Mass Resonator

Here’s the December roundup of gear that has captured our staff’s attention most recently at Mass St Music!

John Flynn – Grosh ElectraJet MH
These pickups are incredible. Plenty of humbucking power but with a really sweet chime. They did a fantastic job on these mini humbuckers and the guitar is perfect.

This Grosh EJ with mini humbuckers is 'Perfect' says Boss Flynn.

Tim Nelson – Collings CJ Customs (yes, all of them)
CJ MH SS SB – Sitka top – this one is warm and sweet sounding.
CJ MH A SS SB – Adirondack top – this one is very punchy and a little brighter than the Sitka CJ.
CJ Maple G SB – German Spruce top and Maple back and sides – this one has the brightest trebles of the three. Even though it is bright, I don’t find the trebles distracting and the upper mid range on this guitar is stellar. It’s a very forward sounding guitar and is really responsive to even a light touch. I am so excited to have all three of these guitars in stock at the same time. All are killer sounding guitars and have a new (for Collings) bracing pattern based on the vintage J-35 that our own Jim Baggett sent to Bill Collings – which has non-scalloped X bracing and three transverse braces. (Note: Gibson also made some J-35s with scalloped bracing and two transverse braces as well). I was hoping for an even responding guitar with a nice natural compression and I am very pleased with all three of these CJs.

Tim's favorite? All three of the custom Collings CJs!

Jim Baggett – Collings CJ MH SS SB
It sent me home with tired fingers – I just couldn’t put it down!

Jim's pick of the litter was the first to sell.

Matthew Khomsi – Fender 60^th Anniversary P Bass
This is my favorite passive P bass Fender has made in a long time. The pickups are very balanced and the neck feels comfortable and fast. It’s also got the Fender tuners I really like which stay in tune, their new high mass bridge and the new washer underneath the “a” string tuner which keeps it from buzzing. I really enjoy playing this bass.

Matthew's favorite is this Fender 60th Anniversary P Bass.

Alek Nelson – Mono Guitar Strap
The new Mono straps are great – they have a wide design that distributes the weight evenly and a thin memory-foam core that makes it really comfortable whether your instrument is heavy or not. Plus they look awesome. This is on my Christmas list for sure!

Alek's pick is the coolest guitar strap we've seen in a long time.

Ted Kritikos – McPherson 5.0 XPW
I absolutely love the low-end projection on this guitar. It’s tone is crisp and defined, plus the workmanship is impeccable! The braces are like modern art!

Ted's pick, the McPherson 5.0 XPW, has a 'crisp and defined' tone.

Isaac Flynn – Squier Vintage Modified J Bass
Cool design – not what you’d expect from Squier, and the Duncan designed pickups sound great. Nice price too.

Isaac's pick is the Squier Vintage Modified J Bass - super cool.

Zach Mehl – Squier Joe Trohman Tele
I love the H/S/H pickups in this and it has a great, classic look. It’s a lot of guitar at a decent price.

This Trohman Tele is another cool surprise from Squier.

Matt Harmon – Repair Shop -  Xotic EP Booster
Awesome tones in such a small package thanks to the internal dip switches. My favorite setting was with the gain knob set at 12 o’clock with dip switch 1 off and switch 2 on.

Matt Harmon's favorite - the Xotic EP Booster

Mike Horan – Repair Shop – Collings CJ MhA SS SB
We’ve just received three new very special Collings CJs.  They all share several custom features and my favorite is the CJ MhA SS SB.  Based on one of Jim Baggett’s favorite Gibson J-35s, Collings has mimicked the bracing pattern, tonewoods, short scale length, and the straight bridge with a cut-through saddle of a vintage Gibson.  This may be the ultimate modern slope-shouldered D guitar—uncharacteristically dry-sounding  for a Collings, each note has a really strong fundamental tone with volume to spare.  I wish it were mine….

Mike H.'s pick of the Collings litter is the CJ MhA SS SB: 'This may be the ultimate modern slope-shouldered D guitar'.

Jesse Roberts – Collings MT Custom GT Mandola
As a viola player, I was really excited to see this Mandola on the wall. Of course, it’s visually perfect (it’s a Collings), but more importantly its sound is truly unique. The lower range creates a very interesting timbre, and it is rich, rich, rich. It has a full, resonant, even booming tone, yet still finds a way to be pronounced and clear. It does stretch out the hand a bit, but is easy to play and hard to put down.

This Collings Mandola is 'easy to play and hard to put down', says Jesse.

Anne Tangeman – Gretsch G5122 Semi Hollowbody
I’ve been thinking about replacing a hollowbody I had stolen a few years back – it sounded great live, but was also a lot of fun to just play around the house. This is a real contender for a replacement, with a nice weight and great pickups.

This Gretsch G5122 has a nice grrrrrrowl when you want it, plus a Bigsby style vibrato.

Chucho – Fender Folding Guitar Stand
Chucho hasn’t quite picked up that this isn’t a bone just yet, but he can demonstrate how portable it is. You go Chucho.

Ok Chucho, where did you bury it?

The sun has finally returned at our store in Lawrence after some heavy duty, but appreciated rains. The Repair Shop is rocking The Band right now and all is well. Here’s a look at some of the gear that’s been turning our heads this month:

John Flynn – Grosh Retro Classic Hollow T
Without a doubt, the sweetest tele on the planet.

Flynn's pick is Grosh's latest RCHT with a killer cat-eye f hole plus Grosh G-90 and GT pickups.

Jim Baggett – Eastman MD514 F Style Mando
Really nice sound on this mandolin – love the oval soundhole.

Jim's favorite is this beautiful Eastman MD514 mando.

Tim Nelson – Martin OM-18GE Custom (used)
This is a wonderful guitar at a big savings off of what it cost new. It was built in Martin’s custom shop and has a lot of really nice features. I really like the simple but elegant look of the instrument. The woods are exceptional, including the neck which is built out of nice figured Mahogany. I have really come to believe the hide glue option makes a really big difference in the tone of Martin guitars. The sound is nice and round like you would expect from Martin – it’s also clear and bell like. This is a very special Martin OM.

Tim's fave is this used Martin OM-18GE Custom which may be one of the best deals in the store right now.

Matthew Khomsi – Fender Modern Player Tele Bass
Cool looks aside, this bass provides the perfect bluesy, vintage-style tone that is mellow and deep.  This bass is a perfect contribution to Fender’s line up.

Matthew's choice - the Fender MP Tele Bass has a great 'bluesy, vintage-style tone'.

Alek Nelson – Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue Amp
If you love the Hot Rod Deluxe but want a little more warmth to your tone, this Blues Deluxe Reissue is perfect. This is an update of the 1993 Tweed series that took the great legendary ’50s Deluxe and customized it with channel switching and reverb.  It’s a vintage-style all-tube amp with “boutique” tone at a great price.

Alek's loves this Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue's warm boutique tone and non-boutique price.

Ted Kritikos – Quantum CSQI Vintage Cable 18 Foot
I love these cables!  Not only do they feature quality 1/4″ connectors, they make me look even more like a rock star when I’m on stage.  They’re super low capacitance so they wont choke my awesome tone.  Plus, did I mention that they look awesome?

One of Mass St Music's favorites cords gets a thumbs up from newly returned Ted K.

Isaac Flynn – Fender Limited Edition Red October Blues Junior
I’m all about the limited editions that Fender has been making lately – cool classics with a twist.

Isaac's pick is Fender's uber cool 'Red October' Blues Junior amp

Zach Mehl – Kala MKB Baritone Uke
Way more fun than I anticipated. Easy to play and bigger than a soprano. Very cool.

This Kala Baritone is Zach's top pick this month

Josh Baldridge – Repairs – Fender Modern Player Marauder
We just got the Fender Modern Player Series in and they have been great. The build quality of these instruments is on par with the Japanese models and they are unbeatable for the price. I had a chance to sit down with the Marauder and a Hot Rod Deluxe amp to give a listen to the unique pickup configuration. The 5-way switch is full of variety. In the 1st position you get a real humbucker bridge position tone with the mids pushed way out front like you would expect. The 2nd position includes all of the “Tripplebucker” coils which pulls the mids back and gives the pickup more chime…like adding a single coil to a humbucker. In the middle position the switch selects just one coil of the bridge pickup for your single coil needs, then 4 adds the Jazzmaster pickup, and 5 is the neck pickup by itself. If you want to bring more sonic variety to your guitar rig, this is the perfect workhorse for your arsenal. For a closer look check out this Fender Marauder pickup/switching schematic.

Josh put this Fender Marauder through it's paces and it came out a champ.

Mike Runyon – Repairs – Collings 01SB (Used )
I’ve always loved this size guitar. This one is incredibly lively and projects well. It’s fun to play, and easy on the eyes. The Sitka top has a beautiful burst finish that ties it in perfectly with the Mahogany sides and back. It’s definitely been well cared for, no noticeable wear and nearly perfect finish all ’round.

Mike's favorite this month has captured a lot of looks from the whole staff actually - great guitar!

Jesse Roberts – 1921 Gibson A Junior Mando (Used)
I tend to always love old Gibson oval-hole mandos, and this A Junior is no exception. It has a rich tone and fantastic resonance. The midrange on this mandolin is superb, so much so that I seem to want to stay on the D string. It just sings. Playability is great, and I really like its dark look – deep brown wood and a pitchy pickguard.

Jesse's keen on this vintage Gibson A mando - still a great player after 90 years!

Anne Tangeman – Fender Modern Player Marauder
I have to second Josh on this one – this Marauder is a really a fantastic guitar with a lot of versatility, and at a great price. The build is good, the finish is spectacular, and you just couldn’t want more from the pickups. It has a really great feel to it and if I’m not careful I might end up with one myself.

This Fender MP Marauder is a sonic beast.

Chucho – Stanton DJ Pro 60 Headphones
When Chucho is throwing down he prefers these Stanton DJ Pro headphones. They’re a great price, super reliable and even come with a carrying pouch he likes to attach to his collar for easy transport. And they look pretty freaking cute on a dog, but he wouldn’t hold still long enough for us to get a photo. Rock on Chucho.

Chucho's fave this month is the Stanton DJ Pro 60 Headphones

We have had some great new and used gear come in the store lately, from new cables and pedals to electrics and acoustics. Here are a few of the items that have been causing the staff to do a double-take this month.

John Flynn – Fender Platinum Cables
These are great cables that compete head on with all the other high end cables out there, at a fraction of the price. A really nice feature is that they lay out perfectly too, with no kinks or twists.

Flynn's calling this Fender Platinum Cable one of the best deals in the house right now.

Tim Nelson – Nash TK-54
This Nash really captures the sound and feel of a vintage Tele, as well as the appearance. The Lollar pickups in this are perfect.

Tim's got Nash fever over this TK-54

Jim Baggett – Collings I-35 LC
Really wonderful instrument – a modern classic.

A modern classic

Matthew Khomsi – Drake Wilma Bass
There just isn’t anything else out there like this. It’s really unique, beautifully built, and sounds amazing. Love the EMG pickups.

Drake's one of a kind 'Wilma' bass is Matthew's favorite this month

Alek Nelson – Squier Classic Vibe Tele Custom
This plays really well and has some nice ‘deluxe’ attributes including binding. The pickups are great too. I think it’s a real bargain.

Squier's 'deluxe' tele rocks!

Isaac Flynn – Gibson Grabber Bass (used)
The sliding humbucker is awesome. I was surprised at how well it actually works. There is a definite difference in tone depending on where the pickup is slid. I also think this bass looks really cool, and it’s super lightweight, so it allows for maximum rock ‘n roll.

A sliding pickup on this '70s Gibson Grabber bass gives you nice tonal variation.

 Zach Mehl – Jetter Gold Shift Pedal
The Gold Shift is very aggressive yet very versatile: the gain can be dialed up pretty high while still maintaining percussive picking. It can also be toned back pretty far, for a more bluesy drive. Love this one.

Zach loves this Jetter Gold Shift pedal

Repair Shop – Josh Baldridge – Grosh Blown 59 B Humbucker Pickup
We recently installed one of these for a really great player in town who uses it for rock, jazz, and fusion projects…he loves it. I was struck by the way this pickup hits the amp aggressively and still retains a rich vintage feel. If you need versatility from classic to crunchy, this will give you exactly what you’re looking for.

Josh's pick is the Grosh Blown 59B bridge pickup - and it's customer approved!

Repair Shop – Mike Runyon – Bourgeois Vintage Mahogany OM Custom
After hearing boss Flynn’s recording on the Bourgeois, and talking to Mike H., who checked this out last month, I had to give this a play myself. This OM Custom struck me instantly as a really exceptional acoustic. It’s obvious that Dana is an expert with ‘voicing’ these beauties, and I appreciate the traditional hide glue construction. This looks, feels and plays like a guitar that’s twice the cost.

Second month in a row this Bourgeois has impressed one of our luthiers

Jesse Roberts – Bart Reiter Galax Banjo
Another splendid Bart banjo. A scooped fingerboard with a star at the 5th, Maple rim, and a Whyte Laydie – it’s a simple beauty. Crisp but resonant, and sounds wonderful. I always have a hard time putting this one down.

Jesse calls this Galax 'Splendid'.

Anne Tangeman – Martin 000-15M
Love love love this all-Mahogany, smaller bodied guitar. This has a great sound and I don’t want to put it down. I understand why blues players have favored this style. Sounds great and it’s just one of those guitars that you would hang on to forever.

This 000-15M Mahogany has a simple beauty and great sound.

Chucho – Kala Hybrid Soprano Uke Case
Just small enough for Chucho to take a nap in. Super durable, but lighter than a hard case and easier to carry around with adjustable backpack straps. Very similar to our favorite Gator Hybrid case for guitars.

Chucho's favorite, this Kala Hybrid Soprano Uke Case, is 'just right'