Australian Guitar magazine has compiled a comprehensive list of the 50 greatest guitar players in Australia history in the issue on sale Wednesday 16 May.  The magazine pooled a crack team of guitar-playin’ guitar-player lovers: Peter Hodgson, Andrew P Street and Craig White (plus a little input from the Australian Guitar editorial team) to put together what is believed to be the first ever comprehensive list of the 50 finest players.

The top 50 lists features players from genres ranging from classical and funk to metal core, rock, blues and roots. “We’ve not assigned ourselves to one genre, or started checking passports or whether people know their Mixolydian scales or not – basically, if you’re a unique guitar player that spent a good stretch of your time Down Under, pushed the envelope and inspired others to do so, there’s every chance you’re on this list. We’re not ranking the first 40, simply because we’d prefer to bask in the glory of their work than try and compare apples and oranges. That said, we will give you a definitive top ten of the greats, you at least deserve that,” says Australian Guitar magazine editor Lachlan Marks.

Topping the list is ACDC’s, Angus Young. “Angus has the sort of skills that allow serious rock lovers to overlook the fact they’re being demonstrated by a tiny gurning man in his late-‘50s, dressed as a schoolboy,” says Andrew P Street.  Fellow top-ten finalist Chris Cheney (The Living End) concurs. “Under the image is a supremely talented guitar player responsible for some of the most distinctive guitar riffs ever … he is one of the absolute all time greats. To me it’s like Hendrix, Page, Keith Richards, you know he’s one of those guys.”

Angus Young’s fellow Top Ten Australian Guitarists Of All Time are no less distinguished and include: Tommy Emmanuel; Ian Moss; Slava Grigoryan; Deniz Tek and Chris Cheney.

Australian Guitar Magazine’s Definitive Top Ten Australian Guitarists of All Time

1. Angus Young (ACDC)
2. Tommy Emmanuel
3. Ian Moss (Cold Chisel)
4. Chris Cheney (The Living End)
5. Rick Brewster (The Angels)
6. Slava Grigoryan (Slava Grigoryan)
7. Deniz Tek (Radio Birdman, The Visitors)
8. Jim Moginie (Midnight Oil)
9. Lobby Loyde (Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs)
10. Ross Hannaford (Daddy Cool)

11 to 40 (not ranked)

Malcolm Young (ACDC)
Adalita (Magic Dirt)
Marty Willson-Piper
Mick Harvey (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds & Grinderman)
Tim Rogers (You Am I)
Rowland S Howard (Boys Next Door, Birthday Party)
Ed Kuepper (The Saints, Laughing Clowns, Black Ticket Day)
Spencer P Jones (The Johnnys, Beasts of Bourbon, Spencer P Jones)
Gareth Liddiard (The Drones, Gareth Liddiard)
Brad Shepherd (The Hitmen, Hoodoo Gurus, The Monarchs)
John Butler (John Butler Trio)
Jeff Lang (Jeff Lang and Chris Whitney)
Kim Salmon (The Scientists, Beasts of Bourbon)
Ash Naylor (Even, Rail)
Tom Lyncolgn (The Nation Blue)
Paul Dempsey (Something for Kate, Paul Demspey)
Jim Skiathitis (The Atlantics)
Blackie (The Hard Ons)
Billy Thorpe (Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs)
Dutch Tilders (Dutch Tilders)
Orem Ambarchi (Orem Ambarchi)
Dave Hole (Dave Hole)
Kevin Borich (Kevin Borich)
Charlie Owen (The New Christs, Beasts of Bourbon, The Divinyls, Tex Perkins and the Dark Horses)
Pete Wells (Rose Tattoo)
Frank Gambale (Chick Corea Electrik Band)
Brett Garsed (John Farnham, Nelson, TJ Helmerich)
Diesel (Mark Lizotte) (Diesel, Johnny Diesel and the Injectors)
Daniel Johns (Silverchair)
Darren Middleton (Powderfinger)
John Williams (John Williams)
Jona Weinhofen (I Killed The Prom Queen)
Joe Robinson (Joe Robinson)
Michael Fix (Michael Fix)
Orianthi (Orianthi)
Phil Emmanuel (Phil Emmanuel)
Keith Urban (Keith Urban)
C W Stoneking (C W Stoneking)
Lloyd Spiegel (LLoy Spiegel)
Geoff Achison (The Souldiggers)

THE SENNHEISER XS WIRELESS MICROPHONE AND RECIEVER IS AN AFFORDABLE WIRELESS MIC PACKAGE WITH MANY OF THE FEATURES OF HIGHER PRICED WIRELESS UNITS. By Reg Barber

Sennheiser are a German based company that have been producing high quality microphones, headphones and telephony products for many decades. Sennheiser have been manufacturing wireless microphones since 1982, so they probably know a thing or two about it. The Sennheiser XS W35 wireless microphone and receiver is a budget conscience release, but still maintains most of the features available in their more expensive wireless microphone lines.

WIRELESS UNITS FOR DUMMIES

Wireless units don’t come easier to use than this. The bottom of the microphone features a scan button, which allows you to scan for the best possible radio frequency; it’s a very quick and easy set up. The receiver flashes and with the press of a button the two are synced. With multiple units running I imagine this would be a very handy feature indeed. The microphone is housed in a plastic casing, keeping the overall weight down.

The Sennheiser XS W35 wireless microphone comes as a package of both the microphone and receiver. The W35 microphone is a dynamic cardioid microphone featuring an 835 capsule, the same capsule used in Sennheiser’s popular Evolution microphone series. Even though it is a dynamic microphone you don’t want to go throwing it about the stage for this reason, it’s not as rugged as a trusty old 58. The microphone uses a pair of AA size batteries to transmit signal back to the receiver and has up to ten hours of battery life, so if your going to be using this mic often it is well worth investing in some rechargeable batteries.

The receiver pack is housed in a rugged all metal casing, but does not come with rack ears supplied if you are wanting to throw it straight into a road case. The receiver features Sennheisers ‘True Diversity’, which is designed to eliminate any dropouts; two aerials and two tuners make sure that this doesn’t happen. To avoid any radio frequency interference there are over 900 tuneable frequencies available across 24MHz. This allows you to run up to 12 wireless units simultaneously. The output signal can be sent as either line level or mic level via balacend XLR or unbalanced ¼ inch jack. The receiver plugs into mains power via the supplied transformer.

LOOK MUM, NO WIRES

So, the fun test of any wireless mic has to be how far down the street you can go before it starts to drop out. We must be in a quiet radio frequency area because I could get 150 metres down the road before the microphone dropped out. New batteries may have helped, but that is much better than the older units we are currently using.

The capsule in the Sennheiser XS W35 wireless microphone is shock mounted so there is little noise from using the microphone in your hand and moving about. Being a dynamic cardioid mic it is perfect for use in loud stage environments, as there is little spill from other sound sources. The mic stood up well to high sound pressure levels, we could scream into this mic without any unwanted distortion, of the bad type.

The tone of this microphone is very nice indeed. The top end was very open and crisp. The bass response was even, and this mic worked well with vocalists who like to move the microphone around, the bass frequencies did not disappear when held away from the mouth. The Sennheiser XS W35 wireless microphone even sounded great on a guitar cab, both on and off axis.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Sennheiser XS W35 wireless microphone and receiver is an affordable package with many of the features of the more expensive units. It is an extremely easy unit to use and very quick to set up.

PRICE: $599

FEATURES

• True diversity receiver
• Included power supply
• Microphone clip included
• Two antennas
• Two AA batteries included
• Carry pouch for microphone

WHAT WE RECKON

PROS

• Even frequency response
• Quick set up
• No dropouts

CONS

• Plastic housing on microphone
• No rack ears

CONTACT

SENNHEISER
1800 648 628
www.sennheiser.com.au

So it is with the Wizard neck. The ultra slim profile was the result of engineering undertaken during the mid-‘80s and focused on developing the Saber model, which would become the basis for the signature model of Aussie shredder Frank Gambale. If the Macbook Air was an ‘80s shred guitar, it would be the Ibanez Saber, which had a contoured body that tapered to an exceedingly thin edge. The Saber’s neck was the original Wizard profile with a 430mm radius and a thickness of only 17mm at the first fret.
These days, the Wizard III is the standard version of the profile and it features on many Ibanez models. We are taking a look at the FR320, which retails for $699, yet sports the same cutting edge neck profile featured on Ibanez guitars retailing for several times as much.

HOT BURRITO #2

With a 400 mm radius and a depth of 19mm at the first fret, the Wizard III profile is reined-in a little compared to the late-‘80s excess of the original design, however it’s still an extraordinarily fast profile. The dimensions are the same as the Wizard II featured, however the contemporary version is a rounder shape, with a less pronounced shoulder. While it’s unquestionably a speed demon, the profile is very stable, allowing you to settle in for rock solid rhythm parts between all the no-time-for-speed-limits soloing.

In fact, the FR320 is such a sweet and versatile instrument, it would do it a disservice to consider it only in terms of shredding. In fact, the FR320 would be more than capable of covering bases from funk to punk to blues and even country, though you would want to have a hot twang to your sound considering the FR320 is equipped with a pair of humbuckers.

THE UTILITY COMPANY

Controls are basic, just a three way selector plus master volume and tone. Surprisingly for a guitar retailing for as little as this one does, the FR320 responds to variations in your playing in a sympathetic and musical manner, so that even with a very basic control configuration, it has a versatility that would be impressive even in a much more expensive guitar. Indeed, this fact alone nominates the FR320 as a guitar that is more likely to appeal to a confident and experienced player than some poseur propped up by a pedalboard, and as such, it represents terrific value.

Crucial to achieving this manual variation is the fixed bridge, which as well as enhancing sustain, provides a solid platform for palm muting. This is one of the elements that contribute to making the FR320 such an amazing utility instrument, as the Wizard III neck encourages all sorts of extreme shredding, while the fixed bridge allows you to use your full range of rhythm techniques. While many disappointing utility instruments aim for a compromised position that is perfect for neither solo nor comping, the FR320 genuinely offers the best of both worlds. If your lead style does not rely on tremolo, this may well be the perfect configuration for a utility instrument.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Ibanez has some of the best quality control in the business, even as their manufacturing interests have expanded throughout Asia. Built in Indonesia, the FR320 is everything you would expect from a mid-range Ibanez model, regardless of country of origin. It is always a pleasure to encounter a guitar that so confidently navigates a road less traveled, as this one does in being a genuinely shred-ready utility instrument, but when such a guitar retails for $699, well that is something else again. I’m not a fan of the pickguard shape, but otherwise you can most definitely count me in (one, two, three, four)…

PRICE: $699

FEATURES

• Body: mahogany
• Neck: material maple
• Fingerboard: rosewood
• Frets: 24 (jumbo)
• Scale length: 25½ inch (648mm)
• Width at nut: 43mm
• Width at last fret: 58mm
• Thickness at first fret: 19mm
• Thickness at 12th fret: 21mm
• Radius: 400 mm
• Pickups: Ibanez CCR1-V2 (neck), CCR2-V2 (bridge) humbuckers

WHAT WE RECKON

PROS

• The Wizard III neck… ‘nuff said!
• Ibanez CCR pickups have a nicely variable         output
• Hot Tele shape is very cool

CONS

• I’m sorry, the pickguard is a little bit ugly

CONTACT

Australis Music Group
02 9698 4444
www.australismusic.com.au

IN WHICH WE WRESTLE WITH NOTIONS OF PERFORMANCE AND SOLITUDE. By Craig White

This issue we are going to take a look at the latest addition to the Ibanez AEG series of electric-acoustic guitars. With a generously rounded yet slightly undersized shape sporting a classy Venetian cutaway, coupled with a shallow body depth and quality pickup/pre-amp system, the AEG series is an example of the modern taste for ergonomic electric-acoustic concert guitars that are optimised for amplification. The best examples manage to do so without significantly diminishing the acoustic tone, however there is always going to be an impact on the indigenous sound of an instrument when the depth of the soundbox is reduced by something like 25 to 40 percent.

Typically, such instruments have a characteristic of their acoustic tone that might be described as floppy. Good examples have a little bit of the floppiness, lesser guitars lots. In fact, the best examples utilise the floppiness as an integral percussive element of the amplified output, in line with our assertion that such instruments are optimised for plugging in. This floppiness is suggestive of energy being dissipated inaudibly, so that compared to your super energy efficient dreadnought, these instruments have considerably less acoustic projection and sustain.

MR FLOPPY

Being a solid example of this style of instrument, the AEG15E has manageable levels of this floppiness, which does indeed contribute to percussively defining the electric output of the guitar. Aggressive strumming is rendered with clarity and rhythmic detail that is not always apparent in the energetically overwrought output of a dreadnought, as the floppiness contributes to creating a percussive attack that helps define complex strumming patterns. Amplified fingerstyle similarly benefits, rendering each individual note audible and unimpeded by the note that precedes it.

Of course, any rhythmic advantage is at the expense of sustain, projection and tone, so getting the balancing act right is crucial, and the AEG15E manages this quite admirably. The more I play this one, the more I like it, and while at first I was amplifying it most of the time, its acoustic sound has grown on me quite a bit. The tone is relatively warm, sustain sufficient, and it is plenty loud enough for most acoustic purposes (though if you were playing in a Mariachi band, this would probably not be your first choice). That said, if you were looking for a purely acoustic instrument, you would in all likelihood not be considering this style of guitar at all, since it is all about optimising the electric output while attempting to minimise the impact on acoustic tone.

JUST A LITTLE UNBALANCED

In aiming for the best possible amplified output, the Ibanez designers have opted for a Fishman pickup teamed with an Ibanez SST Shape Shifter pre-amp. With a three-band EQ teamed with a shape control, the SST has an adequate complement of controls, however the shape control is fairly subtle and you will likely find yourself relying heavily on the traditional EQ to tweak your sound. Luckily, the EQ is both attractive and powerful, with centre-indented cut/boost sliders being the best tools for the job. The SST pre-amp also has a phase switch for combating feedback, an onboard tuner, and of course a volume control.
Connectivity is via either standard unbalanced ¼ inch or balanced XLR jack, both of which are located on a panel mounted just below the strap pin (this is also where you’ll find the easy access battery compartment). The provision of a balanced XLR output is a great feature that is becoming more and more common these days; using a length of balanced mic cable extraneous noise is eliminated.

THE BOTTOM LINE

If you’re a regular performer and require the most manageable and attractive electric-acoustic output you can afford, mid-priced instruments in the style of the AEG15E and similar models are a very attractive option and they have a lot to offer. What’s more, it would behoove all of us to consider acoustic and electric-acoustic guitars as entirely separate instruments, so that we might avoid the disappointment that inevitably results when we attempt to translate the tone of our favourite acoustic guitar via electric amplification. Of course, if you play solo or in a small acoustic combo and require a minimum of buttressing for a mid-sized room, you may well find satisfaction using a nice microphone aimed between the soundhole and neck join of your best acoustic, however if you are a member of a rock band or percussive ensemble, this is unlikely to be a good solution. For strummers who find themselves in this situation, the AEG15E and similar guitars are a great development.

PRICE: $549

FEATURES

• Top: cedar
• Back and sides: mahogany
• Neck material: mahogany
• Fingerboard: rosewood
• Bridge: rosewood
• Nut and saddle: Ibanez Ivorex II
• Rosette: Abalone
• Frets: 21
• Pickup: Fishman Sonicore
• Pre-amp: Ibanez SST
• Connections: balanced XLR, unbalanced ¼ inch
• Batteries: 2xAA

WHAT WE RECKON

PROS

• Designed and optimised for amplified performance
• Balanced XLR jack
• Very attractive natural finish

CONS

• Acoustic output is compromised in optimising         for performance

CONTACT

Australis Music Group
02 9698 4444
www.australismusic.com.au

If you are not familiar with them, TC Electronic are a Denmark based company that produce very high quality audio products for both studio and live performance. They produce some of the best quality effects available for guitar players and the Nova Delay is just one of their many pedal style effect units. The Nova Delay iB Modified is an improved and limited version of the already great Nova Delay pedal.

TAKE AN AMAZING PEDAL AND MAKE IT EVEN BETTER

The Nova Delay iB Modified features six different delay types, making it more versatile than your average stomp box delay pedal. The different types of delay vary greatly from dynamic, ping-pong, pan, slap back, and delay line to reverse delay. There is a different delay type for all delay lovers. The Nova delay pedal will also allow you to choose a delay style to further modify each delay type, giving you a very large number of possibilities to emulate or create sounds.

The Nova Delay iB Modified can be operated in two different modes. Preset mode allows you to save and recall user presets. When in Preset mode the Nova Delay can store up to nine different user programmable presets, or you can put the pedal into manual mode, which turns the pedal into an analogue style delay pedal. In manual mode the pedal will work depending on where you turn the knobs, just like an old-school analogue delay pedal.

Available with this pedal are delay times of up to 2290 ms. It may be no coincidence that one of the most well known pieces of TC Electronic gear is the TC 2290 delay rack unit used by players such as the Edge from U2. Delay times on the Nova Delay iB Modified can also be displayed in beats-per-minute, if that is what you are used to working with, meaning this delay pedal can go down to a delay time of 26.2 bpm.

An amazing feature of the Nova Delay iB Modified is the Audio Generated Tap Tempo. As well as being able to enter delay time values via the dedicated footswitch, you can generate delay times by holding down the tap tempo switch and playing a rhythm into the pedal, the pedal sets the tempo according to your strumming pattern – absolutely amazing!

A feature that has been borrowed from the TC 2290 is the Modulated Delay function. This allows you to choose between light, medium and heavy settings for each delay preset, and it changes the voicing of the delay effect giving you even more control over your tone. The delay can be programmed to spill over after you have changed a preset if that is what is required, or you can stop the delay from spilling over into your next sound.

A DELAY FOR EVERY DECADE

What makes the Nova Delay iB Modified different from the standard Nova delay is the modifications done to its analogue input buffer. This results in a tone that is very transparent, with a very dynamic response to your playing style. The Nova Delay iB Modified has all the top end sparkle you could want and an impressive bottom end response. This pedal is extremely quiet and produces no noticeable hum when in bypass mode.

THE BOTTOM LINE

If you are familiar with TC Electronic gear you will know how intuitive and quick all their gear is to use. If you have never used TC gear then the Nova Delay iB Modified is a great starting point. It does not take long to have some great sounding delays happening. The audio generated tap tempo feature is a much more accurate way to set delay times, what a great idea.

PRICE: $449

FEATURES

• Six studio-quality digital delay types
• Two switchable settings – Manual and Preset
• Nine user programmable presets
• Up to 2290ms delay time
• Audio tapping – audio-generated tap tempo
• Modulated delay
• Delay spillover

WHAT WE RECKON

PROS

• Audio generated tap tempo
• Recallable presets
• Wide variety of delay types

CONS

• Presets are not quickly foot-switchable

CONTACT

AMBER TECHNOLOGY
1800 251 367
www.ambertech.com.au

YOU THOUGHT THE POWERBALL WAS AMAZING, HERE COMES THE POWERBALL II. By Reg Barber

Engl are a German company that have a well-deserved reputation for producing high quality rock and metal amplifiers. The Powerball II is no exception and it has some added features that make it even more versatile than the amazing sounding Powerball I. The four channels on the Powerball II are capable of more than just great rock and metal tones. A whole spectrum of tones from the cleanest of cleans to modern metal down-tuned chunk are available here. The aesthetic of the Powerball II instantly puts it into the metal amp basket, but don’t judge this book by its cover.

A WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING

The Engl Powerball II is a four channel, 6L6 powered, 100 watt beast. The amplifier has four independent channels, each featuring their own gain controls, with channel three and four featuring a foot-switchable mid boost to get those solo’s cutting through. There is an inbuilt noise gate to keep the noise levels down on the high-gain channels, and with only a threshold knob to change settings it could not be easier to use.

The pre-amp section features four extra tone-shaping options in the form of bright and bottom buttons. Channels one and two share a three-band EQ, as do channels three and four, and there is plenty of control over the tone of each channel. The power amp section features presence and depth controls giving you even more versatility.

A great feature of the Engl Powerball II is the inclusion of two master knobs. This allows you to have a boost feature that is foot-switchable and very much like a great sounding clean boost pedal, if you like plugging straight into your amp with no pedals it is a very nice feature indeed. If you want to use pedals there is an external effects loop which can be turned on and off with a footswitch.

The Powerball II has many different foot switching options and can be used with any footswitch, but when combined with the Engl Z9 footswitch you have all of the amps features at your disposal. The Engl Z9 will allow you to switch between two different master volume levels, switch the FX loop on and off, switch the noise gate on and off, switch the mid boost on and off, and switch between the different channels on the amp, making this a very versatile amp indeed.

DID SOMEONE SAY LOUD?

The Engl Powerball II is a very warm and tight sounding amplifier. It has a unique voice, but it is capable of delivering tones that are both American and British in nature. The bottom end of this amp is extremely tight and controlled, and it eats up down tuned guitar riffs like some kind of discipline giving, leather-clad dominatrix with a German accent.

The clean channel is capable of some very nice clean tones indeed. Used with a low output single coil guitar, and with the bright switch engaged, it is capable of some very spanky country tones. Dial-in a bit more gain and the clean channel quickly gets into some great rock’n’roll crunch territory. When using humbuckers on the clean channel there is enough gain for some tasty sustained solo tones.

Channel two shares EQ controls with channel one, but there is more gain on tap and a slightly different voicing. This channel is capable of going from some beautiful bluesy crunch through to metal rhythm tones when used with high output pickups. Channels three and four get you into metal territory and there is enough bottom end chunk on tap to have any metal lover grinning from ear to ear. Pair this amp with a 4×12 cabinet and it moves some serious air. Even on lower gain settings there is sustain for days with some beautiful overtones when sustaining chords, this is a gorgeous amplifier indeed.

Even on high-gain settings the Engl Powerball II still maintains clarity and definition without becoming brittle or too toppy. The mid boost control is a nice addition in that it makes it possible to cut through the mix, but it also can be used to scoop out those mids to get that hollow metal tone if that is your want. Both channel three and four share their EQ controls but they are voiced slightly differently, giving you the option of a tight high-gain metal rhythm sound and an over the top singing ‘sustain for days’ lead tone without ever using a distortion pedal.

THE BOTTOM LINE

With players such as Steve Morse and Ritchie Blackmore endorsing Engl products they must be doing something right. The Engl Powerball II is definitely worth checking out if you are in the market for an amplifier that is versatile and top quality.

PRICE: $4199

FEATURES

• Four channels
• Bright and bottom switches
• Two master volumes
• Prescence and depth controls
• Foot switchable FX loop
• Inbuilt noise gate

WHAT WE RECKON

PROS

Four independently voiced channels
Noise gate
Wide palette of tones

CONS

Shared EQ controls

CONTACT

intermusic PTY LTD
1300 005 319
www.imd.com.au

Little Mark, big Club. By Rohan Welsh.

If you’re used to lugging around USA equipment in gigantic wooden rack cases then I think you’re straining your muscles just as much as your ears. “I’m a Bass Player, not a body builder, right?” It’s a question I often ask myself, along with a thousand others every time I’m loading my car and into a venue, or rehearsal, and back into my house unassisted. But how do I get the same clarity? Can I get big volume out of a smaller package? I’ve been looking for the answer for a long time.

SMALL BODIES, BIG SOUNDS!

I truly dislike that because we’re musicians we are hard wired to think ‘bigger is better’, especially in the case of amplifiers. I’m not talking about power though; I’m talking about sheer size! Put your ego down big fella, it’s 2012 – your briefcase mobile phone doesn’t work on the network anymore.

This is where I believe the MarkBass Little Mark Tube 800 comes into this; kind of puts an end to that one or the other Tube vs. Solid dilemma, adds some of the old school with the new school in something that’s so brilliantly practical and functional while picking up sounds that the previous solutions couldn’t match.

The Little Mark Tube is more or less a solid state power amplifier that gives you the option of blending in some tube warmth through a 6205 tube. So instead of having a ‘set amount’ of tube oozing through your tone you can mix it up a bit, twist to the left and you’ve got the clear and precise MarkBass solid state signature clarity, twist to the right and you’ve got a more warm and soulful tube love in there. Not your dance? Try something in between – there are no rules on this dance floor.

The amplifier has very substantial power, surprising for its physical dimensions at 500w at 8ohms and 800w at 4ohms – I found myself never over 40 percent gain and 40 percent  Master even when pumping it hard. I hate to admit sometimes a ‘too loud’ does exist. On that note it certainly had enough grunt to cut right through at a rehearsal with no hassles what-so-ever.

EQ wise I was super satisfied with my options, as well as there being two inputs, there were two independent gain controls for the channels, which would make a quick Bass switch really easy. These switched on through to a ‘main’ EQ with Low, Mid Low, Mid High and High. I really like a bit of a dirtier sound in my life, so Mids are important for me to stay in control. It didn’t take me long at all to get a sound I really liked, which I can’t get with my current amplifier. I think versatile is the key word for this head here, because as you move along the EQ patch there’s the VLE (Vintage Loudspeaker Emulator) and the VPF (Variable Pre-shape Filter) which really allow you to get right into the EQ and tweak it that little bit finer. The VLE is basically a “watch me morph into James Jamerson” pot, which is super fun – I used it on about 50 percent through the trial just to cut off some of those spikier high frequencies.

FUN BOX!

Personally I dig the idea of 2x10s, but I’ve found that often you can’t quite get them loud enough without distorting or thinking you’re going to blow it up. Well, again here, a bit of an innovation. How about a 2×12 duh? Awesome idea – that’s what this is, and it’s better.
At first I was sceptical, because admittedly I’m one of those ‘bigger is better’ guys, but I would actually trade in my 4×10 in for this. I took it to a rehearsal just so I could give it a bit of a run at volume and I got excellent clarity that far exceeded my expectations. This performance comes from the 2×12 inch drivers that can handle up to 800 watt at 4 ohms. The ported box was highly advantageous as well just to help a little with that air movement and get rid of that ‘woof’ and low end I’ve come across in a lot of sealed boxes out there.
The Club 600 got you right down low with no troubles, testing into drop D I didn’t find a problem, however moving into drop C was probably a bit too intense, but it still handled it ok. The box has a 1 ¼ inch compression driver as well to really handle those highs and get you right across the spectrum so you don’t miss a thing.
The coloured speakers look really cool too, you can’t see the traditional black speakers dancing to the sounds you’re putting out there, but these guys are right there with you.

THE BOTTOM LINE

I think we’ve all figured out that a significant point of difference for MarkBass and most if its range is its portability, they produce such small little amplifiers! This is on top of the more ‘traditional’ amplifiers they produce as of relatively recently. They’ve always kicked ass, I’ve played a bunch of them and they are always impressive.

Putting out high quality and high powered amplification in a smaller shell is definitely something other brands have missed and where MarkBass excels. They really have enough clarity and transparency to highlight the nuances of you and your bass, but in this instance providing that new dimension of tone colour for those that prefer it that way. At the end of the day it’s providing you with a rig that can be used in literally any style, any sound, anytime and anywhere. You literally don’t need more!

PRICE: $3395

FEATURES

• Body: wood chambered basswood with maple top and mahogany tone block
• Finish: high gloss polyester
• Bridge: standard or vintage tremolo
• Scale: length 25.5”
• Frets: 22 high profile, medium width
• Neck wood: select maple neck, select maple or rosewood fretboard
• Controls: Volume, Tone, five-way pickup selector, Series/Parallel switch
• Pickups: 2 x DiMarzio custom humbucking

WHAT WE RECKON

PROS

• Portable
• High powered
• Versatile

CONS

• Low frequencies at high volume (cab)

CONTACT

CMC MUSIC
02 9905 2511
www.cmcmusic.com.au

The Ernie Ball company is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012, and over the years they’ve done it all: strings, picks, basses, guitars, seven-string guitars, baritone guitars… they have original designs out the wazoo, and an incredible list of famous users who all operate on handshake deals – Steve Lukather, John Petrucci, Paul Gilbert, Albert Lee, Steve Morse. Heck, even Joe Bonamassa, who has Gibson and Epiphone signature models, still takes to the stage with various Ernie Ball Music Man guitars. The company has never been content to rest on the successes of the past, and their policy of closely listening to and collaborating with artists is why it can be so hard to keep up with their latest models. But that’s also half the fun. And it’s this drive for innovation that brings us to the Reflex, which features a particularly interesting pickup selection circuit as its biggest selling point.

The Reflex Is A Lonely Child

The Reflex is a kind of odd design. It has obvious visual links to the old Edward Van Halen model (which lives on today in slightly modified form as the AXIS), but it’s a little stretched out compared to that instrument’s rounder outline, giving it a slight Telecaster vibe, or maybe a little like one of Manson’s creations as used by Muse’s Matt Bellamy. Because this is a new shape, you don’t quite get the “I know exactly what kind of music I’m supposed to play on this” vibe that you get from familiar shapes. So that makes the Reflex a good ‘clean slate’ platform for its unique switching system, and doubly so for Ernie Ball’s use of the instrument as the bed for the Game Changer pickup selection system, which was announced at NAMM last year and is expected to be release-ready in the first half of this year.

The Reflex body is made of a chambered basswood with a maple top and a mahogany tone block. The neck is select maple with the option of either a select maple or rosewood fretboard. The frets are 22 high-profile medium-width frets installed on a slightly round, slightly flat 12 inch radius fretboard, and the back of the neck is finished in Music Man’s famous gunstock oil and hand-rubbed special wax blend, which feels smooth and satiny rather than slick and shiny. The nut is a special intonation-compensated model which sweetens the tuning especially around the first few frets, while the truss rod is adjustable from the body end of the fretboard. The neck is attached to the body with a five-bolt joint which feels extremely stable and which appears to offer very solid contact between body and neck. The joint itself is sculpted for enhanced access to the upper frets. The upper fret access is quite good, allowing your fingers to reach all the way to the 22nd fret while prompting your thumb and palm into a supportive posture which invites big bends.
The bridge on the review model is the Music Man vintage tremolo, although a hardtail version which looks much the same but without the bar is also available. Colour options are black, white, vintage sunburst and vintage gold.

Tone Test

The pickups are a pair of DiMarzio custom humbuckers with Music Man pickup rings, and the controls are limited to 500kohm volume and tone pots and a .022µF tone capacitor.
The biggest challenge associated with introducing any new pickup selection scheme onto the market is getting players to accept it: if we’ve done things a certain way for over 60 years now, why should we learn something different? So. the Reflex wiring is very cleverly designed to get a huge range of tones out of a minimal number of switches and pickups. Each setting is available in Series or Parallel mode. Series is the type of wiring typically applied to humbuckers: the current from one coil feeds into the next and the resulting sound is the result of this feed-forward design. However, the famous Stratocaster ‘in between’ sounds are achieved by wiring two separate single coils in Parallel, which means part of the current is flowing through one coil, and part through another. Each method has its own tonal imprint. On the Reflex it doesn’t matter if you select Series or Parallel mode, the actual pickup combinations are the same either way. Position 1 is the bridge humbucker. Position 2 is the outer coils of each pickup, Position 3 is both humbuckers on at once, Position 4 is the inner coils, and Position 5 is the neck humbucker. Flip the two-way toggle switch all the way down for Parallel mode, or all the way up for Series mode. Perhaps the best way to approach it is to think of the Series sounds as being fat higher-output voices, and the Parallel settings as being lower output, airier-sounding versions of those tones. Dial the amp just-so and you can use the Series/Parallel switch to go from a spacious, jangly tone to a honking lead voice on Setting 4, for example, without actually changing pickups at all. The pickups are well-voiced to take advantage of this variety, and the can go from screaming hard rock to snappy single coil spank with ease.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Reflex doesn’t tell you what kind of music to make with it. It simply hangs in there with you no matter where your creative muse takes you. The guitar itself is great but the pickup switching system is the real star here, offering ten very different and very useful options.

PRICE: $3395

FEATURES

• Body: wood chambered basswood with maple top and mahogany tone block
• Finish: high gloss polyester
• Bridge: standard or vintage tremolo
• Scale: length 25.5”
• Frets: 22 high profile, medium width
• Neck wood: select maple neck, select maple or rosewood fretboard
• Controls: Volume, Tone, five-way pickup selector, Series/Parallel switch
• Pickups: 2 x DiMarzio custom humbucking

WHAT WE RECKON

PROS

• Plenty of sounds
• Very high-quality guitar

CONS

• No single coil-only settings
• Tricky to go from Series 1 to Parallel 4.

CONTACT

CMC MUSIC
02 9905 2511
www.cmcmusic.com.au

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Competition is a game of skill open from 14/03/12 to 16/05/12. Entries will be judged on creativity by the Australian Guitar staff on 16/05/12 Winner will be notified by telephone on 18/05/12. Judges decision is final and no further correspondence will be entered into.