The top-shelf guitarist pulls back the curtain on the high-power amps, signature guitars, and boutique pedals he uses to power his live show.
Premier Guitar’s John Bohlinger hung with Steve Lukather and his tech, Jon Gosnell, shortly before Toto’s show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. While Gosnell covered the nuts and bolts of the pedalboard and amp, Lukather showed what his signature Music Man guitars are capable of.
We’re not slowing down! Enter Stompboxtober Day 15 for your chance to win today’s featured pedal from Solo Dallas!
Orbiter Fuzz Pedal
Discover the SoloDallas Orbiter Fuzz, a meticulously crafted effects pedal designed to combine genuine vintage tones with user-friendly versatility. Building upon the legacy of the 1966 Arbiter Fuzz, the Orbiter Fuzz adds fine-tuning circuitry to this already amazing vintage circuit.
This compact multi-effects unit provides four simultaneous effects with a user-friendly experience inspired by traditional guitar pedals.
The effects are based on the award-winning Axe-Fx III, and include hundreds of classic stompbox and studio effect models, including drives, delays, reverbs, choruses, flangers, phasers, pitch, plex, EQs, compressors, wah, tremolo, and many more.
Key features include:
• Uncompromising Sound Quality: True to Fractal Audio's reputation, the VP4 delivers pristine sound quality, and is suitable for use on the world's finest stages and studios.
• Four Footswitches: Classic ON/OFF switching makes it easy and intuitive to use the VP4 like four traditional pedals. Meanwhile, the factory default “Gig Mode” switching system places Presets, Scenes, Effects, Channels, Tuner, and Tap Tempo right at your feet.
• 104 Presets: Each preset is like a complete pedalboard with your choice of four effects. This flexibility allows a single VP4 to replace an entire collection of other effects. Additionally, each preset has its own Noise Gate, Master EQ/levels, and more.
• Expression Pedal Compatibility: Connect up to two expression pedals or switches for real-time control of effect settings. The Fractal Audio EV-1 and EV-2 are perfect choices!
• Accurate Tuner: The VP4 includes a dedicated large display tuner mode, plus a handy “mini-tuner” that’s always visible. It uses our latest pitch detector from the Axe-Fx III.
• Flexible, High-Quality Connectivity: Mono/stereo analog I/O, with unity gain an ultra-low noise floor, “4CM Mode” allows you to divide effects in front of your amp and in its loop. Plus: buffered analog bypass, SPDIF digital I/O, MIDI I/O, and USB audio/MIDI capabilities.
• Beyond the Basics: For those who want to go beyond a basic pedalboard, the VP4 supports Scenes, Channels, Modifiers, and more for a highly customizable experience.
• VP4-Edit: Customize your VP4 with VP4-Edit, a free companion software editor and librarian.
• Upgradeable Firmware: Like every Fractal Audio processor, the VP4 features upgradeable firmware, ensuring that you can enjoy free updates with new features and improvements.
The VP4 combines ease of use with exceptional performance, offering musicians a high-quality, versatile effects tool. Featuring a pristine signal path and rugged, road-ready design, the compact VP4 delivers world-class multi-FX processing to take your sound to the next level. The VP4 also works great with acoustic guitar, bass, keyboards, and other instruments.
Retail Price: $699 Availability: October 15, 2024 Visit https://fractalaudio.com/vp4 for updates and to purchase, or contact your local Fractal Audio dealer for inquiries outside the USA/Canada.
Fender's American Ultra II series offers the ultimate blend of tradition and modernity, featuring advanced Ultra Noiseless and new Haymaker Humbucker pickups, stunning finishes, and a sleek Modern “D” neck shape.
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) today continues its industry-defining innovation, launching the next iteration of the coveted American Ultra series—Fender’s most advanced series of electric guitars - by taking that hyper-modern recipe and turning it up to 11 for American Ultra II.
At a time when projections indicate the electric guitar market is set to grow by USD 1.45 billion from 2024-2028, driven by increasing demand for music-related leisure activities¹, the introduction of the American Ultra II series exemplifies a steadfast commitment to innovation, with every detail reflecting a relentless pursuit of perfection. At Fender, innovation is an ongoing, dynamic process fueled by a deep passion for enhancing the playing experience. Long before the American Ultra series hit the market, discussions were already underway about future possibilities, sparked by spontaneous experiments and real-world feedback from the innovators who play these guitars.
The American Ultra II series is built in Fender’s iconic California factory where guitars are meticulously crafted using a blend of time-honored techniques and state-of-the-art CNC technology, ensuring every instrument embodies the perfect balance of tradition and modernity. Massive green punch presses and decades-old tools, some dating back to the 1950s, sit alongside advanced machinery that allows for precise shaping and flawless consistency.
“With the work and heart that went into creating the American Ultra II series, there's a lot of soul in these guitars,” said Justin Norvell, EVP of Product at FMIC. “We refer to it as the “sports car” of the Fender lineup, it’s designed to push boundaries and redefine what a Fender guitar can be, catering to both traditionalists and those exploring new, faster, and more intricate playing styles. This is a guitar that doesn’t fight you; instead, it gets out of the way, allowing you to focus purely on your performance, whether you’re playing soulful solos, fast riffs, or complex chord progressions.”
Featuring stunning finishes, modern body contours, a Modern “D” neck shape, and the most advanced Ultra Noiseless™ and new Haymaker™ Humbucker pickups, American Ultra II bridges the gap between Fender’s classic designs and high-performance instruments typically associated with Fender’s specialty brands such as Charvel, EVH or Jackson. The guitars’ unique neck profiles provide an effortless glide along the fretboard, making for an incredibly smooth and responsive feel that increases precision. The American Ultra II series is an ideal fit for players who love the iconic look and sound of a Fender guitar, but crave the speed and playability of a performance guitar adept for playing across genres, from neo-soul and jazz to metal and funk.
A welcome balance to the ultra-modern specs, the American Ultra II also embodies the hallmark qualities that make Fender guitars timeless including unparalleled versatility, modularity, and signature tone. Whether a player is chasing the crystalline clarity of classic Stratocaster® sounds, the bite of a Telecaster®, or the deep growl of a Jazz Bass®, the American Ultra II series is built to handle it all. In addition to the standard models, the series includes Ultra II Jazz Bass® V, a left-hand Stratocaster® model as well Ultra II Meteora® guitar and bass.
Top Highlights Include:
- Fender’s Fastest-Playing Necks: The quartersawn maple neck has a comfortable modern “D” shape and is topped with an ebony or maple fingerboard with Luminlay side dots and Ultra rolled edges
- Upgraded Noiseless™ Pickups: The Ultra II Noiseless™ pickups deliver classic Fender® single-coil sound – without the hum
- Ultra Comfort And Playability: A sculpted neck heel and sleek rear body contours offer next-level comfort and playability
American Ultra II Models & Pricing
- American Ultra II Stratocaster - $2,199.99-2,249.99
- American Ultra II Stratocaster HSS - $2,249.99
- American Ultra II Telecaster - $2,199.99
- American Ultra II Meteora - $2,249.99
- American Ultra II Precision Bass - $2,199.99
- American Ultra II Jazz Bass - $2,299.99
- American Ultra II Jazz Bass V - $2,399.99
- American Ultra II Meteora Bass - $2,299.99
American Ultra II Series | Fender
Join Premier Guitar contributor Tom Butwin as he tries five powerful guitar plugins that will transform your guitar recordings.
