GEAR ROUND UP
Kepma Guitars USA- Fenix & Lamplight
WM received two new Kepma Guitars to cover for this issue. First up is the new Kepma Elite Grand Auditorium F2S-A Lamplight guitar. The artistry for this model is taken from a poem that states“ I sought her a thousand times in the crowd, and suddenly turning back, I found her where the lamplight was sparse.” Which means that inspiration, such as music, comes when it is least expected. The fretboard symbolizes the floors in the high-rise apartment building, and the inlays depict the different lights in those apartments. Melding art with function the F2S Lamplight, as tested, has a torrefied solid Sitka spruce top, Ovangkol back and sides and the new AcoustiFex L1 system. Kepma is known for their groundbreaking builtin effects in their acoustics offering reverb, delay and chorus when the guitar is unplugged or plugged in. The AcoustiFex L1 provides the standard Kepma onboard effects as before but now adds a Looper and a drum machine with patterns for Country, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Funk and metronome. All with adjustable tempo and level. The F2S-A Lamplight guitar has a rechargeable battery with a USB-C plug in on top and provides up to 30 hours of playtime depending on effects engaged. The F2S-A Lamplight as tested has a natural finish and the F2S-B has a Sunburst top finish. Street
price is $ 1,399 and includes a gig bag, plus the onboard effects can connect to the Kepma app( X2 Double +) via Bluetooth. The F2S-A played and sounded incredible, and the effects really warms up the tone. The built-in drum patterns are fun and usable and make this guitar hard to put down!
If you are looking for a budget conscious acoustic guitar that is loaded with features, then welcome to the Kepma Fenix. The starting price without AcoustiFex K19 Pro is $ 329.99 with raises the price to $ 399.99. Available in natural or Sunburst finishes the top is torrefied Sitka Spruce and the sides & back are layered African mahogany. Neck width is 1.7” with a satin finish neck, sides and top. 20 frets with a rosewood fretboard, bone nut & saddle with an acrylic Fenix inlayed at the 12 th fret. Fit and finish are incredible, although for my own playing style I would lower the action a little which can be accomplished via the truss rod. The mind blower on the Kepma Fenix is when you connect the Bluetooth and play jam tracks or your streamed music through the sound hole. The Kepma Fenix also includes a nice gig bag and is an incredible value at $ 329.99 or $ 399.99 as reviewed! www. kepmausa. com
Cort Guitar KX500 Pale Moon Electric Guitar If you’ re looking for an electric guitar that will stand out from the crowd, then take a closer look at the new Cort KX500 that we received to review this issue. The most stunning feature of the KX500 visually is the Pale Moon ebony veneer top in natural Black Burst. This guitar looks as fast and aggressive as it plays with a mahogany body, Macassa ebony fretboard, and 24 jumbo stainless-steel frets. Scale length is 25.5” with a D shaped neck and tasteful tear drop fretboard inlays with luminous side dot markers. The nut is Graph Tech black TUSQ, with 1 11 / 16” width at the nut, and the tuners are Cort locking tuners with a Cort hardtail bridge. All black hardware compliments the body finish, and the electronics are volume, tone and a three-way toggle for pickup selection. The pickups on the Cort KX500 guitar are superhot with Seymour Duncan Sentient and Nazgul humbuckers. Street price is $ 929.99 and this is a lot of guitar for the money. When I plugged the Cort KX500 Pale Moon into an amplifier the sustain delivered from the Seymour Duncan pickups and string through the body hardtail made every not ring and sing. The D shaped with roasted maple, 5 ply walnut and bolt on neck plays fast for soloing and chording up and down the neck. The KX500 plays well with distortion and overdrive effects but it can also be tamed back for more subtle guitar tones at lower volumes. At full volume the Cort Pale Moon has a fat round bass sound and soaring mid frequencies that will cut through any mix. If you are looking for a guitar that will push your playing and are needing an instrument for the heavier side of Christian worship music, consider the Cort KX500 Pale Moon. The sound quality of this Cort will gain as much attention as the beautiful body wood and finish! www. cortguitars. com
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