KELLY'S AYE

IT readers who follow the American guitar amp scene may already have heard about the renowned 'Jim Kelly' range of luxury-class valve amps, beloved of some of the top U.S. guitar heroes. Well, you can now quit your pining because Kelly amps are to be available in the U.K at selected dealers, probably by the time you receive this issue.

'Money no object' is the philosophy behind Jim Kelly's amps, along with some markedly different principles as to how overdrive sounds are best obtained from valves. Instead of producing overload effects by running the pre-amp stage high, the Jim Kelly approach is to reverse the process and overdrive the power amp stage. Claimed to produce a true 'full and warm harmonic distortion', Jim Kelly amps use components sourced for quality, regardless of price. Cabinet construction, for example, uses either exotic hardwoods or special fabric finishes, with each joint being dovetailed and glued, hand-finished and tung-oil varnished on the all-wood models.

To give you some idea of the specs, behind Kelly amps, the following components are standard fitments: 'Groove Tubes' valves, Allen Bradley 'military spec' resistors, JBL and EV speakers, Belden-type E wire (Teflon & Silver), Amphenol and TRW valve sockets, Switchcraft jacks and a nickel-plated 16 gauge steel chassis.

Various configurations of Kelly amps are available, including single and twin channel heads, single channel 1x10 and 1x12" combos, plus twin channel (FACS - foot switchable) versions in 1x12", 2x10" and 1x15" models (available in natural wood or special fabric finishes). A special 'power attenuator' device is an optional extra, as are 'De-Luxe' hardwood cabs., master FX loops on both channels and dual FX loops - per channel.

Prices, regrettably, are going to be high for these 'ultimate' valve amps: take their 1x12" EV fitted combo model with foot-switchable channels, Gain, Eq, Reverb per channel including output power attenuator, in either beige, light grey or black finishes. This will come out with an RRP of around £1,500. Littlewoods winners or Pros can get more details on Kelly amps from Scott-Cooper Marketing Ltd., (Contact Details).

HOT CHIP BLOWER

All you computer music fans should keep your eyes open for the new 'Digimemory' from Dutch makers Ted. At an RRP of just £139, the Digimemory will handle chips/Eproms 2732/2764/27128 and 27256 (available from between £20 and £80 each) and comes in a tough metal box featuring rotary controls for pitch (1 octave up or down at 12kHz-42kHz), trigger and output, plus a manual play knob, and full dynamic touch sensitivity (range: 40dB).

Another new unit from the same stable is the appropriately titled 'Winner', described as 'a microprocessor controlled digital sound sampler, Eprom blower, Eprom copier, MIDI and Computer serial in/output.' Features on the 'Winner' include dynamic control, pitch control, Eprom programmer working from RAM to ROM, Eprom blower enabling load of each Eprom, as selected, Eprom copier enabling copies of each Eprom, MIDI interface enabling connection directly to each keyboard with MIDI/In; Computer in/output enabling connection with each home/personal computer, special FX including: digital delay, echo & reverb, triggering from keyboard, triggermike, triggerpulse etc.

Apparently, the chips usable in this machine can be used in equipment from Linn, Oberheim and so on and include Nos. 2716, 2732, 2764, 27128 & 27256. RRP of the 'Winner' is £750.

Readers into such esoterica can find out more by contacting Ted's U.K importers, who are Capelle Music of (Contact Details).

TC ON RACK

Fast becoming one of IT's favourite effects unit makers (see our review of their superb up-market pedals in last month's mag.), TC Electronics have just launched a new rack mountable stereo chorus flanger - the TC 1210.

Many stereo chorus flanger units are just stereo out, not stereo in, but the new TC model operates in true stereo - making it especially suitable for stereo keyboard and studio applications. Moreover, the TC 1210 features a 'link' facility, which ensures that stereo chorus played back in mono turns into mono chorus, rather than disappearing as it does when conventional units are recorded in stereo chorus and played back mono.

As with all TC units, the specifications are extremely high: frequency response is quoted as 20-20,000 Hz., with a dynamic range of better than 100dB, THD typically at 0.05% (max 0.1%) and the unit offers professional standard XLR ins and outs. With an introductory RRP of £395 inc VAT, the TC 1210 looks like becoming another highly successful product from this maker.

More details from U.K distributors, Musimex, (Contact Details).

Fire Down Below

Already well established in the professional and home studio markets for their rack mounted FX, Vesta-Fire have just launched a range of effects units which look like offering some really useful extras over and above the 'run of the mill' FX pedals currently on the market.

The most important unit in the new Vesta-Fire series is the DX-17, a digital delay offering a range up to 1,024 ms. with a 10k bandwidth, 'hold' and the unusual option of a 'bolt-on' LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator) for time delay effects. The attraction of this unit is that if you already have a Chorus or Flanger that you're happy with, you don't have to buy a duplicate. The basic unit costs just RRP £176.

Vesta-Fire are also offering a new range of some nine more pedals, including a Stereo Chorus ((£55), Stereo Flanger (£60), Stereo Delay (£80), Stereo Phaser (£49), Distortion (£35), Compressor (£35), Overdriver (£35), Parametric equaliser (£37) and an unusually useful extra model called the 'Buf & Loop' which is a buffered pre-amp with 26dB of gain, helping to compensate for long leads and low impedance, or to overdrive amps. It also functions as a switchable FX loop between two other FX units, or two amps, or it can be used as a master on/off switch for a chain of pedals. Even more, the 'Buf & Loop' can be used as an instant level change switch. Both Master and Loop volume controls can be pre-set to two different levels. Not bad for just £35, eh?!

More info from MTR Ltd., (Contact Details).

SAFE ARBOR

Need a fretless bass that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? Look out then, for a new fretless model in Hohner's 'Arbor' range, the SB403FR, which retails at a recommended price of just £125 inc. VAT. With a laminated ash body and a rosewood fingerboard, a split pickup with heavy duty chrome machines and bridge, the Hohner could be a good buy for the bass player who needs a fretless for occasional use.

More details from M. Hohner Ltd., (Contact Details).

HOHNER IN LOWER PRICE STEINBERGER DEAL

Watch out for a major expansion into the guitar market from the giant Hohner organisation, starting with a new range of headless guitars and basses developed in conjunction with (and under licence from) Ned Steinberger.

Steinberger has been personally involved in the design, development and - importantly - the quality control of the new models, which are being made for Hohner in the Far East, but (we are told) under the strictest control from Hohner's West German headquarters.

Although IT hadn't been able to obtain a sample model before going to press, the details of the new models (which should be in the shops soon after you receive this month's issue) look highly promising. Two headless basses (the B2 and the B2 A) are matched by a pair of headless guitars - the G2 and the G2 Tremolo. Made of Rock maple, with rosewood fingerboards, the Hohners feature Steinberger's superb tuning/bridge unit, double ball-end string usage, and the Steinberger tremolo system on the G2 Tremolo model.

Prices are unfixed as yet but expect a figure considerably less than the cost of a genuine US-made Steinberger. Review samples will, we gather, be available soon, and IT will be running a test as fast as possible.

Meanwhile, more details from M. Hohner & Co. Ltd., (Contact Details).

HH TOP TON

The first fruits of HH's development programme following their takeover by Carlsbro some months back have just been announced. Four models are being introduced in what HH call their 'Hundred Series'. The range comprises 100 watt rated units for guitar, bass and keyboard, and appear to follow the time-honoured HH tradition of offering a lot of useful features for the money.

The Bass and Keyboard models come in both head and cab versions, but just one model (a combo) is offered for guitarists. This latter is the L100, featuring a single 12" speaker, footswitchable channels, reverb, master volume control, D.I. socket, twin FX loops, High and Low gain etc. Price of the L100 is RRP £301.

Bass players have the choice of two models, the B100C (combo), at £272 and the B100H (head) at £173. A 15" speaker provides the 'wellie' in the combo, and both models feature compression, D.I. output, 6-band graphic equaliser, headphone socket, high and low gain etc. To match the head, a new bass speaker cab (also fitted with a 15" speaker) has been introduced, too. It's the BC115 with an RRP of £160.

Keyboard players have optional head and combo models in this new HH series, the K100C (combo) at RRP £342 and the K100H (head) at RRP £230. Both models share the same input and output functions, the combo adding a 15" HH speaker with a horn to handle high frequencies. Three channels are provided, along with gain, treble and bass on each. There are two front panel FX loops, built-in reverb, onboard limiter, 'attack' control, tape input and output, headphone socket and so on. A separate enclosure to match the keyboard head has also been developed, the KC115, destined to sell at an RRP of £175.

IT hopes to be reviewing some of these new models in the very near future, so keep your eyes on our review pages. More data, in the meantime, can be obtained from HH Electronics Ltd. at (Contact Details).

IT Ed Goes for Gold!

No we haven't entered GC for the next Olympics (they haven't got a category for the 100 metres pub sprint yet!) - but we have got him hooked-up to electronic mail via the International Telecom Gold/ITT Dialcom system, which means that any readers wanting to contact IT in a hurry can now use the appropriate electronic mailbox number: 84:MNU150. Computer orientated readers will understand what we're on about here, and those of you who don't yet have access to this fast-growing method of communications will be seeing it expand very rapidly over the next few years. Meanwhile we're currently investigating whether any readers (either members of the public or in the trade) would be interested in our providing an 'electronic news' facility, either with or without a mailboard If anyone reading this thinks it would be a useful idea, please let IT know!

BOSS MIDI IN NAMETAG UPDATE

In last month's IT Keyboard News, we told you about the new Roland/Boss MIDI Processing units, dubbed the MI10, MI30, MI40 AND MMI50. Well you might just get met with blank looks if you go into your local Roland dealer and ask for them by these names, as a change of policy at Roland has now designated these fascinating goodies under the Roland - as opposed to Boss - tags.

Dealers should have stocks in July, and we gather that the names are now: MPU101 (MIDI to CV Interface), MPU103 (MIDI Channel Filter/Converter), MPU104 (MIDI Input Selector) and MPU105 (Output Selector). All the above units can fit in standard 19" rack mount systems, using the RAD-10 Rack Mount Adaptor. More details from Roland (U.K) Ltd., (Contact Details).

UMI & THE MUSIC

Distributed exclusively by the London Rock Shop (Hi, Ed!) the UMI MIDI System has now reached version UMI-2B, providing a hardware MIDI interface unit and software for the BBC 'B' micro. Basically a real-time and step-time multi-MIDI channel sequencer with 'song chain formation', versatile interfacing facilities and capable of dumping onto either disc or cassette, the UMI-2B system offers four MIDI outputs, Trigger Out, Sync 24 Out, Variable Clock In, Sync to Tape, On-Screen note editing, plus Yamaha DX7 Patch/Dump, and more.

Worth checking-out by all IT's MIDI/Computer fans, we gather, you can get more details of the UMI-2B system direct from the London Rock Shops, which are at (Contact Details) and (Contact Details).

Hard Hat Stops Amp Damage

Unimpressed by the flimsy vinyl cover which came with your amp? Can't afford a heavy-duty flightcase? Well a new answer has just emerged from Devon-based Sound Investments, who have recently introduced a range of vulcanised fibre covers for combos, speaker cabs etc, called 'Hard Hats'.

Apparently, Hard Hats will protect your amp or speaker cab against dust, abrasion etc and are made to individual order to fit exactly over the item of gear which you wish to protect. So rigid are they that we are told, they can even be used as stands for many combos!

Hard Hats vary in price (depending on the size you need) between £19.95 and £29.95, and you can get a quote for your own gear direct from the makers, who are Sound Investments, (Contact Details).