New guitars - G&L Legacy + Legacy Special + S-500 Deluxe + ASAT Classic Bluesboy Semi-hollow + ASAT Deluxe + ASAT Z-3 Semi-hollow

Over the past few months I've been on a bit of a G&L buying spree (or should I say, "rampage" ?). What's not to like about G&L's... they've got unique tones, great construction, and "modernized vintage" designs (as in, they bear a lot of resemblance to old Fender designs but address some of the Fender design "quirks" that have been around since the 50's). The upside (if you're buying)/downside (if you're selling) of G&L's is that they fly a little below the radar and don't seem to command the same premiums as genuine Fenders. For my recent purposes, though, that's good news. :)

While I've had a handful of G&L's over the years (both ASAT's and Legacy's), it's taken me a while to figure out "what works for me" from a G&L standpoint... I've owned a few that I haven't been able to bond with. This collection, though, represents a great variety of guitars that I have in fact bonded with.


G&L Legacy

This Legacy is probably the most traditional of the bunch... it's got an ash body, bolt-on maple neck with rosewood fretboard, dual-fulcrum vibrato, and three vintage single coil pickups with 5-way switch and G&L's PTB (passive treble/bass) tone circuit. It's finished in a subtle yellow-tint, even though it looks more "natural" in the pictures below.






G&L Legacy Special

The main difference between the Legacy Special and base Legacy is in the pickups... the Legacy Special has three Gotoh dual-blade (noiseless) pickups in it. Otherwise it's similar from a construction standpoint... this particular Legacy Special has an alder body with maple neck/fretboard and is finished in just-plain-black (er, none-more-black?).






G&L S-500 Deluxe

The S-500 Deluxe is probably the "high-end Strat clone" in the G&L lineup... it's got a basswood body with a flamed maple top, maple neck/fretboard, three single coil MFD pickups (which are hotter yet quieter than the vintage single coils in the Legacy), and a push-pull switch for additional pickup combinations. This one is finished in blueburst (yes, it's actually blue!).






G&L ASAT Classic Bluesboy Semi-hollow

Turning to the tele-like designs, the ASAT Bluesboy is similar in construction to the ASAT Classic with a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover humbucker in the neck position. This particular Bluesboy has a semi-hollow ash body finished in tobacco sunburst and baseball bat-ish maple neck/fretboard.






G&L ASAT Deluxe

This is the hot-rodded ASAT... the Deluxe features a mahogany body with flamed maple top, two G&L Alnico humbuckers with 3-way switch + coil-tap switch, and the G&L saddle-lock bridge. This particular Deluxe is finished in cherry sunburst with a maple neck + rosewood fretboard.






G&L ASAT Z-3 Semi-hollow

Finally, the ASAT Z-3 sits squarely in the "can't decide if it's more strat or tele" category... it's got the standard ASAT body shape with saddle-lock bridge, but has three Z-coil noiseless pickups (similar to the Comanche) with a 5-way switch and a push-pull pot for additional pickup combinations. This one is finished in honeyburst with a maple neck/fretboard (check out the figuring on the neck!). Also worthy of note is that it has a semi-hollow body without any F-holes on the top.






Here's a pic of (most of) the new G&L's lined up with my good ol' ASAT Classic & ASAT Special Deluxe:



More to come on the G&L front... in the coming weeks I plan on recording some comparison videos to demonstrate the differences in tones between these models.

--B

New guitar - Schecter USA California Custom Sunset 7-string

Ok, so I even find myself asking, "Why on earth would I buy another 7-string?" Pretty much 99% of what I'm playing these days is 70's classic rock / 90's alternative / modern country... all genres where the 7-string is pretty much taboo. (Heck, if I showed up to a country gig with a 7-string, I'd probably get smacked upside the back of the head with a fiddle.) But, c'mon... just look at this one...





This is a Schecter USA California Custom Sunset model. Unfortunately, Schecter has come to be known for a bunch of low-to-mid-range Korean guitars that seem to proliferate the racks at Guitar Center. What fewer people know (generally speaking, of course) is that Tom Anderson (who has since spun off his own custom shop) worked for Schecter in the early days and that Schecter continues to produce a short supply of custom-shop models in the US to this day.

This particular axe was built in 1998. It has an ash body finished in transparent red satin and a bolt-on maple neck with 24-fret pao ferro fretboard and medium jumbo frets. Hardware includes a fixed strung-thru bridge and Sperzel locking tuners. Electronics include two direct-mounted humbuckers, 5-way Schaller mega-switch, and volume + tone pots. Compared to the EBMM JP 7-string I've got, I prefer the slightly more "substantial" feel of the Schecter, though I dig the tone of the EBMM a bit more (not sure if it's due to the wood choice - basswood vs. ash - or pickups). Not sure yet if that means I'll be selling one or the other or keeping both... only time will tell...

--B

New guitar - Ibanez 540R-LTD

So looking around the ol' blog, it's probably somewhat obvious that I'm obsessed with PRS and G&L guitars but somewhat less obvious how obsessed I was with Ibanez guitars a few years back. I've owned just short of 50 Ibanez models over the years... mostly a combination of signature models (JPM's, JS's, Jems/UV's, PGM's) and high-end RG's (Prestiges, J-customs). While I certainly dig the vibe of the PRSi and G&L's for the majority of gigging & recording I do, there is nothing quite as "shreddable" as a late 80's/early 90's Ibanez. I recently got the urge to shop for a JS, but after finding a good deal on a super-clean Ibanez 540R-LTD and realizing they were pretty close from a specs standpoint, I decided to pick up the 540R to add to the collection.

The Radius models were basically the pre-cursor to the Satriani signature models, so the basic construction is similar with a contoured basswood body and bolt-on maple neck with 22-fret rosewood fretboard. The key differences between the JS and the 540R: the 540R has the lo-pro edge tremolo, bound fretboard with sharktooth inlays, and an H-S-H pickup configuration with a 5-way switch (vs. the JS's original edge tremolo, small dot inlays, and an H-H pickup configuration with a 3-way switch and push-pull pots). This particular 540R is finished in jewel blue and has been signed on the back of the headstock by Reb Beach (Winger!).

Of course, it was only a matter of time before I started messing with the electronics... I removed the stock humbuckers and replaced them with a Dimarzio Mo' Joe and PAF Joe pair. I also installed a Schaller 5-way mega-switch to essentially take the middle single coil out of the circuit... the 5 combinations are 1) neck humbucker, 2) neck single, 3) neck single + bridge single, 4) bridge single, 5) bridge humbucker. The new pickups + the available switching combinations are now closer to the JS electronics than the original 540R electronics.

Here are a few pics of the recent acquisition... note the great condition for being almost 20 years old...





Next up... given my recent history, it's more likely to be another PRS or G&L than another Ibanez. But in closing I've got to admit that it is kinda fun having a shredder in the house once again!

--B

New guitar - Breedlove Pro C25/CRH acoustic-electric

I tend to play a disproportionate amount of electric guitar than acoustic guitar... not sure if I play less acoustic because I own fewer acoustics or if I own fewer acoustics because I play less acoustic. ( - ponder - ) Nonetheless, I've learned over time that I tend to compose better songs when I write on acoustic and later add in the electric parts to give the song more drive / chunk / oomph / etc.

That said, I still appreciate high-end acoustics and can remember being wowed the first time I picked up a Breedlove at Guitar Center. It was only a matter of time before I looked at the price tag and sat it back town... many of the Breedlove custom shop models were too rich for my tastes. So when Breedlove started to produce the less-expensive-but-USA-made Pro and American series, it caught my attention pretty quickly.

The most recent acoustic acquisition is a Breedlove Pro C25/CRH acoustic-electric. It has a concert-sized cutaway body with cedar top and rosewood back/sides. Trim includes ivoroid body binding with herringbone top purfling, abalone soundhole rosette, subdued pearl dot markers, and black fretboard binding. Finally, it has a built-in L.R. Baggs Element pickup system with soundhole-mounted volume & tone controls.

The best part, of course, is that it has the characteristic "Breedlove sound"... remarkable projection and clarity. Even though the concert-sized body is comparably smaller and cedar is generally warmer in tone, this guitar's tone still fills the room like nothing else. I can't help but think that it would be a great "acoustic soloist" guitar (especially now that I've set it up with super-low action). After 5 minutes of playing this, both of my Guild acoustics sound like they're made out of cardboard. :(

As always, here are a few pictures of the Breedlove in its new home...





Also, somewhat worthy of note, this is the first time I've purchased a "pre-owned" instrument through Musician's Friend. The experience was quite positive... the price (with sale + coupon) was extremely competitive, the shipping was quick, and the guitar arrived in super-clean condition. Based on this experience, at least, I wouldn't hesitate to buy other pre-owned instruments through them in the future.

Alright, that's enough acoustic talk... time to get back to the electrics!

--B

New amp gear - Rocktron Vendetta head (again)

This post is dedicated to one of the most "mis-understood" amps on the market... the Rocktron Vendetta. I had a Vendetta a few years back and it was one of those few amps that I immediately bonded with. Of course, like most things, I ended up selling the Vendetta to pick up other gear. But recently I ended up on a mission to pick up a simple-but-versatile 100 watt head, and I became hell-bent on finding another Vendetta (inspired in part by the fact that I've had a Vendetta 4x12 cab loaded with V30's around here for the past few years).

So what makes the Vendetta so great? For starters, it's basically a "modernized" version of the Egnater TOL100... it has a similar 4-channel, 100-watt architecture, but with more gain on tap and a slightly more aggressive voicing. Compared to the original TOL100, it is much easier to dial in (to find good tones without compromising too much on the shared EQ's). From a features standpoint, it's got dual effects loops (series + parallel), built-in MIDI switching, and bias points on the back panel.

So why is it so misunderstood? Perhaps because it looks like a TOL100-wanna-be. Perhaps because Rocktron only produced a handful and never really marketed them. Perhaps because Rocktron introduced a second line of solid-state Vendettas that paled in comparison to the original 100-watt all-tube version. Perhaps because (as some point in time) Rocktron shifted production of the amps from the US to China. Who knows?

While my first Vendetta was made in the USA, this is one of the made in China models. What's different? Nothing's noticeable from a tonal standpoint (which is a good thing). I haven't yet taken it apart to look at the build quality. The key differences are that the Chinese model includes a road case and has LED's installed behind the tubes for that cool "glow-in-the-dark" effect.

So I've got the Vendetta rigged up with a MidiMate for channel switching and running through a Vendetta 4x12 cab... it's about as much Rocktron gear as I could have in a single rig without having an Xpression in the FX loop. Shortly after receiving it, I upgraded the stock Ruby tubes with Svetlana 12AX7's and JJ 6L6's. After spending a bit of time to dial it in, I put together the following quick demo videos to show off it's capabilities...

Vendetta with PRS Sunburst 245:


Vendetta with PRS DGT:


Here's a pic of the Vendetta head on top of the Vendetta cab, reunited after all these years:


Anyway, for anyone who's in the market for a versatile but straightforward 100-watt tube head, this is definitely one to check out (assuming, that is, that you can find one to check out).

--B

The "revolving door" of gear - amp edition

Continuing in the "revolving door" series, today we look at some of the guitar amps that have come & gone from the studio in relatively short time...

H&K Switchblade 50 combo
The good: infinitely versatile... like a Triaxis combo (MIDI programmable tube amp) with built-in effects (modulation + delay + reverb)
The bad: sounded buzzy/brittle/harsh, particularly when compared to the Switchblade 100 head I used to own--not sure if it's a function of the 50-watt power section or something else, though I did try swapping tubes/speakers to no avail; effects (particularly modulations) are not overly tweakable

Laney TT100H head
The good: lots of amp for the money... 3 channels with lots of voicing switches, spring reverb, footswitchable solo boost, MIDI control
The bad: kinda sterile and therefore uninspiring... sounded more like a solid-state amp than a tube amp

Marshall JMP-1 preamp
The good: 4 different Marshall-esque circuits in a single rack space MIDI-programmable preamp... kinda like a gold-plated version of the Triaxis
The bad: not overly dynamic; general consensus is that the tubes are probably more "marketing tubes" than "preamp tubes"

Mesa/Boogie Triaxis preamp
The good: 8 different Mesa circuits crammed into a single rack space MIDI-programmable preamp with 1/4" relays for switching other rack gear and stereo FX loop; endless array of LED's on the front panel look like something out of Back to the Future
The bad: again, nothing truly "bad"... not as dynamic/responsive as some of the Mesa combos I've owned, but still more warm & tubey than the JMP-1

Peavey Penta head
The good: a couple of the voicings (star, cactus) have a lot of vibe; amp is self-explanatory as it gets from a controls standpoint; retro green vinyl covering looks like an old school bus seat
The bad: the other voicings are less than inspiring, with "mudflap girl" being the worst; amp sounded a bit sterile regardless of how I tweaked it and which tubes/speakers I paired with it, perhaps because 140w is too loud for just about anything

Reason Bambino 1x12" combo
The good: kudos for being able to cram 3 footswitchable channels into a 1x12" all tube combo that can be switched between 2-8 watts
The bad: not overly tweakable... hard to dial in good tones across all 3 channels simultaneously due to the shared controls; the tone of 6AQ5 power tubes is unique (not necessarily bad)

Soldano SL-60 head
The good: forerunner to the Hot Rod series, claimed to be similar to the SLO in circuitry and tone with a lower output (less deafening) power section
The bad: it's a one-trick pony (single channel amp) with a pretty good trick... not much in the way of features/flexibility but gets the job done

The "revolving door" of gear - guitar edition

I think that some folks who read my blog are left with the impression that I have an unlimited amount of money & storage space and simply collect gear like there's no tomorrow. It's worth pointing out, though, that for as much gear as I tend to buy, I also tend to sell roughly the same amount of gear. So there are some guitars, amps, etc. that stick around for years, while there are others that don't last more than a couple of weeks. This post is dedicated to some of the recently-acquired guitars that have had a relatively quick trip through the "revolving door" of gear...

Danelectro 56-U3 Reissue
The good: inexpensive; versatile/unique electronics package (pretty much nothing else sounds like lipstick pickups); sharp looking sparkle black finish
The bad: feels really cheap (masking tape for binding--pretty sure the body is made out of plywood, too!)
Picture:


G&L ASAT 25th Anniversary
The good: understated but stunning finish (like a cross between vintage cherry and walnut); great craftsmanship and attention to detail
The bad: G&L MFD humbuckers have a very unique sound--not bad, per se, just not right for me
Picture:


G&L Comanche
The good: once again, great finish (blueburst) + great craftsmanship and attention to detail; G&L MFD Z-coil pickups are essentially hum-canceling single coils
The bad: MFD Z-coil pickups sounded "sterile" to me in this guitar (which is something I've also experienced with the larger MFD's in ASAT Specials as well)
Picture:


Paul Reed Smith 305
The good: something "unique" from PRS with an alder body, maple neck, and 3 single coil pickups; standard great craftsmanship and attention to detail associated with PRS
The bad: while technically not "bad," I wanted this to be a guitar that looked & played like a PRS but sounded like a strat; oddly enough, it didn't sound quite enough like a strat for me
Picture:


Paul Reed Smith SC250
The good: modernized Singlecut features (locking tuners, adjustable bridge, weight-relieved body); as above, great craftsmanship + attention to detail; cool-but-understated gray black finish
The bad: is it shallow of me to admit that I never bonded with this guitar because it wasn't a 10-top? or maybe I just never got into the previous owner's choice of replacement pickups in this guitar (SD Jazz + JB)
Picture:


Taylor Solidbody Classic
The good: innovative take on electric guitar design with flexible electronics and extremely solid construction; completely understated and therefore impossible to photograph transparent white finish; "plug & play" pre-loaded pickguards make electronic swaps a piece of cake
The bad: played more like a hot-rodded acoustic than electric guitar, though admittedly, if I was looking for an electric that was able to stand up to heavy playing, this would be it
Picture:

Outdoor gee-tar photo shoot

A few weeks ago I took a bit of time to polish up most of the guitars in my collection, and upon realizing how beautiful the weather was that day, I took the time to drag all the guitars outside to take a few pictures. The guitar colors just tend to "pop" much more in the sun than under indoor lights, and the "natural" backdrop just looks much cooler than the guitars leaning up against the studio wall.

Here's the first half of the PRS collection...

L to R: Starla (vintage orange), Custom 22 (vintage yellow), Custom 22 semi-hollow (tobacco sunburst), Standard 24 (cream), Custom 24 (violin amber burst), Custom 24 (whale blue), Mira (vintage cherry)

...and the other half of the PRS collection...

L to R: DGT (cherry sunburst), McCarty Korina (vintage natural), Singlecut (black sunburst), Singlecut Satin Trem (emerald green), Sunburst 245, McCarty Soapbar (black), McCarty Rosewood (natural)

...here's the G&L collection...

L to R: ASAT Classic Bluesboy Semi-hollow (tobacco sunburst), ASAT Special Deluxe (blackburst), ASAT Classic (vintage white), Legacy Special (black), Legacy (natural yellow tint), S-500 Deluxe (blueburst)

...and the "neither PRSi or G&L's" collection...

L to R: Gretch G6120-1959, Gibson Firebird Non-Reverse, Ibanez 540R-LTD, Voodoo Guitar Works custom archtop, EBMM John Petrucci 7-string, Carvin DC120 12-string, Heritage H-535

...and finally the "basses and baritones" collection...

L to R: Yamaha RBX800AF fretless, G&L Tribute L-2500 5-string, Danelectro Dead-on '67 baritone

After snapping those pics, I started setting up for an all-acoustic photo shoot, however the rain clouds starting moving in and put a damper on the remainder of the photo shoot. Oh well... will have to wait for another sunny day to drag all the acoustics outside to finish the run.

--B

VLOG: New amp gear - Traynor YBA-1 with Fuchs ODS mod

Here's another one that I can't technically say is "new amp gear" since I bought the amp last year, fiddled with it for a few months in the studio, and just recently sold it. But once again I figured it was worth a bit of discussion given how unique it was...

So this amp started out as a Traynor YBA-1, which is a pretty old-school amp design (somewhere between a Fender Bassman and Marshall JTM-45). It was a 50-watt bass amp driven by two EL34's with MASSIVE transformers. Because of this, it has become a popular platform for modding and hot rodding. This one was modded by Andy Fuchs to have the ODS circuit installed, turning it into a low-cost Dumble clone clone. Post-mod, it has two footswitchable channels, footswitchable mid-boost, full/studio power setting, and various voicing switches installed.

To put the amp through it's paces, I recorded the following video of me jamming along through the modded Traynor to one of my original tunes... the guitar is a McCarty Korina and the cab is a 1x12" Egnater cab loaded with a WGS ET65 speaker. This will give you an idea of what the modded amp sounds like...



So this was another amp to be unloaded as part of the post-AxeFX downsizing (since the AxeFX has some compelling Dumble models), but all-in-all, the Traynor/Fuchs delivered a lot of tone/vibe for the money. If you've got an old Fender/Music Man/Traynor amp that you're looking to breathe some new life into, the Fuchs ODS mod may be just the trick.

--B

VLOG: New amp gear - Mesa/Boogie Stiletto Ace head

I technically can't say this is "new amp gear" since I bought this amp about a year ago, fiddled around with it for several months, and sold it already. But, I figured it was worth a "retroactive shout out" since it was one of the cooler amps I've owned over the years...

The Mesa/Boogie Stiletto Ace is a 2-channel amp--each channel with 3 modes and selectable rectifier--with footswitchable solo boost, bold/spongy power switch, 50 watt power section... on paper it looks like a scaled-down version of the Stiletto Trident/Deuce. What sets is apart from other Mesas is that it was designed around EL34's (vs. 6L6's), and therefore brings a whole new crunchy vibe to the Mesa lineup. To say that it is Marshall-esque would be to sell it short... sure it can get great mid-gain Plexi-ish and JCM800-ish tones, but the Stiletto also delivers clean tones that would put any Marshall (and just about any other EL34-driven amp) to shame and incredibly smooth high-gain solo tones. After a few days exploring all the Stiletto's modes, I realized that my dream amp may be a 3 or 4 channel Stiletto (sort of a Stiletto-meets-Roadster hybrid)--or at the very least two Stiletto Ace heads with an amp switcher! I hauled this one out for a gig last year, and it was a true head-turner, both because of the killer tone + the unique look (maroon leather with tan piping).

So if it's so cool, why did I get rid of it? Well, let's just say it was part of this year's AxeFX downsizing... there were enough great crunch tones between the AxeFX's Marshall and Soldano models that I really didn't think I'd use the Stiletto much for recording. Before I sold it, though, I had to get at least one demo of the amp in action... the following video gives a good idea of what the amp's "fluid drive" mode sounds like:



(It's also worth pointing out that the amp's gain is only at 1:00 in that video without any OD pedals, so there is still a lot more available gain on tap!)

Finally, here's a picture of the Stiletto in the middle of Mesa Mountain... kinda sticks out like a sore thumb with the maroon leather...



--B

My Keyboard & MIDI Gear

last updated: 2010-Jul-4

Perhaps this is long overdue, since I actually started my music journey as a keyboard player... I took piano lessons when I was in 3rd grade (I didn't start guitar lessons until 8th grade), took music theory/composition classes in high school (which introduced me to the world of sequencing and ultimately home recording), and even spent most of my high school graduation money on a keyboard/sequencer rig, which gradually expanded to the keyboard rig below (none of which, of course, is around here today)...



Granted, I've invested a lot more time, money, and effort in guitarsmanship (?) over the years, but I still enjoy playing keys and composing keyboard parts for many original compositions.

Recently I've dusted off a few pieces of keyboard gear (and picked up a couple new pieces) to put together a more "complete" rig. Chances of taking anything on the road are pretty slim, since it's mostly for purposes of jamming around in the studio. The rig is assembled as follows: Both the M-Audio Keystation 61es and Fatar StudioLogic SL990-XP controllers are wired into the MOTU MIDI Timepiece AV patchbay/router. For those days when the guitarist in me is dominating the keyboard player in me, I've also got a Casio MG510 MIDI guitar, Yamaha EZ-EG tutorial guitar (makes a great MIDI controller!), and Sonuus G2M guitar-to-MIDI converter--all of which are different/good in their own ways. The MOTU routes the MIDI signal out to one of several rackmount sound modules: Korg Triton (with Z1-inspired MOSS expansion board), Yamaha Motif ES, Roland Fantom-XR, Clavia Nord Lead 2 (for old school analog tones), and Yamaha TX81Z (kinda obscure FM synthesizer). All those modules feed into a Roland M-120 rack mixer and a TC Electronic M300 for effects. Getting it all rigged up has served as a good reminder of exactly how much I've forgotten about MIDI over the years!





red indicates recent acquisitions
purple indicates items for sale

Keyboard/MIDI gear: Baldwin Acrosonic console piano Casio MG-510 MIDI guitar Clavia Nord Rack 2 virtual analog synthesizer module Fatar Studiologic SL990-XP MIDI controller Korg Triton rackmount workstation/sampler w/ EXB-MOSS expansion board M-Audio Keystation 61es MIDI controller MOTU MIDI Timepiece AV patchbay/router Roland Fantom-XR rackmount sound module Roland M-120 line mixer Sonuus G2M Universal guitar-to-MIDI converter TC Electronic M300 multi-FX Yamaha EZ-EG Tutorial Electric Guitar Yamaha Motif Rack ES sound module Yamaha TX81Z FM synthesizer module

Axe-FX Chronicles 4 : Initial impressions

So my Axe-FX Ultra arrived last Wednesday... I totally had to resist the urge to leave the office when I got my "UPS delivery notification" email (which was probably a good thing to let the package sit for a few hours so the temperature could equalize). But, of course, that evening I rushed home to rig it up as quickly as possible... curious to see if it would live up to expectations.

My first trial was running the Axe-FX through a Carvin AG100D, which is essentially a self-contained PA system designed for small acoustic gigs (has 3 channels for acoustic guitar, bass, and vocals/line in). Overall, I wasn't exactly blown away by the tone or feel of the amp simulations... that didn't matter at the time, though, because I was completely distracted by the quality of the effects. I spent the better part of an hour messing around with the pitch shifter... first with the "Brian May solo" patch, then the "Owner of a Lonely Heart solo" patch, and finally the "Ballerina 12/24" patch. (FWIW, "Ballerina 12/24" is my standard for evaluating effects units... If I can dial in that tone without having to open the manual, then an effects unit has good staying potential.) Needless to say, I was pretty impressed by the tracking & tonal quality of the intelligent harmonizer, but didn't quite know what to make of the amp models yet.

By Friday, my Carvin TS100 power amp had arrived, so I was able to rig up the Axe-FX and a couple Randall 2x12's into a suitable guitar rig. This meant disabling the power amp + cabinet simulations on the Axe-FX. All of a sudden, the amp simulations started to come to life... the "Blackface" model had the right bounce, the "Top Boost" model had the right sparkle, and the "Plexi" model had the right snarl. I was particularly impressed by the "USA" models (which were based on Mesa Mark-series amps)... they pretty much nailed the tone and feel of the Mark IV (sadly, they nailed it better than my Mark V did). I spent a bit of time with some of the more boutique models as well (e.g., Matchless, Trainwreck, Budda, Dumble), though admittedly had no real basis for comparison there. Overall, I found myself thinking "um, what do I need all these amp heads around the studio for?"

(We now interrupt this regularly scheduled post for some pictures...)





(We now return to the post in progress...)

Saturday I didn't really play the Axe-FX any, but I did install the AxeEdit software on a Dell Mini (Inspiron 910) netbook, checked to make sure the latest firmware (v9.0) was installed on the Axe-FX, and restored the factory default patches. The Dell has somewhat of a non-standard screen resolution--many programs require more screen real estate than the Dell offers--however, AxeEdit fit perfectly on the screen, almost as if it was designed to be used on a netbook. In the words of Peter Griffin, "Freakin' sweet!"

Finally, Sunday was science project day... knowing how many folks on the Axe-FX forum use solid state power amps with their Axe-FX rigs, I pulled the Carvin HT150 and QSC RMX850 power amps from the PA rig, inserted 'em between the Axe-FX and Randall 2x12's, enabled the power amp simulation on the Axe-FX, and wailed away. Impressions here were so-so... the rig just didn't have the presence of a standard guitar rig... perhaps the combination of solid state power amps with full range speakers is a better pairing. So I switched the rig back to the TS100 power amp and disabled power amp simulation once again.

So based on a few days of fiddling around, here are my take aways...

1) The Axe-FX is a keeper based on the feel and tone of the amp simulations + the quality of effects

2) The AxeEdit software is an amazing productivity booster when getting started

3) I prefer the tone of the Axe-FX through a tube power amp and guitar cabs

Next up will be putting the Axe-FX through its paces in the studio to see how it holds up for "direct to console" recording.

--B

Axe-FX Chronicles 3 : What could I get rid of?

Following a lot of discussions related to Axe-FX owners, there seems to be a trend where the Axe-FX starts out as an effects-only device in an existing amp rig and slowly takes over more & more of the rig's capabilities as time passes. This often leads to a major gear de-acquisition phase in which small mountains of amps + cabs + FX units are gradually unloaded.

This got me thinking a bit... if the Axe-FX really does live up to my high expectations, how much gear could I possibly get rid of? (Note: This blog post contains forward looking statements that may imply that I would sell dozens of pieces of gear. We all know that'll never really happen, or in the event that it does, it would simply lead to the acquisition of dozens of other pieces of gear. Carry on...) So here's a quick inventory of amp & recording-related gear I could probably unload...

Amps & cabinets: Egnater 1x12" cabinet, Egnater/Mojo JTM45 head, Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Roadster head, Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne head, Mesa/Boogie Lone Star Special head, Mesa/Boogie Mark Five head, Mesa/Boogie Stiletto Ace head, Rocktron Vendetta 4x12" cabinet, Soldano SL-60 head, Traynor YBA-1 with Fuchs ODS mod

Effects & accessories: Axess Electronics BS2 buffer/splitter, BBE Freq Boost treble booster pedal, Carl Martin compressor/limiter pedal, ISP Technologies Decimator noise reduction pedal, Johnson J-Station modeler, Rocktron PatchMate MIDI switcher, TC Electronic Nova System multi-FX, Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive overdrive pedal

Studio gear: Blue "The Ball" dynamic mic, Kel Audio HM-2d condenser mic, Line 6 GearBox Plug-in Gold Bundle, Shure SM57 cardioid dynamic mics

So tally 'em up... 22 pieces of gear & counting, probably close to $10K in amps alone. Kinda scary, eh? Again, I don't know how much of the above gear I'd actually get rid of, but it's interesting to think about scaling down & starting from scratch. Maybe I'll have to rename the blog to "Gear De-Acquisition Syndrome." (Unlikely!)

--B

New Gear's Resolutions (ha!)

Being a new year and all, I thought it would be appropriate to recap my personal New Year's Resolutions here, especially since several of them relate to my musical hobbies...

1) Jennifer and I will finish recording our Conundrum CD, even if it means I have to hold her captive in the basement for 2 weeks - We started recording in fall of 2008 and managed to get 10 songs done in time for Christmas. For the entire year of 2009 we kept talking about finishing the CD (recording a few more songs, putting final touches on the mixing/mastering) but never did anything. So in 2010 we want to finish the CD for real and get the tracks available on iTunes.

2) I will get back into teaching - Not related to G.A.S., but I used to teach college business classes at night, and recently got connected with a new college and new teaching opportunities. I'll be starting mid-January.

3) In order to do something productive with photography, I want to have 12 killer pictures by the end of 2010 to make a 2011 calendar - Ok, it's not musical G.A.S., but photographic G.A.S. is almost as dangerous. Last year I picked up a new digital SLR camera (Nikon D90) and several new lenses (Nikon 16-85mmVR, Nikon 70-300mm VR, Nikon 85mm macro); in 2010 I plan to put all that gear to good use.

4) Get more proactive about taking advantage of the cultural stuff Cinci has to offer and making plans with friends, hopefully both at once - Um, perhaps this means spending less time in the studio...

5) To "get good" at all the random stringed instruments I've been accumulating over the years... mandolin, banjo, lap steel, violin - Yeah, for those of you who have followed the blog for a while, I think this was my resolution in 2007 as well (and I was too lazy to make resolutions in 2008). What's different this time? For starters, I've actually been listening to a bit more country / bluegrass music, so I'm a bit more inspired. I've picked up a few new instruments including a Dean Backwoods 6-string banjo, a Dobro Hound Dog resonator, a Silver Creek violin, and a Peavey Power Slide lap steel. Finally, I've loaded up my Netflix queue and Amazon wish list with all sorts of instructional DVD's and books. So maybe I won't "get good" at all of the above, but hopefully at least I can "get better".

6) To get my bike and rollerblades cleaned/fixed up and actually start using them when the weather stops sucking - Uh oh... this also means spending less time in the studio...

7) And finally, not make more New Year's Resolutions than I can reasonably keep in 2010

And, of course, not a true resolution, I guess, but I am making a concerted effort to blog more regularly and not get so behind on posts/videos. We'll see how that goes...

--B

New FX gear - MXR Custom Audio Electronics MC-404 wah

It's a bit amazing/overwhelming how many wah pedals are available on the market today... everything from classic to modern, from simplistic to infinitely tweakable. Having tried a lot of them over the years, there are some features that (IMO) are must-haves when it comes to wah pedals... 1) switchable voicings - to handle everything from super-clean funk to 7-string riffs, 2) true bypass - to prevent tone suck, 3) indicator light - to remind me when it's on. So the new Dunlop MXR CAE MC-404 wah pedal caught my attention as soon as it arrived on the scene.

From a specs standpoint, the MC-404 has switchable inductors (red is more subdued while yellow is more biting), adjustable/switchable boost, true bypass operation, and four indicator LED's to show the status (red/yellow lights to show which inductor is selected, green/blue lights to show when wah & boost are engaged). For tweakers, there are internal pots to adjust the "Q" of the two modes. My only wish is that it would be cool if the boost could be independently engaged from the wah (e.g., give me 10db of full range boost when the wah is off). Like most Dunlop pedals, it's solid from a construction standpoint. One thing that's kinda irrelevant but not obvious from any of the pictures on the website/brochure is the finish... it's got a brushed metal look that is unique and classy, and there's a large CAE logo on the treadle which adds to the unique look.

To put the wah through its paces, check out the following video of me working through Joe Satriani's "Summer Song" with a PRS Standard 24 and Mesa/Boogie Stiletto Ace:



More reviews & videos coming soon...

--B

Axe-FX Chronicles 2 : Pulling the trigger

So having spent what feels like a vaguely unreasonable amount of time over the past few days researching the Axe-FX (e.g., reading dozens of reviews on Harmony Central, watching hours of video clips on YouTube, reading the manual + the Wiki, and browsing hundreds of posts on various forums), I've decided to make a go of the Axe-FX rig like so...



First, I decided to go with the Fractal Audio Axe-FX Ultra vs. the Standard model, mostly as a future-proofing exercise... While some players are perfectly happy with the Standard, others use the Standard for a few months then start yearning for the Ultra. So to save myself the hassle of buying a Standard, getting it configured + dialed in, then deciding to trade it for an Ultra later and have to start over with setup & configuration, I decided to bite the bullet and get the Ultra from the start.

From a "live rig" standpoint, I am working with many components I've already got, including a Sennheiser EW172 wireless, Rocktron MIDIMate footcontroller, and Randall R212C cabinets (one is loaded with CL80's, the other with V30's). From a power amp standpoint, I chose the Carvin TS100 over the Randall RT2/50 for two reasons... 1) cost and 2) the TS100 is a pretty "flat" sounding tube amp--I had one many years ago when I assembled my first Randall MTS rig, and the TS100 didn't have as much "character" as the RT2/50 did. As it turns out, however, lack of power amp "character" can actually be a good thing with the Axe-FX!

For recording purposes, I'll be connecting the Axe-FX (with power amp + speaker sims enabled) directly into the Presonus DigiMax FS preamp/converter... no more futzing around with mic placement! The cool thing is that I will be able to run both setups at the same time... run the "live rig" with the TS100 + 2x12" cabs from one pair of Axe-FX outputs to get the right "feel" in the room when recording while capturing the audio direct to disk from the second pair of Axe-FX outputs. For after hours recording sessions, I can still record direct without using the live rig for in-studio monitoring.

So, that's that... after several days of research + several online transactions, I'm well on my way to having an Axe-FX rig together. I expect to have all the gear in-hand and wired up by next weekend, at which point I'll be ready to start an in-depth review of the Axe-FX's capabilities. Stay tuned...

--B

Axe-FX Chronicles 1 : To buy or not to buy... that is the question

So today's post is a bit more "philosophical exploration" than typical, but after months of reading reviews and listening to clips of the Fractal Audio Axe-FX, I've finally reached the tipping point where I'm seriously considering buying one.

Why? Well, for starters, I've got a lot of amplifier + effects + recording gear... 8 amp heads, 4 speaker cabs, 6 FX pedals, MIDI switchers + foot controllers, over a dozen mics... there are many days I look around the studio and ask "What the heck do I need all of this gear for?"

For recording purposes, I like the variety of having all the gear on hand, but collectively it takes up way too much studio space. It takes time to wire up and mic up correctly for impromptu recording projects... half the time the "inspiration train" has left the station by the time all the recording gear is ready to go. And it's too inconsistent... if I get a killer tone one day, the next day it's practically impossible to find again.

For gigging purposes... well, let's face it... I'm not gigging much these days. Half the recent gigs I've played have been coffeehouse-like venues, where high volumes are frowned upon. The other half have been club gigs... they give me the opportunity to turn things up to "11" (so to speak), but then I'm too lazy to haul multiple amps + cabs out for gigs anyway. So 95% of the gear stays home while a select 5% ever sees the stage.

Obviously, the Axe-FX has a lot of appeal, then... In the studio, having 100% consistency in tone day to day, being ready-to-record on a moment's notice, having access to an even wider variety of amps + effects, and being able to get killer tones at low volumes are all selling points. On the stage, the idea of having less gear to haul to gigs and having better control over what guitar tones actually come out through the PA are major benefits as well.

The biggest potential downside I see at this point is that the Axe-FX won't live up to expectations / hype in terms of tone + feel. I've had a lot of modeling gear over the years... I started with the Johnson JM-150 (a great unit for its day) and have since owned other Johnson (JM-120, J-Station), H&K (Zentera), Digitech (GSP1101), Boss (GT-6, GT-8), Line 6 (M13, Gearbox), Behringer (V-AMP), Roland (VG-8, MicroCube), Vox (Tonelab, ST, SE, AD15), etc. modelers, in addition to a great deal of Randall & Egnater modular gear. While the Egnater modular gear was truly the "holy grail", most of the digital modelers left something to be desired, so I guess I'm "cautiously optimistic" that the Axe-FX will be better than the other digital modelers and almost as good as the Egnater gear. The upside to the downside... with a 15-day return policy and relatively good resale value for used Axe-FX's, that's not much of a long-term risk (provided I don't sell all my amps + cabs in the interim).

So my plan is to try to find a used Axe-FX Standard, first to audition in the studio for direct recording purposes, then to incorporate into a standard guitar rig (perhaps with a Randall RT2/50 power amp and pair of Randall R212C cabs). If that goes well, I may look into either a pair of powered monitors or the Atomic Reactor FR for further downsizing/simplification.

Over the next few weeks I'll be posting updates of my Axe-FX journey. Stay tuned...

--B

Pre-Black Friday Clearance! Everything must go!

Ok, maybe not, but it's fair to say that all the emails I've received advertising pre-Black Friday deals have been wearing off on me. I've got a small mountain of gear up for sale... everything works great and is in generally excellent condition (email me for details on any particular item). Things will probably start showing up on e-bay later in the week.

• everything has been sold...
  

--B

VLOG: New guitar - EBMM Steve Morse

Pretty high on the list of amazing but generally unknown guitarists (well, aside from among other guitarists) has got to be Steve Morse... he's played with Kansas, Deep Purple, Dixie Dregs, and cranked out a handful of solo instrumental albums as well. For as long as I can remember, he's had a signature series guitar model manufactured by Ernie Ball/Music Man. A few months ago, curiosity got the better of me, and I picked up an EBMM Steve Morse model on e-bay to see what it's made of.

Literally, it's made of poplar (ha!) with a bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret rosewood fretboard, fixed bridge, and locking tuners. Two things stand out... first is the trademark blueburst finish, which almost takes on a greenish tint at times given the natural yellowish tint of poplar. Second is the pickup configuration: the Morse model has two humbuckers, two single coils, 2 knobs, and 3 switches. Most interesting, though, is how it's wired up in such a seemingly illogical manner... the 3-way blade switches between the bridge humbucker, the neck humbucker, and the bridge single coil (in that order); the 2-way toggle adds the bridge humbucker to whatever's selected on the 3-way blade; and the 3-way toggle adds the neck single coil to the mix (or solos the neck single coil). It sounds good and provides a lot of versatility, but requires way too much thought to keep track of "what switch does what" and "what position each switch is in."

So aside from needing a PhD to operate it, the Morse lives up to the typical high quality I've seen from Music Man guitars... flawless finish, tight tolerances, good stability (thanks to the 5-bolt neck). The neck is smooth (I'll admit I could use a bit more "meat" on the neck, but apparently Steve and I differ in opinion), and the body is well-balanced. Again, the tonal versatility is killer... the humbuckers are relatively hot and compress easily (great for soloing), the single coils provide a nice amount of twang. If only it could actually make me sound/play like Steve Morse...

Here's a demo clip of the guitar running through a Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne head... I think I manage to use maybe 2 of the 11 different pickup combinations here...

"This Way for Good" by Conundrum:


And, of course, gotta have a couple of pictures of the guitar, too... check out that sweet blueburst finish...





As always, I'll have more guitar & amp reviews coming soon...

--B

VLOG: New amp gear - Hughes & Kettner Triamp head

Between when I first discovered Mesa/Boogie amps and recently re-discovered them, I tried dozens of amps in an effort to find something that fit my style better (challenging, if only because the style of music I was playing seemed to be changing on an almost weekly basis!). On the journey, I went through a Hughes & Kettner phase where I tried a variety of models (e.g., Triamp mkII, Zentera, Switchblade, Edition Tube), most of which were sold off when I started assembling the monster rack rig. So this summer when I started jamming around with Almost Lifelike I took a look around the studio and realized... all my high-wattage multi-channel amps were gone. I started the search for a flexible amp and was stoked to find an original H&K Triamp mkI up for grabs on the local Craigslist.

The Triamp is one of the most impressive amps I've ever seen from a specs standpoint... 6 channels, 12 tubes (8 preamp tubes + 4 power tubes), spring reverb, dual FX loops (series + parallel) and optional MIDI switching. Compared to the Triamp mkII, the mkI is loaded with 6L6 power tubes... having owned both, I found the mkI to be much smoother in comparison to the mkII model. With 6 channels, pretty much everything from crystal clean to nu-metal chunk is available: I had mine dialed in for a skinny (funky) clean tone on channel 1A, a "pushed" clean tone on channel 1B, a JCM800-ish crunch on channel 2A, a fat "brown" lead tone on channel 2B, a heavier rhythm tone on channel 3A, and finally a full-on metal lead tone on channel 3B. Plus, let's face it, there's something cool about being able to see all the tubes glowing through the plexi-glass front (though admittedly, not as cool as the blue neon in the Triamp mkII).

So here are a couple of videos that show me putting the Triamp through its paces with a Ernie Ball Music Man JP 7-string guitar and a Rocktron 4x12 cabinet:




And, of course, can't have a post without the obligatory picture...



Stay tuned... I'll have some new guitar & amp videos posted soon...

--B

VLOG: New amp gear - Mesa/Boogie Lone Star Special head

Yet another Mesa/Boogie amp to recently arrive on my doorstep... the Lone Star Special head. Both the Lone Star and Lone Star Special offer similar features (2 channel preamp with additional "drive" stage on the second channel, footswitchable solo boost, spring reverb with bright/warm voicing switch, FX loop, etc.). The primary difference is that the Lone Star has a 6L6-based power section, while the Lone Star Special has an EL84-based power section. Each channel can be independently set to 5 watt (single-ended class A with tube rectifier), 15 watt (class A with tube rectifier), or 30 watt (class A with solid state rectifier) operation. In the grand scheme of Mesa's, still relatively simple (only 2 channels!), easy to dial in (no shared EQ), and chock full of vintage tones.

I've got the first channel dialed in for a "pushed" clean tone, largely inspired by my Vox AC30CCH head's normal channel (with brilliance switch engaged). The second channel has the additional drive stage engaged for a fat, warm solo tone. In theory the amp takes pedals quite well, though I haven't tried it yet... I've got both a Sparkle Drive and BBE Freq Boost that I'm anxious to audition with the LSS.

Here's a short video that puts the Lone Star Special through it's paces with a G&L ASAT Classic. Only downside is that there's no reverb on the track as the original tank was damaged in shipment (it's since been replaced, but took a few weeks for the replacement part to come in).

"Turn & Run" by Conundrum:


And, finally, here's the Lone Star Special on top of "Mesa Mountain"...



Next up, clips of the Stiletto Ace, Mark Five, Roadster, and maybe even a couple non-Mesa amps...

--B

VLOG: New amp gear - Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne head

The most recent amp to join the ranks is a Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne head. The Electra Dyne is one of the newer Mesa models and represents a departure from some of the more complex designs of recent years (such as the Mark Five and Road King). The Electra Dyne has 3 channels (clean, vintage LO, and vintage HI), a 90 watt (switchable down to 45 watts) SimulClass power section driven by four 6L6's, spring reverb, FX loop, and that's about it. :) Compared to other models, both the front and back panels look a bit "stark"... all three channels share a common set of volume / tone / master controls. The controls, however, used "ganged" pots that allow for different tapers in each mode, making it relatively easy to find settings that work well across all three channels. (Having owned a handful of amps with shared EQ controls--Mark III, Mark IV, TOL100, etc.--over the years, I will say this is the first time I've not felt seriously compromised by shared controls across multiple channels.)

Sonically, the Electra Dyne claims to have American-voiced cleans and British-inspired distortions. I would agree with that assessment, though I'd say the Electra Dyne sounds more like an Orange amp than the typical British contenders (e.g., Vox, Marshall). Setting the volume (i.e., gain) around 3:00 delivered a perfect blend of clean, crunch, and smooth lead tones--there's plenty of gain on tap for hard rock, though not quite as much as the Mark or Recto series amps. Honestly, this amp's been a shocker... I expected good tone, but didn't expect it to be so easy to dial in. As such, I expect it will see its fair share of use in the studio and on the stage due to its relative simplicity.

So if you want to check out the Electra Dyne's tone, here are a couple of videos that show how the amp sounds in the context of a couple of recordings...

"Perspective" by Conundrum:


"This Way for Good" by Conundrum:


And, of course, here's the latest picture of "Mesa Mountain"...



More Mesa reviews and video clips to come...

--B

Dismantling the monster rack

It was about a year ago that I embarked on a project to assemble the biggest rack rig I'd ever owned... it started with researching a lot of preamp/power amp/MIDI switcher/FX unit options in August 2008 followed by a major gear acquisition phase in September. By January everything was collected & connected, just in time for a second round of gear acquisition in March. When all was said and done, I had nearly filled a 20-space rack with 9 preamps (4 Mesa's, Marshall, Soldano, Frenzel, Hiwatt, ENGL), 2 power amps (Randall, Mesa), several MIDI switchers (Rolls, RJM, Rocktron), and various other accessories (Monster power conditioner, Lexicon FX + MIDI controller, Axess Electronics buffer, Sennheiser wireless). Check out the pictures of the final result below...





All things considered, the rack rig saw its fair share of use for jam sessions and recording, however, it was so heavy that there was no good (safe) way to move it. Also, it took a considerable amount of MIDI programming time to get all the switchers and FX units cooperating. Any rig where I spent more time tweaking than playing is doomed in the long run...

So in April I began the slow process of dismantling the rack by selling a few of the preamps. Over the summer, I continued to unload gear. Now, the rack is back to the size it was last September with 3 preamps and a power amp, all of which are currently for sale. I expect that everything will be cleared out by the end of September, and I'll be on to the next big thing.

So what is the next big thing? I've currently re-discovered my love for Mesa/Boogie amps and have picked up several heads (Lonestar Special, Mark V, Roadster, Stiletto Ace, and Electra Dyne) over the past few weeks. I'm digging the relative simplicity of the guitar --> amp --> speaker setup compared to mountains of MIDI switching gear, yet still getting the tonal versatility I need for gigging and recording projects. There still is a rack, though it's a much more humble 5-spacer with a power conditioner, Rocktron PatchMate, and a shelf with an Axess Electronics BS-2 buffer, Sennheiser EW172 wireless, and Damage Control Glass Nexus multi-FX mounted to it... definitely much simpler than the 20-spacer to wire up and program!

Will the big rack make a return someday? Most likely... I tend to go through cycles of relatively simple setups followed by big rack rigs. Will I ever settle down and keep an amp for 5-10 years? Hard to say... no matter how many great amps I've got around the studio, I'm always interested in trying the next great thing. It's not so much a case of "grass is always greener" syndrome, but rather, the undying curiosity I've got when it comes to researching and auditioning new gear. Does that make me crazy? Perhaps ;)

--B

Mesa Acquisition Month

Well, in case there's been any doubt... yes, I'm still alive; yes, I'm still collecting lots of gear; and yes, I'm still blogging about it. This has unofficially been dubbed Mesa Acquisition Month around here, as after a lot of gear exploration and general soul-searching, I've come to realize (once again) that Mesa/Boogie amps just get the job done for me on stage & in the studio. So I've been selling off many other amps (including the monster rack!) to pick up Mesa/Boogie Lonestar Special, Mark V, Roadster, Stiletto Ace, and Electra Dyne (not pictured below) heads. More to come (including videos) in the coming weeks, but here's a picture of "Mesa Mountain" to give you a taste of what's coming...



--B

Spring cleaning time!

With a day off work and a growing pile of gear to unload in the basement, I decided today was a good opportunity to get a few things posted on e-bay. Check it out...

• Behringer Ultra-G GI100 active DI's SOLD!
  
• Behringer V-Tone BDI21 bass preamp/DI SOLD!
  
• DigiTech JamMan Looper/Phrase Sampler w/ FS-300 footswitch SOLD!
  
• ENGL E530 preamp SOLD!
  
• Frenzel FM-800 preamp SOLD!
  
• G&L ASAT Semi-hollow SOLD!
  
• Mesa/Boogie Formula preamp SOLD!
  
• ‘95 Paul Reed Smith Custom 24 grey black, 10-top, birds, Dragon II pickups SOLD!
  
• ‘97 Paul Reed Smith Custom 24 cherry sunburst, 10-top, birds, gold hardware
• Radial Dragster load corrector SOLD!
  
• Weber MiniMass 50w attenuator SOLD!
• + a little camera gear: Sigma 15-30mm and Quantaray 135-400mm Nikon-mount lenses SOLD!
  

--B