StewMac 1x12 Speaker Cab + Celestion Blue + Fishman ToneDEQ + Ghost Drive

When a huge company like StewMac contacts you and asks if you’d like to demo some gear from them, there’s only one answer: an emphatic YES, PLEASE. Today, we’re going to check out a pedal, yes, but some other guitar-related gear as well, all of which is available on the StewMac website, and all of which can help you greatly improve your tone and unleash your creativity. Lots to get into, let’s do it!!

First up, we built a guitar speaker cabinet. Yes, that’s right, from scratch. Well, all the pieces were ready to go, we just needed to do some drilling, gluing, sanding, staining and assembly. The StewMac Premium Mahogany Tonewood Speaker Cabinet kit is made in partnership with Taylor Guitars, taking premium mahogany off-cuts from their manufacturing process and precision CNC-routing them into the interlocking speaker cabinet walls. All the other parts you need are there, including the baffle, grill cloth, handle, feet, wiring harness and jack – you just need a couple of tools and a free weekend, and you’re set. We documented the entire build process, check it out below, and stay til the end to hear just how badass this cabinet sounds:

Next up from StewMac is their Ghost Drive pedal kit, a take on the infamous Klon Centaur Professional Overdrive circuit that has all the right components and all the right sounds…for about 100 bucks. Digging deep, StewMac has found the identical pair of 1N34A germanium diodes that the original Klon used, along with quality, high-tolerance components, from resistors to switch, to ensure of great looking and sounding effects pedal. This kit comes with 40-page, step-by-step instructions, and is written specifically for the first time builder. In our demo below, we’re using the Ghost Drive with the aforementioned Premium Mahogany Tonewood Speaker Cabinet, with a Celestion Vintage 30 inside, as well as a Dr. Z 1×12 cabinet, with a Celestion Blue G12 15W Alnico speaker that StewMac sent over for us to test out. Both offer differing tones, but the Ghost Drive absolutely rips in both scenarios:

Finally, we switch gears and go into the World of Acoustics as we explore the incredible Fishman ToneDEQ AFX Acoustic Preamp Multi-Effects EQ DI unit. This powerful pedal has everything you need to up your acoustic guitar game, including a discrete class-A JFET design, all-analog signal path, 4-band EQ, compression, two Reverb effects, 2 Delay effects, 2 Chorus effects, plus Tremolo and Flanger sounds. 1/4″ and XLR outputs make connectivity a cinch in any situation, and the Boost feature gives you up to +9dB of oomph in case you need it. We’re using our gorgeous 1971 Martin D-35 in the video below, which has been equipped with a Fishman PRO-REP-102 Rare Earth Humbucking Soundhole Pickup, and the combo here sounds just amazing:

I had an absolute blast building this cabinet and getting some killer new tones from the Ghost Drive, Fishman ToneDEQ AFX and Celestion Blue, and I can’t thank StewMac enough. They really do have just about everything guitar-related you could ever want or need – please use our affiliate links below to order some great gear from them!!