DV Magazine: Guitars & Recording Equipment News & Reviews – DV247

In The Studio With Music Producer Chris Porter

Rob Sandall — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:00:00 +0000

With 32 years experience to his name, producer Chris Porter has stunned the world with cuts from the likes of David Bowie, George Michael and Take That. While he’s now a renowned studio artificer, the road to success was not as smooth as you might imagine… Here, in an interview for sE he discusses the gear he’s been particularly taken with over the past little while.

1972, and Chris’s band came second in TV’s ‘New Faces’, and as Chris recalls “we came second to Lenny Henry!”. Micky Most was one of the panellists and, shortly after this performance, signed Chris and Andy Duncan who then both moved to London… “We both thought we’d got it cracked and within months we’d be stars”.

Of course it didn’t turn out that way and Chris ended up working in an employment agency, doing a short stint in the fashion business, and doing odd music jobs providing backing vocals etc… after four years of this though he decided to be painter and decorator and gave up on stardom and fame… or so he thought!

Chris eventually ended up working on a building job for Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy, who wanted an 8-track studio set up in his garage in Kew, West London.

“Phil was working on ‘Live and Dangerous’ with Tony Visconti at the time, in Good Earth studios. Tony wanted his live room at Good Earth made more sound proof so he could use it as a nice live drum room… I ended up building office partitions etc, the whole works, and worked there for about four months.

“Until then I’d never even considered the idea of being an engineer or producer, but the more I saw on the other side of this door I was not allowed into, the more it seemed very mysterious and alluring. Watching the process of what started as a live recording, being manipulated into a finished product, was thrilling… probably made more so because I was kept at a distance from the whole thing, being a builder!

“I used to sing around the place in the hope someone would notice that I actually could hold a tune, and eventually Tony Visconti took me to one side one day and said ‘you don’t want to be a builder do you?’, and offered me a (low paid) job as his assistant engineer.”

By sheer good luck, while still working at Good Earth in early 1983, Bob Carter, a friend of Chris’s, asked him to help produce Wham Rap ‘Enjoy What You Do’. As it turned out George and Andrew didn’t pursue the relationship with Bob, but they ended up at Good Earth a few months later with 11 hours to make a B side to ‘Club Tropicana’, called ‘Blue’.

Chris Porter: “We enjoyed working together, I was amenable and patient, and they had very strong ideas of what they wanted to do…” It worked really well and was the start of a 14 year recording and producing relationship with George Michael, stretching from ‘Wake Me Up’ to ‘Jesus to a Child’.

“The only reason George and I stopped working together was because George would book several months of studio time to write in the studio. To begin with that worked really well, because you needed a team of engineers and techs around you to hook things up, make them work, and record ideas. But as technology progressed, the need to be surrounded by technicians just went away, so I found myself waiting for hours while George had time to himself to work on ideas.”

“That’s how I met the Pet Shop Boys because I was always waiting around at SARM Studios for George! Neil Tennant is one of the most incisive minds in the music business, and we got along really well when he approached me… so well that I ended up working with them on ‘Discography’”.

So with changes in technology over the years, what does Chris’s work place look like these days?

“First up, I think a producer needs their own facility for sure, it’s an absolute necessity… and you need an arsenal of high quality, reliable gear that you know will deliver. I use an old Neumann M49 which I bought from Puk Recording Studios… it’s what I recorded most of George’s tunes with and of course one of my prize possessions is an early AKG C12, but aside from the vintage mics I own, my collection of sE Electronics microphones have occupied an increasingly important place in my studio.”

“I was introduced to sE mics a few years ago by a good friend of mine, drummer extraordinaire Geoff Dugmore, who is also a keen sE user and has worked with the likes of Tina Turner, Elton John and Bruce Springsteen to name but a few.

“Geoff bought out a mic and insisted I hang it over his head. I duly did and made a mental note to find out more about the company making this glorious ‘valvy’ looking old school mic, that had a very ‘immediate’ and textured sound. I’ve recorded just about every instrument possible now with the Gemini II… acoustic guitars, vocals, fiddles, accordion, you name it… It’s beautifully balanced with just the right amount of warmth and crispness.”

“Along with my Gemini II, I took delivery of the sE Reflexion Filter Pro… such an amazing idea, beautifully designed and very effective. Although everyone would like to work in a perfect acoustically treated room, in reality, today, recordings take place in so many environments that are, to say the least, less than ideal.

“The reflection filter helps tremendously in removing much of that less-than-perfect ‘stuff’ from the recording, it also improves the focus and balance of the microphone. Even in a fabulous room the Reflexion Filter can improve a recording, because it really is a ‘neutral’ space.”

“More recently, James Ishmaev-Young from sE has allowed me to trial the sE Munro Egg 150 system. The partnerships that sE have developed of late with such luminaries of our industry as Rupert Neve and Andy Munro, have produced some truly stunning results and are a testament to sE’s standing in the audio industry nowadays.”

“I first met Andy Munro over 30 years ago when he refined the monitoring at Good Earth studios… he also designed my first ‘proper’ studio, and so when I caught wind of this collaboration and read about the Eggs I was confident they would be worth a serious listen… I was not disappointed!

“Part of the reason for this was that the mains and nearfields (not surprisingly) shared too many characteristics, but the more compelling reason was that the Eggs were the most refreshingly different speakers I have heard in many years.

“The first thing that struck me was the lack of the sound of a ‘box’. I don’t know quite how to describe this, but with most near field speaker systems you are always somehow aware of the physical construction. The Eggs don’t suffer with this problem at all. The enclosures are not apparent to the ear at all.

“The sound stage is wide and natural, the midrange very clear and the bass is impressive, and not at all cloggy. They are easy to ‘understand’ at even low listening level which is another plus for me. The amp comes in its own 19” 2U rack and is as solid as you would expect from sE, with superb quality, custom made leads… and the Eggs themselves look just great. I’m really enjoying working with them.”

So back to artists, and Chris’s longest standing musical relationship, with Chris De Burgh, someone who has seen a lot of use from sE products, and who’s new work Chris Porter will be mixing on his sE Munro Egg 150’s…

“I have enjoyed a long relationship with Chris De Burgh having produced all his albums since 1998. Chris is a true professional and a talented performer, and working with him has given me the opportunity to get my teeth into some intriguing projects, and to have been involved with lots of international collaborations.

“Most of all though, I will always be grateful for the opportunity to have worked with the huge orchestras that have graced some of our work. To be in the studio with 100 plus musicians and a rock band at the same time is one of the most exciting things a producer can do.”

Finally, after having worked with so many top stars, can there be anyone left that Chris wants to work with?

“Oh yes… but that would be telling right?!”

Toontrack changes piano arrangement forever with EZ Keys

Rob Sandall — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:07:42 +0000

EZ Keys is something of a revolution in piano arrangement, notable specifically for the fact that it’s been designed for those who don’t/can’t actually play the piano. If you’re already familiar with EZ Drummer – and indeed, a great deal of amateur and professional producers alike have been for a long time now – then you’ll perhaps have been expecting something along these lines, but I’ll wager you weren’t assuming it would be quite this good. And it really, really is.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on Toontrack EZ Keys at dv247.com

Exactly like EZ Drummer, though, it would be wrong to discount this plug-in as something that’s only for beginner users. In fact, it’s a good start to say that EZ Keys is a piano plug-in (32/64-bit, VST, AU, RTAS) that barely touches your processor, as Toontrack has managed to achieve a decent, useable tonality from a Steinway D without resulting to massive samples. Obviously if you’re in the market for a host of perfect piano emulations, then there are other packs available, but for pop, rock, country jazz and urban production I’d happily work this into the mix. While there’s actually only one piano sound, it’s fully editable, and I found that working away at the EQ allowed me to find a context for these keys in multiple genres.

While that’s good to know, it’s not the main point of EZ Keys. It might be that you’ve never played a piano, or it might be that while you have a controller, you don’t think like a pianist. That can be incredibly obstructive when you’re trying to put together arrangements using more than one note melodies , and to be honest if you’re not confident in working with a piano then you’re better off leaving it out of the track lest you sound clumsy.

Or, in fact, you could just use EZ Keys! Essentially there are a huge number of carefully-categorised MIDI performances ready to be loaded, edited and played back within your arrangements. So, you can simply scroll down and audition verse, bridge, chorus etc (also categorised by genre), and pick a pattern from the arrangements of triads, arpeggios and grooves. Every conceivable style is catered for, and because they’re MIDI patterns you can of course use the incredibly user-friendly interface to change the key and tempo and edit these patterns as you like. You can create entire songs in minutes – not too shabby.

What you immediately realise is that not only does this allow you to import accomplished piano work into your songs, it also bridges a gap between your production head and your fledgling piano head - as you tweak notes and timings to work with other instruments, you’ll start to understand the light and shade of effective piano use.

All of this is done within the EZ Keys editor itself, which makes the whole affair a quick, efficient and actually fun way to arrange keys. Changing patterns is as simple as cycling through all available options via a neat wheel-based selection tool (based on the circle of 5ths). You can also select either random or recommended chords set within the progression, so if you’re literally a complete novice to working with keys all the work can in fact be done for you.

You’ll also find that your theory knowledge will grow as you use EZ Keys – it’ll come naturally because all of the grooves and patterns have the chord names above them, so as you work you pick up what it is that you’re actually doing, as well as just sounding good. There are also tutorial files that pair up text and MIDI, so you can play along with the theory.

I mentioned that if you’re looking for serious authenticity sound-wise that you’d be better off hunting out another plug-in/sample library. However, it’s worth noting that you can of course route these MIDI patterns through whatever you like, so chuck something like Ivory into the mix and you’re absolutely flying, without ever having to know a single thing about playing the piano. As the MIDI tracks are all notated within the DAW of your choice when you bring them over, of course, you can hook your creations up with any virtual instrument you like. It lends itself best to piano, but therefore organs etc sound the part too.

So, Toontrack have effectively created a theory trainer and arrangement tool, all packed in to a processor-friendly, easy-use plug-in. I think it’s fantastic, and that absolutely anyone who’s not 100 per cent confident in piano arrangement will jump at the chance to give their tracks an accomplished and interesting keyboard kick. As I say, in further conjunction with a sample pack you’ll have a formidable keyboard setup without even trying!

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on Toontrack EZ Keys at dv247.com

TC Electronic Launches BG250 TonePrint Bass Combo

MNJ — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:40:37 +0000

TC Electronic has applied its acclaimed Toneprint technology to an amplifier, the first time this has been done according to the company. The BG250 is a 1X15” lightweight bass combo which allows the user to replace the on-board effect with anything in the TonePrint library – signature tones from leading bass players like Nathan East, Michael Shuman, Gail Ann Dorsey and Mark King – free of charge.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the TC Electronic BG250 TonePrint Bass Combo at dv247.com

The BG250 is rated at 250-watts and features Class D power amp technology to keep the weight down to a manageable 16 kg. There’s a 5-string bass tuner, TC’s proprietary TubeDrive – which offers valve pre and power amp emulation – and ‘intelligent’ EQ that delivers a wide range of bass sounds. Other features include an Auxilliary input, Headphone out and a balanced XLR output for connection to a recording device or live mixer. The BG250 has the TC Bass Chorus loaded as the default effect and the TonePrint, TubeDrive and tuner can all be operated by a (optional) footswitch. TC has installed its own custom 15” driver and tweeter in the Tolex covered plywood cabinet.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the TC Electronic BG250 TonePrint Bass Combo at dv247.com

TC Electronic Launches Spark Booster Pedal

MNJ — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:50:32 +0000

TC Electronic has announced a new addition to its roster of overdrive and distortion pedals. The all-white Spark Booster stompbox with a gold sparkplug logo offers an incredible 26 dB of level boost, enough to steamroll any amplifier input into instant submission. However, the Spark is not just a booster – TC say that that the new pedal is all about raising volume without altering tone and can be used to kick in a solo, beef up weedy sounding pick-ups or introduce a ‘soft’ amount of overdrive with the adjustable Gain control. The Spark Booster is also capable of adding natural break up and compression, especially if used in front of a valve amp.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the TC Electronic Spark Booster Pedal at dv247.com

While most level boosters have one control and an on/off switch, TC has thoughtfully included some EQ in the form of separate Bass and Treble controls. These are active, capable of introducing extended lows or top-end sparkle. Not only that, the Spark Booster also features a three stage toggle switch which selects Clean, Fat or Mid-boost options for extra tone shaping. The Clean setting boost the signal equally across the frequency spectrum, Fat adds life and punch while Mid-boost will kick out the all-important mid frequencies while still retaining clarity. Like all the TC Electronic guitar effects pedals, the Spark Booster is true-bypass and can be placed anywhere in the signal path. It will run off a 9-volt battery or (optional) power supply.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the TC Electronic Spark Booster Pedal at dv247.com

Gibson Krist Novoselic Signature RD Bass Review

MNJ — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:35:26 +0000

It’s now 20 years on from the release of Nevermind, Nirvana’s seminal album which changed rock music forever. With its stripped back production and uncontrived lyrics, it was a landmark recording that pushed aside the overblown, indulgent and reverb-sodden production values of the eighties and influenced countless other bands to follow the same path. In line with Fender honouring guitarist Kurt Cobain with a signature Mustang guitar, Gibson has released the Krist Novoselic Signature RD Bass. The RD model was a leftover from the seventies; an active bass that failed to find success in its short lifetime but which suited Novoselic perfectly. Cheap and easily replaceable, the RD bass – like the Mustang and other models that Cobain used – was representative of the punk values that had dictated an anti-muso approach to music and instruments a decade or so earlier. However, Novoselic didn’t restrict himself to one model and as well as – mainly black – RD basses he also sourced the equally unpopular Gibson Ripper and the better known Thunderbird for Nirvana’s unpredictable stage shows.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Gibson Krist Novoselic Signature RD Bass at dv247.com

Like the original, the body and neck of the Gibson Krist Novoselic Signature RD Bass are fashioned from maple, which usually means a harder, brighter sound than the mahogany more commonly found on Gibson basses. Also different is the fingerboard material – Obeche instead of Rosewood. Finished in Ebony Black nitrocellulose lacquer, the bass also features a string-through-body design with a solid three anchor-point bridge with adjustable saddles in chrome and a moderately angled headstock. Corian has been chosen for the PLEK-cut nut, while Gibson has installed Grover shamrock-key tuners and a pair of Seymour Duncan Bass Lines Hot Stack noise-cancelling ceramic pick-ups – a STK-J2n in the neck position and a STK-J2b in the bridge. There’s an independent volume control for each pick-up and a master tone control, all with black speed knobs. Scale length is 34″ and other features include a 5-ply pickguard, silkscreened gold Gibson logo, ‘Krist Novoselic’ signature on the headstock and aluminium strap buttons. The bass is shipped with 045-105 Gibson strings and a hardshell case with a white interior is included.

On picking up the Novoselic RD for the first time, I was struck by how substantial and robust the bass seemed. There’s a simply enormous volute between neck and headstock, presumably to protect the head from being sheared off should the artist decide to revert to the antics of his former days in Nirvana, when instruments were reduced to matchwood at the end of the show. It’s built like the proverbial brick outhouse, with a muscular feel to the neck and what appears to be a good thick finish to withstand knocks and dings. However, the instrument is not the heaviest bass I’ve ever played by any stretch and has an even balance on a strap, both factors boding well for the RD as a regular gigging tool.

Seymour Duncan has provided two very Jazz Bass-style pick-ups, although the looks are where the comparison ends. The Duncans are much more powerful – and quiet – affairs, equipping the bass with a huge sound definitely suited to rock, metal, punk or any combination or variation thereof. There’s plenty of oomph and thump if you want it despite the maple construction trying to influence the tone in the opposite direction, but its the sheer power and heftiness of this bass that impresses.

Krist Novoselic’s post Nirvana career has seen him form several other bands, collaborate with other musicians, guest on albums – notably with former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl’s band the Foo Fighters’ Wasting Light – and diversifying into acting, politics and law. However it’s as a musician and as the bass player with one of the most important bands ever that Gibson pay tribute to the man with the Krist Novoselic Signature RD Bass.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Gibson Krist Novoselic Signature RD Bass at dv247.com

Fender Super Champ X2 Review

MNJ — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:29:25 +0000

The idea for ‘hot-rodding’ Fender amps – thus giving them more gain and volume – came not originally from Fender but from Mesa Boogie founder Randall Smith, who modified a ‘60’s Fender Princeton for Carlos Santana. Instead of a flat sounding and relatively quiet little 12-watter, Santana was blown away by the now souped-up combo, which was now capable of liquid, searing sustain. You could say an industry was born right there, but it wasn’t until the mid eighties that Fender caught up and although the resulting products – the so-called ‘red-knob’ series – were not that great sounding, there was one amp that became semi-legendary. The Champ 12 was an innocuous looking item, but it had ‘that’ sound; a smooth and rounded sustain at sensible volume levels that many pro players found exactly right for the time. So the Fender Champ – originally Fender’s lowest powered and smallest amp – assumed a new mantle which has continued right through to the twin channel and DSP effects powered Champ XD. The latest version – released as part of the Vintage Modified series – is the Super Champ X2, available as a combo or head.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Fender Super Champ X2 at dv247.com

The Fender Super Champ X2 offers 15-watts of power courtesy of two 6V6 valves in the output stage and one 12AX7 in the pre-amp. Like its predecessor, the X2 has a range of DSP effects including Vibratone, delay, chorus, tremolo and reverb and by utilizing Fender’s free FUSE software, users can customize and deep edit amp voicings and effects and enjoy online access to the Fender community of fellow Super Champ X2 owners. Mexican built, the Super Champ X2 also features an 8 Ohm 10” Fender Special Design speaker, a voicing knob to select 16 different amp types including tweed, Blackface, British, Hot Rod, metal and more, 15 effects with level control, channel switching, a tap tempo control, line output, external speaker capability and USB output for speaker-emulated digital recording. The channel switching footswitch is available separately.

Front panel design is typically Fender, with black and silver knobs and clear labelling of controls which include Volume 1, Channel Select button, Gain, Volume 2, Voice, Treble, Bass, Effect Adjust, Effects Select and Tap Tempo. Silver fret cloth and an old-style flat Fender badge add to the ‘blackface’ look and for a modern amplifier, there are a surprising amount of retro sounds on the voicing switch. Half the 16 selections are given over to old Fender amps which all display that slightly murky, compressed break-up. A couple have added compression which when driven hard with a humbucker equipped guitar, make the speaker ‘bottom-out’ – just like the real thing. All the rest of the voicings display various degrees of overdrive character, according to name. ‘70s and ‘80s British have enough grind to pass for vintage Marshall JCMs while Super Sonic, ‘90s and 2000 Metal – while not having quite enough gain to replicate a Boogie Rectifier, Peavey 6505 or similar rig – at this volume provide the service required. While not quite loud enough to be a gigging amp, the Super Champ X2 would be fine in the studio or as a luxury practice combo. There’s also a surprising amount of clean headroom on Channel 1, which stays clean nearly all the way up the dial.

With five effects, there’s plenty of options for creating all kinds of sounds, especially connected to the software. Usefully, fender has included some combined options; reverb and delay, chorus and delay and chorus and reverb. Single modulation effects are also well represented; three speeds of tremolo, fast and deep chorus, and a rotating speaker with fast and slow options – all adjustable with the Tap Tempo button. Being DSP, the effects are good and clean and don’t muddy up the tone like analogue pedals would. Of particular note is the Classic Fender Spring Reverb, which when added to the ’65 Twin gives a pretty accurate replication of a classic Fender amplifier at its best.

The Super Champ X2 is a big improvement on the previous model as far as the amp voicings go and the FUSE software makes the possibilities for sounds virtually endless. An affordable and well thought out amplifier.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Fender Super Champ X2 at dv247.com

LIne 6 DT25 Combo Review

MNJ — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:33:14 +0000

The all-tube DT series of Line 6 amplifiers have been around a whole year now and while we’ve reviewed the DT50, the smaller and more manageable DT25 has slipped under our radar. Although the DT25 looks like a regular two channel amp, there’s a whole lot more to it. Designed in conjunction with German amp guru Reinhold Bogner, the DT25 features selectable operation in either Class A or Class A/B and has four separate voicings – American sounding cleans, British crunch, Class A chime and Modern high-gain. Both channels – designated A and B – are identical, each with controls for Drive, Bass, Middle, Treble, Presence, Reverb and Volume. On the right of the clearly marked panel is a Master volume, the four way mode selector, a Pentode/Triode switch and the Class A/Class AB switch.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Line 6 DT25 Combo at dv247.com

There’s no modeling as such on the DT25 and no memory functions on-board; HD amp modeling technology drives each voicing’s pre-amp and tone stack, automatically pairing them with the corresponding Bogner-designed dynamic analog circuitry. Each channel remembers the last settings made, so that changes to one channel are saved while you tweak your settings on the second. This is very practical, as when you are setting up your sounds, you will find yourself toggling back and forth between channels fine tuning sounds until you get the two perfectly balanced in terms of tone and volume. Both channels are capable of producing clean and dirty sounds or anything in between, resulting in a great deal of flexibility, especially with the multiple combinations of Pentode (25-watts) or Triode (10-watts) switching and the variable tone shaping with the Class A or AB option. When you switch channels, the previously saved settings light up the switches so you can see at a glance where you are.

On the back are the speaker outputs, a series Effects loop with a level control, MIDI in/out and the channel switch jack input. Also included is the M Link facility. M Link enables you to connect the DT25 to the HD series multi-effect units and because all control information (tone knob settings, amp component settings, etc) pass back and forth between the POD HD and DT25, you can save any amp settings to a preset in the POD HD for instant recall. Line 6 has equipped the DT25 combo with a Custom Celestion G12H90 speaker and the amp is powered with one 12AX7 in the pre-amp and two EL84 valves in the power stage. Other features include modeled spring reverb with an individual level control on each channel, a cabinet-simulated direct output and Speaker jack-sensing, which provides output transformer protection.

Understanding the four-way Voicing selector is the key to getting the best out of the DT25. What Line 6 mean by American clean is Fender clean, Crunch is definitely headed toward Marshall territory, Class A chime is unquestionably VOX and Modern high-gain is obviously a Boogie Rectifier. To get going on the amp, there’s a card overlay supplied showing some sample settings which will also give you an idea of how the switching works. Any guitar sound is theoretically possible, and the DT25 is impressively loud should you require it, with enough clean headroom for most pub/club venues. Combining the DT25 with any of Line 6‘s HD floor units gives you an amp that’s at the cutting edge of technology while still retaining a traditional analog valve sound.

Being lower powered, there’s a chance to enjoy the EL84s at their best and driven that bit harder, let the analog side of the DT25 open up a bit more. As a standalone unit – forgetting all the digital stuff – the DT25 is an excellent sounding amp, helped no doubt by the Celestion speaker and the ruggedly built enclosure. Although the clean headroom isn’t as impressive as the DT50, Fender Twin style sparkle and JCM800 type grind is easily found on the dials. Or, simply use one channel as a louder version of the other. Mode three in Class A gives a pretty good VOX emulation while mode four exhibits the massive tone of the Rectifier in all its glory. Whatever mode, the sound is never harsh or in any way ’digital‘ sounding, quite a feat of electronic engineering when you think about it.

With so much going for it; manageability, flexibility, sounds, looks and price, the Line 6 DT25 should become the market leader in its class, no question.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Line 6 DT25 Combo at dv247.com

Gibson Paul Kossoff 1959 Les Paul Review

MNJ — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 17:28:09 +0000

Despite a career that lasted less than a decade, Paul Kossoff has had a significant and lasting influence on guitarists the world over with his soulful and bluesy playing that made every note count. He’s admired not only for his classic Les Paul tone but also for the way he approached the guitar. There was a controlled intensity that made everything he wrung from his ’59 sunburst Les Paul a powerful statement in itself and he often used sparse phrasing in his solos that only served to increase the emotional effect. Not for him showmanship, swagger or any speed licks, Kossoff preferred to express himself with a deliberately economical style that often left out the third note in a chord, only utilizing root and fifth to construct his unique voicing of the power chords that proved so effective in the songs he recorded with Free and Backstreet Crawler. His vibrato technique was the envy of many, even prompting Eric Clapton – who Paul Kossoff idolized – to ask how he did it. Despite using a Strat in the latter part of his career, Paul Kossoff will forever be associated with the Les Paul. He owned a few, all now famous and iconic instruments.

Since Kossoff’s tragic passing in 1976, one of these Les Pauls, a ’59 Sunburst, has been in the possession of one of his close friends who – in co-operation with the Kossoff estate – has allowed Gibson Custom access to this guitar to recreate it in strictly limited numbers. The original guitar has been digitally scanned and measured in painstaking detail in order to recreate as accurately as possible the tone, look and feel of the instrument in its current condition – as Kossoff left it. The result is the Paul Kossoff 1959 Les Paul, which will be available as 100 aged and a further 250 VOS guitars.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Gibson Paul Kossoff 1959 Les Paul at dv247.com

Like all Les Pauls, the Kossoff 1959 Standard is constructed with a figured, two-piece carved Maple top over a one-piece, lightweight Mahogany body and with a Mahogany neck. Gibson has paid special attention to the top-carve, reproducing the original guitar’s ‘dish’ as accurately as possible. It has also produced the guitar in a Green Lemon finish, the result of the entire red colour fading from the original cherry sunburst, and chosen the Maple top to closely resemble the unique patterning of the original. The quarter-sawn Mahogany neck is attached with the long-tenon neck joint and is also carved to the unique profile of the original guitar. Aged acrylic trapezoid inlays, aged cream fingerboard and body binding, and a nylon 6/6 nut are also among the period-correct features.

At the end of the fifties, Gibson was installing its famous PAF (Patent Applied For) humbucking pickups in Les Pauls and it was the tone from this pick-up that help shaped Kossoff’s sound. For the new guitar, Gibson Custom took accurate measurements of the PAFs to produce detail-accurate Custom Buckers for the Kossoff Les Paul Standard and every guitar carries a set, wound with the characteristic mismatched, potted coils of 42-AWG plain-enamel coated wire and with genuine Alnico III magnets. The guitar also features an ABR-1 Tune-o-matic bridge and wraparound tailpiece, along with the faded gold-plated Grover tuners that Kossoff added as a modification to his own guitar. Ageing expert Tom Murphy is responsible for the 100 Aged examples – all ‘distressed’ to replicate the wear of the original guitar – while the remaining 250 have been produced to VOS (Vintage Original Specification).

My review guitar is the VOS version, which struck me as definitely lighter in weight than comparable Custom Shop ‘59s. This is characteristic of the originals and usually bodes well for tone. Little details from the original guitar like the screw holes for the (removed) scratch plate and replaced machine heads are reproduced on the new guitar but otherwise, everything is in order apart from the inclusion of four gold ‘speedknobs’. The back and neck are a pronounced light-ish red colour – rather than the usual browny finish – and much more transparent than on other CS guitars. On plugging in, it’s apparent from the off that the Paul Kossoff 1959 Les Paul is a bit special. Tone is a massive subject, but when it comes to Les Pauls what you want is that flutey, woody rich, almost 3D quality – especially from the neck pick-up. This guitar has that – and more. The bridge-pick-up demonstrates fatness and warmth (Kossoff preferred bass cabinets) as well as all the grit and drive you need, but it must be remembered that the guitarist worked with non-master volume amps and no pedals and so to reproduce his tone, the gain on whatever amp you’re using needs to be backed off a little.

’59 Les Pauls are generally regarded as having the perfect neck shape and if – according to Gibson – it has replicated the neck profile from Kossoff’s original guitar precisely, then he was a very fortunate to get his hands on it and used the sheer mass for its sustaining qualities and to develop his immense vibrato. Whatever your technique or style of music is, the Gibson Paul Kossoff 1959 Les Paul will be a pleasure to play and hear.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Gibson Paul Kossoff 1959 Les Paul at dv247.com

Brian May Special Review

MNJ — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:31:31 +0000

Very few individual electric guitars are so instantly recognisable or have achieved such iconic status as Brian May’s Red Special. The instrument that he and his father built from scratch in 1963 has seen service throughout May’s career with Queen and beyond and was seen by a television audience of an estimated 200 million people when he played the National Anthem on the roof of Buckingham Palace at the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002. To describe it as an unusual instrument would be an understatement; the semi-hollow body is fashioned from a combination of blockboard and Oak taken from an old fireplace and the tremolo system is engineered from a kitchen knife with springs from a motorbike. It was also kitted out with re-wound Burns pick-ups. The Red Special is much copied – May actually owns two replicas made by Australian luthier Greg Fryer as well as a green replica by East Anglian maker Andrew Guyton – but to offer a more affordable alternative, he set up Brian May Guitars in conjunction with retailer/distributor House Music to offer the Korean built Brian May Special.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Brian May Special at dv247.com

The Brian May Specials are built differently to the original. Working with Brian and his guitar tech Pete Malandrone to make the guitar attractive to players other than just BM fans, House Music re-specced the bridge assembly – installing a Wilkinson trem system with brass bridge saddles and BM Custom tremolo arm – and refined the electronics, as well as expanding the colour finish choice to ten. With other new features including an acoustically chambered Mahogany body with pinstripe binding, a Mahogany neck, 3-ply scratch plate – including the ’half moon‘ plate behind the bridge – the Special is as near as it gets for a fraction of what a Fryer or Guyton replica would cost. Scale length is still set at 24″ like the original and there’s still room for 24-frets, installed on a very attractive looking Ebony fingerboard. Hardware and plastics are gold instead of black and white – including the Grover GH305 locking tuners – and the Special has been fitted with a dual truss rod system, graphite nut and zero fret. Electrics are three Burns Tri-Sonic pickups wired in series, with a master volume and tone control and three on/off switches and three in phase/out of phase switches for the individual pick-ups, again just like the Red Special. The guitar includes a Deluxe Gigbag.

Although the review Special needed a slight adjustment to the truss rod, it came pretty well set up. The trem arm needs to be secured by tilting the bridge forward an tightening a small Allen screw. Once done, the Wilkinson system operates impressively smoothly and returns to pitch without any tuning problems. Unlike the tree-trunk proportions of the neck on the original guitar, we get a manageable handful of Les Paul sized comfort, with easy access to all parts of the fingerboard including the very top frets. Finishing is good, with only a tiny blemish on the edge of the fingerboard in evidence, something which could be touched up with no problem. Acoustically, there’s a nice ring to the Special which bodes well for its plugged in properties. Of course, everyone around is gagging to hear whether the Special is capable of producing Brian May’s signature tone and so hooked up to an Orange Thunderverb (a single VOX didn’t have enough gain) we attempted to recreate it. With the switching system as it is, there’s a myriad of sounds on offer by selecting different combinations of pick-ups and switching the phase. Setting the amp up with a clean sound, The Special is quite capable of producing Strat-style sparkle or Tele-type gnarl as well as softer tones but it’s through the dirty channel with the Shape control set to boost the mids that we eventually arrived in classic May territory, especially with the bridge and middle pick-up together in phase. If you can turn out a passable rendition of the solo in Bo Rap (I can’t) then this is the nearest you will get from any guitar.

Whether you’re a Brian May fan or not, the Special is a stonking little guitar with some highly individual sounds and a surprisingly addictive short scale. The Korean build means that it’s pitched in the low to mid-price bracket and the choice of colours means you don’t have to associate yourself totally with the man and the image – massively well-respected though he is – if you just like the look, feel and unique sounds on offer from the Brian May Special.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Brian May Special at dv247.com

TC Electronic The Dreamscape John Petrucci Pedal Review

MNJ — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 15:00:48 +0000

When TC Electronic introduced its TonePrint concept, whereby anyone owning a TonePrint effects pedal could download via USB not just settings but actual design tweaks that their favourite guitarist had specified, it was only natural that long time TC user John Petrucci should be one of the first artists to join up. The acclaimed Dream Theatre guitarist created no less than five personal TonePrints in early 2011 – two for the Corona Chorus, two for the Shaker Vibrato and one for Vortex Flanger. So impressed was the fellow, he agreed to develop a signature pedal based on his own TonePrints, now available as The Dreamscape, a single stombox featuring three modulation effects with two settings for each – two chorus, two flanger and two vibrato.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the TC Electronic The Dreamscape John Petrucci Pedal at dv247.com

The Dreamscape features four controls; Speed, Depth, Effect Level and a selector for the six on-board integrated signature tones and an additional TonePrint patch. There’s also a three-way mini-toggle switch that selects Bright, Normal or Dark settings but they are not really EQ adjustments, functioning more to change how ’pronounced‘ the chosen effect is. True bypass is the default setting, but an internal dipswitch can be activated to provide a buffered signal path while another dipswitch provides a Kill/Dry function for parallel effects loop operation. One-screw-battery access comes as standard for all TonePrint pedals or a standard 9-volt PSU can be used to power it up. True stereo operation is possible with both stereo inputs and outputs available, a feature keyboard players may find useful.

It must be remembered that the Dreamscape has been designed by and for an individual artist, so we are not getting the same sounds that are available on the other TonePrint modulation pedals – the Vortex, Corona, and Shaker. Three of the settings are geared more toward being used with clean sounds and are quite reserved in their ranges; there’s no ’over-the-top‘ excess, although Van Halen’s classic flanger noise is here – a favourite of Petrucci. Chorus 1 – based on the TC Electronic Tri-Chorus – is really lush sounding while Flanger 1 is also a bit chorusy. Leslie–type effects charactarize Vibrato 1 which exhibits exactly the right sort of wobble; all very useable. Chimey arpeggios and extended chords sound brilliant on all settings and if you want to use the pedal in line or in an effects loop, it will detect the line level and act accordingly and sound fine in either mode.

As well as the clean modes, Petrucci has designed the Dreamscape to work with his fearsome crunch and distortion sounds too. Chorus 2 widens and fattens, Flanger 2 produces classic eighties sounds, while Vibrato 2 could be used as doubling effect. There are shades of the TC Electronic 1210 rack chorus and the SCF Stereo Chorus Flanger pedal, but as Petrucci has used these two effects extensively, it’s no real surprise that we should be hearing them here. The pedal is extremely quiet, a welcome feature if you’re using high-gain amp settings and it is also quite ’analogue‘ sounding, lacking that hardness that can so chraracterize digital modulation devices.

Having three such great sounding modulation effects in one pedal has to make sense for anyone with very little or no room left on their board and who wants a professional solution to the problem. Couple that with the fact that the pedal has been specced out and refined by one of the most respected musicians in the world and is updatable at any time, it looks like the TC Electronic The Dreamscape could be about to appear on a lot of ’must have‘ lists of guitarists everywhere.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the TC Electronic The Dreamscape John Petrucci Pedal at dv247.com

Epiphone Riviera Custom Royale P93 Review

MNJ — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:30:53 +0000

The Riviera is a bit of a legend in the history of Epiphone. This near top of the range thin-bodied semi-acoustic was about as close as it got to a Gibson ES-335 and was available in various versions throughout the early to late sixties and again in 1993 – still as a U.S. made version – until production switched to Korea the following year. It was finally discontinued in 2006. Original models are incredibly scarce, and fetch premium sums in good condition. Moving forward to the present and Epiphone has re-invented the Riviera as the Riviera Custom Royale P93, a blinged-up hollow-body, fully loaded with three pick-ups and a Bigsby, as well as some very Gretsch White Falcon style sparkly gold trim.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Epiphone Riviera Custom Royale P93 at dv247.com

Like the ES-335, body of the Riviera Custom Royal P93 is constructed with laminated Maple top, back and sides enclosing a Mahogany centre block on which the pick-ups are mounted. We also get a glued-in, D profile 24.75” scale Mahogany neck, topped with a Rosewood fingerboard which features 22 medium jumbo frets and Mother-of-Pearl parallelogram inlays. Available in a polyurethane Pearl White finish, the P93 also features a ‘60s era Epiphone logo on the headstock and a gold pickguard, as well as premium 14:1 ratio Wilkinson gold machine heads and a licensed Bigsby B70 vibrato unit coupled with a LockTone locking Tune-o-matic bridge.

Which control does what can be a puzzle on three pick-up guitars (the Stratocaster excepted obviously), but Epiphone has designed the electronics to include three volumes (one for each pickup) and a master tone, while the all-metal toggle switch works as it would with a two pick-up guitar, with the rhythm position activating the neck pickup and the lead toggle position activating the bridge pickup. The middle pickup can be used in any position by adjusting its volume control. Epiphone has installed its own P-90 pick-ups with Alnico V magnets, commonly known as ‘dogear’ rather than ‘soapbar’. Other notable features include a pearloid Epiphone logo with holly image and a truss rod cover in three-ply plastic with an engraved Epiphone ’E’, in addiition to gold speed knobs with aluminium inserts and hot-stamped indicators. A case is optional but the accessory pack includes an owner’s manual with warranty information, Epiphone poster, Epiphone bumper sticker, a truss rod adjustment wrench and an economy 10′ lead.

Holding the Riviera Custom for the first time, it’s a job to know where to start. It could be argued that a middle pick-up is a bit of a luxury but in addition to the warm, fat tones of the neck P-90 – which would be right at home in any jazz, blues or rockabilly situation – or the gritty bite of the bridge pick-up, it does display its own characteristic sound – hollower, if anything – and when mixed in, portrays a wealth of useable and interesting tones. Because of the centre block, feedback can be kept to a minimum – even at high volumes – with a bit of thought as to the position of the guitar and amp. Bigsby operation is smooth, adding gentle vibrato when you need it to chords and single notes. For some – especially those with delicate hands – The D neck may be a tad too hefty but once acclimatized, proves to be a satisfying playing experience.

Without doubt, the Riviera Custom Royale P93 is a bit flash looking – which may be off-putting for some people – but the way it plays and the big sounds it makes should go some way to persuading them to think again.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Epiphone Riviera Custom Royale P93 at dv247.com

Ibanez ARZ300 Review

MNJ — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:46:07 +0000

For guitarists playing heavy metal/hard rock/shred or whatever you want to call it, the way a guitar looks is all-important in conveying the predominant attitude of gloom and doom to the like-minded audience. If you go for an audition for a job in a band playing Metallica covers, it would be ill-advised to fetch up with a Telecaster; you will get no further than getting your instrument out of its case before suffering howls of derision from the tattooed throng. No, your guitar must be either all black or all white and be free of any feature that smacks of the namby-pamby or superficial. You want starkness, severity, a guitar on which the primitive and subterranean riffs that it’s going to spend its lifetime churning out are vented with suitable demeanour. And it must have active pick-ups. Ibanez has such guitars in the shape of the ARZ series, which were introduced for players who wanted a more traditional set-neck design but with better access to the top of the fretboard than a regular single-cutaway guitar could offer. For the target market of metallers and shredders, 24-frets were deemed essential, as well as a very slightly longer scale length set at 25”.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Ibanez ARZ300 at dv247.com

The Ibanez ARZ300 – available conveniently in Black (BK) or White (WH) – features a Mahogany body with a sharp cutaway and a Mahogany neck with a piece of darkened Rosewood for the fingerboard. Ibanez has fitted the ARZ300 with medium rather than large frets and in keeping with this style of guitar, there are no position markers on the fretboard, only small dots on the side of the neck to indicate where you are. We also get an ART-1 bridge with an Quik Change III tailpiece which looks exactly right on this sort of instrument, with plenty of adjustment available for anybody wanting to alter action or set the guitar up with a different gauge of string.

As the ARZ300 is at the lower end of the range in terms of price, Ibanez has equipped the guitar not with the favoured EMGs, but with its own brand LZ1-N and LZ1-B active humbuckers, set in black plastic surrounds. There’s one volume and one tone control, separated by a regular looking three-way switch and you get the idea that the guitar is designed for the player first and foremost, in the way that the volume control is positioned and the generous cutaway at the neck/body join which affords maximum reach to the very end of the 24-fret board. As you would hope, the LZ1s perform to expectations, offering up the cleanest of cleans when required and morphing into aggression laden brutes when plugged into the appropriate amp channel. Clear and articulate, the pick-ups match sound to looks seamlessly. Given its affordability, it’s hard to see how the Ibanez ARZ300 cannot be a success.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Ibanez ARZ300 at dv247.com

Ibanez AEGB20E Electro-Acoustic Bass Review

MNJ — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 16:00:37 +0000

At one time, electro-acoustic basses were thin on the ground. Not to be confused with the semi-acoustic bass like the Hofner, Gretsch or Gibson instruments which have been with us since the early sixties, the electro-acoustic bass is a different beast entirely. They can be unwieldy things and although the bodies are often no bigger than a regular acoustic guitar the necks seem to go on forever, making then awkward to hold and play comfortably. Acoustically, because of the limitations of the body size, they often lack any real low end response, missing that all important underpinning thud. The banjo was once regarded as a ‘hybrid’ instrument and the same could be said of the electro-acoustic bass, but since MTV’s Unplugged series started 20 years ago they have propagated and for acoustic rock, folk and country, they are the ideal instrument, lacking the connotations of either jazz or classical music that a double-bass would introduce. Every company that manufactures an electro-acoustic guitar also makes a bass version and Ibanez is no exception. The AEGB20E is one of two basses in the AEGB/AEB range and is available in Vintage Violin (VV) or Transparent Blue Sunburst (TBS).

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Ibanez AEGB20E Electro-Acoustic Bass at dv247.com

The AEGB20E features a flamed Maple top, Mahogany back and sides, Mahogany neck and a Rosewood fingerboard with dot position markers. Rosewood has also been used for the bridge, which has an Ivorex saddle and black plastic bridge pins. The body is slim for an acoustic bass at 4”/20 cm deep and features 5-ply bindings on the front and back edge as well as at the join of the 2-piece back. Scale length is a manageable and welcome 32”, providing improved playing comfort over a long-scale bass. Ibanez has installed an under saddle pickup and an Ibanez SPT Pre-amp and as well as the jack output, there’s an XLR connector if you want to plug directly into a mixer or PA system. The SPT pre-amp provides 3-band EQ, Phase and Shape controls as well as a tuner which when engaged will mute the signal to the amplifier.

Although the AEGB20E is adequate as an acoustic bass, plugging in reveals a completely different dimension to the instrument. The SPT is a basic affair, but affords this bass a spectacularly open and rich sound, with tonal colour in abundance from the EQ and Shape controls. Lows are warm and indeed ’thuddy’ and by playing around, there’s a wealth of useable and impressive tones on offer. Also impressive is the look of the tonewoods used, particularly the matched Mahogany back with its centre seam. There’s a lot of detailed work on this bass which belies its affordability. All in all a very nice instrument.

Like the electro-acoustic guitars that Ibanez announced at NAMM this year, for me the AEGB20E electro-acoustic bass falls positively into the why-pay-more category. Recommended.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Ibanez AEGB20E Electro-Acoustic Bass at dv247.com

Ibanez AEL8E-TRS Review

MNJ — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:06:18 +0000

When it comes to buying a new electro-acoustic guitar in the low to mid price range, there’s so much choice that the decision making process is, if anything, getting harder not easier. Sometimes we can be put off a guitar because it’s too cheap for what’s on offer; the thinking being that a guitar may look fine – and sound fine – but because of the price, we assume the makers have cut corners to keep the price down. In some cases this is true, but conversely, if all you want is a functional, reliable and decent sounding instrument, why pay extra – sometimes hundreds of pounds – for fancy Mother-of-Pearl inlays, Maple bindings and intricately inlaid rosettes that add to the cost of the guitar but add nothing to the sound? Sometimes plain is better, and knowing that the money has gone into making the instrument sound as good as it can is more reassuring. We haven’t spent a fortune, and we have a decent, working guitar. The Ibanez AEL8E is a good example of this; it’s the cheapest electro in the Ibanez AEL range, but it has everything on board to get going live or in the studio for the same price as a boutique stompbox.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Ibanez AEL8E-TRS at dv247.com

The Ibanez AEL8E features a Spruce top, Mahogany back and sides, Rosewood fingerboard with plain dot inlays and a Rosewood bridge with a compensated Ivorex II bridge saddle for better intonation, which also includes Ibanez Advantage bridge pins. Ibanez has also installed its own chrome, Smooth Tuner AS machine heads for easy-action tuning and an Ibanez under saddle pickup with an SPT Preamp, which features 3-band EQ and Shape control along with a built-in electronic tuner. In addition to the output jack, there’s a balanced XLR jack for direct connection to a PA system. The pre-amp is powered by two AA batteries and the model is available in Transparent Red Sunburst (TRS) or Black (BK).

On inspection, build quality of the AEL8E is exemplary – to be expected on such a high-profile brand – and the finish is a deep red sunburst which certainly gives the guitar a more expensive look. With batteries already connected, all you need do is depress the tuner button – which mutes the signal into the amp – and give the guitar a tune up on the easy to see display. Noticeable is how quiet the SPT pre-amp is, even with the Volume control way up, and the Phase control will help control feedback although it also has the effect of rolling of some of the low end. The Shape control – according to the manual – simultaneously adjusts the treble, middle and bass frequencies boost and cut at pre-determined intervals. In practice, it can be used as an extra tone control on top of the already effective 3-band EQ, but provides the AEL8E with some interesting characteristics, the extremes of which could be described as being on one end a more open and transparent tone and the other an altogether darker sound.

Acoustically, the guitar is well-balanced and projects adequate volume but lacks the depth and personality to be taken seriously as an acoustic-only guitar. However, the Ibanez AEL8E sounds great plugged in, plays easy, and this – coupled with the functionality and price – should help to make the search for your next electro-acoustic a whole lot easier.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Ibanez AEL8E-TRS at dv247.com

Fender Elvis Kingman Review

MNJ — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:47:11 +0000

In 1963 Fender introduced the King model acoustic guitar, re-naming it the Kingman three years later. The company was at its commercial peak and thought it could do no wrong by applying the same bolt-on neck design utilized by its electric guitars to an acoustic model. Although extensively marketed, the Kingman and the other guitars in the Wildwood series – so called because the backs and sides were made from randomly dyed Beechwood achieved by injecting dye into the living trees before being harvested – were lacking in both tone and volume and for most people didn’t look enough like acoustic guitars, featuring as they did a Stratocaster shaped headstock. This didn’t seem to bother Elvis Presley, who – possibly because of its name – chose (or was given) a Kingman to use in his ’67 movie frolic Clambake. The Wildwoods were discontinued at the end of the decade and are regarded as a footnote in Fender’s history rather than a significant element of it. As part of the current Artist Design Series, the Fender Elvis Kingman benefits from the input of a rather more enlightened production team, who have retained the look of the original, but constructed the guitar with a proper fixed neck and scalloped X bracing.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Fender Elvis Kingman at dv247.com

Along with Presley’s signature on the front of the headstock, the Elvis Kingman also features a solid Spruce top, laminated and bound Wildwood-style back and sides, Maple neck with Ivoroid binding, a dual checkerboard rosette, 20-fret Rosewood fingerboard with block position inlays and a bone nut. Fender has also installed a ’Viking‘ Rosewood bridge with cream-coloured bridge pins and a compensated bone saddle. The guitar is finished in a natural gloss and comes fitted with Fender Dura-Tone Coated 80/20 Bronze 012-052 gauge strings and vintage-style Fender machine heads.

If anything, the Kingman looks more out of place now than it did for some folk in the ’60s. The Strat-style headstock still looks odd, as we are so used to acoustic guitars with a three-a-side tuner arrangement as the norm. The large block inlays and the way the dye has discoloured the wood on the back and headstock make it look as though the guitar is just dirty. However, you have to get past all this because for a mid to low priced guitar, the Elvis Kingman is a revelation in tone and playability, offering up a truly sweet, evenly balanced sound which is decidedly impressive. The neck is a pleasure, and the factory set action is low enough for playing ease yet still allows the guitar plenty of space to ring out clearly. Finish quality cannot be faulted either, with attention paid to fret ends, nut and set-up to ensure straight-out-of-the-box enjoyment.

Some players out there may balk at an Elvis signature guitar. After all, he was a decent rhythm player but hardly a virtuoso and only used the guitar in one film. But, the unique looks and superb sound of the new Kingman – coupled with the fact that Elvis looks so damn cool playing it – may just conjure up enough reasons to want to get your hands on one.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Fender Elvis Kingman at dv247.com