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My Sinvertek N5 MGAT-1 Golden Era DS99 Hyper Preamp has landed!

Blues Breaker Style OverdriveBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBrown Sound DistortionDistortionDriveDrive WorkstationKlone and Transparent OverdriveMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionMulti-DriveOCD Style OverdriveOverdriveSinvertekTweed Style Overdrive+-
2024-GPX-Sinvertek-N5-MGAT-1-GE-Detailed-700.jpg

Wow - what can I say! The original N5 MGAT-1 was already my favourite distortion of all time - so I initially thought that this was going to be a sort of sideways step from that with more specificity to reach certain key classic era Marshall tones more easily and more precisely - and it certainly does that. While Mr Wu has kind of blown me away again - as this is incredibly a further improvement over the already exceptional MGAT-1.

 

The MGAT-1 Golden Era seems a little bit more poised and ...

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End of Year Pedal-Chain Update - Final Formation - Class of 2023

ALABS AudioAmbient EffectsAnasoundsBig Muff Style FuzzBispell AudioBitcrushing and Lo-FiBixonicBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCompressorCoppersoundDecibelicsDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDouble TrackingDriveDrive WorkstationDual-DriveEchoverbElectric LoveEmpress EffectsEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQEventideFjord FuzzFlangerFortin AmpsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzGermanium FuzzGlitchGuitar Synth and SequencerHello Sailor EffectsHologram ElectronicsIntensive Care AudioJackson AudioJAM PedalsKernomKeyztoneKlone and Transparent OverdriveLo-Fi DelayLooperMaestro Style FuzzMarshall Style DistortionMessiah GuitarsMetal DistortionModulated FuzzModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveMulti-FXNoise GateOctave FuzzOctaverOddball DelayOddball FuzzOddball ModulationOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzOverdrivePalmer Custom FXPastFXPedal ChainPedalPalFXPickup ModellerPitch-ShiftingPlate ReverbPoly EffectsPreAmpRack Style ReverbRainger FXReverb WorkstationReverse DelayReverse ReverbRing ModulationRotary SpeakerShimmer ReverbSilicon FuzzSpacey ReverbSpring ReverbStrymonSuper-Fuzz StyleSwellTape DelayTark AudioTC ElectronicThorpyFXTone Bender Style FuzzTremoloTubescreamer Style OverdriveTubesteaderTweed Style OverdriveUtilityVox Style Distortion+-
2023-GPX-Pedal-Chain-Update-Class-of-2023-700.jpg

The final arrangement for the year - all the pedals that impressed the most!

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2023 Best New Distortion Pedals of the Year

Bardic Audio DevicesBest in ClassBrown Sound DistortionDistortionDriveDrive WorkstationDrunk BeaverDSM & HumboldtDual-DriveEarthQuaker DevicesElectric Eye AudioEmpress EffectsFairfield CircuitryFortin AmpsFunny Little BoxesHoopla PedalsIntensive Care AudioLaowizMarshall Style DistortionMessiah GuitarsMetal DistortionMulti-DrivePedalPalFXSua DevicesTWA EffectsUAFXUniversal AudioVemuram+-
2023-GPX-Best-of-Distortion-Pedals-700.jpg

A decent showing on the Distortion side too - with some particularly great High Gain Distortions. I was due to review the Licthlaerm Gehenna and Medusa also - but with Daniel Ringl’s workshop move - that didn’t quite get sorted this year - hopefully early in the new year - and then I can update the ’Full Metal Racket’ selection which exercise I normally do late Autumn!

 

There’s couple of really cool filter distortions here that I really like - the Intensive Care Audio Vena Cava Filter / ...

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12 Degrees of Saturation 2023 Compact Edition

12 Degrees of SaturationAll-PedalAudiostormBardic Audio DevicesBig Muff Style FuzzBispell AudioBixonicBlackhawk AmplifiersBogner AmplificationBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionChase Bliss AudioCKK ElectronicsCustom TonesDemon PedalsDistortionDr ScientistDriveDrive WorkstationDrunk BeaverDryBell EffectsDual-DriveEmpress EffectsFeaturedFoxpedalFriedman EffectsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzGreer AmpsHamstead SoundworksJ RockettJackson AudioJHS PedalsJRADKMA AudioMarshall Style DistortionMenatoneMessiah GuitarsMetal DistortionMI EffectsMidValleyFXMulti-DriveNordland ElectronicsOhmless PedalsOpAmp FuzzOrigin EffectsOverdrivePettyjohn ElectronicsRedbeard EffectsREVV AmplificationSilicon FuzzSinvertekSnouse Electric CompanySpaceman EffectsSuhrThorpyFXTone Bender Style FuzzTone InkTsakalis Audio WorksVictory Amps+-
2023-12-Degrees-Compact-Edition-700.jpg

This article has been a long time coming - where I originally started this ahead of the Mini Edition - which went live on January 24th. I was waiting for a couple of new pedals to be released - while the article has been iterated around 20 times now with a number of recent additions.

 

And the pedal I was waiting to launch still hasn’t quite happened, while the builder has authorised me to tease it in advance of its official release. And if I were to do the same exercise tomorrow - no doubt ...

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16 of the Most Iconic Electric Guitar Amps

Amp HeadAmpsBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBrown Sound DistortionCombo AmpDumbleDumble Style OverdriveFenderHiwattHoopla PedalsIconic GearMarshallMarshall Style DistortionMESA/BoogieMetal DistortionOrange AmplificationOverdrivePeaveyPreAmpRolandSoldanoSolid State AmpTrainWreck AmpsTube AmpTube OverdriveTweed Style OverdriveVox AmplifcationVox Style Distortion+-
2023-GPX-16-Iocnic-Amps-700.jpg

So in my recent ’Guitar Elements’ series it’s finally come to Amps now - where I list out what I believe are the most historically significant and therefore Iconic amps. A lot of you are still conflating Iconic with Vintage, and discounting some of the more recent models - while Iconic does not necessarily infer a long term history and provenance - just that said item or element is a major marker or step forward in the evolution of that device - whatever it may be.

 

I’m not the first to do ...

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Marshall creates quite a stir with its exact 1988/1992 Classic Pedal Replica Reissues - Guv'nor, BluesBreaker, DriveMaster and ShredMaster

Blues Breaker Style OverdriveBoost and OverdriveBrown Sound DistortionDistortionJHS PedalsMarshallMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionPedal Pawn+-
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The very first pedal in this sequence was the Marshall Guv’nor - its take on its own legendary JCM800 amp - which pedal most famously went on to become the signature sound for virtuosos guitarist Gary Moore. There was then an approximate 4-year hiatus until a set of 3 pedals was issued in fairly short order. Some say the first of these arrived late 1991 - while 1992 properly captures them all.

 

Most notable was the BluesBreaker which launched a million other pedals - and ended up on John ...

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2023 February Pedal-Chain Update - Episode II - Random Ripples in Time

29 PedalsAmbient EffectsBig Muff Style FuzzBoostBoost and OverdriveBrown Sound DistortionColortone PedalsDelayDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDriveDrunk BeaverDSM & HumboldtDual-DriveFjord FuzzFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGreer AmpsJackson AudioLo-Fi DelayMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionModulationMulti-DriveOctave FuzzOddball FuzzOverdrivePastFXPedal ChainReverbShimmer ReverbSpacey ReverbStymonSutton InstrumentsTremoloUni-Vibe and VibeVox Style Distortion+-
2023-GPX-Pedal-Chain-Update-February-700.jpg

There’s never a dull moment, and rarely a span of time without a ripple or wrinkle. I don’t get many frustrating or disastrous days - while this last Friday was particularly eventful as I wrestled with 4 challenges simultaneously. One of my new pedals was detective and simply didn’t work - but I spent half a day trying to get something out of it - different positions on the board, different cabling, power-supply solutions and every tiny attempt to correct the obvious deficiency. At the same ...

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DSM & Humboldt upscale their Silver Linings format to create the Black Cloud Killer High Gains Distortion / Preamp

Brown Sound DistortionDistortionDriveDrive WorkstationDSM & HumboldtDual-DriveMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionMulti-DrivePreAmp+-
2023-GPX-DSM-Humboldt-Black-Clouds-700.jpg

Readers will know that the DSM & Humboldt Silver Linings Drive / Preamp pedal was one of my very favourite pedals from last year - in fact one of my favourite ever Multi-Drives. It’s a winning formula for sure, and DSM&H in their wisdom have taken the exact same format and now loaded it with killer percussive high gain.

 

Near enough all the controls, topology and parameters of the Black Clouds are identical to the Silver Linings - with the exception of the second 3-way toggle switch ...

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End of Year Pedal-Chain Update - Final Formation - Class of 2022

Ambient EffectsBardic Audio DevicesBeetronics FXBest in ClassBig Muff Style FuzzBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionChorus and VibratoColortone PedalsCompressorCoppersoundDecibelicsDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDouble TrackingDriveDrive WorkstationDrunk BeaverDSM & HumboldtDual-DriveEchoverbEmpress EffectsEQEventideFlangerFrost Giant ElectronicsFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzGoosoniqueworxHamstead SoundworksHorrothia EffectsJackson AudioKeyztoneLooperMarshall Style DistortionMeris EffectsMetal DistortionModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-FXMXRNoise GateNordland ElectronicsOCD Style OverdriveOctaverOld Blood Noise EndeavorsOverdrivePastFXPedal ChainPettyjohn ElectronicsPhaserPickup ModellerPitchPlate ReverbPreAmpRack Style ReverbReverbReverb WorkstationReverse ReverbRitual DevicesShimmer ReverbSilicon FuzzSinvertekSlicer and StutterSoldanoSpaceman EffectsSpacey ReverbSpring ReverbStrymonTape DelayTC ElectronicThorpyFXTone Bender Style FuzzTone InkUni-Vibe and VibeUtilityVictory AmpsVox Style DistortionWah and Fixed WahWalrus AudioWampler+-
2022-GPX-Pedal-Chain-Update-Class-of-2022-700.jpg

^ 2022 Final Arrangement - December

 

So the time has come again to to the final reckoning of the layout and composition of this year’s ultimate pedal chain arrangement. I’ve introduced a new ’’ symbol into the visual - which indicates those Slots / Pedals that are unchanged from last year’s Class of 2021 arrangement. That element really is testament to how much has changed between years. It’s also indicative of how much I love those particular pedals - and pretty much find them ...

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2022 Best of the Best Guitar Pedals of the Year

Alexander PedalsBardic Audio DevicesBeetronics FXBest in ClassBig Muff Style FuzzBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoColortone PedalsDecibelicsDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDistortionDouble TrackingDriveDrive WorkstationDrunk BeaverDSM & HumboldtDual-DriveDumble Style OverdriveEchoverbEmpress EffectsEQEventideFjord FuzzFlangerFlower PedalsFrost Giant ElectronicsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzGranular DelayHamstead SoundworksHorrothia EffectsKeeley EngineeringKernomKinotoneKMA AudioLine 6Lo-Fi DelayMarshall Style DistortionMeris EffectsMetal DistortionModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveMulti-FXMXRNordland ElectronicsOctaverOddball DelayOld Blood Noise EndeavorsOpAmp FuzzOverdrivePastFXPitchReverb WorkstationReverse DelaySilicon FuzzSinvertekSlicer and StutterTape DelayThorpyFXTone Bender Style FuzzTone InkTremoloUni-Vibe and VibeUtilityVictory AmpsWalrus Audio+-
2022-GPX-Best-of-the-Best-Pedals-Annual-700.jpg

As I’ve just done all the category overviews / best of genre rundowns - you can refer to those for all the individual pedal details - most have full reviews on this site too - here I will simply lay down the longlist - and explain why I picked those top 3 here - so just the details for the 3 overall winners!

 

I normally try to single out around 40 each year in the final overview - but it also depends on how many can fit the ’jigsaw’ of the visual.

 

There were 4 pedals in the full longlist...

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