
Dig into the details of a pile of new gear from Steve Vai, MXR, Abasi Concepts, Dophix, b3, and more!
Taylor 722ce
Taylor Guitars brought a new pair of 700-series acoustics to the show. The new Koa-based line was born out of a particular grade of wood that sits between their K series and the wood they use for veneers. The 724ce and 722ce both feature Expression 2 preamps and an ultra-thin finish. Each one will street for $3,499.
Eventide TriceraChorus
Although the Dot9 line of pedals have been out for a bit, Eventide officially brought this quartet of stomps to the masses at the NAMM show. The lineup covers well-known H9 algorithms such as the Blackhole, old-school EVH-style micro pitch tones, massive chorus sounds, pristine delays, and more.
Martin Custom Guitar
Here's the 2,500,000th guitar to come through Martinās factory and built by their team. The guitar was made from birdseye Belizean rosewood and heavy Sitka spruce. Display built by Jody Betz.
Positive Grid Spark Mini
Positive Grid announced the Spark Mini, which is a full featured practice amp that also works as a Bluetooth speaker. The free app allows for deep signal-chain editing and comes loaded with a ton of amp and effects. They are taking pre-orders now at an intro price of $195.
Dreadbox Treminator
At $199, Dreadboxās Treminator goes way past trad-style trem. It offers five different wave shapes, fade in/out controls, tap tempo, and a handful of āsecretā features when you hold down one of the footswitches. Think Minus the Bear in a box.
VegaTrem VT-2
Do you love Teles and wigglesticks? VegaTrem just gave us a quick look a the VT-2, which takes there rock-solid trem technology and applies it to T-style setups. Installation isnāt invasive and the bar feels smooth as silk. Pricing is TBA, but look for them this fall.
Manhattan Prestige Basses Session One
Famed session legend Neil Jason founded a new instrument company called Manhattan Prestige Basses and brought their first model, the Session One, to NAMM. Itās an incredibly well-balanced instrument that sports an alder body, maple neck, Tusq nut, Luminay fret markers, and a Wilkinson bridge. A rock-solid workhorse that comes in at $999 street.
Imperial Electric: The Appetite
Red Witchās Ben Fulton debuted his new company, Imperial Electric, and pair of amp-in-a-box pedals that pay tribute to two seminal guitar heroes. The Zeppelin aims to capture the tone from a particularly influential MSG concert film by combining a Echoplex-style preamp with a FET-based plexi-style amp circuit. The Appetite takes aim at the sound of the Sunset Strip by combining a more modern-sounding FET-based amp circuit with a germanium boost to push it over the top. Both will street for $229 each.
GTRS S800
The S800 from GTRS is powered by Mooerās robust modeling technology. This S-style guitar pairs with a Bluetooth foot controller (sold separately) and an app to craft nearly any kind of signal chain you can imagine. Thereās a single control knob on the guitar that allows you to cycle through presets on the fly. All for about $1,000 street.
Audient EVO16
The Audient EVO16 is a fully featured recording solution that offers 8 inputs, phantom power, multiple headphone outputs, and an inventive Smart Gain feature that makes setting levels a snap. Will hit stores soon at $499.
Pro Co Lil' Rat
The classic tone of the Rat has been shrunk into a micro-sized enclosure. It has the exact same circuitry and clipping as the original, just smaller. In order to save space they took out the battery option, but it still sounds as gnarly as ever. And quite a deal at $79.
Blackstar St. James
Blackstar spent the last two years developing a new line of ultra-powerful and ultra-light amps. The St James series offers two different setups (6L6 and EL84) that include a full 3-band EQ, dual channels, reverb, reactive load options, and deep editing via an app. Heads are $1,199, combos are $1,299, and the 2x12 can is $749.
Martin D-28 Rich Robinson Guitar
Martin just released a new signature model from Rich Robinson that was patterned after his dadās ā50s model. It has rosewood back and sides, a chunky neck, Sitka spruce too, and is the first artist model that's aged to replicate the original. It will street for $6,999 and be out in late summer.
Ernie Ball Music Man Tosin Abasi Kaizen
Futuristic shredder Tosin Abasi just announced a new collaboration with Ernie Ball Music Man. The Kaizen is an immaculately designed 7-string that sports a mini humbucker in the neck, Steinberger tuners, a multiscale neck with floating trem, and much more. Should be out in late summer with a price TBA.
Steve Vai Hydra
One of the most incredible creations at this yearās show was Steve Vaiās Ibanez Hydra. It was prominently featured on Vaiās last album and the up-close details are amazing.
Tom Quayle SignatureĀ
Ibanez and fusion stylist Tom Quayle extended their partnership with a singlecut signature model that's loaded with a Seymour Duncan mini-humbucker in the neck and an Alnico Pro II in the bridge.
Abasi Concepts emiāĀ Series
Abasi Concepts just launched their emi series which includes options for standard fret spacing, SSS and HSS pickup configurations and much more. Keep an eye on their website as these will be released in batches through their mailing list.
Dophix Michelangelo Overdrive Plus
Italian pedal maker Dophix showed us their entire line and these two were the standouts. The Michelangelo Overdrive Plus is a fully featured boost/OD combo that houses three different clipping modes (FET, silicon, and germanium), a blend control, and switchable effect order. The Galileo Optical Tremolo can go from swirly, comforting waves to stuttering noisemaking fuel. Each will be available for $399 street.
b3 Guitars Telstar
Gene Baker and b3 Guitars brought their mashed-up Telstar to the show. It pays obvious tribute to a pair of classic models, but this one features a 10(!)-way switch, Lollar pickups, a double graphite reinforced bolt-on neck, and a MannMade hybrid tremolo. They will be exclusively sold through The Music Emporium and will start at $5,200.
Gamechanger Audio Bigsby Pedal
Gamechanger Audio's new collaboration with Fender has resulted in a digital version of a seminal tremolo. The Bigsby pedal allows for both upward and downward polyphonic pitch bending in addition to adjusting the rate of the vibrato. It feels smooth and natural and makes the more extreme Bigsby moves much easier. It's available now for $379.
Black Volt Amplification Earthcaster
Typically, Black Volt Amplification is known for their line of rustic amps, but this year they brought a few new guitars. The Earthcaster and Lightning Bolt are T-style guitars that are built out of old-growth wood. Depending on what the custom is looking for there are various customizable options that can be included. The Earthcaster starts at $3,200 and the Lightning Bolt starts at $4,200.
MXR and Third Man Hardware Double Down
The latest pedal collab from Jack White's Third Man Records is the Double Down. Inside, there are two of MXR's Micro Amp circuits in a single box. It has dual outputs with phase and buffer switches on the side. Should be out later this year.
The Brian May Gibson SJ-200 12-string in the hands of the artist himself.
Despite a recent health scare, guitarist Brian May cannot be stopped. With the Queen reissue project, heās celebrating his legacy, and with his new SJ-200āa limited edition signature Gibson acoustic guitarāhe looks to the future.
Long lasting instrumental relationships are something we love to root for. Neil Young and Old Black, Willie Nelson and Triggerāthose are inseparable pairings of artist and instrument where, over the course of long careers, those guitars have been shaped, excessively in both cases, by the hands that play them. Eddie Van Halen went steps beyond with Frankenstein, assembling the guitar to his needs from the get-go. But few rock ānā roll relationships imbue the kind of warm-and-fuzzy feelings as the story of Brian May and his dad building Red Special, the very instrument that hung around his neck for his rise to superstardom and beyond.
Together, with a legion of Vox AC30s and a few effects, May and his homemade Red Special have created some of the richest, most glorious guitar sounds that have ever been documented. It is with that guitar in his hands that heās crafted everything from his velveteen guitar orchestras to his frenetic riffs and luxuriant harmonies to his effortlessly lyrical leads, which matched the dramatic melodic motifs of Freddie Mercury in one of the most dynamic lead singer/guitarist pairings in rock music.
Although it has a smaller role in his body of work, overshadowed by such an accomplished, prolific electric guitar C.V., Mayās acoustic playing is a major part of the story of his music. His bold opening strums of āCrazy Little Thing Called Loveā are some of the most recognizable D-major chords in the classic-rock canon, and his supportive work on āSpread Your Wingsā adds lush dimension between Freddie Mercuryās arpeggiated piano chords and his rich electric guitarmonies. The multi-tracked 12-string figure that opens āā39āāhis ācosmic folk songāāis among his most recognizable.
Itās a surprise, then, that when I ask May about the acoustic guitars used while recording with Queen, the most notable is his Hallfredh acoustic, a ācheap as hellā guitar from a virtually unknown brand. āMy little old acoustic, which I swapped with my dear friend at school,ā he reminisces. āThe strings were so low on it that everything buzzed like a sitar. I capitalized on that and put pins on it instead of the bridge saddles, and you can hear that stuff on āThe Night Comes Downā [from Queen]. I used it all the way through Queenās recordings, like on āJealousyā [from Jazz] years later and lots of things.ā He also recalls his Ovation 12-string and some others, but the Hallfredh remains in the foreground of his acoustic memories.
The cosmic inlays on the Brian May SJ-200 represent the rock legendās work in the field of astrophysics, in which he holds a PhD.
In recent years, May has been performing the 1975 ballad and emotional Mercury vehicle āLove of My Life,ā which appears on A Night at the Opera, as an acoustic tribute to the late singer. May and his acoustic 12-string sit center stage each night as he leads the crowd through a heartwarming rendition of the song, joined at its climax by a video of Mercury. For that powerful, commanding moment, heās relied on āa number of guitars we wonāt mention, but it just came to the point where Iām thinking, āThis isnāt sounding as good as I would like it to.āā
At one concert, a Gibson representative who was around piped up and offered to make him a guitar to his specs specifically for this piece. āI was surprised that they would notice me in the first place,ā May recalls, ābecause part of me never grew up.ā A surprising take from a rock star of such stature, but he explains, āIām still a kid who was reading the Gibson catalogs and not able to afford anything, seeing the SGs and the Les Pauls and dreaming of being able to own a Gibson guitar. I now have a couple of the SGs, which I absolutely love, but, of course, I made my own guitar and I now have my own guitar company, so I went a different way. But to me this was a joy that they would offer to make me a guitar, which I could take out onstage.ā
After building one for the guitarist, Gibson created a limited edition run of 100 instruments of the new model, called the Brian May SJ-200 12-string. Featuring a AAA Sitka spruce top with a vintage sunburst finish, AAA rosewood back and sides, a 2-piece AAA maple neck with walnut stringer, and a rosewood fretboard, itās a top-of-the-line acoustic. The most noticeable feature on the SJ-200 is probably the string arrangement, which is flippedāas is most commonly found on Rickenbacker 12-stringsāwith the lower string above the higher string in each course. May has made that modification on other 12s, because he likes to string the high string first when fingerpicking. āYou get an incredibly pure sound that way,ā he points out. āāLove of My Lifeā is a good exampleāif itās strung the other way, it sounds very different.ā
On its pickguard, all seven of the other planets in our solar system are etched. The shaded one, close at hand, is Mercury, a tribute to the Queen singer.
Mayās aesthetic customizations draw from his astrophysics work and add a personal sparkle to the large-bodied acoustic. The pickguard features a custom design with the seven other planets in the system, which is to say, not Earth. Mercury sits close at hand, a tribute to the singer. The fretboard and headstock include 8-point star inlaysāto give a āmore cosmic feelingāāthat are made from agoya shell, as are the bridge inlays.
āIt became a discussion about art and science, which I love,ā May says of the design process. āThatās probably the biggest thread in my life, this path trodden, some people would say, between art and science. But I would say that theyāre the same thing. So, I just tread among art and science.ā
Mayās own Gibson has already appeared in concert during the āLove of My Lifeā segment of Queenās show, and occasionally for āā39.ā On social media, where May stays active, many fans caught a glimpse of the guitar when he posted a new song for Christmas Eve. āI just wanted to say Merry Christmas, and thatās the way it came out,ā he says. āIt was incredibly spontaneous. I wanted it to be a gift. I didnāt want it to be, in any way, a way of advertising or making money or anything. It was just a Merry Christmas gift to whoever wants to listen to me.ā
āIt became a discussion about art and science, which I love,ā
While that was one of the first things created with the new Gibson, he has more plans. āIāve been playing around with it. In fact, weāve been dropping the D,ā he says, hinting at some future plans with guitarist-vocalist Arielle. āI have quite a few songs with the bottom D dropped. I havenāt normally played them acoustic or 12-string, but Iām discovering that some of that sounds really good. It gets such a lovely big clang and a big depth to it.ā
Recently, May spent a great deal of time looking back as the band prepped the Queen I box set. The remixed, remastered, and very expanded version of their 1973 debut, Queenātheyāve added the āIā hereāwhich was released last October, encompasses a rebuild of the entire record, plus additional takes, backing tracks, a version recorded specifically for John Peelās BBC Radio 1 show, and a 1974 live concert recording from Londonās Rainbow Theatre.May says of his new Gibson: āTo me, this was a joy that they would offer to make me a guitar."
Revisiting this early document over 50 years later, itās amazing to hear how well-developed the guitaristās sound already wasāfull of the propulsive riffs and harmonies that would become part of his signature. May concurs, āYou go back into these tracks quite forensically, and I hear myself in the naked tracks and I think, āWow, I didnāt realize that I could do that at that point.ā It must have happened very quickly.ā
Reflecting on those formative times, he continues, āI think thereās a period of just exploding, knowing what it is in your head, and striving to make what you play match whatās in your head. But I see it in other people, too. Sometimes, I go back and listen to the first Zeppelin album, and they were pretty young when they made that. But I think, āMy God, how did they get that far and so quick?āā
āI thought guitars do work as primary orchestral instruments, so thatās what I want to do.ā
Before Queen, May had already recorded a two-part guitar solo on the song āEarth,ā a late-ā60s track recorded with his earlier band, Smile, which also featured future Queen drummer Roger Taylor. While that lead certainly points toward the ambition in Mayās later work, its raw untamedness doesnāt quite show evidence of his ultimate precision. But he says he had it in mind from early on. āThere werenāt any more tracks to do three partsā when they recorded with Smile, he says, ābut I always dreamed of it. It goes back a long, long way to hearing harmonies in other ways from the Everly Brothers, from Buddy Holly and the Crickets, from all sorts of things that we were listening to when we were kids.
āI wanted to make the sound of an orchestra just using guitars, and thereās other little inspirations along the way,ā he continues. āJeff Beck was an inspiration because thereās that wonderful track, āHi Ho Silver Lining,ā which Jeff hated. But thereās one bit where he double-tracks the solo and in just one point it breaks into a two-part harmony, probably by accident. I guess I should have asked himādamn well wish I had. But that sound echoed in my head, and I thought guitars do work as primary orchestral instruments, so thatās what I want to do. I could hear it in my head for a long time before I could make it actually happen.ā
Brian May and his Red Special at a recent concert.
Photo by Steve Rose
Though the Queenrecording sessions gave the guitarist his first opportunity to explore the larger harmonized sections that would become part of his signature, many of the sounds on the record left the band dissatisfied. Recorded at Trident Studios in London, the young band could only afford to use the room during downtime. Over the course of four months, they had sessions, usually at night, with in-house producers John Anthony and Roy Thomas Baker, both early supporters. However, the Trident style and sound wasnāt what Queen had in their collective ears, and theyāve remained unhappy with the sonic quality of their debut all these years.
The drums were the bandās primary issue, which Taylor describes as having a āvery dry, quite fat, dead sound.ā Mayās tone is recognizably his own. āWell, Iām a very pushy person,ā he laughs. āBut nevertheless, it was difficult for me, too. Because of this Trident style of recording, the intention was not to have room sound on it. I kind of pushed, I suppose, to have a mic on the back of the amp as well as the front. That gave me a bit more air. I did feel a little hampered and the change is more subtle on the guitar, but itās there.
āJeff Beck was an inspiration because thereās that wonderful track, āHi Ho Silver Lining,ā which Jeff hated. But thereās one bit where he double tracks the solo and in just one point it breaks into a two-part harmony, probably by accident.ā
āItās funny because it changed radically as time went on,ā he continues. āAnd I can remember by the time we got to Sheer Heart Attack, Roy is putting mics all over the room and miking up windows in the booth and whatever to get maximum room sounds. Itās certainly nice to go back and make everything sound the way we pretty much wouldāve liked it to sound at the time.ā
With Queen I out, a new Queen IIset is in the works, which May calls āa very different kettle of fish.ā The drum sounds on their sophomore effort were more in line with the bandās original vision, but the dense layers of overdubs that famously appear on the record came at a cost. āI think it is the biggest step musically and recording-wise that we ever made,ā says May. āBut thereās a lot of congestion in there. Thereās mud because of all this generation-loss stuff [caused by overdubs], and because we liked to saturate the tape, which seemed like a good idea at the time. It made it sound loud. But if you disentangle that and get the bigness in other ways, I think Queen II is going to sound massive.ā
The AAA rosewood back and sides of Mayās signature acoustic are stunning.
At 77 years old, May certainly seems to keep his schedule packed with music workānot to mention his animal advocacy and scientific endeavors. In May of last year, though, everything came to a halt when the guitarist suffered a stroke. āI couldnāt get a fork from the table to my mouth without it all going all over the place,ā he recalls. āIt was scary.ā Luckily, things began turning around quickly. āAfter only a few days, itās amazing what you can get back. By sheer willpower, you just start retraining your muscle.ā Not quite a year on when we speak, May estimates heās regained 95 percent of his abilities, which, he says, āis enough.
āThe short answer is, āIām good,āā he assures.
May is in great spirits and appears excited about all his recent projects, finished and in-progress alike. In this time of looking back on his earliest works, I ask him to think about his beginnings, when he would gaze at Gibson catalogs but had to build his own guitar out of necessity, because, as he points out, he ācouldnāt afford anything else.ā
So, what would young Brian May, stepping into an afterhours session at Trident, making his bandās debut, think about his new limited edition signature model Gibson acoustic? He takes a long pause. āIt would have been ā¦ā he pauses again, āunthinkable.ā
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The Delecaster offers a passionate Mexican-culture spin on the tried-and-true Tele model.
Drawing on the appointments of the traditional acoustic instruments that have been the Delgado familyās stock-in-trade for three generations, a new take on the Tele is born.
Growing up as the son and grandson of luthiers renowned for their concert classical and flamenco guitars, I was immersed in the world of handcrafted instruments from a young age. While I learned the traditional techniques passed down through generations, my musical tastes spanned a wide spectrum, from the soulful melodies of boleros and mariachi to the raw energy of punk and folk. This diverse musical upbringing instilled in me a deep appreciation for the unique character and personality of different guitar styles.
At Delgado Guitars, we build more than 45 different types of stringed instruments that help players cover plenty of ground. Our concert classical guitars, bajo quintos, acoustic steel strings, and mariachi instruments are sought after by musicians worldwide, often with a waiting list. In recent years, we've expanded our lineup to include a modern classic with a twist: the Delecaster. Itās not an acoustic instrument, but bear with me. I think itās a story worth sharing.
My vision for the Delecaster was to create an instrument that honored the iconic Telecaster design while infusing it with the distinct flavor of my Latin American heritage. I've always been drawn to the elegant simplicity and versatility of the Telecaster, but I also wanted to push the boundaries and explore new sonic possibilities.
āI've always been drawn to the elegant simplicity and versatility of the Telecaster, but I also wanted to push the boundaries and explore new sonic possibilities.ā
āEach Delecaster is handcrafted in our workshop, where traditional techniques mingle with modern innovations. We use only fine tonewoods, carefully selected for their resonance and beauty. The body is typically crafted from lightweight ash, known for its bright and articulate sound. The maple neck provides a smooth and comfortable playing experience, while the 9.5"-radius, 25.5"-scale-length ebony fretboard adds a touch of warmth and sustain.
One of the hallmarks of the Delecaster is its unique aesthetic. I drew inspiration from the intricate inlay work and vibrant colors found in our traditional Latin American instruments, and incorporated these elements into the Delecaster's design. The binding is what you would see on our bajo sexto instruments and similar to designs on our vihuela or guitarrón. The purfling I have also used to create rosettes on requintos and jaranas. The vibrant colors are seen throughout Mexicoās art, architecture, and festivals. They have spiritual and mythological meanings, and can represent beliefs, passion, and tradition.
The combination of Fralin Vintage Hot Tele pickups and a 4-way switch system delivers a wide range of tonal possibilities, from classic Telecaster twang to thick, overdriven tones. The Wilkinson string-through bridge with compensated saddles ensures accurate intonation and sustain, while the Wilkinson tuners provide smooth and precise tuning, and the bone nut adds a touch of warmth and clarity to the overall tone.
At Delgado Guitars, we believe that the soul of an instrument lies in the hands of its maker. Thatās why we don't rely on CNC machines, shapers, or assembly lines. I pour my heart and soul into each instrument. From the initial selection of tonewoods to the final setup and inspection, every step of the process is carried out with the utmost care and attention to detail. We take pride in our work, and the Delecaster demonstrates this passion.
The Delecaster is a work of art, a symbol of cultural fusion, and a testament to the power of human creativity. Itās an instrument designed to inspire musicians to express themselves in new and exciting ways. Wherever weāre from, isnāt that what weāre all looking for?
The fast-rising, indie-rock outfit shows how they bring their varied four-piece string section to life on tour.
Last yearās Manning Fireworks was a breakout moment for Asheville, North Carolinaās MJ Lenderman, which is both the name of the band and the actual name of singer and guitarist Jake Lenderman, who also plays in the band Wednesday. The record topped plenty of year-end lists and drew favorable comparisons to the likes of Neil Young, Dinosaur Jr., and other stars of the pre- and post-ā90s indie-rock boom.
On tour behind the record, the band stopped in at Birmingham, Alabama, joint Saturn on February 1. PGās Chris Kies met up with Lenderman, guitarist Jon Samuels, pedal-steel player Xandy Chelmis, and bassist Landon George before the show to get the dirt on their dirt.
Brought to you by DāAddario.The SG
Lendermanās main guitar these days is this 1979 Gibson The āSG,ā which he bought in Birmingham while opening for Plains. Itās tuned to D standard, with Ernie Ball Beefy Slinky strings.
Do the Mascis Mash
Itās no surprise that Lenderman digs the Squier J Mascis Signature Jazzmaster. Heās a big Dinosaur Jr. fan and got to sit in with them in Los Angeles to play āIn A Jarā in December 2024. From top to bottom, this one is tuned CāGāDāGāGāE for āYouāre Every Girl to Me.ā
Tele Time
This Fender American Vintage II 1977 Telecaster Deluxe comes out for cleaner needs in the set.
Original Jazz
This is Lendermanās iconic 2008 Jazzmaster, which he bought back in Asheville.
Hi-Steppin'
Lenderman borrowed a Hiwatt to use at some hometown shows in Asheville and fell in love, so he brings this Custom 50 out on the road now. Heās working his way to a full J Mascis setup, āone cab at a time.ā
MJ Lenderman's Board
Lendermanās clean, easy board has a DāAddario tuner, Death By Audio Interstellar Overdriver Deluxe, a Dunlop wah which he uses as a subtle filter, and TC Electronic Flashback 2.
Loan from Lenderman
Lenderman recorded plenty with this Fender Player Telecaster, but now Samuels puts it to work
Hartzman's Hot Rod
Another loaner, this Hot Rod DeVille combo is on long-term borrow from Wednesdayās Carly Hartzman.
Jon Samuel's Board
Samuelsā board, which is a hybrid of his own pedals and even more borrowed units, carries a Hardwire HT-6 polyphonic tuner, Death By Audio Fuzz War, JHS Double Barrel, Dunlop wah, J. Rockett Archer Clean Boost, Joyo Tremolo, EHX Nano Small Stone, and TC Electronic Flashback 2.
Xandy's ZB
Chelmis, also a member of Wednesday, plays this 10-string ZB Custom, made in the early ā70s with a proprietary pickup. It stays in E9 tuning, and Chelmis makes it sing with a steel he bought from a pawn shop. It runs through a Fender Twin Reverb outfitted with a single 15", and a Goodrich H-120 volume pedal handles swelling duties. From time to time, Chelmis adds in a Guyatone SD2 sustainer for some fuzzy fun.
Precision Vision
Georgeās go-to is this 2006 Fender Mike Dirnt Precision Bass, strung with Ernie Ball medium-gauge flatwound strings.
Better Beta
George runs through a Sunn Beta Bass head into an Ampeg SVT810E cabinet.
Landon George's Board
On his board, George packs a Korg Pitchblack tuner, Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Bass, Boss DD-7, Darkglass Electronics Alpha Omega, and a Noble Amplifier Company utility box: Itās a tube preamp, DI box, and power supply, all in one.
The solo artist and leader of Asking Alexandria and We Are Harlot finds inspiration in an innovative new guitar that he calls āabsolutely game changing.ā
āIām a big fan of old things,ā says Danny Worsnop. āFrom cameras to guitars to microphones to cars, I like the stories they tell and the lives theyāve lived. I think old stuff has more soul.ā
Best known as the lead vocalist of rock bands Asking Alexandria and We Are Harlot, British-born Worsnop has also released two solo albums that explore country and blues. Heās currently in the studio working on his third solo release.
With his love of vintage aesthetics and appreciation for instruments that age with character, heās spent much of his life searching for a guitar that feels like home. āIām always on the quest to find the perfect thing,ā he says.
For years, Taylorās GS Mini-e Koa Plus has been his go-to songwriting companion. āI donāt need a bunch of things to do the job,ā he explains. āThis guitar was the first one that did that, and itās been with me for years. The finish is beat up. Itās got shiny spots from the sweat on my arm. This has been my daily driver and workhorse and life partner since I got it. Itās more than a guitar. It has a life and a personality and a sound. You pick up any other GS Mini-e Koa Plus in the world, it doesn't sound like this one.ā
With his love of older things, Worsnop acknowledges the challenges of making a deep connection with an out-of-the-box acoustic. āAll the nice, shiny new guitars that anyone has sent me over the years are greatāI have fun with them,ā he says. āBut I've never loved them. I find it hard to love new stuff because it kind of doesn't have a life or personality yet.ā
Worsnopās done his best to infuse them with some of his own personality by tweaking them in different waysāchasing a specific feel and sound that makes a guitar feel more like an extension of himself rather than just another utilitarian tool. But his most recent acoustic arrival was different.
āItās more than a guitar. It has a life and a personality and a sound.ā
Striking Gold
Worsnop recently got his hands on Taylor Guitarsā new Gold Label 814e, designed by Andy Powers, the creative visionary behind many of Taylorās guitar innovations since 2011. For Taylorās new Gold Label Collection, Powers drew inspiration from the sound of flattop acoustics from the 1930s and 1940s.
Worsnop was immediately drawn to the Gold Label 814eās vintage-inspired visual aestheticāinfluenced by old banjos and mandolins, early Taylor designs, and Powersā pre-Taylor archtop guitars. But the true revelation came when he played it.
āWhen I saw this guitar... I mean, it looks super cool, like an older guitar,ā he says. āAnd the second I picked it up, it was different. It was like, this plays like a guitar that is so old and has stories and songs in it already. I fell in love with it.ā
Worsnop says that with other Taylors he has owned, including his GS Mini-e Koa Plus, he would often modify them in some way to give them a more vintage sensibility. But not with the Gold Label.
One of the defining features of the Gold Label 814e is its new Super Auditorium body shape. The non-cutaway body bears a clear family resemblance to Taylorās popular Grand Auditorium, but the Super Auditorium is slightly longer and wider at the lower bout, with a slightly shallower depth. The new body dimensions, combined with Andyās version of a long-tenon neck and his new fanned V-Class bracing pattern, are all key ingredients in a new sonic recipe that defines the sound of Taylorās Gold Label collection. The result is a warm, old-heritage voice thatās unlike anything Taylor has ever produced.
Worsnop says the guitar complements him musically because it supports his dynamic vocals with extraordinary volume and responsiveness to a lighter touch.
āBecause I sing loud, having something thatās loud enough, but not so loud that when I do drop down you canāt hear me anymore, is important for me,ā he explains.
The Gold Label 814e comes with back and sides of solid Honduran rosewood or solid Hawaiian koa (Worsnop has the Honduran rosewood model) paired with a torrefied Sitka spruce soundboard. Each model is available with a natural or sunburst top.
The Revolutionary Action Control Neckā¢
One of the standout features of the Gold Label 814e is Taylorās patented new Action Control Neckā¢, an innovative neck joint design that allows for quick, easy, and precise neck angle adjustments. It marks another step forward from the patented, micro-adjustable design Bob Taylor introduced back in 1999. Unlike traditional neck resets, this system, like Bobās, is also glue-less, and in this case enables effortless fine-tuning on the fly without having to remove the neck or even the strings, and without the use of shims. By simply using a 1/4" nut driver (or standard truss rod wrench) on a nut in the neck block (accessible through the soundhole), a player can raise or lower the action to dial in an ideal setup.
āIt is a massive deal,ā says Worsnop. āWhen it comes to traveling musicians, itās absolutely game changing. This allows you to do a micro-adjustment without having to get in the car and drive. When Iām in the studio, I like having that precision to be able to make it just perfect.ā
For professional musicians, service techs, and recreational players who want to quickly fine-tune their action, the innovative neck design marks a paradigm shift.
In Studio and Onstage
In his Tennessee home, Worsnop has an upstairs studio where he records most of his music. Itās where heās tested countless guitars, searching for the right fit. Though his trusty songwriting guitar has been the aforementioned GS Mini-e Koa Plusāperfect for capturing spontaneous new ideasāwhen it comes to recording, the Gold Label 814e has taken center stage.
āIām working on the new album right now,ā he shares. āIf Iām at home and Iām just wandering around downstairs, which is usually where and how writing happens, [the GS Mini] is the guitar Iām walking around with. And then as soon as thereās an idea, Iāll go upstairs, and itās the Gold Label. Honestly, I donāt play anything else up there now. I put the album recording on hold for this guitar. Itās the only guitar on the album.ā
And it wonāt just live in the studio. Worsnop plans to bring the Gold Label 814e on tour, making it his primary acoustic guitar for live performances.
Performance Highlight: "Ain't No Use"
In a recently recorded performance of his song āAināt No Useā, Worsnop showcases why the Gold Label 814e is such a great fit for him. The song, rich with storytelling and emotional depth, aligns well with the guitarās vintage aesthetic and warm tonal character. It explores the universal tension between who we are and who we want to be, while emphasizing the transformative power of acceptance despite imperfections. The guitarās deep, open sound and full-bodied, muscular tone are a perfect complement to Worsnopās soaring, soulful vocals, amplifying the expressiveness of his performance and highlighting a symbiosis between player and instrument. A video of the performance is featured at the top of this article.
For Worsnop, the Gold Label 814e represents the culmination of years of searching, experimenting and refining his sound. Itās an instrument that feels like it has lived a life, carrying with it the soul and character he always craved in an acoustic.
āI have played music since I was 6 years old, and Iāve spent my entire life looking for my instrument,ā he reflects. āAt 34, Iāve found it.ā