What's New with Yamaha PSR Keyboards

 Yamaha PSRE343 Keyboard

With a stunning variety of voices and styles, the PSR-E343 opens the door to a world of musical enjoyment. Hone your technique with the onboard lessons, then when you're ready, connect to a portable music player and use the unique Melody Suppressor function to jump in and play right along.

 

Aux line input and Melody Suppressor

Yamaha's unique Melody Suppressor function suppresses the melody line in your favorite songs so that you can play along. Just connect any device with a line output, such as a mobile device, a computer, a mixer, or even another keyboard, to the AUX-in port and hear yourself play along with your favorite artists. You can even use the AUX-in port to simply enjoy playback from your audio device.

"Y.E.S" and "Keys to Success" Lesson Functions

Practice at your individual level with the Yamaha Education Suite lesson functions. Now, the playback of the selected song is continuously adjusted to the tempo of the player's performance. "Keys to Success" allows you to practice preset songs, using more advanced lesson functions. Step by step, you can practice single parts of the selected song. You can even practice playing the correct notes, and the timing of these notes separately.

Connection with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch

Extend and enhance your keyboard by connecting to your iPhone/iPad/iPod. Add virtual pitch bend, mod wheels and an arpeggiator with Yamaha's Sound Controller app. Record your children's music progress as video and MIDI with My Music Recorder. Requires optional accessory, i-UX1.

Master EQ

You can optmize the overall sound with different EQ settings on the instrument. Tailor the overall output for optimal sound in different listening situations.

Yamaha PSRE243 Keyboard

With a versatile range of sounds and functions, the PSR-E243 is the ideal instrument for aspiring musicians who are just starting out. Featuring unique Ultra Wide Stereo technology for a wide stereo image and great sound, this keyboard also offers onboard lessons that make learning music easy, and more importantly, fun!

"Y.E.S" Lesson Functions

Practice at your individual level with the Yamaha Education Suite lesson functions. Now, the playback of the selected song is continuously adjusted to the tempo of the player's performance.

Connection with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch

Extend and enhance your keyboard by connecting to your iPhone/iPad/iPod. Add virtual pitch bend, mod wheels and an arpeggiator with Yamaha's Sound Controller app. Record your children's music progress as video and MIDI with My Music Recorder. Requires optional accessory, i-UX1.

Master EQ

You can optmize the overall sound with different EQ settings on the instrument. Tailor the overall output for optimal sound in different listening situations.

Ultra Wide Stereo

Creates a stereo image wider than the speakers using Yamaha's digital signal processing technology.

Read More

New Fender Classic Series High Gloss Nitro Laquer

Fender recently added five new guitars to their Classic Series.  These new releases are coated with their high gloss Nitrocellulose finish.  Nitrocellulose lacquer (“nitro”) was the finish most often used during Fender’s original 1950s and ’60s golden age, although acrylic lacquers were also used.

Here is an overview of the latest additions:

'60s Stratocaster 

The Classic Series '60s Stratocaster Lacquer evokes that golden chapter in Fender history with an authentic nitrocellulose lacquer finish on its sleek alder body. Other features include a "C"-shaped maple neck, 7.25"-radius rosewood fingerboard with 21 vintage-style frets and vintage-style ivory-dot inlays, three vintage-style single-coil pickups with five-way switching, multi-ply pickguard, aged control knobs and switch tip, vintage-style synchronized tremolo bridge and vintage-style tuners. Tweed case included.

'50s Stratocaster

The Classic Series '50s Stratocaster Lacquer epitomized the instrument in the era of its origin, with an authentic nitrocellulose lacquer finish on its alder body. Other features include a "soft V"shaped tinted maple neck, 7.25"-radius maple fingerboard with 21 vintage-style frets and black-dot inlays, three vintage-style single-coil pickups with staggered alnico pole pieces and five-way switching, single-ply white pickguard, aged control knobs and switch tip, vintage-style synchronized tremolo bridge and vintage-style tuners. Tweed case included.  

'60s Jazz Bass 

The Classic Series '60s Jazz Bass Lacquer evokes the instrument in the decade of its origin, with vintage style and an authentic nitrocellulose lacquer finish on its sleekly offset alder body. Other features include an ultra-slim "C"-shaped maple neck, 7.25"-radius rosewood fingerboard with 20 vintage-style frets and white-dot inlays, dual vintage-style single-coil alnico pickups, four-ply brown shell pickguard, four-saddle American Vintage bass bridge, and vintage-style reverse tuners. Tweed case included.

'50s Telecaster

The Classic Series '50s Telecaster Lacquer evokes the instrument in the decade of its origin, with an authentic nitrocellulose lacquer finish on its ash body. Other features include a "C"-shaped maple neck, 7.25"-radius maple fingerboard with 21 vintage-style frets and black-dot inlays, dual vintage-style single-coil alnico pickups with three-way switching, single-ply white pickguard, knurled chrome control knobs, vintage-style string-through-body bridge with three chrome “barrel” saddles, and vintage-style tuners. Tweed case included.

'50s Precision Bass

The Classic Series '50s Precision Bass Lacquer delivers the distinctive 1950s-era look, sound and vibe of those first Fender basses, with vintage style and an authentic nitrocellulose lacquer finish on its alder body. Other features include a "C"-shaped maple neck, 7.25"-radius maple fingerboard with 20 vintage-style frets and black-dot inlays, vintage-style split single-coil pickup, gold anodized pickguard, four-saddle American Vintage bass bridge, and vintage-style reverse tuners. Tweed case included.

Read More

Fender Custom Shop 1956 Relic Stratocaster - White Blonde

Sam, our guitar specialist, with the Fender '56 Relic Strat

A historic instrument with a custom twist. One of Fender’s greatest instruments with added color and features to make the 2013 version something that could have been built in 1956 but wasn’t .This is a special run and only a small handful of this guitar was made in the White blonde. We started with a lightweight ash body, picked one of our favorite and most requested neck shapes (the 10/’56) and rounded the instrument off with a set of Fat ’50s pickups. Built with the player in mind, it also has the flatter 9.5” fingerboard radius, taller 6105 frets and one of our most requested wiring and tone-control circuits, which lets the player control the middle and bridge pickups with one tone knob. Finished with gold hardware and an anodized gold pickguard, the 1956 Relic Strat® is a beauty to hear, see and play.

	Features Body Body Material: Select Lightweight Ash Body Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer Body Shape: Stratocaster® Neck Neck Material: 1-Piece Maple Neck Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer Neck Shape: 10/56 Large "V" Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm) Fingerboard Radius: 9.5" (241 mm) Number of Frets: 21 Fret Size: 6105 Nut Width: 1.650" (42 mm) Position Inlays: Black Dot Electronics Neck Pickup: Custom Shop Fat '50s Single-Coil Strat® Middle Pickup: Custom Shop Fat '50s Single-Coil Strat® Bridge Pickup: Custom Shop Fat '50s Single-Coil Strat® Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup, Position 5. Neck Pickup Pickup Configuration: S/S/S Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Bridge/Middle Pickup) Hardware Hardware Finish: Gold Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo Pickguard: Gold Anodized Aluminum Accessories     Included Accessories: Case, Cable, Strap and Certificate of Authenticity

Read More

Overview of Guitar Finishes

With the release of Fender's new Nitro Lacquer Classic Series last week, there have been lots of inquiries about what the differences are between the three mainly used coatings: Nitrocellulose, Polyurethane, and Polyester finishes.

It is our belief that a guitar receives much of its character from its finish.  In aim to help you get to know your guitar better, we put together a complete guide on finishes.  Although the science behind guitar finishes is heavy in technical content, don’t be alarmed.  It is easy to understand.  Let’s jump right into it:

Finishes and Wood

A guitar’s finish isn’t as influencing on a guitar’s sound as its wood.  But, a guitar’s finish does impact overall health, sustainability and durability.  It’s worth noting that a guitar is produced from once-living plant matter; namely, wood.  Therefore, since a finish is applied to a substance as sensitive as wood, the guitar finish is also receptive to changes in climate, treatment and age.

Purpose of Guitar Finishes

The principle purpose of a guitar finish is to protect the guitar from external elements.  But also, finish does provide slight nuances in the tonal colour of the guitar as well as a personalized visual element.

History

Nitrocellulose Lacquer was originally developed by DuPont Chemical Company in the 1920s, initially intended for use in the auto industry.  DuPont deliberated for it to be used as a sealant against harmful forces caused by nature.  Nitro was formerly used in the ‘50s and ‘60s by the music-making industry, although acrylic lacquers were also used at that time.

Polyurethane was invented in Germany in 1937 and was introduced into the music industry in the 1950s.  Polyester finishes were first used in the 1970s.  Both finishes are plastic based.

Nitrocellulose Lacquer

Nitrocellulose Lacquer (nitro) is made out of the nitration of cotton.  What makes nitro finishes so distinguished is that it is an evaporative finish and mainly that it is very thin.  This thin seal does less to get in the way of the natural vibrations of wood, making your guitar sound more open and full-bodied.  It allows the guitar’sbody to resonate more and thereby giving it more depth in its tone. Since they are evaporative finishes and also very thin; age, sudden exposure or change in temperature and humidity can cause the finishes to become more brittle.  This results in small hairline cracks, called ‘checking,’ and also causes the guitar to yellow.  Some guitarists find these characteristics extremely appealing.  

Polyurethane and Polyester

Polyurethane allows a glossier and easier and more even finish.  In liquid plastic resin form, it made an extremely fast-drying, tough and durable finish (also used for dance floors and bowling alleys) that formed a much harder and abrasion-resistant layer around a guitar than nitro, while still allowing good wood resonance. Further, urethane ages well—it doesn’t check, crack and yellow as nitro finishes do. If you aren’t a fan of the beat-up look, a urethane-finish instrument is probably for you.

 

The chief advantage of polyester is that it makes for a colorful and extremely tough, durable finish. Polyester guitar finishes age and weather especially well and are seemingly immune to climate and injury—they are highly resistant to scratching and checking, and colors remain remarkably pristine. Sonically, you get tones that are more purely those of the pickups rather than other elements of the instrument’s construction, which many players prefer.

 http://www.fender.com/news/finishing-touches/

Read More

Fender Entry Level Classical Guitar Packs: FC-100 and CN-90

Are you a budding musician and are interested in classical guitars?  Well, search no more because Fender has released classical guitar packs to help you start playing now!

Overview of FC-100

The FC-100 Classical Pack contains everything you need to start making beautiful nylon-string
sounds right out of the box, all with affordable Fender value. The classical-style guitar is crafted with a great-sounding spruce top with traditional fan bracing, a mahogany back and sides for rich and balanced tone, a 19-fret rosewood fingerboard, rosewood bridge with compensated saddle, chrome hardware and a handsome gloss finish. And all the accessories you need to start playing are included—a tuner, picks, nylon string set and gig bag.

Series: Acoustic Packs
Body Shape: Classical
Body Top: Laminated Spruce
Back and Sides: Laminated Mahogany
Body Finish: Gloss
Bracing: Traditional Fan
Neck: Mahogany
Nut Width: 1.81" (45.97 mm)
Frets: 19
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Scale Length: 25.3" (64.3 cm)
Bridge: Rosewood with Compensated Synthetic Bone Saddle
Hardware: Chrome
String Nut: Synthetic Bone
Strings: Fender® Nylon Classical Tie-End (.028-.043 Gauges)
Other Features: Fender Headstock Logo, New Fender Rosette Design,
Traditional Classical Shape and Fan Bracing for that Unique Classical Tone , Gold Screened Fender Headstock Logo
IncludedAccessories: Tuner, Gig bag, Picks, Fender Classical String Set

Overview of CN-90

As Fender’s most affordable nylon-string model, the CN-90 resounds with classical elegance and great value. Its spruce top with traditional fan bracing offers balanced tone, and the mahogany back and sides deliver rich voicing.

Other features include body binding and a beautifully styled new rosette, mahogany neck with 19-fret rosewood fingerboard, rosewood bridge with compensated saddle, chrome hardware and gloss finish.

Series: Classical
Body Shape: Classical
Body Wood: Laminated Spruce Top with Laminated Mahogany Back and Sides
Body Finish: Gloss
Bracing: Traditional Fan
Neck: Mahogany
Neck Finish: Gloss
String Nut: Graphtech® NuBone, 1.81" (45.97 mm)
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Scale Length: 25.3" (643 mm)
Hardware: Chrome
Bridge: Rosewood with Compensated Graphtech® Nubone Saddle
Tuning Machines: 3-In-Line with Amber Pearloid
Strings: Fender® Nylon Classical Tie-End (.028-.043 Gauges)
Other Features: Fender Headstock Logo, New Fender Rosette Design, Traditional
Classical Shape and Fan Bracing for that Unique Classical Tone,
Gold Screened Fender Headstock Logo.

Read More

Introducing The New Cabronita Thinline Telecaster and Cabronita Precision Bass

 Overview of Cabronita Telecaster Thinline

The Cabronita Telecaster Thinline combines Fender’s striking Cabronita styling with traditional lightweight Thinline design. With its semi-hollow ash body with fhole and dual Fideli’Tron™ humbucking pickups, it’s a truly distinctive and powerful take on Fender’s first electric guitar.

Other features include a modern “C”-shaped maple neck with urethane finish, 9.5”-radius maple fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and black-dot inlays, three-way toggle pickup switching, single-ply pickguard (black on White Blonde and Two-color Sunburst models; white on Shoreline Gold model), single knurled-chrome master volume control and vintage-style string-through-body Stratocaster® hardtail bridge.

Series: Cabronita
Body Wood: Semi-Hollow Ash
Body Finish: Gloss Polyester
Neck: Maple, Modern "C" Shape
Neck Finish: Gloss Urethane
String Nut: Synthetic Bone, 1.650" (42 mm)
Fingerboard: Maple, 9.5" (241 mm)
Frets: 22, Medium Jumbo
Position Inlays: Black Dot
Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm)
Hardware: Chrome
Bridge: Vintage-Style Strat® Strings-Through-Body Hardtail
Tuning Machines: Fender® Standard Cast/Sealed
Strings: Fender® USA Super 250L, NPS (.009-.042 Gauges)
Pickup Configuration: H/H
Pickups: Fideli'Tron™ Humbucking (Bridge and Neck)
Pickup Switching: 3-Position Toggle: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge
and Neck Pickups, Position 3. Neck Pickup
Controls: Master Volume
Other Features: Semi-Hollow Body with F-Hole, Chrome Pickup Covers,
Knurled Chrome Control Knob, Button String Tree

 Overview of Cabronita Precision Bass

The Cabronita Precision Bass takes Fender’s revolutionary first bass and decks it out in distinctive and powerful Cabronita style. Features include an alder body with forearm contour, “C”-shaped maple neck with gloss urethane finish, 9.5”-radius maple cap fingerboard with 20 medium jumbo frets and black-dot inlays, single Fideli’Tron™ humbucking bass pickup, single-ply pickguard (black on 2-Color Sunburst model; white on Black and Candy Apple Red models), modern High Mass bridge, knurled chrome control knobs (master volume, master tone) sidemounted output jack and vintage-style reverse tuners.

Series: Cabronita
Body Wood: Alder
Body Finish: Gloss Polyester
Neck: Maple, "C" Shape
Neck Finish: Gloss Urethane
String Nut: Synthetic Bone, 1.625" (41.3 mm)
Fingerboard: Maple Cap, 9.5" (242 mm) Radius
Frets: 20, Medium Jumbo
Position Inlays: Black Dot
Scale Length: 34" (864 mm)
Hardware: Chrome
Bridge: Fender® High Mass Modern
Tuning Machines: Vintage-Style Reverse
Strings: Fender USA NPS, Gauges: (.045, .065, .085, .105)
Pickups: Fideli'Tron™ Bass Humbucking Pickup (Middle)
Controls: Volume, Tone
Other Features: Original Precision Bass® Headstock Shape, Sharp Body
Radius with Arm Contour, Rear Routed Control Cavity,
Knurled Chrome Control Knobs, Side Mounted Output Jack

Read More