Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Gravity Guitar Picks! Oh Yeah!

June 8, 2022 by GoofyDawg

Before my last gig, I noticed that my trusty Wegen GP-250 picks were pretty worn down. I’ve been using the same two picks for the last 4 years and didn’t really pay too much attention to how much they had worn down. But rather than reshape them myself, I figured that they’re not very expensive and I’d just order a new set.

And I was just about to order a couple more when I thought, I wonder what picks are out on the market that might work for me? Maybe a change of pace might be a good thing. So I went down a bit of a rabbit hole and searched for picks. I considered going back to Red Bear Trading picks made of casein and other casein pick makers. I also looked at V-Picks that I used for a long time. Then I thought that maybe Blue Chip picks would be good to look at, but even though I could afford them, I just don’t see the value of a $70 pick, no matter how much others swear by them.

Then I came across a forum where a dude said he used Gravity picks. I had never heard of them, so I decided to check them out. They predominantly sell acrylic picks, so I immediately thought of V-Picks, which are acrylic. I almost dismissed them out of hand when I remembered that the picture of the pick I saw was not acrylic. So after a little digging, I found the “Gold” line. They’re made of some kind of high-density thermoplastic which apparently makes them very wear-resistant.

Then… I did a bit more browsing and saw “Rob Chapman” in the Shop menu. Chappers is a fairly well-known guitarist so that totally piqued my curiosity. His signature model is a Gravity Razer shape with chamfered edges that are roughed up a bit to create a little bite on the strings. He said it allowed him to slice through the strings a little better.

In any case, I decided to get a few of the picks. I got 2 Chappers, 2 Gold 2.5mm and 1 Gold 1mm. They’re shown in the picture at the top. My favorite pick of the lot is the Chappers model. I love that chamfered edge and the point provides a nice, bright attack. Not too sure about the 2.5mm Gold. The sound it produces is much warmer and since it doesn’t have a bevel, it really glides over the strings. It’s a good strummer. The 1mm Gold is actually very nice. It produces a brighter sound than the 2.5mm Gold. It’ll definitely be a backup for me.

But I’m really digging the Chappers pick. It just feels nice when I’m playing. At first, I thought the rough edge might be an issue, but it’s not at all. So far I’ve played it with both acoustic and electric guitars and it performs wonderfully! Can’t wait to really play it on the weekend at rehearsal and at my church gig!

Guitar picks are an intensely personal thing, so I’m not going to say these are the best I’ve ever played. That said, they totally work for me and I’m very glad I found them! But here’s what I will say: These picks have got to be the best value by far for high-end, thick picks. At $8 per pick for most picks Gravity sells, they’re a steal compared to other brands.

Check them out a GravityPicks.com!

Posted in guitar picks, picks | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment »

Tone Master Deluxe Reverb: Line Out Sound Test

May 29, 2022 by GoofyDawg

I’ve had the amp for several days now and I’ve been playing it for over an hour day as I’ve been woodshedding for an upcoming gig. I just played my first gig with the band in six years, and I won’t lie: I’m still a little rusty. So all this practice has been a great excuse to play with the amp.

One of the things that got me really excited about the amp was the balanced line out. In fact, the one feature was a huge contributing factor in buying the amp. Having gigged for decades, I’ve been a big believer in having just enough volume to hear myself on stage and let the PA/sound folks get my sound out to the audience.

Amps are incredibly directional, especially single-speaker amps, so finding ways to spread out my sound has been very important to me. The typical sound reinforcement solution has always been to mic my amps. That works great, and I still use it when I’m gigging. But the Tone Master amps have a balanced line out AND they have two optional IRs to simulate different mic cabs! That means I can go directly into the PA and have my signal sound like what I’m hearing onstage. In theory…

The Katana also had this feature, and I loved it. But you needed a TRS cable and an XLR converter to plug into a mixing board. Not really that big of a deal, but it is more equipment, and I have forgotten to bring that cable to gigs in the past. But with the Tone Master Deluxe, Fender opted to just output via a regular XLR. That makes things much more convenient!

But the proof is in the pudding. So this morning, I decided to hook the amp up to my DAW to see if it’ll work for me. In short, oh yes, it will work. And the best thing about it is that the port is dead silent! Here are some clips:

IR Test

In this first test, I play a simple clean chord progression three times. The first time is raw with no IR activated. The second demonstrates the first IR which simulates an SM57. The third demonstrates the second IR which simulates a ribbon mic. Note that I recorded all these clips completely silent by activating the amp’s mute switch. Now THAT is amazing!

Raw

All these were played with my Godin Artisan ST V. Note that the slight line noise is coming from the guitar itself, not the amp.

Yup, that SM57 IR behaves exactly like what I’d expect from an SM57. It’s warm, but I personally have never liked it for guitar. The ribbon mic IR, on the other hand, is nice and open. That’ll be the one I use for gigs.

Cab 2 w/ Wampler Belle, Volume @ 5

Switching guitars to my Taylor T5z and playing in humbucker mode, I activated my Wampler Belle overdrive with its Gain set right in the middle to see how the line out worked with a pedal. Also, I turned the reverb down to about 2.

I did notice in the recording that I probably needed to up the treble a bit. But what I loved was that there was still enough note separation in the chords.

Cab 2, Volume @ 7, Reverb at 4 1/2

Finally, still playing my T5z, I learned my lesson from the previous clip, upped the treble a bit so the amp was set at 7 for Treble, and 3 for the Bass as the T5z tends to have a pretty fat bottom-end sound. What I wanted to test here was how the natural overdrive of the amp worked with lots of reverb.

Damn! After I listened to the playback, I was blown away by the sound! I love the sound coming from the amp itself, but to have it sound like that in a line out… “Wow!” is all I can say.

This amp is really ticking off all the boxes for me so far. I won’t do a full review on it until I’ve gigged with it a couple of times because by then I will have really put it through its paces. But I have band rehearsal today and as a test, I’m just going to bring the amp and my guitar and see how it works.

Posted in amplifiers | Tagged , , | 12 Comments »

Is the Tone Master Attenuator Really a Master Volume?

May 28, 2022 by GoofyDawg

When doing my research on the Tone Master recently, I ran across a great review where the reviewer said that perhaps the attenuator on the Tone Master was really a master volume because, after all, it’s a digital/solid-state amp. Part of me agrees with this because let’s face it: Signal processing happens in the chips of the amp, and not tubes as there are no tubes in the amps.

But another part of me said that depending on where the Fender engineers placed the attenuator in the sequence it could very well be an attenuator. Just like tube amps, a solid-state amp has two basic stages (not including the power supply): The first is the input gain stage (in the tube world it’s commonly known as the preamp stage) that amplifies the incoming signal; then the output stage (power amp) takes the input stage signal, adds more power to it, then outputs it to the speakers.

This is an important concept because of how master volumes and attenuators work. A master volume is placed in between the input and output stages, essentially regulating the amount of signal that flows from the input stage to the output stage. An attenuator, on the other hand, is placed between the output stage and the speaker. And when cranked, the distorted sounds an amp produce are different -sometimes significantly – between a master volume and an attenuator.

Before continuing let’s make an assumption that we want to get an amp into overdrive at a reasonable volume level – let’s say bedroom-level.

To get bedroom-level volume with a master volume-equipped amp, you turn down the master volume way down and crank up the gain or volume knob. This will overload the preamp and cause the signal to distort. As the master volume is essentially a gate that regulates the amount of signal that gets to the power amp, because it’s turned down, the resulting volume is at a level that doesn’t blow your eardrums apart. In this scenario, the distortion is coming almost entirely from the preamp. At least to my ears, this type of distortion tends to have a sharper edge to it.

With an attenuator, on the other hand, as it regulates the amount of signal sent to the the speakers, both the gain and master volume knobs can be cranked up. This means that all the signal from the gain stage can pass into the power amp and saturate it and also drive it into overdrive. The combination of the two types of distortion produce a warmer and a little compressed output signal as compared to just preamp distortion. To be clear, I am in no way suggesting one type of distortion is better than the other. They’re just different.

Circling back to the Tone Master amps, to answer the title of this post, since they only have a single volume knob and no master volume, it seems to me that Fender’s attenuator is actually an attenuator, regulating the final signal that gets to the speakers, as opposed to a master volume.

All that said, I realize that all this is a big fat guess. And in the end, does it really matter? Probably not. I absolutely dig my new Deluxe Reverb. And frankly, whether the power scaling feature is an attenuator or not, the fact that I can crank the amp and not shatter my eardrums is all that matters.

Posted in amplifiers | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

After All My Research, I Didn’t Buy the Tone Master Twin Reverb…

May 25, 2022 by GoofyDawg

…I bought the Deluxe Reverb instead. In my previous article where I had test-driven the Twin, I said that while I loved the amp, I had to test drive the Deluxe before I made a decision.

I wasn’t intending to buy the amp today, let alone any amp. But I wanted to try the Deluxe out as the Guitar Center in San Mateo, CA was just five minutes from my office. So after my last meeting, I headed there to try it out. I picked out a Tele from the rack, plugged it in, then twiddled the Bass and Treble knobs to get a good sound for the guitar. It took all of five minutes to make a decision to buy the amp. I was sold.

What did it for me was cranking down the attenuator to 0.2 Watt and cranking the volume all the way up. As soon as I struck a chord, I knew this was the amp I wanted. At that moment, I knew why people loved the sound of a cranked-up Deluxe. There’s something visceral about the overdriven tone of a Deluxe – you feel it in your bones.

No, I wasn’t pushing SPLs, but no matter. I realize that’s where the magic happens. But that cranked sound even at that low volume was absolutely amazing to me! Truth be told, I’d never run the amp fully cranked as I get a lot of my overdrive from my pedals. But that sweet, open overdrive just made me close my eyes and smile inside. I just can’t wait to gig with it!

Then to top it off, I got a 10% discount and the guy at Guitar Center threw in a nice ProLine amp stand to boot! I’m a happy man!

After I got home and had a bit of dinner, I started playing. And playing. I started out with my Taylor T5z as that will be the main guitar I use for gigs with the amp. I had to really roll off the lows on the amp for that guitar. But once I had the EQ dialed in… Wow! My next gig is going to be fun!

Then I switched to my R8 Les Paul. The amp started humming with that guitar, and I realized that I probably have a grounding issue – going to have to get it fixed. So I switched to a guitar I rarely play, and that is my ’90s Godin Artisan ST V. Damn! Why haven’t I been playing that guitar more?!!! It sounds absolutely KILLER through the Deluxe! It sounds like a fat Tele!

I distinctly remember having a difficult time dialing in the guitar with my old Katana 50. But I had absolutely no problem finding the right EQ settings with this guitar – they were the same as my T5z! I may switch back and forth between these guitars. I’ll see how that works at band rehearsal coming up on Sunday.

While I dug the Bright switch feature on the Twin, plus having a Midrange knob, I love how the Deluxe is uncomplicated. I mean REALLY uncomplicated. I started playing it around 6pm this evening, and I’ve been playing it for the last three hours. It sounds so killer! And since I don’t have a cacophony of features to dig through, I’m up and running lickety-split!

But here’s a feature about the amp that is so incredible yet has nothing to do with the amp’s sound. It only weighs 23 pounds! 23 freakin’ pounds! I haven’t had an amp that weighs this little since my trusty old Roland Cube 60! I can easily lug this amp to a gig without using a hand cart! And going up a staircase with this amp will be a breeze! I once played a gig where I had to haul my Katana Artist up some stairs and it was a pain in the ass! But this amp? It’s like carrying a suitcase. No problem!

What I’m really looking forward to is plugging this into my audio interface and PA. This is even more of a game-changer than my Katana with its line-out feature purely because it’s a balanced XLR out. With the Katana, I needed a 1/4″ TRS cable, then an XLR converter to plug into a PA. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but using a single XLR is a helluva lot more convenient. As far as game-changing is concerned, as with my Katana, I just need to be loud enough to hear myself, then let the PA do the work of getting my sound out.

Posted in amps | Tagged , , | 5 Comments »

Nerds Win. You’re Gonna Pay for the Technology

May 22, 2022 by GoofyDawg

One of my all-time favorite movies is Revenge of the Nerds. Talk about playing to a stereotype! Everything anyone thought a Nerd would be was portrayed in the movie. It was hilarious and a little disturbing with the accuracy of the portrayals. But in the end, the Nerds win. They take over the Greek council and Lewis gets the hot girl. Hmm… Come to think of it, nothing much has changed even in this day and age. Look who’s running the freakin’ world now? Nerds!

And make no mistake, the Nerds are winning in the guitar world too. The technological advances in gear – especially amps – are absolutely staggering and more and more players are moving to digital solutions that are supplanting analog gear. That’s not just bedroom players. I heard (but need to verify) that even Metallica uses profilers on the road as opposed to stacks.

But here’s the thing: There seems to be this perception that digital amps should be cheap – as in inexpensive. But if you understand the technical differences between digital and solid-state amps you wouldn’t be so quick to make that assumption. There’s a big difference between digital amps and pure solid-state amps.

Yes, both use computer chips. But the big difference is that digital amps use digital signal processors (DSPs) that employ complex algorithms to model the sound and behavior of tube amps. Solid-state amps, on the other hand, produce their sound via a collection of chips that have very little to no logic; certainly, not at the level of processing power a digital amp will have. Those kinds of chips are much less expensive than DSPs, not to mention the much less expensive production costs.

DSPs aren’t just circuits. With a processing unit, you’ve got hardware AND software technology working in concert to manipulate the signal and ultimately produce the sound. Granted, some of this technology is affordable. Look at the Boss Katana Artist 100. It can be had for under $650. The most expensive Line 6 Spider version is only $550.

But then you have the Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb at $949 and the Tone Master Twin Reverb at $1049 and the newest member of the Tone Master family, the Tone Master Super Reverb at $1249. When I first saw those prices, my knee-jerk reaction was, “Damn! Here we go again! Fender’s again charging a premium for the nostalgia of its gear.”

But the more I dug into the amps and how much the technology that went into producing their sounds, combined with actually taking the Twin out for a test drive, I’ve kind of backed off my pricing beef. I still think they’re charging a bit for the nostalgia, but I don’t think it’s a pure nostalgia play. That technology costs, and there’s certainly value in it.

Some folks have complained that they’ve only modeled a single amp, comparing the Tone Masters to other digital amps that model a collection of amps. But to me, that’s a straw man argument. With the amps that emulate several different kinds of amps, the voices are a collection of compromises. For instance, my Katana Artist has a “Brown” voicing which could be loosely interpreted as Eddie Van Halen’s Brown Sound. I suppose it’s kinda like it, but the cabinet and speaker of the Katana are completely different than the original. So while you can get an approximation, it’s not really meant to be an exact replica. That’s not to say it’s bad. I’ve had two Katanas, and they have sounds all their own with dynamics that are so close to tube amps that they’re a joy to play.

As for the Tone Master amps, I’m totally behind what Fender has done. Testing out the Twin, it sounded and felt incredible! And its sound is a testament to the technology that went into it. And that technology has a price whether you like it or not.

Digital modeling technology is intellectual property. I disagree with those who think that digital amps should be cheap. If you think that, then you’d have a problem paying a grand for a freakin’ iPhone or other digital devices. But you see value in things like the iPhone, so you’re willing to pay the price, even though the actual production cost is really low. It’s a similar situation with digital modeling amps such as the Tone Master line. And like me, if you see value in it, you’ll pay for it.

To be clear, the Tone Master amps are indeed less than their analog counterparts. For instance, a brand new ’65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue is around $1600, while the Tone Master version is $949. That’s significantly less! It would be delusional to think Fender will drop the price to stupidly low levels, like $300. That would totally take away the value proposition of the technology: Great sound and feel for a relatively accessible price.

Nerds win. Again. You want what they’ve built, you gonna pay for it!

Posted in amplifiers | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

So I Test Drove the Fender Tone Master Twin Reverb…

May 21, 2022 by GoofyDawg

If you don’t want to read any further…

Damn! I shouldn’t have loved it, let alone like it, but I absolutely fell in love with this amp! I’m not ready to buy it as I’ve got to try out the Deluxe Reverb, but I probably will get one of them. Now that that’s out of the way, let me give you the back story.

TL;DR

With the pandemic lockdown over, my former old farts classic rock band asked me if I’d like to come back and play with them. At first, it was just to sub at an upcoming gig for their current lead guitarist who had to attend a company retreat. But over the course of a few rehearsals leading up to the gig, they kept on hinting, then finally just outright asked if I’d play with them again during the break at our gig. I had forgotten just how much fun I had playing with them so I readily agreed.

For the gig, I used my BOSS Katana Artist. I love that amp and through the first set, it worked awesome. But a few songs into the second set, its volume started fluctuating. I powered it down then powered up again, and it didn’t happen again during the gig. But my confidence in the amp was shaken. And an amp isn’t something that I normally bring a back up for a gig. So needless to say, that experience put me in the market for a new amp.

A couple of days ago, I took a bit of time to go down to my local Guitar Center. They didn’t have the Deluxe in stock, but they did have the Twin. So I took it out for a spin.

Like a regular Twin, it’s all about clean headroom. But the totally AWESOME thing about this amp is that it has power scaling, basically a built-in attenuator to reduce the output wattage of the amp so you can crank it. The Deluxe allows you go all they way down to 0.2 Watt and the Twin lets you go down to 1 Watt. That’s still pretty loud, but it does let you crank the amp and not make your ears bleed.

The dirty sound of the Twin is just okay. Truth be told, it doesn’t break up a lot, but that’s not what you get an amp like that for. But for cleans and tons of clean headroom, this is a GREAT platform. And though the sound is a little different from an original Twin (which frankly you should be able to get real close with EQ), the sound is unmistakably Fender, with that luscious three-dimensional quality about it. If the amp didn’t have that quality, I would’ve dismissed it out of hand.

But the sound is good. Real good. And for me, it was so good that I almost bought it on the spot, but I need to try out the Deluxe before I make a decision.

And I almost forgot… The amp only weighs 33 lbs! An original Twin starts at 64lbs and goes up. My buddy’s Twin weighs over 80 lbs! And the Deluxe only weighs 23 lbs! For an older guy like me, that’s totally appealing.

I didn’t get to try the feature out at the shop, but I dig the fact that it has an XLR out with optional cab simulation IRs. This is a total value-add as I can get my sound into the PA and not have to rely on the amp to get my sound out. I can keep it at a reasonable volume near me and let the PA get my sound out to the audience.

An XLR out. Power scaling. Great sound. I’m sold. I’ve always leaned towards the Twin because I just love the Twin’s sound. But I’m a little conflicted because the Deluxe’s dirty sound is damn good, at least from what I’ve heard on demos. It’s the kind of amp you set at the edge of breakup then use a combination of volume knob and pedals to tip it over the edge. It’s the way I’ve set up my amps for years. But lately, I’ve been wanting a lot more clean headroom.

Then there’s the weight of each respective amp. The Deluxe is a total lightweight at 23 lbs. And though the Twin only weighs 33 lbs, that’s still a 10-lb difference. I really need to A/B the two amps.

Circling back to sound, one might ask just how close to the sound of an original Twin does the Tone Master get? I’ve played several Twins over the years, but I didn’t have one to A/B, so I can’t really answer that question. But at least for me, the Twin has always been about the classic scooped, Fender sound. The Tone Master has that down in spades. And though it’s a digital amp, emulating an original black face, that emulation is damn good, both in sound and dynamics; so good to me at least that even if it wasn’t emulating an original Twin, it could easily stand on its own merits as a great amp.

Plus, with the two speakers, the spread of the sound is wonderful. Whereas a single 1 X 12 is pretty directional, the two speakers of the Twin provide a sonic spread that adds depth and breadth to the sound.

As compared to my Katana Artist or other digital amps, the Tone Master might seem to be a one-trick pony. But to me, therein lies its beauty. What Fender has done is to create a digital emulation that is absolutely superb, focusing solely on that as opposed to other amps that include effect emulation and/or emulation of several amps. It’s this focus on a single platform and doing it excellently that to me at least makes it stand out.

Admittedly, it’s not for everyone. For years, I’ve gravitated towards the Marshall Plexi sound. I’ve always had a Fender amp of some sort in my studio, but for playing live, I’ve mostly used Marshall style amps. That changed when I got my Katana that I got specifically for its clean headroom to be a pedal platform.

That amp has a sound all its own, and I was actually thinking about getting another one. But what I think influenced my research into the Tone Master line was the old Fender Ultra Chorus I use at band practice. That amp just oozes Fender clean goodness. It’s a great clean platform that emulates my live sound.

If I had any negative marks about the Tone Master line it’s the same negative marks I give to other Fender products. That is the price. At $1049 for the Twin, it’s a bit of a steep barrier to entry. The Deluxe is $949.

With only a few features, you might think that the prices Fender’s charging exceed the value of the amps. But if the sounds differ from the originals much like the difference in sound due to different tubes or speakers, then perhaps the value lies in the emulation software and computing power of the amps. The Deluxe uses dual processors, while the Twin uses quad processors.

That said, you can occasionally get these on sale for slightly less. I may wait for a sale. Or maybe I won’t. I do know that I will end up with one of these amps.

Posted in amplifiers, Guitars | Tagged , , , , | 32 Comments »

Taylor T5z Gig Update

May 10, 2022 by GoofyDawg

It’s hard to believe that I’ve had my T5z for just over a couple of years now. Due to the pandemic lock-down, I didn’t gig with it hardly at all, except for a couple of streaming praise and worship sessions that hardly counted as real gigs. Once we were able to return to church, I’ve been splitting playing time between my Gibson J-45 Avant-Garde and the T5z, though admittedly, I’ve probably used the T5z more.

But since I got it, I hadn’t actually gigged with the T5z. Sure, I’ve played weekly at church since we were able to return in the Fall of 2020, but to be honest, that’s just 10 songs that are spread out, and I used the T5z about half the time. Doing a regular, cover band gig, I’d play 35-40 songs in 2 1/2 to 3 hours. That’s a real test of gear!

If you don’t want to read any further: The Taylor T5z is an absolute BEAST! With its 5 different modes, it can run the gamut of styles and genres. And most importantly, not compromise on tone. I’m purely amazed by this guitar and because of its versatility and great sound, I’ve moved it up to being my #1 gig guitar.

That’s saying a lot because my #1 for a couple of decades has been my Les Paul ’58 Reissue (R8). I still love that guitar, but after using the T5z and the R8 at a gig with my old band last weekend, I’m sticking mostly with the T5z and using the R8 as a backup.

I know, right! In my original review of the T5 back in 2007, I was pretty unimpressed with it. At the time, I didn’t know if Taylor could actually decide what kind of guitar it was. Was it an acoustic with electric capabilities, or was it an electric with acoustic abilities? No matter, while I thought the idea was great, and in some modes the guitar sounded good, I wasn’t at all overwhelmed by it. Then I played the T5z…

Or rather, I saw one of my favorite musicians, Eric Rachmany, playing one in a concert where I was literally no more than 20 feet away from him. I could not believe the acoustic sound he got from that guitar! And a couple of days after that concert, I went down to my local Guitar Center to see if they had one in stock so I could play it, and they had the exact model that Eric played the night before. I think I fiddled with it for about half an hour, trying to talk myself out of it, but I knew in the back of my mind that I was going to walk out of the store with it. The rest is history…

Fast-forward to this past weekend. A few weeks ago my old, old-farts classic rock band asked if I could fill in for their lead guitarist as he was going to be on a retreat and I agreed. We had a few rehearsals leading up to the gig. At most of the rehearsals I was using my R8, but at the last three rehearsals, I thought I’d try out my T5z. It was game over from that first time I used it at rehearsal.

When gig day came, while I was excited to finally play out again, I actually was even more excited to be playing my T5z! I had just reconfigured my board so I could play through my BOSS Katana Artist mostly clean and get my most of my dirt from my pedals, except when I hit it with my booster. Here’s my signal chain:

Peterson Strobostomp -> Wampler Belle -> Timmy -> T-Rex Quint -> BOSS CE-2 Chorus -> BOSS DM-2w Analog Delay -> TC Electronics Hall of Fame Reverb -> Pigtronix Class A Booster -> BOSS Katana Artist

As for the T5z, it was an absolute chameleon! I have to say that I loved playing in position 2 from the left. It has this insane, hollow, out-of-phase sound, similar to my R8 in its middle position (the pickups are wired out of phase). But I also used the other positions as well. In position 3, I rolled off the treble and dimed the bass to get a cool archtop sound for playing clean. I used position 4 with the EQ fairly balanced and the volume up in conjunction with my Wampler Belle to get a nice, punchy Telecaster sound. And for straight-up rock songs, I used Position 5 with the treble dimed and the bass in the middle for that Les Paul tone. As for position 1, I used it a few times when I needed a clean, acoustic tone when we were doing strummers.

For me at least, the T5z realizes Taylor’s vision of creating a truly versatile guitar. And the incredible thing about it is that unlike the original that I didn’t really like, the sound in each position isn’t a compromise. No, it doesn’t sound exactly like a Strat or a Tele or a Les Paul. But it can achieve characteristics that are reminiscent of those guitars. And quite frankly, the acoustic setting, which engages the body pickup is absolutely incredible. You’d think you were playing a big-body acoustic, it’s that good!

As for the gig, we played almost 40 songs in our 2 1/2 hour set. I switched to the R8 for a few songs, but went back to the T5z because in all honesty – and maybe because I was accustomed to it – I felt a lot more comfortable playing it.

Speaking of comfort, I have to admit that ever since I got it, I was concerned that it is strung with Elixir 11s. I usually play with 9s or 10s on my electric guitars, so I didn’t know if my fingers could take the extra tension from larger gauge strings. But while the strings feel heftier, they don’t play that way. The scale length for that guitar is 24.875″ which is close to a Les Paul scale length at 24.75″. But even at that ever so slightly longer scale length, the T5z plays like absolutely friggin’ butter! I’m able to easily get huge bends out of the strings, even at the upper bout of the guitar – it actually helps that the guitar doesn’t have a heel so it’s really easy to get high up on the fretboard.

As the gig progressed, my love for that guitar just grew and grew. It was so easy to play and it just sounded incredible to me. And if you’ve read this blog with any regularity, versatility is a huge thing for me, and I’ll just say it: The Taylor T5z is the perfect embodiment of versatility! It’s my new #1 and will be for years to come!

Posted in guitar | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

Gear Review: Pigtronix Class A Boost (Mini)

May 5, 2022 by GoofyDawg

Summary: Okay, it’s a booster. But it’s not necessarily a transparent booster and that might turn some folks off. But if you like the warmth of a Class A circuit with that distinctive high-frequency shimmer and increased punch at high gain levels, this is the booster for you.

Pros: Insanely low noise floor so you can put it pretty much anywhere on your board (it’s the last pedal in my chain). Super-simple to operate – just turn a single knob. Plays VERY nicely with overdrive pedals – even stacked pedals. Really great in front of an amp set at the edge of break-up to push it into overdrive. 20dB boost is more than ample. Finally, this is a GREAT deal at $59!

Cons: The slight coloring at boost levels beyond noon (slight treble boost, slight bass cut) might not be everyone’s cup of tea. But note that it’s VERY subtle.

Price: $59-$69 street

Tone Bones:

I totally dig this pedal! As with any booster, I make it the last pedal in my chain to provide a nice lead boost. It just works great. Whether I’m using my Wampler Belle or Timmy or both at the same time, the Class A boost provides that extra kick I need and though it adds a little of its own color, it doesn’t interfere with my sound in any significant way.

A Different Kind of Booster

I’ve used a few boosters over the years, and my go-to was a Creation Audio Labs mk.4.23. I used that for years. Now that pedal is truly transparent. But unfortunately, I misplaced it during the pandemic lockdown. And as I’m again playing out, I needed to get a new booster. So I went down to GuitarCenter to check out boosters. The only ones they had at my local one were a Xotic Effects EP Booster and the Pigtronix Class A Booster. So I A/B’d the pedals to see which one worked best for me.

I tried the EP Booster first. Based on the classic Echoplex circuit, I really liked its top-end sizzle. But when I switched over to the Class A, there was just something about its sound that really worked for me and I found myself playing around with it even more. Needless to say, and combined with its nice, low price, it was pretty much a no-brainer to buy it.

I use a boost in a couple of different ways. The first way is to run it as the last pedal in my chain to provide more of what I’m throwing at the front of my amp. The other way I use a booster is as the last pedal in my effects loop. I learned that from reading an interview with Gene Baker of B3 Guitars. Used in this way, a booster can get your power tubes into saturation. It won’t provide that much of a boost for tubes that are already close to full saturation, but volume isn’t the purpose of this application. It’s to take advantage of all that awesome sonic goodness that comes from fully-saturated power tubes.

I haven’t used the Class A in my effects loop – yet. And to be honest, I don’t know if I ever will since my main amp is a BOSS Katana Artist. And though it has an effects loop, as a digital amp, it’s literally wired differently from a tube amp. But for use in front of my Katana, it’s just wonderful. Right now, I’m using a Wampler Bell followed by my trusty Timmy, then those are followed by a few different modulation pedals, then ending with the Class A. My amp is set a little further away from breakup than I normally set it as I want the Class A to provide a slight boost when doing clean leads and I don’t want the amp getting crunchy.

And even when I have one or both of my overdrive pedals activated, I just want the booster to give me just a little more of what my pedals deliver. It’s actually a really cool setup. Combine that with the awesome sound of my Taylor T5z, and it’s a gorgeous combination!

If you’re considering getting a booster pedal, this is definitely one to consider. If you can, try playing through it at your local music store. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

Fit and Finish

Whether or not you like the Pigtronix brand, you gotta hand it to ’em: The construction of their pedals is rock-solid. Even with this mini pedal, it feels as if it can handle a lot of stage abuse. I got a little carried away at rehearsal last night and stomped on it rather aggressively at times. I’m not a small guy by any means, but that pedal withstood my heavy foot.

How It Sounds

Sorry folks, no sound samples. But like I mentioned, past noon – which seems to be unity gain – the sound changes ever so slightly to provide a high-mid to high-frequency boost, while simultaneously cutting the low end. It’s very subtle in both respects. But what I absolutely loved is that just that small amount of top-end boost really helped cut through the mix. I probably only added a couple of dB to my volume, but the slightly boosted highs added definition to what I was playing.

Posted in booster, clean boost, effect pedals | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

New “Guitar” Day! 1970s Kamaka Baritone Ukulele

November 2, 2021 by GoofyDawg

The other day, my cousin Willie texted me to let me know that he was in town for a few weeks. In his text, he mentioned that he was thinking about selling his dad’s baritone ukulele and got it appraised at Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto. I’ve known this uke for many many years. My uncle Roy – Willie’s father – used to play it with the Hawaiian music group he was with and I remember many family gatherings where my ohana would sit and play and this uke was one of the instruments.

So when Willie told me he wanted to sell it, all those memories came in a flood and I knew I had to have it. On the one hand, I knew he probably needed the money, but on the other hand, it was a family heirloom and it would be a total shame for it to leave our family, especially considering its history. So I told him that I’d like to check it out and I would buy it for what Gryphon would offer.

Willie brought it over to the house yesterday and as soon as I took it out of its case, even though I hadn’t even played it, I could feel my beloved uncle’s spirit in it, and I had a Wayne’s World moment… Oh yes! It will be mine!

Of course I had to play it. But once I picked it up, I got lost in its sound, and I immediately hit upon a riff and just went from there to where I went right to my office and laid down what I was playing (recording below).

I don’t know the exact provenance of the instrument, but I do know that it was made in the 70s as that was when my uncle purchased it. Apparently there’s date coding in the body somewhere, but I haven’t looked as of yet. As for the build, it is made entirely of Hawaiian Koa – even the fretboard.

As for how it sounds, it has a haunting voice which gave me this image of walking on a steep mountain trail in the tropics. Even with the strings being a decade old since it hasn’t been played since my Uncle Roy passed away, it still sounds incredible!

Posted in Guitars | Leave a Comment »

Gear Review: KNA UK-2 Ukulele Pickup

October 16, 2021 by GoofyDawg

Summary: Like its cousin for the classical guitar, the NG-2, the UK-2 is a piezo pickup that slips under the string loops on the tie-down bar. And like the NG-2 the sound that this pickup produces is absolutely natural, capturing even the subtle harmonics and overtones that my uke creates. And at $99, it’s an affordable solution to get a great sound!

Pros: Incredibly easy to install. In fact, it took me more time to loosen my strings than it did to slide the pickup under the loops! As I mentioned above, the sound is crisp and natural.

Cons: None.

Price: $99

Tone Bones:

Having experience with the NG-2, I figured this would be yet another great pickup from KNA and I wasn’t wrong. Don’t be fooled by the low price. As I always say: It doesn’t have to be expensive to sound good.

Funny What You Can Find In An Antique Store

Last weekend while I was shopping in an antique store in Healdsburg, CA, I heard the beautiful sound of a ukulele being played. Recognizing the tune and the playing style, I realized my son was playing. So I walked over to where he was and I saw him playing this absolutely gorgeous instrument. When he saw me, he handed me the uke and I immediately fell in love with it and just about bought it on impulse.

But the pragmatic side of me took over and I knew I had to do some research, so I looked up the ukulele. From what I could gather at the time, the Alulu brand is part of a Taiwanese company. According to forum posts I read, Alulu produces inexpensive instruments that tend to be a step or two above the cheapo stuff, and as such, quality tends to be a little hit or miss.

The recommendation of those who have them is to play a few, which means this brand is a bit like the Squier brand for Fender. They’re excellent guitars but you have to play a few to find the gems. With my Alulu, I got lucky and found a real gem of an uke!

This particular model, the UKT has an acacia top with Koa sides and back with a mahogany neck and a laminated koa headstock. The company claims the neck is Koa, but I know mahogany when I see it. 🙂 Maybe I’m wrong but that grain is pretty hard to mistake. But frankly, it just doesn’t matter because the uke sounds so good!

So I pulled the trigger and bought it…

Getting Gig-Ready

The gods must’ve been smiling on me because next week I’m playing a memorial service gig and the family asked me to play Brother Iz’ rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Normally I just play that on my guitar, but as soon as I purchased the uke, I knew I was going to use it for the gig. Given that, I knew that I had to get pickup for the uke, and I immediately thought of KNA. I wasn’t sure if they had one for ukulele, but I figured that if they had one for classical guitar, they’d have one for uke. Luckily they did and I immediately purchased it.

So Easy to Install!

Installing the pickup couldn’t be easier. Once your strings are loosened enough, it literally takes seconds to slip the stick under the string loops on the tie-down bar. In fact, it took me over 10 minutes to loosen my strings because the machine heads move so little with each turn. Then it took another 20 minutes after installing the pickup to tune up my uke and get the strings stable again.

How It Sounds

But here’s where it all pays off! Like the NG-2 this pickup is like having a microphone close up to the instrument! It just doesn’t pick up the sound of the instrument. It produces an incredibly natural tone that when recorded, sounds so close to the original sound of the instrument, it’s hard to tell the difference. And it’s incredibly sensitive as well, picking up even the slightest taps and rubs on the body.

I recorded a couple of clips to demo the pickup. These were recorded raw, right into GarageBand with no compression nor EQ and all ambient and reverb effects turned off. The sounds is awesome!

What’s so incredible to me is that as the pickup captures the natural sound of my uke, I will not have to do much EQ with it, if at all. And while I’ll probably add reverb or room ambient effects to create a more live sound, I just won’t have to do much more than that.

This is a winner!

Posted in pickups, Ukulele | Tagged , | Leave a Comment »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »