GuitarToneTalk, Author at Guitar Tone Talk

Pro Co RAT Distortion Review

This is a Guest Post by Tom Jenkinson

Over 40 years since the Rat’s inception in the basement of a Michigan factory, the Rat still reigns supreme and it is dirtier than ever.

ProCo’s affordable Rat distortion has become an icon for fuzzy grunge and alternative rock thanks to the likes of Thom Yorke, Matt Bellamy, Joe Walsh and Jeff Beck.

The filter control is a really powerful tool; it controls the tightness of the bass response. This gives you complete control over the fatness of your drive.

Turn the filter knob clock-wise and the distortion thickens up, reminiscent of Neil Young’s “Hey Hey, My My”. Bringing the filter back anti-clockwise reduces bass, vital for users with higher output pickups looking for a tasty lead tone.

Make no doubts over the versatility of this pedal: lower output single-coils will benefit from thick, luscious drive. Think Blur’s infamous “Song 2”.

What sets this pedal apart from the countless other distortion pedals out there is that the Rat aims to produce a “musical distortion” much rather than the haphazard, nasal tone of its counter parts. It’s true, what the Rat has achieved is a rich balance between analogue warmth and dirty drive.

The Rat has remained at the core of ProCo’s product line for a number of years now and has gained the respect of professionals and bedroom guitarists alike.

The Rat is a truly dirty, filthy, sewer-dwelling creature though it is far from being an unwanted vermin. The Rat is an essential tool in any guitar player’s arsenal. If you are looking for fat, overdriven filth the Rat should be your first port of call.

Maxon OD808 Review

This is a Guest Post by Tom Jenkinson

The most imitated pedal of all time: the Ibanez Tubescreamer. Maxon, who produced the original Tubescreamers for Ibanez continued production with the original circuitry after Ibanez and Maxon parted ways in 2002. Ibanez has produced countless re-issue pedals since. Re-issues which, unlike the Maxon OD808, do not truly capture that creamy, overdriven magic.

The OD808 provides thick, luscious tones straight out of the box. With only three knobs, the pedal is simple to use. Dialling in crunch or cream can be achieved with the most minimal of knowledge. The ‘Overdrive’ knob controls the amount of gain. ‘Balance’ provides control over the level of effect in comparison to guitar signal. Lastly, the ‘Tone’ knob makes the difference between ‘Bluesbreaker’-esque smoothness or Townshend mid-range punch.

The pedal is lightweight (260g) and the size of this beast means you’d barely notice it on your pedal board. But what really sets this pedal apart from countless competitors, is its true-to-vintage construction. Unlike similar overdrives, and even Ibanez’s own-brand reissues, the OD808 captures real vintage tones, instead of mimicking them.

Plug in a telecaster and expect a rockabilly twang; roll up the overdrive and the pedal really thickens up. Even for single coils, the OD808 really packs a punch. Think Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin or Cream to name a few. However, swap the single coils for high output humbuckers and this pedal is lethal. Played through a Marshall JVM205, the OD808 really pushes the tubes into a natural overdrive. Metal tones such as Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica are well within its capability and sound astonishing.

A truly remarkable piece of equipment, it is almost unbelievable that so much tonal Nirvana can be found in such a compact box. Powered by either 9V battery or DC power supply the OD808 is the most versatile pedal around. The proof is in the pudding: used by an endless list of artists from all spectrums of music the Maxon OD808 is an absolute-must for tone addicts and music enthusiast alike.

View the Maxon OD808 on Amazon.

Best Octavia Clones on the Market

From the time Jimi Hendrix used the octavia pedal on ‘Purple Haze’, there was something magical about the sound that he achieved with it. Of course we are talking about Jimi here, so he is always going to sound magical. But through the use of this pedal, he was able to reach new levels with his sound. Today, pedal makers are trying to recreate that sound with their own octave pedal. This article will focus on the best octavia clones available today.

Roger Mayer Octavia

If it is the Hendrix tone you are after, Roger Mayer is a good choice as he was there in the ’60s with Hendrix making pedals for him such as the axis fuzz. While this pedal can get that classic octavia sound from yesteryear, it is important to note that it is a very picky pedal. For one, it need a lot of push to get going, preferably from a fuzz pedal. Also a lead amp helps avoid it sounding thin. A good setting for the Roger Mayer Octavia is to set the drive to just a hair from being off, and the volume to taste. Going any higher than this will make the octave effect less noticeable.

Chicago Iron Octavian

While expensive, the Chicago Iron Octavian is probably the most faithful recreation of the tycobrahe original. What makes this pedal great is that it works well with most setups. While some octave pedals will sound thin, the Chicago Iron always has a nice full sound that really gets the searing lead tone. If you have the dough and are looking to go the boutique route, this is your best bet.

FoxRox Electronic Octron

Not exactly a recreation of the classic octavia since you can also go an octave down, but can still do the octave up in spades. If you want the classic sound, but with versatility to do more, the Octron is a great sounding pedal from an excellent pedal maker.

Well there you have it.. These are our three favorite octavia clones. What is your favorite?

How to get a Good Live Sound

A Guide for Guitarists to Sound Good in a Live Setting

Guest Post by Guitarist, Jason Rooney

A live gig can sometimes be a chaotic environment. Cramped spaces, gear and cables everywhere, nervousness, tensions between band mates, promoters, sound men, just to name a few possible distractions. There are enough variables to cause headaches and keep every musician from what I feel is the ultimate goal: Making the best musical and artistic expression you can. I’ll do my best in this article to offer some tips that have made my live playing experiences a little less hectic for me and have allowed me to focus more on my own musical expressions.

It is important to remember that all instruments should share the sonic space and not fight for it. I find this especially evident in the case of the electric guitar. One of the biggest struggles for some guitarists is how to fit it – tonally. Most great players have no problem filling in a solid rhythm or lick here and there, or even pulling out all the stops with mind blowing solos, but if that all gets lost in the mix of everything going on, those efforts and musicianship can often go unnoticed. Finding a sonic balance can be challenging and often perplexing. It seems that many guitarists have the tone they want in their head, and when they dial it in and play, it can sound muddy or even like somebody has driven ice picks into your ears. Everybody has their preferences and opinions of tone, and that is one thing I love about the guitar, but everybody should take some time to clear up their tone. This means, finding where the voice of your guitar blends well with the other instruments for the type of music you’re playing, as well as the room you’re playing in. See how the bass of your instrument blends with the bass guitar. Is it too boomy, or is it tight and pronounced? Are you struggling in the same space with keyboards or horns? I know a lot of us like to feel what we’re playing too, but that can get muddy quick. Don’t get caught in what I like to call the treble trap. I’ve heard a lot of players, particularly those who favor large amounts of distortion, who tend to go overboard with the high end, often sounding like a nasally buzz saw with no note clarity. I feel that the guitar really sings in the midrange, with a good balance of high and low on either side.

RELATED: EQing your Guitar Amp

Having the best equipment you can afford and keeping it well maintained is almost a requirement, especially in the live gig or touring world where gear certainly can receive a beating. Let’s start by looking at the signal path as a whole starting with your instrument. A guitar that is comfortable to play and has been intonated and tuned properly can save a lot of time tuning between songs, or even worse, in the middle of a song. Having the freshest strings you can help you start with a good crisp and clear sound that will articulate better into the pickups, through your guitar, and on to your cables. For cables, many folks have brands they stick to, but I’ll recommend something that is durable on the stage, has little to no “hiss” and that are shielded well to resist as much outside interference from other electronics, radio frequencies, etc. Again, there can be a lot of chaos going on around you, so protect that signal and send it clearly on its way to the next stop in the chain.

When it comes to the pedal board, if you are a player who uses effects, this is where things can get very muddy. My “quality cable rule” definitely applies to pedalboards. Don’t skimp on patch cables. Get the best you can afford, because remember they are part of the chain too. Be sure your pedals have adequate power. Low batteries can suck your tone, especially in digital effects. There are some cases where a dying battery, or voltage sag, can give some distortions or fuzzes some cool qualities, but I digress. Beware of power transformers or wall warts that hum. A good regulated power supply is recommended here. It’s also a good idea to be sure that your power supply is going to handle all the pedals you plan to power with it. Most power supplies with have an output rating listed in MV, and your pedals should have an indication on the power they will need to operate properly. Then there is the argument for True Bypass. The area of input signal bypass can be a bit subjective, but I say, if there are any pedals that are making an obvious dent in your tone, replace it or get a bypass loop. Also another topic for a different article. Now, send that effected signal out to your amplifier of choice with another cable of good quality.

Last stop, the amp. It may not always be possible, but I recommend pulling your power from a dedicated circuit into some sort of power conditioner. This will allow you to have the cleanest source of power possible that can be monitored, and one that is also resistant to any other instrument pulling current from you when you most need it. A clean, strong power source will also ensure that your amp can operate at its fullest potential without any extra unwanted interference. Again, having a well maintained amp will help you be clear and powerful.

A little extra preparedness will always pay off. Having spare cables, strings, picks, tubes, extension chords, batteries, just to name a few, have saved me many times. The live gig is an unpredictable environment where Murphy’s law reigns supreme, but if you have a backup plan, no worries!

Live tone can be tricky and is certainly a matter of personal taste, but if you have durable gear you can trust, the cleanest signal path possible, and backup for any possible situation, you can put your mind at ease and let your ears guide you sonic dominance.

The Best Tube Screamer Pedals on the Market

Ah, the legendary Tube Screamer, first created by Ibanez was a benchmark pedal that really gave electric guitars great tone. They were designed to push your amp, and as the name suggests, it’ll make your notes scream out. This pedal was a big part of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s tone, which is a big reason why this pedal gained so much popularity. Today, there are many clones on the market, so this article will showcase the best tubescreamers out there.

Ibanez TS808 Vintage Tube Screamer Reissue

Of course the reissue of the famous Ibanez pedal needs to be on this list. But at the end of the day, it is not exactly like the original. That being said, it is still a very good rendition that many are very happy with. If you don’t know where to start, and don’t want to shell out a lot of money on boutique versions of the tube screamer, the Ibanez Reissue is a good middle ground. Ibanez also had a limited hand-wired run which I reckon would be even closer to the original sound. View the Ibanez TS808 on Amazon.

Maxon OD808 Overdrive

Maxon did an excellent job of their rendition of the tube screamer. Some say that Maxon’s is closest to that of the original pedal. At a good price point, and vintage styling, it is a great pick. The Maxon is also true-bypass, which preserves your tone when the pedal is off. View the Maxon OD808 on Amazon.

MJM Phantom Overdrive

Probably the best 808 replica on this list. The Phantom OD sounds very organic and maintain that vintage tone close to the original. MJM Electronics is widely know as a maker of vintage sounding effects, and this pedal is no different. MJM used to have another tube scream style pedal called the Blues Devil, which was great, but it looks to be discontinued.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, if you want to get even closer to the original vintage pedal, Analogman offers a good mod kit that helps achieve this with modern day tube screamers. Definitely worth looking into.

Malekko Ekko LoFi 616 MKII Analog Delay Review

Recently we got our hands on the Malekko Ekko LoFi 616 MKII Analog Delay after watching a PGS video demoing the pedal. What grabbed my attention was the crazy-sounding repeats. While they still have the character of your typical analog delay, a bizarre ring-mod texture has been overlaid to give the sense that aliens have landed for the jam. You need to see what I mean, so here is the PGS video:

Obviously, PGS has realized the presence of UFO-like sounds, hence the old film footage. Now onto the review. Lets take a closer look at this pedal as there are a lot of knobs to be found. Here’s a breakdown of the controls:

Time – Control the delay time of the repeats.

Mix – Volume of the delay signal.

Regen – Number of repeats, though I find it also controls the feedback.

Mod – Pushing this button will activate the pitch-shifting modulation.

Speed – Controls the speed of the pitch-shifting mod.

Depth – Controls the amount of the pitch-shifting mod.

T/B – Switches between true bypass and buffered bypass.

The Sound

The LoFi 616 MKII sounds quite good, much like you hear in the above video. I noticed with the delay set closer to slapback, you cannot hear the ring-mod effect. So in this case, it can be used as a standard analog delay which is a nice feature. Adding a little more time to the delay can give some nice Pink Floyd-esque tones. Very nice for strumming.

The pitch-shifting mod is difficult to use as it makes the repeats well.. change pitch. So this mode is more ideal for sound effects and ambient pieces where you are trying to make weird sounds. Setting the depth low makes the mod a little easier to use in a regular setting as it results is a bit of a vibrato.

The mix knob is quite nice in that the delay volume can be set pretty high. This is a nice feature since with the first rendition of this pedal, many complained that the delay signal was two quiet. Definitely not the case with the MKII as it goes very loud if you want it to.

The regen knob as I mentioned also acts as a feedback knob. So turning it up high will ensure that notes get lost in a time-traveling dimension warp. Be careful as the signal gets louder and louder so keep your hands on those dials. Try spinning the time knob when the feedback comes in to get some really wild sound effects.

In conclusion…

Overall, I am quite happy with this pedal. Since you can use it as a regular analog delay when the time knob is set low, it is quite the useable. If you like to do ambient, UFO, experimental or scary-movie soundtracks, then this is an ideal pedal for you. It is very unique and with all of the dials on it, there are really unlimited sounds to be discovered with it.

Controlling your Guitar Tone with your Volume Pot

You can get a variety of tones via your guitar’s volume pot. Here is how it is done:

1) If your amp is cranked and is breaking up nicely, you can roll off your guitar’s volume pot to clean up the tone. This works great with tube amps. It’s also a nice way to do it with lower wattage amps that tend to break up quickly. So with your guitar volume rolled off, you are good to blend in with rhythm parts, and then maxing your guitar volume will help you cut through the mix in solos with a dirty guitar tone.

2) Pedals – some pedals work marvellously for this purpose, especially fuzz pedals. A cranked fuzz pedal can clean up considerably via your guitar’s volume. You can find a whole array of tones with a tiny turn of your guitar’s volume knob. This also works with overdrive pedals.

3) Pick attack – Rolling off your guitar’s volume gives you more leeway to attack your strings harder, creating different tones in itself. If you want to accentuate subtle tones, you can crank your guitar’s volume and pick lightly at the strings.

4) Feeling too much sustain? This can easily be controlled rolling off your guitar’s volume pot.

5) Volume swells – this is a very cool effect. Basically you have your guitar volume all the way off. Then you strum a chord with no volume, and then roll your guitar’s volume up after the strum (can be done smoothly with your pinky finger). This will create a cool volume swell which is great for more ambient-like parts of a song.

By now, you probably get the point. So try some experimenting, and you’ll see how many different things you can do with your guitar just with its volume pot. Don’t forget, you also have a tone pot too ;-).

Paul Simon’s Guild Acoustic Guitar

Back in the ’60s, Simon and Garfunkel were one of the best acts around. Though their setup was very simple, two voices and an acoustic guitar. During this time, Paul Simon was using a Guild acoustic guitar (the F-30 Special) which produced the most perfect acoustic guitar tone that I can think of. Warm, balanced, and extremely responsive.

Sometime in the ’70s and later, Paul Simon played many different acoustic guitars. Though something seemed lost in his acoustic tone I feel. Nothing sounded quite as beautiful as his Guild guitar.

This has led me to become very interested in a Guild acoustic guitar. I believe they are a real competitor to Martin and Gibsons.

We are back!

Hey everyone, we are back from a 1 week meditation retreat. The biggest takeaway that we learned is to stay present. This is a especially true when playing music as well. I find in the moments when I am in the moment, and not in my head/mind, is when I play with the most feeling. So consider that a good tone tip because great tone comes from great playing, which comes from really feeling it!

Now that we are back, stay tuned for more great articles. Lots to come! So lets continue to get even closer to the magical, elusive guitar tone!

meditation guitar — Be Present in your Playing

How to use a Wah Pedal

I have had some requests on how to use a wah pedal. This article will show you how to use it, and also have some great wah pedal tips to really take full advantage of the pedal. So lets get started.

What is a Wah Pedal?

A wah pedal is in the form of an expression pedal. When you engage the pedal, having the rocker toe-down will make your guitar tone full of treble with little to no bass. Alternatively, having your toe up and the back of the rocker pushed down will make your guitar tone have lots of bass and little to no treble. So rocking the expression pedal back and forth will let you go from bass to treble, creating a “wah” kind of sound. Since it is an expression pedal, there are a ton of positions the rocker can be in, to get the desired amount of treble and bass.

Tips to Best use your Wah Pedal

Using the neck pickup with make a fatter wah sound, while the bridge pickup of your guitar will give the wah more of a quack. The bridge pickup seems to be able to produce a more vocal-like sound.
To make single notes have a “wow” kind of sound when you solo, pick the note while your foot is in toe-up position, and then quickly toe-down. The note will get that “wow” sound.
If you want different tones to solo with, turn your wah on and leave it in one position. You can get tones all over the map, from laid back and muted to bright and in-your-face.
Get some really cool wah tones when your amp is dirty. Putting an overdrive after the wah can help achieve this.
It want more of the vocal quality of the wah to come out, try using the wah during a more chilled-out section of the song, as many of these qualities are subtle and can be lost in a heavy mix.
Try using the wah for rhythm parts to get that underwater sound. This can be done by playing your rhythm normally, but rocking your wah back and forth slow and steady.
Experiment stacking your wah with other pedals. I really like to use it with a univibe.

Hope this helps you better use your wah pedal!