Oberheim join skinless drum club

Yet another leading keyboard/electronics manufacturer, Oberheim, has joined the digital drum machine brigade. Their new introduction is called the DX and, as digitals do, it employs real drums as the basis for its sounds. Voices on the DX include bass drum, and snare (with three dynamic levels), open, closed and accented hi-hat, three tom toms, long crash cymbal with dynamics, 'shaker' and handclaps. The Oberheim has separate outputs for each voice plus a seven channel stereo/mono mixer and an external trigger input which can be programmed to play any combination of drums. Rhythms, time signature, sequence length and tempo can be programmed in both real time and 'single step' modes. Featuring 100 sequences, as well as 50 songs, which enables the programming of entire compositions, the DX features a memory capacity of 2,000 notes. The clocking functions allow the DX to synchronise with the rest of the Oberheim Music System; DSX Polyphonic Sequencer, OB-8 Polyphonic Synth, and DMX drum machine. A cassette interface for 'dump' capability is provided, along with a battery-powered memory safeguard facility. Price of the Oberheim DX will be £995 inc VAT from the manufacturer's official UK agents, Rod Argent's, (Contact Details).

RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA

Watch out for a brand new amp range, scheduled to be launched early this autumn by Geordie newcomers RSE. The line looks like being exceptionally low priced with emphasis placed on premium value for money on all MOS-FET design. Starting from scratch, Rama will include a complete range of products, including combos and heads for bass and guitar plus PA equipment. Prices, for example, include a 60 watt bass combo at £179, the lead version costing just a shade less at £174. Both feature McKenzie 12" speakers.

120 watt combos are also to be offered in lead and bass versions, the lead model (with 2 x 12" speakers) selling for £227, the 1 x 15" powered bass model up for grabs at £232. Heads will be £129 for lead and £131 for bass. Various speaker cabs will be on offer, ranging from 4 x 12", through 2 x 12"s to a 1 x 15" bass unit. Prices of these look encouraging too.

On the PA side, a twin channel four input amp will set you back £197.50 and a 200 watt slave will cost just £134. Cabs will include wedge monitors at £65 (handling 100 watts each) with 100 watt columns for £164 per pair and 200 watt types at £256 per pair.

We will try to get hold of a review sample as soon as possible, but in the meantime, further information can be obtained direct from the makers on (Contact Details).

CELESTION RE-POWER - BUT SOUND REMAINS

News from Celestion is that they have just revised their entire speaker range, resulting in a considerable uprating of handling power. Unlike many high-power speakers, though, the new designs do not lose that famous 'overload' sound, usually associated with the G-Series Celestion speakers, the makers claim. In a remarkably detailed brochure, Celestion explain what causes the problem of high performance speakers sounding too clean.

Apparently, in an attempt to increase the power handling capabilities of traditional speakers, lightweight paper coils are employed (usually, Celestion say, by glass fibre/epoxy types). These withstand the strains imposed by high power amplification but they don't sound the same as the older lightweight coil types. This, as any reader who has tried replacing traditional low-power speakers in his combo or cab with higher performance modern types, is certainly true. Celestion claim that they have researched and developed a new glass fibre/epoxy material which has the same characteristics as the old paper-bassed coils.

The result of all this R&D work is that a new range of speakers is now released, models including 8" types (rated from 25 to 50 watts), 10" (from 25 to 50 watts with a 100 watt handling version designed for compact vocal and disco use), 12" (35 to 125 watts), 15" (85 to 200 watts) and 18" (200 watts).

A tremendous amount of applications information is given in a brochure describing the new range, which can be obtained from Celestion International Ltd at (Contact Details).

G'day Maton

Readers who've travelled across to Australia, or had any contact with Aussie musicians, may have encountered the name Maton Guitars. Most of us, though, are unfamiliar with this range which has, nonetheless, an enviable reputation in many countries.

Now retailers Ivor Mairants are importing the Maton range into the UK on an 'exclusive' basis and we've got the chance to see these instruments for ourselves. Maton Guitars have a longer history than most 'exclusive' guitar manufacturers, the present company having been founded in 1964 in Canterbury, Victoria by Bill and Vera May. But the name Maton goes back further than that, to the late 1930's in fact.

One of the few production guitars still hand-made, Maton apparently use some unusual techniques in their production programme. Woods, for example, are pre-aged by treatment with High Frequency energy to remove moisture content and solidify the resins. The makers claim that this technique stabilises stresses normally developed by conventional wood drying processes.

The Maton range comprises a series of flat top acoustics (starting with the Blue Grass and Coolibah selling for £350 each inc VAT and case) and move on up through a range of other acoustic models, the top of the range being the Messiah Custom, selling for £750. Maton Electric solids (fitted with Di Marzios) comprise the JB/6 at £475 and the JBX6 (with tremolo) for £500.

Basses come in two types, 'Professional fretted or fretless' JB4's (at £575) or standard JB4 (fretless £525, fretted £500).

In addition, Maton are offering three acoustic/electrics and two classical models. Further details from Ivor Mairants Musicentre Ltd, (Contact Details).

TOO MANY COX...

Just to make life difficult for lovers of custom-built guitars, two of Britain's best makers are currently suffering from an embarrassing confusion of names. So here, once and for all, is the gen on the pair of them.

Acoustic round-backed guitar specialist Bryn Hiscox (whose amazingly fine guitar we reviewed in our June issue) can be contacted at (Contact Details), whereas electric guitar specialist builder, Melvyn Hiscock lives some 150 miles away and has his own workshop address at c/o Fret Music, (Contact Details). Melvyn's telephone number is (Contact Details). Melvyn is currently doing extensive guitar repair work plus building his own line of instruments, sold from Fret Music under the name of Rockwood.

Here's hoping that this sorts a rather nasty little problem out once and for all!

Bye bye Rounds

Wouldn't you just know it! No sooner have we discovered a new line of strings we like (the American-manufactured 'Rounds', which we reviewed in issue 15) than along comes some busybody and buys them out! The string-eaters in this case are Dean Markley who have bought the Rounds Manufacturing Company, hence offing the Rounds brand. So it goes. Now we're all set to look at another brand from former Rounds importer, Dixie Kidd of Huddersfield-based Dixie's Music. He's looking after American 'Stay-In-Tune' strings and we'll be testing them soon to see if they do. In the meantime, further info can be obtained from Dixie at (Contact Details).

E.V. GO POWER CRAZY

Remember the days when the most you could expect from a 12" speaker was a mere 25 watts? Well, premier American speaker makers Electro-Voice have just announced one that will take a genuine 300 watts and still come back for more! The speaker is part of a new range of low frequency types from E-V, the Pro-Line Series.

The Pro-Lines include five new ultra-powerful models: the EVM 12L (taking a long term 300 watts and operating from 80-7,000 Hz), the EVM12S (specs, similar but more for PA use than the EVM 12L, which is suited to backline low frequency work), the EVM 15L (400 watts continuous from 60-6,000 Hz), the EVM 15B (similar power handling to the EVM 15L but operating from 60 to 3,500 Hz) and the EVM 18B (400 watts capability and designed to run from 50 5,000 Hz. No prices have been fixed for the UK as yet.

These power handling ratings, E-V are at pains to point out, are to the EIA Standard RS-426A, a procedural standard which they claim effectively under-rates speakers compared with conventional sine wave 'R.M.S.' figures. The EIA standard calls for an eight hour test wherein the speaker is subjected to bursts of power four times greater than continuous ratings.

At the same time, Shuttlesound, Electro-Voice's UK distributors, have launched E-V's SH 15-2 horn loaded 2-way speaker enclosure over here. This highly portable cab contains a horn loaded 15" unit plus a new compression driver horn combination. Frequency response is quoted as 60-15,000 Hz +/-3dB. Output is an impressive 120dB at 1 metre with an input of 100 watts. Ideal for keyboard monitoring or small PA work, the SH 15-2 measures just 78 x 58 x 40 cm and will sell below £500 including VAT.

Finally, E-V have a new mixer, produced under their TAPCO label. It's the EVT 5212, a 12 channel stereo desk with a frequency response running from 20Hz up to 20,000 Hz +/-1dB. Harmonic distortion from the 5212 is quoted as a very low 0.05% at +4dB.

The 12 channels take balanced low impedance mike level or unbalanced high impedance line level sources. Each input features channel effects plus two sub-group outputs. Three-band Eq is provided plus effects/reverb send, monitor send, pan control, peak LED and channel fader per channel.

Readers should also note Shuttlesound's new address — the company is expanding in into new premises and further details on the above products can be obtained from Shuttlesound Ltd, (Contact Details).

'Don't Fret' survive fire

Martyn Booth and Neville Marten of Don't Fret Guitar Repairs in Braintree are to carry on their business (contrary to rumours circulating in the business) following a fire at their premises in Woolpack Lane. The fire, which started in an adjacent building, forced the two specialists to spend time working from home, but they are shortly to establish themselves at a new address in the area. Meanwhile, Don't Fret can be contacted at (Contact Details). Work is still being undertaken by them for the many dealers who use their services as well as manufacturers/importers Yamaha and members of the public. Hard luck, lads - hope you get things together again soon!

Hotbox offer new amp-vamp

Making your amp sound quieter may seem like an odd ambition, but if you can get your full-power stage amp to deliver its normal sound at practice or recording levels, it makes a much more usable proposition, and may save you the price of a practice amp. A new design aimed at meeting this need has just been introduced by Excel Electronics, called the Hotbox. Built on a heavy gauge mild steel chasis, the Hotbox is coated with graphite paint for maximum heat dissipation and can, the makers claim, be connected to any amp. Power ratings are 150 watts RMS into 8 or 16 ohms, or 200 watts into 4 ohms. Power attenuation is selectable from -24dB in six equal steps. The front panel offers a volume control and impedance selector. On the back are input and output jacks, and a fixed level stereo jack output which can be used for headphones or as a tape or D.I. feed. Price of the Hotbox is £49.95 and interested readers can obtain more details on the Hotbox from Excel Electronics, (Contact Details).

Just in case

Looking for a well-made custom case for your instrument or PA gear? We've recently discovered an excellent source from the Nuthall, Notts, area in guitar maker Andy Farrell. Andy started undertaking instrument repairs some five years ago and set-up his present operation around two and a half years ago, customising, making and repairing guitars. Apparently, he currently has forward orders on his guitars into April '84 so they must be good! Readers wanting repairs, custom instruments or cases in the area can reach Andy at (Contact Details).