http://grumpysmusic.com/index.php The Finest Musical Instruments On The Planet en-us Grumpys Music.com http://www.zzounds.com/a--925309/item--RIC4003 Unique style and unmistakable tone! Rickenbacker's original solid-body electric bass was first introduced in the spring of 1957, bringing its own unique style to the Rock and Roll explosion of the early 60's and 70's. In the hands of bass-masters including Paul McCartney, Chris Squire, and Geddy Lee, 4000-series basses forged a solid reputation for distinct tone and comfortable playability. The latest Rickenbacker 4003 bass stays true to its roots, offering these same characteristics to a whole new generation of players. Neck-thru construction True pioneers in musical instrument construction, Rickenbacker luthiers were the first to produce a neck-thru-body bass design. A single piece of wood from the headstock to the tailpiece allows string vibration to travel unhindered through the length of the instrument. This results in a clarity of tone and ringing sustain unmatched by bolt-on or set-neck designs. The 4003 uses this same neck-thru principle today. This construction process is too time-consuming for most mass-production brands to implement, but many boutique bass builders are now discovering the benefits of what Rickenbacker has been doing from the beginning. It may take a little longer to build this bass, but Rickenbacker knows it's worth the wait. Get one in your hands, and you'll agree. Balanced sound for diverse musical styles Some basses offer deep tone at the low end of the spectrum, but the higher notes tend to be a bit thin. The 4003's combination bridge/tailpiece assembly reflects more string energy over the pickups for a consistent, balanced sound across the entire fretboard. You get piano-like clarity at the top with plenty of growl down below. This is why Rickenbacker basses are played by such a diverse group of musicians. Lemmy from Motorhead, Andre 3000 from Outkast, Mike Mills from REM, and Chris Ross from Wolfmother are all able to get the tone they need from the same instrument. With so many genres represented, you're sure to dial in a sound that suits your style. Fully adjustable saddles Beyond tone, individual string-saddles on the bridge are fully adjustable to fit any playing technique. Slappers, pickers, and fingerstyle players can all set the action to the perfect height for their unique attack. Raise the strings up off the fretboard to really dig in to the groove, or drop them down for a softer touch. Precise control over intonation helps get accurate pitch, everywhere on the neck. You can add tapping, artificial harmonics, and chording to your bag of tricks without having to wonder if the notes will be in tune. With all this versatility, you'll be ready to sit in with any band and lay down a tight, tasty groove. Super-slim body Instead of the chunky, bass-heavy designs used by many manufacturers, a slim, streamlined body gives the 4003 increased treble response and added punch. Both body and neck are made of maple for a full, bright tone with a nice, crisp bite. The rosewood fretboard adds mellow warmth, so notes in the upper register don't sound harsh or shrill. Any style, any technique, comes through with expressive, dynamic clarity. All about the neck The thin, fast neck has become a favorite among progressive-rockers and bass-shredders alike. Check out some of Cliff Burton's earliest work with Metallica, Chris Squier's jaw-dropping solos from the 70's, or any of Geddy Lee's blistering Rickenbacker riffs. You can play the slickest runs from low to high and back again without getting bogged down like you would on a fat-necked bass. It may be skinny, but it's also strong and stable thanks to the dual truss rod system. Each neck is designed with a natural curvature, or "neck relief", to ensure the best possible string/fret contact. If the neck relief changes, you'll get fret-buzz and even dead spots in extreme cases. The truss rod adds stiffness from inside, maintaining the proper curvature. Neck relief is partially dependent on string tension, so changing to heavier- or lighter-gauge strings can cause problems, along with temperature and humidity fluctuations. In these situations, the dual truss rod system can be tightened or loosened to compensate for the new conditions, letting every note ring out as it should. http://www.zzounds.com/a--925309/item--GIBHB021C The Gibson Chambered 1958 Les Paul VOS Reissue has all the great features, tone, and looks that made the original '58 Les Paul a classic, but with an ultra-light body! By popular demand, Gibson has incorporated their tonal chambering process in this amazing guitar. This Chambered version of the 1958 Les Paul VOS features a carved maple top, mahogany back, and one-piece mahogany neck with rounded '50's neck profile. And of course all of the appointments are there including single ply cream binding on the top and fingerboard, reissue trapezoid inlays, nickel plated hardware, and an original ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge. The Gibson Burstbucker Pickups used in the Chambered '58 are historically accurate Patent Applied For replicas with an airy tone and unbalanced coils. A medium output Burstbucker 1 is used in the neck position, while the Burstbucker 2 in the bridge position has a slightly hotter output. Both have unpolished magnets and non-potted coils like the original Patent Applied For pickups. No matter where a Gibson Les Paul is seen - in the hands of a star performer, silhouetted in a guitar dealer's ad, or cast in brass and incorporated into the architecture of a restaurant - it is universally recognized as the symbol of rock and roll music. From basic no-frills guitars to elegant showpieces, the guitars of the Les Paul Series are the standard-bearers of Gibson's excellence. The Les Paul Custom, introduced in 1954, has been affectionately nicknamed the Black Beauty and the Fretless Wonder. By any name, it has always represented the highest level of elegance and beauty in the Les Paul family. Gibson Vintage Original Spec Series - The Greatest Vintage Guitars ever made... Today. The Gibson Custom Shop proudly introduces the Vintage Original Spec. series of historic solid body guitars. From the 1957 Les Paul Junior to the 1960 Les Paul Standard, the Custom Shop debuts 17 reissue models representing the next step in Gibson's journey toward recreating the finest guitars ever made. The Vintage Original Spec (VOS) series is the latest step on Gibson's journey toward perfection. When you pick up their '59 Les Paul Reissue - or any of the VOS guitars - you will experience the culmination of more than 20 years of effort to give you the look, feel, and sound of a $300,000 original. They started with playability. Vintage Gibson guitars have a played in feel that is hard to describe and even harder to reproduce. But thanks to a combination of superior craftsmanship and newly implemented technology, Gibson is closer than ever to achieving that goal. Their revolutionary process - and the Custom Shop is the only major manufacturer using it - ensures precise fret work and a perfectly cut nut on every guitar. Frets will be leveled, shaped, and crowned to exacting specifications - often unique to each individual instrument - and will extend a bit further towards the binding, giving you more surface area. The nut will be carefully hand-shaped to give it a more rounded, vintage look. The feel of the neck is also vitally important to a vintage guitar. For this reason, the VOS guitars will have neck profiles that accurately reflect the three key eras in Gibsons electric guitar history: early 50s, late 50s, and 60s. These necks will be a bit fuller, and together with a rolled fingerboard binding, will allow players to experience incredibly comfortable feel and playability. The VOS series guitars will also provide a stunning visual experience. Using a proprietary process that includes unique steps for staining, wet-sanding, and hand-rubbing, the guitars reflect what a well cared for 40-year-old guitar looks like. The result is a remarkable patina that will delight even the most discriminating enthusiast. The hardware will also go through a new proprietary process, giving it a look one would expect to see after decades of natural oxidation. And finally, the edges of the neck heel and peghead will also be softened, lending the guitar a gently worn-in appearance and comfort.