NEW GEAR 7/24: Tama Reissue Kit, Walrus Tube Fuzz, DiMarzio Pickups and Laney Box

Gibson Kirk Hammett 1989 Les Paul Custom

The slightly modified 1989 Les Paul Custom that Kirk Hammett used on many tours and albums by his home band Metallica has received a replica from the Gibson Custom Shop. The instrument, finished in Ebony black lacquer, features a pair of T-Type humbuckers with exposed coils, black hardware, a Fishman Powerbridge with piezo pickups, and a Fishman Powerchip active preamp, controlled by a volume potentiometer that replaced one of the original tone pots. The Murphy Lab division handled the final patinated nitrocellulose lacquer finish, matching the current state of Hammett's popular LP Custom. Price: 9999 euros including Deluxe Protector hard case, Schaller S-Lock strap locks, certification, etc.

Vox APC-1: travel guitar with sound system, effects and drum machine

The compact and distinctive guitar with its iconic 60s shape is equipped with all the components needed for sound production. An analogue amplifier connected to Techtonic Audio wide-range speakers with a passive radiator, plenty of bass and feedback elimination is integrated. The rhythm unit has been taken from the Vox Mini Go modelling combo, offering 11 styles including metronome, with each genre having 3 variations, making a total of 33 rhythm patterns to choose from. The effects section includes chorus, tremolo, echo and reverb, and all controls including boost, gain, tone pot, volume and tuner are found on the pickguard, along with the headphone output and Aux In jack. The instrument with a shortened 610 mm scale length has a poplar body, maple neck, purpleheart fretboard and humbucker pickup.

European Epiphone Waxx Nighthawk Studio

Specifically designed for the European market is a signature Nighthawk series model built to the specifications of the French guitarist and producer, operating under the moniker Waxx. Inspired by the Gibson Nighthawk series from the 1990s, the Pelham Blue shade instrument features a full mahogany construction and an Indian Laurel fretboard, carrying 22 medium jumbo frets and Graph Tech NuBone walnut. The sound is carried by two Epiphone ProBucker 1/2 pickups tied to a three-position footswitch, a common volume and tone pot with push/pull coil-splitting on both humbuckers, so the guitar will also offer the transparent clean registers typical of single-coil pickups. The strings anchor through the body and the Nighthawk hardtail bridge heading into the company's vintage Deluxe machines. A hard case, stickers and other accessories are included.

Tube Silt Harmonic Fuzz by Walrus Audio

Designed in conjunction with tube guru Jim Hagerman, this pedal features a 12AU7 tube and dual analogue circuitry, creating a massive tone ideal for chords and rhythm parts. By pressing the Harmonic switch, additional harmonic components are added to the signal at the input section, influencing the character of the resulting sound, especially suitable for solo passages. In the above-mentioned mode, the manufacturer recommends working with a guitar tone pot as well. The controls consist of volume, pot, gain and a three-position Contour lever switch, placed in the preamplifier EQ stage and selecting between three filter modes: high-pass, flat and low-pass. The main footswitch is wired in true bypass mode via a relay.

DiMarzio "Tron" humbuckers based on Filter’Tron humbuckers

A total of five humbuckers make up the new DiMarzio "Tron" edition, partly inspired by Gretsch's iconic Filter'Tron pickups. In this case, it is not a clone of these pickups, but a modernized take on them, capturing the best features of the vintage models, including the corresponding dimensions and design. The model range is represented by the DiMarzio New'Tron Neck DP291, New'Tron Bridge DP292, PAF'Tron Neck DP293, PAF'Tron Bridge DP294 and Super Distor'Tron DP297 versions, giving the player quite a wide variety to choose from, combining the spectrum of the DP291/DP292, close to the Gibson ES-335 and Fender Telecaster, or the softer timbre of the famous PAF pickups (DP293/DP294), or the high-gain assertiveness of the famous Super Distortion from the 70s (DP297).

Laney LFR-412: the first active full-range guitar box in 4x12 version

For guitarists using modelling preamps, Laney has prepared a new active full-range cabinet that is the first box of its kind in the classic 4x12 version. Equipped with HH Black Series woofers and a LaVoce compression driver, the LFR-412 delivers a massive 2600 watts of power and features Laney's LA-IR Advance Impulse Response technology using 56-bit FIR filters. The box was designed in collaboration with Devin Townsend, who is also the user and creator of the two integrated impulses IR. Of course, custom samples can be loaded into both slots, and the app allows for further editing. On the rear, we find separate potentiometers for overall volume and treble, a combo input, a line XLR output with a detachable ground, a similarly designed emulated output with a choice of IR modes Cab A/Cab B/FFR (independently for the box itself and XLR), a minijack Aux In, a USB-B port and a switch activating the built-in lighting.

Music Man Joe Dart III limited edition

Only 50 pieces comprise the limited edition of the third-generation bass built for Joe Dart of the funky band Vulpeck. This model differs from the I and II versions by its shortened 30-inch length scale, the shape of the ash body in the style of the classic StingRay, and the type of pickup in the form of a Music Man passive split single-coil with Alnico 5 magnets. The four-string instrument in Velvet Natural transparent finish with satin finish gets a flame maple neck and fretboard, 22 stainless steel frets, a compensated zero fret, chrome-plated company hardware and a volume potentiometer. A high-quality Mono Vertigo soft case is included.

Tama 50th Anniversary Limited Superstar Reissue            

The Tama Superstar of the 1970s was the world's first drum kit to use only birch bodies, creating the perfect sound for the then-emerging genres. The breakthrough skeleton construction (6 layers with a total thickness of 9mm) was crucial to the monumental success of the Superstar. These bodies were more massive than modern drums and achieved massive attack and strong projection in the low end. In honour of the company's 50th anniversary, Tama produced the SU42RS model with period hardware and bodies with matching interior finishes of the original Superstar sets. The kit includes a 22"x14" bass drum, 10"x8" and 12"x8" toms, a 16"x16" floor tom and an MTH800 tom holder. There are four finishes to choose from.

Dtronics DT-303: acid distortion not only for synths

A desktop distortion unit that can be a great complement e.g. the classic Roland TB-303 synthesizer or its DinSync RE-303 Bass Line analogue, but of course also for other instruments, it offers very straightforward controls, consisting of the familiar trio of Distort, Volume, Filter (affecting the prominence of the upper mids) and four small buttons. These are reserved for the bypass function and activation of one of the three distortion modes Classic, Turbo and O-Drive. Capable of spicing up acid bass lines with the necessary dose of assertiveness, the individual mods vary like the frequency spectrum and the amount of gain, giving the player everything from subtle crunch to extreme distortion. The DT-303 is currently part of a Kickstarter project.

Tascam TH-11: headphones with a good price/performance ratio

Dynamic closed-back headphones that, in the words of the manufacturer, are "usable for standard listening as well as for stage or studio work, at a third of the price of competing models with similar sound quality and workmanship". The TH-11s score with a clean, transparent presentation with balanced delivery across the frequency spectrum, the padded earcups and headband are complemented by ear cuffs with 90-degree rotation, enhancing comfort for extended listening, and the foldable design is a plus. Drivers with a diameter of 50 mm are installed, the impedance is set at 32 Ohms, the frequency range is 18 Hz – 22 kHz and the sensitivity reaches a level of around 98 dB. The new piece will appear on the market in March at a price below 45 euros.