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2024 London Synth and Pedal Expo Pedal Highlights

ALABS AudioAmpliTubeAudio Distribution GroupAudio KitchenAudiolithe FXBlack Country CustomsBossChase Bliss AudioCornerstone Music GearEndorphin.esEventideFace MIFilling DistributionFlattley Guitar PedalsGamechanger AudioGreat Eastern FX Co.Guitar Gear ResourcesGuitar Gear RetailIK MultimediaIntensive Care AudioLaney AmplificationOrigin EffectsPRS GuitarsRabbit Hole FXRainger FXRed Panda LabTubesteaderVS Audio+-
2024-GPX-London-Synth-Pedal-Expo-Main-Great-Eastern-700.jpg

Where the Birmingham Show was a little sprawling and chaotic for me, I very much felt more at home at the Studio 9294 venue for this year’s London Synth and Pedal Expo. As Media Partner for the show, the second year in a row, I was of course in for the entirety of both the day, and actually in very early in particular on the Sunday.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed the two days -I love having the #90 Bar & Kitchen next door - for some very decent lunches - superb burger on the first day, and Sunday...

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Chase Bliss reissues the Condor in new HiFi edition - which delivers lower noise floor, smoother breakup, and more headroom

Boost and OverdriveChase Bliss AudioEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQMulti-FXPhaserPreAmpTremoloUtility+-
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I’m not sure any of us were really expecting the return of the Condor. A lot of us are rather waiting for a stereo Dark World, the assumption was that the Condor was largely obsoleted by the Automatone Preamp MKII.

 

Yet here we have a new and improved version of that well loved format - and whether this is exciting news depends largely on how you mostly use this pedal.

 

If you mainly use the EQ and Filter elements - then the newer lower noise, smoother breakup and higher headroom HiFi ...

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

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2023 Guitar Pedals of the Year - The Best of the Best

ALABS AudioAmbient EffectsAmp and Cab IR SimAnalog DelayBest in ClassBig Muff Style FuzzBitcrushing and Lo-FiBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCollision DevicesDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDouble TrackingDriveDual-DriveEchoverbElectric LoveFjord FuzzFlangerFlower PedalsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzGermanium FuzzGranular DelayHello Sailor EffectsHologram ElectronicsJackson AudioJAM PedalsKernomKeyztoneLo-Fi DelayMaestro Style FuzzMarshall Style DistortionMeris EffectsMessiah GuitarsModulated FuzzModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveMulti-FXOctave FuzzOddball DelayOddball FuzzOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzOverdrivePalmer Custom FXPastFXPickup ModellerPlate ReverbPoly EffectsRack Style ReverbRainger FXReverbReverb WorkstationReverse DelayReverse ReverbShimmer ReverbSilicon FuzzSpacey ReverbSpring ReverbStrymonSuper-Fuzz StyleTark AudioTC ElectronicTremoloUtility+-
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So we featured 120 pedals across the 5 Genre categories this year - as you’ve witnessed over the last 5 days, and those have been whittled and distilled down to these 27 Magnificent and Exceedingly Flavoursome candidates.

 

Picking out the very best of those is obviously a slightly subjective exercise while based on a series of exacting criteria - including innovation, versatility, practicality, variability, playability, quality of manufacture, quality of output and sheer enjoyment.

 

Here ...

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2023 Best New Time-Based Effects Pedals of the Year

ALABS AudioAmbient EffectsAnalog DelayAnasoundsBenson AmpsBest in ClassBleak District ElectricBossChase Bliss AudioCoffee Shop PedalsColortone PedalsDelayDelay WorkstationDiamond PedalsDigital DelayDigital ReverbDouble TrackingEchoverbFjord FuzzFlower PedalsGranular DelayJet PedalsLo-Fi DelayMeris EffectsOddball DelayPlate ReverbPoly EffectsRack Style ReverbReverbReverb WorkstationReverse DelayReverse ReverbShimmer ReverbSpacey ReverbSpring ReverbStrymonTape DelayTC ElectronicT-Rex EffectsWalrus Audio+-
2023-GPX-Best-Time-Based-Effecst-V2-700.jpg

And so to the final category - where competition is extremely fierce this year. No doubt some of your favourites will have missed the cut here - but hopefully this selection is fully representative of the best of the year. Obvious I lean more towards immersive stereo effects - mono doesn’t really do it for me so much - while there is a smattering of mono pedals in here too. Price, format, versatility and practicality - everything counts!

 

Of the 23 featured in the selection - I own around ...

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2023 Best of New Modutility Pedals of the Year

ALABS AudioAlexander PedalsAll-PedalAmbient EffectsAmp and Cab IR SimAmpliTubeBeetronics FXBest in ClassBitcrushing and Lo-FiBondi EffectsBossChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCompressorCrazy Tube CircuitsDeath By AudioDr ScientistDrunk BeaverFjord FuzzFlangerFormula BGuitar Synth and SequencerHarmonizerHologram ElectronicsJackson AudioJAM PedalsKeyztoneLooperModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-FXOctaverPastFXPeterson TunersPhaserPickup ModellerPitchPitch-ShiftingRainger FXRed Witch EffectsRing ModulationRotary SpeakerSubdecay EffectsSwellThorpyFXTremoloTru-Fi Guitar EffectsTunersUni-Vibe and VibeUtility+-
2023-GPX-Best-of-Modutility-Pedals-700-.jpg

The Modutility roundup combines Modulation, Utility and Pitch type pedals - it also includes Multi-FX and Multi-Modulation pedals of course. Some years this selection is relatively sparse - while this year it’s totally chock-a-block! In fact it was a struggle to whittle the Longlist down - and inevitably some pedals I wanted to feature did not make the cut - including the Endorphin.es Ghost Pedal Multi-FX and Subdecay Prometheus 3 Dual Super Filter.

 

I still feel that this selection of 26 is...

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2023 November Pedal-Chain Update - Episode XI - Delineated Duality

ALABS AudioBeetronics FXBig Muff Style FuzzBoostBoost and OverdriveBossChase Bliss AudioDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDistortionDriveFortin AmpsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzHello Sailor EffectsLife Is Unfair AudioMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionModulation WorkstationOctaverOscillating FuzzOverdrivePalmer Custom FXPedal ChainPedal PartnersPedalPalFXPitch-ShiftingReverbReverb WorkstationReverse DelayThorpyFX+-
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This whole year has occurred at such breakneck speed and volume - with so much happening all day and every day - that I have perpetually felt like I was always in the process of catching up and never quite had time to catch my breath as such. I’ve taken just one whole weekend off in the whole year - and am as close to burn-out as I’ve ever been. Every time I attended a Guitar or Pedal show I was up all night doing the write-up - average time for those articles was / is around 36 hours give or ...

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Chase Bliss collaborates with Goodhertz to deliver a Pedal version of their well loved 'Lossy' Data Compression Signal Degradation Plugin

Bitcrushing and Lo-FiChase Bliss AudioCompressorDigital ReverbEnvelope Filter and Auto WahModulationNoise GateReverbSampler+-
2023-GPX-Chase-Bliss-Goodhertz-Lossy-V2-700.jpg

Joel obviously dropped a number of clues as to what Chase Bliss’s new pedal would be - and most guessed it was some kind of Lo-Fi / Fidelity Reducing - Filter / Compressor / Bitcrusher type of thing. While typically ’Bitcrushing’ is associated with the extreme 8bit style of effect which typically creates harder, harsher and more brittle artefacts - while the Lossy is a much more expansive, refined and nuanced affair.

 

Goodhertz describe their own source Lossy Plugin as the "infinitely ...

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Witney Pedal Party 2 Highlights

Big Muff Style FuzzBleak District ElectricBlind Panic DevicesBoostBoost and OverdriveChase Bliss AudioDelayDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDriveEnvelope Filter and Auto WahExpressionFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzGuitar Gear ResourcesGuitar Gear RetailHoly Island AudioLife Is Unfair AudioLo-Fi DelayLooperModulated FuzzModulationOctave FuzzOverdrivePhaserReeves Electro Guitar PedalsReverbSilicon FuzzThorpyFXTone Bender Style FuzzTremoloUtilityWitney Pedal Party+-
2023-GPX-Witney-Pedal-Party-2-Main-700.jpg

So Doug Tolley’s / Chase Bliss’s 2nd Witney Pedal Party took place yesterday on Guy Fawkes / Bonfire day - in Witney’s Corn Street Fat Lil’s Venue.

 

I attended the inaugural event at Witney’s Truck Music Store back on July 1st, and I will surely be at the 3rd one too - around spring of next year!

 

Thanks to Doug Tolley for organising this all again - on this occasion we had 7 participating brands (in order of stand arrangement - clockwise) :

  • Reeves Electro
  • Blind Panic Devices
  • Holy
...
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Unity Street Audio x Rough Trade Bristol - Wassup Nerds Pedal and Noise-Maker Showcase Event Highlights

Buzzing Bugs Audio DevicesChase Bliss AudioCollision DevicesCrooked Thread Guitar StrapsEmmergy FXFredric EffectsGuitar Gear ResourcesGuitar Gear RetailHoly Island AudioIndifferent EngineIntensive Care AudioLife Is Unfair AudioLottie CantoMake Noise Pro AudioOrgeldreamRainger FXRough TradeUnity Street AudioWassup Nerds+-
2023-GPX-Wassup-Nerds-Intesive-Care-700.jpg

Let’s start off with a massive thank you to Unity Street Audio’s Mel Pereira for organising this shindig! The Wassup Nerds!?! Pedal and Noise-Maker Event at Rough Trade Bristol was a runaway success this Sunday just passed. I was hoping to have this article up sooner - but these things take time, and I had other priorities to juggle too.

 

Bristol looked resplendent on the day too in the dappled sunshine - all those historic buildings looked magnificent - and there was a Prets within easy ...

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