Ugly Guitar Truth: Boss Nextone Amplifier

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

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

We've Seen These Before

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

Something New

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

Conclusion

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

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: Mad Professor Kosmos Ambient Reverb Pedal

Mad Professor is a steller making of guitar effects. They have made some of the most acclaimed overdrives and delays. Just before NAMM, they've announced that they are issuing the Kosmos Ambient Reverb. All demos make this pedal seem like a powerful reverb capable of huge, ambient, shimmering reverb sounds. 11 modes (including 3 different shimmers) and a freeze function make the Kosmos a versatile tone-tool. I'm looking forward to NAMM and giving the Kosmos a closer look.

Here are some details:

The Mad Professor Kosmos is a small, easy to use but super versatile pedal for a wide variety of ambient reverbs and delays.

With just one footswitch you can, of course, turn the pedal on and off, but also hold the reverb for eternal ambiance or make beautiful sweet effects without the need for a volume pedal.

All the 11 ambient tones are carefully designed, and you can further adjust the tones with four knobs. The special Control knob has a different function on different presets, so please take time to explore all the possibilities.

The Kosmos pedal will open a universe of ambient tones.

From Plate and Room delays to Spring and Hall delay, different shimmer tones, Swells and reverb with delay.

The tone simply got even more organic!

source: effects database

NAMM 2018: Hotone Nano Legacy Floor Amps

Hotone has been teasing us on social media with their new Nano amps. Some time ago, Hotone gave us a series of super portable, tiny amps. Just ahead of NAMM 2018, they have unveiled the Nano Legacy Floor amps. These units combine two amps from the previous line into on compact, pedalboard compactable unit. Currently, there are two models. The Britwind combines their British Invasion (Vox) and Purple Wind (Marshall) amps into a single unit with foot-switchable reverb and boost, Fx loop, Cab sim balanced, and unbalanced out. The Mojo Diamond has the same features but gives a Fender/Mesa combo.

This looks to be a step above what they've been doing with the Nano Legacy heads. The Nano Legacy line, by all accounts, is much better than it has any right to be. Following the trend that seems to be set by the Orange Micro Terrors, Hotone seems to have a knack for fitting impressive tone into incredibly small places. Many of their effects could get lost in your pants pocket, so it really shouldn't come to any surprise that they are able to give us these cool little amps.

Details From Hotone:

Portable Dual Channel Floor Amplifier
Hotone’s Nano Legacy amps are so in demand that it only made sense for us to combine two of them into one, put it in a convenient floor-based stompbox, and let it rule as the core of your professional sound system.

More than simply combining two Nano Legacy amps in one, the Nano Legacy Floor amps feature upgraded sound quality, increased output power (up to 75 watts) and extended onboard functions/effects. Plus, these portable dual-channel amps let you integrate a complete rig that is always ready for touring and recording: just connect to a cabinet/mixer/interface and you’re ready to rock!

Features:

✪ Portable dual channel floor amp for your pedalboard

✪ Up to 75 Watts output power

✪ Unbeatable Nano Legacy tone with upgraded sound quality and dynamic range

✪ Dual channel design combining 2 best-selling Nano Legacy amps in one: 

✪ High-quality tone with independent volume, gain, and 3-band EQ 

✪ Built-in boost provides up to +12dB of clean volume boost

✪ Built-in reverb with clear, natural decay

✪ Compatible with cabinets of different impedances ranging from 4-16Ω

✪ FX LOOP for using external effects

✪ Line and XLR outputs with switchable cab simulator

✪ 18-20V DC power supply (center positive)

Conclusion

I've been on the fence about pulling the trigger on one of the Nano Legacy head for a minute. I mean, a Marshall Plexi that you can drop in your gig bag? Sure, these aren't going to completely nail the tones that they claim, but they're just so darn cute, right? These Floor units may be the real deal though. Forget that they are selling you, "upgraded sound quality" whatever that means. This might just be the solution for those guitarists that want their amp tones on a "quiet" stage, or you could have your amp on your pedal board. I haven't seen any price point of these amps just yet, but they could easily ask $200 for these. Considering they have twice the voices and 15 times the power, they are worth it. Don't throw down your money just yet though. Vox has their hat in this ring too. Last year they debuted their Nu Tube micro amp heads. Could they have something waiting for us at NAMM 2018? This could get very interesting.

NAMM 2018: Walrus Audio Fathom Multi-Function Reverb

After teasing us for the last few days, Walrus audio has unveiled the lastest pedal. The Fathom Multi-Function Reverb is a fantastic sounding reverb with loads of sonic options. From traditional to far-out, this reverb is under-sold by the term "Multi-Function". In a format that is quickly become industry standard, the Fathom puts two switches and six controls in the real estate that would traditional see half of that. This pedal makes Hall and Plate reverbs sound spacious and aquatic. This pedal will turn head and ears. It has a ship date of January 29 and a street price just under $200.

From Walrus:

The Fathom is a feature-rich reverb with 4 different customized reverb algorithms to choose from. Easily go from tasteful, small room reverb to long, modulated trails dripping of ambient goodness. The toggle switch adds options for low, medium and high modulation. Use the dampen knob to fine tune the tone of the reverb's decay.



The Fathom features 4 different algorithms.

Hall - Wide, open and vast with decay that ends with high-frequency rolloff. X knob adjusts pre-delay.

Plate - Full Body reverb with a smooth decay. X knob adjusts pre-delay.

Lo-fi - Filtered reverb with decay ranging from warm, to thin AM-sounding radio. X knob adjusts filter width.

Sonar -  Reverb fed with both a high and low octave with the ability to blend the octaves with the X knob.





Momentary Functions:

When the pedal is in off position, press and hold the Bypass Switch to temporarily activate the effect to add a moment of reverb. Releasing the switch turns the effect off.



Press and hold the Sustain Switch while the pedal is on, to sustain the reverb decay for a dreamy ambient decrescendo.



Trails Mode:

To turn trails mode on or off, unplug the pedal and press and hold down the Bypass Switch for two seconds while plugging the pedal back in.

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.

Ugly Guitar Truth: TC Electronic Fluorescence

It seems like every time I turn around TC is putting out yet another round of their compact, budget-friendly pedals. This time they have four new pedals. Typically, these pedals are stripped down, simple pedals that do a very particular job. These are no different. We are going to look at the Fluorescence Shimmer Reverb.

While the Skysurfer pedal has Spring, Plate, and Hall settings, it is more suited for shorter, more traditional type of reverb. The Fluorescence Shimmer reverb is built more as an ambient, long-tail reverb. Simple controls make this pedal very easy to use. Reverb, Mix, Tone, and Shimmer are all rather typical for this type a reverb. Shimmer has become an effect that many players have come to embrace. That makes this an attractive pedal for anyone looking to try shimmer, but not looking to really looking to replacing their current reverb.

Other than what you see up front, this pedal doesn't have very many features. TC is known for their endless customisation, but this line of effect is more about offering options for a reasonable price. TC has done a decent job putting out quality products. There really isn't a lot of complaints about any of these budget effects. Not all of them will appeal to everyone, but there is probably a few of them that would fit right into your pedalboard. The Fluorescence Shimmer might be a welcomed addition to your pedalboard.

What else can you say about this these effects? The Shimmer reverb is a winner in my book. If I was looking to add that particular effect to my board, then this might be just the thing. TC Electronics add a level of credibility to these inexpensive effects. At the rate that they are pumping out these effects, they must have a very streamline production process or a large increase in manpower. At the very least, There are a few very interesting pedals released with each one of these batches of pedals. The Fluorescence Shimmer Reverb is another solid offering.

Ugly Guitar Truth: Nux Atlantic Delay and Reverb

Nux has been a brand that many guitarists have either ignored for the most part or have appreciated for offering inexpensive alternatives. I haven't really given much weight to most of their pedals because it has been my experience that cheap, Chinese pedals don't stand up when they are put next to comparable products from major manufacturers. Is this the pedal to change all that? Does Nux really think it can take on some of the most respected pedals on the market and win?

Strymon Killer?

You can't talk about this pedal without mentioning Strymon. Obviously, they are going for a look based on the Strymon El Capistan. Upon closer inspection though, the features are not parallel. While the Capistan is a Tape Echo that lets you dial in the exact time of delay you want, the Atlantic is a Delay and Reverb much fewer features. Don't let slight resemblance fool you. These pedal will not perform the same task.

Worth It?

 Although this won't kick an El Capistan off your board. It might be a decent pedal for those looking to consolidate. If you are looking at buying a couple budget pedals for you delay and reverb needs, then you might want to wait and try this pedal. Although we don't know yet what the asking price of this pedal will be, around the hundred dollar mark is a safe bet ( I actually heard back from NUX. They said that it will be around $160, but I would assume that is MSRP. I expect to see something more like $120 Street). The difference between the cost of two budget pedals and this one is probably not much. With Tap, Line Level, Stereo outs, and Footswitchable Shimmer this pedal has features that most inexpensive single pedals don't.

Conclusion

Although this isn't a dead ringer for a Strymon pedal, the looks of this pedal are a step above most other far east offerings. Add that to the useful features and hoping that it falls into the budget-friendly category, this is one of the more interesting product to come out so far this year.

LR Baggs Align Series Reverb

New LR Baggs is the standalone Align Series Reverb. Details are limited, but the front feature four simple controls: Volume, Tone, Reverb, and Decay. This pedal looks like an elegant design fitted to a simple interface. Real, dark wood dresses the enclosure making the whole package look premium. I expect the sounds to easily compliment acoustic guitarist in addition to many other acoustic instruments. Electric players may want a little more out of their reverbs. Expect a premium price when this pedal comes to market.

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.

Ugly Guitar Truth: TC Electronic Hall Of Fame 2 Reverb

Several new reverb and delay unit have been released lately. Far from the least of which is the TC Electronic Hall Of Fame 2 reverb. The sequel to the rather iconic Hall Of Fame reverb, the HOF 2 bares a strong likeness to its predecessor. The controls, toggle, and stereo in/out are all still there. The majority of the reverb modes are the same as well. So are there enough differences between 1 and 2 to make a current own run out and buy number 2? Let's take a look...

Real Time Control

As with the Flashback 2, the Hall Of Fame 2 comes with the Mash function. This basically lets you take control of a single parameter by pressing the pedal's foot switch. This unique function turns your on/off button into an expression pedal. Not only that, but in the Tone Print settings, you can set the Mash function to any parameter that you want. This level of real time control is totally unprecedented in a single-sized, compact pedal. Personally, I am more excited to see this function in a reverb than in a delay.

Shimmer

Finally, TC has caught the Hall Of Fame up with the massively popular trend of Shimmer. This effect has become widely popular and is included in nearly all digital delay and reverb pedals in the last few years. It was a major selling point with the RV-6 and the MXR reverb. TC Electronic has implemented the same octave algorithm from the Sub N Up pedal. To say the the Sub N Up is a good octave pedal is a little bit of an understatement. If the thought and care that went into the Sub N Up also went into the shimmer setting on the Hall Of Fame 2, then rest assure it is a impressive effect

More Custom Options

In addition to the other changes, TC Electronic have made room for two additional Tone Print settings. This has come at the cost of the Tile, Ambient, and Gate settings, but those are still available under the Tone Print editor so we aren't really losing them. In combination with the Mash function, these Tone Print setting become extremely valuable. Tone Print offers a deep and rich editor that allows you to control much more than what the four knobs on the face of the pedal can do.

Conclusion

TC has put out an incredible pedal. The features alone are tempting. Combine that with the pedigree of the Hall Of Fame, dependability of TC Electronic's reputation, and powerful Tone Print editor and you have a killer pedal. The only bit of criticism I can muster would be for the Mash button. This function uses a new piece of hardware. How will this stand up to years of use? We don't know yet. I don't expect this to fail, but it may be a weak link. It also poses a problem for the tinker that like to fiddle with their pedal's bits. Neither of these would persuade me to discourage someone from checking out this innovative  pedal.

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Ugly Guitar Truth: BOSS RV-500 Reverb

What many have considered a long awaited debut, BOSS has announced their first additions to the 500 series pedals. The RV-500 Reverb has been anticipated since the release of the original 500 pedal, the DD-500 Delay. While the DD-500 was a welcome update to the DD-20, the RV-500 (along with the MD-500) has now established a line of pedals that are poised to compete with Strymon and Eventide. With 32-bit processing, and 96 kHz sampling rate, the hardware under the hood is virtually matchless. 12 modes and 21 reverb types that are all highly customizable leaves little to be desired. The feature stack on this is impressive, so whats the ugly truth...

It's actually Not That Ugly

Visiting local music stores is a little bit of a hobby of mine.When I see a well stocked effects pedal display case, it is akin to visiting an art gallery. There are hints of style and theme (or lack there of) and you can tell the difference between pedal manufactures like artists' motifs. BOSS, for the most part, stopped stylistically somewhere in the 80's when they introduced their compact pedal line and the familiar shape of most BOSS pedal that we know today. The 500 series however complete redesigns the look of their pedals. The inspiration of the redesign clearly comes from some of their competition. The three button layout, knob layout, and even the stamped aluminum enclosure all seem rather similar to other high-end, powerful effect units. Did BOSS copy other effects? Well, that word does have a lot of stigma attached to it in the effects market, but yes they totally did.

It's Not A Big Sky Clone

Obviously, some of the exterior element of the pedal have been "borrowed", but this pedal is not trying to be a Strymon Big Sky or a Eventide Space. What it is trying to do is complete crush those exact pedals and any others that may stand to rival it. When Line 6 released the DL4 delay in 1999. BOSS took their time and came out with the DD-20. Like the 500 series. the DD-20 was on the front end of a whole line of pedals that would follow the same twin pedal format. I actually debated those two delay pedals back when they were two of the most powerful delays on the market. My decision then was the DD-20. The BOSS pedal beat the Line 6 in features and performance. It also cost less. It did take nearly four years after the DL4 to come to market, but when it did, it came to win. 

Too Soon?

If you remember when the DD-500 came out, it debuted at the same time as the RV-6. Needing a reverb pedal, I bought a RV-6. It has been my primary reverb ever since. While there was a sizable chunk of time between RV-5 and RV-6, it has barely two years between the RV-6 and RV-500. While two years is the standard dwell time between modern consumers and smartphones, many guitarists don't typically replace their pedals every other year. (I've been using my DD-20 for nearly 10 years.) However, there is probably little cross over is those that would buy the RV-6 and the RV-500 despite their apparent similarities. Instead of a update to their compact pedal, The RV-500 serves to entice the players considering other high-end, powerful units. 

Conclusion

I won't lie, I was very excited about the announcement of this pedal. This is probably the most exciting pedal announcement in the last 18 months. It seems that BOSS has been on a roll. The DD-500 was a huge step forward for them, the Katana amps are being praised over higher price competition, and now we get a powerful Reverb at a fraction of the cost of comparable units. It is hard to imagine that the RV-500 reverb will be anything other than great success.

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Airline Guitar Effects Are Now A Thing

I was first aware of Eastwood/Airline guitar when my local music store clerk alerted me to them. I was in the market for something funky, but playable. Their blend of vintage looks and modern craftsmanship make for a unique product. I've been a fan of there designs ever since, so when I saw that they were coming to market with effects my attention was peaked.

Designed after the front end, reverb, and tremolo of a vintage Airline amplifier, this pedal has a lot going on. You have Shape, Mix, Tone, Drive, Rate, more Tone, Depth, Level and Size. So if you like knobs or switches, then you need to pay attention to this pedal. I am digging the look and feel of the pedal. I can't speak much to the sound of it, but from what I've heard, it is at least not your 'same old' effect.

The next effect in their line is a Fuzz/Octave. Given the fact that Eastwood and Airline guitar kinda live in the "good old days", it makes sense that they make a Fuzz/Octave. The combo that rocked the 60's and 70's. Just like their guitars, they've added some modern features. The Octave is digital and it is fast tracking. You can blend an upper and lower octave. You can also select each effect separately. Not only that, but you can choose to separate the octaves from the fuzz. I dig it.

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Ugly Truth: MXR Reverb

Can you believe that MXR has been making pedal for a million years and they've never put out a reverb? Ok, So maybe not a million years, but for a company that has been around as long as I've been buy pedals, its a wonder that they haven't made some type of Reverb just so that they have an option for the MXR loyal. Now they have, what do we think about it?

It's Limited

With features like 6 different types of reverb (with 2 shimmers!) you might not call it limited right off the bat, but look a little closer and you realize that when you compare it to the BOSS RV-6. It comes up wanting. This pedal is not stereo (unless it has a stereo input... which it does! So disregard) and there is no expression input(Edit: there is one! JK everybody.). Yep, looks like the RV-6 mops the floor with this pedal. Looking online and the only price I can find is $199. Seems like a bit much for a pedal that comes up lacking compared to the $150 RV-6 (or, you know, covers its bases compare it it...)

Other Things

Look, I like MXR. They have provided us with some great pedals, but sometimes you feel like some things are left overlooked. The power jack typically found on the top of most pedals are found of the side of most of MXR's (and not always the same side) The selection of the reverb type is done by pressing a button. This isn't a major make-it-or-break-it thing, but it is out of the ordinary. It's not like you can't fit six modes on a rotary switch (BOSS has 8!). So, what gives? Don't want to stray away from the three-knob motif established by the Carbon Copy? I mean, I dig motifs as much as the next guy, but this just doesn't make sense to me.

Conclusion.

I dig it. I want to hear these shimmer settings. They might be the only thing that saves this pedal from being too little too late. Reverb pedals are always exciting to try out. A subtle setting is important, but just as important is the limits of these pedals. Most any reverb will give a little verb, but they distinguish these pedals. The EHX Holy Grail adds a bizarre metallic sound when full tilt. The RV-6 by BOSS will drone and swell. Let's wait and see what this pedal will do when pushed.

Edit: I did here these two shimmers (pad and epic) They sound amazing... is it worth an extra $50... pretty darn close...

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Boss RV-6 vs Digitech Polara

Two of the most recent and notable reverb units to hit the shelves of your favorite music store are: the Boss RV-6 Digital Reverb and Digitech's Polara. If this was a beauty contest, then it would be over before it starts. The Polara is a stunning pedal. Boss pedals have done little to improve there cases. But this isn't Miss America, this is a pedal shootout. 

The Digitech Polara

I like this pedal. It has got some huge sounds in the pretty little box. The controls are super easy to manipulate. Dark and moody is a great way to describe this pedal. Seven modes that let you choose from standard favorites and some new settings. Reverse, Halo, and Mod settings are a great addition the the typical palette of reverb colors. The Halo setting is fantastic. The Spring, Room, and Plate are spot-on. Everything sounds clear and the guitar signal is transparent. The toggle to turn trails on and off is a welcome feature. Switching is silent and soft. Signal remains uncolored when pedal is bypassed. This is a solid pedal with a lot of great features. Did I mention that it was pretty? It's, like, really pretty.

The Boss RV-6

Fresh off the presses from Boss is the RV-6 Reveb. No less than 8 mode of fantastic reverb. The Shimmer and Dynamic modes are awesome and work great. Plus this pedal can even add a little bit of Delay if need (adding back a much loved feature from previous models that was removed in the RV-5). This pedal sounds great. Every setting produces solid effects. The Tone knob helps to put the effect exactly where you want it. Dark to bright and everywhere in-between. You can even add an expression pedal to control the effects. This is a super sounding reverb in the familiar Boss brick shape. 

The Conclusion

Both of these pedal do great things. There is a lot of overlap. The Polara is a stand out pedal. People will notice the sounds and the looks of it. The Boss is a pedal jam-packed with great sounding effects and with expression capabilities. It's hard to choose between these two pedals because they both do a great job at producing reverb. But choose is exactly what we have to do. When the rubber meets the road, you have to go with unit that will be most useful in your playing situation. For me, It's the RV-6. The Reverse setting on the Polara is fun, but not very useful for me. The Dynamic mode of the RV-6 can come in handy when switching off the effect is not possible, or when I want to change setting in the middle of the song. Both pedals punch above their price tags, sounding just as good as pedals twice the price. If I had to choose, it the Boss RV-6.

Ugly Truth Review: Boss RV-6 Reverb

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

It's A Reverb Pedal

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

It's More Than A Reverb

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

Conclusion

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

Ugly Truth About Polara Reverb by DigiTech

I may or may not have told you before, but I'm not a great fan/user of reverb. I usually use a little bit of reverb, but just. I like to hear my guitar loud and clear, and too much reverb can make things mushy. So, when spending time at my local music store, my helpful pedal pusher set me up with two pedals. One was the Obscrua Altered Delay, and the Polara Reverb. I was looking for weird but useful sounds. He was sure that this combo would fit the bill. The Obscrua is reviewed here, now we are going to look at the Polara Reverb.

It's a Reverb

Generally considered a good thing, reverb is a very useful effect that many guitarist use in a "always on" type manor. I use a little bit of verb all the time. I own serval amps that all have analog reverb, so for me a pedal unit should create something special. I spend a considerable amount of time with this pedal. What I found was a really good reverb. That was about it. This pedal look psychedelic in the best way. It feels super solid and everything is really smooth. Besides a little bit of pedalboard candy, this pedal offers little more than the average reverb pedal.

There Are Better Options

In September Boss will release a updated version of their Digital Reverb. This update adds a lot of functionality and a few new features, which is more than I can say the the Polara. Digitech want to break into the boutique market, but there is one problem: they're Digitech. They have produced pedals on a mass scale for years. Just because you release a fancy looking pedal and charge a premium price for it doesn't mean it's boutique, and it doesn't mean that people will be willing to buy it.

Conclusion

If you have $150 to spend on a reverb and you have to maintain a certain atheistic on your pedalboard that doesn't include Boss pedals, buy you also want more functions than basic boutique stuff, then you might be the prime candidate for a Polara Reverb. I've seen tons of Demos and have had a lot of hands on time with this pedal and still looking forward to the Boss RV-6. If this pedal has an Expression input and 100% wet setting, then the looks would put it over the top, but considering that this will be topped next month, I'm waiting.

The Ugly Truth About The Boss RV-6

Boss has a new Reverb pedal coming in 2015. Anounced just before NAMM, Boss let us get our first looks are their RV-6 Reveb pedal, and I have to admit that is it the most exciting reverb pedal I've seen recently.

The Ugly truth is that Boss is playing catch up. They aren't innovating any more. The closest they have come recently was with their Tera Echo, but that has only met with limit success. I am a fan of making weird sounds, but the Tera just didn't wow me. The New DD-500 delay will incorporate some of it's features so it might be going the way of the dodo. This reverb unit with add some features and flexibility that may have seem as overkill when the RV-5 was developed. But the focus on ambient sounds have pushed reverb users to ask more from the reverbs than their traditional uses. Not exactly competing with the likes of the Strymon Big Sky, the RV-6 is an replacement of the current unit. Boss may be struggling to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving market place. Boss have been known to produce quality products, but they aren't quick to update. This reverb unit makes so much sense. The fact that Boss will keep the price the same is actually really cool. Giving players new gear at the old price is a smart move. What else do you expect from a company that has been in the pedal business for decades.

The video of it in action on Boss site is my favorite. The 100% wet signal in really interesting, and temping.

5 Ugly Truths About The EHX Turnip Greens Reverb/OD Pedal

I was mindlessly scrolling through the list of effects on my favorite music gear website and came across a pedal from EHX that I wasn't familiar with. It was the Turnip Greens. I saw that it was described as Multi-effect so I checked it out. Turns out that this pedal is a combination between the Holy Grail Max and the Soul Food. On the surface this looks like a pretty good idea. The Soul Food is a pedal that replicates the exalted Klon, and the Holy Grail Max is an expanded version of one of the most respected reverbs. Put them together and what do you get? I'll give you a hint:

It's not "Bipity Bopity Boo".

1 Its Too Expensive

The cost of this pedal is roughly the cost of the two pedals that it combines. Which probably makes sense to most people, but when you stuff two pedal in one box there should be some price reduction. Like the package deal that it is, you should get a discount for buying in bulk. In case you were wondering, yes, I am cheap. But that is why I like EHX pedals in the first place. They make some decent pedals and they don't charge a great deal for them. You'd have to spend twice as much for the next best pedal. The make one of the best Tube Screamer clones (with improvments like: true bypass and bright LED) for just more than half the price. Their Klone is $60 which is crazy compared to the 300 and 400 dollar klones that are on the market. Are they worried that sales of the indivual pedal would suffer? Maybe. I can say that I'm a pretty big fan of the Soul Food and I'm looking for a reverb, and I don't think I'll pick it up.

2 Its Ugly

Yes, I'm picking on this pedal. But honestly, I don't want to put this on my board and have people see it. I don't mind stock graphics screen printed on top of my pedal. I don't mind the background color as it is the same color as the Soul Food, but the big green leaves are kind of obnoxious. Also, labeling each side the name of the pedal that it reprsents instead of the actual function is not as ugly as it is dumb. It makes the whole think seem like its trying to sell the individual pedals, but at the same time it makes you look silly for buy this one.

3. It Has A Stupid Name

I actually see were the name of this pedal comes from. Turnip greens are considered a type of soul food. So at best its a theme, but at worst it might point at some sensitive stereotypes. If you ignore the relationship between the two pedals (by the way, where does "holy grail" come in to all this) Turnip Greens and an odd name. Maybe it is because I grew up eating greens. If you named a bunch of pedals after food that would just be strange.

I'll just leave this here...

4. It Is less Convenient Than Having Two Pedals

I'll admit that this pedal has been thought through rather well. There is an effects loop that allow you to run what ever you want between the Soul Food and Holy Grail. That was my biggest complain when I first saw it. "What fools! I though. "How can you stick an overdrive and reverb together?!" and then I saw the send/return and it made a little more since. Then I noticed the toggle that reverses which effect is first, the Soul Food or Holy Grail. There is a buffer switch as well, but I don't think that is exclusive to this pedal. It all just feel like you are working around the pedal. 

5. It Offers No Advantage To Having The Individual Pedals

Lets add up everything that we know about this box: It combines two pedals that function just find by themselves, It cost as much as the other two combined, It tries hard to do everything that the two pedals do individually, There are no extra features that the other pedals don't have. You'll be embarrassed by the sight of it, when ever you talk about having "Turnip Greens" on your board, you'll have to explain that its a Soul Food and Holy Grail, and then explain that the Soul Food is a Klon Clone.

The Ugly Truth About Outlaw Effects Pedals

Right off the bat, sorry for the long break. I'm sure that all my readers are just holding their breath for another post, but on the list of important things to do blogging falls pretty low. Sorry guys.

To the point... I was online the other day and I saw this new brand of pedal. Excuse my latency, I don't get time to check out every little new thing as it comes out as much as I would like. So I did a little digging and found some neat facts about this odd, little (literally, the pedals are tiny) pedal brand.

Ok, so there is nothing new about micro pedals. Malekko has been making tiny pedals for years. There are all sorts of imitators out there now Mooer is a an import pedal that has gained some traction. They have been value priced but now have climbed out of the bargain bin and became a solid option for a guitarist looking to save stage space. This is due to the fact that they closely resemble some of our favorite pedal and aren't outrageously priced. Along with these there are several "bigger" pedal makers doing compact versions of their already established pedals. This gives a guitarist the option to trade-up and slim-down. All good things, right?

Well... Maybe.

Every Description of these Pedals is Extremely Ambiguous 

When I first saw Outlaw pedals, the first thing that I was attracted to was the price. Make a nice looking overdrive pedal for 49.99 and you have my attention. If you make a nice looking, great sounding pedal for 49.99, then you'll get my money. The fact that these things are tiny did make an impression on me, but I've seen these kinds of pedals before. The fact that there are 4 different dirt boxes (2 ODs and 2 Distortions) is exciting for me. I might have something of a weakness for them, but I'm not going to buy a pedal by cool-sounding name alone. With the Outlaw pedals, that's about all you have to go on. The thing with new pedal brands is that you have to give the customer some idea as to what you are going to get. You have two OD pedals, but how are they different? They are even closely colored (red and orange-ish-red) One does have a toggle, but besides that they look exactly alike. Even the description is vague. The only thing I can get from any description I've read is that the Dead Man's Hand might be a tube screamer clone with a toggle to flatten the mid-hump. The distortion come in two flavors as well, metal and... not metal? If these pedals sound as generic as they are described, then I'd stay far away, but there is really no way to tell.

They are micro Pedals

So I know that you might be thinking, "Duh", but hold on. There is a reason that some of the first micros where compressors and reverbs. That is because those are "set-it-and-forget-it" pedals. You usually use those pedals to set your overall sound. But the popularity of the smaller pedals led to making a wider range of pedal with tiny footprints. This isn't a horrible thing, but if you are like me and you like to change and tweak and fiddle with everything, then doing so with tiny knobs and buttons can be a challenge. For the regular person this become an annoyance, but with someone with larger than average digits or size 15 feet this becomes something more like a guessing game. My foot can easily cover a boss-sized stomp box. Now imagine going to turn on your delay and three of your pedal disappear under you shoe. So you can't see your pedal when you turn it on or off, but you might be able to work around that. Lets talk about the knobs. Most of the pedal are set up with a "large" knob in the middle and two smaller knob above and to the flanks. The large knob is about the size of the top concentric knob of a Boss Metal Zone. If you're not familiar with that pedal just look a pencil and picture a knob slightly smaller than that. The other two knobs are slightly larger than the lead in that pencil. Not exactly something that you can fiddle with on the fly. I'm not saying that all pedals this small are bad, but they come with some down-sides.

They are Made in China 

I know that a lot of things are being made overseas now. I also own a lot of things that are made overseas. I like a lot of the things that I've bought that were made overseas. So why am I complaining that these are made overseas? Well, there are some of the stereotypical thing that you think of when you hear "made in China": Bad quality control, poor assembly, cheap parts. But let me remind you that the same remarks are made about Electro Harmonix and they are USA made... I haven't had any problem out of the EXH pedals I own, or any of the one that are made in China. So what is the deal with the ding for being Chinese? First, Poor quantity control. If you order parts from china then you have to order huge amounts. That order takes weeks if not months to arrive. Sometimes the trip half-way around the world is not a kind one. So if something is out of stock then it might be a change of season before you can get that item. Also the company is french*. Nothing wrong with France, but costumer service might be less that speedy.

(Woops, sorry to the guys over at Outlaw Effects. The company is Canadian, not French, The only evidence I based my assumption on is the fact they offer a English and French langue web-site. You know what happens when you assume!)

Everything Is Small... like tiny

These pedal are small, but all we really notice is the box. If we take a look at the inside, then we'll most likely see tiny parts. Resisters and Caps that are that small are nearly too small to do anything with. Are you a modder? to bad. Want to change diodes? Not going to happen. Knob broke and want to replace? Tough luck. All the standard size parts are not going to work with pedals this size. Not to mention that working with parts this small can be a pain when you have all that parts. Lets say that you brand new pedal goes dead and you need a part. What do you do? Call costumer service, right? You do that. I person with a French accent and a working knowledge of the English langue answers the phone. Let also say that you are able to communicate with customer service and they are willing to send you the part. Hazzah! So they send you the part... From China. Three weeks to forever later, the part arrives. You've probably replace the pedal. So you get your package and remember that you own this pedal. You open up your box and go about the tedious assignment that is repairing small consumer electronics only the parts you are messing with go from children's aspirin to a grain of rice. Have fun with that.