Fender has introduced a lot of new guitars this year. One of the more interesting to me is the Fender American Special Jazzmaster. Unlike the traditional vintage-style Jazzmaster, the American Special model does not contain a tremolo bar, nor does it have the rhythm circuitry that most people never used anyway. Additionally, it contains humbucking pickups instead of the … [Read more...]
Fano GF6
I missed this introduction during the NAMM show in January, but Fano Guitars have created a new model called the GF6. You might notice that this model bears more than a slight resemblance to Fender's Starcaster model from the 70s. In fact, the GF6 name is an homage to the designer of the Starcaster, Gene Fields. I really dig the look of this model, and it has a few features … [Read more...]
The “Layla” Guitar
The Fender Custom Shop is introducing the Eric Clapton "Brownie" Stratocaster, modeled after Clapton's famous two-tone '50s sunburst Strat. The guitar is limited to a 100-piece run and will be made available at Guitar Center Platinum stores on March 21, 2013. Some people don't like these kind of tribute models, but I think they're an interesting way to pay homage to classic … [Read more...]
PRS Guitars Reintroduces the Custom 22
I'm not sure if this is specifically NAMM related, but PRS Guitars announced the news this month that they are reintroducing the Custom 22: Reintroduced for 2013, the Custom 22 is a classic workhorse with all the tones you’ve come to expect from your PRS and a distinctive, musical, warm midrange. Along with its standard features – maple top, mahogany back, mahogany or rosewood … [Read more...]
NAMM 2013: Vince Ray Voodoo-Bucket 300CE
This is an interesting new guitar from Fender: the Vince Ray Voodoo-Bucket 300CE: You get skulls and skeletons, motorcycles, black cats and serpents, demons and witches, disembodied hands beating bongos from hell, fortunes told and spells cast, stars, flames, headstones and more. In short, you get the mind of Vince Ray himself embodied in a 500-instrument run of guitars that … [Read more...]