In an business dominated by a select few designs, industry cataylist Gary Kramer has been at the forefront of guitar manufacturing for decades. We
PHOTOS BY LUCIO GOMES |
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Having escaped the guitar business for greener pastures these past decades, Gary Kramer is back and once again at the forefront of a new movement in guitar building. But this time it isn’t traditional materials he’s rallying against; it’s fundamental guitar design. With revolutionary visions like the Delta Wing, Gary isn’t simply asking guitarists to consider materials other than wood – he’s asking us to rethink what a guitar should be.
Your history really began with Travis Bean and setting up prototypes of the aluminum- necked guitar. What was it about that project that excited you enough to get involved?
Travis and I worked together in a car dealership in the early ‘70s. I used to watch Don Kirsherner’s rock concert on late-night TV back then, and unless the artist was really special or the group was somebody I enjoyed, I always focused more on the equipment. I have always been a gadget person, and I always wanted to be the first with the latest technology. On the show I remember seeing lots of Marshall stacks, Fender Strats, P-Basses, and, of course, Gibson Les Pauls. They were basically the only instruments and equipment I ever saw.
One day Travis came to work with this beautiful aluminum neck guitar that he made in his garage. I took one look at it and thought how great it would be to see this guitar on stage; what a difference it could make. It was at that point Travis and I partnered up and opened a small factory in Sun Valley, CA.
You’ve talked about the initial advertisement you placed in Guitar Player magazine for Travis Bean Guitars, and the response you received from readers when you made reprints of the ad available for a few dollars. What were you able to take away from that success, in terms of gauging consumer tastes?
I learned how important a creative ad could be in capturing the imagination of thousands of guitarists around the world, all wondering what this new aluminum neck guitar would look and sound like. From their response I knew that change was what they wanted.
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At this point in your history, you didn’t even play the guitar, yet you were tasked with finding dealers and otherwise showing off your products. What kind of difficulties did you run into, from both dealers and consumers, and the industry at large? Did people see you as an outsider?
Yes, at times it was frustrating to me because I couldn’t play; I could only verbalize, as opposed to demonstrating, the guitars. I don’t think they really saw me as an outsider though, because most of the time I was able to bring someone with me who played, and there was usually someone in the store who could play. At the time Travis made his first prototype guitar, he wasn’t a guitar player either. It was only later on that he learned to play. Also, something most people don’t know is Leo Fender didn’t play, so that kind of puts me in the same position.
How did your involvement with Travis come to an end? How smooth was your transition into Kramer Guitars? What was your mindset at the time?
I think the end came when Travis paid more attention to his drumming than making guitars, of which we had hundreds of orders for. I was not a luthier and I didn’t have the responsibility of making the guitars. It was a frustrating situation; taking orders but not being able to fill them like I had promised.
To be honest, any breakup is ugly, but, fortunately for me, I already had started a good relationship with Dennis Berardi, part owner of Gracin’s In Town, who was our largest Travis Bean dealer, so my transition was a little easier. It was still hard on me, since I had to relocate to New Jersey and start all over again, and I was concerned with making additional advancements in electric guitars. My mindset was how I was going to go about it.
Kramer was an innovator in the threetier system of manufacturing – different lines built in America, Japan and Korea, for example – early on. Were you involved with that decision?
No, the thought never crossed our minds to make guitars in another country. I guess after I left, the decision to make more money for the company must have been the deciding factor, but that’s just a guess.
You’ve talked about how important American craftsmanship is for you, yet your current company follows the tiered system of manufacturing to a certain extent – producing models both in the US and overseas. How do you feel this system of manufacturing has affected the industry?
Well, it all depends. American guitars are like old American cars. There are certain things you can never change. In the minds of guitar players all over the world, they will always consider American-made guitars to be the best, just like old muscle cars. However, in this day and age, there is so much competition that you have to have an edge, and if you can find a manufacturing company overseas that can produce almost the same quality as your own factory, then you have a winner. Making guitars overseas – by cutting costs – allows more guitar players to purchase them.
In terms of Kramer Guitars, you left the company early in its existence, on seemingly bad terms. As you watched the company develop over the years, do you feel that they stuck to the vision you helped pioneer?
Absolutely. Our vision then was quality first. Next, it was to bring to the guitar world a new line of guitars, with innovations in all aspects of the guitar, from electronics to strings and beyond. I think ultimately Kramer followed our original vision. When I left the company it wasn’t on bad terms. My new task at the time was to be the West Coast Artist Relations Manager, and it wasn’t until months later that our relationship began to crumble, due to compensation issues.
You headed back to California and ended up stepping out of the industry for quite some time. Why didn’t you make a greater effort to stay involved?
I got involved with the California real estate market quite heavily and I hardly had any time for myself, only glancing at guitar magazines occasionally. With one new venture after another, and none of them involving guitars, all of my time was spent.
During your lengthy sabbatical, what kinds of trends and changes did you see in the industry as an observer?
During that time, the market was changing; increasingly, companies were re-issuing instruments that were once groundbreaking. The bigger companies were taking over the smaller guitar companies, but their eye was only on profits, not on creativity. The enthusiasm that had powered the industry’s pioneers was losing focus. Therefore, the majority of the same concepts were being generated over and over again.
So what prompted your return to the industry?
In 2004 I was invited to attend the Kramer Convention, a place where Kramer guitar enthusiasts gather once a year and share music, stories and guitars. While I was there, I was asked if I would ever get back into the guitar making business again; the answer, of course, was an enthusiastic “no.”
As I walked around looking at old Kramer guitars a thought came to my mind that there hadn’t been a real change in guitars in 30 years. I thought, everything else changes – why not guitars? I wanted to make a real change again. I had more time on my hands now and I was able to spend some time creating what I thought would be a new look in guitars.
It is obvious that for the past decade or so, most guitar companies were competing at the price point for their instruments. Designs and concepts took the easy path of copying the already-copied, safe, traditional guitars. In some cases, only the slight difference in the headstock shape would visually separate different companies’ products. At the NAMM shows, the “new” models were the same thing as always, just with new color combinations.
While doing this, I was introduced to Leo Scala, the most creative luthier I have ever met. He showed me the new Delta Wing design, and at first glance I fell in love with it. I knew then that a design like this would be a hard sell in America, because here we’re so traditional – the American market has always been focused on traditional looking guitars. But it’s a different story in Europe and Asia. They are hungry for a new and innovative looking guitar; the majority of our sales right now are overseas. It seems to me that Europe and Asia have always been two or three steps ahead of America with modern technologies, fashion, cars, etc.
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What has Leo brought to the operation? Do you work with him directly when it comes to design and conception?
Let me put it this way, without Leo and his young and innovative designs, we probably wouldn’t be making guitars today, and yes, I do work with him directly on every aspect of this company, from drawing board concepts, to colors and electronics. Leo and I make a good team.
How difficult is it to start up a new guitar company, especially one that emphasizes some rather unique designs?
I already started up two guitar companies in the past; a lot of the groundwork was behind me, and now, with all the sophisticated machines available, things have gotten easier and easier. I didn’t have to find a new building; I already had one. I didn’t have to go out and look for working capital; I had my own. I said to myself, “What could be easier than this?”
The Delta Wing definitely falls under the category of non-traditional design. What kind of resistance have you faced from the industry in bringing it to market? What kind of response have you gotten from guitar consumers, who are a notoriously traditional bunch?
Well, the iPhone falls under a category of non-traditional designs, and I’m sure that Apple gets its share of resistance; however, the iPhone is the future. The Delta Wing is new; the aesthetics are different, and just like anything new, it takes time to adjust.
I can remember when the Travis Bean aluminum neck came out, all I ever heard was resistance but I couldn’t let that bother me. I knew what I had then, and with the new Delta Wing series, I know what I have now.
Who is your intended audience for these guitars? Who do you envision playing a Gary Kramer?
The response I am receiving from guitar players who own a new Delta Wing is overwhelming. I don’t think they will ever put down their traditional looking guitars, just like I will never put aside my muscle cars; at least guitar players have an option and I know that once they pick up one of our new Delta Wings they won’t be disappointed.
The intended audience, or guitar player profile if you will, is a person who is looking for his or her own identity. The intended player will be someone who wants to create their own style. They don’t want to simply follow the norm; they are looking for a low-production, high-quality instrument. The Delta Wing concept has its own personality and it doesn’t fall into a particular category. It’s unique.
Who are some of the big names playing your guitars right now?
At this stage, the company is focused on the finishing touches on our new line of guitars. Our menu options will expand and we will offer new lines of instruments. After all of that is complete, we will decide which path to take and which artists to persue. Our current sales statistics show that we are catering to guitar virtuosos who have been waiting for a challenge.
Your guitars have included multiple references to sports cars and jet planes dating all the way back to the release of the 450 G in 1975, named after the Mercedes 450 SL, and again with the Delta Wing and F-1. Additionally, your Bondage model features a leather wrap around the outside of the guitar, harkening to the steering wheel of an exotic car. Do you see your brand as a kind of sporty, high-end alternative to current designs?
Yes, in my head guitars and cars have always been inextricable. New cars are very exciting to me because they put out something different each year. Why shouldn’t a guitar follow in the same footsteps? I do see my new line of guitars as very sleek, sexy and one step ahead.
Can you tell us a bit about the Bondage and the Crusader models? What can we expect to see in those instruments? Where and how are they being assembled?
The Bondage guitar features a carved top with a concave back, a unique neck construction with a “dropped” fingerboard, and a complex headstock design with a recognizable tuning fork aluminum badge. For a completed look, we added custom pickups, custom knobs, lasercured control-cavity plate, engraved aluminum rear headstock badge, centered fingerboard stripe, and a side blend of the finest leather. On a very limited basis, Bondage guitars will be produced in the Los Angeles based Gary Kramer guitar design studio.
Crusaders have a different story to tell. They have that comfortable, worn-in feeling, bound Birdseye maple necks, direct-mounted pickups and top of the line hardware. The Crusader’s unique vibe was created by carefully blending aspects of vintage and modern designs, and will be offered as both a custom shop model and a more affordable import series.
Ergonomics, while a great office furniture buzzword, hasn’t really taken off in the guitar industry. What’s your plan to change that?
Again, there has to be a first for everything. The world is changing and ergonomics is something that should apply to anything the human body uses on a daily basis. A guitar player should not have to physically suffer and be in pain after ten years just because his guitar wasn’t designed with ergonomics in mind. There is a cool way of interacting with the instrument, and there is a comfortable way to interact with it – the choice is yours. We simply tried to fill the second option that had been left void.
The F-1 Delta Wing by Gary Kramer has 7 strings, 36 frets, one pickup and 5+ octaves. The neck is a 5-piece laminate of wenge and maple with jumbo frets from 1 to 24 and vintage-sized frets from 25 to 36. The neck profile is flat, which, according to Kramer, “provides thundering amounts of sustain.” You have to be targeting the shredders with this model – would you say that’s the focus?
The F-1 Delta Wing was designed with an extended sound range in mind. Its concept is focused on creating a low profile, fast playing instrument, offering more than any other production-type instrument available. Sure, this model attracts shredders, but players that are into alternative, experimental areas of music also find it desirable. People who are looking to expand their musical styles are also attracted to the instrument. The F-1 is so unique that people see it as a cutting-edge addition to their guitar collection.
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Your company’s history mentions that as Kramer Guitars got off the ground in the early ‘70s, you wanted “to become the biggest guitar company in the country.” Yet, these new guitars seem to have a much more defined segment of buyers, both in design and price point, suggesting a more boutique, custom focus. Has your business vision changed throughout the years?
I don’t want to be the biggest guitar company in the world, and the Delta Wing design is only one of the many new guitars we are making. The Delta will find its own market, and the Bondage will find its own market, slowly. I really have no expectation for them to do so rapidly, although I was very surprised to see how quickly they have been accepted in Europe and Asia.
Our goal is to supply the younger demographic of guitarists with the new Delta Wing design. When we release the new Crusader, which has more of a Strat vibe, our focus will then be on the traditionalist.
If you could go back and do it all over again, what would change?
Other than the location of the original Kramer factory, nothing.
» Click here to see a gallery of Gary Kramer''s work, past and present.
Gary Kramer Guitars
garykramerguitars.com
A stripped-down small-bodied acoustic that punches well above its price class.
Midrange-focused voice. Smaller body and scale delivers easy playability. Excellent craftsmanship.
If you love big, boomy jumbos and dreads, you might want to look at a different body style.
$2,450
Iris MS-00
irisguitarcompany.com
As much as I love fawning over expensive vintage and boutique gear—which is a lot—when it comes to spending my money, I look for the highest-end tone at the kind of prices my modest gigs can pay for. With vintage gear, I want to find “player-grade” stuff: the amp that has some long-broken-up band’s logo spray-painted on it, totally devaluing it to collectors, or the guitar with a refin that was done by the last owner’s buddy who paints motorcycles. Sometimes, though, new gear is the only path to what you need. And once you enter the world of boutique, handmade instruments player-grade prices aren’t usually an option.
Since introducing their debut model, the OG, in 2018, Burlington, Vermont’s Iris Guitar Company’s mission has been to carve out a space in a Venn diagram where craftsmanship, tone, and value come together. The team consists of builders who create top-notch, bespoke instruments and started Iris to make instruments at the same level of quality, stripped of most aesthetic accoutrements and customization, at prices working musicians can afford.
One of the newest models in Iris’ expanding line is the MS-00. Inspired by the Gibson L-00, it was created in conjunction with vintage Gibson acoustic expert Mark Stutman of Folkway Music. The MS-00 captures the straightforward, unpretentious Great Depression-era aesthetic and sound of the L-00. And while not cheap, it offers the playing experience of a more expensive instrument.
Think: Sepia
In terms of looks, the simple, down-to-earth MS-00 doesn’t announce itself loudly, but rather invites you in and waits to be noticed. Diminutive fret markers along the MS-00’s Indian rosewood fretboard—which are sized to serve their function to the player but which might escape notice from across the room—complement the simple waterslide-decal Iris logo that adorns the headstock, along with vintage-style open-gear tuners. If there’s one bit of pizzazz, it’s the beveled tortoise pickguard, which is hardly an indulgence. Together, these humble details deliver a warm, sepia-toned aesthetic harmony.
Measuring 19 1/2" long, 14 7/8" at its lower bout and 3 5/8" to 4 3/8" deep, the MS-00 is compact. The handsome, tobacco burst Sitka spruce is supported with Adirondack spruce X-bracing. Finished with a thin, satin nitrocellulose, the MS-00 is comfortable to cradle, too. The back and sides, along with the Honduran mahogany neck, are not treated with pore filler prior to finishing, exposing the grain and giving the guitar a refined but rugged feel. (Spruce doesn’t have deep pores, so the top is smooth.) I can’t help myself from getting poetic and thinking about how this also challenges us to find the beauty within. In a market where deeply figured woods are glamorized, the Iris finish helps us appreciate the beauty in the grain itself. And though the subject is a source of argument, I can’t help but think that the lack of pore filler has a sonic effect as well; the MS-00 practically rings like a bell with every strum.
Warm and Punchy
Like the small-bodied vintage Gibson acoustics that inspired it, the MS-00 sings with a plainspoken midrange-focused voice. It’s warm and inviting, and it feels instantly familiar if you’ve spent time in vintage shops playing those Gibson models.
Gliding along the soft-C neck, which is attached via a more economical bolt-on, mortise and tenon joint, is a breeze. Its 24 3/4" scale length puts everything just a little more within reach than most acoustics, and that kept me busy across all 14 frets. (A 12-fret version can also be ordered as an upcharge.) The mid-focused sound of small-bodied acoustics always feels more natural to me than their bass-heavy counterparts, and this guitar is no exception. The easy-to-fret, midrange-focused formula had my initial playing gravitating toward early jazz chords and lines, both of which the MS-00 feels ideally voiced to handle. That’s not to pigeonhole this guitar at all. I could, and did, have a great time simply strumming away in first position and running through all the Travis-picking tunes I could muster.
The MS-00 feels particularly touch-sensitive, so I took delight in exploring its dynamic range. If you lean toward a softer playing style, it’ll reward you with rich warmth and definition. But if you’re a strummer or just dig in hard, you’ll find plenty of volume without compromising tone or over-compressing. When playing lines with a heavy pick, I was treated to plenty of attack and punch, which I found easy to dial up or back to taste. By applying a heavier hand, especially on the wound strings, I found the growly bite that I find an essential part of a vintage Gibson’s sonic fingerprint.
The Verdict
The MS-00, like every Iris model I’ve played, is a well-executed, simple formula. On a coffee scale, it’s the equivalent of a pour-over made with single-origin beans and taken black. At $2,450, it’s no impulse purchase, but for a U.S.-built, luthier-crafted instrument it’s a serious deal. The MS-00 can go strum for strum with guitars that command much higher prices because it’s designed with only the absolute essentials in mind: sound and playability. If you’re a fan of small-bodied vintage Gibsons, or if you’re simply looking for a dynamic, midrange-focused acoustic that’s fun to play for a little less, the MS-00 is worth your time. It’s going to compete with the best of them.
Bill Wyman's first album in 9 years, Drive My Car is out August 9.
Drive My Car will be available digitally, on CD and gatefold vinyl. Both CD and digital formats will feature two additional bonus tracks.
As a founding member and rhythm architect of The Rolling Stones, Bill became a household name, revered by fans and peers alike. With a career spanning over six decades, Wyman steps back into the spotlight with a fresh collection of songs showcasing his passion and talent. Five tracks, including the album’s title track are self-penned, a testament to Bill’s enduring songwriting talent. “It’s not something I do every day, but sometimes I just see a guitar in the corner of the room, pick it up to play around, and then something clicks into place,” he explains.
Bill Wyman - Drive My Car (Official Lyric Video)
Recorded at Wyman’s home studio, Drive My Car features a tight-knit group of long-time collaborators, including guitarist Terry Taylor and drummer Paul Beavis. “A bass player and a drummer are a team, you’re the rhythm section, the foundation of the whole thing,” Bill emphasizes. The album opens with a unique rendition of Bob Dylan’s 'Thunder On The Mountain,' combining elements from both Dylan's original and Wanda Jackson’s lively cover. “I’ve known Bob since the mid-‘60s," says Bill. "He used to take me and Brian Jones round the Greenwich Village clubs whenever we were in New York. We were very good friends for a while, he was a really nice guy.”
Another highlight is a cover of Taj Mahal’s 'Light Rain.' Bill recounts their long-standing friendship, which began in 1968 when Taj was invited to join The Stones Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus TV special. “He was fascinated that I was a member of the Royal Horticultural Society – we bonded over botany!” he recalls fondly.
Bill Wyman had a busy 2023. The oldest of the Rolling Stones (“They all talk about the war, but none of them remember it like I do!”), Bill mined his memories for vivid anecdotes of his wartime childhood and published them in an engrossing book, Billy In The Wars. At the same time, he was planning for the future, recording the songs for Drive My Car.
Reflecting on the album’s overall sound, Bill cites JJ Cale as a major influence. “I think the biggest influence on the album as a whole is JJ Cale, his laidback groove has always appealed to me. Friends I’ve played it to have said things like ‘it really sounds like you’, and that makes me happy. I’ve never tried to be anyone else - I’m Bill, basically.”
For more information, please visit billwyman.com.
Which guitarists are worthy of an artist-signature model? Rhett and Zach are on the case.
First off, let’s be thankful for this episode of Dipped In Tone. Rhett survived a close brush with a tornado while on the road in Arkansas, and returns to the pod to analyze all things signature guitars with Zach, who continues his dogged campaign to own a ridiculous number of Tube Screamers. (They didn’t plan their near-matching shirts.)
The conversation-starter is the new Jason Isbell “Red Eye,” a $21,999 collector’s version of the 1959 Gibson Les Paul that famously belonged to Ed King of Lynyrd Skynyrd. When King passed away in 2018, the story goes that Isbell wanted the guitar, but couldn’t afford it. Zach and Rhett explain how he accrued the capital to snag the axe, and the details behind the new artist edition.
But who gets signature guitars, anyway? Some iconic players, like John Frusciante—so easily identified with his Strats—still don’t have their own model. Is he being snubbed, or choosing to keep his name off a mass-produced guitar? Maybe some guitarists feel signatures are too corporate—which could also explain why Jack White has, so far, not lent his name to a model. (Though pedals are a different story.) And what about massively popular YouTube guitar stars and influencers—have they earned the right to be in the running for a signature 6-string?
Later, Zach and Rhett dig into the economics of siggys—how much do their namesakes actually earn from the sale of their personal brand?—and debate Slash’s bombshell move from Marshall to Magnatone.
From Page to Eddie to Gilmour, the comparatively impractical Maestro Echoplex has nonetheless served its masters well. And for some, like our 6-stringing contributor, it still does.
Feast your eyes on the missing link. I give you the coolest contraption to ever run between a guitar and an amplifier: the Maestro Echoplex.
The cool factor for this historic piece of gear is so off the chart that I’m always a bit shocked when players, young or old, are not familiar with this marvelous old-school tape-echo device. But no, I’m not writing this to copy and paste Wikipedia stats on this crown jewel of the guitar-pedal world. (However, if your inner nerdom is anything like mine, it’s worthy of a snoop. All of the Echoplexes from 1959 to the late ’70s sound amazing!) I’m writing to profess to all my fellow guitar gear freaks my undying love for something that was used on so many historical recordings that it’s mind-blowing. And while a big box with an analog tape loop might not be your idea of a great ride-along pal on tour, or even in the studio, truth is, there is nothing else exactly like an authentic Echoplex.
Do you remember the first time you heard that huge swelling repeat sound at the end of “Eruption” by Van Halen? Echoplex. How about the heaviness of Jimmy Page’s guitar on “Moby Dick” by Led Zeppelin? That’s a cranked Echoplex preamp, mis amigos!
The Echoplex design is pretty simple, which is one reason why it’s so iconic. It has actual tape that runs on the top of the unit, records your sound, then plays it back. Remember 8-track tape players? Yeah, kind of like that—except for the recording part. You just crank the slide in the middle—at least on the solid-state EP-3 model that I own—to make the delay effect go fast or slow. It’s not rocket science. But it does also work as a preamp and will enhance the tone of the guitar coming out of your amp like no other unit. Eric Johnson, for example, travels with one in a rack, sans tape, just so he can use the preamp for his classic tone. The Echoplex preamp basically boosts and compresses your signal, fattening it up and providing some EQ trickery that will have guitar players unfamiliar with the device’s charms scratching their heads.
The original Echoplexes come in four flavors: the EP-1, EP-2, EP-3, and EP-4. The EP-1 is the O.G.—the first tape delay ever, with a moving tape head that allows the delay time to be changed. It was made from ’59 to ’62, when the next generation of ’Plex, called the EP-2, not only gave the tape head more mobility but protected the tape itself in a cartridge. The solid-state version was the EP-3, which was used by Van Halen, Page, Tommy Bolin, and Brian May, among others. The EP-4 offered an output buffer to improve impedance-matching with other gear. Today, you can find early generation Echoplexes for anywhere from $1,400 to nearly $2,000, and the EP-3 and EP-4 are in the $600 to $1,500 range, depending on condition.
“I have all kinds of analog delay pedals but none of them compare to the Echoplex.”
There are related devices out there that some vintage-tone-inclined players, like Brian Setzer, prefer. The Roland Space Echo is one, and there’s the Binson Echorec. They’re easier for traveling because the Space Echo has a more efficient tape transport system and the Binson records on a drum rather than a length of tape. David Gilmour from Pink Floyd was a fan of the Echorec. But just remember, it is the original Echoplex sound those models were built to emulate. And both of those artists also used original Echoplex units on a few of their classic recordings.
Sure, you can buy some newfangled digital pedal that tries to recreate the Echoplex, but what fun is there in that? Where’s the potential for tape snarls or the manual cleaning required? After owning several EP-3 Echoplexes and using them in recording studios on countless tracks, touring all over the world with one in cars, vans, RVs, buses, and planes, I can tell you nothing replicates or enhances your tone like an EP-3. And if you do roll out with one, don’t forget Q-tips and a bottle of rubbing alcohol to clean the tape heads when they get dirty. If that doesn’t sound like a good time, then I guess you don't wanna get the sound that fattened up the guitars in power trios like Joe Walsh’s James Gang or on Billy Gibbons’ first five ZZ Top albums.
I have all kinds of analog delay pedals but none of them compare to the Echoplex. Remember, a cool thing about owning vintage gear is not that it’s a piece of handcrafted history, but knowing that Leo Fender or Les Paul himself, or, in this case, Echoplex designer Mike Battle, is never making another one like the one that you own. Don't get overwhelmed or anxious by projecting what could go wrong with it. Get excited about having a piece of gear that can make your guitar sound like almost every classic-rock, blues, and country record ever made.