New Gibson Powerlines Tune Down Without Toning Down
 July 16, 2002
With Powerlines strings from Gibson, Nu-Metal guitarists can now tune down without losing the performance of standard string sets. This means no more muddy tone, no more slack strings resting on the fingerboard, no more flanging out of tune whenever you want to get heavy handed.
To capture the spirit of Powerlines, Gibson Strings commissioned Cleveland-based underground artist Derek Hess to design the string-pack graphics. Hess drew his inspiration from Matt Pike, lead guitarist for High on Fire. "I watch that guy play, and his fingers never leave the fretboard," Hess says. "He's squeezing the power out of the guitar."
Hess, whose artwork has been featured on CDs, magazine covers and posters, is the perfect artist for Powerlines. "I'm not a guitar player," he explained, "just a rock guitar fan. I've been drawing Les Pauls since I discovered Kiss in '76. I was just a tyke then."
"The tuning down thing," he added, "that's what all the bands do that I work with, and a lot of them that I dig."
In addition to creating images for bands, Hess is bringing artists and hardcore rock bands together with his upcoming HessFest tour. The events feature Hess and his artwork along with 15-20 bands performing on two stages, plus unknown local artists as well as local bands.
Powerlines are available in three gauges, all nickel-plated steel:
- Medium: .012-.052
- Heavy: .013- .056
- Heavy Low: .013-060
For more information, visit their web site at www.gibson.com. | 
