Ultimate Gear Guide - Gibson, Epiphone, Kramer, Maestro and Mesa Boogie
Gibson has been on an impressive winning streak the past few years. This Fall, the company continues to roll out new and exciting equipment – and not just under the Gibson name, but also via its other brands, including Epiphone, Kramer, Maestro and Mesa Boogie. To get a handle on just some of this great gear, Guitar World’s Paul Riario and Alan Chaput shined a spotlight on five products from the Gibson family.
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00:00 You know, here at Guitar World, we get to feast our eyes and ears on a lot of great new gear.
00:06 That's right, Paul. And nothing gets us more excited than when that new gear is Gibson gear.
00:11 Well, Alan, hold on to your hat even though I know you're not wearing one.
00:16 Because we've got not one, not two, but five great new products from Gibson to take a look at today.
00:22 And this includes everything from guitars to pedals to amps from top brands under the Gibson brand's umbrella,
00:28 including Epiphone, Kramer, and Mesa Boogie.
00:31 Without further ado, let's dive in.
00:34 Every budding rock star dreams of putting their hands around a less polar SG when they grow up.
00:43 Well, you no longer have to wait that long.
00:46 Epiphone's PowerPlayer series of guitars take these iconic shapes and presents them at the right size
00:53 for the younger player with the quality and specs inspired by their Gibson counterparts.
00:59 The PowerPlayer's guitars are trimmed down versions of the Les Paul and SG models
01:19 with a 22.73-inch scale length and slightly smaller mahogany bodies,
01:24 making them easy to play and an excellent choice to learn on for younger guitarists.
01:28 You also get a bolt-on mahogany neck with a sculpted heel for improved upper fret access
01:33 and a pair of Epiphone 650R and 700T ceramic humbuckers for rich, full tone.
01:39 And they're not just for kids.
01:41 The PowerPlayers are also a great travel guitar choice for more experienced guitarists,
01:46 and they sound better and stay in tune longer than other student model guitars
01:50 due to their high-quality components and excellent build quality.
01:54 Sporting totally rockin' finishes and packaged with gig bag, strap, picks, and a guitar cable,
02:00 the PowerPlayers are the perfect guitarist to get you playing now and forever.
02:04 Forever? That's a long time.
02:06 That's a mighty long time.
02:07 So, are you looking to get your shred on?
02:09 Well, look no further.
02:11 The first name in 80's shred machines, Kramer, is back.
02:15 [music]
02:27 The brand is updated. It's built for speed guitars with 21st century construction and detail.
02:34 Nowhere is this more evident than on the new Kramer Striker,
02:38 part of the Kramer Modern collection of guitars.
02:41 These high-performance shred-ready axes feature a satin-finished maple neck
02:46 with a Kramer K-Speed Slim Taper C profile for fast, easy, and incredibly comfortable playing.
02:52 Electronics-wise, you get three Alnico 5 pickups, a Zebra Coil Bridge Humbucker,
02:57 and two single coils for everything from sparkling cleans to hard rockin', heavily overdriven humbucker crunch.
03:04 Hmm. That's a lot of adjectives there. I love it.
03:07 There's also a licensed Floyd Rose locking vibrato for all your dive-bombing desires,
03:12 a variety of hot finishes, and an optional hard-shell case.
03:16 Ready, shreddy? Go.
03:18 [music]
03:19 Nowadays, it seems like there's a million and one pedals on offer from just as many different manufacturers.
03:25 But only one brand was there first. Maestro.
03:29 [music]
03:53 Introduced in the early '60s, the Maestro name became synonymous with guitar effect pedals,
03:58 debuting with the FZ-1 Fuzztone, the sound of the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction"
04:04 Who can forget that?
04:05 in 1962. And now Maestro is back with the all-new Original Collection Series,
04:10 headlined by the new Maestro Fuzztone FZ-M, an updated version of that iconic pedal.
04:16 The all-analog FZ-M offers up an FZ-1-inspired fuzz sound.
04:22 But that's not all. The pedal features an innovative mode toggle switch that provides 2-in-1 functionality
04:29 for both classic fuzz and a thicker, more modern tone.
04:33 Its 3-knob control layout gives you intuitive control, with an attack knob that allows you to dial in
04:38 just the right amount of fuzz, and a tone control to adjust the timbre from bright and raspy
04:43 to warm and wooly and anywhere in between. And a level knob to set the output volume.
04:49 And it's all controlled via a true bypass foot switch that, in a very cool touch,
04:54 also triggers the LED lights in the bugles in the Maestro logo, so that you always know when the pedal is active.
05:00 Classic tone, modern features, expanded versatility, and advanced tone-tweaking capabilities.
05:06 Maestro is back.
05:07 Bugles? For real?
05:09 Bugles in the logo.
05:10 Alright.
05:11 So, Alan, we've looked at some pretty hot guitars and cool pedals,
05:16 but they won't do you much good without a killer amp to crank them through, right?
05:21 That's correct.
05:22 Well, and do we have that amp for you. Mesa Boogie's California Tweed 6V6-220.
05:29 Introducing the most compact grab-and-go additions to our vintage-expanded Tweed series of amplifiers.
05:42 Own a vintage voice amp, but don't struggle with all the setbacks and limitations of one.
05:47 With included features like an all-tube-driven spring reverb, a buffered series effects loop,
05:52 and a wide-ranging EQ section, it's clear to say that this amp strongly bridges the gap
05:58 between vintage tone and modern capability.
06:01 Thanks to our incremental multi-watt technology, go from 20 watts, 10 watts, and even down to 1 watt.
06:08 Our high-level formats include a 110 combo, a 112 combo, and even a head version.
06:13 That has power-scaling capabilities and makes for a great pedal platform amp. Look no further.
06:19 Yes, the California Tweed 220 expands on the record success of Mesa's larger-sized and higher-powered California Tweed 6V6-440,
06:32 which set a new standard of performance from simple vintage-inspired single-channel design
06:37 by providing 5 power amp voicings and output levels from a simple multi-watt rotary switch.
06:43 It's what Mesa defines as "vintage-expanded."
06:46 And that is expansive.
06:48 So what makes the latest California Tweed 220 so special?
06:52 Well, for starters, its ability to offer vintage-voiced tube amp sound and feel in a choice of 20, 10, or 1-watt power configurations.
07:02 In addition to the 3 power levels, the multi-watt power amp boasts Duo-Class and DynaWatt technologies
07:09 for 2 operating classes with 3 wiring options via a single 3-way rotary switch.
07:16 Other features include 2 6V6 power tubes and a preamp stocked with 5x12AX7 and 1x12AT7 preamp tubes,
07:24 a single channel with normal and low inputs, gain, treble, mid, bass, presence, reverb, and master controls,
07:32 and vintage all-tube spring reverb with an external reverb switching jack for remote activation.
07:38 Tweed tone in a single-channel design with modern flexibility, this Mesa, yes, it really does kick ass.
07:45 Can I say that? Kick ass.
07:47 Since this is Gibson we've been talking about throughout this video,
07:50 why not wrap things up with the most iconic of Gibson designs, the Les Paul.
07:56 Yeah.
07:57 You won't get pigeon holes using a Les Paul.
08:19 I put this thing through the paces and it stands up, for sure.
08:22 So, for anybody looking to get into a real Gibson, this is a great place to start.
08:28 And quality all the way through. Really good.
08:32 Yes, the Les Paul Tribute captures the vibe, feel, and tonality of a traditional Les Paul,
08:43 but with a rounded maple neck profile and ultra-modern weight relief for super easy playability and comfort.
08:51 Features include a mahogany body, maple top, and a pair of 490R and T humbucking pickups with Alnico II magnets
08:58 for classic tone, power, and sustain, and who doesn't love all three of those things?
09:04 I love all those things.
09:05 Yep.
09:06 But you also get medium jumbo frets, an aluminum Nashville Tunamatic bridge,
09:10 and vintage deluxe tuning machines with keystone buttons, and in addition to satin honeyburst,
09:17 the Les Paul Tribute is also available in three additional classic finishes.
09:21 It's all the guitar you need and nothing less. Hell, that is a Les Paul.
09:26 Absolutely. Well, until next time, head to gibson.com.
09:30 And epiphone.com.
09:32 Oh, and kramerguitars.com.
09:34 And maestroelectronics.com.
09:37 And masonboogie.com for these and other great products.
09:41 Check it out.
09:42 (music)