New guitar gear of the month: review round-up (July 2011)
1st Jul 2011 | 09:36
Hardwire SP-7 Stereo Phaser (£147)
Every month MusicRadar's industry-leading sister magazines - Guitarist, Computer Music, Total Guitar, Rhythm and Future Music - publish the world's best independent and in-depth music-making gear reviews.
This is a collection of electric and acoustic guitars, amps and effects - all of which have been meticulously tested by either Guitarist or Total Guitar in recent months and published on MusicRadar throughout June 2011.
Flick through this month's picks and follow the links to read each product's full review. First up is a phaser to end all phasers...
Verdict:
"Few pedals offer such a wide range of cracking vintage and modern phaser tones, with true bypass, delivered in an easy-to-use package."
Gibson 50th Anniversary SG Standard 24 (£1199)
Verdict:
"A great way to celebrate an anniversary. It's well-priced, nicely built and you get two more frets!"
Way Huge Green Rhino MkII (£165)
Verdict:
"To paraphrase This Is Spinal Tap, the Rhino's big bottom really will drive you out of your mind."
Fender Mustang V (£287)
Verdict:
"It's great value, but we'd suggest that the do-it-all nature of the series falls down in such a large format."
Sterling JP100 (£715)
Verdict:
"The JP100 has plenty to recommend it. While we have a few qualms about it, they're rooted in the worst kind of vanity."
Airline Tux Deluxe (£1099)
Verdict:
"Get over the price tag and it's the sort of guitar that will make you want to add words like Howlin' or Smokestack to your name."
Peavey HP Single Cut SC-3 (£265)
Verdict:
"Playability, tone and price: sometimes the best things really do come in threes."
Jet City JCA5212RC (£775)
Verdict:
"The higher price compared to other amps in the range means higher expectations. It's not going to trouble a real Soldano, but for the money this is still a good amp."
Visual Sound Garagetone Chainsaw (£59.99)
Verdict:
"10 years ago, you'd have killed to get this in your gigbag. Today, modelling units are threatening to make standalone distortion pedals an endangered species… but the Chainsaw can still cut the mustard."
Manson Guitars MA-1 (£1419)
Verdict:
"The Fuzz Factory isn't for everyone, but not including it on the spec list feels like sucking the joy from this model. It all adds up to a tough decision and an axe that the expression 'try before you buy' could have been invented for."
Recording King RO-127 (£555)
Verdict:
"It plays like butter, sounds like a dream and looks so pretty that you'll probably carry a photo of it around in your wallet."
Jet City Shockwave Distortion (£50.99)
Verdict:
"If you're after no-nonsense distortion of real pedigree, investigate the Jet City."
Epiphone Joe Bonamassa Les Paul Goldtop (£499)
Verdict:
"For Bonamassa fans on a budget, this is a no-brainer. For everyone else it's a classy, affordable and well-spec'd Les Paul to add to your must-try list."
Boss Power Stack ST-2 (£100)
Verdict:
"All in, the ST-2 is wholly professional and turns in a quality sound, but at £100, it's a purchase that won't stack up for everyone."
Akai Deluxe Distortion (£69.99)
Verdict:
"From the brown vintage warmth of the Classic setting, to the mid-scooped mentalism of Modern, this is both the best and the most versatile pedal we've seen in a while."
Fender Pawn Shop '51 (£755)
Verdict:
"A classy update of the Squier '51 given a serious kick from its Enforcer humbucker. It looks retro, but it bites."
Bare Knuckle Aftermath (£240)
Verdict:
"We love the power that's on offer from this set, even when played clean. The Aftermath is the best metal-oriented pickup Bare Knuckle has made to date."
Danelectro Wild Thing (£379)
Verdict:
"A great neck, cool sounds and a truly eccentric look: what's not to like?"
Fender Pawn Shop Mustang Special (£839)
Verdict:
"It's the punk of the litter, but with some excellent split-coil Fendery voices and a kick like a mule."
Vox Valvetronix VT80+ (£342)
Verdict:
"A genuine improvement on what's gone before, VT+ means just that: more amp models and effects, a better feel and an increased feature list."
Blade Durango Deluxe DD-4 (£799)
Verdict:
"Make no mistake, the wealth of usable tones afforded by the guitar's VSC is nothing short of incredible."
Ibanez AW250-ECE LG (£289)
Verdict:
"The Ibanez has a classy finish, stellar feature set and great sound quality."
Blade Durango Deluxe DD-3 (£699)
Verdict:
"This no-nonsense and affordable instrument ticks all suitable boxes to qualify as a real rock guitar."
Boss RC-3 (£189)
Yamaha APX50011 (£320)
Line 6 M5 Stompbox Modeller (£169)
Verdict:
"All the effects you'll need in a single stompbox, provided you use them one at a time."
Yamaha CPX700II (£515)
Hayden MoFo 55 combo (£1099)
Verdict:
"A credible rock-orientated 1 x 12 combo capable of a wide range of sounds with enough volume for small and medium gigs."
AER Compact XL (£1249)
Verdict:
"A supercharged Compact 60, the XL ensures you'll be heard - clearly."
Gibson Les Paul Studio '60s Tribute (£749)
Verdict:
"If you've never owned a P-90-loaded Les Paul then this is the perfect guitar to fill the void. Be warned: you might just fall in love!"
