Guitars – Back to the Future
Guitar companies are eager to prove that, not only can they take you back to the future with relic guitars bearing the fake “scars” of roadworn “authenticity” – but also that they can build digital modelling guitars like the Line 6 Variax and the Gibson Robot.
Digital Modelling Guitars
Does digital modelling have a place in the future of the guitar or are these guitars just toys? The Gibson Firebird X is perhaps the most feature rich piece of digital guitar technology so far.
The Line 6 Variax boasts 29 instruments at the flick of a switch – everything from sitar to banjo. You can mix and match 28 instrument body models to create unique acoustic and electric instruments and create unique tunings. Of course, you also have to plug it in to charge up the onboard battery.
You play guitar?
Just in case anyone forgets, if you are a guitarist you play a guitar – literally – maybe putting too much in the way will destroy your character?
Martin Guitar Co. have made the brave step towards recreating some of their historic and rare guitars with “sound DNA infused electronically”
Martin Retro Series
Martin Guitar Company have decided to take the “sound DNA” of historic and rare guitars and electonically infuse their tonal behaviour into a new series.
The rare and vintage guitars include a 1942 D-45, a 1941 D-28, a 1937 D-18 and a 1934 000-28(long-scale) on loan from Vintage Instruments.
Each guitar has a highly unique tonal character and behaviour acquired through their ageing and the passing of time. Martin guitars have set out to “convince” the Retro Series to behave electronically as though they were rare, vintage museum guitars.
Together with Fishman, Martin and producer Bill VornDick have used VornDick ‘s rare, vintage and boutique microphones, to capture the authentic tones of Martin’s historic guitars. The Retro series are fitted with Fishman F1 Aura + electronic systems. For both studio and live use the Martin Retro series instantly recreates acoustic guitar sounds previously attainable in a studio setting with talented engineers.
“The plugged-in sound of these instruments is by far, the best reproduced acoustic sound I’ve ever heard.” - Vorn Dick.
You can read about the Martin Guitars Retro series here.
