Gear2

Gear

Ion Audio - Video 2 PC

Finally, an easy, cost effective way to convert any video from your video camera to a PC for storage and editing. For the novice videographers to the professional, this is what you have been waiting for to edit on your PC. I shoot video interviews and I have been waiting since its introduction at the 2009 Winter NAMM show. I like to edit on my PC and to download what I shoot so I can edit it here instead of a normal studio is what I need and a definite money saver. The concept is easy, plug the video/audio cables from your video camera into the Video 2 PC and plug the USB into your computer. The Video 2 PC comes with “Look Better Technology” that inspects the audio and video and instantly improves the quality. With Ion Audio finally unleashing Video 2 PC creating TV for my ventures will finally be an easy piece of work. Visit http://www.ionaudio.com for more details!

by Jeffrey Easton

http://www.ionaudio.com/video2pc#

1800 Select Silver Tequila 100 Proof

This is a different occasion for Metal Exiles, to review a bottle of 1800 Select Silver Tequila. I love Tequila, but the one thing I do not like about it is the after taste as it goes down. Thankfully, Select Silver did not any aftertaste. When taken by shot the taste is stunningly smooth and a chaser really is not needed- which is rare for my drinking observations. As a margarita, it only heightens the strength of the taste causing the other flavors in the drink to become stronger and the mix to become amazing. I chose to consume most of the drink as shots and I found lime and salt to be a nice additive but not totally needed as the drink is smooth as silk on its on. If you are looking for the right tequila for your consumption or social gathering then you have found your brand. 1800 Select Silver has made a fan of myself and it will continue to be at the top of my list when I hit my local outlet to purchase.

Review by Jeffrey Easton

http://www.1800tequila.com/

B.C. Rich - Kerry King Endorsed Beast VNT

B.C. Rich continues to be an innovative company and the new Beast V N.T. is proof. By combining a fast sleek design with superior hardware they continue to push the boundaries. Metal musicians need an instrument that can take the abuse of the rigors of the road and the hardships of a 2 hour concert and this does. This is the Kerry King Beast V N.T. and the above requirements are tenfold for Kerry as he abuses his instruments nightly during a grueling Slayer show. The Beast V is equipped for that task and Kerry has come up with yet another nasty sounding axe. The features include neck through construction for insane tone, 24 jumbo frets, for sound B.C. Rich Active are in place and it is searing, perfect for Slayer’s demanding tone and the body has the speed V design to stand out from the other guitars. If the sound of Kerry King’s guitar tone gets into your head, you need to start with his guitar and the Beast V N.T. is what you need, proudly made by B.C. Rich.

by Jeffrey Easton

http://www.bcrich.com/preview2009.asp

ESP Guitars - The Scythe

ESP is a company that I respect. Not only do they bring in metal’s top guitarists as endorsers they have the guitars to keep them there. Let’s take Alexi Laiho, the singer/lead shredder for the massive Children Of Bodom. He leads his band through a demonic set of metal that takes a demanding guitar and ESP has the goods to deliver. We will get into one of his models, The SCYTHE, and see why he needs this guitar. The neck is maple for the massive runs as well as a 42mm neck width. It has the tried and true Floyd Rose tremolo system for his abusive string bending and the neck is locking to keep his metal in tune. The pickups are the nasty sounding EMG HZ F-H2 pickups with an MM-04 on-off boost switch and to top it off it has the neck thru body. Have you taken this guitar for a test yet? You are missing out if you have yet to lay your fingers on this sickening piece of work.

Guitar review by Jeffrey Easton

http://www.espguitars.com/

Taylor Guitars - Serj Tankian STSM-T5

By Jeffrey Easton

Very few front men of the heavier breed of bands come out and make names for themselves and even fewer come out and have their own guitar, much less acoustic, created for them. That is what happened with Serj Tankian, former front man of System Of A Down. He teamed with Taylor Guitars to create one of the most dynamic acoustic/electric guitars I have ever had the privilege of playing. The feel of the guitar is unmatched by any current acoustic/electric out there, it just feels right. The first thing that hits me with this guitar are the visuals. The stunning black stain with the high gloss finish on the sapele body gives it a menacing feel and the red energy wheel inlayed on the frets and headstock gives it the permanent stand out that it needs. This is Serj’s personal touch as well as the red that outlines the body of the guitar. Just on looks alone, this is the guitar that’s going to stand out at the gig, nobody is going to have a piece of equipment that can match it in style, period. The sound of the guitar matches the looks, just pure individuality. To quote Taylor: “The versatility of this guitar lies in Taylor's proprietary T5 electronics and five-way switching, which together yield a wide range of guitar tones, from delicate acoustic to full-on electric crunch. Three magnetic pickups - an under-fretboard neck humbucker, a visible bridge humbucker, and an acoustic body sensor mounted to the inside surface of the top - provide a complete integration of tonal output. The pickup switch is at the top of the guitar and where as I questioned why it was there before hand I did not question after I played it. When you are strumming it is natural for your hand to go up after sweeping the strings so as natural as that is it is natural for you to make any tone conversion from the top. It also prevents the body from becoming to cluttered if you will. The guitar comes strung with the top quality strings of Elixir, Medium Gauge, which I found to convert the tone of the guitar perfectly. Elixir makes top quality products and I must note that when I played this T 5 I plugged into my Peavy with an Elixir cable as well.

To close this out, this is a top of the line instrument and the STSM-T5 is offered at a suggested retail price of $3,198 and comes in a ready-to-rock hardshell case with a certificate of authenticity signed by Tankian. The STSM is available at authorized Taylor dealers worldwide.

Please visit Taylor Guitars for more info!