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.

Ugly Guitar Truth: Chasebliss Tonal Recall Red Knob Mod Delay

Those familiar with Chasebliss know the amount of engineering that they put into each one of their products. No product more recognizable of their than the Tonal Recall. An absolutely stunning display of quality, features, and control, the Tonal Recall has made a name for its self on its hard-earned merit. Just before Summer NAMM Chasebliss announces that they've produced a second version of this pedal with some very special features. Let's check it out...

The Tonal Package

It's hard to improve on such a beloved pedal, but Chasebliss have done just that. They've increased the delay time to 1100ms while still using the MN3005 that gave the first version its character. It now carries more repeats before its signature breakup. Its runaway hold control has been improved to sound more natural. The overall tonal range has been expanded to be able to sound a bit brighter. Quite simply, the people over at Chasebliss have made their amazing delay even better.

Still The One

Although they have made many changes, the Tonal Recall is very much the same pedal. There are a dizzying array of options available in this pedal. Deceptively simple look at a glance, the Tonal Recall lets you control nearly every aspect of your delay sound. These controls are also controllable via expression pedal as well. Rest assured that this is still the pedal that everyone knows and loves.

Conclusion

No doubt that the fans of the original will love the Red Knob Mod just as well. It is hard to believe that they've created a way to make this absurdly great delay even better. The only thing that you could criticize is the price tag. Not to say that the price isn't worth it, (I'm pretty sure that had to put actual magic in there) but when you start looking at $500 delays you find a lot of great options. Chasebliss has declared war of the big box delays with this one.

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Ugly Guitar Truth: DOD Rubberneck Analog Delay

DOD just released the information on their newest analog delay. there is a lot more than meets the eye with pedal. It has 1.5 seconds of delay time, adjustable rate and depth of modulation, bypassable buffer (tails/no tail), quarter/eighth/dotted eighth note subdivides. There is a rubbernecking feature that allows "rubber band" stretched sound, whatever that really means. You can hold the tempo footswitch and engage a regen effect with an adjustable parameter. An actual effects loop will let you insert effects that only affect your trails. Lastly, there is a remote input, so there you go. That all seems fine. Is there any ugly truth. Well...


It's Actually A Strong Offering


So, you look at the features and you can get a little overwhelmed. It seems like you have way more than you could make use of. The features are really all related. For delay users that really capitalize on the analog part of this pedal, the feature list make a lot of sense. You might be tempted to call this a 'shoegazer' pedal. But really, the interface is simple enough to quickly set or tweak. But it is $250. Is that good or bad? Well, take a look at similar pedals: EHX Deluxe Memory Man, Empress Tape Delay.. It's spot on really. It actually packs a lot of features in a pretty package for a reasonable amount of money. Not to mention that it sorta has a feature that is somewhat unique.


Conclusion


I like it. I want to use it and experience the rubbernecking feature for myself. I don't think it would get a spot on my pedalboard though. I really dig these analog delays. They make really cool noises. But digital delay do it well enough. And that might be the ugliest truth. I would put a Boss DD-500 on my board because it could probably do 95% of what this pedal does and then a lot more. Not to mention it is in the small ball park cost wise. I can't tell you that  you should pay 250 dollar for a pedal that does so much less, but if you are in the market for an analog delay that does neat things, this one is a great option.

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Ugly Truth About The New Keeley Compressor

Keeley has been impressing us since they first started modding BOSS pedals. They were on the cutting edge of the big 'mod' boom. Then they developed a line of original offerings that continues to innovate and expand. Keeley have been able to offer effects that compete with any other pedal for top spot. Their new compressor is likely to be no less impressive. It already has a few things going for it. So let take a closer look.

It's Tiny

Yes, it is another tiny pedal in a 1590A enclosure. Although I do not like skinny, tiny pedal like these, the Keeley compressors have been high regarded as some of the best. Little is known about the particulars of this pedal (it's not even on the Keeley website yet) it resembles the C2 Signature compressor. That particular model is out of production and resembles the ROSS/|Dyna, two-knob style Compressors. So this pedal seems to take a little inspiration from the C2 and adds a Mix knob, which I Find to my liking.

Too Many Compressors

Keeley is no stranger to the compression game. Their four knob compressor was probably the most sought after compressor for a period of time. It's features and fidelity filled a gap in the market that took some of the largest effects manufactures by surprise and introduced guitar players to compressor that made little or no compromises with their tone. This pedal does have some parallels with another pedal in the Keeley line-up, or rather a part of a pedal. The Steak and Eggs pedal by both Keeley and JHS has been praise three ways to Sunday. Notably, the tiny compressor and the compression side of the Steak and Eggs share the same features: Level, Sustain, and Blend. Is this Keeley capitalizing on the success of their joint venture with JHS?

These Pedals Are Too Familar

Take this pedal and put an unfamiliar logo on it. Does it still seem desirable? These tiny pedals have been flooding in from China. My local music store has adopted a line of these tiny guys. They sell for about $40. Put this pedal next to a Chinese pedal and tell me if it's worth two and a half time the price. Maybe it is, but maybe it's not. You could argue that Keeley holds it's value and is a better investment and that dealing with an American company will offer you better customer service. You would be right on all accounts. But when looking at the direct utility of the pedals themselves, it might become difficult to justify the price. (even though the first time I saw the asking price of one of these I thought it was a steal for a Keeley Compressor)

Conclusion

I'm not going to pretend that I don't like this pedal. It's probably the most excited I've been about a compressor, perhaps ever. It's not often that compressor get a lot of hype. They are used as tools, like EQs and boosts. There just isn't the colorful language given to these pedal as there is to overdrive and distortions. But, this pedal has all the makings of a great option if you are looking for a Compressor. It is small, so if you run your Comp 'always on' then you don't have to worry about turning it off and on and how uncomfortable that can feel. The price makes it no more expensive than many others that offer similar (or even fewer) controls. It maybe different or flashy, but it may just be the best option for compression to come out in the last few years.

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Ugly Truth About Counterfet Pedals

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

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

1. It's Hard To Tell The Fakes

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

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

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

3. They Might Actually Be Decent Pedals

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

In Conclusion

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

Ugly Truth Review: Boss RV-6 Reverb

I was able to sit down recently with the new reverb pedal from Boss. I was quite excited because the demo the made this pedal look like a pedal with more than just a subtle effect. Reverb is something that not all player enjoy. I never used reverb much for a long time, because I saw it as something that made everything sound mushy. I played a lot of punk/rock/metal tunes that didn't quite jive with jangly reverb, but now my style of playing has changed (or at least I play more types of music). So I've found my self using the reverb on my amp, and then I used the reverb on my Line6 M5. So My attention was peaked when I saw all the features of the RV-6.

It's A Reverb Pedal

Yes, it's true, this pedal is exactly what it says it is. The Shimmer and Dynamic settings are new and very enjoyable. I found myself spending the most time with these two new settings. This is probably due to the fact that I, and most other people, are familiar with the other types of reverb. But with is neat is that these effects are more of a "special" effect than an emulation of what amps already do. This pedal does reverb just as well as its older sibling, the RV-5, but has more to offer. The stereo operation is still intact, and the sound quality is just as good or better than before. There really is no setting that is "to far" that you can't make some musical noise out of it, unlike the EHX Holy Grail (not saying that 'to far' is always 'to far'). If you like a good reverb, this pedal is probably the best and most flexible I've played in a long time.

It's More Than A Reverb

I've talked about the new feature of this pedal, and there are several, but the most exciting to me was the fact that you can set the pedal for 100% wet signal. I've become a little more versed in the world of ambient noise and like the idea of a pedal that makes just that. These features, as well as the expression pedal input, suggest that this pedal can do more than just make reverb. In fact, much of my time with the pedal was making strange noises with it. I've mentioned the Holy Grail reverb earlier. That pedal is great when set at reasonable levels. Once you start to crank it, however, thing take a turn for the unmusical. This is not true for the RV-6. Run this pedal full bore and you still get usable, if not a bit "over the top" reverberations. The Expression capabilities are a fun thought. Being able to swell reverb is something that seems applicable in certain situations. No longer is a reverb relegated to subtle "after-note" effects, but can actually made a big difference in the tone and vibe of your playing.

Conclusion

I like this pedal. It may be the most excited I've ever been about reverb. Everything sound great and the controls are dead simple. It's really easy to dial in a tone you're looking for. If you are in the market for a reverb, then you should check this one out. If you like to make weird noises and you want a pedal to help with that, then you should check this pedal out. Other pedal that create just a fraction of this pedals range sell for what you'd pay for this unit or more. Do your self a favor and take a good look at the RV-6 from Boss. It's a reverb that gives you a lot more than "reverb".

UGT News!

This month at Ugly Guitar Truth, we've seen some milestones come and go. Viewership is sky-rocketing. We nearly tripled viewership over last month. and we continue to set records. The previous post marked the 100th published post on the site. We are in the triple digits! There have been long stretches of no activity, but if you have kept up lately you've notice that post are regularly coming on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Some exceptions here and there, but three posts a week is the schedule. There are more reviews and topical discussion coming, so stay tuned!

As always, thanks for reading.

Boss BD-2 Blues Drive Mod

So I've been talking a lot about Boss pedal mods lately... there is a reason. Its because I've done a lot of them recently. I really enjoy messing around inside those little boxes and seeing what I can get out of them. It really is a lot of.... fun? Anyhow, Moute Allum has gotten me in a lot of trouble lately. He is putting out a lot of great stuff that I just have to have. I've posted a lot about OD pedals, like here and here, so you know I like a good dirt box. So when I finally got around to actually buy a Boss Blues Driver it was only a matter of deciding what I was going to do to it. I went with Moute again. I chose the H20 mod because it seems to offer what I would like in my little blue box. I took my time with the mod. I thought that this was going to really wow me like the GE-7 I had done before this one. Here is where the pattern breaks. I was able to side-by-side test this pedal with an unmodded twin and the differences were so slight that at times I was unable to identify which was the modded pedal. Now this was far from scientific. I ran both pedal in series so they had to pass through each others buffers, but as far as the great difference/improvements I have had in the past, there was no one thing I could point to and say was much better. Maybe some further testing is in order...

Here is what Mounte has to say:

Boss BD-H20 DIY Pedal Mod Kits - When searching for a name to call this mod I chose H2O because it's the symbol for water. Water can be clear or transparent and it can be light or heavy. This mod transforms the BD-2 into an almost completely transparent pedal letting the true character of your guitar, pickups and amp shine through. Not only is it almost completely transparent, it's also extremely Dynamic. As you turn the Gain knob up on the pedal you can control the amount of gain using the volume control on your guitar. The BD-H2O will react exactly like a tube driven amp. The shriek highs and splaty gain of the stock BD-2 are completely removed. Compared to our regular BD-2 mod this mod has a much flatter EQ.

My regular BD-2 Mod has a slight mid boost and a little less gain than the BD-H2O Mod. Both mods remove the shriek highs and splaty gain of the stock BD-2. The splaty gain of the stock BD-2 is a common gripe I hear about others that offer mods for this pedal. We have removed this issue with this pedal. We also include a Super Bright 3mm White Clear LED. We also modify a resistor to increase the brightness of the LED X3. You can use the LED as a flashlight on stage after the mod, it is that bright, almost blinding. I will boldly state that this is undoubtedly the best mod on the planet for a BD-2. And the really cool part is we won't break the bank with the price of our mods. We offer top quality parts and expert craftsmanship at very reasonable prices.

Boss TR-2 Tremolo Guitar Effect Pedal Mod

A good while back I picked up a Boss TR-2 Tremolo. I like the pedal. I have a Vox Cambridge amp that has tremolo built in but I wanted to be able to switch the effect on and off, hence the pedal. As many people have commented on this particular pedal, there is a little drop in presence when switching the effect on. Go figure right... So I search for a mod that would help with this issue. I found Moute Allum. He offered a cure for a reasonable price.

Here's what Moute says:


Well, you asked for it and here it is. The stock TR-2 is noisy and has a volume loss when engaged. With this mod I have fixed each issue. I have also incorporated my new Dual Stacked Chip Adapter Mod using a very high quality Burr Brown OPA2134PA and RC4558P Chips. The effect is like lifting a blanket off the pedals tone. I can boldly say without a doubt this is now one of the best Tremolos available in a stomp box at any price point.

With this mod I have incorporated a pot that not only solves the volume loss issue but also now allows the pedal to be used as a clean boost with the depth knob all the way down. I also modify a resistor which increases the brightness of the LED. A Super Bright White LED is also supplied.
With this mod I have incorporated a pot that not only solves the volume loss issue but also now allows the pedal to be used as a clean boost with the depth knob all the way down. I also modify a resistor which increases the brightness of the LED. A Super Bright White LED is also supplied.
I'm so glad that I did. The pedal is excellent now. It does add a knob on the side of the pedal. Keeley has a similar mod that replaces the depth knob with a concentric knob. Super sleek. The mod includes some "hi-fi" parts and replaces a in-line op-amp with two 8-pin IC's. I really recommend this mod or one like it if you own this pedal and think you may benefit from it. All the changes it makes are good one. It makes a good pedal great. 

Boss DS-1 Distortion Guitar Effect Pedal Mod

       So there is a lot of mods out there and I would be lying if I told you that I tried them all but I have done a few. Some turned out to be big improvements and others were even bigger disappointments. So how do you know which mod is right for you. Well, I can't really tell you. Maybe you want something completely different out of your pedal, I can't tell you that a mod makes a pedal better or worse. I can tell you which I've done and what I've liked.

       A few months ago I found my self owning a Boss DS-1. Picked it up in a gear trade. I've never been a fan of the pedal. It puts dirt on your signal like a box with the word "distortion" should, but there are complaints with the way it does this. I'm not technically gifted. I'm not going to tell you that it compressed my tone, or sucked it dry, or had some kind of mid-hump/scoop I didn't enjoy. It did seem like the mid frequencies were scooped and that no matter how I turned the "tune" knob I couldn't find a sound that I liked. I've tried the pedal in (bedroom)studio and life setting. I did not like what it did for me. So I then turned to mods to make it do something I did like.

      Research. (Google) so looking into what I should do with this big hunk of orange took some time. I had to find something that I found appealing and seemed like I was capable of. (also the first step could not include "throw pedal away and buy -enter boutique pedal here-") I dismissed anything that said "Metal", or "Crazy", or "Super". I did find a mod that seemed to fit the "make it not sound like crap" requirement. Described  plainly as "vintage mod"

The Mod:

Boss ds-1—Vintage 
Mod Location Mod value 
D5 Led 
C3 .033uf 
R16 1k resistor 
C11 .01uf 
C1, C5 .1uf

     Simple enough. 6 pieces. It took less than half an hour. It made all the difference. The Eq was evened out and the nasty, fizzy distortion was lightened into a more mellow, overdriven amp-type sound. Side by side test proved that the mod had turned a hunk of junk (in my opinion) into something that I'd actually use. The change of the diode really changes "type" of distortion and the resistor and capacitor change the "shape" if that makes any sense. (probably not) The tone knob seems to "work" better. The Drive actually controls the amount of gain the unit produces, unlike before were it just went from a little fizz to a lot of fizz. Level kinda works the same, but the sound sounds more transparent. I even had my non-music playing wife listen and she confirmed the mod made it sound "clear-er" 

    So, if you have a DS-1 That you hate and want something that you don't hate, then do what I did and make your own vintage-y overdrive boosty thing

The Best Resource For Guitar Effects

We've all been there, flipping through catalogs of music gear and reading flowery descriptions of every piece of gear found within. I have a weak spot for a shiny new pedal, but which one is right for me? This was the exact question I had in mind when I went online to look for some more information. A quick Google search landed me on YouTube. People love to show off, so the internet is flooded with people noodling around with some of their favorite pedal. There are a ton of pitiful videos. People who have low production quality or those that keep their first take no matter what. I'm glad that we have a outlet for all these creative people and people are free to share their video featuring their passion. But when looking for a useful review or demonstration it does somewhat because like shifting through a waste bin looking for treasure.

The Treasure:

There is one mann that does a excellent job at demonstrating a pedals usefulness. His name is gearmanndude. He has hundreds of videos and does not seem to be slowing down. He has review everything from everyday Boss pedals to mods, vintage, boutique, and even some homemade pedals. Not only does he give us a through look (and listen) at pedals that we'd probably only get to read about, but he also takes a look at other gear such as amps, guitars, picks, chords and other accessories. Not only does he do us a service with all of this, but he is rather unbiased. However there is an exception when it comes to reverb. He is vehemently apposed to reverb, but he will review a reverb unit just like the rest. He responds to viewer request, I know this firsthand. On top of all this, he is insightful, well versed, and entertaining.

The New Visual Sound VS-XO Dual Overdrive Pedal

So here it is. I have to be honest. I've been geeking out about this one. There are a couple of videos up on Visual Sounds' YouTube channel that make it sound very appealing. I have actually been a pretty big fan of Visual Sound in the past. I have had their Route 66 pedal in my set up, but I decided that the OD/Comp combination was good, but I wanted to be about to control my sounds a little more. The overdrive in that pedal sounded great and the compressor did a good job of being useful without being obvious. There are some speculations that this is an 808 and Open Road OD combo. I actually think it might be mentioned in one of the videos, but another view is that the way the tone is shaped suggest that the non-TS side is base on the Drivetrain pedal from the same maker. What the videos do well is show the versatility of this pedal. In addition to the basic three knob configuration that most of us are familiar with, the pedal has a bass knob on the left-side channel and two three-way, sliding selectors for the clipping section and bass frequencies. For a sound-tweaker such as myself, these fun little knobbies have gotten me foaming at the mouth.

Can't wait for this pedal to debut. Having said that, if anyone at Visual Sound would like to send me one of these pedals so that I can review it for them, then by all means do so. Anyone able to get their hands on one of these before the rest of us regular Joes? Let us know what you think. Big thanks to http://www.tdpri.com for always having useful info and insightful members.

What Order Do Effect Pedals Go In?

I've asked myself this question so many times, and over the years I'm become inclined to set up a pedal board in certain ways to create particular sounds. There are some general rules to follow or completely ignore, whatever your case may be.

1. Volume.

Volume pedals are very handy tool in a guitarist's bag. It allows you to adjust your volume on the fly, mute your signal for tuning or guitar changes, boost you signal (provided that you running less than full volume) and create swell effects. Personally I like my volume pedals first. Why? Because it create to same effect as the volume knob on your guitar. If your volume runs into you overdrive/distortion then you can manipulate to distortion by changing your volume (ie you'll have a cleaner sound with lower volumes). If this is not the effect you desire then I suggest running the volume after the distortion. This will allow you to change the volume of your signal without changing the distortion level.

2. Wha

I know that this is not typically the wha pedal would fall, but Its where I put it. A wha will manipulate certain frequencies in your signal, mostly the lower-mids to the upper-mids. Your main concern with wha pedals is the voicing and pronunciation of the effect. I've played enough in bedrooms and stages to know that there are huge differences in how the sound is received. I've sat in a bedroom and thought that my digitech rp100 muti-effect pedal sounds great, but when I used it live it sounded like I was playing out of a tin can. ( by the way, never mess with multi-effects. just say no kids. Learn from my mistakes) What you will notice between have your wah before and after your dirt boxes is the presence of the effect. For the most part, the OD and Distortion will want to change your signal frequencies just like the knobs on your amp. The "tone" knob of your Overdrive with play with how your wah opperates. (given that it is on while your using your wha) A wha before the dirt will be less noticeable (more organic sounding). While a wha post dirt will take your whole signal for a ride. This may be what you want. I like a mellow wha, but sometimes you need to be out in front of the sound and make that effect stand out.

3. Dirt

There are many different ways to get your dirty signal, but if your using a stomp box, this is where I put it. Having your Volume and Wha before these pedal gives you more control over the entire sound. I like control. Maybe thats why I have so many choices when it comes to my Dirt Boxes. I have a lot to say about OD/Distortion but you can catch most of it if your follow that link there.

4. EQ  (and other signal processors)

Again, this isn't exactly would you should do, but this is how I like it. Remember how I said I like to control my tone? Well, this is a little part of that. I use my EQ as more of a boost. I set it up to give me a little mid-hump action and maybe a overall volume boost. Some people like to set their EQ and forget it, just let it do its thing for your tone. That's fine, but everything is trying to change your frequencies. If you run a Compressor or Noise Gate of some sort, here is where I would put them as well. Be aware that your Compressor and Volume pedal are not going to play well with each other. Basically, they are doing the exact opposite of each other. If you want comp on your signal and swells. then you have to run your volume after the comp.

5. Delay

I had a Boss DD-3 that absolutely hated be overwhelmed by a distortion. Other than that particular Combo, delay is best left near the end of the chain. I'm not a big delay user. I will use it from time to time to fatten up my sound, but for the most part I like a nice straight sound.

6. Filters

I don't mess with delay much, and I use filters less. In theory, filters behave better at the end of the chain. That way they can have their way with your sound and change it as they see fit. If you are a fan of these then have at it.


So there you have it. I encourage anyone interested in effect to play with them as much as your can. There really is no wrong way to set your rig up and I may be doing it all wrong as far as you are concerned. If you disagree with any of this then leave me a comment below. If you want to see what else I have to say about all things musical then subscribe. Let me know someone reads this mess!

Aphex Acoustic Xciter Pedal

... if you are serious about playing live acoustic guitar you probably have heard a lot of things about would you should and should do to your signal. Some people think that if you drop the cash on an amazing instrument then it should do whatever you need it to with no questions asked. Others want control over their sound no matter the environment they find themselves playing in, If you've ever played acoustic in a live setting then you know that the sound guy is going to want to plug you in the mains. In order to do that you first have to convert your 1/4 inch into a xlr. Sure they make 30 dollar boxes that do this, but thats not a whole lot of fun.

The Dirt: First of all, what in the world does an "xciter" do? I really don't know. You see the knobs; lo tune, lo blend, hi tune, hi blend, but what really goes on when you hit that little shinny button. It works almost like an Eq, but it also adds compression. Pick noise is a little more evident. And even more so if you are heavy on the hi blend. Its obvious that this pedal is purposed to add a broader range of frequencies. But then again, I'm not exactly sure what all its doing to accomplish that, and that is a little unsettling.

The Goods: Besides the fact that I'm not sure what all this pedal technically does, I love the way it makes my guitar sound. It adds a punch to the sound. Its not the solution to every problem, and it can cause feedback in many situations, but if you acoustic signal is a little thin, this pedal will put some meat on them bones. Or a whole lot of meat if you'd like. Don't think that this just adds low end. It also adds hi end. In fact, the hi end is more like the presence knob you find on some (better) amps. Its like the knob that other amps leave off, the high hi-end. Then the lo-end is the same in reverse. Its lower than the low on your guitar's Eq

In summery, this pedal is good. It does good things to the sound of acoustic guitar sounds and is in my line when I play acoustic live through a system. Its compact and fits in my guitar case. It can act as a DI or be powered by phantom power (neat trick). Down side is that when you use phantom power, it will need another box to convert to xlr. The unit is a little steep for what it does. 150 from MF, but I found one of ebay for less than half.