Instruments
March 2010 Gearhead By Evan Haga
Report From NAMM: Recession Special
Despite the economic writing on the wall, Winter NAMM 2010 was packed with people and affordable new products
January/February 2010 Gearhead By Sam Sessa
Roland V-Piano
Sam Sessa reviews the latest digital piano from Roland
December 2009 Gearhead By Jim Miller
Yamaha Absolute Maple Drum Set
Our reviewer (and drummer) Jim Miller takes the Yamaha Absolute Maple Drum Set for a spin around a few gigs in Philly.
November 2009 Gearhead By Evan Haga
Fender Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo Signature Jazzmasters
The Jazzmaster, a visually striking and tonally versatile instrument manufactured by Fender, has enjoyed one of the electric-guitar industry’s strangest and most ironic existences. Introduced in 1958 as Fender’s most expensive piece, its original purpose...
October 2009 Gearhead By Russell Carlson
Gearhead: Carr Rambler Amplifier
Years ago I had a club gig booked and, a few days before the show, the club owner (an Internet millionaire, don’t-cha-know) phoned to tell me I could save myself some trouble and leave my own amp at home. He said had me covered with a house amp. For better...
August/September 2009 Gearhead By Paul Haar
Theo Wanne Mouthpieces: A Roundup
I kind of liked the good old days when your mouthpiece choices were limited to Berg Larsen, Otto Link, Meyer and Dukoff. But like the big automakers, they lived too long in the glory days, and up sprouted a host of custom makers in search of the sound of...
May 2009 Gearhead By Bill Meredith
New Sabian Cymbals: A Roundup
Canadian cymbal manufacturer Sabian may be less than 30 years old, but the company has become the primary rival to Zildjian, the 17th-century elder among world cymbal producers. The reasons for Sabian’s ascension include not only its historically affordable...
May 2009 Gigbag By JazzTimes
Gigbag: May 2009
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...
April 2009 Gearhead By Evan Haga
NAMM Time 2009
How does the musical instrument industry react when the economy goes flat? Ups the ante, apparently. NAMM 2009, which took place Jan. 15-18 at the Anaheim Convention Center in sunny Orange County, showed little physical sign of massive layoffs or busted...
March 2009 Gearhead By Chris Kelsey
Yamaha YAS- BP Alto Saxophone
In the interest of full disclosure, I should confess: There’s never been a time in my musical life when I didn’t own at least one Yamaha saxophone. The first horn I could really call my own was a Vito alto, which was basically a Yamaha stencil (although...
