Crazy Tube Circuits Magnifier Review

Buffer/preamp pedals are typically deployed to reinvigorate a signal sapped of its treble vitality by lots of circuit capacitance (e.g., tons of pedals or long cables). But they’re useful for far more than that—especially if you prefer tube amps dialed to the verge of breakup.

In this age of Klon worship, high-end buffers like the Crazy Tube Circuits Magnifier can often be a smaller, simpler, more affordable means to many of the same ends—particularly if the Centaur’s main allure is its ability to massively boost your signal without changing its essential character. When I stuck the Magnifier at the end of a board with only eight pedals (including a tuner and one of the best Klon clones on the market), its 20 dB of clean boost—courtesy of a front-end by Butler Audio (of BK Butler Tube Driver fame)—rejuvenated my signal in ways that were, frankly, revelatory. Sparkling treble crispness returned with the gain knob around 9 o’clock, and from there on up I could drive my amps to so many degrees of gritty or sizzling glory that I began wondering what box might make better use of the clone’s real estate.

Malekko Scrutator Review

Ever since Maestro unleashed the FZ-1 fuzz in 1962, the quest to destroy clean guitar tones has remained more or less relentless. In recent years, builders like Death By Audio and ZVex pushed fuzz to extremes. Then came the rise of bitcrushers—the rabid lovechildren of a Tone Bender and a Nintendo 64 sound card—and the movement to eschew pristine tones in favor of mangled, unpredictable squawks marched on.

Portland, Oregon’s Malekko Heavy Industry is renowned for effects and synth modules that contort sound in familiar and much less subtle ways. But the beauty of the new DSP-driven Scrutator sample rate and bit reducer is that it delivers a little bit of everything—incorporating subtly weird and radical sounds as well as relatively intuitive, synth-like interactivity and a surprising range of control in a compact stompbox.

Creeping, Crawling, Compact Creature Malekko packed a lot of functionality and sound-shaping power into a small enclosure. There are three controls across the top: rate (sample rate reduction from 16 to 2 bit), filter, and Q (bandwidth and amplitude of the filter). There is a second row of three controls below: preamp (gain), which has an LED indicator to indicate clipping, mix (dry/effect blend), and bit (bit reduction, 48 kHz-300 Hz).

It’s hard to overstate the extent to which the mix control enhances the Scrutator’s utility. The controls are situated closely together, but they’re still relatively easy to adjust. They’re resistant to accidental nudges into unexpected settings (though you may be into that sort of thing if you’re reading this review). On the right side of the case are a 9V DC jack, input jack, and expression pedal/control voltage input. On the left is an output jack. All of this fits in a housing the size of an MXR Phase 90. Additionally the filter can be set as a two-pole bandpass or lowpass, simply by holding the footswitch down while powering up. It all adds up to a lot of options and functionality in a compact pedal—and a commendable design effort on Malekko’s part.

Crushed and Fried With a ’79 Stratocaster and my Dusky D2O (hitched to an Orange 1x12), I put the Scrutator to work. Though I expected the Scrutator to possess a very synth-like personality, the lowpass setting delivered grinding, gated fuzz tones that worked great for building unique riffs and lead lines that would be equally at home in a Tame Impala tune or electro-punk LCD Soundsystem track. Playing the same lines on my Mustang bass revealed how amazing the Scrutator can sound in that context.

By tweaking the two filter controls in the bandpass setting, I was able to dial in bell-like, ring mod effects that ranged from musical to chaotic. When things got too crazy I used the mix knob to fade more intense settings into the background. It’s hard to overstate the extent to which the mix control enhances the Scrutator’s utility—making it possible to transform the most radical sounds into more digestible and subdued textures.

Expression pedal options for the Scrutator are useful and numerous. Not only can you control rate, filter, Q, or bit settings individually, you can set the pedal up to change settings for all four parameters at once. You can also re-configure the control range and the direction in which expression pedal sweeps will move the control. For instance, you can simultaneously open the filter while reducing the bit rate—effectively turning one knob clockwise and the other counter clockwise by rocking the expression pedal heel to toe.

There’s not enough room in this review to describe all the Scrutator’s capabilities. But there are many standout sounds. Through various knob and filter combinations, I created a wah pedal with fizzy overtones, a filter sweeper that degraded the signal over the course of the sweep, and something like a cosmic-sounding manual envelope controller. And by adding an Arturia Beatstep sequencer through the control voltage input I could randomize these sounds and textures to insane effect. Adding a delay to that chain produced sounds that Radiohead might kill for.

The Verdict I’m used to something like a good overdrive pedal inspiring new riffs. But a bit crusher that generates this much inspiration is a revelation. The compact package does mean a few trade offs. It would be nice, for example, to be able to switch between filters without powering down (especially given how profoundly different the pedal is from one filter setting to another). A mini toggle that does that job would be a nice addition. And though the mix control is invaluable, a dry output would be a great way to expand sound and routing options (especially for incorporation of other effects). Nevertheless, it’s a wonder Malekko crammed as much as they did into this little box.

Strictly traditional players may not find much to love about the Scrutator—even if they could use it to break out of a rut, or spice up the occasional lead. But uninhibited guitarists will get a lot of mileage out of the Scrutator. Sure, with certain settings you can sound like you’re at risk of accidentally writing the new Super Mario Brothers theme song. But thousands of previously unheard, unique, distorted tones are also yours for the taking. And if you’ve ever thought of bit crushers as one-trick ponies, the Scrutator will likely compel you to re-evaluate that point of view.

Red Witch Zeus Bass Fuzz Review

Hot on the heels of their first offering for bassists with the Factotum, New Zealand’s Red Witch has followed up in big fashion with the all-analog Zeus suboctave/silicon-fuzz pedal. Like the Greek god it shares its name with, this box is powerful, easily angered, and able to unleash a thunderstorm at will.

The sharp-looking chrome-finished enclosure houses separate footswitches for the two effects that can be run independently or together. There are mix dials for each to fine-tune the wet/dry signal blend, along with controls for fuzz level and sputter. The sputter dial determines the character of the fuzz—from sweet to outright nasty. A gain switch and high-frequency roll-off switch round out the control panel.

To get a taste of the fuzz on it’s own, I set the mix to noon, the fuzz at 3 o’clock, and found the sweet spot for the sputter at 2 o’clock. Glorious Kyuss-esque fuzz that would impress a jaded doom and stoner aficionado oozed out of my 4x12. Engaging the octave effect and gradually rolling up its corresponding mix dial changed the game with the power of incorporating an octave lower. A little goes a long way here (the halfway mark was plenty) and you’ll quickly loose clarity moving the knob into cranked territory, but dial it in right and you can capture massive low-end power for laying down a lush and full foundation. The octave effect tracked well across the fretboard, though I had a little trouble holding on to the suboctave with the first four notes of my 4th string.

Yeah, it’s a pricy pedal, but the payoff is big when you consider you have two effects in one, and two excellent ones at that. With the mirror finish, you can practice your best knarly bass face to coincide with the sounds you find inside.

Jordan Fuzztite Review

The Jordan Fuzztite is Mahoney Guitar Gear's take on the rare late-’60s Mosrite Fuzzrite—specifically, the silicon-based versions made after the first 250 germanium units. Like the original, it has volume and depth controls, while an added toggle boosts volume and frequency girth in its up position by removing a 22k filter resistor from the circuit.

Players tired of Fuzz Face, Muff, and Fuzz Factory clones will love that the Fuzztite avails a variety of fizzing, trebly, mid-sculpted tones that sound like furious bees wielding an ear probe outfitted with shorting-out electrodes, especially in the slow-gain original mode. Unity gain is achieved with volume just past 1 o’clock in low-gain mode, but push volume and depth past noon in high-gain mode and you get furry rotundness and even quasi Octavia sounds that should appeal to fans of more conventional fuzz fare. Some tone weirdoes may lament that most of the wonderfully, disgustingly, din-piercing sounds require careful lowering of your guitar’s volume knob, while others will shrug that off as merely part of the fuzz game.

Test Gear: Eastwood Sidejack Baritone DLX with Manlius Goatmaster pickups, Squier Classic Vibe 1950s Tele with Nordstrand AVT A3 pickups, Reverend Descent H90 Baritone, Jaguar HC50 and Goodsell Valpreaux 21 combos

Analog Outfitters Scanner Review

Based in Champaign, Illinois, Analog Outfitters creates cool-looking, boutique-toned amps out of reclaimed materials—sometimes from funky old street signs, but primarily the guts and wood exteriors of less-popular old Hammond organs. The Scanner, however, is an outboard effect built from salvaged Hammond reverb and vibrato sections, and both its long-spring tank and spinning vibrato motor are visible through an acrylic top bookended by subtly rustic woodwork.

Though operation is pretty straightforward—two knobs for vibrato, one for reverb, and one for the DI out—the Scanner has a host of features that enhance its usefulness in live and studio applications: 1/4" and XLR inputs (with an instrument-/line-level selector), independent XLR-output volume, a two-button footswitch for activating each effect independently, and a continuous-controller input for remote pedal control of vibrato rate.

Organ Harvesters Extraordinaire The Scanner’s big vibrato circuit is anything but typical—both in terms of operation and sound. The sonic differences between it and stompbox vibrato/chorus is analogous to the ways tremolo pedals rarely match the buttery trem you get from a nice old tube amp.

The sound was addictive, with a warm, delectably analog feel, and a dimensionality that simply has to be experienced to be fathomed. According to Analog Outfitters, Hammond organs from 1935 to 1975 were equipped with a unique vibrato section that sent the audio signal to a delay circuit that produced nine phase-shifted copies of the original signal. Those signals were routed to capacitor-like plates mounted inside a “scanner” assembly. Then a rotating armature retrieved the phase-shifted signals from the plates. Analog Outfitters modifies the circuit by using a brushless DC motor they say yields more precise control of vibrato rate.

Ratings

Pros: Enveloping, mind-bogglingly dimensional and unique vibrato. Flexible studio connectivity.

Cons: Expensive. Limited reverb control.

Tones: Ease of Use: Build/Design: Value: Street: $1,599

Analog Outfitters Scanner analogoutfitters.com

Telekinetic Ecstasy From the very first strum, the Scanner moved me in ways I’ve never experienced from a vibrato effect. Signal-chain-wise, I placed the Scanner at the end of my pedalboard, then routed it back to a Radial A/B/Y box that simultaneously sent the signal to Jaguar and Goodsell amps. I also played it straight into a Dr. Z Z-Lux. In both setups—whether I was wearing a Telecaster, an Eastwood or Reverend baritone, or my Schecter Ultra III—the sound was addictive, with a warm, delectably analog feel, and a dimensionality that simply has to be experienced to be fathomed.

You’d be a certifiable idiot to not invest in a continuous controller to toy with the Scanner’s vibrato speed, because the sheer rush you experience when you do is tantamount to a deity stretching forth a finger (or some toes) to spin the world faster or slower and watch in fascination as it goes from one extreme to another. Only in this case, the bewilderment is twofold: Eyes thrill at the sight of metal innards spinning like some sort of supernatural sewing machine, while ears are boggled by the surreally undulating sheets of sound.

At minimum speed, the Scanner serves up ever-so-subtle, but oh-so-warm and syrupy modulation that would shake the resolve of the most ardent anti-chorus-ite. Push the speed treadle to the floor, and the effect isn’t just dizzying—it’s enveloping. Play Kim Thayil’s famously trippy lead from “Black Hole Sun” or Josh Homme’s riffs from “Another Love Song,” and these already-cool sounds blossom into three-dimensional psychedelia that’s truly trippy. The effect is even more disorienting through two or more speaker cabs, as the collection of phased signals reaches your head at slightly different speeds, weaving a cozy sonic blanket that inspires new songs, enlivens old ones, and is, in all honesty, often difficult to bring yourself to disengage.

Drawbars, Ramps, and Reverb Maybe it was the ghosts of the Scanner’s past lives at work, but though I’ve never found myself yearning to play anything particularly organ like, when I switched my Eastwood to its neck pickup, slowed the Scanner a bit, and plucked complex chords with my thumb and fingers, I found myself lost in a spate of deliciously swampy faux organ parts I never knew lurked in my subconscious.

And then there’s the ramping sound you hear as the vibrato works its way up to or winds its way down from wherever it was: The Scanner will only get there so fast, but there’s something oddly alluring about this lack of control—like you’re at the whim of physics and nature perfectly in tune.

Meanwhile, the Scanner’s reverb is splashy, sexy, and bright—with usable sounds throughout its range and more than enough slosh to please surf fans.

The Verdict Analog Outfitters’ Scanner has a few quirks. Unity gain (the volume you’d expect if the effect were bypassed) isn’t achieved till you turn the vibrato gain knob to 3 o’clock. Pushing it past that point, however, imbues the tone with a harmonically juicy, very tube-like saturation. Given the price, it’s a bit disappointing that there aren’t mix, dwell, and tone controls for the reverb.

But this is nitpicking, because words can’t do the Scanner justice. Next to it, even excellent vibrato/chorus stomps sound two-dimensional—there’s a “realness” to the effect that could only be rivaled by a rotating speaker. To that point, both in terms of price and transportability, the Scanner is a very compelling middle ground between the magic of a big, bulky Leslie cab and a pedal that’s a pale imitation. That said, I’d get down on my knees and beg for a more affordable version that nixes studio connectivity—and even the reverb—to put the Scanner’s awe-inducing vibrato sounds within reach of incorrigible tone junkies of humbler means.

Ernie Ball Introduces the PolyLock Strap

Ernie Ball has unveiled the new PolyLock strap -- a locking strap for electric guitar and bass. The PolyLock's patent-pending design makes it easy to securely attach the strap to your electric guitar or bass, without the need for modification or bulky hardware. Simply fasten your Ernie Ball PolyLock Strap to the existing strap buttons on virtually any electric guitar or bass and you’re set.

Mono Introduces the M80 Dual Acoustic & Electric Hybrid Guitar Case

The intrepid design team at MONO turns their focus to acoustic players this year with three new hybrid cases for acoustic guitars. The Dual Acoustic+Electric Case, Vertigo Acoustic Case and Acoustic Guitar Sleeve are designed to fit standard dreadnought guitar models and most archtops. The first of its kind: one hybrid case designed carry both an acoustic and electric guitar together, fully protected with MONO’s patented Headlock neck suspension system. A solution for this transportation challenge has been among the top requests from MONO players since the launch of the company in 2007. The MONO team is extremely excited to finally add this highly anticipated design to the collection. The Dual Acoustic/Electric Case complements MONO’s existing Dual Series that includes a case for two electric guitars, and two bass guitars. (List price $415)

Features:

One or Two Guitars — The patented “zig zag” design creates a completely separate case for each guitar. That means both are protected with our Headlock™ suspension system and strap pin bumpers. It also means the M80 Dual can be used with 1 or 2 guitars - something you’ll appreciate on the road. Additionally, the Z-form design allows for immediate access to either guitar. Drop-proof — The patented Headlock design provides a level of protection worthy of the finest instruments. Your guitars quickly strap in and remains stabilized during transport. Both headstocks are suspended inside the case, saving your guitars from both side and rear impacts that could otherwise snap the necks. Wear it Out — We build our cases to military specs, using only high-test materials with extreme resistance to abrasion and the elements. Inside, the plush lining protects delicate custom finishes. So your guitar rides first class while you launch an urban assault. The MONO Lifetime Warranty — All MONO products are guaranteed for life against defects in materials and workmanship.

Dr. No Effects Introduces the RoadRunner Octave Fuzz Wah Flying Machina

The RoadRunner "Octave Fuzz Wah Flying Machina" - a collaboration with Eagles of Death Metal guitarist and Rancho De La Luna owner Dave Catching. Painstakingly hand crafted with that attention to detail and flair for design that Dr. No is renowned for. It is a new sonic and engineering marvel, where Dave Catching and Dr. No have been working on intensively over the past year. A high end Old School Fuzz Wah with Octavia, with breathtaking cosmetic design and never done before techniques and features. Yes....it's aslo a flying machine! The official release was at a yearly festival in the Netherlands called Speedfest nov 21st, were Eagles of Death Metal planned to perform. Dave and Dr. No had worked for months on their release at this event. This went unfortunately not as planned. The week before the announced release of Dave and Dr. No's Road Runner, Eagles of Death Metal were the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris nov 13th, and canceled all their show and RoadRunner release party to recover in the US.

Dr.No and Dave will be donating the profits from the Dave Catching RoadRunner to The Sweet Stuff Foundation which was founded to give assistance to career musicians, recording engineers and their families struggling with illness and disability. At the moment they give special attention to the victims of the terrorist attack in Paris. Offer runs till December 31th.

Oddfellow Effects Introduces the Bishop

The Bishop is Oddfellow’s first single-stage overdrive, offering players the same high quality of sound and superior dynamics that they are known for at a price point that is more affordable to players all over the world. This medium-gain drive serves as a great do-it-all gain box. Anything from a light “amp-pushing” boost to full-on, chunky drive can come out of this device. The guys at Oddfellow Effects, along with Scotty Smith from ProAnalog devices have been collaborating on this one for the better part of the year, going back and forth on different designs to bring one of the best sounding and feeling dirt pedals to the market. To top it off, The Bishop features an internal switch that allows the user to choose between “true bypass” or “buffered bypass” switching, as well as the ability to run on different voltages, allowing more tonal options. But you can never go wrong with the standard 9 volt setup. Features:

Wide range of tone-shaping options Incredible amount of headroom on tap Ability to switch between “true bypass” or “buffered bypass” Ability to run on 9 volts, 18 volts, or anything in-between 9v battery or AC adapter compatibility High end, brand name components Made in California, USA High quality, durable powder coat finish $164 street

Malekko Heavy Industry Scrutator

  Ever since Maestro unleashed the FZ-1 fuzz in 1962, the quest to destroy clean guitar tones has remained more or less relentless. In recent years, builders like Death By Audio and ZVex pushed fuzz to extremes. Then came the rise of bitcrushers—the rabid lovechildren of a Tone Bender and a Nintendo 64 sound card—and the movement to eschew pristine tones in favor of mangled, unpredictable squawks marched on.

Portland, Oregon’s Malekko Heavy Industry is renowned for effects and synth modules that contort sound in familiar and much less subtle ways. But the beauty of the new DSP-driven Scrutator sample rate and bit reducer is that it delivers a little bit of everything—incorporating subtly weird and radical sounds as well as relatively intuitive, synth-like interactivity and a surprising range of control in a compact stompbox.

Creeping, Crawling, Compact Creature Malekko packed a lot of functionality and sound-shaping power into a small enclosure. There are three controls across the top: rate (sample rate reduction from 16 to 2 bit), filter, and Q (bandwidth and amplitude of the filter). There is a second row of three controls below: preamp (gain), which has an LED indicator to indicate clipping, mix (dry/effect blend), and bit (bit reduction, 48 kHz-300 Hz).

It’s hard to overstate the extent to which the mix control enhances the Scrutator’s utility. The controls are situated closely together, but they’re still relatively easy to adjust. They’re resistant to accidental nudges into unexpected settings (though you may be into that sort of thing if you’re reading this review). On the right side of the case are a 9V DC jack, input jack, and expression pedal/control voltage input. On the left is an output jack. All of this fits in a housing the size of an MXR Phase 90. Additionally the filter can be set as a two-pole bandpass or lowpass, simply by holding the footswitch down while powering up. It all adds up to a lot of options and functionality in a compact pedal—and a commendable design effort on Malekko’s part.

Crushed and Fried With a ’79 Stratocaster and my Dusky D2O (hitched to an Orange 1x12), I put the Scrutator to work. Though I expected the Scrutator to possess a very synth-like personality, the lowpass setting delivered grinding, gated fuzz tones that worked great for building unique riffs and lead lines that would be equally at home in a Tame Impala tune or electro-punk LCD Soundsystem track. Playing the same lines on my Mustang bass revealed how amazing the Scrutator can sound in that context.

Ratings

Pros: Scads of unique filtered and crushed sounds in a compact box.

Cons: Immediate filter selection would be nice.

Tones: Ease of Use: Build/Design: Value: Street: $189

Malekko Heavy Industry Scrutator malekkoheavyindustry.com

By tweaking the two filter controls in the bandpass setting, I was able to dial in bell-like, ring mod effects that ranged from musical to chaotic. When things got too crazy I used the mix knob to fade more intense settings into the background. It’s hard to overstate the extent to which the mix control enhances the Scrutator’s utility—making it possible to transform the most radical sounds into more digestible and subdued textures.

Expression pedal options for the Scrutator are useful and numerous. Not only can you control rate, filter, Q, or bit settings individually, you can set the pedal up to change settings for all four parameters at once. You can also re-configure the control range and the direction in which expression pedal sweeps will move the control. For instance, you can simultaneously open the filter while reducing the bit rate—effectively turning one knob clockwise and the other counter clockwise by rocking the expression pedal heel to toe.

There’s not enough room in this review to describe all the Scrutator’s capabilities. But there are many standout sounds. Through various knob and filter combinations, I created a wah pedal with fizzy overtones, a filter sweeper that degraded the signal over the course of the sweep, and something like a cosmic-sounding manual envelope controller. And by adding an Arturia Beatstep sequencer through the control voltage input I could randomize these sounds and textures to insane effect. Adding a delay to that chain produced sounds that Radiohead might kill for.

The Verdict I’m used to something like a good overdrive pedal inspiring new riffs. But a bit crusher that generates this much inspiration is a revelation. The compact package does mean a few trade offs. It would be nice, for example, to be able to switch between filters without powering down (especially given how profoundly different the pedal is from one filter setting to another). A mini toggle that does that job would be a nice addition. And though the mix control is invaluable, a dry output would be a great way to expand sound and routing options (especially for incorporation of other effects). Nevertheless, it’s a wonder Malekko crammed as much as they did into this little box.

Strictly traditional players may not find much to love about the Scrutator—even if they could use it to break out of a rut, or spice up the occasional lead. But uninhibited guitarists will get a lot of mileage out of the Scrutator. Sure, with certain settings you can sound like you’re at risk of accidentally writing the new Super Mario Brothers theme song. But thousands of previously unheard, unique, distorted tones are also yours for the taking. And if you’ve ever thought of bit crushers as one-trick ponies, the Scrutator will likely compel you to re-evaluate that point of view.

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PRS Guitar SE 277 Semi-Hollow

Stevensville, MD (November 18, 2015) -- PRS Guitars recently added two new baritone guitars, the new SE 277 Semi Hollow Soapbar and the SE 277, to its bevy of more affordable guitar model options. Tuned B to B, two and a half steps below standard, the two new baritones offer a taut muscular low end, with powerful aggressive tones and flexibility of going from chimey clean, to warm depth, to articulate tonal hostility.

Named for its baritone 27.7” scale length neck, the SE 277 Semi Hollow Soapbar takes the traditional mahogany back, maple top platform to new territories with its chambered back, f-hole, and dual soapbar pickup configuration. The semi-hollow body provides increased acoustic resonance and clarity while the soapbars deliver a balance of transparent, uncompressed clean tones and thick growl.

For guitarists who are comfortable with more traditional appointments, PRS has introduced the SE 277, which features the same 27.7” baritone scale length as its semi-hollow brother but with a solid body and PRS SE dual humbucking pickups. The SE 277 covers the spectrum of sound from sparkling highs, to surf-rock jangle, to heavy down-tuned aggression.

Malekko Introduces Charlie Foxtrot

Portland, OR (November 19, 2015) -- On the heals of the deviant Scrutator pedal, Malekko is now shipping the brand new Charlie Foxtrot pedal sanctioned by Pete Holmström of the infamous Portland based band The Dandy Warhols. Pete has been an integral part of Malekko designs since Paul Barker and Josh Holley relocated to the pacific northwest from Austin Texas. He recently had something special in mind and wanted a pedal contrary to anything else on the market. After many hours of refining the feature set of this unconventional concept, Malekko is making it available to all.

Charlie Foxtrot is a digital buffer/granular pedal with both auto-capture and manual-capture of the input signal. Playback and capture can be manipulated through several parameters: The six knobs control the size of the buffer, duration of repeats, pitch mode, threshold, mix, and preamp level. The first four parameters can be controlled simultaneously via an expression pedal or CV input in either forward or reverse direction, giving it a unique edge over other effects in this vein.

Features:

Buffer/Grain Size - Adjustable or random buffer/grain size from approximately 200ms to 600ms Duration - Adjustable or random repeat duration from approx. 100ms to 10 sec. Four different Pitch Modes - “Stutter” (no pitch modulation), “Up” (pitch is modulated in the up direction with a randomized speed and amount of modulation, “Down” (pitch is modulated in the down direction with a randomized speed and amount of modulation, “Both” (pitch is modulated in both up and down directions with a randomized speed and amount of modulation) and “Random” (this mode selects between the first four modes at random, but biased toward Stutter) Threshold - Set the threshold for auto-capture of input data. All the way CW is manual trigger mode. With the knob all the way CCW, input will continuously capture at the end of each duration. Mix - Set the mix from 100% dry to 100% wet. Preamp Level - Attenuate or amplify input signal. Unity is at approx. 12 o'clock. $189 street

Kliq TinyTune

New York, NY (November 23, 2015) -- KLIQ Music Gear introduces the TinyTune, the latest addition to its award winning family of tuners. Built with simplicity in mind, this mini tuner pedal was designed to get the job done quickly and reliably, and comes with a mini price tag to boot.

At the heart of the pedal is an advanced MPU serving up +/-0.5cent tuning accuracy with super quick response time. In true KLIQ fashion the full color display is bright, easy to see, and does not leave one guessing whether or not they’re in tune. The ultra-small footprint and rugged metal chassis allow the TinyTune to be equally at home on the busiest of pedalboards, or freestanding on the floor.

The chromatic tuner can detect frequencies ranging from A0 (27.5 Hz) to C8 (4,186 Hz), making it ideal for guitarists and bassists alike. Other features include flat tuning of up to 4 semitones, as well as variable A4 calibration between 430 and 450 Hz – both easily accessible on the front of the pedal. The TinyTune requires a standard 9V DC tip-negative power supply to operate, and is currently available in the US at street price of $35.

Keeley Electronics Multi Echo ME-8

Edmond, OK (November 24, 2015) -- Keeley Electronics is proud to introduce the Multi Echo ME-8 effects processor. The Keeley Multi Echo ME-8 is a powerful floor-based effects processor suited for guitar or bass that delivers eight of Keeley’s most popular time-delay effects all in a compact package with an easy-to-use and highly intuitive interface.

The Keeley Multi Echo ME-8 features an expansive range of effects from swirling chorus and double-tracking, to modulated tape echo and modern digital delay, to reverbs from subtle rooms expanding to grand halls.

“We paid attention to the details within the Multi Echo ME-8 as each sound is architected to be a true voicing of the effect itself,” said Robert Keeley, chief engineer and president at Keeley Electronics. “In real life, a chamber reverb will have some natural distortion present from reflections in the room, and double-tracking and tape delay effects will reveal variances in pitch and tone that fluctuate in numerous and random directions. We’ve captured those critical elements and more to deliver an exciting new sonic experience for musicians in a compact design.” Each of the four controls on the Multi Echo ME-8 that adjust the Program, Time, Depth, and Tone will shape and adjust the control over the effects differently depending on the program selected.

The Keeley Multi Echo ME-8 combines the best of both worlds of analog and digital technology, retaining a pure 100% analog path for the unaffected signal and combining it with advanced DSP algorithms for the most accurate processed sounds.

This Multi Echo ME-8 is manufactured in the USA and built by hand using the finest components and construction techniques. The Keeley Multi Echo ME-8 is now shipping to dealers worldwide at a street price of $199 and includes a 2-year limited warranty with world-class Keeley customer support.

Mojotone Quiet Coil Pickups

Burgaw, NC (November 25, 2015) -- Mojotone has announced the release of their latest pickup design, Quiet Coil. In an effort to create a series of noise-canceling Strat pickups that look, sound and feel like traditional single coil pickups, the company set out with the idea of using only the exact same materials used in making vintage Strat pickups. Quiet Coils contain no PC boards, batteries, stacked coils or any other components commonly associated with hum-canceling pickups.

Mojotone’s pickup designer, David Shepherd, takes it one step further saying, “Quiet Coils also completely eliminate the common problems associated with standard single coil Strat pickups. The player never has to worry about string spacing and radius issues or the magnets pulling the strings out of tune. You can adjust the pickups closer to the strings and bend the strings heavily without losing focus or sustain.”

Quiet Coils are currently available in two models: ’58 Quiet Coil and ’67 Quiet Coil. Both are modeled after their respective vintage predecessors and promise to deliver true and unadulterated Stratocaster tones without any unwanted 60-cycle hum.

Quiet Coils are available as single pickups and in sets of 3 with color options in White, Aged White and Black. MAP: $79.95/single or $229.95/set of 3.

Trick fish Bullhead 1K Amp

When bassists learned that player/designer Mike Pope was behind the preamp section of the Trickfish Bullhead 1K, they were giddy with anticipation. For this review we paired the amp with the company’s Big Mouth BM 212 cabinet. (Trickfish offers other compatible cabs, including ones from their compact Small Mouth series.)

Bottom Dwellers The Bullhead 1K’s power section consists of a class-D amplifier rated at 1,000 watts peak. Designed to highlight a bass’s inherent sound, the preamp boasts a user-friendly EQ section. The gain section includes a hi/low button to optimize an instrument’s pickups. You monitor the gain via a ten-segment LED “ladder” that works with the attenuator to prevent clipping. A cool-blue aluminum chassis protects the components. Everything weighs in at a manageable 6.2 pounds.

The EQ goes beyond a basic 4-knob configuration: color-coded buttons above the knobs set specific frequency centers. For example, the bass control is a shelving-type EQ. When its corresponding button shines blue, all frequencies below 80 Hz (labeled in blue) are affected. When the light is off, the shelving frequency is 40 Hz (labeled in white).

The treble section offers a similar choice of shelving frequencies (4 kHz or 8 kHz). Low-mid and hi-mid are band-pass filters that can be centered at 333 Hz or 473 Hz and 1 kHz or 1.8 kHz, respectively. TRICKFISH BULLHEAD 1K AMP Pros: User-friendly preamp. Solid power. Clean tone. Great input-level indicator.

Cons: Frequency buttons might not be durable.

Tones:

Ease of Use:

Build/Design:

Value:

Street: $1,249 TRICKFISH BIG MOUTH BM 212 Pros: Responsive cabinet with present mids.

Cons: A hefty 68 pounds despite the neo drivers. Pricy.

Tones:

Versatility:

Build/Design:

Value:

Street: $1,199

trickfishamps.com There are many other beneficial features. On the front panel, a 1/4" stereo jack permits isolated listening, while an 1/8" jack provides an aux input. The rear panel offers an effects loop, tuner out, DI, and combo connectors for Speakon or 1/4" plugs.

The BM 212 is a front-ported cabinet constructed of Baltic birch using dado and rabbet joints. Inside are two Eminence 12" neodymium speakers and a high-frequency driver. Metal handles and corners provide protection in transit, and the beefy cabinet is wrapped in sharkskin vinyl.

Fish On As soon as the Trickfish duo arrived, it went straight onstage for an outdoor gig in 90-degree weather and high humidity. My basses were a La Bella Olinto PJ and a Fender Marcus Miller 5-string Jazz.

Be warned: When the Bullhead begins its power-up sequence, you might draw the attention of low-flying planes. The frequency buttons flash bright blue, bookended by the beaming input and mute buttons.

The rig’s tone is warm and refined, and the input-level meter made gain setting a breeze. The frequency buttons didn’t feel quite as robust as the large, sturdy knobs, though I encountered no problems. The EQ was ridiculously easy to use, with plenty of boost/cut range at each frequency. When I needed to tweak my tone, the EQ made quick work of it. For example, a low-mid boost at 473 Hz and a bass boost at 80 Hz gave the Olinto added warmth and punch. I swiftly crafted a slap-friendly sound with a slight cut at 1.8 kHz and a boost at 8 kHz.

The next day I used the rig at another outdoor venue, where temperatures had dropped into the mid 40s. The Bullhead didn’t flinch. The rig transmitted 16th-note lines with authority, from punchy P-style passages à la Rocco Prestia to Jaco-esque aggression. The rig didn’t deliver quite enough stage volume to hold its own against a Fender Twin Reverb and a hard-hitting drummer, but I could comfortably hear my sound.

To hear how the components functioned separately, I took a Sadowsky Will Lee 4-string to a jam night, where I combined the Bullhead 1K and BM 212 with amps and 2x12 cabs from three different manufacturers. The Bullhead 1K shined with every cab, delivering detail, versatility, and a supportive punch across the fretboard. While I used significant EQ adjustments when the 1k was paired with the BM 212, I found that I could leave the EQ nearly flat when matching the head with other cabs. With its forward mids and open-sounding low end, the BM 212 may lack the clarity and girth of some other cabs in its class, but its voice will likely please those who prefer vintage-style timbres.

The Verdict This is an impressive rig with excellent EQ. Unlike some boutique equivalents, it doesn’t hype lows and highs to convey clarity—it simply has a full, balanced sound. Time will tell how roadworthy the rig is, but the way it handled extreme temperatures was a positive sign. If you seek amplification that gets close to studio-quality transparency, consider casting your attention towards Trickfish.

GMF Music Bullseye DL-1 Delay

A well-crafted delay can arguably be the MVP of the modulation world. Just think of Albert Lee’s cascading lines. Hell, The Edge has made a career out of creatively using echo. Emergent among all the multi-function delay units around with a million different settings and three times as many presets as you’d ever need is the Bullseye Delay from GMF. It sports a refreshingly simple layout, with the standard trio of controls that encourage you to twist and explore the old-school side of analog delay.

Since it’s an analog delay the time control maxes out at about 360 ms—plenty for most applications, but not enough for the super-ethereal minded. The sound is typical analog: warm, plenty of response, and no weird digital artifacts or glassy high end. When dialed to it’s lowest delay setting (approx. 140 ms), the DL-1 sat in that interesting place between a slapback and some sort of slightly claustrophobic ’verb. On the other end of the spectrum, the longer delay sounds can cover the always-on Lukather solo setting and more spacey and self-oscillating tones when you crank the repeat knob. Overall, the DL-1 is a tank and what it might lack in fancy features it makes up for in usable sounds.

Sampler Pedals Low Blow

Brian Wampler has made a career of chasing tones and frequencies in an effort to create the ultimate collection of pedals. After designing a number of revered overdrives and distortions for guitarists over the years, the pedal designer started getting bombarded with inquiries from low enders for a pedal that answered their gritty needs. Answering their call, Wampler has introduced the company’s first pedal for bassists with the Low Blow. Tone for All Once Wampler was underway working on creating and tweaking a bass circuit, he distributed his new project to a large group of players for testing and critique so he could improve and refine before unveiling. Rather than going the simple route of only level, blend, and gain controls, Wampler’s stylish cream-colored Low Blow houses plenty more to help sculpt bass-distortion rowdiness. In addition to the expected cast of characters, the Low Blow boasts a 3-band EQ, a notch filter, and a gain-structure switch.

Even with a passive bass through a 1x12 combo, the pedal showed tremendous grit and punch. It’s the two switches that really define the diversity of the pedal. The notch filter changes the tone of the pedal by redefining the EQ to cut out any woofiness that can build up in a signal chain. The gain-structure section offers smooth and jagged settings, with the smooth providing an amp-overdrive-like tone and the jagged offering a more aggressive, distorted sound.

Jagged Little Pill Getting down to business with a Fender P and an SWR LA12, I started out with the blend, level, and gain dials set to 12 o’clock, the gain structure set to smooth, and the notch filter activated. I immediately realized that smooth was merely a suggestion for the sound that occurred. Even with a passive bass through a 1x12 combo, the pedal showed tremendous grit and punch.

It was only when I switched the gain structure to jagged that I was able to understand where the smooth moniker came from. The tone became notably more distorted with a whole new layer of crunch and much less compression to limit the frequency. In both settings, the sustain prevailed huge in providing long, full notes at any register on the bass.

Ratings

Pros: The notch filter and 3-band EQ. Delivers a wide range of overdrive and distortion frequencies. Gain-structure control offers two distinct overdrive options.

Cons: Six knobs and two switches might be a bit busy for those looking for simplicity.

Tones:

Ease of Use:

Build/Design:

Value:

Street: $209.97

Wampler Pedals Low Blow wamplerpedals.com

Keeping the same settings in smooth mode with the notch filter bypassed, the pedal produced more of a vintage-sounding overdrive that proved to be an ideal crunch for both fingerstyle and pick playing. The lows kept their growl and weren’t overly booming given the compression of the pedal, but the midrange really took center stage in bypass mode. The attack is extremely pronounced and is especially present when playing with a pick. When I pushed the blend and gain to 3 o’clock, and rounded the bass and mids to 1 o’clock, the low end took on a huge, round body that pushed the amp while keeping a pure tone with no loss of note singularity.

Bands of Gold The 3-band EQ proved to be a hot commodity in sculpting the tone. When increasing and decreasing the gain and blend, it was obvious that the pedal shines most in the midrange side of things, but adjusting the bass, mids, and treble dials can balance that out. When I took the treble down to 9 o’clock, set the mids at 1 o’clock, and rolled the bass on thick at 4 o’clock, the amount of low end from the independent boost became a powerful force with just enough compression to keep it from becoming unruly.

I discovered my favorite setting by activating the notch filter, setting the gain structure to smooth, setting the volume, blend, and gain at 3 o’clock, rolling the bass and mids to 1 o’clock, and leaving the treble at noon. This conjured up a high-gain tone with a menacing sound, but didn’t present the muddy undertones that can plague other overdrive/distortion pedals. The high end screamed while the low end and mids remained rumbling and dominant, creating a sound that would satisfy even the toughest bass shredder.

The Verdict In creating their first overdrive/distortion strictly for bassists, Wampler has hit the mark with a pedal that might make your guitarist envious. The Low Blow doesn’t rewrite the book on bass overdrives and distortions, but it certainly provides more customizable options than most of its contemporaries. The notch filter is excellent for enhancing the EQ curve and giving more bite, while the gain structure offers up two modes of totally different sonic grit with its smooth and jagged settings. If you’re looking to add some meat to your tone and have a whole lotta tone-sculpting tools to find the sweet spot you’re after, the Low Blow might be your huckleberry.

The Bends

The Radiohead song "The Bends" is an allusion to the story of "King Kong"