Some of the gear we reviewed just had a certain je ne sais quois about it, something that
kept us coming back for more, and starting showing up in our dreams. It’s sexy, mysterious
and putting us into withdrawals. And we can’t even place exactly why.
To the gear that just got to us: above and beyond how good you are, you have that certain…
something else. Please call. And please accept our Premier Gear Aura Award.
AURA
“I’ve always liked the idea of a guitar that
did everything equally well, but had assumed that was a pipe dream. The Duesenberg handled everything fearlessly.”
– February ‘08
Duesenberg Mike
Campbell Signature
We didn’t necessarily want to fall all
over ourselves for a signature guitar…
it’s like falling for someone else’s
girl. But the sparkly, racing-striped
semi-hollowbody won us over with a
reliable guitar that shined with every
configuration we threw at it. Rhythm,
rock, country, blues, jazz were no
problem, and reviewer Chris Burgess
was forced to buy it, after he realized
his playing would never be the same.
Tubewonder Harmonic
Control Amplifier
The Tubewonder blew our mind with the
ease at which it encouraged creation of
new tones—our own tones. Reviewer
James Egolf explained, “The Tubewonder
is basically a blank canvas that provides
the tonal flexibility to give the player what
they want—not what Leo Fender envisioned, or Jim Marshall or Dick Denney,
but what you want—delivered at all times
with impeccable tone.” Reverb, an array
of exotic tubes, and a sound that blocked
out the rest of the world solidified the
Tubewonder’s place in the Aura category.
Photo: Joel Eckman Maus
REVISITED:
BOSS SL- 20 Slicer
“It’s only been a month since I reviewed BOSS’s
SL- 20 Slicer, but I’ve already been battling the
withdrawal symptoms for a few weeks. I find
myself dreaming in spacious stereo rhythms; I
see the Slicer’s Christmas tree lights everywhere
I look; I’m tapping out tempos while I wait in line
at the bank. Yes, yes, it’s not for everybody, but
it’s definitely for somebody, and they’ll likely get
the addiction, too. You’ve been warned.”
– Adam Moore
REVISITED:
McPherson MG3.5 “Simply
put, McPherson’s 3. 5 has absolutely
ruined me. Every acoustic I play is now
subconsciously measured against the
3. 5’s big-but-articulate sound and rock
solid build, and of course nothing can
stand up to it. It’s like being dumped
by a supermodel, and being forced
to return to the speed dating pool at
the local Marriott. There’s little wonder
McPherson’s artist list includes some of
the biggest names in music. The 3. 5 has
set an absurdly high standard in my life.
Thanks for nothing.” – Adam Moore
