IRONING BOARD SAM normally performed on a tightrope, but is here seen gracing the pages of Michael Ochs' deeply fabby book "Rock Archives". Hundreds and hundreds of black and white photographs give a no-messing account of the last 25 years of popular music, held together by an informative but minimal text. It's £10.95 from Blandford Press, and is on my Christmas list already please mum.

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TWENTY-SIX HOURS OF IT — three days of luthieran overkill at the Guitar Weekend 1985. From Friday 25th to Sunday 27th, the Barbican Centre will be crammed to overflowing with guitars, guitarists, guitar makers, guitar repairers, guitar clinics, guitar composers, guitar reviewers, guitar performances, guitar records, guitar tapes... everything the player could conceivably want, even down to peace and quiet in the acoustic instruments room. Most British manufacturers will be there, along with Steinberger, Martin, Dobro, Kramer, and Hamer, amongst others. Pickup manufacturers like Kent Armstrong and UKG will also be represented. Performances and clinics are still being finalised, but Paul Samson and Dave Becker will definitely be there (though probably not together). One major advantage of this year's show is that it will be possible to buy anything you fancy there and then; should you not want to buy, you're invited to bring your ailing instruments along for perusal by skilled repair people. And of course, charming persons on the One Two Testing stand will be in evidence. The show is open from 7pm-10.30pm on Friday, 10.30-10.30 on Saturday, and noon till 10.30 on Sunday. Entry is completely free.

Also completely free is John Beeby's alternative Guitar Weekend, also taking place on Sunday 27th (during the more civilised hours of 11-4pm). This lower key (basses included) event is intended to arouse the inhabitants of north London's Crouch Hill area to a state of heightened awareness of the existence of The Guitar. Beginners and children are welcome, to try any instruments without obligation at (Contact Details). He looks like a nice chap, too.

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BILL SCHULTZ AND DAN Smith, bosses of the new Fender guitar company which they bought earlier in the year from megacompany CBS (see One Two April '85), were in London recently to explain some of their new ideas. Most attractive is their intention to give away two study courses at the Californian 'Guitar Institute of Technology', essentially a school for guitarists. One of the winners will be American, one from outside. Fender's new advisory board, still to be appointed but meant to consist of the "30 top players in the world", will select the winners from finalists' tapes, and the lucky duo will have all their expenses covered while living in the special apartment that Fender have set up in California. Eric Clapton is sponsoring the first year's winners. Dan Smith explained that the sponsorship was designed "to put something back into the industry", and that the advisory board would be made up of "50 to 60% legendary figures, Beck, Clapton, etcetera, and 40 to 50% new players".

Schultz and Smith also pointed out that there are now four types of Fender electrics available in the UK: Fender USA (about 30% of the total Fender company's production); Fender Japan; Squier (both Fender Japan and Squier are still made at the Fuji Gen-Gakki factory and account for some 60% of its output); and Bullet (from Korea). Acoustics are the California series (from Korea) and the Standard series (from Japan).

And the future? There was a veiled hint of a guitar-based MIDI controller from Fender. Some discussions have taken place between Fender and the German Shadow company with a view to fitting their interface and bridge pickup to a Fender-built instrument. "Possibly at Frankfurt '86," said Dan Smith. But no promises. More info: John & Ivor Arbiter Ltd, (Contact Details).

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SYNTHAXE, THOSE purveyors of hi-tech guitar sculpture to the MIDI-equipped masses, have been somewhat quiet of late. This is because they have been a) planning the official launch of their eponymous machine at NAMM Winter Market (Anaheim, California) in January, and Frankfurt in February, and b) they have been moving house. Synthaxe's new address is (Contact Details), should you so desire.

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HERE COMES THREE MORE delays from Dod, winging their way across the Atlantic. The RDS3600 Digital Delay is a rack-mounting unit with a seven second memory at a (reduced) 4k bandwidth, hold function, and the usual flange/chorus modulation options, plus a big LED to indicate millisecond measurements. All for £433. The PDS2000 Digital Sampler is another of Dod's double footpedals, with two seconds of delay time, and a sample, and layer facility which is triggerable by the foot switch or externally; £260 for this. Only £200 for the PDS1000, with (you guessed it) one second of delay and sampling time, also stored in a double footpedal.

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The Oxford Synthesiser Company, best known for their Oscar synths, have been appointed distributors for Steinberg Research's range of professional and educational software designed for the Commodore 64. The seven items listed are the PRO 16, a 16-track fully polyphonic real and step time sequencer for £90, the TNS scorewriter and music editor for £120, the SES soundwriter for DX and TX7, including 160 new sounds, for £70 (these three can also be run on the Apple II and 11E), the Cosmo sound editor for Casio CZ synthesisers, with 128 new sounds, for £70, the WAVE sound editor for the Korg DW6000 at £70, and two tutors, for guitar and piano, at £35 each. Hardware in the Steinberg catalogue includes a MIDI interface (one in, two outs) for £40, and a synchroniser for syncing to drum machines and direct to tape, at £35; and a machine that combines both of the above, and more, for £135 Details of any of these comprehensive goodies on (Contact Details).

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NEWS OF A NEWISH RANGE of Brit amplificators has just seeped down the A12 from Braintree, home of the Elvic Electronic dynasty. These robustly constructed loud makers rejoice in the name Design Amplification, and have this to say for themselves: Lead 30 Combo with 1 x 10in, reverb and overdrive circuitry (£164); Lead 60 Combo with 1 x 12in, reverb, and switchable twin channels (£249); Bass 60 Combo with 1 x 12in and compressor (£214); Lead 100 Combo with 2 x 10in, reverb and switchable channels (£299); Superbass 250 Bi Amp, with individually driven 2 x 8in and 1 x 15in, graphic, compressor, and effects loop, all in one big cabinet (£549); also in the range is a 100w PA amp with four channels and reverb at £222, and a 1 x 12in cabinet including horn for £124. More details on Braintree (Contact Details).

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SOME WHISPERINGS FROM our ever-pliant Japanese source may interest/amuse/deter you. Korg are about to come up with a rack-mounting keyboard mixer called the KMX62 with six channels, VCA control option, and peak metering. After the announcement of the Fostex 4050 Autolocator (see One Two's NAMM report September issue) there now follow 4030 and 4035 Synchronizer and Sync Controller — scant details on these, but certainly SMPTE and good-value are included. There exists a Japanese company which puts the name Kenwood on its products, but as yet no (groan) mixers, just speakers, tape recorders and other hi-fi-ish objects. Shame really. Moon Guitars of Tokyo seem set to launch a Larry Graham endorsed bass, all white and gold and very jazz Bass like. Slapadunkawangthan, we suspect.

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IF YOU WISH TO MIX YOUR Casio CZ synth and Commodore 64 computer in a meaningful and harmonious fashion, then Joreth Music have a software program that could be just what you're looking for. Their Tone Editor comes on disc, with programs to run as a stand-alone system in tandem with a suitable MIDI interface or as part of Joreth's souped-up MCS system. Principle ability is to display all six envelopes of the Casios' Phase Distortion scheme; then you may run a sound and alter the visual display as you hear the sound changing. Bliss, no doubt, for those who wish to spurn the presets, and all for just a touch under £45 for the disc. More from Joreth Music, (Contact Details).

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REMEMBER THE KUBICKI Factor bass reviewed in the September issue? Course you do — it had a very unusual flickswitch up at the nut which gave the player the option of using the E-string as normal, or extending it to low D with extra frets for Eb and E. Now a company called Hipshot, of Van Nuys in California, offer D-Tune, a replacement machine head for a standard Fender-type bass that'll detune the E-string, via a thumb-operated lever, to whatever you decide, down to low C. It does this by fractionally tilting the machine head assembly. Wacky, huh? The Bass Centre in London's scenic Wapping High Street, (Contact Details), have just got supplies, which they'll flog you at under £50 a go. Get down on it.

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CTS STUDIOS, ROUND THE back of Wembley Arena in north London, have just opened an electronic music studio, originally dubbed Studio Four. It's essentially a comfortable looking room stacked with synths (mostly belonging to founder Brian Gascoigne, apparently) with permanent lines to the nearby Neve 32/24 custom console and loads of outboard gear. Synths include a Fairlight (extra charge for this), Linn 9000, Prophet t8, PPG Wave 2.3, Oberheim Matrix 12, a DX7 and TX816, and all the necessary interfaces. An SRC SMPTE box takes care of sync and locking. A figure of £100 a day is mentioned, which seems reasonable (that excludes the Fairlight). Call CTS on (Contact Details).

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POSTAGE FANS WILL ALREADY know of the existence of Part & Parcel, the mail order guitar accessory firm. This Kettering company have just announced a supplement to their existing catalogue designed to cover a wide range of new and classic effects pedals — all available by post. Arion, Champion, Dod, Frontline, JHS, Jen, Morely, Ross, Schaller, Seiko and Solee (what, no Boss?) are amongst the makers covered, and items range from basic footpedals through tuners, power supplies, and headphone amps, to rackmounting systems. Copies of the catalogue are available from P&P, (Contact Details).

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PEAVEY ELECTRONICS HAVE taken it upon themselves to import Evans drum heads from the US. Evans are best known for their hydraulic twin-ply oil-filled heads, and their Rock-X twin-ply ditto (now available for hitting in new colours). Details of the full range may be had from your local Peavey dealer, or Peavey Electronics UK Ltd on (Contact Details).

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THE E-BOW IS BACK! AGAIN! As enthused over in One Two by Bill Nelson ages ago, the magnetic Energy Bow which gives infinite sustain is once more (once more) available in this country. The design remains the same, only the price has changed (what with the dollar and all that) to around £80. Distribution is by Dixie's Music, (Contact Details).

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ASK NOT FOR WHOM THE bell tolls; it tolls for Bond Guitars. Or at least it did at midday on September 25th, when Bond formally announced that they were winding up their operations in the UK, and closing their Scottish plant. According to Bond, their active carbon fibre instruments, with the revolutionary stepped fingerboard design, met with a positive trade and press reaction (see review in November 1984 One TwoM), but were dogged with numerous faults and technical problems; public acceptance was deterred by a price tag £200 over that promised at the launch of the prototypes. Combined with a series of manufacturing and supply difficulties these have led to the present situation. It is rumoured that Bond's backers are looking for potential manufacturers overseas, either in the USA or the Far East. We would tend to bet on the latter.

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SYCOMP 4: THE RESULT. Starring Pete Wellsbury from Wolverhampton. He is the man in the middle of your screens, clutching the very lovely gift-wrapped Yamaha RX15 drum machine that the assembled Syco-people have just handed over. Pete it was who managed a sentence 851 letters long composed entirely of words beginning with the letters SY. It's too long and, frankly, boring to repeat, but believe us, it was the best from a very large sack of entry forms. The happy boy says that his casual band, so caj it has not a name, even, could well be drummerless now that the RX15 is on hand. One up to technology.