That Was The Year... 1992 Berlin, Bosnia and Brazil
THE HANK B MARVIN SIGNATURE
Stratocaster Is released by Squier and while not quite the real thing it answers the dream of many a would-be Marvin. The main features are all firmly in place: the Fiesta red finish, maple neck with black dot inlays and the vintage-style headstock shape. Annoyingly the tuners are modern style but the single-ply white scratchplate, pickups and vintage trem are spot on. Perhaps the most pleasing aspect is the neck, as its profile is quite simply exquisite.
PRIME MINISTER JOHN MAJOR
is unexpectedly re-elected in the general election, giving the Conservative party a forth term in office. Major announces that the economy is recovering and that could mean the end of the recession. Betty Boothroyd becomes the first woman Speaker of the House of Commons; the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (The Earth Summit) is held in Brazil; and the European Union is founded following the signing of the Maastricht treaty.
MARSHALL FINALLY PULLS THE PLUG
on its 4001 Studio 15 combo. Although it was the first Marshall amp to feature a 6V6 power valve, a 12-inch Celestion Vintage 30 speaker and an all-important headphone jack socket, it was only in production for six years. Simplicity itself, it had a no-nonsense approach of single channel with gain, treble, mid, bass and volume; handy to carry around, it became popular for recording but had reached the end of its shelf life.
BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA DECLARES INDEPENDENCE,
sparking a war between Muslims, Serbs and Croats and prompting the UN to intervene; new pilings for the Kinzie Street Bridge in Chicago rupture an older defunct tunnel that subsequently allows the river to pour into the basements of many office buildings in the Great Chicago Flood. The first nicotine patch is introduced to help people to stop smoking; and DNA fingerprinting is invented.
EURO DISNEY FINALLY OPENS;
Beijing hosts the first McDonalds to open in China; Prince Charles and Princess Diana announce they are separating; the Queen says she will now pay income tax; and a major fire breaks out in the private chapel room of Windsor castle.
DROPPING THE CLIMAXE BRANDING,
Patrick Eggle releases the Berlin and Berlin Pro under his own name. It’s a good move, for these two fine guitars are certainly something to be proud of. With maple-topped mahogany bodies and glued-in mahogany necks with two-octave ebony fingerboards both the hardtail Berlin and the Pro with locking Wilkinson Tremolo bridge, really catch the eye. Both guitars feature Seymour Duncan humbuckers but all four are individually made to Patrick’s taste. The Berlin has volume (with coil-tap), tone and selector switch while the Pro uses volume, rotary mode and coil selector, and three-way switch.