My board’s path: Buffered AB/Y input box that combines guitar and keyboard signals (top right), Catalinbread Cloak reverb, Crybaby Mini 535Q wah, SoundBrut DrVa MkII drive/boost, Ground Control Tsukuyomi mid boost, Gamechanger LIGHT Pedal, DryBell Vibe Machine controlled by a Dunlop Volume (X), TC Electronic PolyTune Mini, SolidgoldFX Electroman MkII, Ibanez Analog Delay Mini, Radial BigShot ABY (underside).
It’s like showing your bedroom to a stranger after a crap workweek. Don’t judge me!
Every year when the PG Pedal Issue rolls around, I don’t necessarily feel compelled to dedicate my column to guitar pedals, but I often do. With so many cool new stompboxes rolling through the office, it’s hard not to.
As I was contemplating whether to indulge this time around, the working title “What Does Your Pedalboard Say About You?” popped into my head. Followed closely by Shit—have I already written this one? I took a quick stroll down memory lane and found that exactly 10 years ago I wrote along similar lines in “What Your Pedal History Says About You” (emphasis added). So, I tweaked it a little to make it about me. Because this is my column, dammit.What kind of cheapskate am I—why don’t I just get a board that fits them the right way? Although I see my pedalboard just about every day, I ran down to my basement studio to snap a couple of pics for reference while typing this mind dump. Usually, when I’m contemplating the happy little collection of 11 or so stomps, it’s in the thick of rehearsal or performance and I’m thinking, “Do I usually kick this one on for this part? Oh well, let’s see how it sounds.” Standing back for a look without a guitar at hand prompts a few observations1. I need to buy a new can of compressed air. Do you ever see board closeups in a Rig Rundown and think, “Cripes, that guy’s a slob” or “Jeesh, their tech must be kinda lazy”? Well, apparently, I am also a lazy slob, because dust blankets my entire stomp setup. Take a look at your board—I bet it’s grody too. It’s not easy keeping up. Maybe we should allocate space to mini cordless vacuums?2. I’m a lot less OCD than I used to be. One would think this based on item 1, above, but seriously. Look how crooked they are. And more than half of the guitar pedals are sideways. What kind of cheapskate am I—why don’t I just get a board that fits them the right way? Answer: One who likes that his pedalboard fits perfectly between the supports of his keyboard stand.3. Reverbs and delays rule my world. Of the eight guitar boxes on my board, fully half are one or the other. Ninety-plus percent of the time, three of the four are on simultaneously. I’m not ashamed.4. I no longer like fuzz. This is a bald-faced lie and I will sue your ass for spreading it. The real deal is that a hollowbody now handles the lion’s share of my band repertoire, so I’ve removed one of my favorite effect types for the time being. It is sorely missed, but I haven’t given up hope that it could return in some shape or form without splintering said guitar’s top.5. I should probably get some knob-setting protector thingies. Especially for that SoundBrut knob (lower right). Or at least some real gaffer tape—cuz that green masking tape ain’t doing shit to stop my foot.6. I really need to bust open that new patch-cable kit I got five years ago. Some of the 1/4" connections on here are 25-ish yearsold. Others, just over a decade. It’s beyond dumb that I’m still remedying random sizzling/humming/exploding sounds by “checking” (aka nudging) various connection points.7. I dedicate a lot of space to a big ass pedal I never step on. Exactly one preset in my Boss VE-20 vocal processor gets used for pretty much every song. I programmed two others for one song apiece. Waste of space? Sorta … but nah.8. I treat keyboard-sustain and amp-trem footswitches like second-class citizens. Sure, I guess. Sometimes it’s handy to be able to scoot ’em around. [Shrugs.]
As I was contemplating whether to indulge this time around, the working title “What Does Your Pedalboard Say About You?” popped into my head. Followed closely by Shit—have I already written this one? I took a quick stroll down memory lane and found that exactly 10 years ago I wrote along similar lines in “What Your Pedal History Says About You” (emphasis added). So, I tweaked it a little to make it about me. Because this is my column, dammit.
Although I see my pedalboard just about every day, I ran down to my basement studio to snap a couple of pics for reference while typing this mind dump. Usually, when I’m contemplating the happy little collection of 11 or so stomps, it’s in the thick of rehearsal or performance and I’m thinking, “Do I usually kick this one on for this part? Oh well, let’s see how it sounds.” Standing back for a look without a guitar at hand prompts a few observations
MG-400 houses 2 powerful DSP chips for high-definition White-Box Amp Modeling algorithm (TS/AC-HD) and Core-Image post-effects.
The Nu-X MG-400 is a value-packed modeler akin to his little brother, the MG-300. MG-400 houses 2 powerful DSP chips for high-definition White-Box Amp Modeling algorithm (TS/AC-HD) and Core-Image post-effects. Since releasing the MG-300, people have been blown away by the sound and playability, not to mention the ease-of-use tone tweaking and intuitive interface. And now, the MG-400builds upon the MG-300 feature set moveable signal blocks, extra 12 IR COLLECTION slots, flexible P.L block with MIN & MAX parameter setup, send/return fx loop, abundant SYSTEM MENU, and physical master volume knob, MG-400 is now the best value modeler for the money.
The white-box algorithm offers realistic playability and analog-chaos response. The concept of "Chaos makes the muse" perfectly applies to the analog circuit. When you tweak the knob, it affects itself as well as other parameters. For a linear digital system, the parameter is independent. The white-box algorithm offers real-time feedback, increment-by-increment. Nu-X TS/AC-HD replicates the same playability most guitarists crave in a real tube amplifier.
MG-400 offers 512 samples of IR, you can also load 3rd party IR files through the editor software. The included 25 guitar cab IRs combine 4 classic microphones with 3 mic positions to allow beginners an easy way to jump into the multi-effects experience. Also included are 8 bass cab IRs and 3 acoustic guitar IRs, giving you the ability to play bass on MG-400 or use an electric guitar to simulate acoustic guitar sound.
Nu-X MG-400 carries a street price of $219.
For more information, please visit nuxefx.com.
Music Nomad introduces a patent pending Grip One, alongside the Humitar One, an all-in-one humidifier and hygrometer.
No feature is overlooked, starting with the precision bearing design they invented in 2016 that makes turning the handle effortless, silent & super fast. The innovative rubber-lined head smoothly & silently slips over your tuning pegs for a scratch-free & clank-free operation compared to traditional plastic peg winders. The contoured head design fits virtually all tuning pegs both big & small, & its narrow profile keeps you from hitting close-fitted pegs on electric guitars. The ergonomic & non-slip rubber grip handle gives you total control & comfort. Cutting strings is a cinch! Whether big or small, use the high-quality carbon steel String Cutter to effortlessly cut through all string types. Ready to pull pins? The Bridge PinPuller's innovative universal design allows you to pull acoustic guitar bridge pins easily. Simply slide under the pin & pull straight up. Grip One is perfect for electric & acoustic guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, ukulele & orchestral strings. Don't lose it or loan it, you'll look forward to the next time you change your strings.
MusicNomad has developed an easy-to-use, no mess, low maintenance guitar humidifier and a humidity and temperature monitor that is simple, accurate, and reliable. The Humitar One safely releases moisture evenly to eliminate potential problems such as warping, shrinking and, worse yet, cracking. The Humid-i-Bar reusable sponge holds a lot more water than the competition. This means less monitoring on your end while, resting assured, your fine guitar is cared for.
To ensure your guitar is in the safe zone, the Humitar One accurate sensor monitors your string instrument's environment every 20 seconds and gives you the humidity and temperature readings on its LCD display. It also gives you the maximum and minimum range over the period you are measuring and can be reset at any time. The Humitar One comes with many cool features such as a reminder of the humidity and temperature safe zone at which you want to keep your string instrument, a long-lasting AG 13 battery, and Fahrenheit or Celsius readings.
Grip One: Available October 24, 2022 - Suggested Retail $16.99 - $19.99 USD
Humitar One: Available October 24, 2022 - Suggested Retail $29.99 - $34.99 USD
For more information, please visit musicnomadcare.com.
Using high-speed signal processing with a dedicated DSP and analog & digital audio circuits we perfected over time, this compact unit attains high sound quality.
A compact, but epoch-making digital delay with multiple filter functions. Using high-speed signal processing with a dedicated DSP and analog & digital audio circuits we perfected over time, this compact unit attains high sound quality. This unit’s tone filter can process the delay sound to have a rich tone or conversely adjust it to be far from the original sound. The proprietary COSMIC filter creates an effect sound reminiscent of outer space, adding a new color to your delay sounds. Utilizing a new method, the newly developed reverse delay succeeds in producing a smoother, more musical reverse sound. In addition, we added a new function to adjust the number of output bits of the delay sound in 1-bit units, from smooth and high-quality 24-bit to rough 8-bit sound that contains distorted noise when the volume is lowered. You can reproduce the nuances of the delay sound used in the 1980s and 90s, and even the delay sound with the bit crusher effect applied.
COSMIC WAVE carries a suggested retail price of $318.18, and is available now through their North American dealers. For more information, please visit freethetone.com.