Played five guitars at Guitar Center...

...and here's my quick take on them. I was surprised by a few.

Guitar 1: Epiphone G-400 (SG) Worn Cherry - This guitar was the biggest surprise for me. I thought I would love it, seeing as how I love my cheapo Epiphone SG Junior, but I really didn't like it. This was my first experience with a "real" set-neck SG, and I didn't like how the neck felt like it was so far out from the body. It wasn't comfortable. I'm sure I'd get used to it after a while, but I didn't like it. I was also thoroughly unimpressed with the quality of it. My Indonesia-made cheapy is much better finished than this Chinese-made not-so-cheapy. The switch felt cheap, the knobs were wobbly, and the pots didn't do much - the tone controls had very little taper. I was completely disappointed with this one. And at $349, it wasn't worth it at all. I didn't like the sound of the pickups, but a lot of that could've been the amp.

The only one available was an Orange Crush 20-watter and it was easily the worst amp I've ever played through. The distortion was fizzy and it had no tone. I'd play it again through a better amp if I liked the way it played, but I didn't.

Guitar 2: Epiphone Les Paul Traditional Pro - This one was much better than the SG. I still didn't like the pickups, but they did sound better than the SG's, even through the shit Orange amp. Quality was substantially better, and it had a nice wine red flame top on it. Or course it was more expensive than the SG, too: $499, which is kind of a lot for a Chinese guitar. Even though it was better than the SG, it still didn't speak to me, so I put it down and went on to...

Guitar 3: Fender Modern Player Telecaster HSS - Another Chinese guitar, but this one was $399 and the quality was leaps ahead of both Epiphones. It felt and sounded good, too. It had a lacquered neck, which was a bit sticky, but the pickups sounded great. I just wish it had some kind of switching that would allow the bridge and neck to be played at the same time, so you can also get classic Tele sounds to go along with the very Stratty tone this thing put out. And I was still playing through the Orange. It was my favorite, so far...

Guitar 4: Sterling Axis 40 - I liked absolutely nothing about this guitar. I played and almost bought a Sterling JP50, so I know they can make good guitars, but this was terrible. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the design. The body shape made it uncomfortable to sit with. The non-recessed Floyd copy seemed like a waste (I'd prefer to be able to bend the pitch in both directions) and the neck felt cheap and narrow, yet it was too thick. The overall quality was OK, but I didn't like the guitar at all. The face that is was purple didn't help.

Guitar 5: LTD EC-256 - I almost didn't play this one. I was ready to leave after playing the Axis, but I took one more perusal around the store first. The LTD was hidden in a corner, and it was the only LTD in the store, so I had to play it. I never played an LTD before and I wanted to know what they were like. Well, as soon as I picked it up, I knew it was special. It just oozed quality. It had a beautiful sunburst finish and flame top with a natural back and sides. It was light but felt substantial. I played it a bit unplugged and I loved the neck - a nice D profile that wasn't too thick, but wasn't thin either.

Since this was in a different spot than the others, I plugged it into the nearest amp, a Line 6 Spider IV 75-watter, and I have to say it sounded very good. They must have made a lot of improvements from III to IV. Anyway, the guitar played like a dream. The pickups sounded great, both in humbucker and tapped single-coil mode. They had clarity and power, but more vintage power than screaming-at-the-amp power. I could've played it all day but I had to head home. Obviously, it was my favorite of all the guitars I played, and it was only $399, $100 cheaper than the Epiphone LP but worlds better.

Short takes: Airline Bighorn, Squier Affinity Tele, Fender Mustang II

I went to Guitar Center again this past weekend to waste time while my wife got her hair done, and I ended up trying out some gear. I played an Airline Bighorn and a Squier Affinity Tele through a Fender Mustang II amp. I'll share some quick first impressions of each one, starting with the amp.

Fender Mustang II

Fender's Mustang range of solid-state modeling amps has been very well received in the music press, and I've been eager to try one out. I recently bought a Roland Cube 40XL that I love, but the 40-watt Mustang II was on my short list of amps to buy, and after playing it, I know that its place on that list was justified. It wasn't enough to make me regret my Cube purchase, but if I would've bought the Mustang instead, I wouldn't have been disappointed.

Gear Review: Epiphone Les Paul Ultra Pro

In typical Epiphone style, the Epiphone Les Paul Ultra Pro is another cheap and cheerful Les Paul rendition for the guitarist on a budget, but now is more versatile than ever! Despite its low price, the Epiphone Les Paul is well recognized as a renowned, respectable guitar. In fact it was used by Oasis' Noel Gallagher in the 90s and has continued to be used by high-profile players in a variety of environments and music styles. Les Pauls are famously versatile, which is one of the biggest selling points, and the new Epiphone LP Ultra Pro gives even more without sacrificing an affordable price tag.

The most impressive feature you’ll notice is the two ProBucker humbucker pickups, which are built around Alnico magnets with Elektrisola magnet wire. The ProBuckers are based upon the iconic BurstBucker pickups from the Gibson Les Paul Standard, which are designed to imitate the original PAF humbuckers. All this results in the classic, rich, powerful Les Paul tone that we all know and love. But it doesn’t stop there. The pickups can be coil-tapped through the push-pull switches on both volume controls so you get a totally different weapon added to your arsenal.

I play everything from classic rock to folk and everything in between, and when you play the Epiphone Les Paul Ultra Pro you notice how amazingly adaptive it is, and it just sounds really full and clean. If I closed my eyes and played this guitar, unaware of the brand, I would honestly presume it was a top of the range Gibson Les Paul, for more than triple the price. It handled anything I could throw at it from ripping guitar solos to complicated riffs with ease. I was expecting the chambered body to have a slightly negative effect on the tone but other than making it noticeably lighter it was almost identical to a solid mahogany.

The construction of this Epi Les Paul Ultra is much more traditional but remains the quality that we've come to expect. It has a standard mahogany body, which is finished with a quilted maple top. The Mahogany neck is a treat behold with rosewood fingerboard and SlimTaper ‘D’ profile. It is then completed in typical Les Paul style with the ever-popular tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece, and the classic Grover tuners give added stability.

I'm struggling to find any downfalls with this guitar other than the minor things that aren't really a big deal, like where it is made. the main difference between a Gibson and an Epiphone Les Paul is that Gibsons are made in America, which is a huge selling point for some reason. And lets not forget with a Gibson you're buying a badge as well. So my advice, get one of these beauties and put a sticker on it and it'll save you over a grand.

I'm a firm believer in getting the best you possibly can for your money, so if you're determined to get a Les Paul it has to be Epiphone and the Ultra Pro is probably the best you can buy. It is priced at around £500 ($599 US) and for what you’re getting it's an absolute bargain. It's a joy to play and obviously looks amazing. It's also a perfect gigging instrument as it's light, versatile and fairly cheap. It's the sort of guitar that if it was stolen or broken then you'd buy another, it's that impressive.

Gear Review: Fender Kurt Cobain Mustang signature guitar

The Fender Kurt Cobain Mustang was one of Fender's most exciting announcement over the last few years. His previous signature models - the Jag-Stang and most noticeably the very successful Jaguar - were Kurt’s preferred instruments although it is the Mustang that we associate with him most. This is predominantly down to the Mustang that he trashed in the "Smells like Teen Spirit" video from which he is most famous. So the prospect of replicating Kurt’s guitar right down to his own personal modifications was enough to have most guitarists salivating over it.

Fender's original 60s model was designed as a student instrument as it is smaller in scale, smaller in body, and slimmer but yet still contains Fender's famous build quality. It was probably this compact size and easy playability that persuaded Cobain to play it in the first place. It was also the first Fender student guitar to incorporate a vibrato system, apparently every time Kurt wobbled the arm the guitar kept going out of tune so he modified it to a hardtail.

Fender have rightly kept all of these features in the Kurt Cobain Mustang but have increased the output by introducing a high output Seymour Duncan JB humbucker at the bridge, whereas the original only featured two single coil pickups. This makes the sound smoother yet increases the output and is capable of delivering the powerful tones that made Nirvana famous.

It would be fair to say the Mustangs don’t really excel when it comes to tonal versatility. However the cool on/off pickup sliders produce out of phase, sweet and spiky humbucker tones. As much as you try the JB humbucker will never cross into metal territory, even on the highest gain setting. As much as I like this personally it’s not very authentic and is quite disappointing really.

A cool added bonus is that with the guitar you get a limited edition 10-inch red vinyl edition of "Smells like teen spirit." It also comes in three vintage Fender finishes: Lake Placid Blue with racing stripe, Fiesta red and Sonic Blue. And if you're a lefty, they are all available in a left-handed equivalent.

There’s no getting around it, it is a very expensive guitar and in all honesty I do think it could be more versatile tonally. However visually its stunning and it takes real time and effort to produce an instrument that really does reflect a player’s attitude and tone. All in all I really like the KC Mustang but I would highly recommend you try before you buy.

 

Gear Review: Durango Guitar Works Contender (with video)

The Contender, now named "Shorty"

When I first got the Contender in the mail, I didn't know what to make of it. Was it a kid's guitar? A travel guitar? A beginner guitar? So I played it for a few weeks as my main guitar to find out.

DGW specializes in short scale guitars. The Contender has a 24 inch scale, compared to traditional Fender (25.5 inch) and Gibson (24.75 inch) scales. This scale puts the frets closer together, so it's easier to make some of the stretches necessary to play scales or more complex chords. It also decreases tension in the strings to the point where light gauge strings (9s) feel extremely loose. Less tension makes it easier to bend strings and it also makes heavier gauge strings feel lighter. The Contender I got feels like it has 10s on it but it's as easy to play as any of my other guitars strung with 9s.

After unpacking it, I immediately noticed the quality of the guitar. It is extremely well made. I couldn't find a single blemish in the finish, which in this case is a nicely done two-tone sunburst. The neck was even more impressive. Usually affordable guitars made in China have poorly finished necks, but the Contender is obviously made in one of the better Chinese factories because the finish and fretwork are exemplary. The fret ends were finished so well that I was able to slide my fingers up and down the sides with some force behind them and still not feel any sharp edges. The finish itself is a nice satin finish, which according to their Web site is gunstock oil, and it has 22 medium frets.

The hardware is also very solid. It has a Strat-style hardtail bridge (which I love as I'm not the biggest fan of tremolos) with a string-through design, a volume and tone control with metal knobs and a three-way blade switch. The pickups are Wilkinson AlNiCo humbuckers which are a surprise at this price range. They aren't the most powerful pickups - they can do metal, but they aren't happy about it - but they have a nice vintage tone that's perfect for classic rock or even country. I don't know if it's the pickups or the construction - it has a three-piece alder body and a bolt-on maple cap neck (maple fingerboard on maple neck) - but some of the tones are almost Strat-like, especially in the middle and neck positions.

Shorty is much smaller than Triumph

The body isn't contoured like a traditional Strat but instead it has a slightly carved top and a back contour that runs around the entire body. This makes it pretty comfortable while resting against your body, but not quite as nice as a Strat. Still, with the body being quite small - about 2/3 the size of a traditional Strat style guitar, as you can see in the picture on the left - it's comfortable for sitting and standing and it's extremely light. The only drawback to this lightness is that it's slightly neck-heavy. Not as bad as a Gibson, but there is some neck dive when standing.

Speaking of Gibson, the neck reminds me a lot of a Gibson neck. It has a pretty wide profile, wider than my Strat. It's definitely a wide C-shaped neck and with a 12-inch radius feels a lot like a Les Paul from the 50s. Despite this, it's still very easy to play, largely because of the shorter scale.

I was enjoying my time with the Contender but I still didn't completely understand it. I spoke with Jimmy Carabbia, founder of DGW, and he put the guitar into perspective. The Contender was designed not to be a student guitar but to be another option for those wanting to play guitar. Carabbia comes from the world of BMX bike racing, and he compared the Contender to a custom race bike. You buy a race bike to fit you, and if traditional guitars don't fit, you need another option. His goal is to educate people about scale length and give them another option. There aren't many 24-inch scale guitars available, and the micro guitars from Squier and Ibanez have a 22.5" scale which causes tuning and intonation problems. He attended a NAMM show and realized there was nothing like the Contender available anywhere, so DGW was born.

The best example he gave me, though, was Brian May from Queen. He's a big guy - about 6'2" tall, although he's probably 6'6" with his hair - but his famous homemade Red Special guitar has a 24-inch scale. So although the Contender would make a good guitar for younger players with small hands, it's obviously a guitar for anyone who just might prefer a smaller scale guitar.

The Contender is the end result of one man's quest to build a guitar that fits him. Because of his racing past, his hands have been damaged and the shorter scale better suits his limitations. The Contender is just the first step. In the future, Carabbia plans to add a Tele-style guitar to his lineup as he has received many requests for one.

As for the current Contender, the more I played it the more I liked it. The neck took a little time to get familiar with, both the scale and the thickness. I had been playing Triumph, my new Ibanez RG, and I was used to the thin Wizard profile and the standard 25.5 inch scale. But after a while, I really started to like the Contender. It has a different sound and feel and quickly became the guitar I picked up most often, and not just because I had to write this review. I decided that I couldn't send it back, so I bought it. The fact that it had a sunburst finish, the one I think looks the best, had a little to do with it, too. That's probably the best outcome to expect from a review - I liked it so much that I made it my own.

It may not be for everybody, but the Contender is a guitar that anyone buying a new guitar should consider. It fits the mold for a beginner/child's guitar very well, but it is also a viable alternative for anyone who may want a guitar but doesn't like traditional scale lengths. The Contender is available directly from Durango's Web site, so if you're interested check it out.

For additional info and some tone samples, please watch the supplemental video below.

Gear Review: Slow Down Music Player - iPhone/iPod Touch App

In my quest to learn more songs, I've been searching for some kind of software that would allow me to slow down songs without changing pitch. I'm cheap, too, so I was looking for something on the free side. While looking for Windows or Mac applications, I came across this iPhone/iPod Touch app called Slow Down Music Player. The price was right (free), so I installed in on my iPod and imported Joe Satriani's classic "Always With Me, Always With You."

The app's interface is very basic as you can see in the image on the right, meaning it's not very pretty, but it works quite well. The small player buttons are hard to hit sometimes, but on the whole it's pretty intuitive and easy to use. The app allows you to both slow down the tempo and also adjust the pitch, so if you're learning a song that's tuned to Eb, you can raise the pitch by a semitone so you don't have to retune your guitar, which is perfect for guitars like my RG that have a floating tremolo.

The crowning achievement of this app, though, is the ability to create "licks," slices of songs that you can use to loop through tricky parts, or just divide a song into sections to learn a bit at a time. This feature allowed me to break down the Satch song and learn some of the more difficult licks easily. In fact, I learned about two thirds of the song in the span of a few hours, which I wouldn't have been able to do without this software.

This is an essential piece of software for any guitarist, especially a beginner or intermediate like me. The free version is limited to three imported songs - for $2.99 you can upgrade to the full version and that limitation is removed.

It's not without its bugs, though. The most annoying bug is in the lick editor. There is a text box at the top to enter a name for the lick. By default it's filled with the words "no name" that are ghosted out once you select it. But if you don't type the lick name fast enough, the "no name" entry will no longer be ghosted out and your typed characters will start appearing after the "e." So I had to very quickly type in the lick name, which meant no capital letters (the shift key takes too much time) and no concern for spelling or typos. And as you probably know by now, typing quickly on the virtual keyboard isn't exactly easy.

It also doesn't do landscape orientation well. At all. The screen moves but the layout doesn't, so the controls at the bottom get hidden unless you scroll up. When I used it, too, it sometimes skipped, and sometimes stopped playing altogether. The skips are annoying, and that may be because my iPod is almost full, but when it stopped playing (actually just stopped producing sound; the app was still playing the song) I just hit the stop button and restarted it and it was fine.

These minor annoyances don't hinder the usefulness of this app, though. But I'm going to stick with the free version until these bugs are worked out. Once they are, the $2.99 price tag is an absolute bargain. Even in its current state, it deserves a place on all guitarists' iPods. I give it a 4 out of 5 because of the bugs; a bug free Slow Down Music Player would be a no-brainer perfect 5.

Score: ★★★★☆
Summary: A must-have for any guitarist, minor bugs keep it from a perfect score.