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Eli Lester couldn’t bear to see Two-Rock disappear, so he bought the company. He tells us how he resuscitated the brand and turned it into one of the hottest names in boutique amplification.Two-Rock Amplification emerged into tube-amp consciousness like very few brands in past decades. Not only are their amps regularly tagged “best” by countless players and influencers, but even those decrying the lofty price tags admit their impossibly clear tones and soulful dynamics. That’s how Two-Rock co-owner and CEO Eli Lester wants it. Preferring to let others do the talking, he stays focused on the brand’s mission with an intense tonal obsession, resilience, and refusal to compromise.Two-Rock’s journey hasn’t been without turbulence, however. Founder, Bill Krinard had sold the brand to Premier Builders Guild in 2010, and by 2016 it was teetering on collapse. That’s when Lester, already a long-time Two-Rock devotee, alongside his partner Mac Skinner, took a leap of faith to rebuild it from the ground up.“I was probably the biggest Two-Rock fan in the world,” he explains. “I was doing some R&D stuff with them back in the day, and it was my favorite amp company. I don’t have an answer for why I wanted to buy it. I just couldn’t let it die.”Two-Rock in hand, Lester’s vision was clear: Build the best tube amps possible and let the cards fall where they may. However, it wasn’t a total shot in the dark, as Lester had spent his life surrounded by amplifiers and playing with some of guitar’s genuine icons. The man knows guitar tone.“It’s all I’ve ever done,” he says, matter of factly. “I did guitar repair in the back of shops since about 18. And I was buying old Bassmans when they were 300 bucks and modifying them. I was also a full-time player, blessed to tour with Robben Ford, play with B.B. King, a bunch of players.”“We’re definitely inspired by his amps, and I’m honored that people put us in that same camp, but we don’t make Dumble clones.”Nearly a decade after purchasing the company, Lester’s commitment is as potent as ever. From his California workshop, surrounded by a literal wall of vintage amps (including Danny Gatton’s personal 1963 Vibroverb), he balances the roles of CEO, designer, and player. Alongside Skinner and Two-Rock original founder Bill Krinard, he’s steering the brand into the future with the same vision that he started with.Now at the helm of one of the most in-demand amp companies, Lester’s reluctance to chase the spotlight is still obvious. But, generous with his time, he shared the story of Two-Rock’s rebirth, its place in the tube-amp world, and where he hopes to take it next.What was it like buying a struggling amp brand? Were you confident you could turn Two-Rock around?Well, Mac knew how to run the company because he’d been running operations since 2004, and I knew how to build amps and was the player. But it was kind of, “I hope we don’t lose too much money here.” [Laughs]We literally started all over. We threw away chassis, transformers, and all the old inventory. We said, “We don’t even want to make any of these models,” and started from ground zero.Why buy a company when you want to throw most of it away?It was my favorite amp company. I was so emotional about it, so connected to it, and still believed they were the best amps I’d ever played. And Mac and I were both really aligned and wanted to see if we could revive it. It was just something I was really passionate about keeping alive.You’ve found a lot of success since then. Are you still able to stay hands-on with everything?It’s still a pretty small company. We have about 30 employees between the amp factory and the cabinet shop. I’m the CEO/owner, so I do all the amp design, voice every amp, and do artist amps. I also do the sales and marketing and pretty much run the place. Mac runs operations, part procurement, what’s being used, what models we’re making, how they’re being built, and deals with my OCD.We also brought back Bill Krinard, the original designer and founder, to help with some design work. It’s a collaborative group between Bill and me, going back and forth, bouncing ideas off each other.Two-Rock is often compared to Dumble. Do you think that’s an accurate comparison?We’re definitely inspired by his amps, and I’m honored that people put us in that same camp, but we don’t make Dumble clones. I get asked to do it quite often, and I don’t, out of respect. Drew [Berlin] and Mark [Swanson] [co-owners of Dumble] are good friends of mine. I got to know Alexander before he passed away and was invited to the funeral. He’s one of my biggest inspirations in the world, one of my heroes.Sonically and circuit-wise, we have models that are obviously inspired by them, especially aesthetically. But we’ve been able to carve our own voice. I’m equally inspired by Leo Fender and kind of morph the two things together to make our amps.Leo Fender’s influence is apparent, especially with the Vintage Deluxe. What is it about vintage American amplifiers that attracts you?Besides the fact that all my favorite players have played most of those amps, if I have a black-panel Fender and I take it to a gig, plug it in, put everything on noon, I’m good to go. Plus, those amps have a bit of artifacts and schmutz in the sound. They’re not too sterile, clean, or hi-fi sounding. They have some character to them.That’s what I was trying to capture with the Vintage Deluxe. You take an amp, plug it in, turn everything to noon, and it sounds and feels great.In my opinion, a lot of the Dumble clones or Dumble-inspired amps are sometimes too sterile. They don’t have enough character. So, I pull some of that from the Fender side.A lot of your amps follow a lineage. The Bloomfield Drive is an evolution of the Classic Reverb Signature, and the Joey Landreth Signature is an evolution of the Bloomfield. Would you ever branch into something like a plexi-style or high-gain design?I love playing, and I have a JTM45 and a ’63 Bluesbreaker behind me. I still love playing those amps, but trying to have a cohesive product line where everything fits together is definitely a main goal of ours.That’s a good transition with our Divided by 13 acquisition. A lot of the reason for buying it was, every time I’ve tried to do an EL84, EL34, or Marshall-inspired amp, people go, “That’s not what Two-Rock does. They’re trying to be something they’re not.” That was always a problem.Fred [Taccone, founder of Divided by 13] is a friend of mine. When he mentioned he wanted to get out of the business, I thought, “This gives me the outlet to do those kinds of amps without cannibalizing and diluting the Two-Rock thing.” It’s its own thing, and Two-Rock is its own thing, too. They don’t compete with each other at all.You brought Divided by 13 in-house with Two-Rock, and the same team builds both amps. Why not use the opportunity to grow and gain market share?Mac and I are both very aligned that we want to keep Two-Rock a small company. Like, Sweetwater has wanted to carry Two-Rock for so many years, but I just don’t think it fits with what we do. It’s a great financial move, and they’re great, but I still want to be able to touch every amp and make sure it’s built exactly the way it should be. I don’t ever want to lose that quality. With Premier Builders Guild and other amp companies, we’ve seen what happens when people try to blow it up too big.Two-Rock Amps definitely do things your own way. They’re all-tube, many of them are 100 watts, and they use a cascading gain-stage design that can take a while to get used to. But it all works somehow.I’m a clean-headroom guy. My goal is to make the biggest, most three-dimensional, clean amplifier you can. Back in 2016, the small amp thing was really popular, but we started building 100-watt amps because that’s what I love to play. Everyone thought Mac and I were absolutely crazy.But we use that wattage for bandwidth, not sheer volume. You can use [our amps] at bedroom volumes. I put a lot of work, as well as my team, into it. We have a very usable master volume and a proprietary transformer. That’s why you see people playing our 100-watt Classic Reverb and Bloomfield in small venues.And our amps do have a lot of tone options, but the controls are laid out the way you use them. We’re not doing a bunch of crazy switching. It makes sense, at least in my brain.Two-Rock players like John Mayer, Joey Landreth, and Ariel Posen are all known for their soulful playing and beautiful tones. Eric Johnson is even playing your amps. Why do you think they all gravitate toward Two-Rock?You get out of an amp what you put into it, that extra little five percent to 10 percent. Eric, Joey, Ariel, Josh [Smith], Doyle Bramhall [II], and Ben Harper are all looking for that extra five percent to 10 percent. We can tweak the amp and get it to where they want it, but they pull that stuff out of them.I don’t know anyone that has the artist roster we have, and it’s 100 percent organic. We don’t do artist endorsements. All our artists pay for the amps. It’s just because they love them. I’m so blessed to have that; I can’t even tell you.YouTubeWatch Rhett Schull’s now-infamous video on why his Classic Reverb Signature changed his mind on Two-Rock amps.You don’t have a paid artist roster, and you don’t put out a ton of video content. On top of that, a lot of people claim tube amps are dead. Still, you’re one of the most talked about brands in the industry. How did you make that happen?It was extremely organic. There was no marketing plan. I was flying all over the country with the Classic Reverb Signature, going to dealers and artists, saying, “This is what the new amps are going to sound like.” It’s a horrible business model that I wouldn’t recommend to anyone, but it forced us to build the best amp we could.And I think the fact that I’m a player first helped. I’m still obsessed. As the market has gone away from vacuum tubes, I’ve gone backward. My rebuttal is, “We’re just going to make them even more badass! We’re going to make them more high-end and tweak the components even more!” I think a lot of the players we have gravitate towards that.Guitarist/YouTube influencer Rhett Schull recently released a video on the Classic Reverb titled, “The Best Guitar Amp I’ve Ever Owned.” That’s a bold statement, especially from someone who makes a living in the industry. What’s it like when players drop words like “best” to describe your work?It’s funny, but Rhett was a Two-Rock critic for a long time because he never played them. He was saying, “These are overpriced. I played these other ones, and they’re just as good.” Then he got a chance, tried one, and said, “Okay, I get it. This isn’t like anything else. This is a different thing.” We’re so blessed to have guys like that who are brand ambassadors that carry the torch for us.But I don’t ever sit here and say my stuff is the best. Actually, guys go, “I have a black-panel Deluxe Reverb and a plexi. What [Two-Rock] should I get?” I’m always saying, “Dude, you’re good. What else do you need?!” I’m the worst self-promoter in the world. [laughs] You guys have defied the odds so far, but where do you see the tube-amp market going in the future? Will people still be playing Two-Rocks?I wake up in cold sweats about it every single night. Just getting tubes is hard, and for a long time, people wanted quantity over quality. Now, at least for my generation, it’s like, “No, I just want one or two really nice amps that sound good, play good, and feel good.” So there’s a nostalgia and a vibe with it that I don’t see going anywhere. There’s too much love for it.With that in mind, where do you want to take Two-Rock in the next 10 years?Sustainability is a big thing. This is a very cyclical business. I’ve been in it my whole life. I’ve seen things go up, seen things go down. People, amps, and guitars are trendy and cool, but then they fall off. You try to reach too far, and then it doesn’t work anymore. So I think it’s just staying steady, keeping course, and sustaining what we have. We just want to build really good guitar amplifiers, work with cool artists, and keep going.It seems to be working. Everybody is talking about Two-Rock right now.Thank you. That’s where Josh [Scott, JHS Pedals] is on my ass so much. He’s like, “The successful companies have a face behind them. We need to put you out there and start letting people know you’re the guy doing this.” I’m very uncomfortable with that. That’s not my thing. I just like to build amps.

Oklahoma-based industrial metal outfit Black Magnet drop the latest single from forthcoming LP Megamantra out July 25 through Federal Prisoner.
The post Track Premiere: Black Magnet – “Night Tripping” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

New Zealand’s number one country guitar export—and November 2024 Premier Guitar cover model—Keith Urban rolled into Cincinnati’s Riverbend Music Center last month, so John Bohlinger and the Rig Rundown team drove up to meet him. Urban travels with a friendly crew of vintage guitars, so there was much to see and play. In fact, so much that they ran out of time after getting through the axes! Later, Bohli and Co. met up with Urban tech Chris Miller to wrap their heads around the rest of the straightforward pedal-free rig he’s rockin’ this summer. Last year, Urban released High, his 12th studio record, so you’ll be sure to catch those tunes and more in his extensive jam-friendly sets. Here’s a look at what Keith is bringing with him to stages across the U.S., including a prototype signature PRS to vintage Gibsons and a pair of heavy-lifting Marshalls.Brought to you by D’AddarioSomething to Lean OnKeith shows off his latest go-to, which is the prototype for his PRS signature axe. “It started from me wanting to see if I could get a guitar that I could lean on most of the night,” Urban says of the ongoing design project. He tells Bohlinger he was looking for a better tonal response than his preferred Tele, “Clarence”—a 1989 Fender Custom 40th Anniversary model—and blended in some measurements from some of his Gibsons.
The humbucker-loaded PRS has a sunburst finish and a unique f-hole inspired by Urban’s left-forearm tattoo. This one has a Fender scale, but they’re still refining the neck details for the signature model.Here’s ClarenceAnd lest we forget. Here’s a look at Clarence, Urban’s workhorse guitar until this tour.Spirit of ’52Here‘s what an original-year-of-issue Gibson Les Paul that’s still running the miles looks like, complete with trapeze tailpiece. This ’52 goldtop and its kin established the template.Single-coil JoyApparently there was some magic in 1964, and it made its way into that year’s Stratocasters. Strats like Urban’s ’64 are considered among the best in the breed, known for their balanced tone, comfy neck profile, original black-bottom pickups, transitional logos, and the dot fretboards on models made early that year.Bass BreakThere’s one song in the set where Urban tackles bass duties, and he turns to this 1972 Fender Mustang bass, which he loves for its punchy tone. The electrical tape on the lower bout is there to ensure that the pickguard stays put! An SG You Just Have to PlayThis 1964 Gibson SG Junior is one Urban insists Bohlinger plays to understand. “I love the simplicity of it,” Urban says. The cherry red axe was a gift from session legend Dann Huff. He also rocks a ’52 Les Paul during the course of the set.
Urban turns to D’Addario NYXL strings—.010s in most cases—and he goes back and forth between his D’Addario signature Ultem pick with raised edges and D’Addario Casein picks.All AmpThis pair of 100-watt Marshall Super Lead JMPs does most of the heavy lifting to bring Urban’s tone to life—he’s rolling sans pedalboard for this tour! The bottom head is the main one and the top one is there just in case. Since these monsters have to deliver overdriven tones, they stay cranked—the gain sits around 7—and they push a vintage checkerboard Marshall 4×12 loaded with Celestion G12H-150 Redbacks.Post Amp EffectsDelays and modulation are all added to Urban’s tones after three mics capture the sound of the Marshall cab. That signal hits this Fractal Axe-Fx II XL+, which Chris Miller controls offstage. A Mission Engineering expression is the only pedal Urban utilizes, which controls a model of a Cry Baby in the Fractal.D’Addario Keith Urban Signature PickD’Addario Casein PickD’Addario NYXL

GRAMMY® Award-nominated songwriter, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Wolfgang Van Halen has unveiled all the information for his upcoming third album, The End. The album – released by BMG – is slated for release on October 24. The 10-track album clocks in at 39-minuttes and showcases the evolution of Wolf and his songwriting since he launched his solo career in 2020. Recorded at the legendary 5150 studio, the album was produced by friend and collaborator Michael “Elvis” Baskette. The End is available for pre-order in multiple configurations including limited edition vinyl colors, signed insert version and retailer exclusives here: https://Mammoth.lnk.to/TheEndAlbum.Continuing the tradition of writing all the songs and performing all the instrumentation and vocals himself, Wolfgang Van Halen set out to challenge himself beyond what he did on his debut and sophomore release, Mammoth II. From the hypnotic opening of “One Of A Kind” to infectious closer “All In Good Time,” Wolfgang demonstrates his proficiency as a musician and songwriter. Songs like “Same Old Song,” “Happy,” and “Selfish” will fit perfectly alongside older songs that fans have already come to love from Mammoth. Mammoth released their first single in May, and it has shot up the charts currently in the Top 5 at Active Rock radio. The success of the single was propelled by the landmark music video – a remake of the classic film From Dusk ‘Til Dawn – directed by Robert Rodriguez and Greg Nicotero. The video is approaching 4-million views and contains cameos from Danny Trejo, Slash, Myles Kennedy, and of course his mother Valerie Bertinelli. To coincide with the album announcement, Mammoth is releasing the track “The Spell” for fans to check out.The tracklisting for The End is: One Of A KindThe End Same Old SongThe SpellI Really WannaHappyBetter OffSomething NewSelfishAll In Good TimeMammoth has become known for being road warriors, constantly taking to the road to play their music for the masses whenever they can. 2025 will continues that trend as the band will be heading out with longtime friends in CREED on the Return of the Summer of ’99 Tour this summer. Backed by his live band featuring Jon Jourdan, Frank Sidoris, Ronnie Ficarro, and Garrett Whitlock, Wolfgang and Mammoth hit the road July 9 in Lexington, KY through August 30 where the tour wraps in Halifax, NS. To celebrate the album being in stores this October, Mammoth will be heading out on a Fall headline run. The End Tour kicks off on October 31 and runs for 5 weeks before it wraps up on December 7. The tour will make stops in Las Vegas, NV (November 1), Atlanta, GA (November 8), Montclair, NJ (November 14), Chicago, IL (November 26) and Tempe, AZ (December 6) to name a few. Longtime friend Myles Kennedy will be the special guest on the run. More information on all tickets and VIP passes can be found at www.mammoth.band.

Today, Ernie Ball Music Man is proud to announce the release of the Pino Palladino StingRay Bass Collection, a tribute to the unmistakable tone and legacy of one of the most revered bassists in modern music. The collection includes two Pino Palladino Artist Series StingRay Basses—available in fretted and fretless models—as well as the highly exclusive Pino Palladino Icon Series StingRay Bass, a meticulous recreation of his original 1979 fretless StingRay. Only 15 Icon Series instruments will be made available worldwide. The Artist Series: Signature Feel, Legendary Tone Inspired by Pino’s original fretless StingRay, the Artist Series models deliver the essence of his tone, feel, and style in both fretted and fretless options. Featuring a poplar body finished in ’79Burst, a dark-tinted hard rock maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, and a custom asymmetrical neck carve, these basses offer a player-focused blend of comfort and authenticity. A vintage-style Alnico pickup and hand-wired 2-band preamp (voiced with a 500k treble pot like Pino’s original) capture the warmth and detail that defined Pino’s sound on countless records. Additional features include: Brass saddles with a string-through-body bridge and adjustable mute pads Bullet truss rod and 3-bolt neck plate with micro-tilt adjustment GraphTech NuBone hand-shaped nut Fretted model strung with Pino Signature Flatwound Strings Fretless model strung with custom Slinky Nickel Wound Strings .036, .055, .065, .090 Each bass ships in a MONO case with an Artist Series neck plate The Icon Series: A Museum-Grade Replica of Pino’s Original Limited to just 15 pieces worldwide, the Pino Palladino Icon Series StingRay Bass is an exacting recreation of Pino’s beloved 1979 fretless model. Every detail has been scrutinized and faithfully reproduced—from the nitrocellulose lacquer finish and genuine late-‘70s bridge plates (with era-correct serial numbers) to the placement of the headstock decal and string tree.Highlights include: Hand-selected poplar bodies and slab rosewood fretless fingerboards NOS bridge plates with brass saddles and spring mutes Custom-wound pickup with 5/8” Alnico V magnets and 42 gauge wire Period-correct active preamp with CTS pots and aged voicing Vintage waterslide decal, Wales Rugby sticker replica, and headstock hand-signed by Pino Ships in a G&G black/gold-lined case with a certificate of authenticity and vintage-inspired case candyThis is more than a signature instrument—it’s a faithful time capsule of an artist-defining tool that helped shape the course of modern bass playing. Behind the Build: The Music Man Legacy From wood selection and relic distressing to preamp circuitry and final assembly, every step of the Icon Series build process reflects the same craftsmanship and attention to detail that defines Music Man’s legacy. Original tooling, hand-applied nitro lacquer, media tumbling, oxidation, and extensive handwork bring each bass to life—down to the last paint chip and softened edge.Availability The Pino Palladino Artist Series StingRay Basses are available now through authorized Ernie Ball Music Man dealers. The Icon Series is strictly limited to 15 pieces worldwide and will be available through select dealers as well as the Ernie Ball Music Man Vault. To learn more, visit www.music-man.com.

After the successful Mega Drive release of their single “High Tariff Behaviour,” the party slam players hope to raise bits while lowering IQs.
The post KILL SCREEN 066: Chris Ryan and Bailey Junior of PARTY CANNON Help Us Dumb It Down a Little appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Khruangbin’s low-end chill merchant gets a signature instrument that plays like a Jazz Bass best-of.Laura Lee Ochoa (you may know her by her alter ego, Leezy) is a founding member of the Grammy-nominated band Khruangbin, which is Thai for “airplane.” Khruangbin’s music is fresh and inspired, blurring genres including American soul, Iranian pop, surf, psychedelic, and dub, and creating infectious tunes within that stylistic range. The bass is a prominent part of the trio’s sound and groove. Laura Lee’s go-to 4-string for a number of years was an inexpensive SX-branded Jazz Bass copy. She admitted to playing the bass out of financial necessity. But like their namesake, Khruangbin and Laura Lee have been soaring in recent years. The same could be said of her new Fender signature Jazz Bass.Prepare for TakeoffWhen I laid eyes on the Laura Lee Jazz Bass, I was a bit wonderstruck. What’s special about it? At first glance, oh, just … everything. There is vintage drip, it feels comfortably familiar, and the instrument ticks a lot of boxes that many players would put on a perfect-Jazz Bass wish list. There’s a few surprises, too. If the bass had a “like” button, I would still be pressing it repeatedly.Much like Laura Lee’s band, exploration within a framework sums up the Limited Edition Laura Lee Jazz bass beautifully. The recipe is so simple, really: start with a legendary, proven design and sweeten with a few unique-yet-familiar components. There is nothing on this bass you would label as new or revolutionary. Instead, it works like a time portal to different, probably more chill, and definitely hipper eras with modern refinements to smooth the ride—a little like a vintage sports car with a newer engine.YouTubeVintage Vibes If You P(Leezy)The Laura Lee Jazz Bass’ offset body is alder and finished in gloss polyester vintage white that looks like olympic white yellowed to a buttery aged hue. The neck is maple (skunk striped, for those scoring at home) with a rosewood fretboard and a synthetic bone nut. The neck’s gloss urethane finish is smooth and silky, and the custom “U” shape feels super comfortable, giving the sense that the bass is holding your hand and guiding you along rather than the other way around. The instrument is well built, and the Ensenada factory did a fantastic job on the rock-solid neck joint. There really isn’t a single flaw. “The Jazz Bass/flatwound playing experience is like finding an available downtown parking spot for free—leaving me asking, “Why can’t every day be like this?”Let’s talk about ashtrays for a moment. The chrome pickup covers got their nickname for their resemblance to cigarette-butt snuffers. Some players absolutely hate them, citing limitations to playing style and hand position. Aesthetically, I love them. Few features bring the vintage vibe like ashtrays. Laura Lee, however, enjoys a symbiotic relationship with the ashtrays, which shapes her tone significantly. Instead of looking at ashtrays as restricting, Leezy says the limited hand positions are inspiring, forcing her to think less about her picking hand and more on the melodic potential of her fretting hand. Playing between the covers delivers many cool tone variations, from pointed and percussive aft of the middle cover to Leezy’s signature “peanut butter” tone when you pick on the neck side of the cover.The Laura Lee Jazz Bass comes with flatwound strings, and all I can say about that is “damn right.” Why should the Precision Basses and hollowbodies have all the fun? Flats on a Jazz bass are nothing new. But for me, the Jazz Bass/flatwound playing experience is like finding an available downtown parking spot for free—leaving me asking, “Why can’t every day be like this?” Flats bring a warm and welcome twist to the Jazz Bass formula. Amped and AirborneWhen I plugged the Laura Lee into an Ampeg Micro stack. The first thing I noticed and appreciated was what I didn’t hear: hum. The quiet performance is thanks to the DiMarzio Ultra Jazz noiseless pickups (and, by the way, if you really want to take off those ashtrays, the pickups feature cool aged-white covers to match the finish). The concentric stacked volume/tone knobs are an added bonus.It takes minimal effort to get great sounds from the Laura Lee Jazz Bass. With both pickups on full volume and the tone set to 50 percent on the neck and 100 percent on the bridge, I found my sweet spot. This sound was thick-yet-defined and pulsing with vibe. With the ashtrays dictating my hand position, that tone setup could be smooth and subtle on the neck side and more direct on the bridge side. If you don’t like the constraints of the ashtrays, though, you simply remove two screws to take them off, and playing right over the neck pickup yields lots of rich sounds.Many of the Laura Lee’s other tone varieties are equally compelling. I really liked the murkiness of the neck pickup solo’d with tone at zero. Bump the tone up to 25 percent and the neck pickup output becomes studio-worthy. Adding the bridge pickup beautifully brightens the picture. I may not be a big fan of the bridge-pickup-only approach on this instrument, but plenty of players will find a place for its punch in their universe. The VerdictIf you asked me to build a vintage Jazz Bass from scratch before I played the Laura Lee, I might have gone a different route, then played this bass and been mad at my choices. From the oversized ’70s logo to the jumbo frets to the oh-so-comfortable neck, I think this bass is amazing. Yes, it’s a collection of parts from across decades, but they work in harmony. This bass took me to a place I didn’t know I needed. It’s an instrument that instantly inspires, and that is the mark of something special.