Ugly Guitar Truth: Marshall CODE Digital Modeling Amps

Marshall is one of the biggest name in guitar amplifiers. They are preferred by professional around the world. JCM 800 is so iconic among guitarist that without it, we wouldn't have the same music that we enjoy today. Punk and grunge music almost exclusively used these amps, so its no wonder that the Marshall name has garnered a lot of weight with the guitar playing public. Almost as strong as Marshall's legacy of tone is the disdain that guitarist have for modeling digital amps. It is not a secret that guitarist love there old school gear. The more vintage something is, the more a guitarist wants it. Guitars from the 50's and 60's are some of the most coveted pieces of kit one could want. And yet, every time a new product comes out, we get excited to see if it stands up to the standards we have set. Does the Marshall CODE line of amps uphold the standards set by its tubey-big brothers? It's about to get ugly...

It's Expansive

So, the first thing you notice about these amps is that the list of features is long. 14 preamp models, 4 power amps, 8 speaker cab models, 24 fx (5 at-a-time), Bluetooth integration and USB connectivity top the list. Looking at the list of models, it looks like a list of classic Marshall amps. Plexi, Silver Jubilee, JCM800 make it seem worth it alone. Not to mention you can have your pick of 8 speaker sims to craft your model. So there are options. If that sounds like a lot, it's because it is. But don't worry, connecting a mobile device with help sort through the huge list of options and help visualize your settings. That's really what is setting this new generation of modeling amp apart. The fact that you can connect your tablet or phone with your amp and make real time changes is a game changer. Of course your have to make good sounds with those settings...

The Hardware Is Getting Overlooked

With an overwhelming list of features and a whole lot of new tech under the hood, the CODE amps come a long way from the dark ages of modeling amplifiers. Or have they? There is just some things that you can't do with your fancy 1s and 0s. The speakers and amps in these type amps have to be flexible. The have to sound like dark, deep amp one second and then a bright, middy amp the next. There is a classic problem with this that gets crowded out by all these features. You are physically limited by the hardware (speaker, amp, enclosure). You can simulate the affect that a 4x12 has on a sound wave, but you can make a single speaker sound like a 4x12 cab. If you could produce a solid state amp that replicated a Silver Jubilee faithfully, then you can retire and enjoy all of the money that guitarist will throw at you, but you are limited. Has Marshall stunted their amp with sub performing  hardware? No, but they asking a great deal from their hardware. No doubt Marshall chose the amp/speaker combo to best suit their need, but lets be real. The best digital model is only as good as the analog parts it's put through.

Just Look At It

So, if I'm being honest. This is, in my opinion, the best looking modeling amp. Classic black on black with the Marshall script logo is super solid. I would be proud to have this on stage behind me on looks alone. The controls have a classic Marshall look as well. There is one aspect of this amp that is a bit of an eyesore though. The app and not the easiest to navigate and easily the weakest link in it's chain. Line6 probably saw the CODE app and then poured a lot more assets into the app design.

Conclusion


The CODE line was actually one of the earliest lines to include Bluetooth and app integration and control. Marshall was on the forefront of the next generation of modeling amplifiers. For being the front runners, Marshall got a lot thing right. Others have been playing catch up (*cough Line6 cough*) and others have put out very comparable offerings (Black Star and BOSS). We readily await other entries into the next generation of modeling amps (VOX and Fender). There is a lot to praise on these amp such as price, size, features, and power. But it's important to remember that, despite the fact that is both new and shiny (two things that excite all guitarist), it has limits. Yes, we can push a button that says PLEXI, but what we receive is a digital approximation of what that sounds like. We will get close, and that's about it.

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Ugly Truth: Line6 Spider V Amps

Alright so here's the thing, there is a palpable hate toward this entire range of amplifiers. Nearly every guitar player has played through one of these amps, or at least have heard one played. The Spider line has taken more hits than Louisville-Slugger, and has served as the whipping post for anyone putting digital modeling amps on blast. Line6 has doubled down on the Spider name. They have released the fifth generation of the Spider despite any of the negative feedback. Perhaps they've listened to the criticism and produced a better product. It is clear that the stigma still lingers over the Spider name. Do these amp deserve this kind of hate? Well, here is truth:




They Are Well Equipped

The features on the Line6 Spider V amps are actually one of the most interesting things about them. Sure, there are a lot of different sounds on board, as there are with all the amps in this range. The addition of control via mobile device is robust and intuitive. It feels like there was a lot of time spent on interface of the app. Probably the biggest feature that gets overlooked on these amps is its ability to function as an acoustic amp. Equipped with a tweeter, this combo can do more than model electric amps and effects. This alone makes it a little more than meets the eye. In addition, there is actually an integrated wireless receiver with their Relay Go System (In the bigger units). This makes them wireless ready right out of the box.  Also, these amp are compatible with the  FBV control pedal. Making them very easy customize and switch between settings. The third gen  FBV control pedal actually barrows from the Helix motif, color coding the each footswitch according to the effect that it t triggers. Again this is only available on the larger units. And they (the Relay Go and FBV) aren't "features" as much as they are options, as in optional, as in they don't come with it, but you can buy them... making this sizable purchase into a more sizable purchase... causing the whole thing to become rather...

...Expensive

Yeah, even compared to the other offerings in this range, the Line6 Spider V is pricey. Coming in at the higher end of the watt/dollar range, these amp command a hefty sum for what seems like a checkered legacy. That's before you start looking at the optional foot control pedal. (that will set you back another $250) and wireless adapters. It's hard see why the Sider V has to be head and shoulders above in price, when they are competing directly with unit that costs (in some cases) hundreds less. Marshal, Black Star, Boss and Vox all have recently updated their line of make-all-the-sounds boxes and appear to be an attractive value in comparison. And while we're talking about being attractive...




They're Ugly


Yeah, they look like cosmetics were not even considered. I'm not sure if they were going for a modern look, but they failed. I'm not the biggest fan of new gear trying to cop a vintage vibe, but it appears that the Spider V is just phoning it in. It is minimalism and sleek-ish, but it's not winning any beauty contest. Objectively, function trumps form in most cases, but when deciding what amp will set the stage (literally) for your overall vibe aesthetics have to be considered.


Conclusion


While I will concede that this amp often get blamed for a multitude of undeserved sins, some of the blame is well earned. Many guitarist start their musical journey with one of the Spider amps. The popularity of these amp is undeniable. When starting out, these amps promise an feature-laden do-it-all machine. However, after acquiring experience many user discover areas where these amps suffer. The truth is, that these amps are fantastic for a beginner looking to experience a multitude of sounds without have to invest thousands into a collection of gear that would ultimately go underutilized. Just like every other product out there, these amps have a undying following as well as detractors. While features and connectivity are growing and becoming more user friendly, these amps will probably never ascend to their aspired heights. What we need to do is to realize that there is no magic bullet, and if there were, it would extremely expensive. These amp have a place, but they are probably not the only amp you'll ever need. More specifically, the Spider V is not even my top choice of modeling amplifier. If you are looking for a amp with a solid reputation, check out the Vox Valvetronix line. If you want something more innovative and inexpensive, look at the BOSS Katana. The Spider line IMHO is a chronic underperformer.

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A New Smorgasbord Of Tone From TC Electronic

TC Electronic looks like they have been busy working up a whole new line of effects. They look to be a clear departure from the familiar. These pedals seem to be stripped down, compact version of classic effects. Those that have followed TC Electronic know that they are know for making some of the most dependable and smart effects on the market. Their Ditto was a game changer for many. The Hall of Fame reverb is a staple on many boards. The Flashback, in its many variations, are loved by many. The Toneprint capability of many of their pedal make them endless editable. These new offering look to be a beast of another kind.


What looks to be 13 in all, they all have their jack on top (fun) and range from one to four (external) knobs. These guys offer gain, mod, delay, reverb, and comp in tiny little packages. These pedal are a barrage of color and interesting names. They are: Skysurfer Reverb, Grand Magus Distortion, Tailspin Vibrato, Fangs Metal Distortion, Afterglow Chorus, Rush Booster, Cinders Overdrive, The Prophet Digital Delay, ForceField Compressor, Thunderstorm Flanger, Echo Brain Analog Delay, Rusty Fuzz, and Blood Moon Phaser. Can I just say that I'd buy the Blood Moon Phaser on the name alone.


Now For The Bad News...


This is the first major release since Behringer acquired the brand sometime in the last year or so. Does that mean that there are rehashed plastic pedals masquerading in pretty TC boxes? I don't know. I would to hate to think that TC Electronic would put out anything that wasn't up to their standards. Now, a cool looking, well designed pedal for a small price is always something of interest, so these pedal will remain on my radar. So far I can't find these on any US music web-stores, but Andertons has these available


For more info of these check out TC Electronic's website
For vid of the real deal check out 60 Cycle Hum's YouTube Channel

The Ugly Truth About Christmas Songs (Carols)

Let me start off by saying, Christmas music kind of sucks. Lets face it. It is written to amuse small children and remind of our memories of Christmases when we were small children. They is comfort there, but that doesn't mean that it is any good. Let's take a look at some of the worst parts of the Christmas season. Besides the rampant consumerism, decadence in the face of abject poverty, fanciful-fatman themed emotional manipulation.




Existential Crisis Around Santa Clause

To be heard in "Santa Clause Don't Be Late" and many others. There is something about hearing a grown person persist that there is a large man appointed to venture down a chimney, that doesn't quite sit well. "Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reindeer" is song where an entire family lose track of an elderly woman, and assume that she was trampled an elf, his sleigh and eight tiny reindeer. But the underlying them is whether or grandpa still believe in Santa? And yes, many songs promote the belief is Santa as believing in the spirit of generosity and charity, but some do so in a very disturbing manner. I don't know what it is, but when otherwise rational adults start speaking like Santa is going to show up it bothers me. It make me wonder is there is some underlying adult them with all this talk about "shimmying down people chimneys" Speaking of adult situations...

Overtly Sexually Themed Holiday Songs

The most sexualized song in the Christmas catalog is debatably "Santa Baby". Sang in a manor akin to Marilyn Monroe's breathy, sing-songy whispers, This song is like a checklist of female objectification and stereotypes. Not to mention that the song is repetitive and boring. Then we have the heap of creep that is "Baby, It's Cold Outside". The most Christmas-y song centered around date-rape... "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause" is a troubling song in is a very real and tangible way. The song raises more questions than it answers. There is the parentally infidelity, the child's voyeurism, the possibility of holiday themed role playing. I just don't understand why this, of all songs, is a cherished holiday classic. This is made all the worse by the fact that it is sang by a young Michel Jackson. If you know anything about the life of Michel Jackson, you know that his childhood was not entirely whimsical. The end of the song even includes the older of the Jackson 5 berating young Michel for the insinuations. It's just sad. But speaking of sad...

Song That Have No Purpose Other Than Being A Punch To The Gut


"I'll Be Home For Christmas" is generally accepted as one of the greatest and time-test holiday classics. Bing Crosby's crooning is a perfect match for this song. It is almost hard to imagine many of the classis Christmas films without this number in it. However, to the keen listener, the protagonist of the song does not end up spending the holidays with friends and family. Thanks for that cherry ending Bing... But then there are just entire song written to make you uncomfortably sad, while pretending to be about Christmas. The Vilest offending, of course, is "Christmas Shoes". In the last decade and a half, I have been subjected to this miserable song as nearly every Christmas themed production. There must be some sort of connection between depressing ballads and armature vocalist. Maybe the fact that the song makes you face the terribly crushing reality that you have/had a finite time with those that you love and every minute spent listening to awful holiday music is another moment wasted. Obviously this makes everyone sad, and the people who choose to sing thing song are just the worst kind of people that want to bring nothing but pain...


Conclusion


Despite sounding like a huge killjoy. I do love this time of year. I love the time I get to spend with friends and family. As a kid, the focus may be on gift, lights and avoiding having cheeks pinched (do aunts still do that?). As an adult(ish) I love seeing all my family in one place. Somewhere I can spend time with the people that mean the most to me is something that I wait all year for. So, even though there is a vast ocean of music that is just subpar in the most objective way possible, it's really the people around us that make this the best time of year.

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Ugly Truth About The BOSS Katana Amps

The latest amp to hit the solid-state, modeling, DSP market is the BOSS Katana series. This series is a completely new line of amps. It also is has the distinction of wearing the BOSS badge instead of Roland or WAZA. Many see this as a step in the right direction for BOSS, as they have the recognition among guitar players and not Roland. However, many have come to appreciate the Roland Cube series of amps. Roland Jazz Chorus amps have a long and proud history unto themselves. BOSS have struck out with a distinct offering that may have borrowed from the their heritage, but absolutely breaks new ground for the effects company that many love to hate. There are good and bad things about this amp, but what about the ugly?

There Are The Looks

Once you get past the black on black aesthetic, the dated BOSS logo, and the scrabble tile with a cursive "r" (or maybe a fancy "d"?)on it, well, there isn't much left is there. (edit: I am very aware that the symbol means "sword". It was mentioned in the promotional material and just about everywhere else. I didn't see the need in repeating it here.) The Blues cube took cues from Fender with it's 1X12 combo, but if you take the badges off and go by looks, it'd be difficult to tell these apart from the standard cube series. These amps do look a fair bit better than the cube amps, but there is nothing particularly striking about the design of these amps. Nothing says, "I'm a sexy, tone-machine". It has about as much appeal as a stage monitor.

They Are A Little Late To The Game

When you look at the list of feature on the Katana, it does seem a little similar to others that are already on the market. The Vox AV series and the Fender Mustang line both do similar functions, and do them rather well. So, is this a case of, "Too Little, Too Late"? It very well may be. A lot of the fans of these amps are also current users of the other two mentioned. Not to mention that users (or past users) of the Line6 Spider series or the Marshall CODE amps might be a little skeptical of the modeling scene. Are these amps worthy of the praise of the Fender and Vox offerings or do these fall to the dark side? Well, I'll tell you what they aren't...

They Aren't The Blues Cube

Those interested in a SS amp to do the work of your favorite 1X12 are probably familiar with the Roland Blues Cube. These amps come close to the sounds of their tube driven kin, but there will always be those the "hear" the difference. SS amps are supposed to be rugged and affordable. The Katana series are affordable. Although their ruggedness is yet to be tested, their price points make them attractive.This calls in question their fidelity to the faithful adaptation of tube-tone that the Blues Cube claims. While I am among those that would love to see an amp with the talents of the Blues Cube at a $300 price point, I doubt that Roland/Boss would undercut their own sales,

Conclusion

This isn't the point to where we can all trade in our tubes for transistors. However, these amps have some interesting features and have won the endearment of many that have had a chance to try them out. What is very interesting is that they have included access to the BOSS effects catalog via the "Effects" section. You are able to run three effect at a time. This is standard feature on all the amp in the line. They self-attenuates, so that you can play at any volume without changing your levels. If anything, these amps are well thought out, which can explain why they are a little late out of the gate. Among the cool feature, there are some slightly strange ones (like the tiny kickstand and tiny speaker hidden the 100 watt head). Considering the starting price for the 50 watt combo is $200, it might be worth serious concideration.

Continued Reading:

-Hands-on Review
-Katana 50 Watt Combo Vs Marshall Code
-Update: Katana Mini
-Update: Katana Air Portable Wireless Amp

Ugly Truth About EHX Wailer Wah

So, I'll admit that I haven't been keeping my ear to the ground lately. That's probably why i was taken off guard by the announcement of EHX's new Wah pedal. I always get excited when I see a new product from Electro Harmonix because they reteenly crank out outstanding products and they keep consumer price low. These two thing are huge in my book. So, recently they told us that they are going to put out a pretty standard Wah. Huh... Let's see what we know.

It's Not Exactly New...

Yeah, this isn't ground breaking stuff. Big black wedge shaped rocker pedal with a mid-filter circuit inside. It's been done before... like a lot. So why is EHX putting out a standard wah? Not only is this well trodden ground for Dunlop and Vox, but it's rather familiar to EHX as well. Not as flexible as their Cock Fight pedal, this brick put the guts of the well-intentioned Crying Tone wah in a more conventional box. The Crying Tone had a lot going for it. The tones were talked about. The sweep and action were second to none, but there was one complaint that would torpedo this pedal. You couldn't hardly mount it to a pedalboard. So EHX have shoved a great wah in a conventional box. All good right?

It's Affordable, Lightweight and... Plastic?

That's right. EHX when old school with this pedal, but decided to make that familiar rocker out of plastic. They make a point to describe it as "heavy duty", but all that does for me is bring to mind those batteries that last about half as long as name brand ones. So we have our great sounding wah in a package that doesn't scare us and there isn't anything too crazy (like a LED when the pedal is on). So, if you can get past the fact that it is made out of plastic, then you can have yourself a Crying Tone wah for less money. Whats more is that the battery is probably behind a door. I don't know that, but I'm assuming they aren't going to include a solid plate bottom like its metal brethren. It does look like the 9v jack will go on the left like normal.

Conclusion

This looks to be a traditional spin on an original EHX wah. Those of us that fear change rejoice, we now don't have to get something "new" when we get a new pedal. Thank goodness. EHX pushes forward into the weird and wacky, but know that some of us need a little safety blanket too. Did I mention that it's only 62.50 USD? There's that too!

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Klon Announces A New Pedal At NAMM

Klon is surrounded be a mystic cloud that plucks magic and pixie dust out of an another dimension, then mixes them with electronic components and creates other-worldly pedals that entrance the unwitting player. That very same Klon has now bestowed us mere mortals with another creation of pure essence

...and it's a boost.

Klons first 'new' pedal in years and it is basically a Klon overdrive without the overdrive. As it was explained, This is the same pedal, but without the clipping section, so to give you a boost without the drive. This came about from the typical use of Klon pedal. Mostly use to boost the signal in a chain of other effects. Now we have a unit to do just that, but nothing else. May this is a lower cost offering from Klon. Maybe this is just an uninspired follow up to an outragously popular pedal. I don't know.

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Airline Guitar Effects Are Now A Thing

I was first aware of Eastwood/Airline guitar when my local music store clerk alerted me to them. I was in the market for something funky, but playable. Their blend of vintage looks and modern craftsmanship make for a unique product. I've been a fan of there designs ever since, so when I saw that they were coming to market with effects my attention was peaked.

Designed after the front end, reverb, and tremolo of a vintage Airline amplifier, this pedal has a lot going on. You have Shape, Mix, Tone, Drive, Rate, more Tone, Depth, Level and Size. So if you like knobs or switches, then you need to pay attention to this pedal. I am digging the look and feel of the pedal. I can't speak much to the sound of it, but from what I've heard, it is at least not your 'same old' effect.

The next effect in their line is a Fuzz/Octave. Given the fact that Eastwood and Airline guitar kinda live in the "good old days", it makes sense that they make a Fuzz/Octave. The combo that rocked the 60's and 70's. Just like their guitars, they've added some modern features. The Octave is digital and it is fast tracking. You can blend an upper and lower octave. You can also select each effect separately. Not only that, but you can choose to separate the octaves from the fuzz. I dig it.

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$10 Overdrive vs $200 Overdrive

I've had a small credit sitting around at a music store. I honestly had no idea what I was going to use it for. I'm fairly well off on picks and strings and all that, so it has been sitting their. I noticed they had marked a Behringer Tube Overdrive right in my price range. I purchased the pedal with zero money down. Armed with a new pedal. I took it home and wondered what I was going to do with. I hadn't even tried it out at the store. It hit me. I'll put it out against my vintage Ibanez TS-9. Similar pedals sell for $200+. I thought it would make for a great "David vs Goliath" (kinda like how the Anderton's YouTube channel does) show down.

Long story short, There was a noticeable difference. The difference was present, but surprisingly small. the pedals made similar sounds. The Behringer was directly related to the Tube Screamer if not directly cloned. The biggest difference in the sounds was the amount of bass. The Vintage TS-9 was just a lot fuller sounding. The low end got left out for the most part when the Behringer overdrive was on. Also, the buffer in the Behringer sucked a little top end off. Putting the Behringer in a bypass loop, I was able to hear a little high end loss when it was kicked on. (This was confirmed in a bind sound-test) 2/3 I was able to tel when the pedal was in the loop. I blame the single time I was able to do so to the fact that my tone controls were tuned down accidentally.

The biggest shock of the whole test was the fact that the 30 year pedal was actually more reliable than the brand new one. Turn the Behringer was a hit or miss affair usually taking a few attempts. The Ibanez had no such problem. I have had to replace the switch in the Vintage pedal, but there really isn't any reason to have to repair a brand new effect.

Conclusion:

Did the more expensive pedal sound better? Yes. It also worked better in general. Did it perform 20 times better? No, but there are many pedal that do an excellent job of sounding like an iconic Tube Screamer and performing reliably.

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Pretty Guitars From Ibanez At Summer NAMM 2016

Looking at Ibanez at Summer NAMM we see some nice looking offerings. Starting with a offset body shape with a P-90 in the neck. Amongst the other guitars in Ibanez's showing, this one stands out in a big way. The large cream P-90 serves as contrast to the flat black body. Matching cream pickup ring and binding together with a maple neck and board make this thing classy. Get all that under 7 bills and it starts to look very attractive.

 The next guitar that caught my eye was one from the Talman series. Here is a offset single-ish cut blonde. Like it or hate it, the Talman series is a mashup of Strat and Tele pieces that almost make you think you're looking at something familiar. This one is a signature model that comes in over $1,700. That's a lot considering the only other thing I can think of sporting Talman of the headstock was some very underwhelming acoustics.

 Next is something A little more fitting. It's a standard Talman Tele style in Sea Foam Green. If you are a tele fan with a thing for the weird, then this might be your thing. I like these guitars, but I've yet to play one. The fact that listed for what a Fender Standard Telecaster sales for has got me a little confused. When I was introduced to Ibanez they were just shaking off their "cheap" stigma and picking up some metal-cred. To me, this is a step backward. This isn't metal, but not affordable enough to sway me away from a Fender.

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Jackson Unveils Some Pretty Guitars At NAMM

Summer NAMM is upon us and we are getting our first looks of some interesting guitars. There are many special finishes and strange shapes at the Jackson booth this year, but some of the tamer guitar have caught my eye. While the wild shapes and pointy edges might make you stand out, there are some here that might contend for a spot in my guitar stable.

 Not as edgy as some of the other offering from Jackson, the F-Bird (a little on the nose there) takes cues from an icon shape and add some interest control configurations and floating tremolo. In an elegant white and gold motif, this guitar stands out without being a safety hazard.

Here's a guitar that can't make its mind up. It looks an awful lot like the Fender Pawn Shop series that someone has make some seriously question mistakes with. It seems to have three single coils and a floating tremolo. Seen here hanging in front of a very appropriate 80's background. This Custom Soloist is too ugly not to like. Like a pug. Let's just hope it doesn't share the repertory issue as well.

Perhaps my favorite in the lineup. The TL-7 is a seven string single cut-away 't-style' guitar. I have a weakness for Telecaster and this on is pretty. Seven string guitars aren't something I usually go for, but this one is so curvy and sleek, I'd learn to love playing a 7. Beside it is pretty LP style Single Cut with a gold top. Jackson was careful not to tread to close to ESP territory with this one. Instead they went with a more traditional shape and I happy they did. It's something I'd be proud to play.

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Ugly Truth: Boss Waza Craft CE-2W Chorus

Boss announced that they are issuing a new Waza pedal. This time it is the Boss CE-2 that is getting the Waza treatment. The CE-2 is probably the most iconic chorus pedal. Many of the pedals that we have now are based off the CE-2. As with most (if not all) Waza pedals, it features a switch. In this case, it switches between CE-2 and CE-1 settings. There are added features as well. Original CE-1 did not have depth. This pedal adds that function to the CE-1 circuit. Also added is the stereo out puts. A function that is highly sought after by chorus enthusiasts.

Waza's main flaw has been that they are a little too impressed with themselves. I've only seen what I'm guessing is the MSRP of this pedal. At 180 British Pounds Sterling it's a little steep. I'm guessing that it will be somewhere north of $200 in the states, but street price probably settling down the an average $149.99 street. When you find decent CE-2 clones by Mod Tone and BBE (not to mention the boutique clones and kits out there) for less money, it makes it hard to justify this pedal. Vintage Boss fan may be waiting with bated breath, but the average user probably won't be wanting to pay more for a pedal that has less features.

I all honesty, this is probably a great pedal. There are plenty of more expensive choruses out there. I've owned a cheap Lyon chorus for ten years that does 90 of what this pedal does and I can't give it away. This may not be the best selling pedal, but it will have it's fans. 

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Ugly Truth: Digitech Nautila Chorus/Flanger

Digitech has announced a new pedal in the expanding line of compact effects. The Nautila is a chorus and flanger. One at a time that is. Their are You add 8 chorus voices or 4 flange voice and blend the waveforms to your hearts content. Stereo I/O and foot-controllable speed feature are packed into this slim package. Not only that, but this pedal leaves nothing to be desired as far as looks either. Like most of the pedals in this like, it has a 'boutique' vibe and solid feel.

This pedal has impressive features for such a compact pedal. Boasting "never before heard Tidal Swirls", this pedal seems to pretty proud of its self. With controls for Mix, Drift, Voice, Emphasis, Speed and Depth, it is anything buy simple. There is a clear nautical theme with this pedal. This leads me to believe that they had wet, oceanic sounds in mind when designing it. If that sounds exiting to you, then you might want to give this pedal a try. However, with all the combination capable of this pedal, you might want to give it some considerable time.

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Ugly Truth: Evolution Guitars; Modular Guitars

There have been a lot of people that seek to improve the guitar. Many attempts have been embraced by small groups of people. Some like the 'silent' guitars that are composed of just the bare essentials to qualify as a guitar. Then you have headless guitars like the Steinberg. These designs have their fans, but they don't have the following that traditional guitar have. So Where does Evolution guitar fall? Will they be embraced by the masses, or will they find the niche and nothing more. Let's look at what we know.

The video shows us several examples of their guitar. The guitars appear to be your regular fair. Most if not all of these guitars look to be chambered, and for the most part, equipped with humbuckers. So their biggest innovating feature is the faceplate system. The neck and the body stay put and the faceplate can be swapped out. This allows you to change pickups, wiring, finish just as fast as you can unscrew and rescrew the 15 or so exposed pieces hardware. The face plates are made from laminate, so you can fuss about how "solid wood is better", but lets be honest, when your guitar is held together by a bunch of screws it's not going to make much of a difference.

I think these guitar look cool. I actually like the idea. But the final nail in the coffin is the pricing. Small guitar builder usually have larger prices. Unless they take manufacturing over seas, then you looking around a grand to get set up and a few hundred to swap faceplates. I'm a firm believer that your pickups are the largest contribution to the way your guitar sounds. I also think how your guitar is put together has a lot to do with it as well. While I think what these guys are doing is neat, I also think it's rather novel. Cool Idea guys.

Ugly Truth: Boss TU-3W Waza Tuner

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn...

This whole post could be a rant about how boring tuner reviews are, but I'll try to stay on point here. Boss has put out a new series of tuners. The chief among these is the Waza Tuner. If you aren't familiar with Boss and/or their Waza line, just know that Waza means you're going to pay more. As with the other Waza pedals, you really aren't getting a whole lot more for your money. Basically, Waza pedals give you two things: final quality control in Japan and a switch that lets you select from stock or mod. In this case, the mod is true bypass. That's it. You can turn your TU-3 to true bypass. That and they painted it black, so watch out, this pedal had an attitude...

And Then you Have The All New TU-3S (see the pattern here).



It's almost as small as it is not-exciting. I don't know about you, but one of the important features of the Boss pedal tuners was the fact they could mute your signal. This let you tune silently, and doubled as a panic button for when you rig has a ghost and starts to make all sorts of horrible noise. But don't worry, this tuner did away with all that functionality. And it can be yours for only the exact price of the actual pedal (the one with all the features still intact). I wish I was kidding. It is rather smaller, but not any slimmer. Last time I checked, the width of the pedal had more effect on pedal board real estate. I guess someone thought this was a good idea...




A Clip On Tuner

All kidding aside, this one is actually pretty solid. I've gone through the list with clip-on tuners. Some are better than others, but most are just barely passable. Boss have a pretty great track record when it come to tuners, so when they put their name on one, that carries some weight. This one comes in at less than $20, so it is still affordable and I wont cry to much when I eventually lose it.

Going Old-School



The last new tuner from Boss is the TU-30. Its a little more old school, and it gear toward more than guitarist. It come with a metronome and loads of extra features. If you want to read the full list of the features visit Boss. This one is probably the least excite of the four. However it does remind me of the days when I first learned the guitar and when I used a Korg tuner. That thing never stayed put and made tuning a bit of a hassle. I also lost probable a hundred dollars worth of then before switching to floor based models. I'm sure that the tuning and metronome feature are solid and that these would make great classroom and practice aids.




Conclusion:




sooooooo boring........

Artwood Vintage Guitars From Ibanez At Summer NAMM 2016

 For the first time in my memory, Ibanez has product distressed folk sizes acoustics. I'm not sure how I feel about a oversea company making 'aged' folk instruments. But when I look at these guitars, I want to play them. They might have everything you'd want, but I am digging the finishes.

 The Line up is pretty solid with a '000', '0' and dreadnaught. The prices on these are sub 800 making it appealing to the serious cowboy acoustic playing. No electronic that I know of, and Ibanez doesn't have the greatest reputation with acoustics, so I wouldn't expect these selling like hotcakes. I'll keep an eye out when they show up on the used market in a couple years though...

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Ugly Truth: TC Electronic Wiretap Riff Recorder

Have you ever wrote a riff that you were really excited about, then got distracted (by a shiny object or whatever) and then go back to your guitar to only realize that you can remember exactly what you play? TC Electronic has got your back. Building a recorder that fits on a pedal board is legit. I was pretty excited about the iRig, but quickly realized that its not exactly conducive for everyday use.


This pedal is smart. With the Wiretap app on your phone, you can connect via Bluetooth to trim, transfer, or share riffs. Your phone can also act as a remote if you don't feel like actually messing with the pedals controls.


The Ugly Part


For the most part this pedal is pretty solid. It has a street price of $99, but its not giving you much more than a go between for your guitar and your phone. Not exactly sure how much internal storage the pedal actually has, but it does record in 24-bit audio. The similarities with the Dito pedal are there. I'm not sure if this couldn't have been rolled into a 'Dito with extra features' type pedal, thus giving it more functionality and practicality. The hardware alone might be a little underwhelming, but the success of the pedal is going to come from the quality of the app and if it can transition into a live-tool rather than home-only type deal.

Pretty Basses From Ibanez At Summer NAMM 2016

Ibanez has done a great job at making a instrument that uses tried and true feature with unique looks and finishes that standout next to their more mainstream counter parts. What stood out to me was not their use of a P/J configuration or the offset body. It wasn't the coral color and stylish appointments that peaked my interest. It was that you wouldn't look at this instrument and assume it was under 3 bills.

 The next Bass that caught my eye was this hollow body with a distressed vintage finish. It's just pretty. Can I say that I'd play a bass like this? Probably not. But I would have one in my studio to show off.

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Ugly Truth About TC Electronic Sub N Up

TC Electronic has come out with a new pedal right before NAMM. The crazy pedal gurus at TC have developed an octave pedal that might replace all other octaves. Why might this effect replace whatever octave your are currently using? Because it can probably do whatever it is that you are doing with yours. How can I make such a blanket statement as that? Because, TC Electronic has equipped this pedal with their Toneprint tech. This makes it one of the most versatile octaves on the market. What's more is that it is affordable. $129 for the last Octave pedal you'll ever need to buy (probably).


So Here's The Ugly Truth


The ugliest thing about this pedal is the color scheme and design. In a cage full of pedals, this one sticks out like a sore thumb. Most pedals are slick and color coded. This one is a little bit of an eye sore. The only other thing that could be said is how this pedal functions. The analog purist with not enjoy the tech under the hood, but anyone who plays an octave knows that they hate chords. Playing through a three-knob Boss Octave is almost like fighting a bear. Overload it and you get nasty noise. If you are looking for that, then you know what you need, but there is nothing I want out of a Octave that I can't get from the pedal.


Even without hooking up this pedal to a computer to unleash the full power of this Toneprinting-beast, then you still have a superior sound octave. You may want to consider a paint job though...

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Update On The Way Huge Camel Toe MKII

A sight that Way Huge fans have been waiting for: In the picture above is what seems like the first from a production run of the Way Huge Camel Toe MKII. Way Huge has been teasing us with pictures of the pedal for months. This is the same pedal that 'goes for' $5000 on eBay. Will it be a wide release or a small run? Will it debut at Summer NAMM in a few days? Not much has been said about the pedal's reissue, but there are plenty that are excited to get their hands on it despite the knowledge that it is basically two pedals (Green Rhino and Red Llama). I'm excited to try one out and see if the rabid Camel Toe fans are right with all the hype.

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Ugly Truth: Outlaw Effects New Pedals

With Summer NAMM coming around the corner, we have some new products coming out of the woodwork. As I was running through my Twitter feed, I noticed that Outlaw Effects has four new products coming out. Outlaw makes effects that competes with the more inexpensive effects, but hold their own with the most established pedals on the market. So what's new with Outlaw Effects? Well, for the most part, it's not effects.

More Power!

 

 

Two of the new products that Outlaw have out are power related. This is a little surprising, but not a bad idea. This helps to round out their line and helps the Outlaw faithful to fully equip their boards with more Outlaw. The first is the Kerosene power supply($69). It's dressed up, so it can be on top of your board if you like. It features eight 300 milliamp 9 volt power. This is plenty to power most if not all of Outlaw's effects (not sure of the power consumption on their reverb or delay). What isn't here is something to power the more hungry effects. Most digital delays and reverbs are going to want around 500 milliamps, so you may have to look elsewhere to power those. But fear not. Elsewhere is only as far as the Iron Horse tuner/power supply($75). Instead of 8-300 milliamp spots, we get 2-500 milliamp and 6-100 milliamp outs. This makes these two a pretty sweet package. No word on whether these are isolated outs, but my money is on not. If it was, then I would expect that would be highly publicized.

Solid Choices

Outlaw are also adding the Lasso Looper($79) and updated Six Shooter tuner($39) to their fold. The tuner sounds like it was sorely needed. Some reviews reveal that the functionality of tuner 1.0 may have been less than some of the competition. Personally, if it doesn't perform at least as well as my trusted TU-2, then it doesn't work well enough. I owned Fender's pedal tuner for a short time. It was awful and probably never actually tuned a guitar. I returned it and bought my TU-2 and it has been faithful ever since (considering the TU-2 was replaced with the TU-3 several years ago, that says quite a bit). Hopefully they have improved whatever may been wrong with the original. The looper seems like a faithful clone of TC Electronic Dito. One knob, one switch, hardly could mess that up.

Conclusion

These guys know what they are doing. I think they have rounded out their collection of pedal quite well. The truth of the matter is that these are affordable, tiny pedals. I've been impressed with everything that I've used from them. The best thing is that they are very customer service oriented. I have connected with them over social media and some direct messaging. They are friendly, polite and located in Canada (not France). There aren't a sponsor, they just make some decent stuff. I'm excited to see things in action.

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The Ugly Guide To Buying Your First Guitar Pedal

Let me start by saying that the previous post about "Your First Guitar Pedal" was just awful, and not very helpful at all. Having said that, lets try it again...


So there you are, standing in the store or, more likely, looking at a website. Let's do this: find the guitar effect page, then select the box that sorts everything in order of cheap to not-cheap. Now we should be looking at some very reasonably priced items. The first pedals you might see are some by Danelectro. There are some of these pedals that are diamonds in the rough, however we are going to move past most of these because of their durability. They are affordable, but they are made from plastic and won't stand up to much rough housing. For the same reason, we are going to skip past the Behringer pedals. These aren't bad choices, but I'd prefer to have a pedal that I can grow into rather one that I'll quickly out grow.


Now we are up to pedals that cost right at $50. This gives you a lot of options. There is a pedal that you are going to want to buy. It is a Boss Distortion. It is Orange. Do not buy this pedal. For some reason, every guitarist wants to buy this pedal. I bought one. Everyone who has played pedals has been temped to pick up one of these pedal. resist that urge. Put. The pedal. Down. So you have a choice to make, but don't worry, I'll help you. There are four pedals: Boss SD-1, TC Mojomojo, TC Dark Matter, DOD 250* (*currently at $50, but I've seen it at $99 when not on "sale", but it can be regularly found for $50 new) All of these pedals are very solid, but you have to know what you are looking for. These are all overdrive/distortion pedals. So decide how much grit you want and pick your pedal. Just want a little grit? DOD 250. Little more? SD-1 or the Mojomojo (the mojo has bass and treble control, the SD-1 has a more classic sound) The Dark Matter is a flexible distortion that punches about it's price tag.


But wait, what about BandX pedal that cost (<50 and="" best="" bread="" distortion="" it="" overdrive="" s="" says="" since="" sliced="" strong="" the="">


Most of the pedals that fit into that statement above have a few things going against it. Modtone, Outlaw, and many others aren't going to offer the type of support that the larger established makers can. It's important that your first experience with effects be a smooth one, otherwise you might get a bad impression due to a bad QC or customer support. Boss (Roland), TC Electronic, and DOD (Digitech/Harman) are going to stand behind their product and offer warranties.


What about this one guy that makes a pedal that's the greatest thing since sliced bread?


 Again, there are reasons why your first pedal shouldn't be one that fits into the previous statement. Not to say that boutique pedals, I like them. The main thing that deters me from recommending these pedal is the price. Many people just getting into effect don't want to invest more than they have to. Also, there are so many builders and sometimes their products can be a little cryptic. You might want to buy a light overdrive and end up with a over the top fuzz pedal. It might be exciting to buy from a boutique builder, but when it's your first go-round, then you should get your feet wet before jumping into the deep end.


Should I only buy Boss/TC/DOD pedals, of course not. But these are good pedals to get your start. It is a new experience to have the capability to adjust your tone without taking you hands off the guitar. These are great pedals that can serve as a great jumping off point for anyone looking into guitar effect pedals.

Digitech Whammy Ricochet Pitch Shift Pedal

With the trend of shrinking pedals, Digitech has graced us with the smallest Whammy pedal ever. It raises a few question with its release. Is a whammy a whammy if it doesn't have a rocker? Do we need another pitch shifting pedal with everything else on the market? Does it still have the same mojo as the original? Well, I guess that's what we are here to find out.

Haven't We Seen This Before?

Yes. Yes, we have. The EHX Pitchfork, the BOSS PS-5 (and others), even Digitech had a similar pedal with the Drop, so why come out with this. Well, the size is one reason. The original Whammy pedal is huge. As large or larger than your wah pedal. This pedal makes pitch shifting in a manageable box. Although if that's all you wanted then the Drop would be enough. So what sets this pedal apart. Like the Dirty Robot, what sets this apart is control. The effects other than your basic pitch shifting are what need to be stressed here. The speed of the shift can be adjust independently. This allows for unique and flexible effects. While it looks like something we seen before, it has some new feature under the hood.

It's New And Old

Yes, it has a lot of new features and the pitch bends are smooth and track well. But there are some that are fans of the original. It had tracking issues that made it an effect in and of its self. That voice is still in this box. You can switch between the polyphonic tracking or the original tracking of the old whammys. This is a smart move. This pedal can replace your old clunky whammy rocker for good. Not to mention, it makes recreating the exact pitch-bending speed super easy. No longer do you have to develop those killer ankle muscles.

There Is Still A Little Room From Improvement

Yes, this pedal is a solid offering from Digitech. It is well needed and timely, but it seem to have overlook something. There is a interesting LED arrangement on the left. I don't dislike this. It is a visual reference that might be helpful, but what would be more helpful is an expression out. Yes, there are other Whammy pedals that can help you out, but why not make a pedal with a bit more flexibility. It would be a welcome replacement for the column of lights in my opinion.

Conclusion

Although their is some room for improvement, this is still one of the best pitch-shifter pedals. It sounds great, and you can still get those old sounds out of it. You can emulate a trem-arm and make other cool sounds with it's flexible controls. This is pedal is a welcome addition to the whammy line, and it might be just what you need if you can live without using the rocking motion to control the pitch.

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Vox AV Series: Update

I first reported about these amps when Vox announced them back at NAMM this year. They Stood out because of there styling and features. They are analog, solid powered combos that look rather striking. The looks alone were enough to make me interested. I've been able to see one in action and I have to say that I'm am impressed. I was almost dismissive of the new line. I wasn't the biggest fan of the little modeling amps that came out recently. I was afraid that these guys were still coming from that prospective. This does not seem to be the case. These are something akin to the Super Champs that Fender put out. They replicate the front ends of other various amps, sans digital modeling.

Starting at just over $200 these amps are poised to be an excelent first amp, or a great step into valve-ish amps. If you need or want a variety of amp sounds but don't have the funds to buy half a dozen or more amps to make those sounds, then this amp could be an excellent fit. I liked the Super Champ amps and these seem to be in the same ballpark. In fact, I'd pick up one of these on the looks alone. The fact that these amps can emulate so many others and even the biggest one in the lineup comes in under $500 doesn't hurt either. Vox has put a lot of work into making great little amps. Even the the cabinet design is made to make you forget that (unless you have the 60 watt version) you aren't playing though a 12" speaker.

All in all. these amps are stacking up to be a step above what I was predicting. Kind of a foot-in-mouth moment, but I'm glad it is. The world need more great amps. This quite possibly, could be one. At least, it might be a good choice for many musicians.

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