BACK LIST
Aclassic set-upthrough which any guitaristwould be thrilled to play. On the left. an original 1963 Fender Stratocaster (which would cost upwards ol £1500 now). the legendary Mesa/Boogie valve amp. prized lor its warm overdriven sound by guitarists the world over. and lorthe latest in sounds. an extensive etlects rack. From the top. the latest Yamaha guitar ettects processor. the GE? 90 (£400). the Rockman stereo chorus. as conceived by Boston guitarist and electronics wunderkind Tom Scholz (£600). the chorus. overdrive and compression rack known only as the Axxeman (£300). the Yamaha SPX 500 digital sound processor (£400) and the Roland 0P8 guitar ettects processor. For that great Fifties“ sound. the discerning musician might want to plug in the Gretsch While Falcon instead. This particular beauty was made in the Seventies. but would still leave little change out at two grand.
KEYBOARDS Sound Control jokingly called this their 'vintage rack'. From the bottom: the groundbreaking Roland Juno 60. which cost more than a grand when it tirsl hit the shops (this particular one was selling tor£325). the Korg Poly-61. which amazed musicians with its memory at 64 sounds when lttirst came out (£315). the Korg Poly-800 (£235). which put the Poly-61 inthe shade as one at the tirsl budget MIDI synths. the ‘Korg 707. which tookthe technological revolution stilt lurther (£499). and the Casio CZ-100. The price 01 good MIDI keyboards is 'dropping like crazy'. This one sells tor only £225.
PORTASTUDIOS
Four-track home recording studios start at around the £200 mark and go up in £50
stages. Clockwise trom left:
Tascam Porta 05. Tascam Porta One. Fostex X-30 Multitracker. Fostex X-15 Series II Multitracker. Yamaha MT100 Multitrack Cassette Recorder.
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STUDIO EFFECTS UNITS
Astack ot studio etlects units. From the top: the popular Alesis Microverb II. a reverb unit retailing at around £200. Alesis Mlcrolimiter (just over £100). Yamaha R100 reverb processor (lilty presets and. unlike Microverb. a variable
NEW STRAT
Atterresting on their laurels. and actually allowing the quality ottheir Stratsto decline duringthe Sevenfies.Fenderhave been working overtime to keep their place in a market saturated with budget- priced copies which gave the real thing a run tor its money. The latest Strat. only a tew months old. incorporates redesigned pickups with a reduced magneticlield which doesn‘t pull on the strings. making lower action
noisegate) tor £200. Yamaha FM sound generator FB-01. virtually a synth withouta keyboard (just buy one keyboard and treat it with these modules)
to
possible. The crazetor extroverted pummelling on the whammy barhas ledto a new style otlocking machine heads (as seen on Simple Mind Charlie Burchill‘s guitars otlale). which clamp ontothe string. taking the place at locking nuts. which Fender and others seem to be phasing out. A locking nut is replaced on the new Strats bya rollernut. which eliminates lriction so that the strings don'tslip attera show-stoppingtug onthe bar.
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tor£140. and the Roland Multitimbre Sound Module (£350). similarto above. The last two units are both ontheir way out. already superseded.
the List ,‘all Sept
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