Mass Resonator

Art House Studio

There’s a new joint venture between Mass Street Music’s own John Flynn, Isaac Flynn, Matt C and studio engineer Jim Barnes  -  The Art House. It’s  an innovative recording studio located near the heart of downtown Lawrence.  The Art House is much more than just a recording studio however, it’s an arts collective housing visual artists, filmmakers and music teachers, including veteran Mass St Musician Eric Mardis.  So far the reviews have been outstanding.

Between now and April 1st Art House has an introductory recording rate of $250/day, including engineer fees. After April 1st the rates will be $350/day, engineer fee included.  If you’re into home recording Art House will be offering classes.  Having trouble recording  your own drums, or doing your final mix down?  You can even partner with them - they’ll record your drums, you record the rest and then Art House will  mix it down.  More info on Art House can be found  in this great  Lawrence Journal-World article.

You can also check out samples of their work at www.myspace.com/thearthouselawrence.  Interested in booking or more info? Contact Matt C at arthouselawrence@gmail.com, or call 785-220-7195.  Congrats guys!!

We’ve been longtime fans of Dr. Z and Bogner and just recently started carrying the incredible 65 Amps. We sat down with some of the best combo amp offerings  from each of these great boutique amp builders and here are the results. The judges: Our Co-Owner and GM John Flynn, electric and acoustic expert Brian Soden, and IT guru Kyle Rabe. Kyle missed out on playing the 65 amps, but gives his thoughts on the other two. The amp contenders: the Bogner Shiva 112 Combo Amp, the Dr. Z Galaxie 210 Combo Amp, and the 65 Amps London 112 Combo Amp.

Bogner Shiva 1×12 combo

The mighty Bogner Shiva 112 Combo!

Flynn:   No question, for the guy looking for a great Twin and Marshall JCM800 in a single amp there is nothing out there that can compete with this amp.

Brian:  Flynn said it…the dirty side of the Shiva sounds like the best JCM800 you’ve ever played.  Even at low volumes, it sounds huge with great presence.  The clean side is pure Blackface tone.  Plus, the Shiva combo cabinet is not open back…it’s actually a sealed and ported, similar to the Bogner Cube 1×12 extension cabinet.  The ported cab gives this combo the presence and “oomph” that a 4×12 gives you.

Kyle:  The Bogner Shiva combo kills when it comes to versatility.  The clean channel is sparkly and rich while the distorted channel can go from moderate crunch to intense overdrive.  The master volume is an extremely convenient feature.  All in all, it’s like having two of your favorite amps in one box.  When compared to the Dr. Z Galaxie, the Shiva has a more modern voicing.

Dr. Z Galaxie 2×10 combo

The good Doctor's Galaxie 210 Combo

Flynn: Great Blackface Bassman tone with a bit more chime and overall Z tone.  The second channel has an insane boost which is great for soloing.  Definitely a very under rated amp. Another plus is that this tone mixes so well with a band.  Great drive without killing the sound man.

Brian: I love this amp!  It has the Blackface Fender thing going on in a big way, but also has a cool 3D quality, which is Z’s extra magic dust he sprinkles on all of his designs.  We all know that some amps work better with humbuckers as others sound their best with single coils, but with the Galaxie, Tele’s, Strats and humbucking guitars all speak their voice VERY well.  Plus, this amp is the most pedal-friendly of the three, in my opinion.

Kyle: The Galaxie is extremely responsive, perhaps due to the open back design, but it begs to be turned up.  Don’t let the wattage fool you - it will cause some ear pain if you’re not careful.  Z has always done clean well, and he takes a more aggressive take on the Galaxie’s overdrive than he does on something like the Route 66.  You don’t get the metal “thunk” that you would on a modern amp; instead, you get rich, creamy distortion with wonderful dynamic response in a very portable package (this amp is probably the lightest of the three).

65 Amps London 1×12 combo

65 Amps London 112 Combo rocks it

Flynn: I love this amp.  Really different.  Not as wide open in the top end as say a Prescription ES and definitely more mid range driven like a Vox, but it has its own tone. Really rich without over-compressing.  Turn it up to 8 and it’s got a great drive that is just plain fun to play on.  It is still nice and touch sensitive although more forgiving than some extremely dynamic amps.  I think this amp would work really well in a group situation.  Its tone is such that you can turn the amp up louder, but not slice off the heads of those around you - yet it has still got a boutique type of presence to it.  I would recommend this amp to anyone who does not want another me-too amp, needs to rock Americana style (Sheryl Crow, Tom Petty, or heaven forbid - New-Country stuff) and simply can not play at high volume levels.  It’s really deserving of the reputation it has earned.

Brian: This is a killer two channel amp that is all British tone!  The first channel, or “Trem” channel, has very rich built-in tremolo that reminds me a lot of an old ‘62 Fender Tremolux I had years back.  The tremolo is also foot-switchable.  I threw an Xotic AC Booster in front of it and conjured up some VERY nice overdrive, a la Warren Haynes.  The second channel, which has an EF86 in the preamp section, has more gain on tap and is voiced a bit thicker.  This channel also has a 6-way color switch so you can boost/cut the mid-range depending on what guitar you’re using or what type of sound you’re going for.  I had a lot of luck dialing in more midrange bark when using humbuckers.  Yesss.  The hand-wiring inside of this amp is beautiful as well.  Excellent for a Roots-Rock player.

The final word: No clear ‘winner’ here as they’ve all got a lot to offer depending on what style of music you play and what exactly you’re after, but we hope our ’shootout’ gave you a little  more in-depth info on each of these great boutique amps. We’re continually amazed by the exceptional offerings from Dr. Z, Bogner, 65 Amps, as well as other boutique builders who take real players into account when hand building these incredible amps.

-Brian Soden

The Grosh 293 Full Hollow - The Perfect Guitar?

What a guitar! This Grosh DG-293 may be the most responsive instrument we’ve ever had here at Mass Street.  If you love dynamics,  and aren’t afraid to play an instrument that hides nothing, this is the one.  It would be hard to find another instrument that will give what this guitar gives.  It can go from › Continue reading

It took about 8 months but it was well worth the wait.

John's OF-20 12 String!

I had the idea for this 12 string electric quite a while back and really wanted the relic thing so I asked Dave Seuferling if he was interested in making one for me.  He was into it from day one - and when I say into it, I mean into it.

Dave is absolutely incredible when it comes to relic guitars, the best we have ever seen.  And this Seuf Tele 12 String is quite simply amazing.  His attention to detail and authenticity is unparalleled in our opinion.  He is also genuinely concerned with every piece of wood and hardware on the guitar.  He selects nice, respectably light bodies that are resonant and alive. The neck pocket and neck are tightly assembled, to create a nice one-piece tone.  His fretwork and final finish are top notch and he went the extra mile to make certain this guitar played absolutely perfectly -  which it does.  It is quite seriously effortless to play.

Seuf Guitars are relatively new to the scene, but I honestly believe as he can produce more instruments he will become a go-to guy in this market.  His work is of the highest level and this one is a striking example of his talent. - John Flynn

Take a look at the  Seuf OF-19, strat style, currently in stock and check out how a Seuf Tele stacked up against a real vintage ‘58 Fender Tele and a Fender Roadworn in our ‘Relic Battle Royale’ from a few months ago.

Matt C, Jason, Eric and Matthew K rockin' the special Groshes

Tuesday morning Brent and Yoshi from Don Grosh Guitars stopped by Mass St. Music and brought some very cool one-off guitars and prototypes for show and tell (and some bagels). What a morning…more than anything else it just confirmed why we love these guitars – not only do they have incredible playability and tone but they are some of the coolest looking guitars around. In the photo below, John checks out the 293 – fully hollow. We’ve got a 193 in the store right now, and it’s phenomenal – come check it out while it’s still here.

John checks out the exquisite fully hollow Grosh 293

We also got a chance to check out the very first ElectraJet – › Continue reading

Ah spring! Incessant rain, purty flowers, hay fever and some cool new gear in the store. Here’s what we’ve been drooling over lately:

John Flynn - Don Grosh Retro Classic S Shape

This is a fantastic instrument and now that Birdseye necks are going to skyrocket in price, this is a great time to get one at the old price. This guitar plays and sounds amazing. Definitely a brighter “Robert Cray” type tone. The neck is super stiff and just has a great vintage feel about it and Don’s new pickups are just as amazing.

This Grosh has been taunting John - he can see it from his office

Isaac Flynn - Don Grosh Retro Classic S Shape

Like father, like son…Isaac had this to say on the RC, “It’s so easy to play, the Grosh pickups are the best I’ve heard, and the guitar just looks awesome!”

Eric Mardis - Ome Sweetgrass Banjo

This banjo is so gorgeous. The fit and finish are second to none, but the real payoff is when you put on some picks and let loose on this thing. Â The tone is bright without being an “icepick in the forehead.” Bright yes, but also full and pleasant at the same time. Â I’m truly impressed with this, our › Continue reading

This Collings I-35 is an extraordinary instrument.  I know, all Collings guitars are spectacular, but this one is, in my estimation, absolutely perfect.

Collings I-35 in Tobacco Burst

The weight is just right.  It really feels more like you’re playing an older instrument. It plays perfectly and is ridiculously in-tune. It has that vintage 335 resonance, which has a distinct midrange vibe, but the Collings has a much nicer low end and the sweetest top end.  It’s not correct to say its like a 335 on steroids. It’s more like › Continue reading