Untitled - Guitar Center
Transcription
Untitled - Guitar Center
P L A T I N U M HOL I DAY E DI T ION 2007 Not all gear is created equal. There are special pieces that stand out, that rise above the rest. Whether it’s a handcrafted custom shop guitar, a boutique tube amp or coveted studio hardware, this is gear that makes a statement, inspiring pride in the lucky few who own it and more than a little envy in their friends. But make no mistake; the remarkable pieces we’ve collected in this guide are not ornaments. They are world-class examples of artistry and industry-leading excellence that conjure powerful gear-lust in even the most jaded, seen-it-all veterans. Whether you’re a longtime collector or looking for that perfect first step, at Guitar Center we stock a wide variety of top-quality gear guaranteed to inspire and impress. So sit back, turn the page and let your imagination run wild. Your next obsession awaits. Platinum STORES Guitar Center is proud to announce the launch of our new Platinum Store experience: a select group of stores designed to cater to discriminating customers who demand the very best. Luxurious Platinum showrooms are stocked with boutique amps and pedals, so you can experience the remarkable gear you see in this guide for yourself. Each of these exclusive stores is staffed with a specially trained Platinum guitar specialist as well as a Platinum guitar tech. If you’re looking for something unique, a guitar that is yours alone, we have the nation’s largest collection of Fender and Gibson Custom Shop guitars available for you to check out, or our Platinum specialists can help you order your dream instrument from the custom shops of PRS Private Stock, Martin and Fender to name just a few. If vintage gear is what you crave, you’ll find an assortment of choice collectibles on-hand to satisfy your particular needs. But, Platinum Stores are about much more than just guitars. For the very best in professional recording gear, talk to one of our GC Pro account managers. They can show you our top-of-the-line Pro Tools HD and SSL rigs, which you’ll find set up and ready to explore at every Platinum Store. Musicians on the road can take advantage of our Tour Support centers stocked with gigging essentials. Drummers will find boutique drums and hardware. And producers and DJs can take advantage of our selection of exclusive hi-tech drum machines and samplers. Platinum status doesn’t come easily – only a dozen of our stores have been approved and carefully prepared. Contact your nearest Platinum Store for more information or to find a particular product. Come in today and discover something extraordinary. P l at i n u m L o c at i o n s Hollywood 323-874-1060 Manhattan 212-463-7500 Sherman Oaks 818-990-8332 Atlanta 404-320-7253 Nashville 615-297-7770 Hallandale 954-456-7890 Central Chicago 773-248-2808 Phoenix 602-375-3800 Dallas 972-960-0011 Edina 952-929-1680 Las Vegas 702-614-2143 West L.A. 310-475-0637 www.guitarcenter.com/platinum In 1980, when Stevie Ray Vaughan was still a struggling young Texas guitarslinger, he spotted a beat-up ’65 Strat guitar in the window of an Austin, Texas pawnshop. ® Although he couldn’t afford the $350 at the time, his wife, Lenora “Lenny” Vaughan together with seven friends managed to scrape together enough money to buy him the guitar for his 26th birthday. That very night, he wrote her the tender love song bearing her name. As the latest Fender® Custom Shop Tribute Series guitar, “Lenny” will be produced in a limited quantity with only 185 guitars offered for sale in the United States, available December 12th, 2007 exclusively from Guitar Center. Visit guitarcenter.com/lenny for the complete Lenny story. Fender custom Shop SRV Lenny GC Price: $17,000.00 Fender ’64 Vibroverb Custom GC Price: $2,449.99 Pictured is Stevie Ray Vaughan’s original “Lenny” Stratocaster® guitar owned by Guitar Center, not for sale. Fender®, Stratocaster® guitar and the distinctive headstock and body designs commonly found on the Stratocaster® guitar are trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved. © 2007 FMIC. All sales of the Lenny Fender® Tribute guitar are final and are excluded from Guitar Center’s 30/30 Policy (30 Day Return and 30 Day Guaranteed Lowest Price). The Lenny Fender® Tribute guitar is a special limited edition and is strictly subject to availability. P L A T I N U M The pros rely on the Fender Custom Shop to build guitars made with the exacting attention to detail they demand. Legends like Jeff Beck, Eric Johnson, and Andy Summers turn to the Fender Custom Shop when they want to design a new signature model or duplicate an old favorite. Even if you’re not a famous guitarist, you can still own a Fender Custom Shop guitar built by master craftsmen like Todd Krause, Chris Fleming, and Yuriy Shishkov – the same guys who work with the pros. Guitar Center offers the widest selection of Fender Custom Shop creations, including their acclaimed Masterbuilt, Relic, and Closet Classic instruments. These hand-built masterpieces include reproductions of Fifties and Sixties classics that are 100 percent accurate and made from the original tooling. Visit Guitar Center today and take home a Fender Custom Shop guitar from our specially selected stock. If you want something truly unique, our certified guitar experts will work with you to order the Custom Fender of your dreams. 1951 NoCaster GC Price: $2,509.99 1963 vcs strat with brazilian fretboard GC Price: $5,999.99 1956 Relic Strat 2-tone Sunburst GC Price: $2,899.99 1960 Relic Strat 3-Color Sunburst GC Price: $2,549.99 1959 Bassman LTD GC Price: $1,199.99 1957 twin reissue with Laquered tweed GC Price: $2,509.99 P L A T I N U M Nothing sounds more powerful than a Gibson guitar plugged into a Marshall amp. Led Zeppelin, Cream and AC/DC are just a few of the bands that made history with this magical combination, and players like Slash, Zakk Wylde and Gary Moore keep that tradition alive today. Guitar Center carries a wide selection of Gibson Custom Shop and VOS (Vintage Original Spec) guitars and the latest Marshall amps so you can build the perfect rig. From the dazzling classic beauty of an SG Custom with three humbuckers to the fat hollowbody splendor of an ES-175, Gibson Custom Shop and VOS guitars earn rave reviews from players who appreciate fine materials and old-world craftsmanship. Marshall’s latest amps are some of the most exciting they’ve ever created. The Vintage Modern series delivers the coveted KT66-driven tones that defined the sound of rock, while offering a broader palette of modern high-gain textures to explore. For the guitarist who craves flexibility, the new all-tube JVM offers four channels with three modes each, making it the most versatile Marshall ever. Many guitarists find that their quest for the ultimate tone always leads them back to Gibson guitars and Marshall amps. Plug in to this pair today at Guitar Center for an experience you’ll never forget. LES PAUL CUSTOM OXBLOOD GC PRICE: $3,299.99 ES137 CLASSIC BLUES BURST GC PRICE: $1,799.99 FIREBIRD VII red metallic GC PRICE: $1,959.99 SG CUSTOM REISSUE VOS classic white GC PRICE: $3,699.99 1959 LES PAUL REISSUE VOS GC PRICE: $5,199.99 ES175 REISSUE vintage sunburst GC PRICE: $3,199.99 1960 LES PAUL REISSUE VOS GC PRICE: $2,999.99 MARSHALL JVM410H 100-watt HALF-STACK GC PRICE: $2,329.99 MARSHALL 2466 VINTAGE MODERN 100-watt HALF-STACK GC PRICE: $2,349.99 P L A T I N U M No one is more devoted to the art and craft of building fine electric guitars than Paul Reed Smith. His dedication shows in every instrument PRS makes, but his top-of-the-line, limited edition models, in particular, take the definition of excellence to new heights. Limited edition PRS models are investment-grade instruments that many collectors consider the most desirable guitars built today. Paul Reed Smith searches the world for the finest and most exotic woods available, reserving the best materials for his top-of-the-line instruments. His latest creations – the McCarty Korina models and 1980 West Street Limited series, named after the shop address where the PRS company was born – feature materials such as premium-grade korina and figured sapele imported from Africa. These uncommon woods look stunning and produce refined tones in a class all their own. Limited edition PRS guitars are in high demand, and Guitar Center always maintains an impressive stock. We are proud to offer the best selection of these remarkable instruments you’ll find anywhere. McCarty Korina Vintage natural GC Price: $2,212.00 McCarty Korina vintage cherry GC Price: $2,519.00 1980 West Street Limited Reissue GC Price: $4,550.00 P L A T I N U M Guitar Center proudly presents the U.S. debut of two remarkable new amplifier lines. Both of these companies stand out from the crowd with bold designs that take everything players love about the tried and true standards and add new levels of versatility and tonal ecstasy. And they’re both available only at Guitar Center. Bruce Egnater has been designing amplifiers for 30 years. And all that time he’s been ahead of the curve, meeting the changing needs of gigging guitarists with innovative ideas and impeccable design. The new Tourmaster series features four distinct channels – two with Clean/Vintage voicing, and two Overdrive channels – to deliver all the tones you need with no compromise. Egnater’s innovative Power Grid lets you select a different output level for each channel, so you can dial in tons of clean headroom and a lower wattage crunch tone that’s just dripping with molasses-thick power amp distortion. Beautiful sparkling clean sounds, classic overdrive, and ferocious bludgeoning gain… it’s all here, waiting for you. Blackstar, based in Northampton, England, is a new arrival to the world of highend tube amplifiers, but their founding team of dedicated tone fanatics brings over 50 years of combined experience to the table. Their handwired Artisan series begins with the classic British sound, but it doesn’t stop there. Artisan models boast features like variable power switches, so you can power down for increased power amp drive at lower volumes, or Voicing and Bass Shape switches that greatly increase tonal flexibility. These powerhouse amplifiers will take you from rich clean to aggressive grind. Like the best British designs, even at high gain settings, Blackstar Artisan amps retain a distinctive chime that lets high strings ring out. The result is harmonically rich, responsive tone for any genre. Come explore the best in modern boutique amplifiers, at your local Guitar Center. Egnator Tourmaster 4212 Combo GC PRICE: $1,599.99 Egnator Tourmaster 4100 Full-Stack GC PRICE: $2,520.00 Blackstar Artisan 15-watt combo GC PRICE: $1,350.00 Blackstar Artisan 30-watt combo GC PRICE: $1,900.00 Blackstar Artisan 100-watt Half-Stack GC PRICE: $2,520.00 P L A T I N U M A new breed of amplifier designer has turned the pursuit of the ultimate tone into an art form. Harnessing the power of hi-gain circuitry, some brilliant minds are building exceptional amplifiers that respond to the subtlest expressive touch and bring out your guitar’s best tonal characteristics. These ‘boutique’ amps are made for very discriminating clientele, players who want the aggressive punch of a modern hi-gain amp, but without sacrificing the tonal richness and feel of the revered all-tube classics. They are produced in limited amounts and constructed to exacting specifications. Peter Diezel, VHT founder Stevie Fryette, Michael Soldano and guitar uber-hero Edward Van Halen are the masterminds behind some of today’s most highly esteemed boutique amps. Diezel, EVH, Soldano and VHT half stacks are the rigs that seasoned studio musicians bring to sessions when nothing less than platinum-quality tone will do, and you’ll often find several of these amps in the backlines of today’s biggest guitar stars. Whether you’re looking for a versatile studio amp or a rugged road warrior, these boutique amps deliver tonal inspiration that will last a lifetime. SOLDANO SLO100 HALF-STACK GC PRICE: $4,419.98 EVH 5150 III HALF-STACK GC PRICE: $3,099.98 VHT DELIVERANCE HALF-STACK GC PRICE: $3,029.98 DIEZeL VH4 HALF-STACK GC PRICE: $5,698.00 Fender EVH Frankenstein GC PRICE: $25,000.00 P L A T I N U M A great distortion or overdrive pedal is the key to unlocking the full potential of your guitar and amp. The ‘secret’ behind the signature sounds of countless guitar greats, distortion and overdrive effects expand your expressive horizons by offering a vast palette of textures for personalizing your tone. Companies like Fulltone, Radial Engineering and Visual Sound build pedals that are instruments unto themselves. Whether you want to push your amp to its sweet spot or radically re-shape your tone, there’s a pedal that’s just right for you, one that gives you the boost you need while letting your unique personality as a player shine through. These exceptional stomp boxes provide the versatility of a whole new amp channel without the hassles of modifying your gear – just plug in and play. The limited edition 50th Anniversary Vox Heritage Series AC15 offers you the history of vintage Vox tone in a single amp. More than just a reissue, it’s switchable between Vox’s classic EF86 pentode preamp design for true firebreathing distortion and a triode mode for a more civilized drive with greater overhead. This amp combines the best of the classic AC15 designs from the ’50s and ’60s with some modern tone-shaping thrown in for the ultimate valve combo experience. Guitar Center offers an unparalleled selection of the finest effects and amplifiers available. Come in and experience them for yourself, and let our experts help you create a tone that’s all your own. Visual Sound Jekyll & Hyde Ultimate Overdrive GC Price: $139.99 Radial Tonebone Classic Tube Drive GC Price: $189.99 Fulltone GT-500 DIsTORTION/BOOST GC Price: $202.50 VOX Heritage series Limited Edition Reissue Handwired Combo GC Price: $1,999.99 P L A T I N U M Creative inspiration is just a foot tap away. Chorus, delay, filters, flangers, phase shifters and other effect pedals open up a whole new world of sounds to explore. A killer effect can become the foundation of an entire song like “Mysterious Ways”, “Run Like Hell” or add just the right spice to drive a solo over the top like “Purple Haze” or “Limelight”. Some of the most inspiring pedals are designed by geniuses who are half engineering whiz and half mad scientist – guys like Mike Matthews, who started Electro-Harmonix almost 40 years ago, and the late Bob Moog, whose legacy lives on with the acclaimed Moogerfooger line. Others come from stomp box specialists like Japan’s Maxon Company and Denmark’s T-Rex Engineering. Both build pedals with a distinctive personality and dedication to quality you won’t find from an ordinary mass-produced product. Whether you want to recreate classic sounds (without vintage stomp box headaches) or search new sonic frontiers, Guitar Center’s impressive stock of boutique pedals will change your life. Moog Murf MF105 Resonance Filter GC Price: $399.99 Electro-Harmonix Stereo Clone GC Price: $118.99 T-Rex Replica Delay/Echo GC Price: $399.99 Maxon od808 overdrive GC Price: $134.99 P L A T I N U M To get the most out of the investment you’ve made in your instruments, you need the best accessories. Whether you want top-of-the-line strings, an attractive but durable case or a new slide, Guitar Center offers a huge selection of high-quality accessories for players who know that even the smallest details make a big difference. Let us show you how an audiophile-quality Mogami guitar cable with Neutrik ends can bring out overtones, frequencies and harmonics you never knew existed, or how a Peterson Strobe Tuner can tune your guitar with 100 percent precision. Explore the expressive possibilities of using a capo, like the innovative G7th which eliminates tuning problems with its incremental pressure adjustments. Find the most supple, softest guitar strap ever made (hint: it’s a Moody). Our impressive selection will help you find the products that are perfect for you. We even carry a variety of multiple instrument stands for displaying your showcase guitars or keeping your gigging arsenal organized. Guitar Center’s Accessories Department is the place to go when you want to get the guitarist who has everything exactly what he or she needs. Cleartone Coated Electric Strings GC PRICE: $14.99 INCASE ELECTRIC GUITAR GIG BAG GC PRICE: $199.99 Moody 2.5” wide Leather Strap GC PRICE: $129.99 MOGAMI PLATINUM 20’ INSTRUMENT CABLE GC PRICE: $144.99 G7th CAPO GC PRICE: $39.99 PETERSON STROBO FLIP TUNER GC PRICE: $199.99 Dunlop Joe Perry Boneyard Slide GC PRICE: $16.99 Rockstand 5-Instrument Tolex Case Rack Stand GC PRICE: $109.99 P L A T I N U M With nearly 175 years of rich tradition, Martin guitars are the standard by which all other acoustics are judged. While every Martin is special, their one-of-a-kind and limited-edition guitars showcase the company’s devout dedication to craftsmanship. These museum-quality instruments may be the ultimate tangible asset – breathtaking to look at, a wonder to play and pure ecstasy for the ear. Owning one of these masterpieces is every guitar collector’s dream, but only a select few can enjoy this rare experience. Martin commissions the world’s finest inlay artists to create unique, collectible works using their guitars as a canvas. Recent one-of-a-kind creations feature artisans like Harvey Leach and Larry Robinson, and portray classic American themes, such as the hot rod and the history of flight, in stunning detail. In addition to these exclusive treasures, Martin offers a select number of the limited-edition D-100 Deluxe and D-50 Koa Deluxe, boasting some of the most ornate inlay decorations ever offered. Martin’s latest masterpieces represent the crowning achievement of their long and celebrated history. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire a true piece of great American art that will be treasured for generations to come. martin HISTORY OF FLIGHT BY LARRY ROBINSON GC PRICE: $130,000.00 martin D100 Deluxe Limited Edition GC PRICE: $87,999.99 martin HOT ROD RACE BY HARVEY LEACH GC PRICE: $100,000.00 Paul Reed Smith started building guitars while still in college and hasn’t stopped since. If anything, his passion and dedication to building fine instruments has only grown over the years. Paul is also a man who holds definite opinions about what makes a great guitar and what makes a great guitar player, so talking with him is always interesting. We were glad he was able to sit down with us and talk about the PRS approach and some of his new guitars. GC: Hi Paul. What was the inspiration for the new SC 245 and the SC 250 guitars? Paul: Look, I got a whole bunch of old Les Pauls and new Les Pauls and old Gibsons out and started measuring the scale length. It’s not 24 3/4”. It’s not 24 5/8”. It’s 24 9/16”. It’s 1/16” longer than 24 1/2”. 24 1/2” is what I’ve been using on the Santana model forever. It’s essentially a 24 1/2” inch scale. It’s the old scale. That’s the scale. So 245 means 24 ½inch” scale. So that’s where it comes from. It’s the same scale we used on the Santana guitars and the early shop guitars forever. And the reason I did it originally was that it was easier to do in a computer program with a rounded number. Because it was very, very early computers that I did the original fret scales on. It was actually Fortran cards. But it ended up really working well on all those early customs and for Santana, so we decided that we would do a single cut that scale and it’s going very well for us. 245s sound real good and they’re selling through well and people like them – it’s just going well. We’ve got a real run on 245’s right now. That’s good. Essentially it’s an old vintage guitar. Made the same way. P L A T I N U M I N T E R V I E W The 250s are what our artists use. They’re similar to the Tremonti. They’re powerful rock guitars that most guys put much heavier gauge strings on and detune to all kinds of tunings. We spent a lot of time discussing whether we should ship them that way and we decided not to do that because all the tunings are so different. It’s like every tune, every band, every song is a different tuning, so how do you pick one? So we decided to ship them with standard tuning. But that’s what that 250 is about. It’s about putting bigger strings on, tuning them down and having this huge rock tone that’s pretty popular right now on the radio and touring. GC: Paul, when did you make the transition from the 24 1/2” scale guitars to 25s? Paul: I switched to 25’s because when I showed a 24 1/2” guitar to somebody in the old shop, I got an order from about one in ten people. When I changed to a 25” scale, I was getting more like six or seven people out of ten that I’d get orders from. When I put the scalings in between the two most popular scalings, all of a sudden I wasn’t alienating anybody. You either had your short scale guys or your long scale guys. I put it in the middle, everybody would pick it up, go, “Oh, this is cool.” The long scale guys liked it because they didn’t have to tune to E Flat anymore. And the short scale guys like it because the low E string, when you hit it hard didn’t go sharp. You know on a short scale guitar, you put a .42 on the low end and you hit it hard, it goes “wo-oh-oh.” It goes almost up to F and back. When you increase the scale length of little bit, it doesn’t do that anymore. GC: So, what scale are the original Singlecuts? Paul: The original Singlecuts are a 25” scale. The same as the 250s. And by the way, guys really like the original single cuts, ’cause of that whole detuning thing. The scale is just long enough that they can put up to .62s on these guitars. GC: .62s. That’s big. Paul: Yeah. I mean, they’re drilling the tuning pegs out. Most of the touring bands right now are not tuning in standard pitch. GC: If the original Singlecut is 25”, what’s the difference between the SC 250 and the original Singlecut? Paul: Pickups and a bunch of other little things. The 250s have these big, powerful sounding pickups in them. The original Singlecuts had somewhere inbetween a real powerful and a vintage sounding pickup. But it’s just as powerful a pickup as you can want. It’s a cool sounding pickup. I mean, Mark Tremonti started us down that road, and he’s right. It works. I can’t tell you how many guys we sent the 250 to and they call me back with “This is cool.” GC: Are the pickups proprietary to the 250? Paul: Yeah, pretty much. There’s one similar in the Tremonti. Paul: Yeah. GC: Can you talk about Brazilian fretboards? Some say they sound better. What’s your take? Paul: It sounds different. It’s the stuff that they used in the 30s, the 40s, the 50s. It’s the stuff on old violins. I’m going to put you on speakerphone. I’ll show you why. Hold on. Okay, so you guys are there, right? GC: Is it ceramic or alnico? GC: Yeah. Paul: They’re ceramic. Paul: Here’s a piece of Brazilian rosewood. Listen (Musical knocking sounds). That’s a neck blank I’m hitting. So it rings real well. GC: Nice. Tell us about the Korina McCartys. Paul: Korina is African limba wood. It’s been around for a long time. When Flying Vs and Explorers were made long ago, the rumor on the street when we were all growing up was the wood was poisonous. That’s why they stopped using it. Right? GC: We heard that, too. Paul: Yeah. It’s not. So, it was the reason we made up as a group of guitar players as to why they don’t use the wood anymore. Ted McCarty told me why he quit using the wood. I said, “What’s with the Flying V and the Explorer?” He goes, “I saw a bar today the shape of a failure.” And I said, “What do you mean?” He goes, “Well, I saw a bar in a restaurant that was a shape of a failure. It was a shape of a Flying V.” He had just been in a Hard Rock Cafe and the bar was the shape of a Flying V and, as far as he was concerned it was a failure. Couldn’t sell any of them. He made, you know, forty or eighty of them and that was it. It was over. He said people bought them from him and hung them up as things to look at, but it was a complete sales failure to him. So, that’s why he quit using it. But he liked it. It was lightweight. It was good stuff. So we found a supply of it and so we’re running a whole bunch of them. And we’ve got good stuff. We’ve got really good Korina. Clear, nice, good neck wood, good body wood. It’s great stuff. It’s a real lightweight African yellow mahogany, is what it is. It’s cool. GC: You guys are putting Brazilian fretboards on those, right? P L A T I N U M I N T E R V I E W GC: Yes! Paul: It’s wonderful stuff. East Indian rosewood is a little bit softer sounding. It’s a little bit softer wood. If you guys saw David Grissom play at the trade show in Austin, he was playing an East Indian rosewood fretboard. It sounded stupid good. So it’s not like there aren’t some wonderful East Indian rosewood fretboards, but there’s a history around Brazilian rosewood and it does ring real nice. It’s got a higher pitch than East Indian rosewood, so it’s got a different sound. We put it on because it is the classy rosewood. It’s harder. It’s got more oil in it. I think it deflects your sweat a little bit better. But I don’t pick up a guitar with Brazilian rosewood, “Oh, this one’s going to sound good,” and pick up one with East Indian and go, “This one’s going to sound bad.” I don’t do it. GC: Right. Paul: But that’s experientially based. It has a real history to it and it’s a real classy wood and it rings real nice. But I’ll tell you what, you take a fretboard and you put 22 slots in it, it’s not going to ring real well. Right? Think about it. GC: We hear you. Paul: If you weight a piece of wood asymmetrically with more weight at one end then the other, it’s intentionally trying to get it to not vibrate, right, if you think about it. I mean, a tuning fork, if you weight it unsymmetrically, would just stop ringing. But you’re right- it’s very cool stuff. It sounds good. We put it on those guitars. It wouldn’t have been true to the Korina Brazilian rosewood thing that went on in the 50s if we hadn’t done it. So I’d say you’re right, but I don’t want to make some sort of overwhelming statement, it’s Brazilian rosewood or nothing, ‘cause it’s just not true. GC: Cool. Talk about the Mira. Paul: The Mira is a new guitar for us. It’s a very good sounding guitar. The guitar that Mike Walt played at the Experience was a brand new guitar, made, like, the day before, and I think it hung as tough as any of those guitars that these guys have been carrying over their backs for years. So, the Mira’s going very well for us. We have a lot of orders for them. It’s made in Maryland. It’s a lower price point guitar, but it’s made by the same people. We make the bridges, the pickups, we make everything. And it’s a new area for us, because it’s a flatter guitar with a pickguard. Very different for us, but it’s going very well. Artists are just calling non-stop trying to get them. GC: They sound great, there’s no doubt about it. Can you expand a little, tell us about spec and some of the thinking behind it? Paul: They have special pickups in them that are very similar to the 245s. Kind of a real vintage-y sounding pickup. Simple volume control, tone control, but done-right electronics with a toggle switch and a coil tap switch. It’s the same neck we used on our Custom 24s. It’s a 24-fret neck, so it’s a fairly lightweight guitar. It has a kind of retro looking pickguard to it. GC: Yeah, we bought some for the stores. Paul: Your customers need to know they need to get their hands on one. I think that they should, when they go into a guitar store, they should try everything that tickles their fancy and make an experiential decision. GC: Okay – as you know, the SE series is getting raves and awards from all the magazines. What special measures do you take to get PRS quality offshore? Paul: Oh, man. I flew over there and we taught them. We said, “Look, we want you to put the truss rods in like this and we want you to put the frets in like this and we want you to do this.” When we were done at the end of the day, he looked at me, he says, “Nobody like you has ever been here.” I said, “What are you talking about?” He says, “We’ve only had sales guys here looking for different looks. Nobody’s ever said how they wanted the guitars made, ever. Nobody ever gave us drawings for bridges to have made, the drawings for how we wanted to fret scales done, how we wanted them to compensate. Nobody’s ever said anything like this to us.” And what I ran into were people whose average time in that factory had been working thirteen years. These people were really good guitar makers. They just had never been asked to do what it was that we were asking them to do. And then we said, “We want you to put your name on the guitars.” And they said no. And I said “No, we want to put your name on the guitar.” Said, “Nobody’s ever asked us to do that.” I said, “Well, we want you to build these things with pride and if you put your name on it, it will mean more to you.” And I had a lot of people tell me that was a big mistake. And I made a calculated bet that long-term, their pride and their quality of craftsmanship would translate into the market and we would get those kinds of accolades. But it took a while. A lot of people told us it was a mistake when we did it. I mean adamantly told us it was a mistake. I’m glad that we stuck to our guns. I’m really glad. GC: We’re sure a lot of guitar players are, too. Visit GuitarCenter.com/interview to read the full version. The great American tradition of acoustic guitar innovation is alive and well. Over the last several decades a handful of visionary builders have established their own companies with the goal of pushing the boundaries of guitar design to new heights. Their innovative instruments provide bold, fresh voices that have become the new standards for acoustic guitar tone. Taylor and Breedlove lead the way forward with guitar designs that define the next level of excellence. Taylor Grand Auditorium guitars are renowned for their extremely wellbalanced tone, and their limited edition versions up the ante with stellar, specially selected materials like Indian and Brazilian rosewood. Breedlove’s modern designs deliver rich, powerful tones, fast action and deep cutaways that make these guitars a player’s dream. From the stage to the studio, these guitars provide the performance and sound today’s most discriminating players demand. Experience just how good these new Taylor and Breedlove guitars look and sound by visiting the acoustic guitar experts at Guitar Center. TAYLOR 914CE-LTD GC Price: $5,999.99 BREEDLOVE FOCUS Grand Concert GC Price: $2,999.99 Breedlove Northwest Classic GC Price: $4,299.99 TAYLOR 914CE-LTD rosette and neck inlay P L A T I N U M Gibson acoustics have always appealed to players with an eye for style. From singing cowboys and blues legends to rock and rollers like Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Pete Townsend. With a big, bold sound and classic styling that stands out from the crowd, a Gibson acoustic is like the Cadillac or Harley-Davidson of the acoustic guitar world. The instruments handcrafted at Gibson’s workshop in Bozeman, Montana, rank among the best acoustics in the company’s history. On models like the J45, Advanced Jumbo and Hummingbird, Gibson’s old-world craftsmanship and vintage character blend with modern attention to detail and quality control to produce timeless classics that will only improve with age. Few experiences are as satisfying as feeling the power of a Gibson acoustic as it resonates in your hands. Let us help you find the perfect Gibson to match your own distinctive sense of style. Gibson J-45 Round Shoulder Dreadnought GC PRICE: $1,999.99 Gibson Advanced Jumbo GC PRICE: $,1999.99 Gibson Hummingbird Custom Limited Edition GC PRICE: $2,659.99 Gibson L-4A Cutaway GC PRICE: $1,899.99 There is perhaps no interaction between a guitarist and their instrument as pure as playing a high-quality classical guitar. When your bare fingers pluck the nylon strings and the body resonates warmly, you can feel the centuries of guitar-building wisdom and handcrafted expertise with every note. A masterfully built classical guitar responds to every detail of your touch as if you and the instrument had become one. Manuel Rodriguez and Sons build exemplary classical guitars using techniques that Manuel Rodriguez Pérez learned as a craftsman working for master luthier José Ramirez. For over 20 years, Pérez absorbed Ramirez’ wisdom and passed it on to his son, Manuel Rodriguez Sr., who still builds Rodriguez guitars today. The Manuel Rodriguez Sr. and Jr. models represent the peak of Rodriguez’ craft, featuring the finest materials such as solid Brazilian rosewood and a perfectlyaged solid Canadian cedar top. A hand-built Rodriguez classical guitar is an item of rare beauty, and a true work of art. We invite you to indulge in the majesty of these prized instruments today. Rodriguez MANUEL SR. GC PRICE $14,999.99 Rodriguez MANUEL JR. GC PRICE: $3,999.99 P L A T I N U M If bass is your bottom line, Guitar Center is the place to go for the finest products available. Today a wide variety of companies specialize in bass products that offer an expansive choice of finely crafted instruments and state-of-the-art amplification rigs to satisfy every need for those who keep the groove in the pocket. If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind bass or a stunning custom instrument, let one of Guitar Center’s bass experts show you our unmatched selection. We offer exclusive instruments like the extremely rare Musicman Ball Family Reserve StingRay 5 Serial #002 – featuring the most exotic figured wood you’ll ever see on a bass – top-of-the-line Modulus basses and Gibson’s incredible SG Reissue. We’re also the exclusive US dealer of Markbass products, a premium line of heads, cabinets and combos that bass giant Jeff Berlin calls the best-sounding amps he’s ever heard. No matter how unique your style and preferences are, your ideal bass rig is here. MODULUS Q5 5-STRING GC Price: $3,179.99 MUSICMAN BALL FAMILY RESERVE STINGRAY 5 Serial #002 GC PRICE: $7,499.99 Gibson SG Reissue Bass GC PRICE: $1,199.99 MARKBASS F1 500-WATT FULL-STACK GC PRICE: $2,479.99 NS DESIGNS CRM4 UPRIGHT GC PRICE: $2,699.99 Ibanez SR1000 Prestige Neck-Thru Bass GC Price: $1,299.99 P L A T I N U M Microphones are the recording engineer’s musical instruments. Whether you’re recording vocals, electric or acoustic guitar, bass, piano, snare drums, cymbals or any other instrument, different mics bring out different personalities and character from each source. The right mic can make the difference between a professional, polished-sounding recording and one that sounds flat and lifeless. Guitar Center’s pro audio department is the place to go to build your mic collection, or add a vital piece to your arsenal. We carry a full assortment of modern classics, including the AKG C 414 LTD, Neumann U87 and TLM49, Blue Woodpecker Active ribbon mic and the legendary Royer R-121 ribbon mic – versatile workhorses that sound as beautiful as they look and always inspire confidence from performers. Whether you want an exotic vintage-style condenser mic or a high-end dynamic mic, let Guitar Center help you select the right mics for you. AKG C 414 LIMITED 60TH ANNIVERSARY GC PRICE: $1,199.99 BLUE WOODPECKER ACTIVE RIBBON MIC GC PRICE: $999.99 NUEMANN U87 4OTH ANNIVERSARY SET GC PRICE: $3,649.99 NUEMANN TLM49 GC PRICE: $1,499.99 Royer R-121 Ribbon Mic GC PRICE: $1,294.99 P L A T I N U M Great recordings are no longer being made only in famous studios. The same tools and technology that top studios rely upon, from manufacturers like Apogee, Manley, and Universal Audio are readily available and accessible. this allows musicians to record whenever creative inspiration strikes and capture, edit and mix those performances in pristine sound quality. Great recordings start with the quality of the signal chain. The first step is getting a pristine, greatsounding signal, and that’s where an outstanding mic-pre and compressor come in. Manley Lab’s SLAM has been hailed as having both the power and the delicacy required to capture every nuance, and the Universal Audio LA2A is simply, bar none, the industry standard for compression. You must be able to count on your converters to take all the detail and subtlety of performance and transfer it accurately to the digital realm. Apogee’s Rosetta 200 combines their famous analog to digital converters with the rock-solid Intelliclock to make sure that the sounds you heard are the sounds you get. UNIVERSAL AUDIO LA2A LEVELING AMP GC PRICE: $2,899.99 MANLEY SLAM STEREO MIC PRE GC PRICE: $5,940.00 APOGEE ROSETTA 200 CONVERTER GC PRICE: $1,795.99 P L A T I N U M The digital revolution has made it possible to create professional studio-quality recordings at home. Today’s selection of pro audio gear is truly staggering, but GC Pro consultants can help you outfit a stateof-the-art studio with the perfect equipment to satisfy your professional needs. Whether you want to audition a new pair of active monitors, explore the power of a Pro Tools HD rig, compare the latest mic preamps and outboard processors, or hear the difference a professional set of headphones makes, our personalized service and solutions make the entire process simple. The professional digital recording studio you’ve always dreamed of having is now within your reach. Our GC Pro Gurus will work with you to make your digital dream studio a reality. ADAM A7 NEARFIELD MONITOR GC PRICE: $499.99 each GENELEC 8030APM MONITOR GC PRICE: $624.99 each ULTRASONE PROLINE 650 HEADPHONE GC PRICE: $299.99 NEVE 1081 MONO EQ GC PRICE: $4,400.00 DIGIDESIGN 003 FACTORY GC PRICE: $2,195.00 DIGIDESIGN PRO TOOLS HD3 GC PRICE: $13,995.00 P L A T I N U M For a pro DJ, nothing compares to the tactile control of fingers on vinyl. At the same time, digital technology provides modern DJs with serious competitive advantages. You now have the ability to store thousands of songs on a lightweight hard disk, play songs you created in your studio that same night in the club, and instantly download tunes from artists all over the world. Guitar Center carries the latest cutting-edge digital DJ products that offer the best of both the analog and digital worlds. We stock the same technology and tools you’ll find installed in superclubs worldwide. Find out how the melding of a Rane TTM 57 mixer with Serato Scratch Live software gives you full control of digital files without giving up the familiar feel of your beloved turntables and CD players, or how the latest in hi-tech lighting equipment can really take your show over the top. The future of DJ technology is waiting for you at Guitar Center. If you’re ready to take your performance to the next level, we’re ready to show you how. RANE TTM57SL SCRATCH MIXER WITH SERATO GC PRICE: $1,499.99 TECHNICS SL1200 mk2 TURNTABLE GC PRICE: $469.99 ORTOFON QBErT CONCORDE CARTRIDGE GC PRICE: $164.99 APPLE MACBOOK PRO 15” GC PRICE: $1,999.00 P L A T I N U M Combine sight and sound to transcend ordinary sensation and captivate your audience. Traditionally, the DJ and visual artist have remained separate entities. It takes a rare mental bond and special talent for the two to work as an effective team, but thanks to new products like Pioneer’s DVJ-1000 DVD turntable a DJ can now be a visual artist as well. The DVJ-1000 looks and feels like Pioneer’s acclaimed CD players for pro DJs, allowing you to scratch, loop and manipulate DVD video and audio with the same ease. Now visuals and audio are at your full command, perfectly synchronized to every scratch, stutter, breakdown and buildup you play. Find out how easy it is to express yourself visually with exciting new tools like the Pioneer DVJ-1000 and the exciting new line of Robe lights, available today at your local Guitar Center DJ Department. PIONEER DVJ-1000 DVD SCRATCHER GC PRICE: $2499.99 EACH PIONEER DJM-800 SCRATCH MIXER GC PRICE: $1549.99 P L A T I N U M The modern equivalent of a symphony orchestra. Whether you’re composing music or performing live, nothing compares to the power of having thousands of sounds at your fingertips. With synthesis, sampling, digital audio recording, effect processing, sequencing, drum programming capabilities and more, today’s keyboard workstations bring together all of the latest and greatest music technologies in a single instrument. Whether you’re looking for a digital keyboard workstation, a virtual analog modeling module or even an authentic analog synth, Guitar Center offers an unmatched selection of the latest products. From the latest innovations, like the awe-inspiring modern power of the Korg M3 88-key Music Workstation, to boutique treasures, including the pure analog majesty of the new Dave Smith Instruments Prophet 08 synthesizer, featuring classic Curtis filters and innovative modulation sources, Guitar Center’s Keyboard Department is where you’ll find the perfect instrument for your unique expressive needs. Music technology is evolving at an increasingly rapid pace. Visit our experts to stay one step ahead. KORG M388 WORKSTATION GC PRICE: $3,499.99 KORG RADIAS RACKMOUNT SYNTH GC PRICE: $999.99 DAVE SMITH PROPHET 08 SPECIAL EDITION GC PRICE: $2,449.99 P L A T I N U M The world’s biggest beat-makers rely on the Akai MPC to create the grooves that dominate the charts. This groundbreaking production tool combines sampling, sequencing and drummachine functions to bring sampling to the masses. The new Guitar Center exclusive MPC 2500 Limited Edition comes tricked out with carbon fiber look and feel, white body with black buttons and knobs. It’s fully loaded with CD burner, expanded memory, and an 80GB hard drive. Individually serialized, only 500 MPC 2500 LE will ever be made available. Contact Guitar Center for more information on how you can make one of these unique and amazing creative tools the centerpiece of your production studio. To find out more about the Akai MPC 2500LE visit www.guitarcenter.com/ mpc2500le AKAI MPC 2500 LIMITED EDITION GC PRICE: $2,299.99 P L A T I N U M Of all the drums in your kit, nothing helps define your signature sound like your snare. Pro drummers own a wide variety of snare drums to help them find the ideal sound in the recording studio, and many even change snares several times during live performances to perfectly complement the songs. If you want to put together a collection of world-class snare drums, Guitar Center is the best place to begin and end your search. We carry the top brands that pro drummers rely on most, like DW, Pearl, Pork Pie, Tama and more. We also offer an impressive selection of hard-to-find snares like the DW Neil Peart Signature Snakes and Arrows snare drum, designed for Rush’s current tour. This remarkable snare features an Aztec Red finish with hand-painted gold leaf and metallic grey graphics by Louie Garcia, the DW master craftsman who finishes Peart’s own drums, and it is at the heart of Neil’s touring kit. But it’s more than just the graphics on this drum. DW’s unique Black Diamond hardware is made of nickel, but it’s as hard and durable as chrome. The all-maple shell utilizes DW’s proprietary VLT (Vertical Low Timbre) design, with a vertical grain pattern that allows for a lower overall tone without sacrificing resonance and attack. Come into Guitar Center and compare our unmatched variety of pro snares. Our expert staff will help you find the perfect match. DW NEIL PEART SNAKES AND ARROWS SNARE GC PRICE: $899.99 P L A T I N U M Cymbal making is an ancient and highly-specialized art. Numerous companies make excellent drums, but when it comes to cymbals only a handful of specialists have the expertise and knowledge to craft truly exemplary products. The Zildjian legacy reaches back to 1623, when Avedis Zildjian established the company that bears his surname. His traditional cymbal-making techniques remain a guarded family secret to this day. Armand Zildjian ran the company during its Golden Era, making and hand-selecting cymbals played by drumming icons like Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa. In tribute to Armand, who passed away in 2002, Zildjian introduces the Armand Series, which reproduces the classic sound of their coveted thin A models from the ’60s. Each cymbal is individually cast using a secret alloy formulated over 380 years ago to produce that distinctive Zildjian tone and musical response. If you need drums to go with Zildjian’s Armand Series cymbals, look no further than Guitar Center’s exclusive selection of DW drum kits. The warm, resonant tones of a custom DW maple kit perfectly complements the smooth overtones of Armand Series cymbals to provide timeless character you’ve experienced on hundreds of classic albums. Guitar Center offers the perfect environment for testing the entire range of Armand Series cymbals. Come hear the difference 380 years of craftsmanship makes. ZILDJIAN ARMAND SERIES STARTING AT: $104.99 DW natural over ebony and ivory exotic kit with 18x23” bass drum GC PRICE: $7,100.00 stands, pedals and cymbals sold separately P L A T I N U M SELL YOUR MUSIC ON iTUNES GET 100% OF THE ROYALTIES! 3,000,000 tracks delivered Over $2,500,000 earned by TuneCore customers tunecore.com/gc Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (“MSRP”) is the suggested retail selling price of a product provided to us by manufacturers. MSRP is a benchmark to compare our discounts from MSRP to pricing offered by other retailers. Whether other retailers sell at MSRP will vary by product, geographic location, type of store, and over time. Although we periodically update the MSRPs posted in our stores, direct mail offerings and on our website as we receive them, in some cases manufacturers may change a suggested retail price without notice to us. Please contact the manufacturer of a specific product for the most up-to-date MSRP information. MSRPs quoted for house or private label brands are developed internally in consideration of comparable name brand products. We may commonly sell such products at prices lower than MSRP and, for any given product, no sales may have occurred at MSRP. Although our limited time events are intended to be limited time events, our low prices offered during these events may continue in effect after the event. Not all products are available in all stores. Please contact your local Guitar Center for availability. GC Advertising P.O. Box 4283 Woodland Hills, CA 91367-4283 CID SOURCE CODE SPECIAL PLATINUM FINANCING OFFER – SEE INSIDE FOR DETAILS!