A decade ago, you could have asked someone what first came to their mind when "North Carolina" was mentioned and most likely heard the normal array of answers such as "tobacco, Jesse Helms, college basketball, NASCAR" etc.  Perhaps you could ask the same thing today and still get most of those answers.  However, in the current world of music gear,  "North Carolina" evokes images of a thriving hotbed for equipment manufacturers and noted retailers.  As a lifelong resident of the Tar Heel state and a musician for most of that time, I am rather astounded at the development of the production situation in my native area.  Nevertheless, while I truly enjoy supporting the designers and builders in my local region and will gladly promote them when possible, I do not feel compelled to go overboard in my enthusiasm for something unless it strikes me as a world-class product capable of holding its own against other items originating from anywhere on the globe.  In other words, just because it comes from NC doesn't mean that it will automatically gain a place among my favorite musical equipment.  Aside from that, the majority of Steelbender.com readers are not from this state, and many could care less that something originates from NC.

Thankfully, it's been very easy for me to maintain a sense of state pride and integrity on this site when profiling products and people in the local music industry.  Gifted musicians and manufacturers abound in my area and it has certainly made my web endeavors a whole lot easier in terms of being able to provide up-close and firsthand looks at some great gear.  Believe me, while opinions are by nature subjective and not always compatible with the tastes of others, I can operate in clear conscience knowing that my fondness for the North Carolina-born equipment I use is legitimate and very honest.  I've been very lucky to travel extensively and experience a lot in my still-young (hopefully) musical career.  I've tried and owned some of the finest products over the years and I consider myself to be very aware of what is "out there".   It is gratifying when I find something being made in my own backyard that inspires me creatively and allows me to make music while supporting the local economy.

With that in mind, I'd like to shine this edition of the Steelbender Spotlight on a couple of things you may find attractive:  Lava Cable and the brand-new forthcoming Carr Hammerhead Mk II guitar amplifier.
 
 

Guitars, amplifiers and effects have long made the hearts of players race with excitement and maybe even a bit of romance.  Gear hounds' love affairs with the tools of their trade often bring out obsessive-compulsive tendencies and general infatuation with music gear.  It doesn't matter how good your guitar, amp or effect is if you don't have something to link them all together.  Yes folks, I'm talking about cables.....perhaps one of the least glamorous and lusted-after components in the average guitarist's signal chain.  Let's face it, great music has been made throughout the years with some rather shoddy equipment.  Some of the noted masters of music have created and recorded with gear that may have been merely what was available at the time.  Go back and look at photos of guitar players in the 1960's and notice the types of cords they were using.  Certainly these primitive cables wouldn't stand a chance of finding a home in an audiophile's residence anymore than a can of Schlitz Malt Liquor would be found at beer connoisseur's dinner party.  The whole idea of meticulously crafting a sound with premium ingredients hasn't always been an option for many iconic musicians.  Choice gear is NOT a requirement for making wonderful art.  That's right....you heard that here at Steelbender.com....a site that loves to profile top-notch products.  So why would anyone be interested in sifting through the quagmire of audio cables that exists in the audio world?  Not everyone will want to spend their time searching for the ideal wire to transmit their sounds.  However, the option IS available to anyone who wants to tweak and pursue their tonal bliss to the nth degree.  Cables DO make a difference in the sound and feel of the interaction between an amplifier and a guitar.  That said, I've never gone out and accumulated hundreds of cables and vociferously analyzed them to the point of sending my brain into convulsions.

You may have seen "cable shootouts" in prominent publications before where a large number of cords were rounded up and compared in very comprehensive manners.  I'll cut to the chase here.....I'm not conducting such an exercise here.  I have indeed played some wonderful cables and know about some very high quality wires that are on the market.  I am completely aware and respectful of the "audiophile approach" to sound and realize that there are fanatics who will pay in the thousands of dollars for a mere few inches of connector cable.  My philosophy is that while I don't mind trying new things that come my way nor would I have a problem switching to something if I felt the improvement in sound would be worth the cost, I am not actively participating in a quest for the "perfect cable."  What I demand for my own use, however, is something of a high caliber.  I want a cable that is durable, cost-effective and sonically pleasing.  That last variable, of course, is personal and open for debate; but to me it means allowing the signal of my instruments to pass through without an undue amount of coloration or high frequency loss.  I do have a number of cables at my disposal of varying quality.  I do hear and feel a noticeable difference between certain brands and the average cheap-o variety that can be found at the typical music store.  The question for me is how does a cable make me feel about my sound.....does it have the type of response that allows me to get the most from my guitar and amp setup?   Especially when expensive cables are involved, I have to balance the idea that what may be hailed in the music community as a premium wire might not be appreciated by the majority of the listening audience.  Can you tell what kind of cable a guitarist used on a recording simply by listening to the album?  When you're sitting in the 50th row at an arena, can you tell when Joe Guitar upgraded from Brand A to Brand B in his signal path?   Still, what makes the player feel good is of utmost importance because of how it can influence his creativity.  While most people may not care what kind of cable I'm using, if I have a reliable and high-quality wire in the path, I will be more at peace with my overall presentation.  That should ideally result in better expression.

Now that the philosophy lesson is over, let's specifically discuss Lava Cable.   I first became aware of the product when Mark Stoddard, founder and manufacturer for the company, approached me about trying his cables.  I receive solicitations fairly frequently to audition gear.  What piqued my interest particularly about Lava Cable, was when several site readers who had tried them sent me very positive reviews about their personal experiences with them.  Seeing that Mark was located not terribly far away in the Fayetteville, NC area,  I took him up on his offer..... and eventually bought both cables that were sent to me for evaluation.  He supplied me with his standard guitar instrument cable and an XLR microphone cable.  After using both of these items heavily in the studio and onstage for the past three months, I can say that I am very pleased with their performance.   Am I doing cartwheels over these new cables?  Well.....no.  I don't do gymnastics over cables.  BUT.....as far as the glamorous world of wire is concerned, I am completely satisfied with what the Lava Cable is doing for me with all of my guitars and amplifiers.  As a longtime George L's user (and admirer of the numerous benefits their wonderful wires offer), I find that I'm getting a more balanced mid-range tone with smoother highs using the Lavas.  Now, I know you're going to start ragging on me for getting into those wine connoisseur terms that I've playfully kidded about before; yet I must say that like fine tequila (or rotgut...hey...what's with all of the alcohol references today?)  the Lavas give me a nice warm and smooth feeling with just the proper intensity and bite on the finish.....yes.....quote it.  I said that.  In short.....I love the Lava!   At the time of this writing, Mark is not aware that I went out and purchased a number of his patch cables for re-wiring my live pedalboard.  The results have been very satisfactory and I no longer have to worry about the loose connector problem that often plagues my George L's.

For the real story behind this Steelbender-approved product, please listen to the detailed audio conversation below with Mark Stoddard.   You might be wondering how it's possible to talk about cables for 30 minutes or so....but in our ongoing effort to dazzle our readers with brilliance.....
 
 

Steve Carr and I have a friendship that goes back a number of years and I've never hesitated to promote his line of amplifiers.  Yet, I must emphasize as I said earlier, I wouldn't wax passionately about such things if I didn't believe in them and get a lot of creative satisfaction from the product.  I consider myself fortunate to have been able to watch Steve build his company from the ground up and develop a line of amplifiers that some of the world's most esteemed guitarists are using today.  Call it North Carolina "homerism" if you wish; but I am simply a Carr amps lover.  If I moved to Japan tomorrow, I'd still be playing my Carr amplifiers. The fact that people all over the world are buying his amps and loving them speaks for their widespread appeal.  Featuring hand-crafted point-to-point wired construction, Carr Amps are straddling the line between innovation and interpretation.  They feature a blend of time-tested tones with unique options.

When a company decides to release a "Mark 2" version of a product, it could be viewed as either an improvement over an original incarnation, or maybe imply that the first take wasn't successful.  In the case of the Carr Hammerhead MkII, the former would be the case.  The Hammerhead has been Carr's least expensive model in the lineup; but as the true Carr devotee knows, there is no such thing as "entry-level" when it comes to the construction of any of the company's amps.  If you could line all of the Carr models' chassis in a row and look at the interior components, you would be hard-pressed to find anything that would dictate one model being better-built than another.  As Steve has said on a number of occasions "The cost of building a Mercury amp isn't much different than that of a Rambler or Imperial model."

So, even though the new Hammerhead MkII amplifier will still occupy the slot as the least-expensive model in the Carr product line, there have been no compromises in the construction and tonal departments.  With an output of around 25 watts and sporting a pair of EL-34 power tubes, the Hammerhead is a very portable package capable of producing a variety of gain textures at very reasonable, yet potent, volume levels.

I find the Hammerhead to be the least user-friendly Carr amp upon initial investigation.  There aren't traditional controls such as bass, middle and treble to be found on the front panel.  Instead, the user is greeted by knobs controlling "grip" and "impact" among other things.  The flipside is that the Hammerhead might represent Steve Carr's most unique and individual take on a guitar amplifier to date.  The clear and comprehensive owner's manual should address any questions regarding the unfamiliar layout, and a modicum of time spent experimenting with the Hammerhead will yield a wide range of tones from the renowned Carr clean to mid and heavy gain sounds.

What's the difference between the original Hammerhead and the new version?  Carr says an upgraded power supply and addition of a single tone knob will make a versatile amp even more serviceable for the guitarist.  As many of you know, I have created the majority of the sound samples for the Carr website.  I have spent extensive time with the entire Carr lineup including the original Hammerhead.   Steve sent me the prototype head and 1x12 closed-back combo for evaluation.  Based upon my time with the new version, I can say that the gain structure and overall tonality of the original model remains intact.  The tone knob does indeed add a bit more flexibility, especially for reducing the treble frequencies at certain settings,  while the new closed-back cab loaded with a single Eminence Cannabis Rex speaker focuses the bass response.   The Hammerhead MkII will still be available in an open-back 1x12 combo format as well.  Either setup will provide a very lightweight and manageable rig that won't break the performer's back (I'm very attuned to this these days).   Now that Carr's cabinet building operation is on the premises with all of the other manufacturing processes, quality control is at an all-time high.
 
 

For more information on Lava Cable visit the official website at: www.lavacable.com

or contact them at:

e-mail:  mstoddard@nc.rr.com
 

phone:   910.797.7214

fax:        910.864.1296
 
 

Carr Amplifers' website is:  www.carramps.com

phone:  919.545.0747

e-mail:  info@carramps.com