February 2012
9 posts
Harmonic Generator
I’d been thinking lately after listening to alot of Americana and Folk that I might pick up a halfway decent lefty acoustic; I spotted one in the window of my local pawn shop and thought it would be just the ticket for my fledgling troubadour needs. However, after further inspection it was the wooden equivalent of a chocolate teapot. On the way out the door though this little carton of...
Follow This Fellow Like A Taxi Follows That Car →
Auto-Wah County
After becoming very temporarily bored of phasers and flangers and seeking a more unpredictable effect I’ve gone and got another auto-wah. You may also see them called Touch Wahs, Envelope Filters, Dynamic Filters or other highly enthralling sounding names. For the best possible explanation of how one works click here. The unit in question is by one of my current FX loves, Guyatone....
January 2012
4 posts
Flogging A Dead Zebra.
If you’ve ever heard ‘Our Love Will Still Be There’ by The Troggs from way back in 1966 then you’ll know precisely the sound I’m going to write about. I’ve looked high and low (and still have far to go) to find an effect that mimics the oddly desirable sound a fuzzbox with a dying battery makes. Luckily with the seemingly endless list of fuzzes out there...
December 2011
9 posts
Set Phasers To Kill (Solid State Amps)
Like a fair portion of the guitar playing community I prefer valve amps. I prefer their tactile nature and organic response. With this in mind it’s fair to say that I’m not so keen on the majority of solid-state amps, mainly for their often sterile and lacklustre tones but also because the majority of gigging sized ones come with some pretty naff digital effects loaded in as a sort of...
Bad Vibes
It’s disappointing when something you like gets broken. It’s a bit more disappointing when something you want to like arrives not quite broken but not quite working. This is the ever-present gamble when someone lists an eBay item as ‘untested.’ I picked up a Danelectro Cool Cat Vibe pedal a few months back and never quite got around to playing it very much. The crazy...
Wah's Going On?
I love fuzz. I love Fender. So when I’m in a hock shop and I see a Fender Fuzz Wah reissue for less than half price in great condition it’d be like Rolf Harris leaving his local animal shelter without a depressed badger and some goldfish that have forgotten how to swim.
Firstly, this thing is a humongous piece of kit considering the size of other wahs. I stood on it earlier today...
November 2011
2 posts
October 2011
7 posts
Caught by The Fuzz
I like simple things, simple is good. I don’t go in for the pens that have four different colours, I’ll choose Ham & Cheese over Parma, Rocket & Swiss any day and I’ve never liked Prog Rock. So when I found this little orange box of nastiness online I couldn’t wait to try it out.
This is the Guyatone TZ2, or ‘The Fuzz’ as its rather self-assured...
September 2011
3 posts
August 2011
7 posts
July 2011
7 posts
Ja, Wobble.
I’ve been listening to alot of Bo Diddley lately, and as far as I can tell he rarely played a lick without a tasty dash of tremolo. Tremolo for those who aren’t sure of what it is, is bascially an effect whereby the volume is turned up and down at a set rate to create a shuddering or trembling effect. It can really add alot of flavour to otherwise plain riffs and chord...
June 2011
9 posts
