Feedback as a technique in playing the electric guitar in contemporary music has been with us for quite some time. Though it most likely was going on before my time in some form or another, my first exposure to it's haunting, mysterious, if not ethereal sound was with Jimi Hendrix and The Who's Pete Townsend. We mostly hear this effect in Classic Rock format but all Rock musical genres have offered up recordings featuring this effect. First a bit of history concerning feedback with an electric guitar. Not to be confused with the kind feedback that a microphone does which sends everyone into a frenzy and all the dog kennels in the neighborhood into a massive howl. In concept a guitar's feedback is similar to a microphone's feedback. Guitar feedback can be controlled relative to where the guitarist is standing in proportion to the amplifier. To simplify further the guitar pickups are like the microphone in that they are picking up the signal emitted by the amplifier and then "fed back" into the amplifier resulting in what is referred to as a feedback loop. It's called a loop because the sound is constantly "looping" around and back into the guitar pickups. Requirements for getting feedback with your guitar: an electric guitar and a relatively robust guitar amplifier. Preferably something more than a practice amp. The only other requirement which could be negative is the volume of the amplifier must be set nearly at full or near full volume/maximum gain stage. Ears withstanding the results are always rather interesting.

Enter 2009 and the vst software effects platform. In 2008 Softube released a very cool and significant vst plugin for Windows and Mac called "Acoustic Feedback". I'd recently become familiar with their product through the use of their "Amp Room" vst software. Which I found a pretty useful contender to all the other gunslingers out there. With Acoustic Feedback however Softube have created a tool that I think is in the right direction to enable guitarist to express themselves further into newer territory. Then again a "meat potatoe's guitar player may have no use whatsoever for something like this. If you have an iLok account you can download the demo for VST or TDM from their website and can be used for 10 days after which you must buy a an iLok license to continue using it. I already have an iLok account for my Pro Tools system and so getting up and running was no issue. Using Acoustic Feedback you can get real subtle feedback to natural (what we are used to hearing), up to extreme wild feedback. The vst installs easy enough and you can get shrieking immediately. There's no presets to deal with. The main engine that makes it all happen is "Realistic Simulation" in Softube speak or in layman's terms Physical Modelling. This has become a valuable tool in my guitar arsenal. I can command such subtle feedback bends and vibratos in songs that I always wanted to play. I'm talking David Torn territory here. I am playing sounds that I never thought I'd never would've come up with without it. I particularly love the way it waits for me to play my notes and then the feedback slips in upon holding a note. Or play, strum, slow arpeggiate, a chord and listen how the "sound" of feedback happens. Check out the videos from You Tube and the Softube website. Get crankin!

The term "affordable guitar" can be an oxymoron when attempting to buy a guitar considered to be higher quality than a so-called budget guitar. DBZ guitars from World renowned guitar builder Dean B. Zelinsky offers high quality electric and acoustic guitars with a vast range of options, brillaint colors, and "over the top" designs. They are currently offering these guitars in US made and import versions "Great playing guitars that look superior on stage is what DBZ is all about," says DBZ Guitars CEO, Dean B. Zelinsky. DBZ Guitars was founded August 26, 2008 when world-renowned guitar builder Dean B. Zelinsky saw the need to take guitars to an entirely new place. DBZ Guitars breaks through the monotony on a whole new level. With vivid finishes, lifelike textured tops, and three-dimensional carved art, Zelinsky has returned to raise the bar a second time. Check out the full range of their guitars at www.dbzguitars.com

Kramer have announced their new Pacer Classic. Here's what they have to say about it in their own words...

Kramer Guitars have a long history of making guitars that are performance driven. Its reign in the 80's as one of the top guitar companies in the world is legendary. Kramer is proud to announce the upcoming release of the Pacer Classic. This new model's specs' are off of the famed 1983 USA Pacer and is a classic shredder's guitar!

The Pacer Classic's body, neck and electronics layout is spot on to the 1983 Kramer Pacer, which was famed for its versatility and playability. No wonder every guitar player from that era were Kramer endorsees!

A little modern history: The Pacer's beak headstock and classic 80's block logo top off this classic Kramer with a locking nut to keep you in tune. You vintage Kramer nuts will notice we moved the truss rod adjustment to the headstock, but that's the only difference in the Classic's neck from the original. Just so you know Kramer was the #1 selling guitar brand in the world in the mid 80's!

The playground: Classic dot inlays on a satin finished, thin tapered Maple neck with jumbo frets. No splice joint here folks, it's all one piece topped with a Maple board.

The guts! A Mahogany body loaded with classic Alnico magnet pups, with a volume, volume, tone control layout with a 3-way mini-toggle. The variety of tones are MANY! We've also added a treble bleed mod to the volume controls to keep that sparkle when you back down the decibels. It's topped off with a Floyd Rose TM tremolo system for all the dive bombs you can handle while staying in tune.

Features

* Body Material: Mahogany
* Neck Material: Hard Maple, Satin Finish
* Neck Shape: Thin Taper C-Shape
* Neck Joint: Bolt-on
* Truss Rod: 2-way adjustable
* Scale Length: 25.5"
* Fingerboard: Maple
* Neck Pickup: 900R
* Bridge Pickup: 910T
* Controls: Neck Volume, Bridge Volume, Tone and 3-way mini-toggle selection switch
* Fingerboard Radius: 12"
* Frets: 22; medium-jumbo
* Bridge: Floyd Rose Tremolo
* Nut Width: 43mm
* Hardware: Black
* Machine Heads: Die cast
* Colors: Pearl White, Candy Red
* Warranty: Kramer Limited Lifetime

Visit www.kramerguitars.com