New Gear: Yamaha Billy Corgan Signature Guitar and D’Addario Care and Maintenance Kits

Yamaha LJ16BC Billy Corgan Signature Model Jumbo Acoustic Guitar

From his years as the founder and frontman of Smashing Pumpkins to his newly released acoustic guitar-driven solo album, Ogilala, Billy Corgan has shown off his chops as a guitarist and a songwriter. Now Yamaha and Corgan have teamed up to release a new limited-edition signature guitar, the Yamaha LJ16BC Billy Corgan Signature Model Jumbo Acoustic Guitar. Limited to 200 guitars (150 in natural and 50 in sunburst), the new LJ16BC modifies Yamaha’s medium jumbo body, slight bracing changes, and other features to emphasize upper-midrange frequencies and low-mid detail.

It features an Engelmann spruce top—treated with the company’s A.R.E. process which they claim enhances acoustic resonance—solid rosewood back and sides, a rigid five-piece mahogany/rosewood neck with ebony fingerboard. It also includes an ebony bridge with brass bridge pins, Gotoh open-gear tuners, Tusq nut and saddle, Elixir strings, and Billy’s “zero” logo on the headstock. It also has Yamaha’s passive SRT piezo pickup for onstage use and lovely maple binding around the top and back.

Yamaha’s medium jumbo body is 15-3/4-inches wide at the lower bout. The 25-9/16-inch scale length neck is 1-3/4-inches wide at the nut.

The MSRP on the Corgan signature is $1,600, but you will be able to find them in stores for $999 with a hardshell case. yamaha.com

Maintenance and Care Kits from D’Addario

Through it’s long-running Planet Waves accessories line, D’Addario has developed a mountain of guitar-care products for the acoustic guitarist. Now, several popular and well-thought-out products are available bundled into Care and Maintenance packages for players interested in maintaining their own instruments.

Outfitted with products to keep your guitar looking and playing well, the D’Addario Care Kit ($69.99 MAP) comes with cleaning products like a microfiber polishing cloth, the company’s three-step Restore, Protect, and Shine polishes. Fingerboard care comes courtesy of the Hydrate fingerboard oil, plus the fret polishing systems, and string cleaner/lubricant. Also included are a neck-support stand, a guitar mat to protect the body during string changes and cleaning work, and a case to hold all of your Care Kit items.

For those of us who like to do some of our own work on our guitars, D’Addario Guitar Maintenance Kit ($79.99 MAP) bundles a bunch of useful tools into a handsome little pouch. DIY setup tools include a multi-tool with screwdrivers and Allen keys for tightenting and adjusting the various things on your guitar, an NS Capo lite, a string-height measuring tool (about the size of a business card). For string changes and string care, there’s a Pro-winder string winder, fret polishing system, and Lubrikit nut and saddle lubricant to help reduce fiction points for smoother tuning. daddario.com