Jay Jay French Launches The Pinkburst Project to Bring Awareness to Uveitis

The Pinkburst Project is dedicated to the research, education and support of those affected by Uveitis, the leading cause of blindness among American girls. Founded by Twisted Sister’s Jay Jay French, the Pinkburst Project is also a collection of custom Gibson, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Paul Reed Smith, Roukangas and Martin guitar and custom Fender, Marshall, Vox, Mesa, Orange, Hartke and Diamond amplifiers built to raise awareness and ultimately fund ongoing research, education and support for The Ocular Immunology and Uveitis Foundation.

Created by Twisted Sister’s Jay Jay French, The Pinkburst Project custom collection of guitars and amplifiers (each item is one of a kind, built by the custom shops of their respective companies and will never be duplicated) will be offered for sale through Skinner Auctioneers Fine Musical Instruments Department on Sunday, May 1, 2011.

Jay Jay's daughter Samantha was found to have Uveitis at age six. There is no cure, but early detection and treatment can save ones sight by stopping the attacks of inflammation that destroys the uvea. Please take a few minutes to watch the video below.

Introducing The Jeff Waters Annihilation-V Signature Model

Pure Annihilation! Epiphone has a long history of supplying some of the greatest guitarists of all time with the instrument they need to excel. And that history continues with the new "Annihilation-V" made in cooperation with legendary guitarist, Jeff Waters. Prestigiously ranked at #3 in Joel Mclver's 2009 book "The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists," Jeff and his band "Annihilator" have been shredding audiences worldwide for years and now he's ready to take it up a notch with what he calls "The Ultimate Metal Guitar!"

Bred to Shred. Like any great instrument, the Annihilation-V starts with great tone woods and construction. The neck is solid mahogany joined to a solid mahogany body using a traditional deep-set, Flying-V neck joint that's handed fitted and glued in place for optimum tone and sustain. For lightning fast performance combined with comfort, the neck features a "D" profile SlimTaper neck combined with a 24-fret phenolic fingerboard that not only allows a full two octaves of range but also an ultra smooth and extremely durable surface.

Tone to the Bone! At the heart of any great guitar are great pickups and this guitar is no exception. Designed specifically for Jeff by Epiphone engineers and made by Gibson U.S.A.'s world-famous pickup division, the Annihilation-V features custom "JWT" (Jeff Waters Treble) and "JWR" (Jeff Waters Rhythm) 4-wire humbuckers in the bridge and neck positions respectively. Overwound and featuring a Ceramic-8 magnet, the JWT bridge humbucker can deliver the right combination of crunch and growl without ever losing it's enhanced lows and crystal clear highs. The JWR neck pickup features an Alnico-II magnet that provides vintage tone with great sustain and clarity along with the right combination of power and warmth. Together, the two pickups offer the perfect combination of crunch and clean.

But wait... there's more! Controlling the two perfectly matched humbuckers is a set of simple yet powerful controls that offer incredible versatility. The master volume control is also a push/pull control allowing you to tap into each coil of the two humbuckers for a brighter, single-coil sound while keeping them noise-free. The 3-way toggle in combination with the coil-tapping allows you up to 6 different tonal combinations ranging from a one single-coil to full-on humbucker assault. Add to that, an easy to use momentary "killbutton" that cuts off the output for added effects and you've got a guitar that's ready for anything.

Loaded with premium add-ons! Other upgrades include Grover 14:1 ratio tuners, Epiphone StrapLocks, Epiphone LockTone tune-o-matic/stopbar combination, "Annihilator Devil" inlay on the 12th fret and Jeff's signature on the back of the headstock. And, like every Epiphone, it features their Limited Lifetime warranty backed by world famous 24/7/365 day Gibson Customer Service. Available in either Annihilation Red (gloss) or Pitch Black (satin), prepare to annihilate your audience with the new Jeff Waters Annihilation-V - The Ultimate Metal Guitar!

Guitarist Magazine (UK) Reviews Inspired by John Lennon Casino and Worn 1966 Wilshire

Guitarist Magazine (UK) reviewed both the Epiphone Inspired by John Lennon Casino and the Epiphone Worn 1966 Wilshire in the February issue. Here is a sneak peek at what they had to say:

This 'Inspired By' Casino has that vintage-like tone down to a tee and is wonderfully musical.

With a great neck shape, good weight and ample power from its twin mini-humbuckers it should fit a wide variety of rock-based styles.

The World's Largest Collection of Pre-1957 Epiphone instruments

In March of 2007 the Epiphone Guitar Company acquired the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of pre-1957 Epiphone instruments.

The collection, previously owned by the late Jim Fisch and L.B. Fred contains hours of taped and transcribed interviews with famous Epiphone players such as Les Paul and Johnny Smith, hours of transcribed interviews of the Stathopoulo family, founders of Epiphone, the original manuscript and research materials for the book "Epiphone, the House of Stathopoulo," co-authored by the late owner of the collection and most notably, an assortment of historically significant Epiphone guitars, banjos, lap steels and amplifiers.

Periodically we will be featuring a different instrument from this incredible collection in an effort to chronicle the rich heritage of the A. Stathopoulo, House of Stathopoulo and ultimately the Epiphone brand of musical instruments. Epiphone would like to thank Jim Fisch, his estate and all those involved for making this possible.

Epiphone and Slash Team up to Bring You the Slash 'Appetite' Les Paul Standard Outfit

An Appetite for Destruction! Inspired by the axe that the legendary Guns n' Roses guitarist played on the multi-platinum selling "Appetite for Destruction" album, Epiphone and Slash team up to bring you the Ltd Ed Slash "Appetite" Les Paul Standard Outfit. Perhaps one of the most highly anticipated guitar launches of the year, this latest Epiphone Slash model combines all the great features found in Slash's original guitar yet is affordable enough for the average working musician. In Slash's own words, "I wanted something that sounds great, lasts a long time and is able to provide everything you need in a really good quality guitar." Limited to just 3,000 guitars worldwide, the result is a guitar of superior quality and performance that won't destroy your wallet.

It Starts with a Great Les Paul! It all starts with a traditional Les Paul body consisting of a hand-selected, premium solid mahogany back based on historically-correct specifications topped with hard maple cap. The hard maple is then carved using a traditional roller-type carving machine for added authenticity. Epiphone tediously carves each body creating the sexy curves and subtle "dish" along the outer edge of the top that transforms it into an authentic Les Paul. AAA-grade maple veneer is then applied to the top for a gorgeous 3-dimensional look. The neck is also crafted from premium mahogany then glued into the body using TiteBond wood glue, utilizing a long-neck tenon typically found on the Les Pauls from the late 1950s and early 1960s. Extending well into the neck pickup cavity, the long-neck tenon provides additional strength and stability to the neck, and offers more wood-to-wood contact between the neck and body, which ultimately results in sweeter tone and longer sustain.

The neck also features a "Slash Custom" neck profile patterned exclusively from the neck on Slash's original Les Paul and a rosewood fingerboard fitted with 22 nickel/silver alloy medium-jumbo frets.

Pure Rock and Roll! At the heart of every Les Paul is a pair of humbucking pickups kicking out the tone that has set the standard for rock and roll for over 50 years. The "Appetite" LP features Slash's signature Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro pickups providing the same crunch, power and performance as Slash gets when he cranks up one of his own personal Les Pauls. These humbuckers are like the ones that Slash has used for years and feature Alnico 2 magnets. However, these Slash Alnico II Pro's are wound with just enough boosted output to push a stock Les Paul toward the sweet sustain and rude crunch that characterize Slash's sound. To further capture the vintage Les Paul tone that Slash loves, this guitar features a tone circuit using high-quality "Orange Drop" tone capacitors that was tested and approved by Slash himself. Also unique to this Slash model is the "reverse" Zebra-coil pickup in the bridge position.

Attention to Detail! From the "Appetite Amber" color found on the top to the cherry red back and sides with black cavity covers, great care was taken to match Slash's original guitar as closely as possible. Other professional features include Epiphone's patent-applied-for LockTone Tune-o-matic and stopbar tailpiece, vintage nickel hardware and 14:1 tulip-button tuners, fully shielded electronics cavities and 12-inch radius fingerboard. And don't forget, Slash's artwork on the headstock combined with Epiphone's "Limited Edition" logo on the back.

And That's Not All! Each new Limited Edition Slash "Appetite" package comes with a hardshell case featuring a Slash's artwork, a certificate of authenticity personally hand signed by Slash and protected in a leatherette presentation booklet and 12 custom Slash guitar picks. Combined with Epiphone's Limited Lifetime Warranty backed by 24/7/365 Customer Service, it's a package truly worthy of a guitar-playing legend that put wickedness and decadence back into rock and roll. That guitar-playing legend is Slash. And this is the new Limited Edition Slash "Appetite" Les Paul Standard from Epiphone. Only 3,000 will be made - get yours while you still can.

The NEW Epiphone Les Paul Pee Wee and Vee Wee Zakk Pakks!

Small Rig... Mighty Sound! What do you get when you combine a Les Paul or a Flying-V, with a Marshall(tm) amp and Zakk Wylde? You get the NEW Epiphone Les Paul Pee Wee and Vee Wee "Zakk Pakks" with everything you need to rock out in style and make a mighty sound from a small package! Sure, the half-size guitars with Zakk's signature "bullseye" graphics look super cool but grab one of these little guitars, plug in the included cord, crank up the battery-powered Marshall MS-4ZW Micro Full Stack amplifier and stand back.

It's a Real Les Paul and Flying-V! Epiphone is famous for their high-quality and affordable guitars. And now, they've taken these same famous designs and turned them into half size guitars that are perfect for smaller players or as travel guitars. Each guitar features a full-size neck width so they play just like a regular guitar. They're also equipped with an Epiphone 700T humbucking pickup for real rock tone without the noise associated with single-coil pickups. Add to that, 21 medium-jumbo frets, a Rosewood fingerboard, an adjustable bridge and deluxe 14:1 ratio covered tuners and you've got a guitar that will keep you rockin' for years to come.

What a Combo! Most guitarists agree that the perfect marriage in rock is a humbucking-equipped guitar plugged into a Marshall stack. We agree! That's why these Zakk Pakks include Marshall's MS-4ZW micro full stack amplifier. The MS-4ZW may look small but don't let size fool you. This is the best sounding mini-amp you can get. Packing real Marshall tone, this mighty micro has separate Volume, Gain and Tone controls combined with two speaker cabinets. Plug in your guitar and you won't believe the sound coming from this 9-3/4" high powerhouse. Other features include a tilt-back stand and a headphone output so you won't wake the neighbors. And, the headphone output can even be used to drive an external power amp.

Essential Accessories! Included with each guitar and amplifier is a 10' cord, gigbag with accessory pocket, 2" wide nylon strap and three (3) medium picks. So, nothing else is needed to get you started playing just like Zakk Wylde.

Backed by Gibson Customer Service! Even though the Zakk Pakks are small, they also come with another BIG advantage. That's Gibson's famous 24/7/365 Customer Service and Limited Lifetime Warranty. So what are you waiting for? You sure won't need two roadies to pick up this rig.

The Return of a New Classic. The Nighthawk Custom!

The Return of a NEW Classic! When a new guitar design is introduced, history says that guitarists don't immediately accept it. Such was the case with many, now iconic guitars including the Flying-V, Explorer and even the Les Paul. But ultimately, if the design is a great one it will stand the test of time and eventually, find it's place into the guitarist's arsenal of "go to" axes. When the Nighthawk was first introduced in 1993, it represented a departure from Gibson "tradition" with it's 25.5" scale length and it's versatile combination of coil-tappable humbucking and single pickups. Now, 18 years later, guitarists who originally dismissed the Nighthawk as too "different" now recognize what a great guitar it really was and is!

Great Tone Woods & Premium Construction! The design of the Nighthawk is essentially a combination of a SG (lower bout and thinner body) and a Les Paul (upper bout). Like those classic guitars, it features a solid Mahogany body (with added "belly" scarf for comfort) and a glued-in SlimTaper(tm) Mahogany neck giving it a well rounded, warm tone with excellent sustain. To add brilliance as well as a smooth, durable playing surface, the Nighthawk Custom is fitted with an Ebony fingerboard. For even more tonal spice as well as killer looks, a AAA Flame Maple veneer is glued to the top. And don't forget, the Nighthawk bridge with it's "string-thru" body design ensures even more sustain and power.

Versatility and Function! With it's unique pickup package that includes a full-size NHT humbucker (bridge), a NSX single-coil (middle) and a NHR mini-humbucker (neck) combined with a 5-way slider and push/pull coil-tapping tone knob, you have 9 different "tones" at your fingertips. From a powerful and warm humbucker to the unique clarity of a mini-HB to a thin, bright single-coil - and everything in-between - you can do it all.

Killer Looks & Premium Features! Epiphone is known for making great, affordable instruments and the Nighthawk Custom is no exception. One of the first things you notice is the gorgeous Flame Maple top in rich, see-through finishes and the mother-of-pearl "crown" inlays on the fingerboard. Premium 14:1 ratio Grover(tm) machine heads make for excellent tuning accuracy and stability while Epiphone's heavy-duty output jack and long-lasting 1" potentiometers make for worry-free operation.

The Total Package! Combined with Epiphone’s Limited Lifetime Warranty backed by 24/7/365 Customer Service, you can rest assured that the Nighthawk Classic will give you years of worry-free performance. So if you missed out on the first Nighthawks because you thought they were a little too"different." now's your chance to redeem yourself and pick up this NEW classic for a great price!

The Epiphone Les Paul Custom

Dressed to Kill! The Les Paul Custom made it's debut in 1954 after the initial success of the Les Paul Goldtop. Les Paul said he suggested black as the color for the guitar because it looked "classy" and went well with a tuxedo on stage. From that point on, the Les Paul Custom has often been referred to as the "tuxedo" Les Paul. And with it's gold appointments, fully bound body, neck and headstock and mother-of-pearl inlays, we think you'll agree that the Epiphone Les Paul Custom is "dressed to kill".

At the heart of the Les Paul Custom is Great Tone Woods. While all Les Pauls share common design features, the Les Paul Custom differed from the Les Paul Standard in that it's body was solid Mahogany without a Maple cap. Epiphone's LP Custom follows that tradition by using a solid, carved Mahogany body giving it a slightly mellower tone. Like the originals, attached to the body is a solid Mahogany neck with a hand-fitted, glued-in joint for optimum neck-to-body contact and acting almost like one continuous piece of wood. The neck features a very comfortable and fast "SlimTaper(tm)" neck profile that has become the most popular profile found on Les Pauls today. The result is a tribute to Les' timeless guitar design with the sound and feel that you can only get from a real Les Paul.

But quality construction and premium woods are only part of the equation. At the heart of the Les Paul Custom is a pair of Epiphone Alnico Classic(tm) humbucking pickups. Patterned after the original Gibson '57 Classics, these pickups combine Alnico-V magnets with enamel wire to give you a tone that is warm and subtle with full, even response that doesn't hold back when you need that classic humbucker crunch! The neck pickup is an Alnico Classic while the bridge pickup is an Alnico Classic Plus. The "Plus" is slightly over wound to give it a little bit higher output without sacrificing its rich, vintage tone.

Loaded with premium add-ons! Other premium features include Epiphone's LockTone(tm) tune-o-matic/stopbar combination for increased sustain and easy string changes, 16:1 ratio Grover(tm) machine heads, a 7-layer bound body, a 5-layer bound headstock and a comfortable single-layer bound Rosewood fingerboard. And like every Epiphone, it features their Limited Lifetime warranty backed by world famous 24/7/365 day Gibson Customer Service. So put on your tuxedo and strap on an Epiphone Les Paul Custom today. No one can ever say you're under-dressed for the occasion!

Two New Acoustic Player Packs From Epiphone!

DR-90T Player Pack Epiphone's Most Affordable Acoustic Pack with a Twist! All acoustic guitar packs do not have to be the same and Epiphone proves that with the NEW DR-90T Acoustic Player Pack. Starting with the top-selling DR-90T acoustic guitar and with innovative and useful features that include a built-in tuner and a wall-hanger to store and display your instrument when not in use, Epiphone gives you a pack that's not like all the rest. It Starts with a GREAT Guitar! If you're looking for a very affordable guitar that sounds good, stays in tune and is easy to play, look no further than the DR-90T. The top is made of select Spruce supported with hand-scalloped bracing for great natural tone and vibration. Complementing this are back and sides made of select Mahogany fitted to a solid Mahogany neck. For great stability, tone and sustain, the neck is glued into the body using TiteBond(tm) glue. Easy and comfortable to play, the neck shape is Epiphone's classic 1960's SlimTaper(tm) D-profile with a smooth, fast satin finish. The fingerboard is Rosewood for smooth feel and long lasting use. The tuners are deluxe 14:1 ratio and provide accurate tuning and excellent stability. The bridge is also Rosewood and features a compensated saddle for improved intonation. Built-In Tuner - A $50 value! While other packs include a separate tuner that's hard to use and easy to lose, Epiphone has installed the super-accurate Shadow(tm) Sonic sound-hole tuner. Lightweight and discretely mounted just inside the sound-hole, it's in perfect view while playing and allows you to tune-up without an interruption or plugging in. Includes Wall-Hanger! Experienced guitarists know that when a guitar is close at hand, you're more likely to pick it up and play it. After all, what good is a guitar in a case stuffed under a bed or in a closet? With this wall-hanger, you can not only safely hang and display your beautiful guitar on the wall, but also put it away or take it down in no time. Get Started Playing Guitar FAST! MJS Publications is a leader in creating effective and easy to understand instructional materials. Your new Epiphone Player Pack comes with a comprehensive, 3-hour DVD that walks you through the basics of guitar playing - from tuning your guitar to playing individual notes to playing chords. Hosted by expert guitar instructor Mark Sternal, this proven content with a "Quick-Start" section can get you playing guitar in 1 minute or less. Peace Of Mind, Too: The DR-90T Acoustic Player Pack comes with the Epiphone Lifetime Limited Warranty featuring Gibson 24/7/360 Customer Service and guarantees the guitar against defects in materials or workmanship. Now that's performance and VALUE! Why just dream of playing guitar? Pickup Epiphone's new DR-90T pack and make playing guitar a reality... today!

Epiphone Ltd Ed 1970's Inspired Les Paul Custom Blackback Outfit

Dressed to Kill! The Les Paul Custom made it's debut in 1954 after the initial success of the Les Paul Goldtop. Les Paul said he suggested black as the color for the guitar because it looked "classy" and went well with a tuxedo on stage. From that point on, the Les Paul Custom has often been referred to as the "tuxedo" Les Paul. And with it's gold appointments, fully bound body, neck and headstock and mother-of-pearl inlays, we think you'll agree that the Epiphone Les Paul Custom is "dressed to kill."

Added Vintage-Vibe. Often, the original finish of Alpine White guitars aged over time and turned the true white color to an off-white, yellow. Epiphone reproduced this look with it's subtle Antique Ivory color giving you the look of a vintage guitar, today. Also - during the 1970's some LP Customs were painting with contrasting black backs. Finally, Epiphone equips this Custom with classic "open-top' humbuckers featuring authentic Alnico-V magnets. Patterned after the original Gibson '57 Classics, these pickups combine Alnico-V magnets with enamel wire to give you a tone that is warm and subtle with full, even response that doesn't hold back when you need that classic humbucker crunch! The bridge pickup is slightly over-wound to give you a little more "crunch" when you need it while still maintaining great clarity and warmth. The combination is a unique, limited edition guitar that sounds great and is sure to attract the attention of both guitarists and collectors.

At the heart of every Les Paul Custom is Great Tone Woods. While all Les Pauls share common design features, the Les Paul Custom differed from the Les Paul Standard in that it's body was solid Mahogany without a Maple cap. Epiphone's LP Custom follows that tradition by using a solid, carved Mahogany body giving it a slightly mellower tone. Like the originals, attached to the body is a solid Mahogany neck with a hand-fitted, glued-in joint for optimum neck-to-body contact and acting almost like one continuous piece of wood. The neck features a very comfortable and fast "SlimTaper(tm)" neck profile that has become the most popular profile found on Les Pauls today. The result is a tribute to Les' timeless guitar design with the sound and feel that you can only get from a real Les Paul.

Loaded with premium add-ons! Other premium features include Epiphone's LockTone(tm) tune-o-matic/stopbar combination for increased sustain and easy string changes, 16:1 ratio Grover(tm) machine heads, a 7-layer bound body, a 5-layer bound headstock and a comfortable single-layer bound Ebony fingerboard. To top if off, the Les Paul Custom includes a premium hard case to protect your instrument when not in use. And like every Epiphone, it features their Limited Lifetime warranty backed by world famous 24/7/365 day Gibson Customer Service. So put on your tuxedo and strap on this Limited Edition Epiphone Les Paul Custom Blackback today. Classic tone with classic looks!

The Epiphone Sheraton II

The Epiphone Sheraton-II, once hailed by Blues Legend John Lee Hooker as "An out-did 335", combines perfect semi-hollowbody tone with impeccable looks.

A Historic Epiphone Icon: In 1958, the first Epiphone guitars made in the Gibson Kalamazoo factory were produced. Also in that same year, Gibson introduced its Electric Spanish (ES) collection, which included the legendary ES-335 semi-hollowbody, which was largely inspired directly from Les Paul's original "Log" design. Les' Log was made from Epiphone parts and a 4" x 4" piece of pinewood at the Epiphone factory in New York seventeen years earlier in 1941. The feedback-resistant qualities of the ES-335 was combined with historic Epiphone inlays and cosmetics to create the first Epiphone Sheraton in 1959. While the original Sheraton featured a split-trapeze Frequensator(TM) tailpiece, this Sheraton-II features a Stopbar tailpiece for improved sustain.

Beautifully Built: Voiced with a pair of Epiphone's Alnico Classic(TM) Humbucker pickups for authentic vintage tone, this guitar is constructed with a gorgeous 5-piece Maple neck, a traditional laminated body with a Mahogany center block for amazing tone and sustain that works well for a wide range of musical genres including Rock, Blues or Jazz.

But That's Not All! Add a Rosewood fingerboard and gold hardware and then... make it even more gorgeous with the historic "Tree of Life" headstock inlay with "Block and Triangle" Pearl/Abalone fretboard inlays and you've got the complete package. The Gold hardware includes Grover(TM) machine heads for superior tuning stability, Epiphone's exclusive LockTone(TM) locking Tune-o-matic bridge and Stopbar tailpiece for increased sustain, as well as full-size 1" 500K potentiometers with Epiphone's superior all-metal toggle switch and heavy-duty output jack.

Lasting Beauty: The Epiphone Sheraton II is backed by the Epiphone Lifetime Limited Warranty featuring Gibson 24/7/360 Customer Service that guarantees the instrument against defects in materials or workmanship. Visit your favorite Authorized Epiphone Dealer to experience one for yourself.

Epiphone Zakk Wylde Guitars Get EMGs

All NEW for 2011! Epiphone's Zakk Wylde "Camo" and "Bullseye" Les Paul Customs have been the choice of shredders for years. And now, Epiphone and Zakk step it up a notch with the addition of active Zakk Wylde EMG-81/85 active humbucking pickups. Powered by a 9-volt battery, these active pickups set the standard for high-output, hard rock/metal tone. But that's not all. Another upgrade on the Bullseye includes a premium Ebony fingerboard. Ultra-hard and ultra-smooth, you'll feel the hear the difference. So plug one in and crank it up!

Same Great Features and Look! Zakk's Les Paul Customs take the classic Les Paul design and add his signature "twist". It starts with a solid, unchambered Mahogany body with a carved top. Preferred by Zakk for it's added "bite," the neck is made of Hard Maple (as opposed to the more traditional Mahogany neck). This neck has an ultra-smooth and fast satin natural finish that allows Zakk (and you!) to move up and down the neck effortlessly. Of course, the neck is glued into the body using TiteBond with a traditional mortise and tenon neck joint for rock solid feel, sustain and tone.

Loaded with premium add-ons! Other premium features include Epiphone's LockTone(tm) tune-o-matic/stopbar combination for increased sustain and easy string changes, 16:1 ratio Grover(tm) machine heads, a 7-layer bound body, a 5-layer bound headstock and a comfortable single-layer bound fingerboard. Not to mention, gold hardware and Zakk's signature graphics!

Win an Epiphone Electric Guitar Signed by Derek Trucks and Crossroads Guitar Festival DVDs

Didn't get what you wanted for the holidays? Lucky for you, AOL Music and Spinner are giving away an Epiphone G-400 electric guitar (based on a '62 Gibson SG) signed by Derek Trucks and a bundle of Eric Clapton's Crossroad Guitar Festival DVDs from 2004, 2007 and the recently released 2010. The latest DVD features performances from artists including B.B. King, Buddy Guy, ZZ Top, Sheryl Crow, Derek Trucks and, of course, Clapton himself. All profits from the June 26 show at Chicago's Toyota Park benifitted the Crossroads Centre in Antigua, the Clapton-founded treatment and education facility for chemically dependent people.

o enter, follow @SpinnerTweet on Twitter and retweet the @SpinnerTweet giveaway announcement tweet, or "Like" the Spinner Facebook page and send an email to spinnergiveaways@aol.com. The Giveaway begins at 1PM Eastern Time ("ET") on January 13, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on January 17, 2011. A winner will be chosen at random and notified on or about January 18. Be sure to read the official contest rules.

Epiphone and the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus Rock NAMM 2011

The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is a non-profit, state-of-the-art mobile audio and HD video recording and production facility. It’s also a great place to hang out during massive events like this year’s NAMM show. With artist appearances by the likes of Natasha Bedingfield and giveaways of top-of-the-line Epiphone gear, the Lennon Bus was an Epicenter of excitement.

NAMM 2011: Epiphone Nighthawk Custom reissue announced

NAMM 2011 PRESS RELEASE: Like its parent company Gibson, Epiphone is known for several classic designs, guitars that established themselves as iconic in the 1950s and '60s.

But the company has continued to grow steadily ever since coming into the Gibson fold in 1957, and many new designs of the late 20th and early 21st century have earned a status as 'modern classics' right alongside the vintage models from the company's golden years. The Nighthawk is certainly one of these.

Introduced by Gibson in 1993, it instantly became a favourite with blues and rock guitarists who wanted a powerful single-cutaway set-neck design with a few contemporary twists to offer the versatility demanded by modern musical styles.

The Epiphone Nighthawk Custom Reissue celebrates the most exotic rendition of the Nighthawk line, with a custom look and a deep features set that make it as elegant a showpiece as it is a stellar performer.

Just one glance confirms that the Nighthawk Custom Reissue is a stunning looker: it carries a Grade-AAA flamed maple veneer top finished in your choice of Fireburst, Honeyburst, Trans Amber or Trans Black, complemented by mother-of-pearl 'crown' inlays in the ebony fingerboard that echo the classic crown inlay in the traditional Epiphone headstock.

But the Nighthawk Custom Reissue's beauty is far more than skin deep, and under the hood this guitar is loaded for versatility and performance. The unique Nighthawk pickup package of a bridge humbucker, a single-coil in the middle, and a mini-humbucker in the neck yield a mind-boggling array of tones through a five-way switch and push-pull coil taps, allowing you to access anything from classic fat, creamy Les Paul tones to spikier single-coil-style jangle and chime.

The unique through-body Nighthawk bridge provides outstanding sustain and resonance, while the guitar's 25.5" scale length adds extra shimmer and sparkle to the brew, and gives you a firm low-E string for gnarly low-down blues runs and biting twang.

All this, and the Nighthawk Custom Reissue is superbly playable, with Epiphone's full reputation for build quality and setup behind it. Check out the Nighthawk Custom Reissue now at your authorised Gibson dealer.