Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Headphones

The ear buds that come with the iPod defy physics, and both suck and blow. I tried them once, and moved on to Shure and Ultimate Ears in-ear monitors which work great. But eventually I wanted a bit more fidelity and began the search for some over-the-ear cans.

If an uneducated person (such as myself) heads down to Best Buy, they are at the mercy of the equally uneducated salespeople, and the limitations of what is in stock at the store. I avoided this route and went straight to the expert: my boss (of all people). All I had to do was mention headphones to him (a mega audiophile), and he brought in his headphones and headphone amplifier. He then started researching headphones for me and sending me a barrage of e-mails. His headphones were not going to work out for a few reasons: they are open-backed, which would share my unpleasant music with others, and they cost wayyyy too much money.

After all of his research, I decided to try the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones. It turns out that many of my musical colleagues already had them, and really like them for studio use. Maybe I should have checked with them first. These headphones are not a new model, they came out about 10 years ago.

Predictably, they did not have these headphones at Best Buy. So I started to poke around at Al Gore’s internet, and found out that these headphones retail for $199, but nobody is charging more than $100 bucks for them. I found a new set on eBay for $75. They have a 2-year factory warranty.

The HD 280 Pro headphones come with an instruction book, a 10-foot sproingy cord, and a ¼-inch adapter for home stereo use. I will surely lose the adapter at some point.

They sound very good, and have a nice crisp tone with good bass. I maybe hear a little mid-range resonance. Maybe. They are not as good as the high-end Sennheisers my boss loaned me, but good enough for the likes of me. By the way, I let them burn in for 24 hours straight before using them for an extended period, and they loosened up a little, with a bit more bass.

They are comfortable, though the vinyl ear cups get a bit sweaty after an extended wearing. There are 2-way hinges on the ear cups, so they fold into a more packable size. The earcups comes off pretty easily, and should I damage the retro coily cord, it is relatively easy to replace too (no soldering).

My only complaint is they are not terribly loud due to their 64 ohm resistance. For most portable players, 32 ohms is a better specification. Which means that my shopping was not done: I also invested in a headphone amplifier, which you can read about next time. Stay tuned.

Pedaltrain Mini Pedal Board Review

I have somehow survived for 20+ years without much of anything in the way of effects for my bass, let alone a pedalboard. My attitude changed recently, and I have started to add more tone-modifying pedals to my trusty Boss tuner, so I needed a way to better organize them.

Before diving in, I did a lot of research into pedal boards, and there are many different products available with different designs and features. I settled on an economical board that is simply-constructed and durable. The final decision was for a Pedaltrain Mini board, and it is working out well.

The Pedaltrain Mini will hold maybe 5 or 6 small effects in a single row. I am currently using a Boss Tuner, a Boss Octave pedal, a Cave GRUNT, a Cave GRUNT Mk II, and a Tech 21 VT Bass. They fit just fine on the board, with not a lot of room to spare.

This board is not powered, and it is a simple design. It is made of powder-coated aluminum bars that are solidly welded together. It measures 20” wide by 7“ deep by 2” tall. It weighs in at around 2 ½ pounds.

The pedals attach to the cross bars with self-adhesive Velcro. The kit included more than enough industrial-strength Velcro to completely cover the cross-pieces. There is plenty of space between and beneath the 2 crossbars for routing cables and wiring, so there is less of a chance of accidental disconnection. The kit also included tie-wraps to anchor the wiring better.

The board I got is strong, and will probably last forever. The welds are not pretty, and there is a little welding spatter under the finish. But this does not matter to me, as long as it holds up well.

A cordura carry bag was included with the board. It has plenty of room inside for the board (with pedals installed), and there is an external pocket for cables and whatnot. The bag measures 21" wide by 8.5" deep by 6" tall, and weighs in at around 3 ½ pounds. I do not really need a bag, and would have been happier if I could have paid less and not gotten the bag.

Even with the unwanted bag, the board is a good value. The list price is $149.95, and the street price is $69.95. Musician’s Friend does not charge sales tax, and will ship for free if you get the order over $99.

Pedaltrain has a lifetime warranty on their products, and looking at this board, I do not think I will ever need to take them up on it. They have a full line of boards, in case you need to bigger or would like to have a flight case included.

Gibson Gary Moore Model Les Paul

Gary Moore has been a long-time guitar hero for me, from his work with Thin Lizzy, on through his extensive solo career. Today I am reviewing one of his original-series signature model Gibson Les Paul guitars.

This guitar was officially launched at the 2001 winter NAMM show, and is one of my favorite Les Paul signature models. It was produced for just a few years, and then was discontinued. In 2008 Gibson introduced the cheaper Gary Moor BFG model, which is quite a bit different, and I know virtually nothing about.

I had better start out with the obvious: even though it has some different features, this thing is still a Les Paul. It has the same shape and all of the playability you would normally expect from a Gibson Les Paul. In many ways, this 2001 guitar is built with a lot more care than current production Gibsons.

The body is made from a single piece of South American mahogany. It is not chambered, so it has plenty of heft like a true Les Paul should. It has a nice AA flame maple top, and NO binding. That’s different -- Gary wanted this to appear different than other Les Pauls, and it was his call to make. The body is finished in a thin nitro-cellulose, and the color is different than anything else Gibson makes, based on Gary’s old “Greeny” guitar. It is a very subtle burst from lemon to hint of cherry, and I have heard some refer to it as “unburst”. Hah hah.

Also, at Gary’s request, these guitars did not come with a scratchplate installed. They came with one in the case (with his signature on it), but you had to install it yourself if you wanted one.

The neck is a little different too. It is mahogany with headstock wings, but the rosewood fretboard is unbound. There are still pearl trapezoidal inlays on it, though. The profile is sort of like a 1959 model, with a thick C-section. It feels a little shallower at the first fret to me, though, and having no binding makes the neck feel completely different to me.

The 22 frets on the 24.75”-scale neck are medium oval shape, which is a little bit weird because Gary has all of his guitars refretted with jumbo wire, but the smaller frets do make bending a little easier. The frets are leveled and finished way better than anything I see the Gibson factory putting out today.

The hardware is all nickel-plated. The Gary Moore model uses a Nashville-style tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece. This is definitely an upgrade over the unsteady ABR-1 bridge that Gibson sometimes uses on vintage-style instruments. The pegs are Schaller's version of the classic Kluson tuners that are well-matched to the Gibson headstock shape.

I guess all that is left to write about is the electronics. There is the usual 3-way switch and volume and tone controls. The pickups are Burst Buckers, which is nothing ground-breaking. But it sure was back then, as this was the first guitar Gibson ever built with Burst Buckers (trivia!). It has a reversed zebra (adjustable coil inwards) at the neck and an open coil at the bridge. You would almost figure they would be wired out of phase to better match Gary’s tone, but what do I know?

Either way, you can get a metric ton of tonality from this guitar. It can be soft and mild or raunchy and loud, and everything in between. Combining this with the playability of the unbound neck with medium frets, this is the friendliest Les Paul you will ever play. If you can only have one Gibson, this is the one to get.

The guitars shipped in a Gary Moore signature case with a blue blanket. The cases did not wear well over time, so you might not get an original case if you find one of these guitars.

These sold for around $3000 new, and of course are no longer available. You rarely see these on eBay, so grab one when you see it if you really want one. They sell for around $1800 to $2000 currently. By the way, Gary sold his 1958 Les Paul late last year for $275,000. One of these used re-issues might be a little more in your price range.

Dingwall Super J Bass Review

This is the story of a bass that I loved, but let go of anyway with no regrets.

Dingwall Super J model basses are relatively rare, and I have never seen another one finished in Burgundy Mist. Well, Dingwall calls it Burgundy Mist, but in person it looks nothing like the Fender custom color.

The most distinctive feature of these basses is the use of Novax system fanned frets. The idea is to provide optimal string tension by using a different scale length for each string. You would think that it would take some major re-adjustment of technique to get used to the fret layout, but it is not so bad. I have known a few other owners of the basses and they agree that after about 15 minutes of playing, it feels very normal.

The body shape is similar to that of a traditional Fender Jazz Bass. There are a few design innovations on these basses, however. The headstock has quite a bit of material removed from the front, and combined with the lightweight Hipshot tuners, means that there is no neck dive. The battery cover for the active electronics is held in place with magnets, so access is much easier, and there are no little screws to lose or strip out.

The electronics package is first-rate. This bass shipped with Dingwall hum-cancelling pickups and an Aguilar OBP-1 pre-amp. It has no unusual noises, and sounds flawless and very smooth.

Dingwall basses are handmade in Canada, and the craftsmanship on this one is first rate. The neck pocket fit is super-tight, and I could not find a finish flaw anywhere on it.

My decision to part with this bass came down to one thing: the sound. I had a hard time getting an aggressive sound out of it, and one of my friends put it best when he said it sounded “too polite”. Well put, sir. It found a happy home with a local college kid who was a performing arts major (smooth jazz, baby) who still loves it and checks in with me every now and then to herald its virtues.

Fender Japan Keith Richards Micawber Telecaster

This guitar is yet another tragic example of how Fender is really missing the boat by importing only a few models from their Japanese subsidiary.

It is a super-rare '52 Reissue Telecaster that was crafted by Fender Japan Custom Shop. And yes indeed, it is a Keith Richards signature Micawber model! Buying one of these would save a fellow a lot of trouble if he is in a Rolling Stones tribute band. You listening, Mark?

This guitar is expertly crafted with a white ash body that is sprayed with a light Butterscotch Blonde finish, so that the grain shines through. In real life, the finish is a bit lighter than the US Made ‘52 re-issues. It is at least a shade or two lighter, and is closer to the way the finishes came from the factory in the early 50s. It comes with a single-ply flat black pickguard.

The neck has a chunky C profile with a deep nitro tint, and vintage frets. A 50’s type spaghetti logo is used on the headstock. Gotoh tuners are used on these Fender Japan Custom Shop models for their stability, but unfortunately do not fit the theme of this guitar. A four-bolt F-stamped plate holds the neck to the body.

The bridge is machined from a block of brass, with six solid brass saddles (one more than Keith’s). It makes a huge difference in the tone of the guitar.

Ah, the pickups. This model comes with a Fender humbucker at the neck and a traditional vintage single coil at the bridge. I have heard from my guitar sources in Japan that the pickup used in the neck position is actually a Gibson PAF '57 reissue humbucker. I cannot verify this, but it looks like one too. It certainly has that Gibson humbucker sound.

The craftsmanship on this guitar is impeccable. The fretwork, nut-detailing and finish is superb. The neck pocket fit is as tight as they come. The main reason these guitars are not exported is because their quality surpasses that of the Fender USA products.

It is pretty light, coming in at around 8 pounds, and it is unbelievable how easy it plays and how great it sounds.

Too bad that you will never see one of these at your local Guitar Center.

Hard-Off Stores of Japan

Hard-Off. Heh. This is not the name of a Japanese girly bar or adult movie. It is a chain of some of the coolest stores in Japan.

In Japan, there is a constant push for consumers to have the newest and best products on the market. Hard-Off does not cater to people that are buying into that philosophy. These stores carry only secondhand items, in virtually every category imaginable.

These stores are crowded with merchandise. I usually go there to look for musical equipment, but they also have computers, toys, audio equipment, jewelry and sporting goods. I saw a set of Ping golf clubs for a hundred bucks there. What a deal!

The items in the stores may be used, but they are not abused. All of the items have been well-cared for, and all are in proper working order. Unless, that is, they are in the appropriately-labeled “Junk” section of the store. You get what you deserve if you pick something off of those shelves.

There are a number of offshoots of the “Off” stores. For example, you can head over to Book-Off to find some used tomes, or Garage-Off, Hobby-Off, Off-House or Mode-Off, for pretty much whatever else you are looking for.

As an aside, when I was trying to find a local Hard-Off store, I went to the concierge desk at an upscale hotel. They had never even heard of the store, and had to find it on the internet. As I said, there is a general perception that only the newest and best will do.

Boss TU-3 Tuner Pedal

Tuners. Does it get any more exciting than this? Well, yes it does, but we all need one. Paul McCartney needed one for “Band on the Run”, and there must not have been one around. Meow.

For the longest time, the Boss TU-2 was the standard in tuner pedals for guitarists and bassists. It is a durable and easy to use pedal. Boss has finally updated the pedal a bit and re-named it the TU-3. It was introduced at the NAMM show this year.

I sold my TU-2 on eBay and ordered a TU-3 from Musician’s Friend. It was only about a $25 up charge if you consider what I sold the old one for versus what I paid for the new one. The TU-3 seems to be priced about the same as the TU-2. The list price is $160.50, and the street price is $99. Everywhere. Talk about price fixing.

It does everything the previous pedal did (such as tuning your instruments), and it still has a bypass so that your audience does not have to listen to you while you tune. The pedal is the same size, and has the same rugged construction and high production standards that everyone has come to expect from Boss (made in Taiwan, BTW). The battery is still located underneath the switch, which is accessed via a thumbscrew on the front. As before, the reference pitch is adjustable from 436-445Hz.

There are a few improvements, of course:

This pedal can help clean up your pedal board of pesky power adapters, as it is capable of powering up to 7 other Boss effects using the PCS-20A daisy chain. This requires that the TU-3 be plugged in with the Boss adapter, so you cannot use its battery to power-up everything else. Be sure to check the power ratings of the other pedals you are using, and do not exceed 200mA total draw.

The TU-3 uses 21-segment LED meter (10 more than the old one!). And there is a new high brightness mode to improve visibility in outdoor situations. This does raise current draw up from 55mA to 85mA, meaning the battery will not last quite as long.

The pedal now supports the drop tunings that all of the young folks use, up to 6 semi-tones lower.

There are guitar and bass modes, which visually provide a string reference for up to 7-string guitars and 6-string basses. A chromatic mode is still available, of course.

Boss says the TU-3’s accuracy is improved, and is now +/-1 cent over the range of the 21 LEDs. I have no way of verifying this, but it works for tuning my stuff. It is possibly a bit more sensitive (finicky?) than the previous model, which requires a bit more concentration on my part.

So, is the TU-3 really THAT much better than the TU-2? Probably not, but having the option to power additional pedals from it is enough to make the switchover worthwhile for some musicians.