Ugly Guitar Truth: Earthquaker Devices Westwood Translucent Overdrive Manipulator

When I think of Earthquaker Devices effects I think about the weird stuff. The Rainbow Machine and Organizer come to mind. So when I saw that Earthquaker was releasing a "Translucent" overdrive I was kind of surprised. The first thing I thought was, "Klone". This is a light to medium transparent overdrive, but to think that this an ordinary Klon clone, you are way wrong.

This pedal boasts a lot of impressive features. The active EQ section on this pedal is a powerful feature. 20db boost/cut to 2kHz and 80Hz really let you take control of your tone. However, the addition of center detent pot easily let you find the perfect center letting your tone pass through unaffected. Relay switching and an all-analog path make sure that you don't hear any click when turning on the effect while leaving your tone alone. It is touch-sensitive and volume-responsive like an amp making it attractive for dynamic players.

Everything looks great, but the Klone wars were some time ago. There is a good chance that you already have a light overdrive that you favor. If not, this pedal already has some pretty tough competition out there already. We've seen light overdrives with Treble and Bass controls. The Wampler Deluxe Tumnus gives you a three-band EQ. So is the Westwood too late? Well, probably not. The market for these beefed light-duty overdrives isn't quite oversaturated yet, and the Westwood seems to add enough of its extra special flair to stand out from the rest.

Street Price: $180

5 Best Pedals Of 2017

Happy 2018 everyone. I just wanted to take a moment to look back at the previous year and recognize some of the best things to happen to guitar pedals in 2017. This isn't everything that was great, nor is in any particular order. These are just the five pedal of last year that stand out the most. Starting with:

BOSS RV-500

Boss expanded their line of 500 series effects. In a somewhat predictable manner, Boss added to the well-received DD-500 with an equally impressive Reverb unit. BOSS loyalist have been long-suffering devotees to a brand that took its time to catch up, but many feel like the 500 series is BOSS's answer to Eventide and Strymon. Not only do BOSS fans have an answer to the huge do-everything-delays, but so do those that can't bring themselves to throw down the big bucks. At $350 these delays look like a bargain.

TC ElectronicFlashback II

2017 seemed like the year everyone was stepping up their delay game. TC was no different. Many love the Flashback delay, and for good reason. TC Electronic's Tone Print features are massive. How do you improve upon a pedal that you can update endlessly via a cable plugged into your computer? More functionality. Somehow TC crammed, even more, features into their Flashback II. The Smash feature is, for the most part, unprecedented. Now you can have an expression pedal built into your compact pedal. The Flashback II is a solid win.

Wampler Deluxe Tumnus

Wampler stepped up their game with the Deluxe Tumnus. Despite its recent release, it has taken over pedalboard everywhere. I follow tons of guitarist and guitar pages and it seems like nearly all the boards posted on the internet in the last few months have a Deluxe Tumnus on them. The Klone Wars may be over. Many guitarists want more out of their light overdrives, and the Deluxe Tumnus delivers.

EHX Green Russian OD

For the last few years, EHX has been the go-to place when looking for inexpensive pedals that deliver (especially if those pedals have a striking resemblance to another, rather iconic, pedal). Stopping short of making a re-issue, EHX opted to release a clone of an EHX classic. The Green Russian Big Muff is a copy of the Russian made Big Muff Pi. This isn't an original idea, but it's cool to see EHX reaching back to their roots. It doesn't hurt that it is inexpensive and compact.

MXR Carbin Copy Deluxe

I'll be honest. I've never really seen what was so special about the carbon copy. Analog delays are nice, but I've always like the expanded capabilities of digital delays. Not until I owned a Carbon Copy did I understand that it has a sound all of its own. The worst thing you can say about that pedal is that it is limited. The Carbon Copy does away with that complaint. The Deluxe is an improvement on the original in every way. This is a textbook example of how you update a fantastic original.