
Don Peake wields one of his longtime companions, the Gibson ES-335 model.
The Wrecking Crew guitarist played with the Everly Brothers, the Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, and many more. He shares memories of hanging with Elvis, the Beatles, and the Stones, long sessions with Phil Spector, recording with Sonny and Cher, and spitballing now-iconic guitar lines ingrained in music history.
The Wrecking Crew was a group of Los Angeles session players who shaped hundreds of hit records in the '60s and early '70s. The list of guitarists often named as crew members includes Tommy Tedesco, James Burton, Glen Campbell, Al Casey, Barney Kessel, and Howard Roberts. More rarely mentioned is Don Peake, who was right there in the studio trenches with them, creating timeless tracks for Phil Spector and others.
Peake later cut hits for Motown as well. If you listen to classic pop radio, you have doubtless heard the iconic opening wah-wah lick to Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" and the guitar line doubling the bass on the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back," but probably never knew it was Peake playing those parts.
Though he appears briefly in The Wrecking Crew movie, it's safe to say Don Peake's place in the world of historic session guitarists is shamefully unsung. It's long past time for this purveyor of iconic guitar parts to be recognized. While many of his peers have departed, Peake luckily remains with us, ready to relay some amazing stories, which he does in this Premier Guitar interview.
"Elvis would come in three nights a week. We'd sit with him in the balcony on the break." āDon Peake
Don Peake was born in Los Angeles, California, on June 7, 1940. During high school, he played clarinet and sang with an a cappella choir. Picking up the ukulele at 16, he eventually moved to guitar. When word got out he could play Gene Vincent's "Be-Bop-A-Lula," it was recommended he try out for a gig with rockabilly singer Jackie Lee Cochran.
"I went to a night club called the Rag Doll," Peake recalls. "In the parking lot was a line of guitarists waiting to audition." Cochran fortuitously asked Peake if he knew "Be-Bop-A-Lula," and an affirmative answer helped him clinch the gig. Opening night, after playing that song, Cochran asked the young guitarist what else he knew. "Nothing," he replied.
Peake managed to keep the job, but to fill in the gaps he quickly signed up for lessons at Clara Joyce Sherman's School of Music in Hollywood. As luck would have it, his guitar teacher was Ray Pohlman, who would go on to be a regular guitarist and bassist in the Wrecking Crew. "Ray was a jazz guitarist who played with the Billy May Orchestra," he says. "He taught me to play and mentored me. I bought my blonde, 1946 Gibson ES-350 with the single pickup from him." A special guitar, indeed: The ES-350 Peake bought from Pohlman was a rare one-pickup jazz model made in 1946. Gibson started making the iconic two-pickup models in 1947.
Here's Peake at work in studio, putting his skill at reading music to work. This is a still from the documentary film The Wrecking Crew.
Working with Cochran helped cement the young guitarist's reputation as a rock 'n' roll player, which led to a gig with Lance LeGault, Elvis Presley's movie stand-in. "LeGault loved Ray Charles' songs and had his sax player write out 'Hallelujah, I Love Her So,' 'Drown in My Own Tears,' etc.," says Peake. "I learned the exact guitar parts, which came in handy later. Elvis would come in three nights a week. We'd sit with him in the balcony on the break."
Learning to read music while playing rock 'n' roll gigs provided Peake a perfect primer for later working with the similarly schooled Wrecking Crew, who also helped create much of the era's teenage music. Another bit of serendipity was hanging out with a young Phil Spector.
"Phil was studying with Howard Roberts," Peake remembers. "I started studying with both Barney Kessel and Roberts. Howard would write out arpeggios for me, while Barney was 'Mr. Time.' He would say, 'You've got a rod connecting your forearm to your foot. You have to tap your foot and keep your arm moving. It doesn't matter if you miss the chord, keep going. Never stop your right hand.'" Spector gave Peake a T-Bone Walker LP, adding a blues influence to the guitarist's jazz and rock background. "T-Bone had those wonderful moving 9th chords," he says.
Shown here in 1972 at an RCA Hollywood Studio session, Peake holds a modified ES-335 that began life as a 12-string, owned by John Phillips of the Mamas & the Papas. Fellow sessioner Paul Herman got it from Phillips and cut down the headstock and painted it black before selling it to Peake, who then used the instrument as his primary studio axe.
Courtesy of Don Peake
Spector's friend Marshall Leib, from his group the Teddy Bears, told Peake that the Everly Brothers were looking for a guitar player. Playing with the Everlys would be his first big gig and place him at the center of the musical revolution taking place in early '60s England.
"We flew to London," he recalls. "After the gig, we went to a night club where a pretty good band was playing." Still wearing their matching gray suits, it was clear that Peake and company were a band as well, so the local performers joined them on their break. Among those locals were Albert Lee and Eric Clapton. In his autobiography, Clapton describes Peake as one of the American guitarists who impressed him as being technically better than he was.
On the next trip to England, the Everly Brothers headlined a tour featuring the Rolling Stones, Bo Diddley, and Little Richard. "As I was watching one of the other acts, I noticed a black man in a full-length peignoir across the stage, holding a bible," he says. "One of the stagehands said, 'That's Little Richard Penniman.'"
"Brother Ray came in and sat down at the piano. He said, 'Do you know 'Hallelujah, I Love Her So?'ācut back to Lance LeGault, making me learn those Ray Charles songsāI said, 'Absolutely.'" āDon Peake
Brothers and band soon started hanging with the Beatles and Stones in Hamburg. "The Star-Club had three stages," says Peake. "We traded sets: Everly Brothers, Rolling Stones, Beatles. Jim Gordon came over as the drummer. He went on to play with Clapton."
During his Everly Brothers tenure, Peake had to leave his 1951 Fender Broadcaster at home. "The Everly Brothers were sponsored by Gibson, so we weren't allowed to use a Fender guitar onstage," he explains. "They gave me a brand new, bright red SG. We were strumming hard, and it would constantly break the 3rd or 4th string. I didn't have a spare guitar, so I would finish the show playing an octave higher."
Once back in Los Angeles, producer Jimmie Haskell heard about Peake and arranged for him to play with Ricky Nelson. "I played on the Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet sessions for a little while," he says. "James Burton was there at the same time. He came in the studio one day and started bending strings. I said, 'How did you do that?' He said, 'I've got an E string, where my G string is supposed to be.' That was the first time we saw anybody play a light G string."
Don Peake bought this blonde 1946 Gibson ES-350 with a single pickup from Ray Pohlman, his guitar mentor and Wrecking Crew bandmate. This rare jazz model was a precursor to the two-pickup model introduced in 1947. Peake's chart-reading and big-band chops were honed while playing in the jazz band at L.A. City College, where this photo was taken in 1960.
Photo courtesy of Don Peake
Peake's sessions with the Wrecking Crew started around 1966 with the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'." That record would define Spector's "Wall of Sound" and become one of the most played radio tunes of all time. A sizable chunk of that "wall" was the guitar section, including Barney Kessel, Howard Roberts, Bill Pittman, Tommy Tedesco, and Peake, all playing together.
"Tommy or Barney would be the first chair," Peake recalls. "There were always three guys playing miked Gibson L-5s. I bought mine from Howard Roberts. The board at Gold Star only had seven channels, so they had all the guitar mics running together on one channel. Phil would have us move around to get the balance. He would rehearse us for three hours. Howard Roberts once said, 'Man, you come out here and play this. I'm getting tired.'"
Peake is featured on another major hit that sounds like a Spector production, but isn't. "One day, I'm up at Armin Steiner's studio and a shaggy-haired guy comes in with a beautiful girl in bangs," he relates. "The producer said, 'This is Caesar and Cleo.' The song was 'Baby Don't Go.' I did the tremolo strumming part."
"Don was the best reader of the three of us and would help us with any problems reading charts." āLouie Shelton
A week later, Ahmet Ertegun heard the duo, changed their name to Sonny and Cher, and ordered a full album, which included the massive hit "I Got You Babe."
"That tune is me on my Fender Telecaster with a lot of reverb," says Peake. "Sonny produced the records. He'd been a gofer for Phil Spector and, like Phil, he was into lots of reverb and long rehearsals. Barney Kessel was sitting next to me. He had played jazz with Charlie Parker and Lady Day [Billie Holiday]. After playing this one F7chord for three hours he said, 'Sonny, if a doctor told me I had only two weeks to live, I'd spend them with you because each moment is like an eternity'."
In 1964, Peake landed a gig with a man whose music had inspired him as a teenager. While recording at Gold Star Studios, he ran into his friend Arthur Wright on the phone with Ray Charles' manager Joe Adams. Wright put Peake on the call.
Don Peake with his boss, the great Ray Charles, in the dressing room before a show in Wichita, Kansas, circa 1993.
Courtesy of Don Peake
"Adams said, 'Ray Charles is looking for a guitar player," he recalls. "We've tried 35 guys and can't find anybody who can play the blues, read music, play jazz, and already knows Ray's old songs, because we've lost some of that music.' I said, 'I'm white.' He said, 'Can you play?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'Get down here.'"
Peake grabbed his Deluxe Reverb, Gibson L-5, and ES-350, and drove to the studio, where he hauled all three up a flight of stairs. With his hands full, he kicked open the rehearsal room door, slamming it into the wall.
"Staring at me were five saxophones, four trombones, four trumpets, bass, drums, an empty piano chair, and an empty guitar chair," he says. "I'd been playing with the jazz band at L.A. City College, so I knew how to read big band charts. The drummer called an up-tempo Count Basie blues and I started playing that L-5 as fast as I could. Leroy Cooper, the baritone player, leaned over to Lily Fort, the lead singer of the Raelettes, and said, 'That boy is serious.' Then they said, 'Get out your electric.' I picked up the 350 and we did 'Jumping with Symphony Sid.' Brother Ray came in and sat down at the piano. He said, 'Do you know 'Hallelujah, I Love Her So?'ācut back to Lance LeGault, making me learn those Ray Charles songsāI said, 'Absolutely.'"
Joe Adams informed Peake that Charles wanted to hire him at $200 a week. "I told him the Everly Brothers were paying $225," says Peake. Adams said he would have to talk to Mr. Charles. Fearing he had blown the gig of a lifetime, Peake drove to his mother's house, where he lived when he was off the road. "She said, 'Joe Adams called," he recalls. "They're going to pay you $225, but give you a separate envelope for the $25, so the rest of the band doesn't know about it.'" Thus, Don Peake became the first white guitarist to play with Ray Charles.
Don Peake peeks out of a Sonny and Cher sandwich while backing up the iconic duo at L.A.'s Hollywood Bowl in 1966.
Courtesy of Don Peake
Before they hit the road, Charles recorded a live album. During the show, he began playing the introduction to "Makin' Whoopee"āa song for which there was no chart. "I had never played it with him," says Peake. "When he goes up a half-step on the dominant you can hear me slide into it. I'm learning the song onstage while they're recording it."
Peake continued recording with Charles even after he stopped touring with him, cutting classics like "America the Beautiful" and "Crying Time." He can be heard loud and clear on a lesser-known Charles cover, "Blue Moon of Kentucky," playing the signature intro and the solo over the fade. Toward the end of the track, you hear Charles exhorting the guitarist, "Play it! Play it 'til it gets good." Rather than being critical, according to Peake, he is encouraging him. "He's saying, 'Keep going. It's good,'" Peake says.
While "Blue Moon of Kentucky" is a deep cut, the guitarist's soulful blues licks on the massive Charles hit "Let's Go Get Stoned" have been heard by countless millions through the decades. Though the tone sounds Fender-ish, the guitar was an old Gibson ES-175. "I restrung it with real light strings," Peake explains. "I ended up not liking it, but I did use it on that recording."
In 1966, Peake was asked to go on the road with Bobby Darin, but told Darin he wanted to stay in town and be an arranger. A week went by before he got the call from the singer's managers. "I went to their office, where they played me 'If I Were a Carpenter' by Tim Hardin," he says. "They wanted strings and I'd never written for strings before. I went home, opened up the Russell Garcia arranging book [The Professional Arranger Composer], and feverishly figured out how to write the string quartet. When we recorded at Gold Star, I stood near the studio door so I could get out quickly. When the strings came in, I thought, 'That sounds all right,' and started walking back into the studio." This Bobby Darin hit would mark the beginning of an arranging and scoring career that would ultimately replace Peake's session work, but the guitarist still had some classics to cut.
"There are certain guitar licks or solos that always give me goose bumps, and Don Peake's opening part on 'Let's Get It On' is one of those." āDenny Tedesco
By 1969, Motown had started recording in Los Angeles. Diana Ross was going to produce the first Jackson 5 record with Ben Barrett as contractor. For the Ross-produced record, Barrett put together a band that included Peake, David T. Walker, and Louie Shelton on guitar, Wilton Felder on bass, and Gene Pello on drums. "On 'I Want You Back,' I doubled the bass line with Wilton," he recalls. "I had to read it."
Peake was quite good at that, Louie Shelton recalls. "Don was the best reader of the three of us and would help us with any problems reading charts," Shelton says.
In addition to doubling one of the most famous bass parts of all time, Peake appears on much of the Jackson's subsequent output. That's his Coral electric sitar on "Maybe Tomorrow" from Third Album and his early fuzz pedal shaping the memorable distorted part on "ABC." "I also had a Cry Baby wah," says Peake. "It said Thomas Organ Company, Sepulveda, California, on the bottom." He doesn't remember if it was him or Wah Wah Watson, aka Melvin Ragin, playing the wah part on the Jacksons' "Never Can Say Goodbye," but he is very clear about who played the memorable intro to Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On." As with many Peake performances, there's a fascinating backstory.
"There was a fabulous guitarist named RenƩ Hall who was also a great arranger," he relates. "Hall started using me because of my blues playing. He actually had me come in and finish a B.B. King album. B.B. had walked away from the record company and wouldn't talk to them. They had already recorded the songs but needed guitar fills, so I did them."
Peake stands beside bassist Wilton Felder on an early Jackson 5 session. Peake played essential parts on some of the group's early, barnstorming hits.
Courtesy of Don Peake
In 1973, Hall was the arranger on "Let's Get It On," working at Motown's L.A. studio on Romaine Street. "RenƩ said, 'I want you to make up something at the beginning'," says Peake. "I turned on my wah-wah pedal and played." As was so often the case in those days, Peake's name was left off the album. Wah Wah Watson was on the road with Gaye at the time, so everyone assumed he played the part. "It's me," says Peake. "I made a terrible mistake about 15 seconds in," he says. "I got excited and hit the open G string." (Editor's note: Actually, it's 13 seconds in, and you can hear it clearly.)
"There are certain guitar licks or solos that always give me goose bumps and Don Peake's opening part on 'Let's Get It On' is one of those," says Denny Tedesco, director of The Wrecking Crew movie and son of Tommy Tedesco.
In addition to playing on some of the biggest hits of the day, Peake played on numerous movie scores. Though his excellent reading skills no doubt played a part, sometimes it was his rock 'n' roll heart that landed him the job.
"I played for Elmer Bernstein on the Steve McQueen movie Baby the Rain Must Fall," he says. "Bernstein called me because, though Tommy Tedesco could pretend to be musically ignorant, I just naturally came up with stuff that was unsophisticated. Bernstein said, 'Just do whatever you want.' On the soundtrack, you'll hear me playing all this crazy guitar."
As the 1970s progressed, with guitarists like Larry Carlton, Jay Graydon, and Steve Lukather coming up, sessions began drying up for Peake's generation of musicians. The guitarist looked toward composing and arranging for the next chapter of his musical life, but to be successful he found he had to fully commit. He began studying arranging and composing with Albert Harris, a famed Hollywood orchestrator, and called composer/conductor and frequent session contractor Ben Barrett to bow out of his studio guitarist role. "He didn't say the words, 'Are you out of your fucking mind?'ābut I know he was thinking it," says Peake. Sane and serious, he sold the instruments in his cartage trunk and devoted himself to a career that would provide compositions and arrangements for more than 50 movies and television shows, including Knight Rider and My Two Dads.
For the last decade, Peake has been a professor at Los Angeles' Bridges Academy, a school for gifted children that have learning differences, such as autism and ADHD. "I teach guitar, jazz, and blues," he says. "Our music program allows these children to put both sides of their brain together. They get better at their studies."
As of this writing, Peake is still playing with some of the surviving members of the Wrecking Crew, including Chuck Berghofer, the bassist who played the slithery part on Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walking."
"Don Randi is playing piano," he says. "The drummer is Ed Green. We do a Glen Campbell tribute, because we played on his records. We also do a Sonny and Cher song. We were just about to go on the road, when COVID hit."
This just scratches the surface of Peake's extraordinary life. Did we mention he was a champion race car driver? While there may be no official designation of who was in the Wrecking Crew, by any definition, Don Peake deserves mention as a member of that historic assembly. Maybe even more important is the mark his guitar playing left on memorable Motown tunes that have become embedded not just in music history, but in the culture at large.
Don Peake Essential Listening:
Description: Don Peake recorded tracks with Ray Charles even after he stopped touring with the pianist, cutting classics like "America the Beautiful" and "Crying Time." Peake can be heard loud and clear on a lesser-known Charles cover, "Blue Moon of Kentucky," playing the signature intro and the solo over the fade. Toward the end of the track, you hear Charles saying to Peake with enthusiasm, "Play it! Play it 'til it gets good."
Description: Peake played the guitar line doubling the bass on the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back." In addition to complementing one of the most famous bass parts of all time, Peake appears on much of the Jackson 5's subsequent output. He plays a Coral electric sitar on "Maybe Tomorrow" from 1970's Third Album, and that's also Peake's early fuzz pedal shaping the memorable distorted part on "ABC" from the same year.
Description: In 1966, Peake was asked to go on the road with Bobby Darin, but declined because he wanted to stay put and be an arranger. A week later, Peake got a call from the singer's managers to arrange strings for "If I Were a Carpenter." Peake had never written parts for strings before, but quickly figured out how to write for a string quartet. This Bobby Darin hit would mark the beginning of an arranging and scoring career that would ultimately replace Peake's session work.
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This wonky Zim-Gar was one of many guitars sold by importer Gar-Zim Musical Instruments, operated by Larry Zimmerman and his wife.
The 1960s were strange days indeed for import guitars, like this cleaver-friendly Zim-Gar electric.
Recently I started sharing my work office with a true gem of a guy ⦠one of the nicest fellas Iāve ever come across. If youāve been following my column here, you might remember my other work mate Dylan, who is always telling me about new, fad-type things (like hot Honey guitars) and trying to convince me to use AI more. (What can I say, heās a millennial.) But Steve, on the other hand, is about 10 years my senior and is a native New YorkerāBrooklyn actually, from the Canarsie neighborhood. Steve is a retired teacher and spent many years teaching in the Brownsville area of Brooklyn, and man, he has some amazing stories.
Mostly we talk about music and sports (heās exiled here among us Philadelphia sports fans) and heās just endlessly interesting to me. He has a huge appetite and can eat a whole pizza. When he talks, he sounds like one of the Ramones and he still has an apartment in Rockaway Beach. We both love Seinfeld and, like George Costanza, Steve knows where all the great bathrooms are across New York City. Since heās been added to my circle (and is such a mensch), I decided I should work him into a column.
So hereās the connection: Back in the day there were many American importers, dealers, and wholesalers. A lot of them were based in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, but I only know of one guitar importer located in Brooklyn: Gar-Zim Musical Instruments. The company was run by Larry Zimmerman and his wife, and the couple had some success importing and selling Japanese guitars and drums. I used to see early Teisco imports with the Zim-Gar badge, which was the brand name of Gar-Zim. Iāve also seen Kawai guitars with the Zim-Gar label, but the Zimmermanās seemed to sell cheaper and cheaper gear as the ā60s wore on, including the piece you see here.
āThis build reminds me of the cutting boards I used to make in wood shop back in my high school days.ā
The model name and factory origin of this guitar is a mystery to me, but this build reminds me of the cutting boards I used to make in wood shop back in my high school days. The guitar is just flat across the top and back, with absolutely no contouring or shaping. Its offset body is plywood with a thin veneer on the top and back. From a distance this guitar actually looks kind of nice, but up close you can see a rather crude and clunky instrument that offers little flexibility and playability. The non-adjustable bridge is off center, as is the tremolo. It was really hard to get this guitar playing well, but in the end it was worth it, because the pickups were the saving grace. Another example of gold-foils, these units sound strong and raw. The electronics consist of an on/off switch for each pickup and a volume and tone knob. The tuners are okay, and the headstock design is reminiscent of the Kay ādragon snoutā shape of the mid to late ā60s, which is where I would place the birthdate of this one, probably circa 1966. Everything is just so goofy about this buildāeven the upper strap button is located on the back of the neck. It reminds me of that era when simple wood factories that were making furniture were tasked with building electric guitars, and they simply didnāt know what they were doing. So, you get oddities like this one.
Gar-Zim continued to sell guitars and other musical instruments through the 1970s and possibly into the ā80s. I once even saw a guitar with the label Lim-Gar, which is totally puzzling. I think there shouldāve been a Stee-Gar designation for my new buddy Steve-o! Yes, good readers, with guitars and me, there are always just a few degrees of separation.
Dive into the ART Tube MP/C with PG contributor Tom Butwin. Experience how this classic tube-driven preamp and compressor can add warmth and clarity to your sound. From studio recordings to re-amping and live stage applications, this time-tested design packs a ton of features for an affordable price.
Art Tube Mp Project Series Tube Microphone/Instrument Preamp
Designed in Rochester NY and originally released in 1995, the Tube MP is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025.
The Tube MP/C is the most fully-featured member of the Tube MP family, designed for recording guitarists and bassists. It is a tube mic preamp and instrument DI with advanced features including an optical compressor/limiter and switchable line/instrument output levels for use as a re-amping device.
In line with the MOOERās recent expansion on the MSC range, the company is excited to announce the new MSC50 Pro, an Alder-bodied electric guitar with gloss finish, available in the new Magic Crystal color.
Featuring a roasted maple neck with a satin finish, a rosewood fingerboard for playing comfort, 22 frets, and a standard C shape, the guitar has been designed with classic guitarists in mind. This is beautifully emphasized with its beautifully resonant tonewoods, all while still being balanced perfectly with style and comfort of use.
The MSC50 Pro features all of the industry-standard features you might expect from such an impressively affordable guitar, such as bolt-on construction, a bone nut, and a dual-action steel truss rod. However, other features make the electric guitar stand out among others at a similar price point, such as its MTN-3LC locking tuning pegs, beautiful Abalone dot inlay, and, of course, its previously mentioned tonewood selection.
In order to capture the MSC50 Pro's balanced tonal profile, MOOER's luthiers have built it with three perfectly balanced pickups: the MSC-II N single coil neck pickup, the similar MSC-II M single coil middle pickup, and, best of all, the MHB-II B bridge humbucker. When these carefully chosen pickups are combined with the guitar's MPW 2-point chrome bridge, guitarists can make the most out of its tonal versatility, all while maximizing tuning stability.
To ensure that the guitar is suitable for a wide range of genres, both softer and higher-gain examples, the MSC50 Pro has a convenient coil split switch built into it, giving users better resonance control. Of course, this is also combined with a classic tone dial, a standard 5-way tone switch, and a volume control dial.
Overall, the MSC50 Pro reminds users of MOOER guitars that the company has never forgotten about its roots in classic-style guitars. Yes, the company is continuing to develop innovative guitar technology in other areas, but this electric guitar also represents a grounded approach, keeping things classic, sleek, and tonally versatileāall at a reasonable price point.
Features:
- Alder Body with a Gloss Finish
- Available in the Magic Crystal color
- Standard C-shaped roasted maple neck with a Satin finish
- Bolt-on construction
- 22-fret rosewood fingerboard
- Abalon dot inlay
- MTN-3LC locking tuners
- Bone nut
- Dual-Action Steel Truss Rod
- 12" radius
- 09-46 strings
- 25.2" scale
- MSC-II N Single Coil neck pickup, an MSC-II M Single Poil middle pickup, and an MHB-II B Humbucker Bridge Pickup
- Chrome guitar strap pin
- Coil Split Switch
- 5-Way Tone Switch
- Volume and tone dials
- MPW 2-Point chrome bridge
The MSC50 Pro will be available from the official distributors and retailers worldwide on 13th May 2025 at an expected retail price of USD419/Euro399/GBP339.
MOOER Expands Its Popular MSC Guitar Line with the MSC30 Pro and MSC31 Pro
MOOER has never shied away from innovation when it comes to its guitars. However, with the recently announced release of the MSC30 Pro and MSC31, the company reminds us that, sometimes, true innovation lies in mastering and enhancing a proven classic. With this philosophy, MOOER introduces two new exciting additions to their beloved MSC series of electric guitars.
Both the MSC30 Pro and MSC31 Pro continue MOOERās philosophy of creating affordable guitars, but without sacrificing quality or performance, thanks to the poplar bodies and flame maple tops. Some guitarists will be drawn to the bright tones of the MSC30 Proās maple fingerboard, whereas others will prefer the warmer resonance of the MSC31 Proās rosewood alternative.
Each guitar features sturdy bolt-on neck construction, dual-action steel truss rods, bone nuts, and MTN-1 chrome tuning pegs (with the BK upgrade being reserved for the MSC31 Pro), ensuring tuning stability and comfort at all times.At the heart of both models are MOOERās versatile MSC pickups, comprising the MSC-1N single-coil neck pickup, the MSC-1M single-coil middle pickup, and the powerful MHB-1B dual-coil humbucker at the bridge. Further complemented by a versatile 5-way pickup selector and exclusive coil split switch, players can effortlessly switch between a wide palette of tones, such as pristine cleans ideal for jazz or blues, or high-gain tones for heavier genres.
Tremolo support is also provided through both the guitar's bridges, with the MSC30 Pro featuring an MTB-1 2 Point Tremolo bridge, and the MSC31 Pro boasting an exclusive black MTB-1 BK 2 Point Tremolo bridge. Both bridges guarantee guitarists the ability to use tremolo bars in their guitar performances, without compromising the integrity of tuning stability.
Both guitars come with a selection of vivid new colors, complementing the guitarās hardware with undeniable visual appeal. The MSC30 Pro is available in the classic finishes of Sunset Red, Lake Blue, Lemon Green, and Rose Purple. Meanwhile, the MSC31 Pro boasts its own selection of glossy finishes: Grey Burst, Blue Burst, Green Burst, and Purple Burst.
Overall, the MSC30 Pro and MSC31 Pro solidify MOOERās commitment to combining quality craftsmanship, affordability, and versatility, giving guitarists of all levels the chance to own instruments that genuinely inspire.
Features
MSC30 Pro:
- Classic S-style design
- Poplar body with flame maple top
- Maple fingerboard
- Maple neck with satin finish
- Bolt-on neck construction
- 22 nickel silver frets, Abalone dotted inlay
- Coil split switch and versatile 5-way pickup selector
- MSC-1N/M single-coil pickups and MHB-1B humbucker
- 25.5" scale
- MTN-1 Chrome tuning pegs
- Available in gloss-finished Sunset Red, Lake Blue, Lemon Green, and Rose Purple
- Volume and tone dial
- Chrome strap pin
MSC31 Pro:
- Classic S-style design
- Poplar body with flame maple top
- Rosewood fingerboard
- Maple neck with satin finish
- Bolt-on neck construction
- 22 nickel silver frets, White Shell dotted inlay
- Coil split switch and versatile 5-way pickup selector
- MSC-1N/M single-coil pickups and MHB-1B humbucker
- 25.5" scale
- MTN-1 BK tuning pegs
- Available in gloss-finished Grey Burst, Blue Burst, Green Burst, and Purple Burst
- Volume and tone dial
- Chrome strap pin
The MSC30 Pro and MSC31 Pro will both be available from the official distributors and retailers worldwide on 2nd April 2025.
MOOER Gives Bassists What They Want with the New MBJ410 and MBJ420 Electric Bass Guitar Models
For 15 years, MOOER has built a critically acclaimed name for itself thanks to its cutting-edge electric guitars, pedals, and accessories. While the company is no stranger to building electric bass guitars, this has not been its focus for some time, hence why so many bassists are excitedly anticipating the release of the MBJ410 and MBJ420 electric bass guitars.
Both the bass guitars sport glossy Poplar bodies, keeping the price point affordable but without limiting their tonal resonance and versatility, whereas the MBJ420 holds the additional bonus of being built with a Poplar Burl top. Complete with roasted maple C-shaped necks (also accented with a gloss finish) as well as Roasted Maple fingerboards and White Shell dot inlays, the necks are designed to offer as much comfort as possibleāa high priority for bass guitarists.
A 34" fret scale further enhances practicality for bassists, as does the neck's 12" radius. Strings are available in .045, .065, .080, and .100 gauges, providing something for any type of bass style - whether slapping, plucking, or picking techniques are preferred.Thanks to the industry-standard components of a dual-action steel truss rod and bone nut, the tuning and resonant stability of both the MBJ410 and MBJ420 models are also of a high standard. However, this is accentuated further by the guitars' strong and reliable BTN-1 tuning pegs, essential for heavier-gauge bass strings.
The tonewoods and structural integrity of the MBJ-series electric bass guitars wouldn't be complete without the accompaniment of the guitarās two single-coil JB-style pickups. Combined with the MOOER BSC-2 bridge, both bass guitars have been carefully designed to amplify bass resonances excellently, complemented even further by their simple but effective tone dials. Two volume controls are also built in, ensuring that bassists can customize their sonic output to have the perfect tonal blend.
In terms of standout features, the main difference between the two bass guitars is the MBJ420's added poplar burl top, but most notably, the color selections. For the MBJ410, the bass guitar is available in Gunmetal Gray, Metal Green, and Metal Blue, perfectly suiting the stages of higher-gain performances. In contrast, the aesthetics of the MBJ420 are more classic, purchasable in Red Burst, Blue Burst, and Tobacco Burst. Finally, both guitars are topped with a chrome strap pin, enabling stylish and energetic live performances.
Overall, bassists will no doubt be excited to see MOOER return to electric bass guitars with the MBJ410 and 420 models. Of course, electric guitars will remain the focus for the company, but the release of these two new products is a reminder of just how accommodating MOOER is for its wide audience of musicians.
Features
- Electric bass guitar built with gloss-finished Poplar body (MBJ420 also features a Poplar Burl Top)
- Roasted maple C-shaped neck with a gloss finish
- Roasted maple fingerboard
- White Shell dot inlay
- 12ā neck radius
- MOOER BSC-2 bridge
- VBJ-1 and VBJ-2 Single Coil pickups
- MOOER BTN-1 tuning pegs
- Bolt-on construction
- Bone nut
- Dual-action steel truss rod
- Pre-installed strings available in .045, .065, .080, and .100 gauges
- 21 frets
- 34"fret scale
- Colors available in Gunmetal Gray, Metal Green, and Metal Blue (MBJ410), and Red Burst, Blue Burst, and Tobacco Burst (MBJ420)
- Chrome strap pin
- 2 x volume control dials
- 1 x Tone dial
The MBJ410 and MBJ420 will both be available from the official distributors and retailers worldwide on 29th April 2025 at an expected retail price of USD319/Euro299/GBP249(MBJ410), USD399/Euro379/GBP319(MBJ420).
The Oceans Abyss expands on Electro-Harmonixās highly acclaimed reverb technology to deliver a truly immersive effects workstation. The pedal is centered around dual reverb engines that are independently programmable with full-stereo algorithms including Hall, Spring, Shimmer and more. Place these reverbs into a customizable signal path with additional FX blocks like Delay, Chorus, Tremolo, or Bit Crusher for a completely unique soundscape building experience.
Electro-Harmonix has paved the way for powerful, accessible reverbs since the release of the original Holy Grail and now weāve pushed the envelope deeper with the fully-equipped Oceans Abyss. Featuring a customizable signal path with up to 8 effects blocks, the Oceans Abyss can be configured as individual reverb, modulation, EQ, delay, bit crusher, saturation or volume effects, or as countless combinations for incredibly creative effect shaping. From a simple Spring reverb to a lush stereo field featuring stereo hall and shimmer reverbs, chorus, delay, overdrive, and tremolo, you can go from surf to shoegaze instantly, without breaking a sweat.
Deep parameter editing is accessible via the high-visibility OLED display with multiple graphical views and easy-to-read designs. Expression/CV control over nearly every parameter gives artful control of your effects and dynamics. Fully-stereo I/O plus an FX Loop allows for use with any instrument, recording set up, or live rig. 128 programmable presets via onboard footswitching or MIDI ensure perfect recall in all performance situations. MIDI IN/OUT ports with MIDI IN support of PC, CC, and Tempo Clock expand the already immense talents of the Oceans Abyss. Connect with UBS-C to Windows or Mac for effects editing, preset management, and more with the free EHXport⢠app (coming soon).
- Two Stereo Reverbs available at once, each fully pannable in the stereo field
- 10 reverb types to choose from: Room, Hall, Spring, Plate, Reverse, Dynamic, Auto-Infinite, Shimmer, Polyphonic, Resonant
- Additional FX blocks: Delay (Digital, Analog and Tape emulations), Tremolo, Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Graphic EQ, Saturation, Bit Crusher, External FX Loop, Volume
- Create custom signal path routing with up to 8 effects blocks. Two blocks may be re-verb, the rest may be any of the additional FX blocks.
- Infinite reverb sustain with the press of a footswitch
- Stereo Audio I/O
- Stereo FX Loop routing on TRS Jacks
- Dual action footswitches allow for momentary or latching use
- Easily enable or disable tails
- 128 fully customizable presets
- All controls can be saved to presets
- Dive deep into global and preset settings to set up Oceans Abyss for your specific needs
- Illuminated slide pots and buttons
- High-visibility OLED graphical display
- Multiple graphical views: Signal Path, Performance, Settings, Physical, Explorer
- Easy-to-navigate menu system
- Ergonomic NavCoder knob allows rotary and directional navigation through menus
- EXPRESSION / CV input to control nearly any parameter in any FX block
- Footswitch input allows for adding up to three external footswitches, each assigna-ble to a number of functions
- MIDI In and Out. MIDI IN supports PC, CC (over nearly every available parameter), and Tempo Clock
- USB-C port to connect to Windows or Mac and interface with EHXport⢠app (coming soon)
- 96kHz / 24-bit sample rate conversion
- Supplied with 9.6VDC / 500mA power supply