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gear giveaway

Author Archive

The Life Electric’s Gear and Creative Process

<a href="http://thelifeelectric.bandcamp.com/album/heartbeat">Heartbeat by The Life Electric</a>Active since 2011, Boston's The Life Electric play rather aggressive but always melodic rock'n'roll, with psych and disco influences. Their personal guitar sound is crafted through carefully chosen stompboxes, so we decided to ask them a few questions about their gear and creative process - check out the Q&A below.... Click on the title for more

The Life Electric’s Gear and Creative Process

New Pedals: Black Cat N-Fuzz

Our friends at Black Cat Pedals just released a new fuzz stompbox called N-Fuzz based on an N-Channel transistor (hence the name). This box is based on the Fuzz channel of the OD-Fuzz, but with Japanese components and an extra wide ranging Bias control that allows you to dial in a sweeping array of fuzz tones and timbres. The original N-Fuzz, designed by Fred Bonte was made in limited numbers between 2001 and 2003, and was only available in the Asian market. The circuit was based on a modified Fuzz Face, with an additional toggle switch for high and low output. This new version replaces the toggle switch with a variable bias control pot, allowing for more versatility and in-between options, offering many different tones and timbres of fuzz.
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New Pedals: Black Cat N-Fuzz

New Pedals: DLS Effects’ Rotospin

DLS Effects is offering the guitar world a new 'spin' on a classic and timeless guitar effect – the rotary speaker effect. Long used paired only with a Hammond organ, early guitar players and recording engineers discovered that the rotary effect sounds ridiculously good when used on electric guitars.... Click on the title for more

New Pedals: DLS Effects’ Rotospin

Red Panda Raster Delay

It’s not really fair to classify the new Red Panda Raster Delay as just a delay pedal. The Raster is actually more of a Leatherman type multi-tool effect, as it not only has all your standard digital delay needs covered (up to 750 ms and three delay modes for standard, continuous, and reverse delay), but it also has both a built in pitch shifter and phase shifter.... Click on the title for more

Red Panda Raster Delay

Bowmont’s Gear, Synths and Creative Process

Bowmont is a Brooklyn based trio that's been delivering beautifully textural and atmospheric synth-pop since the beginning of the decade. It has the luck of having a GRAMMY award winning engineer among its ranks (Jeremy Loucas), who also happens to be obsessed with synths. The two other members, Danish lead vocalist Emil Bovbjerg, and German guitarist Elias Meister, are accomplished musicians who also share a passion for musical toys. We can't think of a better band for a Delicious Audio interview about gear and the creative process.... Click on the title for more

Bowmont’s Gear, Synths and Creative Process

Skreddy Kusanagi Fuzz

The Tone Bender is one of the most legendary effects in guitar history, and for good reason. The signature fuzz sound it produced inspired a generation of burgeoning rock guitarists. It was a notoriously fickle design though, using rare components and positive ground connection (almost all effects are negative-ground power). Skreddy Pedals has introduced a fuzz pedal, called Kusanagi, that remains true to the original circuit design while including additional, updated features. Many of the esoteric electronic components are included, such as larger carbon resistors, axial capacitors and germanium transistors.... Click on the title for more

Skreddy Kusanagi Fuzz

Big Knob’s Wah Fix

Big Knob Pedals, out of Studio City, CA (interesting name!), recently introduced the Wah Fix filter pedal, a stompbox that allows guitarists to lock into the sweet spot of the frequency sweep of a wah pedal - a trick Frank Zappa, among others, used quite frequently. Controls are simple enough – featuring potentiometers to control volume, Q, and wah. Volume controls overall output volume, Q determines the width of the frequency sweep, and the wah control allows for dialing in the amount of 'wah effect' in the signal (a sort of blend control). Additional features include hand-wiring, a compact and sturdy all-metal enclosure, true bypass switching, and on/off LED indicator. The Wah Fix can be powered via 9v battery or power supply. If you're looking for an alternative to the traditional treadle-based wah effect, or want to integrate a unique EQ/filter effect into your rig the Wah Fix is definitely worth a look. - Brandon Stoner
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Big Knob’s Wah Fix

New Pedals: Matthews Effects Conductor Tremolo

Eastern Washington based manufacturer Matthews Effects has created a new spin on one of the most popular effect in music history: the tremolo. The controls for the Conductor are where the pedal really shines with its unique versatility. The depth knob, capable of quite a wide range, is the only “standard” tremolo control. Speed/rate controls are done via the tap-tempo switch and the Div (for "division") knob, which combined allow you to fine tune your tempo to a t.... Click on the title for more

New Pedals: Matthews Effects Conductor Tremolo

Ava Luna’s Gear and Creative Process

Active since the late aughts, indie collective Ava Luna precipitated NYC's soul revival of the 2010s. From that hub of DIY creativity that is Bushwick's Silent Barn, the band's fourth LP, Infinite House, continues their homage to variety and experimentation. Atonal guitars undulate behind doo-wop harmonies to form an audio puzzle so mesmerizingly inconceivable that it borders on the sublime. With five uncompromisingly forward-thinking albums and a Deli cover of under their belts, Ava Luna has become an absolute pillar of the Brooklyn underground. The band’s drummer Julien Fader recently sat down to answer a few questions.... Click on the title for more

Ava Luna’s Gear and Creative Process

Eventide H9 giveaway ends on 06.10!

Our friends at NYC's own Eventide just sent us a review unit of their multi-effects studio-worthy processor, hidden in a stompbox form: the H9 Harmonizer Effects Processor (one of them is also up for grabs until Wednesday here by the way). We will be giving this monster a full review, but in the meantime, here's what you need to know.... Click on the title for more

Eventide H9 giveaway ends on 06.10!

New Pedals: Chellee’s Odie Classic Overdrive

Chellee Guitars, out of Orange City, Florida has conceived a new take on a classic overdrive design and packaged it into a solid and affordable guitar pedal. The Odie Classic Overdrive offers the articulation and compression of the great vintage overdrives with more options to shape the drive than in any boutique pedal in its price point. Chellee has made sure that this drive is designed for the player, making it both high-quality and affordable.... Click on the title for more

New Pedals: Chellee’s Odie Classic Overdrive

J. Rockett Boing Spring Reverb

If you belong to the category of guitarists who get lost when presented with too many options, J Rockett Audio Designs, out of Nashville, is your friend: the manufacturer's latest pedal, the BOING Spring Reverb, features ONE footswitch (On/Off) and ONE knob (Mix) - there's no way you can lose your way home in there.... Click on the title for more

J. Rockett Boing Spring Reverb