Author Archive
The Hoof Reaper features EarthQuaker Devices' popular Hoof and Tone Reaper fuzz pedals in one enclosure with the added bonus of an old school analog octave up. It was originally released as a special limited run item back in 2010 and demand was so high that they decided to reintroduce it back into their line on a semi-permanent basis.
I guess what really intrigues me about this box is that it has two great fuzz options in one box and the octave up. This really sounds great when playing in the lower register. I am excited to hear this in person... ... Click on the title for more
The new Xotic SP Compressor offers the same OTA (operational trans-conductance amplifier) technology used in what many guitar players consider the best compressor ever, the Ross Compressor. This new SP Compressor reportedly has superb tone quality featuring a wide variety of compressor tones from vintage, to subtle, to modern and more. It's super flexible and also has a dry blend knob, up to +15dB of boost and an internal dip switch for attack control.... Click on the title for more
I reviewed the DigiTech iStomp a while back and really liked it. At the time it only came with 1 virtual pedal and I still really enjoyed the concept. For a digital pedal I remember it sounding really faithful to the real thing it emulated. Now, with the addition of the 10 included stomps, it's a much sexier buy. This would make an excellent stocking stuffer for the tech savvy stomp enthusiast. - Gus Green ... Click on the title for more
The Pigtronix Infinity Looper has some of the best specs I've seen in a looper yet. I feel like this NYC based company really assessed the looping community's needs when building this box. The first thing that caught my eye was the advanced sync options. Infinity’s innovative “SYNC MULTI” mode provides a multiplier function allowing the length of Loop 2 to be 1, 2, 3, 4 or 6 times the length of Loop 1. The two loops can also be run out of sync or even in SERIES, for verse / chorus song structures. Ninja style input split mode assigns Input 1 to Loop 1 and Input 2 to Loop 2, effectively allowing performers to record and overdub separate instruments on separate loops, into isolated amps simultaneously. Midi input for beat clock sync causes loop start and stop points to obey Pro Tools or any other DAW / Sequencer that outputs Midi.
The audio fidelity of this device also looks impressive. This pedal incorporates discreet analog limiter stages, transparent analog pass-through and 24bit / 48kHz HD recording engine. I also really like the AUX Loop output intended to send looped audio to stage monitors. This is especially helpful for drummers to hear and stay in time. An expression pedal jack for Loop Volume allows hands free control of the overall audio output.... Click on the title for more
One of the sickest companies making stomp boxes right now is Strymon. They make really great digital pedals that focus on getting the tone exactly right, often times incorporating high end SHARC processor DSPs. Their next pedal, Mobius, is all about modulation. Everything from lush choruses to pulsating tremolo as well as unlikely additions including AM modulation and bit crushing, this pedal is super diverse. This offering seems similar in technical depth to Stymon's Timeline delay that I reviewed a while back and loved; a tone tweaker's delight. Needless to say, I am extremely excited about this release and can't wait to hear it in person. -Gus Green... Click on the title for more
The Sea Blue EQ is a clear warm tubelike treble/bass booster - the EQ controls do go +/- and it is built in such a way that if pushed hard, it will distort in a pleasant way much like an expensive tube EQ would. It is also said to have an overall warming clarity that improves the fidelity of all distortions.... Click on the title for more
New from MOD Kits DIY, The Verb Deluxe kit is built around the Belton Digi-Log Mini Module. I love DIY projects and intend on possibly building a few myself this year. It would be cool to build one and document the entire process for the blog. This may not be a bad one to start with, but the website and associated forum are very helpful and provide endless support and advice. It seems like there has been quite an influx of DIY pedal options sprouting up in the last couple years. Another good one is Build Your Own Clone. It is typically a good idea to gain a basic level of electronics knowledge and soldering experience before embarking on a project such as this, but the reward is typically saving some money and learning how to build your own gear in the process, which is pretty exciting if you ask me! - Gus Green... Click on the title for more
