Gibson announces Joan Jett signature model

We liked the idea of this guitar and wanted an excuse to publish something on Joan Jett, so we thought that we'd just go ahead and publish Gibson's press release and photo:

Gibson Guitar, the world’s premier musical instrument manufacturer and leader in music technology, has announced the launch of the Joan Jett Signature Melody Maker guitar, designed and produced in close cooperation with the rock legend herself. The model pays tribute to the iconic Melody Maker Jett played on hits like "I Love Rock N’ Roll," and "Do You Wanna Touch Me" and, true to her trailblazer status, marks the first Gibson electric signature model designed in conjunction with a female artist.

"This is my guitar. Gibson was successfully able to replicate my custom velvet hammer pick ups which have not been available for twenty years. It’s perfect for gigs as well as recording," says Jett. "For those of you performing live, you may understand the value of being able to shave off those split seconds between playing and interacting with the audience, especially if you use your hands to communicate. I can move between the killswitch, which mutes the guitar, and playing, and then back again without a lot of in-between motion. With its no frills basic set up, it’s a perfect guitar for either an experienced player or someone just learning."

Gibson’s Joan Jett Signature Melody Maker features a lightweight, slab mahogany body with a White Worn finish. Handcrafted to the same specs as Jett’s original guitar, the slim-tapered neck profile is similar to the Les Pauls and SGs of the mid to late 1960s. The fingerboard of the Melody Maker is constructed from the highest grade of ebony on the planet, Jett’s personal choice for her signature Melody Maker, and the headstock features Gibson’s classic, silk-screened logo.

The classic, snarling growl of Jett’s original Melody Maker is accurately captured by a single Gibson Burstbucker 3 zebra humbucker, slightly overwound with asymmetrical coils, unpolished Alnico II magnets, and all the punch and power of an original Gibson PAF pickup. The tuners are mini-Grovers with authentic "witch hat" knobs, exactly as they are on Jett’s guitar. A "kill" switch replaces the normal Gibson toggle switch, and the body is outfitted with a period-correct black vinyl pickguard. The guitar also includes such typical Melody Maker features as 24-inch scale length and the standard Gibson Tune-o-matic and stopbar tailpiece.

"Joan Jett is a true icon of rock and roll. Since the beginning she has been a groundbreaking artist and a trailblazer for women in the genre," said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. "Gibson is proud to be working with such an influential guitar player."

Joan Jett's most recent album is Sinner – click on the CD cover to buy from Amazon.com!

Gratuitous Plug: Of Fate And Chance

Every now and then "Dancing On The Edge" will be providing a worthwhile band with a gratuitous plug for their music. This time around, we're providing New Jersey band Of Fate And Chance with our unsolicited endorsement.

After checking out the band's MySpace page (link through banner below), we found singer Sean Massaro's voice to be self-assured yet friendly, providing a welcome urgency to the material. What they lack in emotion, they make up for with commitment and control. There's room for improvement, which should come as Massaro grows into his voice, but the vox match the instrumentation well. The band's guitarwork, courtesy of Massaro and Micah Payne, is riff-driven with some interesting flights of fancy. Ryan Bergamotto adds some fluid, imaginative bass lines to the material, and drummer Jon Fleck compliments the rhythms with a solid, yet subtle use of his kit.

Lesser rockcrits would probably hang the "emo" tag around their necks like an albatross; we found the band's sound – slightly metallic roughneck punk with an inspirational lyrical undercurrent and progressive undertones – to be free of guile and pretension, i.e. these guys rock! Surprisingly, Of Fate And Chance are currently unsigned, which is an industry oversight...we could see these guys easily slotted between Coheed & Cambria and Three on your favorite retailer's shelves.

No money will ever change hands for our "gratuitous plugs," though bands can feel free to send us compact discs, photos of their girlfriends, copies of their favorite comic books, or even one of their mom's best recipes....