Guitar Journal: Manson M-Series, Setzer Health Update, & Nembrini Plugin
New Manson M-Series Guitars, Brian Setzer's health update, and a Roland Jazz Chorus plugin!
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Guitar Journal: Manson M-Series, Setzer Health Update, & Nembrini Plugin · Source: Manson Guitar Works
This week, we look at Manson Guitar Works, the UK-based guitar manufacturer partly owned by Muse frontman Matt Bellamy, which has announced an updated lineup of its M-Series guitars. Plus, the news of Rockabilly and big band revivalist Brian Setzer, who has revealed he can no longer play guitar due to an autoimmune disease. Finally, we look at the new Nembrini Audio Roland Jazz Chorus 120 emulation as a plugin.
Guitar Journal
M-Series
The new M-Series features the Sustainiac Stealth Pro system in the neck position, previously found in Manson’s Era models.
This system, a key component of Bellamy’s signature sound, allows for infinite sustain and delivers clean tones. Improvements to the system include enhanced performance and reduced cross-talk. The Sustainiac offers Fundamental, Harmonic, and Mix sustain voicings.
The bridge pickup remains Manson’s in-house MB PF-1 humbucker, an Alnico V design promising ample drive and gain.
ZVex Fuzz Factory
Beyond the standard MB-1 configuration, custom options include coil tap and series/parallel controls for the UK-made pickups, and notably, the integration of a ZVex Fuzz Factory circuit, similar to those found in some of Bellamy’s custom Manson instruments.
The M-Series receives a visual refresh with new finishes: Dry Satin Black, Gloss Night Sky Holosparkle, Gloss Red Alert, Gloss Black, and Gloss Bluebell Metallic. The standard construction features a solid alder body, bolt-on maple neck, and rosewood fretboard, along with Gotoh 3 Series tuners.
The new MB-1 models start at £1,949 and include a Mono gig bag. A great buy for fans of Matt Bellamy and Muse!
Brian Setzer
The former Stray Cats frontman shared the news on social media, explaining that his hands began cramping up towards the end of their recent summer tour.
“I just wanted to check in with you all,” Setzer’s post began. He described the disease’s impact, stating, “Towards the end of the last Stray Cats tour, I noticed that my hands were cramping up. I’ve since discovered that I have an autoimmune disease. I cannot play guitar.”
Like Wearing Gloves
Setzer’s description of the condition paints a vivid picture of his challenges. “There is no pain,” he clarified, “but it feels like I am wearing a pair of gloves when I try to play.”
While the disease has impacted his ability to play guitar, Setzer has found some positive signs in other areas. “I have seen some progress in that I can hold a pen and tie my shoes,” he shared, highlighting the small victories in his ongoing battle with the illness. He acknowledged the severity of the situation, admitting, “I know this sounds ridiculous but I was at a point where I couldn’t even do that.”
While he’s receiving treatment at the Mayo Clinic and has seen some improvement in everyday tasks, the future of his guitar playing remains uncertain. Fans can still enjoy his extensive catalog, including his recent solo album “The Devil Always Collects.”
Hopefully, he can recover fully and play the guitar soon.
Nembrini Audio Jazz Chorus
Nembrini Audio has released a new plugin, the Jazz Chorus, meticulously modeled after the legendary Roland JC-120 guitar amplifier.
Stereo Chorus
The JC-120, a solid-state amp introduced in the mid-70s, is renowned for its pristine clean tones, lush stereo chorus, and rich vibrato, making it a studio standard and a favorite of guitarists across genres, from Andy Summers and Johnny Marr to Joe Perry and Pat Metheny.
Plugin
Nembrini’s Jazz Chorus plugin aims to capture the essence of this iconic amp, emulating every detail of its sound and onboard effects. The plugin offers an authentic playing experience for studio use, with modern enhancements for increased flexibility.
Key features
- Post-amplifier effects section with equalizer, delay, and studio compressor
- Six cabinet emulations
- Four microphone emulations with adjustable positioning, volume, and pan controls
- Impulse response (IR) capabilities
- Pre-amplifier stomp effects section with noise gate, compressor, auto swell, and fuzz
Introductory Pricing
The Jazz Chorus plugin is available for a limited time at an introductory price of $29.99 (regularly $137) for the desktop version and $9.99 (regularly $19.99) for the iOS iPad/iPhone version until February 28, 2025.
I’m a big fan of their plugins, and they are well worth buying when on a deal like this. Plus, it is much more affordable than the Roland JC-40 and Roland JC-22 combo amps and is easier to use in a DAW.
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