Ultimate Gear Guide Guitar PDF

THE TOP
PRODUCTS OF
2017
“MUST HAVE” GEAR PICKED
BY OUR EDITORS
THE HOTTEST GUITARS,
BASSES, AMPS, PEDALS,
AND MORE!
SNEAK PEEKS AT WHAT’S
NEW FOR 2018!
A N E W B AY M E D I A P U B L I CAT I O N
DISPLAY UNTIL FEBRUARY 5, 2018
HUGG17_cover_digital.indd 1 11/7/17 2:29 PM

HIGH
BREAK
POINTS.
NOT
HIGH
PRICES.
Confused by high priced “innovation” strings that some companies seem to create
every time you turn around? So are we. They claim to make their strings stronger with
every innovation. Why weren’t they stronger in the first place?
GHS Strings have always stood strong, every performance, without the premium
pricing. That strength, as always, is available in every set of GHS Strings. So choose
GHS and you’ll save money while the only breaks you’ll think about are the ones you
take when you leave the stage.
ghsstrings.com
E L E C T R I C G U I TA R BASS ACOUSTIC CLASSICAL MANDOLIN BANJO BAJO DULCIMER PEDAL STEEL R E S O N AT O R UKULELE AND MORE
ugg529135_hol17.indd 1 10/4/17 7:38 PM

LEGENDARY TONE • SUPERIOR BREAK RESISTANCE • UNPARALLELED DURABILITY
AVAILABLE NOW | $14.99
ernieball.com/paradigm
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DISCOVER THE LEGEND
After recording eleven studio albums this is the first
non-vintage amplifier I’ve been able to record with.
It has a pure natural sound that is classic.
- Lenny Kravitz
Black Magick Head
Black Magick Combo w/ 1x15 Cab
SuproUSA.com Photo by Mathieu Bitton
ugg533618_hol17.indd 1 10/10/17 8:26 AM

TONE
MONSTER
THE 2017 ST. VINCENT SIGNATURE COLLECTION

4 BOLD NEW FINISHES AVAILABLE 03.17
music-man.com
ugg532366_hol17.indd 1 9/28/17 3:13 PM

New Music G
Holiday W
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9/25/17 3:55 PM
CONTENTS
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Michael Molenda

MANAGING EDITOR Patrick Wong
10 WHAT’S NEW

ART DIRECTOR Paul Haggard
Here’s a sneak peek at some of the cool gear PRODUCTION MANAGER Amy Santana
coming your way this holiday season and into
2018.
NEWBAY MUSIC GROUP, BUSINESS

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR:Jeff Donnenwerth
jdonnenwerth@nbmedia.com, 770.643.1425
THE YEAR’S TOP ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Mari Deetz
mdeetz@nbmedia.com, 650.238.0344
GEAR REVIEWS ADVERTISING SALES, EASTERN
ACCOUNTS: Anna Blumenthal
Still looking for that “can’t miss” piece of gear for your
ablumenthal@nbmedia.com, 646.723.5404
rig? Check out some of 2017’s best-reviewed products
SPECIALTY SALES ADVERTISING: Jon Brudner
from the editors of Guitar Player, Guitar World, Guitar jbrudner@nbmedia.com, 917.281.4721
Aficionado, Bass Player, and Electronic Musician. ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Jason Perl
jason@guitarworld.com, 646.723.5419
34 ELECTRIC GUITARS ADVERTISING DIRECTOR, EAST Scott Sciacca
scott@guitarworld.com, 646.723.5478
54 ACOUSTIC GUITARS
62 GUITAR AMPS THE NEWBAY MUSIC GROUP

VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL MANAGER: Bill Amstutz
78 ELECTRIC BASSES GROUP PUBLISHER: Bob Ziltz
PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT MANAGER: Beatrice Weir
84 BASS AMPS CONSUMER MARKETING DIRECTOR: Sheri Taubes

FULFILLMENT COORDINATOR: Anisha Mateo
90 PEDALS
NEWBAY MEDIA CORPORATE
110 ACCESSORIES PRESIDENT & CEO Steve Palm
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Paul Mastronardi
VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL STRATEGY & OPERATIONS Robert Ames
112 RECORDING AND VICE PRESIDENT, CONTENT & MARKETING Anthony Savona
IT DIRECTOR Anthony Verbanic
LIVE PERFORMANCE DIRECTOR OF AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Meg Estevez

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND WEB OPERATIONS Eric Baumes
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER Nickie Basilone
PLEASE DIRECT ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL INQUIRIES TO:

GUITAR PLAYER, 1111 BAYHILL DR., SUITE 440, SAN BRUNO, CA 94066;
(650) 238-0300; FAX (650) 238-0261; guitplyr@nbmedia.com.
Ultimate Gear Guide is a registered trademark of NewBay Media. All

material published in Ultimate Gear Guide is copyrighted © 2016 by
NewBay Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of material appear-
ing in Ultimate Gear Guide is prohibited without written permission.
Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited man-
uscripts, photos, or artwork. All product information is subject to
change; publisher assumes no responsibility for such changes. All
listed model numbers and product names are manufacturers’ reg-
istered trademarks.
8 U LT I M AT E G E A R G U I D E
UGGW17_TOC_prod_f.indd 8 10/20/17 8:18 PM

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Ampli-Firebox
Atomic Amplifiers
World-class tube amp modeling and effects in a compact stomp
box. Customize up to 9 rigs. Footswitch accesses up to 4 sounds
instantly. Free USB editor. XLR and 1/4” outputs. The Ultimate
Amp in a Box!
MSRP: $299
www.atomicamps.com/amplifirebox
Grip Reaper Guitar Hanger

GuitarGrip
Tired of stands taking up valuable floor space? Want easy access to your instrument?
Customize your jam space with sculpted wall mounts from GuitarGrip. These unique
designs will show off your guitar, or bass, like a work of art while enhancing the decor
of any room. GuitarGrip is easy to install, constructed with a cushioned insert to
protect the instrument, and available in a collection of models and colors.
Limited Offer: Use discount code GW2017 at checkout and receive FREE SHIPPING.
MSRP: $39.99 - $65.00
guitargrip.com
Shredneck BelAir Models

Shredneck LLC
Shrednecks practice and warm-up tools are for guitar and bass
players to use when your instrument is not available or convenient.
BelAir models feature real rosewood fingerboards, real nickel steel
strings and chrome hardware.
Includes Gig bag.
MSRP: $129.99
www.shredneck.com
U LT I M AT E G E A R G U I D E 9
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W H AT ’ S N E W
Atomic Amps Ampli-Firebox

World-class tube amp modeling and effects
with impulse response IR loader for cabinet
modeling. Toggle switches select nine fully
customizable presets. XLR and 1/4" outputs.
Free editor via USB for Mac OSX and
Windows. $299
atomicamps.com/amplifirebox
Breedlove Pursuit Concert Ce Red Cedar

The popular concert body top is made
of solid red cedar, producing mature and
detailed tones. Includes built-in USB Chemistry Design Werks Holeyboard Dragonfly 2.0 Pedalboard
port for easy interfacing with recording Adjustable in size. No velcro, two levels, with a curved deck. Made in USA.
software. $499 Lifetime warranty. $239
breedlovemusic.com chemistrydesignwerks.com
Chemistry Design Werks Holeyboard Evolution WIDE Pedalboard

6061 Aircraft grade aluminum. No velcro, two levels, with a curved deck.
Made in USA. Lifetime warranty. $199
chemistrydesignwerks.com
UGGW17_WhatsNew_prod_f2.indd 10 10/18/17 8:15 PM

W H AT ’ S N E W
Chemistry Design Werks Holeyboard Evolution AmpTop Pedalboard

6061 Aircraft grade aluminum. No velcro, sits on floor or on amp. Made in USA.
Lifetime warranty. $119
chemistrydesignwerks.com
Grover Ultra Capo

Designed to allow more room for the
thumb on the back of the neck. The
Ultra Capo also features a unique, non-
glare matte finish for a soft, no-slip
grip. Made of lightweight aluminum.
Available in black, red, or silver. $19
grotro.com
Ernie Ball Short Scale Slinky Bass Strings

Constructed utilizing the same production methods and materials as our popular Slinky nickel
wound bass strings. Offering a bright balanced tone. Specifically engineered to fit basses up
to 30.5" in scale length. $39
ernieball.com
Grover Perfect Guitar Nut

Sold successfully for over fifty years
under the Micro brand, the new Grover
model is produced using a totally
new, but exact reproduction die cast
mold, which provides a much brighter,
resonant sound than stamped steel
versions. $8.95
grotro.com

W H AT ’ S N E W
Guitar Shop Tees

Get a new T-Shirt each month from iconic guitar shops from
around the world, along with special offers and amazing extras.
Subscribe or choose a multiple month package. Shipping Guitar Grip Brass Antique Hand
included. $25/Month Hand shaped wall mounted guitar hanger. $49
guitarshoptees.com guitargrip.com
Headrush Pedalboard
All-in-one amp and effects modeler featuring a quad-core processor
powered by exclusive Eleven HD Expanded DSP software. $999
headrushfx.com
Jensen Speakers Tornado Stealth Lee Oskar Harmonicas System

All neodymium, light weight, 12" 65, 80 or Offering four different tunings, including
100 watts. $160 one standard tuning and three altered
jensentone.com tunings for distinctive sounds. A Lee Oskar
Harmonica Holder makes it easy to add
harmonica to your guitar playing.
$61 (Harmonica), $27 (Holder)
leeoskar.com
UGGW17_WhatsNew_prod_f3.indd 12 11/3/17 11:30 AM

DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED BY TECH 21 USA, INC.
tech21nyc.com
ugg529893_hol17.indd 1 9/28/17 5:04 PM

W H AT ’ S N E W
Monster Grips 16-Pack Guitar Pick Grips

Clear, non-slip silicone, guitar pick grips
measuring .013 inches thick and .5 inches in
diameter. $9.99
monstergrips.com
Option Knob, Inc. WingMan

Effects pedal foot control expression knob. Universal model that glows-in-the-dark. $9.95
wingmanfx.com
Martin Guitars D-28 (2017)

The quintessential workhorse of music
legends has been enhanced with a new neck
profile and added a forward-shifted bracing
to give a modern feel and comfortable
playing experience. $3,299
martinguitar.com
Peavey HP2 Guitar

The HP2 is a USA made solidbody electric guitar with a basswood
body, figured maple top, bird's-eye maple neck and fingerboard, two
humbucking pickups, and Floyd Rose tremolo. $1,899 - $2,499
peavey.com

ugg533518_hol17.indd 1 10/19/17 2:03 PM
W H AT ’ S N E W
Peavey invective.120 Head

In collaboration with Periphery's Misha Mansoor, this 120-watt all-tube guitar
amplifier head is for guitarists with heavier tastes. Three channels, MIDI, noise gate,
two 9-volt power outputs, two effects loops, half-power switch, two 3-band EQs,
and footswitch. $2,499
Peavey invective.212 Cabinet

Suited for use with the invective.120 head. The solid pine construction provides
responsive dynamics and complements the metal-standard Celestion Vintage 30
speaker that is paired with a Creamback G12H-75 speaker. $900
peavey.com
Pitchpilot Single-string Pitch Controller

Manipulate the pitch of individual guitar strings. Installs in seconds and requires no guitar mods.
Current model fits all brands of Gibson-style bridge and tailpiece setups. Fender-style models
coming in early 2018. $69
pitchpilot.com
PRS Guitars CE 24 Semi-Hollow Reclaimed Limited

The PRS CE 24 Semi-Hollow Reclaimed Limited showcases two exotic wood species: Peroba
Rosa and Brauna Preto. The woods were sourced from Brazil and have a unique aesthetic and
history that renders these guitars truly unique. $1,599
prsguitars.com
PRS Guitars S2 VR Vela Limited Edition

The S2 VR Vela was developed with Living
Colour founder Vernon Reid. Offering
an offset body shape with a Floyd Rose
1000 Series bridge, dual HFS pickups, and
“V-shape” neck carve. $2,249
prsguitars.com

UNLOCK YOUR
CREATIVITY
THE ULTIMATE TOOL TO FIND YOUR SOUND
DIGITAL MODELLING AMPLIFIER SERIES

100 editable presets | Classic and contemporary Marshall tones | Control, share and stream your music
Series includes 100w head, 25/50/100w combos, 212/412 cabinets
MARSHALLAMPS.COM/CODE
ugg525719_hol17.indd 1 10/19/17 2:16 PM

W H AT ’ S N E W
PRS Guitars McCarty 594 Soapbar and Singlecut McCarty 594 Soapbar Limited Edition
The McCarty 594 is designed to rival the best
vintage instruments. Offering pattern vintage neck
carve, tweaked tuners, and a two-piece zinc bridge.
Seymour Duncan soapbar pickups adds another
tonal option for players. $3,790
prsguitars.com
Shredneck Travel Guitar Deluxe

Features a Humbucker/Humbucker
Pickup Configuration with a 3 Way Toggle
Switch, Master Volume and Master Tone
Control. 24 3/4" scale length. A padded
gig bag is included. $399
shredneck.com
Rock Solid Guitar Stand Show 5

A five place stand now made of solid mahogany (Dark Cherry finish).
Closed-cell neoprene is safe for your nitro finish. $219
rocksolidguitarstands.com
Tech 21 Acoustic Fly Rig

The latest addition to the Fly Rig series is the Acoustic Fly Rig. Specifically tailored to
complement the particular nuances and traits of acoustic instruments. Power supply and
studio-grade, metal footswitches included. $425
tech21nyc.com

ugg522925_hol17.indd 1 9/26/17 4:16 PM
W H AT ’ S N E W
Trace Elliott ELF Bass Amplifier Trace Elliott Transit A Preamp Pedal
The ELF is a micro bass head small enough to fit in your back This preamp pedal is designed for acoustic guitar players looking for
pocket. At just over one and a half pounds with 200 continuous all the professional tone-shaping tools an artist needs in one portable
watts RMS at 4 ohms, this is an ideal solution for any bassist who is rig. Includes a 3-band EQ, Chorus, Delay, Reverb, a tuner, carry bag, and
concerned with size and weight, but isn't willing to compromise on software package. $399
tone or performance. $399 traceelliot.com
traceelliot.com

ugg533151_hol17.indd 1 10/4/17 4:07 PM
W H AT ’ S N E W
Trace Elliott B Preamp Pedal

The Transit B is designed for bass players looking for professional,
convenient, and lightweight travel-ready gear. It offers 5-band EQ TKL Black Belt Dreadnought Case
and its own unique features, including Pre-Shape with Passive/Active The Black Belt Dreadnaught features a water-repellent exterior, an interior
controls; Drive with Overdrive blends; Equalization with Pre-Comp and lining, a Comfort Grip handle, dual shoulder straps, and a large exterior
Post-Comp; dual-band Compression; and Mute/Tune. $399 accessory pocket. $59
traceelliot.com tkl.com

ugg514855_hol17.indd
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W H AT ’ S N E W
thetubestore.com Preferred Series 6L6GC thetubestore.com Preferred Series EL34

Premium 6L6 vacuum tubes featuring a black plate, double Premium EL34 vacuum tubes featuring a grey plate, single "disc"
halo-style getters, gold grid wires, low noise filament, heavy style getter, gold grid wires, copper grid posts, carbonized filament
gauge glass and signature blue base. Versatile tone for many for more efficient thermal radiation, low noise filament, heavy gauge
styles of music. $29 glass and signature blue base. $29
thetubestore.com thetubestore.com

300
Performance Audio Systems
SUB
EXPAND
Personalized Fishman-Quality Sound In A Portable,

Powerful and Easy-To–Set-Up Package
Easily personalized for your specific audio needs, the Fishman SA
Performance Audio System is the ideal solution for solo acoustic
performers, small combos, DJs, keyboardists, corporate presenters
at trade shows or in conference rooms... any and all who need to be
heard in small to medium-sized situations where a portable, practical
and sonorous performance amplification solution is required.
Inspired Performance TechnologyTM fishman.com
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W H AT ’ S N E W
CruzTOOLS GrooveTech Jack and Pot Wrench  CruzTOOLS GrooveTech Sound Hole Truss Rod Drivers
Combines the most common jack and pot nut sizes into a handy Allows easy adjustment of acoustic guitar truss rods through the
T-wrench. $14 sound hole. $12
cruztools.com cruztools.com

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Thunderbolt scalability up to 64 channels
emulations from Neve,® Manley,® API® & UA
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E L E C T R I C G U I TA R S
Danelectro ’66
By Sam Haun, Guitar Player, July 2017
The Danelectro ’66 is a striking thing to behold. It’s dressed to kill in a rich and vibrant two-tone sunburst finish that’s a total knockout. The
retro headstock looks really cool, but the guitar’s centerpiece is its 1960s-inspired, reverse double-cutaway shape with offset horns. But the
’66’s beauty doesn’t only run skin deep. The Danelectro dual-lipstick humbucker (bridge) and the Danelectro single-coil (neck) deliver tons of
personality, grit, versatility, and tonal range. Tested under fire during a recording session through a Fender Blues Junior, a Ceriatone JTM45 Clone,
and a 4-watt Vox AC4C1, the ’66 sounded great through all of them—no matter which pickup I selected, or how hard or soft I attacked the strings.
We brought a bunch of guitars to the session, but once everyone heard the ’66, it ended up becoming the guitar of choice. The ’66 sounds great,
plays easily, and oozes vibe. $699 street. danelectro.com
D’Angelico Excel DC Shoreline

By Dave Hunter, Guitar Player, December 2017
The DC Shoreline translates much of what we’ve already seen in the SS Shoreline into a double-cutaway semi-hollow. Cosmetics-wise, the DC is
nearly identical to the SS, with the same hardware, electronics, and slim-C neck profile. While the double-cutaway styling and slightly larger body
may point you in other directions, playing-wise, the DC Shoreline is perhaps most differentiated by the fact that D’Angelico has loaded a relatively
under-wound bridge pickup into this one. The brighter, more withdrawn bridge pickup leans the guitar more towards warm, thick blues riffing in the
neck position, and jangly Beatles licks in the bridge—both of which it does with aplomb—rather than the jazz-and-rockabilly dichotomy of the SS.
The DC’s solid center block encourages sustain and clarity, while also making it less prone to feedback when you wind things up. Ultimately, the DC
is another cool, fun, and very well put-together guitar, with bags of retro-toned character. $1,799 street. dangelicoguitars.com
UGGW17_elecguit_prod_f2.indd 34 10/18/17 7:06 PM

D’Angelico Excel SS Shoreline

By Dave Hunter, Guitar Player, December 2017
Although the basic shape harkens back to several smaller-bodied archtops, D’Angelico’s Excel SS Shoreline adds a mash-up of Manhattan jazz
and Memphis rockabilly for an unlikely mélange that works surprisingly well. It’s a guitar that cuts a stunning figure in a wide variety of genres—
from post-bop to blues to psychobilly, with a stop at just about all stations in between. Amped up, the P-90s proved clear and balanced, with less
of the grit and punchy midrange grind that traditional P-90s often exhibit, making the SS Shoreline more of a blank canvas for whatever I wanted
to throw at it. Country and rockabilly riffs were bright and articulate through a semi-driven amp, while cleaning up the amp a little and dialing down
the neck pickup’s Tone knob yielded some convincing Grant Green and Wes Montgomery tones. This is a cool, well-made guitar that’s a great
foundation for a wide range of rootsy and raw genres. $1,799 street. dangelicoguitars.com
Epiphone Limited Edition Johnny A Outfit

By Michael Molenda, Guitar Player, December 2017
Back in 2003, I reviewed the Gibson Custom Shop’s Johnny A Signature model, and it was a beauty. Now, Johnny A’s prize has made it over to
the Epiphone team, and I bet you’re wondering how a $5k+ instrument translates to a $999 revamp? As it turns out—quite nicely. The Epiphone
betrays no cosmetic or hardware issues, and, from a stage perspective, it looks just as stunning as the Gibson. Sonically, I had lauded the Gibson as
being versatile, with “ES-335-esque blues flavors, smokey jazz tones, and viciously rockin’ wails.” The Epiphone is a bit less dimensional. Its tone is
more rock-oriented, with a boisterous midrange, but the lows are solid enough to produce some vibey jazz flavors. Epiphone has done a masterful
job of taking a guitar master’s signature instrument and making it into an affordable gigging guitar that still looks and feels like a luxury model.
$999 street. epiphone.com

Ernie Ball Music Man Monarchy Series Majesty 6

By Matt Blackett, Guitar Player, July 2017
This guitar is simply gorgeous. The Majestic Purple color is sumptuous, and the combo of the gloss top and the matte-finish back is super cool.
Every detail on the guitar looks smart and works perfectly—from the awesome toggle switches to the compensated nut to the über-ergonomic
knobs. Amplified, the Majesty exudes all the diversity and precision of its signature namesake, Dream Theater’s John Petrucci. The clever switching
system allows you to get humbucker, inner-coil, and piezo tones—plus any blend of them with no fuss at all. The DiMarzio Sonic Ecstasy magnetic
pickups have a clear, defined sound both clean and dirty, and splitting them for two-pickup sounds provides just the right dynamic shift for
transitioning between a chorus and a verse. The piezo sounds are musical and useful. This is an extremely well-thought-out instrument that comes
across as modern, efficient, powerful, stylish, and sophisticated—like a brand-new sports car. $2,999 street. music-man.com
Fender American Professional Jaguar

By Dave Hunter, Guitar Player, May 2017
The quirky Jaguar has won many devotees over the years, and the American Professional version should tick all the boxes for fans, while being
a more versatile performance tool than many original models. With its redesigned pickups—boasting windings calibrated to each position—this
model excelled at the trenchant, biting surf and indie chime the model is best known for, and I enjoyed throwing it at some heavier styles, too. I
loved playing it through a Marshall with the gain set to “stun”—or into a JHS Angry Charlie distortion or a Bondi Sick As overdrive—because the
pickups enabled a gnarly, nasty aggression that was extremely inspiring when I really tore into it. I found it very easy to produce convincing Black
Keys-style grunge-blues with an enticingly clanky, granular texture. In short, I had big bags of fun with this Jaguar! $1,499 street. fender.com

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Fender American Professional Jazzmaster

The new American Professional Jazzmaster captures all the surf-inflected cool that helped make the originals so popular with alternative-minded
players such as Thurston Moore, J. Mascis, and Nels Cline. This example comes in Mystic Seafoam—a very cool new color with a subtle metallic
element—and V-Mod Jazzmaster pickups that use higher Alnico magnets to allow the coils to be wound a little taller for a fuller, punchier bridge
tone, and a richer neck sound. The fixed Mustang bridge is a great addition here—confirming why such an addition has been a popular mod
for many years—and really seems to solidify the overall voice of the guitar, while improving sustain and reducing that archetypal offset “plink-
iness” somewhat, although not so much as to drastically change the classic personality of the instrument. All in all, the American Professional
Jazzmaster is a very thoughtful re-think of a respected vintage workhorse. $1,499 street. fender.com
Fender American Professional Stratocaster HH Shawbucker

Two humbuckers somehow changes one’s perception of a Stratocaster dramatically, and it’s a far different beast than the HSS Strat. When I spoke
to Fender’s Tim Shaw two years ago about his then-newly created Shawbuckers, he said, “This humbucker was wound at the lower end of the
output spectrum, and, as a result, there’s a lot of clarity—it’s kind of a ‘chest voice’ with a breathiness that works real well.” The Shawbuckers nail
their developer’s objectives beautifully. They are thick and rich into an amp set for slight breakup, but they really shine in full lead mode, and also
really lapped up the juicy saturation added by an Xotic BB Preamp overdrive pedal. Ultimately, I found this a surprisingly appealing configuration
for any playing style that demanded a little dirt and attitude, likely making the HH Shawbucker a big winner for plenty of contemporary and alt-
rockers. $1,399 street. fender.com

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Made In The U.S.A.
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ugg533619_hol17.indd 1 10/11/17 6:53 PM

Fender American Professional Stratocaster HSS

The HSS Shawbucker comes in Fender’s new Antique Olive, an extremely appealing color that, depending on the light, migrates between a dark
green-ish gray and a lively forest green, and which is set off nicely by the three-ply parchment pickguard. The Shawbucker humbucker—designed
by former Gibson engineer Tim Shaw—delivers precisely the added muscle that so many players crave from a Strat’s bridge position, enabling
thick lead tones and easy crunch, yet without muddying the guitar’s overall voice. Yet this configuration still allows the guitar to be very much a
classic Strat—retaining everything from wiry, early Mark Knopfler-like tones to stinging SRV-inspired blues voices in the remaining switch settings,
where these V-Mod single-coils prove to offer a great blend of bite and clarity. The American Professional Stratocaster HSS is a guitar that you
could throw at most any musical style and come out smiling. $1,399 street. fender.com
Fender American Professional Telecaster

In its butterscotch blonde finish, this model captures the appeal of an early Tele, and yet Fender has updated plenty to make it a more versatile
performer. Plugged in, this thing is classic Telecaster—go figure—yet with a propensity toward a girthsome bridge-pickup tone that can rock out
just as confidently as it twangs. Through a semi-cranked combo, there was plenty of harmonic chime, as well as a warm and beefy coloration
when I dug in. Plug into a Marshall with the gain dialed up, and the bridge pickup partners with the Tele’s characteristically impressive through-
body-strung sustain to release a veritable lead monster. Dial down the firepower and switch to the neck pickup, and this guitar is enjoyably warm,
rich, and tactile for anything from straight-up jazz to pop balladry. This is a solid Telecaster by any standards, and it’s an extremely likeable blend
of old and new. $1,399 street (alder body; $1,499 with ash upgrade). fender.com

ugg517021_hol17.indd 1 10/9/17 7:39 PM
Fender American Professional Telecaster Deluxe Shawbucker

Outwardly, this guitar looks much like a standard beefed-up Tele from the early ’70s, but the American Professional Telecaster Deluxe offers some
subtle twists that take the guitar into new territory. For example, the two pickups are stealth Shawbuckers—rather than reproductions of Fender’s
Wide Range Humbuckers of 1972 (developed by Gibson engineer Seth Lover)—that take the guitar back in time from ’70s-era Lover-bucker tone to
late ’59 Lover-bucker tone. But even with these PAF-derived humbuckers, the Deluxe has a spanky, clanging, punchy, and attention-grabbing voice.
This is a great tone for everything from chugging grunge to searing blues-rock, and it will even purr warmly—or, indeed, twang competently—with
a little dialing in. In short, it’s superbly versatile, and it quickly reminds us why the format has become so popular with the alt and indie crowds in
recent years. This is a great “rocker with a twist.” $1,399 street. fender.com
Framus Panthera Pro Series Panthera Supreme II

By Michael Molenda, Guitar Player, August 2017
Decked out in its gorgeous Nirvana Black Transparent finish, the Panthera is the embodiment of culture and class, and, initially, the tones reflect
its opulent bearing. The Seymour Duncan pickups are articulate, while maintaining a stout, rounded tone. Even the bridge pickup sounds fat and
nicely restrained in the high-midrange frequencies. This personality produces beautiful jazz and vintage rock tones, but lest you think the Panthera
is too firmly rooted in restaurant jazz or soft-rock sounds, the not-so-secret weapon at your fingertips is the coil-split feature. Flip that baby
on, and, suddenly, you’re in a world of snarl, snap, pop, and rage. The high-midrange spectrum comes alive, and the Panthera roars right into a
plethora of classic rock, alt-rock, ska, R&B, punk, and funk tones. I played a ton of different styles with the Panthera, and it kicked ass on every one.
This is sonically versatile guitar is truly the stuff of dreams. $2,999 street. framus.com

© 2017 PRS Guitars / Photo by Marc Quigley
McCARTY 594 & McCARTY SINGLECUT 594

The McCarty family of guitars is born from passion and precision:
built passionately to embody vintage tone while utilizing the precision
of PRS’s modern manufacturing techniques.
ugg522235_hol17.indd 1 9/28/17 4:08 PM

McCarty 594 and SC 594_HUGG.indd 1 9/26/17 1:55 PM
Framus Masterbuilt Television P90

By Sam Haun, Guitar Player, October 2017
Framus has been building fine instruments in Germany since 1946, and the attention to detail on display all over this handcrafted guitar is
staggering. For example, the company calls the finish “Bleached Turquoise Blue,” but I just call it unbelievably striking—it’s like staring at the
ocean from a remote South Pacific island on a clear spring day. Despite its unusual shape, this light, 7.7-lb semi-hollowbody guitar feels balanced
and sits comfortably on my shoulder. P90 pickups almost always deliver a crisp yet meaty sound that’s both bright and gutsy, and the Seymour
Duncan models on the Television are no exception. They combine a sweet bell-like tone with lots of bite and girth, and they really complement the
resonant, aged maple and mahogany of the body. Some guitars are so inspiring that they keep you playing for hours. Spend a few minutes with the
Television, and you’ll understand what I’m talking about. $6,999 street. framus.com
Gretsch G6620TFM Players Edition Nashville

By Michael Molenda, Guitar Player, November 2017
The G6620 Nashville echoes back to a time of discovery and newness and possibilities. And while it sure ain’t the 1950s of Gretsch’s first electric-
guitar boom anymore, the modern Nashville offers the ergonomics, tones, and vibe to guide your own quests for new sounds and unique riffs. It’s
a lightweight and slim guitar that doesn’t promote fatigue—even during very long gigs, studio sessions, or woodshedding—and every control is
positioned for easy manipulation. The combination of the Filter’Tron pickups and semi-hollow body produces a zingy shimmer with just enough
midrange bite to be nasty. It’s a sonic signature that works equally well with a clean amp, an overdriven amp, and all manner of pedals. There’s tons
of articulation—though the sound is never overly bright—and the dynamics are marvelous. Like the sophisticated/brutish dual nature of classic
Gretsches, the Nashville can take you everywhere from jazzy melodicism to raining down absolute hellfire. $2,799 street. gretschguitars.com

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John Page Classic AJ

By Art Thompson, Guitar Player, February 2017
Stemming from a design that John Page introduced when he began his own custom shop in 2006 (Page had previously headed the Fender
Custom Shop), the new AJ begins with a body that is contoured on the back and front and gets a reshaped lower horn and a streamlined neck
heel to facilitate access to the high frets. A P-90 of Page’s own design sits in a reverse-angled mounting plate in order to lend more warmth to the
high strings. The AJ delivers sparkling cleans, dynamic grind, and full bore soaring sustain while providing the essential juiciness and girth that give
sweet texture to highly overdriven sounds. The lower-wind P-90 in this guitar grooves well with the Tele pickup for greasy funk playing, and the
Tone control’s voicing takes things from slinky rhythm sounds to buttery leads, and it never gets too muddy or indistinct when turning it down for
jazzier vibes. $1,499 street. johnpageclassic.com
PRS SE Custom 24
By Dave Hunter, Guitar Player, Holiday 2016
The SE Custom 24 is a thoughtful revamp of a cornerstone of PRS’ SE lineup, and it lives up to the good reputation earned by the maker’s offshore
range. Updated features include a more elegant signature logo on the headstock, and upgraded pickups that more closely match PRS’ U.S.-made
guitars. I’ve often found PRS’ SE models really excel in bang-for-buck performance when the rubber meets the road, and the Custom 24 is no
different. Tested through a blackface Fender Pro Reverb combo and a custom JTM45-style head and 2x12 cab, it reveals lively, dynamic, go-get-
’em tones in all positions. The bridge pickup offers serious bark when you want it, yet is never muddy. The neck pickup is succulent yet well defined,
and impressively expressive. And while the split-coil option doesn’t sound entirely genuine-single-coil, it’s a useful addition to the palette. The SE
Custom 24 presents impressive build quality, great tones, and easy playability. $749 street. prsguitars.com

Found On
Player Grade Vintage: ‘78 Fender Telecaster Deluxe
BUY | SELL | PLAY

The world’s largest marketplace
for musicians, Reverb.com.
ugg529607_hol17.indd 1 10/2/17 4:06 PM

Rivolta Combinata Standard

By Michael Molenda, Guitar Player, April 2017
Two innovators of gorgeously wacky guitar design—Dennis Fano and Mike Robinson of Eastwood Guitars—have created the Rivolta line. Fans
of Fano’s work will recognize the whimsically off-kilter look of the Combinata Standard, which still manages to offer wonderful ergonomics for
real-world performance needs. And, if you know anything about Eastwood’s revival of unique ’60s to ’80s guitars, then the Combinata’s blended
echoes of Rickenbacker and Gretsch fit right into Robinson’s wheelhouse. Acoustically, the Rivolta sounds pretty loud and balanced—thanks
to the chambers, I’m sure—and, in a pinch, it could be miked up and used for acoustic parts if you forgot to bring your favorite steel-string to the
studio. The Rivolta Novanta P90’s are very articulate pickups with great dynamics, and they absolutely shimmer when using clean amp sounds.
In every way most players rate a mid-price guitar—comfort, tone, playability, versatility, and looks—the Rivolta scores gold medals. $1,199 street.
rivoltaguitars.com

GUITAR
Supro Island Series

WORLD
GOLD
AWARD
By Chris Gill, Guitar World, March 2017 P
ER E
FORMANC
Guitars made by the Valco company during the ’50s and ’60s (which include the Supro, National, and Airline brand names) are often categorized
as “pawnshop prizes.” The new Supro guitars are inspired by the originals, but instead of being exact reproductions, they combine the irresistible
visual appeal of the classics with timeless features and modern refinements. The Hampton and Westbury feel exceptionally solid, and a well-
executed power chord causes the body to vibrate and resonate with organic liveliness. The electronics alone are going to convince most players
that these guitars are must-haves. The full-sized Gold Foil pickups in the Westbury sound big and beefy, but there is a delicious treble edge that
makes the tone crisp and articulate. The Hampton sounds like the fattest Strat known to mankind. Both guitars have their own distinct voices, so if
you’re looking for a new sound, the Supro Island series is worth exploring. $1,099 street. suprousa.com

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Teye The Fox

By Dave Hunter, Guitar Player, October 2017
Netherlands-born luthier Teye has long been inspired by the late Tony Zemaitis, and while his upmarket guitars might carry more bling, The Fox
is torn straight from that playbook. The humbuckers are a custom-wound set supplied by Jason Lollar—wired for use with a 5-way switch and
translated via Teye’s proprietary Mojo knob, a passive “analog spectrum circuit modeler” that uses a custom potentiometer and EQ filtering to
balance the pickups’ coils to achieve a broad range of voices. Played clean, the Fox revealed itself to be a very full-frequency instrument—almost
hi-fi—yet with plenty of character at its core, and a lot of shimmer and sparkle. Adding some hair translates into an extremely detailed sound that
could be simultaneously raw and articulate. The Mojo control is great for dialing in thicker or brighter voices, and the 5-way selector’s middle and
out-of-phase options enabled further alternative tone sculpting that most guitars simply don’t offer. $3,850 street. teye.com
Xotic California Classic XSC-2

By Paul Riario, Guitar World, November 2017
Out of the box, the “super-strat-styled” XSC-2 possesses a flawless setup. Everything about the guitar, from its perfectly cut nut, flat fretboard radius,
fret and string height, contribute to its fluid playability and intonation. The pickup height is also properly compensated, so that as you select between
humbucker and single-coil settings on its 5-way switch, there is no inconsistency in output, making each setting nicely even in volume. The pickups
are voiced toward vintage specs—but with more detail and fullness. The RV-PAF is a low-output humbucker that exhibits a warm midrange and
full-bodied roundness when overdriven, but the RV-50 single-coils charmed me the most. Playing in the neck position, the guitar sounds incredibly
open, with a juicy fatness that has plenty of bite. For a guitar that has all the right custom appointments, the XSC-2 is a hard one to put down. $2,550
street. xotic.us

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Yamaha Pacifica 611VFMX Limited Edition

By Art Thompson, Guitar Player, December 2017
The 611VFMX has a lot to offer players who want the performance advantages of a hot-rodded S-type guitar. The pickups are well chosen here,
and the Duncan SP90-1N in the neck position is a good match for the high-output Duncan Custom 5 humbucker in the bridge slot—and while the
3-way selector only provides neck, neck + bridge, and bridge settings—there is a push-pull function on the Tone pot that splits the humbucker’s
coils to give a wider variety of tones. All combined, there are a lot of hip sounds here. The neck setting made it easy to get clean jazz or wailing
blues sounds, and positively scorching tones were available via the bridge pickup. The name “611VFMX” may not be the easiest to remember, but
considering all that this modestly priced guitar delivers, it’s worth keeping in mind if you need an affordable axe that can cover the bases for a
bunch of different styles. $599 street. yamahaguitars.com

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A C O U S T I C G U I TA R S
Art & Lutherie Roadhouse

By Jimmy Leslie, Frets, June 2017
Concert-sized and dreadnought acoustics offer an orchestral range of tones in solo performance, but their rich bass can muddy up a band’s sound,
or require being EQ’d out of an ensemble recording. One reason I have played and recorded with a parlor-sized Art & Lutherie Ami for years is its
ability to surgically cut through bass, drums, keyboards, and electric guitars. The company discontinued the Ami, but has fortunately replaced it
with the similar-sized and improved Roadhouse model. I discovered it immediately raises the Ami’s game, thanks to better tuners and a built-in
pickup. I was also impressed by the appearance. The matte-black finish with a little grain showing through implies business, while the pearloid
pickguard adds a touch of showmanship. The Roadhouse’s sound is focused in the midrange, but far from honky, and the “notes front” frequency
range remains balanced. The Roadhouse’s unique sound, exceptional playability, and ultra-reasonable price make this guitar a winner. $449
street. artandlutherieguitars.com
GUITAR
Breedlove USA Concert Moon Light Sitka-Mahogany

WORLD
PLATINUM
AWARD
EX
By Paul Riario, Guitar World, February 2017 CELLENCE
The Breedlove USA Concert Moon Light Sitka-Mahogany is an impressive acoustic with a huge voice that breathes focused depth and shimmer
across the entire frequency range. The most noticeable thing about the Concert Moon Light is how assertively loud this guitar is acoustically. The
guitar rings out with powerful harmonics, and is intensely detailed in how nuanced its voice is playing loud or soft. It also sings vibrantly with rich
and complex lows, a sweet midrange, and with crisp and clear highs. You’ll often hear those descriptions applied to most acoustics, but here, the
Moon Light nails those coveted acoustic tones with balanced complexity, whether you lightly fingerpick or strum hard. Of course, the Moon Light’s
near perfect setup makes it a real pleasure to play, but its featherweight body that rests comfortably on your knee will make you forget that you’ve
been playing it for hours. $1,499 street. breedlovemusic.com
UGGW17_Acoustic Guitar_prod_f.indd 54 10/18/17 5:09 PM

š8&)"7&4&-&$5&%5)&'*/&45'&"563&40'5)&%ư
FROM BOTH MY GRANDFATHER’S AND MY FATHER’S ERAS.
WE’VE BROUGHT FORTH THIS GUITAR’S RICH HISTORY
AND MARRIED IT WITH MODERN INNOVATIONS.”
Ʊ$)3*4."35*/*7
CHAIRMAN AND CEO
ANTIQUED VINTAGE APPOINTMENTS | FORWARD SHIFTED TOP BRACES | HIGH PERFORMANCE NECK TAPER
ugg514857_hol17.indd 1 9/22/17 2:13 PM

Breedlove Oregon Concerto E

By Art Thompson, Frets, February 2017
The Concerto is a finely crafted guitar that features a gloss-finished body and a satin-finished maple neck that is topped with an ebony
fingerboard carrying 20 nicely worked frets. The graining of the wood looks stunning, and the décor is tastefully rendered via a sweet looking
herringbone rosette, an ebony headstock facing, and black binding with herringbone trim on the top. Our review Concerto has a Sitka spruce top
with a myrtlewood back, and the result is a big, gratifying tone that’s balanced, complex, and endlessly musical. It sustains well and delivers a
surprising amount of volume, given its relatively compact size. The Concerto’s quick response and firm, stringy presentation makes it well suited
for fingerstylists and flatpickers. The L.R. Baggs Element Active System is a great choice for this guitar, as there’s minimal “quackiness,” even when
striking the strings hard. An impressive instrument on many levels, the Oregon Concerto offers excellent sound, playability, and craftsmanship.
$1,999 street. breedlovemusic.com
Epiphone Masterbuilt Century Collection De Luxe Classic

The De Luxe Classic looks, feels, and sounds like a full-fledged classic acoustic archtop. It exudes jazzy class, sporting a traditional Vintage Natural
finish, f-holes, ebony fretboard with large “Notched Diamond” inlays, elevated pickguard, and a Historic Epiphone Dovewing headstock adorned with
pearloid “banner” logos. The pure acoustic sound from its big body (17” at the lower bout) was pronounced and well presented. I wound up favoring
the bass side of the onboard EQ, and I love how the Tone and Volume controls for the Shadow eSonic HD preamp are tucked inside the f-holes,
making them as invisible to onlookers as they were easily accessible to me. Epiphone’s Masterbilt Century Collection offers modern/vintage quality at
exceptionally affordable prices. These archtops are awesome for lead players, so the prospect of working alongside a traditional flat-top is especially
promising, as the instruments occupy different sonic territories. Jazz cats looking for acoustic tones will rejoice. $899 street. epiphone.com

ugg517130_sum17.indd
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7/26/16 3:56 PM
Epiphone Masterbuilt Century Collection Olympic

I was immediately drawn to the Olympic because of its small body size, f-holes, and the gorgeous Honey Burst “aged gloss” finish on its solid
spruce top. Once it was under my fingers, it was difficult to put down, because the action was so easy. It felt like I could fly anywhere I wanted
across the rosewood fretboard and rounded C-shaped neck. It was somewhat of a revelation to play an acoustic instrument strung with
.012-gauge steel strings that felt easier to play than lots of electrics strung with .010s. The Olympic’s unamplified sound is somewhat narrow, but
I appreciated it for an almost resonator-like quality. The sound transformed into something altogether bolder when plugged into an AER Tommy
Emmanuel Signature amp, and then into an even warmer-sounding, tube-driven Rivera Sedona Lite. There was magic in this combination, which
produced a heavenly acoustic lead tone. $599 street. epiphone.com
Framus Legacy FD28 Nashville SBT Cutaway

By Bobby Cannon, Frets, July 2017
As Germany’s Framus has focused on bringing electric guitars to the American market, the company’s acoustic models have been almost invisible
in the USA. But Framus made a huge statement that this situation is going to change with a mammoth wall of acoustics at the 2017 Winter NAMM
show. The first guitar we could get our hands on is the Legacy FD28 Nashville—a beautiful dreadnought with workmanship comparable to what
we’ve seen on the electric models: excellent attention to detail, zero finish flaws, first-rate hardware, and nice “luxury” features such as pretty
woods and rounded and polished fret ends. Sonically, it presents an articulate chime, the bass tones are punchy and balanced, and the highs are
airy, restrained, and sweet. The Legacy FD28 Nashville is an elegant acoustic that’s versatile, delivers great sounds, and can cut it on stage or in the
studio. $1,329 street. framus.com

ACOUSTIC
REDEFINED
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Experience the Rosette™ at your MESA/Boogie® dealer today. • rosette.mesaboogie.com
© 2017 MESA/Boogie Ltd.
rosette-gp-170502.indd
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6/1/17 10:05
Taylor 810e DLX Dreadnought

By Jimmy Leslie, Frets, October 2017
The 810e DLX is gorgeous—a high-fidelity, high-performance instrument crafted from premium tonewoods, and built with exquisite attention to
detail. Its most striking design element is a beveled armrest—which is as functional it is attractive. Without a hard corner digging into my bicep, my
right arm felt altogether more agile whether I was strumming or playing intricate fingerstyle passages. The 810e has a springiness to its midrange
that makes notes pop with plenty of projection and sustain, while bass frequencies are solid, but not overly boomy. When I plugged into a variety
of acoustic amps that included a Rivera Sedona Lite, a Boss Acoustic Singer Pro, and an AER Compact 60/3 Tommy Emmanuel Signature, the
amplified sound was excellent (although I did have to roll off the bass a bit to combat some low-end feedback). For anyone seeking an heirloom-
grade that delivers immaculate tone, the new 810e DLX is in a class all its own. $3,799 street. taylorguitars.com
Taylor Academy Series 12e Grand Concert

By Jimmy Leslie, Frets, May 2017
“Guitars made for beginners should be easier to play, rather than more difficult,” says Taylor designer Andy Powers. Who can argue with that? It
starts with the neck,” says Powers, a former music teacher. “If you can’t get readily get around on the neck to create chords and scales, then the
guitar’s tonal qualities don’t matter much anyway.” To that end, Powers designed the Academy Series to keep new players engaged—though
experienced guitarists can find much to love about these models—with slim-profile necks and a slightly smaller scale length. There’s nothing
small about the tone, however. The 12e Grand Concert has a big and boisterous voice, and a simple-to-use Taylor ES-B preamp/pickup system for
rocking amplified. Kudos to Taylor for focusing on the future. I’d recommend a 12e to anyone looking to make the challenging path of becoming a
guitar player a little less arduous. $499 street. taylorguitars.com
UGGW17_Acoustic Guitar_prod_f2.indd 60 11/3/17 4:25 PM

© 2017 PRS Guitars / Photo by Marc Quigley
High Value Acoustics With a Familiar Feel
ugg522234_hol17.indd 1 9/28/17 4:04 PM

G U I TA R A M P S
BOSS Acoustic Singer Pro

By Jimmy Leslie, Frets, August 2017
The Acoustic Singer Pro is designed to be an acoustic amp/vocal P.A. The Guitar channel sports a feedback fighter, two types of chorus, reverb,
and a looper. The Mic channel has a feedback fighter, as well, and then there’s delay, echo, reverb, and a harmonizer. An Auxiliary input is welcome
for backing tracks or playing set-break music from a smartphone, and the direct USB output is handy for recording. The Singer Pro amp delivers a
smooth, silky and warm vocal sound with a shimmering top end. The harmonizer sounds quite realistic, and it does a fine job delivering sensible
harmonies. For live gigs, I dialed in my vocal and guitar signals on the amp, ran direct signals with effects into the first two channels of the P.A., and
enjoyed a big sound though the system. The Acoustic Singer Pro delivers on its all-in-one promise, and it definitely facilitates performing as a one-
man band. $699 street. boss.info
BOSS Katana-100 & Katana-100 Head

By Art Thompson, Guitar Player, January 2017
The new Katana series amps from BOSS are highly affordable and loaded with features. The Clean sounds are crisp and have good dimension,
and the Crunch mode serves up dynamically responsive tones that work well for blues solos and heavier rhythm playing. The Lead and Brown
settings have tons of gain, and the latter delivers ballsy, slicing distortion tones that center on hard rock and metal. The Katana’s reverb sounds
very good and comes in three flavors— Plate, Spring, and Hall. The Booster/Mod and Delay/ FX knobs put a variety of effects at your fingertips,
including boost, two distortions, chorus, phaser, flanger, delay (digital, analog, tape), tremolo, T-wah, and octave. BOSS obviously put a lot of
thought into the Katana series amps, and based on what we’ve seen here, they are gig-worthy products that should have a lot of appeal for
budget-minded players who want one amp that can be a veritable tool chest of tones. $329 street, combo; $349 street, head. boss.info
UGGW17_guitaramps_prod_f2.indd 62 10/18/17 7:39 PM

G U I TA R A M P S
Carr Mercury V
By Art Thompson, Guitar Player, June 2017
The Mercury V features a dovetail-jointed yellow

pine cabinet covered in textured black vinyl, true
point-to-point circuitry, custom Carr transformers,
Jupiter signal caps, and Analysis Plus and
Transparent Audio cabling. Between the Low and
High controls, the Parallel/Series switch, and the
Boost settings, the amp can deliver a veritable
rainbow of sounds, and far more distortion than
any previous Carr model. I used the Mercury V on
a couple of gigs, and found it easy to set up for a
sweet balance of edge and girth from a Tele. With
the Low and High knobs close to halfway up, the
switch in Parallel mode, and the Boost knob in the
second position, I could ride the guitar’s volume
control to go from warm clean tones to a slicing OD
sound on the bridge pickup. What a cool combo for
anyone who can appreciate having several eras of
Brit-flavored tones at their fingertips. $2,530 street,
combo; $2,490 street, head. carramps.com
Dr. Z EMS Combo

By Art Thompson, Guitar Player, October 2017
The EMS or “Essential Marshall Sounds,” is designed to

replicate the tones of three eras of classic Marshall 50-watt
amplifiers— a mid-’60s JTM 50, a ’70s “small box” JMP, and an
’80s JCM800. To nail the essential ingredients, Dr. Z equipped
the EMS with a pair of EL34 output tubes, which are fueled by
selectable rectifiers: a 5U4G tube (for ‘60s-era response) and
a solid-state type as per the ‘70s and ’80s models. The EMS
is really in its element churning out gritty crunch at medium to
higher volumes. In Hi mode, the cascaded 12AX7 stages reflect
Marshall’s ’80s-era solution for coaxing more overdrive from
the JCM800. The EMS actually has quite a bit more overdrive
and is more tonally consistent too, courtesy of some circuit
modding by Dr. Z, and it’s all there with a sweep of the guitar’s
volume knob. Put it all together and the EMS comes off as a
mini library of old-school Marshall-flavored tones. $2,499
street. drzamps.com

G U I TA R A M P S
Line 6 Spider V240HC

By Michael Molenda, Guitar Player, August 2017
I opted to test the 240-watt V 240HC head because it’s a massively cool and capable live-performance engine—especially when partnered with
the Line 6 FBV3 footcontroller ($249 street) and the Line 6 Relay G10T wireless transmitter ($99 street). The V 240HC’s amp models include all
the usual suspects (Marshall, Fender, Vox, Boogie, etc.), presets written by artists (Elliot Easton, Devin Townsend, Brendon Small, and others),
and just about every effect you’d ever need. The optional G10 wireless transmitter automatically locks to the head’s internal receiver, and I
experienced no glitches. Ultimately, most guitarists want a “laboratory”— whether from a digital amp/workstation or a tube amp and a boatload
of effect pedals—that inspires them to explore new vistas of tone creation. The Spider V 240HC delivers on that promise, and it does it with a butt-
simple user interface, deep editing options, onboard speakers, recording and live-performance outputs, and other features that make playing with
this amp entertaining, educational, and tonally righteous. $479 street. line6.com
Magnatone Super Fifty-Nine MK II Combo

By Barry Cleveland, Guitar Player, January 2017
Aptly described by its makers as “an American amp

with a British accent,” the Super Fifty-Nine MK II has as
much to do with classic English amplifiers as it does with
the legendary “Mags” built in America during the ’50s
and ’60s. Inside this hand-wired beauty are top notch
components and a pair of TAD EL34s serving up 45
watts via a Class AB push/pull configuration. The overall
workmanship is solid, tidy, and meticulous. Unique to
Magnatone amps is the Varistor Pitch Shifting Vibrato,
a true vibrato circuit that modulates pitch rather than
merely being a mislabeled tremolo circuit that simply
modulates volume. The Super Fifty-Nine MK II embodies
some key characteristics of storied amps originating
on both sides of the Big Pond, while at the same time
bringing something fresh and exciting to the party. This
new generation of Magnatones was developed with input
from Billy Gibbons and other 6-string luminaries, and one
was recently spotted nestled in Jeff Beck’s live rig. $2,599
street. magnatoneusa.com

J A S O N R I C H A R D S O N
WITH THE JOHN PETRUCCI
ugg532367_hol17.indd 1 9/28/17 3:18 PM

G U I TA R A M P S
Marshall Code 50 and Code 25

Marshall may be new to the modeling game, but

its recently introduced CODE Series amps—which
include 25-, 50-, and 100-watt combos and heads—
aim to capture a lot great Marshall sounds (as well
as those of other classic American and British amps)
in a convenient and user-friendly package. CODE
not only provides a selection of over 100 presets
that you can use to get up and running right away,
but it also lets you mix and match preamp, power
amp, and speaker cabinet emulations to create
custom “amplifiers” that never existed in the real
world. While the CODE 50 and 25 are functionally
identical, the larger model has some advantages for
live performance, while still being very portable.If size
matters, the CODE 25 is a stout little powerhouse
that’s loud enough for playing in smaller places and
only takes up about as much floor space as a 5-watt
tube amp. $249 street, Code 50, $199 street, Code
25, marshallamps.com
Mesa/Boogie Triple Crown TC-50

Mesa’s recently introduced TC-50 presents the

company’s vision of a three-channel amp with new
circuits that are optimized to deliver exceptional clean
to massively overdriven tones. The TC-50 packs a ton
of features, including a built-in CabClone amp load/
speaker simulator, MIDI programmability, a Bias switch
for easy tube swaps, independently adjustable reverb
on all channels, and footswitchable channel-select,
solo boost, reverb bypass, and effects loop on/off. The
TC-50 is an insanely flexible amp that will enable you to
get your rock on whether your tone tastes lean toward
Andy Summers, Angus Young, or Alexi Laiho. Between its
sparkling cleans and furious overdrive, there are plenty
of great sounds in this amp that can fill the bill for blues,
jazz, country, and a whole lot else. Typical of all Mesa
amplifiers, the TC-50 provides a tremendous amount of
bang for the buckage, and is a must-play if you’re looking
for a single-amp solution for everything you do. $1,799-
$1,999 street. mesaboogie.com

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G U I TA R A M P S
Mesa/Boogie Rosetta 300/Two Eight

By Art Thompson, Guitar Player, September 2017
Mesa’s new Rosette 300/Two Eight combo packs a 300-watt

class D power amp and a 2 x 8 speaker configuration with
a 1” dome tweeter in a sealed-back cabinet. The Rosette’s
channels are basically identical, except that the upper Mic/
Pickup channel carries both XLR and 1/4” pickup inputs, while
the second channel has just one 1/4” input. The expansive EQ
features active Bass and Treble controls, a Hi-Pass Filter, and
semi-parametric “Low Mid” and “High Mid” sections, each with
Gain and Frequency knobs. Available on both channels, it adds
up to a complement of controls that lets you dial-in instrument
and/or vocal sounds to your heart’s content. Along with
plenty of clarity and presence, the Rosette maintained a nice
representation of our acoustic test guitars’ unamplified sounds.
With its smart features, abundant power, and convenient size
and weight, the Rosette 300 Two/Eight is a welcome addition to
the Mesa Line. $999 street. mesaboogie.com
PRS Sonzera 20
By Matt Blackett, Guitar Player, May 2017
If you’ve been intrigued by the amp offerings from PRS

Guitars but were hoping for a smaller, lower-wattage
option, meet the Sonzera 20—a hip looking, sweet
sounding combo that won’t overplay the room or break
the bank. The Sonzera’s Clean channel is big and full,
with massive lows and sparkling highs. With just a Bass
and Treble control, it couldn’t be easier to dial in, and
the spring reverb sounds luscious and deep. The Gain
channel is like a boosted version of the Clean channel,
and is ultra-dynamic and alive with harmonic complexity.
This little powerhouse is stylish, inexpensive, and it
sounds righteous. PRS understandedly likes to make
comparisons to “American amps from the ’60s and ’70s”
to describe the Sonzera’s clean channel, but this amp
absolutely has its own voice and personality. Anyone
looking to make a cool and stunning musical statement
would do well to plug into a Sonzera. $799 street.
prsguitars.com

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triple-crown-tc50-red-ad-gp-161205.indd 1 12/13/16 8:50 PM

AM
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G U I TA R A M P S
Peavey 6505 Piranha

By Michael Ross, Guitar Player, September 2017
Peavey’s 6505 series amps have been a mainstay of metal players since they debuted in 1992 as Eddie Van Halen’s 5150. The 6505 Piranha is a
metal-directed amp head that’s not much bigger or heavier than a motel bible. Its solid-state power section pumps out up to 20 watts through
Peavey’s matching 4Ω 8" speaker cabinet (available separately). The front panel offers a button to switch between Crunch and Lead channels,
a single EQ knob that morphs the tone from notched to throaty, Volume and Gain knobs, an auxiliary input that goes straight to the full range
power amp section, and a headphone jack. Despite being marketed as a metal machine, I could evoke a variety of less extreme rock sounds like
AC/DC crunch and Stones-style rock and roll. Though warm clean sounds are not its strong point, with a little gain added the Piranha provided a
harmonic richness that belied its size and price. $125 street. peavey.com
Seymour Duncan PowerStage 700

By Matt Blackett, Guitar Player, November 2017
The PowerStage 700 is a sleek piece that features discrete stereo ins and outs, pumps out 350 watts per side at 8Ω (700 watts
per side at 4Ω), and has a simple but powerful 3-band EQ for quick adjustments to compensate for different rooms or instruments. It also has a
pair of speaker simulated XLR outs, providing even greater routing flexibility onstage or in the studio. The 700 reproduced sounds from a Kemper
Profiler with depth and body and lots of volume. I didn’t find the tones to be appreciably different or better than those same profiles going through
the Kemper’s built-in power amp, but the Kemper has just a single speaker out, so the effects are summed to mono.The PowerStage allowed me
to easily run to two cabs, with delays ping-ponging between them. A no-brainer for Fractal or Helix users, The PowerStage 700’s usefulness goes
way beyond that. Anyone looking for additional power or a cool recording solution should check it out. $699 street. seymourduncan.com

© 2017 PRS Guitars / Photos by Marc Quigley
Chuck Treece w/McRad @ FDR Skatepark
CONTROL YOUR TONE

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G U I TA R A M P S
Supro 1610RT Comet

By Michael Ross, Guitar Player, June 2017
In recent years, many touring sidemen have turned to

low-wattage amps. These small heads and combos allow
guitarists to push an amp’s power stage without irritating
singers and soundmen. The Supro Comet neatly fits this niche
with its single 6L6 power tube and switchable plate voltage
that allows for 14- or 6-watt operation. I was amazed at the
amount of headroom available, even in 6-watt mode. The
Comet maintained a clean sound well past noon, producing
a warm, giving tone without a hint of harshness. When the
amp did break up, it produced a ballsy, American-style sound,
excellent for roots and blues. Running at 14 watts, the change
was not so much in volume as in feel, with the response
getting tighter, as opposed to the softer response of the
6-watt setting. With its dynamic responsiveness and ability
to deliver the rich harmonics of an amp two or three times its
price, the Supro Comet earns an Editors’ Pick Award.
$1,349 street. suprousa.com
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G U I TA R A M P S
Todd Sharp JOAT Combo

By Chris Gill, Guitar Aficionado, November 2017
Ask guitarists to describe what they think an amp called

the “Jack of All Tone” (JOAT) would be like, and most would
probably imagine some kind of digital modeling product.
The JOAT 1x12 combo, however, features a pair of EL84
tubes, a 5AR4 tube rectifier and a 6AU6, two 12AX7s, and
a 12AU7 handling various duties for the preamp stage and
tremolo. Todd Sharp’s circuit is unlike any other amp on
the market, and he designed it to enhance the guitar’s
inherent tone and dynamics. The Bite switch lets users
tweak the compression and attack, with the center “off”
position providing the most compression and the down and
up positions increasing attack speed and dynamic range.
The HR (headroom) switch toggles between full or half (12
watts) power. The amp’s overall tone is rich and full-bodied
with a hi-fi shimmer, and the amp encourages expressive,
nuanced playing, but in a forgiving manner that will inspire
players to let loose rather than obsess over mistakes.
$2,995 direct. toddsharpamps.com

GPad.indd 1 6/1/16 11:56 AM
G U I TA R A M P S
Yamaha THR100HD Dual Modeling Amplifier

By Barry Cleveland, Guitar Player, March 2017
The THR100HD is Yamaha’s flagship digital modeling amplifier, though apparently it was designed to be as analog as possible. You won’t find an
LCD, or menu-driven programming, or even presets in the usual sense—and there are only five amp models, selected with a rotary switch on the
front panel.Those five models are really good, however, and cover the essential bases: “Modern” is a high-gain American sound, “Lead”
a medium-gain British sound, “Crunch” a low-gain British sound, “Clean” is a vintage American sound, and “Solid” is a squeaky clean solid-state
sound. Those amp types may be coupled with emulations of different power tubes, and you can choose between Class A and Class AB design,
essentially altering their tonal DNA. The “Dual” part of the THR100HD’s full name refers to the fact that there are actually two identical amplifiers
housed within its enclosure—and they may be used together as a stereo amp, or as two entirely separate amps. $799 street. usa.yamaha.com

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ELECTRIC BASSES
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay 5 30th Anniversary

By Chris Gill, Guitar World, July 2017
Introduced in 1987, the 30th Anniversary StingRay 5 combines the best features of the original with a few enticing new features. Beneath the
stunning flame figuring and Trans Buttercream finish is a lightweight, highly resonant ash body, and within lurks a new active preamp/3-band EQ
circuit that’s exclusive to this model. The StingRay 5 sounds even more beautiful than it looks. Its inherent acoustic tone is crisp, punchy, and big
with fat sustain, but the preamp and EQ can extend its tonal colors almost any direction you wish, from deep and warm to brilliant and growling.
The neck and body design remains comfortable and familiar for 4-string players making the transition to five strings, and the low-B string delivers
impressive definition and clarity. You’ll want to play this bass for hours both for its comfortable ergonomic design and its stunningly versatile
tones. $2,399 street. music-man.com
Mitchell FB700 Fusion

By Tarik Ragab, Bass Player, February 2017
The FB700’s mahogany body is nicely carved, and the boutique-style vertically laminated contrasting neck woods are a high-end touch that
improves stability. The six-bolt neck joint ensures a solid connection to the body for maximum resonance, and with an even more extreme taper
than a traditional Jazz-style neck, the FB700’s neck is thin at the nut. The MM-style pickups are Alnico V humbuckers and, not surprisingly, have
a StingRay-esque sonic palette. With the pickups blended and 3-band EQ flat, the bass’ natural sound is bright and punchy. The bridge pickup is
particularly nasal and bright. Blending in the neck pickup added more bark—it sounded great with a pick—and I dug that cranking the lows still
resulted in a useful tone. I had to roll back the highs and mids almost completely to bring out the rounder tone, but, overall, the FB700’s bright,
contemporary sound is great for slapping or more aggressive hard-rock playing. $500 street. mitchellguitars.com
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ELECTRIC BASSES
Mitchell TB500 Traditional

By Tarik Ragab, Bass Player, February 2017
Like the costlier FB700, the TB500’s body is well carved, featuring an angled jack sunken fairly deep into the side. The input jack sat too close to
the strap button, though, making it tough to run a cable through the strap to avoid disconnection, although Mitchell says the design helps prevent
errant unplugging. The TB500’s neck is narrow at the nut, making the B- and E-string spacing tight in the 1st position. Also, out of the box the neck
was too straight, requiring a slight trussrod adjustment. The P/J configuration appeals to the player who wants the buttery roundness of a P-style
bass and the punch of a J. The passive TB500 has a much lower output than the FB700, but it’s warmer, with a more prominent midrange. Turning
up the tone knob brought out some P-style clack. The TB500’s warmer sound made it just right for the more traditional rock, pop, and blues
player. $350 street. mitchellguitars.com
Reverend Guitars Mike Watt Wattplower

By Jonathan Herrera, Bass Player, October 2017
The Wattplower is a refreshing alternative to the long-scale Fender-inspired basses that now dominate the contemporary market. It’s as
eccentric as its namesake, too. Beyond the 30” scale, the Wattplower has a four-on-the-side headstock, a P-pickup with blade-style polepieces,
a set neck, and a host of Watt-inspired aesthetic details, like the 1st-fret anchor inlay, a Wattplower inlay at the 17th fret, and on the back of the
headstock, a sticker with a California map, with San Pedro starred and the word “Watt.” The first thought I had about the Reverend was, “Man,
this is a fun bass.” It excelled at Watt’s assertive and full-throttle style, and it was also capable of surprisingly delicate and syrupy funk tones.
Short-scale basses, with their decreased harmonic color, are great for deep and thick sounds—just right for neo-soul and R&B. The Wattplower
also loved the pick; it balanced well and felt like a great all-night option for any rock player looking for an alternative edge. $1,680 street.
reverendguitars.com

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ELECTRIC BASSES
Warwick Sklar Bass 1 Signature

By Ed Friedland, Bass Player, November 2017
Since Lee Sklar has been a Warwick artist for many years, favoring the semi-hollow Star Bass, he had plenty of time to develop a wish list that
turned this already-stellar instrument into a highly personalized axe. Built for comfort as well as speed, the Sklar Bass top angles back at the
critical point, preventing the loss of blood flow to the hand. The body has also been offset to allow better access to the higher frets. Two punchy
active MEC single-coil pickups sit in ’60s J-Bass position, and are completely devoid of the typical single-coil hum that plagues this configuration.
While the Star Bass is passive in standard configuration, the Sklar Bass has an active bass-and-treble circuit that can be bypassed via the push/
pull volume pot. With its unique and well-conceived alterations to the Star Bass platform, the Sklar distinguishes itself as its own instrument,
suiting Leland Sklar himself for the majority of his workload. $8,000 street. warwick.de
Yamaha BBP35 Pro Series Bass

By Ed Friedland, Bass Player, December2017
The Yamaha BB Series Basses have held a unique slot in the bass world for their original take on the classic vibe that everyone seems to want.
The BBs (BB stands for Broad Bass) supply the meaty punch players look for in a Fender, but with a slightly refined voice and more sophisticated
construction elements. The BBP35’s volume/volume/tone controls are quite effective for dialing in a blend of the two pickups—users who typically
solo on one pickup, or run both up full, should explore the surprising palette of tones the BBP35 can deliver. The new neck shape is comfy, and the
relatively flat fingerboard gives the BB a modern feel. The BBP35’s fit and finish is top-notch, the tones are classic and useful, and it plays like a
champ. The new BBP35 is an excellent choice for players looking for a passive 5-string that will satisfy vintage-to-modern tone needs and won’t
break the bank. $1,600 street. usa.yamaha.com

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BASS AMPS
Bergantino B | Amp
By Jonathan Herrera, Bass Player, March 2017
On power-up, it’s obvious that the B|AMP is different from the

typical bass head. A large LCD display illuminates above the
row of four rotary encoders, each knob labeled with its current
function. This is a clue as to the Bergie’s key differentiating
feature: Rather than rely on analog components for preamp
duties, the B|AMP incorporates a digital signal processor
(DSP) chip, meaning the signal goes through an analog-
to-digital (AD) converter after the input, is processed in the
digital realm, and then converted back to an analog signal
before it hits the power amp. DSP is exponentially more
powerful, precise, and versatile than any equivalent analog
circuit, so the benefits of integrating it into a bass head are
significant. The B|AMP is a legitimate step forward for bass
amps. Whether or not you make use of the B|AMP’s innovative
features, the head’s versatility and superb tone make it one of
the best amps on the market. $1,200 street. bergantino.com
Genzler Amplification Magellan 350 Combo

By Ed Friedland, Bass Player, May 2017
Essentially a stripped-down version of the Magellan 800, the 350 sports the same preamp design and features, minus the Drive channel. Genzler
chose a 350-watt rating to set it apart from its larger sibling while still providing gig-worthy output. The EQ section is flexible and powerful, but
for major personality shift, the Contour options point the Magellan in two distinct but useful directions. Contour A’s “Classic to Modern” response
gives a mid scoop via boosting the lows and highs, useful for slapping (upright or electric), or getting a fat, studio fingerstyle tone. Contour B’s
“Thicker to Vintage” curve bumps the low mids and tapers the highs—great for conjuring the limited frequency response of old-school rigs. The
350 mounted to Genzler’s new BA10-2 cabinet, can handle volume- demanding circumstances while delivering great tone, but upright players in
search of the “perfect” small combo for gigging need to give this little dynamo a serious look. $440 street. genzleramplification.com
UGGW17_bassamps_prod_f.indd 84 10/18/17 5:25 PM

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ugg529652_hol17.indd 1 10/11/17 6:55 PM

BASS AMPS
Hartke TX600
By Jonathan Herrera, Bass Player, February 2017
The TX600 is Hartke’s first foray into the Class D/switchmode power supply (SMPS) revolution, a technology that now dominates the market.
Hartke added a cool twist to the standard tone-stack circuit with the frequency control, which allows a player to adjust the center frequency of
the midrange filter, here confusingly called “shape.” The TX600 makes another nod to the old school with its integrated 12AX7 preamp tube. The
Hartke is one of the rootsier-sounding Class D/SMPS heads I’ve heard: authentically tube-y and colorful, in the grand tradition of the Ampeg B-15
or Fender Bassman, but with much more output power. If you love vintage amps’ guts and thrust but don’t want to deal with the schlep, I can’t
think of a better value out there than the TX600. It’s the right amp for someone who likes trad tone with guts. It may not be the loudest amp out
there, but its cocktail of sweet sound and low price make it a real bargain. $400 street. samsontech.com/hartke
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BASS AMPS
Mark Bass Little Mark Tube 800

By Jonathan Herrera, Bass Player, February 2017
The Little Mark Tube 800 will be familiar to those with Markbass experience. It combines a simple 4-band EQ with Markbass’ standard VLE
(Vintage Loudspeaker Emulation)and VPF (Variable Pre-shape Filter) controls. In rough terms, the vle control is comparable to a tone knob
for the amp—rolling it off broadly attenuates high-frequency response—and the VPF is like the mid-scooping enhance knob on old SWR amps.
Where the Tube 800 differs from other amps in the Markbass line is its twin-topology input stage. A mix knob governs a continuously variable
blend between a tube and solid-state circuit, and while I’m pretty certain the single 6205 sharp-cutoff pentode in the Markbass is no replacement
electronically or sonically for a proper all-tube preamp, it does offer a different sound from the solid-state setting. Tube 800 proved itself a value-
packed, versatile, and portable companion that did everything well. Check it out—less for the negligible tube preamp, and more because it’s voiced
slightly outside the Markbass midrangey norm. $650 street. markbass.it

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11/20/15 7:15 PM
PEDALS
API TranZformer GT
GUITAR
By Michael Ross, Guitar Player, August

WORLD
PLATINUM
AWARD
2017 EX
CELLENCE
API’s 2520 amplifier has added its BOSS Waza Craft CE-2W Chorus
trademark warmth to broadcast consoles By Chris Gill, Guitar World, May 2017
and recording studios for over four decades.
The company’s first guitar pedal, the API TranZformer LX Combining the chorus and vibrato
TranZformer GT features a similar discrete By Jonathan Herrera, Bass Player, June effects of both the legendary Boss CE-2
circuit design preamp with +30dB of gain. An 2017 and CE-1 pedals, the Boss Waza Craft
onboard API 525 feedback-type compressor CE-2W definitively nails the sounds of
offers six levels of threshold—from 2:1 to I’ve been running a recording studio for a both to provide chorus connoisseurs
20:1—with fixed average attack and release couple of years, so I’ve become keenly aware with the effects of their dreams. I did an
times of 5ms and 100ms respectively. Also of the heightened level of voodoo associated A/B comparison with my original CE-2,
included is a 3-Band equalizer. Tested with with certain gear brands. Near the top of the and the sound was the most perfect
a Fernandes T-style into a Supro Comet, gaga-gear pyramid lies API—the American match I’ve ever experienced between an
and an Art & Lutherie Roadhouse acoustic answer to England’s Neve. The TranZformer original product and its reissue. It’s that
through a Focusrite interface into a DAW, the is essentially a floor-mounted bass channel unmistakable thick, lush, shimmering
API pedal upped the game of both guitars strip, and it’s built to a standard that’s BOSS chorus that we’ve all heard on a
in every way. The compressor was studio uncommon in the bass market. API uses million classic recordings from Rush, the
transparent regardless of threshold level— three of its legendary 2520 discrete op- Pretenders, and even Metallica. I didn’t
perfect for both acoustic strums and Lowell amps and two 2510 line drivers, bespoke have a CE-1 to compare, but the CE-2W’s
George-style electric slide tones—and the input and output transformers, and an EQ CE-1 chorus setting produces an even
three EQ bands were each voiced in a guitar- (based on API’s own 553 EQ) that utilizes deeper chorus effect with slightly more
friendly range. This device improves the tone custom-wound inductors for the low and noticeable modulation and more sense of
so much you are unlikely to want it off. $492 midrange bands. The big question, obviously, space and depth. The CE-1 vibrato setting
street. apiaudio.com is whether all the fanciness combines for is exceptionally cool and useful, producing
good tone. Does it ever! The TranZformer a warm warble without the seasick side
is uncommonly smooth and sophisticated- effects. $199 street. boss.info
sounding. Its overall personality is balanced
and full, with a precise and tight bottom end.
If you want a small taste of that sauce that
makes studio nerds swoon, the TranZformer
is a no-brainer. $492 street. apiaudio.com
UGGW17_pedals_prod_f.indd 90 10/18/17 6:17 PM

CELEBRATING THE 40TH
ANNIVERSARY OF
BOSS EFFECTS
Introducing the BOSS DS-1-4A Distortion, a limited-edition
stompbox that commemorates the 40th anniversary of BOSS
compact pedals. This special version of the long-running
DS-1 Distortion pedal features a unique black and gold
look and the classic tone that’s been a favorite of
guitarists everywhere for nearly
four decades.
BossUS.com/40thanniversary
ugg532686_hol17.indd 1 10/4/17 7:33 PM

PEDALS
Fire-Eye Bright-Eye Clean Boost/Buffer

By Michael Molenda, Guitar Player, April 2017
Guitarist Earl Slick once schooled me that all I needed to get a soaring lead tone out of a Vox AC30 was
my fingers. “Just turn your guitar volume up or down to get what you need,” he said. But, for me, it has never
been that easy to crank up my guitar volume for solos and back it down for rhythm parts. Well, all I can say
is, “Thank goodness for clean-boost pedals,” and my current favorite is the Bright-Eye Clean Boost/Buffer.
It delivers up to 20dB of boost, a Shaped Mode decreases highs if my boosted tone gets too sizzle-y, and
the photocell-controlled footswitch is dead quiet. The Bright-Eye’s boost is thick yet articulate. I like the
Shaped Mode best, because I tend to run my guitar a tad bright, and having a stout and less steely tone for
solos actually helps the parts break out of a band mix. $155 street, fire-eye.com
EarthQuaker Devices Avalanche Run

GUITAR
WORLD
PLATINUM
AWARD
By Chris Gill, Guitar World, February 2017
EX
CELLENCE
Few effects inspire creativity as much as reverb and delay (just

ask The Edge). But EarthQuaker Devices Avalanche Run is so
ingeniously laid out that it’s more of an instrument unto itself
than a reverb/delay pedal. To get the most out of it, I recommend
connecting an expression pedal—which lets you control one of
six functions (reverb decay, reverb mix, delay time, delay repeats,
delay mix, or toggling between forward and reverse delay). Several
“hidden” functions give players added creative control—such as
when holding down the tap tempo footswitch in Normal or Swell
mode, the delay will go into self-oscillation for trippy dub effects.
Sound quality is as pristine as a high-end digital processor, but the
overall tone is fat, rich, lush and musical. Much more than the sum
of its delay and reverb effects, the EarthQuaker Avalanche Run
is a creatively inspiring instrument that generates mind-boggling
effects. $295 street. earthquakerdevices.com
EarthQuaker Devices Space Spiral

By Michael Molenda, Guitar Player, June 2017
For the sonic alchemists at EarthQuaker, designing a conventional delay would be as inconceivable as wearing
Dockers to a hipster’s cabal. (Well, unless they were being ironic.) The Space Spiral, therefore, is a modulated
delay that artfully travels from ’50s rockabilly to early ’80s digital rack processors, and off into the galaxies of
weird. Using just the delay controls (Time, Repeats, Mix), you can evoke primal slapbacks and faux tape-echo
effects. Adding modulation with the Depth, Shape, and Rate knobs is where otherworldly sounds happen—
even though a subtle touch will keep you grounded in new-wavey territories of chorus/flange- style repeats.
Un-subtle knob twists can create noise nightmares perfect for a David Lynch soundtrack, beautiful ambient
undulations, tortured pings, or even detuned madness so epically cool that it’s almost musically unusable.
The Space Spiral is a fantastic tool for destroying comfort zones and giving your right brain a kick the ass. $195
street. earthquakerdevices.com

Riverside’s cascading gain stages create harmonically rich
drives—from silky clean overdrives, saturated distortions, and all
points in between.
Exceptional touch sensitivity comes courtesy of our all-analog

JFET gain stage, while our precision-crafted DSP gain stages
generate dynamic complexity and pleasing harmonics. Continuous
circuit adjustments are made as you turn the Drive knob, allowing
the sweet spot to follow you at every gain level.
strymon.net/riverside
ugg529151_sum15_riverside.indd 1 6/15/17 3:01 PM

PEDALS
Electro-Harmonix Wailer Wah

By Chris Gill, Guitar World, November 2017
The Wailer Wah doesn’t boast any revolutionary new features or provide a radical
new voice, but it delivers the sounds that most wah enthusiasts demand, from
murky, almost indecipherable midrange to a crisp, biting treble. I particularly
loved keeping the foot pedal locked just before the furthest toe down position,
which produced an expressive midrange with just the right amount of bite. The
Wailer Wah performs every bit as well as wah pedals costing five times as much.
The true-bypass footswitch provides an unmistakable solid click, and the treadle delivers smooth action with enough resistance to stay firmly in
place. Even after hours of non-stop use, the sound remains crackle-and noise-free. The enclosure may be plastic, but you’d probably break your
foot before you’d crack the case. The pedal is dirt cheap, so if you wanna wah, you can wail away for less wampum. $83 street. ehx.com
Electro-Harmonix
Operation Overlord and Tone Corset
By Art Thompson, Guitar Player, November 2017
The Operation Overload is a stereo multi-instrumentalOverdrive that packs

pairs of left and right 1/4” input and outputs, and features a footswitchable
Boostfunction along with active 3-band EQ, a Dry blend control, and a
3-position switch for setting input level. You can even have the Boost
function be independentof the JFET overdrive stages by selecting “Boost
Independent” on an internal switch. I’ve appreciated its tube-like distortion,
ability to deliver gutsy lows and mids while staying sweet on top, and the ease
with which you can dial in tones via its phalanx of controls. The Tone Corset
Analog Compressor/Sustainer sounds great and offers plenty of options for dialing in the compression. Whether going for subtle or more extreme
compression, the Tone Corset easily provided just the right response, and, at higher settings, the Volume control ensured that the level wouldn’t be
squashed when the effect was kicked on. $147 street, Operation Overlord; $89 street, Tone Corset. ehx.com
Ernie Ball Ambient Delay & Expression Overdrive

By Michael Molenda, Guitar Player, December 2016
I love crafting spooky soundscapes with delays, and the Ambient Delay provides a cool option for animating textures. Basically, you have a delay
with 50ms to one second of delay time paired with a plate reverb with a preset “room size” and decay, but there’s a lot of power in that combo—
especially as you can defeat the reverb, or the delay, or use them both in tandem If you like simply stepping on a box to get some gristle, you
might think adding an expression pedal to an overdrive is overkill. But consider two things about the Expression Overdrive. First, your dry signal is
always a bit in the mix, so your overdrive tone retains articulation, weight, and, perhaps more importantly, the tone of your guitar. Second, having
the ability to make adjustments to the roar—and on the fly, as you work through a song—is something you’re probably going to love as soon as
you try it. $199 street each. ernieball.com

The 45000 is a 4-track powerhouse
SUPER LOOPER with a console-style layout
for intuitive control. Each loop features four
tracks and it delivers unlimited standard,
reverse and variable speed overdubbing, speed
control, stereo loop recording and much more.
This looping tour de force also syncs to
MIDI clock and saves directly to SD Cards.
Optional external Foot Controller.
The 22500 Dual Stereo Looper’s loops can be

locked to each other or run independently in
free form. It lets you do verse/chorus switching
in Sequential mode, or two-loop simultaneous
playback in Parallel mode. A phantom-powered
mic input adds convenience. The compact
22500 also includes 16 Drum/Rhythm tracks,
or import your own!
Optional external Foot Controller.
With 12 minutes of stereo loop recording

on 10 banks that remain in memory until
you erase them, plus unlimited Standard,
Reverse and ½ Speed overdubbing and an
adjustable Fade Out mode, the 720 Stereo
Looper packs plenty of power in a compact
pedalboard friendly design.
Boasting 6 minutes of looping time,

the super-affordable 360 lets you
record, store and recall 11 loops. Single
footswitch control of record, erase,
undo-redo and unlimited overdubbing,
plus a compact size and easy-to-use
functionality, complete the picture.
GPad.indd 1
ugg529651_hol17.indd 1 4/4/17 10:15
10/6/17 2:07 PM
AM
PEDALS
Fulltone OCD V2 Joe Gore Cult Germanium Overdrive Keeley D&M Drive
By Paul Riario, Guitar World, By Art Thompson, Guitar Player, June 2017 By Dave Hunter, Guitar Player,
November 2017 December 2017
One germanium transistor and one knob add
The Fulltone OCD—whimsically known as up to make the Cult a surprisingly versatile Dan Steinhardt and Mick Taylor’s
the Obsessive Compulsive Drive—has been pedal. Gore says it’sdescended from the rabid enthusiasm for the multifarious
kicking around for more than a decade, and ’60s-era Dallas Rangemaster, but adds that stompbox has lured impressive audiences
it’s one of the few drive pedals that nails it is electronically different, and definitely to their YouTube series “That Pedal Show,”
the sound and response of an overdriven not atreble booster. The latter point was and now Dan and Mick have co-designed
tube amp convincingly. Still, every so often readily apparent when playing the Cult a dual-channel overdrive with boutique
its sole creator, Mike Fuller, introduces a with single-coil and humbucker guitars,as pedal manufacturer Robert Keeley. The
newer version, and whether you consider it sounds surprisingly beefy throughout the D&M Drive has a Boost side (Mick) and a
Fuller’s incessant dabbling an obsession or range of its Gain control. The Cult is super Drive side (Dan), each with Gain, Tone, and
a compulsion, the Fulltone OCD V2 is the responsive to pickingand guitar volume-knob Level controls, but the real kicker is you
best version—so far—of this popular pedal. sweeps, and it feels less compressed than can select which side comes first when
The OCD V2 sounds very much like finding typical ‘Screamer-based pedals. Distortion both are engaged. And, connecting many
the “sweet spot” on your favorite amp. It is always present once you kick it on, and the switching systems to the pedal’s input and
produces abundantly sweet overdriven tones tone stays firm and non-frazzy—even when output via TRS cable accesses each channel
that sound warm and full, with genuine cranked up tomax for a healthy boost of independently for remote switching.
tube-like response. There is no shortage of volume and sustain. This pedal did a great Although it’s dubbed “Boost,” the right-hand
usable drive, meaning it dynamically ramps job of expanding the clean-to-mean range Mick channel leaned quickly into low- to
up overdriven grit from dirty overtones to of a Fender Deluxe Reverb, and it really medium-gain overdrive with the Gain knob
saturated distortion in the smooth range of roared when driving into the gainier modes of anywhere past 11 o’clock or so. Dan’s Drive
its drive control. If you’re obsessive over your a Mesa/Boogie TC50. People join cults for all channel has a broader range of gain, and a
tone, look no further. $118 street. fulltone. sorts of reasons, and it’s easy to get sucked more overtly “overdrive-meets-distortion”
com in onceyou experience this charismatic voicing—which is to say, more sizzle in the
overdriver. $199 street. joegore.com harmonic saturation, and the potential
for more intense mayhem when really wound
up. $229 street. robertkeeley.com

ugg529655_hol17.indd 1 9/28/17 5:09 PM
PEDALS
MOD Kits Step Ladder

By Art Thompson, Guitar
Player, June 2017 Radial JDX Direct-Drive
By Michael Molenda, Guitar
The Step Ladder is a passive input attenuator (i.e. it does Player, April 2017
not attenuate the output from an amplifier), which lets
you preset the amount of guitar signal that hits your amp. Whether your shows require
The kit features high-quality components for excellent travel a few miles or across
reliability, and a true-bypass mode provides the maximum the country, there’s always the
signal level when the attenuator is off. The Attenuator pot hassle of back-lined gigs where
and two toggle switches allow you to adjust the amount of the provided amp is simply crap.
signal attenuation when the unit is active, and treble-bleed A bevy of excellent “fly rigs” now
capacitors in the circuit retain the high frequencies even at exist from many manufacturers, but one of the most clandestine is the JDX Direct-
maximum attenuation. Placed between the guitar and amp, Drive. Just the size of a conventional stompbox, the Direct-Drive can fit in a gig
the Step Ladder worked great for anything from getting a bag—or even a coat pocket—and it offers three amp/speaker emulations (a Fender
slight solo boost on an acousitc, or for jumping from clean Twin, a Marshall JCM half-stack, and a 4x12 cabinet miked with a Shure SM57. There
to overdrive—much as you might do with your guitar’s also an XLR balanced output, a tuner jack, an unbalanced 1/4" output, and an
volume knob—when plugged into a cranked-up amp. The unbalanced 1/4” Thru output that bypasses the amp emulations. A fantastic tool for
Step Ladder’s compact size (3 3/4" x 1 1/2" x 1 1/4") takes fly dates,studio sessions, and impromptu gigs, it’s also a Savior Machine, because
minimal space, and battery-free operation ensures that it’s if my amp ever goes down, I’m going to be thankful the Direct-Drive can be plugged
always ready to go. $37 direct. modkitsdiy.com right in to save the show. $199 street. radialeng.com

((( INTRODUCING )))
MODULATED MONOPHONIC
HARMONIZING PLL
The Data Corrupter is a monophonic analog harmonizing PLL
ZLWKPRGXODWLRQ,WWDNHV\RXULQSXWVLJQDODQGEUXWDOO\DPSOL¿HV
it into a crushing square wave fuzz tone that is then multiplied,
divided and modulated to create a wild, yet repeatable,
three-voice guitar synthesizer.
The Master Oscillator is the central nervous system at the heart
of the Data Corrupter’s cyberpunk hive mind. It feeds your input
to the signal harvester in its original octave (Unison), one octave
down (-1) or two octaves down (-2) for maximum compatibility with
your preferred instrument and frequency register. Once you’ve
chosen your input octave, then the Data Corrupter will perform
its calculations and spit out an analog synthesized frequency,
which can be pitch-bent for portamento or vibrato sounds by the
Frequency Modulator! From there, you can blend in one of eight
Subharmonic intervals up to three octaves below the input and
mix in a square wave fuzz tone for maximum data corruption.
www.earthquakerdevices.com
ugg512898_hol17.indd 1 9/22/17 1:57 PM

PEDALS
Pro Tone Pedals Reeves Gabrels Distortion Engine

By Michael Molenda, Guitar Player, September 2017
For years I’ve been attempting to emulate the savage guitar tones on Reeves
Gabrels’ 2003 live album, live…late…loud. I had given up the chase until I received
the Reeves Gabrels Distortion Engine Finally, a fighting chance at crafting that
impossibly loud, barbaric, saturated, and yet coherent distortion sound! Gabrels
says that he and Pro Tone’s Dennis Mollan designed the Distortion Engine to be
as amp-like as possible, to produce a low-noise floor at extreme Gain settings,
and to “sound authentically firebreathing in front of a loud, clean amp, such as a
Hiwatt or Roland JC-120.” The Engine really came alive for me when I used it with
my AC30. The variable Gain delivers a huge amount of feral, natural-sounding
overdrive/distortion without veering into buzzy fuzz flavors. A big part of the
magic here is the three EQ controls, which are incredibly musical, interactive, and
aggressive. I could get every tone I needed with a few knob twists, and a Modern/
Vintage switch adds or subtracts low mids for even more tonal flexibility. $229
street (dual version $359 street). protonepedals.com
Universal
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Mode
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Easily Turn Any Knob with Your Toes
Glow-In-The-Dark
Glow-In-The-D
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wingmanfx.com
option_knob
@optionknob
/wingmanfx

GPR528842_0917.indd 1 6/28/17 12:05 PM
PEDALS
Strymon Ojai
By Paul Riario, Guitar World, January 2017
It’s maddening that every popular power supply seems to have

a staggering number of voltage options. If you don’t understand
how amperages work, you’ll scratch your head trying to figure
out whether your 100mA overdrive is fine in the 250mA outlet
(the answer is yes), and if you can put the 300mA multi-delay
in the 100mA outlet (the answer is no). And why does almost
every pedal power supply offer two or more outlets most
guitarists will never use? (I’m looking at you 18-volt and 12-volt
outlets!) The Ojai is a high-powered, high-current DC power
supply that offers clean, isolated power to nearly any 9-volt
pedal via five completely isolated, ultra low-noise, 500 mA
outputs—each with its own dedicated regulator and custom
transformer. What’s great is the Ojai is an expandable system,
thanks to its 24-volt thru jack where you can daisy chain
additional Ojai units. $149 street. strymon.net

ugg529866_hol17_ver1.indd 1 10/11/17 6:37 PM
PEDALS
Strymon Riverside Multistage Drive

By Chris Gill, Guitar World, August 2017
Strymon has long proven the beloved analog tones of yesteryear can
be satisfyingly replicated in the digital domain, and the Riverside
adds guitar distortion—the hardest nut to crack, even for dedicated
digital wizards—to their design conquests. Featuring a cascading
gain stage that combines a class A analog JFET front end with three
additional tube-inspired DSP gain stages, the Riverside employs
the strengths of each (analog for dynamics and touch sensitivity,
digital for detail and harmonic complexity) to produce true tube-like
overdrive and distortion. But calling it an overdrive or distortion pedal
may be selling it short, as it also manages to make your rig’s overall
performance more dynamic, responsive, and sweeter sounding.
I compare it to a great non-Master Volume amp, where the tone
just gets bigger as you turn up the volume, but, with the Riverside,
you can get that sound at any volume level you want. $299 street.
strymon.net
Holeyboard Evolution Series

“ I’ve been using a Holeyboard M3 on stage with The Trouble With Monkeys for months,
and its “cable-tie” system for securing pedals is genius. I can switch out pedals
in two minutes and easily reconfigure the board for GP stompbox tests, as well as
specific studio and stage needs.”
- Michael Molenda Editor-in-Chief, GUITAR PLAYER
www.chemistrydesignwerks.com

ugg525419_hol17.indd 1 9/28/17 4:54 PM
PEDALS
Tech 21 Q/Strip
This is one of the most exceptionally constructed and extraordinarily

powerful guitar-preamp pedals I’ve ever come across. The Q\Strip
offers comprehensive tone shaping with two parametric midrange
controls, Low and High knobs, and high- and low-pass filters. You can
route signal through an XLR jack (with switchable phantom power and
a -20dB pad) to a mixer, a 1/4" jack (with a switchable +10dB boost) to
an amp or DAW, and a parallel 1/4” output for the option of reamping
guitar tones. The Q\Strip is super quiet, and the dual-midrange controls
let you dial in, say, a chunky low midrange (150Hz) and an articulate
snap (3kHz), or surgically diminish any offending frequencies. I used
the Q\Strip as a preamp to tailor my amp’s sound for different club
environments. I also deployed it as a kick-ass treble booster for solos,
by cranking the Level control, and setting ferocious midrange and high-
end frequencies. The “Q” is easy-to-use, musical, and a near-essential
device for tone freaks. $249 street. tech21nyc.com

NOW AVAILABLE
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Get the Free EHX Mobile App
For details visit ehx.com/delays
GPad.indd 1
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6/2/16 1:00
2:05 PM
PEDALS
Truetone Route 66 V3
By Dave Hunter, Guitar Player, March 2017
Previously known as Visual Sound, this company’s new moniker

comes with a revamp of several of its pedals, the long-running Route
66 among them, now billed as the V3 edition. This dual Pedal’s comp
side is now hugely expanded, most notably by a Clean Mix knob
that allows full compression, no compression (for a clean boost),
or anything in between. The overdrive side has a dual-mode Voice
switch, a Clean Mix knob, and a Bass knob, in addition to its Drive,
Treble, and Vol knobs. Focusing mainly on the overdrive, the Route
66 sounded utterly superb in both of its voices, albeit with the A
side being more punchy, clear, and open, and side B warmer and a
little squishier. The unit runs from smoother-than to rawer-than the
familiar Tube Screamer template, with far broader EQ control and
notably more gain and output. Superbly versatile this is a great grab-
and-go gain machine for a variety of gigs. $179 street. truetone.com

INTEGRATION EVOLVED
The MS-3 Multi Effects Switcher is a new-concept pedalboard solution that maximizes your creative
options by combining a world-class multi-effects engine and multi-pedal switcher in one small, dedicated
unit. Now, anyone can put together a professional effects system that’s incredibly compact, extremely light,
and versatile enough to achieve nearly any sound imaginable. The MS-3 is a sonic powerhouse capable
of running six internal pedal effects at once while seamlessly integrating three of your favorite external
pedals. It also offers deep rig control capabilities, allowing you to switch amp channels, adjust effects
in real time, work with MIDI devices, and more. With the MS-3, it’s easy to create a portable board or fly
rig without the compromises associated with traditional loop switchers and all-in-one multi-effects units.
units
For more information visit boss.info
ugg532685_hol17.indd 1 10/4/17 7:30 PM

ACCESSORIES
D’Addario Acoustic Cinch Fit Jack Lock

By Jimmy Leslie, Frets, November 2017
This product is designed as a simple solution to a problem that’s haunted acoustic guitar players forever: The
output jack on an acoustic-electric instrument that doubles as an endpin to which the guitar strap fastens. Often
they are less than ideal endpins, so players have to make modifications to the strap, such as cutting a wider
hole. The Acoustic Cinch Fit Jack Lock consists of two molded plastic pieces threaded with a little woven ribbon
that loops around the guitar strap at one end, and ingeniously uses the guitar’s own weight to pull the plastic
pieces together around the endpin at the other. Small magnets help keep it locked down, and rubber footers
prevent damage to the wood near the endpin. It all adds up to an ingenious device—as long as your guitar has the
Fishman and Switchcraft-style endpin jacks that the Cinch Fit is designed to work with. $14.99. daddario.com
Eventide Fission
By Michael Levine, Electronic Musician, July 2017
Fission is a dual multi-effects processor plug-in with a major twist. Thanks

to Eventide’s new Structural Effects technology, it can separate the transient
signal from the tonal signal of your audio, process each through separate
effects, and then recombine them at the output. It’s like no other effects
processor on the market, and it offers enormous creative possibilities. For
example, Fission can change the pitch of a drum sound without affecting
its transients, or apply tremolo only to the tonal section of a guitar, leaving
the attacks unaffected. Any source can be manipulated and tweaked in
ways that were not possible before. Overall, Fission is a unique and powerful
processor for creating completely original effects. Eventide offers a 30-day
fully functional demo of the plug-in, which is definitely worth the time to
check out. You won’t be disappointed. $179 street. eventide.com
IK Multimedia iRig Acoustic Stage

By Jimmy Leslie, Frets, July 2017
This pick-shaped gadget that sits in the soundhole of the acoustic

guitar is actually an omni-directional digital microphone that routes
its signal to a digital preamp/processor attached to the guitar strap.
From there, a standard guitar cord sends audio to an amp or P.A.
What a clever innovation! I clipped the mic into the soundhole of my
Taylor 514ce, secured the preamp to the strap, and ran its signal to an
AER Compact 60 Tommy Emanuel signature amplifier. Once hooked
up, I was able to choose from three presets—Natural, Warm, Bright—
by toggling the Tone button. There’s also a Cancel Feedback button
and a USB output for recording. It sure felt nice being able to move
about relatively freely while being miked up—although having the
iRig processor affixed to my guitar strap took a bit to get used to. For
just under a Benjamin, the iRig Acoustic Stage is a striking discovery.
$99 street. ikmultimedia.com
UGGW17_Accessories_prod_f.indd 110 10/18/17 5:04 PM

STUNNINGLY
ACCURATE .
OR, MORE
ACCURATELY,
STUNNING.
D ’A D D A R I O C H R O M AT I C P E D A L T U N E R
With its striking, full-color vertical display and quick, accurate
response, the new D’Addario Chromatic Pedal Tuner helps you
make sure not to miss the mark—even in demanding onstage
conditions. Its slim profile leaves room on your pedalboard for
all your effects, so it’s there when you need it, but out of the
way when you don’t.
D A D D A R I O . C O M / P E D A LT U N E R
ugg529571_sum17.indd 1 6/12/17 1:03 PM

RECORDING & LIVE PERFORMANCE
Antelope Audio Zen Tour Audio Interface

Antelope has a reputation for quality audio interfaces, and the

Zen Tour looks beautiful, is built tough, offers all the I/O you
need, and has a large rotary data knob that turns like a dream.
Even the tiny buttons look cool. As a guitar processor, all the
usual amp models are represented. You can also mix and match
cabinets, choose between four microphones, and introduce a
slew of vintage EQs and one great vintage compressor. It all
adds up to an abundance of tone-shaping power, and a massive
amount of fun. The Zen Tour isn’t inexpensive, however, so if you
simply want some cool guitar models for your DAW, there are
more affordable alternatives. That said, the Zen Tour’s digital
processing sounds amazing, and it offers a ton of firepower for
those who dig experimenting for just the right tone. If you’re a
producer as well as a guitarist, this could be your favorite guitar
box. $1,495 street. en.antelopeaudio.com
BOSS VE-8 Acoustic Singer

By Chris Gill, Guitar World, July 2017
The BOSS VE-8 Acoustic Singer provides all the polish you need to deliver
pro-quality vocals and guitar in a live performance or studio setting. Offering
independent guitar processing and vocal effects—as well as a looper function—
the VE-8 is an all-in-one system that is ideal for solo singer-guitarists, or
lead vocalist/acoustic guitar players in bands that want independent control
over their sound. The quality of the effects is stunning—musically useful and
professional—giving live performances a studio polish. The vocal Harmony
section tracks perfectly and sounds natural, the reverbs sound warm and
organic, and the looper records clean, distortion-free audio. I particularly liked
the Acoustic Resonance settings, with the Wide setting enhancing rich tones
ideal for solo fingerstyle, and the Bright setting for driving rhythm tones when
playing with a band. If you want to take control of your guitar and vocal signals,
the Boss VE-8 will help you sound your best. $299 street. boss.info
Electro-Voice EKX-12P Powered Loudspeakers

By Paul Schimmelman, Guitar Player, March 2017
Electro-Voice has been around since 1930, when founders Albert R. Kahn and
Lou Burroughs designed a P.A. system for Notre Dame football coach Knute
Rockne, who called it his “Electric Voice,” which inspired the name of the
company. The EKX series is one of the newest members of the EV loudspeaker
family and combines the company’s famed sound quality and reliability with the
latest class D power amp and DSP technologies. We tested the EKX-12P system
with a six-piece alt country band using four of the cabinets—two for mains and
two for monitors—along with a Soundcraft Ui12 handling mixing duties. With
a massive 1,500 watts from each enclosure, the power of the system is clearly
demonstrated by pristine sound, abundant headroom, and wide sonic depth
of field. We were very impressed. The EKX-12Ps have everything needed to fill a
room with great sound. $799 each, street. electrovoice.com
UGGW17_LivePerformance_prod_f.indd 112 10/18/17 5:39 PM

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RECORDING & LIVE PERFORMANCE
Fishman SA33x Combo+ Performance Audio System

By Paul Schimmelman, Guitar Player, July 2017
The SA330x Combo+ System consists of three primary pieces: The SA300x unit itself, the SA Sub subwoofer,
and the SA Expand 4-channel mixer (which ups the overall channel input count to six). The main component is a
330-watt, full-dispersion line-array system with six 4” mid/woofers and a 1” neodymium soft-dome liquid-cooled
tweeter. I tested the full system in a medium-sized outdoor environment with violin, two guitars, keys, and vocals,
as well as bass and drums (which were not run into the Fishman). The SA330x Combo+ offered clear, studio
monitor-type sound that allowed everyone in the venue to hear the band clearly without blowing away the front
row. The SA330x delivers clear, well-dispersed sound, and it can absolutely handle a full band. With the complete
system costing a little more than $1,700 street, the SA330x is an attractive option for anyone in the market for a
P.A. system. $999 street; SA Sub, $549 street; SA Expand, $169 street. fishman.com
Fractal Audio Systems AX8 Amp Modeler

By Barry Cleveland, Guitar Player, January 2017
Aptly described by the manufacturer as an “all-in-one Amp Modeler

+ Multi-FX Pedalboard Processor,” the AX8 packs a considerable
amount of the firepower of Fractal Audio’s flagship Axe-Fx II processor
and companion MFC-101 MIDI Foot Controller into a compact, floor-
based unit that sells for less than half the price of those two units
bundled together. The AX8’s user interface is a thing of beauty. Fifteen
knobs, six buttons, 13 LEDs, and an 160 x 80-pixel LCD are all arranged
within a 10” x 4” space, yet somehow everything is easy to grasp both
physically and mentally. The eight numbered footswitches may also
be configured in numerous ways, depending on your preferences. In
the default setting the AX8 acts basically like a pedalboard, with the
switches turning individual effects blocks within a preset on and off.
So much processing power, so many astounding and unparalleled
sounds, and everything served up in a gig-tough pedalboard. What’s
not to love? $1,249 street. fractalaudio.com
Universal Audio Apollo Twin MkII Quad

By Michael Ross, Guitar Player, September 2017
Universal Audio’s Apollo Twin MkII Quad is a desktop audio interface that offers two mic
preamps and next-generation A/D and D/A conversion derived from UA’s well-respected
rackmount units. Included is a bundle of proprietary plug-in versions of famous
analog mixer channels, preamps, and effects through which you can track in real time
with near-zero latency. In addition to its stellar sound, the Apollo interface offers the
advantage of powering plug-ins with its own DSP, thus allowing you to keep the latency
of your DAW very low. If that all sounds very “techy,” it is, but I was able to plug the Twin
MkII in, turn it on, and begin recording without so much as cracking the manual. Bottom
line: If you are ready for a world of top-notch, professional sounds for your recording
projects, the Universal Audio Apollo Twin MkII should be at the top of your shopping list.
$1,299 street. uaudio.com
UGGW17_LivePerformance_prod_f.indd 114 10/18/17 5:36 PM

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