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Author Archive
![Line 6 M5 Stomp Box Modeler]()
The sounds of velcro separating are familiar to me and more so perhaps to those that know me. Like many musicians, effects pedals and processors have crept into my setup at a steady pace and as a result I have spent a good chunk of time adding, rearranging and removing them from my pedalboard, tearing them from their once semi secured spot of adhesion. It’s not that I’m indecisive but more often than not, my needs change. Enter the Line 6 M5. The M5 stomp box modeler from Line 6 is small but shoehorned into the stout 6.5″ square all metal box are over one hundred effect models. Available here is a laundry list of delay, modulation, drive, compression, eq, filter and reverb effects that would easily fill a two car garage. If it’s a modern boutique tremolo pedal or a vintage overdrive you are searching for, chances are the M5 can provide an option. Unlike most other multi effects units, the M5 lets the user edit their sounds with a group of external knobs just like traditional effects. Once you have a setting you want to keep simply save the patch to one of 24 recallable presets which are available […]... Click on the title for more
![T-Rex Tap Tone Delay Review]()
Boutique purists must have winced when Danish pedal maker T-Rex partnered with Guitar Center on four new pedals, but judging by the Tap Tone Delay (TTD), they don’t need to worry. At $169, the TTD is at least a Benjamin short of T-Rex’s regular pricing, but its makers don’t seem to have cut many corners. I’ve felt sturdier pedals before, but the TTD’s metal case will withstand the rigors of regular use. Controls are well considered: “Delay,” “Feedback” and “Time” govern the usual delay parameters. The curveball control here is “Bite,” which T-Rex says adds vintage color. It actually is better thought of as a tone control for the delay’s repeats, and it makes a big difference when Delay and Feedback are at higher settings, putting a crisp edge on a nice warm feedback loop. The TTD also comes with a Tap footswitch. To match tempo with a drummer, just keep time with your toe and you’re all set. The speed stays that way until you alter the Time setting. In any mode, a red light flashes in time with the delay so you know what you’re getting before you engage it. The TTD is easy to set up, whether you want surf-tinged slap back or you’re looking for a spacier vibe. […]... Click on the title for more
![Maxon RTO700 Review]()
This summer, Maxon released the latest in a line of great overdrive pedals, the RTO700. The “RTO” stands for real tube overdrive, and indeed houses a tiny dual triode preamp tube instead of the usual clipping diode. Maxon certainly isn’t the first manufacturer to use real tubes in its overdrive pedals, but the RTO700 is the best I’ve heard. I AB’d the RTO700 against the Maxon OD820, effectively a really good Tube Screamer that beats the bar set by the Ibanez original decades ago by increasing headroom and transparency. The RTO700 does the same to the OD820—and more. Tested through tube-driven Fender Pro Jr. and a Bassman, plus a solid state Sidekick 25, the RTO700 achieved several remarkable feats—it fixed the Pro Jr.’s flubbery distortion, it boosted the Bassman’s midrange and it transformed the Sidekick’s clean channel into a roaring high-gain tube dragon. What makes the RTO700 so special is its awesome clarity of tone—while all overdrive pedals compress the signal as they distort it, the RTO700 retains each string’s voice in the chord while enhancing it with true grit. The RTO700 is versatile, too. While it excels at classic rock tones, dial down the mids and jack the gain […]... Click on the title for more
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From the shivery north of Canada comes a new breed of fuzz. Fairfield Circuitry’s 
