Zon Guitars Announces Standard Series Line

Redwood City, CA -- Zon Guitars announces the release of their new, affordably priced Standard Series line of bass guitars. Offered in Mosaic, Sonus and Legacy models, these basses are handcrafted in Korea to Zon’s exact specifications and rigid quality requirements. All of these basses are final-inspected for fit and finish and setup at Zon Guitars’ Redwood City, California, facility before final shipping to dealers.

 

 

According to company President Joe Zon, “There are a lot of players out there who want to own a Zon bass, but their budget has restricted them from doing so. This new Standard Series now makes that possible.

“From their inception, we wanted to offer players a workhorse instrument of exceptional quality, worthy of the Zon brand and reputation--a bass with the sound and playability that would make it a genuine value for the dollar, an affordable bass that didn’t need to be hotrodded by upgrading the pickups and hardware to make it a good-performing instrument.

“All Standard Series basses feature U.S.-made Duncan pickups and Hipshot brass bridges, as well as 3-band active/passive electronics. The necks are three-piece maple with rosewood fingerboards and dual-action truss rods, and the bodies are made of quality tone woods with highly figured Maple, Bubinga or Walnut veneer tops. Even the gig bag is high-quality, thick and very protective.”

All models of the Standard Series import line are available in 4- and 5-string versions with either gloss or satin finishes. U.S. Retail prices start at $1599.

For more information:
Zon Guitars

Gibson Releases Joan Jett "Blackheart" Melody Maker

Nashville, TN -- In anticipation of the forthcoming film release The Runaways and her recent release of the Joan Jett and The Blackhearts Greatest Hits album, Gibson Guitar has announced the launch of the Joan Jett “Blackheart” Melody Maker. Gibson released a white Joan Jett signature Melody Maker in 2008. The “Blackheart” Melody Maker will be available beginning March 19th.

“I needed a black guitar. This guitar has the same body and the neck runs smooth as silk, “ said Joan Jett. “ I wanted some flash of color, so the fret inlays are bright red, and the 12th fret is marked by mother of pearl inlay hearts lying end to end. I am using it onstage now, and it sounds ferocious. But of course, she can play gentle as well. Just like the earlier white Joan Jett Gibson model, it is a great guitar for anybody.”

The guitar features a mahogany body and neck with an ebony fingerboard. The single pickup is a Zebra Coil Burst Bucker 3. MSRP $1533.

Boss Unveils The BR-800 Digital Recorder

BOSS continues its top-selling tradition of portable, affordable multi-trackers with the new BR-800 — a battery-powered studio to go. The sleek new design is made possible by touch-sensor switches and SD-card recording media. Up to four tracks can be recorded or eight tracks played back simultaneously, plus an additional stereo track dedicated to the built-in rhythm generator.

Whether you’re creating intricate, multi-layered songs or point-and-capture field recordings, the BR-800 makes the recording process fast and easy. Beginners will love the new EZ Recording mode that interactively guides you through the recording process. Other helpful features include the convenient RETRY function, which re-cues automatically to fix mistakes, and SONG SKETCH recording for instant, one-touch capture. There’s also a built-in stereo condenser microphone, plus a DR-880-quality rhythm generator for adding drum and percussion tracks to your songs.

Enhance your recordings with the powerful BOSS effects onboard the BR-800. Many of the effects are derived from BOSS’ flagship processors, including vocal effects from the VE-20, COSM® guitar/bass effects from the GT-10 series, and modeled acoustic-guitar body effects from the AP-1 preamp, which imparts pro-quality miked-up sound and rich body tone to line-recorded acoustic guitar. You’ll be amazed at how much processing power is built into this little recorder, and how excellent the effects sound.

You can power the BR-800 from the included AC adapter, or for ultimate mobility, it can be powered from six AA batteries. Record anywhere! The BR-800’s USB compatibility enables a variety of functionality with computers. Connected to a PC, the BR-800 will function as an USB audio interface for recordings that utilize the internal effects. The BR-800 can also function as a control surface for DAW software.

No matter where you roam, you’ll never miss a moment of musical inspiration with the portable new BR-800. The BR-800 is expected to be available in May with an MSRP of $525.00. For more information, please visit www.RolandConnect.com.

Fender News:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Flashback: Pink Floyd

This is a very informative article from Fender.com. Enjoy.

Great artists have been making history using Fender instruments for decades. Many of these greats are featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which celebrates its 2010 induction ceremony on March 15. Join us as we take a detailed look at some at some of the artists who’ve been inducted in previous years and who make the Hall of Fame one of the world’s greatest monuments to one of the world’s greatest musical forms.

Pink Floyd is simply one of the biggest groups in rock history, with a story that now spans five decades and a musical legacy that ranks among popular music’s most innovative and influential. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

Read more at the link below.

Fender News:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Flashback: Pink Floyd

Long Cold Winter

It's been a tough winter around here. December, January and February brought snow, snow and more snow. In all about 60" of the white stuff was dumped on us. Our normal snow fall is about 16 to 18 inches.

Now that the weather has turned a bit warmer we're getting rain, rain and more rain. Since last Thursday alone we have gotten almost 5" of rain. We have been under a flood watch since last Friday. I sure hope this weather pattern shifts soon. I need some sun and warm temps. My motorcycle fusses at me every time I walk through the garage. I keep telling her that it's not my fault but you know how bikes can be some times.

Quote Of The Day

"Jazz musicians are only workers who will put in a full shift for pay and then go somewhere else and continue to work for free." ~George Carlin

Iron Maiden Upcoming Album And Tour

Iron Maiden have announced details of their upcoming album and North American tour.
Called "The Final Frontier", the LP will be released in the summer and is the legendary rock band's fifteenth studio album.
Playing in support of the album, the band will begin a 22-date tour of North America, beginning with a show in Dallas, Texas on June the 9th.

Meanwhile, the group are set to appear at a number of European festivals including a headline slot at this year's Sonisphere Festival in Hertfordshire. Iron Maiden will play:
06/09 - Dallas, TX Superpages.com Center
06/11 - Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
06/12 - San Antonio,TX AT&T Center
06/14 - Denver, CO Comfort Dental Amphitheater
06/16 - Albuquerque, NM The Pavilion
06/17 - Phoenix, AZ Cricket Wireless Pavilion
06/19 - San Bernardino, CA San Manuel Amphitheater
06/20 - Concord, CA Sleep Train Pavilion
06/22 - Auburn, WA White River Amphitheater
06/24 - Vancouver, BC GM Place
06/26 - Edmonton, AB Rexall Place
06/29 - Saskatoon, SK Credit Union Centre
06/30 - Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre
07/03 - Toronto, ON Molson Amphitheatre
07/07 - Montreal, QC Bell Centre
07/11 - Holmdel, NJ PNC
07/12 - New York, NY Madison Square Garden
07/14 - Pittsburgh, PA First Niagara Pavilion
07/15 - Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center
07/17 - Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
07/18 - Chicago, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
07/20 - Washington, D.C Jiffy Lube Live
Thanks for the report to Nme.com.

Quote Of The Day

"I've always felt that blues, rock 'n' roll and country are just about a beat apart." ~Waylon Jennings

Genesis Guitarist Steve Hackett’s Album to See Release in U.S.

Steve Hackett, former lead guitarist for Genesis, will follow the U.K. release of his new album Out Of The Tunnel’s Mouth with its U.S. release on June 8 on the InsideOut Music imprint, he has announced.
Praise for the eight-song collection has mounted ever since the native Londoner introduced the album, which he recorded in his living room, to the U.K. in November 2009. Among other collaborations, the album includes a song recorded with former Genesis guitarist Anthony Philips.
Hackett — who has long played a Gibson Les Paul Gold Top or Les Paul Custom — has enjoyed quite a career since departing Genesis in 1977, after recording eight albums with the legendary group. Together, he and former Yes guitarist Steve Howe founded the hit supergroup GTR in 1987, but the band was shortlived, dissolving only a year later. Since then Hackett’s remained engaged in solo work; in fact, the guitarist has released nearly two dozen solo albums over the past four decades.
On March 15, Hackett will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Genesis bandmates Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks.

Quote Of The Day

"Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence."  ~Robert Fripp

Quote Of The Day

"There, in the chords and melodies, is everything I want to say." ~David Bowie

T-Bone Wolk Dies

Hall & Oates bassist T-Bone Wolk dies at 58

Mon Mar 1, 2010 11:12pm EST

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Tom "T-Bone" Wolk, who played bass for nearly 30 years with Daryl Hall and John Oates and also recorded with Elvis Costello and Billy Joel, died Saturday of an apparent heart attack.

Wolk was to have performed with Hall and Oates Monday as part of the one-year anniversary show for NBC's "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon." Wolk's age was unknown.
A Yonkers, N.Y., native, the musician played bass on Kurtis Blow's early rap classic "These Are the Breaks" and between 1986 and 1992, served as the bassist for the "Saturday Night Live" house band, where he became familiar for his omnipresent black top hat. Wolk also collaborated and recorded with Carly Simon, Rosanne Cash, Bette Midler, Cyndi Lauper, Jewel and Shawn Colvin throughout his career.
But he was best known for his tenure with Hall and Oates, which began with the 1981 album "Private Eyes" and continued until the present day. In addition to his bass work for the duo, Wolk also served as a co-producer on several of their projects.
"To say that I am shocked is the ultimate understatement," Hall said in a statement. "T-Bone was my musical brother and losing him is like losing my right hand. It's not if I will go on, but how. T-Bone was one of the most sensitive and good human beings that I have ever known. And, I can truly say that I loved him."

Warwick Announces Robert Trujillo Signature Bass

Markneukirchen, Germany (March 1, 2010) -- Warwick has announced their latest artist signature model, the Robert Trujillo Streamer Signature Bass.


Specifications:
- Neck through
- Available as 5-string
- Available as right-handed only
- Matched Headstock Chrometone
- Maple neck, special Rob Trujillo shape
- Tigerstripe Ebony fingerboard with nickel silver frets
- R T Genuine Silver Custom Inlay
- 34” long scale
- Maple body
- Active EMG J/J pickups
- Bartolini 3-band electronics
- Quicksilver Chrometone or Turquoise Blue Chrometone finish
- Chrome hardware
- Just-A-Nut III
- Schaller 3D bridge
- Warwick machine heads
- Warwick security locks
- Dunlop Robert Trujillo Signature strings: .045” - .130”
- Including Warwick “User Kit” and RockCase flight case

Here's what Warwick had to say about their partnership with Robert:

Warwick welcomes Robert Trujillo!

That’s right, the venerable Metallica bassist is Warwick’s newest family member.

Trujillo is best known as the finger-style bass monster whose dexterity, tones and attitude have seen him grace the bass of Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves, Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica since the late ‘80s.

Warwick is proud to acknowledge its new affiliation with Robert Trujillo. In honor of this momentous occasion Warwick will be issuing a Robert Trujillo Streamer Signature Bass. The bass itself will feature a quicksilver or turquoise blue chrometone finish, giving it a metallic shine that, like Rob, demands center stage on any gig. The increased mass of the neck, special nut width and active EMG pickups and Bartolini 3-band electronics invite you to play at full throttle. The neck and body are both made of Maple, lending it an incredibly tight tone. Even the fastest licks and heaviest chords, for which Rob is notorious, are clear and powerful. Rob especially likes the comfort and the sleek design of the body which makes you become one with the resonance of the instrument.

The development of the Warwick Robert Trujillo Streamer Signature Bass happened over the course of two years. Warwick quality control manager and R&D assistant Marcus Spangler personally oversaw the development of Trujillo’s basses: “we made a Streamer with a flat back and some measurements that Robert’s tech Zach provided,” recalls Spangler. “We built one in makassar, one in zebrawood, one in quilted maple and a black chrome tone, which was the one he really liked. He called it ‘The Terminator.’” And so, Warwick proceeded to build him 3 more chrome tone basses, a 4-string and two 5-strings. These instruments now form the template for the Warwick Robert Trujillo Streamer Signature Bass. Marcus says that Zach told him, “Guys, I don´t know what you did with the neck but Robert is so happy with the playability.”

Above article from Premier Guitar
 

Paul McCartney to begin 'Up and Coming' 2010 tour,

Paul McCartney to begin 'Up and Coming' 2010 tour,

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