Acoustic Guitar: New Guitars and Gear for 2007

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New Guitars and Gear for 2007
Winter NAMM 2007 delivered cool new guitars at all price levels, advanced amplification gear, and nifty accessories for every player.

By Teja Gerken

Photo by Teja Gerken

For serious guitar gear-aholics, the winter holidays start roughly a month later than they do for ordinary people. Just as most folks begin to recover from the excesses usually associated with December, instrument aficionados begin looking forward to the annual Winter NAMM show, held each January in Anaheim, California. An industry-only tradeshow (the event is not open to the public), NAMM is where companies debut their new models, trends are born, and musicians of all types mingle. While most people attend the show to sell their wares or buy for their stores, Acoustic Guitar travels to the show with another mission: to report to you on the latest and greatest stuff we see. Together with my editorial colleagues Charles Saufley, Phil Catalfo, Nicole Solis, and Jason Garoian, I spent four days roaming the halls, attending press conferences, and checking in with the heads of most of the companies covered in these pages.

In an industry as well established as that of acoustic guitar makers, it is remarkable that further developments, exotic refinements, and new ideas continue to manifest. This year, I was struck by the fact that several companies (including C.F. Martin and Co., R. Taylor, and Ovation) are expanding their high-end offerings with many more dedicated custom shops than in the past. It also appears that “made in China” doesn’t only describe inexpensive guitars anymore, as prices for many of these instruments climb well past the $1,000 mark.

What follows is only a small sampling of what we saw; stay tuned for more coverage and reviews of new guitars and other gear in the months to come.

GUITARS

ALHAMBRA CS-1 CW
$1,258, www.alhambrausa.com
The Specs: Solid spruce or cedar top. Solid mahogany back and sides. 650-mm (25.6-inch) scale, 50-mm (1.96-inch) nut width.
The Cool: Crossover nylon-string by traditional Spanish maker.
The Story: Designed to appeal to steel-string players by offering a slightly narrower nut than a classical, a cutaway, and optional Fishman electronics. Versions with ovangkol and Indian rosewood back and sides are also available.

ALVAREZ REGENT RD6
$239, www.alvarezgtr.com
The Specs: Spruce top. Mahogany back and sides. Rosewood fretboard and bridge. Satin finish.
The Cool: Enclosed, die-cast tuners.
The Story: The latest in a long line of affordable Alvarez dreadnoughts, the RD6 continues the brand’s dedication to beginning players.

BLACKBIRD RIDER
$1,599, www.blackbirdguitar.com
The Specs: Carbon fiber unibody construction. Micarta bridge. Gotoh tuning machines. 24.5-inch scale. 1 11/16-inch nut width.
The Cool: Virtually indestructible travel guitar.
The Story: Designed from the ground up to be a compact yet full-sounding instrument, the Blackbird maximizes its resonance chamber by using a hollow neck with a second soundhole at the headstock.

BLUERIDGE BR-341
$950, www.sagamusic.com
The Specs: Solid Sitka spruce top. Solid mahogany back and sides. Rosewood fretboard and bridge. Slotted headstock. 1 7/8-inch nut width. Gotoh tuners.
The Cool: Vintage-style 0-size flattop.
The Story: Inspired by a 1906 0-size Martin, this is a rare affordable version of a parlor guitar classic. Also available with Indian rosewood back and sides and herringbone appointments as the BR-361 ($1,295).

BREEDLOVE ATLAS D20 PASSPORT
$529, www.breedloveguitars.com
The Specs: Solid Sitka spruce top. Mahogany back and sides. Rosewood fretboard and bridge. Dovetail neck joint. Satin finish. Passive undersaddle pickup.
The Cool: Uses the same top bracing pattern as Breedlove’s high-end Revival OM.
The Story: Expanding Breedlove’s entry-level Atlas series, the D20 Passport features a 7/8-size dreadnought body with a full-size scale.

CARVIN NS1
$1,399, www.carvin.com
The Specs: Chambered solid mahogany body with flamed maple top. Neck-through-body construction. 25.5-inch scale. 1.88-inch nut width. Graphtech hexaphonic pickups with 13-pin MIDI and ¼-inch standard outputs.
The Cool: Guitar–synth compatible.
The Story: Developed with Graphtech and jazz guitarist Steve Oliver, the Carvin NS1 is an acoustic-electric nylon-string. Sold factory-direct or through Carvin’s own retail outlets, the instrument is available with myriad custom options.

EPIPHONE PERFORMER SE
$665, www.epiphone.com
The Specs: Solid Sitka spruce top. Flamed-maple back and sides. Maple neck. Rosewood fretboard and bridge. Shadow eSonic electronics.
The Cool: Electronics include magnetic and undersaddle pickups with onboard blending and optional stereo output.
The Story: The latest in Epiphone’s long history of affordable acoustic-electrics, the Performer SE includes Shadow’s new and top-of-the-line pickup system. The guitar is also available with a laminated flamed-maple top as the Performer ME.

GUILD GAD-JF3012
$1,399.99, www.guildguitars.com
The Specs: Solid spruce top. Solid flamed-maple back and sides. Three-piece mahogany and maple neck. Ebony fretboard and bridge. Scalloped braces. Double truss rods, Grover mini tuners.
The Cool: Affordable version of one of Guild’s most acclaimed models.
The Story: Jumbo 12-strings with maple back and sides have long been among Guild’s most highly regarded instruments. Although the US-made F-412 remains in production, this model (made in China) is an attractive alternative at almost half the price.

HUSS & DALTON CM-12 CUTAWAY
$3,780, www.hussanddalton.com
The Specs: Engelmann or Sitka spruce top. Indian rosewood or mahogany back and sides. Ebony fretboard and bridge. Maple binding. 1¾-inch nut width. 27/32-inch string spacing at saddle.
The Cool: Rare stock 12-fret cutaway body.
The Story: Based on Huss & Dalton’s deep-body CM model, the new CM-12 Cutaway combines a 12-fret neck with a cutaway for easy access to upper register notes.

LARRIVÉE PV-09
$1,949, www.larrivee.com
The Specs: Solid Sitka spruce top. Solid Indian rosewood back and sides. Ebony fretboard and bridge. Compound fretboard radius. 24-inch scale. 1¾-inch nut width. Gloss polyester finish.
The Cool: Travel-friendly parlor guitar with a cutaway.
The Story: Having started out as a very plain, budget instrument several years ago, Larrivée’s Parlor model continues to go uptown, with this cutaway version in the company’s classy 09 configuration being the latest incarnation. Custom L.R. Baggs electronics are available as an option.

LOWDEN RICHARD THOMPSON SIGNATURE MODEL
$7,350, www.georgelowden.com
The Specs: Solid cedar top. Solid figured ziricote back, sides, and headstock overlay. Ebony fretboard. Walnut bridge. Five-piece neck. Gotoh 510 tuners.
The Cool: Stunningly figured woods.
The Story: Designed in collaboration with longtime Lowden player Richard Thompson, this guitar features the company’s F-size body (the same as Thompson’s original instrument), and resides at the upper end of Lowden’s offerings.

MARTIN DITSON DREADNOUGHT 111
$6,499, www.martinguitar.com
The Specs: Solid Adirondack spruce top. Solid mahogany back and sides. Ebony fretboard and bridge. Brazilian rosewood headplate and binding. 17/8-inch nut width. Waverly tuners.
The Cool: Reproduction of the precursor to Martin’s original dreadnought.
The Story: Between 1916 and 1930, before it built dreadnought guitars under its own name, C.F. Martin and Co. produced a line of large 12-fret guitars for the Oliver Ditson Company. Based on a particular instrument built in 1924, this is the first true reissue of these guitars.

OVATION 2071 ULTRA
$1,279, www.ovationguitars.com
The Specs: Solid Sitka spruce top. Synthetic deep contour back. Scalloped X-bracing. Five-piece mahogany and maple neck. OP Pro preamp and Ovation High Output pickup.
The Cool: A high-end Ovation at a rock-bottom price.
The Story: Built and set up in Ovation’s Bloomfield, Connecticut, plant using sub-assemblies sourced from the company’s Korean facility, the Ultra is an affordable option for players who want a classic Ovation without breaking the bank.

SCHENK TRU FIRE
$9,140, www.schenkguitars.com
The Specs: Solid western red cedar top. Solid East Indian rosewood back and sides. One-piece mahogany neck. 1 13/16-inch nut width. 25.5-inch scale. Gotoh 510 tuners.
The Cool: Finish by Killer Paint airbrush studio.
The Story: Based on Schenk’s fingerstyle-friendly FE model, the Tru Fire is part of a limited edition of instruments finished by Killer Paint (of West Coast Choppers fame).

SIERRA SUNRISE SAS30CE
$629, www.sierraguitars.net
The Specs: Solid spruce top. Rosewood back, sides, fretboard, bridge, and binding. Mahogany neck. Chrome tuners. Barcus Berry electronics.
The Cool: Wooden binding.
The Story: A new division of Kaman Music, Sierra Guitars offers an entire line of affordably priced steel- and nylon-strings. All feature an “organic” appearance with wooden binding and outdoors-themed inlay.

SIMON & PATRICK SONGSMITH FOLK
$399, www.simonandpatrick.com
The Specs: Solid spruce top. Wild cherry back and sides. Silver leaf maple neck. Rosewood fretboard and bridge. Semi-gloss lacquer finish.
The Cool: Top woods are individually pressure tested for optimum sound.
The Story: A new version of Simon & Patrick’s popular Folk model, the Songsmith combines high-quality materials with a sunburst finish
and unique appointments. A dreadnought version is available at the same price, and a version with B-Band A3.2 electronics retails for $535.

TAKAMINE EF340SBG
$1,999, www.takamine.com
The Specs: Solid Sitka spruce top. Solid mahogany back and sides. Ebony fretboard and bridge. Scalloped braces. Optional CoolTube electronics.
The Cool: Chunky, vintage-style neck profile.
The Story: Built with input from Takamine artist Brad Davis, this guitar is part of Takamine’s new series of bluegrass dreadnoughts. A similar model with rosewood back and sides is also available as the EF360SGB ($2,429).

TAYLOR 114
$798, www.taylorguitars.com
The Specs: Solid Sitka spruce top. Laminated sapele back and sides. Indian rosewood fretboard and bridge.
The Cool: Optional Taylor ES Element electronics.
The Story: Previously available only in a dreadnought format, the 114 expands Taylor’s entry-level offerings with a grand auditorium body.

WASHBURN WB400SW
$1,499.90, www.washburn.com
The Specs: Solid cedar top. Solid rosewood back and sides. Mahogany neck. Ebony fretboard and bridge. Grover 18:1 gear ratio tuners.
The Cool: Totally unique shape.
The Story: Designed to bring jumbo sound to players who find large guitars uncomfortable to play. Compressing the body and enlarging the lower bout results in a large vibrating top area for powerful tone. An acoustic-electric version with a cutaway is also available (WB400SWCE, $1,799.90).

AMPS & P.A.S

L.R. BAGGS CORE-1
$1,599, www.lrbaggs.com
The Specs: 200W. Custom 8-inch honeycomb-diaphragm speaker. Three channels with XLR and ¼-inch inputs.
Four-band EQ. Notch filter. Spring reverb. Two effect loops.
The Cool: Preamps and EQ based on L.R. Baggs’s famed Para Acoustic DI.
The Story: Three years in development, the Core 1 is built around a new, virtually flat, loudspeaker design that is making its world debut with this amp. Designed for full-range and phase-coherent output, the Core 1 offers ultrawide 140-degree sound dispersion.

GENZ BENZ SHENANDOAH ACOUSTIC 150LT
$899, www.genzbenz.com
The Specs: 150W. 12-inch speaker and compression tweeter. Three-band EQ.
24-bit effects. Three separate DI outputs. 26.5 pounds.
The Cool: Use of optional extension cabinet (Shen 150LT-EXT12, $419) increases output power to 200W.
The Story: Replacing the revered Shenandoah 100, this new Genz Benz amp offers increased power in a lighter-weight package.

MACKIE SRM150
$389.99, www.mackie.com
The Specs: 150W. 5.25-inch full-range neodymium driver. Three-channel mixer. Two XLR/¼-inch combo inputs, one stereo RCA input.
The Cool: Superportable, ability to mount to a mic stand.
The Story: Designed as a personal monitor or self-contained mini-P.A., the SRM 150 rounds out Mackie’s line of active loudspeakers.

YAMAHA STAGEPAS 500
$1,249, www.yamaha.com
The Specs: Two active speaker cabinets with 250W of power, 10-inch speakers and 1-inch tweeters each. Ten-channel mixer. XLR and ¼-inch inputs. Two-band EQ. 24-bit digital reverb.
The Cool: Powerful, self-contained P.A.
The Story: Following on the heels of Yamaha’s smaller Stagepas 300, this setup offers a complete P.A. solution in a user-friendly package. An optional, rolling carrying case makes for easy transportation.

ACCESSORIES

Karura now has a line of lightweight, durable, carbon-fiber cases for dreadnoughts and classical guitars (starting at $750, www.karuracase.com). With their high strength-to-weight ratio, these cases offer a viable solution for touring musicians or frequent travelers who take their axes wherever they go.

The Korg LCA120 chromatic tuner ($139, www.korg.com) features a slim profile and a flip-top, back-lit LCD readout that conceals the unit’s controls when not in use, so it’ll hold up to regular toting in a gig bag or pack. It also has a Focus Tune function that magnifies the readout for fine tuning when the note reaches +/– 10 cents.

Levy’s Leathers has introduced a strap designed especially for heavy instruments. The G.C. Basses Ergonomic strap ($60, www.levysleathers.com) features a contoured shape and is made with foam-lined leather.

Planet Waves’ DualAction Capo ($30, www.planetwaves.com) uses compound leverage to reduce the force required to open and close the capo. The capo’s variable-tension action also helps eliminate side-pulling. Planet Waves also introduced a new and completely self-contained guitar humidification system with the Humidipak ($39.95), which automatically adds or remove moisture depending on conditions in the surrounding environment.

Stage Ninja’s INS-26S ($64.99, www.stageninja.net) packs a retractable 26-foot Hosa cable in a rugged case—eliminating tangles, pack-up hassles, and the stage clutter that comes from having excess cable on stage. The XLR-26S model comes equipped with an XLR cable.

The Tascam MP-GT1 guitar trainer ($269, www.tascam.com) marries a 240 song-capacity MP3 player with Tascam technology that enables players to slow song tempos and passages without shifting pitch. The unit also allows users to loop complicated passages or solos and eliminate recorded guitar parts so they can embellish tunes on their own. The unit also comes with a host of effects, a tuner, and metronome.

The superportable, handheld Zoom H2 ($199, www.samsontech.com) is a versatile digital recorder that’s ideal as a songwriter’s note pad or for recording coffeehouse performances. The unit has the ability to record in 5.1 surround sound and can record up to 24-bit/96 kHz resolution. The three microphone capsules are also switchable from cardioid to supercardioid and omnidirectional.

MISC. AMPLIFICATION

Shadow Electronics’ Sonic Double Play ($375, www.shadow-electronics.com) is a new dual pickup system that combines an unobtrusive NanoMag magnetic pickup that mounts to the end of the fretboard with a Nanoflex undersaddle pickup. Volume and tone can be adjusted by way of a soundhole-mounted control unit.

Fishman’s Aura Acoustic Imaging Pedal ($309.95, www.fishman.com) is based on
the company’s imaging technology, which uses digital algorithms to simulate the sound of an acoustic miked in a high-quality studio setup. Rather than relying on the more complicated approach of loading individual patches of the flagship Aura unit, the six new pedals are preloaded with images for specific guitars: dreadnought, concert, orchestra, jumbo, nylon, and 12-string.

Radial introduced its Tonebone PZ-Pre Acoustic preamp ($375, www.radialeng.com). Designed for live and studio applications, the two-channel preamp is equipped with piezo input boosters and a Mix function that facilitates tone-shaping for two-pickup equipped guitars. The unit also comes equipped with notch filters to reduce feedback and a dual-slope low-cut filter to eliminate rumble and bass resonance.

Roland unveiled the VG-99 guitar modeling system ($1,399, www.roland.com), which enables adventurous players to drop tunings without turning a single machine head, control an organ accompaniment, or switch in a harmonizing electric guitar model. The VG-99 includes a guitar-to-MIDI converter, USB and S/PDIF audio out, and stereo XLR and ¼-inch outputs for any stage situation.

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This article also appears in Acoustic Guitar, June 2007

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