The Guitar Column

Aethertone Steampunk Customized Strat on eBay

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:30:00 +0000

Here's custom work you won't see too often. No EVH Frankenstein or SRV 'Number One' clones for this creative DIY'er!

Dubbed the Aethertone AE1, or, more affectionately, Steampunk, this is actually an '89 Fender Stratocaster that was modified so that the entire body appears to be wrapped in burnished metal plates. A tribute to Victorian-era steam engines, the plates, according to the seller, are not really metal. And neither are the 150 painted-on screws that seemingly hold the plates in place!

The Steampunk even features its own steam pressure gauge that opens up to reveal a secret compartment to store picks!

And check out the deep scalloping on that fingerboard!

It wouldn't surprise me if the Fender Custom Shop starts knocking on the door of Steampunk's creator very soon.

eBay item number: 140430483553

1966 Marshall Super Plexi Head Owned by Eric Johnson on eBay!

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:07:00 +0000

The sellers of this fine 1966 Marshall Super Plexi head were at first a bit coy as to who the celebrity owner actually was, showing us only a partial signature on the handwritten letter of authenticity. I'm digging EJ's cursive penmanship!

The listing for this particular amp has ended, but what the hey, better late than never I always say.

eBay Item number: 230500114170

The sellers also have what is possibly an authentic Jimi Hendrix owned Marshall JTM45, serial number 7026 on their website which you can check out here!

Joe Satriani -- Birthday Tribute!

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:20:00 +0000

Born July 15th 1956, Joe Satriani is 54 today!

In this clip from the Seville '92 Expo Guitar Legends concert, Joe is backed by the incredible rhythm section of Nathan East and Steve Ferrone!

Cool Guitar Website Alert -- Arizona Guitar Brokers!

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 19:42:00 +0000

I just received a comment from Jordan Warner on my Leon McAuliffe-owned Fender Broadcaster post. Jordan was the eBay seller of that vintage gem and now runs Arizona Guitar Brokers.

Arizona Guitar Brokers is currently featuring a McAuliffe-owned Precision bass along with some very nice vintage Fender Jazzmasters from the 50's and '60s.

The multiple picture views of each item in AZGB's inventory is a nice touch too.

And dig that bird's-eye maple-topped BC Rich Mockingbird!

Check out http://www.azguitarbrokers.com/ and check back often!

Birthday Tribute -- Jeff Beck!

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 21:18:00 +0000

Born 24th June 1944, Jeff Beck will be 66 today!

Ibanez TS808 Tubescreamer Owned By Stevie Ray Vaughan On eBay!

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:56:00 +0000

This eBay listing had me reading it twice and then a third time to make sure that it wasn't just a clever item description to draw attention.

Folks, it's Holy Grail time again at eBay!

Up for your perusal is what the seller claims to be a genuine Ibanez TS808 Tubescreamer formerly owned by Stevie Ray Vaughan!

Tubescreamer connoisseurs will notice that this pedal is from 1980 with the 'registered trademark' above the Ibanez logo and the sought after JRC4558 chip in the circuit.

Interestingly, pedal mod guru Analogman's Tubescreamer history page also lists this pedal with serial number 111179 as belonging to Stevie Ray Vaughan and Cesar Diaz, Stevie's tech at the time.

Vintage TS808's go for a pretty penny these days but given its pedigree, I anticipate that the price of this particular pedal is going to go through the roof. But as always, do the necessary research before committing!

(EBay Item #: 270592330548)

Electric Guitar Stilettos... Ayyyyy!

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 06:22:00 +0000

Designed by Max Kibardian in collaboration with Chicks On Speed for their Objekt Instruments collection, this stiletto incorporates strings, a pickup and a built-in wireless transmitter.

I'm guessing the strings can be tuned and will vibrate with each step -- tune each shoe a flatted fifth apart and you'll have a little Purple Haze intro happening!

This one should have Manolo the Shoeblogger going ayyyyy!

Found at http://www.refinery29.com/

1982 Ibanez Rocket Roll Formerly Owned By Joe Satriani on eBay!

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Sun, 30 May 2010 17:38:00 +0000

Here's an interesting listing for an Ibanez Rocket Roll II Flying V-style guitar on eBay which was formerly owned by Joe Satriani!

The documentation that comes with this guitar states that it was consigned to Real Guitars in San Francisco by Satriani himself, although according to the seller Satriani could not remember if the guitar was used on any of his recordings. Modifications to the instrument, including the addition of two Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups were also done at Real Guitars.

Produced for a short time between 1982 and 1983, the Rocket Roll II came a couple of years after the Destroyer II, Ibanez's variation on the Gibson Explorer. Together with the Iceman, the Rocket Roll II and Destroyer II were Ibanez's early forays into the hard rock and heavy metal markets and precursors to the shred axes that Ibanez has become so well known for.

Do the necessary research if you're getting this guitar for the owned-by-Satriani mojo aspect.

(eBay Item #: 190399406612)

Eric Johnson Talks About His New Signature Stratocaster

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Tue, 25 May 2010 08:33:00 +0000

Fender has just released this great video of Eric Johnson talking about his new bound rosewood fingerboard signature Stratocaster.

According to Eric, the bound rosewood fingerboard on this signature model was inspired by a run of Stratocasters in 1965 that appeared briefly with fingerboard binding.

I'm not sure if I could get used to seeing a Strat with fingerboard binding, but if the body edges were squared off and bound as well that would be a different story -- that's Strat-in-a-tuxedo territory baby!

Other player friendly features on the EJ RW include a 12" radius fingerboard, jumbo frets, pickups wound a littler hotter and custom voiced by EJ himself and staggered tuners that eliminate the need for string-trees and potential tuning hangups. Interestingly also, the neck was modelled after Johnson's favorite vintage '62 rosewood neck Strat. Finish the two-piece alder body and neck in Fender's thin-skin nitrocellulose finish and you have one serious tone machine!

It's always a joy to watch Eric play, and if we are to believe what we're seeing, Johnson is getting his trademark 100 lb violin tone out of what looks a little vintage tweed 'narrow panel' Fender Champ -- after being routed through his extensive pedalboard offscreen at left of course!

Joe Satriani's Experience Hendrix 2010 Guitars Revealed!

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Tue, 25 May 2010 06:56:00 +0000

The folks at Premier Guitar have detailed Joe Satriani's pedalboard and amp setup as well the single-coil equipped prototype Ibanez JS custom axes he used for the recent Experience Hendrix 2010 tour!

Satch also talks about his switch to Marshall heads from his signature Peavey JSX's for both Chickenfoot and Experience Hendrix.

“At the start of the Chickenfoot tour, I noticed that my Peavey JSX rig sounded more specialized for someone playing lead guitar all night. I had Marshall send me some different stuff to try out in Vienna, and I ended up using a JVM410 for the rest of the tour. It made such a profound difference, because I’m playing rhythm guitar most of the time in that band. I was shocked to find that using a Vox Saturator into a Marshall 6100 Anniversary head’s clean channel was really the best sound."

Satch tonehounds take note.

But it doesn't stop there! Those resourceful PG folks also give us a great all access view of the guitars and gear of Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jonny Lang, Susan Tedeschi, Robert Randolph and Vernon Reid.

And not forgetting of course Eric Johnson's particularly quirky setup complete with specific wooden folding chair on which he places his Marshall head for the ultimate in tone!

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2010/Jun/Axes_Bold_as_Love_The_Gear_of_Experience_Hendrix_Tour_2010.aspx?Page=1

(Pic and Quote Source: http://www.premierguitar.com/)

Pristine 1964 Fender Vibroverb on eBay!

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Sun, 23 May 2010 17:37:00 +0000

From the folks at LA Vintage Gear comes this eBay listing for an immaculate Fender Vibroverb from 1964!

According to the seller, a few caps and resistors on this amp have been replaced over its lifetime --perfectly normal as capacitors are prone to leaks or drying out after a decade -- and a JBL swapped out for the original Oxford 15" speaker. As a bonus the seller is also including the original Oxford speaker.

And every tonehound knows that a 15" speaker is the key to that elusive Stevie Ray sound! Crank up that Strat neck pickup because that 15 is going to make your guitar sound like you went up two string gauges. At least!

Seriously, the condition of this amp is unbelievable -- even the grille cloth is a perfect, just-out-of-the-factory silver and light grey. Not bad for an amp that is 46 years old!

Originally released in 1963, the first year of production saw this amp as a 'brownface' -- brown faceplate, brown knobs, light brown grille cloth and a cabinet clad in brown tolex. Fender switched to the classic blackface and silver grille cloth for the Vibroverb in 1964 and upped the wattage to 40W from the previous 35W on the brownface with some modifications to the tube layout.

The Vibroverb was also the first amp in the Fender line to incorporate a built in reverb. These spring reverb 'tanks' which Fender procured from Hammond helped define the Fender sound and indeed the guitar sounds used in pop music in general in the 60's. And it still stands that if you want a defined, ballsy reverb that doesn't wash out your guitar tones at more extreme settings, a spring reverb is still the way to go!

(eBay Item #: 200475280868)

Fender Custom Shop 1960 Relic Stratocaster Owned by Mike Landau on eBay!

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Sat, 22 May 2010 12:51:00 +0000

Here's an eBay listing for a Relic 1960 Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster owned by Mike Landau!

According to the seller LA Vintage Gear, this Sonic Blue beauty was specially built for Landau by the Fender Custom Shop in 2002. And for many big name pros that usually means a visit to the custom shop to hand-pick choice bodies and necks out of the batch. A privilege for the lucky few!

And if there's anybody that knows what he wants in a Strat, it's Mike.

Weighing in at 7.8lbs, this axe comes with all accessories and a Certificate of Authenticity.

(eBay Item #: 270581947272)

Guitar Recovery In Nashville After Floods

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Thu, 20 May 2010 17:39:00 +0000

Nashville is still picking up the pieces after flash floods early this month poured about a foot of rain over the city.

And not spared was Soundcheck Nashville, the town's largest music storage warehouse, and as it turns out, the storage facility of choice for three quarters of Nashville's artists and musicians.

It is estimated that 1,000 guitars and 2,000 amplifiers were damaged at Soundcheck, many of which were vintage instruments and irreplaceable -- Chris Leuzinger's 1952 Les Paul Gold Top (at right) was rescued from under 3 1/2 feet of water that flooded the warehouse.

Sadly also, Soundcheck seems to have been under-insured given the extent of this calamity.

Meanwhile Nashville's own George Gruhn, Joe Glaser and Ed Beaver, together with 20 other volunteers have begun the task of assessing the damage and sending out the more valuable instruments for repair in neighbouring states.

Said Glaser, "We're all just motivated by one thing here: We want to save Nashville's guitars. This is our history here."

(Pic and Quote Source: www.tennessean.com)

1979 Dumble Overdrive Deluxe Demo!

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Thu, 20 May 2010 16:27:00 +0000

Here's one for all the Dumble freaks, umm.. afficionados out there! The basic Dumble design is based around the Fender Deluxe circuit but modified to achieve much higher gain, more harmonic complexity at the top-end and more low-end on the bass.

Dumbles are known to be built from the ground up but this video features what is said to be a Dumble-modified Fender Deluxe amp -- a real rarity. Alexander Dumble retained the tremelo and reverb circuit on this amp, and it also sounds like he goosed up the intensity of the tremelo a fair bit -- warm, lush, pulsating and downright hypnotic!

And dig the 2001: Space Odyssey-style amp face lettering -- another Dumble hallmark.

Head over to this YouTube link for more:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U1mrbqyEyw&feature=related

You can also check out my earlier article on Dumble amps with a great video demo of the Overdrive Special by guitarist Gregor Hilden here:
http://www.theguitarcolumn.com/2009/07/boutique-amp-maker-alexander-dumble.html

Schecter YM-1 Yngwie Malmsteen Signature on eBay

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Sun, 16 May 2010 16:02:00 +0000

Here's a rare Schecter YM-1 Yngwie signature model on eBay.

Both Schecter and Aria were quick to sign up Yngwie when he landed in the US in the early 80's and started making a name for himself as rock guitar's new wunderkind. Both endorsements were short-lived however, and Yngwie continued to play his Fender Strats exclusively, right up until the time when Fender decided it made good commercial sense to produce an Yngwie signature model themselves.

The Schecter YM-1 featured an ash body, fully scalloped rosewood fingerboard and a two-point fulcrum-style bridge, likely made by Trev Wilkinson. Ash-bodied Schecters from this era are noticeably heavy -- think 80's era Les Paul-type weight in a Strat-shaped body! The Schecter YM-1 is also the very first example of a scalloped, production model guitar and is probably one of the reasons so few were made. 1986 was pre-CNC, and scalloping fingerboards was still an arduous, time-consuming, blister-inducing affair.

Electronically, the YM-1 takes the cake! Since Yngwie never used the middle pickup on his Strats, the middle pickup on the YM-1 is wired as a hum-cancelling coil for the front and bridge pickups while the 3-way selector switch allowed for classic out-phase Strat tones in the middle position. The single-coils on this axe bear former Schecter employee Tom Anderson's large-polepiece, cover-less bobbin design.

Also unique are the three control knobs on the YM-1 which are wired for master volume, treble and bass!

Just under 5 hours to go on this auction!

(eBay Item No: 220601401779 )

Ceriatone JTM45 with VVR Mod, Demo I

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Thu, 13 May 2010 17:14:00 +0000

I was looking through old footage on the videocam the other day and came across a couple of clips from my Ceriatone factory visit in September 2009 -- clips which I was telling myself to post up ages ago but never got around to.

In this vid I'm playing Ceriatone's in-house tester guitar, a Fender American Standard Stratocaster, which I might add, was really well set up.

I used the rhythm pickup with the guitar straight into the amp, in this case a Ceriatone JTM45 head into a Ceriatone 1 x 12 cabinet. The EQ was set flat, more or less, with no reverb or additional pedals.

This is all I could want in a clean tone, really. This thing sounded really juicy with glassy overtones and the Variable Voltage Regulator (VVR) mod added a natural compression to the notes. This amp had a lot of 'sponginess' or give to the tone, and the notes seemed to get bigger after the initial pick attack. Really easy to play through.

Stay tuned for a couple more Ceriatone clips soon.

What Does Body-Painting Have to Do With The 2010 International Adelaide Guitar Festival?

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Fri, 07 May 2010 17:14:00 +0000

Lots it seems.

While my previous post on the Splato-caster featured paint in a guitar body, this one features a guitar painted on a body. How about that for interesting parallels..

The work of Australian body-paint artist Emma Hack, this breathtaking work took more than ten hours to complete and is being used to promote the 2010 Adelaide International Guitar Festival that will run from 25th - 28th November.

Apparently, the piece will be displayed throughout the duration of the festival and will be auctioned off at the end. Although it is not entirely clear if the winning bidder gets to take the actual work of art home.

(Pic and story source: www.dailymail.co.uk)

(www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/guitarfestival/)

Fender Splato-caster by Scott Buehl

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Fri, 07 May 2010 14:33:00 +0000

If you can think it, the Fender Custom Shop can probably build it.

Based on Jimmy Stout's winning entry to Guitar World's 2004 'Design Your Dream Guitar' contest, the Splato Stratocaster was realised by Fender Custom Shop veteran builder Scott Buehl who took up the task of creating the aluminum-framed, fluid-filled instrument.

Wait a minute.. fluid-filled?

Buehl chose to go with bullet-proof, clear Lexan polycarbonate plastic, formed into a hollow Stratocaster body shape to fit into the aluminum body frame. The hollow Lexan body was then filled with a fluid made up primarily of paraffin oil, distilled water and food coloring to form a swirl-a-cious ever changing pattern of colors!

Jimi woulda been proud.

(Pic Source: www.fender.com)

Jeff Beck's Studio Guitar Session for Jon Bon Jovi

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 18:49:00 +0000

Whoever thinks studio guitar work is easy had better check out this clip.

And as Jeff Beck will probably readily testify, it's hard work that stretches every fiber of the creative imagination. And guitar god or not, there's really no such thing as " I'll leave the car engine running while I nip in and whip out 20 perfect seconds of pure guitar magic."

In this rare clip of Jeff Beck's guitar session for Jon Bon Jovi's song Blaze of Glory from the Young Guns II soundtrack, we see Jeff really being put through his paces. Almost everything he plays is perfect, from a technical standpoint. Great tone and intonation with the notes just blooming out of the guitar, and all those amazing Beck inflections are there. It's enough to make a grown man weep.

Except for one thing. It doesn't sit in the track well enough. Yet.

Of course we've all heard the final outcome (some of us might even remember seeing the movie, but we won't go there) and marvelled at Jeff's uncanny abilities, thinking, "Bloody hell, that Jeff Beck!" But this is the grit and determination it took to get to that point folks!

So if you've ever found yourself in a recording situation, and after many takes plopping yourself on a seat and rolling a Drum cigarette in frustration, take heart. It's happened to the best of them.

Duane Allman's '57 Goldtop Les Paul

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:33:00 +0000

I just came across this very cool site about a '57 Goldtop Les Paul, serial number 7 3312.

Originally owned by Duane Allman who played it on a number of recordings including Statesboro Blues and Layla, Allman swapped this Goldtop for a '59 'plain-top' sunburst Les Paul model in 1970.

The guitar resurfaced in 1977 when it was traded in at a music store, stripped of its goldtop to a laquered natural finish.

It was purchased by Scot Lamar and Peter Young who saw the instrument's intrinsic value, although the fact that the guitar was owned by Duane Allman apparently did not factor into the music store's asking price! I'm guessing they would have pretty much paid the standard going rate for late '50s goldtop Les Pauls at the time, which would probably have been anywhere upwards of $3000 or even much less, considering its delapidated condition replete with tooth marks on the headstock where it was chewed on by a previous owner's puppy!

Rightfully, the guitar was restored back to its former golden glory by Gibson finish guru Tom Murphy in the late 90's.

One of the current owners, Mike Boulware, has this to say about the instrument and its link to Duane Allman:
"I think the reason is that, like many great players, he, as a man, came through stronger than what instrument he played, with one notable distinction... when he played slide on the Gold Top, the universe held it's breath to listen."

Apparently the owners are now selling the Duane Allman Goldtop. The asking price? A cool $1.1 million.

Check out a detailed history of this amazing axe here: http://www.duaneallmansgoldtop.com/

Fender Furniture -- HotSeat and Stratocaster Tables!

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 20:45:00 +0000

Outfitting that newly refurbished den or basement jam room? Think out of the IKEA box for a bit and consider these.

With designs licensed from Fender, Overkill Design LLC is producing a range of HotSeats and Fender Tables.

The HotSeats are designed to mimic the look of a Fender combo amp in either Tweed or black Tolex. A cool feature is the strategically placed 'volume knob' that releases the seat cushion allowing access to storage space within the HotSeat's cabinet. Great for stashing cables, pedals and similar contraband.

Measuring 13" long, 13" wide and 19" tall and weighing 22 lbs. these HotSeats would be difficult to move around were it not for the amp handles, accessible through the clever cut-out on the seat cushions.

Overkill's Deluxe Stratocaster and Telecaster Tables are solid maple, custom tinted and lacquered for a vintage look. Six tuning peg caps made of chrome plated steel disks are mounted flush to the table surface while the Fender logo and lettering are silk-screened and laquered over to stand up to everyday use. Chrome-plated legs and a unique stamped serial number complete the package.

I'm totally digging that natural wood and detailed lettering. I mean, seriously, wow..

Overkill is also producing a Standard Stratocaster Table made of a varnished wood composite with a vintage tint, silk-screened tuning peg caps and Fender lettering with silver powder-coat legs.

I've never wanted a piece of furniture so much in my life.

http://www.overkilldesign.com/

Steve Vai and Orianthi on American Idol!

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:06:00 +0000

Here's a clip from Wednesday's American Idol episode featuring Mary J. Blige backed by Steve Vai and Orianthi Panagaris!

Watching Vai fingerpick his way through the acoustic guitar bits of Stairway To Heaven was kind of cool in a 'ok, now we've seen everything' sort of way. Funky half-acoustic/half-electric double-neck Ibanez too.

Orianthi does her own take on the classic Jimmy Page solo at 2:17-2:39, modernizing it with a barrage of pentatonic flurries.

She must have some mighty calluses from all those hammer-ons and pull-offs she does. Anybody have a picture?

Gibson Howard Roberts Formerly Owned by Steve Miller on eBay

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:53:00 +0000

Here's an early version of a Gibson Howard Roberts guitar on eBay, formerly owned by Steve Miller of Abracadabra and Fly Like An Eagle fame.

Howard Roberts wanted an instrument he could really hear acoustically when he designed his namesake instrument, and decided on the oval soundhole instead of traditional f-holes. In fact, the first batch of Howard Roberts guitars made by Epiphone, Gibson's sister company, were very acoustic in nature, featuring both the oval soundhole and a carved solid spruce top. According to Roberts, these Epiphone models were "a little too expensive and a little too fragile." The subsequent versions by Gibson, like this Steve Miller-owned piece, had bodies made entirely out of maple.

In addition to the standard volume and tone controls, a mid-range roll-off control was also standard on the Gibson HR's, but many players didn't find it useful and ended up disconnecting it from the circuit.

I thought it was pretty cool that Gibson decided to retain the elaborate Epiphone-style pearl inlay on the Gibson HR headstocks -- there's some fine, old-world craftsmanship for you!

This guitar comes with documentation from Guitar Showcase in San Jose stating it was consigned from Steve Miller's collection as well as a purchase receipt from the Gibson factory indicating that it was made for Miller.

eBay Item number: 120559295205

Bo Diddley-Owned 100w Marshall Super Bass Amp on eBay

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 21:43:00 +0000

According to the owner this amp was owned by Bo Diddley and was last gigged in 2001 before it was sold to a music store, Mancini Music, GA.

This red Super Bass head and 4 x 12 slant cabinet is apparently from 1969 or 1970, and bears Bo's signature on the head's top.

At a Buy It Now of a buck shy of 10 grand, this amp is being priced as an authentic piece formerly owned by a rock n' roll legend and Hall of Famer. But Bo and other guitarists of his generation used to play on a lot of rental equipment on the road. And you don't want to be saddled with what could possibly be just a rental amp that bears his signature. Ask for the necessary letters of provenance before committing. I'm just sayin'..

Item number: 180496455182

Orange Amps Announces.. The Personal Computer?

noreply@blogger.com (Clinton Carnegie) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 20:35:00 +0000

Orange Amps has announced the first guitar amp that incorporates a PC. Or is it a PC that incorporates a guitar amp?

Now which wise-acre thought this one up? Looks like guitar amplifiers are going the one-year-to-obsolescence route too. This one is anyway.

And if computer hardware specs get you goin', the Orange Personal Computer is "a fully fledged computer with 4GB DDR2 RAM, 500GB Hard Drive, Intel chips, Windows 7 x64 home premium, 8 x USB2.0 ports, is Wi-Fi enabled and has an integrated GeForce 9300 graphics card with an optional dedicated ATI 5670 512MB card."

Using the included yet-unspecified music software and modelling technology based on Orange amps past-and-present, the user can record and playback directly from the in-built PC.

Ok, we've had this technology for about a decade now, albeit in separate, individually upgradeable components. Nothing bad about that.

Computer acting up? Get it fixed, or ditch it and get a new one.

Digging the latest amp simulation gizmo? eBay the old one for a few bucks.

Craving the latest music production software featuring Quantize templates based on the rhythmic feels of Eddie Van Halen, Mike Landau and Bo Diddley, zero-latency effects plug-ins, and 200 tracks with 900 levels of Undo?

Well, you get the idea.

This thing looks to me like more landfill fodder. Leave a comment and tell me what you think.

The OPC is due for a June 2010 release.

http://www.orangeamps.com/