guitar world acoustic 95

Humidity and tem-perature play majorroles in your gui-tar’s long-termhealth. Dry and hot

conditions can cause the gui-tar’s wood to shrink and crack,affecting both tone and playa-bility. Yet many of us eitherneglect this important fact orare simply unequipped to testand adjust the guitar’s livingconditions for the properhumidity level.

The Planet Waves HumidityControl Kit is designed to make adifficult job simple. The kitincludes two products: theHumidity and TemperatureSensor (HTS)—a hydrometer—and the Acoustic InstrumentHumidifier. The palm-size HTSfits inside your guitar case or,with the help of the double-sidedVelcro tape (included), can bemounted on a wall. Pop in

the included CR2430 battery, andthe unit powers up an easy-to-read LED display that indicatestemperature and relative humidi-ty level. You can program a targetfor minimum humidity level(Planet Waves recommends a set-ting between 40 and 45 percent).When the relative humidity fallsbelow this “Set Point,” the HTS

indicates that it’s time to humidi-fy the guitar. The digitaltime/date display gives currenttime and also allows the HTS’sinternal memory function toreport the time and date of thelowest readings for temperatureand humidity. Though you’llneed to do a little programmingto take full advantage of these fea-tures, the controls are simple andeasy to use.

When it’s time to addhumidity, the Acoustic

Humidifier makes it possible foryou to do so safely and withminimal hassle. The plasticreservoir slips easily between theguitar strings and hangs downinto the soundhole, releasingmoisture over time. An includedplastic syringe makes it easy tofill the reservoir without spillingwater on the guitar.

At under $60, the HumidityControl Kit is an affordable insur-ance policy for your acoustic gui-tars. Both the HTS and thehumidifier can also be purchasedseparately, so you can treat anumber of guitars in the sameroom. Highly recommended.

Price: Humidity Control Kit $59.99HTS alone: $49.99:Acoustic Humidifier alone: 14.99 Planet Waves, PO Box 290,Farmingdale, NY 11735; www.planet-waves.com

Agreat way to

improve your guitarskills is to practicealong with yourfavorite tunes.

Unfortunately, this can be diffi-cult to do when the licks are sohot that they go by faster than,well, the speed of sound.Tascam’s CD-GT1 GuitarTrainer is a CD player that letsyou slow down the music with-out changing its pitch, and thenadd your own playing to theTrainer’s output. Not bad for aunit that’s hardly bigger than apaperback book!

The CD-GT1 features anonboard tuner and a multi-effects processor that has atotal of 43 presets forelectric and acousticguitars, as well asvocals. Theseinclude variouscombinations ofdistortion, com-pression, delay,

reverb, pitch shifting, modula-tion effects, auto wah and EQ.The onboard effects make itpossible to match the tone ofyour instrument to that of theguitar on the CD. The unit canbe connected to keyboards andoutboard preamps via a stereominijack, while the 1/4-inchinput accepts instruments andmicrophones; the latter optionwill be especially appealing to

acoustic guitarists. The CD-GT1also comes with separate line-level and headphones outs andruns on four AA batteries,although an optional nine-voltpower supply is also available.

It is possible to play anentire CD or a single track onthe CD-GT1; you can also con-tinuously loop a desired sec-tion. There are three playbackmodes: “Pitch” lowers the pitch

and speed of the selection;“Key” changes the pitch but notthe speed; and “Slow SpeedAudition” changes the speedwithout altering the pitch.

Once you get the feel for theCD-GT1’s control menus, it’s easyto set up. You can define looppoints with a couple of buttonpushes, then change thetime/pitch parameters in real timeas you play the track. In addition,

the CD-GT1 can slow aCD up to 50 percent.

With its impressivefeature set and easyoperation, the CD-GT1

is an outstanding learn-ing tool. By slowing downthose licks, you can speedup your learning process—and master your guitar

faster than ever before.

List Price: $199TASCAM, 7733 Telegraph Rd.,Montebello, CA 90640; 323-726-0303; www.tascam.com

No-Sweat Guitar CareP L A N E T WAV E S H U M I D I T Y CO N T R O L K I T BY E M I L E M E N A S C H É

Well, Slow Me DownTA S C A M C D - G T 1 P O R TA B L E C D G U I TA R T R A I N E R BY E M I L E M E N A S C H É

Photographs by LORINDA SULLIVAN

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