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GUITAR IK Multimedia iRig WORLD PLATINUM Shining Star Acoustic Stage AWARD PRESTIGE GUITARS TODD “DAMMIT” KERNS

E X E ANTI STAR VI SIGNATURE GUITAR C E L L E N C Recently, IK Multimedia released By Paul Riario iRig Acoustic, the first mobile clip-on microphone/interface IF YOUR JOB is to play alongside one of the Seymour Duncan “Saturday Night Special” that attaches to your acoustic instru- most recognizable and iconic guitarists of our humbuckers gives its sound the heft to deliver ment and allows you to play, practice time, well then you must be one helluva tal- crushing riffs with aplomb. The Anti-Star VI and record, anywhere and anytime on ented multi-instrumentalist and singer—and is available in either matte black with black your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac and Android, when combined with IK Multi- Todd Kerns is that guy. Kerns is the bassist pickguard, or gloss vintage white with satin media’s free AmpliTube Acoustic app. and back up vocalist for , featuring neck and gloss white pickguard. Other fea- This time around, IK Multimedia intro- and the Conspirators, as well tures include rosewood fi ngerboard with duced iRig Acoustic Stage, an all-in-one as leader of his own band Age of Electric and mother of pearl inlays and “Dammit” logo combination of a MEMS microphone/ numerous other bands. So considering his at 12th fret, jumbo frets, 14-inch fi ngerboard interface, and high-quality preamp and extensive rock-and-roll cred, it seems fi tting radius, 25-inch scale length, white half-pick- DSP processing unit that’s a cinch to use that Prestige Guitars collaborated with him guard (black on the matte black) with red and provides studio-quality sound for your acoustic instrument onstage or for to design his very own signature bass and (for “Anti-Star” logo, Tusq XL Nut, TonePros lock- home recording. this review) guitar. ing bridge and saddle, bridge and neck volume The iRig Acoustic Stage includes a The super cool result is the Todd controls, master tone control, three-way tog- pick-shaped acoustic microphone that “Dammit” Kerns Anti-Star VI Signature, a gle and Grover 18:1 tuners. clips onto your acoustic instrument’s slick looking Firebird-inspired guitar that sound hole and from there, attaches features premium components and solid The Anti-Star VI looks to the digital pre-amplifier processor PERFORMANCE unit (which can be attached to your belt craftsmanship. But there’s also no mistak- like a massive chunk of wood for sure, but or strap for live performances), and ing the Todd “Dammit” Kerns Anti-Star VI the guitar feels intimately compact and com- utilizing the unit’s 1/4-inch output to Signature guitar is a blunt force slab of rock fortably balanced. It’s meant to be played connect into an amplifier or mixer. The and roll extravagance, with a dense sound standing up but sitting down is equally unit features a feedback cancel button, that is unapologetically hard rock. enjoyable because its C-profi le neck is ide- a phase inversion switch, USB output, ally contoured for playing fast and grab- volume and mix controls, six optimized tone presets for steel and nylon string FEATURES The Anti-Star VI features a bing bar chords quickly. The Seymour Dun- instruments, and the option for custom neck-through design with a seven-piece com- can “Saturday Night Special” humbuckers calibration. A great feature is plugging bination of mahogany and maple construc- are perfectly matched for the guitar. Chords into the iRig Acoustic Stage’s aux input tion, and reverse headstock. Taking its design sound big and bold, and every picked note from your acoustic’s input jack and cues from Kern’s Anti-Star signature bass, slices through with precise defi nition.I using the Stage’s mix control to blend its offset body shape seamlessly blends vin- picked the Anti-Star VI as one of the Best of its microphone signal with your existing piezo pickup system for complete con- tage-inspired curves, making the new shape NAMM 2017 because it sounds as good as it trol of your tone. appear as a modern classic. It’s a heavier gui- looks, and plugging it in a high-gain amp will Using it at a coffeehouse gig and for tar but its weight along with the fully loaded clearly convince you why. a recording session, I found the iRig Acoustic Stage’s convenient plug-and- play design offers an easy way to get a genuinely natural acoustic tone in situa- LIST PRICE: $1,680 THE BOTTOM LINE tions where I needed to get up and run- CHEAT MANUFACTURER: The Prestige Guitars Todd “Dammit” Kerns ning quickly. —Paul Riario Prestige Guitars, Anti-Star VI is a complete rock star guitar with SHEET prestigeguitars.com vintage-infused looks, killer playability and STREET PRICE: $99.99 searing crunch tones. MANUFACTURER: IK Multimedia, ikmultimedia.com

 GUITAR WORLD • JULY