TONE REPORT

O C T O B E R 3 0 T H , 2 0 1 5 W E E K L Y

P L A Y ‘ T I L Y O U R F I N G E R S B L E E D
Reverberation Machine Mini-Ultimate Overdrive Analog Octave Up Dual Resonant Filter

Hand Made in Akron, Ohio | www.earthquakerdevices.com

 Lifetime Warranty
Patents Applied For
2 Levels No Velcro Curved Deck

Better. By good people.

Quick.Tight.Better.
Hi, this is the
MKII Holeyboard WIDE
in limited Fullerton Red.
It didn’t fit on the page so I had
to turn it sideways.
It’s 32” of pedal bliss,
no velcro, no mess, no damage,
holds tight, attaches fast,
easy to use and live with,
two levels.
Yes, it’s differnent, and I have
worked hard to make it better.
Try one out, I believe in it and
I have a lifetime warranty.
Made here in the twin cities.
Drop me a line.
-Chris
TABLE OF CONTENTS ISSUE 99 OCTOBER 30TH

12 TONE TALK
OLD-SCHOOL SLAPBACK
MACHINES
22 TONE TALK
TIPS FOR INTEGRATING
MULTI-EFFECTS WITH A
PEDALBOARD
32 TONE TALK 12
FIVE GIG-READY GUITARS
FOR $500(ISH) OR LESS
42 TONE TALK
STARTING A HOME
STUDIO PART II:
GETTING THE SOUND 22 32 42

54 THORPY FX
MUFFROOM CLOUD
58 SOURCE AUDIO
GEMINI CHORUS
62 KEELEY ELECTRONICS
OXBLOOD 54
66 ELECTRO-HARMONIX
SILENCER

58 62 66
6 ToneReport.com
 NOW PLAY THIS
➊ ➋ WREN AND CUFF
➋ ➌
➍ tradition and into a more...
8 NOW PLAY THIS // Buzzworthy Gear
➊ EDDIE VAN HALEN
AND MXR TEAM UP TO
RELEASE 5150 OVERDRIVE
The legendary tones of Eddie
Van Halen are finally at players’
fingertips with the new MXR
5150 Overdrive. Eddie Van
Halen himself was used as...
CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE >>
ANNOUNCES SUPPA
PHAT PHUK
Distilling its two Phuk pedals,
Wren and Cuff is releasing the
Suppa Phat Phuk. The Phat Phuk
and the Phat Phuk B have been
discontinued, with their guts...
CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE >>
➌ KEELEY ENGINEERING
RELEASES LIMITED JIMI
HAZEL ECHO PHASE
Keeley and Company have
teamed up with Jimi Hazel to
release a brand new, very limited
pedal: the Echo Phase. The box
contains two different effects...
CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE >>
➍ MCCAFFREY AUDIO
UNVEILS RUN RABBIT RUN
From our favorite firefighter-
turned-pedalbuilder, McCaffrey
Audio comes the Run Rabbit
Run. This pedal marks
McCaffrey’s venture out of
CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE >>
 ➎ PLADASK ELEKTRISK
ANNOUNCES
GJENGANGAR DELAY
Norway’s Pladask Elektrisk
has released quite a dynamic
➎ delay pedal in the Gjengangar,
including many controls not
found on a standard delay...
CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE >>

➏ ANASOUND RELEASES
UTOPIA TAPE ECHO WITH
MODULATION
Anasound, out of France, has
released the Utopia Tape Echo.
The Utopia is unabashedly
powered by a PT2399 delay
chip, but it is explored in an...
CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE >>

➐ INFANEM GIVES US
THE 141G FUZZ
Instruments For A New
➏ ➐ Electric Music (INFANEM) has
announced its 141G Fuzz. This
dynamic fuzz offers four controls
and a toggle switch for a gating
effect...
CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE >>

➑ DUBREK AUDIO
BOUTIQUE ANNOUNCES
➑ THE SONIK
UK-based Dubrek Audio
Boutique releases the Sonik, a
pedal built for experimentation
right out of the gate, giving
noise heads access to a slew...
CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE >>

ToneReport.com 9
 Old S c h o o l

S L A P B A h
Ci n
Ke s
WORD S
a
BY
cJA M I E WOL F E RT Mac
A classic, fat slapback delay tone is a sound no
guitarist should be without. It’s a sound as old
as rock n’ roll, that instantly takes the listener
back to the time when the electric guitar was
still in its infancy, and guitar-based music was
just beginning to rule the airwaves, capturing
the ears and imaginations of the Western world.
It’s impossible to say definitively who invented
slapback, but Sam Phillips of Sun Records is often
credited with pioneering its use on the rock n’
roll records he produced in the 1950s, from Elvis
Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and others.
The effect was originally a fairly complex studio
creation involving a pair of tape machines, and on
the recordings of the time it was often liberally
applied to everything from vocals and guitars,
to drums. As a guitar effect, it is very closely
associated with Elvis’s guitar player, Scotty
Moore, for whom it became an essential element
of his signature sound. 

12
Today, guitarists no longer require
dual tape recorders to achieve a thick, lively, old-school slapback delay
sound. There are plenty of stompboxes that will do the job just as well,
require a lot less expense and maintenance, and are way easier to carry
around at gigs. The actual delay time—in milliseconds—required for a
proper slapback tone differs depending on who is asked, but most guitarists
and recording engineers think of true slapback as existing roughly in the
60-to-250 millisecond range, with the feedback control set very low, or
all the way down to zero. Obviously, just about any delay pedal can fulfill
these basic requirements, but for a really superb slapback tone, a certain
analog warmth, grit, and thickness is an essential quality. This does not
mean that the pedal in question necessarily has to be analog, just that it
must be able to convincingly emulate these analog characteristics. Here
are a handful of my current favorite old-school slapback machines, both
analog and digital, in no particular order. 

ToneReport.com 13
 ST RY M O
D
N
e c o
One of the most compelling
tape effect emulators I’ve heard
in a long time, or maybe ever,
is Strymon’s Deco. More than
just a slapback machine,
hooking this handsome little
aluminum box up to your
rig is like mounting a pair
of miniaturized Ampex
quarter-inch decks on your
pedalboard. It will conjure
up just about any tape-
generated sound that
may have been found
at Sun Studios during
Elvis’s tenure, as well as
a bunch of other sounds that
definitely weren’t. It reproduces all manner of
double-tracking effects, tape flange and chorus, tape echoes, and even the
sweet, musical grime and compression of heavily saturated oxide, all in glorious
stereo. Strymon gives the user all sorts of control parameters to twist, warp, and
otherwise dirty up these sounds, making the Deco a true sonic playground for
the tape-obsessed guitarist. Getting back to the slapback, though; the Strymon
Deco may be the most lovely, euphonic, and musically responsive stereo slapback
available in a stompbox. Buy one and you will never regret it. 

14 TONE TALK // Old-School Slapback Machines

D OD FX 90
or Fx 96
At the opposite end of the price and reputation
spectrum from the Strymon Deco are the lowly,
yet workmanlike, DOD FX90 and FX96, two fine
analog delays long out of production, yet still
widely available second-hand (or third). These
two echo boxes are closely related, and both
based around the top-shelf Panasonic
MN3005 BBD chip, with the later-
model FX96 having a longer delay time
and a low-pass filter control (labeled
“tape quality”) for giving the repeats a
dark, deteriorated tape echo tone. As
a bonus, an earlier version of the FX96
even has a cool reel-to-reel tape graphic
on the face. Either of these two pedals
can make an ideal old-school slapback
machine, especially for the player that uses
slapback often and wants an analog pedal
dedicated to the sound. The best part is
that the DOD FX90 and FX96 are both
extremely common and very inexpensive.
One should be able to acquire either one
for well under a hundred bucks with a little
shrewd bargaining or eBay auction sniping.

ToneReport.com 15
 MA X O N A D
999 9
Guitarists for whom nothing but
the best will do—at least when
it comes to real-deal bucket-
brigade delay tones—should
look no further than Maxon’s
AD999. With a sonic lineage
dating back to the classic
Ibanez AD9, the AD999 takes
this concept to its logical end,
with an octet of custom BBDs
generating 900 milliseconds
of dynamic, beautiful stereo
echoes. Of course, if you just
want a little vintage slapback,
900 milliseconds will be much
more than necessary to get
the job done, but the available
delay time isn’t really the most
important feature of this pedal. Its crowning glory is its sound. The Maxon AD999
is just one of the loveliest sounding analog delay pedals ever designed, and its
slapback tones, especially in stereo through a pair of cranked tube combos, is one
of the best sounds your ears will ever hear. Its organic, slightly dirty repeats are
both clear and present, and yet blend perfectly with your sound as they fade away,
adding dimension and liveliness without overwhelming. The AD999 ain’t cheap,
but after you plug it in for the first time you’ll forget all about what you paid for it.

16 TONE TALK // Old-School Slapback Machines

CATALINBREA
Belle E poch D
The EP-3 model Maestro Echoplex is
the most celebrated and lusted-after
tape echo of all time, with the warmth
and dynamics of its tones being one
of its most widely heralded features.
Few pedals can even begin to
approach the EP-3 for slapback, yet
Catalinbread’s Belle Epoch not only
approaches it, but nails its tone and
response completely. A lot of digital
delay pedals roll off a little high-end
or grunge up the repeats and call it
“tape echo,” but Catalinbread truly
went to epic lengths to replicate every
characteristic of the EP-3, from its
legendarily mellifluous preamplifier
to the random characteristics of its
modulation. You just aren’t going
to get closer to real Echoplex slap
than the Belle Epoch, and like the
Echoplex, it brings a lot more than
a touch of tasty, vintage echo to the
table; the Epoch is an instrument in
itself that will add dimension and
inspiration to your playing. 

ToneReport.com 17
 L A ND R E-3 0 1
RO c e E c h o
S p a
Okay, this isn’t a
pedal exactly, but
if you are a true
slapback fiend,
then there’s really
nothing else that’s
going to satiate
your lustful urges
like a Roland RE-
301 Space Echo.
As a testament to
the authenticity of its tones, the RE-301 is the machine that Brian Setzer, the modern
era’s reigning king of slapback, uses to generate his superbly fat and lustrous echo
tones. Roland’s RE-301 is kind of like the Echoplex in sound quality and function, but
a lot more reliable for a touring musician that actually needs it to work dependably
every night. The quality of its slapback is inviolable, and much like the Echoplex, its
preamplifier adds a sparkle and sheen to the guitar’s tone that is as much a part of
the machine’s unique sound as the tape. A good Roland RE-301 will likely set you back
over 1000 dollars, but if slap echo’s really your thing, you can’t do better than this.

Slapback echo is an essential tone that every electric guitarist should explore and
master. It’s a crucial part of the distinctive ambience of early rock n’ roll and electrified
country, and it can still be heard in every genre of guitar music, from hardcore to
modern pop. Slapback is such a simple sound that nearly any delay pedal can ably
achieve it, and the additional width, depth, and bounce it provides to an otherwise
basic guitar tone can be a springboard to endlessly inspiring riffage. 

18 TONE TALK // Old-School Slapback Machines

 SELL YOUR
t no fees
no Fees to list or sell
Sell directly at Pro guitar website
Direct buyer-to-seller
Reach over 250,000 Guitarists!

CLICK THE SELL LINK TO GET STARTED!

www.proguitarshop.com
 FREEPEDALFRIDAY
S MERCURY FLANGER
PRESENTED BY

EAT U RES

CLICK ON THE IMAGE AND ENTER TO WIN

Winner Announced Each Friday in Tone Report Weekly
22
T
here was once a vigorous,
ongoing debate between
users of multi-effects and
proponents of individual
effects pedals. Sometimes one still
hears echoes of it ringing through the
rifts and valleys of guitar-oriented
online forums, but to a large extent,
the mighty roar of this once
contentious argument has died out to
not much more than a dull mutter. In
days past, the main point of
contention was tonal quality versus
tonal quantity; most agreed that
individual pedals often sounded
noticeably better than the multi-effects
units available at the time, but if one
needed a wide, varying range of
effects, the cost and complication of
assembling the necessary pedalboard
made a good multi-effects unit a much
more affordable and practical way to
go. Multi-effects were also much
more compact and easy to
power, making them
especially convenient for
effects-heavy players
that frequently
traveled to gigs.
The reason that
the multi-
effects-versus-
stompbox
argument has
largely died out
is due mainly to
the improved
sound quality
and flexibility of the new breed of
multi-effects units. Digital processing
power has increased substantially over
the years, while the advent of digital
modeling, and other new
technologies, has improved the
quality and variety of tones available
in these units. The companies that
design and build them have also
become much more attuned to what
players want, and how they tend to
use their products in real world
rehearsing, recording, and gigging
situations. Thus, in recent times, many
guitarists have adopted a hybrid
approach to multi-effects and
stompbox usage, perhaps using a
favorite pedal or pedals for overdrive,
distortion, and fuzz tones, and using a
multi-effects processor for modulation,
delay, reverb, and amp or cabinet
modeling duties.
If you’ve been thinking about pursuing
a best-of-both-worlds hybrid
approach, there are a handful of
variables to take into consideration
before any new gear is purchased. The
point of assembling such a rig is to
maximize tonal flexibility and
portability, while minimizing the cost
and complication, but without
forethought and planning, the end
result could easily be the inverse. Here
are a few tips to get you started off on
the right foot.
COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS
The first thing to consider is whether
the wide range of effects that a multi-
ToneReport.com 23
 effects unit provides is even something you
need. A hybrid stompbox/multi-effects
setup is probably most beneficial to the
player that has a handful of core
stompboxes (usually dirt boxes) that form
the foundation of their tone, but has the
occasional need for a wider variety of
sounds, such as reverbs, delays, and several
varying colors of modulation. This player
often does not use these secondary sounds
all of the time, and thus can’t justify
spending the necessary money on individual
pedals to cover these tones. In this case,
buying a multi-effects unit can be a huge
money-saver. If you have an overdrive or
two, and maybe just need a chorus and a
delay from time-to-time, individual pedals
are probably still the best investment.
The other benefits of using multi-effects in
place of a passel of pedals include the
potential to save quite a bit of space on a
pedalboard, as well as simplifying the power
situation, and decreasing the number of
24 TONE TALK // Tips for Integrating Multi-Effects with a Pedalboard
patch cables (always the weak link)
necessary to get the guitar signal from its
origin to its final destination. Of course the
space saving and simplification benefits
gained depend heavily on what multi-effects
device you choose, how you intend to hook
it up, and how many individual pedals can
be replaced with it.
EFFECTS ORDER
The first topic pondered by most players
considering a hybrid rig for the first time is
how to hook it all up. Do the stompboxes
come first, or the multi-effects unit? Should
they go straight into the front of the
amplifier, or should some of these magic
sound boxes go in the effects loop? Here at
Tone Report Weekly/Pro Guitar Shop, effects
order is a frequent topic of reader and
customer inquiries, so we’re quite well
versed in all of the possibilities and potential
pitfalls, and based on this experience, we
always encourage people to not be afraid to
experiment. There really is no right or wrong
in the effects order game, so don’t be afraid
to move stuff around and use your ears to
suss out what sounds best.
This being said, though, I do have a few
recommendations as to where to begin
when setting things up for the first time.
Typically, most players will find that
compression, boost, and dirt pedals are best
suited to being first in the signal chain, or
perhaps second, right after a wah or tuner
(both pedals that may be easily replaced by
a multi-effect, by the way). This is a good
place to start, as it produces
very dependable results. If you’re using the
multi-effect for all the rest of your
modulation, delay, and reverb needs, then
simply place it after your comp and dirt
pedals and, more than likely, the results will
be pleasing and you can consider your rig
complete. If your rig is more complex,
however, and you intend to use an individual
pedal for reverb or delay, these kind of
effects are often happier at the end of the
signal chain. I would be inclined to begin by
putting them after the multi-effects
processor. If you are also using an individual
modulation pedal of some kind, the best
placement option is less clear, and personal
preference will obviously be the deciding
factor, but I would probably start by putting
it somewhere after the dirt, and before the
delay and reverb. 
IN FRONT, OR IN THE
EFFECTS LOOP?
When deciding on the preferred effect
order, one must also be thinking about what
effects will be going directly into the front of
the amp, and which ones will be inserted
into the amp’s effects loop. Obviously, if
your amp is old-school and doesn’t have an
effects loop, everything will run straight in. If
it does have a loop, then the best bet might
be to run boost, dirt, and comp pedals into
the front of the amp, and your multi-effects
unit (along with any modulation or ambient
stompboxes) in the effects loop for
ToneReport.com 25
 modulation, delay, and reverb. The down
side of this method is the extra cabling
involved, but if you prefer the sound, it may
be worth the trouble. Again, this is just a
suggested place to begin experimenting,
and there are many different ways one can
make these hybrid rigs work. In fact, many of
the more complex modern multi-effect
processors have onboard loops specifically
for inserting a favorite drive or fuzz pedal
into the signal chain. For players that will
primarily use a multi-effect unit for most
tones, with just one or two outboard
stompboxes, this does simplify the setup
quite a bit.
26 TONE TALK // Tips for Integrating Multi-Effects with a Pedalboard
POWER
One final consideration when integrating a
pedalboard and a multi-effect into one
Voltron-like juggernaut of tone, is power.
Digital multi-effects are notoriously power-
hungry beasts, and they all have different
power requirements, so they generally come
with their own dedicated, wall-wart style
power supply. If this is the case, then you
simply need an extra outlet to plug it in.
Many players have a basic power strip
Velcroed or mounted to their boards, and
this is a perfectly reliable method. Some
larger stompbox power supplies have an
auxiliary, three-prong AC connection on
board that is perfect for this application, and
others, like Voodoo Lab’s Mondo, can even
power certain multi-effects from their higher-
current DC outputs. Make sure to consult
the owner’s manual or contact the
manufacturer before attempting a powering
scheme that you are not 100 percent certain
about. This will keep you from accidentally
frying pedals and/or voiding a warranty.
LIVING TOGETHER IN
SWEET HARMONY
Now that multi-effects can compete with
stompboxes on reliability and sound quality,
there’s no reason that these once-
quarrelsome enemies should not share
space and live harmoniously together on
your pedalboard. Exploring the many
advantages that such a flexible, compact,
and cost-effective rig can offer is sure to
confer many blessings upon all of your
musical exploits.

ToneReport.com 27
 LIFE AND LUCK HAVE THEIR UPS AND DOWNS; the Ventura Vibe raises the stakes
with two foot-controlled speeds, two vibrant vibratos, and a redolent rotary. They say
that fate is a joker, but with the Ventura Vibe’s controls for speed, depth, mix, tone
and drive as well as true bypass operation, you will always have an ace up your sleeve.

© HARMAN 2015
THE LEGEND continues
Up to 1300 ms Of Big, Natural Echo
Delay Time Adjustable with a Passive
Volume Pedal Via the Pedal Jack
All New 3-Way Spill Switch
The same World Famous All Tube
Pre Amp found in all ECHODRIVE'S
Abuse Resistant Steel Chassis
Hand Made in the USA
I
t’s something we say all too often:
“. . . in this day and age . . .” However,
it’s not an over-statement to say that
we’re in a golden age of guitars. You
can complain about the quality of guitars
made in “insert country here.” You can
moan all you want about factory-made,
CNC carved guitars that cost more than
your great grandfather’s ’59 Les Paul.
People can wax poetic about ’59 Les Pauls
and ’56 Stratocasters all they like, but the
sheer bang for buck available in today’s
guitar market is extraordinary. Putting on
my grumpy old man voice, “Back in my
day, a $200 guitar was made from particle
board, had half-inch action, and stayed in
tune for about two seconds, assuming it
could even be tuned.”
Today, it’s not that hard to find a $200
guitar that you could record and gig with
after a few simple mods. Stepping up
ever-so-slightly in price, for $500, the
options and quality just explodes. I’m
thrilled to live in a time when I can easily
spend $500 or less on a guitar and take it
into the studio or onto the stage the same
day. Sure, players might want to take a
minute to set it up to taste, but they won’t
need to swap the pickups, replace the
nut, or have fret work done.
In the following paragraphs, I’ll walk
through five guitars priced right around
$500. It’s a diverse group of guitars, but
each and every one is a crazy-good deal.
Some strive for technical perfection, some
ooze pawn shop mojo, but I’d be perfectly
content to play a gig or record some
songs with any of them. For fun, I’ve given
each guitar a nickname that sums up my
take on it.
I could go into specific details regarding
fit and finish on each guitar individually,
but I was hard-pressed to find a flaw on
any of them. Each guitar in this test
had near perfect paint jobs. They all
had well-cut nuts, and smooth, polished
and leveled frets. Some have slightly
higher-end electronics and/or hardware
than others, but none are slouches in
this regard.
I tested all of these guitars with a range
of effects and through a Carr Sportsman,
a Vox AC15HW, and a 1965 Fender
Vibro Champ.
PRETEXT
Please don’t think of this as a comparison
or a shoot-out. Comparing these guitars
to each other misses the point entirely.
This is the ultimate apples to oranges
comparison. Instead, let’s celebrate what
makes each unique, the role it can play in
your collection, and most importantly that
we live in a day where you can get this
much value and “mojo” for $500. These
guitars run the gamut from a modern
take on the “pawn shop prize,” to “super
Strat,” and on to an affordable takes on
modern guitar icons.
ToneReport.com 33
 AIRLINE BIG HORN
PRICE: $499
SCALE: 25.5 inches
BODY: Basswood
NECK: Maple, Bolt-on
WEIGHT: 6 lbs., 3 oz.
NICKNAME: The Garage Rocker
The nickname for this guitar was pretty obvious. Based
on the Airline Bighorn available in your favorite 1960’s
department store catalog, the Bighorn just screams
‘60s and ‘70s garage band. Grab the Bighorn, plug it
into a ratty fuzz pedal, and then into the Vibro Champ
or other “student amp,” and you have the sound of
youthful rebellion. The combination of the low-output
Airline Argyle single-coil pickups, the snarl of a fuzz,
and the low-headroom of the Champ is just magic.
Depending on lighting and the colors around it, the
Big Horn looks like either sleek British Racing Green
or like the avocado-colored oven from my childhood
kitchen. The design is sure to be polarizing, but the
playing feel is great. The point at which the neck
joins the body gives the perception of a shorter scale
instrument but the deep cutaway still allows easy
access to the upper frets. And the neck on the Bighorn
feels like a crazy old Harmony Strat-o-tone that went
missing my senior year of high school. The individual
Tone and Volume controls for each pickup offers a
wide range of sounds. The light weight of the guitar
and the low output of the pickups combine to make
a sound that could best be described as “spanky.” It
sounds pretty and almost like an acoustic when played
clean. Paired with a dirt pedal, the Bighorn offers up
plenty of grit and fury. The combination of tone and
ergonomics led to a great little boost of creativity on
my part. What more can you ask for?

34 TONE TALK // Five Gig-Ready Guitars for $500(ish) or Less

PAUL REED SMITH SE
STANDARD 24
PRICE: $499
SCALE: 25 inches
BODY: Mahogany
NECK: Maple, Set-neck
WEIGHT: 6 lbs., 5 oz.
NICKNAME: The Jack of All Trades
I called this one the Jack of All Trades, because
it’s based on PRS Guitar’s Custom 24—the
guitar that put PRS on the map. Just like its
forefather, the Standard 24 takes the two most
iconic electric guitars in history, throws them in
a blender, and pours out a guitar that can cover
a ton of sonic territory. The dual humbuckers are
thick and meaty. The bridge pickup can be
a little harsh going into a bright amp, but
that can be remedied with a quick twist of
the Volume and/or Tone controls. The split-
coil sounds are surprisingly natural sounding,
especially in the combined position. The
playing feel, tuning stability, and intonation
are impressive. And never in my life have I
experienced a tremolo this smooth and
precise for under $1,500 dollars.
The grain on the three-piece mahogany is
matched so well that from a distance the
Standard 24 looks like it’s made from a single
slab. The set maple neck feels solid and offers
great access up to the 24th fret. The bird inlays
look fantastic and their presence on a guitar
of this price is amazing. And since it’s a 24-fret
model, you even get the adorable little
screech owl.

ToneReport.com 35
 PAUL REED SMITH SE
STANDARD 245
PRICE: $499
SCALE: 24.5 inches
BODY: Mahogany
NECK: Mahogany, Set-neck
WEIGHT: 8 lbs., 4 oz.
NICKNAME: The Classic Rocker
With a solid mahogany body, two humbuckers,
and dual controls for volume and tone, the
PRS SE Standard 245 is a classic rock machine.
The neck is just thick enough without being
too fat. The frets are just big enough without
being a hindrance to intonation—perfect for
big bends, but not so tall that a heavy touch
pulls the notes out of tune. And the tone is just
huge. The neck pickup is full and bassy while
retaining just enough brightness to cut through.
The bridge pickup is brash in a good way. The
individual controls for Volume and Tone for
each pickup allows you to dial in a wide range
of colors, and it’s easy to switch from a dark,
low-volume clean tone in the neck position to
a loud and bright lead tone in the bridge.
Like the Standard 24, the 245 looks great. The
Vintage Cherry finish is flawless and the bird
inlays and cream binding make it look like a
much more expensive guitar. The contoured
top and cutout on the back make it very
comfortable, as does the smooth
wrap-around bridge.

36 TONE TALK // Five Gig-Ready Guitars for $500(ish) or Less

AXL USA TORINO
PRICE: $399
SCALE: 24.75 inches
BODY: Mahogany
NECK: Mahogany, Set-neck
WEIGHT: 8 lbs.
NICKNAME: Cinderella
The AXL USA Torino was almost nicknamed the
Dark Horse, but ultimately Cinderella was a more
fitting name. This guitar arrives at AXL’s California
shop painted and with the neck glued in, but
that’s it. From here, the fairy godmothers go
about installing the hardware and electronics and
providing an outstanding setup. Once they work
their magic, the Torino is ready for the royal ball.
The Torino is tricked out with CTS Pots, Orange
Drop Capacitor, a nifty little recessed Switchcraft
Jack, a Tonepros bridge, Grover tuners, and a
Lindy Fralin pickup. In other words, it has all of
the “upgrades” already installed. It also has a
fantastic fret job (no rough ends in sight) and
perfect intonation.
Unplugged, it’s rich and resonant. Plugged in and
full-up, the Fralin pickup breathes fire. I couldn’t
help but dime the volume and push up the mids
on the Carr Sportsman. And when I did I was in
riff heaven. But the Torino has a sweet side as
well—the Volume control has a smooth taper and
doesn’t darken the tone as you roll it back. It’s
easy to dial back the volume and get sweet,
clean tones. The Tone pot doesn’t get really
dark until about the last 10 percent of travel.
By working the Volume and Tone controls
together, you can dial in a surprising range of
tones and even fake the “missing” neck pickup.

ToneReport.com 37
 GODIN SESSION
PRICE: $539
SCALE: 25.5 inches
BODY: Canadian Laurentian Basswood
NECK: Rock Maple, Bolt-on
WEIGHT: 7 lbs., 7 oz.
NICKNAME: The Sideman
I called this one the Sideman, because it feels like
the kind of guitar that would be perfect for a gig
backing a vocalist or singer-songwriter. It offers a
wide range of tones that can “fill-in” in just about
any genre—country, rock, blues, whatever. I love
the look of the Godin Session. From the slightly
re-shaped S-style body, to the pickguard, to the
transparent satin black finish—the Session has
an air of understated elegance. The action of the
Session was a little high upon arrival and required
a minor tweak to the truss rod. But thanks to
the accessibility at the headstock, this took all
of about 30 seconds. From that point on, the
Session played like a dream. The neck feels great
and the tuning stability is very good.
The sound of the Session could also be called
understated. The bridge pickup has just enough
output to push an amp into overdrive, but not
so much that it overwhelms the middle position
single coil when the two are combined. And
while the bridge pickup by itself sounds thin
when coil-tapped, it pairs with the middle pickup
to re-create the famous in-between Strat tones.
The middle and neck pickups are everything you
want in an S-style guitar—soft lows, airy mids, and
bell-like highs. They sound bright and articulate
running into a clean amp and mean but sweet
when paired with an overdrive pedal (especially a
TS) or a dirty amp.

38 TONE TALK // Five Gig-Ready Guitars for $500(ish) or Less

 START A HOME
STUDIO
Part II:
TODAY In last week’s issue, we discussed the basic gear
requirements for the project studio, how to use them,
and what they are for. Today, we are going to dive into

Getting getting the sound you hear in your room into a format
that everyone can listen to and enjoy. In this week’s

sound edition of Starting a Home Studio, we are going to

dive headfirst into the digital realm (I know, a dirty
word in guitarist vernacular, but nevertheless import-
words By: ant). In an ideal world I would have an all analog stu-
dio with a 32-channel analog console running to tape,
Yoel Kreisler but we live in a world where everything is digitized,
and most music is consumed through our phones or
computers. Even with the resurgence in vinyl, a lot
of the new releases are sometimes fully digital mixes
transferred into the analog realm. Even if you had a
complete analog setup, you would have to eventually
bounce it to a digital format, or else nobody would
ever hear it! While this may be a rude awakening for
you analog purists out there, just know that the “soul”
and the “mojo” of a track is 99 percent performance
and one percent gear. A lot of these old analog units
have stunning emulations in the digital realm, so you
can get very close without ever having to re-bias a
tape machine (yes, it’s a huge pain).

42 TONE TALK // Starting a Home Studio Part II: Getting the Sound
THE DIGITAL AUDIO DAW for easy editing. In terms of
DAWs, there are many available out

WORKSTATION there, and everyone has their own

Our first excursion into the land of
musical ones and zeroes is the Digital
Audio Workstation, or DAW for
short. The DAW is where everything
happens, from recording, mixing,
adding effects, and mastering. It
is the very heart of your modern
recording rig, and is where your
projects and ideas come to life.
Almost every studio in the world is
equipped with a pro DAW, and some
even run a hybrid rig, with an analog
console for recording and mixing to
capture the coloration of the unit
on the recording, and then into a
preference. There are the industry
standards like Pro Tools and Logic,
but you can learn on any DAW, as
the skills you acquire will translate
over (save for button locations and
key shortcuts). The most important
part of choosing a DAW is picking
the one that fits your workflow and
style. It is really a “feel” thing, and
many DAWs nowadays have free
demos or free versions for you to try
out the software and see if you like
it. I use Sonar X3 in my studio, as it
fits my work style. Below is a list of
common DAWs used by both studios
and enthusiasts:

PRO TOOLS (Windows/Mac): The industry

standard. Extremely powerful and versatile, and
works on both of the major operating systems. Can
be daunting for beginners with a steep learning curve,
but once you master Pro Tools you can do anything.

ToneReport.com 43
 LOGIC PRO (Mac): Apple’s offering in the
music industry is equally as powerful as Pro Tools,
and gives you ease of use and peace of mind when
it comes to recording and mixing. A popular choice
for both home and pro studios; many records have
been made using only Logic. The caveat is it is only
for Mac users and it has no VST support (only the
AU format, which is still popular but not as vastly
widespread). However, it still holds multitudes of
options and some excellent built-in instruments.

There are many other choices in the
DAW world other than the three I
have detailed above. Reason, Studio
One, Digital Performer, GarageBand
(I usually like to encourage people to
start with a more advanced DAW, but
if this is all you have on hand it’s a great
learning tool) Sonar, Cubase; the list
goes on and on. I suggest you to do
your own research and see which one
you enjoy working in the most. Ones
I would stay away from are Ableton
Live and FL Studio. They are great
DAWs for what they do, but they
are more geared towards electronic
music production and aren’t really
conducive to creating guitar-based
music, unless you moonlight as a DJ
or electronic producer.

44 TONE TALK // Starting a Home Studio Part II: Getting the Sound
 REAPER: A relative “newcomer” in the DAW
world, Reaper has become a very popular choice
among project studio owners. Its very affordable
price, powerful flexibility, and compatibility make it
a favorite among pros and beginners alike. It can run
almost anything you throw at it, and has very low
CPU consumption (ideal for older PCs). The forums
and support sections are very alive, and the growing
Reaper community is a huge plus for this little DAW
that could.

SIGNAL mids, and highs, we can describe the

character of certain amps and pedals.

PROCESSING We know what EQ and compression

As guitar players, we have a unique
advantage over everyone else starting
out in the world of recording; our ears
have been trained by hours and hours
of watching gear videos and playing,
to understand what tone is and how to
analyze its different frequencies. We can
break down a guitar sound to its lows,
are and what they do to our sound.
We have very critical ears and we can
fine tune our tones to no end. The
bottom line is, for the lot of signal
processing nitty-gritty that beginners
struggle with, we already have it in
spades. Pat yourself on the back for
learning one of the coolest and most
versatile instruments around.

ToneReport.com 45
 We already know what EQ and
compression mean, but how do they
work? Basically, signal processing is (in
terms of EQ and compression) what
glues your instruments together. We
can tweak individual tones to our hearts
content, but if it doesn’t sound good
in the mix, nobody will ever hear what
made it great. EQ is about what you are
willing to give up to make something fit
better in the mix. Cutting out the lows
of an electric guitar is common, because
it makes room for the bass and a lot
of mud is removed from your sound.
Here is a little exercise to help you as a
46 TONE TALK // Starting a Home Studio Part II: Getting the Sound
guitar player better understand the EQ
in your DAW:
Plug your guitar directly into your
DAW, via your interface and DI box
(a lot of interfaces have them built
in already. They are meant to bring a
weak, instrument level signal from your
pickups to line level). Fire up an EQ and
begin to play and mess around with the
knobs and curves. Pay attention how the
tonal character of the guitar changes as
you twist different knobs. These tonal
changes are the frequencies that are
either being cut or boosted by the EQ.
By knowing how it works, you can use
it in the context of any mix or
instrument. Guitars have a lot
of midrange naturally, so that’s
why a lot of guitar sounds “cut
through the mix.” Drums have a
lot of highs and lows, whereas
bass is all lows. Vocals are typically
midrange, but can occupy highs
and lows as well. Finding a spot
in the frequencies of your mix
for each instrument
and track is a key
element of mixing and
learning to hear these
frequencies in the
context of your guitar
will better train your
ear as an engineer and
musician, because you
know your guitar’s
sound very well.
VSTs
Now we dive into the vast and wild
jungle that is VSTs, after understanding
the basics of our DAW. VSTs are the
industry standard for digital instruments
and effects. You can get emulations
of expensive vintage synthesizers,
samples of strings recorded in an
ancient church, professionally recorded
drum sounds, and just about every
other sonic possibility you can dream
of. Every DAW has its own built-in
VSTs, but once you start adding third-
party VSTs the rabbit hole extends
to infinity. Adding instrumentation to
tracks without having to actually buy
instruments and lockers full of mics is
very convenient, and when used right,
it can create some amazing results.
Almost every single song on the radio
was made using VSTs, and it doesn’t
stop there. VSTs can also be effects,
so you can get almost every flavor
of compression, EQ, modulation,
delay, distortion, reverb, saturation,
and everything in between. Just like
our stompboxes, they can be chained
together to create specific tones, or to
add color and to an instrument or piece.
Not even the sky is the limit when it
comes to VSTs, and you can bet you will
be draining your wallet into new and
cool plugins to add spice to your mixes.
ToneReport.com 47
 MONITORING AND sound of the guitar amp bouncing off
the walls, floors, and everything else will

MIC PLACEMENT color the sound of what you perceive

to be your tone, and subsequently your
We come now to the most important recording. The material of the room
part of our journey: learning to get good you are in will also color the sound, as
sounding recordings. Like anything, everything on Earth has a resonance that
recording is an art, and requires patience colors a sound when it bounces. If you
and practice to get good sounding
like the sound of your room, great! If you
results. There are men and women that
don’t, try looking into what is making that
have dedicated their lives to the craft
sound unlikeable and remedy it. A good
of recording, so be prepared for some
way of testing this is to clap in the room,
disappointment when your guitar sound
and listen to the character of the “tail” or
isn’t what you hear in the room. Let’s
reverb of your clap. Just remember that a
start with the basics of micing a
guitar cabinet (as this is a guitar
magazine, after all).

A favorite for micing cabs for a

very long time has been the Shure
SM57. We talked about the SM57
in part one of this feature, so we DUST CAP
can hold off on the logistics, and
get straight to the good stuff. As CONE
you know, a guitar cabinet usually
consists of at least one speaker,
which is what spits the sound into
the air for you to hear. The speaker
is conically shaped, with a dust cap
in the middle, like the image below.
guitar amp is much louder than a clap, so
You have to remember, that if you don’t make sure to test your recording levels
have a good sounding room, you won’t by just playing and making sure nothing
have a good sounding recording. The is rattling or vibrating too loudly.

48 TONE TALK // Starting a Home Studio Part II: Getting the Sound
The way you set a mic on a cab is something like a natural EQ. Pointing straight at
the dust cap, you will get a very bright tone. Moving it to either right or left will roll
off some of the highs and bring out the midrange more. The distance of the mic
to the speaker also makes a big difference. Further away will capture more room
sound, and it will have less perceived bass. Closer will get more lows and detail,
but may not sound at all like what you’re hearing in the room. Play and experiment
with different mic placements, as every engineer and musician has their preference.
I have created a handy little chart below as a guide for mic placement:

ToneReport.com 49
 And last, but certainly not least is
monitoring. We need to be able to hear
what the track actually sounds like after
we record, with as little coloration as
possible. Most consumer speakers and
headphones have their own EQ to make
them sound more “bassy” (I’m looking
at you Beats) or “hyped.” We don’t want
these for our mixes because they color
the sound we hear, and we need to make
tonal decisions on the music that will
translate well to other systems. That’s why
we need the flattest frequency response
possible, so our music will sound good
on everything, not just what you mixed it
on. Studio monitor speakers are the most
common choice, as they reveal the most
in terms of stereo field and frequency,
but a good set of flat, studio-grade
headphones can work as well if space or
50 TONE TALK // Starting a Home Studio Part II: Getting the Sound
noise will be an issue where you live. Just
remember to listen to it on many other
systems other than your studio to see
how it translates. I listen to my mixes in
my car, on my consumer stereo, on my
phone speaker (a lot of music is consumed
this way nowadays, so you have to make
sure it sounds good there as well), on my
friend’s waterproof Bluetooth speaker,
and just about anywhere.
I hope you enjoyed this crash course in
starting your own home studio! Whatever
your leaning may be, and whatever your
goals as an artist are, I hope I have helped
demystify at least a little of the vast and
daunting world of audio recording. There
is much to be learned, and I only touched
on a few basics, so I encourage you to do
your own research, read all you can, and
most importantly of all, record!
 THORPY FX
MUFFROOM CLOUD
REVIEW BY YOEL KREISLER
STREET PRICE $290.00
It’s at this very moment,
that I wonder how Frodo
Baggins felt after destroying
the One Ring. I wonder what
Odysseus felt like at the end
of his famous odyssey, and
I wonder what Aron Ralston
felt like on the 128th hour. I
can’t pretend to know what
that means, but I can imagine
it’s something similar to
when I first stomped on the
ThorpyFX Muffroom Cloud.
Ladies and gentlemen, watch
your step, as our journey
ends here; the search for the
perfect Big Muff is over.
Created by British military
explosives specialist Adrian
Thorpe, the Muffroom Cloud
is the second pedal by his
pedal outfit, ThorpyFX.
54 GEAR REVIEW // ThorpyFX Muffroom Cloud
Based on the very first
version of the Big Muff,
the “triangle” circuit, the
Muffroom Cloud makes you
feel like you’ve entered some
sort of exclusive club, where
all the gods of tone hang
out and shoot the breeze.
While vintage Big Muffs
are the most revered, like
most vintage pedals and all
vintage electronics, there is
no continuity or reliability
between any two different
Big Muffs. The Muffroom
Cloud takes everything
that’s so hallowed and
unattainable about those
coveted, expensive, and
finicky circuits, and puts in
a beautifully indestructible
enclosure, with a two-band
EQ. Somehow, Mr. Thorpe
not only nails what most
modern builders can’t get
right, he improves on it,
effectively capturing that
“mojo” for which eBay
warriors and guitarists with
deep pockets are willing to
shell out thousands of dollars.
Upon gleefully receiving
this pedal and opening
the package, I was almost
surprised to see that it was
packed almost as well as it’s
enclosed. Covered in layer
upon layer of tissue paper
and protective padding, it
was positively sparkling when
I removed the final protective
sheet. It has a really nice heft
to it, and is built like a piece
of military hardware. With
laser-etched graphics and
controls, custom orange side
panels, and a chrome body,
this thing is not only a beauty
to hold, but to look at as well.
It has four controls—two are
the more common Volume
and Sustain controls—and the
other two are the active EQ
controls for Bass and Treble.
Both sets of controls are
extremely powerful, and they
take this pedal above and
beyond where any Big Muff
has ever gone before.
Plugging it in and stomping
it on, I was greeted with a
warm orange LED and a
pleasantly articulate growl.
Every note was well defined,
and the pedal was so
transparent, that I could hear
the combination of guitar
and amp, enhanced by the
pedal. The lows are heavy
and can easily shake a room.
Anything that wasn’t nailed
down or over 50 pounds in
my studio rumbled along
with every note I played. The
mids are smoky and very
clear. The highs hold a ton of
articulation and character, and
have just the right amount
of brightness. Of course, this
can all be radically changed
with adjustments to the EQ
section. Boosting the treble
and cutting the bass can get
you some great dry, almost
choked tones à la David
Gilmour on Dogs, a tone no
Big Muff I’ve ever played
nailed quite as well as this.
Boosting the bass and cutting
the treble gives an enormous
wall of sound that Big Muffs
are so famous for. However,
those are only the more
extreme settings. Rolling
back the guitar’s volume
gets you a really warm and
transparent overdrive that is
unencumbered by the tone
circuit. In most Big Muffs, this
overdrive will be very muddy,
as the tone circuit is cutting
into your signal’s clarity (it’s
there to roll off that harsh
high end of the distortion),
but since the Muffroom
Cloud swaps the standard
tone circuit for two active EQ
controls, a lovely overdrive
sound that I’ve never been
able to truly achieve with a
“vintage correct” Muff is right
there at my fingertips.
There is an infinite number
of combinations between
the EQ and gain, and there is
almost symbiotic relationship
between the two. Tweak
to your heart’s content, as
any setting on this pedal
will sound good—even with
all controls maxed out, the
pedal is musically conducive
and aurally pleasing. Not
only this, but it is dead silent
in all the right ways. Diming
the Sustain and Volume on a
loud, clean, high-headroom
amp is infinitely pleasing, and
if you listen very closely, you
can almost hear “through”
it. To me, this is the sign
of a great pedal; a pedal
that’s transparent enough
to feel like an extension of
the fingers, guitar, and amp,
but has enough character to
inspire new and creative ways
to approach the guitar, which
is what gear is all about.
WHAT WE LIKE
Warm, clear, articulate,
and huge sounding. Built
incredibly well. Active EQ
controls make the pedal
versatile and powerful.
Transparent, and feels like
a natural extension of your
amp, guitar, and fingers,
with just the right amount
of character and vibe.
CONCERNS
Absolutely none.
ToneReport.com 55
 SOURCE AUDIO
GEMINI CHORUS
REVIEW BY PHILLIP DODGE
STREET PRICE $149.00
Source Audio recently
announced the One Series
of pedals. Each pedal in the
One Series is streamlined
(by Source Audio standards,
at least) with four controls,
stereo ins and outs, and
a three-way selector for
switching between three
modes. At face value, the
One Series pedals are
simple, classic stomp boxes.
Don’t be fooled by their
faces. Each of the pedals—
the Gemini Chorus, Lunar
Phaser, Vertigo Tremolo,
and Mercury Flanger—is
MIDI programmable and
controllable, and can be
part of the sophisticated
Neuro Effects System. Even
better, you can share all of
58 GEAR REVIEW // Source Audio Gemini Chorus
the available algorithms
across the four pedals.
DON’T BORE
US, GIVE US THE
CHORUS!
Today, we’ll explore the
Gemini Chorus. The Gemini
comes loaded with three
classic examples of chorus
that are selectable via the
three-way switch on the
pedal. The Classic mode is
based on the first chorus
pedals of the late-70’s
and very early ‘80s, and
it’s perfect for recreating
the Kurt Cobain and John
Frusciante chorus tones.
Yes, I realize the bulk of
their work is from the early
‘90s, but that’s my frame of
reference for these tones.
The Dual Chorus is more of
double-tracked effect and is
great for subtle thickening
and gentle warble—it’s
especially cool for lead
playing. Finally, the Quad is
the true sound of the ‘80s.
From hair metal, to Peter
Cetera, to Michael Jackson,
it’s the chorus sound that
made all of us sick of
chorus. And you know what,
after having a decade plus
to cool off, I’m head-over-
heels in love with it again.
With controls for Depth,
Speed, Mix, and Tone each
of the above-mentioned
chorus effects can act as
subtle or as strange as you
desire. Mix and Tone work
interactively to emphasize
or de-emphasize the swirl slots within the pedal. You WHAT WE LIKE
and with Mix fully clockwise can even adjust the output
Great sounds, great
on the Classic setting, you of the effects individually—
functionality, and
can even do gentle pitch perfect for providing a slight
great looks.
vibrato. The Dual setting volume boost to offset the
with Speed set low and perceived volume loss that CONCERNS
Depth set high is great occurs with tremolo. I’m The Neuro App was a little
at recreating Seventeen imagining the Gemini at glitchy at times. It worked
Seconds-era Cure sounds. home on my “grab and go” flawlessly most of the time,
THREE PEDALS pedal board. In this role, I’d but on a few occasions I had
IN ONE use it for the Classic Chorus, to try more than once to
the Classic Bias Tremolo, sync new algorithms.
As if the three chorus and either the Classic Vibe
algorithms that come loaded or the Rotating Speaker
on the Gemini weren’t cool Sim. All of these are shining
enough, you can download examples of the respective
the Neuro iOS app (coming effects genre and the added
soon to Android devices) flexibility of the app is just
and gain access to all of icing on the cake.
the One Series algorithms.
Yes, go back and read that One Big Multi-Effect Family
sentence again. ALL OF THE The final piece of the Neuro
ONE SERIES ALGORITHMS! puzzle is the Neuro Hub—a
Any of the sounds available MIDI controlled brain for
via the Gemini, Lunar, linking up to five Source
Vertigo, and Mercury can Audio pedals. With the
be installed onto any of Neuro you have access to
the pedals. All you need 128 multiple pedal scenes,
is the Neuro app and the instant switching of those
supplied cable and you can scenes, and control over
quickly pull up any of the all parameters of each
algorithms. Please note, you connected effect. You can
should plug the cable into even connect an expression
Input 2 on the pedal. pedal or the Source Audio
Hot Hand and control
You can edit the parameters multiple effects at once. The
within the app and then Hub is easily programmed
assign to any of the three via PC, Mac, or iPad.
ToneReport.com 59
FREEPEDALFRIDAY
W I N N ER
Congratulations!
Peter Brander
M ALV ERN, USA

CO N TAC T :
i nfo @ to nereport .com to collect your prize:
VE NT U RA VI B E
by: Dig iTech

CLICK H ERE FOR A CHANCE TO WIN MORE GEAR!

 D IO DESIG D IO DESIG D IO DESIG

How....Dumb....Can we be?
U NS U NS U NS
TA TA TA
ET

ET

ET
J . ROCK

J . ROCK

J . ROCK
MADE IN USA

U D IO DESIG U D IO DESIG U D IO DESIG

TA NS TA NS TA NS
ET

ET

ET

J.
J . ROCK

J . ROCK

J . ROCK

ROC
KETT AU
D
O

I
DES
IGNS

UD IO DESIG UD IO DESIG
T A NS T A NS
ET

ET
J . ROCK

J . ROCK

U D IO DESIG
TA NS
ET
J . ROCK

UD IO DESIG UD IO DESIG UD IO DESIG

T A NS T A NS T A NS
ET

ET

ET
J . ROCK

J . ROCK

J . ROCK
 KEELEY
ELECTRONICS
OXBLOOD
REVIEW BY FLETCHER STEWART
STREET PRICE $199.00
MYTHICAL
MAGICAL MYSTERY
MANURE
Forget about the proverbial
“rocking horse poo”
rarity of the Klon and the
centurial legion of Klones
it bred. This new Oxblood
Overdrive from Keeley
Electronics is something
unique and special in the
world of overdrive. In fact,
this mighty Oxblood can
pull the weight of a hefty
clean boost, dynamic
overdrive, or even a tweedy
squidgy fuzz— à la Zuma-
era Neil Young. As one
might have guessed, I love
this pedal already—and it
is mighty tough to get me
excited about any type of
62 GEAR REVIEW // Keeley Electronics Oxblood
overdrive pedal at this stage
in the game.
I have been into amp drive
lately, so my criterion for a
great dirt box is damn near
unrealistic. Basically, I want
it all. I want an overdrive
pedal in front of my preamp
section that can blend
right in as a transparent
booster when the amp is
dirty, impart a completely
different dirt voicing in front
of my clean channel, and go
right through to loose juicy
fuzz gushing at full whack.
I also want said-overdrive
to match the low-end of
my thunderous rig and be
as compressed or as open
as I need for the musical
scenario. That is a mighty,
obelisk-tall order. I think the
Oxblood may be the first to
fill it.
RIPPED TO RIBBONS
FROM KOSSOFF TO
GIBBONS
While this burly beast of
a pedal is as versatile as
an overdrive can be, the
Oxblood does have a
distinct continuity of sonic
character across most dial
settings. To my ears, this
is a classic rock machine
that straddles the line
between vintage British
and American amplifiers.
This pedal harkens back to
the day when tube rectified
non-master-volume Fenders
and Marshalls sang with
similar voltage sagging
voices. With all the dials
set just past midnight, the
phat switch engaged and
the clipping set to the more
open Mythical Diodes, the
raunchy paunch of bark
and bite can be crunch
conducted with touch and
guitar volume knobs alone.
Think ZZ Top’s “Precious
and Grace” or traverse the
dynamic dirt range of
Free’s Tons of Sobs using
only humbuckers and
volume knobs.
If one is in need of more
gain and compression, while
cutting out low-end flub,
the Oxblood yields some
leaner cuts of beef with
both switches set to the
left position. This achieves
a slightly more modern
tone—by modern I mean
late-‘70s era Judas Priest—
that still retains the focused
snarly midrange that most
metal heads miss. The Tone
control is cleverly fine-tuned
to avoid needles and spikes
and I can go from woody
flute-like leads to sparkly
Brit-chime grime with the
twist of the dial. While my
favorite Oxblood settings
are harmonically rich and
gristly, this circuit also excels
at clean boosting with the CONCERNS
gain completely dialed
I didn’t think I would ever
out. Is there any need for
want or need another
my trusty old Hot Cake
overdrive, but I keep on
anymore? Time will tell.
rocking in the not for
WHAT WE LIKE free world.
Maximum versatility with
minimal tweaks is the name
of the game here. Keeley
and crew have not missed
a trick. It is also worth
mentioning that like the
spiritual Klon predecessor,
there is an internal charge
pump under the hood,
so one can power up
with any nine-volt source,
while enjoying the extra
headroom to pummel
preamps. This also makes
it possible to enjoy a
more convincing amp-like
experience when recording
direct to speaker sims.
The Hammerite finish and
handsome color scheme
is top shelf—just like the
tones and build quality. The
Oxblood pisses all over
the electric fence between
vintage British and American
amp tones. It naturally
chews the cud of any
boring signal, digests it and
excretes pure tonal gold out
the speaker cone tone-tract.
ToneReport.com 63
 ELECTRO-
HARMONIX
SILENCER
REVIEW BY ERIC TISCHLER
STREET PRICE $57.60
Picture this: your amp is at
11, your favorite dirt pedal
is pumping glorious gain
to help you chug through
some gnarly riffs, and your
bros are looking at you
like you’re rocking like
you’ve never rocked before.
There’s just one thing—
you’re buzzing worse than
a hive of angry mutant bees
from a movie on the SyFy
channel. All that volume
and gain is making your
rig hiss to the point where
it covers up the nuance of
your band’s unexpected,
free form jazz odyssey. So,
what to do? Roll back the
volume? Turn down the
gain? Join a Simon and
Garfunkle cover band?
66 GEAR REVIEW // Electro-Harmonix Silencer
Those are certainly viable
options, but there’s another
solution that is more
conducive to rocking (not
a knock on S&G, I’m a big
fan): a noise gate.
Electro-Harmonix brings
you an entry into said
category with the Silencer,
a noise gate and effects
loop designed to give
you noise reduction when
necessary. It’s a compact
box roughly the size of its
Nano pedal siblings, so
you should be able to find
space for it on your board.
Three controls—Release,
Threshold, and Reduction—
allow you to integrate the
unit into your rig. Threshold
adjusts the level necessary
to allow a signal to pass
through the noise gate,
Reduction regulates the
gated signal and goes
from -70db to +4db. Per
EHX specs, release time
is variable between eight
milliseconds and four
seconds. You can use the
Silencer inline in your effects
chain or select a group of
pedals to control using the
included effects loop.
Lately, I’ve been using a
Stratocaster quite a bit, and
the single coils are prone
to that notorious 60-cycle
hum that we all dread. The
Silencer is quite effective at
taming that noise, enabling
quiet, delicate passages
to be just that—no nasty
buzzing to kill the mood.
If you like using fuzz
pedals, wacky oscillators,
and other electronic devices
of doom, a noise gate can
help you get the most out
of those pedals without
killing the chaotic vibe
you’re putting out.
Recently I was at a rehearsal
space with my band and we
all noticed that the power
was downright dirty. We
all experienced unwanted
noise. Lucky for me, I had
the Silencer. Engaging it
didn’t alter my tone, but
it did drastically reduce
the negative noise and
helped make the practice
session more efficient and
enjoyable. For me, setting
Thresh around noon seemed
to be the optimal setting,
adjusting the others to
taste depending on the
effects and guitar being
used. You’ll find that you
may want to adjust settings
when switching guitars and
pickups.
This is a pedal that practices
addition by subtraction: by
subtracting noise from your
rig, you can get more of the
tones you love. It doesn’t
add anything to your rig, WHAT WE LIKE
but enhances what you
Practical solution to a very
already have and makes it
real drawback guitarists
useable regardless of the
face. Compact design.
room you’re playing in. In
Effects loop allows
short, it helps your rig to
for taming of multiple
be more consistent, and
stompboxes.
while that isn’t something
we often fantasize about in CONCERNS
our rock and roll dreams, it None.
can be necessary in order to
properly convey your soul
via music.
If you’re looking for more
control over your rig, check
out the Silencer. Whether
you’re into high gain shred
or quiet lunchtime shows at
the nursing home, a quality
noise gate can be a lifesaver
at all kinds of gigs. This
pedal does what it says it
will do, and does it well.
Now, get back to that
jazz odyssey.
ToneReport.com 67
 TONE REPORT
EDITORIAL
TONE REPORT TONE REPORT
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS J U L Y

P L
1 0 T H ,

A Y ‘
2 0 1 5

T I L Y O U R F I N
W

G E R
E

S
E

B
K

L E
L Y

E D
J U L Y

P L
2 4 T H ,

A Y ‘
2 0 1 5

T I L Y O U R F I N
W

G E R
E

S
E

B
K

L E
L Y

E D

Phillip Dodge, David A. Evans, Ian Garrett,

Yoel Kreisler, Brett Kingman, Nicholas Kula,
Nick Rambo, Sam Hill, Eric Tischler, Fletcher Stewart,
Jamie Wolfert, Nick Leners

ART & DESIGN

SENIOR DESIGNER Adam Borden
TONE REPORT TONE REPORT
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Shelly Hennessy J U L Y

P L
1 7 T H ,

A Y ‘
2 0 1 5

T I L Y O U R F I N
W

G E R
E

S
E

B
K

L E
L Y

E D
J U N E

P L
1 9 T H ,

A Y ‘
2 0 1 5

T I L Y O U R F I N
W

G E R
E

S
E

B
K

L E
L Y

E D

VIDEO
LEAD VIDEOGRAPHER Andy Martin
VIDEOGRAPHER Mike Hermans

SALES / MARKETING

GET OUR
MEDIA DIRECTOR Tom Keithly
tom@tonereport.com

BACK
CONTACT
SALES 971-400-6430
Gen. Inquiries info@tonereport.com
15717 SW 74th St. Suite 400

ISSUES
Tigard, OR 97224

TONE REPORT WEEKLY

CEO Aaron Miller
TONE REPORT TONE REPORT
ONLINE CHANNELS J U N E

P L
2 6 T H ,

A Y ‘
2 0 1 5

T I L Y O U R F I N
W

G E R
E

S
E

B
K

L E
L Y

E D
J U L Y

P L
3 1 S T ,

A Y ‘
2 0 1 5

T I L Y O U R F I N
W

G E R
E

S
E

B
K

L E
L Y

E D

TONEREPORT.COM Main Website

Youtube ProGuitarShopDemos

TONE REPORT TONE REPORT

A U G U S T 2 1 S T , 2 0 1 5 W E E K L Y J U L Y 3 R D , 2 0 1 5 W E E K L Y

P L A Y ‘ T I L Y O U R F I N G E R S B L E E D P L A Y ‘ T I L Y O U R F I N G E R S B L E E D

Copyright ©2015. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in

whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.
Tone Report Weekly has no association with the monthly
publication ToneQuest Report.