4 Many moons ago, Alan Dawson opened a clinic by asking, “What’s the most important component of a drum set?” As an evolving jazz snob, I shouted out, “Ride cymbal.” (“No.”) Someone of equal confidence offered, “Hi-hat.” (“Nope.”) Another yelled, “Snare drum.” (“Uh-uh.”) Somewhat more timidly, a fourth guessed, “Bass drum.” (“Wrong.”) With the room stunned mute, Mr. Dawson said, “The seat! How are you going to play drum set without a good seat?” Beyond the ice-breaking cleverness of his trick question was a refreshing practicality. The DS-840 throne supplied with this Yamaha Absolute Maple kit was the softest stool I’ve ever had (wait, maybe I should rephrase that). The seat itself, while more than an inch thinner than most, is the first I’ve seen with the mattress warning, “Under penalty of law this tag is not to be removed,” and a 7-inch circular metal plate receives the base section’s screw rod. Despite its compact fold-up size, the three double-braced legs extend to a 24-inch footprint, making it ideally comfortable and rock-steady. My review set’s wrap arrived in a loud green finish dubbed “White Grape.” (Caramel Sparkle is pictured here.) All four pieces employed the same small 1 1/2-inch Absolute lugs, each attached to their respective shells with a single bolt. With Yamaha’s usual impressive attention to detail, every lug, holder, clawhook, bass-drum T-rod, soundhole eyelet and nameplate badge is insulated with rubber gaskets, plastic liners or nylon inserts, including the snare strainer and butt-plate. No random, undesirable rattling could possibly emanate from these drums. The 20-lug, 20-inch x 16-inch bass drum had 10 sound vents, two in every other section, with four normal drum key T-rods (two on the back to facilitate pedal placement and two on the bottom front just for aesthetic balance, I suppose); the remaining 16 are the usual handled T-rods. Drum key-adjustable spurs convert from rubber tips to metal spikes in seconds and the design is exceptionally sturdy. Indeed, my extensive mathematical calculations predict that this drum would require a 24-inch case. The seven-ply shell, while slightly thicker than the rest of the kit’s six-ply shells, still makes for a relatively light drum, especially considering its size and the quality of its hardware. Upon substituting a harder beater for the generic felt one provided, the sound was immediately more focused and easily capable of cutting through raucous Jersey bar patrons enjoying the ends of Phillies games. On a concert before an attentive audience, my minor concerns with sustain were nothing that a moleskin pad at the impact point didn’t fix. The FP-7210A single-chain drive pedal is the Gretsch Floating Action/Camco/DW design that has proven dependable for decades. As the sole drum equipped with a coated batter head, the 14-inch x 6-inch, 20-lug, single-venthole snare drum sounded great straight out of the box, singing cleanly and clearly with crisp snare response across the diameter of the head at any volume. An accompanying SS-740A single-braced snare drum stand used a classic threaded basket-arm adjustment. Their triple-tom holder is convenient for varied setup possibilities, which is why the 12-inch x 8-inch, 12-lug tom sported two nameplate badges, to be seen whether mounted to the left or right. There is even a protective pad on the tom behind the Yamaha Enhanced Sustain System’s receptacle, plus vibration-reducing, sound-isolating plugs on the ends of both the main tube into the bass drum and Yamaha’s elegant ball-clamp tilter section. The 16-lug, 14-inch x 13-inch floor tom, with its six airvents and low-mass leg brackets, conveniently featured tom legs with a twist-adjustable choice between rubber tips or metal spikes. Both of these toms sounded more like jazz drums with coated batter heads, but that’s purely subjective. In fact, this set responded no matter the style: On an open mic night, extremes ranged from light folkie tapping to an assault by a linebacker-built neo-punker who kicked the living stink out of the bass drum, and the set responded equally well to both. Yamaha’s innovative, standard-setting, single-braced, CS-755 straight/boom cymbal-stand design remains unchanged except for a modification to the lower ratchet section, which is now additionally hinged, with the adjustment wingbolts opposite one another instead of the earlier 90-degree angle placement. What is the significance of this? I don’t know. The HS-740A is a no-frills, single-braced, three-leg pedale de Charleston (French term for hi-hat), although it does include a rotating spring tension knob. For increased tension, slide the toothed cup up to the desired location on the handy reference scale, rotating it to the left to lock it into place. To reduce tension, rotate the cup to the right and slide down into position. Utilizing Yamaha’s Air-Seal process, by which the plies are positioned with staggered diagonal seams and sealed together with evenly distributed air pressure, the Absolute Maple line produces an exceptionally warm tone quality. State-of-the-art design and manufacturing meets traditional values in this high-end series, and after a trend toward overly complicated hardware by certain manufacturers, it’s a pleasure to see position clamps on the hi-hat, cymbal tilter straight/boom arms and tom holders called “position clamps” rather than “memory-lock systems.” These drums offer an overall return-to-basics sensibility and a refreshing practicality. true 131 2009-11-04T21:29:52-05:00 false 25274 178 true 87 2009-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

Our reviewer (and drummer) Jim Miller takes the Yamaha Absolute Maple Drum Set for a spin around a few gigs in Philly.

2009-11-07T20:47:50-05:00

4 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 was to steal the jazz-guitar market away from Gibson, whose hollowbody models were bop staples. With its gentler, single-coil soapbar pickups; an “offset-waist,” contoured alder body that better accommodated a seated playing position; a new vibrato system; and precise circuitry that allowed for two tonal presets, it could provide cool, rich tones while harboring the attributes of Fender’s massively successful Stratocaster: a full, 25 1/2-inch scale length, comfort, durability, modern aesthetics and that novel tremolo arm. All of that surely looked fabulous on paper, but go ahead and try to find documentation of a traditional jazz master playing a Jazzmaster. Guitar buffs frequently point to Joe Pass, who very sparsely used both the Jazzmaster and its shorter-scale sister instrument, the Jaguar, which debuted in 1962. As the story goes, Pass played a J-master only because it was the lone guitar available to him during his stint at Synanon Rehab Center. (The guitar actually belonged to the facility, and can be heard on Pass’ curious 1962 LP Sounds of Synanon [Pacific], recorded with other musician-patients.) Instead of Jim Hall and Kenny Burrell, the model’s earliest high-profile advocates were ’60s surf and rock and roll instrumentalists like the Ventures’ Bob Bogle. Later, in the mid-1970s, the Jazzmaster was adopted by singular artists searching for an equally conspicuous instrument. These players, coalescing under the banner of punk, included Elvis Costello (whose signature Jazzmaster was released last year) and Television’s Tom Verlaine. Jazzmasters had fallen out of general favor, and could be obtained cheaply at pawnshops and second-hand stores. Of all the bands who eventually came to the Jazzmaster through the punk prism, none were more dependent on (or inventive with) the instrument than Sonic Youth, who took to the J-master’s larger scale length in the late 1980s after having played Jaguars for years. The group’s guitarists, Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo, are products of postpunk and New York’s experimental downtown scene in equal parts, Glenn Branca disciples who’ve become unlikely guitar heroes by fusing their explorations with keen songcraft. (They’re still very much at it, having released an excellent new album, The Eternal [Matador], earlier this year.) These two men are, in a funny and bizarre fashion, extremely deserving of signature-model guitars while also being some of the last guys you’d expect to receive (or even accept) them. As Sonic Youth has carved through its fascinating, nearly 30-year-long career, Ranaldo and Moore have become increasingly active in free improvisation, collaborating often with members of the jazz avant-garde. Ranaldo has a longstanding union with the drummer William Hooker, and Moore has recorded with such out players as saxophonists Evan Parker and Paul Flaherty; while some of these experiments are more successful than others, all prove the indelible connection between rock-guitar sonics and fire-music skronk. Another fearlessly improvising guitarist with whom Ranaldo and Moore have performed and recorded, last month’s cover subject Nels Cline, religiously plays a ’59 Jazzmaster. While he is also a member of an A-list alternative-rock band, Wilco, Cline came from the improvised-music scene and commands respect in jazz circles. He’s been a member of Julius Hemphill’s band, interpreted John Coltrane’s Interstellar Space with drummer Gregg Bendian, paid album-length homage to pianist Andrew Hill (2006’s New Monastery), and long been a principal of the L.A.-based Cryptogramophone label. So, in its odd and circuitous way, the Jazzmaster has become something of a jazz guitar—known not so much for Johnny Smith-style subtleties but rather for its physicality and ability to channel swaths of earsplitting feedback. (Not surprisingly, a primary complaint in the late ’50s was that the guitar fed back too much and that its pickups were too noisy.) Released this past summer and retailing online at around $1,500 each, the Moore and Ranaldo Signature Jazzmasters were developed through years of “research” by two guitarists who exploit the electric guitar’s idiomatic elements to the point of abuse: two-plus decades of behind-the-bridge picking, sledgehammer strumming, hard-wrung vibrato setups, alternate tunings and heavy-gauge strings (as one guitar tech says in the included booklet, cleverly designed to look like a ’zine, the lightest string on any Sonic Youth guitar is a .014). While this sort of extreme use has turned Moore and Ranaldo’s instruments into lovingly mangled workhorses, the Sonic Youth signatures are stunning instruments out of their black hardshell cases. Both instruments have satin-black painted headstocks and alder bodies finished in satin nitrocellulose lacquer, the Moore model in Forest Green and the Ranaldo in Saphire Blue. Both feature Fender/Gotoh vintage-style tuning machines, C-shape maple necks topped with 21-fret rosewood fingerboards and anodized aluminum pickguards, a feature of the 1958 models that was abandoned by the ’60s. And both of these very different-sounding guitars boast a sleek, minimalist look provided by a barebones electronics scheme: Each model features a three-way toggle and a master volume control and nothing more. (On the Ranaldo, the knob is set closer to the bridge pickup, inviting volume swells but getting in the way during more aggressive picking.) Therein lies these guitars’ most dramatic modification, and biggest to-buy-or-not-to-buy factor. Standard Jazzmasters—say, the great American Vintage Series ’62 model Fender currently offers—include separate controls for two circuits. One circuit is tweaked via the toggle and volume and tone knobs; flipping a two-position slide into the “up” position activates only the neck pickup, at that point controlled by volume and tone wheels. Moore and Ranaldo, for maintenance’s sake, and after too many gigs during which they accidentally moved the rhythm/lead slide, began removing all that clever circuitry long ago. This effectively renders the guitar a weapon of sorts, and after seeing how dramatically Moore and Ranaldo manhandle these instruments live, it’s easy to see why they’d want to streamline the electronics and save their knob-twisting efforts for the amp heads and pedals. Tested with a variety of Fender tube combo amps and a Roland Jazz Chorus, each guitar delivered terrific harmonic overtones and, when fed through a bevy of choice stompboxes, among them an Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi and a BOSS Space Echo, shaped distorted feedback with a rare sense of control. Different pickup configurations granted each guitar a unique sound. The Moore, with its Antiquity II Jazzmaster pickups by Seymour Duncan, holds all of the classic Jazzmaster tones and quirks while running a bit hotter and crispier, especially at the low and high ends. They’re noisy, especially in the bridge and neck positions, though when your Pro Co RAT is clicked and cranked that buzz will be an afterthought. In clean settings, activating both pickups by flipping the toggle to the middle position yields the reverb-friendly surf sounds that are this instrument’s bread and butter. Ranaldo’s model, correctly termed the “Jazzblaster,” features two of Fender’s Wide Range humbuckers, revoiced to sound properly vintage, like the pickups he ripped out of a favorite old Telecaster Deluxe. This guitar has the fat, authoritative sound typical of humbuckers, with a crystalline quality indicative of the Wide Range models in particular. As far as playability, these slabs just feel right, especially if you, like Moore, Cline and this writer, are lean and lanky with big hands. It’s like a guitar by the Big & Tall Shop, with its fleshed-out scale length and long body, and it sits brilliantly on the lap when playing seated (an original lure for the jazz picker). Both guitars feature Fender’s American Vintage Jazzmaster tremolo system, with different bridges: a thinly veiled copy of Gibson’s Tune-o-Matic, dubbed the “Adjusto-mastic,” for the Moore and a Fender Mustang bridge for the Ranaldo. The extra-long, lockable trem arm is great for surf-style shimmer or Sonic Youth-ish squawks, and keeps decent tuning and intonation without the finicky qualities of a Floyd Rose (though something Rose-equipped would be more dimensional, pitch-wise). Problems arose with strings popping out of their saddles, particularly the thinner strings on the Ranaldo, and especially during single-note lines. (Jazzmasters have adapted well to alt-rock, but they still don’t host heavy-metal tomfoolery.) The addition of a simple “buzz stop” device would add saddle stability and increase sustain. But again, the largest caveat here is also a premier selling point. Unless you’re the most savage experimental picker the Lower East Side has ever known, or, probably more likely, an ardent collector of all things Sonic Youth, you’d probably get something out of some additional tone controls. A vintage Jazzmaster’s rhythm circuit can help dial in those warm, phony-hollowbody tones for comping, and when playing in more rocking settings, the two-position slide can act like a sort of kill switch. And while the SY axes are clearly designed to the needs and whims of two brilliantly eccentric players, a single tone knob wouldn’t have destroyed the aesthetic here; the Ranaldo’s humbuckers would take beautifully to dull, ’70s fuzz tones, and the Moore to original Jazzmaster plunk. Though it’s hard to expect such compromises from a band whose reputation is as a beacon of artistic integrity—that one Starbucks compilation notwithstanding true 292 2009-10-12T21:24:16-04:00 false 25186 177 true 87 2009-11-01T00:00:00-04:00

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 was to steal the jazz-guitar market away from Gibson, whose hollowbody models were bop staples. With its gentler, single-coil soapbar pickups; an “offset-waist,” contoured alder body that better accommodated a seated playing position; a new vibrato system; and precise circuitry that allowed for two tonal presets, it could provide cool, rich tones while harboring the attributes of Fender’s massively successful Stratocaster: a full, 25 1/2-inch scale length, comfort, durability, modern aesthetics and that novel tremolo arm. All of that surely looked fabulous on paper, but go ahead and try to find documentation of a traditional jazz master playing a Jazzmaster. Guitar buffs frequently point to Joe Pass, who very sparsely used both the Jazzmaster and its shorter-scale sister instrument, the Jaguar, which debuted in 1962. As the story goes, Pass played a J-master only because it was the lone guitar available to him during his stint at Synanon Rehab Center. (The guitar actually belonged to the facility, and can be heard on Pass’ curious 1962 LP Sounds of Synanon [Pacific], recorded with other musician-patients.) Instead of Jim Hall and Kenny Burrell, the model’s earliest high-profile advocates were ’60s surf and rock and roll instrumentalists like the Ventures’ Bob Bogle. Later, in the mid-1970s, the Jazzmaster was adopted by singular artists searching for an equally conspicuous instrument. These players, coalescing under the...

2009-10-20T12:21:41-04:00

4 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 or for worse, I didn’t ask what kind of amp it was—I jumped at the chance to not lug my 2x12 combo to the show. And wouldn’t you know it? Millionaires have nice stuff. Onstage that night was a blackface Fender Deluxe Reverb—vintage for sure, and worn in all the right spots. It’s embarrassing to write that at that point I was years into my musical “career” and had still never played through a Deluxe—blackface, vintage or otherwise. And, being a guy who was used to the clarity of a Twin Reverb, the Deluxe left me a bit bewildered. I was accustomed to having a lot of headroom—I like my basic sound clean and clear—and it didn’t take much for that Deluxe to break up into overdrive. As sweet as that crunchy Deluxe sound might have been, the experience made me wary of 1x12 combo tube amps for quite a while. When I recently got to know the Rambler from Carr Amplifiers, I formed a new opinion altogether. Sure, the Rambler offers less headroom than a Twin, but compared to a Deluxe, it sounds like the foyer at the Taj Mahal (which I’ve never visited but I imagine the ceilings reach the heavens). The Rambler is sweet (as it should be, listing for $2,290), and it’s sweet for at least two reasons: its pentode/triode switch and its smooth-as-glass tremolo. Everything else—its deep, three-dimensional clean tone; its classy aesthetics; its near-dead quietness—is icing on a very tasty cake. The pentode/triode switch effectively makes the Rambler two amps in one. I’d need to go back to school (probably for a long time) to understand the difference between pentodes and triodes, but this much I know: Put the Rambler in triode mode and it operates at 14 watts. Flick over to pentode mode and the output doubles to 28. Naturally, it’s in the higher-wattage setting that you find the glorious headroom. Within that space I found a clean sound that just felt alive as it came out of the amp. The Rambler really responds to expressive playing. Any amp junkie will have already guessed that the Rambler employs the same type of power tubes as a Fender Deluxe: a pair of 6L6s, with the requisite 12AX7-type valves filling out the chassis. And, as such, the Rambler sounds as American as the tailpipe on a high-handle-barred Harley cruising the open road. It’ll really do you good for all the classic sounds of jazz, blues, blues-rock, rockabilly and country and Western. Feed it with the right stompboxes and you should be satisfied with how it can deliver sounds for hard rock, fusion and even heavy-metal. (If you are a diehard metalhead—and by that I mean the kind of metalhead who actually worships Satan—you’ll want something else. By the way, why are you reading JazzTimes?!) The Rambler features a standard set of controls for a single-channel amp. Chicken-head knobs are supplied on the top of the cabinet for volume, equalization (treble, middle, bass), reverb and tremolo depth and speed. I did find it curious that the included footswitch controls only the tremolo, turning it on and off. It’d be nice to have the same option for the reverb. And I like to have an effects loop, which the Rambler doesn’t offer. There are other speaker configurations available for the Rambler, including an option for a head unit. The 1x12 includes an Eminence Wizard speaker, which seems to be a great cone for classic tone. And while the unit sent for review came wrapped in the deep red, “wine” tolex covering, the standard is black and any other covering costs another hundred bucks (the stylin’ “cowboy” option seen on Carr’s Web site looks well worth the money). For a variety of reasons, boutique amps like the Rambler cost more money than similar amps from larger manufacturers. In this case, I’d say what you’re paying for—beyond the great tone—is top-notch craftsmanship, hand-wired electronics and thoughtful, well-researched design that adds up to a solid piece of dependable equipment. If a Rambler happened to be the next house amp I met onstage at a gig one night, I’d know my tone was in good hands. true 202 2009-10-03T13:19:35-04:00 false 25115 175 true 87 2009-10-01T00:00:00-04:00

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 or for worse, I didn’t ask what kind of amp it was—I jumped at the chance to not lug my 2x12 combo to the show. And wouldn’t you know it? Millionaires have nice stuff. Onstage that night was a blackface Fender Deluxe Reverb—vintage for sure, and worn in all the right spots. It’s embarrassing to write that at that point I was years into my musical “career” and had still never played through a Deluxe—blackface, vintage or otherwise. And, being a guy who was used to the clarity of a Twin Reverb, the Deluxe left me a bit bewildered. I was accustomed to having a lot of headroom—I like my basic sound clean and clear—and it didn’t take much for that Deluxe to break up into overdrive. As sweet as that crunchy Deluxe sound might have been, the experience made me wary of 1x12 combo tube amps for quite a while. When I recently got to know the Rambler from Carr Amplifiers, I formed a new opinion altogether. Sure, the Rambler offers less headroom than a Twin, but compared to a Deluxe, it sounds like the foyer at the Taj Mahal (which I’ve never visited but I imagine the ceilings reach the heavens). The Rambler is...

2009-10-03T13:19:35-04:00

4 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 the past with the design of the future. For years the name Theo Wanne was associated with all things vintage. First instruments, then mouthpieces and custom mouthpiece refacing: A player could do his or her one-stop shopping for the finest saxophone wares through Mr. Wanne. Wanne’s Web site was and is a historian’s vault filled with information and pictures of those aforementioned classics. Today Theo and his brother Tom are celebrating the two-year anniversary of their classic tenor mouthpiece line. With seven styles available in a variety of finishes and sizes, there is a world of sounds and feels available for the modern saxophone player. Theo’s mouthpieces use what he calls a “True Large Chamber,” which means that they have significantly larger chambers than the bore of the mouthpiece. These tenor mouthpieces are beautifully crafted in brass (the Parvati and Ambika lines are also available in Stable Wood), with a choice of a gold finish, old-school-evoking Vintified finish or, for $25 extra, Rhodium finish. All mouthpieces are created using CNC technology, given a serial number and accompanied by a custom leather pouch, Reed Replacer Cap, replaceable bite pad and, except for the wood models, a Liberty Ligature. I was fortunate to be able to test the entire line. From brightest to darkest, the mouthpieces tested were the Durga (8), Kali (7*), Amma II (7*), Parvati Stable Wood (6*), Gaia (7*) and the Ambika (6*). Again, each mouthpiece has the patented True Large Chamber, but the level and degree of baffle differ. The Durga ($775 retail) has a high and long baffle; the Kali also has a high baffle, just shorter. The Amma has a medium-high baffle, the Parvati and Gaia have low baffles, and the Ambika has no baffle at all. I found that using a recording device helped me understand the complexity of these mouthpieces. Theo has referenced other makers to guide the player in choosing a model that is similar to what they use (e.g., Guardala, Otto Link, Lawton, etc.), but I found these mouthpieces to be like nothing I have played before. The player can be deceived if only listening from behind the horn. You experience the depth of a large chamber mouthpiece but have none of the backpressure. Furthermore, you hear edge and projection, yet it is not until you are out front that you experience the depth. You cannot truly get a sense of the complexity unless you place yourself in the audience. Where each piece has a different character, they all play with tremendous ease. Attacks are effortless and the scale is even and full. The profile is neither thin nor thick. Those used to playing hard rubber or vintage will feel right at home. The Durga is the brightest and boldest of the line. It is a fiercely powerful mouthpiece, ideal for the player who has to compete with electronics. I thought it was too bright and edgy until I listened to the playback. Although bright, it had tremendous depth, warmth and focus. The Kali ($775), next in the line, was a bit raspy. It had depth and character, but I kept getting a harsh edge, no matter what reed I used. I also found this model to be somewhat limiting in color. Although this model referenced the Guardala Brecker models of old, I could not make that same comparison. The Amma II ($775) had much more complexity and depth with a greater midrange. It is no surprise that this is a favorite among players who try it. However, this model was sent in the Vintified finish, which had a black oily residue on it. After carefully washing the mouthpiece I was able to remove the excess residue, but it still tasted horrible—a definite turnoff. My favorite pieces were the Parvati, which came in the optional Stable Wood ($700), the Gaia and Ambika. The Parvati played like a dream. Totally effortless, with an ease and tone quality I had yet to encounter. It took any reed that I threw at it and asked for more. The Ambika ($775) was a total experience. Having no baffle and coming in a 6*, I was expecting it to be dull with little projection. To the contrary, it played with a tone à la the Texas Tenors of old. It had tremendous range and flexibility. The Gaia ($775) was created to replace the metal version of the Parvati, with the Florida Link player in mind. It didn’t quite feel like a Link but it had a full, complex tone with the right projection. Each mouthpiece (minus the Parvati Stable Wood) came with an Otto Link-esque Liberty Ligature that attaches directly to the mouthpiece via screws. The player can choose a variety of different tone plates and can reposition the ligature in one of five positions along the mouthpiece. While I can see the advantages of having a semi-fixed ligature, I have a problem with having to get the screwdriver out to move it on a gig (not to mention the fact that I’d probably lose the screwdriver shortly after buying the mouthpiece). I liked the removable bite plate. This is a recessed area in which the player can insert an interchangeable pad, similar to a mouthpiece patch. You can choose a variety of plates, from soft to firm, depending on your preference. One accessory I didn’t like was the Reed Replacer Cap. This is a plastic cap that covers the tip of the mouthpiece and extends, like a reed, to fit under the ligature plate. This is a great idea, unless you want to use the ligature while the reed is on the mouthpiece. Now let’s get down to brass tacks, or in this case, the gold standard. Theo Wanne mouthpieces sell in the $700-800 range, making them one of the most expensive custom mouthpieces available, more in line with the prices being commanded for vintage mouthpieces. This price is going to make any Theo Wanne mouthpiece less of a purchase and more of an investment. These mouthpieces are not for casual musicians or wannabes. They do not create sounds; they refine them. After playing the entire line I found each mouthpiece gave me a different option. These mouthpieces are akin to a violinist choosing a custom bow or a pianist choosing an American or German Steinway. They don’t make an artist—they simply make the artist better. true 240 2009-10-08T16:25:57-04:00 false 25162 176 true 87 2009-08-01T00:00:00-04:00

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 the past with the design of the future. For years the name Theo Wanne was associated with all things vintage. First instruments, then mouthpieces and custom mouthpiece refacing: A player could do his or her one-stop shopping for the finest saxophone wares through Mr. Wanne. Wanne’s Web site was and is a historian’s vault filled with information and pictures of those aforementioned classics. Today Theo and his brother Tom are celebrating the two-year anniversary of their classic tenor mouthpiece line. With seven styles available in a variety of finishes and sizes, there is a world of sounds and feels available for the modern saxophone player. Theo’s mouthpieces use what he calls a “True Large Chamber,” which means that they have significantly larger chambers than the bore of the mouthpiece. These tenor mouthpieces are beautifully crafted in brass (the Parvati and Ambika lines are also available in Stable Wood), with a choice of a gold finish, old-school-evoking Vintified finish or, for $25 extra, Rhodium finish. All mouthpieces are created using CNC technology, given a serial number and accompanied by a custom leather pouch, Reed Replacer Cap, replaceable bite pad and, except for the wood models, a Liberty Ligature. I was fortunate to be able to test the entire...

2009-10-08T16:36:20-04:00

4 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 pricing, but also a particularly broad, innovative range of sounds among its multiple cymbal lines. Two of those lines have new items. Sabian’s B20 bronze Vault cymbals are part of a limited-quantity collection, not a series, and new Vault Artisan hi-hats and crashes feature the cymbal artists’ personalized signatures and one-of-a-kind numbers. They even come in individual, Artisan-embossed lined cloth sleeves for extra protection. The new Memphis Ride, part of Sabian’s B20 cast bronze AAX cymbals, brings warmth and depth to the series with the slogan of “modern bright.” The Artisan hi-hats offer variety, coming in 13-, 14- and 15-inch pairs, each with a medium top hat and noticeably heavy bottom hat. All were created using high-density hand hammering by an individual Sabian artist. The smallest set ($509 online), crafted by Mark Love, offers the clarity associated with 13-inch hi-hats, plus more volume than expected. The top hat is high-pitched and crisp whether played with the pair closed or open, and cuts through whether struck with drumsticks or hybrids like Pro-Mark Hot Rods. But played with brushes, the smaller hi-hats may get lost in the mix in anything other than all-acoustic situations. Even played with sticks, especially outdoors, this pair can be drowned out if a band’s volume increases. Put a microphone on them, and that problem is solved. Love also designed the 14-inch set ($579), the most popular size among hi-hats. These possess similar qualities to the 13-inch pair, yet expectedly cut through better in both indoor and outdoor settings without microphones, especially when played with sticks. Versatile, the middle pair plays well on everything from quiet ballads to accelerated, higher-volume pieces. Ted Kaye’s 15-inch hi-hats ($635), however, are the pleasant surprise of the three sets. Fifteen-inch hats are relatively rare because of the inherent muddiness associated with their larger size, but there’s only a modicum of that trait in this pair. That small demerit is offset by additional volume and surprising clarity, especially when played with sticks. Opened and closed by foot, the pair produces crisp “chick” (without being struck) and “wash” sounds (while being struck) that surprisingly rival the two smaller sets of hats. All three are advertised on the Sabian Web site as “deeply dark and rich,” characteristics that apply primarily to the 15-inch hi-hats, although Sabian also serves notice that each Vault Artisan cymbal’s pitch “varies by model.” Of course, the pitch of all cymbals also varies by placement in a room or outdoors. The 13-inch pair, for instance, sounded better in a small indoor setting—with a carpeted floor, lots of wood and a high ceiling—than on an outdoor stage. The 14-inch hats were more audible outdoors than their smaller counterparts, yet were also better indoors, while the 15-inch set cut through both atmospheres. Love also designed the new 16- and 18-inch Vault Artisan crashes (with the tag of “fast, dark and dirty”). Each of the thin cymbals qualified as fast in attack, although the 16-inch model’s pitch variations certainly didn’t include dark or dirty. Rather, the 16-inch ($349) came across as bright, dry and loud, especially when hit hard outdoors. Inside, it sounded better, although both crashes also varied greatly in tone and pitch depending on how hard they were struck—and what they were struck with. Hit the 16-inch lightly with sticks, or harder with hybrids or brushes, and it’s darker and dirtier. Played with mallets, it’s loud and trashy. The 18-inch crash ($409) proved more versatile, although deafening when struck aggressively with a stick. Also louder outdoors and a better indoor cymbal overall, the larger crash sounded best when struck in moderation, and proved darker and moodier when hit with hybrids, brushes or mallets. Sabian’s 21-inch AAX Memphis Ride ($289) proved a wild card. With its dark, natural finish and single-line lathing, it resembled another of the company’s recent efforts, the Vault Crossover Ride. But the medium Memphis Ride certainly doesn’t qualify as “modern bright,” the AAX motto. It’s dark and dry when played with sticks from the outer edge toward the middle, and its volume is moderate. Deep and trashy when used as a crash, the cymbal can also deliver a low, rumbling swell when played with mallets. Though the Memphis Ride doesn’t quite equal the volume and articulation of the medium-thin Vault Crossover overall, it is superior in one regard. Played on its oversized bell, the cymbal sings, especially with sticks or hybrids. Its overall quiet nature could make the Memphis Ride a good jazz cymbal. But for soulful off-beat ride patterns and accents, its greatest gift, and what truly makes this cymbal live up to its name, is its Memphis bell. true 10419 2009-04-20T11:38:20-04:00 false 24603 174 true 87 2009-05-01T00:00:00-04:00

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 pricing, but also a particularly broad, innovative range of sounds among its multiple cymbal lines. Two of those lines have new items. Sabian’s B20 bronze Vault cymbals are part of a limited-quantity collection, not a series, and new Vault Artisan hi-hats and crashes feature the cymbal artists’ personalized signatures and one-of-a-kind numbers. They even come in individual, Artisan-embossed lined cloth sleeves for extra protection. The new Memphis Ride, part of Sabian’s B20 cast bronze AAX cymbals, brings warmth and depth to the series with the slogan of “modern bright.” The Artisan hi-hats offer variety, coming in 13-, 14- and 15-inch pairs, each with a medium top hat and noticeably heavy bottom hat. All were created using high-density hand hammering by an individual Sabian artist. The smallest set ($509 online), crafted by Mark Love, offers the clarity associated with 13-inch hi-hats, plus more volume than expected. The top hat is high-pitched and crisp whether played with the pair closed or open, and cuts through whether struck with drumsticks or hybrids like Pro-Mark Hot Rods. But played with brushes, the smaller hi-hats may get lost in the mix in anything other than all-acoustic situations. Even played with sticks, especially outdoors, this pair can be drowned out if a band’s volume increases. Put a microphone on them, and that problem...

2009-04-23T12:22:27-04:00

4 Get a Tune-Up Ranging from inexpensive handheld gadgets to tuner/metronome combos to compact pedals, the BOSS brand’s line of chromatic tuners has been ubiquitous among guitarists and bassists for years. Brass and woodwind players can now get the precision and convenience of a BOSS tuner with the TU-12BW. Tuning can be done two ways with the model, either via an internal mic or using the included clip-on contact mic. Using BOSS’s “Accu-Pitch,” the tuner beeps when the pitch is accurate. bossus.com A New Hammond, Not a B3 The result of a collaboration between organ giant Hammond and top harmonica company Suzuki, the Hammond 44 Acoustic-Electric Melodion features an unprecedented 44-key range, crystalline sound reproduction and impressive playability options. The three included mouthpieces allow for different playing positions: With the shortest, the Hammond 44 can be played like a trumpet; a flexible mouthpiece makes for Keytar-like performance; and a long “L joint” mouthpiece allows the instrument to be played like a typical keyboard. Recommended for any player looking to add dub-like melodica or Toots Thielemans tones to his or her arsenal. hammondorganco.com 100 Years Strong Ludwig turns 100 in 2009, and what better way to celebrate than release a slew of new kits and snares? At the NAMM show back in January, a couple new kits caught JazzTimes’ eye: the Epic Standard series with stylish aged hardware, and the Epic X-Over series, particularly the Epic X-Over Striped Jazzette kit in natural finish (pictured). In so many words, it’s a bopper’s dream. ludwig-drums.com true 261 2009-04-20T11:46:11-04:00 false 24604 174 true 86 2009-05-01T00:00:00-04:00

Get a Tune-Up Ranging from inexpensive handheld gadgets to tuner/metronome combos to compact pedals, the BOSS brand’s line of chromatic tuners has been ubiquitous among guitarists and bassists for years. Brass and woodwind players can now get the precision and convenience of a BOSS tuner with the TU-12BW. Tuning can be done two ways with the model, either via an internal mic or using the included clip-on contact mic. Using BOSS’s “Accu-Pitch,” the tuner beeps when the pitch is accurate. bossus.com A New Hammond, Not a B3 The result of a collaboration between organ giant Hammond and top harmonica company Suzuki, the Hammond 44 Acoustic-Electric Melodion features an unprecedented 44-key range, crystalline sound reproduction and impressive playability options. The three included mouthpieces allow for different playing positions: With the shortest, the Hammond 44 can be played like a trumpet; a flexible mouthpiece makes for Keytar-like performance; and a long “L joint” mouthpiece allows the instrument to be played like a typical keyboard. Recommended for any player looking to add dub-like melodica or Toots Thielemans tones to his or her arsenal. hammondorganco.com 100 Years Strong Ludwig turns 100 in 2009, and what better way to celebrate than release a slew of new kits and snares? At the NAMM show back in January, a couple new kits caught JazzTimes’ eye: the Epic Standard series with stylish aged hardware, and the Epic X-Over series, particularly the Epic X-Over Striped Jazzette kit in natural finish (pictured). In so many words, it’s a bopper’s dream. ludwig-drums.com

2009-04-23T12:22:10-04:00

4 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 markets. Post-show reports claimed a three percent decrease in registrants, and foot traffic at the show’s first two days appeared leaner than recent years, but several major manufacturers expanded the size and scope of their booths, and the celebrity factor was off the charts. (Billy Bob Thornton isn’t bad on the drums, by the way.) As usual, jazz’s presence at the show, despite a killer Vandoren VandoJam and Dr. Lonnie Smith’s Hammond demos, was minimal when compared to that of rock and pop. But there were glimmers of hope: At a Yamaha press conference with Alicia Keys, the R&B goddess claimed to love Bill Evans. Stopping by the P. Mauriat booth to check out the sax maker’s new professional trumpet, I witnessed powerhouse James Carter mop the floor with a few prominent smooth-jazzers (Najee, you should have known better). If that’s not progress, I don’t know what is. And on to the goods… Swing Low There was plenty happening at Fender’s area, which was enlarged at this show and featured the always-popular concert stage. On the bass front, Fender debuted the Artist Series Steve Bailey Jazz Bass VI (six-string) in fretted and un-fretted editions. (True fans of the session ace and Bass Extremes co-founder will opt for the fretless version, obviously.) Marcus Miller was on hand at the Fender booth’s SWR nook, funking out on his signature preamp, which was introduced at NAMM’s Summer 2008 show. The Marcus Miller Bass Preamp is a sleek-looking single-channel unit, meticulously designed by the musician-composer-producer, that boasts some interesting features, among them three separate inputs (two in the front, one in the back) and excellent equalization capabilities. Key Plays Big news in keys came from Yamaha and Roland, both of whom offered startling new pianos with innovative technologies. Roland’s decade-in-the-making V-Piano uses the company’s acclaimed COSM technology to simulate the entire process at work inside an acoustic piano, rather than mere sampled reproductions of acoustic timbre. A demo of the grand-piano simulation was mighty impressive (particularly in the area of decay), a credit to what Roland has dubbed the instrument’s “living piano core,” where “virtual strings”—this digital piano can be tuned—produce lifelike tone. The realism continues with the Progressive Hammer-Action keyboard itself, 88 keys with convincing weight and Ivory quality. The V-Piano, which includes electric piano sounds in addition to acoustic, is now available for pre-order online at just under $6,000. For those wanting a concert-grand simulation that retains some of the physical elegance of the original, Yamaha’s Avant Grand is a great-sounding, great-looking, petite “hybrid” piano. The instrument combines the tonal results of a painstaking digital sampling process with a Tactile Response System that gives players the feel of a vibrating, resonating, hammer-and-strings grand. A four-channel speaker system delivers crystalline sound. The Avant Grand is scheduled to ship in July. Over at the Motion Sound booth, the premier carrier of the organ-jazz torch, Joey DeFrancesco, grooved through his signature-model amplifier. The MS-360/5 is a 500-watt spherical-projection keyboard amp that literally rotates the signal around the room. Another Motion Sound model offering this surround sound is the MS-360/1, which is available in the usual rugged black Polymaric or the more parlor-suited red walnut. Strings & Things Fender launched the Road Worn series, vintage-styled editions of Strats, Teles, P-Basses and Jazz Basses made to look like the player has been on world tour for the past 30 years. While Fender has been offering this highly detailed, deceptively complex “relic” look for years through its Custom Shop, this affordable new series, with online prices under a grand for the guitars and roughly $1,200 for the basses, allows anyone to pick up an instant workhorse ax. Of added interest to the jazz set is the Road Worn ’60s Jazz Bass in three-color sunburst, which suggests Jaco Pastorius’ favorite instrument. On the Fender amp front was a new series that should be ubiquitous on the bandstand in no time. The Fender VM line (“VM” for “Vintage Modified”) matches the organic qualities of classic Fender tube amps with great-sounding modern effects. The 40-watt, one-12 Fender Deluxe VM takes its cue from Fender’s wildly popular tube combos, and adds some welcomed features. While the Hot Rod series harbored gritty enough overdrive for hard blues and some styles of rock, players seeking a more metallic, higher-gain distortion were left out in the cold. The Deluxe VM offers extremely convincing, heavy-metal-approved gain, as well as footswitch-able, Fender-developed Digital Signal Processing effects, including reverb, chorus/vibrato and delay. While it might seem like sacrilege for the company to forgo Fender spring reverb, the digital reverb is remarkably natural sounding. These electronics are also available in a 40-watt head unit, the Band-Master VM, to be used with the Band-Master two-12 speaker enclosure. The Maryland-based Paul Reed Smith company isn’t just a manufacturer of high-quality electric guitars anymore; it now offers high-quality amps and acoustic guitars. The three amp models, which JazzTimes first reported on after checking them out at the Maryland factory this past September, are simple, boutique-quality, hand-wired, single-channel amps, all available as 50- and 100-watt heads or in various combo versions. At a demonstration with a full-band, the upholstery-covered Dallas, Blue Sierra and Original Sewell models evoked all sorts of vintage gems: Was that an old blackface Fender? A Vox? An early Marshall? Little wonder jazz-savvy slide-wonder Derek Trucks is into them. They’re not bebop archtops, but they sure sounded pretty: PRS’ new acoustic models, the Angelus and Tonare Grand, are two much-rumored-about instruments that live up to the hype. While the guitars themselves offer genuine PRS craftsmanship and stunning looks, what most impressed was the optional PRS Pickup system. At what was one of the show’s most ingenious demonstrations, master fingerstylist Tony McManus was recorded via the pickup system and then acoustically through microphones, and the resulting sound was eerily similar. For those who thought every acoustic-electric pickup configuration made steel strings sound like rubber bands, the instruments are a must-hear. There was often a healthy crowd hovered around the Ribbecke Guitar Corp. booth, and for good reason. Ribbecke’s designs take archtop guitar building, a field obsessed with recreation and tradition, back to the future. Eye-catching design concepts, like an asymmetrical body and a soundhole next to the neck, gave models like the Halfling Jazz Guitar, Thinline Halfling Guitar, and Bobby Vega Halfling Bass deep, lovely tones. For those seeking solid, classic electric-archtop tone for cheap, Canadian manufacturer Godin debuted a “Kingpin” edition of its 5th Avenue guitar that adds a P-90 pickup. Drums Centennials are all the rage with drum companies: Last year it was Gretsch who launched a slew of new kits in honor of the company’s 100th anniversary; this year, Ludwig celebrated the big 1-0-0 with sets and snares. Among the noteworthy gear at the company’s you-can’t-miss-it-sized display was a new kit for Max Roach disciples, the Epic X-Over Striped Jazzette series, seen at the show in a beautiful banded natural finish. In cymbals, Sabian launched its AAX Series Memphis Ride as well as new crashes and hi-hats in the hand-hammered, boutique-ish Vault Artisan series. Zildjian showcased noteworthy pieces including those in the Vinnie Colaiuta-designed A Custom ReZo series, a collection of, according to PR lit, “high pitched and musical” crashes, hi-hats, rides, splashes and pangs. Also new from Zildjian is the 21-inch K Custom Hybrid ride, a medium-heavy cymbal that combines an unlathed inner section with a lathed outer portion. Pearl made waves with its aggressively named Eliminator Demon Drive single- and double-bass pedals. Utilizing ball bearings originally designed for skateboard wheels, this NAMM Best in Show award-winner claims to be the “fastest, smoothest, most versatile pedal in the world,” an attempt to give the drummer immediate response and absolute control. Horns ’n’ Things Vandoren’s VandoJam is one of the few annual shindigs NAMM-bound jazz fans can look forward to. The 2009 installment was no different, offering a hearty blowing session before the shred-metal onslaught expected in the days to come. Ralph Bowen consistently proved himself a consummate modern-mainstream tenorman—at the Jam, at the Vando booth, and elsewhere throughout the weekend. Vandoren introduced its Java RED alto and tenor reeds, the Chicago-based company’s first file-cut jazz reed. Also new from Vando is an alto sax reed for the previously clarinet-only V-12 line, as well as some new packaging options in the “flow pack singles.” In mouthpieces, Theo Wanne, who will celebrate the second anniversary of his custom tenor mouthpiece line this summer, launched the Durga, a bright, bold tenor ’piece that features Wanne’s True Large Chamber design and is geared toward dynamic, powerful playing, from bop to bar-walking R&B. In brass, the P. Mauriat brand surprised devotees of its saxophone line by manufacturing a professional B-flat model trumpet. Designed for use in classical and jazz idioms, the horn is available in gold brass (the PMT-600G) and yellow brass (PMT-600Y). Yamaha displayed a stunning triptych of horns called the Limited Edition Black Phoenix series. These instruments—an alto sax, trombone and trumpet—are based on the Custom Z line, but finished in beautiful black lacquer and engraved with a new take on Yamaha’s classic phoenix logo. This is a pricey (alto MSRP: $5,099), limited-run series for the well-heeled player or collector—only 50 pieces each were manufactured for the trumpet and trombone models, and only 150 of hand-engraved alto saxes were made. (Click <A HREF=http://jazztimes.com/articles/21403-yamaha-yas-bp-alto-saxophone&lid=RSS_The%20Revolutionary%20AvantGrand%20Receives%20A%20Glowing%20Review%20In%20The%20Economist&lpos=RSS>here</a> for Chris Kelsey’s full-length YAS-82ZBP alto review.) true 292 2009-03-25T15:58:10-04:00 false 24401 138 true 87 2009-04-01T00:00:00-04:00 Recession? What recession?

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 markets. Post-show reports claimed a three percent decrease in registrants, and foot traffic at the show’s first two days appeared leaner than recent years, but several major manufacturers expanded the size and scope of their booths, and the celebrity factor was off the charts. (Billy Bob Thornton isn’t bad on the drums, by the way.) As usual, jazz’s presence at the show, despite a killer Vandoren VandoJam and Dr. Lonnie Smith’s Hammond demos, was minimal when compared to that of rock and pop. But there were glimmers of hope: At a Yamaha press conference with Alicia Keys, the R&B goddess claimed to love Bill Evans. Stopping by the P. Mauriat booth to check out the sax maker’s new professional trumpet, I witnessed powerhouse James Carter mop the floor with a few prominent smooth-jazzers (Najee, you should have known better). If that’s not progress, I don’t know what is. And on to the goods… Swing Low There was plenty happening at Fender’s area, which was enlarged at this show and featured the always-popular concert stage. On the bass front, Fender debuted the Artist Series Steve Bailey Jazz Bass VI (six-string) in fretted and un-fretted editions. (True fans of the session ace and Bass Extremes co-founder will opt for the fretless version, obviously.) Marcus Miller was on...

2009-05-12T12:56:08-04:00

4 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 I didn’t realize it at the time—I was only 10, and eBay had yet to be invented). When I needed a tenor in college, I played a Yamaha YTS-61. I eventually sold that and used the money to buy a soprano. My choice? You guessed it—a Yamaha. Recently, when I was in the market for a tenor, I bought a silver-plated Yamaha YTS-62. While I’ve played a lot of other horns, Yamahas have a special place in my heart. Why Yamaha? Price point has something to do with it. Yamaha has long provided a lot of horn for the money. Yet, when I bought my soprano in the early ’90s, money was no object, and I bought a Yamaha YSS-675 anyway. I tried every horn out there at the time, new and vintage, including a mint Mark VI, and the Yamaha was the best horn I played, at any price … and I wasn’t even aware at the time that there was an even better Yamaha model, the YSS-875. Bottom line: Yamaha saxes hold their own against pretty much anything out there. That they give more bang for the buck is a much-appreciated fillip. The subject of this review, the Yamaha YAS-82ZBP Custom alto saxophone (the “BP” a designation for Yamaha’s limited-run “Black Phoenix” series), has an MSRP of $5,099. That’s a healthy chunk of change by any measure, especially in today’s troubled economy. Yet compared with the cost of a Selmer or Keilwerth, it’s a great value, especially since the horn’s quality is on a par with those more expensive instruments. The horn comes in an attractive, full-sized hard case, with a padded surface of leather-like fabric. It’s lighter than the old-style Yamaha cases, and comes with a shoulder strap that makes it somewhat handy to carry, though it’s not as comfortable as, say, a Protec hard gig bag. The horn’s appearance is striking. The body and two-piece bell of annealed French brass are surfaced with a glossy black lacquer, which contrasts with yellow brass keys, posts and key guards. A peacock holding a tuning fork in its beak is engraved on the bell, along with the requisite Yamaha trademark and logos (one’s appreciation for the engraving might hinge on one’s affinity for large, prideful pheasants). The key buttons are mother of pearl, the tone holes are drawn, and the needle springs are made of blue steel. The waterproof leather pads feature plastic resonators. The horn comes standard with a high F-sharp key, although a version is available without it. Yamaha’s Custom G1 neck, its most open-bored, is standard equipment, although the company’s smaller-bored “M” series neck is optional. I tested the horn over a period of several weeks, using a Runyon #7 mouthpiece (sans “Spoiler”). During that time I was able to compare and contrast it with both a Mark VI and an old Martin stencil alto. Like virtually all horns that I’ve ever tried right out of the box, the action was high, a factor that complicated and slowed the process of evaluation (maybe one of these days, a company will send me a horn to review that’s been properly set up by a technician). After a few hours of playing, however, its many fine qualities began to manifest. The 82ZBP is free-blowing in all registers (thanks in no small part, I suspect, to the quite open G1 neck). The lower register speaks readily and profoundly. The middle and upper-register sound is a bit harsher than I expected—dark enough, but edgier than both the Mark VI and the Martin. The 82ZBP’s tone is less refined than either the Martin or the Selmer—more overtone-laden, less focused. That’s not to say its comparatively raucous temperament can’t be put to good use, but if one wants to use the 82ZBP as a classical horn, the Custom M1 neck might be the way to go. The horn seems much lighter than the Mark VI and, indeed, other Yamaha models I’ve played (YAS-61, YAS-875), which might cause it to play brighter as well. The 82ZBP’s intonation is fine. No saxophone plays perfectly in tune, of course, but this one requires minimal seat-of-the-pants adjustment. The horn has that extremely tight, well-crafted feel typical of Yamahas. It does not surrender subtle effects of tone and phrasing as easily as the Selmer, but the difference is slight. The positions of the keys are natural; the horn feels good in the hands. All told, the 82ZBP is a typical, and typically excellent, Yamaha saxophone. For the money, there’s no other horn I would recommend more highly. Price is far from being the best reason for buying this horn. The best reason? It’s a superb musical instrument. true 214 2009-03-04T15:35:36-05:00 false 21403 137 true 87 2009-03-01T00:00:00-05:00

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 I didn’t realize it at the time—I was only 10, and eBay had yet to be invented). When I needed a tenor in college, I played a Yamaha YTS-61. I eventually sold that and used the money to buy a soprano. My choice? You guessed it—a Yamaha. Recently, when I was in the market for a tenor, I bought a silver-plated Yamaha YTS-62. While I’ve played a lot of other horns, Yamahas have a special place in my heart. Why Yamaha? Price point has something to do with it. Yamaha has long provided a lot of horn for the money. Yet, when I bought my soprano in the early ’90s, money was no object, and I bought a Yamaha YSS-675 anyway. I tried every horn out there at the time, new and vintage, including a mint Mark VI, and the Yamaha was the best horn I played, at any price … and I wasn’t even aware at the time that there was an even better Yamaha model, the YSS-875. Bottom line: Yamaha saxes hold their own against pretty much anything out there. That they give more bang for the buck is a much-appreciated fillip. The subject of this review, the Yamaha YAS-82ZBP Custom alto saxophone (the “BP” a designation...

43327 2009-05-13T14:58:44-04:00

4 New Wind New in Akai Professional’s EWI series, the most prominent line of wind synths available, is the EWI USB, which combines terrific playability—breath modulation, transposing and octave shifting, pitch bends, a variety of fingering modes and adjustable vibrato complement its five-octave range—with computer capabilities. The instrument is compatible with Mac or PC, and comes with Aria software that features Garritan and Akai Professional samples. All available at an affordable $499 MSRP. akaipro.com Play Along iTunes? From jazz guitar monster Vinny Valentino comes playalongjazz.com, an online resource with a worthwhile catalog of standards-based accompaniment tracks. Like an iTunes store for the woodshedding jazz musician, the site offers individual downloads to suit most rehearsal needs—full-stereo recorded versions by Valentino for examples of what these tunes should sound like; inventively re-arranged renditions; tracks without melody, without harmony, without rhythm; and more. playalongjazz.com Taylor With a Bigsby?! Over the last few years, guitar fans have seen Taylor—a premium manufacturer of acoustic guitars—turn out exciting, unexpected models. Combining elements of the innovative acoustic/electric T5 model with the SolidBody series, the new T3—Taylor’s first solely semi-hollow electric—features a sapele body with a quilted maple top, a mahogany neck and “Style 2” humbuckers that can be coil-tapped for a wildly versatile array of tones. The new model is available in a wide variety of finishes, with either a standard stop tailpiece or a Bigsby Vibrato (model T3B, with added old-school flair). taylorguitars.com true 261 2009-03-04T15:39:15-05:00 false 21404 137 true 86 2009-03-01T00:00:00-05:00

New Wind New in Akai Professional’s EWI series, the most prominent line of wind synths available, is the EWI USB, which combines terrific playability—breath modulation, transposing and octave shifting, pitch bends, a variety of fingering modes and adjustable vibrato complement its five-octave range—with computer capabilities. The instrument is compatible with Mac or PC, and comes with Aria software that features Garritan and Akai Professional samples. All available at an affordable $499 MSRP. akaipro.com Play Along iTunes? From jazz guitar monster Vinny Valentino comes playalongjazz.com, an online resource with a worthwhile catalog of standards-based accompaniment tracks. Like an iTunes store for the woodshedding jazz musician, the site offers individual downloads to suit most rehearsal needs—full-stereo recorded versions by Valentino for examples of what these tunes should sound like; inventively re-arranged renditions; tracks without melody, without harmony, without rhythm; and more. playalongjazz.com Taylor With a Bigsby?! Over the last few years, guitar fans have seen Taylor—a premium manufacturer of acoustic guitars—turn out exciting, unexpected models. Combining elements of the innovative acoustic/electric T5 model with the SolidBody series, the new T3—Taylor’s first solely semi-hollow electric—features a sapele body with a quilted maple top, a mahogany neck and “Style 2” humbuckers that can be coil-tapped for a wildly versatile array of tones. The new model is available in a wide variety of finishes, with either a standard stop tailpiece or a Bigsby Vibrato (model T3B, with added old-school flair). taylorguitars.com

2009-03-05T09:22:15-05:00

4 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 tracks. At $999 list, the GW-8 is a fairly well-rounded keyboard that won’t break the bank. Backing tracks are its biggest advantage—it faithfully recreates a number of different genres, with a focus on Latin rhythms. The live-performance-oriented JUNO-Stage lists for a good deal more, $1,599, but offers a far-reaching batch of classic and cutting-edge leads. Pair the GW-8’s beats with the JUNO-Stage’s presets and you can crank out solid soundscapes. You certainly don’t need both keyboards, though. While the GW-8 is more studio-oriented, it was also designed with one-man-band performances in mind. And by itself, it’s a decent one-stop shop. Surprisingly, the GW-8 is smaller, lighter and more portable than the JUNO-Stage. Sounds a little backwards, doesn’t it? Whereas the JUNO-Stage weighs in at a few ounces shy of 22 pounds, the GW-8 is just more than 13 pounds. The JUNO offers more range—76 keys to the GW-8’s 61—but the added weight is a purchasing factor. When it comes to set up and break down, only drummers take more time and lug more gear than keyboardists. And if you’re a regularly gigging keyboardist, every inch and pound can count. If the GW-8 is being used in a studio, it’s probably not going to have to be moved that often. To that end, it doesn’t matter how large or hefty it is. But since the GW-8 is also geared towards live performance, I understand why the folks at Roland wanted to make it portable. I just wish they’d made the GW-8 a little bit bigger, which would have given room for extra knobs. As it stands, both keyboards have sound-modifying knobs (attack, release, resonance, chorus, etc.). The JUNO-Stage has a dedicated knob for each effect. The GW-8 only has two knobs, which toggle between effects. In the studio, you have more time to tweak tones. But when you’re playing live and adjusting effects on the fly, you don’t want to have to think about which effect is selected first. You just want to twist a knob. Both keyboards are outfitted with Roland’s signature D-Beam interface. 10 years ago, Roland introduced the D-Beam, an infrared light that reacts to motion. To work it, hold your hand about 12 inches above the sensor on the upper left side of the keyboard and move your fingers. You can program the D-Beam to react a couple different ways, so that waving your hand over the sensor turns the tone into a wall of wild oscillating noise or just bends it a little bit. The D-Beam takes some getting used to. Learning how to handle it doesn’t take too long, though. Granted, you could just use the D-Beam to make conventional tweaks like pitch bending. But it’s much more fun to play sound wizard and twist the tones into crazy static without touching the keyboard (look, Ma, no hands!). It’s a little gimmicky but sure to please a crowd for a couple of minutes. Both the GW-8 and JUNO-Stage have a USB port on top, covered by a hinged flap. The flap is a nice touch, especially when you consider how, in a live setting, drinks, sweat and dirt have a way of clogging up these kinds of sockets. You can upload tracks to a USB memory card and easily import them to both keyboards. Both keyboards have sizeable LCD displays, too. The GW-8 has much tighter action than the JUNO-Stage. The 61 keys are touchy, and it’s easy to slide up and down them. The JUNO-Stage’s 76 keys are higher quality, with more spring and give to them. They’ll feel more familiar for piano players than the GW-8’s keys. Recording at a moment’s notice is pretty easy on the GW-8 compared to some other workstations. You don’t have to set parameters like length ahead of time if you don’t want to. You can cut one track for a few measures, lay another track on top of it and go from there. That’s important for producers and songwriters, because when they come up with a hook or riff, they need to be able to get it on tape fast and without a lot of hassle. Otherwise, it could slip their mind. The GW-8 also lets you hear a track in any of the tones. Say you recorded a run using one of the organ presets and thought it might have sounded better on piano. You can just flip the knob to the piano preset and hear your same recording played as a piano or horn, instead of an organ. Some of the GW-8’s backing fills sound thin, but the percussion is spot-on. Few keyboards have such an extensive selection of Latin settings—including merengues, salsas and bossa novas. All of the percussion instruments, from the drums to the triangles, sound authentic. And each backing track has four different settings—each with slightly different instrumentation. When it comes to presets, the question is quality versus quantity. While both have 128-voice polyphony, the GW-8 has a seemingly limitless pool of presets. Some are pointless but others are worth hearing—most notably the compelling Wurlitzer imitations, nylon-stringed guitar tones and organs. Most of the brass settings sound awfully cheap and unrealistic, but trumpets and the like are often the hardest instruments to recreate. The JUNO-Stage has less overall presets, but what it does, it does well. The pianos are top-notch. So are the organs and synthesizers. When you plug them both into the same amp, it’s startling to hear just how much more complex and deep the JUNO-Stage’s presets are. That’s across the board, form gurgling synths to percussive organs. Nobody makes biting electric guitar presets quite like Roland. They have some downright dirty settings that don’t sound like a guitar per se, but have a scathing, distorted tone. Both keyboards have a handful of these settings, but the JUNO-Stage really shines. It also has a mike input with a reverb button, so you can karaoke to your heart’s content while onstage, if need be. The JUNO-Stage’s biggest drawback is its limited selection of mediocre-sounding backing tracks. All the bases are covered: You have your generic rock, pop techno and Latin beats. They’ll do in a pinch, but they’re nothing to write home about. Players would do better to use the Stage’s USB input and run their own backing in MP3, WAV and other formats. (The USB also gives the JUNO studio capabilities.) Switching to master MIDI mode is easy on the JUNO-Stage, too—it has a dedicated button that lets you make program changes at a glance. The other controls are pretty self-explanatory and easy to navigate. If you’re in the market for a relatively inexpensive, versatile new keyboard, the GW-8 is a good go-to. It’s user-friendly, and has a remarkable assortment of presets for the price. For one-man-bands, especially ones that focus on Latin music, the price tag is justified. And even though the JUNO-Stage costs significantly more, the quality of its presets is striking. In an ideal world, I’d have them both. But each has its strong points, and they’re both worthwhile buys. true 10616 2009-02-13T14:54:10-05:00 false 21159 136 true 87 2009-01-01T00:00:00-05:00

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 tracks. At $999 list, the GW-8 is a fairly well-rounded keyboard that won’t break the bank. Backing tracks are its biggest advantage—it faithfully recreates a number of different genres, with a focus on Latin rhythms. The live-performance-oriented JUNO-Stage lists for a good deal more, $1,599, but offers a far-reaching batch of classic and cutting-edge leads. Pair the GW-8’s beats with the JUNO-Stage’s presets and you can crank out solid soundscapes. You certainly don’t need both keyboards, though. While the GW-8 is more studio-oriented, it was also designed with one-man-band performances in mind. And by itself, it’s a decent one-stop shop. Surprisingly, the GW-8 is smaller, lighter and more portable than the JUNO-Stage. Sounds a little backwards, doesn’t it? Whereas the JUNO-Stage weighs in at a few ounces shy of 22 pounds, the GW-8 is just more than 13 pounds. The JUNO offers more range—76 keys to the GW-8’s 61—but the added weight is a purchasing factor. When it comes to set up and break down, only drummers take more time and lug more gear than keyboardists. And if you’re a regularly gigging keyboardist, every inch and pound can count. If the GW-8 is being used in a studio, it’s probably not going to have to be moved that often. To that end, it doesn’t matter how large or hefty...

2009-03-02T00:28:17-05:00

4 George Garzone’s Tenor Wisdom Virtuoso mouthpiece craftsman Jody Espina expands into the instructional DVD market with The Music of George Garzone & the Triadic Chromatic Approach, a comprehensive presentation of the ideas behind the music of Berklee and New England Conservatory instructor George Garzone. Like another Boston jazz legend, George Russell, tenor saxophonist Garzone has developed a practical theory of improvising jazz that melds the “out” with the “in”—or, perhaps more accurately, houses both under the same roof. Judging by this thoroughly engaging set, nobody since Russell has done it better. We’ll not give the entire concept away here, but suffice it to say that it’s ingenious and not difficult to understand, although it will take a dedicated student many months, or even years, to absorb. The two-CD set includes lessons—wherein Garzone puts forth his theory in clear, unambiguous language—as well as play-along tracks, interviews and more. The production values are first class, and the information imparted priceless. The lessons pre-suppose a certain knowledge of conventional jazz techniques, so this isn’t for beginners. For advanced students, however (and even seasoned pros), this stuff is absolute gold true 214 2009-02-13T15:03:01-05:00 false 21160 136 true 86 2009-01-01T00:00:00-05:00

George Garzone’s Tenor Wisdom Virtuoso mouthpiece craftsman Jody Espina expands into the instructional DVD market with The Music of George Garzone & the Triadic Chromatic Approach, a comprehensive presentation of the ideas behind the music of Berklee and New England Conservatory instructor George Garzone. Like another Boston jazz legend, George Russell, tenor saxophonist Garzone has developed a practical theory of improvising jazz that melds the “out” with the “in”—or, perhaps more accurately, houses both under the same roof. Judging by this thoroughly engaging set, nobody since Russell has done it better. We’ll not give the entire concept away here, but suffice it to say that it’s ingenious and not difficult to understand, although it will take a dedicated student many months, or even years, to absorb. The two-CD set includes lessons—wherein Garzone puts forth his theory in clear, unambiguous language—as well as play-along tracks, interviews and more. The production values are first class, and the information imparted priceless. The lessons pre-suppose a certain knowledge of conventional jazz techniques, so this isn’t for beginners. For advanced students, however (and even seasoned pros), this stuff is absolute gold

2009-03-02T00:28:17-05:00

4 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 become a ubiquitous feature in modern basses. But the classic tone of a passive bass has never gone out of style, and many players still prefer the more “organic” sound of old-school technology. In the realm of passive instruments, not much has changed, particularly in the EQ department—the low-pass filter tone control is still the standard. But with their ToneStyler tone switch, the tech-wizards at Stellartone have created a product that adds several new dimensions to the concept of passive tone control. The new ToneStyler BASS control (list price: $123.60) offers electric bassists 16 distinct tone variations, without batteries, and without any modification to their instrument. The output of a passive instrument is produced by the magnetic pickup “hearing” the string vibration, and sending it to the amplifier. The tone control is a simple potentiometer with an attached capacitor that attenuates high frequencies through its rotation, allowing only the low frequencies through—a low pass filter. The value of the capacitor determines the frequency and degree of the roll off. But a traditional passive tone pot will cut into the midrange frequencies as well as the highs, resulting in a dark, woofy tone with less impact. The ToneStyler is not a tone pot, it’s a tone switch, much like the five-position rotary switches found on the old Gibson Ripper bass, except the “steps” between the tones are very close, allowing for a more precise selection of frequency attenuation. To achieve this, the ToneStyler uses 16 individual capacitors that are selected to provide a tonal range far beyond what typical passive instruments allow. The settings are ordered 1 through 16, from the darkest to brightest tone. The sonic goal was to achieve as close to linear response as possible from each setting, meaning each selected frequency is attenuated specifically, minimizing the effect on surrounding frequencies. Built into a mil-spec, miniature gold-plated, hermetically sealed rotary switch designed for the aerospace industry, the control itself is as close to bombproof as you can get with a precision instrument. The unit is small enough to drop in to most basses without additional routing. The ToneStyler is available in two rotations: The notched version allows you to dial in an exact setting, though clicking through them will require you to use two fingers; the smooth rotation model (add $4) will turn easily with a “pinky sweep,” but the sound is not a smooth taper like a traditional tone pot. Due to the 16 different frequency settings, you will hear the sound “step through” the presets if you spin the control while a note is ringing. This is not a major drawback, and the smooth rotation may feel more familiar to some players. I installed a notched version of the ToneStyler BASS into my Fender Custom Shop ’64 Jazz bass and was immediately impressed by the increased high frequency response. After a week’s worth of gigging, I vowed never to return to my old tone pot. I found the darker settings retained the note definition and punch that was lost with the original passive tone control. But here’s the caveat: While playing at home, you will notice that some of the middle positions produce a somewhat honky, almost nasal tone—on my Jazz bass, it brought to mind Jaco Pastorius’ sound on his recording of “Donna Lee.” Upon first listen, it sounds strange, but the trick is to experience how it interacts in a live setting—experienced players understand that a hi-fi tone may sound good in your bedroom, but not necessarily onstage. The ToneStyler can darken your sound slightly, or drastically, yet leave the midrange mostly intact, and that translates to getting heard in the mix. The highest setting (16) produces a more open, extended high frequency response, similar to the sound achieved by straight wiring the pickups to the output jack. This feature is a real plus for slappers or anyone who desires full range tone. Backing the control down to 14 returns the treble response to that of a traditional tone pot on 10. I also tried a different ToneStyler: the JAZZ model (list price: $123.60) in a smooth-rotation version. Although it was designed for jazz guitarists, I found it worked just fine on my Fender Precision bass five-string. Effectively, it has the same tonal range as the BASS model from settings 3 to 16. It doesn’t remove any of the low end; it simply doesn’t get quite as dark as the BASS version. The smooth rotation felt easier to work with on the fly, but I found I missed the ability to locate the settings accurately. If you are an old-school passive player, the Stellartone ToneStyler will astound you with its purely analog, battery-free expanded tonal capabilities. If you went active years ago and never looked back, it might be time to pop one of these into your old Fender and hear how great passive can sound. true 304 2008-12-11T09:35:33-05:00 false 20916 129 200812 true 87 2008-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

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 become a ubiquitous feature in modern basses. But the classic tone of a passive bass has never gone out of style, and many players still prefer the more “organic” sound of old-school technology. In the realm of passive instruments, not much has changed, particularly in the EQ department—the low-pass filter tone control is still the standard. But with their ToneStyler tone switch, the tech-wizards at Stellartone have created a product that adds several new dimensions to the concept of passive tone control. The new ToneStyler BASS control (list price: $123.60) offers electric bassists 16 distinct tone variations, without batteries, and without any modification to their instrument. The output of a passive instrument is produced by the magnetic pickup “hearing” the string vibration, and sending it to the amplifier. The tone control is a simple potentiometer with an attached capacitor that attenuates high frequencies through its rotation, allowing only the low frequencies through—a low pass filter. The value of the capacitor determines the frequency and degree of the roll off. But a traditional passive tone pot will cut into the midrange frequencies as well as the highs, resulting in a dark, woofy tone with less impact. The ToneStyler is not a tone pot, it’s a tone switch, much like the five-position rotary switches found on the old Gibson...

2009-03-02T00:28:06-05:00

4 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 A/C adapter, and is nearly all-inclusive in regards to the array of effects a gigging or recording player should need: distortions, choruses, flanges, delays; they’re all there, with a slew of one-off timbres that provide hours of exploration and plenty of giggles. The days of stringing together analog stompboxes, hauling around tape delays and rotary speakers, tangling stereo cables and having batteries go dead during the big gig seemed to be over. Not quite. Trying to convince a devotee of stompboxes—whether mass-produced gems like those offered by BOSS or hand-soldered, all-analog boutique pedals—to replace their hard-earned rig with even the best digital rack- or floor-mounted processor is a lost cause; it’d be like telling a guitar addict to play just one ax. Stompboxes have an organic, tactile usability and analog effects boast a room-slicing presence and vintage warmth—there’s no denying that. But there’s also no reason why every well-rounded arsenal can’t harbor something like BOSS’ latest, greatest multi-effects floorboard, the GT-10; for recording, for tones that aren’t worth buying more pedals to dial in, for rehearsals and gigs where a digital amp model will suffice for the real thing, for sheer sonic inspiration. It’s a remarkable machine. Here’s why: It’s a terrific-sounding unit, exploiting the COSM modeling technology that won over even the most cynical guitar geeks when BOSS used it in two pedals that deftly replicated classic Fender amps. The GT-10 ($500 online) includes excellent simulations of the most revered channels of numerous historical preamps (no, the tones won’t stand up in a blindfold test against your prized Twin or JCM, but come on), and there’s more: The board has two independent effects channels that can be combined with an expression pedal or switched either by foot or according to how hard you pick. Want a pristine, responsive Roland Jazz Chorus clean signal as well as a Marshall crunch for your Mahavishnu-style leads? You got it. There are 200 preset tones available, and they’re dedicated to specific styles, eras, groups and even songs, with clever names that let you know what BOSS is going for even if legal boundaries prevent anything more explicit. (For example, the Elegant Gypsy-era Al Di Meola preset is dubbed simply, “Spanish Hwy”; the Eric Johnson-inspired endlessly sustaining rock tone is called “Dover’s Cliffs.”) This is a genre-spanning gadget, so it includes loads of rock-inspired tones (“Creamcrunch,” “Aero Dream”) along with those for funk, country, blues and jazz. The tones and effects sound remarkably like what’s heard in BOSS’ individual pedals—if you were to pick a single company to outfit a Furman pedalboard, BOSS’ catch-all line would be it—and the expression pedal can host simulations of a number of go-to wah-wah makes. Jazz sounds are fewer, but the ones that are present are quality: “Thumb Octave” is your Wes-style sound, “S.C.O. Fusion” a dead-ringer for John Scofield at his most jazz-rock. Others include the archtop-invoking “Jazz Clean” and the versatile modern smooth tone “Super Fusion.” If you can’t find precisely what you want in the presets, building original sounds is an idiot-proof process with the GT-10. With amusing (if somewhat corny) graphic displays, its EZ Tone wizard allows players to build and save new patches in a streamlined process using the edges of the dial control and the parameter controls. Simply enter what type of pickups your guitar has, what your signal is going through (combo amp, stack, mixing console/headphones, etc.), then choose your genre from an extensive list (“Jazz” is an option, thank God). Once you’ve established your musical idiom, home in on a more specific tone within that genre (examples for “Jazz” include “Warm Clean,” “Cool Clean” and “Mild Drive”), and finally adjust the fine and not-so-fine details: rhythm vs. lead tones, the amount of effects you want on your signal. Given the seemingly infinite number of tonal options available, the process is astonishingly simple. In a Bill Frisell mood one afternoon, I crafted a convincing impression of his delicate reverb-and-delay-heavy sound using the “Surf” category in just minutes. The electronics are protected by attractive heavy-duty metal housing that recalls the toughness of a BOSS stompbox, and layout boasts an effective directness. There’s a brightly illuminated display screen, a large dial for running through presets, parameter controls, buttons for certain effects, four patch pedals, two multi-purpose control pedals, the expression pedal, connections for MIDI and USB, a tuner/bypass button, an output-level dial, a channel select, an effects loop and more. Where older floorboard models of this sort suffered from severe drops in volume and quality between tones, the GT-10 provides extensive equalization and compression capabilities. Two tone-bank pedals next to the main dial double as a 38-second phrase looper with unlimited potential for overlapping, and that location points up the only real bummer about this machine. With my size-13 sneaker, I kept inadvertently hitting the control pedals; the looper setup also meant I didn’t have anything to rest my heel on, so my foot had to hover above the pedals, making steadily grooving, in-time loops a bit harder to achieve. Still, that’s a small quibble for such a neat, efficient tool. It’s especially effective if your playing hits a wall and picking becomes a chore. An hour of tweaking and dialing on the GT-10 will reaffirm how much fun the electric guitar can be. true 292 2008-12-11T09:46:27-05:00 false 20917 129 200812 true 87 2008-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

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 A/C adapter, and is nearly all-inclusive in regards to the array of effects a gigging or recording player should need: distortions, choruses, flanges, delays; they’re all there, with a slew of one-off timbres that provide hours of exploration and plenty of giggles. The days of stringing together analog stompboxes, hauling around tape delays and rotary speakers, tangling stereo cables and having batteries go dead during the big gig seemed to be over. Not quite. Trying to convince a devotee of stompboxes—whether mass-produced gems like those offered by BOSS or hand-soldered, all-analog boutique pedals—to replace their hard-earned rig with even the best digital rack- or floor-mounted processor is a lost cause; it’d be like telling a guitar addict to play just one ax. Stompboxes have an organic, tactile usability and analog effects boast a room-slicing presence and vintage warmth—there’s no denying that. But there’s also no reason why every well-rounded arsenal can’t harbor something like BOSS’ latest, greatest multi-effects floorboard, the GT-10; for recording, for tones that aren’t worth buying more pedals to dial in, for rehearsals and gigs where a digital amp model will suffice for the real thing, for sheer sonic inspiration. It’s a remarkable machine. Here’s why: It’s a terrific-sounding unit, exploiting the COSM modeling technology that won over even the most cynical guitar geeks when...

2009-03-02T00:28:06-05:00

4 From Monder to “Monk’s Mood” New on the bookshelf this month are two unique folios, one a collection of compositions by a great contemporary tunesmith and the other a definitive roundup of must-know melodies. Like the company’s book of Kurt Rosenwinkel transcriptions, Mel Bay has chosen for its beautiful, spiral-bound Compositions edition the guitarist Ben Monder, another post-Big Three picker who combines fantastic technique with sensitive musicality. Featuring music from his four critically praised leaders discs, it’s an essential compendium for students and fans. One caveat: no tablature, so tune up those reading skills. $35. melbay.com Sher Music Co.’s new The Best of Sher Music Co. Real Books plucks the cream of the crop from Sher’s extended family of diverse Real Book titles. The resource features 106 usual suspects that are transcribed in a bold, clean lead-sheet format and punctuated by photos of acclaimed players. The C version is available now—B-flat, E-flat and bass-clef versions will be available in early 2009. $26. shermusic.com Cable Guys It’s funny how guitarists and bassists so often overlook very important details in their rig. Take, for instance, the A/C power cord for a combo amp or preamp head unit. A sturdy, well-engineered cord can eliminate electromagnetic interference and unwanted noise and make sure the unit in question gets the proper amount of steady power, improving tone quality. Essential Sound Products’ MusicCord PRO power cords do all that, with durability that is over the top. With ultra-heavy-duty plug and connector ends and a woven polyester cable jacket, it’s built for the road. $179.99 online. essentialsound.com true 2008-12-11T09:50:38-05:00 false 20918 129 200812 true 86 2008-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

From Monder to “Monk’s Mood” New on the bookshelf this month are two unique folios, one a collection of compositions by a great contemporary tunesmith and the other a definitive roundup of must-know melodies. Like the company’s book of Kurt Rosenwinkel transcriptions, Mel Bay has chosen for its beautiful, spiral-bound Compositions edition the guitarist Ben Monder, another post-Big Three picker who combines fantastic technique with sensitive musicality. Featuring music from his four critically praised leaders discs, it’s an essential compendium for students and fans. One caveat: no tablature, so tune up those reading skills. $35. melbay.com Sher Music Co.’s new The Best of Sher Music Co. Real Books plucks the cream of the crop from Sher’s extended family of diverse Real Book titles. The resource features 106 usual suspects that are transcribed in a bold, clean lead-sheet format and punctuated by photos of acclaimed players. The C version is available now—B-flat, E-flat and bass-clef versions will be available in early 2009. $26. shermusic.com Cable Guys It’s funny how guitarists and bassists so often overlook very important details in their rig. Take, for instance, the A/C power cord for a combo amp or preamp head unit. A sturdy, well-engineered cord can eliminate electromagnetic interference and unwanted noise and make sure the unit in question gets the proper amount of steady power, improving tone quality. Essential Sound Products’ MusicCord PRO power cords do all that, with durability that is over the top. With ultra-heavy-duty plug and connector ends and a woven polyester cable jacket, it’s built for the...

2009-03-02T00:28:06-05:00

4 Founded in 1981, the Canadian company Sabian is the fledgling among the world’s four leading cymbal manufacturers, predated by earlier 20th-century European innovators Paiste and Meinl and venerable 17th-century cymbal godfather Zildjian. Robert Zildjian founded Sabian after the death of his father, Avedis Zildjian III. When another son, Armand Zildjian, was awarded control of the family-named company, a rift developed between the brothers. Robert Zildjian was eventually awarded the New Brunswick-based factory that had produced the classic K Zildjian line, originally developed by Kerope Zildjian in Turkey during the 19th century. (The K ride cymbal became a historical, standard piece of jazz equipment.) Robert named his new company using the first two letters in each of his three children’s names (Sally, Bill and Andy). Perhaps not by coincidence, the company’s new Vault Crossover Ride (retailing online for $429) bears some of that K cymbal’s characteristics—even if you’ll find no mention of Robert Zildjian’s last name on the Sabian Web site. The ride has historically been the most important cymbal in jazz drumming. It’s the third side in the pyramid of necessities, along with the snare drum and bass drum, for timekeeping, accents and interplay. With its new 21-inch Vault Crossover Ride, Sabian has created a jazz essential that combines vintage warmth with modern versatility. The medium-thin, B20 bronze cymbal lives up to its name in several ways. At 21 inches, it’s a crossover between the standard 20-inch ride used by most traditional jazz drummers and the 22-inch rides favored by rock- and funk-oriented Sabian users David Garibaldi (Tower of Power) and Chester Thompson (Weather Report, Frank Zappa, Genesis). Lathing and hammering combinations on both the top and bottom result in a warm, dark tone. The cymbal’s volume is controllable at any intensity, and it responds articulately during everything from slow, sensitive ballad feels to accelerated bop patterns. When played close to the outer edge, the unavoidable overtones are dry, musical and unobtrusive. Switch to brushes or hybrids like Pro-Mark Hot Rods and you get the desired drop in volume—but no drop in articulation. Played to a crescendo with mallets, the cymbal delivers a desirable oceanic swell. The Vault Crossover Ride’s medium-sized bell delivers enough volume to cut through without being overbearing, and the cymbal offers a feature that many rides 20 inches and larger don’t: crash capabilities. Whether struck with sticks, hybrids or brushes, this crossover delivers a dark, simmering sound. Even crashing with a mallet produces a warm, marching-band-like tone. Sabian’s line of Vault cymbals includes hi-hats, crashes, rides, China and effects cymbals, and is named for “The Vault,” where its design team comes up with new concepts. That design team has turned out cymbals that are now the choice of many top jazz and fusion drummers, including Jack DeJohnette, Jimmy Cobb, Ed Thigpen, Dave Weckl, Rod Morgenstein, Terry Bozzio, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Ed Shaughnessy and Will Calhoun. With competitive pricing and creative ideas like the Vault Crossover Ride, Sabian has also become Zildjian’s main competitor for world cymbal supremacy. Call it a crossover family success story. true 10419 2008-12-03T16:09:54-05:00 false 20792 128 200811 true 87 2008-11-01T00:00:00-04:00

Founded in 1981, the Canadian company Sabian is the fledgling among the world’s four leading cymbal manufacturers, predated by earlier 20th-century European innovators Paiste and Meinl and venerable 17th-century cymbal godfather Zildjian. Robert Zildjian founded Sabian after the death of his father, Avedis Zildjian III. When another son, Armand Zildjian, was awarded control of the family-named company, a rift developed between the brothers. Robert Zildjian was eventually awarded the New Brunswick-based factory that had produced the classic K Zildjian line, originally developed by Kerope Zildjian in Turkey during the 19th century. (The K ride cymbal became a historical, standard piece of jazz equipment.) Robert named his new company using the first two letters in each of his three children’s names (Sally, Bill and Andy). Perhaps not by coincidence, the company’s new Vault Crossover Ride (retailing online for $429) bears some of that K cymbal’s characteristics—even if you’ll find no mention of Robert Zildjian’s last name on the Sabian Web site. The ride has historically been the most important cymbal in jazz drumming. It’s the third side in the pyramid of necessities, along with the snare drum and bass drum, for timekeeping, accents and interplay. With its new 21-inch Vault Crossover Ride, Sabian has created a jazz essential that combines vintage warmth with modern versatility. The medium-thin, B20 bronze cymbal lives up to its name in several ways. At 21 inches, it’s a crossover between the standard 20-inch ride used by most traditional jazz drummers and the 22-inch rides favored by rock- and funk-oriented Sabian users David...

2009-03-02T00:28:03-05:00

4 The only thing better than having a tube amp for your guitar is having a tube amp for your guitar, plus someone who pays for it and carries it. I’ve gone broke (and have nearly broken my back) playing the tube-amp game over the years, trying to find the cabinet that hides the prize-winning tone inside. I’ll be damned if I didn’t hit the jackpot upon installing Peavey’s ReValver MKIII on my modest laptop computer (read: my old, embarrassing laptop that would have been replaced long ago if I hadn’t kept spending my money on tube amps). ReValver is an amp simulator originally created by Alien Connections; Peavey bought the product (and absorbed the company) last year and expanded and improved it. The software (for PC and Mac) runs either as a standalone application or as a plug-in compatible with most music production applications. It’s available as a download from peavey.com and on CD-ROM from Internet and brick-and-mortar retailers. While the full program lists for $299, an abridged “HP” version is available for just under $100. Not a bad deal considering that’s less than what you’ll pay for a quality, real-life tube amp. Naturally, no software in the world will give you the exact sound, feel, aura and thrill that a vacuum tube-powered speaker creates. At least not yet. But amp-modeling software has come a long way since it began, and ReValver MKIII is, right now, exactly where I’d put my money for amps that aren’t really amps. Like most amp modelers in the market, ReValver includes modules for hall-of-fame amps by Fender, Marshall, Mesa/Boogie and Vox, though you will find none of those companies’ trademarks. There are also a number of non-brand amp styles, like the HomeBrew SE-1 (a low-watt, boutique-ish thing) and the Matchbox, which, like its name implies, considerably brightens tone. Since this is a Peavey product, there are also half a dozen Peavey amp-head models and Peavey preamps bearing familiar names like Classic 30, ValveKing, 6505 and the Triple XXX. Amps, preamps and power amps can be mixed and matched, tweaked and fitted to completely customizable modeled-speaker sets and cabinet sizes. You can further tailor the sound by stringing together effects and choosing from a selection of modeled microphones that can be “placed” in various positions. Those options already present a palette of infinite tonal possibilities, but here’s what sets ReValver apart: You can muck about inside the amps! I’m a proud, soldering-iron-toting DIYer who builds and modifies guitar effects in between reruns of Star Trek, but I’ve always been scared to work on a tube amp because of the high voltages: I don’t want to die. ReValver has given me a taste of what it’d be like to get over my fears and conquer amp design. While you can’t get down to the nitty-gritty level of changing capacitor and resistor values, ReValver does allow you to switch out power transformers and rectifiers, change an amp’s tone stack and play switcheroo with 17 unique types of tubes, and the parameters of those tubes can be tweaked. All the customization might even be too much! What’s surprising is that ReValver doesn’t buckle underneath its huge load of features. It performs wonderfully in serving up tone that imparts the qualities we associate with tube amps: saturation, sag, sensitivity, etc. While I reckon we are still years out from discovering software that can absolutely fool a well-trained ear, we need look no further than ReValver MKIII for the best of what’s around in amp modeling. The Fender-type simulations create clarity and warmth suitable for recording, and the crunch from any of ReValver’s Marshall clones will make hairs stand at attention just like the real thing. And the software doesn’t obscure a guitar’s individuality—the instrument’s true sound shines through, evidenced best by the lovely clean tones and light overdrives that the ReValver amps excel at modeling. The amps, and their customizability, are ReValver’s main attraction. The effects array is usable, but could use further development to be on par with the quality of the amp simulations. (It’d be great if Peavey would invest the effort to create customizable effects software—take a peek under the hood of various stompboxes and let us switch out chips, caps and the like.) On the other hand, the speaker and microphone simulations are quite accurate. Any guitarist could find a use for ReValver. It’s great just for practicing—you can get that big, loud tone without being turned up. The variety of tones will make it a wonderful addition to a studio of any size. And it might even have a place onstage if you can trust your computer and don’t mind strange looks from your bandmates. While I might not get rid of the bulky tube amps in my basement, ReValver may keep my amp-buying habit at bay for a long time to come. And that makes more cash available for that pesky guitar-buying habit—wink. true 202 2008-12-03T16:12:53-05:00 false 20793 128 200811 true 87 2008-11-01T00:00:00-04:00

The only thing better than having a tube amp for your guitar is having a tube amp for your guitar, plus someone who pays for it and carries it. I’ve gone broke (and have nearly broken my back) playing the tube-amp game over the years, trying to find the cabinet that hides the prize-winning tone inside. I’ll be damned if I didn’t hit the jackpot upon installing Peavey’s ReValver MKIII on my modest laptop computer (read: my old, embarrassing laptop that would have been replaced long ago if I hadn’t kept spending my money on tube amps). ReValver is an amp simulator originally created by Alien Connections; Peavey bought the product (and absorbed the company) last year and expanded and improved it. The software (for PC and Mac) runs either as a standalone application or as a plug-in compatible with most music production applications. It’s available as a download from peavey.com and on CD-ROM from Internet and brick-and-mortar retailers. While the full program lists for $299, an abridged “HP” version is available for just under $100. Not a bad deal considering that’s less than what you’ll pay for a quality, real-life tube amp. Naturally, no software in the world will give you the exact sound, feel, aura and thrill that a vacuum tube-powered speaker creates. At least not yet. But amp-modeling software has come a long way since it began, and ReValver MKIII is, right now, exactly where I’d put my money for amps that aren’t really amps. Like most amp modelers in the market, ReValver...

2009-03-02T00:28:03-05:00