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GALLERY: Summer NAMM 2011 - Day 2 Editors' Picks

Cool gear from the floor at Summer NAMM 2011

Ansir Music shows off a new Avandaro 5-string bass at Summer NAMM 2011. Every ergonomic Ansir instrument is carved (no CNC) from exotic woods and is measured and designed to match each particular player.

Check out our other galleries from Summer NAMM: Day 1 - Day 3

Why Randy Rhoads Makes Chris Shiflett Cry
- YouTube

Your esteemed hosts of the 100 Guitarists podcast have been listening to Randy Rhoads’s body of work since they learned the word “pentatonic.” His short discography with Ozzy Osbourne has been emblazoned on both of our fingertips, and we’ve each put in our hours working out everything from the “Crazy Train” riff to the fingerpicked intro to “Diary of a Madman.” But in our extended Premier Guitar fam, we have an expert who’s been studying Randy’s licks since longer than either of us have been alive.

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The Meteora’s upscale second outing has a lot more in common with its offset siblings than its sleek modern looks imply—and that’s a wonderful thing.

Excellent array of tones, from heavy to bluesy, indie, and funky. Great playability.

Pricey. Knobs feel somewhat rough. On-the-fly contour adjustments take some getting used to.

$2,249

Fender American II Meteora
fender.com

4
4
5
3.5

When Fender debuted the Meteora body shape in 2018 (as the Parallel Universe Meteora), I was among those who immediately thought it looked like a pretty worthy addition to the company’s venerated line of “offset” guitars. Taken in hand, though, the guitar may have struck some as having a bit of an identity crisis—which may account for the changes we see in the third iteration, the new American Ultra II.

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Discover the iconic Mary Ford Les Paul Standard in Goldtop finish, a tribute to the trailblazing music icon and her groundbreaking partnership with Gibson legend Les Paul.

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Add a splash of motion and mystery to a flat amp with this simple, streamlined, vintage-flavored tremolo and reverb stomp.

Simplicity and utility. Lively spring reverb simulation. Smart, spacious control layout. Nicely dovetailed modulation and reverb tones.

Can’t use harmonic tremolo or vibrato with spring reverb simulation.

$229

Keeley Zoma Stereo Reverb And Tremolo
keeley.com

4.5
4.5
5
4

There are days I plug into myFender Vibrolux, play an E minor chord with a little vibrato arm flourish, and ask, “What more could I ever need?” The simple, elegant perfection of Fender’s reverb and tremolo formula is so foundational, essential, and flat-out delicious to the senses that it gave rise to a class of pedals that consolidate the essence of that recipe.

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