The Ugly Truth About The Line 6 Catalyst Amp

 Something hit my attention in the last few days that I have’s been able to ignore. Line 6 has released a new budget priced modulating amp. No, it’s not the Spider VII, or whatever version they’re on now. It is a new model called the Catalyst. It is heavily influenced by the Boss Katana line of amps. If you are familiar with this blog, then you know I am a pretty big fan of the Katana amps. So is this a petty rip-off of the successful line of Boss amps, or is it a line of amps poised to dethrone the reigning champ of budget modeling amps.

Feature Set

I wont go into a exhaustive list of all the features, but it is safe to say, that they cover much of the Katana amps. You have your amp models, EQ, FXs, and Master controls. Out back you have DI out and FX loop (even on the smallest 60 watt version). You also get MIDI control on the larger units. Line 6 has done an amazing job with their modeling tech. The Helix line is impressive, so if there is any of that DNA in this amp, then I wouldn’t worry about any of the models or effect on-board.

Sounds

I haven’t had my hands on these amps. At the time of writing this, I don’t think they are actually on sell. However, I’ve listened to lengthy reviews and comparisons. I know that’s not saying much, but I do feel confident in saying that it holds its own. It isn’t a replacement for your boutique tube amp, but it would fair well as a bedroom or practice amp. I own and love my Katana 50, but the high gain sounds, I think, are just OK. If the Catalyst has a leg up on the Boss anywhere, It would be the High gain sounds. From the samples I’ve heard, the Catalyst shines with heaps of distortion. When compared to the Katana, the Catalyst thickens up, where the Katana can get a bit then. This may be attributed to the slightly larger enclosure of the Catalyst. However, there is a bit of mush/mud that can come with the higher gain settings.

Spider V Light?

So, Line 6 already has a budget modeling amp. In fact, they line has been going longer than I’ve played guitar. It is in its fifth edition. The Spider V was review rather harshly when it debuted several years ago. It was received as a luke-warm refresh to the previous generation with underwhelming performance. So, the Catalyst seems to be a descendant of the Spider, but with a striped down feature set that leaves the essentials and offers a real value proposition.

Conclusion

I’m really glad Line 6 has developed this amp. It is a no-brainer for just about anyone looking for an amp of this size. It covers a wide range of sound, and has a feature set longer than my arm. I also like that there is now real competition for the Katana. When there is competition, the customer wins. I think we will continue to see better and better amps in these lines. 

The Ugly Truth about Fauxelectro-Harmonix Lizard Queen

 Let’s get this out of the way right up front, It has been an terribly long time since I’ve posted. The list of reasons for why is long and equally useless. Moving forward. What has brought me out of this seemingly endless hiatus? The short answer is the Lizard Queen. If you look at my post history, and I hope you do, you’ll notice that I am quite a fan of EHX. Yes, it is because they are affordable clones, but also so many other reasons. 

Faux electro-Harmonix?

Yes, actually, no. EHX so far to my knowledge has nothing to do with the Lizard Queen. JHS, however, does. JHS’s YouTube channel posted a video explaining the conception of this pedal. Role playing as 70’s EHX employees. Josh, from JHS, and his friends explain why they are designing and building large form at EHX clones of a pedal that doesn’t exists. Rather, it doesn’t exist yet. In the video they gush about the format and aesthetics. What I won’t do is describe the entire video. You absolutely should go watch for yourself. The jist of this paragraph is that JHS, and friends, design a period correct 1970’s EHX octave-fuzz.

Is this a plug for a new pedal?

I don’t know. I figured it might be, but that would mean a collaboration between EHX and JHS. That just feels like a lot of alphabet soup. However at the end of the video, Josh asks about the interest in the pedal. This is what spurred me to write this post. I don’t have a huge audience here, but there is a beautiful group of people that come here. I need all of us to put our collective weight behind the production and release of this pedal. If I can’t convince, again, please watch the JHS video and listen to it. If that doesn’t move you, then that’s fine. 

Ugly Guitar Truth: Fender Acoustisonic

I'm not sure when it was that these guitars first hit the shelves. If I recall correctly, it was when I was starting my guitar journey. Acoustic guitars that were shaped like electrics. It made sense. If you played electric but needed to switch to acoustic for a song, or if you really didn't like playing a large-bodied acoustic, then these seem to be made just for you. Lots of people must have felt so because these hideous abominations were everywhere. Every six-string playing youth pastor in the bible belt had one of these in his office/chevy blazer. Not to mention that every 20-something, female "singer-songwriter" had one in her college dorm room. Why were these so popular? They were objectively awful. They sounded like wet garbage that somehow was let ablaze. Yet, I'm sure Fender could have paid everyone college tuition with the profits from this line. Then again, college was cheaper then.

I'd typically put a picture here, but If I grabbed a promotional image of these it would just make me angry.

They've brought them back, dear God, They've brought them back. But these aren't the instruments that were back then. These are not meant to help people learn, or be a stand-in for your electric for a bedroom jam. These are priced well beyond any entry-level instrument. A quick price check revealed $2000 price tags. I couldn't believe it, so I checked around a little more. I'm not dreaming, the product of a luthier's fever dream is now demanding thousands of dollars.

I actually saw these for the first time on an Andertons' video probably a year or so ago. I didn't think much of it because if I did, then I'd just get angry. What surprised me, though, was that they didn't sound nearly as horrible as I remembered. I mean, from what I could tell, the electronics on board were putting out what I guitar only describe as "guitar noises". Some of the features are actually welcome. Magnetic pickups and output blending are smart options. It looked as though Fender had put a little bit of thought into these guitars this time around. I gave it a pass. I can honestly say that I haven't given it a second thought since then, but now they've put out the Acoustisonic Strat. They've doubled down. That's when I looked a little further, saw that they were asking as much as a professional instrument, and decided to write (or scream into the void of the internet) my thoughts.

They asked if they could, but never stopped to ask themselves if they should. These guitars are better in every way than the ones that came before. I wouldn't blame anyone who has seen one and considered purchasing one. These are perfect guitars to be sold on-line and demoed on YouTube. They are capable of sounding pleasant. They look well made and attractive. The satin finishes and appointments are top-notch. I'm sure from a stage, these guitars are impressive. However, the acoustic noise that emits from the guitars is the same awful, thin, and stale sounds that the originals had. You know what else the originals had? Horrible balance issues. These guitars would neck-dive harder than SG basses making them a terrible stage guitar. Seeing the price tag of these guitars mad me angry and physically ill. Unless they put a counterweight in the body of the guitar (which I'm sure is just great for acoustics) then I'd rather hurl one of these across a stage than have to play a set with it.

In conclusion

Don't buy one of these. There are so many alternatives that aren't an affront to God. If there is some millionaire out there that wants to do something good for the world, then please buy every one of these and put them into those barrels that homeless people warm themselves by.

Turning a Metal Zone to an Overdrive

A few years ago Brian Wampler made a few videos that demonstrated some mod ideas. Brian Wampler Might be my spirit animal because the first mod he posted to his YouTube channel was one that changed a BOSS MT-2 Metal Zone into an overdrive. Where are the monuments for this man? He is doing the lords work. However, I know that I'd never perform this mod because I'm not going pause and back up a video the thousand times I'd need to follow his instructions. So I went to transcribe it down.

All credit to Brian Wampler. Please Follow, Subscribe, Like, Comment and generally stalk him on all social medias

link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6aoE3wId3Y&t=627s

Converting MT-2 Metal Zone to overdrive mod:

Remove C35, C25,
Change C34 to .047mf
Remove D003, D004
Change R41 4.7k
Change C30 .047mf
Remove C17 Q007 C25 Q008

Replace C37 with 1n4148 diodes (two inline for asymmetrical or you can make a devils triangle for symmetrical) and cross those with a 100pf Cap

Refer to Brian's video in the link above for additional help/demo.ect.

The Ugly Guitar Truth: Rob Chapman

I assume my experience with Rob Chapman is about the same as many others. I was watching YouTube and noticed a video, probably about a guitar pedal, and decided to watch. A charming British man proceeded to shred and turn knobs for a few minutes. Some time passed and I had watched countless videos featuring Rob, Lee and many others. These videos were entertaining and informative. I still watch Rob's and Anderton's videos from time to time, so when I noticed that Rob had produced a response video addressing some other video that made some claims I was surprised.

Chapman Guitars had held quite a lot of appeal. I had seen and heard loads about them simply because I watched a lot of early Andertons videos that feature Chapman and Victory frequently. So when I finally got a chance to play one at an LGS I was excited and then somewhat disappointed. The instrument was completely playable, but it didn't do anything for me. I'm glad I was able to pick up and play one as I had considered buying one online a number of times. The fit and finish were fine, but the guitar didn't suit me. Oh well, I guess I'll just buy another Tele then. Since then, I've been able to play a number of Chapman Guitars. They're fine. I think that CG did help innovate the market. That or CG was small and nimble enough to adopt trends closer to real-time. I don't really want to do a review or anything here, but I have played a single-cut, double-cut, and Ghost Fret model. They were all fine.

In the simplest terms, I think Chapman is dealing with YouTube drama. I've noticed an uptick in video essays that expose people. It easier now to complain and rail against someone/something than it is to support. I understand that some complaints may be legitimate, but someone's misstep is hardly a reason to create a 20-minute rant about that person. I mean, I rant about a pedal that I don't like but that's different, somehow. I think a lot of the attention that Chapman is getting is because he is a large YouTuber. If you mention a large channel in a video then the all-mighty algorithm might put you in front of the large YouTuber's audience, thus increasing your audience. It's people trying to game the system and faking outrage. Honestly, it's preying on peoples' naivety. The only part of the drama that I think is the least bit concerning is that these established, adult people are responding to it. Maybe they were having a slow day and couldn't think about anything else to make content about, but people who own businesses and hold hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars worth of assets respond to people saying something about them online. It saddens me that we as people aren't better than this.

Is Chappers in the right? Well, that's a simple question with a complicated answer. You have to get specific about what it is your talking about. Did he send his audience to go harass people online? No. He didn't tell them not to, but that in no way means that he endorsed or implied that they should. People are going to people. Unfortunately, that means that they abuse their perceived anonymity and say something that is wholly unacceptable. Did he cause Riff City to go under? No. My LGS closed after decades of business. I was sad, but it happens. The market has evolved over the years. It turns out that investing in an internet celebrity is pretty risky. What about his Guitars, Pedals, Ect? They're fine. I haven't used any Snake Oil pedals, but from what I can tell is that they are takes on established circuits. The custom shop British Standard stuff was interesting, but it seems like that ran into some sort of issue. Either way, I'd probably never invest in one. I just don't need a custom guitar like that. Chappers and Lee did a video on how there is a diminishing return on instruments like that. It's a good watch.

So all this drama is baseless and wrong? Again, no. I mean, there is some petty stuff mixed in with some larger implications. Rob and his bandmates had their gear stolen. That's horrible. There was an organized effort to collect money from those wishing to help the band recover their losses. This may not be a good look for someone that looks like they have a large YouTube channel, owns a business and is assumed to be well-off. The optics may have been bad, but there could have been good reasons for it. If his other bandmates needed help, or if there were individual offering to help, I'm sure they wanted an organized way for people to donate. People shouldn't have to help Rob or his band buy new instruments, and exactly zero people were forced to do so. They just made it possible. Is this really something that upsets people? Has Rob Chapman lied to his audience? Yes, but he'd have to be an idiot not to paint himself in the best light possible. Let's be real though, If you ever hear a statement that begins with, "I've never", or "I always", then that statement is can usually be disproven rather easily. Picking apart these statements shouldn't be taken as if the entire foundation of a person's credibility is compromised. He is so closely related to his company that saving face is important for his company to continue. So making a strong, emphatic, absolute statement is imperative. These statements are always suspect. Plus, he is trying to sell us something. Maybe I'm just cynical...

Just in case this gets a little traction, I'm just a dude on the internet that writes about the crap that I think about. These are just my opinions. I put them here so I don't annoy the people that I talk to that don't really care about any of this stuff. So if you disagree with me that's fine. That's good even. Go and write about what you think, or you could make a video about how I'm wrong. That way I could write a response and have a twitter war and they could make a subreddit about it or hashtag.

NAMM 2019: Ibanez TSV808 Vemuram Tube Screamer

This year at NAMM, Ibanez has unveiled a new pedal. It is a collaboration with a Japanese pedal maker, Vemuram. Vemuram has made a name for themselves by using high-quality parts and outstanding quality control. The TSV808 looks like a beautiful example of simplicity and elegance in aesthetics. This pedal might look spectacular, but what's new with the Vemuram Tube Screamer?

Nearly anyone who has ever made an effect pedal has made a tube scream., and I do mean everyone. It's almost a right of passage for budding pedal builders to make this simple circuit. I love a tube screamer in my rig, but I don't pretend to hear a wide range of difference in the different shades of green. I own a 1980s TS9 and it is still a toss-up between a decent clone. So, this is a pretty reissue of a TS808 made with a boutique pedal builder. If you like that kind of thing, then this is for you. It doesn't really speak to me, but this is more about a new twist on an old favorite.

NAMM 2019: Fender American Acoustasonic

NAMM is upon us again, and I think the thing that everyone has an opinion about is the new Acoustasonic guitars from Fender. The early 2000s were a pioneering time. One of the standout products for the guitarist from that time is the Acoustasonic. You can probably think of someone you know that know that owns one. I know so many people that had one. this guitar is like the product of a love affair of Ovation guitar, with its round, composite back, and a Telecaster. I honestly can't stand them. They are neck heavy, bulky, awkward and dead sounding. In short, I hate them.

Enter, NAMM 2019. Fender has had hit after hit. The new line of effects is stellar and growing. Their limited artist tribute series must be making money hand over fist. It seems like Fender can do no wrong. Then there is this. The concept is a compromise. It must have been designed by a committee. It's like someone asked, "How do we get an electric guitarist to buy an acoustic?" then people started shouting out ideas at random. The end result was what we know today. It looks like they got the band back together to brainstorm again. This time they thought that exotic woods, an oddly sized soundhole and randomly place pickup should be added. I don't know what the street price is on this, but I'm sure I wouldn't pay half of whatever it is.

BOSS Nextone Amplifier (EL84 Setting) Vs Vox AC15

The BOSS Nextone amp is the newest amp to come from BOSS. Fresh off of the success of the Katana amps, the Nextone takes a page from the Katana, but clearly shares DNA with the Blues Cube series. It features four different tube settings. For the sake of this review, I'm focusing on the EL84 British setting, so I'm comparing it with my Vox AC15 combo.

Cleans:

Right out of the gate, the Nextone is impressive. I am a fan of Vox amps. I've owned and used a Vox for years. In the room, playing big open chords, the chime is there. The sound is big and focused. Of course, with reverb and delay, the sound is pure ambient greatness. There is note definition without a hint of mud. While the higher register is bright and chimey, The experience with lower notes is where we lose some of the similarities. It may be due to the different cab designs, but the Vox seems to shake everything around it. At similar volumes, the BOSS doesn't seem to resonate as well. Besides that, the BOSS produces great clean sounds, but it lacks the big bottom-end that the Vox has.

Crunch:

I've recently discovered that the Vox dirty sounds are somewhat... polarising. Where I enjoy turning up my AC15, others can't stand the sound. Now, guitarists are known to be a tiny-bit particular about their tone so the difference between love and hate could be psychosomatic, but it is a difference of opinion. Vox may not be known for their crunch sounds, but I enjoy how the breakup is a little trashy with a big bottom-end and chimey highs. As I increased the gain on the Nextone however, the breakup was not the same. It wasn't bad, but this was probably most different the amps sounded during the test. I did my best to EQ the Nextone a little closer. No dice.

Recording:

So, the amp I used for comparison is the Nextone Studio. I decide to make a short recording I could go back and listen without the influence of room noise. I listened to both amps through headphones to compare. What I found is that the clean tones are impressively similar. While I enjoyed the way the Vox filled the room when playing live, recording by micing the speaker removed that effect entirely. The Crunch tones again were where I heard the most difference again. The breakup was a  little more generic than the Vox. The Nextone wasn't bad, but it's not a replacement for my Vox.

Conclusion:

The BOSS Nextone isn't a stand-in for a list of amps, but in the case of the EL84 setting emulating a Vox. It does a decent job of copying the clean chime. During recording, the results are similar. One isn't far and away better, and that is probably the best thing you could say about this amp. It's a little like cooking with garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. Is the product better with one over the other? Probably. Is the product drastically different at the end of the day? Not really. The Nextone is what it is. When it is all said and done. It is a Solid State amp doing an impressive job at imitating a tube amp.

BOSS Nextone Amps vs BOSS Katana Amps... FIGHT!

Recently, BOSS has given us the Nextone amps. They are heavily inspired/based on the Roland Blue Cube amps. If you can remember, there was a time before BOSS release the Katana amplifiers where Roland's (BOSS' parent company) biggest amp line was the Cube series. Many people played and loved the Cube amps. Some of the most praised amps in the line were the Blues Cube. The Blues Cube was designed as a direct competitor to the Fender 1x12 amps. Following in that line, the Nextone amps are a continuation of that idea. I think that the Nextone is better than the Blues Cube in nearly every way. However, is it worth it?

I've talked a lot about the BOSS Katana on here so I won't go in a lot of detail in this post. I, like many other people like the Katana amps. I own a Katana amp. It makes a great practice amp. It makes a good gigging amp. You can record direct and mic it with reasonable (or even impressive) results. I think the most impressive thing about the Katana amps is the price. BOSS may have not have realized how big of a success the Katana was going to be. The Katana was priced less than it is now when it was released, suggesting that it was undervalued at release. So the Katana if a huge value that can serve in a multitude of roles.

There are key points were the Nextone amps are similar to Katana. Obviously, BOSS wants to emulate the Katana's success. The most obvious similarities are the power limiting feature (which actually was featured of the Blues Cube before the Katana) and the way the back panel is set up. The Blues Cube had much less in the way of options. However, the back panel of the Nextone and Katana look almost identical. There are some major differences as well. The biggest may be the effects that are built in. Katana promised a huge list of effects that you could select from and control. The Nextone gives you some effects that you might find of small tube combos (reverb, trem, and even delay). Where the Nextone can really flex is power section emulation. This is a solid state amp, but you can select the type of tubes emulated the amp emulates. In practice, this voices the amp like two different American amp or two British amp.

Both of these amps sound good.

Both of these amps have good In/Outs.

The Katana has more effects.

The Nextone models/emulates 4 different Tube amps.

The Katana has 5 amp charactors/modes (which is different?!)

The Nextone has software support to customize your amp voicing.

But UGT! Which one should I buy? The obvious answer is to play both side by side and buy the one you like more. But let's say that you have to buy one or the other without playing either one. If the difference in price doesn't matter, then it mostly comes down to effect. If you have a pedal board then I'd lean toward the Nextone. However, if you need a amp that does effects as well, you might want to go with the Katana, but they are limited. Which one is better overall. Not surprisingly, the more expensive one is going to have a better speaker and cabinet.

Conclusion

BOSS is killing it with their amps. I am very impressed. At a very glance, these amp look very similar. There are some key differences that make the Nextone very impressive. I'd go so far to say that these amps are what the Katana Artist should have been. If the Nextone retained the effects section from the Katanna, it would be game over.

Ugly Guitar Truth: Boss Nextone Amplifier

Boss has been known for creating some of the most iconic and memorable guitar products of all time. A few years ago the world was taken aback when BOSS gave us the Katana amplifier. The internet was abuzz with talk about an amplifier that gave you tonnes of useful features and BOSS-quality effects. The Katana was not the first, but what made it a darling was that it started for $200. For what many pay for their first "beginner" amp, you could have an amplifier that could get you through your first gigs or be a respectable studio tool. I personally love the line-in and headphone functions. Many of my larger amp and combos don't include this feature. So it's nice to have this on an amp that doesn't make me feel like a compromising tone-wise.

I like the Katana, but why am I take about the Katana on a post about the Nextone amp? Well, my first thought I had about the Nextone, was that it was just an update/addition to the Katana series. Since the introduction, BOSS has added many more Katana models. I can't speak to have the success they all have been, but the Nextone seemed to be at home next to the Katana amp. However, this is not the case.

We've Seen These Before

The Nextone amplifiers are the newest amps from BOSS, and you wouldn't be wrong to think that they share some DNA with the runaway success that was the Katana line of amps. However, these amps are more closely related to the Roland Blues Cube. With just a look, we can see the similarities on the control panel. The channel controls are set up exactly the same. You still have the Tone and Boost controls, Tube Logic and Power Control that we are used to seeing of the Blues Cube. Is this a reheated Blues Cube sold under the BOSS brand? Well, in a word, no.

Something New

While this might have started life as Blues Cube, BOSS has taken lessons from the Katana and applied them to this amp. We can see it most clearly in the effects. The effects are one of the most impressive features of the Katana (besides the solid foundation of good tones). While we don't have the impressive library of effect from the Katana we do have delay, reverb, and trem built in with similar controls to the Katana. The main claim to fame the Nextone is the selectable "Power Section". You can select from 6V6, 6L6, EL84, and EL34 which are just coded names for American and British-type amps. In addition to what we can see on the outside of the amp, BOSS has created an editing software tool to support the backend of the amplifier. This is supposed to give you in-depth control over the "Bias" and "Sag" just like a tube amp. You can also change the EQ across the entire amp and play with how your effects loop operates. The Nextone editing software will also let you change the Boost function into a compressor. So, that's kinda neat.

Conclusion

I never really liked the Blues Cube series. In theory the Blues Cube is a good choice, but I always felt that if you were going to spend Blues Jr. money, then you should probably buy a Blues Jr. (although if you picked up a used Blues Jr. and put the money you saved and bought some effects, then you'd be much better off). However, BOSS has put a lot more into the Nextone. There a lot of features packed into these amps. Sometimes that spell disaster, but BOSS has impressed me with this kind of thing before. "Nextone" is a trash name, however. There is no getting around that. It brings to mind brands like Nux and Hotone for some reason. Both of which I wouldn't want to be associated with my top-shelf combo amps. They are handsome, so hopefully, that's enough to offset a throwaway name. Will I buy one? Let's just say that I'm interested.

The Current State Of Multi Effects

I've written about multi-effects on here before, But there has been a lot of time in between now and then so here we are. What do I think about multi-effects? Well, I use to hate them. I had a pretty bad experience with them. I owned a few Digitech units. These were early 2000's and early on in my guitar playing. So I thought they would a good way to have lots of effects without going broke. And it was, what it wasn't was passable for live performance which is what I would later try to make it do. I would later attempt to use multi-effects with Marshall's line of amps before their current CODE line. Again, these left a lot to be desired. I blame these two experiences with the poor impression of multi-effects. It has been a long time since I have tried seriously use multi-effects. So let's take a look.

Line6 did a lot to turn the tide of multi-effects. The POD had a lot of serious users, but I never bought into it. It was too soon for me. I just had a bad taste in my mouth from Digitech. Also, it wasn't a pedal, so it wasn't cool enough. Then came the M series. The M series probably turned the tide on multi-effects. The large unit, M-13, could be your entire pedal board. It could also be a part of our pedal board. The M-13 probably pushed the limit in many respects. It was really expensive compared to other units. Despite that fact, the M-13 was extremely popular. There had been other "high-end" multi-effects" but the M-13 did so well that it renewed interest in premium multi-effects. Yes, Line6 ushered in the new era of multi-effect. Eventide and Strymon probably would be as successful if Line6 didn't help so many of us find faith in their ability again.

Today, multi-effects are again surging in popularity. Line6 have again pushed the boundaries. The Helix series has filled in a gap in the market. With the rise in popularity of high-end,multi-effects, all-in-one boxes, Line6 took what they do well and married it to super-detailed, high-fidelity effects processing. Headrush and Positive Grid both have products that compete with the Helix. Both of these companies have great products that basically changed the multi-effect game practically overnight. But what Line6 has done is married their experience with pedal making (love it or hate it) and the full weight of their multi-effect engineering. The product of all this was Helix.

Is the Line6 Helix the end-all-be-all of guitar effects? I don't know. I not trying to tell you that you need to buy a Helix. In fact, I not trying to say that the Helix is better than making a pedal board of all sorts of different pedals. But, these effects are doing so much more than they used to. Entire digital rigs that act more like their physical analogs than ever before. It all depends on what you want from your rig and how you use it. A guitarist that use a DAW could possibly replace their entire rig and silently record and still have a great product. Some will always love running through an amp and analog effects. There are less and less differences between the actual product, so what you use will depend on what you want from your effects. At the end of the day, Digital improving so much and so fast that soon it will be hard not include these effects.

Return Of Haunting Mids (JHS Haunting Mids Effect Pedal)

I've spoken before about this pedal from JHS. The Haunting Mids was a limited release pedal that JHS released last October. It is now Spoketober once again, so JHS himself took to his new forum, youtube, to tell everyone about it. In this video, he goes on to tell us some interesting facts about the Haunting Mids pedal. Let's talk about Haunting Mids.

Mids That Are Haunting

Last year when this pedal was released there were some that claimed that this pedal was taken from a pedal building forum called Haunting Mids. Many people took offense to this, however, there seems to be little to no evidence of this. I criticized the pedal for its limited scope and function. However, in the video just released by JHS, one of the main topics of discussion was why they named the pedal "Haunting Mids". The reason is pretty simple. Haunting is to Mids as Transparent is to Overdrive. Haunting is just a word used to describe mids. It is simple, boring and seasonally appropriate. 

Mids Only

Many people criticize JHS for many reasons. I can't endorse this pedal, but I can recognize the perfect way this pedal was marketed. The pedal is not without merit, but I think they knew that this pedal wasn't going to move a lot of units. So, they decided to release it in limited release. Doing this not only allows JHS to sell to those looking for a very particular pedal but also to collectors and oddity seekers. 

Conclusion

Do you need a Haunting Mids pedal from JHS? No, I'd also argue that no one actually does. Do you want one? Maybe, I don't know. But even though it is something that I can recognize as something that isn't really necessary, and a graphic equalizer can function in the same way (maybe better). It's hard to say that this pedal isn't desirable. It's interesting, it's unique, it's haungtin...

Ugly Guitar Truth: Tenacious D; Post-Apoclypto

I am going off script here a little bit. I have written about artists before, but I would like to take a little time to talk about something I have some strong feelings about. That thing is Tenacious D. I became aware of the group around the turn of the millennia and they have been a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in metal ever since. Is there lastest venture into "animation" the next logical step in the evolution of a band that has never made sense, to begin with? Or, is this a desperate attempt by two middle-aged men to stay relevant? Let's discuss:

The Start:

I became aware of Tenacious D when I was watching MTV. Their video for "Tribute". It made no sense what so ever. I was younger and unaware of many of the tropes and cliches that they were playing off of. So you can imagine I was completely befuddled by what I witnessed. Jack Black was an actor I recognized from a handful of bit roles, this seemed to be a continuation of the character that he had established in many of his movie roles. I had no idea if this was a one-off video for laughs or a hard left in his career. Little did I know that Tenacious D was before everything.

Dark Times

Jack Black is the face of Tenacious D. He is loud and flamboyant making him the focal point of the duo. Kyle "KG" Gass seemed happy to be in the background supplying guitar mastery alongside the loudmouth of Black. While JB's continued making movies, the D fell silent. While the faithful few can recite the path the group made through these time, most casual fans just assumed that the D was done. After their feature-length movie, "The Pick of Destiny", many assume this was the underwhelming climax to the arch of the D.

Rising Again.

I regret all of the innuendoes. That leads us to now. Post-Apocalypto. Let's be totally honest with ourselves. This is a crudely animated scripted(?) podcast with JB and KG. For fans of Tenacious D, this is amazing. There are many casual fans that are falling back into love with Tenacious D. Many more are just now finding Tenacious D for the first time via YouTube. YouTube and Tenacious D might just be a match made in heaven (or hell, but you know, the good way...) During an interview, JB said that they have complete creative control, which is the only way I would think that they would create anything.

Conclusion

As long as there is are those that oppose the current state of the contemporary music, Tenacious D will continue to be in the collective consciousness of many. They spit in the face a modern convention and still find success.

Ugly Guitar Truth: Fender Full Moon Distortion

While I may have posted about this before, one of my first pedals was a Fender. It was their California Series pedal tuner. The thing was complete crap. It hardly worked, and that is still being generous. I got rid of that and switched to the BOSS TU-2 that is still working like day one. Fender pedals don't have a great reputation, but their new line of pedals is doing a lot to change that. Let's look at the Fender Full Moon Distortion.

That Name

I don't dislike the name that Fender has given their new high gain distortion pedal, but at the same time, it is not great. The strongest statement that I can make about it is that it is extremely forgettable. Thankfully, the pedal is not as forgettable. Unlike the pedals of Fender past, the Full Moon distortion is not a pedal that they want people to forget about. High distortion pedals have a habit to come with some extra knobs and switches, both of which the Full Moon has. So is this a pedal that will fade into the sea of high gain pedals? Well, it does have some things going for it.

The Sounds

It's been a minute since I was a really metal-player. My signal chain either contained a Metal Zone plus EQ and boost or it was just an overdrive into a gunned amp. There are tons of options for metal players out there now. The Full Moon is just the newest in a long line of pedals, but is there anything that makes this pedal stand out? A little bit. You have your basic layout of tone controls (High, Mids, and Lows) but then you get a Hi-Trem that lets you smooth off the super-high-end. You also get a basic Boost function which is nice. In addition to all that, you also get a switch to go between symmetrical and asymmetrical clipping and another for "Bite". Bite will boost your high-mids and give you more pick-attack. Both of the switches make subtle changes, but I am a sucker for things to fiddle with. With all of these options, it is pretty easy to dial in a sound that is pleasing to the player. Going into a clean amp, it is easy to achieve great rock tones with the gain dialed back a bit. Cranking the gain is naturally rewarding as well. Yes, this high-gain pedal does high-gain well.

Conclusion

Fender has set themselves up to compete with the best pedal builders out there today. The pedals are pretty and boutique-ish. If this were coming from a smaller builder, I would expect to pay a lot more. But because Fender is... Fender. They can mass produce and keep cost down. Make the Full Moon distortion an attractive pedal for a guitarist that is looking to find a pedal with plenty of gain and flexibility.

Ugly Guitar Truth: The Fender Pelt Fuzz Pedal

I've talked about Fender's current line of pedals on here before. Personally, I like the concept. It's probably the best offering from Fender effects that I've seen maybe ever.

Here's a story:

I bought a fender twin. It was brand new from the store. I loved the cleans. I was transitioning from metal player to whatever it is I am not, so at the time I thought this was a smaller (quieter) amp. I got the amp home and started messing around with all the knobs and whatnot. Hooked up the pedal and quickly realized that it didn't work. The amp switch had two or three buttons and it was completely DOA. So I take the rig back to the store and they swap the pedal out for a new one. This one had a bad switch in it. They couldn't find a pedal that actually worked. Does this have anything to do with the Fender Pelt Fuzz? No, not really, but it does give you a point of reference for my impression of Fender pedals. It didn't help that they released a line of pedals that looked more like accessories you would see on a desk of a middle-aged man that collects model cars and has a Fender Stratocaster mouse pad. Then we got direct from China mini pedals that weren't bad but they were what they were. So, I feel like you can hold my Fender pedal skepticism against me.

It's Fuzzy

Ok, duh, but let me explain. The world of Fuzz has exploded in the last few years. It has never really disappeared, but today we have more options for fuzz than ever before. I know that everyone first DIY pedal is a fuzz. They are very simple circuits to build, but recently we have seen the rise of complicated fuzz pedals. This one is no different. The granddaddy of all silicon fuzz, the Fuzzface, had only two knobs. Even the addition of two knobs was a technical marvel compared to the circuits origins. Now we have pedals like the Pelt. Not only do we have the familiar Volume, Tone, Gain knobs, but we get a Bloom knob and two switches for Mid (Contour) and Thick (Bass Boost Cut/Boost). The pedal has enough fuzz to nearly lose the guitar in the noise of the pedal. Fender also claims that the pedal responds well to rolling the volume down on your guitar. Fuzz pedals have a bad habit of cutting out or become more splatty when lowing volume is applied, but the Pelt is supposed to clean up. In my experience, the pedal doesn't clean up as much as it gets darker with lower volume. This may work relatively the same in a band situation. There may be no real way to get around how the circuit actually works.

It's Pretty

This may not be my favorite look that I've ever seen on a pedal, but it is far and away the best one that I've seen on a Fender pedal. It's not even much of a contest. These are the first pedal that I feel like they actually care anything about, so they had to give them an aesthetic that wasn't embarrassing to be seen with. The Amp jewel cover is a nice touch. I am a little worried about the magnetic battery door. It's begging to get crushed by a stray stomp, so be careful I guess. The backlit knobs are cool until you are on a dark stage and those lights are the only thing you can see and you can't tell you are changing the Tone or Gain knob. They pumped these pedals full of features, but this is basically Fender's first grown-up pedal line, so they still have refining to do.

Conclusion

I like this pedal. I haven't said a lot of great things about it, so you should know that this pedal is one of the better sounding fuzz pedals that I've seen come out lately. I'm a pretty big fan of the Big Muff style of Fuzz, but the Pelt is a robust pedal capable of being more than that one sound on that one song. Even though I really dig the Big Muff sound, do I have one on my board? No. The Pelt Fuzz is much more of a sonic tool that I could see actually using in a rig. The price is also something of importance. Lately, EHX has put out clones of the Big Muff in its many stages (Triangle, Russian, Silicon) and for the price of just two of those, you can have the Pelt. I may or may not own more than one of these pedals, and I may or may not wish I had the Pelt... just saying.

Ugly Guitar Truth: EHX Grand Canyon Delay and Looper

It's been a year since the release of the EHX Canyon Delay and now EHX has announced the Grand Canyon Delay and Looper. It is a full-featured delay with expanded capabilities, a longer list of features, and dual switches. For fans of the original Canyon Delay, this is an obvious upgrade. While I loved the Canyon for its overstuffed feature set and compact size, the question of whether or not the Grand Canyon continues this trend is harder to answer. Let's take a look.

Size Isn't Everything

While I personally love dual-sized delays (mostly because of my fondness for my DD-20) the form factor plays a big rule in how this pedal is used. The original Canyon Delay was packed with features such as a "secret sub-menu" that allows you to edit modulations and other features depending on the settings. This would allow you to edit settings on the fly that you normally wouldn't be able to on a normal compact delay. However, there is no interface on the pedal, so the learning curve is a little steep, and on-the-fly edits would require a pretty deep familiarity with how this pedal operates. That's why the size of the Grand Canyon is important. The increased size lets you interact with pedal relatively easily. It also allows the addition of stereo ins and outs.

Quarter-Of-A-Grand Canyon

Price. When you pedal was announced, my biggest question was about price. I loved the original, but what was going to make or break this pedal is the price. It was a given that the price-floor for this pedal was going to be around $200. The Canyon sells for $140. It is a direct competitor to the TC Flashback II. The Canyon undercuts the price of the Flashback by $30 and offers a load of options without needing to be connected to a computer/phone. There is definitely a market for those that want a full featured, single-sized delay pedal that has no intention on updating patches. EHX delivered to those people. The Grand Canyon is yet another calculated play by EHX. This is a full-featured dual-sized delay that slides in under the price of every other modern delay in its category. While I would have loved to see this pedal in the $200-225 range (because I'm cheap), The $250 price tag is more than enough to not cannibalize sells of the original, but any higher it would start getting compared to the big flagship digital delay without the vibranium shield of "for the price".

For The Price

$200 doesn't buy the pedal it used to. I walked into my local guitar shop ready to buy the best delay they had. I had my choice of a Line6 DL4 and a BOSS DD-20. Both were about $200 bucks. Now, delays are just a computer with a special purpose. The BOSS DD-500 Costs $350 and blows the DD-20 out of the water when comparing features. A modern, high-powered, digital delay will cost $300 and up. Since the Grand Canyon is slipping in just under that mark, then you are going to hear a lot of "for the price arguments". "It doesn't do everything the DD-500, but for the price..." Feel free to substitute DD-500 for another big brained delay and mark my words.

Conclusion

The Grand Canyon looks like a feature-rich, intuitive pedal that seems poised to be successful. I think about the guy walking to the guitar shop looking for a delay. He doesn't want to spend the rest of the day reading a user manual. He wants to buy a pedal, head to a gig, and find some cool sounds. Sure, he might buy a DD-7 or a Flashback II, or maybe he'll buy the Grand Canyon.

Ugly Guitar Truth: EHX Mod Rex Polyrthymic Modulator

EHX is one of those companies that cannot be defined in a single sentence. Most people know them for their guitar effects. Many think of their Big Muff Fuzz pedals, others may think of the Memory Man analog delays when they hear EHX. But still, others think of their weird and/or wacky modulation pedals. EHX has done all of these things to varying degrees of success. The Mod Rex definitely fits into that last category. This is Ugly Guitar Truth, so let's look at this pedal.

While there are some terms that guitarists are familiar in the description of this pedal like Flange, Trem, Vibe, and Chorus this pedal is anything but ordinary. It is no wonder that the demonstration of the Mod Rex is as much synth mod as guitar pedal. The demonstrator shows how easy (once set up) to control and create spacey synth rock with this pedal. It's easy to get the impression that the pedal can make you the next Killers, but it is key to remember that the demonstrator is very talented and likely very familiar with the product.

It is true that I like EHX, there are a few things that we need to address. This pedal is impressive, but for a guitarist with a singular focus, this pedal may not be what you are looking for. Yes, it may give you a handful of mod options. It will allow you to control them in many ways that stand-alone pedal may not, but there is a lot in this box that may go completely unused. Not to say this unit isn't an impressive sound modulating tool, but there may be other options out there that better meet the needs of a guitarist looking to mix and blend filters.

Conclusion

For me, I'm passing on this unit. It has loads of features that I'm just not going to use. There are plenty of effects that offer similar feature sets that are more tailored for guitar application. While I commend EHX for their ever forward attitude towards new sounds and features, I'll pass.

Ugly Guitar Truth: BOSS Waza Craft DC-2W Dimension-C

I don't think I get this one. I understand that it's a vintage pedal that BOSS has released under the Waza label, but other than the vintage appeal, there just isn't anything here that I'm stoked about. I ran a little long in the post about the Waza Metal Zone, so I think this will be shorter.

Ugly Truth in: 3... 2...

1. Presets

I'm a knob tweaker. I love to twist knobs. I like to fine tune all the settings. The biggest reason that I don't own a Strymon pedal is that I would probably be found dead from dehydration next to it because I tried to adjust all the parameters. So the fact that this is a "set it and forget about changing it" type of pedal is a little detracting for me. I get the appeal, but I'd be screaming for a Blend knob right off the bat. I mean, it is a cool pedal with a lot of vintage appeal. Also, you can rig it up in a loop with a blend if you are that into it, but it sounds like a lot of trouble just to run a special pedal with some cool vintage cred. 

2. Premium

This pedal isn't for me. The whole Waza line has a particular customer base and 9 times out of 10 I'm not interested. (actually, it's 2 of out 8 so far...) This is the most expensive Waza pedal at 229 USD. No doubt there will be those that buy and love this pedal. Those people probably already know that they will love this pedal before they buy it and they don't mind paying that premium. I'm not cool enough to really "get" this pedal, so my money is better spent on a used MD-500. You get 20 presets with the Dimension-C, but your options are nearly limitless with the MD-500. 

3. There is no 3

Conclusion

No doubt there are some cool sounds in this box. If you were stoked when BOSS announced it, then you are the type of person that BOSS made this pedal for. I, however, didn't. 

The Ugly Truth About BOSS MT-2W WAZA Craft Metal Zone

BOSS decided to break the dang internet, or at least our tiny little corner of it, with the announcement of the BOSS MT-2W. It is regarded by some to be the most despised of all pedals and praised by others for its unique sound and features. Along with the Dimension-C, the Metal Zone has gotten the WAZA treatment. So what does that mean for this divisive pedal? Well, let's take a look at what the BOSS Waza Craft Metal Zone MT-2W has done

First, a little backstory. I think I've shared this before, so I'll keep it brief. I used to play in a metal band. In my search for great metal tone. I, for a time, used a Metal Zone running through a GE-7 into an amp set for the edge of break-up. I still remember that I set the gain all the way down. This pedal had enough gain at zero. The more you turned up the distortion knob, the more noise and hiss came through the pedal. I still think that a Metal Zone running through an EQ is a powerful combination and an easy way to enter metal tone nirvana. So what do I think of BOSS releasing a Waza Metal Zone?

It makes sense. If you really think about it. Waza is the "greatest hits" of BOSS. The first pedals in the line were some of their best sellers. The SD-1 and DS-1 have sold tons of units. Nearly everyone that has gotten into pedals at least knows of these pedals if not owns them. I've owned several of each. (Why? It's hard to say.) But Waza isn't just about BOSS' most popular, current production models. They have rereleased some of the most coveted vintage pedals from the past. The DM-2 has been a vintage favorite for those that crave analog delay tones. The CE-2 is another pedal that saw rerelease in the Waza line. Both of these pedals are often emulated, but it seems like there is still a draw for something backed by BOSS. So why the Metal Zone? It's not as common to see an MT-2 as it is an SD-1, the Metal Zone is still in production, so why then? I think it's the same reason the BD-2 got its custom setting. Modders.

One of the first pedals that I ever modded was a Metal Zone. I liked the pedal, but the noise was always bothersome. So when I stumbled across a mod that was supposed to help with that, I jumped on it. I also killed the first MT-2 I ever tried to mod. eBay loved me. I think this is the reason that BOSS has given the Waza treatment to the MT-2. I hate being too cynical (or maybe I don't. I don't know.), but it makes sense. BOSS doesn't see much money from the modding community. When I modded pedals, I didn't buy a new pedal. I jumped on eBay and bought the cheapest pedal I could in case I screwed up the mod. I'm many others do the same, so BOSS wants to cut out the middleman and sell us the modded pedal up front. It makes all the sense, but is it worth it?

Log story just a little bit longer: yes, it is worth it.

The End

Just Kidding! did you think I wasn't going to talk this point into the ground? Is this your first time here? So, you may have noticed that I haven't talked about what this pedal sounds like. (I mean, if you think about, reading about what a pedal sounds like is a little silly, but hasn't stopped me before) If you like the way the Metal Zone sounds then you'll like the Waza Zone. If you didn't, then you probably won't be blown away by this pedal. If you don't know if you like the Metal Zone or not, then what have you been doing? It's been around for over 20 years... To be honest, this is one of the Waza pedals that I'd be interested in. I don't have very many heavy distortion pedals, and the MT-2 hold a special place in my guitar playing history, so buying a premium/custom version from BOSS for 50% more isn't a stretch.

Hiatus Is Over

So, I don't think I have many people that follow my posts, but just in case you do I'll let you know why I haven't posted anything in a good while.

A Little Burnt Out.

As you know, I haven't posted since earlier this year. I can't say that it has all due to outside forces. After Winter NAMM, which is pretty busy for people that like to follow new guitar gear and such, I was a little burnt out. I watch videos from the convention and write posts about what I think is interesting. I really push my self to cover a lot it. I do like to write about cool new stuff, but it's like anything else, and I get a little over it by the time everything is said and done.

Personal Stuff

I've recently had to move for work. Nothing like moving my family across the country to through your life into chaos. I just set up a desk and computer and we moved months ago if that tells you something. This has always been a little side hobby that I try not to take to seriously, so there are lots of other things that take priority. There have been times that I try to keep to a schedule, but for the most part, I write when I want to.

Moving Forward

I'm not promising a whole lot. I have written a few posts that will be up soon so I can promise that. There are also some things that came out in the last few months that I have some thoughts on, so there is a bit of catch up that I'd like to do. So stay tuned.