The Ugly Truth About The Guitar Magazine That You Read

Disclaimer: Most of what I say is speculation. I'm sure that in some cases I am wrong, but I believe that more often than not this is the case.

If you are like me, I really like to read about the gear that might be coming out, or something that I haven't heard of. I love learning about a new maker because they might have new or different ideas about something that I care about (music). I am always scanning the guitar magazine sites and following numerous bloggers and writers on Twitter. I do this to keep up with what is happening in the world of music gear. I also visit the bigger retailers websites to see what they've posted lately. If you are like me though, there was a time before all this media and we actually had to pick up a physical magazine to learn about what was coming down the pike. There was no NAMM show videos 5 minutes after it opens. There were articles and reviews about the gear that you could only dream about. Over the years some things started to become apparent to me about these "reviews".

1. They Are Not Critical.

These reviews are great for letting you know what is out there. However, they do not give you the full story, and in many cases, they don't even tell you how the thing sounds. They might discuss features and design, but leave out how they sound. To be fair, saying that a pedal sounds good or bad is nearly worthless. Reviews are for the most part subjective. There are those how hate certain pedals and others that love the same pedal. How can this be? Because good sound is subjective (for the most part). When reading a review in a magazine you might find that it reads like a dressed up version of the user manual rather than a guitar player talking about a pedal he liked or didn't like.

2. It's Really Hard To Be Objective

So I really like to write about all this stuff that I write about. I spend a fair amount of time doing it, and, other than watching my metrics, I get very little benefit. (Yes I monetize but seriously, I get excited when I make a penny a day.) I did, however, write a post about a certain maker of effects and was able to talk my way into getting a couple pedals to give a hands-on review. It was really exciting. But as I wrote the reviews I almost felt pressured to be more favorable to the makers because they had been nice enough to send my something for free. I'm sure that getting free stuff probably doesn't effect professional writers as much, but if you are writing for a publication that depends on advertising dollars to stay afloat and you are tasked to write about their stuff, there might be other pressures to write a nice shiny review.

3. They Are Dying  

As you might have noticed, it is becoming harder to find guitar magazine as your local news stands. Most smaller displays completely ignore guitar magazines, and larger stands will only have the most major names. Bass players and Drummers are pretty much out of luck unless they go to larger book stores. That means you almost have to have a subscription to keep up with your favorite zine. That, or have the internet. Most physical magazines have everything online plus additional media like video, podcast, and sound clips. Plus the sites operate at a fraction of the cost of a physical magazine. Ask any player under the age of 30 what magazine they are subscribed to and all you'll get is a dirty look. I don't think that our favorite magazines are going to disappear completely, but their physical forms are going the way of the buffalo.

The Best Deal on a Banjo has Been Found!

If you've been reading this blog (bless you) then you may know that this year I've resolved to learn new instruments this year. The banjo is one of the instrument that I want to learn. Those intrested in this instrument know that it can be a little daunting to choose the right instrument. First of all there are several types of banjo, but the most popular is the 5-string tenor banjo. Looking at many of the larger retailers, you'll see many options in the beginner range. there are options starting at around $150. Most of the banjos at this range have no resinator (the round wooden back piece that projects the sound forward). If your local music store is any thing like mine, then the banjos there are a little more cost prohibitive. Being a novice and on a tight budget limits my option.

Is there an option at the $150 mark that is suitable for a serious beginner? Absolutly, and I'll share with you exactly where I found it. I found a retailer on eBay, but their prices are slightly less at there site (probably due to eBay fees. The site is Musicians Discount Warehouse I can't speak for anything other than the 24 Bracket Closed Back Jameson Banjo with Remo Head but what I've found really surprised me.

I'm sure that this banjo is imported for china or someplace simular. I'm am no stranger to these "value" instruments. I'm always on the look out for a great deal on any instrument. So, when I found this banjo that appeared to have all the features as other banjos costing 2 or 3 times the price. I was suspisious to say the least. When it arrived I was pleased to see that it was shipped in a double box and well packaged. It was well set-up out of the box. The bridge was well placed and after tuning the insturment was ready for action. I was planning on putting some time into adjusting things like head tention or bridge placement, but everything seemed to be in good working order. Next thing I instected was the fit and finish, and again, I was impressed. No noticable finsh flaw and all the fittings were snugg and well fitting. The only thing that I could complain about is that there a loose retaining screw for he resinator.

If you are concidering purchasing a banjo you should really consider the one linked about. I'm not sponcered by the retailer or brand or anything of the sort. I was just impressed by the value of the instrument that I received. I wouldn't call it a professional instrument and the appointment are not ornate. As far as a functional insturment, this banjo really shines. I have no doubt that I can learn on and use this instrument for my needs.

EBay: The Real Musician's Friend

Any musician that has ever attempted to buy or research any musical instrument has probably encountered the retail site Musicians Friend. They have a very large selection of musical instruments and assorted accessories. They have detailed descriptions and customer reviews that help in the purchasing decision. I've purchased many things from their website and more often than not I've been very pleased. I endorse shopping at your LOCAL music store as much as possible. I've learned many invaluable lessons from the good people at my local stores, and I am lucky enough to have more than one to choose from. I understand that some people are not in that particular position. Simply, they do not live within 100 miles of a store that sells a selection of instrument and the internet is the best solution for them. In most cases, a purchase is aided in immeasurably ways by putting your hands of the item you want to buy.

Having said that, a savvy consumer can use EBay to save a great deal of money on your next musical purchase. I am not endorsed by EBay, Musician"s Friend, or any other retailer, I feel that my experiences may help my fellow musicians. You may be skeptical of used instrument, and I am too. I also recommend that you check out the return details and read description thoroughly. There is always a reason someone want to get rid of whatever they are selling. Be sure the reason isn't that the item is broken or problematic. I can't speak in depth on making large purchases, like high end guitars or complete drum sets ( there doesn't seem to be that much of a value in drum sets when shipping is considered). Things that really seem to be bargains are effects pedals. You can find them for about 50-60% of retail. Cymbals are another great chance to save some money. Again, prices here hang around half price and shipping doesn't break the bank.

Don't forget you get what you pay for. If something seems to good to be true. There is a learning curve to using EBay, but the time it take to learn the ins and out is worth it.

Visual Sounds VS-XO Dual Overdrive Update.

A little while ago I posted about the new pedal being released from Visual Sound. This is the pedal that has so many of us waiting in uncontrollable fits. Now I've learned that the powers that be have postponed the release of this pedal even longer! I once had hope that it would be released by mid-October. That date has come and gone. Visual Sound had given themselves a window of mid to late October, but recent rereading of their official article on their website reveals they have pushed the date back to mid-November. I've seen some independent music retail website have the pedal for sale for as much as $400. I am very skeptical of these listings and anyone else should be as well. They may be trying to capitalize off the buzz made by the all the pedal-hype and selling the hope to get the pedal (but really pre-selling) the pedal for much more than the actually retail price... Shady stuff...

Still can't wait to actually get one of these pedals to try-out. Once again, if anyone out there has one and would like to send it to me so I can give it a review, then feel free to let me know.

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 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!

My Newest Piece Of Gear

...is The Visual Sound V2 Series V2RT66 Route 66 Overdrive and Compression Guitar Multi Effects Pedal.
I Live by a set of rules and one of those rules is: No Multi Effects Pedals. This is not your normal Multi Effects. It is really 2 pedals in one casing. The two effect work totally independent of one another.

Compression is an easily over looked effect. Some may shy away because they may think that it squashes the tone and yes it definitely can BUT if used properly (and if the effect unit is worth its weight) then one can enhance there sonic achievement by judicious use of a compressor.


Overdrive is a commonly use effect that gets called everything but overdrive. I like to think of it as dirt. A little bit can really be cool, too much and its just a huge mess. I'm not a fan of Distortion, but that does mean that I don't like to get heavy. I think that your sound should come from where its supposed to com from, Your Amp. Overdrive (and really all distortions) come from your line (unamplified) signal being too strong to be processed properly by the amp. Many things can effect the handling of this signal; such as the wiring, capacitors, and routing of the signal. That's a bunch of technical talk for, "Good sound comes from good amps." No Pedal is going to make your amp sound better. They will defiantly make it sound different, but that's not exactly better.


So how does this pedal stack up? Very Well. Both sides of this pedal do what they should do. The overdrive is tuneful. Not fissy. It can go from Tame to Saturated very well... It also responds to your volume control and playing weight very nicely. Compression is something I use very lightly. In most cases I use it to brighten, boost and cut. But I've also been able to enhance me technical playing by using the compression to extenuate

the note that would have gotten lost otherwise. This Pedal has quickly become one of my most used and favorite pedals and has found a full-time spot on my pedal board. Although its not a metal-head's choice, but for just about everything short of metal it can be useful.


Visual Sound V2 Series V2RT66 Route 66 Overdrive and Compression Guitar Multi Effects Pedal, Highly recommended.