Mansons Guitar Shop & Bare Knuckle Pickups Collaborate for MBK-4 Pickup Set
The latest collaboration features tight, huge bass response and powerful output voiced for hard rock, metal, punk, and beyond.
With more kick than the existing MBK-1 and MBK-2 pickup sets, as featured on the companyās custom guitars and used by artists such as Matt Bellamy and Josh Homme, the new Manson MBK-3 pickup sets feature a tech spec to delight the player to whom the word ād-jentā needs no further explanation.
Far more flexible than a metal sounding pickup, Mansons has been busy experimenting with these custom pickups in several new guitars under wraps at their Devon-based workshops. The specs have been refined to provide a hard-hitting pickup thatās suited to hard rock, metal, punk, and other unruly sounds. Combining the power of three ceramic magnets in the bridge and an Isotropic Alnico V in the neck, these chrome custom etched pickups work in any humbucker equipped guitar.
The new passive pickups are handmade in the UK by Bare Knuckle pickups using the finest materials either manufactured by them or locally sourced. The MBK-3 pickup sets are available now and retail for Ā£229 (approx. $342).
For more information:
Mansons
The incendiary giant of psychedelic guitar concludes his 21-date world tour this weekend in New York City. In this photo essay, PGās editorial director reports on the opening date of the sonic architect of Pink Floydās historic five-concert run at MSG.
NEW YORK CITYāThereās a low, sustained tone that David Gilmour extracts from his Stratocaster at the beginning of Pink Floydās āSorrow.ā Itās the intimidating growl of a robotic tigerĀāor, more realistically, a blend of low-string sustain, snarling overdrive from a Big Muff, and delay that saturates the air and seems to expand into every bit of open space. Itās almost overpowering in its intensity, but it is also deeply beautiful.
That tone, and so many of the other sounds that Gilmour has conjured in his 46 years of recording with Pink Floyd and as a solo artist, inspired me to leave Nashville to attend the first concert of Gilmourās five-night stand at Madison Square Garden, on November 4. Iād been lucky enough to catch Gilmourās tour supporting 1984ās About Face and two later Pink Floyd concerts, but the guitarist is 78 this year, so I felt that the 21 dates heās playing in a mere four cities might be my last chance to be in the same room with all of his extraordinary tones. Plus, Pink Floyd, and especially Gilmourās solo recordings and his brilliant Live at Pompeii concert film, was my wife, Laurieās, and my refuge during the Covid lockdown. This was our opportunity to experience the sorcerer at work in one of his temples, where he and Pink Floyd first played in 1977.
Gilmour wields his Black Cat Strat, which he also played on Luck and Strangeās opener, āBlack Cat,ā in the studio.
Photo by Emma Wannie/MSGE
Was it worth the price of two concert tickets, flights, two nights in a Midtown hotel, and a subway ride? If you need to ask, itās likely youāre not as familiar with Gilmourās playing as I suggest that you should be. For guitarists, outside-the-box musical thinkers, and lovers of exceptional songwritingāand even concert lighting effects and live soundāthis show was a perfect 10. Gilmour and his ensemble, including his daughter Romany, performed a well-chosen set of tunes by Pink Floyd and from Gilmourās solo work, including his recent album Luck and Strange, which is more about composition than guitar exposition. Live, this was not the case. āLuck and Strange,ā āA Single Spark,ā and others from the album were expanded to include 6-string excursions thatāin his signature styleātook the lyrics as their inspiration and expanded their emotional architecture.
A close-up of Gilmourās famed Workmate guitar, a 1955 Fender Esquire that once belonged to Seymour Duncan.
Photo by Emma Wannie/MSGE
Repeatedly, Gilmour displayed his ability to play the perfect parts, and especially solos, for each song. Some, of course, like āTime,ā require sticking to text, but his expansions of āBreatheā and other numbers incorporated subtle improvisations dappled by pitch-changing, his emotive string bending, and numerous shifts in tone and phrasing that nonetheless always respected his unmistakable core sound. In Nashville, a frequent compliment is that a musician āalways plays the perfect part.ā For me, thatās a warning that Iām probably going to hear very professional and predictable playing all night long, and thatās usually boring. But Gilmourās ear-opening sounds and phrases are constantly peppered with surprisesāa hallmark of his characterful virtuosity. In the first of his Garden shows, he stepped outside the box while always respecting its contents, and it was a pleasure to hear him repeatedly practice that high art.
Guy Pratt remarked, while speaking to the audience before the show, that his first gig at MSG with Gilmour had been 37 years and one day earlier. Live, it was clear that Pratt is Gilmourās right-hand man, as he set up cues for the other players.
Photo by Emma Wannie/MSGE
A pre-tour rumor was that Gilmour would not be playing any Pink Floyd numbers. That seemed unlikely, given his role as the composer and vocalist of so many of the bandās showcase songs. And, indeed, āSpeak to Me,ā āBreathe,ā āTime,ā āMaroonedā (with its pitch-defying solo), āWish You Were Here,ā āHigh Hopes,ā āSorrow,ā āA Great Day for Freedom,ā āThe Great Gig in the Sky,ā āComing Back to Life,ā and āComfortably Numbā were all present during the roughly two-and-a-half hours of music. What seemed remarkable throughout was not only the perfection of Gilmourās playing but his ability to still hit every vocal high note with the same energy and accuracy of the original recordings, including his superb recreation of the scatting in āWish You Were Here.ā
Gilmourās acoustic guitar, especially on āWish You Were Here,ā sparkled with clarity and articulation, and his scatting on that song proved that at 78 he can still summon the power and precision to hit the high vocal notes.
Photo by Emma Wannie/MSGE
āWish You Were Hereā was his first acoustic guitar excursion of the concert, and he and supporting guitarist Ben Worsley made the song a trip in the Wayback Machine, effortlessly conjuring the introductionās vibrant appeal and deep emotionalism. Their acoustic instruments sounded crisp and resonant through the arena-sized PA, which should not have been surprising given Gilmour and Pink Floydās high standards for live sound. And all night, Gilmourās vocals enjoyed the same clarity, making every lyric understandable, which is quite a feat for any large-hall show. The only quibble is that the drums echoed off the Gardenās back wall, which, given its 19,500 capacity, was on par.
Guy Pratt, David Gilmour, and Ben Worsley keeping the rock in arena rock. In addition to his Fender Jazz Bass, Pratt also played an Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray, and an upright. For electric guitar, Worsley slung a PRS S2 SSH.
Photo by Emma Wannie/MSGE
Romany Gilmour played a vital role in the show, with her voice navigating the Celtic-influenced melody of āBetween Two Points,ā from Luck and Strange, before joining the already formidable voices of Louise Marshall, and Charlie and Hattie Webb, in the bandās chorus. All four took turns singing lead on Dark Side of the Moonās wordless masterpiece āThe Great Gig in the Sky,ā as Marshall played piano and Gilmour took one of his turns on the table-steel guitar.
A crowdās-eye view, with lighting-enhanced stage fog. At right, just out of frame, is famed keyboardist Greg Phillinganes, who first joined Gilmourās ensemble as part of the Rattle That Lock tour of Europe and appears in the Live in Pompeii concert film.
Photo by Emma Wannie/MSGE
āIn Any Tongue,ā from Gilmourās 2014 album Rattle That Lock, was, of course, a musical highlight, ignited by that grizzly tone, but furthered by expressive, powerhouse solos from both Gilmour and Worsley. The songās anti-war theme was enhanced by the same back-projected, heart-breaking video shown in 2016ās Live in Pompeii film, which conveys the idea that military violence spares neither the often-reluctant invaders nor the invaded. And last, of course, came āComfortably Numb,ā with Gilmourās holy grail guitar solos, perfectly executed as he and the band played from behind an allusive wall of light. With their deep, idiosyncratic bends, rich, howling midrange, and his perfect, vibrato-laden bends, squealing harmonics, touch, and phrasing, these solos were the ultimate 6-string microphone drop.
Gilmour and his Black Cat Stratāpartners for the concertās closing number, āComfortably Numb,ā from Pink Floydās The Wall.
Photo by Emma Wannie/MSGE
If that was my last opportunity to hear Gilmour live, itās understandable. Heās a legend who has earned his status through nearly a half-century of remarkable playing and composing. He has no need to create or perform on any terms beyond his own. Iām simply happy to have been able to bear witness, and to share the experience with you.
D'Addario's new Bridge Pin Puller and Tour-Grade Peg Winder are designed to make string changes a breeze.
The Bridge Pin Puller is designed to be the fastest, easiest, and safest way to remove bridge pins from an acoustic guitar. Small enough to fit in your pocket, the standalone bridge pin puller is a great way for acoustic players to avoid fumbling with bridge pins during string changes and maintenance. The ergonomic design comfortably fits in hand but wonāt place extra pressure on the instrument or bridge during use. Best of all, the clamp design encloses the pin, keeping it secure inside the puller until itās released.
The Tour-Grade Peg Winder offers next-level performance for luthiers, techs, or anyone who wants to change strings with maximum speed and ease. The multi-tool design brings together a ball bearing, non-damaging socket for smoother winding, molded grips, and a spring-loaded bridge pin puller, delivering an all-in-one option to handle most standard string changes.
From the straight-forward simplicity of the Bridge Pin Puller to the all-around convenienceof the Tour-Grade Peg Winder, DāAddario has your string changes covered.
For more information, please visit daddario.com.
Orianthi is partnering with Orange Amplification to release a travel-friendly amp designed to be both functional and reliable.
The new Limited Edition Orianthi Crush 20RT has been played by the respected guitarist, singer-songwriter, in the studio and at live gigs.
The white Tolex-clad, solid-state signature Crush 20RT offers some of the most distinctive tones available in its price range. With the gain turned down, the amp delivers a versatile crystal clean tone. The ādirty channelā can be selected to unleash high levels of detailed creamy distortion to full saturation. The Crush 20RT offers a wide range of sonic possibilities courtesy of an 8ā, custom-designed āVoice of the Worldā speaker. From modern sonic punch to vintage tones, this incredibly portable amplifier also includes a 3-band EQ, built-in āspring-inspiredā reverb and chromatic tuner.
āI wanted a portable amp I could use anywhere. Thereās a soaring tone you get from this amp despite its small, compact sizeā, comments Orianthi. She continues, āPlus this amp is really diverse - from the clean channel to the dirty channel - thereās warmth and thereās grit, itās really quite incredible. I think everyone is really going to dig it!ā
To experience the new Limited Edition Orianthi Crush 20RT visit your favourite authorised Orange retailer, or learn more online at orangeamps.com.
With built-in effects, headphone output, and AUX connectivity, these compact devices are designed to provide ultimate versatility for practice sessions at home or on stage.
Aguilar is introducing the amPlug3 Tone Hammer, a portable headphone amplifier inspired by the iconic Tone Hammer sound. Ideal for practicing anywhere, this compact device packs dual channel Clean and Drive modes for ultimate versatility. To help keep practice sessions inspiring, the unit includes reverb, chorus, and compression as built-in, onboard effects and a built-in rhythm feature to keep any players favorite basslines in time. Lastly, the amPlug3 features AUX connectivity to allow players to play along with tracks, or via a TRRS cable, record straight to a phone or laptop with ease. Whether at home, in the studio, or on the road, the amPlug3 Tone Hammer offers a convenient practice solution without compromising tone.
In addition to the amPlug 3 Tone Hammer, Aguilar has revamped their iconic Tone Hammer Preamp pedal. Built upon the original design that has become an essential tool for bass players seeking tone and flexibility. Incorporating customer feedback and refining key features, the new Tone Hammer Preamp offers enhanced drive functionality featuring an expanded gain range with a separate "drive" control for greater tonal precision, allowing users to refine their overdriven and clean tones independently. New Practice-friendly features include the addition of a headphone output and auxiliary input, allowing the pedal to double as the perfect practice companion at home or on the road. The updated, compact enclosure has a modern aesthetic, complementing the Tone Hammer series of amplifiers.
āWe are thrilled to expand the Tone Hammer family with these new products,ā said Jordan Cortese of Aguilar Amplification. āThe reimagined Preamp/DI pedal and the all-new amPlug3 Tone Hammer provide bassists with even more options to achieve their perfect sound, whether theyāre on stage or practicing on the move.ā
Street Prices:
- Tone Hammer Preamp Pedal $299.99
- amPlug3 Tone hammer $59.99