GuitarVibe.com

IK Multimedia Fender Studio

I'm always eager to try out the latest in computer software and hardware for guitar players.  As the PC has become more powerful, it's now able to handle more complex sound modeling and recording than ever before.  As a result, there are some great products out there for guitar players willing to boot up a computer instead of an amplifier.  And a lot of these products are now focusing on ease-of-use, so you don't have to be a computer expert in order to make things happen.

One such company, IK Multimedia, has developed the innovative line of AmpliTube modeling software in conjunction.  Their latest release, AmpliTube Fender Studio is made in conjunction with Fender to recreate some of the classic sounds of Fender amps and effects.  Fender Studio provides a basic software set up that runs on both Mac and PCs along with their "Stealth Plug" that allows you to plug your guitar directly into a standard USB interface.  It's a full 9 foot cable giving you plenty of room to maneuver and uses built-in low-latency ASIO and CoreAdio drivers to ensure high quality sound.

While the Stealth Plug is indeed smaller than competing connectors from companies like Line 6, it still looks a bit like your guitar cable has swallowed a mouse.  But overall, it works, and as a result of the small size, it's a practical package for those who travel and want to bring a guitar and computer with them, without hauling around a lot of extra gear.

I tried out the Fender Studio package on a Windows Sony Laptop.  While the computer did a surprising reboot once after I got everything installed, overall the product works as advertised.  It's surprisingly easy to tap into various Fender amps and effects.  And you can immediately start jamming with the included RiffWorks T4 recording software. 

The Fender Studio puts four classic Fender amps, five cabinets and a slew of effects at your finger tips faithfully recreating the front panels with all their nobs and dials.  If you're already familiar with Fender amps, then this makes it a snap to try out different sounds.  You've got the '65 Twin Reverb, SuperSonic, a full on Metal Head amp along with a bass amp and various fuzz wah, echo and chorus effects. In short, there's a lot of settings you can experiment with.  IK Multimedia also offers a broader range of a dozen Fender amps in their more expensive AmpliTube Fender package including the Fender '57 Deluxe, '64 Vibroverb, '65 Deluxe Reverb, Champ, Bassman, Proj Junior and others, but even what's supplied here is plenty.

There are some great settings built in for classic rhythm and lead sounds and you can customize just about anything to get exactly what you want.  But given so many settings, it's easy to get lost among all the tweaking.  But hey, that's half the fun with this kind of a package!  If you're trying to recreate the distinc Fender sound without spending a fortune on amps, software is the way to go.  Obviously you're not going to get the same kind of oomph from a computer as you get from a tube amp, but for recording and experimentation, it's incredible.  And unlike a lot of modeling amps and software that emphasize the overdriven metal sounds, Fender Studio has a lot of clean settings that are perfect for classic rock, blues and jazz.

For $100 street price ($139 list) AmpliTube Fender Studio is a good deal.  The software or the Stealth Plug itself is easily worth $100, so you can consider that you're buying the software and getting the Stealth Plug free, or vice verse.  There are only a few areas I think IK Multimedia could do a better job. 

First of all, the Stealth Plug is a bit fiddly.  It's solid enough, but you've got to make sure your headphones are plugged in properly before you're going to hear anything.  Secondly, it installs driver software that automatically loads when you turn on the computer, something that always makes me nervous on a PC.  And finally, the version of RiffWorks T4 that they include, is basically a free fully functional demo version rather than the more feature-filled standard edition.  Since you can download the T4 free from their web site, this is just a convenience for those with slow internet connections.  Personally, I think RiffWorks is one of the best pieces of software to show off what's possible with IK Multimedia's modeling package, so it's a shame that they don't include the full version.  But still, at $100 for the whole package, it's a heckuva good deal and I can understand that at that price, they can't afford to give you the whole kitchen sink.

IK Multimedia has also announced a series of free Guitar Recording Master Classes this summer through the US and Europe as well as an online web event.  It's a great way to learn more about digital recording and see what's possible with computer software.

Below is a great video demonstration of the full blown AmpliTube Fender package so you can see and hear how easy it is to use to get just the sound you want by experimenting with different classic Fender amps and settings. (Note that not all of these amps are included in the lower priced Fender Studio package.)

• IK Multimedia: Main site, Fender Studio, Stealth Plug, Master Classes
• Amazon: StealthPlug , RiffTracker

• GuitarVibe: Guitar & Amp Modeling, RiffWorks

Jemsite: Never Underestimate the Power of Your Guitar

I've written about JemSite before, it's a great resource for Ibanez fans.  But they also publish articles about music and guitars that are of interest to any guitar player.  Here's an exerpt from an article called "Never Underestimate the Power of Your Guitar." 

I got my first electric guitar, an extremely cheap made-in-China model, on my fourteenth birthday. It came with an equally crappy 15 watt transistor amplifier with a reasonably high gain built-in overdrive. Was I thrilled when I played on it for the first time! I instantly felt the potential of an electric to astound people with simple power chords played through a distorted amp, and I was quite satisfied with it for a while, until I thought about how I wanted ‘real’ guitars such as Fender and Gibson models. Every day I dreamt of finally owning a Strat or a Paul in the near future... 

My uncle happened to be a session musician for a number of local show bands. He celebrated by inviting a few of his musician friends over so they could play some songs for the guests. I brought my guitar with me because I was told beforehand that there would be a jam on that day. I patiently waited for the people to set up, hoping that I would be able to play with them. Being an amateur at the time, I thought I was the best guitar player in the place and so it was natural for me to display my “amazing skills”. One guy was not able to bring his guitar along so I lent him mine, but I was hoping he’d finish early so I could have my turn with the band...

The moment he started playing, I just sat on my chair with my jaw wide open. He played the guitar like a god, and to say that he is good was like saying that Jessica Alba is cute! What amazed me even more was the fact that he was using MY guitar, but it doesn’t sound the same when I use it! He was only using a very digital Zoom pedal and a solid state Hot Cabs amplifier, but the damn guitar sounded HUGE. He ripped, tapped, swept, and slid across the fretboard like hell, and I was having difficulty thinking about how he was able to make my cheap guitar produce so much tone! From that day on I practiced guitar seriously for three more years, and I still firmly believe that tone is in the fingers the way I did back then...

Remember, it's not about the gear, it's about the player.  You can read the full story over at JemSite.

Jemsite: Articles, Forums, Specs, FAQ, Community blog

GuitarVibe: Les Paul Studio, PalmGuitar Review, Dirt Cheap $100 Strat

My Dirt Cheap $100 Strat

In my quest to have guitars stashed at relatives houses around the country, I picked up my best bargoon yet: a $100 Strat in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Ok, it's a slightly used Squier model made in China.  But for the price, I think this is the best of my cheap guitars so far, with better action and playability than the Epiphone SG 400 or the Epiphone Les Paul.  Finding the right guitar wasn't easy though.  It took a couple of hours of trying out every cheap guitar in the area before I settled on this particular one.  And admittedly, you can buy a garden variety Squier Strat for around $200 new, but I decided to see how low I could go by buying used. 

My expectations were admittedly pretty low given the goal of keeping this on the low-end of the budget.  Since I was keeping this at my brother's place, it was likely to become the adopted guitar of my two young nephews who were graduating from Guitar Hero to real guitar.  But I'm quite impressed with the quality of this guitar.  It's got the classic Strat sound with three single coil pickups and an easy to play neck. 

Unlike the earlier Squier Bullets, the more recent Squier Strats are of decent quality and certainly a good value.  Of course, buying used has its risks.  You need to test out the guitar and make sure there's nothing wrong with the neck, action and electronics.  But if you don't mind spending an hour or two time trying out different guitars, you can sometimes get lucky.  You'll need to venture beyond the usual Guitar Center store in order to get a great deal. And if you're not comfortable testing different guitars, make sure you bring someone with you. 

I walked out of AZ Music with the Strat, a cheapo Behringer practice amp and a strap for a total of $150.  If you're looking for a cheap guitar, you could do a lot worse than a slightly used Squier Strat.  Especially if you've got kids who want to try out a real guitar. 

Update: Here's a video of my nephew Cameron, a year and a half later, talking about what he likes about the Squier Strat.  He's not an expert on Strats, but he's pretty enthusiastic about it.

• GuitarCenter: Squier Strat Black
• GuitarVibe: Epiphone SG 400, Epiphone Les Paul, 70's Strat Reissue, PalmGuitar

Fender '70s Reissue Strat with Video

 

Today's posting is a guest review by my brother-in-law of a Fender 70's Vintage Reissue Stratocaster. I've updated this post to include a recently shot video review also.

In 1982 I made the huge mistake of trading an American made ‘70’s Stratocaster for an acoustic guitar.  Being both a newlywed and a starving artist prevented me from owning 2 guitars at the same time.  This Christmas, Santa Claus helped "right the wrong" by putting a hecho en Mexico Fender '70s Stratocaster Reissue guitar under the tree.  It's practically a carbon copy of my first Strat, this one has the same maple neck/maple fret board with bullet truss rod, classic oversized headstock and deep gloss cream white paint finish.

The new guitar plays and sounds just like the original with the added feature that I don’t have to fiddle around to get the "in between" settings for that twangy mellow sound unique to the Stratocaster.   Modern technology has allowed these Mexican made retro Strats to feel and sound as good as the original ‘70’s model. I’ve seen some reviews that praise this guitar but lament the "Made in Mexico" sticker on the back of the neck.  Funny, I remember people in the early ‘80’s mentioning the same thing about Japanese made cars.  Just remember, the times, they are a changin’.

I’m no EC or SRV but playing this reissue Strat offers excellent sound and tone quality that harkens back to the original 70s’ model I used to own.  I’m no expert on vintage American Strats but I can't feel or hear any difference between my reissue "Jalepeno Hammer" and my old "Stars and Bars" made-in USA version.

Unless you’re a die hard Strat junkie, or a collector with a big budget, the money you can save on a Mexican built version that sounds, looks and behaves like the original, can pay for a new amp or a year of music lessons kid.  The way I see it, modern technological know-how applied to a classic design makes the reissue Strats as good or maybe even better than the original.  And certainly more affordable.  I sold my original strat many years back, and there's no way I could buy it back today. 

Specs:

• White Body
• Neck Maple, "U" Shape, (Gloss Polyurethane Finish)
• Fingerboard Maple (p/n 013-7002), 7.25" Radius (184mm)
• 21 Vintage Style Frets
• 3 Vintage Style Single-Coil Strat® Pickups with Alnico Magnets
• Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck), Tone 2. (Middle)
• Pickup Switching 5-Position Blade
• Bridge Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo
• Machine Heads Fender®
• Hardware Chrome, Pickguard 3-Ply White
• Scale Length 25.5" (648 mm)

I'm finding the high gloss finish on my maple fret board version of the reissue so smooth and accommodating that I’m having a heck of a time putting the guitar down. I rate this one a nine on ten!

Update: I've added a link to a video on YouTube that demonstrates the 70's Reissue Strat so you can see and hear this classic guitar in action.

• Musician's Friend: Fender '70s Stratocaster Reissue
• GuitarVibe: Les Paul Studio, PalmGuitar Review, Dirt Cheap $100 Strat

The Most Awesome Travel Guitar Yet?

Now that I'm back from my trip to Mexico and caught up with real life, I thought I'd provide a bit more information on the PalmGuitar that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago.  If you missed the earlier post, the Palm Guitar is the best electric travel guitar I've tried.  But, as with any travel guitar, there are trade-offs.  Here's a quick summary of the specs:

• Solid body, one piece electric guitar
• Patented polyurethane composite body
• Short 20.239" scale / 20 frets, similar to a mini-Strat
• 26" length end to end
• Weighs 3.5 pounds
• Coil-tapped humbucker pickup
• Grover tuners
• .12 gauge strings
• Flat black finish
• Locking leather strap
• Padded ballistic nylon travel case

I've been using the upgraded "2.1" model which provides two additional options that make the PalmGuitar more like a conventional full-scale guitar:

• Leg rest (for seated playing)
• Strap arm (for better balance)

Having the PalmGuitar with me for a week while on vacation was great.  It performed like a champ and I was able to play every day as well as during some long layovers at DFW airport.  Although I didn't play it on the flights, I think you could do that quite easily in coach if you have an aisle seat or an empty seat next to you.  The case is nicely padded and of better quality than I would have expected.  And most importantly, it helps protect the guitar against the turbulance of air travel.  One added bonus is that you can attach the case to a rollerboard-style suitcase, which makes it easy to keep a low profile when you're trying to carry on one-too-many bags. 

Out of the Box Tone & Playability

Despite it's small size, the sound from this guitar is quite rich.  The one-piece construction and heavy density of the body deliver great tone and a surprising amount of sustain.  While purists might scoff at the notion of playing a polyurethane composite guitar, I suspect that in the future we'll see more guitars made from this substance.  Why?  Because it offers a density and consistency that are hard to find in wood.  In fact, consistency of density may well be one of the key characteristics in creating a great sound, whether in guitars or in Stradivarius violins.  And not only are there no variations in density in the models that are being created, there's no concern with heat or humidity affecting the tone.  As Tim Richards has pointed out, every PalmGuitar sounds like every other one.  You don't have to hope that you got the "perfect" wood.  They are all perfect. 

The fretboard is smooth and easy to play and has a nice satiny finish which contributes to the overall classy look.  The PalmGuitar uses a slightly wider nut of 1.8", which might seem odd compared to, say, a Strat which has a 1.675" nut.  But the reason is that this larger size nut matches the exact size of a Strat --but four frets down.  In fact, the PalmGuitar's fretboard was designed to be comfortable for those used to a standard 25.5" scale Fender.  It's like playing with a capo on the 4th fret.  The dimensions of the 12th fret match the 16th fret on a Strat and so on up and down the fretboard as shown in the diagram below.  The diagram also makes it clear just how much smaller the PalmGuitar is than your average guitar. 

Once I plugged in the PalmGuitar, I was surprised at how much punch it was able to deliver.  I don't know if this is due to the quality of the pickup, the heavier gauge strings or the density of the wood I mean, polyurethane, but it just sings!  It's a nice fat tone, perfect for clean settings and if you push it, a bit further you get a classic gritty lead sound.  And you can switch the coil between humbucker and single coil sound for added versatility. 

All the components are high quality.  The guitar was well set up with no fret buzz, no crackle in any of the electronics and the tuners were completely stable.   I would say that the quality of this guitar is on par with any high-end "made in USA" name brand electric guitar.   

The Gotchas

But there are two significant things to keep in mind with the PalmGuitar.  First of all, it does have a shorter scale and so you're not going to reach the 22nd fret in Dave Gilmour's solo on "Money."  There isn't a 22nd fret.   Given the shorter scale, it's tough to get beyond the 16th fret on this guitar.  For a lot of players, I don't think that's a big deal, but its something to keep in mind.  As I mentioned, it took me about an hour to get comfortable with the shorter scale.  For open chords and bar chords upto around the 11th fret, it's an easy transition. 

The second issue to be clear about with the PalmGuitar, is it's definitely a bit of an expensive purchase.  The basic V2.0 model goes for $799 (with the padded case) and the V2.1 model goes for $949 with the added leg rest and strap arm.  That's a hefty upgrade fee, but the strap arm makes the guitar much more balanced and easier to play.

Bottom Line 

While I wouldn't consider the PalmGuitar to be a luxury item per se, I would put it in the same league as name brand electronics.  The quality is on par with a high-quality camera, like the Canon G9 I use for gigs, or the Sony laptop I have for work.  It's not like it's diamond studded or anything, but it is a very high quality guitar and that's reflected in the price.  There are definitely cheaper travel guitar options, but in my view, they don't have the same quality build, components or tone as the PalmGuitar.  And of course, if you travel to the same locations routinely, you could just have a decent quality second or third full-size guitar stashed away waiting for you.  But if your business takes you to different locations, that's when a travel guitar pays off. 

If you're looking to rationalize the purchase, consider these two questions: How many trips do you take where you have no guitar?  And what would you pay per hour if you could rent a high quality electric guitar on the road?  I'm actually a pretty cheap guy, but I would gladly pay $20/hour of practice time to rent a guitar while I'm on the road.  If you're on the road 30-50 days a year, it's a pretty good deal.  And if you travel more than that, well, what are you waiting for?  Basically, you're paying to get more playing time while you're on the road.  The more you travel, the better the payoff. 

Despite or perhaps because of the PalmGuitar's diminuitive size, it's also become my couch-bound favorite for practicing while watching TV.  It won't replace my main axe, but it's getting more and more play all the time. 

Update:

Here's a video showing off the PalmGuitar from within the confines of a 2-seat roadster.

• PalmGuitar: Main site, Models, News, FAQ
• Science Daily: Secret of the Sweet-Sounding Stradivarius
• GuitarVibe: 70's Strat Reissue Review, Les Paul Studio Review, Epiphone SG 400 

Washburn's Riff Contest 2009

Washburn Guitars, producer of some of the finest electric guitars out there, is sponsoring a Riff Contest with some pretty cool prizes, including a custom WM 526 electric with smoking hot sustain. 

All you need to do is record a riff --no longer than 35 seconds-- upload it to YouTube, and then copy the URL and code into the form on the Riff Contest site.  Oh yeah, and be better than everyone else.  And you have to be over 18.  And you have to use a Washburn guitar.  While that could be a problem, you can go to any Washburn dealer and tell them that you want to rock out on their gear.  I'm sure they'll love that.  Especially by the twentieth take.

Check out some of the videos online and vote for your favorite.  Personally, I'd like to see a bit less metal in these entries, and a bit more classic rock, but that's just me.  Entries are due by June 20 but why wait?  Unless, you're like 19, with a birthday in June and still trying to find a local Washburn dealer.

I wonder, if Washburn players Paul Stanley and Joe Trohman from Fall Out Boy entered, who would win?  My money would be on Paul Stanley.  Plus he looks better in spandex. 

Also, for a, ah, cheekier contest, check out BTBMP3.com where you can win a complete guitar rig from Musican's Superstore and Metal Method lessons. 

• Riff Contest: Main, Rules, Prizes, Entry form, Videos 
• Washburn: Main, Electrics, Paul Stanley Models, Joe Trohman Models, HM Series
• GuitarVibe: Paul Stanley Preacher, Joe Trohman Interview, WM 526 Review

Top iPhone Apps for Guitar Players

The good folks over at FretBase have posted an article on the top iPhone applications for guitar players.  It's pretty amazing to see the type of creative applications coming out for mobile phones.  The iPhone wasn't the first smartphone and it's not the most corporate, but it has certainly inspired a broad range of application developers.  Some applications may be a bit goofy, but still...

A few notable applications include:

• FourTrack:  Sonoma Wireworks has created a complete 4 track recording system for the iPhone.  It's not quite as sophisticated as their RiffWorks product, but it's still pretty cool.
• Guitarist, PocketGuitar & Guitar: Turn your iPhone into a mini-guitar with real sound, vibrato, hammer-ons and more.  Not necessarily easy to play, but sure looks cool. 
• 7 Chords: A chord library reference that will sound the chord for you.
• Guitar Toolkit: Includes a tuner, scales and chord diagrams.
• Visual Metronome: The name says it all

Check out the full article for details & links to the iTunes store.  And here's a sample video of what's on offer from Guitarist:

• FretBase:  Top iPhone applications for Guitar Players
• Sonoma Wireworks: FourTrack

Parker + Line 6 = Very Cool!

My contacts over at US Music Corp let me know about a very cool new Parker Guitar being shown around at the NAMM musical instruments expo this week: the Parker Adrian Belew Signature Fly.  Belew established himself as one of the most influential prog-rock guitarplayers with his early work in King Crimson and as a session player for Frank Zappa, David Bowie, The Talking Heads, Nine-Inch-Nails and others.

Parker Guitars, with their innovative design and components  have long been favored by prog-rock and jazz players.  With the addition of Line 6's Variax electronics, the Adrian Belew Signature Model enables you to chose between 25 modeled guitar sounds encompassing a wide range of classic electric guitar sounds as well as a range of acoustic sounds, including, 12 string, banjo, dobor and sitar. 

The Signature model includes Sperzel locking tuners, a DiMarzio bridge pickup and a Sustainiac Stealth Pro neck pickup with infinite feedback sustain.  All of that in a classic Parker Fly guitar with its lightweight one piece body, carbon-glass-epoxy composite fretboard and stainless steel frets.

Pricing and availability has not been announced.  It's a totally custom guitar, but I hope it's not so expensive you have to be in King Crimson to afford it.  And it would be cool to see other guitar manufacturers licensing Line 6's excellent electronics.   Parker's also announced a new Fly Mojo MIDI featuring the Roland GK-GT3 pickup kit that provides on-board MIDI compatibility for use with the Roland V-Guitar system or any BOSS GK Effect pedal. 

• Parker Guitars: Main, Fly, Adrian Belew
• Line 6: Main, Variax, Variax model sounds
• Adrian Belew: Main, Parker Signatute Guitar, Blog, News

Gibson Dark Fire Software Glitch?

Looks like Gibson has announced that their much lauded Dark Fire super duper automatically tuning robo-guitar is delayed.  While the message indicates that they want to ship the guitars with the digital RIP interface box (a terrible name --makes me think of Rest In Peace!)  if you read between the lines, it sounds like there's some software issues holding things up.

Unfortunately, Dark Fire just wasn’t ready ― almost, just barely, but not quite.

Dark Fire has to be flawless. Period. Because there are so many software and hardware components and because we’d set the bar so high, we didn’t anticipate the amount of time it would take to go from “it works” to “it’s perfect.” And for you, our valued and respected customers, it must be perfect. Anything less, and it would not be a Gibson.

Every computer has software and most software needs to be updated at some point or another ― the same is true for Dark Fire, which has a computer inside. Included with the guitar is firmware that allows us to constantly upgrade and improve the usability of the instrument...

In fact, we’ve already made significant improvements that will require a firmware update upon receipt of your RIP package. Once the RIP software is installed on your computer, you can run the RIP console, which will automatically check both the RIP and the guitar.

My guess is they've found some problems that have to be fixed in software and the problem is severe enough that they don't want to leave it to be done (or ignored) by the dealers and end users.   If anyone has more information on this, let me know.

It's not the first time that software has been found to have bugs or that a project has been delayed.  That's one of the growing problems with an increasingly computerized world of music.  Peavey, Fender, Line6 and many other companies have routinely needed to issue embedded software (also called firmware) updates to amps, guitars and pedals that do digital modeling. 

Still, if you're spending upwards of 3 grand on a guitar, it's good that Gibson is keeping the quality bar high.  Better to have a delay to get things right than to ruin the experience (and reputation) of what looks to be a pretty cool guitar. 

Here's a walkthrough of the Dark Fire from Austin360.com that I learned about on FretBase.

• Gibson:Dark Fire, A Message about Darkfire

Why You Shouldn't Buy A New Guitar in 2009

If you're like me, every few weeks or months you start thinking about a new guitar.  You research the announcements about Gibson's latest Darkfire or Fender's 50th anniversary Jazzmaster guitar and you think "I gotta have that."  Hours are spent trolling the guitar shops, reading magazine reviews, looking for good deals online.  If you've got more guitars than decent pairs of shoes, you've got what Walter Becker calls Guitar Acquisition Syndrome.  It's all good, except for one thing: it takes time away from playing.

So my firm recommendation is: assuming you've already got one decent guitar, don't buy a new guitar in 2009.  Don't think about it.  Don't read about it.  Don't research it.  Nothing.  Nada.  Instead, put your time, money and effort into things that will truly improve your playing: like learning new songs, styles, techniques or scales. 

Last year, I managed to play guitar 360 days of the year.  Between family, work, exercise and travel, that didn't leave a whole lot of spare time.  Admittedly, I had a bit of a binge buying several cheap guitars in the last year to stow at my relatives houses to get more practice time. (And I'll be updating some of these reviews with videos in the coming months.)  Nonetheless, my advice is focus your time on where you're going to get the most benefit: practicing.

(Unless that Nigel Tufnel Ernie Ball "Mr Horsepower" guitar goes on sale.  Then all bets are off...)

 

• Guitar Acquisition Syndrome: Walter Becker, book by Jay Wright
• GuitarVibe: How to Get More Time for Guitar

White Ephiphone Les Paul Studio

A buddy of mine from London was in town recently and wanted to stop by Guitar Center to pick up an effects pedal, taking advantage of the lower US pricing.  While I wasn't planning on buying anything, 30 minutes later, I walked out with a new Epiphone Les Paul Studio in arctic white.  I was planning on buying a second guitar which I would keep over at my in-laws place.  (I think this is part of my wife's overall plan to get me to spend more time with family.  Hey, if that get's me a new guitar, I'm fine with it.)

Originally, my plan was to test out some gear, and then just buy something locally near my in-laws.  Since this would be a spare guitar that would only get occasional use, I was aiming for something around $200-$250.  I tried a few sub-$200 guitars, but the quality just wasn't there and I figured I would just get frustrated if the action was too high or if the guitar wouldn't stay in tune.  I tried a few low-end Squire strats and telecasters and while they were ok, nothing really set me on fire. 

But then I spotted a beautiful white Epiphone Les Paul Studio for $300.  I was really impressed with the playability and the tone.  Admittedly, it's not a high end Gibson, but the action and setup are decent right out of the box and it feels sturdy.  The guitar is also lighter than I had expected, my estimate around 7.5 pounds.  The pickups are great, the neck is good and it's got nice sustain and a beefy classic humbucker sound.  Plus, I gotta admit, in arctic white, this guitar looks very cool.  If a white Les Paul is good enough for Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, it's good enough for me.  And my in-laws.

Overall, it's a very high quality guitar with a nice warm tone and plenty of sustain for blues or rock, especially when you apply a bit of overdrive.  The only thing that I think degrades from the overall quality is that the tuners are not that stable.  But if you can live with occasionally re-tuning, it's a great sound at a bargain price.

Update:
I've added a video review on YouTube below.

• Epiphone: Home, Les Paul Studio
• Musician's Friend: Epiphone Les Paul Studio
• GuitarVibe: 70's Strat Reissue, PalmGuitar Review

Guitar & Amp Modeling Hits the Mainstream

Every few weeks it seems there's some new product announcement that uses guitar & amp modeling.  I reviewed RiffWorks last week and they've got a new 2.5 version out already.  Gibson has a new Dark Fire guitar with automatic tuner, so-called Chameleon Tone and a cool digital breakout box.  Vox has the JamVox desktop amp (shown above) with software for amp emulation and guitar extraction (so you can isolate the guitar part to any song.  Peavey has a new brand of modeling amplifiers, the almost vowel-less Vypyr which appears to be sold out in many stores. Presumably they scrimped on vowels but not on cool effects. 

Line6, the grandaddy of modeling, continues to come out with new products extending their lineup in all kinds of directions with the PodStudio recording interface, SpiderJam combo amp with built-in backing tracks and  M13 Stompbox Modeler. 

No doubt the modeling market is getting more competitive and that will drive innovation from many companies, which is a good thing for all of us guitar players and wannabes.  In the coming year, I'll try to take a look at some of these new products.   If you've got experience with any, let me know.

Musician's Friend $75 Instant Rebate with MF23 code

In the mean time, take advantage of Musician's Friend's rebate code to save some $$$ on what you really want at Christmas this year.  Use the promo code MF23 at check out to get up to $75 instant savings if you spend $500.  If you spend more than $250 you'll save $35.  No doubt there's some restrictions here, but still, it's better than nothing...  Good until Dec 31.

Have a rockin' Christmas and let me know what you're looking forward to in new gear in the new year! 

• Sonoma Wireworks: RiffWorks 2.5
• Gibson: Dark Fire Guitar
• Vox: JamVox
• Peavey: Vypyr Amplifier
• Line6: PodStudio, SpiderJam, M13 Stompbox Modeler
• Musician's Friend: Gibson Robot Les Paul, Vox JamVOX, Riffworks, Peavey Vypyr