GuitarToneTalk, Author at Guitar Tone Talk

Radial Tonebone Plexitube Tube Distortion Review

This is a guest post by Mike Batke

Radial Engineering is known more in professional circles for the high quality DI boxes they make for sound reinforcement in both live and studio applications. A few people know that they also make other versatile products. Their Tonebone Plexitube Hot British Distortion is another one of those quality products.

The Plexitube replicates the distortion characteristics of the drive channel of a Marshall Plexi amplifier. However, I find the Plexitube is more like a FLEX-i-TONE.

Here’s why: Overall you have a few controls to control the amount of drive, and the umbrella EQ of the pedal: adding or flattening the mids, or making it brighter or darker overall AND to select two frequencies ‘High’ (at 4.3kHz) and ‘Low‘ (at 100Hz). This allows guitarists to sonically ‘cut through’ the rest of the band with great clarity.

Speaking of clarity, the Plexitube retains string definition and picking dynamics even at high distortion saturation levels due to the included, built-in 12AX7 tube.

Simply, the Plexitube gives guitarists two distinct distortions in one:

Channel 1 (C1) is considered the ‘Rhythm’ channel.
Channel 2 (C2) considered the ‘Lead’ channel. And they’re EQ’d in a way that somewhat supports those ‘labels.’

However, to label the channels that way limits what they’re capable of.

The ‘Drive‘ knob allows you to dial in the distortion level overall. Though, C2 comes with a fine tuning screw adjustment on the side of the pedal allowing further adjustements.

C2 ALSO comes with its own effects loop allowing for a loop of wah, delay, chorus, etc.

In each channel you get a variety of EQ settings that you can change and dial in using a ‘Contour’ control to adjust the ‘Q’-level or sweet spot of the EQ. This allows two completely different distortion voicings, or two that are quite similar with maybe more saturation in C2.

Another of the Plexitube’s cool features is the main on/off (bypass) switch and a switch to change from C1 to C2 and vice versa. You don’t need to have the unit ‘on’ to switch from C1 to C2. You can do that silently while you’re in ‘off (bypss)’ mode, to allow for verse/chorus changes, or changes between songs, etc.

There is a limitless supply of sound in this pedal. I’ve found that turning any of the knobs a quarter turn can drastically change the sound. I found it easier to think of the Plexitube as two separate distortion pedals, called C1 and C2.

So, how does it sound?

Fantastic. In the time I’ve owned this pedal, I’ve been able to dial in anything from a mild blues boost to drive my amplifier a bit harder, to the super-saturated (yet clear) super high-gain sound of death metal. Yes, the sound is clearly Marshall plexi. And to get that sound wasn’t difficult — even with my Vox AC302CX. I’ve also tried the pedal through a 4×12 and the sound is fuller and rounder (more spread in the highs and especially the lows).

I suggest starting the pedal as it comes stock with everything dialed in at 12 o’clock. Then plug in the pedal and start playing and adjusting. If you playing with a band, it’s easy to find your ‘space‘ in the mix and not feel you’re sacrificing your tone.

Personally, I’ve owned a lot of distortion pedals excellent ones and some duds. With the Plexitube, it’s possible to eliminate all of those if you don’t mind turning a few knobs during a performance. As I’ve said, this pedal really does define flex-i-tone.

My biggest beef (and it’s not really that big) about the Plexitube is that the power supply consists of a 15 volt adapter. There are no provisions for batteries, if you like to go that route. However, Radial Engineering DOES provide a range of optional power supplies so you can power the Plexitube anywhere on the planet.

At around $350.00 retail, the price may seem steep, but considering the quality of the distortion, switching, and that it has it’s own effects loop, and that you’re getting two great distortion capabilities, it’s well worth the money no matter what level of player you are or the genre of music you’re playing.

View the Tonebone Plexitube Tube Distortion on Amazon.

Large vs. Small Amplifiers – Is bigger always better?

This is a guest post by James Abel

Both large and small amplifiers have their benefits, whether it is portability, headroom or just plain ‘mojo’ it’s safe to say that both stand up strong in the battle of the elephant vs. the mouse. With that said, the pendulum also swings the other way, with both having their shortcomings. This article looks to host the sparring match between the two, by taking a look at both the pros and cons of each kind of amplifier.

Going large:

Whether it’s the visual effect, or the colossal trouser flapping oomph that it exudes, I’m sure most would agree with the notion that a wall of amps is seriously cool. Similarly amplifiers like a 100-Watt Marshall atop a 4×12, or a large combo like a Fender Twin reverb, possesses a certain comforting characteristic. For example, anyone that has gigged with one of the amps mentioned above can rest assure that they are head in the mix, while maintaining the integrity of their tone. Furthermore, higher wattage amps tend to allow more headroom than their low wattage cousins, providing another argument for why big is better. However, large amps do have their drawbacks. For one, today’s gigging climate doesn’t always require a loud, unruly brute of an amplifier that’s going to rip the head off the first three rows of an audience. Ok, so the hard rock and metal heads like myself out there may not agree with this, as there is nothing quite like the feeling of your amplifier moving air. However, most sound technicians tend to prefer it when you run your amp at a lower volume, and instead use a mic to get the projection and volume that is required for live use. On top of that, some high wattage amplifiers are not always suitable for use in the home; any of you with angry neighbours are probably already aware of this problem though. In some instances portability is a definite issue. Carrying a large combo up and down the stairs of a small venue is certainly not the most enjoyable of tasks, especially when the temperature of the venue feels like a furnace. Yet, this does generally seem to be more of a problem with combos than with heads, as most venues supply their own cabinets. However, the obvious issue with that is that you’re often made to jeopardise your tone in a bid to encourage functionality. Still, regardless of all of this, many of us still persist with using big amplifiers. Whether it’s the tone we can pull from them, the sheer thrill of the appearance, or just because there are more options in the market, there is something extremely exciting about using a large amplifier. With that in mind, I don’t see their popularity dwindling any time soon.

Little monsters:

On the other hand, the popularity of smaller amplifiers seems to be increasing. The first obvious benefit of using a small amplifier, for example the Marshall class 5 recently reviewed on here, is portability. Carrying your amplifier to a venue becomes a much simpler and more functional task, and with the likes of Marshall, Blackstar, Vox, Fender and many more offering single speaker combos, there is enough variety to satisfy pretty much every faction of player. Another benefit of using a small amplifier is that they really can be pushed. Whether it’s an overdrive, a boost or just the volume control used, a small valve amp at full tilt truly gives off a magical sound. Small amps are also fantastic for recording both at home, and in the studio. Tracks such as Layla, or albums such as Zeppelin I stand as a worthy testament to this. Versatility is hardly a problem here either, with companies such as Blackstar and Laney offering multi-channel low wattage amplifiers. However, much like before, there are some shortcomings of the pipsqueaks of the amplifier world. Volume can often be an issue, as although most of the low wattage amplifiers on the market can provide a hefty right hook, many actually struggle to climb over the top of a drummer. Furthermore, although the volume of the amplifiers can’t always compete in a band without a microphone, they’re often surprisingly too loud for use in the home. Thankfully, many companies are aware of this, and do provide a low wattage option on their little monsters. Another problem with using a smaller amplifier is that many sacrifice speaker quality in a bid to make the amplifier more affordable. However, if you are privy to vintage or boutique gear then this is less likely to be a problem. Besides, as mentioned earlier, most venues supply an external speaker cabinet that can always be paired with a smaller amplifier providing it has an external speaker output.

In Conclusion:

As is the way with everything in the world of guitars, choosing a large or small amp is simply down to a matter of opinion. It’s obvious that both have their Pros and Cons, and it truly is a matter of what ticks your boxes. Yet when push comes to shove, both are wonderful and excellent in their own rights, and should certainly be giving equal measures of respect and use.

Marshall Class 5 Review

We recently acquired a Marshall Class 5 amplifier that we are going to review for you today. So lets not waste any time and get right to it!

Features

So we are looking at a 5 watt combo, which is the one we have, though it also comes in a head format. It would seem the intent is to be used as a practice amp/low volume jam rig as you definitely won’t be able to keep up with a drummer, thats for sure. The amp is all tube with a pair of 12AX7s in the preamp and a single EL84 in the power section. I have yet to experiment with different tubes, but I do have a NOS Mullard 12AX7 that I will try in it and update this post when I do. The speaker is a 10-inch Celestion G10F-15, and the controls are quite simple: Volume, Treble, Middle, and Bass.

Sound

When I first turned the Class 5 on, I was quite surprised by the tone. It sounded quite good and the cleans were not at all bad either. I used a Fender Stratocaster 1968 reissue. The sound is definitely more of a classic tone, rather than the high-gain Marshalls of today. Like most Marshall amps, the Class 5 definitely has a good midrange with fat-sounding notes in both the bass and treble strings. You can get some decent Hendrix and Clapton tones, though not incredibly authentic or anything. Once you reach about half open on the volume, that is about as loud as the amp gets. If you continue to raise the volume dial, the tone gets more distorted. I wasn’t too impressed with the distorted tone and found that with a fuzz pedal, the tone wasn’t very good sounding… a bit too ear-piercing and like a weird kind of noisy sound where it is tough to get clarity of notes. I found the best setting volume-wise was to have it between half open and a little above to get a sort of pushed-cleans kind of sound. I tried running a univibe and a wah pedal through it, both of which sounded pretty good. I could see this amp sounding much better if it were fed through a cab with great speakers.

Overall

If you are looking for an amp to have at home without being too loud to get a good tone, the Marshall Class 5 is definitely a great choice. As well, if you want more of a classic Marshall tone, the Class 5 is it. Great for nice low-volume jams at home with friends. Do not get this as a gigging amp, thats for sure, unless of course you are gonna mic it heavily. All in all, a good amp that I’ll be keeping with me.

View the Marshall Class 5 on Amazon.

Seymour Duncan Whole Lotta Humbucker Review

This is a guest post by James Abel

The Whole Lotta Humbucker is a pickup designed to celebrate the time spent by pickup juggernaut Seymour Duncan during his time in London. While living in London, Seymour rewound and customized pickups for some of the hottest cliental of the time, including the likes of Paul Kossoff, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Based on a rewind Seymour would perform on P.A.Fs, and designed for non-other than a Les Paul – Marshall set up, the Whole Lotta Humbucker could well be a British Blues rockers ideal pickup.

Features:

Availible in either uncovered black bobbins, or nickel covers, the Whole Lotta Humbucker was based on a particular pickup Seymour rewound while residing in merry old England. With a name like ‘Whole Lotta Humbucker’ no ones getting first place for guessing which player’s ‘#1’ 59’ burst this pickup is from. If the name’s not enough, the fact that the company states the pickup is for ‘use in any Mahogany or warm-toned solid body guitar with a Rosewood fingerboard for the “original” sound.’ gives a pretty concrete impression of which Rock N’ Roll giant owned the original set. Wound with a plain enamel 42-gauge wire, while also featuring alnico V magnets, the bucker may seem to fit the generic vintage pickup mould. Add short legs, and well, you’ve got a P.A.F style pickup. However, when taking a look at the output of these little gems, you begin to see why they’re somewhat different. The bridge pickup reaches a hotter than vintage 8.78K whilst the neck humbuggie weighs in at a fat 8.2K. Furthermore, the alnico V magnets are rough cast in sand moulds, meaning each magnet is a little different in their own way. The switching applied to the original pickups is also available here, as four way conductors allow for an array of switching, such as out of phase switching and coil tapping.

Sounds:

For the review, the pickups were used in their ‘original’ format, by being run through the ever classic partnership of a Les Paul and a Marshall.

Clean: Starting things off with a clean tone, the pickups respond extremely well to pick attack. They sound articulate and clear, with a slight natural compression to be both felt and heard. The neck bucker really does sound beautiful, with a clear chime and sheen. The bridge pickup on the other hand has a more pronounced tonality to it, with a touch more of a push. Really laying into the strings can give some nice natural break-up to the amp. Flicking the selector switch into the middle position provides the user with a fat singing quality, that’s gorgeous for both chord work and clean licks. With the coils split, you’re given an almost Tele on steroids kind of sound, that is perfectly fitting for all the country licks you can summon. Phase inverting the pickups and flicking into the middle position yields an excellent out of phase sound that is more than suitable for adding flavour to jazz or funk work.

Dirty: When cranking the Marshall and getting things to heat up, these little rockers really do kick up a storm. The compression, articulation and clarity is all still there, but with more of a kick. The pickups are wound to just a degree that they give the amp a nice push, without hammering the front end into oblivion. You name a British player that used a Les Paul and a Marshall, and its here. Kossoff style vibrato sings with pounds of sustain, while in the middle position a sweet blues tone is easily achieved. The neck pickup is creamy and juicy, and has a thick bottom end to it. Rolling down the tone pots here really do drop you smack bang in the middle of Clapton land. However, one of the most prominent tones offered by the bucker is its namesake. Cranking up a Marshall and flicking to the bridge pickup will have you wanting to play the Heartbraker solo for hours. It really is the fat, snarling, sweet, singing Les Paul tone that can be found on those early hard rock albums. Zeppelin tribute bands should also rejoice, it seems their pickup messiah is here. Pushing the gain into a hot-rodded Marshall territory really doesn’t seem to phase the pickups either; one could quite easily get away with using them for metal. When coil tapped, the pickups have a strong singlecoil tone that is somewhat reminiscent of Beck’s early tones. When phase inverted and running through a hot amp, it would be criminal not to show off some licks in the style of Green or Moore. Though, what stands out above all else, is how balanced the pickups are. They have a certain ‘Mojo’ if you will. There’s something about them that really do just make more of whatever amp and guitar they’re paired with. Perhaps it’s because they don’t put too much focus on colouring your tone, as they refrain from accentuating any frequency range in particular. Or perhaps Mr.Duncan has found a way to enhance the love between the Les Paul and the Marshall (if that’s even possible!). Although to this reviewers ears, they just seem to enhance that Les Paul Marshall set-up. It’s like finding the perfect glue between the two, as these pickups bring out the best in each of them.

At a price of $225 per set, these pickups are relatively competitively priced. It’s not often that I genuinely find a piece of gear I struggle to find faults with, though this is certainly towards the top of that pile. The wide range of tones in it’s arsenal, not to mention the heritage of the pickup make it hard to beat for both British blues and hard rock fans alike. Although the buckers can cope with a decent metal sound, those that are inclined to spiked bracelets and extreme shaped guitars may want to look at pickups more specific to the genre. But for those that love their Les Pauls and Marshalls, and are looking for that little bit extra to enhance their tone, these are the way to go. Unfortunately the Violin bow is not included, but that does not stop these pickups from being a tremendously special set.

View the Whole Lotta Humbucker Pickups on Amazon

Tone vs. Feel – The Importance of a Good Setup

This is a guest post by Luthier, Ed Sculthorpe @Birchway_Sound

For any group of guitar devotees locked in a discussion of tone, it seems inevitable that one of them will say, “Yes, but it’s all in the hands.” True enough, but what does that actually mean? Instruments are energy transfer devices. Any guitar player who’s practiced their picking technique knows that you can swell or contract the emotion ~ the feel ~ of a song by the way you hit the strings. Every player does this differently, which is why you still sound like you through another player’s rig. It may not be your ideal tone, but it won’t sound like the rig’s owner either. It’s your playing that differentiates you from others ~ because it’s all in the hands. It’s the way you transfer energy through that devise that defines your playing. Tone is the way your energy sounds, and how you make those sounds is how it feels. In essence, the term “all in the hands” is referring more to the feel and less to the tone. Instruments transfer energy physically, but tone is the medium used to transform from the physical to the sonic.

That’s why discerning players allow nothing to get in the way of tone. Therein lies the importance of proper care and setup to enable that energy to transfer as directly as possible through the contact points within the instrument. The nut, frets, fretboard, saddles, bridge, mounting plates and wiring need to be kept unobstructed of road gunk and finger fungus to allow your energy to resonate clearly. The action, intonation, neck adjustment and pickup height come next but contribute equally. What components are made out of is superficial when addressing the playability ~ the energy transfer quality ~ of the guitar. If an instrument is inspiring to play it matters not who made it, when it was made or what it’s made out of. There are countless options to tweak your tone, but you need to start with an instrument that is hard to put down without even plugging in.

To get your instrument there, finding a local professional luthier that you can work with is essential. It’s well worth it, and they will be a maven of knowledge on your quest for tone. For routine maintenance there are a number of household items you can keep in your case for use in between gigs:

1. Toothbrush – To keep the nut and saddles free of debris that would absorb moisture and solidify, dulling resonance.
2. Facecloth – To wipe down the strings and fretboard after use to
absorb moisture.
3. Some cosmetic wipes with five drops of lemon oil on them in a ziplock bag to clean the fretboard between restringing. The wipes are cheap and lint-free and lemon oil is the ideal wood cleaner/conditioner.
4. 600grit sandpaper – If you have a burr in the nut or a sitar effect from a saddle, this is better than graphite lube. A small folded piece will usually do the trick.

Dunlop/Custom Audio Electronics MC404 Wah review

This is a guest post by James Abel

To say that the Wah pedal is one of the most widely used effects in the world of guitars, with the exception of maybe the overdrive and delay, would certainly not be a million miles from the truth. With the market swimming with a wide variety of options, finding a wah that suits you should be no problem. This review covers what Custom Audio Electronics have to offer to the whacky and wild world of Wah Wahs.

Features:

Although designed by the legendary rig builder and the brains behind Custom Audio Electronics, Bob Bradshaw, this wah is produced by none other than Dunlop. The pedal may not be part of the company’s ever-growing Crybaby family, but it does boast the same housing and sturdy build quality that Dunlop’s most famous wahs are well known for. Featuring a brushed black steel body with a rubber foot rest that sports the Custom Audio logo, this little rocker is an utter charmer. Under the hood reside both red and yellow Fasel inductors that allow the user to change the voicing of the wah via a kick-switch on the right hand side of the pedal. But the features of this little gem don’t finish here. Oh no. This Swiss army knife also boasts one of Custom Audio’s MC401 boost/linedriver that can be switched on via a kick-switch situated on the left hand side of the pedal. On the adjacent side lays a trim pot that allows the user to control the volume of the boost. If that’s not enough, internal trim-pots for gain and ‘Q’ sweep, for each inductor, reside on the neat and well-constructed board within the belly of this beast. The MC404 also features a true bypass, long life potentiometer. This truly is a tweaker’s wah wonderland.

In use:

With the mini switch on the right hand side of the pedal in the “OUT” position the Wah is in the red Fasel mode, which is usefully indicated by a fairly bright LED situated next to the kick-switch. Pushing in the kick-switch switches this to an even brighter yellow LED on the other side of the kick-switch. No prizes go for guessing what that means! The LED indicator for the boost is on the top left of the pedal and shines a bright blue when engaged. Pressing the wah down onto the true bypass switch engages the pedal, and is demonstrated by a bright green LED situated next to the LED representing the boost.

Sounds:

Yellow mode: Dunlop describes this Fasel inductor as a classic Crybaby tone, and they’re certainly not wrong here. All of the classic bite and quack that would be expected of a Crybaby is generated from the sturdy rocker, as it produces a gorgeous sweep with a nice emphasis on the high-end. Oodles of vintage wah tone are up for grabs here, as the pedal adds a gentle and glassy texture to your tone. With humbuckers the pedal pretty much screams late ‘60s early ‘70s tone, with the likes of Cream and Zeppelin begging to be played. Switching over to singlecoils yields a softer tone that would be more than suitable for funk. It would be an absolute crime not to bust out the Hendrix licks here, as this little box really does do it justice. Buddy Guy’s wah sound also comes to mind a little here, as the yellow mode really does have a sweet singing quality. However, depending on your amp, this setting can get a little bit too ‘top-endy’ when in the factory mode. To this reviewer’s ear this mode generally functions best when the amp is set anywhere between clean to a vintage overdrive. A high gain sound may struggle a little here, as the top end can get a little too much. Nevertheless, tweaking the internal trim-pots or rolling off the tone knob helps to control this.

Red Mode: Switching to the red mode really does change the flavour of this wah. Immediately the response is different here, with a throatier and larger sweep. The emphasis is much more on the mid-range, with a deeper response and resonance. Although it works fairly well on clean and vintage sounds, it doesn’t really compare to the excellence of the yellow mode on these tones. Instead, the red Fasel is a different beast altogether. This Fasel really does thrive in the medium to high gain Ball Park. With some nice harmonic overtones coming through, the pedals gritty and throaty side really shines. Slash’s cocked wah tone is easily achieved here, with clarity and depth being heavily expressed, while the pedal just as easily handles a good metal wah tone by delivering a Tremonti like gurgle. For some, the sweep on this mode may seem a little deep and unyielding in terms of getting the right amount of high end. However, for a great Hard rock, Metal and Heavy Blues tone, the red mode is hard to beat.

MC401 boost/linedriver: With up to 20db of boost of offer, the MC401 is very usable indeed. On both modes the MC401 can either a nice subtle volume boost, or when really cranked, a kick of additional gain. When using some amps, it really helps to give the valves a good lashing and pushes them into a sweet spot. At higher volumes I generally found the boost a tad more usable on the yellow mode, as it really helped to give the pedal that extra push into sweetness. However, on lower volume settings I found that it pushed deep sweep in the red mode up slightly, allowing for a slightly brighter tone on the red setting.

At the price of $169 the Dunlop/CAE MC404 is not exactly a steal. In fact, if the pedal only featured one voicing and no boost, I would probably not recommend a purchase at that price. However, the beauty of this pedal is that it doesn’t feature one voicing. Usually a wah excels at one particular tone, and doesn’t do too much else that well. That’s not the case here, as what CAE have rather intelligently done is provide two different wah voices that perfectly cover the ground that gets left behind by the other. People looking for a basic and simple wah tone should definitely look elsewhere due to the somewhat hefty price tag. However, for those that play a wide range of music and are looking for a wide palette of excellent wah tones, should certainly look no further. The Dunlop/CAE MC404 may be a jack of all trades, but it is quite nearly a master at all of them.

Joe Bonamassa: Getting the tone

This is a Guest Post by James Abel

Joe Bonamassa is arguably one of the hottest blues players currently on the planet. His virtuosic ability and soaring tone have seen him become a guitar hero to many generations of fans. This article takes a look at how to achieve his guitar tone by spending money like it’s going out of fashion, and for those wife fearing men that are kind to their wallets. But yes, suit and shades are optional.

Guitars

For those with some cash to spend, it’s worth trying to hunt down one of Joe’s signature model Les Pauls. These can generally be found on Ebay for anywhere between $1500 to $4000, depending on whether you purchase a studio or custom shop model; they also all feature the classic appointments found on a Les Paul. All of Joe’s signature models prior to 2013 featured Gibson’s Burstbucker pickups, whereas the most recent models have the Bluesman’s signature Seymour Duncan models. Both of these are great for getting that creamy and wide Bonamassa tone, but it has to be said that his signature set does possess a marginally clearer tone with more of a bell-like quality. So if you can find one of his Lesters from 2013 it’s worth the tears from the wallet and wife as you will find yourself a step closer to JoeBoe’s sound. For those that want the Bonamassa tone but don’t fancy a signature model due to the name on the headstock, or because gold’s not their colour, fitting new pickups on a Custom Shop model or USA model is worth a punt. A Les Paul without chambering is preferable as it will help to keep the sound dark and tight, much like Joe’s. If you do go down the route of pickup replacement, sourcing a set of Joe’s signature pickups can be both an expensive and difficult task due to the limited number available. Gibson’s Burstbuckers, as mentioned earlier, are perhaps a slightly better option as they cost a fraction of the price and are still pretty damn close to the mark. For getting close to Joe’s searing tones on a budget, it’s worth taking a look at replacing the pickups on an Epiphone Les Paul. Burstbuckers are the definite option here due to the extravagant price of the Seymour Duncan custom shop pickups. Another option that’s worth a look at is Vintage’s V100MRJBM. At $599 it’s not too painful on the wallet and is essentially an unauthorised take on Joe’s signature models. Either way, both would be fine options when attempting to capture JoeBo’s tones at a low price.

Amps

Marshall DSL100s and Silver Jubilees are good options here. Although the latter proves harder to find, and is a lot less caring to your pocket, it’s a one way ticket to Bonamassaville and will give you the gorgeous bell-like, creamy, hot and sustaining tone Joe is known for. Joe’s also been known to heavily use DSL100s and so for a cheaper and more easily sourced alternative the DSL is a superb option. If you can afford both, then go for it. Combining the two really will get you close to Joe’s tone, it will also help to thicken the sound with the two amps support each other. Loading cabinets with EV200s, Joe’s speaker of choice, can also help put you in the Bonamassa ball park. Their ability to handle high power ratings will help give you that clarity his sound possesses. For those on a budget, look no further than Marshall’s new for 2013, DSL40C. The amp is the little brother to the DSL100 and provides all of the whopping tone in a practical and more affordable combo.

FX and other bits

Joe’s main pedal board tends to consist of; a Dunlop Bonamassa Wah, Lehle ABY switcher, Way Huge Pork Loin, Dunlop Bonamassa Fuzz Face, TS808 Tubescreamer, Boss DD3 and a Hughes and Kettner Leslie simulator. If you really do have cash to splurge then cloning this pedal board should be no issue, as each pedal can easily be purchased. However, if you’re on a budget then the essential tools for Joe’s tone are a Tubescreamer, a Wah and a Fuzzface as he is generally never seen leaving home without these. Dunlop produces cheaper alternatives to Joe’s signature gear such as a standard Wah or the pedal board friendly mini germanium Fuzzface, which will see you shelling out $100 and $150 respectively. Finding a Tubescreamer for a good price is far from difficult as the little green gems can go for as little as $75 on Ebay. If you’re on an even tighter budget, and are after a Bonamassa in a box, the Way Huge Pork Loin is the best option. Weighing in at a reasonable $199 it produces ounces of the creamy, soft top end that is recognised in Joe’s sound. Another way of getting the Bonamassa sound is changing your pick. Joe’s pick of choice is the Dunlop Jazz III which is also favoured by, that’s right you guessed it, Eric Johnson. Yep, go figure! Nevertheless using this pick is a quick way of reducing some of the top end in your sound, a tonal feature that is synonymous with Joe and is also a cheap and cheerful way of getting closer to his sound. If you own a Les Paul wrapping the strings over the end of the stop-bar, as well as installing nylon saddles at the bridge can also get you closer to Joe’s tone. The modifications reduce the angle and tension on the strings causing them to sound somewhat darker and softer, they also help to get that juicy sustain that oozes from Bonamassa’s axes.

Hopefully it’s easy to see that Joe’s sounds can be achieved regardless of the size of your wallet. Whether you want an identical rig, or a cheaper one that gets you pretty darn close, Joe’s sound is available in many shapes and sizes.

Way Huge Pork Loin Review

This is a Guest Post by James Abel

The Pork Loin is the overdrive brainchild of FX Guru, and the man behind Way Huge electronics, George Tripps. It is a new pedal by the company, as opposed to the many re-issues we have seen emerging from the company over recent years. The Pedal is an overdrive that features both a take on a British classic pre-amp, as well as a modern soft clipping overdrive.

Features

In my opinion the little box looks a bit of a stunner. It’s brushed purple steel and blue font coloration makes it cry for attention. The construction is fairly sturdy and looks like it could survive a few bomb blasts, while battery access is made easy with the inclusion of a small door situated at the base of the pedal. However, it still retains a pedal board friendly demeanour as it also features a 9VDC input on the top of the pedal. At the heart of this purple piggy is a BiFET gain stage, while it also boasts a clean pre-amp. Under the hood everything is clean and in order, with factory manufactured boards that are pristine. No prizes go to Way Huge for creativity in naming the three large knobs on the front of the pedal, as they display the standard Volume, Tone, Overdrive controls. However, Mr. Tripps has taken the proverbial step further and included two small trim pots on the front of the pedal, in addition to three internal trim-pots. The two pots on the outside of the pedal include;

Clean – this controls the amount of the clean pre-amp that is blended into your signal.

Curve – this allows the user to control the corner frequencies of the pedal.

Whereas the three trim-pots on the inside are as follows;

Filter – this acts as a tone control for the clean pre-amp section of the pedal.

Presence – this acts as a usual presence control, thus tweaking the top end frequencies, however this is only for the overdrive signal.

Drive Mix – this acts almost as an opposite to the ‘clean’ trim pot on the front of the pedal as it adjusts the amount of the BiFET overdrive it allows into the signal. For example, turning it all the way down will only provide the clean pre-amp side of things.

Sound

When first plugging in and playing through the pork loin, the pedal appears to match its ‘60s like paintjob. It’s warm, creamy and has a distinctly soft top end. Notes are well defined and remain articulate and dynamic with a nice natural compression.

When moving the tone knob a decent range of frequencies is covered, however it retains its creamy nature. The low end remains tight and dynamic while the top end remains soft and punchy. However some may be left wanting from the overdrive and volume knobs, as although the pedal feels like there’s a lot of gain, most likely due to the large amounts of compression, there isn’t. While in the factory setting mode, think Bonamassa or Eric Johnson, that’s the ball park.

Bringing in the clean and curve controls give the pedal a brighter tone. The clean pre-amp blend knob, in particular, helps to clean this pedal up nicely; it also gives it an almost transparent tone. Some might be lured into believing this pedal is a bit of a one trick pony, and they would be forgiven for this, had the internal trim-pots not been included. The trick to the versatility in this pedal lies with these pots. Situated in the guts of the piggy, they really do change the pedal. The presence control really opens up the top end giving it a real Marshall JMP kind of vibe, while the filter acts as a wide tone control for the clean pre-amp. The Drive mix is definitely the hidden gem here though. Turning it down in conjunction with increasing the clean pre-amp blend essentially turns the Pedal into a dynamic clean boost, which pushes valves hard while giving them a slight coloration.

In conclusion I’m chuffed to bits with this little gem of an overdrive. Metal heads and hard rockers should look elsewhere, but for those with an interest in British blues or people looking for that Bonamassa/Johnson tone should give the Pork Loin a try. At $169 it’s hardly a steal, but the pedal is definitely a reliable workhorse for any gigging blues player and I would recommend it for their pedal boards.

View the Way Huge Pork Loin on Amazon.

Resophonic Tone – A History of Resonator Guitars

A Guest Post by Al @resoguitar

The resophonic, or resonator guitar, has a distinct tone that sets it apart from other acoustic and electric guitars. It was born in the Jazz Age of the roaring 20’s, an era prior to the invention of the first electric guitar, as a means of mechanically amplifying the sound to be heard above an orchestra. The man behind the invention was a Slovak-American craftsman, inventor and musician named John Dopyera who later went on to found the Dobro guitar company. The word “Dobro” has become synonymous with resonator guitars much in the way that “Xerox” has with photocopy machines. When someone says “Dobro” the picture that immediately springs to mind is an acoustic guitar with a shiny hubcap-like object in the middle where the soundhole usually resides.

Actually, there are at least three distinct flavors of reso-guitars, each with its own unique sound. Mr. Dopyera’s original guitar was a tri-cone model consisting of 3 small aluminum cones, about 6 inches in diameter, resting on a mechanical bridge that transferred the vibrations of the strings to the cones. The cones act as speakers, amplifying the sound without the need for electricity. The tone is balanced, the sustain is good and the volume is LOUD! It is a marriage of form, sound and functionality. The unusual design of the body, made of German Silver alloy with art deco lines, was unlike any guitar before or since. The list of notable guitarists who play a tri-cone is long, but guitar wizard Bob Brozman is at the top. Mr Brozman deserves a lot of credit for the resurgence of these wonderful instruments today and his mastery of the instrument is second to none.

Tri-cones are a joy to hear, see and play. Mr. Dopeyera considered it his greatest invention. It was marketed under the National Guitar brand and became quite popular among Hawaiian guitarists. Hawaiian music was all the rage during that time and the National Tri-cone quickly rose to prominence and popularity. It is still the flagship instrument of the new National Guitar Company, who make faithful reproductions of the original Nationals along with new and exciting designs of their own.

As the world sank into the Great Depression of the 1930’s the tri-cone suddenly was too expensive for most musicians to afford. John Dopyera created a second model that was less expensive to produce, but every bit as loud as his original. This was the single cone model, sometimes referred to as a “biscuit cone” because of the round wooden disc that sits atop a larger, single convex cone. This model became the choice instrument for the traveling Bluesmen of that era because of their incredible volume and rugged metal bodies. The metal body of National Guitar could even be used to fend off a hostile crowd in a juke joint in a pinch. Their sound is different from the Tri-cones with a sharper attack and less sustain. Johnny Winter, the great modern American Bluesman, once described it as nasty, like a metal garbage can with a wire attached to it. Not a very flattering but still fairly

accurate analogy. It’s the sound we associate with Country Blues Giants like Son House and Bukka White. In more recent times you might have noticed Mark Knoffler’s National Guitar gracing the cover of Dire Straits’ “Brothers In Arms” album.

Shortly after Mr. Dopyera perfected his single cone resonator he ended his business partnership with National Guitar and started his own company. Since he didn’t own the patents for his original designs, he set about creating yet a third model of resonator guitar that became known as the spider cone. This is a concave aluminum cone with a metal alloy bridge riding over it that resembles a spider’s web. The spider’s sound is characterized by clear, loud tones and good sustain. Dobro guitars can be found in both wooden and metal style bodies. The choice of materials influences the tone of the instrument. The Dobro is commonly associated with Bluegrass or Country Music and it’s often played lapstyle with a metal bar instead of the bottleneck that traditional Bluesmen often use. In the hands of a musical genius like Jerry Douglas the sky is the limit. Mr. Douglas and some of his peers, like Rob Ikes, have taken the sound of the reso-guitar to new places and they continue to push those boundaries today.

There are three main types of resophonic guitars; the tri-cone, biscuit and spider. The bodies can be made of metal, wood or even fiberglass in some cases. The necks can be round (like most guitars) for chording and playing bottleneck style or square with the strings sitting high off the fretboard for lapstyle playing. All of these factors will have an effect on the tone of the instrument, along with the quality of the materials and the care and craftsmanship that goes into building it. There are no rules when it comes to selecting a certain model of resonator for a particular style of music. It’s up to the individual to find the tone that’s right for them. If you’re having a difficult time deciding, you can always own more than one reso-guitar. Please exercise caution, as they can be habit forming and I’m not aware of any 12-step programs that can assist with your recovery. Cheers!

TSVG Angry Jeff Review

We recently acquired a pedal to review called the Angry Jeff made by TSVG Pedals. What kind of pedal is it, you ask? Well, it’s a fuzz that has germanium transistors. Here is what the pedal looks like:

As you can see, there is a cool wolf on the front, which is fitting since this fuzz really howls. Lets talk about what the dials do. From left to right: Volume, Fuzz/Drive, and Bias. While the first two are self-explanitory, some might ask what the Bias control does. One way to describe it is that it changes the dynamics of the fuzz, how it reacts, its compression, and clipping. TSVG says that turning it all the way clockwise will make for more gated fuzz tones, while turned counter-clockwise will give a much more raw fuzz. I like the fact that it is a dial, so there are a ton of possibilities depending on how you feel in that particular moment.

Now lets get to the sound of the pedal. I must say, I’m very very impressed. It sounds exactly how you would think a germanium fuzz should sound. Fat, wolfy, roaring, warm, with the right amount of compression. It definitely has the ’60s vibe to it with a more creamy-like breakup. Some might find this pedal to be dark sounding, but that really is the character of germanium transistors. It does get dark with the fuzz and volume all the way up, so it makes for a good opportunity to switch to the bridge pickup.

With the fuzz and volume up, you can get some incredible controlled feedback. Just hold a high note with some vibrato, and hear how it changes into ear-pleasing feedback that is actually controllable. With the fuzz and volume maxed, it almost feels like your guitar tone is on fire, or searing if that makes sense.

I really like how well this pedal cleans up with your guitar’s volume knob. You can get a whole range of tones from relatively clean, to loads of fuzz and everything in between with just your volume knob. This really makes for some great opportunities in your solos, as you can change the tone/sustain on the fly without clicking on pedals.

Turning the fuzz knob all the way off, and keeping the volume high makes for some interesting tones. You can get some really cool sounding cleans if you do this and have your guitar’s volume rolled off a bit. Think of the term ‘pushed cleans’, which is really nice to have a good clean tone, but with excellent touch sensitivity to play quickly.

Lets talk a little more about the Bias control. This feature really makes this pedal a major player in the fuzz category. Why? Well, because you can really change the flavor of the fuzz with this control, it is kind of like having 5 different germanium fuzz pedals. It really offers so much versatility. It also is great if you have many different electric guitars that react differently to pedals.

Overall, the Angry Jeff is an amazing fuzz! You can definitely get some Hendrix tones as well as Cream-era Clapton tones. Again, with the Bias control, you can really cop many fuzz tones from your favorite guitar heroes, or create your own sound. I just love how this pedal screams, as it really makes people pay attention to your solos, and that warmth.. it just feels so big. And lets face it, no one wants a thin-sounding guitar solo. At the end of the day, I can’t believe the Angry Jeff Fuzz is only $155. A steal for a boutique pedal, I must say. Kudos to TSVG.