It’s easy to ride the wave of past successes and reissue the same type of gear year in and year
out. In an industry steeped in tradition, it’s a pretty sizeable risk to step out of the box you’re
known for. This year, a number of companies took the risk with great success, from a pickup
manufacturer’s debut amp to a certain acoustic company’s foray into electrics, we salute your
courage and quality with the Premier Gear Branching Out Award.
BRANCHING OUT
L.R. Baggs Core 1 Acoustic Amp – Revisited
“After I reviewed the Core 1, I was so impressed that I sold my PA system and bought one. I’ve used it in
many different situations over the past few months, and it’s never let me down. The control that’s available
over each channel ensures that I get exactly the tone I’m looking for whether I plug in two guitars or a guitar
and vocal mic. I’ve never needed more than the 200 available watts in a stand-alone situation, and the sound
somehow doesn’t compete with room noise in a restaurant or bar—it cuts through it, so the sound is clearly
audible even through background noise. Its lightweight, compact size and durability make it the ideal companion for the road. I’ve used it as a gig-saving stage monitor at outdoor festivals, and used it as a direct
box as well, allowing me to have the best of both worlds—ultimate guitar-friendly control over my sound,
and 2000 watts of power through a massive PA system. I can’t find one single thing to complain about after
almost a year with it.” – Gayla Drake Paul
REVISITED:
“The Core 1 mixes innovation,
perfect sound and high style
with affordability and value.”
– January ‘08
T.C. Electronic
Nova Series
T.C. Electronic’s Nova Series
represented a shift back to their
roots, yet the floor pedals were
different enough from their usual
rack-mounted effects that they
earned the Branching Out award.
We reviewed the Reverb and Delay,
both receiving stellar marks for their
versatility, musicality and authenticity. Said reviewer James Egolf about
the Delay [April ‘08], “…for a meat
and potatoes, throw-it-in-your-gig-bag delay, the TC is unbeatable.”
Taylor Solid Body
The most obvious choice for this award was Taylor’s high-profile foray into the electric solidbody
realm. Taylor pulled out the stops for the release, taking the guitars on an extensive road trip
around the country, and keeping their visibility high. Luckily, the guitars delivered. With specially
designed ¾-sized pickups (in the Custom and Classic models), stunning tonewoods, comfortable
weight and feel, redesigned hardware and a tone that brought out the best in our reviewer’s
amplifiers, Taylor put 100 percent into these releases, and it showed.
“They are premium solidbody electric guitars
from a company who has redefined the acous-
tic world, and I have no problem getting behind
that.” – August ‘08
