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First Look: Breedlove Organic Solo Pro Concert Edgeburst 12 CE

Breedlove Organic Solo Pro Concert Edgeburst 12 CE Demo | First Look

This highly responsive, concert-ready 12-string rings beautifully—enhanced by the company’s new bridge truss—and boasts a sustainable cedar top and mahogany back and sides, a side port for easy listening, and a Fishman pickup system.


12-string guitars can be…polarizing, but like them or loathe them, you can’t deny the centrality of that ringing sound to some of the past half-century’s most iconic music. You know, Hotel California, Over the Hills and Far Away, Wish You Were Here—just to name a few of the anthems girded by a double dose of steel strings. We designed the Solo Concert 12-String for players looking for a robust yet nuanced 12-String guitar, one that’s not a gimmicky sideshow but a purpose-built professional-grade instrument. The side monitor soundhole virtually puts you in the audience while you play, without diminishing the forward sound projection of your music, a particularly useful feature when playing with a group of musicians. The tone is warm and rich with a solid red cedar top and solid African Mahogany back and sides, and that sound remains clear and full when plugged in with Fishman Flex Plus-T electronics. The cutaway body allows players full access to the entire ovangkol fretboard for when you want to get weird up the scale. Say what you will about 12-strings, but play this one before casting any aspersions.

Courtesy of Breedlove Guitars.

Vox’s Valvenergy Tone Sculptor

Two new pedals from the Valvenergy series use a Nutube valve to generate unique dynamics and tone ranges that can be used to radical ends.

When tracking in a studio or DAW, you’re likely to use compression and EQ on most things. Many enduringly amazing and powerful records were made using little else. And though many musicians regard both effects as a bit unglamorous and utilitarian, EQs and comps are as capable of radical sounds as more overtly “weird” effects—particularly when they are used in tandem.

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Significantly smaller and lighter than original TAE. Easy to configure and operate. Great value. Streamlined control set.

Air Feel Level control takes the place of more surgical and realistic resonance controls. Seventy watts less power in onboard power amp. No Bluetooth connectivity with desktop app.

$699

Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander Core

boss.info

5
4.5
4.5
4.5

Boss streamlines the size, features, and price of the already excellent Waza Tube Expander with little sacrifice in functionality.

Many of our younger selves would struggle to understand the urge—indeed, the need—to play quieter. My first real confrontation with this ever-more-present reality arrived when Covid came to town. For many months, I could only sneak into my studio space late at night to jam or review anything loud. Ultimately, the thing that made it possible to create and do my job in my little apartment was a reactive load box (in this case, a Universal Audio OX). I set up a Bassman head next to my desk and, with the help of the OX, did the work of a gear editor as well as recorded several very cathartic heavy jams, with the Bassman up to 10, that left my neighbors none the wiser.

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- YouTube

Alongside Nicolas Jaar’s electronics, Harrington creates epic sagas of sound with a team of fine-tuned pedalboards.

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Well-designed pickups. Extremely comfortable contours. Smooth, playable neck.

Middle position could use a bit more mids. Price could scare off some.

$2,999

Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II

music-man.com

4.5
5
5
4

A surprise 6-string collaboration with Cory Wong moves effortlessly between ’70s George Benson and Blink-182 tones.


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