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Gallery: 2013 L.A. Amp Show

A look at some of the hottest new boutique guitars, amps, and pedals from the Oct. 5-6 show in Van Nuys, California.

M-Tone Guitars' new Counterpunch features a mahogany body and pau ferro neck with a rosewood fretboard, and is fitted with Lollar Imperial humbuckers controlled by a master volume and tone, as well as a neck-pickup volume for added versatility. All M-Tones are handmade by master sculptor Matt Proctor, whose "no plastic parts" motto means no two leave the factory exactly the same. With its unique cloth-stenciled paisley finish, this Counterpunch will sell for $2,600.

In recent years, Samantha Fish’s most often-used guitar was this alpine white Gibson SG, but it ran into some issues last summerā€”ā€œI ended up having to reglue the neckā€ā€”and it is now on hiatus.

Photo by Douglas Mason

The rising blues-rock star has made a dozen records, topped roots-music charts, played 150 dates a year, and opened for the Rolling Stones. Now her new album, Paper Doll, finds her at a hard-playing creative pinnacle.

Samantha Fish is moving in new circles these days—circles occupied by the kind of people you see a lot on classic-rock radio playlists. First there was the invitation from Eric Clapton to play at his 2023 Crossroads Guitar Festival in L.A. Then there was the summer ’24 slot on Slash’s S.E.R.P.E.N.T. tour, followed by the Experience Hendrix tour, on which she dug into Jimi classics in the company of Eric Johnson, Dweezil Zappa, and other luminaries. And, oh yeah, she opened for the Stones in Ridgedale, Missouri, on the final date of their Hackney Diamonds jaunt. That’s right, the Rolling Stones.

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Reader: Cary Cummings

Hometown: Seattle, WA

Guitar: Labrocaster


Cary Cummings’ dog-obsessed axes have appeared in this column in the past? Do any of our readers have a cat-o-caster? If so, please share.

A partscaster took on a whole new meaning when a simple canine-inspired logo took shape.

Winter was coming. I wanted to make my sunburst sunnier. I wanted to update and revive it—something classy, yet sassy, like the unsinkable John Bohlinger’s rakish hairdo (I’d wager he is a Dapper Dan man). It needed to sound vibrant, look happy, play great, and be versatile enough to cover a lot of ground. Something that calls out: ā€œPlay me! Let’s get lost for a while and forget our troubles.ā€

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Photo by David Bartus: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-playing-electric-guitar-435840/

Intermediate

Intermediate

• Get familiar with power chords on every string set

• Create new sounds with tried-and-true shapes

• Use the entire neck with compelling power-chord-based lines

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We all know that grip, but power chords actually come in many forms and sizes, and they fit equally well in a powerful riff or a more ethereal-sounding part. This lesson presents a handful of examples aimed at extending your power-chord vocabulary, with particular attention to range and orchestration.

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With ultra-lightweight construction, slim neck profiles, and a quick-swap pickguard system, Venus Revolution guitars provide tonal versatility and personalized flair.

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