If you’re like us, it’s been a few weeks since you’ve last looked at your stock portfolio. Maybe your cupboard is starting to take on Ramen noodles and Hamburger Helper. Suddenly, the price tag on an instrument can take on a whole new meaning. When a company can deliver the right tone at the right price, it’s a rare feat. For these companies, we introduce the Premier Gear Nice Price Award.
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Reverend Ron Asheton Signature – Revisited
“Since reviewing the Ron Asheton Signature guitar [$599 Street] from Reverend, I’ve had the opportunity to play a number of other guitars, each espousing its rock credentials in one form or another. But I have yet to find another instrument outside of Gibson’s stripped-raw and beautifully bare Les Paul BFG that so effectively captures the essence of rock n’ roll. From the triple stack of P-90s to the can’t-miss-it orange V design, the Ron Asheton proves that design isn’t dead in the guitar world. It’s truly a bold, beautiful thing.” – Adam Moore
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Fishman Matrix Infinity Undersaddle Pickup
The Fishman Matrix Infinity [$139.99 Street] took Fishman’s best-selling Matrix acoustic pickups and added a preamp module. The undersaddle pickup was an easy install, with no soldering required, and did its job with great clarity. Said reviewer Gayla Drake Paul [July ‘08], “The clarity was remarkable; I had no problems hearing every note over the background noise and nothing got buried or dropped out at any point along the spectrum.”
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C.B. Evans Spitfire
The C.B. Evans Spitfire [$1499 direct] has all the makings of a great boutique head—a vintage flavor with a twist, impeccable build quality— but with a price tag that seems mismatched. The Modified Mode, coupled with the amp’s two gain knobs, allowed gain to be dialed up or down for everything from a slightly overdriven tone to a full-on heavy metal high gain tone. Reviewer Gary Guzman called the Spitfire, “An instantly hot-rodded amp without the big price tag.”
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St. Blues Mississippi Bluesmaster
The Mississippi Bluesmaster [$700-$800 Street] gets down to the business of thick and meaty blues with two customwound Zebra humbuckers. This is a nononsense guitar that you won’t worry about spilling beer on, and will be comfortable to play multiple sets with. No B.S. doesn’t mean simple sounds, however. Reviewer Jeff Carey said, “You’ll find this is a very responsive guitar, and there are a wide range of sounds available, even within the Bluesmaster’s simple electronics setup.”
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