Here’s the deal: They really want you to stop into a ZT Amplifiers dealer and test drive one of their amps. If you do, you’ll receive a coupon code that will allow you to enter the giveaway on their website.

But, if you don’t have a ZT dealer near you, or you’re just lazy, you can also check out a short video on their website that touts many of the great bands that are playing ZT. Then, just enter the name of any featured band to enter. Pretty simple!

Entry Deadline: October 4, 2010

Get It: Click Here to Enter

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I didn’t write the above paragraph, but it got me pumped to see this film, so I found no reason to rewrite a summary of the movie. If you’re into rock ‘n’ roll movies or documentaries, I highly suggest you check this out. According to the Rock Prophecies Facebook Page the DVD release date is Sept 14th, and the film will be airing nationally throughout the month of September on PBS. As they say, check your local listings.

BUT, to get you even more excited, the filmmakers are giving away a Fender Road Worn ’60s Stratocaster worth $1,199! If you’re not familiar with this axe, here’s the down low:

The Stratocaster really came into its own in the 1960s, with players coaxing unbelievable sounds from it amid punishing stage shows and grueling tours. Beaten, bruised and even burned, they only got better as the years wore on—looking even cooler and feeling even more comfortable. Fender’s new rosewood-fretboard Road Worn ’60s Strat delivers that aged look and feel—built to look, sound and feel like it’s got more than just a few miles on it, designed with 1960s specs, including a nitrocellulose-lacquer finish, and supercharged with Tex-Mex™ pickups and 6105 frets.

Entry Deadline: January 31, 2011

Get It: Click Here to Enter

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Some info about the Heil PR40 Microphone:

The Heil PR 40 represents completely new dynamic microphone technology designed for a wide range of professional applications such as sophisticated recording, live sound, and commercial broadcast. Producing the widest frequency range available in a dynamic microphone, the PR 40 outperforms most condenser microphones, and can withstand huge amounts of SPL. At the same time, it maintains the 25 year Heil Sound tradition of superbly natural voice articulation.

• Absolute most natural voice response for talk show hosts, voice over applications
• Large low-mass aluminum voice coil
• Properly positioned hum bucking coil and heavy steel case insure maximum shielding
• Four rear ports exhibit excellent rear rejection and minimum proximity effect
• Widest frequency response
• Best kick drum microphone ever
• Assembled and tested in Illinois
• Leatherette carrying bag included

Entry Deadline: October 31, 2010

Get It: Click Here to Enter

For daily links to musical instruments giveaways, make sure you follow me on Twitter or become a fan of my Facebook Page.

Ultimate Guitar is going to hook one lucky winner up with a Dean Dave Mustaine VMNT electric guitar with custom graphics featuring the album art from Megadeth’s classic 1990 album Rust In Peace.

In addition to the badass custom finish, this guitar features:

• Mahogany Top / Body
• 25.5” Scale
• Dave Mustaine Spec. Set Mahogany
• “D-Shaped” Neck
• Ebony Fingerboard
• Pearl Dave Mustaine Custom Inlays
• Mini Grover 6 In-Line Tuners
• Black Hardware
• Tune-O-Matic Bridge
• Dave Mustaine Duncan Live Wire Pickups
• Hardshell Case included

As a bonus, the winner will also score a copy of Dave Mustaine’s new memoir, Mustaine: The Fall And Rise of a Heavy Metal Icon.

Entry Deadline: September 5, 2010

Get It: Click Here to Enter

For daily links to musical instruments giveaways, make sure you follow me on Twitter or become a fan of my Facebook Page.

Check out this video from a recent episode:

YouTube Link

Although April was chosen in a totally random fashion, I could not have chosen a better winner. Tom Tom is a magazine dedicated to female drummers, and April is a kick-ass female drummer. Perfect! Her band, Squish, has been playing together for a year or so, are all self-taught musicians and just played their first show a few weeks ago.

Check out Squish on MySpace.

This is a great story about both the love of music and the wonders of technology.

I’m sure all of you know the story of Rick Allen, Def Leppard’s drummer who lost his left arm in a 1984 car accident. Rick courageously fought back from this tragedy, learned to play drums with only one arm, and still rocks hard.

Let’s be honest, though. If you’re a drummer, there’s probably been a moment or two when you’ve thought about Rick Allen and said to yourself “self…I could do that.” I’m not trying to take anything away from the guy, but I’ve dropped a stick or reached down for a sip of beer during a song and kept it going for a few measures. I’m sure with some practice I could keep a steady beat with one arm. If you disagree, please send me hate mail.

But, this story is not about Rick Allen. It’s about Jason Gerling. This guy was also in a tragic car accident, but was paralyzed from the chest down. His doctors told him he would probably never walk or play drums again. “It was like a nuclear bomb was dropped on my life. I thought my career was over,” Jason said, referring to his diagnosis.

Jason also fought back, and he also continues to play the drums to this day. He only regained the use of his arms, though, so what to do about the bass drum and hi hat? I want to you watch the video above, as it shows the creative way Jason has solved this problem.

He uses what looks like a headset microphone, but it’s actually part of a trigger system he created with technology from Origin Instruments. In addition to the headset, he has a trigger underneath certain cymbals. When he sucks air in, and hits, for instance, his hi hat, a bass drum sound is triggered.

Check out the video or see the original story on CNN.com for more.

Acoustic Guitar Magazine is giving away a Martin Performing Artist Series GPCPA1 acoustic guitar & 12 sets of strings. This package is worth $4,200!

About the Martin Performing Artist Series Guitar Giveaway:

Performing Artist Series GPCPA1 guitar, including brown hard-shell case (retail value $3,999) and 12 sets of Martin MSP-4100 SP Phosphor Bronze Light Strings (retail value $201).

This stunning guitar features Martin’s mortise and tenon neck joint, hybrid scalloped bracing, solid East Indian rosewood for back and side material, Sitka spruce soundboard, and ebony headplate, fingerboard, and bridge.

The Performing Artist Series innovations include a faster neck profile with a 1¾-inch nut width, along with a slimmer taper measuring 21/8 inches at the 12th fret, giving the guitar a more comfortable spacing in the first few frets and a faster feel for leadwork as you move up the neck.

This guitar sounds as spectacular as it looks, with newly designed Fishman F1 Aura™ onboard electronics. Articulate, yet powerful, this new Fishman system delivers stunning realism and projection in an easy-to-use onboard preamp system.

Each model in the Performing Artist Series offers its own distinctive acoustic and plugged-in sound for the discerning player. The Grand Performance Cutaway model (GPCPA1) combines the big rich sound of the Dreadnought and the clarity of the Orchestra model into a new sonic signature of its own.

Entry Deadline: August 31, 2010

Get It: Click Here to Enter

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She was kind enough to send copies of the magazine’s first three issues, and I can’t tell you how impressed I am. In fact, I have to admit that I fear creasing the pages, as the magazine is so well done it feels like a piece of art in my hands!

In an attempt to get more people turned on to Tom Tom I asked Mindy if she’d put up a subscription as a GearPipe exclusive giveaway. She was kind enough to agree.

Here’s how it works. Tom Tom is a quarterly magazine, meaning four issues per year. They’ve published three, with the fourth coming in September. The winner will get issues #1-3 ASAP, and will receive issue #4 when it’s printed.

To enter, just fill out the form below. This giveaway will run for one week with a deadline of midnight Pacific next Thursday (August 5th).

If you can’t wait for the giveaway and want to subscribe to Tom Tom, you can do it here. Also, Tom Tom is a labor of love for Mindy and her team (meaning there’s no big publisher backing them with cash). The project is being featured on Kickstarter, so if you want to back the cause with a few bucks, there are some very cool products that you’ll get back, plus a warm fuzzy in your tummy. Learn more at Kickstarter.

If you didn’t catch my interview with Mindy, listen in here:

For daily links to musical instruments giveaways, make sure you follow me on Twitter or become a fan of my Facebook Page.

• Save 10% on a single item at Guitar Center. This coupon is good thru 7/31/10, so you have to use it by the end of Saturday. It’s good for a discount of up to $500 on one item. If you’ve been waiting to pull the trigger on a big ticket item, this might be your time!
• Score a FREE Paiste 10′ 2002 Splash Cymbal. Thru 8/31/10, buy a pair of Paiste Hi Hats or a 16′ or larger cymbal from the Twenty, 2002, RUDE, or Giant Beat series from Musicians Friend or Guitar Center and score a free splash cymbal. Download the rebate form here (PDF).
• Fender Original ’57/’62 Stratocaster Pickup Set for just $83.99! This could be a mistake, but The Perfect Guitar has placed this fantastic sounding set of pickups into their clearance center. The regular selling price is $159.99.
• Buy two Audix OM2 Dynamic Vocal Microphones and get a third microphone for FREE from All Pro Sound. MSRP: $447.00. Your Price: $199.00. Save $248!
• Save 64% on an ESP LTD SURVEYOR-414 4-String Electric Bass Guitar. Musicians Friend has a factory restock that’s on sale for $359.00, a savings of $640.00 off the $999.00 retail price.

Here’s Diego to tell us about how he built this instrument:

Few days ago I started thinking about how I could re-purpose the keyboard of the dismantled piano I keep in the garden, so I thought to build a new instrument by combining it with some other parts I had laying around. I ended up with this mechanical hybrid thing I thought to call “Bassoforte” (bass + pianoforte).

The track I created is a tribute to my Dad who is a big fan of Western comic books and “spaghetti western” films, and because of him I am too.

Vimeo Link

Fender has just announced a new Jazzmaster giveaway. Specifically, they are giving away a Classic Player Jazzmaster Special guitar — a modern take on their original ’58 Jazzmaster model, complete with hotter pickups, a new Adjusto-Matic bridge, a 9.5 fingerboard radius and a neck pocket with increased back-angle for improved stability and sustain.

This guitar retails for $1,100 and is worth every red cent!

Entry Deadline: August 31, 2010

Get It: Click Here to Enter

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Today, up popped a name I recognized: Dolan Geiman. Dolan is not a musician (well, he could be, but not a famous one), but rather a really kick ass artist! I knew the name because I produce the podcast series each year for the Cherry Creek Arts Festival in Denver, and Dolan submitted a very cool video last year (embedded below).

He’s currently got a killer giveaway going on with Fossil, featuring a guitar-themed piece of his artwork. This piece, “Made in the Shade,” is mixed media recycled artwork, and was created with acrylic, silk screen, and found paper collage on recycled wood (48” x 33” x 2”). It’s like hanging a guitar on your wall but way, way cooler. Oh…and it’s valued at $3200!

This is the complete list of items used to make “Made in the Shade:”

1. There are six keys at the top of the guitar. Five of the keys were found in an abandoned post office building in Chicago. The last key was found at a truck stop outside of Denver.

2. The material on the neck of the guitar is a smashed cookie tin from an alleyway in Nashville.

3. The ninth piece of wood on the neck on the guitar came from a house in the French Quarter in New Orleans, post Katrina.

4. Also on the neck of the guitar is a white wooden ruler from abandoned farmhouse near Necedah,Wisconsin.

5. For the flowers, the darker wood is lathe from abandoned houses here in Chicago, and the red wood is from a barn outside of Louisville, Kentucky.

6. The broom handles were acquired from a junkman in Houston,Texas.

7. An old metal conduit came from an abandoned warehouse in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

8. A hickory stick came from my grandma’s farm in Crimora, Virginia.

9. Directly above the “American” text is a round piece of wood I found among a larger pile of wood bleaching in the sun near the Ohio River banks.

10. The “American” text is hand-silkscreened on old apple crate wood that I found in an abandoned Ohio woodshop.

11. The decorative cream-colored molding came from a piece of furniture I found floating down the Mississippi River.

12. The red ruler is from Michigan.

13. The vintage square ruler originated from an abandoned schoolhouse in Iowa.

14. And the gold molding is from a picture frame I found in an abandoned church in Indiana.

Any of us should be proud to hang this in our home…good luck!

Entry Deadline: August 31, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

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Since that time, Linn has brought us many other cool products, including the AdrenaLinn multi-effects system for guitar, and now he’s out to reinvent another wheel with his LinnStrument (Linn’s rendering is to the right). Imagine a musical iPad app that can sense how hard you’re pressing down (adjusting the volume accordingly), and provides effects like vibrato when you pivot your finger back and forth.

For a more technical explanation of how the LinnStrument works, here’s some info straight from Linn’s website:

This design uses a fingerboard grid consisting of 6 rows of 24 semitones each, similar to a guitar. In acknowledgment of my wife Ingrid’s contribution to the engineering, we like to refer to this note grid as the “InGRID”. It also has two thumb control strips, one on each side of the fingerboard, to be used for sustaining fingered notes after release, strumming, bowing, blowing or restriking, and also has a wind sensor for added expression. (Ignore the 4 long, thin bars on each side; they were to be used as separate palm-actuated sustain bars, but I’ve decided that the two thumb strips work better for this.) This design is intended to be played from either of two positions:

Sounds cool, right? He’s built a killer prototype and shown it to the world through a YouTube video that’s had over 150,000 views. People are into the product. However, the LinnStrument may never see the light of day.

The problem? Amazon purchased the company, TouchCo, that produced the unique pressure-sensitive, multi-touch surface that the LinnStrument relies on and promptly took the material off the market. It’s a pretty safe bet that Amazon is planning to use the material on future versions of their Kindle e-reader (nothing related to musical instruments).

So, what’s a guy to do? Instead of hijacking the last load of TouchCo product to leave the factory, Linn wrote a very cordial email to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos (you can read it on Linn’s website). The email was sent about two months ago, and it looks like there has been to reply yet from Bezos. Linn also says he’s on the hunt for a usable replacement material, but as of yet has not found one.

I’m going to keep an eye on this story and post any updates that come along. You can also sign up for the the Linn Design email list here.

I wouldn’t put money on it, but maybe Bezos has a soft spot in his heart for vintage Madonna and Michael Jackson tracks and will throw Roger Linn a bone!

se

If you’re a guitarist looking for an all-in-one recording solution, you may want to check out the OPC, which will start shipping in August 2010. The elevator pitch for the OPC is this: You have a fully functional guitar amp with legendary Orange tone. You have a full-on personal computer running Windows 7 and bundled with $860 in recording software. These are both in the same box!

If you’re a guitar amp spec geek, here’s a rundown of the amp section of the Orange OPC:

• 24 Bit Audio Interface with both guitar and microphone inputs
• 15 watt RMS per channel stereo amplifier (into 4 ohms) with 2 band EQ, – 2 x JBL 6.5” 55 Watt RMS Dual Concentric Speakers both mounted into an optimized cabinet for enhanced cooling and acoustics.
• Portable strong lightweight vinyl covered wooden case with an all aluminum powder-coated chassis featuring the same iconic design as a small Orange Amplifier optimized for personal computer use.
• Direct stereo line to the internal amplifier allows the OPC to be used as an amplifier and speaker for any playback device- from iPods to Microphones

Now, what comes installed on the PC side of the Orange OPC?:

• Installed with Windows 7 Home Premium (x 64 bit)
• Presonus Studio Orange Custom Edition (Professional level recording software offering powerful user friendly music creation and production application for artists of all levels)
• Acoustica Mixcraft – Full Version (Easy to use multi-track studio software to record audio, arrange loops, remix tracks, compose with virtual instruments, score and edit video, and add effects to create stunningly professional compositions.)
• IK Multimedia Amplitube 3 (Full Version of this leading guitar and bass tone gear modelling software. Over 160 ultra-accurately modeled sounds including brand new Custom Orange Amp models. Plug in your guitar; choose your sound and you’re on your way!)
• Toontracks – EZ Drummer Lite (market leading multi-sampled acoustic drum-kit library to create great drums track in just a few clicks )
• Licklibrary – Guitar Tuition Software (Exclusive to OPC, selection of free guitar lessons from one of the world’s largest guitar education brands delivered through a Licklibrary media player )

If you’re interested in more specs, specifically technical info about the PC, check out the Orange OPC product page.

The Orange OPC will sell for $1,499, and will initially be sold direct from Orange UK, Orange USA or from the Orange website. Orange’s Global Distribution network will expand later this year into general computer stores.

For another sneak peak at this amp, check out this Premier Guitar video from Musikmesse 2010:

YouTube Link

The most obvious example to many of us would be rock bands who make the leap form playing clubs to theaters to arenas. When you’re playing a small room, you can play intricate guitar solos and drum fills that would get lost in the reverberation of an building meant to host hockey games. So, as bands play larger rooms, they tend to play less notes, taking advantage of the sound of the rooms they find themselves playing.

This is the easy example that many of us have probably thought about. Byrne runs through some other great examples that may not be as obvious to us. How does the outdoor environment in Africa influence the rich African rhythms? Why did the music of Bach and Mozart differ so much? It may have had quite a bit to do with the rooms they knew they’d be playing their latest pieces in.

Very interesting. I hope you enjoy it!

YouTube Link

Thirteen winners will receive brand new Ovation acoustic guitars. They will be giving away one Ovation Celebrity each week for twelve weeks, and the grand prize winner will score a $5,000 Custom Ovation Adamas acoustic.

Follow the link below to register and watch a video that will take you through everything you need to know.

Get It: Click Here to Enter

For daily links to musical instruments giveaways, make sure you follow me on Twitter or become a fan of my Facebook Page.

Since that time, I’ve gotten to know Ansir Music founder Jody Michael and have been impressed with the passion he has both for craftsmanship and innovation. In addition to his use of the highest quality tonewoods and electronics, Ansir has one thing going for them that no other guitar or bass builder has: a patented technology that builds your personal playing angle into your instrument.

In a nutshell, here’s how it works: You strap on your guitar or bass and it wants to hang parallel to the ground. Unless you’re one of those people who slings your axe down low, this is not how you play. So, you pull up on the neck to get it in the position you’re comfortable playing in, which is not the instrument’s natural position. This has been happening since the beginning of time and I’m sure most of you have given it little thought.

The solution? Build the exact angle that you play the instrument into the guitar or bass. Simple yet brilliant, right? A truly custom instrument.

So, Jody and I were talking one day and he asked me what we could do to make more people aware of this great feature. What we came up with was a way to give everyone out there a free report that provides them with their personal playing angle. It’s pretty simple. All you have to do is strap on your guitar or bass, hold it in playing position, then have someone take a few measurements. Then Jody will crunch the numbers and email you a personal report. No strings attached, just a cool thing to hang on to that will make you a little more aware of how you interact with your instrument. If you’re interested in one of these reports, instructions and an online form are on the Ansir website.

Click here to get your free personal playing angle report from Ansir Music.

First up, Effects Bay is giving away one of those products that you wish you would have thought of, a StageTrix Pedal Riser. Actually, they’re giving away four of them, plus two 3-packs of Pedal Fasteners. The Pedal Risers simply raise up the second row of effects pedals on your board, giving you easier access to the on/off switch. See? Simple yet genius!

The fastener is simply an industrial strength fastener designed specifically for attaching pedals to pedalboards.

Entry Deadline: July 20, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

Now on to giveaway #2. Jim Dunlop has hooked up I Heart Guitar with seven of their BMF leather guitar straps. If you like black leather and metal (as most guitarists do!), these are the straps for you. They have a definite “rock ‘n’ roll” vibe to them!

Entry Deadline: July 21, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

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Bill Mendello, CEO of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, had announced his retirement about a week ago. Certainly big news, but we’d all been waiting for his replacement to be announced to the public. Today, Fender revealed that Larry Thomas, a long-time Guitar Center employee and Chairman & CEO from 1996-2004, will take over the reigns of one of the most-respected guitar companies in the world.

In a released statement, this is what Mendello had to say about the changing of the guard: “I am delighted to be able to pass the leadership of FMIC into the very capable hands of Larry Thomas,” said Mendello. “Larry is a widely-respected person with an incredible amount of experience and valuable insight about music companies and music retailers, large and small. He is one of the true legends in the industry and brings the credentials that will help lead FMIC to even greater future success.”

As a former Fender employee, and someone who is not the biggest fan of Guitar Center, I certainly have my opinions about this move (although they may not be what you think). What are yours? Please leave a comment and let me know if you think this is a good or bad move for Fender.

You should have skipped to the link at the bottom of the page to enter this mic giveaway. If you still need some convincing, check out some info about the killer condenser mic that ProAudio.com has up for grabs this month.

About the Sennheiser e965 Condenser Microphone:
The e965 is Sennheiser’s first large-diaphragm, true condenser handheld microphone. The innovative 1″ dual-diaphragm capsule means you can access both cardioid and super-cardioid polar patterns with the flip of a switch. Ideal for every vocal application, the e 965 truly combines the sensitivity of a world-class studio condenser with the ruggedness of a Sennheiser evolution stage microphone.

Features:

• Switchable pick-up pattern (cardioid / super-cardioid)
• Low-cut switch, which reduces ambient noise, rumble , and wind noise
• Switchable pre-attenuation (-10 dB) accommodates singers with powerful voices
• Capsule shock-mount efficiently rejects handling noise for superbly clear sound
• Excellent protection against moisture
• Astounding frequency response of 40-20,000 Hz
• An unbeatable 10-year warranty!

Entry Deadline: July 31, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

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To celebrate, he’s pulled together a ton of great to gear to give away, including an IK Multimedia Software Bundle containing: AmpliTube 3, T-RackS 3 Deluxe & Sonik Synth 2, Mad Professor Forest Green Compressor, TC Electronic PolyTune, Cubisteffects Custom Modded PROCO RAT, and much more.

Entry Deadline: July 16, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

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The thing I like about this giveaway is that Brian Porter from Porter Pickups is going to hook the winner up with a set of pups EXACTLY the way he or she wants them. Strat, Tele, Humbucker, whatever you want. Want it overwound? You got it.

Even if you don’t win this contest, check out the Porter website. This guy looks like he build some great gear!

Entry Deadline: June 30, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

For daily links to musical instruments giveaways, make sure you follow me on Twitter or become a fan of my Facebook Page.

However, if you’re an oh-so-trendy iPhone owner, TC Electronic wants to reward your coolness. They are offering up free PolyTune iPhone apps to the first 25,000 people who download it. UPDATE – They upped this to 50,000 downloads, but the promo is over. The app is now available for $9.99.

I just downloaded a copy for myself and it looks very cool! You can choose between guitar and bass tuning, with multiple drop tuning settings, 10 Hz calibration, and two different display modes. Just in case you’ve been living under a rock, the coolest thing about this tuner is that you can tune all six (or four) strings at once. Just strum and tune!

To take advantage of this offer, you can go to the PolyTune page in the iPhone App Store, or if you want to download it directly to your phone, just search on “polytune.”

This package is worth nearly $1,000 and includes:

• Tascam DP-008 – 8-Track Digital Pocketstudio: Tascam culminates 30 years of Portastudio Recording with the DP-008, a portable 8-track recorder for all musicians. Tascam’s DP-008 is an eight-track recorder that captures CD-quality audio, two tracks at a time. You can use built-in microphones to grab ideas, plug condenser mics into the XLR inputs or plug a guitar directly in to lay tracks. There’s even a metronome and chromatic tuner built-in for tight-sounding tracks. The DP-008 also allows you to digitally bounce tracks to make room for more, and touches like editing and undo make recording stress-free.
• Tascam VL-M3 – Powered Stereo Monitoring System (Pair): Tascam VL-M3 powered stereo monitors feature 3″ drivers with a front-mounted bass port and built-in 24W stereo power amplifier. In addition to being an affordable solution for beginners and musicians on a budget, VL-M3 monitors provide a “real-world” reference for music and post playback.
• Tascam TM-78 Condenser Microphone: Perfect for vocals, instruments and podcasting, this condenser microphone includes a cable and tabletop stand.
• Tascam HP-VT1 Headphones: These closed-ear headphones provide isolation while recording and rich bass response. The padded headset with includes a 1/4″ stereo headphone adapter plug.

Entry Deadline: June 30, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

For daily links to musical instruments giveaways, make sure you follow me on Twitter or become a fan of my Facebook Page.

Well, you may ask, what are these pedals all about? Here’s a rundown:

Maxon ST-9 Pro+ Super Tube
A salute to the rare and highly collectible “Super Tube Screamer” from the 1980′s, the new Maxon ST-9 Pro+ Super Tube takes the basic design elements of that coveted vintage model and brings them into the 21st century.

Loosely based on Maxon’s classic “808” circuit, the ST-9 Pro+ offers a dedicated midrange control that varies the amount of Midrange boost, creating powerful, fat and heavy distortion sounds akin to a full stack amplifier. A mode switch to select from two different diode types allows the user to fine-tune the ST-9 Pro+ for use with single coils or humbuckers, while switchable 9- or 18-volt operation provides increased dynamic headroom and fuller frequency response.

Check out the Godlyke website for audio samples and a demo video.

SM-9 Pro+ Super Metal
Based on the cult-classic Super Metal pedal from the 1980′s, the new Maxon SM-9 Pro+ packs sufficient firepower to accurately reproduce all the tonal evolutions of metal music over the past 30 years.

The SM-9 Pro+ can create an almost limitless variety of high-gain guitar sounds, from classic 70′s Plexi tones through the “scooped midrange” made famous by the 1980’s thrash pioneers, and on to the huge low-end needed for the extended tunings of today’s extreme metal.

The SM-9 Pro+ features Gain, Level, Scoop, and Edge controls. Gain simultaneously boosts the 1 kHz midrange band by up to 20 dB as Gain is increased. Scoop is a mid-band elimination filter that is variable between 200 Hz – 2 kHz. Edge is a hi-cut shelving filter that cuts hi frequencies from 2 kHz to 15 kHz.

The SM-9 Pro+ also features switchable 9 or 18 volt operation, providing sufficient heardroom with minimal compression to handle today’s high-output pickups and active electronics.

Again, there are sound samples on the Godlyke website.

Entry Deadline: June 30, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

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I’ve been posting giveaways for a while now, and this is one of the coolest guitars I’ve seen given away. Oftentimes companies will just team up with Gibson and buy a cheap Epiphone and slap their logo on it, but this one took some time, thought, and cash to pull off!

Some info from Relentless:

Based on the Gibson SG Special, the SG Relentless has a body composed of rich mahogany curves. The fingerboard has been replaced by a piece of AA Ebony with 22 stainless steel frets. It boasts hand-cut Mother of Pearl inlays, rich, multi-layered graphics finished in clear lacquer and buffed to a high gloss, a photo-etched stainless steel scratch plate, Gibson 496R and 500T pickups and a custom selector switch to flick between two settings — Grind and Sacrifice.

Entry Deadline: May 31, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

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Please forward this to all your guitar-loving friends.

On April 9, 2007, Josie Alise Greenwood, my 3-year-old grand niece, died of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. As you may imagine, it was devastating to her family. They formed Team Josie, which participates in the annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life and to date have raised nearly $13,000 for the Society. This year, Team Josie is raffling a custom guitar being graciously donated by luthier Jason Schroeder, of Jason Z. Schroeder Guitars, Redding, California. All proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society.

I figure I can do one better than just forward the email to my friends, I can send it out to thousands of caring musicians.

Aside from the great cause, this guitar looks AMAZING! If you’re not familiar with Schroeder guitars, do yourself a favor and check out his website. For a $50 donation, your name gets thrown in the drawing to win this fine axe. There are also some great photos on the Team Josie website of the guitar in various stages of production.

To learn more about this cause, the guitar, or to make a donation, please visit josieshope.org.

Also, please help spread the word. At the bottom of this post are a bunch of “Share” buttons. Share this on Facebook, Tweet about it. Email it to your friends. Help support Alan and Team Josie.

Some info on the Banjola, directly from the Gold Tone website:

With a standard 5-string banjo neck and the body of a mandolin (or mandola), the Banjola is a beautiful instrument with exquisite tone and sustain that you won’t find in a standard 5-string banjo.

Entry Deadline: May 23, 2010
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1. Zildjian A Custom Mastersound Hi-Hat Pair
2. Zildjian ZBT Hi-Hat Cymbal Pair
3. Zildjian K Custom Hybrid Hi-Hats Pair
4. Zildjian K Constantinople Hi-Hat Pair
5. Zildjian ZHT Mastersound Hi-Hats Cymbal Pair
6. Zildjian K Mastersound Hi-Hats
7. Zildjian K Special K/Z Hi-Hat Cymbals
8. Zildjian A Custom Hi-Hat Pair
9. Zildjian Z3 Hi-Hat Cymbal Pair
10. Zildjian A Series New Beat Hi-Hat Cymbal Pair

Check out the Best Selling Musical Instruments Archive.

Here’s the skinny on the Epiphone Dove Acoustic Guitar:

Tight, smooth, focused sound is the hallmark of the Epiphone Dove Acoustic Guitar, sister to the Hummingbird. This baby really sings with a solid spruce top and maple back and sides. The Epiphone Dove features a 25-1/2″ scale maple neck, rosewood fingerboard with split parallelogram inlays, dove pickguard, stylized bridge with wing inlays, and chrome hardware.

Epiphone Dove Acoustic Guitar Features:

• Solid spruce top
• Maple body
• Set maple neck
• Rosewood fingerboard with split parallelogram inlays
• Dove pickguard
• Stylized bridge with wing inlays
• Chrome hardware

Entry Deadline: May 31, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

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“Any girl playing the drums is my hero. I don’t have a favorite. I’m truly inspired by people who are very creative and doing it from their heart. It’s hundreds and hundreds of drummers.” I have to say, I like her answer and am a bit jealous that male drummers don’t have the same kinship.

With its third issue about to go to print, Tom Tom Magazine boasts an impressive list of interviewees, including Cindy Blackman and Yuko “mi-gu” Araki of the Plastic Ono Band, but also spices things up with columns about philosophy, art and style. In addition to the print magazine, the Tom Tom website features bonus interviews, a blog, and audio & video content.

If you’re interested in purchasing issues 1 and 2, or want a full subscription, stop by the Tom Tom Store.

Want to hear more? Subscribe to GearPipe Podcasts on iTunes!

Check out other TED videos on GearPipe

Up for grabs right now is an Electro Harmonix Memory Boy Deluxe analog delay pedal. This is a great pedal from one of the top analog effects builders EVER, and sells for $179.

If you’re not familiar with this pedal, here’s some product info:

The Deluxe Memory Boy is the newest member of the iconic Memory Man family. It carries on the family tradition with new performance aspects that give it unique power and metronomic definition.

Quality IC’s deliver warm and organic tones while the new Tap tempo allows you to always be in perfect sync with the groove. Choose from five note divisions for metronomic variance while staying in sync and always on the mark. The added EFX loop integrates your pedals to follow the groove with tonal dexterity .Use an expression pedal to control your modulations for performance flexibility. The Deluxe Memory Boy is slick, smart and always on time.

Features:

Pure analog IC’s

• Tap Tempo with footswitch control
• 5 selectable note subdivisions
• EFX loop
• Expression pedal with multiple functions
• Multi waveform modulation

Entry Deadline: May 5, 2010
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If anyone understands the evolution of a musical instrument accessory it’s Tony, as he comes from a family of inventors. His father held several patents for musical accessories, and was also a long-time musical instrument retailer in Minnesota. Tony and his brother followed in that tradition by starting music stores in California in conjunction with Tony expanding the family’s line of patents and innovative products. Tony opened his first music store in 1976 and later formed Players Products.

In this podcast interview, Tony gives me the rundown on Duratech drum sticks. He tells me that Duratech sticks have the most “wood-like” feel of all composite sticks and explains that by avoiding wood, these sticks are carefully balanced and pitch matched, guaranteed straight + or – .005 of an inch and weight is guaranteed within 1/10 of an ounce, pair after pair.

If this sounds like something you want to try out for yourself, we’re also launching a GearPipe exclusive giveaway. I’ll be giving away two pair of sticks each day for the next week. Check out more info on the giveaway.

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Sticks break. Sticks are expensive. If you play a lot of drums, this adds up to a nice chunk of change.

What if I told you that you could buy a pair of drum sticks that will last 8-10 times that of a normal stick and only costs about twice the price? Do I sound like a used car salesman??? The car salesman wouldn’t give you chance to win the car for free, though, would he?

Today I’m excited to launch a GearPipe exclusive giveaway just for the drummers. Starting tomorrow, I’ll be giving away two sets of Duratech drum sticks each day. Duratech sticks are not your father’s Pro Marks! These non-wood drum sticks are made of a secret nylon polymer blend which resists chipping, fraying, and breaking. Like the loud, cutting sound of a nylon tip? Try an entire nylon stick!

By avoiding wood, Players Music, the makers of Duratech, can keep these sticks more consistent than other sticks on the market. They are are carefully balanced and pitch matched, guaranteed straight + or – .005 of an inch and weight is guaranteed within 1/10 of an ounce, pair after pair.

So…what do you have to do to win? We want to get a pair of these sticks in your hands, but we also want to know what you, as a drummer, think about Duratech and drum sticks in general. Just fill out the short survey below and hit submit. You’ll be entered to win! I’ll be announcing the winners each day on my Facebook Page, so if you’re not already a fan, come check it out.

If you want to learn more about Duratech sticks, you can listen to a podcast interview I did with Tony LaLonde, the man who developed the sticks, or check out the brand-spanking new Duratech Facebook Page.

Called back onstage later, Gupta plays his own transcription of the prelude from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1.

Check out other TED videos on GearPipe

About the Shure KSM44/SL:

The KSM44/SL is a multiple pattern (cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional), externally biased, dual large diaphragm condenser microphone with extremely low self-noise (7dB). Developed to meet the needs of studio recording musicians, the warm, rich sound of the KSM44 delivers exceptional performance, tailored to deliver vivid reproduction of voice for the most critical recordings. The KSM44 also offers great flexibility in a variety of recording applications, working well on acoustic and amplified instruments, as its capacity for managing high SPLs accommodates loud sound sources such as drums and guitar amplifiers.

Entry Deadline: May 31, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

Not Feeling Lucky? Buy the Shure KSM44/SL Large Single-Diaphragm Condenser Microphone from Musicians Friend.

For daily links to musical instruments giveaways, make sure you follow me on Twitter or become a fan of my Facebook Page.

This morning I got an email from Brian at Fretbase who let me know they’re giving one of these systems away to one of their readers. Cool…I posted a link on Twitter and Facebook, letting everyone I know who would care about this contest that this unit is up for grabs. Now, I’m telling you. Head to the Fretbase contest page to enter to win one of these wireless systems that sell for $299.

BUT THEN…I realize that Line6 is spreading these things around like candy! If you really want to bolster your chances of winning, you can also head over to I Heart Guitar, The Tone King, Dolphinstreet, and Gear-Vault. There are probably more. If you find another, leave a link in the comments.

For daily links to musical instruments giveaways, make sure you follow me on Twitter or become a fan of my Facebook Page.

How It’s Made: Cymbals
This video, I’m assuming from a TV show, doesn’t give you a ton of views of the Zildjian factory, but is a very good primer to cymbal making in general. This makes me wish I’d gone into cymbal testing as a profession!

Istanbul Mehmet Factory Tour
This one is awesome! Filmed by some dudes just walking around the factory, there’s not a word of English in the entire video. I love the guys just sitting in the corner of the factory, pounding away at cymbals. Then, at the end, they walk into the break room and check out everyone’s lunch!

Sabian Factory Tour
A tour of the SABIAN factory in Meductic, NB given by Robert Mason.

Bosphorus Factory Tour
This video might be my favorite of the entire bunch. No sound. Shaky camera work. But it’s a great stroll through the Bosphorus factory, where there appears to be molten metal around every corner. It’s amazing that such beautiful things can come out of such a dirty place!

UFIP Cymbal Fabrication
Perhaps the most informative of any of these videos, this one is not so much a factory tour as it is a step-by-step guide to the building of UFIP cymbals. It walks you through everything from the pouring of the metal to the stamping of the logo.

Paiste Factory Tour by Charlie Benante of Anthrax
Badass drummer Charlie Benante of Anthrax takes us on a walk through the Paiste factory in Switzerland. There’s not a lot of talking in this video, but we do get to listen to Anthrax throughout.

Amedia Cymbals Factory Tour
A tour of the Amedia factory, lead by factory owner Hamdusuna Baykusak. Hamdusuna has a ton of great insight and funny stories…if you can speak Turkish, please let me know what he’s saying.

Zlidjian History Lesson
I found some more corporate Zildjian videos online, but I kind of like this one, from FOX 25 in Boston. We never actually make it inside the Zlidjian factory, but get to check out the awesome Zildjian lobby. The phrase “Full of history” is an understatement.

Dutch drummer Bram Hakkens at the Meinl Cymbal Factory
This guy, Bram Hakkens of Dutch Band Kyteman, is living the dream. He was invited into the Meinl factory to hand pick his next cymbals. Jealous.

Masterwork Cymbal Factory Tour
This is another great factory tour video taken by a guy and his camcorder, this time at the Masterwork cymbal factory in Istanbul, Turkey.

The lowdown on the Gibson Les Paul Studio Raw Power Electric Guitar:

Gibson USA’s Les Paul Studio Raw Power is a total natural — the Les Paul in its most basic form, yet built like none other before it. While the original Les Paul Standard’s maple top has always set it apart from more common all-mahogany electrics, the Les Paul Studio Raw Power goes all out for maple’s tonal splendors: an all-maple body matches the traditional maple top, for a brighter, more articulate tone, and a maple neck and fingerboard give each note a tight, snappy response. A pair of Gibson’s renowned ’57 Classic pickups, as featured on several high-end Custom Shop models, provides all the clear punch and muscle of those legendary “PAFs.” There’s also a new palette of satin finish colors to choose from: Gold, Yellow, White, Blue/Platinum, Trans Ebony, Olive Green, Natural, Aquamarine and Platinum. All the rest of the basics follow the classic specs you have come to expect from a Les Paul: 22-frets, a volume and control knob for each pickup, one three-way toggle switch, Grover Kluson-style green key tuners, and Gibson’s pioneering Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece. The Les Paul Studio Raw Power from Gibson USA is solid. It’s dependable. And most of all, it’s affordable — without any compromises.

Entry Deadline: April 30, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

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1st Prize: NS Design WAV Violin Outfit (with case and NS Composite Bow), $924 – (1 Winner)
The NS Design WAV Violin, created for live amplification and recording, embodies the fusion of ergonomics, performance, and striking aesthetics. Its features include a patented PolarTM pickup System that produces a rich, dynamic tone for arco or pizzicato play, and a precision tuning system that rarely needs adjustment. It also features a maple neck and body and an ebony fingerboard shaped for consistent intonation. The winner’s electric violin outfit includes the NS Composite Bow and a hard-shell padded case. Evolved from traditional designs, the NS Composite Bow utilizes modern materials that allow it to achieve a new level of performance and practicality that exceeds that of bows made with traditional wood construction. Advanced molding techniques with carbon and other performance fibers give this bow superb balance and lightning-quick response.

2nd Prize: Set of D’Addario NS Electric Violin Strings (NS310 4/4), $67 – (20 Winners)
Twenty winners will get one set of D’Addario NS Electric Violin Strings (NS310 4/4) each. The new NS Electric line by D’Addario, devised in collaboration with Ned Steinberger, offers strings with rich tone and expressive nuance, bringing out the fullest tone from any electric instrument. NS Electric strings can even work well for acoustic instruments when seeking subtlety of expression.

Entry Deadline: April 30, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

Not Feeling Lucky? Buy the NS Design WAV Electric Violin Outfit at Woodwind & Brasswind.

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For US and Canada customers they are offering $100 cash back on any 2009 Elite series guitar and $70 cash back on any 2009 Deluxe series guitar or bass.

You can head over to the Fernandes website for more details, and to download the rebate form. If you want to check out what’s available, here’s a link to Fernandes guitars & basses at Musicians Friend.

More about the Dean Michael Amott Tyrant Electric Guitar:

• Basswood Top / Body
• 24-3/4″ Scale
• Bolt-On Maple Neck
• Rosewood Fingerboard
• Pearl Dot Inlays
• Grover Tuners
• Black Hardware
• Tune-O-Matic Bridge
• Dean DMT Design Humbucker Pickups

Entry Deadline: April 23, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

Not Feeling Lucky? Buy the Dean Michael Amott Tyrant Electric Guitar from Musicians Friend.

For daily links to musical instruments giveaways, make sure you follow me on Twitter or become a fan of my Facebook Page.

The guys at audiotuts+ have just assembled a pretty sweet list of 10 great “tuts”about recording electric guitar.

Here’s tip #1, a video guide to recording your guitar in a home studio. You’ll have to head over to audiotuts+ to get #2-9.

Gibson and Musician’s Friend have teamed up to give away a trip for two to Cabo San Lucas, where you and your guest will meet Sammy and enjoy a special 20th Anniversary concert at Cabo Wabo as special guests of Sammy Hagar and Chickenfoot! You’ll also receive an autographed Gibson Sammy Hagar Red Rocker Les Paul and stay at the luxury Casa Dorada Los Cabos Hotel Resort in the heart of Cabo San Lucas!

More about the Gibson Sammy Hagar Red Rocker Les Paul:

Through a career that spans stints with Ronnie Montrose, Van Halen, and his own prominent solo work, Sammy Hagar has been the force behind a total of 60 million record sales and countless righteous riffs, and when the Red Rocker rocks, he chooses to rock Gibson. Now, in celebration of Hagar’s mammoth new band Chickenfoot, and its self-titled debut album, Gibson USA introduces the Sammy Hagar Red Rocker Les Paul, a guitar with legendary appointments and a hot new look designed by the artist himself, all primed to stoke a new era in rock. A super-group comprised of Joe Satriani on lead guitar, Michael Anthony of Van Halen on bass, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on drums, and Hagar on guitar and vocals, Red Rocker is taking the rock world by storm, and the Sammy Hagar Red Rocker Les Paul is the perfect centerpiece for the conquest.

Entry Deadline: April 4, 2010
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To celebrate the release of the new Jett biopic The Runaways, Rolling Stone is giving away a Gibson Joan Jett Signature Melody Maker electric guitar, worth $1,200.

Some info from the Gibson website:

“I got my Melody Maker in 1977,” the legendary Joan Jett says about the guitar she has made one of the most iconic instruments in rock and roll. “It was light and it sounded great. It was the guitar I had in the Runaways and then played on all my hits, like ‘I Love Rock N’ Roll’ and ‘Bad Reputation’ and ‘Do You Wanna Touch Me.’ It’s my baby.” Carefully developed in close cooperation with Jett herself, Gibson’s Joan Jett Double Cutaway Melody Maker features a lightweight, slab mahogany body with a Worn White finish.

Entry Deadline: April 2, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

Not Feeling Lucky? Buy a Gibson Joan Jett Signature Melody Maker from Musicians Friend.

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Here’s what they have to say about this axe:
As taboo as moonshine, this double bound, string through alder body features 3 P90s, with separate volume controls for each, master tone with a passive overdrive, 5-way switch, in a 25 1/5″ scale.

If you’re less into words and more into tone, here’s a demo video from the guys at Gear Guruz.

Entry Deadline: March 30, 2010
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In this podcast episode she tells me that the launch of her own label, Purdy Records, has given her the freedom to play music, record albums, and tour on her own terms. Shannon also tells me about the process of stripping down her rig and reinventing her sound.

“I’ve taken everything from my entire line of stuff and I’m starting bare bones and rebuilding everything again. My PRS’s with my Fervor pickups are the only things I know for sure that I’ll be using on this tour.”

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The contest page doesn’t specifically say what type of piano, but he plays Yamaha, and I’ve seen them link to this giveaway on Twitter. The contest rules say the prize value is $3,500, so I’m assuming it’s some sort of Yamaha console piano. A pretty great prize!

Note that this contest also involves a scavenger hunt that you can enter in certain cities, but you can skip that and just enter the concert/piano giveaway.

Entry Deadline: March 26, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

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