Ultimate Gear Guide - Gibson, Epiphone, Kramer, Maestro and Mesa Boogie
Gibson 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.
Category
🎵
MusicTranscript
00:00You know, here at Guitar World, we get to feast our eyes and ears on a lot of great new gear.
00:06That's right, Paul. And nothing gets us more excited than when that new gear is Gibson gear.
00:11Well, Alan, hold on to your hat, even though I know you're not wearing one,
00:16because we've got not one, not two, but five great new products from Gibson to take a look at today.
00:22And this includes everything from guitars to pedals to amps from top brands under the Gibson brand's umbrella,
00:28including Epiphone, Kramer and Mesa Boogie.
00:31Without further ado, let's dive in.
00:38Every budding rock star dreams of putting their hands around a less polar SG when they grow up.
00:43Well, you no longer have to wait that long.
00:46Epiphone's Power Player series of guitars take these iconic shapes and presents them at the right size
00:53for the younger player with the quality and specs inspired by their Gibson counterparts.
01:14The Power Player's guitars are trimmed down versions of the Les Paul and SG models
01:19with a 22.73-inch scale length and slightly smaller mahogany bodies,
01:24making them easy to play and an excellent choice to learn on for younger guitarists.
01:28You also get a bolt-on mahogany neck with a sculpted heel for improved upper fret access
01:33and a pair of Epiphone 650R and 700T ceramic humbuckers for rich, full tone.
01:39And they're not just for kids.
01:41The Power Players are also a great travel guitar choice for more experienced guitarists,
01:46and they sound better and stay in tune longer than other student-model guitars
01:50due to their high-quality components and excellent build quality.
01:54Sporting totally rockin' finishes and packaged with gig bag, strap, picks, and a guitar cable,
02:00the Power Players are the perfect guitars to get you playing now and forever.
02:04Forever? That's a long time.
02:06That's a mighty long time.
02:07So, are you looking to get your shred on?
02:09Well, look no further.
02:11The first name in anti-shred machines, Kramer, is back.
02:16♪♪♪
02:27The brand is updated.
02:28It's built for speed guitars with 21st century construction and detail.
02:34Nowhere is this more evident than on the new Kramer Striker,
02:38part of the Kramer Modern collection of guitars.
02:41These high-performance shred-ready axes feature a satin-finished maple neck
02:45with a Kramer K-Speed Slim Taper C profile for fast, easy, and incredibly comfortable playing.
02:52Electronics-wise, you get three Alnico 5 pickups, a Zebra Coil bridge humbucker,
02:57and two single coils for everything from sparkling cleans to hard rockin',
03:02heavily overdriven humbucker crunch.
03:04Hmm. That's a lot of adjectives there. I love it.
03:07There's also a licensed Floyd Rose locking vibrato for all your dive-bombing desires,
03:12a variety of hot finishes, and an optional hard-shell case.
03:16Ready, shreddy? Go.
03:19Nowadays, it seems like there's a million and one pedals on offer
03:23from just as many different manufacturers.
03:25But only one brand was there first.
03:28Maestro.
03:29Maestro.
03:53Introduced in the early 60s, the Maestro name became synonymous with guitar effect pedals,
03:58debuting with the FZ-1 Fuzz Tone, the sound of the Rolling Stones' satisfaction.
04:04Who can forget that?
04:05In 1962, and now Maestro is back with the all-new Original Collection Series,
04:10headlined by the new Maestro Fuzz Tone FZ-M, an updated version of that iconic pedal.
04:16The all-analog FZ-M offers up an FZ-1-inspired fuzz sound.
04:22But that's not all.
04:23The pedal features an innovative mode toggle switch that provides two-in-one functionality
04:29for both classic fuzz and a thicker, more modern tone.
04:33Its three-knob control layout gives you intuitive control
04:36with an attack knob that allows you to dial in just the right amount of fuzz
04:40and a tone control to adjust the timbre from bright and raspy to warm and wooly and anywhere in between.
04:46And a level knob to set the output volume.
04:49And it's all controlled via a true bypass foot switch that, in a very cool touch,
04:54also triggers the LED lights in the bugles in the Maestro logo
04:58so that you always know when the pedal is active.
05:00Classic tone, modern features, expanded versatility, and advanced tone-tweaking capabilities.
05:06Maestro is back.
05:07Bugles? For real?
05:09Bugles in the logo.
05:10Alright.
05:11So, Alan, we've looked at some pretty hot guitars and cool pedals,
05:16but they won't do you much good without a killer amp to crank them through, right?
05:21That's correct.
05:22Well, and do we have that amp for you.
05:25Mesa Boogie's California Tweed 6V6-220.
05:36Introducing the most compact grab-and-go additions to our vintage-expanded Tweed series of amplifiers.
05:42Own a vintage voice amp, but don't struggle with all the setbacks and limitations of one.
05:47With included features like an all-tube-driven spring reverb,
05:50a buffered series effects loop, and a wide-ranging EQ section,
05:54it's clear to say that this amp strongly bridges the gap between vintage tone and modern capability.
06:01Thanks to our incremental multi-watt technology, go from 20 watts, 10 watts, and even down to 1 watt.
06:08Our high-level formats include a 1-10 combo, a 1-12 combo, and even a head version.
06:13That has power-scaling capabilities and makes for a great pedal platform amp. Look no further.
06:22Yes, the California Tweed 220 expands on the record success of Mesa's larger-sized and higher-powered California Tweed 6V6-440,
06:32which set a new standard of performance from simple vintage-inspired single-channel design
06:37by providing five power amp voicings and output levels from a simple multi-watt rotary switch.
06:43It's what Mesa defines as vintage-expanded.
06:46And that is expansive.
06:48So what makes the latest California Tweed 220 so special?
06:52Well, for starters, its ability to offer vintage-voiced tube amp sound and feel in a choice of 20, 10, or 1-watt power configurations.
07:02In addition to the three power levels, the multi-watt power amp boasts dual-class and dyno-watt technologies
07:09for two operating classes with three wiring options via a single three-way rotary switch.
07:16Other features include two 6V6 power tubes and a preamp stocked with five 12AX7 and one 12AT7 preamp tubes,
07:24a single channel with normal and low inputs, gain, treble, mid, bass, presence, reverb, and master controls,
07:32and vintage all-tube spring reverb with an external reverb switching jack for remote activation.
07:38Tweed tone in a single-channel design with modern flexibility.
07:41This Mesa, yes, it really does kick ass.
07:45Can I say that? Kick ass.
07:47Since this is Gibson we've been talking about throughout this video,
07:50why not wrap things up with the most iconic of Gibson designs, the Les Paul.
08:15You won't get pigeon holes using a Les Paul.
08:18I put this thing through the paces and it stands up, for sure.
08:21So, for anybody looking to get into a real Gibson, this is a great place to start.
08:27And quality all the way through. Really good.
08:36Yes, the Les Paul Tribute captures the vibe, feel, and tonality of a traditional Les Paul,
08:43but with a rounded maple neck profile and ultra-modern weight relief for super easy playability and comfort.
08:51Features include a mahogany body, maple top, and a pair of 490R and T humbucking pickups with Alnico II magnets
08:58for classic tone, power, and sustain. And who doesn't love all three of those things?
09:04I love all those things.
09:05But you also get medium jumbo frets, an aluminum Nashville Tunamatic bridge,
09:10and vintage deluxe tuning machines with keystone buttons, and in addition to satin honeyburst,
09:17the Les Paul Tribute is also available in three additional classic finishes.
09:21It's all the guitar you need and nothing less. Hell, that is a Les Paul.
09:26Absolutely. Well, until next time, head to gibson.com.
09:30And epiphone.com.
09:32Oh, and kramerguitars.com.
09:34And maestroelectronics.com.
09:36And masonboogie.com for these and other great products.
09:40Check it out.