Gearhead
December 2009 By Jim Miller
Yamaha Absolute Maple Drum Set
Our reviewer (and drummer) Jim Miller takes the Yamaha Absolute Maple Drum Set for a spin around a few gigs in Philly.
November 2009 By Evan Haga
Fender Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo Signature Jazzmasters
The Jazzmaster, a visually striking and tonally versatile instrument manufactured by Fender, has enjoyed one of the electric-guitar industry’s strangest and most ironic existences. Introduced in 1958 as Fender’s most expensive piece, its original purpose...
October 2009 By Russell Carlson
Gearhead: Carr Rambler Amplifier
Years ago I had a club gig booked and, a few days before the show, the club owner (an Internet millionaire, don’t-cha-know) phoned to tell me I could save myself some trouble and leave my own amp at home. He said had me covered with a house amp. For better...
August/September 2009 By Paul Haar
Theo Wanne Mouthpieces: A Roundup
I kind of liked the good old days when your mouthpiece choices were limited to Berg Larsen, Otto Link, Meyer and Dukoff. But like the big automakers, they lived too long in the glory days, and up sprouted a host of custom makers in search of the sound of...
May 2009 By Bill Meredith
New Sabian Cymbals: A Roundup
Canadian cymbal manufacturer Sabian may be less than 30 years old, but the company has become the primary rival to Zildjian, the 17th-century elder among world cymbal producers. The reasons for Sabian’s ascension include not only its historically affordable...
April 2009 By Evan Haga
NAMM Time 2009
How does the musical instrument industry react when the economy goes flat? Ups the ante, apparently. NAMM 2009, which took place Jan. 15-18 at the Anaheim Convention Center in sunny Orange County, showed little physical sign of massive layoffs or busted...
March 2009 By Chris Kelsey
Yamaha YAS- BP Alto Saxophone
In the interest of full disclosure, I should confess: There’s never been a time in my musical life when I didn’t own at least one Yamaha saxophone. The first horn I could really call my own was a Vito alto, which was basically a Yamaha stencil (although...
January/February 2009 By Sam Sessa
Roland’s JUNO-STAGE & GW-8 Keyboards
Two of Roland’s newest synthesizers share an undeniable synergy. By themselves, the GW-8 workstation and the JUNO-Stage synth are formidable instruments. But together, they complement each other’s strengths to create an impressive array of tones and backing...
December 2008 By Ed Friedland
Stellartone ToneStyler BASS
Over the past 57 years, there have been many advances in bass guitar technology, one of the most significant being the development of active electronics. Since the introduction of Alembic’s earliest powered EQ and preamp circuits, active electronics have...
December 2008 By Evan Haga
BOSS GT-10 Guitar Effects Processor
The digital effects floorboard is a product that Japanese manufacturer BOSS innovated 20 years ago, and one that represented an obvious ideal for the electronics-dependent guitarist. A digital multi-effects floorboard is tidy, can be powered via a single...
