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NAMM 2014 Video: PRS Guitars S2 Series Singlecut


Acoustic Nation Report: NAMM Show Day 2

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More highlights from my second day at the NAMM Show!

Gorgeously made guitars, accessories and more were plentiful. We stopped in at Martin, Santa Cruz Guitars, Breedlove, Weber and a whole lot more.

Here are some that impressed and we'll share more soon!

Don't forget to follow on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to stay in the loop all weekend!

Justin Horenstein is a guitar instructor and musician in the Washington, DC metro area who graduated (cum laude) from the Berklee College of Music in 2006. He plays in Black Clouds, a 3-piece atmospheric/experimental band. Their debut album was recorded by J Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines). Justin’s 18 years of musical experience also includes touring the U.S., a record deal under Sony, starting his own teaching business, recording several albums, and playing club shows with national acts including Circa Survive, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Biffy Clyro, United Nations, Caspian, and more.

More about Justin at 29thCenturyGuitar.com and BlackCloudsDC.bandcamp.com

NAMM 2014: Lâg Debuts 500 Series Acoustic Guitars in the U.S.

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Lâg Guitars has launched the Tramontane 500 Series acoustic guitars in the U.S.

These new guitars are a part of Lâg's Tramontane line of acoustic and acoustic/electric guitars, which are distinguished by their use of fine woods and finishes, radial-edge corner bindings, proprietary preamp/pickup systems, and a detailed rosette design.

The new, richly appointed Tramontane 500 series offers a solid Sitka Spruce top with a mahogany neck and highly-figured Rosewood back and sides. All guitars in the series are 25.6" in scale length and all models feature a standard two-way truss rod, compensated black graphite nut and an ebony bridge.

Body style options include Dreadnought and Auditorium, both with optional Cutaway and electronics. The Acoustic/Electric model features a Piezo NanoFlex pickup with a StudioLâg Plus Preamp that includes a built-in tuner.

The Lâg 500 series is available in Winter 2014. U.S. Street prices range from $599 to $799.

For more information, visit lagguitars.com.

[[ Guitar World at NAMM 2014: Gear updates, photo galleries, videos and more! ]]

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NAMM 2014: Lâg Offers Limited Edition Dark Series of Acoustic Guitars in the U.S.

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Lâg Guitars has launched its limited edition Dark Series of acoustic guitars in the U.S.

This new series is part of Lâg's Tramontane line of acoustic and acoustic/electric guitars that feature fine woods and finishes, as well as proprietary preamp/pickup systems.

The series offers a sitka spruce top with a skull rosette and mahogany back and sides, adorned in an all-black, high gloss finish. A complementary mahogany neck with a French Satin black finish boasts fast action for electric players looking for a familiar feel.

Two models are available: Dreadnought and Dreadnought Cutaway Electric. Both feature Lâg's all-new DirectLâg Plus preamp that now includes an onboard tuner.

The Lâg Limited Edition Dark Series is available January 2014 with U.S. Street pricing ranging from $229.99 - $329.99.

For more information, visit lagguitars.com.

[[ Guitar World at NAMM 2014: Gear updates, photo galleries, videos and more! ]]

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NAMM 2014: Vox Offers Limited-Edition AC15C1 Guitar Amp in British Garnet Red

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VOX Amplification (Booth 6440 / Hall A) has added the Limited Edition "British Garnet Red" AC15C1 to its amplifier lineup.

For more than 50 years, guitarists have relied on the signature tone of the VOX AC15 amplifier. Now, the AC15C1VRD is available featuring a Celestion V-Type speaker and custom "British Garnet Red" tolex with Tygon grill cloth.

This custom color projects a powerful presence in any environment - on stage, in the studio or at home.

The AC15C1VRD offers two channels: Normal and Top Boost. Each channel is equipped with its own Volume control, and the Top Boost channel offers interactive Treble and Bass tone controls. Both channels utilize the Tone Cut and Volume controls in the Master section.

The Master Volume control works in conjunction with the individual volumes of each channel to create just the right degree of gain-staging. By balancing the individual and Master volumes, users can enjoy the coveted clean VOX "chimey" sound, a powerful overdriven tone, and everything in between.

The V-Type speaker has been built using a carefully balanced 'recipe' of old and new design techniques. It's a sweet-sounding speaker with a superbly balanced tonal signature that offers a vintage musicality with authentic Celestion tone for any playing style. Clean sounds deliver just enough upper-mid chime and HF sparkle to add clarity and definition, while ample mid-band warmth gives body and substance when cranked for overdrive and raw rock tones.

The VOX AC15C1VRD begins shipping May 2014 with a U.S. Street Price of $649.99.

For more information, visit voxamps.com.

[[ Guitar World at NAMM 2014: Gear updates, photo galleries, videos and more! ]]

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NAMM 2014: Vox Announces SoundBox Mini Mobile Media Player and Guitar Amp

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The new VOX SoundBox Mini is a fun, "grab-n-go" type of mobile media player with optional battery power. It can be used with any audio source, from MP3 players to microphones, as well as instruments such as guitar, bass and keyboard.

VOX SoundBox Mini features new proprietary Acoustage sound technology, as well as a rugged, die-cast aluminum casing for use anywhere.

In addition to audio playback and jamming along to MP3s, VOX SoundBox Mini can also be used for vocal training. As a practice tool for aspiring vocalists, a center cancel function can eliminate vocals from audio that's playing via the AUX In jack.

Eight effects are available, including delay, reverb and more. The Tap button enables users to easily set the delay time in sync with the tempo.

For convenience, the VOX SoundBox Mini boasts an E string tuner that can be used with instruments connected to the guitar jack. It can also be mounted directly onto a mic stand, for use as a keyboard monitor, or for personal use. Built-in VOX Acoustage technology creates a wide stereo sound for a more full listening experience from a small source.

The included AC adaptor or six AA batteries (up to 12 hours of continuous use) offer flexible power options, for wherever musical inspiration may lead.

The VOX SOUNDBOX Mini is available in black, orange, ivory or green color options, and will be available in March 2014 for a U.S. Street price of $199.

For more information, visit voxamps.com.

[[ Guitar World at NAMM 2014: Gear updates, photo galleries, videos and more! ]]

NAMM 2014: Orange Amplification Launches Dual Dark Amplifier Series

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The all-new Orange Dual Dark Series is a range of high-end dual channel amps.

Put simply, these amps showcase Orange Amplification at their most innovative. The new amps build on the brand’s reputation for creating the ultimate British guitar tone.

Bringing a new dimension of sound that delivers potent combinations of tone and the highest levels of gain the brand has ever offered.

The models have a completely new voicing for Channel A, different to anything else in the Orange Amp range yet still true to their heritage. Channel B is has the voicing of the Dark Terror tone. Both channels can go from clean through to crunch at lower gain levels and offer four stages of gain!

Launching at NAMM 2014 are the 50-Watt and 100 Watt-versions, both feature footswitchable attenuators and Orange’s signature low impedance effects loop design. The Dual Dark 50 has an output that can be switched to 50 or 25 Watts. Output on the Dual Dark 100 can be switched to 100, 70, 50 or 30 Watts.

Both amps come with standard EL34s fitted but other tetrode valves can be used when biased correctly by a technician. The Dual Dark amps have been built with state of the art components backed by Orange’s ever evolving design and deliver the biggest amount of gain available in the history of their amps.

Orange Amplification will be showing the Dual Dark Amp series and all their other new products at their Booth 4890 Hall C at Winter NAMM 2014.

For more about Orange, visit orangeamps.com.

[[ Guitar World at NAMM 2014: Gear updates, photo galleries, videos and more! ]]

Specifications:

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NAMM 2014: Orange Amplification Launches Three New Models in OPC Lineup

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Following the amazing reception and prestigious awards received for its personal computer, the Orange OPC, Orange Amplification has unveiled three new OPC models.

They are aimed at offering users a choice of serious computer power combined with all the software you need for a wide range of creative uses from recording, video editing and music playback.

The new OPC family effectively widens and broadens the range, with the OPC Studio, The OPC Professional and The OPC Ultimate, offering users a choice to suit their diverse demands.

The new OPC portfolio offers consumers more options than ever before which deliver cutting edge performance and quality whether at home or in the studio.

The OPC Models offer a choice of 4th generation Intel Core processors, memory and a dedicated graphics card allowing you to decide the right specification for your needs: OPC Studio (Intel i5 Processor, Memory 4GB RAM), OPC Professional (Intel i5 Processor, Memory 8GB RAM), OPC Ultimate (Intel i7 Processor, Memory 16GB RAM, Graphics card included).

All models come complete with Windows 8, IK Multimedia AmpliTube 3, PreSonus Studio One (Orange Edition), Acoustica Mixcraft 6, Toontrack EZdrummer Lite, and LickLibrary Guitar Lesson Center software. Audio features include 5.1 line out, coaxial 2x 1/4in TRS outputs, 2x 1/4in TRS inputs, 2x 1/4in TRS instrument inputs, 2x integrated 6.5in JBL studio monitor speakers.

They all support wired keyboards and mouse, USB and extension cable. The addition of a dedicated graphics card is available to satisfy the needs of gaming enthusiasts.

"The expanded OPC range provides a complete computing experience, free from frustrations of buggy/trial software, latency and slow-downs," said Charlie Cooper, OPC lead developer. "The OPC’s will now appeal to a wider audience and are more customisable, faster than ever and upgradable to future technologies."

All three will be on display on the Orange Amplification Booth 4890 Hall C at Winter NAMM 2014 with all the other new and current products.

For more about Orange, visit orangeamps.com.

[[ Guitar World at NAMM 2014: Gear updates, photo galleries, videos and more! ]]


Acoustic Nation Report: NAMM Show 2014 Day 3

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NAMM Day 3 was incredibly busy.

I must admit, I might be dragging from some late night fun, but I tried to cover a lot of ground and check out a larger variety of acoustic gear be it guitars, ukes, accessories or other odds and ends.

No matter how much you see at NAMM there are always some delightful surprises just one more aisle up! Here are a few stand outs.

Don't forget to follow on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for even more photos and news!

Justin Horenstein is a guitar instructor and musician in the Washington, DC metro area who graduated (cum laude) from the Berklee College of Music in 2006. He plays in Black Clouds, a 3-piece atmospheric/experimental band. Their debut album was recorded by J Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines). Justin’s 18 years of musical experience also includes touring the U.S., a record deal under Sony, starting his own teaching business, recording several albums, and playing club shows with national acts including Circa Survive, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Biffy Clyro, United Nations, Caspian, and more.

More about Justin at 29thCenturyGuitar.com and BlackCloudsDC.bandcamp.com

Session Guitar: It's All About Relationships

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Greetings!

I've had some clients for a very long time. How long? Decades! Twenty to 30 years of regular work!

When you've "been there" for a person for 100-plus songs spread out over various incarnations of solo and band projects, well, let's just say friendships are born.

The session world isn't really about making money through music. It's mainly about relationships — how well can you understand the needs of the artist and help fill the vision they have of their art.

This is a very intimate path they've chosen — opening up a stranger to a very personal place in their hearts and minds. As you might expect, you have to go deep sometimes and join them in the basement area of their soul to truly see what you need to do! And in this deep, dark place, friendships are born. They are labored over with sweat and blood till the birth of the perfect part, the perfect note, the perfect song emerges.

Sounds a bit dramatic, right? Maybe it is, to the uninvited. The ones who don't walk the path, those who walk away from the battle instead of staying and fighting. (Even more drama.)

I'm constantly asked to share some sessions I'm working on, and that is usually impossible because who wants to show unfinished work? I'll do that with my own thing. But if you want to hear what this session rat does, look no further than one client.

Allow me to introduce the Guitar World readers to Walker Hornung. He may never earn a Grammy, but he deserves one. He may never be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but he should.

In the 25 to 30 years I've worked for Mr. Hornung, he has taken my guitar down the path of indie rock, roots, blues, solo acoustic, soca, Christmas, jazz, pop, straight rock, etc. He's a pain in my ass. Crazy as a loon. Temperamental. Off his meds.

But he is also the type of guy who would do anything for you when you need it. He doesn't hold back. He lives with his heart right out for all to see. This is an artist. A true artist. He walks the talk. Old school before it was fashionable. The musical equivalent of Charles Bukowski. Yeah, he's that good.

It is rare when you meet the real deal in this superficial world. So you want to hang on to it when it comes your way. There is much to be learned from this gift. By the way: You won't hear me playing flash. He's not into that. He wants your fucking soul, and if you give anything less, it doesn't belong on his music.

Some moments:

I was called in to play rhythm guitar in a very expensive studio. I was ghosting. There would be no credit given. They needed a session player who wouldn't fuck up. I played rhythm guitars on most of the songs in less than two hours. My coffee barely got cold. One take on 10-plus songs. (You figure out which one.)

Opened a CD with a song on an acoustic guitar played live that I never heard before. He trusted my abilities and instinct.

Played all the instruments with jazz guitar on a Christmas CD and had it completed and off to the manufacturer in less than 30 hours! All head arrangements, no charts and no time to think. Instinct and trust. One song is played regularly in the Caribbean every Christmas and another has been played in New York City for the Thanksgiving parade. Quality did not suffer. I would not allow it. Neither would Walker.

I hate playing slide. I'm not good at it. Every project with him I am asked to pull out the guitar I keep setup for this moment, and do a slide solo. Forces me to be creative in an uncomfortable environment. (Same strings for 11 years and counting!)

So this has been my way of thanking an artist and friend for so many great playing opportunities. And to let you players see how important one gifted client can become personally and professionally (Not to mention creatively).

And let's not forget the fact that knowing him has opened the door to countless other clients (one of which I had another hit with this year). Check out his projects. I'm playing on most of them. Hornung is a cross section of my musical life since the mid-Eighties. Visit brotherhoodofthegrape.com.

Listen to his music. Start with Q South and take the journey through his projects under the Brotherhood of the Grape name, and enjoy his latest work with the King's Heartbeat. As Walker would say, "Support Indie Artists."

Oh and Walker...I'm looking forward to the next bit of madness. Don't forget to bring the bisque. And the NY papers. And the tips from the track.

Ron Zabrocki on Ron Zabrocki: I’m a session guitarist from New York, now living in Connecticut. I started playing at age 6, sight reading right off the bat. That’s how I was taught, so I just believed everyone started that way! I could pretty much sight read anything within a few years, and that aided me in becoming a session guy later in life. I took lessons from anyone I could and was fortunate enough to have some wonderful instructors, including John Scofield, Joe Pass and Alan DeMausse. I’ve played many jingle sessions, and even now I not only play them but have written a few. I’ve “ghosted” for a few people that shall remain nameless, but they get the credit and I got the money! I’ve played sessions in every style, from pop to jazz.

Blackbird Introduces the El Capitan, The First Acoustic Guitar with Ekoa Contstuction

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Blackbird, an acoustic instrument manufacturer, launches ‘El Capitan,’ made of new, high performance Ekoa and tuned for vintage tone.

Along with its little sibling, Clara ukulele, these ecological, wood-free instruments are the first made with the revolutionary construction.

From a distance El Capitan looks like a 100 year old instrument, but upon closer inspection it's actually made out of a plant fiber material Blackbird developed called Ekoa.

It is a truly eco-friendly construction that offers the stability of carbon fiber only with a vintage sound, look and feel. "Blackbird has spent the better part of a decade developing small, travel-friendly, carbon-fiber instruments with world class tone," said Joe Luttwak, Blackbird's chief musical officer. "With the El Capitan guitar and Clara ukulele, musicians get what was previously unobtainable -- the experience of a premium vintage old-growth wood instrument in a lightweight, durable, and sustainable package."

From its patented hollow-neck design to its high-tech Ekoa eco-fabric and resin construction, El Capitan's every detail is engineered to generate the acoustic quality and volume of an even larger instrument.

El Capitan will be available April/May 2014 (Blackbird Clara ukulele is already shipping).

ABOUT BLACKBIRD
Founded in 2005, Blackbird has built a loyal global following crafting uncommonly resonant and resilient Ekoa and carbon fiber composite acoustic guitars and ukuleles. Designed for the most demanding musicians, these performance-grade, travel-ready instruments have weathered everything from packed concert halls to the brutal Antarctic winter. Building on this success, Blackbird dedicated several years of research and development to incorporating resonant eco-materials into advanced composite construction. The result of this effort is Ekoa -- a unique, plant-based tone material. Sustainable and renewable, lighter than carbon fiber, and extraordinarily strong, Ekoa combines the tone of vintage wood with superior responsiveness, stability and strength.

ABOUT EKOA
Ekoa is produced in partnership with Lingrove, a distributor of natural high performance materials. It offers high performance with exceptional strength, dampening, resilience and even lighter weight than carbon fiber. Like all composite materials, Ekoa is made up of fiber reinforcement fabric in resin matrix, but one that is worker and planet-friendly. The plant-based fabrics and biobased resins have a beautiful designer material quality, which does not always require finishing along with distinct performance advantages over other composites. The Clara ukulele, is the debut application of Ekoa which is suitable for numerous other applications from sports equipment to furniture.

Find out more at http://blackbirdguitar.com

Zakk Wylde and Ozzy Osbourne Recall the Audition, Rehearsals and Sessions Leading to 1988's 'No Rest for the Wicked'

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This is an excerpt from the February 2014 issue of Guitar World. For the rest of this story, plus our "Van Halen 1984 Revisited" interview with Eddie Van Halen and features on Jake E. Lee, Tosin Abasi, Steel Panther, Five Finger Death Punch and John Petrucci's monthly column — check out the February 2014 issue at the Guitar World Online Store.

Twenty-five years on, Ozzy Osbourne and Zakk Wylde recall the audition, rehearsals and recording sessions that resulted in their auspicious debut outing, 1988’s No Rest for the Wicked.

In the pantheon of Ozzy Osbourne solo albums, 1988’s No Rest for the Wicked is neither trailblazing like the Randy Rhoads–assisted Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman nor a high-water mark like the four-times-Platinum-selling No More Tears.

It hasn’t even stood the test of time all that well: although No Rest for the Wicked moved more than a million copies in its first six months of release and was Osbourne’s second-highest charting solo effort up to that point, its songs—including hit singles like “Crazy Babies” and “Miracle Man”—are rarely, if ever, played live by the man today (though in recent years he has resurrected the power ballad “Fire in the Sky” at select shows).

But No Rest for the Wicked will forever stand as an essential entry in the Ozzy Osbourne catalog for one very significant reason: it presented to the metal world the debut of a young guitar phenom by the name of Zakk Wylde. Just 21 years old at the time of the album’s release, Wylde would go on to serve as Osbourne’s right-hand man for many years to come and grow into one of the most dynamic, influential and respected guitar players in modern hard rock and metal.

“He’s a fucking absolutely amazing guitar player,” Osbourne says of Wylde today, speaking to Guitar World from his home in Los Angeles. “And from the word go, he was great. He don’t fuck around. He hits it right in the fucking gut.”

And yet, back in 1987, Wylde—or, make that, Jeffrey Wielandt—was merely one among thousands of big-haired, big-riffing metal guitarists honing their craft in small-town bars and clubs across the U.S. At the time, the New Jersey native spent his days pumping gas at a service station and giving guitar lessons, and his nights playing in a local act named Zyris that had built up a strong area following. Wylde was also, as he has attested often over the years, a huge Ozzy and Black Sabbath fan.

“I loved Sabbath, loved Randy, and I thought Jake [E. Lee] was great, too,” the guitarist, now 46, recalls. “And I remember around that time [in 1987] hearing Ozz on The Howard Stern Show. Jake was gone and he was looking for a new guy. And Barb [Wylde’s then-girlfriend, and now wife, Barbaranne] said to me, ‘If you could just get a tape to him…’ And it was like, ‘Yeah, sure. How am I gonna do that?’ ”

The answer to that question came just a few weeks later, after a Zyris performance at Close Encounters, a club in Sayreville, New Jersey. “It was a Saturday night gig, in front of, I don’t know, maybe 108 people,” Wylde says with a laugh. “Nothing too spectacular. And afterward, I’m loading up my gear and this guy named Dave Feld comes up to me and says, ‘Have you ever thought about auditioning for Ozzy?’ And I’m like, ‘Sure, whatever dude. You know the guys from Zeppelin, too?’ But he told me if I put together a demo tape and took some pictures he could get it to a friend of his, [photographer] Mark Weiss, who had just finished doing a shoot with Ozzy.”

Though Feld would later work for Atlantic Records—according to Wylde, he was responsible for pairing another New Jersey band, Skid Row, with singer Sebastian Bach—at the time he was merely a local acquaintance of the guitarist’s. “Dave said, ‘I can’t promise you anything, but it’s a shot,’ ” Wylde continues. “So I figured, Why the hell not?”

For his audition tape, which over the years has cropped up in various configurations online, Wylde compiled a few original riffs and solos, as well as some acoustic classical performances and his interpretations of Rhoads’ leads from the Blizzard of Ozz classic “Mr. Crowley” and Diary of a Madman’s“Flying High Again.” Even at this young age, Wylde’s playing, despite some era-appropriate pop-metal and neoclassical moments in the original material, sounds remarkably similar to his style today, full of incredibly speedy and precise alternate-picked passages and wide, vocal-like note vibrato.

The quality of the recording, however, did not match that of the playing. “I think I had two boomboxes going,” Wylde recalls. “I recorded myself doing the rhythms on one, then played that back and soloed along with it and recorded that on the other one. It was early multitracking.” But Feld did in fact make good on getting the tape, via Mark Weiss, to Ozzy’s camp. In time, Wylde received a call at his parents’ house from Osbourne’s wife and manager, Sharon, asking him to come out to L.A. “The running joke was that it was one of my jackoff friends putting his mom on the phone to fuck with me,” Wylde says. “But then they sent me a plane ticket.”

Wylde was one of several hopefuls, out of a pool of what has been reported to have been more than 400, to receive an invite to audition. He recalls arriving at an old rehearsal space off of Lankershim Boulevard in Los Angeles. “I walk into the room, and here I am, first time ever in L.A., and I’m meeting Ozzy Osbourne. And Ozz comes in and—I’ll never forget it—he goes, ‘Have I met you before?’ ”

For the rest of this story, plus our "Van Halen 1984 Revisited" interview with Eddie Van Halen and features on Jake E. Lee, Tosin Abasi, Steel Panther, Five Finger Death Punch and John Petrucci's monthly column — check out the February 2014 issue at the Guitar World Online Store.

Photo: Neil Zlozower/AtlasIcons.com

Additional Content

NAMM 2014: Taylor Guitars Introduces Compact T5z Model — with Demo Video

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Taylor Guitars is expanding its electric/acoustic hollowbody T5 Series with a sleek new sibling, the compact T5z.

Like the original T5, the T5z boasts incredible tonal versatility, enabling players to shift from pristine acoustic to growling electric with the flip of a five-way switch.

The difference is a scaled-down body size and a fretting experience that will feel familiar to electric players.

Among the T5z's distinctive design features are a 12-inch fretboard radius (compared to the T5's 15-inch radius) and jumbo frets, which make bending strings easier.

Otherwise, the T5z retains all the great performance features of the original T5: a three-pickup configuration, five-way switching, tone controls that dial in a full-range of tonal flavors, from heavy riffs to delicate fingerpicking, and dual compatibility with acoustic and electric amps.

For 2014, the T5z and T5 will be released in a series of four models, each distinguished by the top wood: the Custom (koa top), the Pro (curly maple top), the Standard (Sitka spruce top), and the Classic (mahogany top). The Pro is available in four colors: Borrego Red, Gaslamp Black, Pacific Blue, and Tobacco Sunburst; the Standard is offered in Black, Honey Sunburst and Tobacco Sunburst.

The original T5 was released in 2005 to rave reviews, winning the "Best New Electric Guitar" and the "Best New Acoustic Guitar" from industry publications, and was named the "Product of the Year" by The Music and Sound Retailer magazine. Its versatility as a performance tool has made it an essential addition to the guitar rigs of many artists, including Jason Mraz, Taylor Swift, Miyavi and others.

For more news from Taylor, visit taylorguitars.com/news.

[[ Guitar World at NAMM 2014: Gear updates, photo galleries, videos and more! ]]

NAMM 2014 Video: Behold the Majesty, Music Man's New John Petrucci Signature Model

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The Guitar World gang visited the Ernie Ball Music Man booth at the 2014 Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California.

Below, check out a video that shows off and explains the finer details of the company's new John Petrucci Majesty model.

"The guitar is super super light…the ‘carbon fiber’ is not what it seems….it is laser-etched maple that is finished to resemble carbon fiber. The guys did an amazing job," Sterling Ball wrote on the Ernie Ball Music Man forum back in November.

"The access is absolutely crazy good; the ergonomics were the primary deal and it balances really well. It has a Game Changer in it and is set to just be a switch but as we introduce the GC incrementally you can activate if you choose but it is not mandatory. The guitar has been voiced by DiMarzio, and we have done sonic thumbprint matching."

For more about Music Man, visit music-man.com.

[[ Guitar World at NAMM 2014: Gear updates, photo galleries, videos and more! ]]

Additional Content

Photo Gallery: Guitar World at the 2014 Winter NAMM Show, Part 1

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Another Winter NAMM Show has come and gone!

As always, Guitar World was there in force, shooting photos and videos, gathering endless gear news and trying out (and gawking at) all the new cool stuff being introduced for 2014.

Since we spent most of our time on the floor of the Anaheim Convention Center, Guitar World's Twitter feed and Facebook pages were our primary means of sharing photos of new gear and other NAMM scenery.

Therefore, we hope you'll check out our still-available NAMM photos on Twitter and Facebook.

Also, be sure to keep up with our ongoing NAMM coverage on GuitarWorld.com.

You can find our special 2014 Winter NAMM Show page right HERE.

Even though the show is over, we'll be posting more news items about the coolest new gear, plus a series of photo galleries (showing gear, celebrities and "the scene" in general) and videos from the four-day event.

You can check out our first photo gallery below! NOTE: If, for some reason, an image doesn't display in preview mode, remember you can click on the photo to expand it!

[[ Guitar World at NAMM 2014: Gear updates, photo galleries, videos and more! ]]


Redeem Your Guitar World Subscription + Blues Greats Digital EP Offer!

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To redeem your digital download of Legacy Recordings Presents: Blues Greats! Past & Present, simply enter your download code in the box below!

Don’t have a code? Click HERE.

NOTE: This code can only be used once.

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Guitarworld@pcspublink.com
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NAMM 2014 Video: Charvel Guitars Jake E. Lee Signature Model

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The Guitar World gang visited the Charvel booth at the 2014 Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California.

We got the low-down on the company's new Jake E. Lee signature model, and you can check out our video below.

From Charvel:

"With its unmistakable So–Cal ash body contours and lavender–hued Pearl White finish, the same instrument players have long clamored for becomes the first instrument in the Jake E. Lee Signature series."

Although it's not shown in the video, Lee even made an appearance at the Charvel booth to check out his axes and talk about his new band, Red Dragon Cartel. Warren DeMartini and Dave Nassie were also spotted!

For more about Charvel's Signature Series, visit charvel.com.

NAMM 2014: Line 6 Introduces AMPLIFi — Guitar Amp and Stereo Bluetooth Speaker System with iOS Integration

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Line 6 has introduced AMPLIFi, its new guitar amp and stereo Bluetooth speaker system with iOS integration.

From Line 6:

AMPLIFi is an entirely new kind of guitar amplifier. By combining a high-performance guitar amp, a streaming Bluetooth speaker system and a breakthrough iOS app into one powerful device, AMPLIFi will change the way guitarists practice, perform and enjoy music.

“Eighteen years ago, Line 6 revolutionized the guitar amp market by releasing the world’s first modeling amplifier,” said Paul Foeckler, CEO of Line 6. “And now we’re doing it again. AMPLIFi completely redefines the guitar amplifier, bringing together our customers’ musical and personal lives like no other device.”

High-Performance Guitar Amp with 5-Speaker Stereo Design

AMPLIFi is unlike any amplifier ever built. The five-speaker stereo design delivers stunningly detailed guitar tones, from crystal-clear highs to eep and smooth low end. Featuring two tweeters, two mid-bass drivers, and a custom guitar speaker, AMPLIFi covers a far wider frequency spectrum than any other guitar amplifier, delivering sonic details traditional amps simply can’t produce. AMPLIFi is available in a powerful 150-watt model or portable 75-watt version, both of which can deliver ear-splitting volume levels.

Streaming Bluetooth Speaker System

AMPLIFi is the ultimate Bluetooth speaker system for guitarists, featuring streaming compatibility with Android™, iOS, Mac® and PC devices. The full-range speakers deliver amazing sound, while the custom guitar speaker functions as a thumping subwoofer. AMPLIFi combines playing and enjoying music like no other system, enabling guitarists to jam along with songs in their music library, play back tracks during band rehearsal, or crank up the volume at parties.

iOS App Control and Cloud Connection

The AMPLIFi Remote app for iOS introduces a new world of possibilities. Instead of using static knobs or tiny screens, guitarists can now control every aspect of their tones from an iOS device.* AMPLIFi Remote also introduces revolutionary Line 6 tone-matching technology, which automatically serves up guitar tones that match tracks in a guitarist’s music library.

With a cloud community of guitarists uploading their best patches, AMPLIFi Remote provides a unique and powerful resource for finding guitar tones. Within the cloud community, guitarists can rate their favorite tones, upload their own, and build their musical network by connecting with other musicians and fans. The AMPLIFi cloud automatically keeps all devices up to date and synchronized. Guitarists can store an unlimited number of presets in the cloud—and access them anywhere.

"AMPLIFi is a groundbreaking new amp that promises to change the way guitarists jam, practice and enjoy music forever," said Max Gutnix, VP of Products and Marketing at Line 6. "It sounds absolutely amazing and delivers a uniquely incredible experience that players of all levels are going to love. Whether listening to music, jamming with friends or creating inspiring new tones to share, AMPLIFi is going to rock your world."

For more information, visit http://line6.com/amplifi.

NAMM Acoustic Spotlight: C. F. Martin

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This year at NAMM I had the opportunity to check out and try some of the new guitars from legendary guitar maker, C.F. Martin.

And legendary is a good word to start with, as they have issued several guitars that are recreations of legacy models, each with their own personality and tonal characteristics.

My overall reaction at first was that of being a little overwhelmed by the choices. But after sitting down and playing several models, I really enjoyed hearing and feeling the subtle differences of these wonderful Martin models.

Check out the gallery below with some choice photos and info on some of the guitars I took a shine to!

See loads more at http://www.martinguitar.com

NAMM 2014 Video: Vigier Guitars Excalibur — with Demo

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During last week's 2014 Winter NAMM Show, the Guitar World crew visited the Vigier Guitars booth.

In our video, which you can check out below, D.J. Scully of Vigier Guitars discusses some of the Excalibur models that were present at the show. There's even a mini-demo near the end of the clip. Note that one guitarist is playing a fretless Excalibur model with an alloy neck. It's called the Surfreter.

Be sure to contact the company for more info about the Excalibur!

For more information about Vigier, visit vigierguitars.com.

[[ Guitar World at NAMM 2014: Gear updates, photo galleries, videos and more! ]]

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