Tons O’Tones
A computer is versatile office tool. A bear is a versatile hunter. Likewise, the
gear listed below is as versatile as it is impressive. Its builders either knew
no boundaries, or reverted back to tried-and-true methods to achieve a new
standard. Whatever the case, you won’t be disappointed… trust us.
Rockbox Boiling Point The truth is, we get a lot of overdrive ped- als for review. Most are pretty decent, and some are quite good. But every once in a while we get one that totally blows us away. The Rockbox Boiling Point was one that absolutely made our toes tingle! Reviewer Chris Burgess said, “I discovered a veritable library of overdrive flavors that ook me through several decades of my mental tone catalog.” The Boiling Point from Rockbox (November 2009) delivered it all; it’s as versatile an overdrive as you can get. Hell, you might even win some points with your significant other by selling off your other 12 overdrives and just keeping this one … maybe.
Street $389
rockboxelectronics.com
108 PREMIER GUITAR DECEMBER 2009 Click here to read the full review Click here to read the full review
Anderberg Custom Guitars Wille
New guitars and guitar makers continue to expand
the instrument’s possibilities every single day. But
in the race to outdo versatility, perhaps some lose
track of the guitar’s traditional qualities. Luthier
Michael Anderberg is not one of those guitar makers. Anderberg has stuck to a traditional approach to
guitar building, and his Wille model is a testament to
the success of his perspective. Reviewer Brian Barr
(September 2009) wrote, “There is something truly wonderful about the Wille, and
I can safely say I haven’t been this excited
about a guitar since I picked up my first PRS
over a decade ago.” From its asymmetrical
neck to its carefully chambered body to its
pair of Seymour Duncan pickups, the Wille
delivered on all fronts. We cried a little
when it left the building to go back.
Really.
MSRP $3200
anderberguitars.com
2009
Acoustic Image Ten2 Combo
Over the years, enterprising guitarists have discovered
that some bass amps also make pretty decent guitar amps.
Stevie Ray Vaughan and his ’ 59 Fender Bassman is just one
example that quickly comes to mind. The folks at Acoustic
Image, however, have taken this concept to another dimension. If you’re a multi-instrumentalist, the company’s Ten2
Combo (November 2009) is your dream come true. This
round-ish sonic powerhouse works for “bass, acoustic guitar, hollowbody jazz guitar, keyboards, vocals, and a whole
gamut of other string instruments.” It features two 10"
speakers and a tweeter, weighs just 28 lbs., and packs a
punch that’ll make your nose bleed. This is simply “
versatility and tonal nirvana” at its best.
Street $1539
acousticimg.com
Click here to read the full review
Goodsell Black Dog 50
Although there was plenty of anticipation about Richard
Goodsell’s departure from the kinds of designs he’d
become known to venture into new territory, we weren’t
expecting the kind of versatility he delivered in the Black
Dog 50 (February 2009). Looks-wise the amp seemed to
fit easily into the Marshall-style high-gain category, and
we learned from Goodsell that the design had been born
from no more than a JCM800 transformer and an itch to
“go big.” While the amp didn’t leave any guessing about
whether or not it would provide enough gain and power
for those hungry for the crunch, reviewer Chris Burgess was
caught off guard by the range of its tonal capacity, calling
it “an amp with superb dynamics and sensitivity that travels
fluently across the spectrum of vintage tones.”
MSRP $1899
superseventeen.com Click here to read the full review
www.premierguitar.com
