After not attending any NAMM shows last year, I decided to travel to California last month with my much better-half Zoell and our dear friend Mark Scheuer.   I was planning to go to Anaheim for the 2007 event; but my Dad unfortunately passed away on opening day.  He was definitely in my thoughts as the first anniversary of his passing occurred during our time at this season's show.  When my father was living in good health, we loved to take trips together.  Certainly I wish he had been able to make this one.

As with all of my previous NAMM journals, it is not my intent to be "the" comprehensive news source for what happens at these gatherings.  There is simply too much going on at the exhibitions to thoroughly cover everything in such a limited amount of time.  If you've read my other accounts from past years, then you know the drill.  Hopefully, for those of you who made requests beforehand, I will be able to touch upon some of your preferred topics in this article.

The Winter NAMM show is an annual four-day event in January, running Thursday through Sunday.  We attended the Thursday and Friday sessions before traveling north to Santa Barbara for an evening. Following our short stay there, we then headed back south for a couple of nights in San Diego.  A pilgrimage to the wonderful SuperSound Music in Escondido was sandwiched into our itinerary, where we were graciously hosted by Brian Aberg, his staff, and a roster of premium gear (as documented later in this article).  While in San Diego, I came down with a bad case of chills and fever on the final day of our trip. A developing sinus infection made the airline travel homeward more unpleasant than it already is for many healthy people.   I subsequently endured two courses of antibiotics and almost three weeks of related sore throat and earache misery upon my return to North Carolina.  Allergies and sinus maladies are things I've dealt with before; but I don't think I've ever had an extended and painful encounter like my recent bout.  Nevertheless, it did not prevent my enjoyment of the journey. The occasions to make new friends, meet with old acquaintances and see family on the west coast are always gratifying for me.  After a long month of recovery,  I am finally feeling much better and ready to offer an account of our excursion.

On Day One, we diligently took our time walking up and down every aisle in the Anaheim Convention Center's arena and Hall A exhibitions.  These hosted mostly professional audio, lighting and recording displays.  Before we knew it, the day was almost over and we had barely scratched the surface of the more guitar-related companies in Hall B.  We made a  concerted effort to quicken the pace on Friday in the remaining halls, and despite our best intentions, we still did not get to spend as much time as desired looking into the abundance of equipment being demonstrated.   I would not deem this a failure by any means.  Truthfully, I often begin to weary of this circus after a couple of days.  Having worked the shows with exhibitors before, I know how tired THEY are after spending all of those days on their feet and meeting with interested attendees.  After just two days, I was worn out and ready move on, so I did not doubt our plan to bypass the show's weekend events.   If you've never been to a NAMM convention before, it's hard to explain how large and overwhelming they can be.  Even the smaller Summer sessions feature a numbing array of exhibits to explore.   Knowing what to expect, I tried to take the pressure off myself and relax as much as possible.  I tried to visit the places our readers requested, and then let the path unfold as it may.

I'd rate this overall trip at the top of my NAMM-related tours so far, though I've been to others where the actual shows were more exciting.   I'm sure that getting myself into much better physical shape relative to recent years (as detailed in my closing thoughts for 2007) didn't hurt one bit.  The extended amounts of walking were good opportunities for exercise.   I also felt that the Friday session was the most crowded I've ever experienced at any  NAMM convention.  Think of a chaotic shopping mall during the Christmas season and multiply it at least tenfold.  I don't know if the official attendance figures reflected a higher-than-usual number of people at the show on that day; but there were several times when we had less room to move than your average sardine.  Los Angeles in general isn't about stretching out and moving freely.

The real things I enjoyed were my accompanying  mejores amigos on the venture to Southern California.  I certainly overindulged in some fine Mexican cuisine (there are absolutely no shortage of such purveyors in that part of the country) and got less sleep than I wanted to because of our schedule; yet I feel very positive about the whole experience.  Besides, I could rest and recharge at home.  "Vacations" aren't for relaxation.  They are for tedious work involving long hours of looking at musical toys, driving along the sunny Pacific coastline, and watching my friends down margaritas at every turn.

I am particularly pleased that we were able to spend some time with Z's grandmother in San Diego,  who is going to be celebrating her 90th birthday very soon.  She lost her husband not too long ago of.....are you ready for this.....over 73 years of marriage!  He lived a long life of 92 devoted years.  She seems to be doing well, and is a very intelligent and witty person.   I always like to visit her.  I hope that we will be blessed with another great encounter not too far down the road.

One more thing before I get into the gist of the gear we saw at NAMM:   I would sincerely like to thank Mark and Z for their friendship and interest in making yet another trip to the Disneyland for musicians (not that I had to twist their arms).  Some of you might recall that Mark and I compose and play a lot of music together.  He is an excellent bassist and sound engineer who shares a lot of common interests with me in the world of music.  We have put a lot of rewarding time into a number of endeavors over the past few years and are looking forward to some good things happening in 2008.  I had an absolute blast making the rounds with him on this occasion, and look forward to doing this again in the future.  He's a pretty acceptable traveling companion for an old guy! 

Jason

Alright, let's get down to NAMM business.   Thanks to those of you who gave me input on items to check out.  If anybody needs information on something I did not cover, I suggest performing a Web search or visiting sites which canvas the entire event, such as this one.  It is also important to note that despite the amazing quantity of equipment on display, the environment at the exhibitions is not always the most conducive for putting something through its paces and getting a complete feel for what it can do.   Not only is there a constant dissonance of sounds roaring through the halls.....there are strict noise level regulations that each booth is mandated to adhere to.  Also factor in the lines of other attendees who are trying to get a look at many of the same things.  Just like Disneyland, which sits literally across the street,  Winter NAMM has plenty of E ticket rides.  I urge you to use my opinions here as but one part of your fact-finding process.

The following NAMM highlights are organized in alphabetical fashion, for the most part, according to company name.  You can also navigate the ensuing links to view some commentary on the topic of your choice.
 
 
 

ALESIS: I'll admit it.  I have the capacity to appreciate drum-related products ( as for drummers.....we'll discuss them some other time).  In fact, I'm glad this one is up first because I feel like some personal prayers have been answered.  Since it's inception in 1991, the Alesis SR-16 drum machine has been a mainstay in many studios and musicians' arsenals of tools.  I've gotten lots of use out of mine for all of those 17 years.  You name it:  onstage, in the recording studio.....I may have even used it in the bathroom a few times.....it's a stalwart in the drum machine arena and one of the more user-friendly models in the industry.  Seventeen years, though, is a long time to go without any significant product upgrades especially when things involving digital sounds need to stay current.  Bluntly, the SR-16 has been showing its age in terms of sampling, sound fidelity and general technology for a long time.  Every time I've gone to NAMM over the past decade,  I've asked the Alesis representatives if they would be developing  a successor to the SR-16.  The answers were always shrouded in uncertainty and the notion that there might not ever be one on the drawing board.

Behold:  the new Alesis SR-18.

Billed by Alesis as "The Only Drum Machine In High Definition", the new model retains much of the SR-16's familiar layout while incorporating a fresh new look-   including a new blue backlit LCD display.  Built-in effects, bass synth, and the ability to run on AC and battery power (six AA cells) are additional highlights.  Let's not forget the meat of the matter-   a 32MB set of updated 24-voice polyphonic sounds and styles are the foundation of the package.  175 preset patterns and 100 user patterns are onboard.   Plus, the SR-18 has the same convenient footswitch functions associated with its predecessor.  It did not take long for me to hear a dramatic advance in the fidelity of the drum samples in comparison to the SR-16.  I will be getting one of these when they arrive at dealers sometime around April.
 
 

Aviom:  This is a company that I've mentioned from previous NAMM visits.  One of these days I'm going to get my act together and invest in one of Aviom's personal monitor mixing systems.  The Aviom setup is a wonderful solution for musicians needing individual control over their monitor mixes onstage or in a studio.  Shortly before visiting NAMM, I had the privilege of actually using one during performing at a large venue.   Let's say you're using in-ear monitoring, as an example, and want to hear more of a particular instrument while not affecting the mixes of the other players.  The Aviom gives each user control over the individual monitoring levels of all the instruments!  Believe me, the Aviom rigs works as advertised.  Mark and I both agree that it's not a matter of "if" but "when" as far as acquiring one of these systems for our applications.

Blackheart Engineering:   I routinely take note of new products being discussed among our numerous astute members on the Steelbender Forum.  Therefore, I marked it down on my list to look in on the folks of Blackheart Engineering.  I was intrigued because their reported mission is to offer affordable tube guitar amplifiers developed with a boutique-influenced spirit.  Unfortunately, every time I went to their booth, no one was minding the store.  Maybe the  "NAMM restroom break" phenomenon was in effect.  As a result, I was not able to hear or play any of these amps which are produced as a subsidiary of Crate.   For now, we'll have to take a look at some pictures of them idling quietly in wait for some attention.
 
 

Bourgeois Guitars:   I dropped by to see what Dana Bourgeois and Bonni Lloyd had cooking at the Bourgeois Guitars exhibition.  These are fine people involved with some of the nicest acoustic guitars on the planet as far as I'm concerned.  As part of his array of special instruments produced for NAMM, Dana made a short-scale (25") Slope D model which felt and sounded terrific.  Great stuff!

Cameron Amplification:  One of our esteemed forumites brought this company to my attention.  Mark Cameron has gained recognition for both his modification work and the new models that he is producing under his own name.  It was obvious from the steady stream of inquisitors at the Cameron Amplification booth that there is a buzz surrounding these guitar amplifiers (and I don't mean hum, despite the fact that fluorescent lighting seemed to follow us everywhere on this trip).  .  From what I can gather, they are aimed toward the heavy-rocking crowd of high-gain players.  While I don't consider myself to be a "high-gain" guitarist in comparison to many, I do enjoy the occasional forays into the "chunka-chunka" and detuned territories.  When looking for extremely saturated tones,  one of the hardest things for me to find is something capable of providing maximum brutality (yeah, I said that) while keeping a semblance of organic feel and clarity intact.  Hearing a harmonic tightness and sweet "in-tune" quality is paramount  when full chordal voicings are played under the maximum gain settings.  Based upon my NAMM experience at the Cameron exhibition, I left impressed with the possibilities these amps provide for the heavier things.

Kudos to the Cameron crew for being savvy enough to provide a sound isolation chamber in which their customers could listen to the amps at the show.  Without it, there's just no way these LOUD beasts could be tamed effectively with all of the "NAMM police" on patrol.  It's not that you couldn't find some utility with them at lower volumes.....imagine a high-revving 2 stroke racing motorbike being operated at low-speeds for an extended period.  Heck, I loved the actual iso-booth itself.  I need one of those for my house!

When I met Mark Cameron during the Thursday session, he had been discussing some of his general design philosophies with visitors.  I have long agreed with one of the principles he was talking about regarding  that one shouldn't automatically draw conclusions concerning how an amp will sound based solely on power tube type.  I recall this conversation being started by an observer who was making generalizations about EL34s and 6L6s.   I hesitate to say that the Cameron CCM-100 I heard and played is exactly like high-gain amplifiers from the famous names of  "Marshall", "Soldano" or anybody else.  I'm pretty sure some of them have found their way onto Mark C's bench over the years for mods, repairs and overall study.  Nevertheless, those brands might be appropriately used as tonal references for the park in which the CCM plays ball.

Presently, the company is offering two models:   the CCV-100 "vintage" inspired choice, and the CCM-100 "modern" alternative.  We were scheduled to meet with Cameron on Friday; but were informed upon our arrival that he was off-site tending to some technical issues with the CCV-100 on display for NAMM.  Therefore, the CCM-100 was the only working sample available for us to hear.  Chris Schmidt, a partner in the enterprise with Cameron, kindly subbed for Mark and demo'ed the CCM in the Windows Media video below for our Steelbender.com audience.
 
 

Earthworks Audio:  Earthworks Audio caught my eye with the big piano on display in their section.  They make highly-sensitive precision microphones, preamps and monitors.  Mark Scheuer has an affinity for premium sound reinforcement equipment, so his awareness and interest in the Earthworks PianoMic system alerted me to check out their products.  Their proprietary method for capturing piano performances is intriguing and seems to be efficient at first glance.  One of the big sales points besides tone and convenience is the ability to achieve "incredible gain before feedback", which I think most of us would agree is a good capability to have  no matter the instrument we play.  These devices are not cheap!   I was impressed with the sound examples provided at the show.   Might be something worth researching if you are serious about harvesting first-class tones from your 88-keys for concerts and recordings.
 
 

Genz Benz:  If you've gotten this far and are still reading, you might notice that  I've pointed out some items that don't seem to be particularly guitar-centric.  Truth is, even "us guitar players" can use a little help once in awhile.  This might include either recording the extra parts ourselves, or (gasp) performing with people who play another instruments.  (Wait a minute.....that's often called a "band", right?) Genz Benz certainly makes gear for guitarists, as evidenced by their Black Pearl and El Diablo series amplification.  What really knocked me out though was their new Shuttle line of ultra portable bass amps unveiled in Anaheim.  Again, using Mark S. as a sounding board (because I am obviously incapable of developing my own opinions), my interest was piqued even more when he was also smitten by these little dynamos.

In particular, we were excited by the Shuttle 3.0-8T super-transportable setup.  Weighing only 2.75 lbs, this baby member of the Shuttle head family pumps out 175 watts @ 8 ohms and 300w @ 4 ohms.  When paired with the diminutive STL3.0-8T ported cabinet,  you have a potent and complete bass rig tipping the scales at ONLY 13.5 lbs!     The sounds coming out of the display were positively big league.   Further flexibility is available by linking the Shuttle head to a bigger enclosure.  It was hard to believe, however, that an 8" neodymium speaker was putting out the breadth of tone that we heard.  I am resigned to the inevitability that one of these will eventually be taking up valuable floorspace in my studio before all is said and done   (along with that blasted drum machine, and Roland V-Accordion....actually, scratch the V-Accordion.  I didn't say that ).  Hands-down, this was the most inspiring bit of new bass gear for us that we crossed paths with at NAMM.   Well, there was also the Warwick bass we'll discuss later in the article.  The tiny Genz Benz Shuttle rates as a huge standout to me.
 
 

Hercules Stands:  Life is either really good or really bad if you can get excited about instrument and sheet-music stands.  Luckily, it's the former for me.  Hercules Stands makes durable products to fit a vast range of mounting needs for instruments and accessories.  They can now add the term "attractive" to describe  their vendibles with the creation of the new "Home Series" line of stands.  Constructed with a wood-patterned veneer finish; these are targeted toward musicians seeking stands which could be more decoratively-compatible with home furnishings.  They include the same durability and function of their previous models, while exuding a flair you might not usually see from the stands onstage in the typical dive bar.
 
 

Mackie:  Every piece of Mackie gear that I've owned through the years has provided me with excellent sound fidelity and long-term reliability.   I currently use one of their powered mixers for small-venue sound reinforcement purposes and have been pleased with its performance to date.  Aesthetically-speaking, Mackie has obviously influenced the appearance of some other companies' products and heavily affected the concept of what a compact mixer should be.   Certainly there are more expensive and esoteric brands available on the market that might serve one better in a particular application.   My firsthand history with Mackie's gear, including several mixers and power amplifiers, leads me to believe they are worthy to consider when searching for cost-effective mixing and monitoring equipment without settling for cheap quality.  As expected, Mackie had a wealth of mixing products on display at NAMM.  Some models were designed with computer-interfacing features, which is very important in today's age.  I am glad to see increased emphasis on the production of very small mixers, such as the 802-VLZ3 and ultra-compact 402-VLZ3 models seen below.  The clean design is pleasing to my eyes.  I am tempted to look deeper into one of these for myself.
 
 

Now  we turn our attention to the new Mackie Hotwire VT12 guitar amplifier which has garnered a lot of  interest due to an abundant amount of pre-release hype.   Some of our readers encouraged me to find one at NAMM and then report back with some opinions.    Despite all of the apparent mystery and intrigue surrounding this amp,  rest assured that I not only saw these in California.....I also played one.
 
 

 I do take the conditions of NAMM into account when evaluating something on display.  It is possible to draw erroneous conclusions about things in such a hectic environment.  This is why I strive to be careful and responsible when expressing my opinions, whether they are positive or negative.  I would hate to give an unfavorable perspective on a product when the item in question could be inspirational and compatible with someone else.  Readers should indeed take some responsibility in how much stock is placed in magazines or Internet sources of information, including this site.  I think we all can get excited about something if we see some good reviews before being able to diligently develop personally-informed opinions.

 I was honestly underwhelmed by my first meeting with the elusive Hotwire.   As  I was given an up-close tour of the rig by Mackie reps, catch-phrases such as "condominium speakers"....ok...kidding there...."neodymium speakers", "mode switching", "proprietary voltage" and "low feedback" swirled around for what seemed to be a long time.  Did they really know what these terms meant, or were they merely reciting talking points for a convention?  Seriously, I am not trying to disparage these hard-working people (they have people skills dammit !) .  As I said before, I've been a very satisfied buyer of the brand for years, thus making me very receptive to the Hotwire's potential.  I was definitely interested in the design approach and construction technology; but I finally reached a point where I thought "Enough!  Let's plug the darn thing in!"

I was handed a rather cheap-feeling and poorly-intonated guitar to use with the Hotwire.  This didn't actually discourage me too much because I figured if the amp sounded good with such an instrument, it could only bode well for the times when superior guitars would be available.   For the first few moments, I was content to let the rep access some of the presets as well as his own tweaks while I strummed a bit.  After that, I tried my hand at dialing in a few impulsive settings from low wattage (1 watt) to high wattage (120 watts) while exploring mild clean sounds to high gain textures.    Nothing remarkable seemed to grab me tonewise.   The clean to lower-gain sounds lacked a depth and complexity that I hear in my favorite amps.  The higher-gain sounds were very noisy and inundated with hum.  Again, some of the interference might be attributable to the fluorescent lighting and generally poor acoustic qualities of the Anaheim Convention Center.  I should also note that the demo guitar was equipped with three single-coil pickups.

On top of that, even the 120 watt setting seemed like it would be hard pressed to work at a small club gig, especially without sound reinforcement.  I think that if I could have some relaxed time with the Hotwire and explore its editing capacity in depth, I might be able to find some sounds more harmonious with my preferences.
 
 

One can argue that no matter how innovative or technologically-advanced an amplifier is, the most important thing is the TONE.  I think Mackie should be heartily applauded for trying to develop something that is "flexible" and "useful" as the ads indicate.   While I would never confuse the look of the Hotwire for another specific amp either vintage or new, I did like its overall ergonomics.  True, one may need a pilot's license to fly it; but the color schemes and legibility of the controls are not offensive to me in the least.  I sort of like it in a space-age kind of way!   I also give a big thumbs-up for the featherweight specs of the Hotwire.  How does a mere 24 and one-half pounds strike you?   That's not too much to ask of even those bad backs that flare up occasionally.   For $1500 though, I'm trying to find the real value in what is going on here.  I know there are development and production costs factored in, profit margins to be made, etc.  and perhaps the price tag isn't unreasonable for the technology.   It gets back to the subjective aspects of tone and feel for me.

I plan to make a very sincere attempt to experience another Hotwire when a local dealer has some in stock, because I think the intent of the design is very legitimate and noble.  Despite my introductory exposure at NAMM, I still want to give this product another open-minded look away from the chaotic circumstances.  You never know, maybe a final production model will have a different vibe.  I will also gladly be back to tell you if my initial impressions were in error.   I think that many of you know that I appreciate a wide variety of musical tools  whether they are vintage or modern, analog or digital, solid-state or tube,  or cheap or expensive.    Sure, I am more inclined to gravitate toward a guitar amplifier with all-tube preamp and power amp sections for the sole reason that more examples of that approach have felt right to me than anything else.  I will use anything that inspires me.    Let's make some music!
 
 

Matchless Amplifiers:  The Enterprise has re-entered orbit and will be landing in the world of handmade point-to-point wired amps shortly.  Our approach might be bumpy since there's not much room in Phil Jamison's booth.  It's filled with a bunch of positively ancient looking things.   [CUT !!!]   You see what you get when all of the good writers are on strike?   Oh.....none of them were writing for this site anyway.  [Carry on then.]     I've talked about my own Matchless amps here on many occasions.  I am a big fan of these tone monsters, and always like to talk with Mr. Jamison when possible.   Ever since I first saw a DC-30 circa the early '90s, I fell in love with the way they looked.  However, it took me awhile to evolve to the point in my playing where I felt compatible with the aggressive presence and  oft-referred-to "chime" normally associated with the Matchless name.  I saw many of my favorite guitarists getting amazing sounds from them; but for whatever reason, be it ability-related or simply a change in personal preferences, I couldn't seem to bond with those fantastic looking amps with the backlit logos.

I don't recall exactly when it was that I was able to plug into one and "get it".....it wasn't like a switch was suddenly flipped on.   I always loved how they sounded in the hands of select others.  The revealing purity is challenging at times, and the bell-like clarity is almost addictive in certain situations.    At the moment, my two favorite Matchless models residing in my "inventory" are a killer-sounding shower curtain black 1x12 Lightning Reverb which Phil built, and one of his recently-released Little Monster 1x12 combos for something completely different.

We didn't get to see Phil until the Friday session of the show.  Fortunately for him, but not for us, his isolation booth was packed with visitors checking out the new Cobra 30 and King Cobra models.  Not wanting to barge in and disturb the patrons, I decided to converse with Phil and his congenial staff.  Due to a time constraint, I was bummed to not play these as I had intended.  I have heard some comments raving about the new models.  I'm not in a panic mode however, because I know the opportunity to try them will eventually come along.  The last thing I probably need right now (or any other time) is another amp.  Mark Scheuer will tell you the same thing.

It was fun to talk with guitarist Pat Kelley, who was demo'ing some of the amps Phil had supplied.  He was making some mighty fine music and producing tasty tones for people to enjoy.
 
 

As I said above, I own one of the new Little Monster combos.  Another new model called The Baby (not pictured) rounds out the current lineup.   There are differences in some key specs:

The Little Monster:  9 Watts Class "A" High Gain Rock amp. Driven by one EL84, one 5AR4/GZ34 rectifier tube, and two 12AX7's. Features 3 Position Impedance Selector, Extension Speaker Out, Line out. Volume, Bass, Treble, and Master Volume.

The Baby - 6 Watt Class "A" Traditional Matchless Sound. Powered by one EL84, one 5AR4 Tube rectifier, two 12AX7's. Volume, Tone Control, Master Volume. Offered in a Dual 8 Combo. One Jensen Alnico P8R and one Jensen Ceramic C8R.
 

Have you seen that awful KFC commercial that's running on television these days where the girl bites into a chicken wing and then proclaims that everything she knew about wings had changed in the last several minutes?   She was obviously stoked about her "whole new wing world".  What's this have to do with amps?   What do amps have to do with chickens (aside from when they are electrocuted)?  I played the Matchless Little Monster several months ago and everything I thought I knew about Matchless changed.  It's a whole new Matchless world!   Really!

The Little Monster has the same high level of quality found in other Matchless models;  but the voicing is so far-removed from what people might regard as the "traditional" Matchless sound.    I bought it with studio recording in mind.   At only 9 watts, the Little Monster doesn't have a whole lot of headroom (sorry writers' strike.....why do blondes like tilt-steering wheels?  More headroom of course).  This amp is not designed to generate clean tones at loud levels.   The Little Monster is all about super-thick and fairly dark overdrive/distortion at low volumes, though it's capable of rattling some windows if the need arises.   I have it on "the list" to get some clips up of this entertaining specimen.    One thing that I've liked experimenting with in particular,  is double-tracking independent guitar performances with the Little Monster for thickness and another amp such as the Lightning for sparkle.  When the tracks are fused together, it is possible to create some big tones that cover a lot of points on the sonic spectrum.  I'm still partial to the Lightning's wider range of sounds; yet the Little Monster does something toneful and unique enough to merit it's place in my studio.

Speaking of KFC.....they don't make them like this anymore.  You go ahead honey, I want to talk to these folks a little bit longer.
 
 
 
 
 

MusiCares:  This portion of our program focuses not on a new guitar, amp or effect.  Rather, I'd like to inform our audience about MusiCares, an organization providing resources and services for musicians in times of need.  It would be easy to think "I need a new V-Accordion, or a new guitar."   Those are not the needs I'm referring to.  MusiCares deals with human service issues requiring  assistance for financial, medical and personal emergencies.

Eligibility for the financial assistance programs requires "documented employment in the music industry for at least five years or credited contribution to six commercially released recordings or videos.  The applicant must also demonstrate a proof of financial need".

MusiCares also manages addiction recovery programs for musicians and a variety of support groups.  Referrals and aid are available for the treatment of mental health conditions such as depression and other disorders.  For more information and an in-depth explanation of the organization,  visit  www.musicares.com.
 
 
 
 
 

N-TUNE ONBOARD GUITAR TUNERS:  Tucked away discreetly in the nether regions of this article resides THIS!   THIS was one of the HIGHLIGHTS of the NAMM show as far as I'm concerned.  It is a $69 product borne of such common sense that I wonder why nobody has made THIS before.  It could potentially solve all of the world's problems and bring health and vitality to the masses!  Earthquakes would cease to happen.  John, Paul, George and Ringo would reunite....and all of that stuff.

THIS is the N-Tune Onboard Guitar Tuner.  Retrofittable to most electric guitars AND BASSES, we now have access to a chromatic electronic tuner that installs directly in one's instrument without drilling.  It can be completely de-installed without compromising the original condition of the guitar!  The N-Tune is a true-bypass device mounted via a volume pot replacement (available in 250k and 500k potentiometers).  The user simply pulls up the new volume knob for silent tuning, and pushes it back down to resume playing.
 
 

Another great feature about this device is its discreet, yet legible, cosmetics.  It is offered in several color combinations to complement different styles of guitars.  Unlike unsightly stick-on or clip-on tuners detecting string vibrations acoustically, the N-Tune is hardwired into the instrument and is barely noticeable to people in an audience.   Power is supplied by a 9-volt battery which is good for approximately 600 tunings.  If the tuner is accidentally left on, it will automatically shut itself off after one minute of inactivity.
 
 

One benefit of the N-Tune system is that it allows the user to eliminate other tuners from their pedalboards, thus resulting in a cleaner signal chain.  At this time, I have not used one of these on any of my personal guitars.  I cannot comment authoritatively on the reliability and practical efficiency of it yet; but based on what I saw in action at NAMM, this one is undoubtedly going to get a trial run from me.  Visit the company's site for  more photos and demonstrations at:   www.n-tune.com

In the meantime, take a look at our exclusive Windows Media video from product specialist Danny Brant:
 
 
 

Olympus:  For many years,  I have stressed the value of portable recording devices for capturing creative impulses, interviews, rehearsals and live performances.  A welcome trend is the proliferation of super-compact digital recorders which encode directly to WAV and MP3 formats, thus making Internet-ready files a snap!  At this year's Winter NAMM, I saw models of such field-recorders from Edirol/Roland, Olympus, Sony , Tascam and Zoom.  All of these items are intended to serve primarily the same purposes; but they each have some different features and approaches to how they achieve the common objective of convenient high-quality field recording  (I don't want to hear about any of you going out and trying to record corn and livestock).

My personal field-recording unit for the past two years has been the popular Edirol R-09.    I have not felt the overwhelming need yet to switch to another model because the R-09 was logically designed and well-executed in the first place.  It seems to be aging gracefully.  Edirol has also done a good job of offering downloadable updates for the unit.  It's compact, very light, and has good quality onboard stereo mics.  I also like that it can run on standard alkaline batteries.

Checking out some of the new entries in this product category reaffirmed to me that, while all of the units have something of redeeming value to offer, the R-09 still rates as an excellent competitor worthy of consideration.  However, my first impressions of  the new Olympus LS-10  lead me to believe that there might be a new sheriff in town.
 
 

Olympus has been a major player in the micro-recorder industry for many years..... we're not even mentioning all of their other renowned electronics products.  The LS-10 emits a vibe of serious quality at first encounter.  Everything about it feels like a step up over most of the competition.  The feel of the chassis is solid and substantial.  The controls are precision-smooth.  The display is easy to read.   The onboard stereo X-Y pattern mics are nicely integrated into the product.   The LS-10 can record audio at 96 kHZ/ 24 bit.  (The Edirol's max is 44.1/ 24 bit)  To top it all off, the LS-10 has 2 GB of onboard memory standard,  while also accepting SD cards for expanded data storage.  Long operating times are possible courtesy of two standard AA batteries.
 
 

By no means does the LS-10 make the Edirol R-9 obsolete.  However, the Chinese-produced LS-10 feels like a more durable unit.  In comparison, the R-09's plastic housing seems cheaper and not quite up to the caliber of the Olympus' materials.   If Edirol wants to update the R-09 to be on a more level recording/playing field with the LS-10, they will need to increase the bit rate specs, provide onboard memory capabilities and enhance the tactile aspects of the housing.  The R-09's predecessor, the R-1, also had a plastic exterior which encouraged extra caution when handling.  Considering the price tags of these units, Edirol has some improvements to make.  The LS-10, to date, represents what I like to see and hear in portable recorders.   Might I add that the Olympus trumps the Edirol by adding WMA file recording capabilities which the R-09 doesn't have?  It also has a couple of small and unobtrusive onboard monitoring speakers which can be positioned near one's ear like a telephone.  Very nice touches!

If you need some basic multitracking capabilities as part of your micro-recording setup, then you should consider the ZOOM H4 which has been on the market for awhile now.  The new Tascam DR-1 which is discussed later in this article, has an overdub function that might handle your requirements as well.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Phil Jones Bass:  The "Portable Band" is a concept near and dear to my heart.    I want the ability to take live music anywhere.....to play it in unorthodox venues.....to free one from the chains of power supply cords.....to have an amp that is toneful, light and easily transported.   Are these pipe dreams? Phil Jones Bass produces a potential battery-powered solution for bass guitarists who want these same things.   With the gaining popularity of Roland's Micro and Street Cube amps for guitarists, and with the new Micro Bass Cube for the bottom-dwellers, musicians are FINALLY having some options for manifesting amplified music in a portable manner.

Mark and I inquired with keen interest about the Briefcase portable bass amp.  It looks nice, has an easy-to-read layout and weighs about 28 lbs.  For the specs and general limitations of running a battery-powered setup, we felt this amp sounded okay; but was certainly not on par with the company's bigger models rumbling around it at the show.  We expected this simply because of the laws of physics.   While it is possible to run the Briefcase with AC Power, the primary purpose for such a design, at least for our applications, is how it performs with battery power.    Bass amplification definitely requires a somewhat different tack than guitar amplification to sustain and accommodate the low-end frequencies.  The main concern I have about the Briefcase, is that it uses a rechargeable internal battery, and will last only about an hour before needing more juice.  For those of us who play longer than an hour at a typical gig,  let alone in a single set, this is woefully inadequate......again, assuming that we are using this in a location requiring battery power.  If the manufacturer can come up with a cost-effective way to greatly increase the battery-life between charges, then we'd be looking at a winner.
 
 

PRS Guitars:  The Paul Reed Smith display is always one of the bigger and more popular destinations for customers and onlookers at NAMM shows.  If I didn't mention it earlier, this particular show was way more crowded than I've ever seen, specifically during the Friday session.  The PRS booth was an absolute zoo.  Maybe part of it was due to an impending appearance from Carlos Santana to unveil his new signature model.  Nonetheless, this company always attracts crowds and lots of interest.  While we were not going to fight the masses to see Santana, I did risk life and limb by venturing into the display for a short period.  It was extremely cramped and uncomfortable to remain in there for more than a brief visit (business is good!).  Snapping photos was difficult with the number of people in the area.   A lot of new models were on display.....click here to see a comprehensive list of the fresh PRS offerings at NAMM.  I was able to view the new SCJ Thinline hollowbody from a reasonably close distance (pictured below).
 
 

I have a friend who owns a couple of older 4-string PRS basses...... don't see too many of those models lurking around.   I like the ones I've played a bunch!
 
 
 
 
 

Reverend Guitars:  I dig Reverend Guitars.   Joe Naylor's company has evolved since its inception.....from modifying the way its instruments are marketed and sold, to the actual production methods and designs of the the guitars.   When I hear the name of the brand, I instantly think of nicely-priced guitars filled with character, resonance and soul often absent at this price point.  As with anything, the proof is in the direct experience of playing one.  I used to own the discontinued Hitman model years ago (click here if you would like to see the one I had).  It was a fun instrument that took me in different directions than my other guitars did.  Even long ago when I parted with it, I knew I'd eventually have another Rev down the road.   Well, I done it again Ma.  I bought a new Reverend Volcano .   I've been itching for a Flying V-style guitar in recent months for some reason.  Haven't had a V in years and decided it would be fun to spice things up with one, despite the inherent ergonomic challenges of such a design.  After trying a number of "real" Vs  lately,  my jones was actually calmed because none of them felt or sounded right and I became resigned to waiting for something acceptable to appear on its own terms.  Then I played a Volcano and my V-lust erupted again (how about a Flying V-Accordion?).

Available for much less dough than many of the alternatives that I played, the import-built Volcano has excellent tonality and some very useful updates.   The adjustable Bass Contour Control is an effective and thoughtful component..... it gives the onboard humbuckers a single-coil type of quality when desired.

I routinely mention the cost factor when discussing Reverends.  This is not to imply a level of cheapness; but rather to accentuate the admirable traits of the brand.  Whenever the phrase "made in Korea" is associated with guitars, there is an automatic perception among some people that the instrument is not one of a high caliber.   I do have guitars costing a lot more than the Reverends, and I think it's fair to say that I probably enjoy them more overall.  However, the Revs provide a lot of value and are several cuts above what one might expect for the price tag.  I enjoy playing these guitars.....isn't that what it's supposed to be about?

You can see and hear some clips with my Volcano later in the section of the article discussing SuperSound Music.

Meanwhile.....back at the NAMM show:
 
 

Rick Turner-   Turner Renaissance Guitars:  I had only briefly played two of Rick Turner's instruments prior to this visit to NAMM.  One was an acoustic-electric model, and the other was one of his relatively famous Model One guitars.  For those of you who might think you haven't seen the Model One, it is the unique guitar often played by Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham.

I enjoyed meeting Rick in Anaheim.  He was affable and obviously very enthusiastic about his guitars.  That passion is discernible in his creations.   We heard some excellent acoustic-electric playing by a patron as he plugged into the provided sound-reinforcement gear.  I seem to recall one of the modern cylindrical Bose setups as the demo rig for that.    A sweet-sounding '60s blackface Princeton Reverb amp was onhand for auditioning the electric models.  The goldtop Model One that I tried was quite excellent.  Everything from percussive clean tones to fat humbucking grind was on tap.  An onboard piezo is icing on the cake, thus making some acoustic-like textures easily attainable.  I could see myself with something like that down the road.  That's the problem with most of this stuff though!
 
 

Roland/ Edirol:  Roland/BOSS/Edirol fan checking in here.   I've already mentioned my trusty Edirol R-09 recorder earlier.  Despite my new affinity for the Olympus LS-10 unit and some serious contemplation about the new Tascam DR-1,  the Edirol is still for all intents and purposes a vital member of this product category.  I use mine daily.  Even after seeing a number of new competitors at NAMM, I would not hesitate to recommend the R-09 for someone needing an excellent portable recorder;  though in the bigger picture of things the Edirol team is going to need to update a few features in order to contend for top honors.  I would like to see sturdier chassis materials, some onboard memory, 96 kHZ/ 24-bit recording, and the ability to encode WMA files.

Meanwhile, as hard disk digital recording formats such as MP3 and WAVs are starting to take over, Roland also makes an interesting SD/CD recorder called the CD-2e.   Obviously, the CD format doesn't lend itself to the same physical conveniences as hard disks; but some consumers still have a need to burn recorded information to compact discs.   CDs continue to be cheap and removable forms of media.  The CD-2e is in essence, the CD's equivalent to something like the R-09.  Certainly, it's a much bigger unit than the modern WAV/MP3 recorders; but it doesn't pretend to be something you would stuff in your shirt pocket for transport (unless you have really big shirts) .  Additionally, this product has onboard speakers for convenient listening.

I think music instructors, for example, could find a lot of utility in this product.  You can record, listen and burn directly to compact discs in this all-in-one unit.  A metronome and tuner are included inside.  Other helpful features for both students and teachers alike are the tempo and pitch shifting functions.  Slow down the tempo or change the pitch of songs, riffs, etc....when practicing and learning!   The CD-2e has Line In and Line Out jacks,  an external mic input and headphone jack for private listening.
 
 

When I started our look at NAMM by saying how my prayers had been answered with the introduction of the new Alesis SR-18 drum machine, I probably could have interchanged that sentiment and product with the new Roland Micro Cube Bass RX amp  which was announced at the show.  So you're thinking "Jason, what's gotten into you?  All of this drum and bass stuff is crazy?  Where are the new guitar effects pedals and Eric Johnson picks?"  (Sshhh.  Keep it down.  You have to remember I was traveling with a bass player....and he had the keys to the car.   By the way, did you hear about the time the bass player locked his keys in the car?  It took two hours to get the drummer out.   I'd include the {rimshot} here, but the drummer was still in the car at the time of this writing and unavailable for session work.)

Actually, it's the "Portable Band" thing again.  Let's take the music to the people.   I can leave my high-dollar fancy amps at home and get my amazing licks out with ALKALINE BATT'RIES!!!!

What about those bassists though?  It doesn't make a whole lot of sense for them to be carrying amps they have to plug into the wall while I'm endorsing Duracell  (in radio voice:  THE COPPER TOP).  Or does it?   (Duracell, call me.  I love ya!)    Thankfully, Roland introduced a bass version at NAMM.  I really need to hear this amp in a different place than where it was being demo'ed.   There's lots to find out such as "How loud is it?", "Does it sound good?" and the like.    I cannot accurately claim that I was blown away by the clinician's demonstration of the sample model at the exhibit.   That had nothing to do with his talent or qualifications by any means.  He gave a fine presentation.   We simply couldn't get a good handle on the sound with all of the peripheral noise going on.   It's a low volume rig that needs some reinforcement to fill up medium and larger-sized rooms.  I'm not discouraged yet,  because the kind of places I envision this being used in wouldn't require an enormous amount of muscle to be effective.  Also.....what do you think about 11 hours of runtime on 6 AA batteries?   Now that's  a little more reasonable for a battery-powered bass rig.  The Bass RX also has an onboard rhythm guide complete with metronome and some drum machine samples for practice purposes.   I'll report back after I've been able to use one in more "normal" situations.  I don't think they are supposed to be at dealers until April,  like a number of other newly-released products.

By the way, in case I haven't discussed it before, I have been using my  Roland Cube Street  for certain things, and am delighted by the needs it fulfills.  If you've ever played the original battery-powered Micro Cube and were not impressed, give the Cube Street a spin and see if you like it.  I'm not saying you will like it.....but it sounds much better to me because of the extra speaker and tilted cabinet design.   I also like the new extra channel which essentially turns the Cube Street into small vocal or keyboard P.A. system.  The sound holds together in a more pleasant fashion and has a bit more headroom than the original edition.   I think it's fantastic that Roland is making this line of products.   Surely no one is going to confuse one of the Cubes with a typical well-made tube amp; but these models are highly useful and serve an important niche.  Do not forget that we are talking about devices here which can be had for well under $300.

Buy yourself a Micro Cube, get your bass player buddy to purchase the bass version, and take your tips jar down to the street corner  (hint:  if you are playing for a dyslexic audience, think about changing the label on the jar because trust me,  the last thing you want is a bunch of wet bills and change to pick through at the end of the gig).   Fire up the amps and rock out!  If the law shows up, be nice and offer to play them anything besides the theme from "Cops" or "I Shot The Sheriff".   If you are playing in a small place with easy access to one power receptacle,  invite your drummer to join in the proceedings (that is, if you are able and willing to get him out of bed).   Tell him to carry his Roland Handsonic or Total Percussion Pad and plug it into the extra channel on the Cube Street.....or better yet tell him to bring his own.  He's got more money than he's letting on.
 
 

Roland also released yet another version of the Micro Cube for guitarists.  Cosmetically-similar to the Cube Bass RX,  the new Micro Cube RX has a quartet of 4" speakers, along with a built-in rhythm guide function for practicing.
 
 

T.C. Electronic/ TC-Helicon:  T.C. had an extensive display available for NAMM patrons last month complete with a constant rotation of professional artists showcasing the goods.  The first T.C. Electronic product I ever owned was the well-known  SCF Chorus/Flanger pedal.  It's hard to beat for what I might describe as a "dry" or "transparent" chorus....if that makes sense. It's easy to tweak and very versatile with its chorusing, flanging and vibrato effects.

Likewise, I derive an abundance of pleasure from my T.C. Electronic Vintage Delay that is, alas, now discontinued in favor of the newer Nova Delay pedal.  In fact, the Nova series seems to be taking over everything except Iraq.   Along with the Delay, and the still factory-fresh release of an accompanying Nova Reverb unit,  the powers-that-be decided it would be nice to expand the family with the new Nova Modulator and Nova Dynamics boxes.

As perhaps a testament to birth control gone awry, all of these "family members" got together and the Nova System was born  (KEEP THE NORTH CAROLINA JOKES OUT OF THIS PLEASE.....I like it here for the most part) .  In reality, the Nova System is a logical progression of product development.  There's a lot of processing power packed into this one.....and it includes an ANALOG drive circuit that is independent from the effects' digital componentry.  The parameters of the drive are controlled digitally;  but they are analog in operation and tone.  As the nice people at T.C. pointed out, this means that somebody could actually go in and mod the overdrive circuit to their liking.....maybe have somebody like Robert Keeley or AnalogMan, etc.....develop tweaks for customers if they so desired.  Interesting concept!   This is definitely a product from NAMM that is on my list of things to investigate in-depth as availability allows.  I played a demo model briefly through a provided headphone system, and am anxious to see what the Nova System can do through a good amplifier.  From a features standpoint, this is a comprehensive processor.  I am hard-pressed to find a type of effect that they left out!

While the footprint of the Nova System isn't exactly small, I think it still has a high convenience factor, especially for guitarists wanting ground control over the functionality and quality normally associated with T.C.'s rack effects.   In the meantime, if any of our readers are able to get some more experience with this before I do, please forward your impressions to me.
 
 

The fine young man with me in the photo on the left, whom we shall refer to simply as "Andrew" in order to protect his reputation, is apparently a frequent Steelbender.com visitor.  I'm happy he informed me of that upon my arrival,  because it ensured a positive write-up .   Smart guy, that "Andrew".  Always bucking for that job promotion.   He has great taste not only in reading habits; but also the gear he chooses to represent.  At right are some of T.C.'s pedal effects, including the expanded Nova series.
 

Here I am with our gracious host "Andrew", getting a tour of the new Nova System.  Meanwhile Mark Scheuer thinks to himself in the background "Man, why do you have to play in F# all the damn time?  Gimme a key, besides a church key, that I can relate to!"  Thus the motivation for me to write some more songs with said pitch.  Unless of course I decide to do them in Gb.

T-C Helicon is the division of the company that focuses on products for vocal enhancement.  I bought a VoiceTone Correct unit last year and hold it in high regard.  It's a useful product for vocalists, or aspiring vocalists, of all skill levels.  Contrary to what might be assumed, the Correct model will not turn somebody who can't sing into a great singer (I know this firsthand).  Instead, it will offer some tone shaping functions and subtle intonation correction for the user.  It's quite useful for even great singers toward the end of a long performance because it can help to compensate for tired vocal cords while not imparting artificially over-processed characteristics.   Marketed as something to give vocalists a little more control over their sound onstage,  this pedal's charms can also be enjoyed in a studio situation.   T-C has now added more members to the VoiceTone series.  Besides the  Correct  and Create units, we now have one called the Double and the particularly fascinating Harmony M and Harmony G boxes.  Just think what a perfect match it would be if they came out with an E Harmony pedal  !!!!!!!   (writers' strike.....I'm trying!).

The Harmony G pedal (G is for guitarists, M is for MIDI devices such as keyboards) was demo'ed by a few featured artists.  Basically, you  plug a vocal mic and a guitar into it.  As the user sings and strums, the Harmony G analyzes the guitar chords being played and accordingly alters the pitch of the harmony vocals!   I heard one of the clinicians playing his guitar and singing the entire vocal arrangement for The Eagles' "Tequila Sunrise" ......all by himself.  The coffee house troubadours are going to have a party with this thing!  The times they are a -changin' indeed!  I would imagine that the Harmony M  has astounding possibilities for keyboardists.  Before you know it, one man could be ELO all by himself.   Wait....that already happened.
 
 
 
 
 

TASCAM:Tascam is yet another company whose employees enjoy pension funds that I've contributed to for years.  I still remember the TEAC reel-to-reel deck my Dad bought while serving in Vietnam during the war.  Their brands were in my life before I even started to play music!

I must admit that I was eager before even taking the NAMM trip to see what Tascam would be releasing at the show.  My biggest hopes were to see a new and improved successor unveiled for the 2488 MkII  24-track workstation, which in turn followed the original 2488 that I use heavily today.  I was especially enthusiastic and hopeful in light of Tascam's introduction of the new DP-02 multitrackers not too long ago.

I regard my purchase of the 2488 a few years ago to be one of my most satisfying musical equipment acquisitions to this date.  Mark and I have put lots of hours on both of our 2488s without encountering reliability issues of any type.  He recently slid his Mk 1 model over to our drummer, and took advantage of a great sales offer on a Mk II for himself.   This gives each of us the ability to work in our own studios when desired, and transfer projects back and forth online.

The 2488 and 2488 MkII models are both excellent choices for affordable stand-alone workstations.  Tascam did not reveal a new version at this NAMM; but I was fortunate to bend the ear of a Tascam V-P who intently wrote down the suggestions I offered for a possible successor (the recorder, not the V-P).     I hope he didn't drop them in the trash can on his way to get some coffee .   After using these machines for such a long time, I've found a couple of areas that could be improved for increased functionality and efficiency:

1- The current and previous editions of the 2488 have eight  total instrument inputs on the back panel.  Four of these are dual-types allowing for either XLR or 1/4" connections, while the remaining four input jacks are limited to 1/4" plugs only.  Why not make all eight inputs with the dual-type plugs?  This would expand the recording possibilities greatly, especially for mic'ing drum kits and overall use of XLR cables.   I don't know if this would require a wider chassis than Tascam wants to make, or if it would mandate a revised phantom power arrangement.  The latter doesn't affect me when I'm using outboard preamps; but I can see where one would want full onboard functionality for times when peripheral devices wouldn't be used.

2- I wish the file imaging times could be considerably shortened when burning data for  a) the internal 2-track mastering functions,  b) song and wavfile backup and c)  CD burning in general.  I'm not an engineer, so I may not be aware of certain obstacles which would make these suggestions unfeasible.  From my perspective, however, I doubt it would add an exorbitant amount to the pricetag to integrate these improvements.

My guess is that if Tascam continues its tradition of progressive updates of a product, a  2488MkIII  will borrow some of the cues from the DP-02s in terms of cosmetic freshening and the inclusion of flash drive capability.  Add in the features I mentioned above, and I'll be placing my order.
 
 

Tascam revealed its first product to join the portable stereo recording wars.  I won't rehash my thoughts on the Edirol R-09 and Olympus LS-10 models that have been discussed earlier in this article.  I will say that Tascam's new DR-1 unit seems to have been developed with a directive to deviate from a number of the competitors in a few ways.  For one thing, the DR-1 is noticeably larger than many of the alternatives, so if having an ultra-compact device is of paramount importance, you will likely need to look elsewhere.  Secondly,  the DR-1 runs on a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery.  If you would prefer to be able to power your recorder with readily-accessible alkaline batteries and thus not having to wait on charging times, then research other choices.  The DR-1 does not encode WMA files, which the LS-10 does.  Unlike the LS-10 and Sony's PCM recorders, the DR-1 does not support 96 kHZ recording.

Though the DR-1 does not have built-in memory storage, a removable 1.0 GB SD card is supplied with the original purchase.

If the DR-1 is still in the running for your investment, then there are a couple of more specs that could sway your decision.  The built-in stereo microphone is adjustable to an extent, allowing for variable recording angles to be realized.  There is also an overdub function which makes it possible for something to be recorded and layered on top of an existing track, such as musical instruments, vocals, or a narrative.  For me, this feature is a strong-selling point since it could make my songwriting process more efficient.

I think the DR-1 has a very clean and friendly look to it.   The backlit display is large enough to read comfortably.  An onboard chromatic tuner and vocal-cancelling option are included.
 
 

Ultimate Ears/ M-Audio:  If you need a set (or two) of premium-grade earphones for either personal electronic devices or onstage in-ear monitoring, Ultimate Ears could be your "ultimate choice".  (Do I belong in commercial advertising or what?........You just answered "what" didn't you?)   I've read and heard so many raves for UE's earphones that it's starting to sound like a broken iPOD....I mean....record.  About a month before our NAMM trip, I decided that I wanted to find some new phones that would excel in a wide-variety of situations that I routinely encounter.  First, I needed a set that would wear comfortably and sound good with everything from iPODs and CD players to even session monitoring in studios.  Next, because of the impending air travel and desire to get some work done on my laptop, it was important to find a pair with good isolating properties.

I initially became aware of the UE brand when I started using MiniDisc recorders frequently.  I never bought a pair of UEs during that time frame; but the reviews for them always seemed to be exceptionally positive.  There were common references to the UE line as being the most consistently excellent earphones made.   Even though I knew about them when conducting the research for my recent purchase, I honestly didn't consider them as seriously as I should have, primarily because the custom models require an audiologist to create molds of the user's ears.  These are sent to UE to create form-fitting earpieces, allowing for optimal noise-reduction and ultimate sound quality.  I really wanted to have something to use on the trip, so I didn't want to risk having to wait for an appointment with an audiologist and then taking the chance that my monitors wouldn't be delivered to me before leaving.  Plus, no matter how good and useful they might be, I didn't want to spend a ton of money on them.

Therefore, my search was focused on some alternatives that will go unnamed here.  As far as I was concerned, there were two general directions to think about.  One, I could've pursued some active noise-cancellation headphones.  Two, I could go for what are known as sound-isolation earphones.  These rely on the physical seal of the earpieces against the listener's ear canals to reduce external noise interference.

I had a set of noise-cancellation headphones several years ago which were made by a well-known manufacturer.  I did not like them at all, and they were quickly returned.  Noise-cancellation phones work by actually introducing an actively-generated (battery reliant) frequency into the sound-field in order to "cancel" and "phase out" any surrounding noise.  Every pair of noise-cancelling headphones that I've listened to has an "artificial" aspect to the sound.  Some people detect this more than others.  I actually feel the cancellation effect .  It causes an uncomfortable pressure against my inner ears.  This sensation has been described by a few reviewers as being present in the current generation of such cans.  I should've know something was up when an abundance of noise-cancelling brands started showing up at everywhere from office supply stores to neighborhood pharmacies.

If you've ever tried to listen to an average set of cheap earphones  while traveling on an airplane or train, you will probably agree that the roar of the engines and intrusion from screaming kids makes it hard to hear what you are trying to listen to, often resulting in having to turn up your Walkman or iPOD to unhealthy levels.    Granted, the acquisition of noise-reduction earphones is more of a luxury than a necessity for most people.  Heck, just about everything you've heard me discussing on this page could be classified as an extravagance in relation to many things in life.  Life here is pretty short though, so let's do something nice for ourselves once in awhile.

During a phone conversation with one of my favorite local retailers, I put forth a few options based on budget, apparent availability, and generally favorable reviews.  I did not inquire about Ultimate Ears for previously stated reasons.  He reinforced the recommendations I had heard regarding a particular brand and model.  He gave me a good price quote, and said they should do what I wanted from both fidelity and sound isolation standpoints.  So off I went to pick them up.  As he was showing them to me at the store, I casually mentioned that I had heard many exceptional opinions about Ultimate Ears but I didn't feel like I had the time to go that route.  He said "You know we have some Ultimate Ears here don't you?"   He went on to explain that UE has an arrangement to produce a line of in-ear monitors for M-Audio called the IE series.   M-Audio, of course, is a popular manufacturer of various studio products such as speaker monitors, MIDI controllers, keyboards....and even the MicroTrack II portable recorder.  Furthermore, he said he would have recommended them initially but didn't because of my stated budget and interest in the other brands.  He's never steered me wrong with any of his advice yet, and when he said that I would be happy with any of the choices we had talked about....but happier with the IEs, I decided to buy them.

I ended up with the dual-driver IE-30s and feel like I got them for a very good price.  While a custom ear mold was not required for these, the IE-30s come with a set of cleanable and replaceable variety of earpieces so the listener can find an ideal fit.  The M-Audio monitors  were fantastic on the airplane rides and all points in between  (you know....."out to california through the forests and the pines.....ah take me witcha Jason!).   Talk about great noise isolation.....I could barely hear anybody around me....except for that guy laughing endlessly at some movie with The Rock in it that the airline was playing.   Actually, that was on the first leg of the ride home and my sinuses and ears were feeling so bad that I didn't feel like listening to anything.  I think the flight attendants eventually injected him with a tranquilizer before all was said and done.

I've also used the IE-30s in a couple of studio situations.  Even with a live drum kit hammering away in close quarters, the M-Audio units effectively reduce external sound levels so you can focus on what's coming through the speakers.  Earphone volumes can then be reduced to safer levels because it's not necessary to crank them up so loud to drown out unwanted noises.

When we went to the NAMM show, Mark ended up ordering a custom set from Ultimate Ears.  UE had an audiologist on-duty at the booth during the show who could make the custom molds on the premises.  UE then took the individual molds back to their factory and shipped Mark's new in-ear monitors back to his home within 2-3 weeks.  He ordered the Custom UE 7 Pro set and thinks they are excellent.  After listening to the tip-top-of-the-line UE 11 Pro  insane QUAD drive units,  he said he still liked the 7s enough to opt for them.   By all means, visit the product links in this section for photos and detailed specs regarding both the Ultimate Ears line and their M-Audio IE counterparts.

One last thing about the earphones.....I've got some tremendous blackmail photos of Mark having his ears molded for his UEs.   However, since he hasn't pissed me off too much lately about anything, I won't post them.   I do reserve the right to change my mind though.
 
 

Warwick:  Ok, if I seemed unkind to my pal Mark a second ago, let me try to make amends by making another token bass post so he'll have something to look at 

The truth is we both loved this Star Bass II :

One of my favorite basses of all-time is the old Gibson Les Paul Signature Bass like Jack Casady used to play  (Epiphone has been making a sig model for him in recent years which he currently uses by the way).   There is something about the gold, the f-holes.....just everything about the aesthetics of those basses sends me.  It also doesn't hurt to have somebody like him working the strings.  While the Warwick Star Bass II is a different animal, I think that I was visually-attracted to it for many of the same reasons that I like the old Gibsons.  Obviously, there are a few general styling similarities involved, even if the Framus Star Bass was the primary inspiration for this new Warwick beauty.  The action and overall workmanship on the Star Bass II in the above photo, was silky-smooth and very refined.

Mark's a big Warwick bass fan, and owns a couple of their 5-strings which he uses more than anything else (and he does have some other nice basses).  Even though it's been intended in solely a playful manner, I feel like I've given him enough abuse in this article. Therefore I will refrain from pointing out that Jack Bruce can get it done with only 4-strings.  He doesn't even need frets!  I know, I know.  Jack Bruce has used 6-string models before; but we all know that a lot of bassists are really just frustrated guitarists at heart.  They all secretly love six-strings!   Five-strings though?  They may think it's a nice compromise between four and six.  I think it's being wishy-washy. 

To be clear, I could listen to Mr. Bruce, a longtime Warwick user, play his bass all day.  I could also listen to Mr. Scheuer play his bass all day.....that is if he would actually take advantage of his impending retirement so he'd have time to do it.  One more plug for Jack Bruce.....I recently picked up the new album he made with Robin Trower entitled "Seven Moons".  Call me old school simply because I still love a lot of artists who originally achieved their fame from a certain bygone era; but don't mistake this particular project as being stale or uninventive.  I think it's an excellent disc and hope there's more of this to come.  Both of the principals on the album shine through with their own distinctive styles while making a formidable and complementary sum.  I'm not good at album reviews, so just go and buy it!
 
 

Xotic Effects:  I smile whenever I think about traveling 3,000 miles away only to run into people who live not far away from me here in N.C.    Let's see......there was Mark Stoddard from Lava Cable, Cyril Lance from Moog,  Ben Leck from Xotic.....I even had to go across the country to finally see one of Steve Carr's sharp new blueVincent amplifiers in person....when the man lives just a few miles down the road from me!

Ben's working for Xotic Effects these days and blogging about some musical issues that you may find of interest.   I'm glad we ran into each other.....he discussed a few new changes that have been made to the AC Plus two-channel overdrive that I use a lot.  These involve making the eq range a little more flexible for the lower-gain B channel, according to his information.   By the way, if you visit the AC Plus page, be sure to watch the excellent video demonstrations by Allen Hinds.  In fact, the Xotic site has a lot of great