Guitars
Forget about the iPhone and the HDTV – 2007 was a great year for guitars. But then again, what year isn’t? It isn’t like 1958 was lacking in that regard, and 1961 was cool, and hell, 1952 wasn’t too shabby either. What 2007 did bring to the table was more builders offering up high-quality guitars to meet most any budget and nearly every need. From a super high-end one off from Northern California to a shockingly good Mexican-made Strat, Premier Guitar is proud to revisit some of our editor’s top picks for the year of the Red Fire Pig. |
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July 2007
Composite Acoustics GX Performer
Made from space-age materials, the GX, in addition to being impervious to things like changes in temperature and humidity, sounds like, well, an acoustic, and a damn fine one at that. In addition to the sound, our tester was particularly impressed with the unique, nearly non-existent neck heel, and the use of not-really-needed but acoustically brilliant bracing. When the guitar was pulled out of the shipping carton without a chance to acclimate to the 25-degree temperature difference and delivered an in tune G chord, we all became believers.
Composite Acoustics
MSRP $3350
compositeacoustics.com
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February 2007
Ernie Ball Music Man Steve Morse Y2D
Featuring a slim birdseye maple neck with a rosewood board that has been shaped to Steve’s exacting standards, the Y2D also rocked Mr. Morse’s own idiosyncratic pickup configuration via a trio of personalized DiMarzio pickups, right down to the too-close-to-the-bridge-humbucker single coil. The curly maple top offers players a visual treat in addition to some aural sheen for the poplar body, all set off by a high-gloss, polyester finish. Our intrepid reviewer determined that the Y2D isn’t just for Dreg’s fans; it’s for anyone wanting a high-quality, easy-to-play and tonally flexible instrument.
Ernie Ball Music Man
MSRP $2245
Ernieball.com
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February 2007
Hill Custom Guitars Hillster Elite
Located in Cleveland, Ohio, a rock n’ roll city if there ever was one, Hill Custom Guitars offered up their Hillster Elite for our test crew to put through its paces. By combining such Gibson-ish cues as a mahogany body, set-neck construction and humbucking pickups with the Fender-like flourish of a 25.5” scale-length, the Hillster Elite offers something for nearly all pickers. Our tester found plenty to like, marveling at the Elite’s resonant, lively ring afforded by its maple top/mahogany body mix. He also dug the slimtaper neck and custom, hand-wound pickups. Cleveland does rock.
Hill Custom Guitars
MSRP $2595
hillinstruments.com
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