to run a big, long cable into your amplifier or rack of pedals. Even in the studio, wireless boxes make it much more convenient.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">**A textbook example of how-to-do-it-right in a high quality wireless transmitter/receiver system is Sony's DWZ-B30GB, a low-cost setup that performs with DW’s that cost twice the price. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><b><i>Features</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> Contained in a belt clip transmitter/standard-sized receiver set, the Sony DWZ-B30GB Wireless system allows guitar players to relay their precious signal via**a 24-bit/2.4 GHz wireless signal with six user selectable channels. At $499 retail, the package is perfect for onstage players for acoustic or electric guitar who want a more upper-echelon signal delivery at a not over-the-top price.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> The easy-to-attach, belt-clipped, compact ZTX-B01 transmitter (3-inches tall by 2.5 inches wide), connects to a guitar — via 1-meter 1/4-inch-to-1/8-inch locking connector cable. The front panel contains a small channel indicator, channel selector button and a power button. The screw-on belt clip is a sturdy metal design that gripped my belt pretty well.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQd3jQ0hs3nExXx4x18mVe_wLL2DZpRyzbZcULrBkjKK-XzraXDfKL4Cuj9KJQOeuPSHrs2qlViaxZgHlbLlnJWrlBMPo9ea8OEcmHjlqo_CFaGsrYVIWdIYcEXO6yj3lANYdPwjCRe94/s1600/SonyZTXB01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQd3jQ0hs3nExXx4x18mVe_wLL2DZpRyzbZcULrBkjKK-XzraXDfKL4Cuj9KJQOeuPSHrs2qlViaxZgHlbLlnJWrlBMPo9ea8OEcmHjlqo_CFaGsrYVIWdIYcEXO6yj3lANYdPwjCRe94/s1600/SonyZTXB01.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Belt-attached transmitter</span></i></b></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> The transmitter runs on two AA batteries. The transmitter contains a mic/instrument switch to allow use of a dynamic mic, as well as a guitar. An attenuator switch enables three gain schemes: (0 dB, -10 dB and -20 dB). A top-mounted lock/unlock switch enables the user to prevent accidental adjustments during a performance.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">**The six frequencies range from 2.4022 GHz to 2.47825 GHz and a narrow/wide switch allows tuning to a slice of the frequencies that is less susceptible to interference from similar wireless signals.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><b><i>The receiver</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> The ZRX-C30 receiver unit features balanced XLR, 1/4-inch instrument level outputs, as well as a handy 1/4-inch tuner output. Onboard controls include cable selector (1a through 1b), which is a cable “tone” generator that simulates the “sound” of a real cable, from 1 meter to 25 meters; the onboard DSP progressively rolls off the high frequency as you select the larger number.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">**A USB jack is contained on both the transmitter and receiver, but no explanation in the manual. I figured it is used for software updates, which was confirmed by Sony.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOm2YMJg9N9CmrsSTZqGTvmmm38gYYnKDIr49sinTTYYULrLEUrW9PY9OQ8hBXPANpJEkvCnzuocOcYDIFBFawVw2qcI9CBylDcARVRgm6vHpTyZQO7s42d9gPPCyyPdbWo67k7zIzg04/s1600/Sony+Receiver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOm2YMJg9N9CmrsSTZqGTvmmm38gYYnKDIr49sinTTYYULrLEUrW9PY9OQ8hBXPANpJEkvCnzuocOcYDIFBFawVw2qcI9CBylDcARVRgm6vHpTyZQO7s42d9gPPCyyPdbWo67k7zIzg04/s1600/Sony+Receiver.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Full-featured receiver</span></b></i></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">**The ZRX-C30 includes LEDs for the power, transmitter/receiver RF connection and the receiver’s receipt of audio. The receiver is powered by a 9V battery or an included 12V adapter.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> The kit includes the transmitter cable, AC adapter, belt clip and CD and paper manuals. Overall, for an entry-level wireless system, the Sony DWZ-B30GB build is robust — with its metal enclosures and sturdy switches. You can buy cheaper, but not with this quality.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><b><i>The audition</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> I used the wireless in my home studio with my rig of guitar amps, as well as straight into my mixer and into an A/D converter, recording straight at 24-bit. Guitars included a Gibson Les Paul Studio equipped with Seymour Duncan Seth Lover humbucker pickups, a standard Fender Telecaster American Series, a Mark Knopfler Custom Strat with Custom Shop 57/62 single-coil pickups and a Gibson L5CES with Classic ‘57 humbucker pickups. I also hooked up a mono channel output from my Nord Electro-3 (Hammond B3 mode) to wirelessly transmit a signal to a Fender Twin Reverb combo amp.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> To test the robustness around other wireless signals, I also turned on an older wireless mic system at the same frequency, thus, giving me the chance to use the DWB30GB’s narrow frequency mode.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"><b><i>The Sony DWZ-B30GB is a first-rate, digital wireless system for those who need just a single-channel input/output. Its robust digital, 24-bit signal was as clean as the proverbial digital audio whistle.</i></b></span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> As a basic, single-channel wireless system, the Sony DWZ-B30GB worked like a charm. The first thing I noticed was how clean and extended the signal was. My old vintage style 20 ft. cable often picks up room noise from other components, which gets magnified through the tube guitar amps. The Sony wireless was much cleaner, and with more dynamic punch to the audio. The humbucker pickup guitars had much more audible high-end attack, yet without losing their inherent warmness; this wireless sounds great. Driving the overdrive mode in a Line 6 amp with the Les Paul, also sounded more distinct with less mush than with my vintage cord. Only high-end music cords give me this kind of sound.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> Delay was negligible, and any interference from the other wireless was nil when I flipped the Sony DWZ-B30GB to the narrow mode. I never had a drop out in close or when moving into another room.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> My extreme distance test for Sony DWB30GB was playing the guitar from the top level of my five level Cape Cod house. I wanted to record a really loud, distortion track through a Line 6 amp — without blowing out my ears; playing five floors away was an effective way to “play it loud.” I hit record, went to the top floor, played the riff, then went back to the recorder to play it back. The recording was spot-on with no drops out or audible anomalies. Talk about a long distance track.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> As a basic, single-channel wireless system, the Sony DWZ-B30GB worked like a charm. The first thing I noticed was how clean and extended the signal was. My old vintage style 20 ft. cable often picks up room noise from other components, which gets magnified through the tube guitar amps. The Sony wireless was much cleaner.</span></i></b></span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> If you want to muddy up the sound like a cheap, long cable, the cable tone dial changes the sound, and successive clicks roll off the high frequency. However, because a digital wireless’ virtue is its clean, full bandwidth delivery, I was much more interested in that sound than the dirtied up sound of the cable simulator circuit.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> Using the Nord keyboard in the Wurlitzer electric piano mode and the Sony wireless, through a mono output, I was able to relay the signal across a 20 ft. room with any wires. Yay!. And again, the sound was super clean through the Fender Twin Reverb reissue — with a tighter, more distinct upper midrange and treble than the standard 25 ft. cable I usually use.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> With its mic mode, I did a bit of singing through an Audix I5 dynamic plugged into the ZTX-B01 transmitter. Again, the dynamics, and low noise of the digital system were readily apparent. The sound was extremely tight, versus the 25 ft. Whirlwind cable.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">**The Sony DWZ-B30GB ergonomics are first rate, as well, with the included cords and easy access to the battery compartments. The locking, guitar-to-transmitter cord worked perfectly. Battery life was robust as well. In fact, I had no complaints with the Sony DWB30GB. Well, maybe just the yellow legend around the dials. But that has nothing to do with its performance.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><b><i>The verdict</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> The Sony DWZ-B30GB is a first-rate, digital wireless system for those who need just a single-channel input/output. Its robust digital, 24-bit signal was as clean as the proverbial digital audio whistle, even in the narrow mode, and it could transmit from considerable distance. For its mic or instrument transmission capabilities and fine performance, I also gave the Sony DWB30GB an <b><i>Everything Guitar Network Grade A Award</i></b>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>©All original articles on this site are the intellectual property of the<b> Everything Guitar Network</b>. Any unauthorized use, via print or Internet, without written permission is prohibited.</i></span></div>
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John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-38895485471601541142013-01-15T18:37:00.000-08:002013-04-02T19:03:55.394-07:00Electric Guitar Review!Gibson Melody Maker Special:"Budget Gibson Ain't No Cheapie"<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8cPHWqLOQuFBMpoqS2TfG2_FULzjHB0Kq4WOIX6K_9K5yaPZq-rrHN9AMFs75kjTja74wU-ZO8cB9q7NvihMe3bdY0zGJ5jrcr3BVT7ML909apI3EXyVy68tdr3VCrKUpOJLY8aV3aM/s1600/Melody+Maker+Special+Main.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8cPHWqLOQuFBMpoqS2TfG2_FULzjHB0Kq4WOIX6K_9K5yaPZq-rrHN9AMFs75kjTja74wU-ZO8cB9q7NvihMe3bdY0zGJ5jrcr3BVT7ML909apI3EXyVy68tdr3VCrKUpOJLY8aV3aM/s1600/Melody+Maker+Special+Main.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Brevis...</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Price: $$1,099 Retail</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Like: killer P-90 tone</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Dislike: only one volume and tone</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">More info:</span><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span><a href="http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Melody-Maker/Gibson-USA/Melody-Maker-Special.aspx" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Gibson Melody Maker Special</span></a></span></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>by John Gatski</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> The Gibson Melody Maker started its life in the late 1950s as a Gibson budget guitar, but its simple mahogany plank body and 24 inch scale, coupled with fat-sounding single coil pickups., made it a favorite of many a high-end player. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">The new Melody Maker Special, a non-monogrammed version of the Jonas Brothers Melody Maker that was on the market a couple of years ago, is now its own model with assorted colors, and that fat P-90 single coil tone. The guitar is a combination of the best Melody Maker, with its unique all-in-one pick guard control panel, and the Les Paul Special (the P-90s)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><b><i>The details</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> Made from solid mahogany, the MMS is a single-cutaway model with a thinner profile than your average Les Paul. The neck is solid mahogany, but the fingerboard wood is baked maple, that looks surprisingly close to rosewood. The peg head is more of Les Paul shape and size than the small headstock of the original Melody Maker. The MMS is equipped with Kluson-style tuners. The nut is made from Corian (a hard plastic).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> The neck scale length is the Gibson standard 24.75-inch with 22 frets and a 12” radius. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">The MMS is equipped with the ‘50s style wrap around bridge that does have some adjustment for intonation. Wrap around bridges, I believe, help enhance sustain on top loaded string guitars, and the MMS certainly has wonderful sustain. Not quite as much as a thicker body Les Paul, but the notes still sing sweetly.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> The key to the brilliant, girthy, warm, to-die-for-tone is the Gibson P-90 pickups. These non-hum canceling, big single coils have always offered a special sound; think Leslie West, Joan Jett, Bob Marley. Pete Townsend’s best tones were made on a P-90 equipped SG through the early to mid-1970s. These pickups have warmth, yet extra gain that a Telecaster and a Strat can only dream off; yet you roll back the gain, and they can be as sweet and jazzy as you want.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Strung with Gibson .10-.046 strings, the first thing I noticed through the Deluxe is how familiar the P-90 tone was. Playing live or through an amp PA, I don’t think you could tell the difference between an upscale Les Paul Special and the MMS.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></span></i></b></span></span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> The pickups and the single tone and volume control are attached to a plastic pickguard, a la the original Melody Maker. Kind of like a Strat or Tele. The only quibble I have with the Melody Maker Special is that it only has one volume and one tone for both pickups (a 200K Switchcraft linear volume control and a 500K Switchcraft non-linear tone knob). Two controls per pickup, like the upscale Les Paul Special or standard Les Paul, would allow a bit more custom balance of the pickups when used together, but I understand it is a budget guitar. (I actually adjusted the neck pickup at a lower height, to match output of the bridge P/U when using both pickups.)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> Despite its budget Gibson positioning, the MMS is not a cheaply made guitar. The solid woods, USA made P-90s and real nitrocellulose finish give an air of quality that most budget guitars cannot match, Of course, this Gibson budget USA guitar is $1,100.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> The Melody Maker Special comes in several colors, including the satin ebony, satin yellow, satin blue, and satin cherry. My review sample was finished in the ebony. With a thin nitro satin finish, you can feel the grain of the wood</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i>The audition</i></b></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> I played the Gibson Melody Maker Special through several different amps, including a 1966 Fender Deluxe Reverb, 1975 Princeton Reverb, and a 1965 Twin Reverb. I played it straight through those amps and through a number of pedals, including the Music Technology Assbite OD, my classic DOD FX100, and an Electro-Harmonix English Muffin tube OD.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Strung with Gibson .10-.046 strings, the first thing I noticed through the Deluxe is how familiar the P-90 tone was. Playing live or through an amp PA, I don’t think you could tell the difference between an upscale Les Paul Special and the MMS. That warm tone with a jangly high-mid peak just nailed the rhythm tone I love with tube amps. And if you want more, just plug into an OD pedal, roll the selector switch to the bridge PU and that warm tone turns into a snarlin’, fat fuzz tone that will do any punker proud.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_UlyCXKQ9fIS8yPN-LhE64LN3c2Dg0fLSWn7yD1djbDmjBSjR7QK13e98UaeHa85I9_xeqRgGT5SPxmTMhKZsPZ1849nGJPqXeuCYiGvqopSTp2CA5_njb5HPb3MbaopBXrwZ0aXK5E/s1600/pickguard+Gibson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_UlyCXKQ9fIS8yPN-LhE64LN3c2Dg0fLSWn7yD1djbDmjBSjR7QK13e98UaeHa85I9_xeqRgGT5SPxmTMhKZsPZ1849nGJPqXeuCYiGvqopSTp2CA5_njb5HPb3MbaopBXrwZ0aXK5E/s1600/pickguard+Gibson.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">All hardware attached to pickguard</span></i></b></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> The MMS is that versatile.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">With the Twin reverb reissue, I also dialed in a really warm jazz tone on the neck pickup. For note picking, the neck is roomy enough with easy fret access, though the fret edges felt a little rough when moving my hand up and down the fretboard.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> By the way, the compact mahogany body feels great. Its dimensions feel right with a healthy loud acoustic vibe. No cheap poly-smothered, cheap, feeble acoustic tone here. Nice and open. And the MMS does not weigh that much — about 7 pounds.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><i> The compact mahogany body feels great. Its dimensions feel right with a healthy loud acoustic vibe. No cheap poly-smothered, cheap, feeble acoustic tone here. Nice and open. And the MMS does not weigh that much — about 7 pounds.</i></b></span></span></blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> The black finish on my tester was kind of plain jane in its look, but it certainly fits the class and budget. Although its thinner nitro finish will likely ding easier than the normal Les Pauls, I consider any man-inflicted blemishes as warrior wounds and a badge of honor.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> There were a few setup issues that I addressed during the review, nothing out of the ordinary. I had to file a couple of nut slots to allow the guitar to intonate correctly when fretting and releasing, but the retooling took all of 20 minutes. The net result was also better tuning. Once the nut slot is properly routed for the strings, the tuners worked fine.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> The adjustable, wrap-around bridge means compromised intonation, versus the individually adjustable saddles of a Gibson tune’o’matic bridge. The wrap-around has two adjusters — one on each end of the bridge, but I adjusted the intonation to be dead on on every string.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i>The conclusion</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Although Gibson often recycles guitars from existing models that sometimes duplicate what they already have in a line up, the Melody Maker Special, gives us a the guitar we all really wanted when the Jonas Brothers Melody Maker signature edition hit the stores. Minus the white finish and teeny bopper autographs, the MMS, is definitely something special for those who want an affordable USA Gibson with that wonderful P-90 sound. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">©</span>All original articles on this site are the intellectual property of the<b> Everything Guitar Network</b>. Any unauthorized use, via print or Internet, without written permission is prohibited.</i></span></span></div>
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John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-79027638107576514442012-09-11T15:10:00.000-07:002012-09-11T18:08:28.606-07:00Acoustic Guitar Review!New Martin D18 Standard Dreadnaught:“Mahogany/Spruce Favorite Gets New Vibe”<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNwFLjNAG8p2X8QqH0ChHFLWrymTyTGq-n7BBsP-DARIK1tZOlsvsDILo43_4V8aIqqqDuhJKXJedX7R7kZ0bzIcgkucRFiTtSmBvUWB2s70D37AuxNOwZkZTNOK9XiIfoiwiNMZbaJQ/s1600/Martin+New+D-18+Front+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNwFLjNAG8p2X8QqH0ChHFLWrymTyTGq-n7BBsP-DARIK1tZOlsvsDILo43_4V8aIqqqDuhJKXJedX7R7kZ0bzIcgkucRFiTtSmBvUWB2s70D37AuxNOwZkZTNOK9XiIfoiwiNMZbaJQ/s320/Martin+New+D-18+Front+.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Brevis...</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Price: $2,899 Retail</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Like: More bass, comfy neck</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Dislike: this one had tight tuners</i></b></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">More info:</span><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span><a href="http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/guitar-finder/series/item/202-d-18.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Martin New D18 Standard</span></a></span></i></b></div>
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</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>by John Gatski</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 24px;"> From the late 1930s, the standard bearer for mahogany dreadnaught acoustic guitars was the non-scalloped, braced Martin D18. From Bluegrass, Folk, and Country to Progressive rock, the D18’s cutting, crisp tone and rhythmic could do it all.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 24px;"> For 2012, the D18 finally receives key performance upgrades that improves playability and gives it enhanced bass response and loudness — right out of the case. For the first time in 70+ years, there is no longer a standard, non-scalloped braced D-18; the new D-18 Standard, retail priced at $2,899, gets the forward-shifted bracing of the old D-18V. Couple that new bracing pattern with the new Modified Low-Oval/High Performance neck dimensions from the Performing Artist Series, and you got yourself one great USA-made acoustic guitar.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 24px;"> The new D18 Standard’s main ingredients are the premium sitka spruce top and genuine mahogany back and sides. A mahogany (or Spanish cedar) neck and ebony fretboard and bridge complete the wood trimmings. Other changes include the Modified Low-Oval/High Performance neck, brown tortoise shell pick guard and open tuners. Dimensions are typical of C.F. Martin dreadnoughts including the versatile 25.4-inch scale neck length.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 24px;"> The key difference between the new D18 and the old standard is the bracing. Whereas the old D18 used the long-running, non-scalloped X-bracing pattern that crossed about 1.5 inches from the sound hole. The new D18 gets the bracing from vintage D18V (no longer made). The vintage 18-style bracing crosses 1-inch from the sound hole and is scalloped to allow for more vibration of the top. The bracing is based on the late 1930s Martin dreadnaught X-brace pattern. The new D18 also gets a vintage-spec bridge plate, which also enhances the volume of the top.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> The body is sprayed with a slightly tinted vintage toner and finished with the classic Martin nitrocellulose over coat. The neck is finished with a satin toner. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">The black pick guard from the old Standard also has been changed on the new D18 Standard. It is now the tortoise-shell style, stick-on pick guard — seen on various models in various vintage models. I think the tortoise shell color pick guard looks more classic than the old black version, which is still used on the D28 Standard.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><b><i>With the new version's sonic improvements, enhanced midrange projection and fuller bass, thanks to the vintage-style braces, the D18 is now even better.</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 24px;">Neck-wise,
the D18 Standard is now equipped with the new neck dimensions that
first showed up in Martin’s Performing Artists Series guitars. Based on
my sample, the new D18’s Modified Low-Oval/High Performance neck is much
easier to play with a medium action saddle than the older standard neck
D18s. In fact, it was a joy to play. Much less of the medium-string
tensioned, finger fatigue of the old standard neck when using a higher
action saddle. The new neck feels perfect for strumming or flat picking.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 24px;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 24px;"> Spec-wise, the 25.4-inch scale length neck measures 1-3/4 inches wide at the nut and 2-1/8 inches wide at the 12th fret. String spacing at the bridge is 2-3/16 inches. The neck‘s outer dimensions result in a slimmer taper at the 12th fret, making the new D18 much more comfortable than the old standard neck, which is still used on many of the standard Martin rosewood models, including my beloved J40. With the new neck, however, my hand did not feel as cramped, especially in the first five frets, and it allowed for faster chord changes and fretted notes. The neck on my new D18 Standard review sample was as comfortable as any Taylor I have played with medium strings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small; line-height: 24px;"><b><i>No more black pick guard</i></b></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 24px;"> As previously mentioned, the bracing is vintage, forward-shifted, scalloped sitka spruce x-style that crosses one inch from the sound hole. This bracing pattern is well known to those who have played the D18V, HD28V and many other modern vintage-spec Martin models. This ‘30s style bracing allows more of the top to vibrate, and to my ears, the new D18 Standard has more bass right out of the box, compared to the previous standard D18.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> The D28 Standard still has the old non-scalloped, non-forward shifted style, and I have spoken to some Bluegrass players that still prefer the tighter bass of the non-shifted non-scalloped braced Martins. Having played numerous Martin dreadnaughts — with and without the forward-shifted bracing — I hear more bottom end in the forward-shifted brace guitars. Thus, this bracing change really helps the new D18.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">The new ’18 still utilizes the 1930’s style ebony belly bridge as the Vintage series, but the bone saddle is the modern, drop-in version, as opposed to the glued-in version of the Vintage line.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> As with the old versions of the D18, the new standard D18 has no neck binding, but is adorned with the simple, dot neck fret markers. One notable departure from the old D18 is the tuners. The old enclosed tuners have been replaced with the vintage style open tuners, made for Martin by Gotoh.</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> The tuners look retro and they tuned to pitch, but on this early sample, several of them were very hard to turn with the standard medium strings. I have played numerous Martins with the open tuners and never have experienced such tight turning knobs. I figured that, maybe, this early sample had some offset in the peg head holes — causing the strings to pull harder.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><b><i>With the new neck, however, my hand did not feel as cramped, especially in the first five frets, and it allowed for faster chord changes and fretted notes. The neck on my new D18 Standard review sample was as comfortable as any Taylor I have played with medium strings.</i></b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">The overall fit and finish and construction of the new D18 Standard sample I auditioned was first rate. No excess glue inside the body, purfing was straight and the neck set was absolutely perfect. (The only cosmetic blemish in the wood was a small “pitch pocket” in the spruce top.); Martin sure knows how to build ‘em in that Nazareth, PA factory.</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> The D18 comes in a quality, vinyl TKL-made case to protect this fine guitar. The guitar comes with its end piece removed to reduce the chance of a drop-induced body crack during shipping, a calamity that I have witnessed in the past.</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><b> </b></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><b>The audition</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> In a word, the new D18 Standard is the best modern D18 I have ever played! I have played numerous good-sounding 1950s and early 1960s D18s, but I have never been a big fan of the early 70s and later standard D18s. They never seemed to have quite as much bottom as the older ones. The vintage style D18V had more bass, and the new D18s uses the same bracing, giving it more power. Plus the extremely player-friendly Modified Low-Oval/High Performance neck makes the new D18 play so damn easy.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> Rhythm bluegrass strummers and pickers will love the full-bass and loud, articulate midrange of the new D18 Standard. At full strum, it could easily hit 93 dB on my decibel meter at three feet. Versus a 2000s era D18 Standard I borrowed, the new D18‘s sound was much more mature with the scalloped, forward-shifted bracing. The old Standard version, in my opinion, often took years to get decent bass projection. that the new one has brand new.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> It is not as loud and crisp as the red spruce topped Golden Era Martin D18, but I think the tone is better controlled. The new standard D18 is warmer, but still has great midrange and top end. Right out of the case, this guitar can perform 100 percent with a Bluegrass band or folksinger. The loud midrange can compete with the banjo and the bass offers up the rhythmic bottom end you expect from a fine acoustic.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> Those rockers who like the Martin sound will also love the easy playability of the neck. Fretting and note picking is really comfortable, and despite medium saddle height, the medium Martin SP Lifespan strings did not tire my fingers.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> In recording the D18 with various microphone at 24-bit, I heard the classic Martin mahogany/spruce sound, that is plenty loud and oozes that cutting tone when aggressively picked. The best D18 I have ever played was a 1953; The new one I tested was very close — with that ripe bass and healthy top-end projection. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> As good as it is as a flat picker and strummer, the new D18 Standard dreadnaught still is a mighty fine finger picker, producing warm tones that are easily coaxed from the fast, low-profile neck. But those sounds are never too dark; it’s a good choice if you want a big body, finger picker. Less dark than the rosewood-bodied 28 Series Martins.</span><b> </b><br />
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<b>The verdict</b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> With the new D18 Standard, Martin has breathed fresh air in to the world’s best known mahogany/spruce top dreadnaught. The mighty D18 has been popular with country, bluegrass, folk and rock musicians for more than 70 years. With the new version's sonic improvements, enhanced midrange projection and fuller bass, thanks to the vintage-style braces, the D18 is now even better. You don’t have to wait for the guitar to season for five years. It is loud and full right now. Throw in the Modified Low-Oval/High Performance neck that is so easy to play and you’ve got yourself the perfect Martin dreadnaught. Highly recommended and worthy of the <b><i>Everything Guitar Network</i></b> <i>Grade A Award</i></span>.</span></div>
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John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-46061177940748749812012-06-03T10:19:00.001-07:002012-06-03T10:19:06.631-07:00Everything Guitar Network: Electric Guitar Review!Fender 50th Anniversary Jag...<a href="http://everythingguitarnetwork.blogspot.com/2012/05/electric-guitar-review-fender-50th.html?spref=bl">Everything Guitar Network: Electric Guitar Review!Fender 50th Anniversary Jag...</a>: Brevis... Price: $2,419 Retail Like: Killer single coil tones, comfy neck Dislike: No sunburst color/finish option More i...John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-391893201039154732012-05-31T17:21:00.000-07:002012-06-29T09:49:42.021-07:00Electric Guitar Review!Fender 50th Anniversary Jaguar:Vintage Jag' Gets Key Upgrades<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjK7nc0JGQ1KNKlqLxFfC_RrsXNaqoz8_03BWAnjC3aXlJvZjSABd1KdOjWES5mlB-hZIL3dKA6Ngvvd5loxpHzLiH1RYo9n3sRweYsD6tBFMERErEnEnARnzJ7ndyExGQLtlFuumsBc/s1600/fender+jag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjK7nc0JGQ1KNKlqLxFfC_RrsXNaqoz8_03BWAnjC3aXlJvZjSABd1KdOjWES5mlB-hZIL3dKA6Ngvvd5loxpHzLiH1RYo9n3sRweYsD6tBFMERErEnEnARnzJ7ndyExGQLtlFuumsBc/s400/fender+jag.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"><b><i>Brevis...</i></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"><b><i>Price: $2,419 Retail</i></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"><b><i>Like: Killer single coil tones, comfy neck</i></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"><b><i>Dislike: No sunburst color/finish option</i></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">More info: </span><a href="http://www.fender.com/products/jag50th/models.php?partno=0170084809" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">50th Anniversary Fender Jaguar</span></a></i></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i>by Jackson Macinnis</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> Although the Fender Jaguar, introduced in 1962, became famous for Surf, Punk and Grunge, the guitar has always been so much more. As I found with the new Custom 50th Anniversary Jaguar, this premium Fender excels on many types of music — from low-rent rock and roll to sophisticated jazz runs.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> The short-scale, 22-fret, wide neck Jaguar is one of the most versatile guitars Fender has ever made. I have seen old 1960s videos of jazz virtuoso Joe Pass playing one, and man does this guitar sing in his hands. Then, of course, members of the Beach Boys and other surf rock bands of the early 60s also took up the Jaguar. It kind of came back for renewed vigor during the late 1970s, and later with Grunge — the late Kurt Cobain as its most prominent player.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> Although the Jaguar was Fender’s premium guitar model when introduced 50 years ago, the anniversary Jaguar model reviewed here is truly the summit of the model’s existence. With extra gain pickups and a few other tweaks that give it more utility, this is the best Jaguar I have ever played. And, with its unorthodox series of switches to adjust the sound, it has the most divergent palette of sounds of any stock Fender.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i>Features</i></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><b> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">The 50th Anniversary Jaguar, priced at $2,419 retail ($1,799 street) is very faithful to the original Jaguar — with a few updates including bigger frets, hotter pickups, deletion of the string mute mechanism of the original (the ‘62 reissue still has it), the addition of neck binding, and a slight neck-angle pocket cut for improved pitch. The 50th Anniversary model also differs from the vintage version with a repositioned tremolo plate for increased bridge break angle that gives it better sustain.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> The 8.2 pound Jaguar sports a 24-inch scale, vintage-spec width maple neck with a 9.5-inch radius, which makes it so comfortable to play. The rosewood fretboard has the classic big inlay blocks and beautiful white binding, flawlessly attached along the neck. The original Jaguar started the Fender trend toward larger headstocks, with its prominent shape that clearly lets you knows it is a Fender. Tuners are vintage slotted and the truss rod is adjusted, a la old school, via the neck end under the pick guard.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"><b><i><span style="color: #7f6000;"> </span><span style="color: #bf9000;">If you like to play smooth jazz lines or easy rhythm, the neck pickup controls allow this guitar to create a cascade of warm tones that would make a hollowbody player envy. The single coil neck PU and tone circuit </span></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"><b><i>create a majestic tone...</i></b></span></blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">The offset body is made from premium pieces of solid alder and comes in a variety of vintage colors (no sunburst though), including our sample in burgundy mist, which is just awesome looking! The available colors are boldly retro, and offer a nice contrast to the “everything is black” I see on stage these days.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> The vintage paint is finished with nitrocellulose lacquer to give that old school feel and aged hue over time. Several upper-end Fender guitars also have that finish these days, such as the Mark Knophler Strat. I love the feel and look of lacquer — in that it does not seem so shiny and slick as the modern guitar finishes.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> Besides the big frets and wide neck, the the dual single coil pickups are the key to the Jaguar’s sound. These were originally developed to give a punchier tone than Strat and Telecasters, and the newly revised PUs on the 50th Anniversary Jaguar have that vintage character, but with more gain and warmth. Though Jaguar pickups were never noise free, extensive shielding of the pickguard and controls make them much quieter than stock single coil Strats and Teles. Much less extraneous noise. The pickups also have a sawtoothed metal trim on the edges, which are said to be part of the design to concentrate the magnetic field for extra midrange.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> If you aren’t at all familiar with the electronics layout of a Jaguar, (or a Jazzmaster), the bevy of switches may puzzle you. There is way more here than your typical electric guitar volume and tone knobs.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><b><i>Saw-tooth bevel PU cover enhances midrange.</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">When the upper bout switch is toggled up, only the neck pickup is active and the player controls the volume and tone with the small thumbwheel controls. This set of controls was designed to be the ‘jazz” mode or for warm rhythm playing.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> The Jaguar electronics are divided into two circuits. On the upper bout, there is a switch that selects either the neck pickup — with direct rotary tone and volume controls — or the lower-bout mounted array of controls that enables one or both pickups and various tonal combinations.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> The more complex and interesting aspect of the electronics is the three lower-bout switches and master tone and volume controls for that circuit. When the upper bout switch is down, you get a whole new control configuration. Switch 1 turns the neck pickup on or off; switch 2 enables the bridge pickup, and the third switch engages a special tone capacitor, which gives the sound a higher frequency timbre. The tone switch is useful if you need to cut through with an especially clean midrangy/trebly sound with reduced bass. The lower bout master volume and tone knobs control the tone and level for one or both pickups.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> While playing and adjusting all these switches and knobs, you can’t help notice the 50th Anniversary Jaguar’s metal switch plates, as opposed to a Telecaster’s and Strat’s plastic ply pickguard/switch panel. Gives the guitar a touch more class.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-size: large;"><b><i>The Fender 50th Anniversary Jaguar is the best Jaguar I have ever played; its new features, mainly the hotter pickups and repositioned bridge, give it a an upgraded sound.</i></b></span></span></blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> The tremolo for the Jaguar and the Jazzmaster were technically upgrades of the simple fulcrum of the Stratocaster. The floating tremolo moves the bridge instead of just stretching the strings, as on the Strat. It can also be locked to change strings without losing overall tune. Unique to the 50th Anniversary Jaguar, the bridge has been moved to give more string break over angle, which enhances sustain, a characteristic that I definitely noticed. The guitar is one of the loudest solid body guitar I have played — when strummed unamplified.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> The 50th Anniversary Jaguar comes in a vintage brown tolex case. Contents include a vintage style 10 ft. cord, strap and an extra set of .50-.011 flat-wound strings for jazz players. The guitar comes with .10-46 round-wound Fender Strings.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><b> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">I played a number of gigs and recorded the 50th Anniversary Jaguar to check out its wide palate of sounds and its amazing playability. Most of my playing was done through a Fender Vibro-King, all-tube amp with three 10-inch alnico speakers.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> If you like to play smooth jazz lines or easy rhythm, the neck pickup controls allow this guitar to create a cascade of warm tones that would make a hollowbody player envy. The single coil neck PU and tone circuit create a majestic warm tone, but being a solid body, the tone gets an added ingredient: a percussive speed and a bit of snap that big hollowbodies don’t exhibit. I can see why Joe Pass loved the Jaguar. It’s easy to play fast, yet the tones are pure and almost woody.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> For the widest selection of sounds, you simply pull the Jag’s upper selector switch down and activate the lower bout controls. When you choose your pickup and tone switch options — combined with the master volume and tone controls — there is a remarkable array of tones available, which I really liked. I was easily able to dial in a dark, clean jazz tone, but then with a few adjustments, and only to the guitar, I could get a full on Surf twang happening. Play around some more, and you can get a dirty character good for Punk, Grunge and hardier edged Rock.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> Because of the Surf guitar persona, you may think this guitar would be brittle or too bright, I found this presumption not to be true. The 50th Anniversary’s hotter pickups have a single coil signature, but the extra gain is broad; no harsh mid or treble edge lashing against the bottom end. The sound adds more girth and smoothness to the sound, especially with the .50-.011 strings. If really cranked, I was able to get very warm and forceful low-end and midrange, but with a unique sound quality — like a cross between a P90 and a crunchy humbucker.</span></div>
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<b><i>The control plates are metal instead of plastic</i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Unlike a Stratocaster that only has the single volume and tone control, having the other tone/volume combination gives you the ability to quickly switch to clean sound — with a touch-sensitive amp. By leaving the tone and volume controls down a bit on the upper/neck circuit, you can go from a roaring lead sound to a quiet clean/warm sound with a flick of the switch. That is just not possible with the circuitry of a standard Stratocaster.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> As for the tremolo I love the way the Jaguar/Jazzmaster tremolo acts like a second bridge where the strings are attached to the body another 5 inches or so past the saddles. That extra area of strings gives it the unique timbre that the Jaguar is primarily known for, but also, in recent years, players like Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth have used that area to create bell like tones which is another bonus of these models.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> The tremolo has a locking feature that is key to its advantage over a Strat. If you break a string on this guitar, you can pull up the tremolo, hit the lock switch and all your non-broken strings will come right back in tune. On a standard Strat tremolo, a broken string means that all the strings go out of tune and requires a major retune when the new string is attached.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The verdict</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i></i></b> The Fender 50th Anniversary Jaguar is the best Jaguar I have ever played; its new features, mainly the hotter pickups and repositioned bridge, give it a an upgraded sound. Playing the wide-fret, short-scale neck is a breeze and the plethora of tone switches give it that 1960s cachet. In my book, the 50th Anniversary model Jaguar has got to be one of the coolest solid body guitars ever made! I give it the <b><i>Everything Guitar Network Grade-A Award</i></b>, Maybe I should give it two.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i style="line-height: 24px;"> Jackson Macinnis is a multi-instrumentalist musician and home audio recordist who composes music for TV and film at his home studio. In his spare time, he is chief engineer and director of the Sirius|XM recording studios in Washington, DC. He can be reached via the <a href="mailto:everything.audio@verizon.net"><span style="color: blue;">Everything Audio Network</span></a></i><span style="color: blue; line-height: 24px;">.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> ©</span><i style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;">All original articles on this site are the intellectual property of the<b> Everything Guitar Network</b>. Any unauthorized use, via print or Internet, without written permission is prohibited.</i></div>
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</div>John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-87766200554152591672012-04-24T18:05:00.000-07:002012-04-24T18:05:49.107-07:00Electric Guitar Review!Taylor SolidBody 2 StandardDual-Humbucker Electric Guitar<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyUTiPnqQhXpN2NcrGlF9-uVRTnZJSpBe66cnLtPGdq6Zu1PWYHOkeukTQSQqf5iHWZSrOT9MP4iowVRzpqXRf80ZhveU8_J715IZtQzJxWC4QSAkKvyLvOWeOWX9o0uNCGHOAgTCDpV4/s1600/SB2-S+pic+vert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyUTiPnqQhXpN2NcrGlF9-uVRTnZJSpBe66cnLtPGdq6Zu1PWYHOkeukTQSQqf5iHWZSrOT9MP4iowVRzpqXRf80ZhveU8_J715IZtQzJxWC4QSAkKvyLvOWeOWX9o0uNCGHOAgTCDpV4/s320/SB2-S+pic+vert.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>Brevis...</i></b></span></h3>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>Price: $2,699 ($1,999 - street)</i></b></span></h3>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>Likes: variable sounds, lightweight</i></b></span></h3>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>Dislikes: Only one volume/one tone</i></b></span></h3>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-style: italic;">More info: </span><a href="http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/electric" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><i>Taylor SB2S Guitar</i></span></a></b></span></h3>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">by John Gatski</span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"> “Taylor makes solid body electric guitars"?, a surprised and inquisitive phrase I heard repeatedly when showing off a shiny new Taylor SolidBody 2 Standard (SB2S) to several of my musician friends. I politely responded: “Why yes, they do, and it is quite a good one.”</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> In reviewing the Taylor $2,700 SB2S double cutaway, twin-humbucker model, I came away impressed. As with its highly regarded acoustic guitars, the USA-made Taylor solid bodies are excellent electric guitars — with high-end wood and hardware that rival high-end factory or custom shop electric axes on the market.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"><b><u>Features</u></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> For the review, Taylor sent me an SB2S with two Taylor designed/manufactured alnico 5 magnet humbuckers with split coils. The SB2S sample came with a solid, chambered mahogany body, and quilted maple top. Hardware included Taylor tremolo bridge, five-way pickup selector switch, tone and volume controls, and locking tuners.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> Taylor also allows the customer to custom configure his or her guitar online, based on factory options, and then forward those requested features to a dealer who orders the guitar. Gives a bit more choice to the player who may want to mix and match features from different models. All Taylor solid-body electrics also feature solderless plug and play pickups in both direct mount and loaded pickup options.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> The 22-fret SB2S tropical mahogany neck width is a comfortable 1/11-16 inches, and the fret board radius is 12-inches. The fretboard is made from solid black ebony. The neck also sports black plastic binding, and it is attached via a scarf joint that is held in place by a very large bolt that threads through the bottom of heel. The test guitar had a tight neck pocket, and it felt very stable. The headstock is angled at 14 degrees, which enhances sustain.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> The top-loading Taylor tremolo bridge features a modern knife-edge, fulcrum design, which is nicely balanced, and allows the tremolo to better re-center after repeated use.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> The test SB2S sported a Gas Lamp Black polyurethane body finish with a figured maple top and no plastic pick guard (a plastic pick guard in various colors also can be specified through the customized-order option). Elixir .010-.46 strings and a nice TKL hard case round out the included goody list.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"><b><i>The humbuckers are designed and manufactured by Taylor and are designated as “vintage” with alnico 5 magnets. Taylor says that these full vintage humbuckers have that essential vintage tone, plus a bit more gain to make it suitable for modern players.</i></b></span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> The humbuckers are designed and manufactured by Taylor and are designated as “vintage” with alnico 5 magnets. Taylor says that these full vintage humbuckers have that essential vintage tone, plus a bit more gain to make it suitable for modern players. The five-way switch allows full humbucker and parallel/series split coil sounds. From left to right, the P/U positions are:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;">•Position 1: Full neck pickup;</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;">•Position 2: The inside coils of the neck and bridge pickups in parallel, which is said to relay a “skinny, funky neck tone”;</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;">•Position 3: The full neck pickup with the inside coil of the bridge pickup, which is said to add “fatness and drives the amp a little harder for extra crunch”;</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;">•Position 4: The inside coil of each pickup in series, which is said to create the “effect of a super-wide humbucker, producing a truly unique tone”;</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;">•Position 5: The full bridge pickup.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"><b><u>The setup</u></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> The SB2S came shipped via UPS, and though a little out of tune because of the cooler weather; once retuned, I found the intonation was dead on, and the height of pickups and strings were perfect. The Elixirs are a little bright for my taste, but I got use to them. (I eventually changed out to Di’Adarios for the string tone I am accustomed.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> The neck felt very comfortable and enough space for my larger fingers. Acoustically, the body really rings out with its chambers adding significant dimension to the sound. Many of today’s solid body guitars are kind of dull sounding acoustically, but the Taylor has more hollowbody-esque depth in its sound. That quality makes it versatile for such genres as jazz and funk, as well as the typical electric genres of the rock and pop world.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"> Since I am mostly a rhythm player, I tried it out with several amps including a 1966 Fender Deluxe Reverb, 1974 Princeton Reverb, and 1998 Fender Twin Reverb Reissue. I recorded the tones with a <a href="http://www.tascam.com/" target="_blank"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">TASCAM DVRA-1000</span></i></b></a> high-resolution recorder, True System P2 mic preamp and a pair of <a href="http://www.shure.com/" target="_blank"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">KSM141 Shure</span></i></b></a> small condenser microphones.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> To test the SB2S’s prowess with distortion, I used several pedals including the Talos Instruments Assbite OD pedal, the Electro-Harmonix English Muffin tube distortion pedal and my trusty DOD FX-100 EHO overdrive.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span style="color: #0b5394; line-height: 24px;"><b><u>The audition</u></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"><b> </b>Even before I plugged in, I noticed two distinct characteristics of the Taylor SB2S: how light it feels and how much acoustic vibe there is. The chambering enables a pleasing, chorusy tone that is quite loud just sitting around and strumming unamplified. The 7.2 pound weight and double cut shape made it very comfortable to hold standing up or sitting down.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> The first amp pairing was with my original 66 Deluxe Reverb with a modern Jensen neodymium magnet speaker. In rhythm mode, I found the Taylor’s rich acoustic character, combined with the superb humbuckers, to offer a smooth sound, yet enough alnico bite to relay the vintage tones. I liked position 1 and 5 (the full neck or full bridge pickup) for warm jazz or lead tones.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> The in-between tones are good as well. The middle position does not give you the two full humbuckers together, but rather the full neck and the inside coil of the bridge pickup. This mode allows for fullness, but a little bit more edge than your typical two humbucker tandem. The S2B’s two pickup sound was similar to a Les Paul with P90s combined — without all the noise. </span><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;">Those who like the Strat tone will appreciate position 2’s combo of the two humbuckers inside coils for a funky, kind of out-of-phase character.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"><b><i> The Taylor SB2S’s neck comfort cannot be overemphasized. It was never cramped and so easy to maneuver around on — with single notes, bar chords or complex finger extensions executed with precision. The neck is as comfortable as any PRS I have played.</i></b></span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> BTW, the pickups in any position were never noisy. I have a room in my house that can drive single coils crazy with noise, but the split coil modes were fairly quiet versus, say, my Telecaster. I should also mention that the volume and tone pots, as well as the selector switch, were also noise free over the review tenure.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> In plugging in several pedals, I found the overdriven tone to be strong with Les Paul-like sustain, yet a bit less thickness on the top end. The fuzzier tones sound really nice in the SB2S’s bridge humbucker mode.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> The Taylor SB2S’s neck comfort cannot be overemphasized. It was never cramped and so easy to maneuver around on — with single notes, bar chords or complex finger extensions executed with precision. The neck is as comfortable as any PRS I have played.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> Those players who desire the warm, full jazz tone need only roll the tone back a bit on the neck pickup, put on a set of .49-.011 flat wound strings, and you get a thick tone (yet with enough midrange) to make the SB2S sing. The chimey character from the body chambers gives the guitar just enough of hollow body tone to make it a cut above other solid bodies; yet, you are getting this nice jazz tone from a lightweight, solid body electric guitar.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> My only nitpick with the Taylor SB2S is the lack of separate volume and tone controls for each pickup. The one tone/one volume takes away a bit of the two-knob-per-pickup versatility that I am used to in my personal humbucker guitars (Les Paul Studio with Seymour Duncan Seth Lover HBs/bumblebee cap kit, vintage ‘80s Yamaha SA-2100 semi-hollow with Seth Lovers, and a Gibson L5CES with two Classic 57s). When playing with both pickups engaged with my guitars, I sometimes like to roll off the treble more in the bridge pickup, a chore that is not as easy with the Taylor.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"><b><u>The verdict</u></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"><b> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;">The Taylor SB2S is a quality, USA-made solid body guitar that combines elements of vintage and modern electrics, yet provides its own design elements that make it a highly versatile instrument for numerous plugged in uses. The chambered body adds shimmer, and the split coil P/P modes give a palette of different tones. It is easy to play, the tremolo worked flawlessly, and the Taylor is lightweight, which makes it ideal for long, live gigs. What more can you ask for in a modern electric guitar?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 24px;"> Based on its performance and design, we are awarding the Taylor SB2SS the Everything Guitar Grade A designation.</span><br />
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</span>John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-50603097858945450902012-03-19T17:52:00.034-07:002012-03-20T17:45:26.891-07:00Personal Sound System Review!Yamaha's Powered STAGEPAS 500:Plug In Your Guitar, Play Anywhere!<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6AenOMv6bQaJYCrJW0mUcbEePpA-HoKOAjTI8RpVqTlsoK9Zqp9egK_R7I9jsm6UHBeeT9cvvr3ubFzm8_Mw00Hri82K_FoKSsmbWx6kjKJT_iAhRL3KZqueeorS4MavxoyLGYFHVSM/s1600/stagepas5.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6AenOMv6bQaJYCrJW0mUcbEePpA-HoKOAjTI8RpVqTlsoK9Zqp9egK_R7I9jsm6UHBeeT9cvvr3ubFzm8_Mw00Hri82K_FoKSsmbWx6kjKJT_iAhRL3KZqueeorS4MavxoyLGYFHVSM/s400/stagepas5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721786286554104594" /></a></div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; font: 12.0px Verdana"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:85%;"><span><span><br /></span></span><span><b><br /></b></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:85%;"><span><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); "><b><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >The vitals...</span></i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000099;"><b><i>Price: $1,249 retail; $899 street</i></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000099;"><b><i>Likes: Amazing audio, mixer ease</i></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000099;"><b><i>Dislikes: A little heavy for little guys</i></b></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; color:#000099;">More info: </span><a href="http://usa.yamaha.com/products/live_sound/pa_systems/stagepas_500/stagepas_500/?mode=model"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333ff;"><b><i>Yamaha STAGEPAS 500</i></b></span></a></span></span></div></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>by Bob Kovacs</b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Portability and sound quality are usually at odds with each other, at least if you want good sound quality that will fill a large space. Many manufacturers have come up with solutions for compact PA systems that can be used in clubs and cafeterias with varying degrees of success. Yamaha makes a line of high-quality portable PA portable systems, called the STAGEPAS. The entry model is the STAGEPAS 300. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 24px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The top of Yamaha’s portable PA line is the STAGEPAS 500, and although pushes the upper limit of what can be considered portable. it produces club-thumping sound that belies the modest size of its speaker cabinets and lightweight mixer/amplifier.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;" ><b>Features</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Yamaha STAGEPAS 500 consists of two identical speaker cabinets, each measuring about 21.5 (H) x 13.5 (W) x 11.75 (D) inches. Each cabinet has a compartment on the back, and the mixer/amplifier mounts in one such compartment. The compartment in the other speaker is great for storage of the included speaker and power cables, and might even fit a mic cable or two. Since the speaker cabinets are identical, either can be used to store the mixer/amp. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Each speaker cabinet houses a 10-inch woofer and 1-inch compression tweeter, the latter of which is fitted to a horn molded into the cabinet. The cabinets are designed to mount on speaker stands (not included with the STAGEPAS 500) and will also sit on the floor in an angled-up posture that works well for stage monitors. Actually, the speaker cabinets will sit just about anywhere, and are small enough to perch on a bar stool, if necessary. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 24px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;color:#990000;"><b>The Yamaha STAGEPAS 500 is a portable system with excellent sound that can handle venues as various as churches to corporate auditoriums to rock clubs. The components look and feel great, and anyone with a hint of audio geek in their genes can connect and operate the STAGEPAS 500 in minutes.</b></span></blockquote></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 24px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The mixer/amp is rated at 250W per channel into 4 Ohms at 1 kHz with a rather generous 10-percent total harmonic distortion. More realistically, the STAGEPAS 500’s amplifier can deliver 200W per channel at 1-percent THD. The mixer has four balanced XLR/phone mic/line inputs, and three stereo line inputs with RCA jacks. Each input has a rotary pot for volume, as well as high and low EQ adjustments. The four mic inputs can be assigned to an onboard reverb effect but there is otherwise no effects loop for an outboard effects system. The four mic/line inputs have switchable phantom power, and the first two inputs have a switchable compressor/limiter. </span></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 24px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;" > All the electronics for the mixer/amp is packed into a surprisingly small and lightweight chassis, measuring about 13 (L) x 7 (W) x 4.4 (D) inches. Added to the speakers, the entire Yamaha STAGEPAS 500 system weighs 53 pounds. If the system is too stout for some to carry, optional YBSP500 roller cases are available for each speaker.</span></div><span style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><div style="text-align: justify;line-height: 24px; "><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;" ><b>The Audition</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I first tried out the Yamaha STAGEPAS 500 in my basement with a vocal mic and an acoustic guitar plugged in. With the sound loud enough to raise the ire of my wife, I played for about an hour and thought the sound was clean and nicely balanced. I expected the tweeters to have some sizzle but was surprised at their neutral quality ⎯ there was plenty of good treble from my bright-sounding guitar, but nothing that called attention to the tweeters. That’s just the right quality for a sound system. Bass sounded clean and solid, as well. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhci8n93sWYKzx8x9XPdy26TIKtm8Ng21BGin3OgjeaVk2nFKZrVxgF3zi0GiVAUPb4b6KgoSZLfqbYnl0gPwTblcXTPo_xKgLYSsIhAZSSLW7QOq5hDeq5rf-bu-jmqSHCk4d3bv2yzIk/s1600/StagePas+Mixeruse.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhci8n93sWYKzx8x9XPdy26TIKtm8Ng21BGin3OgjeaVk2nFKZrVxgF3zi0GiVAUPb4b6KgoSZLfqbYnl0gPwTblcXTPo_xKgLYSsIhAZSSLW7QOq5hDeq5rf-bu-jmqSHCk4d3bv2yzIk/s400/StagePas+Mixeruse.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721787012886190434" style="cursor: pointer; width: 224px; height: 152px; " /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre;font-size:100%;" ><b>STAGEPAS Mixer Section</b></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Then I tried the STAGEPAS 500 with a keyboard using a variety of sounds. I eventually came back to piano sound and pounded out a few songs, again at a volume that made itself known throughout my home. Through the STAGEPAS 500, the keyboard had the same familiar tones it has with other amplifiers, and at any volume I could want. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Finally, I took the Yamaha STAGEPAS 500 to a small-to-medium-sized club and set it up to be used by a five-piece blues/rock band for its vocals and keyboard. Despite having to set the speaker cabinets and microphones carefully to prevent feedback, the STAGEPAS 500 worked wonders during several hours of the rock band — interspersed with various other acts, from solo to guitar combos. The sound completely filled the club; the sound was clean and clear. The band members said several times that they enjoyed the sound, and that it worked amazingly well for their setup. In fact, they wanted to use it for the entire evening.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Which brings up the setup of the STAGEPAS 500. I took it to the club and had it set up and adjusted in 15 minutes, literally from the trunk of my car to the stage and ready to rock. The speaker cabinets are made from thick, tough plastic, and the mixer/amp module is made of sturdy metal, so the STAGEPAS 500 is built to take some abuse. Connecting everything and adjusting the pots is intuitive and obvious — I can’t think of a single thing that would make it easier to set up. </span></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 24px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;color:#990000;"><b><i></i></b></span></span><blockquote><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#990000;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The setup of the STAGEPAS 500 was simple. </span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 24px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> From the trunk of my car to the stage and ready to rock</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, it took me 15 minutes. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Connecting everything and adjusting the pots is intuitive and obvious.</span></i></span></span></b></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 24px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:130%;" ></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The power to handle a rock band in a club comes with a price: weight. At about 53 pounds, an average person can carry it easily by using the handles integrated into the speaker cases. However, you won’t want to carry the system more than a block or two. Yes, the STAGEPAS 500 is portable, but don’t think that it’s just a little bigger than an iPod. This is a meaty system for meaty applications. If the weight is an issue and you are going to be using the STAGEPAAS 500 for a lot of gigs, I suggest buying the Yamaha roller cases for transport.</span></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;" ><b>The verdict</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Yamaha STAGEPAS 500 is a portable system with excellent sound that can handle venues as various as churches to corporate auditoriums to rock clubs. The components look and feel great, and anyone with a hint of audio geek in their genes can connect and operate the STAGEPAS 500 in minutes. I was impressed that the STAGEPAS 500 could keep up with a full-bore blues/rock band and the mixer/amp chassis got barely warm in the process.</span></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 24px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>With its neutral, clean sound, powerful amp and tough components, the Yamaha STAGEPAS 500 is an excellent system where you need a strong sound that is punch-tempered with portability. You might want to eat your Wheaties if you need to move the STAGEPAS 500 often. But once it’s set up, just kick back and enjoy the sound. By the way, the amp also gets an <b><i>Everything Guitar Network</i></b> <i>Grade-A Award</i>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 24px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 24px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal; font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:100%;" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMgAf-aFzAVCNiFXdq6RbdfeujyMf7jCgDhqMwME2cRvRK6kvMP6ZTAe2q_gsa61l1HvpJKb4WgXc-CyURHrVMq6h5ArBFOGyvglxGblPM4sxk_FoyxrDqF3NVi0MCWN0gqhYGuikBxI/s1600/EGNAward+Blue2.5.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMgAf-aFzAVCNiFXdq6RbdfeujyMf7jCgDhqMwME2cRvRK6kvMP6ZTAe2q_gsa61l1HvpJKb4WgXc-CyURHrVMq6h5ArBFOGyvglxGblPM4sxk_FoyxrDqF3NVi0MCWN0gqhYGuikBxI/s400/EGNAward+Blue2.5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706828380808951010" border="0" style="cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 62px; " /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><div style="text-align: justify;line-height: 24px; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;line-height: 24px; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Bob Kovacs is an accomplished musician who lives in Annandale, Va. He also is an engineer, who has been involved in radio and television since 1979. He can be reached at bob@bobkovacs.com.</i></div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-size:100%;" ><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>©<i>All original articles on this site are the intellectual property of the<b> Everything Guitar Network</b>. Any unauthorized use, via print or Internet, without written permission is prohibited.</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; font-family:'lucida grande';"><b><i>Sponsored Link</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><a href="http://www.americanarchtop.com/"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnOZO76_jTCb3lI4B-h-EFhHZ9a6H398HN2UFJk96j66lXnS9Z5dTp1UJgs0pR1mKJUpIqqYhPXa2TPTO6odrlR65YghhQQPITb22z3hrImRsePaO1iLC8Btl0W5chlWgDxxj03TbKio/s400/Unger+III-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707987874408738450" style="cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 93px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center; "><b><i>Hand-Built Jazz Guitars</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div></div></div><span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div></div><div><div></div></div></div>John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-71200674462540513042012-02-13T08:47:00.000-08:002012-02-14T10:11:07.491-08:00Acoustic-Electric Guitar Review! Martin DCPA3 Cutaway Dreadnaught:Classic Martin Tone, Modern Playability<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MnvmfjnFL2cWg5Omek4G3ZSYqbItuluVWy6aVrCdNDKHQkY95f6wfmeTX5rjRnuuhtY46Bzphadn9YuWxYCt_mPcJlMlJi_BOgT51QsDuAeCQQUoCQzqP_k2smXxLUHbvFoFQRnCoss/s1600/martin_dcpa3-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MnvmfjnFL2cWg5Omek4G3ZSYqbItuluVWy6aVrCdNDKHQkY95f6wfmeTX5rjRnuuhtY46Bzphadn9YuWxYCt_mPcJlMlJi_BOgT51QsDuAeCQQUoCQzqP_k2smXxLUHbvFoFQRnCoss/s400/martin_dcpa3-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706812169468653762" border="0" /></a></div><br /><span><span><br /></span></span><b><i><span class="Apple-tab-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;color:#000099;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><br /></span></i></b><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><b><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;">The vitals...</span></i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000099;"><b><i>Price: $2,599 retail; $1,999 street</i></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000099;"><b><i>Likes: unplugged and plugged in sound</i></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;color:#000099;"><b><i>Dislikes: I would be nitpicking</i></b></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">More info: </span><a href="http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/choosing/guitars.php?p=s&g=F&m=DCPA3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333ff;">Martin DCPA3 </span></a></i></b></span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">by John Gatski</span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Plugged-in acoustic guitars are an essential part of playing music these days — whether live or recording. In my opinion, the electronics side of the equation is the great equalizer, so to speak. Even lower-cost instruments with onboard pickups can do the trick on a gig or a home-recording session. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';">But to my ears, the exceptional acoustic-electric guitar is one that has the classic acoustic sound, as well as the plugged-in option. My kind of acoustic/electric is the Martin DCPA3 Performing Artist cutaway Dreadnaught reviewed here.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><b>Features</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A further evolution of the 16 Series that Martin created in the 1990s, the DCPA3 is an all solid-wood, full-sized cutaway Dreadnaught guitar with onboard Fishman Aura F1 pickup, controls and tuner. The Performing Artist Series guitars are built with modern methods and use a variety of renewable materials and cost-saving design elements in their construction. Hence, they are not as expensive as the traditional-built acoustics. Other PA models also include an 0M-sized cutaway and an Grand Performance cutaway in mahogany, sapele and rosewood bodies. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I have played a variety of 16 series guitars since the mid-1990s (even have owned a few), and have marveled at how they sounded at often half the price of a traditional D18, 28 or 35 model.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The DCPA3‘s solid Indian rosewood back and sides and solid sitka spruce top are very much like the traditional, iconic D28. But the DCPA3 utilizes Martin’s mortise-and-tenon, bolt-on neck and the hybrid A-frame bracing of the 16 Series to keep the costs down — as well as give it its own unique acoustic sound with a strummed versatility that the traditional Dreadnaught does not have. Yet the tone still is characteristically Martin.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:85%;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jN0bjVG5YO_gONQVLVrGQhp8RxzTczJr3ptQ6UC1NbQ7Ij972VQ7livZ1IZUQIbHwalplMV5q9HXdFOt8PTAiZIKz6JIZPt3miOaEie77CuTiWnJXsNaxZMsMmr0WC08B0QRo078etE/s1600/PreampII4inches.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jN0bjVG5YO_gONQVLVrGQhp8RxzTczJr3ptQ6UC1NbQ7Ij972VQ7livZ1IZUQIbHwalplMV5q9HXdFOt8PTAiZIKz6JIZPt3miOaEie77CuTiWnJXsNaxZMsMmr0WC08B0QRo078etE/s200/PreampII4inches.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706815866202155330" style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 189px;" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">Aura F1 Onboard Controls</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:85%;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The guitar sports a 25.5-inch scale neck made of “select hardwood”, which is typically Spanish Cedar or genuine mahogany these days. The fretboard measures a comfortable 1 3/4 inches at the nut and 2 1/8 inches at the 12th fret. Although Martin guitar necks were predominately Honduran mahogany from the early 1920s, shortages of that wood has forced Martin and other guitar makers to supplement with other woods, such as Spanish cedar. With Martin, the Honduran mahogany necks are still used on standard models, if available. The more readily-available cedar looks similar to mahogany and is just about as stiff. In fact, Martin used cedar necks in the 19th and early 20th century. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:85%;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;color:#660000;"><b><i>The guitar easily fits into the acoustic strumming world of singer songwriters, Folk, Pop, Country, and Gospel; or you can plug in and amplify the instrument from its pickup or add familiar mic flavors from the digital sample images, courtesy of Fishman.</i></b></span></blockquote></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:85%;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> The neck features a</span> rosewood-veneered DCPA3 headstock with Martin-labeled Gotoh tuners. The MOP fret markers are a bit unique in that they are arrayed on the bass string side. The fretboard (and bridge) is made from a synthetic substance called Richlite, which is hardened paper and resin synthetic material that is considered renewable and, thus, green. It is now showing up on more and more guitars. It looks like ebony and is said to be quite hard, which give a slightly “brighter” character over traditional ebony or rosewood.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The body wood on this DCPA3 sample had great visual appeal with tight-grained Sitka top, devoid of the marked light and dark banding that I see more and more these days on sitka guitar tops. The DCPA3's body and neck binding are made from a durable plastic, Boltaron. There is no decorative back strip to separate the two-piece rosewood back, which I think looks pretty darn cool. The nut is made from white Corian and the saddle from Tusq; both are synthetic materials said to be as dense and hard as bone or ivory.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The guitar top is is finished in a gloss nitrocellulose lacquer — while the back, sides and neck are sprayed with a satin lacquer that gives it a more natural feel. The lower bout metal strap pin doubles as the cable jack. The battery compartment also is housed inside the end-pin. The other strap holder is mounted on the neck heel via a wood screw.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Inside the guitar is a work of perfection: no stray glue traces, the perfing was straight and properly spaced. The test guitar also was properly hydrated right out of the box (the inside wood was naturally dark instead of chalky grey); a too-dry guitar has a thinner sound than a properly hydrated guitar, and often the wood shrinks causing the fret edges to be felt by playing hands.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The electronics are mounted on the under side of the top side above the sound hole with two controls and a small LED display. The DCPA3’s electric side features the well-regarded Fishman F1 Aura pickup/digital preamp system. The preamp system features an undersaddle pickup and digitally sampled 24-bit “images” or sounds of the guitar recorded with nine notable microphones. They include: DPA 4011, AKG C414-B, Neumann U87, Schoeps, CMC64g, Neumann KM84, Shure SM57, Groove Tubes Velo 8T ribbon mic and Earthworks QTC30.</span></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:85%;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoD4Ny_G-oeOdiVLEu1bosHyk2HBDOGBjE0hXXp1E8vaP3wL0uI5VdmZwz9YVqpX2zxLMtt5Bu8ik6qZnGRmGtOV-n6Tq3YwBQuIhXeNGUr4oWuhgGB-XT394iZYCbFFqyoN-AC3NZxww/s1600/Fishman+Preamp4-inches.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoD4Ny_G-oeOdiVLEu1bosHyk2HBDOGBjE0hXXp1E8vaP3wL0uI5VdmZwz9YVqpX2zxLMtt5Bu8ik6qZnGRmGtOV-n6Tq3YwBQuIhXeNGUr4oWuhgGB-XT394iZYCbFFqyoN-AC3NZxww/s200/Fishman+Preamp4-inches.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706816862224570050" style="cursor: pointer; width: 167px; height: 200px;" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">An inside look</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Other features include tuner, phase control, EQ and compressor, as well as anti-feedback reduction so you can crank it up on stage without squeal. With just two buttons on the top side of the DCPA3, there is a bit of a learning curve to engage all the functions. (Like learning to set all the functions on your digital clock) But after a few days usage, I was comfortable selecting the various function and mic images I wanted. The included manual explains the various combination of button pushes to get the desired function. If you can operate an iPhone...</span></span></div><span style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:85%;"><div style="text-align: justify; line-height: 24px;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><b>The audition</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Martin DCPA3 has a nice feel, and the Performing Artist profile neck is perfect — with low action and the 1 3/4”-to-2 1/8 fretboard is easy to find your way around. In fact, this is one of the best feeling necks that I have ever played on an acoustic guitar! Martin should be commended for the setup; the neck set was perfect with a medium-high saddle; yet the action was so playable. Frets were comfortable as well with no sharp edges. Intonation to the 12th fret was spot on.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>With the onboard electronics, the guitar felt a little heavier than a non-electronics laden Martin D-sized acoustic, but it still is pretty easy to maneuver and the DCPA3 felt well balanced when using a strap.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The guitar comes with Martin’s LifeSpan phosphor bronze light gauge strings, which are treated (not coated) to keep them from dulling too quickly from sweat, oil, etc. They come on all non-custom models The strings have a nice balanced sound, but to my ears they did not seem as loud as the same gauge standard Martin’s SP strings, which I eventually replaced them with.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:85%;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;color:#660000;"><b><i>I have played a number of the A-frame braced rosewood Martins with cutaways, and the DCPA3 is very similarly voiced. It has that warm bottom end and lower midrange that personifies the rosewood spruce Martin sound. Finger picking and strumming produces rich tones with just enough top end to make it cut. A pick adds more top end</i></b></span></blockquote></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:85%;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I have played a number of the A-frame braced rosewood Martins with cutaways, and the DCPA3 is very similarly voiced. It has that warm bottom end and lower midrange that personifies the rosewood spruce Martin sound. Finger picking and strumming produces rich tones with just enough top end to make it cut. A pick adds more top end, but this guitar is not a bright sounding guitar; it has that rich bottom end/midrange sound that you expect from a Martin, but it not as bass bloomy as an HD-28 or my J-40 rosewood Martin jumbo</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The hybrid A-framed bracing allows the guitar to be loud enough for playing without amplification and a considerable degree of openness. The Martin that have this bracing always have a bit of low midrange growl, and the DCPA3 was no exception. With moderate to hard strumming, I measured an 87 dB level at 1 meter using an audio analyzer/level meter. Not as loud as a HD28 or D-45, but good enough to play without electronics in small to medium settings.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As mentioned, the supplied review sample had a superb feeling neck — with its “performing artist” profile, providing a low-fast action that rivals any Taylor or Takamine I have played. With may large hands, the positioning on the lower frets felt much less cramped than my Martin J-40’s standard “low-profile” neck — with is slightly narrower dimensions at the nut.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Played through a Yamaha StagePAS portable PA system and my Fender Deluxe 90 solid-state guitar amp (with Eminence classic speaker) that I use for electric-acoustics, I found the under saddle pickup typical of this kind of acoustic guitar transducer: crisp and midrange focused without EQ. Blending in the onboard digital mic “images,” opens it up a bit, and was my preferred recording mode.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:85%;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;color:#660000;"><b><i>By engaging the Fishman mic image modes, a new sonic palette emerges from the DCPA3. Although I am ordinarily a fan of traditional miking methods, I liked the DPA-4011 “image” for that transparent mic’d sound and the Neumann U87, with the compressor engaged, to get a fuller sound.</i></b></span></blockquote></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:85%;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>By engaging the Fishman mic image modes, a new sonic palette emerges from the DCPA3. Although I am ordinarily a fan of traditional miking methods, I liked the DPA-4011 “image” for that transparent mic’d sound and the Neumann U87, with the compressor engaged, to get a fuller sound. Some of the other modes seemed a little too bright for my ears, so I EQ’d the amp and left the EQ flat on the Aura.</span></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>By the way, the onboard tuner is excellent; it was easy to tune exactly on pitch with easy nudges of the tuners. The Martin held its tune — even in the fluctuating temperatures of the fickle Washington DC winters.</span></span></div><span style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><div style="text-align: justify; line-height: 24px;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><b>In our opinion...</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>All in all, I think the Martin DCPA3 is a perfect electric-acoustic for those that want the Martin tone with slightly livelier air and a full-featured on-board pickup/preamp system. The guitar easily fits into the acoustic strumming world of singer songwriters, Folk, Pop, Country, and Gospel; or you can plug in and amplify the instrument from its pickup or add familiar mic flavors from the digital sample images, courtesy of Fishman. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Based on its performance, cost and the fact that Martin still manufactures in the USA, the DCPA3 gets an <b><i>Everything Guitar Network</i></b> <i><b>Grade A</b> </i>award.<br /><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMgAf-aFzAVCNiFXdq6RbdfeujyMf7jCgDhqMwME2cRvRK6kvMP6ZTAe2q_gsa61l1HvpJKb4WgXc-CyURHrVMq6h5ArBFOGyvglxGblPM4sxk_FoyxrDqF3NVi0MCWN0gqhYGuikBxI/s1600/EGNAward+Blue2.5.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMgAf-aFzAVCNiFXdq6RbdfeujyMf7jCgDhqMwME2cRvRK6kvMP6ZTAe2q_gsa61l1HvpJKb4WgXc-CyURHrVMq6h5ArBFOGyvglxGblPM4sxk_FoyxrDqF3NVi0MCWN0gqhYGuikBxI/s400/EGNAward+Blue2.5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706828380808951010" style="cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 62px;" border="0" /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>John Gatski is publisher/editor of the <b>Everything Guitar Network</b>, and has reviewed guitars and guitar-related products since 1998 A basic rhythm player, Mr. Gatski also collects guitars and restores vintage guitar amps for his own pleasure. He also is publisher/editor of the hi-fi, home cinema, home recording studio review site, <a href="http://www.everythingaudio.net/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333ff;"><b>Everything Audio Network</b></span></a>. Reach him via E-mail at guitarreviews@aol.com</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>©<i>All original articles on this site are the intellectual property of the<b> Everything Guitar Network</b>. Any unauthorized use, via print or Internet, without written permission is prohibited.</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; font-family:'lucida grande';"><b><i>Sponsored Link</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><a href="http://www.americanarchtop.com/"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnOZO76_jTCb3lI4B-h-EFhHZ9a6H398HN2UFJk96j66lXnS9Z5dTp1UJgs0pR1mKJUpIqqYhPXa2TPTO6odrlR65YghhQQPITb22z3hrImRsePaO1iLC8Btl0W5chlWgDxxj03TbKio/s400/Unger+III-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707987874408738450" style="cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 93px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center; "><b><i>Hand-Built Jazz Guitars</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></span></div><div><div></div></div></div></div></div>John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-3564605257279914512012-02-10T12:30:00.000-08:002012-02-11T13:19:18.544-08:00Welcome to the Everything Guitar Network Site!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><b><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><b><br /></b></span></div>by John Gatski</b><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Welcome to the <b><i>Everything Guitar Network</i></b>. This new review site is dedicated to guitars, amps and related peripheral reviews. As you will see in the coming months, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; ">I have been obsessed with guitars, among many other things (motorcycles, hi-fi, home theater, muscle cars, etc.) for years. Having acquired as many as 50 guitars at one time (and about 30 amps), I have played about every type of guitar made.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Back in the 1990s, as a certified gear junkie, i always found that most guitar magazines and, eventually the web sites, left me wanting more when it came to evaluating guitars; many reviews were barely more than press releases. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; ">So in 1997, I started started doing my own guitar reviews. As publisher of <b>Pro Audio Review</b>, the magazine that I created for reviewing pro gear, myself and a few of my guitar-playing writers and I began writing online guitar reviews.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We wanted to put our stamp on new guitars and help bring in more traffic to <b>PAR</b>’s fledgling web site. It worked; our reviews were discovered through the search engines to the tune of 12,000 people a month. Not too shabby for the early days of web reviews. One can still find some of those reviews via the search engines.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fast forward to 2011, when I decided to set up a proper guitar review site, modeled on the long-form review format that I have implemented over the years in the magazine and web review world: (<b>Pro Audio Review</b>. <b>Audio</b>, <b>High</b> <b>Performance Review</b>, <b>Laserviews</b> the <b>Audiophile Voice</b> and, of course, the Everything Audio Network).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 24px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;color:#660000;"><b><i>Fast forward to 2011, when I decided to set up a proper guitar review site, modeled on the long-form review format that I have implemented over the years in the magazine and web review world: (Pro Audio Review, Audio Magazine, High Performance Review, Laserviews, the Audiophile Voice and, of course, the Everything Audio Network).</i></b></span></blockquote></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The <b>EGN</b>’s review template will basically be the same as the <b>Everything Audio Network</b>. Our reviews will be conducted by players, enthusiasts and guitar connoisseurs, who enjoy digging into the guitars, design, specs, as well as their sound and playability.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I have several really good players who are great writers as well, and I will apply my hi-fi ear and attention to detail to good use with my own reviews. From time to time, you also will see acoustic guitar measurements made with audio test gear; you don’t see that in many guitar reviews.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The site’s overall mission is to give the serious guitar buyer enough information to see if it is worth buying. With the hundreds of guitars that get introduced every year, as well as the peripherals, there should be no lack of products to review. Though we don’t have a price tag requirement for products that we review, the <b>EGN</b> review stable will be seeking out the good stuff. You will see a lot of American made products through mass-produced and custom-built guitar reviews and amps, as well as the peripheral gear that complements a guitar player.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>So happy reading. The first post is scheduled next week and features an in-depth review of the Martin DCPA3, acoustic-electric Dreadnaught guitar, one of several guitars Martin offers in the Performing Artist Series.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; font-family:'lucida grande';"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; font-family:'lucida grande';"><b><i>Sponsored Link</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.americanarchtop.com/"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnOZO76_jTCb3lI4B-h-EFhHZ9a6H398HN2UFJk96j66lXnS9Z5dTp1UJgs0pR1mKJUpIqqYhPXa2TPTO6odrlR65YghhQQPITb22z3hrImRsePaO1iLC8Btl0W5chlWgDxxj03TbKio/s400/Unger+III-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707987874408738450" style="cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 93px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Hand-Built jazz Guitars</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>John Gatski is publisher/editor of the <b><i>Everything Guitar Network</i></b>, and has reviewed guitars and guitar-related products since 1998 A basic rhythm player, Mr. Gatski also collects guitars and restores vintage guitar amps for his own pleasure. He also is publisher/editor of the hi-fi, home cinema, home recording studio review site,<i><b> </b>the<b> Everything Audio Network</b></i>. Reach him via E-mail at guitarreviews@aol.com</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>©All original articles on this site are the intellectual property of the<b> Everything Guitar Network</b>. Any unauthorized use, via print or Internet, without written permission is prohibited.</i></span></span><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Trebuchet MS'; min-height: 14px; "><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"> </span></p>John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-2859107672191134412012-01-04T17:42:00.000-08:002012-02-09T08:35:07.610-08:00Martin DCPA3 A/E Guitar ReviewScheduled for Week of January 20!<div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdGJ9hA-0Yt9gMGvpqAyUo_KTzZIOuosDONK9WrgEahPVK2txNkITG-_jIGp1x6wmapeVYBtzy-iFyufMOY_NPmJIPRAIUReBvamCaZVqVPKNgp3gfTtQCdw2BxccXyep7gPoHMWI6EI/s1600/martin_dcpa3-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdGJ9hA-0Yt9gMGvpqAyUo_KTzZIOuosDONK9WrgEahPVK2txNkITG-_jIGp1x6wmapeVYBtzy-iFyufMOY_NPmJIPRAIUReBvamCaZVqVPKNgp3gfTtQCdw2BxccXyep7gPoHMWI6EI/s400/martin_dcpa3-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693960743138026658" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:georgia;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;" ><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>The Everything Guitar Network's first scheduled review is the Martin DCPA3, acoustic-electric dreadnaught, solid top/solid back and sides guitar. Keep checking in.</span></div>John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8550134408894630347.post-54936535037019086892011-10-17T06:55:00.000-07:002012-02-09T08:32:18.151-08:00New Guitar Review Site Coming Soon!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>A new site that reviews guitars and associated products will be up and running soon. Check back on this site.</span>John Gatskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08354278547637768269noreply@blogger.com0