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2024 January Pedal-Chain Update - Episode I - Blues-Driven

Ambient EffectsBig Muff Style FuzzBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveDigital ReverbDistortionDrunk BeaverEnvelope Filter and Auto WahFuzzGermanium FuzzKuro Custom AudioMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionModulated FuzzModulationMulti-DriveOneder EffectsOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzOverdrivePedal ChainPlate ReverbPoly EffectsPreAmpRack Style ReverbReverbReverb WorkstationShimmer ReverbSinverteksmallsound/bigsoundSpacey ReverbSpring ReverbSubdecay EffectsTone Bender Style FuzzTremoloTru-Fi Guitar EffectsVictory AmpsWinnipeg Electrical Co+-
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So 2024 is off to a pretty spirted start! I treaded myself to 2 pedals right at the tail end of the year - the Poly VERBS puts in an appearance in this month’s selection - while the Reeves Electro BHS-D is running a touch late and will be part of the February selection instead.

 

This time of the year has to be mostly about NAMM - while I feel that a lot of builders kind of took away from NAMM and launched / showcased their new release in advance!

 

I’ve still to make it to NAMM - timing’s ...

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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+-
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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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2023-GPX-Sinvertek-N5-MGAT-1-GE-700.jpg

The new MGAT-1 GE Golden Era looks eerily similar to its stablemate predecessor. It has exactly the same control topology - but the bottom left Mid Range Toggle is no longer segmented as High, Low and Mid, but instead has ’1987X’, ’1959 SLP’, and ’2203’ labels.

 

Mr Wu further states : 

 

"This is the first time I proposed the concept of dynamic similarity, which means that no matter how you change the volume on your guitar, no matter how you adjust the gain and volume on both MGAT-1 GE and...

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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+-
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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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2023 June Pedal-Chain Update - Episode VI - Just Vibin'

Analog DelayAnasoundsBig Muff Style FuzzBoostBoost and OverdriveBossCKK ElectronicsDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDistortionDriveDrunk BeaverDual-DriveFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzHiwattKeeleyKlone and Transparent OverdriveLoe SoundsModulationPedal ChainSilicon FuzzSinvertekTech 21 NYCThorpyFXTru-Fi Guitar EffectsTubescreamer Style OverdriveUni-Vibe and VibeWay Huge Effects+-
2023-GPX-Pedal-Chain-Update-June-700.jpg

Most of you won’t have noticed that I was locked out of my Instagram recently - from circa Thursday afternoon to Monday morning  a week or two ago - you will note the date of some of the posts as to when that happened. Social media is so unreliable these days - Instagram last locked my out for a fortnight around 6-7 months ago - owing to some sort of 2-factor authentication glitch (SMS digits not being sent) - which apparently took them two weeks to solve. So never a dull moment at GPX HQ - in ...

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Mr Wu does it again with the CKK SHXC Super Overdrive - which goes far beyond your typical 'Klone'

Boost and OverdriveCKK ElectronicsKlone and Transparent OverdriveOverdriveSinvertek+-
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Near everyone is probably bored to death by now of Klon Klones - most of us have at least one or two or a few in their collections - and surely that format has reach peak saturation by now. Yet every now and again something materialises to shake things up again in new and interesting ways - and this limited edition CKK SHXC is another incredible engineering milestone by Mr Wu -  which massively improves on an existing well-loved format.

 

I’m admittedly something of a Mr Wu fanboy - with his ...

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2023 May Pedal-Chain Update - Episode V - Team Timmons

Big Muff Style FuzzBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossChampion LeccyCKK ElectronicsDelayDigital DelayDistortionDouble TrackingDriveDrunk BeaverEchoverbElectro-HarmonixEmpress EffectsEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQFjord FuzzFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGreer AmpsHoopla PedalsJHS PedalsKeeley EngineeringKeyztoneKlone and Transparent OverdriveMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionModulationMulti-DriveOctave FuzzOpAmp FuzzOverdrivePedal ChainPickup ModellerRed Panda LabSinvertekSubdecay EffectsTape DelayTubesteaderTweed Style OverdriveUtilityXotic EffectsZvex+-
2023-GPX-Pedal-Chain-Update-May-Timmons-700.jpg

So May started with my posting the last of the NAMM Show stragglers, followed by an initial eclectic mix of different pedal types - while gradually leaning into ’Andy Timmons’ Month. I’ve always thought Andy to be a wonderful human being and a particularly fine journeyman guitarist. While it’s only in fairly recent years that he’s become somewhat more elevated in my affections as one of my all-time favourite guitar heroes. You will note that he did not feature in my last article on personal ...

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CKK-Electronic-SHXC-Super-Overdrive-700.jpg

Fans of Mr Wu like myself - particularly for his N5 and Scream Honey Series - are well aware that he has an amazing ear for tone, and an engineering prowess to match that ambition.

 

His recent N5 MGAT-1 MIAB 19-Level Gain Machine is a total masterpiece - and was my favourite pedal of last year - probably my favourite ever distortion pedal. Here with his new SHXC Super Overdrive he reworks and evolves his Scream Honey framework - to match and improve on, and move beyond Bill Finnegan’s ...

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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+-
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^ 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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