December 2008 \ Features \ Premier Gear Awards \ 2008 Premier Gear Awards

2008 Premier Gear Awards

Premier Guitar's Premier Gear Awards salute this year's outstanding gear in 12 categories
Premier Guitar December 2008
(4 of 12)


FRESH APPROACH
This is the kind of gear that makes you think, “What a great idea?” at the same time you’re thinking, “Why haven’t we had this all along?” All of the gear in this category is being recognized either because it solves a problem in a new way, reinvents a genre, or combines things we hadn’t thought to put together… or else because it’s just plain cool. This is our Premier Gear Fresh Approach Award.

Jekeko Fixed Wah

If you’ve ever found a good parked Wah tone, then you’ve probably also lost it. A stompbox-housed Wah pedal that loses the treadle for easily replicated parked tones is such a great idea that we were surprised it took this long. If you’re into the parked sound, there’s no reason not to try this pedal out; you may never look back. There is nothing tonally lost, and dialing in is a breeze. Said reviewer James Egolf, “If you’re in the mood for some parking, order one, learn ‘Cracked Actor’ and ‘Mother Mary,’ then just try to wipe the grin off your face.”
Jekeko Fixed Wah
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Source Audio Soundblox Multiwave Distortion Source Audio Soundblox Multiwave Distortion

Source Audio’s new Distortion can’t be described by comparisons to classic tones, because nearly everything that comes out of it is brand new. After listening to a few dozen ODs this year, this was incredibly refreshing. The pedal handles complex chords with clarity, and the sounds are easily sculpted through your string attack. You’re going to play with this one for a while. On top of that, we have to mention the Hot Hand device, which Source Audio sells separately. The motion sensor combined with the already robust offerings of the Multiwave distortion opened up so many sounds that reviewer Gary Guzman noted [August ’08, online], “There were so many different sounds pouring out of this unit that other players will think you’re using multiple effects…” Um, yes please.
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Ribbecke Halfling Pin Bridge Acoustic

It’s not often that an innovation actually becomes an entirely new instrument. With an archtop in the front and a flattop in the back, the Halfling somehow takes the best of both worlds and combines them into one guitar. You get the smoothness and warmth of an archtop with the liveliness and brilliance of a flattop. Ribbecke made more innovative changes with the Pin Bridge, which takes the Halfling concept and applies it to an acoustic platform. Like many innovations, the Halfling Pin Bridge takes a bold hand to jump in and get the most out of it, but the result is completely worth it.

“If you’re a serious and confi dent player who’s not afraid to live a little bit large, this guitar will rock your world. This isn’t the only guitar you’ll ever need, but it’s one hell of a ride.” – October ‘08
Ribbecke Halfling Pin Bridge Acoustic
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The Tone God TubeUlent The Tone God TubeUlent

The TubeUlent doesn’t hide its innovation behind a standard packaging. If we saw this thing onstage with someone, you bet we’d be asking about it after the show. Of course little amps aren’t new, there are a number of bit-sized combos around the office. But a tiny tube amp that sounds this good, we haven’t encountered before. Both single coils and humbuckers love this little amp, and it can be used well as an amp, a preamp, a distortion effect, making it a good contender for the Versatility award, if it didn’t blow us away with its originality.

“The TubeUlent is a great sounding amp that will open you up to new possibilities with your sound and your rig.” – August ’08, online
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Peavey Revalver MKIII

Amp modeling software hasn’t quite been like this before. Besides coming stocked with models for Peavey, Marshall, Vox, Fender, Mesa Boogie, Matchless and others, the program conjures up some original amps as presets. From there, you can swap tubes, mix and match sections of completely different amps, change resistor values and build whatever setup you desire, even if it’s impossible in the real world. Cabinets are equally tweakable, and in the end you come away with knowledge you can apply to your real amps and cabs. Add in convincing responsiveness, and you’re in a whole new category of software. Reviewer Roger Adler said [September ‘08], “With this much great tone at your fingertips, the choice should be easy.” Tweak away.
Peavey Revalver MKIII
Read the review...


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Comments

 (4 comments) display by
UsernameComment
ssP
on 11/30/2008 		Thank you for the XMas wish list, Premier Guitar. Great way to do awards, by the way. Some of those categories are right down my alley!!!!!!!!
Mittenhand
on 11/26/2008 		Yeah, I get what you mean...my recordings sound best when they are silent too!
reason108
on 11/24/2008 		Perhaps only the Blackstar. Not sure though. But, aren`t they the guys that have come out with the various distortion pedals that have a built in speaker sim? The only amp I know of for sure has one is the Peavey Mini Colossal Joe Satriani amp.
bcblues
on 11/23/2008 		I like to record silently at night. Does the new Bogner Alchemist, or Blackstar HT5, or Orange Tiny Terror, or any Blackheart amps have a line out for recording?



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