Review: A top-of-the-line Taylor guitar. Taylor necks are all about smooth,
comfortable playing. Comfort translates to effortless. The spruce-top tone is
also second to none.
Taylor 914ceAcoustic-Electric Hybrid Guitar
Features: Cutaway. Acoustic-Electric Hybrid. Luxurious wood. Electric pickups. Hollow body.
Review: This is not exactly dedicated to electric-guitar playing, but its hollow body makes
it both resonance and clarity. It's often said there are a "variety of tonal possibilities."
This is a versatile guitar!
Gibson Les Paul SupremeElectric Guitar
Features: Cutaway. Double humbucker pickups. Pure electric tone.
Review: The best-sounding electric guitar. A classic.
Basses
Hofner 500/1Electric Bass Guitar
Features: Acoustic-like tone.
Review: Best to use with flat-wound strings, the "Beatle" bass plays
like a breathing instrument due to its hollow body.
Aria FEB-FLAcoustic-Electric Bass Guitar
Features: Acoustic-like tone. Cutaway. F-holes.
Review: A little sharp around the edges, this bass has beast tone!
Fretless sounds very close to an upright bass. This Japanese maker
is relatively unknown in the US, but the instrument is quality.
AMPLIFIERS & CABS
Guitar Amps
Bugera V5Tube Guitar Amplifier
Features: a 12AX7 and a EL84 tube.
Review: This amp is the simplest tube setup an amp can have. Thus, it's
perfect for practice — and maybe even recording. This amp has tone!
MESA Lonestar ClassicTube Guitar Amplifier
Features: EL34 or 6L6 tubes. EQ.
Review: This amp is known for its clean tone, but with with overdrive it also rocks
a natural overdrive with 4 tubes.
MICROPHONES
Condenser Microphones
Neumann M149Tube Condenser Microphone
Features: Warmest tone ever, with that Neumann sound.
Review: This microphone is the best-in-class modern tube microphone.
The kind Sinatra would use today. The Neumann sound is worth it!
Neumann U87Solid-State Condenser Microphone
Features: that Neumann sound.
Review: The frequency response may not be for everything, but when it works
it is a perfect fit, especially guitar cab recording. The Neumann sound is worth it!
AKG C12VRTube Condenser Microphone
Features: airy, crisp tone.
Review: An especially bright, airy, crisp mic. Sibellence can be an issue,
but this mic has great "presence."
AKG C414Solid-State Condenser Microphone
Features: a faithful reference.
Review: The AKG workhorse mic. This AKG sound is clear and
fairly neutral. A great starter mic for one's first condenser.
Dynamic Microphones
Shure SM57Dynamic Microphone
Features: the classic snare mic and dynamic reference.
Review: A simple, durable dynamic microphone.
Shure SM58Dynamic Microphone
Features: the go-to live-vocal mic.
Review: Known to be virtually indestructible, this mic is essentially
the same as the SM57.
Shure SM7BDynamic Microphone
Features: the best voiceover mic.
Review: This mic has excellent sound-rejection to the side and a unique
EQ tailored to voice.
MONITORS
Adam A7XPro Monitor Speaker
Features: Full-body woofer, detailed tweeter.
Review: These Adam speakers are second to none. The pro audiophile
would love these at a computer workstation or for a home theater.
Genelec 8020DPro Monitor Speaker
Features: a flat, natural frequency response.
Perfect, compact near-field monitors. These have a flat, even
frequency response which is great for mixing and enjoying ultra-detailed
sound for professional ears.
Yamaha HS7Monitor Speaker
Features: a flat, natural frequency response.
These are middle-of-the line speakers. Not as expensive as the Adam A7X,
they are also in a class of their own for their unaffected sound.