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Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808DX

ts808dxIbanez Tube Screamer TS808DX

The latest iteration of the line of Ibanez Tube Screamer pedals is the TS808DX. This modern version has some cool features not seen before. The TS808DX is actually two pedals in one, the Tube Screamer and a clean signal boost. It features the same three control knobs you probably know from earlier versions: Overdrive adjusts the amount of overdrive added to the signal; Tone adjusts the level of high end frequencies present in the signal; and Level adjusts the volume of the pedal to match it with the signal when the effect is disengaged. Continue reading “Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808DX”

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Seymour Duncan Catalina Dynamic Chorus

Seymour duncan catalinaSeymour Duncan Catalina Dynamic Chorus

The Seymour Duncan Catalina Dynamic Chorus is another 100% pure analogue chorus pedal that uses the “Bucket Brigade Devices” chip to delay the signal. The Catalina has a lot of controls that are designed to help you get your sound just right. The Delay control allows you to set delay times from 6ms to 60ms. The Depth knob modulates the delay time from no modulation for just a slightly thicker sound, to 50% for a swirly chorus sound. The Rate control adjusts the speed of the effect from 0.33 cycles per second to 10 cycles per second. Continue reading “Seymour Duncan Catalina Dynamic Chorus”

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What are the Best Budget Guitar Fuzz Pedals?

budget guitar fuzzGuitar fuzz pedals with great tone, but without putting too much of a dent in our wallets.

Fuzz pedals are a great addition to any guitar player’s pedal board. They have a distinctive sound that’s different from overdrive and distortion. Everyone from Black Sabbath to The White Stripes use them, and after more than 50 years, even non-guitar players are pretty familiar with their sound, and have come to expect it. Today, we go over a list of fuzz pedals that just might give you that perfect fuzz tone that you’ve been looking for, without forcing you to set aside too much of your paycheck.

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Dunlop Silicon Fuzz Face Mini Blue

Dunlop Silicon Fuzz Face Mini BlueDunlop Silicon Fuzz Face Mini Blue

The Dunlop Silicon Fuzz Face Mini Blue is a modern design of the legendary Fuzz Face. As the name suggests, this pedal is housed in a much smaller package than its vintage bigger brother. This is a bright and aggressive pedal built with vintage spec matched BC108 silicon transistors. There are two knobs: Volume and Fuzz, which is where you’ll dial in your sound. Continue reading “Dunlop Silicon Fuzz Face Mini Blue”

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Radial Engineering Tonebone TriMode Distortion Pedal

Radial Engineering Tonebone TriMode DistortionRadial Engineering Tonebone TriMode Distortion Pedal

As the name suggests, the Radial Engineering Tonebone TriMode Distortion has three modes of operation: True Bypass, which is designed to keep your signal clean and uncompromised on its way to the amplifier; Rhythm, where you can adjust the distortion, mid range, and output levels; and Solo, which optimizes your sound with increased control and sustain. Both overdrive modes make use of the built-in 12AX7 tube for that British overdrive tone, blending solid state gain stages for modern levels of saturation with the 12AX7 for vintage warmth. Each section has its own Level and Drive control as well as its own three-position Mid Boost switch. Continue reading “Radial Engineering Tonebone TriMode Distortion Pedal”

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Germanium and Silicon in Fuzz – What’s the Difference?

germanium and siliconGermanium vs Silicon? This is often an intensely debated topic. Learn the difference between these two types of diodes and how they affect your fuzz pedal’s tone.

Let’s talk about the difference between germanium and silicon transistors and what it means to guitar players and audio in general, especially fuzz.

The Fuzz Effect

Fuzz is a type of distortion that guitar players use. It is most often found in an effect pedal and it creates a buzzy tone that is associated with an overdriven amplifier or a torn speaker. Transistors play a vital part in the design of this effect and their germanium and silicon diodes can sound quite different in the final result.

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Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

Ibanez TS9 Tube ScreamerThis legendary pedal is used by hundreds of the greatest guitar players out there, including Metallica, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Mayer, Trey Anastasio, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and The Edge

The original Ibanez Tube Screamer is one of the most popular and imitated overdrive pedals of all time, and the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer reissue is made in the same factory, with the same parts, to get the same tone. This pedal has three controls to help get the tone you need. Continue reading “Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer”