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3 Flavours of Ibanez Anniversary Edition Pro TS808 Tube Screamer

BoostBoost and OverdriveIbanezOverdriveTubescreamer Style Overdrive+-
2024-GPX-Ibanez-Anniversary-TS808-Screamers-700.jpg

10 Years of Anniversary Tube Screamers - 35th, 40th, and 45th Editions. They aa seem to have been priced in and around $199 originally while current prices of older edition mint/new pedals can vary enormously.

 

Controls - Overdrive, Tone, Level / Balance.

 

I believe the internals are mostly the same, the 35th Edition has more protruding input, output and power jacks - and a very slightly different format. Interesting also how that one is labelled as TS-808 rather than the usual TS808 of ...

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16 Cool Guitars from In and Around Winter NAMM 2024

Aristides GuitarsBalaguer GuitarsCream GuitarsErnie Ball Music ManESP/LTDGiulio Negrini GuitarsGuitarsHeadless GuitarsIbanezJames Trussart GuitarsKauer GuitarsMarconi LabMetal GuitarsOffset GuitarsPRSPRS GuitarsRUF GuitarsS-Style and Double-Cut GuitarsStrandbergSTS GuitarsT-Style GuitarsUnique-Shaped GuitarsYamaha Guitars+-
2024-GPX-16-Cool-NAMM-Guitars-700.jpg

These are simply the most attractive and appealing 16 Guitars that I came across through the NAMM guitar coverage.

 

I alas seem to mostly have expensive taste - as some of these models cost as much as $22,000, with the PRS SE Swamp Ash Special a somewhat lonely outlier @ $849. The majority here seem to be between $3,000 and $5,000.

 

I’m not sure I will even acquire any of these - while it’s of course nice to dream what you would do if / when your lottery numbers come through!

 

The ...

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16 of the most notable 'Bread & Butter' Pedals!

Analog DelayAnalog.ManBehringerBig Muff Style FuzzBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossCompressorDelayDistortionDriveDual-DriveEarthQuaker DevicesElectro-HarmonixFulltone EffectsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzGreer AmpsGuitar Pedal 101IbanezIconic GearJHS PedalsKeeley EngineeringKlone and Transparent OverdriveLooperMXROCD Style OverdriveOrigin EffectsOverdriveSilicon FuzzSuper-Fuzz StyleTC ElectronicThorpyFXTubescreamer Style OverdriveUtilityXotic EffectsZvex+-
2023-GPX-Bread-n-Butter-Pedals-700.jpg

I’m expecting this post to attract a lot of ’whataboutisms’ as many of my rundowns seem to do. While every single choice / selection here is well considered, pondered upon on and properly weighted up against pertinent criteria and then further rationalised, whittled and distilled down into a top 9 or 16 or 25 - as I always favour symmetrical grids.

 

If I find 18 or 19 suitable candidates - then only 16 can be featured on the grid etc. - you need to draw the line somewhere. And you can also ...

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Andy Timmons Pedalboard Dynamics and Essential Tone Components

Andy TimmonsArtistArrayBlack Country CustomsBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossCarl MartinChorus and VibratoCompressorDelayDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionEchoverbElectro-HarmonixExpressionFuzzGNI MusicIbanezJAM PedalsJHS PedalsJim DunlopKeeley EngineeringLoop-SwitcherMarshall Style DistortionModulationNeunaberOctave FuzzOctaverOverdrivePitchReverbSonic ResearchTape DelayTheGigRigTubescreamer Style OverdriveTunersUni-Vibe and VibeUtilityVolumeXotic Effects+-
2023-GPX-Andy-Timmons-Pedalboard-Order-700.jpg

This exercise has totally underlined just how much of a tone genius Andy Timmons is. His pedals are selected incredibly carefully and deliberately - and don’t just have that certain glorious sound about them - but beautiful dynamics, harmonics, smart guitar volume gain clean-up and an abundance of musicality. 

 

Andy wrings magic out of each and everyone of these pedals - and his Halo Dual Echo algorithm / preset is amazing - and can sit under anything and make it sound at least 50% percent ...

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Distinct, Memorable and Instantly Brand-Identifiable Compact Pedal Enclosures

AmptweakerAnasoundsAudiostormBeetronics FXBixonicBossCarl MartinChase Bliss AudioDanelectroDigiTechExpandora PedalsFjord FuzzFoxrox ElectronicsGuitar Gear Improvements and PrototypesGuitar Gear ResourcesGuitar Pedal 101GuyatoneHardWire EffectsIbanezIconic GearJ RockettJRADKing Tone EffectsLine 6TC ElectronicThorpyFXVemuram+-
2023-GPX-Compact-Pedal-Shapes-700.jpg

This episode is a little more esoteric and preferential than most - and involves identifying the most notable and easily recognisable ’Pedal Shapes and Formats’ essentially. Of course there is some subjective preference here - while I will try to explain objectively how I came to this exact 25 pedal selection - some of these are very obvious - others are slightly more idiosyncratic choices - while there are obviously some brands that are particularly good at coming up with memorable enclosure ...

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9 Cool Modern Tremolo / Vibrato Non-Locking Guitar Bridges

Floyd RoseGear MaintenanceGotohGuitar Gear Improvements and PrototypesGuitar Gear ResourcesGuitarsHipshotIbanezIconic GearPRS GuitarsSophia TremolosSuper-VeeVega-TremWilkinson+-
2023-GPX-9-Cool-Trem-Bridges-700.jpg

So this is a follow up to my recent Guitar Headstock and Guitar Body Shape posts. You have no idea how long these kinds of articles take to compile. And even though there are just 9 Guitar Bridges featured here it took an age to do the due diligence and find appropriate imagery and pertinent details - as these tend to be fairly poorly documented in the public domain.

 

I thought I might put in a date marker as to when those bridges first materialised - but had to throw in the towel on that in...

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The Science of Guitar Headstock Ergonomics - Seeking the perfect Shape!

Acacia GuitarsCaparison GuitarsDoerr GuitarsErnie Ball Music ManESP/LTDFramus and Warwick GuitarsFriedman GuitarsGibsonGrainger GuitarsGuitar Gear Improvements and PrototypesGuitar Gear ResourcesGuitar MaintenanceGuitarsHartung GuitarsIbanezIconic GearJacksonKnaggs GuitarsNik Huber GuitarsPeavey GuitarsPRS GuitarsSchecter Guitar ResearchScott Walker GuitarsStone Wolf GuitarsSuhr GuitarsWashburn Guitars+-
2023-GPX-Trapezoidal-Headstocks-700.jpg

This is my third feature on headstock ergonomics - following on from my 2016 original, and 2018 follow-up. On this occasion the catalyst for this article was the recent Birmingham Guitar Show - where I liked a lot of the body shapes I saw on display, but was put off by their unergonomic or in fact actually rather ugly headstocks.

 

Creating an aesthetically beautiful but distinct headstock shape is an incredible difficult task these days - and lots of brands essentially ’fail’ in that area - ...

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12 Degrees of Saturation 2023 Mini Edition

12 Degrees of SaturationAnalog.ManBecos FXBJFEBoost and OverdriveCoppersoundDecibelicsDistortionEl Músico Loco FXEWS EffectsFeaturedFortin AmpsF-PedalsFree Fall DiverFunction F(X)FuzzIbanezKHDKKO AmpsMenatoneMooerMXRNFYFXOneControlPickdropperPigtronixRainger FXSchu-ToneSnouse Electric CompanySonderySuhrTWA EffectsWamplerXotic EffectsXvive Audio+-
2023-12-Degrees-Saturation-Mini-Edition-700.jpg

So it’s about time for another round of ’12 Degrees of Saturation’ - featuring an updated selection and including most of the more recently released notable Mini Gain Pedals. Please note that as before - this is something of a Grey Science with simply approximated best fit positioning - as all those pedals have slightly different gain ranges, and certain ones within each selection / category can have vastly more extended range than others - and often cover more than one of the categories.

 

...

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Pedal Roulette #1 : Limited Edition Tube Screamers

Boost and OverdriveIbanezTubescreamer Style OverdriveVemuram+-
2022-GPX-Pedal-Roulette-One-V3-700.jpg
  TS808 Red TS9 Gold TSV808
Original Price ($) $285 (#2) $150 (#1) $450 (#3)
Current Price (μ) $330 (#1) $385 (#2) $1750 (#3)
No. of Controls 3 (#2=) 3 (#2=) 5 + 2 intl. dips (#1)
Numbers Made N/A N/A c2,000
Affordability (now) #1 #2 #3
Ease of Use #1= #1= #3
Obtainability (Rvrb) #3 (8) #2 (11) #1 (25)
Practicality #1= #1= #3
Versatility #2= #2= #1
Quality #2= #2= #1
Uniqueness #2= #2= #1
Value
...
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32 of the Best Mini Fuzz Pedals - 2022 Ultimate Selection

AnalogWise PedalsBest in ClassBig Muff Style FuzzDeadFXDecibelicsD-SoundDunlop EffectsEl Músico Loco FXEWS EffectsFeaturedFortin AmpsFree Fall DiverFunction F(X)FuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzGermanium FuzzIbanezJHS PedalsKO AmpsLovepedalMaestro Style FuzzMalekko Heavy IndustryModulated FuzzMXRMythos PedalsNFYFXOctave FuzzOddball FuzzOneControlOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzPigtronixRainger FXRat Style FuzzSilicon FuzzSuper-Fuzz StyleTone Bender Style FuzzWamplerZvex+-
2022GPX32MiniFuzz700.jpg

Much like with the recent 32 of the Best Compact Overdrive Selection I now own all these Mini Fuzz Pedals featured here. Actually where the Decibelics The Reverend (Mini Expandora) has yet to be officially released - I should be receiveing the latest prototype any day now, and judging by Guillem Vilademunt’s previous Mini Masterpieces we have every reason to look forward to that one.

 

Other than that - everything is now in the collection - while this larger quest is nowhere near complete yet...

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