Mike Dillon Kansas City, MO Bands: Mike Dillon Band, Nolatet https://mikedillonband.bandcamp.com How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I have played music since I was 10 years old. I started taking drum lessons when I was in 5th grade, and had my first garage band in 6th grade. We played “American Band,” “Smoke on the Water” and “Black Dog.” I am sure we sucked, but I was hooked!! I played in...
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We all know multi-effects pedals, especially the ones that have been coming out the last couple of years, can be super fun, and essential to some rigs. But they really open up when you can control more of their functionality easily, and that’s why we’re here today. The new Tap and Dual AUX switches from Rock Stock Pedals open up your Line6 HX Stomp (and other multi-effects) and lets you customize how you use it to your...
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The Line 6 HX Stomp has taken the pedal world by storm over the last few years, and rightly so. Boasting an astonishing number of effects, combinations, routing options and overall tweakability, it is a compact, powerful processor that can just about do it all. But, let’s face it, any help to make a complex machine like this work is always welcome, and the crew at JET Pedals has answered the call in a BIG way. The Micro is a...
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Loophole Pedals thrives on their ability to navigate the unique tones these delay produce and add useful, thoughtful and exciting mods to them, turning an already great pedal into an exquisite one. Today we’re going to check out the Electro-Harmonix POG2 Polyphonic Octave Generator, and see what a few simple mods can do to really open up this marvelous effect. Here’s what Loophole Pedals did to our lovely POG2: Footswitch Upgrade Mod:...
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Phil Tessis Toronto, Ontario, Canada After Funk www.afterfunk.ca How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I’ve been playing guitar for around 20 years now. I first became interested in playing by watching my cousin play and thinking that it looked like a lot of fun. I bugged my parents for a guitar until they finally gave in and bought me one and signed me up for lessons. I loved it right away and...
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My name is Anders Mouridsen, and I’m a Danish guitarist, living in Los Angeles and working all over the place. I currently perform, write and record with country artist Cam (www.camcountry.com). In the past, I’ve performed and recorded with artists like John Fogerty, Pink, Taylor Swift, Tim Timebomb, Meghan Trainor, Guy Sebastian and many others. You can hear some examples of my work as a writer, producer and musician on...
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Loophole Pedals thrives on their ability to navigate the unique tones these delay produce and add useful, thoughtful and exciting mods to them, turning an already great pedal into an exquisite one. Today we’re going to check out the TC Electronic Alter Ego x4 Vintage Delay Looper, and see what a few simple mods can do to really open up this marvelous effect. Here’s what Loophole Pedals did to our lovely Alter Ego x4: Footswitch...
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The DD series of delay pedals from Boss is arguably one of the most successful lines ever produced, and there’s a good chance you’ve had at least one of these digital wonders on your pedalboard at one time or another (or do currently). While they are certainly celebrated in their stock form, they also have been extremely adaptable to modifications, and that’s what we’re going to look at today. Loophole Pedals...
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Today’s featured piece of gear is NOT an effects pedal, but something that is just as important to electrifying your guitar’s signal. Without an amplifier, your pickups would have nothing to send sound to, and your speaker cabinet would not be able to receive sound and project it to the world. That’s where something like the Cobblestone Micro Amp Head from Kartakou Amplification comes in, only this one happens to be...
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My name is Trevor Shelley de Brauw. I’m from Chicago, IL and I perform in: Pelican: http://pelicansong.com/ RLYR: https://www.facebook.com/RLYRband/ Chord: https://chordgroup.bandcamp.com/ And solo: https://trevordebrauw.bandcamp.com/ How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I’ve been playing guitar since junior high school. At some point around age twelve or thirteen or so music became a complete...
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Matt Jalbert New York TAUK http://taukband.com/ How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I’ve been a musician pretty much all of my life. My mom had me and my brothers learning how to read music and play from a young age. I started out on the violin and it lasted maybe a couple of weeks before I decided it wasn’t for me and asked if I could try guitar. Right away there was a connection...
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Mike Beigel Mu-FX Encinitas, CA www.mu-fx.com [Mu-FX by Beigel Sound Lab is a division of Beigel Technology Corp.] facebook.com/BeigelSoundLab How long have you been a musician? How did you get into musical effects in the first place? My main musical training was classical music on clarinet, but I also played Saxophone for a local high school dance band (“The Crescendos”), and for some local rock & roll bands and guitar just for...
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Today’s guest review comes to us from Coe S. – find him on Instagram (@coeschneider) and say Hi! I purchased this pedal many years ago I will admit right off. At the time I just needed a boost, I had a tuner, a Sparkle Drive, and and a Line 6 dirt modeler. I didn’t know much, just wanted something to get me louder for solos. I was not disappointed. The Freq Boost is BBE’s take on a treble boost, great for...
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After checking out their Pet Yeti Distortion Fuzz pedal, I couldn’t wait to see what was next from the folks at Cosmodio Instruments. Well, the day has finally arrived – help us as we welcome into the world the Gravity Well Analog Wavefolder, Tremolo & Sonic Refractor!! Taking modulation and flipping it around, stretching its boundaries and destroying preconceived notions along the way, this options-laden machine will...
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We love a good musician/pedal company collaboration, and today’s brings you three different effects in one very pedalboard-friendly package. Designed specifically to famed guitarist Jack White’s specs, the Triple Threat is a multi-effect collab between Donner and Third Man, bringing three of Jack’s favorite sounds together in a beautiful way. Combining distortion, phasing and echo into one pedal, we ask: what more...
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There’s just something special about plugging in a good distortion pedal and just cranking it to the max, right? Today’s pedal lets you do that, and so much more, with a wide range of gain tones and an EQ section to fit any rig perfectly. We love the pedals we’ve seen from Humanoid FX in the past, and we’re excited to bring you their Apparition High Gain Turbo Distortion today… The Humanoid Pedals...
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It’s been a couple years since we last saw a pedal from This Heavy Earth (or is it thisheavyearth – ??), but today’s effects unit really brings the sonic goodies. The Hesher v3 Preamp brings several famous amplifier circuits from across the pond together into one beautiful sonic stew, ranging from slightly dirty and broken up to amp-pushing, eardrum-crushing glory. A true amp-in-a-pedal production, this one brings...
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What else can we say about the wonderful world of UAFX from Universal Audio? Well, not much, except that we’ve got ANOTHER one for you all today. Based on extremely expensive and rare model amplifiers from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, the UAFX Enigmatic ’82 Overdrive Special Amp brings what could cost you hundreds of thousands (yes) of dollars onto your pedalboard at a cost that normal folks can actually...
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I’ve always loved the innovative designs and unique pedal creations that have come from the Gamechanger Audio camp, but today’s pedal might be one of the greatest effects out there right now. Part of a new series of three recently released pedals, the AUTO Series CHORUS boasts a TON of features and options that takes a normal modulation unit and flips it, spins it, twists it and makes it as special as can be. I promise...
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We always love checking out pedals from new companies, and we’ve got a real gem for you all today. The DPE Pedals Chromosome Dual Overdrive brings 2 classic circuits, complete with some great additions, into the mix, to drive your amp and alter your tone…in the best ways. Having 2 drive circuits in one pedal is always a blast, and when they sound this good, it’s that much more fun… The Chromosome is a dual...
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Many moons ago, we had the opportunity to check out a revolutionary Boost/Overdrive pedal from Massive Unity Ltd. called the Dirty Boy T.A.E. Preamp. Today, Dirty Boy is its own company, owned by our pal Danny Gomez, and we’re going to take a look at their latest, simply called the Preamp. With not as many bells and whistles as its predecessor, this one has a simple control section, a few output options and a ton of gorgeous...
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We recently had the chance (in collaboration with Sweetwater) to check out the first couple of pedals from PRS Guitars, the Horsemeat Transparent Overdrive and the Mary Cries Optical Compressor. Today, we’re taking a look at the third and last pedal in their current lineup, the Wind Through the Trees Analog Flanger. This modulation machine provides 2 flanger circuits in one pedal, broadening what you thought was possible with...
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Being able to control all aspects of your sound on stage is a key ingredient to a good gig, and the more options you can utilize, the better. Today’s pedal doesn’t create any cool effects or distort your favorite amp, but it is an important piece to any musical puzzle. The Cloudvocal EverSync is an in-ear monitor system, one which allows multiple users and routing options in a pedalboard-friendly size. Often times, we...
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We recently had the pleasure of building our very own Klon clone, courtesy of JHS Pedals and their NOTAKLÖN DIY Overdrive Boost. Today, we’re doing it again, this time via the Hagerman Amplification TUBEKLØN Mythical Beast Tube Overdrive Kit. Here, you can once again build your own pedal with pre-fabricated parts, but this one has a REAL tube inside, for some of the warmest Klon-type tones we’ve ever heard…
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We love the two-knob effects pedals in the Verdugo Series Stompbox lineup from our friends at NUX, and we’ve got a sweet front-of-chain unit that will transform your tone. The NBK-5 Masamune Booster & Kompressor features two effects in one box, as so all the Verdugo series, changing your initial input signal in the best of ways. Bring the funk, boost your volume, breakup your amp – they’re all possible with this...
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We recently had the privilege of testing out our first effects pedal from PRS Guitars, the Horsemeat Transparent Overdrive, and it was an absolute hit. Today, we’re looking at a 2nd pedal from Paul and crew, moving in a different direction sonically, but keeping that PRS quality and tone intact. The Mary Cries Optical Compressor is everything you want in a compressor pedal, if you use them, and everything you never knew you...
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Well, it’s time for another sonic adventure as we journey down the wonderful rabbit hole that is Chase Bliss. Their latest offering is the Onward Dynamic Sampler, and it may be one of the most impressive and experimental pedals they’ve done – and that’s saying something. Sampling your input signal and then twisting it, wrenching it, looping it, destroying it and more, this pedal is full of excitement, wonder...
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After a bit of a break, I’m excited to have another wonderful creation from Pigtronix back for you all today! Compressed overdrive is a sound you can get from your amp, or from pedals, with many variations in tone depending on what order those pedals are in. The Philosopher’s Tone 2 is a compression sustainer with optional grit, kicking it into high gear when you need it the most. Building on the original design, this one...
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It’s been a couple of years since we had any pedals from Italian pedal builder Dophix in the shop, so I was excited when today’s pedal arrived and I plugged it in. The Medici More Fuzz offers you a fuzz pedal..AND MORE! With two circuits that sound great alone or even better combined, this silver fox will get your blood pumping and the crowd rockin’… Medici is an innovative fuzz pedal that let you adjust the...
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I’ve been playing PRS Guitars in some form for about 20 years now, and they remain, hands-down, the favorite guitars I’ve ever had the pleasure of owning. From my first early 2000s Santana SE all the way up to my gorgeous Special 22 Semi-Hollowbody, each one creates its own unique tone, and they have all played as smoothly as can be. Today, we’re venturing into another section of the PRS world – PEDALS, and...
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The Octave effect genre adds a layer of sound to your tone that can turn heads and perk up eardrums in any musical situation. Whether it’s an up or down (or mix of both) octave, it will beef up you tone and add dimension to any song, riff or lead part you’ve got. Today, we’re visiting with our friends at Asheville Guitar Pedals once more, to check out their simple but simply rad Analog Octave Up effects unit…...
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The crew at Vongon has always release wildly innovative musical effects units, like the Ultrasheer Pitch Vibrato & Reverb and the Polyphrase Stereo Echo. Today, we’ve got another marvelous creation from these sonic wizards: the Paragraphs Resonant Low Pass Filter. This is a low pass filter the likes of which you’ve never seen, or heard, and we’re gonna do our best to explain this crazy machine to you all…...
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Today we’re checking out the fourth Adam Adventure Series pedal from ALABS Audio, after already having been impressed by their Orbital Stereo Pitch Shifter, NovaDrift Stereo Modulation and TimeSlip Stereo Delay effects. The CETUS Stereo Reverb features nine modes of glorious reverberation, along with some fun built-in options that will shape and sculpt your tone like never before… Grab a CETUS Reverb from Amazon –...
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Today’s pedal marks FIVE local pedals IN A ROW, after we saw some gear from Asheville Guitar Pedals and Asheville Music Tools – that’s a first here at Pedal of the Day, and we love supporting all things Asheville. This one is a collaboration between Cascade Pedals and our favorite instrument/amp/pedal/repair shop, Heyday Music, downtown on Lexington. The Heyday Fuzz takes two classic circuits and tied them together...
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We’re continuing our “Asheville Week” here at Pedal of the Day today, with the last of three effects from a company focused on 100% analog sounds. The Asheville Music Tools ADG-1 Analog Delay utilizes a pair of Xvive™ high voltage BBDs, this delay features up to 700ms of harmonically rich, perfectly floating echoes with an extensive and fully analog control set unprecedented for a pedal of its size. From a bright...
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We’re continuing our “Asheville Week” here at Pedal of the Day today, with the second of three effects from a company focused on 100% analog sounds. The Asheville Music Tools ACV-1 Analog Chorus Vibrato is a time warp modulator, featuring a reissue Bucket Brigade Delay line to deliver classic Chorus and Vibrato sounds with the most natural modulation possible. The onboard Low Frequency Oscillator and sophisticated...
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We’re continuing our “Asheville Week” here at Pedal of the Day today, with the first of three effects from a company focused on 100% analog sounds. The Asheville Music Tools AFG-1 Analog Dynamic Flanger is a Whooshless Resonant Comb Modulator, featuring a reissue Bucket Brigade Delay line to deliver classic Flanger and Chorus sounds with the most natural modulation possible. The synthesizer-inspired control voltage...
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It’s always exciting diving into pedals from a company you’ve never worked with before, but when those pedals are a collaboration with one of your guitar heroes, that makes it just a bit more special. Today, we’re looking at the By-Tor Overdrive Boost from Lerxst Amplification, which pairs MojoTone with Mr. Alex Lifeson of the prog-rock band Rush. Seeking to exact his specific sounds on amps, cabs and now pedals,...
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After being pretty blown away by the Orbital Pitch Shifter and NovaDrift Modulation pedals from ALABS Audio, we were excited to check out the next pedal in their Adam Adventure Series, which happens to come from our favorite effect genre. The TimeSlip Stereo Delay features loads of echo modes, options and exploration into all things delay, with a wide stereo field to engulf your audience. Lots of knobs and switches here, let’s...
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The lineup from Summer School Electronics has just gotten better and better with each new release, and today’s new pedal might just be their best one yet. The Class Reunion Overdrive Fuzz Distortion combines all elements of those three effect genres into one beautiful and still pedalboard-friendly enclosure, for a wide range of awesome, dirty sonic prowess. Lots of knobs and switches here, let’s see what this one is all...
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On this lovely 4/20 morning, we’re continuing our journey exploring the lineup of effects from our local buds Asheville Guitar Pedals. Today, we’re looking at their Echo Machine Delay, a little mini pedal with simple controls and the perfect amount of delay for those just getting into the genre, or seasoned echo vets who want to enhance their sound. You can dial in a great tone is literally seconds, let’s see what...
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Well, it’s Benson Amps time again, folks!! It’s always a pleasure when their effects make it to our office, and this latest gem is sure to get everyone talking. The Germanium Preamp builds on the first pedal that Benson ever released, the aptly-titled Preamp Pedal, but with some tweaks and new circuitry options along the way. The result is a slightly lower gain, but richer sounding and feeling...
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The folks at Stone Deaf have never shied away from intriguing, boundary-busting effects creations, and today might be their most ambitious yet. The Rise & Shine Fuzz Octave Tremolo not only combines those three effects into one box, it changes the way you will forever hear them moving forward (in the best of ways). Big tones, bold sonic creations, unusual pairings – this pedal has go it all… Elevate your musical...
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After checking out the newest pedals in the Keeley Electronics’ lineup recently, we’re going to head back a little ways to review a classic 2-in-1 effect from our friends in OKC. Combining two popular Keeley circuits into one pedal, the Parallax Spatial Generator Delay Reverb brings ambience and shoegazing right to your feet. Lots of control parameters and a wide range of tonal options here make sure you can create the...
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We’re continuing to dive into the world of Tone City pedals today, with a 2-in-1 that will quench even the most snobbish shoegazer’s thirst for the ultimate ambient effect. The Heavenly Lake Delay Reverb brings two of our favorite effects into the mix, smashes them into one beautifully aqua enclosure and adds a bunch of knobs to twist and turn as we see fit. If you like either of these genres of effects a LITTLE BIT,...
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We’re switching gears a little bit today, bringing you two devices that aren’t technically pedals, but incredible music makers just the same. The Dubreq Stylophone BEAT Drum Machine and GEN X-1 offer affordable ways to showcase your creativity and bring exciting new sounds to life. Plus, two is always better than one, right…?? Let’s see what these fun little units are all about… The Stylophone BEAT is a...
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After the wild fuzzy, distorted awesomeness of the Warlow Fuzz Monstrosity from JPTR FX last month, we couldn’t wait to dive into another one of their fantastic creations. Today, we’re stoked to check out the Fernweh Multi Echo Module today, a powerful delay with a ton of knobs, features and sounds to experiment with for years and years. This one also features a secret weapon that will really open up the way you approach...
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We’ve been working our way through the lineup of effects from Asheville Guitar Pedals recently, and we’re continuing that today with another dirty beast of a pedal. After checking out the 308 Distortion and the Fuzz Driver Distortion, we thought we’d switch it up and look at a distortion pedal 🙂 The Purr Machine is an absolute rocker from the get-go, pushing your amp to the brink with tasty tones, creating wicked rad...
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Throughout the years, I’ve been fortunate to get my hands on nearly every pedal that Chase Bliss has put out, except one…until today. Much like its rare and elusive namesake, the Condor HiFi Analog Tone Bird has eluded our grasp, but the long wait has finally come to and end. Building on the original version released in 2018, this updated unit has some new features, new design aspects and the “must-have” sound...
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The Ampero line of multi effects processors and modelers has always been a joy to review and demo, and we’re stoked to be back at it again today. The latest creation from our friends at Hotone comes in the form of the Ampero II Stage Amp Modeler / Effects Processor, the newest in this series, and I’m pretty sure the most powerful yet. It’s a true wonder how they pack all of the amps, cabs, effects, routing, parameter...
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