The new Helix guitar line was inspired by a hugely successful launch of the Lace Helix® bass in 2008. The Helix’s accolades and acceptance worldwide by bass players last year inspired our newest model to debut at Winter NAMM 2009.

Peavey has added a new fixed-bridge model to its award-winning HP™ Special Series guitar line. The new Peavey HP Special Stoptail electric guitar, originally offered as a custom upgrade, will now be available as a stock model in the company’s expanding guitar line.

Children of Bodom’s Alexi Laiho, ranked as one of the world’s best guitarists, has four new Signature Series models introduced at NAMM 2009 from ESP and LTD. The ESP Alexi-Blacky, ESP Alexi-Scythe, LTD Alexi-600-Blacky, and LTD Alexi-600-Scythe will be available from ESP’s network of dealers and international distributors. Since 2003, Laiho has worked with ESP on all of his signature model guitars.

The legendary guitarists of Metallica, Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield, have worked with ESP Guitars to create their newest additions to the ESP and LTD Signature Series. The ESP KH-2 Ouija and LTD KH-Ouija are the latest models from Hammett, while the new James Hetfield model is the ESP Iron Cross.

The Jackson Adrian Smith San Dimas Dinky guitar features an alder body, bolt-on quartersawn maple neck with a compound radius maple or ebony fingerboard, DiMarzio® Super Distortion bridge pickup with Fender® SCN middle and neck single-coil pickups, Floyd Rose® tremolo, black hardware, and is available in Snow White with a white (ebony fingerboard) or black one-ply pickguard (maple fingerboard).

“The 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard represents the pinnacle of imaginative design and masterful craftsmanship. This guitar has become the Holy Grail of guitars in the minds of professionals and collectors the world over. Guitar legends such as Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Mike Bloomfield and Billy Gibbons, to name only a few, have forged their musical pathways utilizing the incredible tonal characteristics and playability created by the artistry of the 1959 Les Paul Standard.

Some things just get cooler with age. It’s especially true of electric guitars and basses—they develop an unmistakable mojo that makes them look cooler, sound better and feel even more comfortable than when they were brand new. Hence the winter 2009 arrival of Fender’s new Road Worn series—Stratocaster, Telecaster, Precision Bass and Jazz Bass guitars that, while new, are designed to look like they’ve borne the wear, tear, blood, sweat and beers of thousands of miles on the road.
 

The new Zakk Wylde ZV Custom combines two of the most distinguishable guitar shapes into one. With it's double-cutaway "SG" top-half allowing for complete fingerboard access and it's radical "Flying-V" bottom-half for extreme attitude, the ZV Custom has an aggressive look like no other. As with Zakk's signature Les Pauls, the body is carved from solid Mahogany and fitted with a glued-in hard Maple neck. The combination provides for deep, rich tone with added brightness and sustain that only comes with a set-neck guitar.

The new SG Diablo in Metallic Silver — Guitar of the Month for December 2008 — captures the essence of a classic design, and takes it one step further. Like the SG Standard in 1961, the new SG Diablo in Metallic Silver sets a precedent for style, function and design.

November 2008 sees the 100-instrument limited edition release of the eagerly awaited Fender Custom Shop Yngwie Malmsteen Tribute Series Stratocaster (“Play Loud”) guitar replica.