Boss Blues Driver VS Digitech Screamin' Blues

Earlier this year I was hanging out in guitar forums, go figure and I saw a thread about the Boss Blues Driver. There was some people discussing its merits and if they should buy one. A trusted source that reads schematics like children's books insisted that the Blues Drive and Digitech's Screamin' Blues overdrive was a direct copy of the BD-2. He even mentioned that some of the mods made famous by some, have been made mote by the addition of a Bass knob. This made Digitech's pedal look rather attractive. So, later, when I saw that MF had a Stupid Deal Of The Day where they sold the pedal for $30, I bought it. I do have a modded BD-2 so is the Screamin' Blues really its superior?

Boss BD-2 Blues Driver

The first time I ran across this pedal, I didn't like it. It seemed to make everything sound static-y. Running the tone past noon seemed to just make things thin. Running into a AC15, I couldn't get the two to jive. After chasing tone for a while, I came back around to the BD-2. I wanted to give it another go. Its application is legitimate. I do like it in some situations. I have a unit that is modded pretty heavily, mostly to increase the bass. Now the unit has a large, tight low-end. The pedal is a little bit of a sleeper, but usable.

The Digitech Screamin' Blues

Back to back these pedals sound very similar. When A/Bed The Digitech can match the stock BD-2 at every turn. With the more flexible tone section, the Screamin' Blues gets into other territories. It will get a little fatter sounds, and for the most part does a good just as adding bass without getting muddy. Is it the best sound Blues Drive pedal? No. It is flexible and usable. Unlike The BD-2, this pedal is usable out of the box. However, this pedal falls flat when you consider that it is difficult to mod and change if you wanted to. It also looks and feels cheaper. Digitech pedals don't hold up as well as Boss pedals do. Plus, they are a little wider, so make some room on your board.

Conclusion

Both of these pedals will give some nice tones. If you know how to tweak you tone, then I'm sure you'll find some setting that is pleasing. However, the best pedal just make you start changing your amp tone, but allow you to shape the pedals sound to compliment your amp. Stock, out of the box, I'd have to give the edge to the Digitech. However, I don't trust it. On the other hand, You can buy two for the price of one Blues Driver...

Ugly Truth About Mission Engineering Expression Pedal

A few months ago I picked up a Line6 M5 stomp box modeler. I have been openly critical about multi effects units here on this blog, but the M5 has impressed me. The entire M serious is impressive, but the M5 fits into your already established pedal board. I bought mine because I wanted a Slow Gear, Whammy, and Seek Wah. I didn't have a thousand dollars so I looked for a alternative. The M5 comes up all aces. There are a ton of bonuses. But this isn't a review of the M5, this is.

The main problem with this pedal is that there are so many things that are only unlocked when you add an expression pedal. This leads you on a journey in and of its self. Line6 offers an expression pedal. It is $50 and made of plastic. There are several places on the internet that document the unreliability of this pedal. I avoided this pedal and sought an alternative. The first expression pedal that I bought was a Boss FV-50. It was large and metal and an utter failure. It was on a list of compatible pedal that I found on Line6's support forum. I might have gotten my hands on a dud, so I returned. A little while later I was able to find a used Mission Engineering EP1-L6. For half the price of a new one and less than the Boss 'no go', I found my replacement.


It Works

So, Line6 typically doesn't function with most expression pedals. Basically, an expression pedal is just a pot wired between two jack. But there a tiny little fairies that have to bless each pedal that enables it to work with a particular type of pedal... or something like that. It actually has to do with the value of the pot and how it's wired up. It's simple, but also a little more complected than it seems. This pedal takes all the thinking out it. It even has the Line6 logo on it. It's a metal case with the right guts. So that seem pretty solid. What could be wrong with it?

It's Expensive

Like I previously said, It is a metal case, a pot and jacks. The parts make up $25 of cost, so that's about a 500% markup. True, Line6 probably makes their expression pedal for pennies, but for much less you can buy an actual Wah pedal that includes everything and an actual effect. I won't bash a business for making money, but when it comes to my dollars, I need a little more bang per buck. That's why I only bought this pedal when I found it used.

It's Roamy

The nice thing about Wah pedals is that they are spacious on the inside. Why is this a good thing? Well here is an idea. Imagine you are using you expression pedal to control a wah sound on your M5. How would you turn the effect on? By tapping the on/off button on the M5. But that's not how a wah works. You put the toe down and press, right? Why can't we do that with our expression pedal? The enclosure is already drilled for an input, output and switch. So wire in a looping circuit and you can engage your M5 when you stomp on it like a wah.

Conclusion

I can't really recommend buying this pedal outright. You could probably build one for way less... But this pedal works very well and is super solid. If you can can find it used, then it become much more reasonable. If you like to tinker, then you have a lot of options as for what to do with all that space. You can put a buffer or boost in there, or just a looper and status LED like I plan to...

Hands On Review Of The Electo Harmonix Crayon Overdrive

There has been a lot of talk about this little pedal. Most web-stores don't even have the Crayon on there sites yet. A local store selling through Reverb.com was able to hook me up with one. The main thing is that everyone wants to know what other pedal it sounds like. Well I've tried it out and I can now tell you. However, that would be blowing my load a little too soon. So here's what owning and using this particular pedal has shown me.

It's Pretty Good. 

A lot of people liked what they heard from the EHX video demos. The Soul Food was a huge hit, so when they debuted a new light/medium overdrive peoples ears perked up. The Four knobs are a departure from most of their small drive pedals. Giving us Bass and Treble to manipulate is a step up. The clipping is musical and satisfying. The Bass and Treble are responsive and flexible. The Gain take you from clean to filthy with a twist. There is plenty of meat on these bones too. Playing a Tele through a Vox AC15 you'd expect twangy and spanky, but with this pedal engaged you plenty of grunt to thicken up that Tele sound.

The Name Is A Little Silly, Considering...

This pedal is one of the best clean boosts with the gain dialed back. It really preserves the sound of your guitar when playing through it. It doesn't jack with your tone in a bad way. Tube screamers will always add that mid-hump, but this pedal, when set correctly, will give you your tone right back to you, only louder. But not much louder. Much of the volume remain hidden until you start to add gain. But that is the reason to buy an overdrive, right? Besides being named after a childish art utensil, "coloring you tone" is considered a no-no, so when the hype video said the pedal did just that, well, it was a little bit of a face-palm moment.

It Gets You Close To That Sound With Minimal Effort

If you look at my pedal board, you will see that I like stacking my gain pedals. I have a Soul Food almost always on and cranked up to push the next pedal (Tube Screamer/OCD/Super Badass). Some times I'll run the TS into the OCD to get really noisy. I like combining Overdrives with other pedals to simulate the effect of a overdriven amp while keeping to bedroom levels. Not to say that other pedals need  a another in front of it, but this pedal has gotten pushed-a-little-too-hard (in a good way) sound all by it's self. There are a lot of things that I like about the Soul Food in this pedal, but mixed with better EQ and great clipping section.

In Conclusion

If you are in the market for a single pedal to do must of the heavy lifting of your dirt section and don't want to full with stacking different pedals, then this might be right up your ally. What the Soul Food lacks in flexibility, The Crayon Does rather well, with the bonus of being transparent in the best way possible. This pedal is a little more than just the "pre" section of you gain section. It has the grunt to be your entire overdrive section. It does play well with other though. Especially if the other pedal is heavier. All in all this pedal is a great box. Even if it turns out to be heavily "inspired" by another pedal, this pedal is a great addition to an already pretty stellar list of pedals in EHX's line.

Ugly Truth About Counterfet Pedals

As anyone who appreciates a nice guitar pedal knows, there is a struggle between spending money on guitar stuff and other things that are less important, like food. So when you can, you try to find deals that make it possible to purchase more of the stuff you need, and maybe put gas in your car if their is a little left over. Recently I've patrolled the internet for a good deal. I found what seemed to be fair. What I traded for was a Surh Riot overdrive/distortion. This pedal is sold for about $200 which made it attractive. The general thought about this pedal is that it is well like. I was sold. So I made a trade of an unspecified amount, but one that I thought favored me. I was wrong...

It turned out to be a fake. There appears to be many of the fakes coming from mostly China. Here is some help information about keeping yourself safe from making the same mistake I did.

1. It's Hard To Tell The Fakes

It seems like this one would be a given. and it is. The people who set out to fool people with their pedals, try hard to imitate the original. I'm not saying that these are clones or copies that share a circuit, but pedals that function and look like the real thing, but are nothing but a sham. Sometimes it take a look on the inside to confirm the actual layout of the circuit or components used. If you suspect that your pedal might be a forgery, and if you aren't lucky enough to have access to a confirmed authentic pedal, Google is your friend. Most pedals have gut-shots on the internet. These are important to help you confirm your pedal. Forums are also handy to weed out your suspect pedal.

2. Pedals That You Think Could Be Fake Aren't

If you've ever tried to mod pedals, you know that even real pedal will have variances from time to time. Boss pedals are notorious about changes the circuits with-in the same models. Fulltone's OCD is on it's forth version. and nearly every other pedal that has been around long enough, have been changed to some extent. So what might look like funny business, might just mean that it is a difference version. It is important to know exactly what your are looking at before you call shanagins.

3. They Might Actually Be Decent Pedals

These pedals are based on, if not directly copying the original, so chances are that they sound like the originals too. The most surprising thing about my experience is that the pedal is good. I was surprised to learn that the pedal I've come to like was a fake. So the pedal that I thought I was getting a deal on, ends up being a decent pedal. If you look at it from a economist's perspective, the utility (how much something is worth to the actual user) is determined by how much the product it enjoyed. In theory, the copy could be enjoyed more. Especially when you consider that the copy is a fraction of the McCoy's price.

In Conclusion

These copies are a corrupt attempt to profit off the success of companies that have toiled for there success. It's an easy was to profit off of something they have not earned. The years dedicated to developing these circuits are often only worth it if the one responsible for that circuit can then turn that work into something profitably. If that product gets ripped off then it there is no incentive to design it in the first place. These imitators might claim to make something more affordable, but make no mistake. If they use the name of the notable original, then it is damaging, not only that particular maker, but the whole independent designer community.

Top 5 EHX Crayon Rumors

There has been a lot said about this pedal since it was teased by EHX a few days ago. Forums and blogs have been abuzz about how it shares it's name with a JHS pedal. Personally I am excited to check this pedal out for myself. There is a lot of speculation about what this pedal might have in common with other pedals. In other word: What kind of clone is this pedal. As exciting as it would be to have a inexpensive pedal to do the job of a pedal that might be financially out of reach of some player, other look at copy-cat pedals as rip-offs that are just attempts to make money off of other peoples work. No matter wear you fall on the issues of clones, new pedals are exciting. Lets look at what is being said about The Eletro Harmonix Crayon

It's a JHS Color Box Clone

Yep, this one is a little on the nose. JHS has not only put out a pedal of the same name, but they are similar in function as well. Some have mentioned the differences in the two, such as the toggle that is missing from EHX's pedal. Although they have added internal switches that match other clones. The Soul Food pedal has internal buffer switching. Maybe this is a little surprise they are waiting to expose closer to it's commercial release. EHX hasn't really been this spot on with a name before. The TS clone is almost entirely green, but it was named East River Drive. The Klon Centar gives clones lot opportunity to riff on the name, my favorite being the Tumnus from Wampler, but EHX went with Soul Food. Still don't really 'get it', but hey...

Mike as he hints that the Crayon is a Fulltone clone...

It's a Timmy Clone

This is a little more simple to unpack. The Crayon has four knobs. The Timmy has four knobs. The Timmy is a popular pedal. EHX has a habit of copying popular pedals. This one isn't as much reserch driven theory as it is process of elimination. Whats the most popular four knob, light-to-medium gain pedal on the market... That must be it. The Timmy is based on the Tube Screamer with more control over the EQ. It's a great pedal. It might, in fact, bear more than a passing resemblance to the Crayon. What I've heard so far doesn't really lead me to think that, but I'm wrong a lot.

It's an RC Booster

This one is a little bit of a stretch. The circuit could share some similarities, but the reasons the comparison has been made in the first place is just mind-blowing. So, people other than my self have stated that the link between these pedals are the names. Crayon begins with the letters C and R. Turn those around and you get RC. There you have it. Rock solid proof that the Crayon is a RC Booster. The RC is a popular four-knob pedal, so there is that as well. But like I said before, word play is not one of EHX's strong suits. Nor naming things in general. Muff, Cock Fight, Glove... eh, I guess we'll buy anything that we think sounds good.

It's a Soul Food With a JHS Type Mod

Jeez, I hope so. I would buy two if this was the case. The only thing is, this would be utterly stupid for EHX to do. Why put out a pedal so closely related to your other pedal, but better. The Bass Soul Food is just that, a four knob Soul Food, although the fourth knob with a signal mix. The pedal went form transparent overdrive to just transparent to the point you can't tell if it is on. But you'll notice that the extra feature came with extra cost. Again we have extra features with the bass knob, but no added cost this time. It looks like they are able to assemble these pedals for no more that the other affordable clones they've been putting out.  What makes this hold a little bit of water is the fact that they are marketing this 180 degrees from the Soul Food. The Soul Food is a "transparent overdrive" where as this is meant to "color" your tone. Now they can sale you two pedals to do the job that normally one pedal has done. Sneaky...

It's a Robert Cray pedal

This is fun, Robert Cray is a blue musician. I have him playing it the background as a write this right now. Fun fact, it been said that Mr. Cray doesn't use pedals. Although I hear delay on his guitar right now... anyhow. I have not been able to confirm and use of drive pedals in the video of the live set that I am playing currently. He does have a Fender and Matchless amp among other accessories (none of which are pedals) on stage to shape his tone. Why would he. He is employing overdriven amps to make his overdrive. Why use a pedal that emulates an amp when you can just use a cranked amp. Robert Cray's tone is awesome and I would buy just about any pedal that could make me sound like that. Why have people said that this is true? The name, and the fact that his tone is mostly clean, much like the Crayon. Cray...Crayon... just too close to not be mentioned...

What do I think about all this... well, in a few days it won't even matter. We will have all the answers. But it's fun to speculate in the meantime.

Ugly Truth About EHX Crayon Overdrive

So EXH have done it again. They have birthed a new pedal that everyone (that pays attention to such things) is talking about. I noticed a post this morning about these colorful pedal. I first thought that it was something old catalog that hadn't seen the light of day in ages. It doesn't seem to really fit in with the modern aesthetic that EHX drive pedl have been given lately. It almost looks more at home with the Pitch Fork or Key Board modulators put out recently. Looks aside, this pedal has gotten my attention. It's is a low gain overdrive that adds 'color' to your sound. Whatever that means... Electro Harmonix released a promo video that makes it looks like the bee's knees, but given their long list of drive boxes, do we even needs this thing?

It Is A Light Overdrive

With a million klones out their, why do we need yet another light overdrive? The Klon is the end-all be-all right? Well, even with the relationship that the Soul Food pedal and Klon share, there are still those that tamper with the circut. I've considered having mine modded to add more bass with the JHS Meat and Potatoes mod. There is room for improvement. However JSH add a oddly placed knob on the side of the pedal. The layout of the pedal does not allow for it to be front facing. Is this an attempt to to capitalize on that trend without hindering the Soul Food's reputation and sales?

There Is Another Crayon

So remember when I called "crayon" a dumb name for a pedal? Well, looks like JHS disagrees with me too. Sure, pedals color our tone, but do we really want to name a pedal after a waxy, fagile relic of our childhood? Two major pedal manufactors do. I will admit, I like the designs that EHX have done for the Crayon. JHS has done a modern flat design that has always appealed to me. The two of these pedal coming out like this is almost uncanny, but they appear to be different enough to be unrelated. Will one maker bend and rename their box? Have we run out of good names to call these things? I do see a trend in EHX pedal names though. Glove, Food, River, Fork, Key... They are just looking around the room and naming things! 

"What should I name this pedal? Where did that crayon come from? Wait! That's it!" Honestly, look around the room you are in. If you look hard enough, you'll find a crayon... Somewhere. Please, people in  charge of naming these things, talk to the guy that names the Earthquaker Devices pedals. Get some tips. 

Im Going To Buy It

Yes, I have a problem. I own too many dirt pedals. The problem is that they are all so different (yet all the same). And for the most part, they are affordable. There is no pedal I enjoy more than a dirt pedal. I love them. I always like to see how they effect my tone. EHX has made them rather affordable and to me, that is a recipe for disaster. I've already hounded my local music store about getting one. When I inquired about the availability of the Crayon, my friendly pedal pusher asked me "How do you know about that?!" I make it my business to know these things. And I follow EHX on Twitter...

Want more on the Crayon? Check this out! 

The Problem With Pedal Boards

So I was about to play a set when I decided to move my pedals around. I had a solid break in the action so I went to work. Long story short, I had completely dismantled my board and was trying to re-rout my Ernie Ball Volume Pedal... Action time came and my board was still a useless pile of pedals... I tried to wire up a small chain of my key stuff, but there wasn't time. I went straight to the amp and made due.

 ilovefuzz.com

Pedal Boards Are Complected

Whether you have five pedals or fifty, pedals need to be set up correctly or they wont work. Have a cable in the wrong spot, or slightly unplugged and there won't be any sound. Have a bad cable and there could be all kinds of terrible sounds. Bad ground can be a killer too. Noisy pedals will need to be tamed with some kind of gate. Batteries will run out. Everything needs to be running correctly for it all to work.

They Add Tons of Cable

Between each pedal is a patch. Most patches are about 6 inches. I have about 15 pedals on my board, so that means adding at least 7.5 feet. Opinions about buffers not withstanding, This extra cable can add capacitance, in turn reduces your tone's clarity. Smart usage of buffers can help with this, but also add more complexity to your rig.

The Bigger The Board, The Bigger The Headache

Just like my case, it you want to move things around or change something, it often involves moving everything. This can be difficult and time consuming. The patches, the power, it all has to be moved and re-arranged. The Order and placement all have to be considered. All things considered, your signal chain can take hours of consideration. Many of my idle minutes are spend thinking about what pedal should go before or after another.

Even though Pedal Boards are a huge pain, and they can even hinder you sound if you aren't careful, they are still a staple of guitarists' rigs. Your pedals make up as much of your sound as the guitar and amp you choose. So whether you run one or one hundred effects, the end result has to be something that you are satisfied with.

Ugly Truth: Raygun Effects

Among my internet viewing, I found a company out of the UK that sell effects. I know right, the UK thinks it can make effects...? Well hold a second because these guy might surprise you.

Boutique gear is expensive. Don't let anyone tell you any different. If someone put their hands on it to build, then you are paying twice what a sane person would. But it all for not because it's just a pretty clone of something someone made a hundred years ago... blah blah blah. Now that that is out of the way, Raygun Effects doesn't seem like your typical boutique pedal builder.

The Prices

Don't let the exchange rate fool you, those are actually decent prices for a handmade piece of gear. Yes, they are heavy on the fuzz pedals, but they also have range of other pedals. This marks one of the only times I've thought that one of the small operations that make awesome sounding/looking pedals to have down to earth prices. Plus they are just too cool. Their boost is just over $60 USD.

The Looks

Did I mention that they look so dang cool. The boost comes with an old school skirted amp knob (so you know it sounds good) and everything else has been given loads of detail to set it apart from the normal, powder coated, metal flake, boxes that we see. Good job to the guys at Raygun for finding that look that suits them and sets them apart.

Bass Effects

These guys know what they're doing. They are taking care of the bass player. The guy that doesn't geek out about his gear so hard it make everyone nauseous, needs a little love too. Again Raygun has features that set them apart from anyone else. These pedals respectable in every way.

Is The KLON The New Tube Screamer?

Most of us that have peered behind the curtain of our guitar effects have noticed a trend that seems as old as the electric guitar (and its little effects buddies). People have been 'cloning' gear before 'cloning' was even a thing. Before the commercial success of the electronic effects industry, guitarist have been emulating one another in a myriad of ways. In the time before solid-bodied electric guitars, modified arch top guitars plugged into amplifiers were stuff full of rags to eliminate feed back. Amplifiers were modified with 'master' volume knobs to push the unit into situation. Beer bottles were used to emulate the sounds of a African folk instrument call the 'diddly bow'. These ideas were popularized and improved upon. We now owe solid-body guitars, overdrive and slide guitar to these trends. As we think back to a time when the lowly Tube Screamer was introduced, before the host of modifications were made common. One of the greatest guitarist famously used the Tube Screamer to shape his legendary sound. Fast forward thirty years and we see the trend again, only with a new name.

The Klon has an epic back story. Back in the mid 90s Bill Finnegan built the first Klon Centaurs. From there the popularity and mythos behind the pedal blossomed. Many popular players picked up on the pedals lure. The used value of the pedal skyrocketed when production of the centaur stopped. In the following years Bill, in partnership with others, developed the KTR to have the same effect while using surface mounted components. The trajectory of the klon follows that of the Tube Screamer. If we apply the same logic, what does this mean for the Klon? Well, if history serves: clones, mods, and and reissues.

Clones... There are tonnes of clone of the Centaur. A list would be academic, but makers have been producing these since the original has gone out of production. The replications haven't stop since the introduction of the KTR either. Wampler just released the Tumnus which puts the Centaur in a tiny package. Mods are common as well. The originals are still too sacred to tamper with (they are also covered in epoxy). But many mods have become popular for the clones and facsimiles. Reissues my just be an inevitability. At the moment, Finnegan seems unmotivated to produce any more Centaurs in any large amounts.

5 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Buying A New Pedal

Lately I've run into a problem. My pedal board is full of great pedals. I know. That is a horrible problem to have, but hear me out. I may or may not have GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). I like to buy and try new gear, a lot. So when I see something shiny, or new, or cheap, I feel like I have to buy it. However, I just can't seem to figure out why. I love the way my rig sounds. Would it get better if I had the new/shiny/cheap pedal that has caught my fancy? Most likely not. But I still want it. For a while this would cause me to buy the gear and then ultimately regret it and sell it. Is this just part of pedal board evolution or is it the symptom of a great issue. Either way, I've devised a list of question to aid in determining whether your gear purchase is warranted. (Disclaimer: this is only a guide. This works for me, but ultimately you gotta do you and make your own decisions)

Do I Already Have One Of Those?

Jump on any guitar forum and you'll see that the new, spiffy pedal that is coming out is only a clone of another pedal that has been a around for ages. Take the Tube Screamer. The Tube Screamer lives in so many variations that it is hard to even compile an accurate list of all of them. Just assume anything made by Ibanez and painted green is a TS. Other companies have made their versions as well. Boss has the SD-1, EHX has the East River Drive, Digitech has the Bad Monkey, BBE has the Green Driver and just about any Boutique builder has their own take on the old circuit. So if you have a mid-hump overdrive that you like and the pedal you are salivating over closely resembles the one that you own... maybe think twice before throwing down your money. At least A/B them to decide if the differences are even noticeable.

Do I Need Another One Of These?

Similar to the first question, this question deal with the category of the pedal in question. For instance. My board is a little heavy with dirt pedals. I have to cover a lot of bases when I play, so I like to be prepared for just about anything. I have 6 different dirt pedals to cover anything thing from transparent OD to Fuzz. Overkill? Sure. But I can choose a different voice for each sound if I needed to. In the past few weeks I've been temped to get googly-eye over some pedals. The DOD 250 reissue has been temping. The Wampler Tumnus is another that is just too cool not to dig. But I have those bases covered. There are others that have really tempted me, like the Visual Sound/Truetone VS-XO and the JHS Sweet Tea, not to mention the VFE R(ainbows U(nicorns & )P(uppies). The Question goes like this:

"Man, that _______ looks awesome!"
"Do I need another ________?"
"YES!"
"Really?!"
"yes...?"
"..."
"no." (feeling sorry for myself ensues)

Will I Use This?

There are some weird effects out there. I love weird effects. I bought a Line6 M5 just so I could make weird noises with my guitar. One of the most talked about pedals right now tries to turn you guitar into an electric piano. There you have it, weird noises are cool, but do you really have a place to use that weird noise in your Top 40 cover band? Probably not. If you have the means and you want to make weird noises, then by all means buy the darn thing, but if you are like me and don't have a ton of disposable income to blow on a pedal that seems fun, then think again. Some things are gimmicks. Novelties don't hold up. You get tired of them quickly, aren't helpful, and will be cast out in short order. The M5 makes lots of cool noises, and I use it, but I most just use the reverb or some other subtle effect. That Step filter, that I thought was so cool, has yet to make a appearance on stage.

Why Do I Want This Pedal

This question can only be answered by the person asking it. (that sounds pretty meta, right?) It the world of guitar effects, there is a lot to be said for hype. The Klon (and all it's copies) has had a long life due to the crazy amount of hype that accompanies the pedal. Boutique builders and modders will tell you all that great things they've done to familiar circuits to make that so much better. But all the fancy words about NOS parts and HIFI mods and so on, are just that, words. Side by side most of these boutique creations are hard to discern from the original product. Pretty boxes and trendy names might sound appealing, but it doesn't translate into a better sounding pedal. This might be the hardest question to answer, because you have to be honest with yourself. Sometimes a good price will temp me to throw down some cash, but just because it's cheaper at Store B than Store A doesn't mean you need that pedal any more.

Can I Afford It

Maybe the simplest question on the list. It is possibly the most important as well. It should always be the last one to ask. After you have past all the other questions, you then need to ask yourself whether or not it is a smart financial decision. I have a budget that limits my pedal buying. I make special exception now and then, but for the most part I try to limit my pedal buying, because if I don't, it will get out of hand. I often stretch my budget by buying used pedals and by trading. I'm fortunate to have a large group of great musician that are almost always willing to swap and trade (sometime even loan out gear). This is invaluable. If you don't have a group like this, then try to start one. The internet is a great place, but you have to read past the sales pitches. (that's why I'm here). A good group of musician-friends should be straight up with one another.

So those are my 5 question to ask yourself before buy a new pedal, or any gear really. I have to ask myself those same question quite often. I don't always like the answers but it helps me sleep at night when I think about all those pedals I could have. When funds are low, it helps to remember that I probably don't need that pedal anyways. When I have funds it helps me choose the best pedal to spend my money on. I hope this help you guys deal with your GAS!

GMF Bullseye Pedals

GMF amps is a little company that mostly produces an acoustic DI. This DI has been featured by Guitar Player magazine, but for most of the guitarist community, they are an unknown. A visit to their webpage will only bring you information about the DI and a small line of effects that are now in development. In fact, this company relies on Kickstarter campaigns the fund the production of its effects. This actually makes a lot of sense and seems to limit the cost of the units. In stead of taking a gamble on mass production, or charging a mint for small batch pedals, GMF will know exactly how many unit they need to sell. This could change the way small effect developers create and distribute their products.

A Closer Look

Lets start with the Distortion.

GMF Touts "Proprietary circuits" for each of their designs. This is somewhat of a good sign considering how many cases of effect companies cloning each others circuits (I'm looking at you, EHX) However, there is something that look a little suspicious. Maybe it's the model name "DS-1" that has has been everyone's first distortion pedal ever (the Boss DS-1). I'm not say that it is a DS-1 clone... MXR has that down, but that could have called it anything else and it would be better.

There is a Chorus

 So this is the Bullseye Chorus. Organic and lush, this chorus is a reminder of more classic effects. The pedal is warm, like a CE-2 with the added benefit of a level knob. Fans of the old school will probably appreciate this pedal for it's subtle qualities. However, dramatic 'warble' sounds are possible with this unit as well. This really is an expressive unit. GMF's description states that you can use this unit with a varity of instruments, and I believe that claim.

And a Delay

The DL-1 is a simple analog delay that seems to fit in with the rest of the lot. Warm, analog repeats are present. The delay time might be limited, but super long delays are for the digital units. If you are looking for a warm, vintage sounding delay, then this might be a option for you.

The Reverb

Those looking for the Fender verb in a can may see themselves picking up one of these units. The Two knobs make this pedal very simple, however limited. The unit emulate a spring reverb, and calls to mind the spacious sounds made by a clean Fender amp. There isn't much you can do to improve on that.

Conclusion

These pedals may not be game changing in them selves, but the space saving design (they are about the size of two 'micro' pedals side by side, and top-oriented jacks make them pedal board savvy. The option to power them with a 9-volt or a power adapter is nice to see in small pedals. These pedals are what the big effect companies try to be, relevant.

Is The Electro Harmonix Key9 A Disappointment

The other day, I was able to sit down with the Electro Harmonix Key9 Keyboard Modulator pedal. It was exciting. This is probably one of the most anticipated pedals of 2015. I know that there isn't a shortage of media out there about this pedal, but my experience was a little surprising.

The Sounds

Let me begin with the B9 and C9. These two pedals do similar functions. They both make you guitar sound like different type of organs. Piano sounds seem closely related to organs, so the Key9 seems almost a shoe-in for EHX. However, The two instruments are vastly different, thus the Key9 and the B9/C9 must make very different sounds. And they do. In my own head, I expect to be immersed in the polyphonic tones of keyboard when I plugged into this pedal, however when I ran the pedal 100% it still produced guitar like sounds. To be honest, I'm not extremely familiar with all the instrument the Key9 emulates. In my opinion the best sound the pedal made were the ones that were ones most different than the guitar. Steel Drums and Vibe were my favorites. They were convincing and a lot of fun to play.

The Disappointment

The Rhoads. I wanted this pedal for one reason. The suitcase setting was supposed to reproduce the famous Fender Rhodes suitcase piano. The demo EHX put out was a little underwhelming when it came to this setting. The flanger that is included on the setting is a little off putting as well. Even at the lowest setting it was a little too much. (of course the knob is there for 'speed' and not depth or mix so it's a little hard to tame in that respect) My biggest gripe is that this setting and others weren't far enough away from the guitar that originated the signal.

WHY?!

Yes, why is this pedal the luke-warm brother to the two coolest pedals in recent years? I have a prospective answer. Where as the organ is typically played by air moving through pipes, or some approximation of this, the piano is a string instrument. Yes, its played with a keyboard, just like an organ, but the sounds are derived just like a guitar. The Key9 emulates electric pianos, but the electric pianos were the 80's answer to acoustic pianos. So in reality the Key9 tries to sound like something trying to sound like a piano. It's modulation inception!

In Conclusion

I probably won't be buying this pedal. Even though I loved the concept. I was rather disappointed by the sounds. Maybe I had to much expectation going into this. I really wanted to be blow away by how authentic the sounds were, just like when I played the B9 and C9. However I was left turning knobs trying to coax a little more piano out of the box. I'll keep my eye out for some videos and or posts with hints to maybe get some more realistic tones and maybe revist this one, but right now it is proving to be a substantial let down.

DigiTech Ventura Vibe

This pedal was brought to my attention lately. It seems that Digitech has rounded out their boutique-y pedal line with a Vibrato. Again, this pedal is pretty. Hotrod Red and chrome all over, it is a looker. What about on the inside? Does this pedal have what it takes to be the best vibe out right now?

As of this posting, this pedal does not seem to be released for sale. However, we can learn a lot the guys over at Pro Guitar Shop and their review. The controls are pretty standard-fare. Speed, Depth, Mix and Tone. The stacked knob on the bottom right adds Drive. This is interesting for a Vibrato pedal. What stands out the most is the switch on top. This pedal has three settings: Vintage, Modern and Rotatory. Easily making this an extremely flexible pedal. Add true-bypass, Stereo In and Outs, and Tank-like build this is a lot of pedal in a little box. If you stick an expression pedal input on this pedal then I'd say it would be unbeatable.  

Wampler Delevleping A Deluxe Tumnus (KLONE)?

Spending my morning reading some threads over at the fretboard, I found one about the new Wampler Tumnus. One thing led to another and I found this page. Brian Wampler, of Wampler pedals, seems to be very engaged with the online community. This isn't a surprise since he has a podcast and has even comment on this humble blog. Brian has engaged the people interested in his product better than most any other pedal developer.


When reading a the thread linked above, I noticed that there is a little disdain surrounding the Tumnus pedal. I enjoy the transparent-overdrive/treble-boosty qualities that come with a KLON circuit. I also enjoy saving space on crowded pedal boards. The Wampler Tumnus seemed to fill a gap in the KLONe offerings. Regardless, people seem to find fault will what Brian is doing. The idea that Wampler is only trying to cash in on making a compact KLON clone while that trend seem to be in full swing (thanks to the EHX Soul Food) is touted about. I find this a tad unsavory. It seems unfair to criticize a person for wanting to make a pedal that people want to buy. But this is what we find. Brian has done an excellent job of explaining why he has build this people (people asked him to).


Is There A Deluxe Version On The Way?


Allow me to step off my soap box for a moment and get back to the point at hand. If you clicked on the link at the beginning of this and read through everything, then you might have noticed that Brian alluded to a Deluxe Tumnus. Saying that if he put the circuit in a bigger box then he'd be temped to add extra features and mods. This is a more exciting prospect then a tiny KLON. So Brian, if you are reading this, please explore the Deluxe Tumnus. I have been a fan of your dirt pedals for a while and I have nothing but faith in your abilities to make an amazing pedal.

Are Joyo Pedals Worth It?

No one wants to overpay for anything. I often look for bargains when shopping for music gear. I regularly check the Stupid Deal Of The Day at Musicians Friend. (not a sponsor) I keep tabs of craigslist. I'm a member of Facebook pages were locals post music gear. I'm always on the lookout for a good deal/trade. So when looking at pedals of EBay, one will notice pedals with bargain basement prices. Joyo is probably the most talked about brand in this category. That begs a question, are these extremely affordable pedals worth it? Let's see.

Just like any other pedal brand, no pedal will suit every player. Joyo has amassed a line of pedals long enough that they is sure to be a pedal that is at least appealing to most any player. Many of these pedals are clones, or at least close facsimiles of others. The ones you see mentioned in the forums the most are the gain pedals. Ultimate Drive, Vintage Overdrive, AC Tone, and the Hot Plexi are praised by many. Two of these (the Ultimate Drive and Vintage Overdrive) are 'clones' of an OCD and TS-808 respectively. I've owned an Ultimate Drive (due to a fulfillment error) and gave it a run through. It wasn't a bad pedals at all, but not something I was looking for. However, according to a credible source, my beloved EHX Glove OD is a Ultimate Drive clone!? The latter two pedals are pedals that are voice like a Vox (AC Tone) and a Marshal Plexi (Hot Plexi, duh). All these pedals are spoken of favorably by many.

There are many videos of Joyo pedals, but anything you find on YouTube, and other sites like it, is compressed. You can heard minor differences sometimes, but definitive answers are not found in these videos. I've personally owned several and have tried many of these pedals. I've found that their construction and reliably are solid. But the main aspect to any effect is the sound. In every case, I've found pedals that I've preferred to the Joyo pedals. Joyo fuzz fell to a Big Muff, Joyo Comp yielded to a vintage Ross Comp clone, Joyo Ultimate Drive... well I don't remember because it was replaced by something else... maybe a modded Blue Driver. The following is not an original thought: The difference between Joyo pedals and the ones that may be preferred to them will/can not be heard by the average audience member.

There is a certain effect that brands of pedals like Joyo have. Joyo pedals are extremely affordable and prolific. They are mass produced and many guitar player have come across or used one. But the fact that they are prolific and affordable make them like desirable. There are some exceptions. Lots of people have said that prefer a cheaper pedal to a more expensive one, but this may just be this principle in reverse. There is a certain desirability of an obscure or price exclusive piece of gear. We see pros play guitars with unfamiliar names and shapes. Boutique builders have been capitalizing on this effect for as long as there has been boutique gear. Mods were once a rarity, Analog Man had a huge waiting list on his King Of Tone pedal, and can you say KLON. All these had a allure (or hype) about them due to their unavailability. Joyo has the opposite. A Ultimate Drive might be the same as my Glove OD, but I'll prefer my Glove. Sure Its a cheap pedal, but it's not that cheap.

In Conclusion, Joyo pedals are a affordable option. Just like any other pedal, you have to play them to know whether or not you like what they do. They good thing about Joyo is that picking one up just to try won't drain your bank account. I've read reviews saying that where people have received the wrong people. I can also confirm that this happens, as its happened to me. Besides that, I haven't heard anything about Joyo pedals failing to work. So it seems that they are reliable. Are there pedals that sound better than Joyo pedals? Sure. Are there cheaper pedals? Not many. Can you find decent pedal that for reasonable price? Well, give it a try.

Guerilla Warfare Pickups: Tactical Tele Humbucker

If you know me much, you should know that I am pretty big Tele guy. I've been playing Tele for nearly as long as I've been playing the guitar. I've played and owned several other guitars but it seem that I trend toward the T-shape. So when I saw this boutique pickup builder making this particular 'bucker I got very excited. I mean, look at it:

eww... preeeetty

Besides looking like awesomeness in pickup form, The description of this pickup makes you would to buy a pair... or all of the pairs:

Built for attitude and definition; these pickups offer a great blend of PAF Humbucker warmth and vintage Telecaster tones. Designed to maintain that traditional Tele tone, while providing a bigger sound with more volume, and of course, no 60-cycle hum or buzz. Tactical Tele Pickups have a raw, aggressive midrange, clear creamy treble and a fat bottom end to provide plenty of punch and attack. Pickups include nickel silver covers, mounting rings, and are wax potted with either single or 4 conductor shielded pickup leads. 

Alnico V magnets 
Moderate/High Output 
Neck Pickup 11.75K 
Bridge Pickup 12.50 
DC resistance is approximate

Check it out for your self, here.

Fulltone OCD VS Joyo Ultimate Drive

From time to time I hear the comment that the Joyo Ultimate Drive is a clone of the Fulltone OCD pedal. Some have gone as far as to say that they are the same pedal with different paint jobs. This is a very enticing rumor. Would you like a $130 pedal for only $40? then just buy it from Joyo instead of Fulltone. I wanted to test this out for my self so I acquired both pedals are ran a simple test.

The Similarities




The pedals have similar layouts. Three knobs and a mini toggle. Everything seems to be in the same places. They both are light to medium gain pedals. They have similar soft clipping circuits, not to say they sound "the same", but one can tell that they both try to fill the same spot.




The Differences




The PCBs are not the same or even close. The UD has less mids and more gain. This might appeal to some. The OCD does a good job of cleaning up and being more transparent. I don't always like the more expensive pedals. I use a EHX Glove OD that "clones" the OCD (or does it copy the UD?) as well. This and EHX East River Drive (a TS-808 clone) are my main dirt pedals in my set up. The OCD is just a more tame-able pedal. There are good sounds in the UD. They are just harder to uncover (to my ears).




Conclusion




Both of these pedals are worth a look. If you are looking for a great gain pedal, then check both of these guys out. They have their own sounds and respond a little differ from one another, so take a little time to get to know them. They are endorsed by many, however I don't see my self giving up a spot on my board for either one of them.

Ugly Truth: Pig Hog Cables

For a few years, I've been using Pig Hog patch cables. Why? I've found them in 4-packs for about $12. They are fat and though. They come in a ton of different lengths. (I haven't gone in for the "make your own cable" trend). So, when looking for 20 foot cables, I took a look at what Pig Hog had to offer.

They Are What They Are

That sounds like a non-point, but these are cables. I don't know how to make something as utilitarian as cables sounds exciting. There isn't a long list of features for cables. There are some some cables that try to "change the game" but these aren't those. They do come in some fun colors and have gold plated tips. The cables are extra thick which can be a good and a bad thing. A thin cord is more flexible, but can feel flimsy. A thick cable won't be floppy, but can bind up when you need to make a sharper bend.

They Seem A Little Gimmick-y

The packaging and name suggest the product is a little cartoon-ish. Besides basically being named "swine swine" cables and being adorned with a actual cartoon pig, these cables don't really stand out. That is until you pick them up. Usually you can tell a speaker cable and instrument cable by the thickness, but these feel like a speaker cable, but they aren't, they are super insulated and dressed in a heavy coating of rubber.

Conclusion 

They are over-build tour grade cables that hold up to a lot of use. Not to mention that they are relatively inexpensive and come with a lifetime warranty. They've put out tweed wrapped cable in a few cool colors. Seafoam Green, Dafine Blue, and Orange Cream are really nice to look at. I'm pretty impressed with these cables

Ugly Truth: TC Electronic Sentry

TC Electric is at it again with the new Sentry Noise Gate. Known for their quality effect, TC Electronic has put together a line of effect that are praised by many for their quality and flexibility. This pedal appears to be no different. The force is strong with this one due to the Toneprint technology. Not only doe it appear to be a smart noise gating pedal, but it's features are unlocked by its editable setting via linking to your computer or smart-device. Just like TC Electronic's other formidable offerings, this pedal is has been well though out. It looks like a pretty favorable picture, or is it?

It's A Yawn

Let's take a look at TC Electronic's new offerings lately: clip-on tuner, acoustic pre-amp and noise gate. Not exactly exciting stuff. But let's not forget that this is what TC Electronic is good at. Yes, the Polytune clip-on and BodyRez aren't flashy, but those are tools that are indispensable. Honestly, these are what TC Electronic are best at. The Mojo Mojo and Dark Matter are not as highly praise as their other offerings. Their Hall Of Fame reverb and Flashback delay are highly desired effect. Their Toneprint technology is a exciting feature that lets you apply famous artist's actual settings.

What It Does Is Nothing

Sure, it is a noise gate. It does what it does. It takes the noise that you don't want out of the signal. When you engage it, all your problems should go away, but what ends up happening with most of these pedal is that your tone ends up going away with it. When you watch the promotional video (because that is a thing now) you hear all about how it won't effect your tone at all. Does it work like that? Maybe.

Conclusion

Let's get down to business, this pedal comes from an impressive pedigree. Priced at around the cost of a comparable unit and promising performance that is unparalleled, This pedal is posed to take the noise gate pedal market in a fell swoop. This comes at a great time. I've recently added compression to my pedal rig and it can get a little noisy. This pedal would be my pick for a noise gate.

8 Ways To Make Your Life More Musical

If you meant to click on this post then you like music, or maybe you want to like music more. If you don't like music then I don't know whats wrong with you (also, why are you reading this?). Never the less, I'm going to give you 10 ways to make your life more musical. Let's start:

1. Listen To Music

Simple, right? Sure we listen to the radio when we are in the car. We hear music in movies and TV shows. Music is all around us, but sometimes we take it for granted. Sometimes music is down graded to "pretty noise". In a fast paced lifestyle we often don't take to time to listen to music while doing nothing else. Actively listening to a piece of music will take your full attention.

2. See A Concert

Similar to listening to music, seeing a concert takes your full attention. Life doesn't always let us attend the concerts of our choosing. Maybe they are out of town or sold out. Perhaps our favorite artists are no longer living. What ever the case, the internet is our friend. Invest in some nice headphones and plug them in to your favorite computer/device. Crank it up a little too load and immerse yourself in the show.

3 Learn An Instrument

Many people are intimidated by learning an instrument. Don't be turned off by the learning curve. Playing an instrument can be a great way to wind-down and chill-out. With just a few chords you can play most popular radio tunes. Guitar, Piano, Drums, or anything else that you'd like to learn will help your life become more musical. Even if your skill doesn't ever get you past "novice" you still get to proudly display your awesome instrument with pride.

4. Take A Music Class

Music classes are offered at any college or even a online class. These classes are great to learn about the origins of music, how music is written, or just how to sound like you know what you are talking about when you discus music with your friends. If you aren't a musician, you can still talk like one.

5. Learn To Read Music.

Whether you play or not. you can learn what all those little symbols mean and feel superior to all that people who just act like they do. If you do play an instrument, reading music is very helpful. Being able to convey ideas about music in written form can be very help. Just like English, Music is a langue. Reading and writing music will help you be more musical in a technical since at least.

6. Learn To Sing

Whether you like to sing or not, learn the proper techniques to sing. There are times in life when you need to sing. Someone wants to sing Christmas carols, Sunday morning church, boaring road trips... Why not prepare a little bit and be the best singer in the group.

7, Join A Forum

There are communities on the internet for nearly everything. If you like a certain genre of music, I'm sure there are others like yourself. Meet these people in a online, text-based medium. Discuss the superiority of the type of music that you like.

8. Subscribe To A Music Blog

Yep. The last thing on the list is a shameless plug your your to subscribe to this blog. Although it is a great way to stay up with whats going on with music stuffs. If you like this post then hit the subscribe button and get a notification when there's new posts.

Ugly Truth: Boss CS-3

In an attempt to be a well rounded guitarist, I picked up a compressor. Many respected player have this tool in there effect chains. I've ran comps before, but I've never liked what they did. I've used Visual Sound, Boss, Joyo, and more. I've never really liked what they did. Most the time my sound got completely covered up. If I ran more gain on the pedal they became noisy and If I turned up the amp then the levels with the effect off were too mismatched. As far as I can tell these things are a "darned if you do, darned if you don't" kinda deal. They level out your highs and lows and make you single notes sound fuller. On the other side, they squash your signal and can effect your tone in a unfavorable way.

It's The Standard

If someone runs a compressor, chances are they at least tried a boss comp. I picked one up to get my bearings on what comps can do. Single notes are great but the pedal falls flat with using chords. Too much input into this and you can hear your signal get squashed. Even running this pedal first in your chain with hot pickups can cause some unwanted effects to you level. If you adjust the level on the pedal you can minimize this effect but it will still be present. Not to mention that your level is probably going to be one of those things that you'll want to balance out without having to worry about hearing a pedal chomp down on your tone.

It's Not Very Subtle

I did a review of the Joyo PipeBomb Compressor. It was a good comp, but the effect was very subtle. I found myself cranking it up just to notice the effect. That's not the case with this effect. Setting the levels very conservatively will still yield very noticeable compression. I don't like a lot of compression, but I do like the benefits from using one. The problem is that you can't switch the effect on and off without adjusting other setting greatly. If it could just jump in when playing single notes to make a fuller sound then that would be great. The effect can weaken big chords. The CS-3 is a pretty big offender.

In Short

Compression can be a great thing. It may be something you have to experiment with before you really settle on whether or not you like/need it. Some find the Boss CS-3 to be a great tool. These people may be able to better tame this pedal better than I, or need a big squeeze for their sound. There is a trade off when using compression. You might get better sustain, but you will lose some touch sensitivity. When using a wide range of dynamics, you might not want to use anything more than very subtle comp. As for the Boss CS-3 I can't find a place for it. Boss has done a great job of revamping some of there more iconic pedals (DD-500, RV-6, TU-3). Maybe they could put a little work into the CS-3.

Ugly Truth: YouTube Gear Reviews

I'll be the first one to admit. I love watching You Tube reviews of gear. Sometimes I don't even know I want gear until I see/hear it online. In the age of information, we have more information than we can ever consume in a lifetime. So When looking up guitar gear, we have our choice of avenue of consuming information. The Tried and true written reviews on retail websites and forums leave us a little wanting for more. You Tube offers a wide verity of reviews and reviewer. Some are great quality and some... aren't, but there are many to choose from and I've even picked a few that are my favorites.

It's Very Difficult To Compare Gear

Some of the very first videos of gear that I ever watch were shootouts between stock and modded pedals. I was a big pedal modder and really wanted to hear the results before committing to the mod. That's how I found gearmanndude. I still like to watch his videos, because he is entertaining and he sounds just like Jack Black. Even in side by side shootouts it was very difficult to distinguish differences in pedals. Some mods are subtle, but some change the pedal drastically. Even when complete changing the clipping stage, pedal sounded almost alike. Replicating the test at home had very different results.

Some Try To Make Money Off You

Some of the best known reviewer on You Tube want to make money off you. Most of them try to sell directly to you. Reverb.com, Anderton's, and any builder are really just trying to put product in front of your face. Others make revenue off of views. If you noticed that some channels run ads before there videos and other don't, that's because the ads make money for You Tube and to a lesser extent, the channel. I'm not against ads. (just look around my site) It helps those people keep doing what it is they are doing and create a better product. Just remember, these people aren't just so board that they make videos for you.

The Audio Quality 

Many people have comment on the compression of You Tube videos. There really isn't any way around it. HD video and audio would eat bandwidth and probably destroy You Tube's free format. When you watch these videos, you notice that the reviewers often use very high quality recording gear. Shnobel often uses a large condenser and SM57 type mic to record his nice amps. These are studio quality micing options. Chances are you aren't doing that on your live rig. So, when you are struggling to hear the difference between the $50 pedals and a $250 pedal on You Tube, just remember There is no replacement for live sound.

Conclusion

I know that You Tube videos are not going to be the best way for my to experience a pedal. There will never be a replacement for hands-on playing. The feel and response are something that do not translate into ones and zeros. Having said that, I still enjoy watching Chappers and the Captain mock about while playing interesting pieces of "kit". And so, if you are enjoy watching the videos, then continue to do so. If you put much weight into watch you hear, then maybe I've said enough to make you think twice.

Ugly Truth: Music Gear Is Expensive

Before I get into talking about whatever this post is about, Id like to take a second and say that Brian Wampler of Wampler Effects commented on my post about his new overdrive pedal. You get see that here.

Take a second and thing about your most recent music-related purchase. Regardless how much you spent, it probably wasn't the first or last purchase you'll make. I own several guitars at varying prices. With that I have amps, and effects. I also have accessories that complement these things (cables, pedalboards, capo, stands, cases). Over the many years I've played music, I've amassed quite a bit of expensive gear. I try not to spend boat load of money (mostly because I don't have it) by budgeting and saving. I also buy most of my gear used. This is tricky, and you must be able to tell a diamond in the rough from a turd.

The key to not spend too much money of music gear is to be happy with what you have. I know that acquiring new things is fun. I love to get a new piece of gear and analyze it to death. How is this drive different than this other drive? What can I do with two delays that I can't do with one? Yes, you might be able to do more with more, but why not challenge yourself to do more with less (or maybe with what you already have). Most of the guitar players that we idolize had nothing between them and their amps but a guitar lead. We over complicate sometimes to compensate.

I for one will be reworking my sound from the ground up. The very foundation of our sound comes from our chops. So much time and effort go into "shaping our tone", but could our skills be what really need developing. I'll admit, buying a pedal is easier than devoting the time and effort it better our abilities. Am I going to start playing without effects? HA! no. What will do is take that money that I usually invest in gear and converting it into time to invest into where the real tone comes from: my hands!

New Gear Alert: Wampler Tumnus (Klone?)

This morning I woke up to this in my Twitter feed:

Yes, this is a micro pedal from Wampler. It is only the second one, that I know of, from this company. Two things stand out from this picture: 1) the presence of a Treble knob and 2) the half hooven animal/half man image. Anyone who has been following trends in effects would say that it's a Klon copy. It is also described as a "transparent overdrive" by Wampler. So in all likely hood, this pedal will serve the same purpose as a Klon and Klon-type pedals.

Why do we need a new Klone? Well, we don't. Now we have another pedal doing the same thing as other klones, but it's twice the price as everyone's favorite Klone. The thing that this pedal offers is the compact size. I've actually been toying with the idea of a mirco-sized pedal board that's easy to transport. This would be ideal for that application. It would also be the most expensive piece on the board. I'm excited to see how this compares to the rest of the Klones out there. It looks like we will find out a lot more on October 1. That is when Wampler says this will drop!

Ugly Truth: JHS Muffuletta

As a Muff fan, I was excited when I heard that there was a pedal that replicated nearly every popular version of the Muff Fuzz circuit. If you haven't heard, JHS has produced a pedal that takes the Muff circuit and multiplies it by 6. Clones of each one of these pedal have been around since the beginning of cloning pedals. From what I understand, these pedal are all similar but have their own individual characteristics. Hardcore fan of the Muff style fuzz have their favorite variant, but now thanks to JHS, you don't have to choose. Should Fuzz players rejoice? We'll see.




This Pedal Has Been Around For A While

The "select a fuzz" pedal is not new. In fact, it may not even be the best one out there. Big Tone Music Brewery might have the most versatile fuzz on the market. BTMB is the sister company to everyone's favorite pedal cloners, Build Your Own Clone. BTMB have produced the Royal Beaver, and it is a beast of a thing. Is it directly comparable to the Muffuletta? not really. But it it is a boutique fuzz that has a wide range of tones. I hope it come with an instruction manual, because it has all the knobs. JHS has taken a different approach for their "all in one". A simple 4-knob interface can deliver nearly endless variation of tone.

It's Pricey

The JHS Muffuletta goes for north of $200 right now. It's a great idea and a boutique pedal, so of course it's going to be expensive. It's also going to be hand built and hopefully rock-solid. A lot has been said about the "cost-of-parts" verses the "cost-of-production" so I'll stay out of it. If you want something bad enough, then you'll shell out the dough. If not, then wait and try to catch it on Ebay, or Craigslist, but there is nothing saying that this pedal won't gain value if/when they stop production.

It's a JHS Pedal

I've written a piece about what I think about JHS here, so if you are interested, then read it. I honestly don't care who makes the pedal as long of it's a good piece of gear. I might care if is ISIS or something, but other than that...

Conclusion

Is it a great pedal? From what I've heard, it is something special. But is it right for you? you have to ask yourself. Is it important to me that I accurately replicate the sound of a fuzz from a certain era? Can you tell me the difference between a Russian Muff and a NYC reissue? If not then what JHS has done is put out a box where you can A/B all the colorful Fuzzes that you always hear being tossed about. Likely, you will find an ideal setting and leave it there. Do your self a favor, find some friends with Muffs or maybe a Youtube Channel and Make up your mind now.

Ugly Truth: Making Money With Music

So as a musician coming up through the ranks, I have played far and wide for much less than anything that is considered monetary compensation. I understood the value of playing with different people and in different places. Each time there was a lesson to learn. Different people play different ways and have different experiences. Experiences that I could learn from and use to further my playing. Mind you that this is a time before YouTube. Watching a musician is now as simple as typing in a keyword into a webs search. Still I think there is an intangible that is gained when playing with many different groups of people. No matter how you approach it, this is a wealth of knowledge to be had by applying your skills and talents in as many different applications as possible. Having said that, there are those rare and precious opportunities to gain more than knowledge from all this work. That's right, money. There are people who get paid to play. Lets look at some examples.

Music Labels:
There are many ways to get paid for the music that we love. No matter what type of music we play. Some become so proficient at their craft that others invest in the music that they make. Yes, I'm talking about music labels. artists are paid by people who want to market a certain brand of music. Basically, a music label is a company, or part of a company, that try to make money form talented artist and in return they pay the artist. The music is viewed as a product to market and sell. Of course There are many that criticize the music industry for how they handle artist's natural creative process. Also, there are some like myself that feel as though music as an art suffers because the artist that more financial backing gets more exposure and thus more wins more popularity. I won't go as far as to say that the larger music labels dictate what music is you listen to, but when was the last time you listened to an album that was completely independently produced? There has been a trend where established bands/artists take their own funds and independently record an album. This really doesn't count, due to the fact that without the help of a large label rocketing the artists/bands to their current status. How does one get on with one of this labels? Be a extremely talented artist? Yes, but there are so many talented artists. You must truly standout and make yourself noticed.

Pictured: Getting noticed.

The Working Musician:

Many artist we know today got there start this way. This is the conventional way most musicians think of monetizing their talents. Playing at bars and venues can net small profits (even smaller if share between band members). Many bands don't see dime one before become established in the local scene. This option may require you learning some covers. Some places may favor certain genres, so you may have to be steeped in dozens of songs spanning diverse genres. Being one of these musicians for a time I learned that your best friend can be your merch table. Having a CD, stickers, a shirt or buttons can boost revenue. Many find this lifestyle hard to maintain. More than anything, the revenue made from doing this is just enough to keep the habit going. There have been innovations in the way people enjoy and lesson to music. The ipod had nearly single-handedly redefined how people buy music. YouTube provides many people with a way to listen to their favorite artist/song without making a transaction. Artists and musicians have taken notice and have been creating and posting content online. Some use it as a way to get noticed (see above) and other have used it too make money. Digital media is sold online at staggering rates. Many artist post videos on YouTube to create interest in their music.

pomplamoose. No I don't know how it pronounced.

Church:

Many musicians are employed by churches. This option is not appealing to everyone because there are many different views, even in the Christian church, about music. Not all church pay musicians. Many rely of volunteer, but larger churches that can afford to heir professional musicians do. These jobs often require commitment, flexibility and strong interpersonal skills. Many of these jobs depend of public opinion to grade your performance, so being likability can come in hand. Not to mention that getting this job may require a group of people voting for approval, so charm is almost as important as musical talent.

Education:

Perhaps the easiest means of monetizing musical talent/knowledge, teaching students music happens naturally. Just being a musicians creates interest in the instrument. My mother always had a piano in the house, so of course I wanted to learn to play. I didn't stick with the keyboard, but I think it created the interest that led me to my instruments of choice. Giving music lessons can be a fun way to help a new generation to play music and perhaps teach yourself a few new things. Many music stores offer lessons and need instructors. Many people teach out of their homes or studios. This presents many of the same challenges as running your own business.

There are several ways to make money with what you love. Music is a huge industry that is even changing. There is no guarantee that you will make millions, but with if you are dedicated to your craft then there are several ways create revenue from all the hard work of learning your musical instrument.