These are listed in no particular order.  And to be clear, I “wish” to get them this year.  This list does NOT mean I “will definitely” get them this year.  I don’t have a tree in my backyard growing US dollars…

Guitars:

• PRS Tremonti (US – and used is ok)
• Fender Strat (US) – just so I have a decent Strat in my collection that I didn’t put together myself using scrap parts (this one is low in order)
• Suhr Moderne (used is ok)
• An old beaten up Charvel to EVH-ify one to look like a Frankenstein
• A one off custom that I design and build with GGG on headstock
• Edwards Les Paul Custom John Sykes (one of my very favorite player ever)
• Jackson Demmelition

Trivium – In Waves
This is an album I had been anticipating even from 2010 when I first heard about it being released.  I must say it didn’t disappoint.  What was apparent was that the band pursued some new visual element almost being theatrical in appearance as well as their music videos.  I’m not the biggest fan of screaming vocal style employed on most of the songs here, but the guitar playing is nice and tight in most of the songs found on this album.

Machinehead – Unto the Locust
I was late getting on the Machinehead bandwagon.  So late in fact, I did not know who they were when I saw them opening up for Metallica last year at the Forum.  I would have head-banged HARD during such epic as Halo which I’m certain they played…  What a waste I didn’t know who they were back then.  Fast forward to present day, this is now one of my favorite metal bands of all time.  The harmonized dueling guitar playing between Robb Flynn and Phil Demmel is just epic for lack of better words.  Robb has mentioned several times during interviews that the new record wasn’t meant to be Blackening II.  I can’t say whether the new album was better or worse than the Blackening, yet I can safely say it was very enjoyable.  The band did not rest on its laurels and ventured into some new ideas which I loved dearly.

Anthrax – Worship Music
Somehow still considered to be a part of “Big 4″, Anthrax released an album this year which took me by a bit of surprise.   The album was definitely far more polished than I thought it would be.  But speaking honestly, there had to be a lot of massaging going on during the production.  If you watched on screen or at venues, Joey can’t really sing consistently in key as well as not able to hit high notes.  Yet the vocals are downright good in these recordings which is very puzzling.

Megadeth – Th1rt33n
Many critics have declared this album being at the same level as their monumental albums from heydays of Megadeth.  I am not sure if I would go that far but this was a great output from the band.  It is true Megadeth had a period where they put out albums that lacked a bit but in my opinion, they weren’t as bad as the ones that were put out by arch-rival, Metallica.  This album definitely showed Mustaine and crew heading into the right direction.  The songs were aggressive like before and tight technical playing was as expected.  I don’t think Dave is as angry as he used to be which takes some anger out of new songs but they are still very enjoyable.

Metallica & Lou Reed – Lulu
Let’s be fair.  This is not an official studio album of Metallica.  This is a project collab album.  Having said that, this album to me is downright not listenable.  There are some ‘tallica moments in this album but this should not have been…  I await Metallica’s new album eagerly to right the ship.

Other mentions:
Whitesnake – Forevermore (not really metal, but Aldrich’s playing is so tasty)
Rise Against – Endgame
In Flames – Sounds of Playground Fading
Dream Theater – A Dramatic turn of  Events (same ol’ from DT but this time minus Portnoy)

The reason that Gibson uses exotic wood is that their guitar designs are technologically outdated. They keep repeating the same old designs from the last century, so-called “vintage” guitars. They try to convince guitarists that you have to use wood for a guitar, as if it were Chippendale furniture.

But no one uses wood any more for tennis rackets, skis, race cars, or any other high-performance product. Wood is an inferior material because it is weak, unpredictably variable from piece to piece, and unduly affected by humidity.

You guys agree or is this guy smoking something?  More here.

Not sure what it is about Framus guitars, but I just can’t get into ‘em…  This is a signature model belonging to Earl Slick.  I had a chance to meet him during 2011 NAMM inside the Orange private playing booth.  Definitely had some rockstar attitude on him…