These guitars feature a selection of Fender finishes and special features developed collaboratively between Fender product specialists and CME’s expert staff.
Chicago, IL (October 11, 2017) -- Chicago Music Exchange (CME) has proudly expanded its line of exclusive Fender instruments for 2017 with the introduction of five new models. Available only at CME, these guitars feature a selection of Fender finishes and special features developed collaboratively between Fender product specialists and CME’s expert staff. In an effort to meet consumer demands and cater to the latest gear trends, many also hone in on the recent surge of interest in offset guitars—with a CME twist, of course.
“With our offset exclusives, we've tried to blend historical specs with some unique touches,” said Director of New Product Dan Bordonaro.
Along with the American Professional Offset Telecaster in Walnut released in early 2017, a number of other exclusive models have joined the CME family throughout the year, including an American Professional Jazzmaster in White Blonde, two American Special Telecasters in Surf Green or Black, and an Offset Series Mustang in Faded Mocha.
The American Professional Offset Telecaster in Walnut finish blends early offset designs with the mods of the early ’90s, boasting a 3-ply black pickguard, "Deep C" neck profile, Tim Shaw-designed "V-Mod" single-coil pickups, narrow tall frets for easier bending, and this year’s redeveloped Tele bridge with compensated brass saddles. “Our Walnut Offset Tele takes everyone’s favorite Fender Frankenstein and covers it with early ‘70s aesthetics,” Bordonaro said.
Taking all of the iconic tone and feel of a Tele, mashed into the vintage stylings of an offset, these instruments are some of the most unique to roll off the assembly line, and have been a go-to among offset enthusiasts seeking a more eccentric addition to their arsenal.
The new Fender American Pro Jazzmaster in White Blonde lives up to the legend of Fender’s most popular offset guitar at a price point anyone can enjoy. Featuring a tortoiseshell pickguard, American Vintage ‘65 Jazzmaster pickups, a bone nut and classic “witch hat” knobs, this guitar exudes vintage vibe with the added benefit of modern upgrades. The transparent White Blonde finish allows the gorgeous ash body to shine through—creating a unique looking Jazzmaster that is simply hard to put down.
“When designing the exclusive American Professional Jazzmaster, we wanted to bring back some of the more traditional features of a JM,” said Gear Specialist Shelby Pollard, an offset expert who championed the design of the guitar alongside Fender product specialists. “The ash body is a nod back to the original 1958 design, and the American Vintage '65 pickups add that classic Jazzmaster sparkle!”
The CME-exclusive American Special Telecaster puts U.S-made Fender quality into the hands of players at any level. The pairing brings together polar opposite eras in Tele aesthetics—an early ’70s Black with blackguard and maple board; the other its antithesis, an early ’60s-inspired Surf Green with 3-ply mint guard. Each model features a maple neck and fingerboard with 22 jumbo frets, dual Texas Special single-coil Telecaster pickups, three-way pickup switch Greasebucket tone circuit,, and vintage-style string-through-body Telecaster bridge with three brass saddles.
Rounding out the latest batch of exclusives is the Offset Series Mustang in Faded Mocha.
“The inspiration for this CME Exclusive came from an early ’70s Mustang that we had in the shop,” Pollard said. “It had such a great vintage vibe that we wanted to share the Mocha Mustang with the world at an incredible price point.”
Featuring a simplified wiring scheme than, the Offset Series Mustang ditches the individual pickup switches in favor of a three-way selector switch. Another modern upgrade is the six-saddle string-through-body hardtail bridge with bent steel saddles, allowing this stallion to stay in tune for days. This new Mustang sports classic style with modern electronics in an ultra-comfortable short-scale design.
For more information on these products as well as other Chicago Music Exchange exclusive instruments, visit the Chicago Music Exchange website at www.chicagomusicexchange.com or visit the Chicago Music Exchange Facebook page or Instagram account.
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Lutefish, the real-time music collaboration device and platform, is excited to announce a suite of new features designed to simplify setup, streamline collaboration, and offer more flexible subscription options for Lutefish Stream users. These latest updates, Audio Presets, Automatic Session Recall, Improved Scheduling with Contact Visibility, and a new Yearly Subscription Plan, are all about making it easier than ever for musicians to jam together, no matter where they’re based.
Save Time and Stay in the Flow with Audio Presets & Session Recall
Musicians can now save and reuse their exact audio settings, reducing setup time and ensuring every session sounds exactly as they want.
- Automatic Session Recall: When users leave a session, their current audio levels are automatically saved and restored when they rejoin.
- User-Defined Audio Presets: Each user can create and name up to five custom presets, like “Band Practice,” “Studio Mic Setup,” or “Quick Jam,” making it effortless to jump back in with the perfect sound.
“These tools are all about saving time and hassle,” said Patrick Finn, Business Manager at Lutefish. “Musicians want to make music, not spend time rebalancing levels every session. With presets and recall, we’re giving them time back and helping them sound their best, every time.”
Smarter Scheduling and Contact Visibility
The latest update to Lutefish also made it easier to find collaborators and book sessions. Users can now:- View all their contacts at a glance when scheduling a session.
- Instantly identify which contacts own a Lutefish Stream device—so they will always know who’s ready to jam.
Go Yearly and Save 20%
Lutefish now offers a Yearly Subscription Plan, providing users with the same great access as the monthly plan at a 20% discount.
This option is now available within the Lutefish app and web platform, and current monthly users are eligible for a discount with an upgrade to a yearly subscription.
Lutefish’s mission has always been to empower musicians to connect and collaborate without boundaries. With these new updates, Lutefish Stream continues to break down barriers—whether you’re jamming with a friend across town or collaborating with a bandmate 500 miles away.
For more information and to start jamming today, visitlutefish.com.
Few musical acts did more to put their fame and fortune to good use than punk rock icon Wayne Kramer. Known for his enduring commitment to activism, especially in justice reform, his life story embodies the defiant, DIY ethos of punk, directly inspiring generations of bands and musicians who followed. Now, fans and fellow musicians alike can attempt to emulate Kramer’s incendiary sound with the new, limited-edition pedal.
Designed before his death in February 2024, Wayne Kramer—together with friend Jimi Dunlop (Dunlop CEO) and Daredevil Pedals owner Johnny Wator —the pedal features artwork from artist and activist Shepard Fairey (Obey Clothing founder). A majority of profits from the sale of the pedal goes directly to Kramer’s charity supporting the rehabilitation of incarcerated people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.
In honor of his close friend, Tom Morello—the innovative guitarist behind Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, the Nightwatchman, and more—demoed the pedal, showcasing its sound and shining light on Wayne Kramer’s incredible legacy.
Tom Morello Introduces MC5 Wayne Kramer-Inspired Pedal For Charity: MXR Jail Guitar Doors Drive
"What they've tried to bake into the MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive distortion pedal is not just Wayne's sound but Wayne's attitude, and the grit and the rawness of Detroit and of the MC5," said Morello, one of Kramer’s best friends, during his demo of the pedal. "This is the guitar pedal that was used on the song 'Heavy Lifting' that I recorded with Wayne for the last MC5 record.
"Named after the late rocker's charity—which provides instruments and art workshops to incarcerated individuals as rehabilitation tools—the MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal aims to capture all of the high-voltage energy of Wayne Kramer's sound. It features two uniquely voiced gain circuits cascaded together with a singular pot controlling both the output level of each circuit and the overall saturation level of the distortion.
Music makers looking to capture Kramer’s raw, fiery sound can pick up the new MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal, exclusively on Reverb via The Official MXR Jail Guitar Doors Drive Reverb Shop for $199, here: https://reverb.com/shop/the-official-mxr-jail-guitar-doors-reverb-shop.
Kiesel Guitars has introduced their newest solid body electric guitar: the Kyber.
With its modern performance specs and competitive pricing, the Kyber is Kiesel's most forward-thinking design yet, engineered for comfort, quick playing, and precision with every note.
Introducing the Kiesel Kyber Guitar
- Engineered with a lightweight body to reduce fatigue during long performances without sacrificing tone. Six-string Kybers, configured with the standard woods and a fixed bridge, weigh in at 6 pounds or under on average
- Unique shape made for ergonomic comfort in any playing position and enhanced classical position
- The Kyber features Kiesel's most extreme arm contour and a uniquely shaped body that enhances classical position support while still excelling in standard position.
- The new minimalist yet aggressive headstock pairs perfectly with the body's sleek lines, giving the Kyber a balanced, modern silhouette.
- Hidden strap buttons mounted on rear for excellent balance while giving a clean, ultra-modern look to the front
- Lower horn cutaway design for maximum access to the upper frets
- Sculpted neck heel for seamless playing
- Available in 6 or 7 strings, fixed or tremolo in both standard and multiscale configurations Choose between fixed bridges, tremolos, or multiscale configurations for your perfect setup.
Pricing for the Kyber starts at $1599 and will vary depending on options and features. Learn more about Kiesel’s new Kyber model at kieselguitars.com
The Sunset is a fully analog, zero latency bass amplifier simulator. It features a ¼” input, XLR and ¼” outputs, gain and volume controls and extensive equalization. It’s intended to replace your bass amp both live and in the studio.
If you need a full sounding amp simulator with a lot of EQ, the Sunset is for you. It features a five band equalizer with Treble, Bass, Parametric Midrange (with frequency and level controls), Resonance (for ultra lows), and Presence (for ultra highs). All are carefully tuned for bass guitar. But don’t let that hold you back if you’re a keyboard player. Pianos and synthesizers sound great with the Sunset!
The Sunset includes Gain and master Volume controls which allow you to add compression and classic tube amp growl. It has both ¼” phone and balanced XLR outputs - which lets you use it as a high quality active direct box. Finally, the Sunset features zero latency all analog circuitry – important for the instrument most responsible for the band’s groove.
Introducing the Sunset Bass Amp Simulator
- Zero Latency bass amp simulator.
- Go direct into the PA or DAW.
- Five Band EQ:
- Treble and Bass controls.
- Parametric midrange with level and frequency controls.
- Presence control for extreme highs.
- Resonance control for extreme lows.
- Gain control to add compression and harmonics.
- Master Volume.
- XLR and 1/4" outputs.
- Full bypass.
- 9VDC, 200mA.
Artwork by Aaron Cheney
MAP price: $210 USD ($299 CAD).