Guitars
Forget about the iPhone and the HDTV – 2007 was a great year for guitars. But then again, what year isn’t? It isn’t like 1958 was lacking in that regard, and 1961 was cool, and hell, 1952 wasn’t too shabby either. What 2007 did bring to the table was more builders offering up high-quality guitars to meet most any budget and nearly every need. From a super high-end one off from Northern California to a shockingly good Mexican-made Strat, Premier Guitar is proud to revisit some of our editor’s top picks for the year of the Red Fire Pig. |
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July 2007
Composite Acoustics GX Performer
Made from space-age materials, the GX, in addition to being impervious to things like changes in temperature and humidity, sounds like, well, an acoustic, and a damn fine one at that. In addition to the sound, our tester was particularly impressed with the unique, nearly non-existent neck heel, and the use of not-really-needed but acoustically brilliant bracing. When the guitar was pulled out of the shipping carton without a chance to acclimate to the 25-degree temperature difference and delivered an in tune G chord, we all became believers.
Composite Acoustics
MSRP $3350
compositeacoustics.com
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February 2007
Ernie Ball Music Man Steve Morse Y2D
Featuring a slim birdseye maple neck with a rosewood board that has been shaped to Steve’s exacting standards, the Y2D also rocked Mr. Morse’s own idiosyncratic pickup configuration via a trio of personalized DiMarzio pickups, right down to the too-close-to-the-bridge-humbucker single coil. The curly maple top offers players a visual treat in addition to some aural sheen for the poplar body, all set off by a high-gloss, polyester finish. Our intrepid reviewer determined that the Y2D isn’t just for Dreg’s fans; it’s for anyone wanting a high-quality, easy-to-play and tonally flexible instrument.
Ernie Ball Music Man
MSRP $2245
Ernieball.com
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February 2007
Hill Custom Guitars Hillster Elite
Located in Cleveland, Ohio, a rock n’ roll city if there ever was one, Hill Custom Guitars offered up their Hillster Elite for our test crew to put through its paces. By combining such Gibson-ish cues as a mahogany body, set-neck construction and humbucking pickups with the Fender-like flourish of a 25.5” scale-length, the Hillster Elite offers something for nearly all pickers. Our tester found plenty to like, marveling at the Elite’s resonant, lively ring afforded by its maple top/mahogany body mix. He also dug the slimtaper neck and custom, hand-wound pickups. Cleveland does rock.
Hill Custom Guitars
MSRP $2595
hillinstruments.com
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February 2007
Fender Classic Player 50s Stratocaster
Fender Classic Player 50s Stratocaster Custom Shop Master Builder Dennis Galuszka spec’d this bad boy out and Fender’s Ensenada plant put it together, saving you, the end user, several pesos in the process. Featuring a soft V-shaped neck that seemed straight out of Fullerton circa 1956, the Classic Player 50s also employs a trem design pulled straight from Fender’s Custom Shop, consisting of a modern, two-point bridge-plate with six vintage-style saddles, giving tremsters the ability to wiggle in tune as well as with tone. A great mix of vintage and modern features earned this workhorse top marks.
Fender Musical Instruments
MSRP $1142.84
fender.com
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September 2007
Moonstone Guitars Vulcan Custom Extreme
Starting with a gorgeous piece of African limba and working from there, Moonstone’s Steve Helgeson added such showstoppers as a Brazillian rosewood fingerboard, African purpleheart binding and Paua abalone whenever and wherever possible, in addition to one of the purdyest tops seen in ages. All the baubles in the world mean nothing if they are adorning an instrument with less than stellar playability, but the Vulcan never suffers this fate, offering up effortless action and a hot mess of sounds via the twin Bartolini Pickups and push-pull tone pots, allowing the Moonstone to be the belle of any ball.
Moonstone Guitars
MSRP $9000
moonstoneguitars.com
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Amps
Your amplifier is an essential ingredient in the relentless pursuit of tone, and it says a lot about you as a person. Do you go with the quietly understated combo, capable of putting out low-wattage boutique tone, or do you go with the glowing high-gain head atop a double stack of cabinets, ready to pump out massive lead lines at a moment’s notice? Whatever your choice may be, we’ve put our hands on lots of amps this year and proudly present the best models of 2007. |
October 2007
65Amps SoHo
Hands down one of the best sounding, most flexible low-wattage combos we’ve seen in our offices, the 65Amps SoHo puts out 20 boutique watts through a Celestion G12H 70th Anniversary speaker. Hiding within the two-tone tolex lies a Class A EL84 circuit – clean and sparkly – that moves into musically crunchy EL34 territory once things start breaking up. If that wasn’t alone worth the price of admission, the SoHo’s Bump circuit adds a wide range of sounds to this amp, from British to brown to blackface. This amp responds well to pickups of all kinds, but if you’ve got a Strat handy, prepare to have your hands pried off this one by the music store bouncer.
65Amps
MSRP $2895
65amps.com
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April 2007
ENGL Powerball Head
There’s an industrial look to the ENGL Powerball that could easily lend people to writing this amp off as one-dimensional, but with the clean channel reminiscent of an old Vox AC30 (when paired with a Vintage 30 loaded cab), and a lead channel that’s as massive as they come, this amp is capable of everything from metal to jazz-fusion. At it’s heaviest, the Powerball retains definition and clarity of your notes no matter how detuned you may be, and our reviewer was unable to get the amp to “mush” at even the highest volumes. The Powerball also features dual master settings and is MIDI-compatible, making this one versatile machine.
ENGL Amps
MSRP $2299
engl-amps.com
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August 2007
Diamond Spec Op Head
Sporting four Svetlana EL34s and no less than seven 12AX7 Tung-Sol tubes, this amp is tailor-made for high-octane rock. The Spec Op’s tones range from scooped-out modern to metal’s biggest hair days. The Spec Op’s overdriven sounds are loud, punchy and unflinchingly honest, always served with a tight low-end. There’s a massive amount of gain on tap here with an inordinate amount of headroom (even the neck humbucker on our Gibson kept its definition). Combined with tone controls that actually work and a solid-as-a-tank build, this amp is a definite recommendation for anyone who dabbles in the heavy.
Diamond Amplification
$2699
diamondamplification.com
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January 2007
Chicago Blues Box Buddy Guy Signature Amp
Dan Butler [owner of Butler Custom Sound] was asked to sonically re-create Buddy’s 1959 Bassman, which had been through a flood and had seen the original speakers and chassis replaced. Through a careful dissection of Buddy’s original, Butler discovered the electrical mojo that makes this amp tick, resulting in a sparkling clean sound and a tight midrange that lets the highs just slide off the top. If you’re looking for that classic Bassman sound, done better than the average old Bassman, look no further.
Butler Custom Sound
MSRP $4800
chicagobluesbox.com
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June 2007
The Ultimate Tube Amp
The Ultimate Tube Amp Essentially a full tube amp in a svelte 13-pound package, this amp delivers 100-watt non-master volume Marshall tones that you can crank up and turn down (with the built-in attenuator) to your heart’s content. With the master levels at about 12 o’clock, the Ultimate Tube Amp has all of the touch sensitivity, dynamics and note definition you’d find in a Marshall, and cleans up beautifully with the help of your guitar’s volume knob. Guitarists searching for that ‘80s “Brown Sound” will also want to check this thing out. Despite a somewhat austere appearance, this amp is for real.
Magus Innovations, LLC
Starting at $1400
ultimateattenuator.com
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November 2007
Mesa Boogie Express 5:50
Experience 6L6s like they were meant to be with this offering from the brain trust at Mesa Boogie – sparkling clean with a focused, rich bottom end. As the gain is ratcheted up, the 6L6s remain smooth like glass, meaning that no matter where the knobs are set, you’ll be rewarded with something expressive. This combo is capable of running in Class A/B at 50 watts, or Class A at five watts; Class A results in more breakup, midrange and sag (perfect for a vintage, bluesy vibe), while Class A/B gives the Express more headroom, meaning tighter lows and more prominent highs. Of course, being a Mesa, this amp also has a pair of high-gain huevos at it’s disposal. You want this.
Mesa Boogie
$1199
mesaboogie.com
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January 2007
Orange Tiny Terror
As amps get more complex, adding channels and innumerable EQ options, the experience for guitarists can become a bit overwhelming – sometimes you just want to plug in and rock. The Orange Tiny Terror delivers stripped down Class A tube sound on a budget. Featuring a pair of EL84s and a duet of 12AX7s, this amp can put out big, fat, ballsy tones at both 15 and 7 watts (a club-worthy 15 watts, at that). If you’re looking for a vintage-voiced British experience and don’t need massive wattage behind you, this is proof that good things come in small packages.
Orange USA
MSRP $699.99
orangeamps.com
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Effects
Things on the average gearhead’s floor rarely garner much respect – dirty clothes, empty beer cans and the like. But when it comes to finding that tone, sometimes the things on the floor make all of the difference; whether it’s that interplanetary phaser or the germanium overdrive, they have the ability to add dimension to your guitar and amp. We’ve had the pleasure of stepping on a lot of pedals this year, and now present the best effects of 2007, just in time for you to compile those holiday wish lists. |
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October 2007
SubDecay Liquid Sunshine Overdrive
SubDecay Studios has quickly turned into one of our favorite boutique companies, creating inventive effects that sound stellar while coming in at a decidedly non-boutique price. The Liquid Sunshine is no exception, featuring two Drive knobs – one controlling the guitar’s full frequency range while the other boosts your mids and high frequencies – allowing SubDecay to dispense with the dedicated tone control. Two internal dip switches allow users to finetune bass and treble response for their own tastes, but no matter where the knobs are set, your amp will still sound like, well, your amp. A sure addition to our desert-island gear list.
SubDecay Studios
MSRP $149
subdecay.com
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August 2007
Lovepedal Church of Tone 50
When you need some nuance, grab Lovepedal’s COT50, which captures the response of a late ‘60s, 6550-loaded plexi. Boasting only one knob and a true bypass stomp switch, the COT50 moves from just a touch of grit to full-tilt thickness, all while retaining the sound of your guitar and amp. This pedal also sidesteps that annoyingly excessive boost in volume that many overdrive pedals generate, and like most churches, it’s is ominously quiet. Bow down.
Lovepedal
MSRP $229
lovepedal.com
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September 2007
BSM Treble Boosters
Based on boosters used by Ritchie Blackmore and Tommy Bolin (among others), these primitive precusors to the overdrive pedal bring an old school vibe to any rig they’re paired with. The HS-C provides a real germanium sound, while the no-frills HS-S rocks with an American-flavored silicon circuit. The similarly stripped-down FireBall – basically a tuned version of the early germanium Hornby-Skews treble boosters – does the Blackmore thing for days, while the Spectrum (featuring two knobs) is relatively loaded and can move from a Stonesy-grind to incredible feedback.
BSM
Starting at $219
treblebooster.net
U.S. distribution by pedalgeek.com
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July 2007
Guyatone Ultrem & Ultron Hybrid Optical Effects
Say goodbye to all those other trems and wahs cluttering up your board; these are unquestionably the deepest effects we have gotten our hands on, each providing six gorgeous, organic settings with enough knobs and options to keep you tweaking long into the night. Run the Ultrem in stereo for the thickest trem you’ve ever heard and relive those classic Mu-tron III sounds with the Ultron. Even cooler, these pedals provide digital control of the signal’s parameters while keeping the original analog signal intact, meaning your tone stays clean, even if your pants don’t.
Godlyke Distributing
Ultrem $375
Ultron $425
guyatone.com
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November 2007
IK Multimedia’s AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix
We’ve gone nuts for digital modeling lately, because it offers endless possibilities. IK Multimedia has introduced their latest incarnation of their AmpliTube modeling line, giving users the ability to experience Hendrix’s gear without the vintage price tag. This app uses the power of computing to achieve previously unthinkable feats, like mixing and matching preamp and power amp models, and switching your rig routing at the click of a button. And with a raft of other features too extensive to list here, you’ll spend more time playing and less time trolling questionable websites.
IK Multimedia
MSRP $249
ikmultimedia.com
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Accessories
Finding that special guitar and amp is a Sisyphean task on its own, but once that perfect rig is found, what excuse do you have for hanging around the local guitar shop instead of mowing the lawn on Saturday afternoons? Try this: offer up earnest sounding yet obscure gems to your significant other such as, “Honey, I need to find a new tuner. Mine is getting all glitchy.” Or, “I think my tuners are slipping. This could be a disaster at my jam tonight.” These should afford you the opportunity to sneak out of the house for at least a couple of hours without doing too much damage to either your relationship or your checkbook. Plus, you get a chance to check out a few of our top picks for 2007. |
February 2007
Planet Waves Auto-Trim Tuners
Planet Waves has long been known for producing clever accessories for guitar players, offering up everything from smart case humidifiers to quick-release strap systems. This foray into guitar parts, with Ned Steinberger’s design help, shows the same level of end-user consideration present in the rest of their product line. The Auto-Trim Tuners come across as typical locking tuners, but with a nice curve thrown in: as it gets closer to pitch, the Auto-Trim Tuner cuts the string off for you, keeping one more tool at home – always a good thing for typically overburdened guitarists.
Planet Waves
MSRP $89.99
planetwaves.com
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February 2007
Peterson Tuners StroboFlip
Featuring sweetened tunings, along with Buzz Feiten temperaments, the StroboFlip proved to be more than capable of covering every tuning need. It also won over many fans around the office for its compact design and easy-to-read display. The intuitive layout gives easy access to the functions most commonly used, with the only downside being the unit’s depth of function, offering up perhaps more features than most will ever use, and the reason it earned top marks.
Peterson Electro-Musical Products, Inc.
MSRP $329
petersontuners.com
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May 2007
WCR IronMan Humbucking Pickups
The WCR IronMan pickups deliver a unique approach to getting your own sound by shipping various magnets along with the pickups, allowing the end-user to determine if they prefer the flavor of an Alnico 8, Ceramic 8 or Alnico 5 in their humbucking stew. Our tone taster preferred the Alnico 8’s flavorful mix of tight top and bottom with nice mids. The magnet/pickup combo also offered up even upper harmonics and tasty musical feedback. The Ceramic 8 was deemed appropriate for metal and dropped tuning chores, while the Alnico 5 earned a respectable third from our expert, illustrating differences in taste as well as how flexible this multiple magnet arrangement is for finding your ideal tone recipe.
WCR Pickups
Starting at $180
crcoils.com
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August 2007
Glendale Tele Bridge and Saddles
Glendale brought their “A” game this summer when they unleashed their nonmagnetic bridge plate and Twang saddle set on an unsuspecting PG staffer. By using stainless steel for the bridge plate, Glendale is able to deliver what our tester described as “more piano-like brilliance” as well as just all-around “more” tone and depth than a typical Tele setup. The compensated saddles were also a home run, offering a more even tonal response by adding aluminum for the E and A saddle and traditional brass for the other two. We gushed over the workmanship and design of Glendale’s products, earning the bridge-plate/saddle combination a perfect game.
Glendale Guitars
Twang Saddles $54.99
Non-Magnetic Bridge-Plate $125
glendaleguitars.com
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September 2007
Amalfitano SP Pickups
Our tester delivered a glowing review praising the Amalfitano’s evenness in volume while switching from neck to bridge, the result of winding the pickups to different values. He also loved their ability to consistently deliver nearly perfect Strat tones, damn the knob placement. Featuring scatter-winding, described on Amalfitano’s website as a “hand-wound, non-uniform, wire layering technique,” the SPs offer up more response to dynamic input and a glorious vintage tone. The reviewer suggested the SPs as a replacement for a Strat with an anemic bridge pickup, opining that the Amalfitano bridge unit veers scarily close to Tele territory. If the bridge position is this good, you know neck and middle have to be phenomenal.
Amalfitano Pickups
MSRP $250
amalfitanopickups.com
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December 2007
ProStageGear PS-GFC Flight Case
If you’ve ever used a flight case, you likely realized that there is a penalty for the protection they offer: weight. The people responsible for the PS-GFC addressed this issue and came up with a unique solution – a flight case with a gig bag inside, enabling globetrotting guitarists the ability to rock the flight case to their destination, and the gig bag once they arrive. An added benefit is the ability to use any guitar from your quiver that fits in the bag, as opposed to having a big, expensive single-purpose custom case. Don’t trust the baggage handlers? Check out the PS-GFC.
ProStageGear
MSRP $389
prostagegear.com
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Best of the Web
We spent weeks debating how we would select the Best of 2007, and including some of your choices was part of that discussion. How could we best represent what you have deemed drool-worthy? Without further ado, we present a recap of the most popular products of 2007 viewed online at premierguitar.com. |
April 2007
Hughes & Kettner Switchblade 100 Head
When it comes to gigs, it used to be that if you needed different tones, you had to haul several amps and hook them all up in a blizzard of cables. The Switchblade 100 aims to change that, with four distinct channels, and a bevy of onboard effects. Of course, if you still want to bring the pedalboard, there’s an effects loop capable of running in series or parallel and with a +4/-10 dB selector, meaning that everything from the smallest pedal to the highest tech rack unit will work.
Hughes & Kettner
MSRP $1999
hughes-and-kettner.com
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June 2007
Fender Champion 600
When the Champion 600 showed up in our offices, the meager price stopped us in our tracks. This “tribute” to the Fender Champions of the ‘40s and ‘50s meant that rich tube warmth was now available to guitarists at a price that wouldn’t set the kid’s college fund back. It has a three dimensional quality not generally found in amps in this price range, and features an impressive response for such a small package.
Fender Musical Instruments Co.
MSRP $266
fender.com
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September 2007
SPG Guitars Vintage TL Chambered Guitar
Pulling the Vintage TL out of its case for the first time is an experience; the highly figured Maine birdseye top and birdseye slab neck both scream out for attention. And with a Glendale vintage compensated bridge, Amalfitano custom wound pickups, a RS Guitarworks super volume pot and a ToneStyler tone control – designed to expand the guitar’s traditional frequency response – the Vintage TL is just as beautiful on the inside. If you’re looking for a versatile guitar that effortlessly blends tradition and technology, you’ve found it.
SPG Guitars
MSRP $1895
spgguitars.com
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May 2007
Robin Savoy Dolphin Classic
Robin Owner/Founder Dave Wintz was a big fan of the 1960s USA-made Epiphone Rivera and Sheridan models and wanted to create something in that family. The Savoy Dolphin Classic fits the bill with a semi-hollow design, complete with curvaceous f-holes, a well-matched AAAA flame top and abalone dolphins swimming across the rosewood fretboard. Loaded with Rio Grande BBQ and Genuine Texas humbuckers, this guitar shines with its balanced, complex sounds, and aside from high-gain mavens, players of all stripes will find something to love here.
Robin Guitars
MSRP $3995
robinguitars.com
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