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.

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.

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: Fender Blues Jr Mk IV

Just ahead of NAMM Fender announced that they were updating four amps in their current line. This didn't really peak my interest until I heard that the Blues Jr. was one of those amps. I have used a Blues Jr. for many years. To me, it is almost a right of passage. This was the amp at the music store that you sampled all of your pedals through. It was the amp that you hoped to upgrade to from your cheesy starter amp. Even by many professionals, this amp is considered a valuable tool. It is the 'everyman's amp' that has the iconic Fender sound. It was, what many considered, the perfect pedal amp. Now, Fender has gone and changed that.

What They've Changed


The overall look of the amp has changed very little. I believe the backplate is now black and the knobs are white. Other than that, the two amps look identical. That is until you look at the speaker. Gone is the Eminence for favor of a Celestion A-type speaker. They've also fiddled with some things inside the amp as well. While a part for part breakdown is yet unknown, the tone-shaping and reverb are notably altered from the Mk III.


For Better or Worse

Have they improved upon a classic or messed with a good thing? Well, at this point it is a little hard to tell. They've only been available for a few days and hands on testing is limited. What I can say is that a few Key features have been changed. The spikey high end that many Fender are known to have is now rounded out. The amps presence is still there, but the high-mids that seem to rattle around in you noggin are tamed to tolerable levels. The low-end might be the measurable change though. While the Mk III was know for its defined low-end. The Mk IV has made the low-end its trademark. The Mk IV sounds much fuller when the lows are pushed. Side by side the Mk IV out shines the Mk III. Making the Mk III sound thin. The reverb is also a point of noticeable change. Despite the fact that many guitarist can conjure a sound upon hearing "Fender reverb", Fender has changed it in favor of a darker, more controlled spring.


Other Notes

While some might look at these changes as messy with a good thing, many of the changes are simply keeping up with times. Obviously, older players will still seek out that original Fender sound, but younger players desire an amp with more modern features. This line of amps is still, for the most part, a working man's amp. Pro Jr.s, Blues Jr.s, Deluxes, and Devilles, are staples of backlines and bar-stages everywhere. While I think that the Blues Jr has lost a lot of what makes it a Fender, the changes have made a little more of versatile amp.


While I wouldn't call this a Marshall-y sounding amp. Fender has made the Blues Jr more Marshall-y. Before, I would use a Blues Jr to act as the platform for my pedals. The Mk IV makes a decent sound all on its on. The breakup and overdrive/distortion are much more pleasing and usable. I can see where they might have taken bits of the Bluesbreaker amps and transplanted them into the Blues Jr. While this might make for a better overall amp, it may change the way we view and use a Blues Jr. This all sound pretty flattering, but imagine if Vox made their AC15 sound a little more like a Mesa Boogie. I know that is a dumb "what if", but what would you do if you wanted an Vox AC15 sound, but they'd changed the sound to some high-gain scooped mids nonsense. You'd have to find an older used version, right. Well, that probably our future. Our favorite pedal platform is now a thing of the past (and craigslist).

NAMM 2018

NAMM 2018 is finished and there is ton of new stuff that is out there. There is still a load of stuff that is yet to be released. Digitech was a big hold out this year. They didn't show us anything new, but they have promised much more stuff later this year. Several other companies showed some pretty exciting working prototypes, so we still have a lot to look forward to in 2018.

There is so much stuff out there that I can't wait to dive into. Milkman came out with a pedal based amp as did Victory. Vox expanded their MV series to include a 150 watt head. Line6 gave the HX multi effect pedal. There are more new guitars from major bands than I know what to do with. Marshall showed us the Origin series. I'm really looking forward to taking a much closer look at a lot of the stuff that has been announced as well as the stuff the I just mentioned.


NAMM is a super busy time, and I've been trying to cover most of the stuff that I've found interesting, but if there is something that you've seen from NAMM and I haven't mentioned it, then let me know in the comments. I'll try to check it out and be sure to let you know what I think.

NAMM:2018: Fender Level Set Buffer Pedal

Buffer pedal tend to be small little boxes that get little attention on your board if you even have one on your board. However, Fender decided that their Buffer, in the recently release line of effects pedals, needed a couple of knobs and a footswitch. This feature make it much more of utility player than plain-Jane buffer, but I guess you could make a case that its main job is to buff. Clean looks and useful features put this buffer in strong contention for the best buffer on the market. So far, we've only been able to hear it on a loud NAMM Show floor so we may have to wait to really know how this little all-arounder really stacks up.

More Information

Buffer and Level Matching

The Fender Level Set Buffer Pedal does not create any 'sound' as such, but it does solve two important problems with guitarists' rigs:

1. When using long cable runs or multiple pedals, signal can be sapped, and the upper frequencies can be lost along with the natural dynamic playing response.
2. When switching guitars, levels can become miss-matched and the gain levels that you have set up on your pedals and amplifiers may be suddenly incorrect.

The Level Set Buffer solves both problems.

Professional Buffer

The Level Set Buffer creates a buffered signal and features a high-frequency control to bring back those missing treble frequencies in your tone. It also has a 'load' control to match your signal perfectly.

Level Set

The Level Set Buffer also has a level control to match the signal difference when switching guitars; one example is when switching from humbuckers to single coils. This level control lets you maintain your gain levels without having to make adjustments after changing guitars; ideal for musicians playing live or for guitarists who like to maintain a predictable setup.

Tuner Out

The Level Set Buffer has a tuner out for an independent tuner signal. The main footswitch acts as a mute and is a very handy tool for live players, letting them tune silently or switch guitars on-the-go.

Professional Features

The Level Set Buffer has a rugged and lightweight aluminum chassis with a brushed metal finish. This gives it both read-ready durability and a classy-aesthetic that can take pride-of-place on your pedalboard. The pedal is built by Fender who have a multitude of experience in amplifier design and you can be sure that this pedal will last a lifetime of gigging, rehearsing and recording.

Magnetic Battery Door & Jewel Light

The jewel LED light not only looks great, it also adds a handy on-stage visual indicator of the pedal's operation. The pedal has a clever battery compartment door; it has a magnetic latch which means you can easily change the battery with no fiddly screws to worry about.
This is a thoroughly professional pedal - both in tone and appearance - and would make a welcome addition to your pedalboard.

Features

• Provides a balanced tone for pedalboards, long cable runs, and solves the problem of changing guitars
• Low and hi-frequency adjustment to match your instrument and overall tone
• Load switch to adjust signal
• Main footswitch acts as a mute
• Tuner output for independent tuning
• Enables you to switch guitars and balance your settings
• Rugged anodized aluminum construction
• Classy brushed finish and jewel light
• Battery door with magnetic latching opening (no screws needed)
• Powered by 9V battery or DC

Specifications

• Effect Type: Buffer
• Controls: Output Level, Hi-Freq Trim, Load Toggle (On/Off), Mute Footswitch
• Inputs: 1 x 1/4'' Instrument
• Outputs: 1 x 1/4'' Instrument, 1 x 1/4'' Tuner Output
• Power Requirements: 9-Volt Battery or DC Negative AC Adaptor
• Power Consumption: 14mA
• Input Impedance: 1M ohm
• Output Impedance: 1k ohm
• Material: Anodized Aluminum
• Colour: Silver

NAMM 2018: Fender Mirror Image Digital Delay Pedal

If I asked you to imagine a Fender effects pedal what would it look like? Would you think of the vintage Fender Bender, or the recent line of micro pedals? Either way, you probably would picture what Fender brought to NAMM 2018. These sleek, brushed aluminum bodied effect are rather impressive coming from fender. While it is rare to see a brand have a successful line of guitars and effects, Fender wants provide everything from the instrument to your effects, to the amp you play through (not to mention Fender branded cables, tuners, picks, etc...) What is surprising is that these effect look like a solid offering. They look high quality, and from the demonstrations that available, they don't sound bad at all.




The Mirror Image is no lazy nock-off of a popular delay. It seems functional and well thought out. I can honestly say that this is the first Fender effect pedal that I've seriously considered purchasing. I'm sure we will find out more about the pedals as more people are able to review. This is a step is the right direction for Fender effects.

More Information:

Pugilist Distortion

The Pugilist Distortion features a dual circuit design that can provide a huge range of distortion tones, from light breakup through to fully-encompassing saturation.
The two circuits can be run independently and blended together, or cascaded (one running into the other) which can provide a thick saturation and a high degree of interactivity.

Dual Circuits

Each of the Pugilist's distortion circuits features tone and gain control to let you shape your sound to how you desire. The circuits can be operated in blend mode, which runs them in parallel and means you can blend both sounds together for an incredible amount of diversity. This mode is fantastic for achieving a nuanced distortion tone for riffing and complex chordal work.
In the Pugilist's Series Mode, the two distortion circuits are cascaded, and this has the effect of letting circuit A become a 'boost' into circuit 'B'. This mode lets you achieve a full-on saturation with thick sustain and dynamic articulation that is ideal for crushing rhythm sounds and liquid smooth lead guitar playing. A bass boost also lets you achieve a thick low-end response.

Professional Features

The Pugilist has a rugged and lightweight aluminium chassis with a brushed metal finish. This gives it both read-ready durability and a classy-aesthetic that can take pride-of-place on your pedalboard. The pedal is built by Fender who have a multitude of experience in amplifier design and you can be sure that this pedal will last a lifetime of gigging, rehearsing and recording.

Magnetic Battery Door & Jewel Light

The jewel LED light not only looks great, it also adds a handy on-stage visual indicator of the pedal's operation. The pedal has a clever battery compartment door; it has a magnetic latch which means you can easily change the battery with no fiddly screws to worry about.
This is a thoroughly professional pedal - both in tone and appearance - and would make a welcome addition to your pedalboard.

Features

• Dual circuit distortion pedal
• Dual circuits can be cascaded for thick saturation with great versatility
• Bass boost to bring back the low-end
• Series/blend lets you control the two circuits (parallel or series operation)
• Dual tone controls
• A very versatile pedal, with great interactivity between the two circuits
• Rugged anodized aluminium construction
• Classy brushed finish and jewel light
• Battery door with magnetic latching opening (no screws needed)
• Powered by 9V battery or DC

Specifications

• Effect Type: Distortion
• Controls: Tone A, Drive A, Tone B, Drive B, Blend (A/B), Blend/Series Toggle, Bass Boost Toggle (On/Off), Output Level, Bypass Footswitch
• Inputs: 1 x 1/4'' Instrument
• Outputs: 1 x 1/4'' Instrument
• Power Requirements: 9-Volt Battery or DC Negative AC Adaptor
• Power Consumption: 22mA
• Input Impedance: 1M ohm
• Output Impedance: 1k ohm
• Material: Anodized Aluminium
• Colour: Gold

NAMM 2018: Fender Marine Layer Reverb Pedal

At this point it's hard to say anything that hasn't been said about the new line of effect from Fender. They look like a clear despatcher from their previous attempts to establish themselves in the current effects market. Professional looking boxes and features that compete with more substantial on the market make this effect stand out from their previous works. Obviously Fender has put in a fair amount of time and effort to correct past mistakes. However, these pedal still seem to blend in almost too well. Sure, the features are solid and the design are now something you wouldn't mind putting on your pedalboard, but they may suffer by trying to compete with similar effect from BOSS and TC Electronic. Would you take a Marine Layer over a Hall of Fame II or RV-6?

More Information

Versatile 'Verb

The Marine Layer Reverb Pedal has 3 types of reverb to choose from. Each reverb sound has 2 distinct variations that provide even more versatility, while the simple yet powerful control layout provides intuitive control over every aspect of your ambient sound.

Three Reverb Types

The Marine Layer pedal has a hall, room, and 'special' reverb (that features a shimmer sound). Each mode has two variations and can let you achieve a wide range of tones. The hall sound is a large spacious ambience with a warm tonality, the room is a brighter and more focused ambience, while the special effect can send your tone to the heavens and back with its expansive sound.
The Marine Layer pedal has simple controls, yet they offer powerful control over every important parameter of the reverb tone, including the time, pre-delay (for a 'bounce' back effect), damping and overall level.
Between the reverb types and controls, you should be able to achieve a range of ambient sound for almost any musical eventuality.

Professional Features

The Marine Layer Reverb has a rugged and lightweight aluminum chassis with a brushed metal finish. This gives it both read-ready durability and a classy-aesthetic that can take pride-of-place on your pedalboard. The pedal is built by Fender who have a multitude of experience in amplifier design and you can be sure that this pedal will last a lifetime of gigging, rehearsing and recording.

Magnetic Battery Door & Jewel Light

The jewel LED light not only looks great, it also adds a handy on-stage visual indicator of the pedal's operation. The pedal has a clever battery compartment door; it has a magnetic latch which means you can easily change the battery with no fiddly screws to worry about.
This is a thoroughly professional pedal - both in tone and appearance - and would make a welcome addition to your pedalboard.

Features

• 3 Reverb types - hall, room, special
• Each reverb type has 2 variations for maximum versatility
• Control over reverb time, damping, pre-delay and level
• Effect tails continue when pedal is bypassed for a smooth performance
• Lets you achieve all manner of reverbs, from slap-back, subtle room ambience, through to huge atmospheric halls and 'shimmer'
• Rugged anodized aluminum construction
• Classy brushed finish and jewel light
• Battery door with magnetic latching opening (no screws needed)
• Powered by 9V battery or DC

Specifications

• Effect Type: Reverb
• Controls: Reverb Time, Damping, Pre Delay, Type Toggle (Hall/Room/Special),Variation Toggle (1/2), Filter Toggle (On/Off), Effect Level, Effect Mute Footswitch
• Inputs: 1 x 1/4'' Instrument
• Outputs: 1 x 1/4'' Instrument
• Power Requirements: 9-Volt Battery or DC Negative AC Adaptor
• Power Consumption: 71mA
• Input Impedance: 1M ohm
• Output Impedance: 1k ohm
• Material: Anodized Aluminum
• Colour: Green

NAMM 2018: Fender Santa Ana Overdrive Pedal

The Santa Ana Distortion from Fender is bold offering. In fact, all of the pedal in their new range at NAMM 2018 are surprising. In the past, Fender have played it safe when dealing with effects. Most recently they've produced pedals that resembled far east micro-clones of three knobbed overdrive, distortion and the like. But it looks like they are ready to blaze a new path. The Santa Ana features a brushed aluminum body and a full range of features. I'd say that Fender has a winner on its hands, but I'd need to hear a better demonstration than the NAMM Show floor can provide.

More Information:

Santa Ana - Sounds Like Santana?

The Fender Santa Ana Overdrive pedal is a dynamic and nuanced overdrive effect that is perfect for generating the types of tones associated with the guitarist from which this pedal (most likely) gets its name - Santana.
The Santa Ana is designed to be an open sounding and dynamic pedal that can achieve a wide range of overdrive flavors, from edge-of-breakup tones through to thick, rich and sustaining lead sounds. It responds very well to your playing dynamics, and will clean up simply by rolling down the volume control on your guitar.
For blues and rock players who like an amp-like response, this pedal will give the balanced range of dynamics that you require, and help to bring out every nuance in your playing.

Multiple Controls

The Santa Ana pedal has a 3-band EQ and presence control to shape your sound. It also dual independent voices for different flavors of overdrive.
A boost switch is a handy addition to the Santa Ana that lets you set up your core tone with the pedal, and then engage the boost effect to push your sound even further into saturation. This effectively gives the Santa Ana two separate tones making it a very versatile pedal.

Professional Features

The Santa Ana has a rugged and lightweight aluminum chassis with a brushed metal finish. This gives it both read-ready durability and a classy-aesthetic that can take pride-of-place on your pedalboard. The pedal is built by Fender who have a multitude of experience in amplifier design and you can be sure that this pedal will last a lifetime of gigging, rehearsing and recording.

Magnetic Battery Door & Jewel Light

The jewel LED light not only looks great, it also adds a handy on-stage visual indicator of the pedal's operation. The pedal has a clever battery compartment door; it has a magnetic latch which means you can easily change the battery with no fiddly screws to worry about.
This is a thoroughly professional pedal - both in tone and appearance - and would make a welcome addition to your pedalboard.

Features

• Rich and open overdrive with great pick dynamics and nuance
• 3-band EQ plus presence control for maximum tonal shaping
• Two voices
• Boost switch
• Drive and level controls for wide ranging tone from edge-of-breakup to thick saturation
• Responds to guitar volume control and cleans up when volume is rolled down
• Rugged anodized aluminum construction
• Classy brushed finish and jewel light
• Battery door with magnetic latching opening (no screws needed)
• Powered by 9V battery or DC

Specifications

• Effect Type: Overdrive
• Controls: Bass, Middle, Treble, Presence, Output Level, Voice Toggle (A/B), Drive, Boost Footswitch, Bypass Footswitch
• Inputs: 1 x 1/4'' Instrument
• Outputs: 1 x 1/4'' Instrument
• Power Requirements: 9-Volt Battery or DC Negative AC Adaptor
• Power Consumption: 120mA
• Input Impedance: 1M ohm
• Output Impedance:5k ohm
• Material: Anodized Aluminum
• Color: Red 

NAMM 2018: Fender Bends Compressor Pedal

Fender showed off their Bends Compressor pedal at NAMM. Fender has done a lot of work to put out effects that will appeal to series players and pedal geeks. The Bends Compressor is probably one of more interesting ones in the group. I long list of features and creative solutions make the Bends a pedal that many are now counting days until they can get their hands on one. While I can't say that this is a impressive preforming pedal, the demonstrations have been pretty solid. I'm looking forward to giving the Fender Bends a closer look.


More Information:

Compression

The Fender Bends Compressor Pedal is designed to provide any type of dynamic compression effect you need to achieve. Compression is a varied term; it can mean many things for different guitar players.

• Some players may want to achieve a subtle 'thickening' of their sound for a natural clean sound with more depth.
• Other players may wish for a sympathetic sustain that lets notes ring on for much longer; such as during epic guitar solos.
• Some guitarists may even require an extreme compression effect that squashes every dynamic; think of funk rhythm guitar parts or country 'chicken picking' styles of playing.

The Bends Compressor has the range of control to let you achieve all these types of compression sound. It does this in a small and lightweight package that is built to last.

Ultimate Control

The Bends Compressor has a control for every important compression parameter, including recovery, drive, and level. This lets you set up the initial note attack and the amount of sustain you require.
The Bends also has a Blend control; this lets you blend in your original clean guitar signal and use the compressor in a parallel-style mode. By blending in the original signal, The Bends can create an extreme compression effect while your guitar signal can be blended in to maintain clarity and pick attack dynamics.

Professional Features

The Bend Compressor has a rugged and lightweight aluminum chassis with a brushed metal finish. This gives it both read-ready durability and a classy-aesthetic that can take pride-of-place on your pedalboard. The pedal is built by Fender who have a multitude of experience in amplifier design and you can be sure that this pedal will last a lifetime of gigging, rehearsing and recording.

Magnetic Battery Door & Jewel Light

The jewel LED light not only looks great, it also adds a handy on-stage visual indicator of the pedal's operation. The pedal has a clever battery compartment door; it has a magnetic latch which means you can easily change the battery with no fiddly screws to worry about.
This is a thoroughly professional pedal - both in tone and appearance - and would make a welcome addition to your pedalboard.

Features

• Versatile compression pedal which can create all sorts of dynamic response
• Multiple controls over the overall compression effect
• Blend control lets you run the effect in parallel and blend in your dry signal for maximum transparency
• Drive and recovery controls let you shape the sustain and attack properties
• Rugged anodized aluminum construction
• Classy brushed finish and jewel light
• Battery door with magnetic latching opening (no screws needed)
• Powered by 9V battery or DC

Specifications

• Effect Type: Compressor
• Controls: Drive, Recovery, Blend (Dry/Comp), Output Level, Bypass Footswitch
• Inputs: 1 x 1/4'' Instrument
• Outputs: 1 x 1/4'' Instrument
• Power Requirements: 9-Volt Battery or DC Negative AC Adaptor
• Power Consumption: 15mA
• Input Impedance: 1M ohm
• Output Impedance: 1k ohm
• Material: Anodized Aluminum
• Colour: Black

NAMM 2018: Fender Pugilist Distortion Pedal

Probably the most surprising thing to come from NAMM so far is the new line of effects from Fender. No, Fender branded effects are not new, but this line of effects is different from effect pedal from Fender in recent years. These pedal are actually interesting. Several years ago, Fender put a line of effect with racing stripes. These effects were underwhelming from top to bottom. Fender also had a line of micro-sized effect. I'm unsure if either of these lines of effects are discontinued, but it does look like they are moving in a completely different direction. I personally like this directing.

More information:

Pugilist Distortion

The Pugilist Distortion features a dual circuit design that can provide a huge range of distortion tones, from light breakup through to fully-encompassing saturation.
The two circuits can be run independently and blended together, or cascaded (one running into the other) which can provide a thick saturation and a high degree of interactivity.

Dual Circuits

Each of the Pugilist's distortion circuits features tone and gain control to let you shape your sound to how you desire. The circuits can be operated in blend mode, which runs them in parallel and means you can blend both sounds together for an incredible amount of diversity. This mode is fantastic for achieving a nuanced distortion tone for riffing and complex chordal work.
In the Pugilist's Series Mode, the two distortion circuits are cascaded, and this has the effect of letting circuit A become a 'boost' into circuit 'B'. This mode lets you achieve a full-on saturation with thick sustain and dynamic articulation that is ideal for crushing rhythm sounds and liquid smooth lead guitar playing. A bass boost also lets you achieve a thick low-end response.

Professional Features

The Pugilist has a rugged and lightweight aluminum chassis with a brushed metal finish. This gives it both read-ready durability and a classy-aesthetic that can take pride-of-place on your pedalboard. The pedal is built by Fender who have a multitude of experience in amplifier design and you can be sure that this pedal will last a lifetime of gigging, rehearsing and recording.

Magnetic Battery Door & Jewel Light

The jewel LED light not only looks great, it also adds a handy on-stage visual indicator of the pedal's operation. The pedal has a clever battery compartment door; it has a magnetic latch which means you can easily change the battery with no fiddly screws to worry about.
This is a thoroughly professional pedal - both in tone and appearance - and would make a welcome addition to your pedalboard.

Features

• Dual circuit distortion pedal
• Dual circuits can be cascaded for thick saturation with great versatility
• Bass boost to bring back the low-end
• Series/blend lets you control the two circuits (parallel or series operation)
• Dual tone controls
• A very versatile pedal, with great interactivity between the two circuits
• Rugged anodized aluminum construction
• Classy brushed finish and jewel light
• Battery door with magnetic latching opening (no screws needed)
• Powered by 9V battery or DC

Specifications

• Effect Type: Distortion
• Controls: Tone A, Drive A, Tone B, Drive B, Blend (A/B), Blend/Series Toggle, Bass Boost Toggle (On/Off), Output Level, Bypass Footswitch
• Inputs: 1 x 1/4'' Instrument
• Outputs: 1 x 1/4'' Instrument
• Power Requirements: 9-Volt Battery or DC Negative AC Adaptor
• Power Consumption: 22mA
• Input Impedance: 1M ohm
• Output Impedance: 1k ohm
• Material: Anodized Aluminum
• Colour: Gold

Ugly Guitar Truth: TC Electronic Drip Spring Reverb

Spring reverb. It's probably what most guitarists think of when you say reverb. That's one of the reasons why spring reverb is a hard thing to emulate. Not only do people have lots of different experiences with different reverb units, but to get a handful of electronics to make the same sounds as reverberating spring is no small feat. Many have tried and have had great levels of success. However, those units are typically expensive. TC Electronics has announced a pedal that wants to give us an authentic spring experience for a fraction of the cost. How well have they done? Well...

It gets close. It's not the most spot-on sounding pedal, but maybe my point of reference is a little off. I compare all spring reverbs to my Fender Twin or Blues Jr. But the name Drip probably points to a more vintage style. Reverb was used a little differently in the 50's and 60's. It was an effect. Think of nearly any classic surf song and the guitar will have a heavy spring reverb. That specific effect is called "Drip".

Will this unit do a subtle spring reverb? I don't know. The video by TC showcased a few interesting tones. But it's hard to call it a very detailed review of the pedal. It's almost like a teaser of the pedal. It shows just enough so that we say, "Hey, that's interesting. I want to know more about that." And that's where they leave us.

Fittingly, this pedal is about like the others in this line of affordable TC Electronic pedals. It's fine for what it is. It is a $60 reverb. I'd say that I like this one a little more than the Skyverb based on the fact that it can neat surf sounds. I could probably do something similar with my current reverb set-up but it could be nice to have a different style of reverb on tap. I'm not too crazy about these one-trick ponies. It does a neat trick, but it's only one trick.

Hands On Review: Fender Mustang GT Modeling Amp

Recently I was able to sit down with not just one, but all three model of the Fender Mustang GT. There is a lot of information out there about these amps. Some rave about the features (and there are some innovated and ambitious features in these amps). Others complain about performance. The best way to navigate all the information out there is to spend enough time to get to know these new amps form Fender. That's exactly what I did. Here's what I've found:

Fender Does Fender Well

Fenders Modeling amps have always done their clean tone the best. This may be because they know their particular tone better than anyone, or maybe they just aren't that good at doing models of other amps... The Basic 65 and Bassman models are my favorite. Now, this is across all version of the amp. The clean tones are standout, but that is partly due to the fact that the dirty channels don't really hold up. Marshall type tones aren't hitting mark here. Vox tones don't come across convincing either. Although the worst offender here is the metal sounds. The preset isn't impressive, but changing the setting, at least in my experience, just made things worse. Muddy tones and tons of mush are found in the metal tones. This amps doesn't djent (not that I'm an expert here).

Tech Troubles

I was prepared to check out the app that accompanies this amp, and I did sort of. As I was getting everything set up, I connected my phone to the amp via bluetooth... for a few minute until I lost my connection. I did not reestablish the connection after that. It wasn't for lack of trying. It did force me to get to know the physical controls on the amp. Lets be honest, if you are at a live show, you aren't relying on bluetooth to do on the fly changes. The controls are cleaned up from the previous model. However, that's not always the most convenient when making fast changes in the middle of a set. The large wheel is pretty integral to making any changes. You have to make selections by rotating the knob and then pressing it. This is not always the easies thing to do. I'm sure you can get used to this, but I found my self scrolling past my intended selection and rotating the knob when trying to push it. I will say that the controls are rather easy to get the hang of, but quick and reliable changes aren't easiest thing to do with this set up.

Pecking Order

How does this amp compare to other amps. Well, put this next to other fender amps and you'll find it wanting. Next to a Blues Jr., this amp doesn't stand up well. Even more so with a Princeton. Typical with solid state amps, there seems to be a cap to how loud the amp gets. There is an organic volume level and when you pass that the amp just can't handle it. Instead of tube break-up, these amps react harshly to high volume applications. Comparing the GT next a BOSS Katana is where it really get interesting. These amp are very comparable in price, however they function is a different way. The Mustang and Katana both start in the mid $200 range, but they have different strengths. The Mustang has decent cleans and can mock many of its high dollar relative. The Katana is a little sterile on some clean settings. Other than that, the Katana takes the cake. The higher gain models of the Mustang do not have the convincing openness of the cleans. The Katana shines in the higher gain settings. The Katana also handles effect in the front of the amp better than the Mustang. Which brings up a another point... The effects in the Mustang are a little less than convincing. The list of overdrives is a little thin as well. Just a reminder, the Katana has access to 55 effects... The Mustang doesn't stand up very well to many other amps...

Conclusion

I really wanted to like these amps. Fender took their time coming to market with their latest modeling amps. It looked like Fender had everything wrapped up, but the most important part of the amp is performance. No matter the feature set, at the end of the day, you want the amp to sound good. The more features you add, the more opportunity you have to get it wrong. We want an amp that does everything, and it's tempting to think that "Now they've done it", but they haven't yet. Specifically, the Fender Mustang GT hasn't.

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The Ugly Truth About The Fender Mustang GT Amp

If you've been living under a rock for the last week or so, then you may not have heard that Fender has finally released there entry into the current gen of digital modeling amps. Of course, we have all become familiar with the Marshal CODE, BOSS Katana, and Line6 Spider V, but Fender has thrown its hat into the ring with the new Mustang GT. So what is the story here? Do we need to run out and buy the latest addition to the Mustang line? Let's aggregate all the information we know about the GT and try to understand whats new, whats good, and what needs to change.

(Before we go anything further and we are on the same page, this is a "reactions" post. A hands-on review is in the works)

There Is A Lot Right

Many if not most of the features that are present in other current-gen modeling amps are present here. Most notably is the connectivity. The Marshal CODE and Line6 SpiderV both let you connect and control the amp via mobile app. What Fender did right, besides their iconic cleans, was to allow the mobile device connect via Bluetooth and the amp to connect via Wifi to your network. Finally a fully wireless amp (well, except for the power cable). The design is nice and clean, which puts it above the SpiderV right out of the gate. Other improvement: high quality interface, 60 second looper, Celestion speakers, more power (200 watts). Fender has put a lot of thought into the this amp. It is the last one to market with their modeling amp, so they'd better have learned from mistakes made by the other guys. So, does that mean that Fender got everything right? Well...

They Got A Lot Wrong Too

As you can imagine, this amps are popular with cover bands and session artist. Those that need to play many styles in the same set, and portability is important. So these amp tick a lot of boxes. Also high up on the list is reliability. You'd think that would be in the bag, what with it being solid state and all, but users have reported issues with one  of the key features: the bluetooth connection. First, the connection is lost when your phone goes to sleep, also, the app and amp have a few glitches to work out. Selections on the app have a slight chance to select the wrong option on the amp. Fortunately, there this is only a seldom annoyance, but reliability is paramount in every piece of a rig. Another misstep was to take away some functionality of the previous models. Everything is editable on the manual controls, but the on-the-fly on/off of effects is only available via the $100 footswitch that is only included on the flag ship $600 200 watt version. Not to mention, it is a four button switch with three different modes... I guess it need to do a lot since you aren't going to be running many effects into this amp.

Conclusion

I want to like this amp. I am, admittedly, a Fender fanboy. But I can't endorse this amp souly on the brand on the front of the amp. This amp delivers a multitude of options and effects. There are tons of presets and everything is customizability. There is a community build around the Mustang line that, no doubt, will provide endless possibilities for that looking to nail tones with little to no button mashing. There are some issue with this amp, just like there are with many others, The main feature of any amp though is what it sounds like. I've only really experience the presets and the fender cleans are legit. The dirtier (less-fender) the model, the weaker the sound. Will this be improved in the future? Can it be improved? I don't know. It is a solid, if not overdue, update to the Mustang line. Fans of the Mustang amps will enjoy the long awaited update to current spec. If you are on the fence about buying this amp, I'd suggest putting it next to the Marshal CODE and close your eyes. Pick the one that makes you feel the fuzziest.

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Ugly Guitar Truth About Pedal Board Amps

Diffidently not a new thing, but a huge trend this year at NAMM, the pedal board amp has seen a huge rise in popularity among manufactures. Seymour Duncan, among others, have put forth product that are designed to basically take the place of the power section of your amp. Vox has put out a tiny amp head that would be easy enough to mount on a board. Hotone has designed a 20 watt head that is to be paired with their amp model pedals to create a varity of tones. A conglomerit of boutique amp called Boutique Amps, have devised a system of enterchangable preamp circuits to recreate a range of... boutique amps. What does all of this have in common? Not very much, I kind of went off the rails there a little bit. What I want to talk about is that we are seeing tiny little power amps flood the market and what that fact means for the world of guitar players. Shall we?

First Things First

Guitar player hate change, or we love it depending on who you ask. I can't wait to see what pedal or piece of kit come out next. Then I plug my Telecaster directly into a Vox AC15... Loopers, Delays, pretty much everything Strymon does, has facilitated progression in the guitarist spectrum. However, we still love playing amps that were designed in the 1950s with antiquated technology. We can plug a pedal into a Blues Jr. to make it sounds like a space ship taking off and then talk about the richness and warmth that you value from that amp (to make space noises with).

Then Something Happens




Something that the average guitarist has is pedals. Collect a few of those, and you get a pedal board. The most common pedals, or the ones that seem to pile up, are drive pedals. The ones that give you a boost or gain can really help your amp be all that it can be. In fact, so pedals emulate completely different amps. Pedals like the 30 Something, or Golden Plexi practically tell you, "This is a Vox sound," or "This pedal sounds like a Marshall." So if your pedal sounds like an amp, what is your amp doing.


What Are We Doing?


On my board there are several pedal that handle Gain, EQ, Reverb... so I set my amp clean, flat and kill any reverb. If I set my amp to a nice tone (not hard) I will be finding it difficult to find a application other than simple signal processing for my pedals. However, set my amp flat, and I can use my pedals to create a wider range or tones leaning more heavily on the pedals to come up with the distinct sounds. What I'm saying is: you can have a range of great sounds from a particular amp, but they are going to sound like that amp, but a flat (pedal friendly) power section can give you more room to let you pedals shine through.


Conclusion


I meant to talk about amps like the one Seymour Duncan are putting out, but looks like I've just chased my tail for 500 words. Long story... still long actually... pedals are covering a multitude of tasks. Some of those tasks have long been associated with guitar amplifiers. As we are doing more signal processing before the amp, we are asking less of the actual amp. Thus, we are seeing amps that compliment this by having few features and simply push our tone into a speaker. I like this, and at the same time, I don't really like this.

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Ugly Guitar Truth: Marshall CODE Digital Modeling Amps

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

It's Expansive

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

The Hardware Is Getting Overlooked

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

Just Look At It

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

Conclusion


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

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Ugly Truth About The BOSS Katana Amps

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

There Are The Looks

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

They Are A Little Late To The Game

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

They Aren't The Blues Cube

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

Conclusion

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

Continued Reading:

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

The Ugly Truth About The Fender Super Champ X2

For the most part I'm a typical guitarist and tone-snob. I like my amps tubey and my effect true-bypass (even though that might be the best thing for your tone). I don't like digital effects or multi-effects processors. I'm also kind of a Fender fanboy. So when my "session" amp was changed from a Fender Blues Jr. to a Champ X2 I was worried. I had worked with that Blues Jr. for some time and I like how my set-up was set-up. Not knowing any of the features I dialed in a clean tone and adjust the Eq so that it was balanced. It is small and has build-in effects. I feared the worst.

It's Small


15 watts, 10" speaker, petit enclosure it was not looking good. I was afraid it would sound small and boxy. I bypassed my pedal board to hear the amp clean. It was surprisingly dark and moody. Not at all thin. I balanced my Eq and adjusted the volume and that was it. What I didn't know about this little combo was that it is all tube. Pre-amp and power are driven by tubes. 15 watts was plenty to act as my monitor with a full band. The 10" speaker kept the lows nice and tight. I did switch from my EHX OD Glove to a Tube Screamer for my dirt. The Glove has a lot more low end which I might have been ok with if I worked with a bit more to find a sweet spot, but the TS was able to rock and roll without much fuss. This amp might not fill up an entire room, but for this application it was good fit


It Has On-Board Effects


This is one of my pet peeves. I know why amp makers keep putting out amp with effects built in. A beginner is going to buy an amp with 10 knobs over one that has three. Its an easy and cheap way to add features to amps. It also allows player with little or no effects to experiment with different sounds. On-Board effect are all bad (in theory), but ever amp I've played with DSP up till now has been underwhelming in the highest order. When I adjusted the amp, I noticed that the effect were turned all the way down and I left it there. Yes. I have bias. I don't want digital effect on my amp. but this amp didn't suffer from any of the symptoms of having DSP. In fact I forgot all together that it even had them. Which in my mind is a complement. Disclaimer: The effect on this amp might be very useful or even beneficiary, I just have had a chance to run though them.

My Conclusion


This a great little amp. It's all tube, It has some really good clean sounds, and it is pretty flexible. If you traded you DSP for a reverb tank and ran it into a 12" speaker then It would be great amp, period. As it is, Its most comfortable in the bedroom or as a live monitor. The biggest downside is that this amp disappears in the mix if you aren't right in front. I was rather close to my amp, and all amps have a cone shaped "optimal listening area", but this amp seems to be a bit smaller. Of course it is a trade off. Compact, lightweight amps are great when your are traveling or tight for space, but they come with some drawbacks. Fender seems to have made a lot of good decisions when designing this amp.

The Ugly Truth About Being A Telecaster Guy That Plays A Les Paul

It was nearly twenty years ago that I (or my parents rather) bought my first Fender Telecaster. I played that thing everyday for years. I was actively involved in playing at my church. When I wasn't playing my acoustic, I was playing that Telecaster. It was my only electric for the longest time. I changed the pickups because I wanted to play metal. It was then I realized that, even though I liked the shape and feel of a Tele, I wanted different sounds than the standard Telecaster quack. I've since owned many other Teles that all have something in common, they aren't standard Teles. I have one with P-90s and a Deluxe with Split coils. I have come to appreciate the Standard Tele quack, but I haven't committed to actually owning one. (I can get some quack by playing with my pickup configuration. So yes, I do call upon the mighty quack when I need)

I've Never Really Liked The Les Paul Shape (until I did)

There is something that happens to a guitar when they acquire their first "real" guitar. There is a fondness and familiarity that forms that is hard to overcome. Also, I jump between acoustic and electric so much that a flat-top electric feels more familiar when switching. A fender type bridge and Tonepros type bridge is an adjustment. The first few times I played a Gibson Les Paul I understood that this instrument was a quality instrument, but it was uncomfortable to play. Heavy, bulky, curved. Nothing seemed comfortable. I've owned, for a time, other guitars like a SG and a Jackson SLS. These were also different and good in there own respects, but they all lost favor and didn't suit me as much as my Tele. They were "homebase".

It Can Come As A Surprise 

So I messing about like I do in a music store, and on a lark picked up a Les Paul (copy) and slowly realized I like it better than the other guitars that I had picked up that day. I was surprised, not only how much I liked it, but how comfortable it felt. I had owned a SG for a few years, so the bridge was a little less foreign and the neck was slimmer and more "Fender-ish" than others I had play before. The pickups were bright and hot. The neck was one of the better rosewood fretboards I've played. Most other things were passable. All in all, it was a solid guitar, the price was right, so it became mine. No one was more surprised than me.

Having Something New Can Spark Renewed Interest. 

Being an active musician mean playing a lot of music. I Play a set every week with a group. I also teach music to students during the week, so playing "just for me" is uncommon. I'm either preparing, studying, or writing. I don't play for the pure enjoyment of it (even though I enjoy playing during that other times). But when I sat down with this non-Telecaster I was transported back to when the guitar was new. Things worked a little different. Similar enough to feel familiar but different enough to give everything a since of discovery. This would be the first guitar that I've spent a lot of time that had a set-neck, and honestly I thing I'm smitten. There is a sustain that I think is due to the neck joint. I still love my Teles for all the reason that I loved them to begin with, but now there is something else in my collection that doesn't resemble the rest and adds a new element to the mix.