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.
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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
00:27brand's umbrella, including Epiphone, Kramer, and Mesa Boogie. Without further ado, let's dive in.
00:37Every budding rock star dreams of putting their hands around a Les Paul or SG when they grow up.
00:43Well, you no longer have to wait that long. Epiphone's Power Player series of guitars
00:48take these iconic shapes and presents them at the right size for the younger player
00:54with the quality and specs inspired by their Gibson counterparts.
01:13The Power Player's guitars are trimmed down versions of the Les Paul and SG models
01:18with 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,
01:45and 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 a 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. It's a long time.
02:05It's a mighty long time.
02:07So are you looking to get your shred on?
02:08Well, look no further.
02:11The first name in 80 shred machines, Kramer, is back.
02:15The 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 Stryker,
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', heavily-over-driven 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.
03:17Ready, shreddy? Go.
03:19Nowadays, it seems like there's a million and one pedals on offer from just as many different manufacturers,
03:25but only one brand was there first, Maestro.
03:28Introduced in the early 60s, the Maestro name became synonymous with guitar effect pedals,
03:57debuting with the FZ-1 Fuzz Tone, the sound of the Rolling Stones' satisfaction.
04:03Who can forget that?
04:04In 1962.
04:06And 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
04:28for both classic fuzz and a thicker, more modern tone.
04:32Its three-knob control layout gives you intuitive control with an attack knob that allows you
04:37to dial in just the right amount of fuzz, and a tone control to adjust the timbre from
04:42bright and raspy to warm and woolly and anywhere in between, and 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, also
04:54triggers the LED lights in the bugles in the Maestro logo, so that you always know when
04:59the pedal is active.
05:00Classic tone, modern features, expanded versatility, and advanced tone tweaking capabilities.
05:06Maestro is back.
05:07Bugles?
05:08For real?
05:09Bugles in the logo.
05:10All right.
05:10So, Alan, we've looked at some pretty hot guitars and cool pedals, but they won't do you much
05:17good without a killer amp to crank them through, right?
05:20That's correct.
05:22Well, and do we have that amp for you?
05:24Mesa Boogie's California Tweed 6V6-220.
05:28Introducing the most compact grab-and-go editions to our vintage expanded Tweed Series of Amplifiers.
05:42Own a vintage voiced amp, but don't struggle with all the setbacks and limitations of one.
05:46With included features like an all-tube-driven spring reverb, a buffered series effects loop,
05:52and a wide-ranging EQ section, it's clear to say that this amp strongly bridges the gap
05:57between vintage tone and modern capability.
06:01Thanks to our incremental multi-watt technology, go from 20 watts, 10 watts, and even down to
06:06one watt.
06:07Available formats include a 110 combo, a 112 combo, and even a head version that has power
06:13scaling capabilities, and makes for a great pedal platform amp, look no further.
06:21Yes, the California Tweed 220 expands on the record success of Mesa's larger-sized and higher-powered
06:28California Tweed 6V6-440, which set a new standard of performance from simple vintage-inspired
06:35single-channel design by providing five power amp voicings and output levels from a simple
06:41multi-watt rotary switch.
06:42It'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 voice tube amp sound and feel in a choice
06:58of 20, 10, or 1-watt power configurations.
07:02In addition to the three power levels, the multi-watt power amp boasts duo-class and dyno-watt
07:07technologies for two operating classes with three wiring options via a single three-way rotary
07:15switch.
07:15Other features include two 6V6 power tubes and a preamp stocked with 512ax7 and 112at7 preamp
07:23tubes, a single channel with normal and low inputs, gain, treble, mid, bass, presence,
07:30reverb, and master controls, and vintage all-tube spring reverb with an external reverb switching
07:36jack for remote activation.
07:37Tweed tone in a single channel design with modern flexibility, this Mesa, yes, it really does
07:44kick ass.
07:45Can I say that?
07:46Kick ass.
07:47Since this is Gibson we've been talking about throughout this video, why not wrap things
07:51up with the most iconic of Gibson designs, the Les Paul.
07:56Yeah.
07:57You won't get pigeonholed using a Les Paul.
08:18I put this thing through the paces and it stands up for sure.
08:22So, for anybody looking to get into a real Gibson, this is a great place to start.
08:29Quality all the way through.
08:31Really good.
08:33Yes, the Les Paul tribute captures the vibe, feel, and tonality of a traditional Les Paul,
08:42but with a rounded maple neck profile, and ultra-modern weight relief for super easy playability
08:49and comfort.
08:50Features include a mahogany body, maple top, and a pair of 490R and T.
08:55Humbucking pickups with Alnico 2 magnets for classic tone, power, and sustain.
09:00And who doesn't love all three of those things?
09:03I love all those things.
09:04Yep.
09:05But you also get medium jumbo frets, an aluminum Nashville Tune-O-Matic bridge, and vintage
09:11deluxe tuning machines with keystone buttons, and in addition to satin honey burst, the Les
09:17Paul tribute is also available in three additional classic finishes.
09:21It's all the guitar you need and nothing less.
09:24Hell, that is a Les Paul.
09:26Absolutely.
09:27Well, until next time, head to Gibson.com.
09:30And Epiphone.com.
09:31Oh, and KramerGuitars.com.
09:33And MaestroElectronics.com.
09:36And MesaBoogie.com for these and other great products.
09:40Check it out.