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…before you buy your guitar (related stuff)

Ibanez PF5ECE Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar vs. Jasmine by Takamine ES45C Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Ibanez PF5ECE Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Ibanez PF5ECE Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Professional features at an affordable price is the cornerstone of Ibanez’s Performance guitars. Other major manufacturers only check their instruments in the Performance price range with random inspections before shipping them to stores in the States. But every Ibanez acoustic guitar, from the least expensive Performance model to their top of the line Artwoods, is inspected and set up according to the stringent standards of Ibanez quality control.

Mahogany provides rich warm lows and sweet sustain.

Ibanez PF5ECE Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar Features…

Spruce top

Gold die-cast tuners

Mahogany neck, back and sides

D’Addario EXP strings

Ivorex II nut and saddle

Advantage bridge pins

Pearl dot inlay

Gloss finish

Spruce top

Mahogany back/sides

Die-cast (G) tuners

Fishman Sonicore pickup SST preamp w/ onboard tuner

Buy Ibanez PF5ECE Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar
Buy at Zzounds.comBuy at Musiciansfriend.com


Great Guitar for the price.

I have been playing this guitar for 5 years in a christian contemporary band and the sound is awesome.I have not had any problems with fret buzz or wear.

UN2HIM06 from Pittsburgh, Pa. (Jan 6, 2009)

I like playing classical. i was a little worried the the neck would be too thin to do any good fingerpicking, but it worked out just fine. The guitar plays very well- I think that the sound is pretty rich despite the relatively thing body. I was only able to plug in recently because my dad realized that we have an amp in the basement [not the brightest crayon in the box] but as crappy as his amp is, it still sounded very clean. Not too many problems concerning feedback. I didnt like this guitar the first month I bought it, I thought it was too twangy, but once i broke it in it was absolutely great ^_^

Made in china, laminated top. A nice amount of features for a guitar this cheap. I bought the cutaway. The neck was a little thin, which was a nice change of pace because this was the first a/e guitar I bought- i usually play classical guitars.

Since this was my first steel string guitar, I'm not exactly sure with all the technical terms involving finish and set up, but I can say for sure that my guitar is PERTY. hehe. The neck feels a little cheap though.

I encountered one problem with it though- the fifth fret bar sticks out a little on the side of the neck- the 6th string can get caught on it, which may cause the string to break. I could probably fix it by pushing it in with pliers or maybe sanding it off, but im too lazy… but it hasnt been that much of a problem.

luckily ive never needed it

Janelle (12/01/2002)

Jasmine by Takamine ES45C Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Jasmine by Takamine ES45C Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Inside every Jasmine, you’ll find the heart and soul of a Takamine. Their finest luthiers oversee every aspect of the design, construction, and quality control of these beautiful looking, beautiful sounding guitars. The electronics system in these models includes a piezo pickup under the bridge and a control section with volume and tone controls. This high-value acoustic/electric model is designed with a Nato body (from the Mahogany family) with a great gloss finish, a Spruce top, and a Rosewood fingerboard and bridge. The tuning machines are chrome plated.

Jasmine by Takamine ES45C Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar Features…

Body: Dreadnought Cut Away

Top: Spruce

Sides: Nato

Back: Nato

Fingerboard: Rosewood

Bridge: Rosewood

Tuners: Chrome Plated

Finish: Natural Gloss

Nut Width: 1 11/16 inches

Scale Length: 25 3/8 inches

Electronics: Passive volume and tone control

Buy Jasmine by Takamine ES45C Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar
Buy at Zzounds.com


Takamine Jasmine ES45C Customer Review

i like the wood but the body looks kinda ugly

i payed about 200 for this guitar it should be about 75

everything is good but the tuning heads could be a little better

Submitted: 1/14/2006
"Amazing value for the money — easy to play, good sounding, and beautiful to look at."

I haven't plugged it in yet, but as an "acoustic" it sounds really good. I'm not even close to an expert, since I just started playing about 6 months ago, on a regular-style (not cutaway) dreadnought steel-string acoustic. To me, this guitar doesn't sound quite as "full" as the regular dreadnought, but it's so much easier to play that right now I'll take the tiny bit of lost fullness.

I can't believe I got this good of a guitar, new, for this money.

For the money, the fit and finish is amazing. It's a really great-looking guitar, and it seems well-built. The back, which is dark "nato" "mahogony-type" wood, is really beautiful.

a customer from socket.net (Style of Music: Christian rock, worship)

Maxon OD808 Overdrive Pedal vs. Boss DN-2 Dyna Drive Overdrive Pedal

Maxon OD808 Overdrive Pedal

Maxon OD808 Overdrive Pedal

 Owner’s Manual

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Demo

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The quintessential overdrive pedal ? often imitated but never matched. Identical to the original circuit and featuring the JRC4558 IC chip, the OD808 reissue offers smooth, natural overdrive similar to a full-up tube amplifier. Incredibly transparent, the OD808 responds to individual playing dynamics and lets the true tone of your instrument shine through.

Reissue Series

No matter how fast technology advances, some things just cannot be improved upon. The mark of true genius is the company that recognizes this fact and works to preserve tradition, rather than re-invent it.

Introducing Maxon Reissue Effects. Faithful reproductions of their legendary 1970’s product line, the Maxon Reissue Effects offer today’s musician an unparalleled sonic palette that has defined the tones of legendary Guitarists for the past 3 decades. True to the original designs, each model’s circuit is 100% analog and hand-assembled by masters of the craft with over 30 years experience in the field of effect design and construction. Packaged in a time-tested chassis, only the highest quality components are used to assure a lifetime of trouble-free performance.

Forget about boutique “clones” that promise but don’t deliver. Maxon did it first, they did it best, and they’re doing it again. Maxon Reissue Effects: The perfect sounds of the past, available in the present. Get yours today.

About Maxon

Since their humble beginnings as a guitar pickup manufacturer in 1966, Nisshin Onpa Co., Ltd. (Maxon) has strove to supply musicians with the ultimate tools of the trade. Highly respected for their manufacturing prowess, Nisshin Onpa has designed and manufactured some of the most famous music products of our time, including many of the most sought-after guitar effects units and wireless systems from today’s top suppliers. In addition, Nisshin’s own brand of Maxon products has achieved a legendary status among Tone Freaks and Gearheads across the globe due to their superior quality and unsurpassed tone.

Over 30 years since their inception, Nisshin Onpa is once again offering Maxon products to the discerning musician. Their line of Reissue Series compact Guitar effects and the all-new line of Vintage Series effects are the absolute ultimate tone machines and offer uncompromised sound and superior manufacturing quality for those of us who will accept nothing less than the best.

Maxon OD808 Overdrive Pedal Features…

Input Impedance: 500K ohms

Input Jack: 1/4 in. standard phone jack

Output Impedance: 10K ohms

Output Jack: 1/4 in. standard phone jack

Switch: Normal/Effect

Dimensions (W x D x H): 61 x 112 x 35mm

Accessories:

9V Manganese dry cell battery (S-006P) x 1

Warranty Card x 1

User’s Manual x 1

Output: 1

Controls: 3

Noise: -110 dBu

Maximum Amplitude: 35 dB

Current Consumption: 5 mA 9V, 6 mA 10V

Weight: 260 g

Buy Maxon OD808 Overdrive Pedal
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 Owner’s Manual

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Demo

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I have tried numerous OD's.

Liked this one the best so far.

Very warm and smooth.

No noise! Tone seems sweeter than Fulltone to me.

Records very well too.

Very nicely made. Fine craftman ship. Not cheap like some others.

Very easy to use.

Don't know yet.

I play rock, blues, reggae, folk,funk, etc…everything.

30 years playing. I would replace it. Sounds great, looks great!

Nice switch. Compared it to Fulltone, Voodoo lab, Ibanez.

Makes me very creative. I had a very hard time picking an overdrive and finally went with this one. I like the sparkle drive a lot too.

The Fulltone sounded a little thinner to me. I think the sound and beautiful looks won me over.

john parry (05/04/2001)

I was never a member of the Tube Screamer bandwagon. I used to require a ton of gain for the stuff I played, but I have since changed many things about my taste and playing, and I needed a good overdrive pedal. This pedal does a great job of providing moderate overdrive that is very transparent and touch sensative. I compared this with Maxons TS9, which looks exactly like the Ibanez Tube Screamer, and while the tones were very similar, I thought the 808 was more transparent and dynamic. I tried the Fulltone FD2 (old and new versions) and I just can't make the FD work for me. I have other Fulltone effects and love them dearly, but the FD2 just doesn't do it for me. The Maxon OD808 sits in my pedalboard, which goes into a Fender Super Reverb. I have a Tech21 Double Drive for the over-the top gain stuff and a Sparkle Drive for the very slight, hair-around-the-edges semi clean tone. My 808 gives me everything in between…and it works nicely in front of the DoubleDrive to give me that over-the-top gain (like an OD into a Marshall) when I want it. If I had to say one negative thing about it, this pedal can at times sound a little bit harsh – especially with higher gain pickups, like a humbucker, so I need to back off the guitar volume a little to compensate. It really shines with my Strat's Texas Special single coils. R&B tones are just killer, and if you are into the SRV thing, this combination is as close as I have heard/felt.

Pretty darn simple. Input, Output, Gain, Level and Tone. There is a good manual that gives you some sample settings to start with.

I have a Maxon Chorus of similar construction, and that has been very relaible. I'm willing to judge this one based on my expreience with their other products. Its not built like a Fulltone, but is is still very well built.

Overall, this pedal is fantastic. For me, this gives me exactly what I need in an overdrive (though what I really want is the overdirve that oozes from a Two-Rock amp…but that's another $4000 conversation). Very transparent and touche sensative – especially for a Solid State pedal. I really enjoy playing through this.

JL (10/31/2003)

Boss DN-2 Dyna Drive Overdrive Pedal

Boss DN-2 Dyna Drive Overdrive Pedal

An overdrive pedal that reacts to you.

The DN-2 is an exciting new type of overdrive pedal that reacts to the intensity of your performance. This unique BOSS pedal comes equipped with the acclaimed Dyna Amp technology recently introduced in Roland’s popular CUBE-60 amp, letting you create unique tone transitions based on picking dynamics. It’s possible to get a transparent clean output sound by playing softly, or a powerful heavy overdrive sound by picking aggressively.

Boss DN-2 Dyna Drive Overdrive Pedal Features…

Provides dynamic transition between clean to heavy overdrive based on picking strength and/or guitar volume

Acclaimed Dyna Amp technology derived from Roland’s CUBE-60

A unique way for guitarists to add expression to their performance

Road-tough BOSS metal construction

Buy Boss DN-2 Dyna Drive Overdrive Pedal
Buy at Zzounds.comBuy at Musiciansfriend.com


Nourish and cherish your tone.

I am picky about my tone, I like all the little nuances of my guitar to shine even if i'm using distortion. This pedal does that. It gives you distortion that respects your guitar's character and your playing. I normally use it with a gibson LP std, an american strat, or an american tele, through a Fender Hot Rod deluxe. It is great and i like it even more than my Ibanez TS9 tube screamer pedal (which i still keep use but do not as much anymore). If you are looking for massive distortion, you will NOT find it here. If you want distortion that respects enhances the character of your set up and playing style, then you're looking at the right product. Like me, you may find yourself using this as much for the distortion, as for the tonality it lends. If my pedals were stolen, this would probably the first one I would buy again.

ricardo from Berkeley, CA (Jun 2, 2007)
Just Right

I have been through MANY distortion pedals in the past, after deciding BOSS was the best i went for the metal zone. It was TOO GRUNGY! After that i went with a Super Overdrive pedal, great but shows too much strumming and picking character for a drive. So i went back on the market after discovering this Glorious Pedal i fell in love. Not only was it simple with only 3 knobs, it wasn't too heavy, nor too weak. It had Balls to the Wall tone. It kept the beautiful sound of overdriven open chords with out making them sound muddy, but gave me the drive i need to solo, hit heavy palm muted power chords, and squealing pinch harmonics. This pedal is perfect Not the Heavy but not Too weak, THIS PEDAL IS "JUST RIGHT"

ToneBuff from Manteca, CA (Jun 11, 2007)

Marshall 1936 Guitar Speaker Cabinet (150 Watts, 2×12 in.) vs. Peavey JSX Straight Guitar Speaker Cabinet (400 Watts, 4×12 in.)

Marshall 1936 Guitar Speaker Cabinet (150 Watts, 2×12 in.)

Marshall 1936 Guitar Speaker Cabinet (150 Watts, 2x12 in.)

Marshall Speaker Cabinets

Marshall is the only choice for serious musicians. Nothing compares to Marshall cabinets in terms of awesome tone and projection, both visually and aurally.

Great sound and looks however are not everything. Many years of experience mean that Marshall speaker cabinets are also built to stand the test of time. Their highly skilled craftsmen construct them from the finest quality materials with precision corner locked joints, tough cotton backed PVC covering, heavy-duty hardware, and the highest quality fittings.

Racks and Combos

Although all of the stereo/mono 4×12’s are perfect for use with stereo rack systems, Marshall also produces a range of smaller 2×12 in. and 1×12 in. cabinets that are ideally suited for use with portable rack set-ups or as extension cabinets for combos.

The 1936 has Mono/Stereo options and is great for a larger rack system. It fits a full size Marshall head perfectly too, giving you a compact 2×12 stack. Whatever your rig, with our practical knowledge and unrivalled construction techniques, Marshall give you cabinets that are not only perfect for your needs, they will also last you a lifetime

The highest quality woodwork includes the “corner locking” of each and every joint. This helps give Marshall cabinets the incredible strength and durability, which has become as legendary as the Marshall sound itself.

Heavy-duty Grab Handles are fitted to all Marshall cabinets. Their tough, ergonomic, recessed casing design gives easy access to the bar of the handle without affecting the cabinet’s smooth lines

No sharp metal edges or rough fittings – the smooth ABS plastic Marshall corner fits perfectly and offers excellent protection to all 8 cabinet corners.

Marshall 1936 Guitar Speaker Cabinet (150 Watts, 2×12 in.) Features…

Black grille cloth

Gold piping

Black elephant grain vinyl

Speaker: 2 x 12 in. G12T-75

Power: 150 watt Mono

Impedance: 8 ohm mono/16 ohm stereo

Dimensions: 750 x 600 x 310mm

Weight: 24.6 kg

Buy Marshall 1936 Guitar Speaker Cabinet (150 Watts, 2×12 in.)
Buy at Zzounds.comBuy at Musiciansfriend.com


I play Fender Strats (SRV with Texas Specials, American Standard with a SD 'lil 59 in the bridge and stock pickups in the neck and mid positions, and a American Special w/Floyd and a Di'Marzio Super Distortion in the bridge with SD hot rails in the neck and bridge) through a Marshall 2000 TSL 100 head. I deffinatley get ever sound I need.

No noise on any setting, the cleans are clean at all volume levels. The only nock may be a little too much low end. But I haven't been able to attest it to the head or the cab yet, so I won't let that hurt my rating. The distortion is classic, perfectly suited for my sounds.

Yes, this is a British made cab. I have no idea where the speakers are made, and I dont know if its partical board or plywood (looks like plywood if you go to www.marshallamps.com). But listen… It matters not where the cab or speakers were made, what matters is the sound. And this cab makes a great sound. The country where the products were made, does not make a difference, the people and company who make it do. And Marshall make fantastic equipment. As soon as you start limiting yourself to products made in the USA only, or any other country for that matter, then you have started limiting your sound and your horizons, and closing your mind.

Remember, self-delusion breeds pride…Pride breeds the inability to learn.

Year 2000 model. I play Hard Rock/Metal and Blues (Maiden, Zeppelin, ACDC, Rush, SRV, etc.) and this cab gets the sounds that I need, and then some. You can put one head through it for 150 Watts of stero sound, or two for 75 watts each.

I would have put "no opinion" in the rating here, only because its just a cab, and is not supposed to have many features, but it does have a couple of different configs so I gave it the max rating. Its deffinatly a great cab. I bought it knowing that it only had 2 12 inch speakers, so I wasnt expecting more than I bought, which it sounds like some of the other reviews were expecting a 4X12 sound, from a 2X12 cab.

No complaints.

I've been playing 15+ years. I own a Mesa Boogie Mark IV and a Mesa Boogie Subway Rocket. But I play the Marshall more then the Boogies, by far.

If it were lost, or stolen? I would probably replace it with a 1960B 4X12, but that would only be for the extra 'umph' from the extra watts and extra speakers. But only if space were not an issue, as its nice to have this 2×12, it's so much smaller.

Love the compact size and the sounds. I dont hate anything about it, but I do wish that the jacks in the back were metal and not plastic, only because I think its a point of weakness (plastic) not because I've had any problems with it.

I have to give it a 10 (almost gave it a 9 because I have never contacted them to get a CS opinion) because for only $349.00 you could not buy something new that is better, maybe as good, but not better.

Don Andrade (01/06/2004)
Marshall JCM2000 TSLC212 Cabinet

The Marshall JCM2000 TSLC212 Cabinet is complimented with two different Celestion 8ohm speakers including a Vintage 30. Rated at 140W and at 16ohms this cab is well suited even for rackmounted rigs. Dose very well in recording situations. A versital cabinet.

rite_me_back from Covina, CA (Aug 8, 2004)

Peavey JSX Straight Guitar Speaker Cabinet (400 Watts, 4×12 in.)

Peavey JSX Straight Guitar Speaker Cabinet (400 Watts, 4x12 in.)

With 400 Watts of continuous power handling and four 12 in. custom JSX speakers, this cab is the perfect compliment to the JSX amplifier.

Peavey JSX Straight Guitar Speaker Cabinet (400 Watts, 4×12 in.) Features…

400 watts continuous power handling

16 ohms mono

Four 12 inch custom JSX speakers (rear-mounted)

11-ply birch baffle

Microphone-simulated XLR direct output so the user gets Joe’s live, onstage tone (speakers remain active when direct output is used) without using a separate mic and stand

Black weave grille cloth with JSX logo

Buy Peavey JSX Straight Guitar Speaker Cabinet (400 Watts, 4×12 in.)
Buy at Zzounds.comBuy at Musiciansfriend.com


Just South of Good

The Peavey Triple XXX cab is decent at absolute best. It doesn't respond well to mids on your standard 3 band EQ, Highs aren't much better. If you bought the Peavey Triple XXX head don't go with this cab. You're way better off going with the 6505 cab or the marshall 1960 cab.

Narsiel from Madison, WI (Aug 29, 2006)

Sovtek Mig 60 head modded by Jeff Snider (http://snideramps.com/), sounds like a Plexi and then some.

72' Tele Custom Reissue with a Fralin Blues Special pickup in the bridge, stock humbucker, Glendale Guitars magnetic double notch bridge plate and brass intone saddles.

Gibson Les Paul faded double cutaway with stock P-90's.

HBE Powerscreamer, MXR Microamp, Rat II, Line 6 Delay Modeler. Play indie rock. Some loud, some more ambient and quieter.

The sound is deep, clear, articulate, and has a nice sparkle and sheen on the high end. It gets great lows from the G12H30's and nice mids and highs from the Vintage 30's. It was everything I was looking for and a perfect match for the Sovtek. My previous cabinet was a Mesa DC vertical 2×12 and it didn't do the head justice at all. It sounded really bad, actually. But this cabinet is great. With the Tele bridge pickup it sounds nice and woody with the Fralin, rich harmonics and overtones just pour out of it, and there's that nice lower midrange thump that you can feel in your chest. The amp has a Low and High input and the cabinet sounds great no matter what you throw at it.

I have an Ampeg V2 on loan loaded with new KT88's, and though it only runs at 4 or 8 ohms and isn't pushing out as much volume as it's capable of, it sounds awesome too.

Pretty versatile so far.

Bought new. 16 ohm. 4×12 – 2 Celestion Vintage 30's on top, 2 Celestion G12H30's on the bottom. Black Tolex. Wheat grill cloth. Extra jack on back to daisy chain multiple cabinets. Weighs in at about 91 lbs. Sturdy handles. Rubber feet. I ordered the casters that I'll probably throw on some plywood to make a cart/dolly.

The build quality is excellent. No flaws. No rattles. Super sturdy. Looks great. It looks as though it may not be as deep as a typical Marshall style cab. It's straight faced and I prefer that over an angled cab. Avatar will let you throw in any number of speaker of combinations wire it any way you want it and Dave at Avatar was quick to reply to questions. It shipped to me in about a week.

Just got it so I haven't gigged with it yet, but I don't foresee any problems other than those typical of any other cabinet with use over time – torn grill cloth, torn tolex etc.

I've been playing music most of my life and had actually never owned 4×12 before this, but have played through plenty of amps and cabinets – vintage, new, reissued, boutique – and this cabinet will hold it's own with any of them, and I saved a lot of money. When it comes down to it, at this price point, nothing even comes close to what I've seen out there.

Andrew (05/23/2006)