The history of effect pedals: The first pedals

Effect PedalThere are numerous pedals in different versions an especially these days there seem to be two trends: on the one hand there is a progress in the development of digital effects one the other hand one can see the revival of analog pedals in combination with innovative features. But how did all this began? Continue reading “The history of effect pedals: The first pedals”

Transparent Overdrives- The perfect Low Gain Sound

In many forums all over the world guitarist are searching for the “transparent overdrive”. But what is meant by this and does a transparent overdrive make sense?

Ibanez TS-9 TubescreamerTubescreamer

Tubscreamer and similar overdrives place great emphasis on the mids. This kind of overdrive is appropriate as an additional booster to an amplifier that is already overdriven. By creating haunting mids the sound of the guitar becomes more assertive and will be perceived much more in the context of the band as a whole. Continue reading “Transparent Overdrives- The perfect Low Gain Sound”

Low Gain Overdrive Shootout

Hier habe ich ein Vergleichsvideo von fünf sehr guten Low Gain Overdrive Pedalen erstellt.

Verglichen wurden: Klon Centaur clone, Nobels ODR-1, vintage Ibanez TS-9, Mad Professor Sweet Honey Overdrive und Analogman King of Tone.

Vintage guitar-sound

FlatwoundsThere is a lot of speculation about the vintage guitar sound of a Gibson Les Paul. The modern models are not able to sound like an original 1950s Les Paul. Of course there are uncountable reports about the wood, the pickups and the stop-tail-pieces and this is why I do not want to concentrate on these topics in this text. Continue reading “Vintage guitar-sound”

Speaker – Easy modifications to change the sound

Celestion Lautsprecher
Many guitarists want to change the sound of their amplifiers in a certain way: more bass, more output or a more vintage-oriented sound. But most of the modifications are expensive and difficult to be done. In this case, to try out a new speaker could be a cheap and easy way to transform the sound of your amp. Continue reading “Speaker – Easy modifications to change the sound”

Order of effects

PedalboardIf you arrange many pedals on a complex pedalboard the question of the order of the pedals arises. This matter is more complex than one first might think. Therefore one has to note some rules and some exceptions. Continue reading “Order of effects”

Modulation pedals

ModulationseffekteChorus

First of all, a chorus creates an exact copy of the signal. Subsequently one of these signals is, similar to a delay, reproduced delayed. But the delays of the sound are so short that they are not perceived as delays. They only last 2 up to 70 ms. Continue reading “Modulation pedals”

Power for the pedalboard – how to choose the best power supply

Multi-NetzteilAfter having compiled your pedals and having put them into the right order, the question of the power supply arises. There a several ways which I would like to introduce in the following. Continue reading “Power for the pedalboard – how to choose the best power supply”

Fender Reverb Amp: Hum-elimination

My Silverface Fender Princeton Reverb was humming as soon as I turned on the Reverb. I could exclude numerous sources of error. Then I found out, that the mass-copperplate did not have sufficient contact to the chassis. By tightening the nut of the input I could eliminate this fault. This is the video:

The reason for GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)

PedalboardGAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome): the steady longing for new equipment. Many know this pretty well: although you are a proud owner of numerous pedals, guitars and amplifiers you rummage through music stores, magazines and forums. Could the overdrive XY may sound much better in my setup than my old one does? Continue reading “The reason for GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)”