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Unknown Bassist Spotlight- Keiji Kawamori

admin — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 03:26:34 +0000

There are tons of well known guitarists, but when it comes to bass players people always talk about the same small group of people. Cliff Burton, Les Claypool, Geddy Lee, and Jaco Pastorius come to mind. But there are a lot more bass players that can play well and don’t seem to get much attention.

I am thinking about starting a new series all about under-appreciated guitarists and bassists, and for the first one I am going to talk about Keiji Kawamori. Ever heard of him?

Chances are that if you enjoy video games like I do, then you may have heard his work without realizing who he was. Keiji Kawamori has been helping with video game soundtracks as a synth programmer and composer with Square Enix since 1999, when he worked on Final Fantasy VIII.

He has also done some work on the more recent Final Fantasy titles, so if you have played those games you have heard some of his work. But his bass playing in the rock group The Black Mages is what has finally given him some spotlight.

The Black Mages, headed by famed compser Nobuo Uematsu, is a group that plays heavy metal versions of some of the most popular songs from the Final Fantasy series. Perhaps the most famous song by the group is their version of One Winged Angel which can be heard in the film Advent Children.

Bassists will always argue about whether playing with fingers or picks is better, but Kawamori seems to have decided that playing with a pick suits his needs. He also seems to favor a four string Tune bass (as in the picture) and I personally love the modern ergonomic look of the bass, but since the company is overseas it can be difficult finding one of these basses in the US.

Keiji Kawamori is a good bassist and plays with other great musicians, but I think that he needs to turn the amps up or something because it just doesn’t seem to cut through the drums and guitars sometimes, or maybe that’s just my opinion. But good playing nonetheless. Here is a video of The Black Mages performing Vamo Alla Flamenco, where he can be seen with his Tune bass:

I hope you enjoyed this…now just let me know if you like this idea of having an “unknown musician appreciation” series, and let me know if you have any ideas for other people to include.

Rogue VB100 Series II Violin Bass Review

admin — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 19:28:46 +0000

A classic design with updated appointments to make it even sweeter than the original! The Rogue VB-100 Violin Bass features a flamed maple arched top and back with the European-style hollowbody that makes it lightweight and capable of deep, resonant bass tones. The traditional 31″ scale offers immediate familiarity in your hands. A custom trapeze tailpiece, pearloid pickguard, and body binding on front and back are added touches. Don’t be fooled by the tiny price; this is a serious instrument nicely made with all the playability and tone of the original at a fraction of the cost.

Rogue VB100 Series II Violin Bass Features:

Arched flamed maple top
Hollowbody
Pearloid pickguard
Front and back body binding
Custom trapeze
Traditional 31″ scale length
Click here for more on this bass

Pictures of the Rogue VB100

Videos of this Bass

Bottom Line

The Rogue VB100 violin bass is a sweet bass for the price. If you want a high quality bass that can match Paul McCartney, then you might want to look into Hofner. But if you are on a budget and want a nice looking violin bass that plays and sounds pretty good, this is the deal for you. Some people say the action needs adjusted, but you can do that for any bass. Set it up properly and it will play well and get a good tone, although still not quite up to snuff with a higher end Hofner. But the finish is pretty good, and the quality is very nice for a bass that only costs about $180. A very impressive bass considering the price!

Latest Price… Only $179 with free shipping from Musiciansfriend

ESP LTD KH-602 Kirk Hammett Signature Series Guitar Review

admin — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 21:25:36 +0000

Thru-body neck for more sustain and tone. The ESP LTD KH-602 Kirk Hammett Signature Guitar is great for lightning fast leads. With the KH body style and Kirk’s trademark skull-and-crossbones inlays, this ESP guitar steps up with an alder body, rock-solid maple neck-thru construction, a rosewood fingerboard, EMG-81/60 active humbuckers, and a Floyd Rose 1000 Series tremolo. Extra-jumbo frets. Black hardware. 2 volume, tone, and 3-way switching controls.

ESP LTD KH-602 Kirk Hammett Signature Series Guitar Features:

Neck-thru-body construction
Alder body
3-piece maple neck
Extra-thin U-shaped neck
25.5″ scale
Rosewood fingerboard
design
42mm nut width
Extra-thin U neck contour
24 extra-jumbo frets
Dual EMG-81 bridge and EMG-60 neck active humbuckers
Floyd Rose 1000 Series tremolo bridge
Locking nut
ESP tuners
2 volume, tone, and 3-way switching controls
Skull and bones inlays
Black hardware
Click here for more on this guitar

Pictures of the ESP LTD KH-602

Videos of this Guitar:

Bottom Line:

The ESP LTD KH-602 is the perfect guitar for Metallica fans, or metal enthusiasts in general. The EMG 81/60 pickups give you great tone that is perfect for headbanging along to your favorite metal tunes, but it is also versatile enough to give you good clean tones for other styles too. The skull and crossbones inlays look nice, and the guitar as a whole looks really good. It has a thin neck allowing for some fast playing up and down the fingerboard. It has a floyd rose tremelo and stays in tune well. The KH-602 is a lot less expensive than the official KH-2, but is also better than the cheaper KH-202 model. Overall, a great guitar that might make you feel like the next Kirk Hammett!

Latest Price… $899 with free shipping from Musiciansfriend

Taylor 214 Grand Auditorium Acoustic Guitar Review

admin — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:55:53 +0000

Comfort, looks, and that big, airy Taylor midrange.

The Taylor 214 Grand Auditorium Acoustic Guitar gives you bright sound with plenty of low. The brilliant warm tone of a solid Sitka spruce top is given definition by laminated Indian rosewood back and sides. Narrow Grand Auditorium waist looks cool and rides easy on your knee while providing lots of wood for great volume. The ebony fretboard, bridge, and Indian rosewood headstock veneer plus a detailed rosette furnish phenomenal looks.

Taylor 214 Grand Auditorium Acoustic Guitar Features:

Solid Sitka spruce top
Laminated Indian rosewood back and sides
Ebony fretboard and bridge
Indian rosewood headstock veneer
Scalloped X bracing
Enclosed die-cast chromeplated tuners
25-1/2″ scale
1-11-16″ nut width
Tusq nut
Includes Taylor hardshell case
Click here to learn more about this guitar

Available Pictures:

Videos of the Taylor 214 Grand Auditorium:

Bottom Line:

The Taylor 214 is definitely a very nice acoustic guitar. Taylor is known for high quality acoustic guitars, and this model costs less than many of their other options. It has a Grand Auditorium style body, making it perfect for fingerpicking, but it is also loud and resonant for strumming chords too. The neck plays well, the guitar stays in tune well, the body is comfortable, and the guitar sounds great. The only qualm with this guitar is that the newest version of this model has a laminated rosewood back and sides (solid wood is preferable to laminated), but that doesn’t affect the guitar too much. This is still a very nice looking guitar that sounds great too.

Latest Price… Only $799 with free shipping from Musiciansfriend

Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass Review

admin — Mon, 31 May 2010 20:42:00 +0000

A retro-inspired funk machine that anybody can afford. The Vintage Modified ’70s Jazz Bass from Squier features a one-piece hard maple neck, maple body, and Duncan Designed Jazz Bass pickups. It can deliver punchy tone for the ultimate funk sound whether you play fingerstyle or slap-n-pop. Black binding and block inlays, black pickguard, and chrome hardware give it a true-to-the-’70s visual style.

Squier by Fender Vintage Modified Jazz Bass Features:

Vintage Modified Jazz Bass
Soft maple body
One-piece maple neck
Maple fingerboard
Black block inlays
Bound neck
20 large frets
34″ scale
Chrome hardware
Vintage-style butterfly tuners
Vintage-style 4-saddle bridge
3-ply black/white/black pickguard
2 single-coil Duncan Designed™ JB101 Jazz Bass pickups with Alnico V magnets
2 volume and one tone knob
Click here to learn more about this bass

Videos of the Squier Vintage Jazz Bass:

Bottom Line:

Overall, the Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass is an excellent bass for the price. It is only around$300, but for the price it is surprisingly good and can even compete with many high end basses. It has a nice body and neck, and the pickups are very nice. This bass is pretty versatile and you can get some good tones for either fingerstyle playing or slapping. The bass looks really nice, and the black inlay/binding is a nice feature that is hard to find on basses that aren’t at least twice the price. The only minor flaw some people complain about is the action…but as with any bass, you can adjust that and set it up properly. For the price, this is a great bass that is sure to please anyone.

Latest Price… Only $299 with free shipping from Musiciansfriend

Ibanez RG120 Electric Guitar Review

admin — Sun, 30 May 2010 20:22:58 +0000

Built for the shredder on a budget. Featuring the RG neck favored for its thin, flat, fast-playing design; rosewood fretboard; jumbo frets; an agathis body; Ibanez FAT10 tremolo for wild whammy action; and 2 powerful humbuckers.

Ibanez RG120 Electric Guitar Features:

Agathis body
Thin, flat RG neck
Rosewood fretboard
24 jumbo frets
Dual open-coil humbucking pickups
Ibanez FAT10 Tremolo
Click here to learn more about this guitar

Pictures and Color Options:

Videos of the Ibanez RG120:

Bottom Line:

Overall, the Ibanez RG120 is a nice guitar, especially if you are a beginner. Since this is one of the cheapest Ibanez RG models, it is very affordable and is great to learn guitar on. For the price, it gets pretty good reviews. It has a fast neck, a light body, and decent pickups. Admittedly, this guitar is not perfect, but since it is so cheap you can’t expect it to be on par with higher end Ibanezes. This guitar will go out of tune fairly fast if you do any dive bombs on the whammy bar, so is best to use it sparingly (personally, I never use tremelos at all). If you have money to spend, there are better RG models available, but if you want an affordable guitar this is very nice and will make you happy, and costs less than $200.

Latest Price… Only $199 with free shipping from Musiciansfriend

Ibanez JamPack IJV50 Quickstart Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Pack Review

admin — Thu, 20 May 2010 16:06:03 +0000

One of the premier names in guitar manufacture, Ibanez has produced the Ibanez IJV50 JamPack Quick Start, a fantastically low-priced package with everything for the beginning guitarist. The V50 natural-finish acoustic guitar features a spruce top for fantastic tone. The package also includes an accurate electronic tuner, gig bag, guitar strap, and accessory pouch.

Ibanez JamPack IJV50 Quickstart Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Pack Features:

V50 acoustic guitar
Spruce top
Electronic tuner
Gig bag
Guitar strap
Accessory pouch
Click here for more info on this guitar pack

Pictures of the Ibanez IJV50 Acoustic Guitar Pack:

Videos of the Ibanez IJV50:

Bottom Line:

This is a basic guitar that is very affordable, making it a popular choice for beginners on a budget. For the price, you can’t expect a professional-level guitar. However, it is sturdy and stays in tune well. It gets the job done and is probably the least expensive acoustic you will find. Is it perfect? No. But if you are on a budget and want to learn to play the acoustic guitar, this is a solid guitar that will provide a lot of fun, and you won’t spend much money on it. A good choice for beginners or children.

Latest Price…Only $99 from Musiciansfriend

Hofner H500/1-CT Contemporary Series Violin Bass Guitar Review

admin — Thu, 20 May 2010 01:05:54 +0000

A year after celebrating the 50th anniversary of Walter Hofner’s original violin bass, made famous by a certain Beatle who shall remain nameless, they have decided to produce a contemporary version. It has a vintage look that will produce many “oohs”, and an internal sustain block that creates a more modern, deep-resonating sound that will produce many “aahs.” It’s the kind of bass guitar people love to see, play, and hear. Aesthetically, this model features a maple-beech-maple set neck with rosewood fretboard accentuated by mother-of-pearl dot inlays, the signature Hofner violin bass headstock, a brass trapeze tailpiece, and glossy spruce top with glossy flamed maple back and sides. An ebony bridge with movable metal saddles maintains intonation and string spacing. The nickel-plated hardware and floating celluloid pearl pickguard give it an extra little pop for the eyes. On the electronics side, you’re working with two original Hofner 511B ‘Staple’ humbucking pickups, as well as a control panel with 2 volume controls, 2 on/off switches, and a rhythm/solo switch for volume boost. The overall sound is warm like the original model, but with a little more sonic kick for a more “now” sound.

Hofner H500/1-CT Contemporary Series Violin Bass Guitar Features:

Rosewood fretboard
22 frets
Maple-beech-maple set neck
Neck width at nut 1-5/8″
4 individual machine heads
Ebony bridge with movable metal saddles for perfect intonation and string spacing
Brass trapeze tailpiece
Selected German spruce top
Flamed maple back and sides
2 Hofner 511B ‘Staple’ humbucking pickups
Control panel with boost and individual on and off switches and boost
Nickel-plated hardware
Floating celluloid pickguard, pearl designed
Mother of pearl inlay dots
Includes Hofner hardshell case
Click here for more info on this bass

Pictures and Color Options:

Videos of the Hofner Violin Bass:

Bottom Line:

This is a remake of the classic Hofner violin bass made famous by Paul McCartney. I’m personally not a huge Beatles fan, but this vintage style bass does look pretty cool. There is a cheap Rogue knock-off of this bass, but this one is the real thing you want. Flawless fit and finish, good hardware and electronics, and that classic “Beatle Bass” look. It is lightweight, has lots of sustain, and plays well. Fans of this type of bass (you know who you are) are sure to love this.

Latest Price… Only $769 from Musiciansfriend

Fender CD-60 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Review

admin — Tue, 18 May 2010 20:07:01 +0000

Big sound without a big price. Want features you’d expect in a much more expensive instrument? The CD-60 is your guitar, with features including a spruce top, mahogany back and sides, die-cast tuners, and an included hardshell case.

Fender CD-60 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Features:

Model Name: CD-60
Model Number: 096-0600
Series: Classic Design Series
Body Style: Fender Style Dreadnought
Finish: Gloss (Polyurethane)
Top: Laminated Spruce
Back and Sides: Laminated Mahogany
Neck: Nato
Fingerboard: Sonokeling
No. of Frets: 20
Bridge: Sonokeling with Urea Compensated Saddle
Machine Heads: Chrome (Die-Cast)
Scale Length: 25.3″ (643mm)
Body Depth: 3.94″, 100mm (Front) to 4.92″ 125mm (Rear)
Width at Nut: 1.69″ (43mm)
Width at Heel: 2.24″ (57mm)
Pickguard: Black
Fingerboard Inlays: White Dots
Logo: Gold Silkscreen
Soundhole Rosette: Multi-ABS
Body and Neck Binding: Black
Bridge and Endpins: Black
Strings: Fender 60L Phosphor Bronze, p/n 0730060003, Gauges .012 to .053
Accessories: Hardshell case (USA and Canada only)
Introduced: 1/2006
Click here for more info on this guitar

Pictures and Color Options:

Videos of the Fender CD-60 Guitar:

Bottom Line:

Overall, this is a very good acoustic guitar for the price. It is geared toward beginners, and does not compete with higher end Fenders, but is certainly a good choice for beginners. Money allowing, I would recommend this over some of the cheaper acoustics you will find (Rogues, Ibanez IJV50, etc). While this guitar is rather basic in appearance and not overly fancy, it is a solid and reliable guitar. It sounds good and will get the job done. It comes in different colors (I personally prefer the black) and comes with a hardshell case, unlike the cheap gig bags that come with some guitars. Definitely a good choice for an acoustic guitar if you want something reliable that won’t cost much.

Latest Price… Only $199 from Musiciansfriend

Paul Reed Smith SE 25th Anniversary Custom 24 Electric Guitar Review

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:05:52 +0000

The Paul Reed Smith Special 25th Anniversary Custom 24 SE electric guitar follows in the footsteps of the tried and true Custom 24. The guitar that Paul Smith took to his first tradeshow in 1985, the Custom 24 is the guitar that brought PRS to the party. The PRS Custom 24 SE has a 25″ scale length coupled with a fast wide thin shape that gives this electric guitar exceptional playability. Abalone bird inlays adorn the PRS guitar’s 24-fret rosewood fingerboard and a carved flame maple top veneer highlights the classic PRS double-cutaway mahogany body. All hardware is nickel including a PRS tremolo bridge, and PRS designed tuners. The electric guitar comes with a PRS Cordura gig bag.

Paul Reed Smith SE 25th Anniversary Custom 24 Electric Guitar Features:

PRS guitar body
Style: Solidbody double-cutaway
Top wood: Maple top with quilted maple veneer
Body wood: Mahogany
Case: PRS Cordura gig bagPRS guitar neck
Neck wood: Maple
Neck shape: wide thin
Scale length: 25″
Neck joint: Set
Fretboard wood: Rosewood
Number of frets: 24
Fretboard inlays: Pearloid birdsPRS guitar hardware
Bridge: PRS designed tremolo
Tuners: PRS designed tuners
Treble Pickup: SE HFS treble humbucker
Bass Pickup: SE Vintage bass humbucker
Pickup Switching: volume and tone control with 3-way toggle
Includes PRS Cordura gig bag
Click here and find more info on this guitar

Pictures and Color Options:

Videos of the PRS SE 25th Anniversary Guitar:

Bottom Line:

The 25th anniversary PRS SE is definitely an amazing guitar for the price. It is definitely classic, high quality PRS guitar with a reasonable price. This guitar does not have some of the features more expensive models have (like natural binding or a carved top), but that is good since it lowers the cost quite a bit. For a PRS, this is a very affordable guitar, and the quality is sure not going to disappoint you. It looks great and sounds great and gets very good reviews. For the price, this is definitely a great guitar.

Latest Price… Only $664 from Musiciansfriend