Guitar Journal: Old Zoo Lion Meat Fuzz & More
Plus, PRS announce first ever CEO (an actual musician) and Green Day promote new film
This week, we check out the latest collaboration from Jack White’s Third Man Hardware and boutique pedal maker Beetronics, the Old Zoo Lion Meat Fuzz, which comes in a tuna can! Next, PRS Guitars has just announced its first-ever CEO. Finally, we check out the new Green Day Nimrod movie coming next month, which they have just promoted at the San Diego Comic-Con.
Guitar Journal
Old Zoo Lion Meat Fuzz
Third Man Hardware and Beetronics launched a new limited run of the Old Zoo Lion Meat Fuzz pedal, housed in a tuna can-style enclosure. Unfortunately, they only built 333 units, and they all sold out very quickly. They were priced at $150 each and sold exclusively online via Reverb.
Tuned Fuzz?
It follows the same idea as Beetronics’ Tuna Fuzz, just it has been renamed the Old Zoo Lion Meat Fuzz and given a new graphic by Rob Jones, who collaborated with Jack White on the design. The design is based on the Samson and the Lion tale, and the pedal ships in a blister pack.
One Knob Wonder
This ‘fuzz in a can’ has a single knob labeled the Phlegmatic Roar, which controls the overall output of the fuzz circuit. Jack White loves his pedal collaborations, and this one looked fun; pity they didn’t make more.
As it is Beetronics, they took the extra time to create a cool-looking bee-themed PCB for the circuit, as they always go that extra mile with their pedal aesthetics.
Fuzz Love
If you like raucous fuzz, then Beetronics makes some absolute stonkers, and I would highly recommend the Swarm – Fuzz Harmonizer, which I own and adore.
Hopefully, this limited run will not be the last collaboration between the two, and maybe we will see more fuzz in the future. I adore Beetronics’ work, and Jack White is fun as a musician and gets that a little chaos is good for the soul. So fingers crossed!
PRS Guitars CEO
The world of guitars and CEOs has been very interesting of late. Fender just appointed a new one recently, and Gibson’s CEO is just about to move on to a new role. Now, PRS Guitars has officially announced the appointment of its first-ever CEO: Jack Higginbotham.
“Jack Higginbotham has been a leader with PRS since the beginning. He is deeply deserving of this role. I look forward to continuing our close relationship building and selling guitars and amps for the world,” – Paul Reed Smith, PRS Guitars Managing General Partner.
Actual Musician Running a Guitar Company!
I’m actually impressed, as Jack Higginbotham has been with PRS forever, and the guy is a real musician and not a corporate CEO-for-hire who once specialised in selling fashion to the masses or some other ridiculous claim on their professional CV.
He has been with PRS since 1985, so the beginning of the company we all know and love. Plus, he started out in the woodshop and worked his way up to where he is now. Which, in my humble opinion, is how you employ a CEO for a guitar company.
Yes, an actual gigging musician who knows what other musicians need- wow! Go check out his band, The Stoneflies.
Congratulations on your new official title, Jack, and “Keep on rocking!”
Green Day Serves Up Free Ice Cream!
Green Day took San Diego Comic-Con by storm on Friday, July 24, when frontman Billie Joe Armstrong traded his guitar for an ice cream scoop. The band pulled up to Gallagher Square outside Petco Park in a Mister Freezie truck, blasting their 1994 classic Basket Case and handing out free, custom Nimrod-branded frozen treats to crowds of fans.
Frozen ‘Nimrod’ Goodies
Lucky attendees didn’t just walk away with sweet treats—some snagged free t-shirts and limited-edition cassette tapes, making it the ultimate punk rock surprise.
The pop-up event was a stunt to hype the band’s upcoming coming-of-age movie, Nimrods, inspired by their hit 1997 album of the same name. Written and directed by Lee Kirk with direct guidance from Green Day, the film follows a young band embarking on a chaotic road trip to land an opening spot for the iconic punk trio.
When?
Nimrods hits UK theaters on August 11, followed by a US release on August 14. The Nimrods soundtrack promises to be a goldmine for fans. Dropping alongside the movie, the tracklist includes many Green Day classics alongside a brand-new single, “I’m Never Gonna R.I.P.”
Green Day Fever!
It’s been a bumper few weeks for Green Day fans, as we have seen the new Marshall Dookie amp head and the Epiphone BJA Les Paul Junior in a hot radiant red finish announced.
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