Moog Guitar Paul Vo Collector Edition
The Moog name is synonymous with the synthesizer, which it pioneered in the 1960s. Last summer, the company unveiled its first guitar—an aurally exciting marriage of string and synth that has the music industry all abuzz. Highly lauded by musicians and music journalists alike, the $6,495 Paul Vo Collector Edition embodies a number of innovative concepts: Three switches allow the player to vary the sustain from mute to full, toggle through onboard sound filters, and select from five pickup positions; five knobs control volume, tone and filter, harmonic balance, pickup blend, and sustain power; and a 5-pin XLR input powers the guitar through its control pedal. A guitar has never been built with such technological synthesis; linking the Moog guitar with Moog pedals and effects processors will render it virtually unstoppable. ––Bailey S. Barnard
Moog, 828.251.0090, www.moogmusic.com
James Trussart Limited-Edition Steeltop Koa
Trussart is known for making steel-bodied electric guitars and basses of exceptionally high quality and craftsmanship. Each guitar is handmade, often in accordance with client requests that determine finishes, hardware, and pickup selections. While a pair of Trussart guitars may be similar in look and finish, no two are exactly alike. The brand produces only a few hundred instruments every year, further adding to its collectibility and value.
Founder James Trussart recently acquired a small quantity of some very rare, beautifully figured flamed koa wood that had been air-dried since the 1970s. Trussart decided to create a very limited edition of six one-of-a-kind Steeltop guitars from this material. Each of the six guitars will have a different pattern on its recessed steel top plate: Dragon (shown), African, Roses, Gator, Paisley, and Snakeskin. From a company known for producing custom instruments, this may be Trussart’s most appealing and distinctive offering yet. Prices start at $9,999. ––Kent Bancroft
James Trussart Custom Guitars, 213.989.1554, www.jamestrussart.com
Bad Cat Lil’ 15 Amplifier
Over the past 10 years, Bad Cat has gained quite a following from musicians in search of amplifiers that produce big sounds. But the California-based boutique builder recently released the Lil’ 15 ($1,449) to prove that an amp’s ability to perform does not necessarily correspond to its size. A 14-inch length and 7-inch height and depth provide just enough space to house two EL84 tubes—one of company founder James Heidrich’s favorite tubes—and 15-watt hand-wound power and output transformers. This A/B-style tube-driven amp allows for a little more versatility in tone with two audio channels: Channel one evokes the crisp tones of the brand’s iconic Black Cat amplifier, while channel two (which is actuated via a foot switch) provides a dirty overdrive perfect for rhythmic riffs and face-melting solos. The Lil’ 15 may be small, but it packs a big punch. —Paul Meyers
Bad Cat Amplifier Co., 888.422.3228, www.badcatamps.com
Morgan 10PM Amplifier
Joe Morgan, founder of Morgan Amplification, did not initially intend to start his own boutique amp business. "I love the tone of a vintage [Vox] AC30 and set out to re-create something similar for myself," he says. What he came up with, however, were two very extraordinary amps: the AC20 ($1,399) and the 10PM ($1,399, shown). Although the likeness between the AC20’s tone and the original AC30’s bright tone is remarkably accurate, the 10PM is the amp of choice for those looking for ease of use and tonal flawlessness. The 10PM offers only three modes of adjustment: a bright switch, a volume control, and a cut control (or tone regulator). Two class-A EL84 tubes—driven by a custom-designed Mercury Magnetics transformer—produce 10 watts of power through a 10-inch Celestion Greenback speaker. The result is an impressively loud, beautiful sound that provides an exceptionally pure tone from any guitar that plugs in. —P.M.
Morgan Amplification, 714.677.2140, www.morganamplification.com
Blackbird Guitars Rider Steel String
The guitar is centuries deep in tradition, but newcomer Blackbird Guitars is changing the instrument’s shape with a very modern treatment. The San Francisco company uses a machined prototype and negative molds to construct its Rider Steel String ($1,599, shown) and Nylon String ($1,899) guitar models out of carbon fiber. Thanks to the composite material’s rigidity and light weight, the guitars weigh less than three pounds and are immune to the harmful effects of climate and altitude change—frequent concerns for owners of conventional wooden guitars. Despite its small size (35.5 by 10.5 by 4.25 inches), the Rider’s unibody construction allows the sound to escape out of two holes—one near the base of the fret board and the other at the headstock—and produces a clean, full-bodied sound. It also makes a great accompaniment for anyone who travels. —P.M.
Blackbird Guitars, 415.706.0632, www.blackbirdguitar.com
Roland TD-4S V-Compact Series Drums
Roland’s flagship V drums are the industry standard for electronic percussion; the $6,999 top-of-the-line TD-20S V-Pro Series leaves little to be desired––except surrounding room. The new $1,199 TD-4S V-Compact Series solves that dilemma by offering just the bare essentials for drummers who want all the functionality of Roland electric drums in a more compact form. The control module enables the musician to record a performance and customize the 25 preset kits by selecting the sounds for each of the four drum pads and three cymbal pads. The V-Compact Series also offers a coach mode to help improve timing so that amateur drummers can learn to play like pros. ––B.S.B.
Roland, 323.890.3700, www.rolandus.com
Yamaha AvantGrand N3 Piano
With 16 built-in amplifiers, an auxiliary input, and a USB port, the AvantGrand N3 is the most technologically advanced grand piano that Yamaha has ever built; yet with 88 keys, three pedals, and Yamaha’s Tactile Response System for reproducing reverberations, it still preserves the natural playability of its stringed brethren. Striking the keys of the $19,000 all-digital AvantGrand generates an audio signal with spatial samplings of an actual grand piano to digitally re-create an acoustic experience. The four speakers, which are each configured with three drivers and powered by a dedicated amplifier, are housed in a polished dark rosewood soundboard beneath the piano’s lid. An electric soundboard resonator encourages natural vibrations to create a sound stage that most pianists will find indistinguishable from that of a real concert grand. The inclusion of two headphone jacks on the AvantGrand, however, enables a duo to do what they cannot on a real piano: privatize the experience. ––B.S.B.
Yamaha, 714.522.9011, www.avant-grand.com