Fender ‘65 Mustang Reissue Electric Guitar

July 29, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment 

Surf’s up! For right at $1000, retail, you can relive the mid sixties beach scene with a Fender ‘65 Mustang Reissue electric guitar. Available in Daphne Blue or Dakota Red with a white pearl pickguard, or in Olympic white with a brown shell pickguard, this is one groovy guitar. The Mustang was originally designed as a student model, and it is not really suitable for metal. But if you are into lighter sounds, this makes a nice addition to your arsenal.

Fender electric guitars have been on the market since they released the popular Telecaster in 1951. The first Mustang came out in August of 1964, and had a new type of tremolo arm designed by Leo Fender. There are not very many of the very first ones around now, and collectors will pay thousands of dollars for them.

The first student models Fender released were called the Musicmaster and the Duo-Sonic. The Duo-Sonic differed from the Musicmaster in that it had two pickups while the Musicmaster only had one. These both came out in the fifties.

The Mustang had a slightly offset waist, much like the Jaguar and Jazzmaster that were released about that time. You could order any of these with a shorter, 22.5 inch neck with 21 frets. This is also called a 3/4 scale neck. The larger size was much more popular, and there are not many examples of the shorter scale guitars around now.

Fender also issued a bass guitar in 1964 that they called the Mustang bass, which had some of the same features, like the short scale. Various changes were made from year to year, with similar guitars being called names like the Bronco and the Bullet.

The Fender Mustang was one of the neglected, offset-waist Fender models that made a comeback during the nineties, with almost a cult following among alternative rockers. Kurt Cobain of the band, Nirvana, is a well-known fan of the Fender Mustang.

Advantages: The 24 inch neck makes the Fender ‘65 Mustang Reissue electric guitar a good one for people with smaller hands. It also makes the tremolo arm work better for upbends. The tone knob works really well and is very effective. The on/off switches are a handy feature, too. It has great sustain and decent pickups, but you might want to upgrade them.

This is a beauty of a guitar, too, with its vintage styling and cool color combinations. The neck is fast and smooth.

Disadvantages: Like some of the other Fender models that are modeled after the vintage originals, there are switches above the strings. You may find yourself bumping them when strumming enthusiastically. Also, some have had problems with the set up in order to reduce fret buzz and lower the action. It is small and light weight and might not sit well in a guitar stand if you are switching guitars around in that important gig.  The tremolo is the floating type, and it does go out of tune fairly easily if you use the whammy bar very much.

It can be hard to find a good sounding distortion setting on the Fender ‘65 Mustang, but if you fiddle with your knobs you should be able to find something. It is not for playing heavy metal, so if that is your style, you probably need something else. This one is good for surf music, though (of course!) And you can make some good alternative rock noise with it.

Fender ‘65 Mustang Reissue Specs:

  • Poplar body in vintage correct styling
  • “C” shaped maple neck with gloss polyurethane finish
  • ‘65 Mustang headstock and bridge plate logos
  • “F” neck plate
  • Fender/Gotoh vintage style tuning machines with white buttons
  • 3-Ply white pearloid pickguard on Daphne Blue and Dakota Red models
  • 4-ply tortoise shell pickguard on Olympic white model.
  • Rosewood fingerboard
  • Fingerboard radius, 7.25 inches (184 mm.)
  • 22 vintage style frets
  • 24 inch (610 mm. scale length
  • 1.625 inches (41 mm.) wide at the nut
  • Mustang single-coil pickup at the neck
  • Mustang single-coil pickup at the bridge
  • Chrome hardware
  • One master volume control
  • One master tone control
  • On-Off slider switch for each pickup
  • In-Out Phase switch for each pickup
  • Floating bridge with “Dynamic” vibrato tailpiece
  • Vintage appropriate gap between the control plate and the pickguard
  • Super 250R, NPS strings in .010 to .046)
  • No case included

Get Info / Buy Online: Fender ‘65 Mustang Reissue

Other resources:

  • For collectors of vintage guitars, this page tells all about the Fender Musicmaster and Duo-Sonic student model guitars and shows some pictures.
  • To exploit the cult following enjoyed by the vintage Mustangs, Jaguars, and Jazzmasters during the nineties, Fender released a guitar that was a mix between a Mustang and a Jaguar. It was available between 1994 to 2005 and was called a “Jag-Stang.” Click here for more info about this guitar.

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Gibson SG Menace Electric Guitar

July 27, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment 

Always wished you could afford a real Gibson SG electric guitar? The all black Gibson SG Menace might be the one you can finally afford, as it retails for only $1199.00. It has a real menacing look, too. Of course you will get that rockin’ tone you expect from an SG.

When you discuss with anyone about your favorite guitar brands, chances are people will either say Gibson or Fender - or a few might say something else. But the bottom line is, Gibson is definitely one of the very best. The quality is excellent, and the company has been around for a long, long time.

Orville Gibson was living in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1981, when he started crafting mandolins and guitars in his workshop. His ideas were successful, and he began selling many instruments by 1894. Throughout the decades to come, the company grew in size and reputation as a manufacturer of high quality guitars and mandolins, and other instruments. Designers were progressively finding ways to make the instruments better, too.

In 1937, they produced the first Gibson electric guitar. It was a hollow bodied guitar, which was called a “Spanish” guitar at that time to distinguish it from a Hawaiian steel guitar. It was called the ES-150. The ES stood for “electric Spanish.” Solid body electric guitars were still over a decade away, but a fellow by the Americanized name of Les Paul was fiddling around with some ideas. He offered Gibson his idea for a solid body electric in the mid forties, but Gibson’s management wasn’t interested.

Once Gibson’s top competitor, Fender, had released the highly successful solid body Telecaster, Gibson was ready to talk to Paul. The first Gibson Les Paul electric guitar appeared on the market in 1952. It was a hit, but by 1960, sales were slacking off. Gibson wanted to create something that would compete better with Fender’s immensely popular Stratocaster, which had been released a few years earlier. Their designers came up with a thinner bodied, double cutaway they eventually named the SG, which stands for “solid guitar.”

Many of the greatest of the rockers down through the last few decades have chosen some variation of the SG as their main axe. It has a body of mahogany, which has excellent resonance. The set neck is made of mahogany, too.

Advantages: The Gibson SG Menace electric guitar has better tone than a Gibson Firebird and better playability than a Les Paul. For a genuine Gibson, this has got to be one of the best prices going. The SG body style is lighter in weight than the Les Paul, and has kept people rocking for a lot of years.

The Gibson SG Menace works really well for playing in lower tunings, such as drop B. It will give you crunchy low end sound and will scream for you when you are playing the highs. It has a thicker neck that is good for shredding. If you set the neck pickups volume at 0, you can set the toggle to the middle position and use it as a kill switch. And it is a very good looking guitar, right down to the brass knuckles inlay. It sounds good and is sure to get you noticed.

Disadvantages: A few people have found the neck and the frets to be a little rough. And you might not like the fact that it does not have any fret position inlays anywhere except on the fifth fret. In general, SG’s tend to be a little bit neck heavy, and this one is no exception. You might need to move the strap pins to deal with this. Also, it is really designed for rock, so you might want to use something else for jazz or blues if you’re into those styles.

Gibson SG Menace specs:

  • Mahogany body with double cutaway
  • Mahogany neck
  •  Peghead pitch: 17 degrees
  • 0.818 inches thick at the first fret
  • 0.963 inch thick at the 12th fret
  • 5/8 inch heel length
  • Neck joined at the 19th fret
  • 24.75 inch scale length
  • Total neck length: 18.062 inches
  • 22 frets
  • 1.695 inches wide at the nut
  • 2.260 inches wide at the 12th fret
  • 60’s style neck profile
  • Ebony fingerboard
  • Brass knuckles inlay at the fifth fret
  • Black chrome hardware
  • Tune-o-matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece
  • Black speed numbered control knobs
  • Black chrome Grover tuners
  • 490R Smoky Coils with brass stud neck pickup
  • 498T Smoky Coils with brass stud bridge pickup
  • 2 volume control knobs
  • 2 tone control knobs
  • 3-way pickup selector switch

Related websites:

Buy Online Under $800: Gibson SG Menace

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Charvel EVH Art Series Electric Guitar

July 27, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment 

So what does EVH stand for? Eddie Van Halen, of course! Charvel has been working with Van Halen to produce a line of striped guitars like the ones he made popular. The Charvel EVH Art Series guitar is not inexpensive, though, retailing for $3299.99. It has been designed by Eddie Van Halen himself to be just right for fast and furious soloing.

The Charvel Guitar name is closely associated with the Jackson brand of guitars. As of this time, both brand names are owned by Fender. Originally, though, both businesses were known as “Charvel Guitar Repair.” Wayne Charvel and Grover Jackson were partners in the business in the late 70’s. Then Charvel sold his part of the business and the rights to his name to Jackson. Now Fender owns both names and makes the guitars of both names at their Corona, California factory.

Wayne Charvel is quite a talented artist, and is known for his intricate and unique electric guitar paint jobs. So it just makes sense that the Charvel name has lived on in the Art Series. Of course, Eddie Van Halen is an artist in his own right, and his Frankenstein (aka “Frankenstrat”) striped paint job is a classic example of a famous personalized electric guitar. Actually, Van Halen has had a number of guitars with the same striped pattern.

If you want an actual replica of the original Frankenstein, you can get one. There is a limited run, produced by Fender, of 300 guitars that retail for $25,000 (each!). It features every ding and cigarette burn of the original.

This rendition from Charvel is not quite authentic, but who will know the difference when you gig with this stunning axe. At about one-tenth the price, if you can find it discounted, maybe you can do without a bit of authenticity.

Advantages: In addition to the art designed by Eddie Van Halen, the The Charvel EVH Art Series electric guitar is a good sounding, easy playing guitar. It has super fast, low action and incredible sustain. The fretboard has a specially designed compound radius, which flattens out as you progress up to the higher frets. It is the style of neck Eddie Van Halen likes, and is perfect for tapping those VH style solos. The pickup is really a good one, too. If you get a guitar tech to set it up for you and help you learn to use the Floyd Rose, this guitar will really smoke for you.

The Charvel EVH Art Series electric guitar is not too heavy, so if you are a female rocker and Van Halen fan, you might really love it. It has a good quality paint job and the guitar is very well made. The real value of this guitar, however, is as a potential collectors’ item, and for those who collect Van Halen memorabilia.

Disadvantages: Well, frankly, the Charvel EVH Art Series is probably overpriced for most people. If you have guitar tech skills, you could probably construct one yourself for about a fourth of the price. Only the most dedicated Van Halen fans will probably want to shell out the bucks, because apart from the paint job, it is really just a strat with a Floyd Rose and a compound neck. Some people say it only has about the quality of a high end Squier, at that. And it only has one pickup. Surely you could get the equivalent sound and ease of play from something less expensive.

But if you love Eddie and want it for the nostalgic good looks? It’s your call. It is a good guitar and you will probably love playing it.

Specs:

  • Basswood body in custom striped pattern made famous by Eddie Van Halen
  • Bolt on quarter-sawn Eastern hard rock maple neck
  • Integrated fretboard
  • Compound radius on fingerboard that flattens out toward the higher frets
  • Specially formulated oil finish on neck
  • Black dot position inlays
  • 1.625 inch width at the nut
  • 22 jumbo frets
  • 25.5 inch scale
  • Floyd Rose original double locking tremolo bridge system
  • Chrome hardware
  • Custom special-wound EVH humbucking pickup at the bridge
  • One tone control knob
  • Available in black on white with a black pickguard
  • Available in yellow on black or black and white on red with no pickguard
  • Comes with a hardshell case

Related sites:

Buy Cheap Online: The Charvel EVH Art Series

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Jackson DK2M Dinky Electric Guitar

July 27, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment 

For screaming metal music, Jackson guitars have come to be regarded as one of the top brands. The recently released Jackson DK2M Dinky is already becoming a popular guitar among rockers. It retails for $899.99, and comes in Snow White, black, or Inferno Red, as well as some custom colors.

The DK2M Dinky is a superstrat styled guitar with a very unique look and some high quality features. One thing that makes Jackson guitars stand out is the compound radius fingerboard that flattens out as you move up the fretboard.

Jackson Guitars started in 1978 in San Dimas, CA. It was originally called Charvel Guitar Repair, and was co-owned by Wayne Charvel and Grover Jackson. Charvel sold his part of the company to Jackson and Jackson began creating guitars under his own name as well as the Charvel name. From 1979 to 1986, Jackson made guitars at the location in San Dimas.

In 2002, Fender bought out the Jackson/Charval name and moved their manufacturing to their Corona, CA, factory. Now you can buy a Charvel guitar that is almost identical to the old original Charvels, and you can buy new Jacksons, too. Jacksons are famous as aggressive rock guitars. They have a reputation of being well made and of high quality, yet of a reasonable price. They are also known for their fast necks.

Jackson Dinkys are made in a style of guitar sometimes called a “superstrat.” This name is used because the body is shaped very much like a Fender Stratocaster, but the features are hotter, or “super.” For instance, a Dinky will have hot humbucking pickups, and also often has a pre-amp to make the pickups even hotter.

There are variations within the Jackson Dinky line, but all are basically geared toward heavy metal and rock music. The DK2M Dinky electric guitar is the only Pro series Dinky that has two Seymour Duncan humbucker pickups as standard features. Seymour Duncan is one of the top names in electric guitar pickups. The Jackson DK2M Dinky features these Duncan pickups: a JB TB4 humbucker at the bridge and a Jazz SH2N humbucker at the neck.

Advantages: The gleaming white version of the Jackson DK2M Dinky electric guitar, with its black hardware and trim, and pale maple neck and headstock is a very eye-catching guitar. It is simply beautiful. The strat style body is one of the most comfortable ever designed. The neck is slick and fast, and very playable, due to the compound fingerboard radius.

As far as sound is concerned, the DK2M is versatile enough to play everything from screaming metal to soft ambient jazz music. The Floyd Rose keeps the guitar in tune well when you use the whammy bar. The pickups are real hot and have great tone. Sustain and harmonics are very good, too. All in all, the Jackson DK2M Dinky compares very favorably to other guitars in its price range, as is to be expected with a Jackson.

Disadvantages: This will sound a small gripe, but the volume knob on the Jackson DK2M Dinky electric guitar is directly below the bridge pickup. This location can be a little bit troublesome to get used to. In fact, if you like to steady your picking hand with your pinky, you will probably find yourself accidentally messing with the volume. It might even be enough of a problem that you would want to get a different guitar. Try it out first if you can.

Specs:

  • Carved alder body with flamed maple top (transparent finishes)
  • Rock maple bolt-on neck
  • Black binding on neck and headstock
  • Bound maple compound-radius fingerboard
  • Fingerboard radius flattens from 14 inch to 16 inch up the neck
  • Neck dimensions: .735 inch at first fret, .810 inch at the twelfth fret
  • Scalloped heel and carved body back for easy upper fret access
  • 24 frets
  • 25.5 inch scale
  • 1-11/16 inch width at the nut
  • Natural scarf joint headstock with black Jackson logo
  • Sealed die-cast tuners
  • Floyd Rose licensed Jackson Low Profile JT580 double locking 2-point tremolo
  • Black Delrin sharkfin position inlays on maple fingerboard
  • Dual Seymour Duncan designed humbucking pickups
  • JB TB4 pickup at the bridge
  • Jazz SH2N pickup at the neck
  • Black hardware
  • One master volume control knob
  • One master tone control knob
  • Three position blade pickup selector switch
  • NPS strings in .009 to .042
  • Deluxe molded case is optional
  • Available in solid metallic colors Black, Cobalt Blue, Inferno Red, and Snow White
  • Transparent colors available include black, blue, and red
  • Graphics finishes available include Crimson Swirl and Eerie Dess Swirl

You can watch a video of the Jackson DK2M Dinky here. A fellow named Duncan plays a white one and shows off some of the unique features. The video is very informative and the bloke is a right good guitar player as well.

If you are unfamiliar with the term “Superstrat,” here is a thorough definition, along with a list of some of the most notable of the guitars that fall in this category. The Jackson Dinky guitars are on the list, by the way.

Buy Online Under $650: Jackson DK2M Dinky Electric Guitar

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Line 6 Variax 700 Electric Guitar With Tremolo

July 27, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment 

The Line 6 Variax 700 electric guitar with tremolo is simply amazing. It is advertised as “an entire guitar collection in a single instrument.” This modeling guitar can make the sounds of a wide variety of stringed instruments at the simple turn of a knob. Variax will make you feel like you are playing the best fifty year old guitar, or the latest high dollar electric.

Variax 700 comes in black, with a list price of $1899 or in transparent colors of red, blue, and amber, for a list price of $2099. The transparent colors have an ash top over a mahogany body, while the black is solid mahogany. This is a top of the line Line 6 guitar.

The Line 6 guitars are a little odd looking because they lack a traditional pickup. They have a pickup in the Baggs bridge instead, and this Variax 700 is also equipped with a tremolo.

Line 6, Inc. (a very difficult firm to Google!) was started by Marcus Ryle and Michel Doidic in 1996 in Calabasas, California. It was a spin-off from a previous venture of theirs known as Fast Forward Designs. They are well known among the techie types of guitar and bass players because of their modeling amps and other products. These amps and other products, including the Variax guitars, use digital technology to reproduce the sound and tone made by a wide variety of traditional tube amps and electric guitars.

One of the most notable products they make, which caused the company to expand rapidly in the early 2000s, is the POD. This is a kidney bean shaped gadget about the size of a hand-held video game, but it can do so much more. By hooking the POD up to your guitar and amp, and then flipping appropriate switches, you can get the sound of a wide range of guitars and amps.

Their main amp currently is called the Vetta II. It can even model two classic amps at the same time. Line 6 also provides downloadable software you can use to help customize your sound to your own liking. Workbench is one such software program.

Advantages: The Line 6 Variax 700 electric guitar with tremolo is very definitely a professional quality instrument you can use for the most important of gigs. In fact, it might be the only guitar you need. A guitarist can go from fingerpicking a Martin acoustic D-28 to playing a Les Paul in open E slide just by flipping a switch. You can basically do away with lugging a group of instruments with you to your gigs. The Variax 700 will do them all. Sound quality and versatility beats all the competition.

Disadvantages: It really should come with a hard shell case instead of just a gig bag. It has also been said that the customer support is really nonexistent. This is very unfortunate, considering the cost of this guitar. You might find yourself wishing it had locking tuners, especially if you use the tremolo arm very much. Some have found it to not be as playable as their regular electric guitars because of sharper frets and a slower neck.

Also, be aware that to really maximize the Line 6 Variax electric guitar with tremolo, you really need to buy the Workbench software. It will help you do all kinds of things with your guitar that you would not figure out on your own.

Specs:

  • Carved mahogany body (black version)
  • Carved ash top on mahogany body (transparent color versions)
  • Plays dozens of classic guitar sounds
  • Simple controls that are instantly familiar
  • Rounded bar mother of pearl fretboard inlays
  • Bone nut
  • Gotoh tuners
  • Custom Baggs tremolo bridge
  • 22 medium profile frets
  • 25.5 inch scale length
  • 10 inch fingerboard radius
  • Digital I/O Jack for Vetta II connectivity
  • Standard one-fourth inch analog out
  • XLR balanced analog out
  • Included A/B foot switch selects between outputs
  • TRS cable needed to use the foot switch included
  • Volume and tone controls faithfully for each model
  • Powered by foot switch, on-board batteries, or Vetta II
  • Can be switched from the FVB foot controller
  • Custom fitted heavy duty Line 6 gig bag

Related sites:

  • For a product overview provided by the good folks at Line 6, check this article out. It goes into detail about how they developed the Variax.
  • The Line 6 website includes a wealth of information about these unique technological wonders. One thing you will possibly benefit from are the how-to articles that explain how to do various things on the Variax 700 and other products from Line 6. You can check it out here.
  • If you would like to read a list and brief descriptions of all the Line 6 products, along with a listing of current artists who use some of these amps and guitars, check this out.

Buy Cheap Online: Line 6 Variax 700 Electric Guitar

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Gibson Firebird V with Zebrawood Wings

July 26, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment 

Want to turn heads at your next gig? This Gibson Firebird V electric guitar has exotic zebra wood wings, along with all the legendary Gibson quality and know-how. The stripes on this axe, along with the radically different shape are sure to get you noticed. But what about the sound?

The mahogany and walnut neck gives the guitar a full, warm sound, while the zebra wood adds bright tones. The neck is attached in a neck-through-body design, and has excellent sustain. All in all, it delivers the tone you expect, at a Gibson-style list price of $2789.00.

Solid body electric guitars came on the scene in the 50’s, with the two leading guitar manufacturers vying for first place in sales and popularity. Fender came out with the simply designed Telecaster first, but Gibson introduced the Les Paul soon thereafter. Both of these designs are still very popular after so many years. As Fender created new styles, such as the Telecaster, so did Gibson.

A couple of modernistic guitars introduced by Gibson in the 50’s were the Flying V and the Explorer. Neither of these body styles caught on because people just were not ready for guitars that looked so different. Gibson decided to hire a car designer named Ray Dietrich to create a new electric guitar that would appeal to the guitar buying public.

Dietrich started with a basic Explorer design and changed it so that it resembled the rounded lines of car tailfins from the 50’s. His design seemed a little bit backward because its right-hand horn was made longer than the other. If you look through vintage guitars now, you will see these early Firebird guitars called “reverse.”

A creative and lasting part of Dietrich’s design was the innovation of the neck-through-body. It was the first of its kind. This is why the sides are called wings. They are attached to the part of the neck that runs to the end of the body like wings on a butterfly. Or on a bird (a Firebird!) to be more exact. The headstock was reversed from previous designs, too. Gibson chose to use mini-humbuckers for pickups on the Firebird.

Gibson’s close competitor, Fender, complained that the design was copied after their Jazzmasters. In response, Gibson changed the design. In effect, they flipped the body shape around so that the newer ones were called “non-reverse.” Oddly, the Firebird never took off in sales during the sixties and did not compete well with the Fenders. In reality, the Fender Jazzmaster, along with its sisters, the Jaguar and the Mustang, did not sell well either! Perhaps the world was just not quite ready for these angular beauties.

Now, the original Firebirds, both reverse and non-reverse, are cherished by vintage guitar collectors. Reissues have appeared off and on in the last couple of decades. Usually they have been of the reverse shape, and this Gibson Firebird V with zebra wood wings is no exception.

Advantages: You can expect great sound and high quality craftsmanship with the Gibson Firebird V with Zebra Wood wings. Plus, the unique good looks are sure to make you stand out in a crowd. There is a limited run of only 400 of these fine guitars, so it is bound to become a collector’s item. The neck is somewhat wider and flatter than other modern guitars. And even though they are “mini” humbuckers, the pickups really rock!

Disadvantages: This electric guitar is a bit pricey for many people, but it is bound to be a collectible in the years to come, and will not depreciate in value if you take good care of it. (And you’d better!)

Specs:

  • Nine-ply neck-through-body construction made of mahogany and walnut
  • Neck color, mahogany on classic white
  • Neck profile: 1960 slim taper
  • Rosewood fingerboard
  • 22.75 inch scale length
  • 22 frets
  • Peghead pitch: 14 degrees
  • 1.695 inch nut width
  • Antique trapezoid inlays
  • Antique fingerboard binding
  • Wings of the body made of zebra wood with satin finish
  • Black pickguard with Firebird insignia
  • Chrome plated hardware
  • Tune-o-matic bridge
  • Black Top Hat control knobs with chrome inserts
  • Firebird tuners
  • High output ceramic mini-humbuckers at the neck and at the bridge
  • Two volume control knobs
  • Two tone control knobs
  • Three-way pickup selector switch
  • Brite Wires strings in .010 to .046
  • Black reptile pattern hardshell case with white plush interior
  • Silver “Gibson USA” logo silkscreened on case.

For a site that tells all about the history of the Gibson Firebird, check this one out. Full of pictures and other info, it will tell you anything you might need to know about Firebirds of the past.

Buy Cheap Online: Gibson Firebird V with Zebra Wood

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Fender Jaguar HH Electric Guitar

July 26, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment 

The black and chrome Fender Jaguar HH electric guitar is one groovy looking and sounding piece of rock machinery. With all the surfing style it had back in 1969, this new reissue guitar has some updated features, like dual Dragster humbucking pickups and an Adjusto-matic bridge with anchored tailpiece. Own this functional new (limited edition) piece of memorabilia for only $899.99 retail.

The predecessor of the Fender Jaguar first came on the scene in the late 1950s. It was advertised as “one of the finest solid body electric guitars that had ever been offered to the public.” The funny thing was, it did not catch on with the public at all when it was first issued. The Jaguar came about after the introduction of a similar model of Fender electric guitar called the Jazzmaster. One of the Fender designers was working on double circuit guitars, where you could change the tone with just the flip of a switch.

The idea was not received well by Leo Fender himself, but that changed when a musician named Alvino Rey talked to Fender. Rey loved the idea and talked Fender into manufacturing such a guitar. The first double circuit guitar, the Jazzmaster,” had lots of controls, with two rollers on the upper wing for the Rhythm circuit and tone and volume switches along with a toggle on the lower wing for controlling the Lead circuit.

The guitar did not catch on, however, largely because of the hum of the single coil pickups. The offset waist design may have been a little ahead of its time, too. Anyway, by 1962, Fender had redesigned the guitar with chrome plates, a shorter neck, slider switches instead of the toggle, and less noisy, smaller single coil pickups. Unfortunately, it failed to become popular, just like the earlier Jazzmaster. It was discontinued in 1975.

The next part of the Fender Jaguar story is interesting. The neglected Jags were sitting around in pawn shops by the late 80’s and early 90’s. They were still well-built real Fender electric guitars, however, and they still had a great sound. Since they could be picked up for a song during this time, they became popular with underground alternative rock musicians. One of the first successful bands to use them was the band Nirvana, with the guitarist Kurt Cobain.

One classic problem people found when playing the old Jaguars was that the bridge used on them was prone to all sorts of problems. Many people who play these older guitars change out the floating tremolo mechanism for a Fender Mustang style bridge or a Buzz Stop.

Since the late 90’s, Fender has reissued the Jaguar, the Mustang, and the Jazzmaster in various forms, including several Jaguar with humbucker models. The currently available Fender Jaguar HH fixes the problem of the bridge by using an “Adjusto-matic” bridge with anchored tailpiece, which is similar to the Gibson style Tune-o-matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece.

Advantages: The Fender Jaguar HH electric guitar has an abundance of switches like the original. Once you figure them out, which may take a few minutes, you will have a wide variety of sound options at your fingertips. Thus, the Jag is a very versatile guitar that can deliver regardless of the style of music you like to play. The lead circuit has a bright sound even though it is equipped with humbuckers. The neck is thin and easy to get around on.

Disadvantages: It is low on harmonics and sustain. If you are looking for the vintage Jaguar sound, you won’t get it with this guitar because of the humbuckers. Some musicians find the the short scale, small, narrow neck uncomfortable. The Fender Jaguar HH may not be the most well made of the Fenders, or maybe there is an occasional lemon, but some have found the switches to break easily, the controls not to affect the sound, and other technical problems.

Fender Jaguar HH Specs:

  • Offset waist style alder body
  • Black with chrome color scheme
  • Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • 7.25 inch (184 mm.) fingerboard radius
  • 22 frets
  • 24 inch (610 mm.) scale length
  • 1.650 inches (41 mm.) wide at the nut
  • 2 special-design MIJ Dragster humbucking pickups (at neck and bridge)
  • Chrome pickup covers
  • Lead Circuit controls: 2-position tone switch, volume control and tone control
  • Rhythm circuit controls: Volume and tone control knobs
  • Circuit selector switch
  • On/off slide switches for each pickup
  • Vintage style Adjusto-Matic Bridge with anchored tailpiece
  • Fender Gotoh vintage style tuning machines
  • Chrome hardware
  • Fender Super 250R, nickel plated steel strings in gauges .010 to .046
  • Comes with a gig bag

Buy Cheap Online Under $630: Fender Jaguar HH

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Squier Stop Dreaming Start Playing Affinity Strat HSS with Bullet 150 DSP Amp

July 26, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment 

Are you looking for a good deal on everything you will need to get started rocking with the electric guitar? Then you ought to check out the Squier Stop Dreaming, Start Playing Affinity Strat HSS with Bullet 150 DSP Amp Pack. For only $499.99 list price, you get the Squier “fat Strat” electric guitar, a 15 watt Fender amp with 15 digital effects, and all the other odds and ends you need.

The Stratocaster is about the most popular electric guitar style ever. One of the big beefs people have about it, though, is that it has single coil pickups. Single coil pickups tend to hum, for one thing, and they tend to have a twangy sound. As a result, most rock guitarists like the double-coil style of pickups which are commonly called humbuckers. These pickups remove the hum heard with single coil “pups,” as well as giving the guitar a “fatter” or “thicker” sound.

Enter the “fat Strat.” This Squier Affinity Strat HSS electric guitar offers the best of both worlds by giving you a humbucker at the bridge, and single coil pickups in the middle and neck positions. A five-way blade switch gives you choices about which pickups you wish to use. This gives you a wide variety in the types music you can make.

The icon known as the Stratocaster, or simply “Strat,” was first made by Fender in 1954. It featured a comfortably contoured ash or alder body, two deep cutaways for accessing the higher frets, and a uniquely designed “synchronized tremolo” arm and bridge device. The latter invention has become one of the most copied developments in the history of the electric guitar. In the years to come, however, Fender developed a floating tremolo bridge which they generally put on their guitars now.

Buddy Holly was one of the first rock-n-rollers to make the Strat famous. Other famous Strat players past and present include Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Eric Clapton. It has been popular with artists whose music is influenced by the blues, but has also been used in country and other styles of music.

Fender obtained the Squier guitar brand name for marketing a cheaper line of products. Squier guitars are well made, but are not made in America. Squier has recently produced a series of guitar and amp packs that include everything a beginner would need to start learning to play an electric guitar. Someone who plays acoustic guitar and would like to branch out to the electric, or even just someone on a budget, might also like to consider one of these packs.

The Squier Stop Dreaming, Start Playing Affinity Strat HSS with Bullet 150 DSP Amp is unique in that it includes the fat Strat instead of the basic style. The Bullet 150 DSP amp features 15 digitally mastered effects, in addition to an auxiliary input so that you can play along with a CD.

Advantages: Squier Affinity Strat HSS is a pretty good electric guitar to be so inexpensive. As one reviewer so ably put it, it “kicks some serious gluteus max.” It has a good fast neck and a nice finish. With the choices of humbucker or single coil pickups, you can play a wide range of music styles, form hard metal rock to quiet finger picking to twanging country.

The amp has 15 choices of effects as well as a jack for playing with headphones and one for playing along with a CD. The preset effects are decent sounding. The Squier Stop Dreaming, Start Playing Affinity Strat HSS with Bullet 150 DSP amp is certainly a suitable practice or beginner rig and is a good value for the price.

Disadvantages: The single coil pickups do hum, of course, but some have reported the humbucker making some extraneous noise as well. The Bullet Amp is reported to have a bad sounding distortion channel. The clean is good, though. It is basically a practice amp and does not have enough volume for average gigs.

Guitar Specs:

  • Affinity Series Strat HSS electric guitar
  • Solid hardwood body
  • Rosewood fingerboard
  • Dot inlays
  • 22 frets
  • Single coil pickups in middle and neck positions
  • Humbucking pickup at the bridge
  • Fulcrum tremolo bridge
  • Die-cast chrome tuners
  • Available in black, metallic blue or metallic red

Amp specs:

  • Fender Bullet 150 DSP (digital signal processor) amp
  • 15 watts
  • Fender “clean” channel and versatile distortion channel
  • 15 digital effects - reverb, chrorus, flanging, delay/echo, and 11 more
  • Headphone output so you can practice silently
  • Auxiliary input so you can play along with a CD or drum machine
  • 8 inch speaker

Other items included:

  • Cable
  • Strap
  • Electronic tuner
  • Pick sampler
  • Gig bag

Buy Cheap Online: Squier “Stop Dreaming, Start Playing” Affinity Strat HSS

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Epiphone 1958 Flying V Electric Guitar

July 25, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment 

Wow! Get ready for the space age! Epiphone offers us a vintage style remake of the classic 1958 Gibson Flying V, that futuristic electric guitar that was a bit ahead of its time in 1958. The black finish and white pickguard, along with the gold toned hardware, bring back the past in this hot axe. It can be hard to realize that a guitar that has so often been associated with rock music actually made its debut before the rock music we know was even on the scene.

The neck is ultra fast, and the V-shaped body offers excellent access to the upper frets. The Epiphone 1958 Flying V electric guitar, with its modernistic design, gives you dual humbucking pickups, a maple neck, and everything you need for rocking out! And the good news is that it retails for only $832.00 - about half the price of the similar model put out by Gibson.

The story of the Flying V begins with the Gibson guitar company. Gibson was already well known for making high quality acoustic guitars when the electric solid body guitar came on the scene. The first electric guitars made by Gibson and a few other companies featured bodies that more or less resembled the shape of a guitar. As technology and inventions burst on the horizon, however, the guitar manufacturers began to look for designs that might appear more up-to-date and even futuristic.

The results were that the Flying V, along with the Explorer, were introduced to the public. They were ahead of their time though. Finally, in the mid sixties with the rock and roll revolution taking place, it was time for the Flying V’s to catch on.

Since many people can’t afford Gibson guitars, even though they are fine quality, the sales of other cheaper brands began to hurt Gibson. Many of these other cheaper companies could create decent electric guitars that mimicked the more expensive designs. In order to keep more sales in the family, Gibson bought out the Epiphone name. Epiphone had been around for many years as a maker of various types of stringed instruments.

Epiphone now produces guitars with the same features and looks as the Gibson guitars, but with some steps cut back so the price can be lower. For instance, Gibson guitars have a nitrocellulose finish that takes days to apply. Epiphone uses a cheaper finish of polyurethane. Even so, most reviewers find that the Epiphone guitars are very comparable to the Gibsons in looks and sound.

So if you have always longed to play a radical looking Flying V guitar, the Epiphone 1958 Flying V electric guitar might be just what you have been looking for. It has that cool weird vintage look and the sound that can rock with the metal heads as well as the classic sixties sounds.

Advantages: Of course, there is nothing that looks quite like the Epiphone 1958 Flying V and you are sure to turn heads with this baby. As far as the sound is concerned, it has great tone whether distorted or clean, wonderful harmonics, and incredible sustain. It is fairly light weight and good for soloing. You can play rock or blues on it.

Disadvantages: Unless you are built really weird, the Flying V is not going to fit real well on your lap for playing while seated. People do it, though! Still it is best for standing gigs. It is a little bit heavy in the headstock, too. Some people have found the sound bleeds a little from one pickup to the other even when the volume is turned down.

Specs:

  • Mahogany/alder body in Flying V body shape
  • Pointed headstock
  • Plastic tulip tuners
  • Set maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • 24.75 inch scale length
  • 22 frets
  • Dot inlays
  • 1.68 inch nut width
  • Gold hardware
  • Two humbucking pickups
  • Two numbered volume control knobs
  • One numbered tone control knob
  • Three-way pickup selector switch
  • Tune-o-matic bridge
  • Limited lifetime warranty

Here is some interesting stuff to read about the Flying V, Jimi Hendrix, and a new collection of effects pedals that make the sound of Jimi come alive for the twenty first century.

Want to read a little history and see some neat pictures? Here’s Rock n Roll Vintage’s page on Gibson Flying V electric guitars down through the years.

For a few good laffs, check out this unscientific rundown of electric guitars used by the rock icons of the 60’s and 70’s. (Brought tears to my eyes!)

A little more history - Here’s an article called “From Frying Pan to Flying V: The Rise of the Electric Guitar.” (Frying pan, you ask? A very early Rickenbacker.)

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Ibanez JS1200 Joe Satriani Signature Model Electric Guitar

July 25, 2007 by Jo Minor · Leave a Comment 

Joe Satriani knows a good electric guitar when he sees one, and he has been favoring Ibanez guitars for a long time. One of the foremost rock guitarists ever, Satriani has designed and endorsed the Ibanez JS1200 Joe Satriani Signature model electric guitar.

Like other signature model guitars, the JS1200 is not inexpensive, retailing for a penny under $2000. One unique feature of this guitar is that its candy apple red body is extremely thin and lightweight, being made of basswood in a special aerofoil design.

Ibanez has come to be a name almost synonymous with rock guitars and basses, as well as producing a full assortment of effects pedals. The company that has evolved into the Ibanez we know today has been around for about a century. It began in Japan, but acquired the Spanish name later, when they bought out the rights to the business started by a Spanish luthier named Ibanez.

By the early 1970’s, Ibanez was creating high quality, well made guitars and distributing them successfully in the U.S. The only problem was, their designs were remarkably like other guitar manufacturers’ designs. (Hey, why reinvent the wheel?)

Unfortunately, the other guitar manufacturers did not appreciate these inexpensive Japanese guitars cutting into their profit margin. The results were some lawsuits, so Ibanez backed off and began creating unique designs. At that time, their sales really picked up, because they were able to make guitars that were well made and sounded great but did not cost an arm and a leg.

One of the first unique Ibanez designs was the “Artists” model electric guitar which was used by Bob Weir of the Dead. Then the “Iceman” style guitar became legendary because of the guitarist Paul Stanley of KISS. George Benson, one of the greatest jazz guitarists of all time, has endorsed some of Ibanez’ jazz guitars. (If you happen to find one of these Ibanez guitars from the seventies, hang on to it. Or if you prefer, sell it high, because they are prized by collectors.)

Joe Satriani has become legendary for his highly accomplished rock guitar playing. He is also famous for having taught several other legendary rock guitarists, such as Steve Vai and Kirk Hammett. Many of Satriani’s recordings were made in the 80’s and 90’s as he was often chosen to assist on other performers’ projects. You can be sure any guitar he endorses must be playable for fast solos, have screaming good tone, and be easy and comfortable for long gigs.

Advantages: The Ibanez JS1200 Joe Satriani Signature model electric guitar has a unique, aerofoil body design that allows easy access to all the fretboard as well as fitting comfortably against the guitarist’s body. The neck is a screaming fast JS Prestige style with smaller frets and a tighter radius than some other guitars. The Edge Pro bridge system means you can dive bomb all you want and not come out of tune too bad.

The medium output humbuckers on the JS1200 have amazing tone. They are very versatile, playing everything from metal to blues with style. Harmonics happen extremely easily, too. Each string and note can be heard distinctly, even when you are playing it with overdrive.

Disadvantages: The locking bridge on the Ibanez JS1200 Joe Satriani Signature electric guitar can be troublesome to work with, especially if you break a string during a gig. To really learn to love this guitar, have it set up by a guitar tech. That is always a good idea, regardless of the guitar you choose. The JS1200 is a bit pricey, but it compares very favorably to other high dollar guitars, and even to those that cost more.

Specs:

  • Thin basswood body finished in candy apple red
  • JS Aerofoil design shape
  • JS Prestige maple neck
  • 25.5 inch (648 mm.) scale length
  • 22 frets
  • 56 mm. wide at the last fret
  • 20 mm. thick at the first fret
  • 22.3 mm. thick at the twelfth fret
  • Radius of 240
  • Rosewood fingerboard
  • Abalone dot inlays
  • Chrome hardware
  • Edge Pro bridge and locking tremolo with locking nut
  • DiMarzio PAF Joe (humbucker) pickup at the neck
  • DiMarzio FRED (humbucker) pickup at the bridge
  • Comes with a hardshell case

If you would like to read a short bio of Joe Satriani, including info about many of the music projects he has been involved in, here is the Wikipedia article about him.

Harmony Central has eight reviews posted that you can read for more information about the Ibanez JS1200 Joe Satriani Signature model electric guitar.

The DiMarzio website has some interesting information about how the various pickups were designed, as well as a “Pickup Picker”- an interactive method for picking out the pickups that would best enhance your own situation. Read all about Joe and Fred, too. ;-)

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