Month: March 2018

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Fender Reliced Guitars Discussion

Ariel and Danish Pete are back with another Guitar Paradiso. This episode, they’re looking at reliced Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster.

This one quickly turns into a wide-ranging discussion about the whole concept of relicing Fender guitars, how different guitar finishes do (and don’t) wear over time, and why a reliced guitar might be a good choice.

Both Ariel and Pete are hugely experienced touring musicians, and it’s great to hear them sharing their experiences and personal preferences. Along the way, Pete digs out several of his personal Strats to help demonstrate the points he’s making, including guitars that he’s toured all round the world.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed this Andertons video.

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Squier Contemporary Series Telecaster Demo

Shane’s posted a first look at Squier’s Contemporary Series Telecaster. This demo is a bit different, as we get to hear it alongside live bass and a live second guitar.

We can’t all play Custom Shop guitars, and the days of “budget brand” guitars being utter trash are long gone. Whether it’s Squier, Epiphone, PRS SE, or other budget brands, these are perfectly usable instruments to learn on and use as a home hobbyist. And they’re getting better and better each and every year.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Shane’s video and Ryan’s playing.

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Kammer TinyK Pedalboad Amp In A Produced Track

Henning’s just put up a quick demo of a very interesting piece of gear – a 40W that sits on your pedalboad. Not a drive pedal – a full-blown amp, complete with FX loop!

If you’re a gigging musician, having a backup amp of some kind is essential – especially if you gig with real valve amps. Lugging a spare amp around isn’t fun. And depending on what you buy, that’s a lot of money tied up in it, especially as you hope to never actually have to use it.

Some kind of backup that can sit on your pedalboad – just in case – has a lot of appeal.

And for us home tone chasers, if you can’t have / don’t want a traditional amp at home, this kind of thing is well worth looking at as an alternative to using modelling amps or software amp sims.

I’ll post the full review when Henning uploads it. This could be one to watch.

Please head over to Henning’s channel to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Henning’s video.

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Mercuriall Spark Demo

Pete Thorn has posted a demo of Mercuriall’s Spark Marshall amp-sim plug-in. Check out these tones!

The Spark plugin models 4 classic Marshall amps: a Super Bass, Super Lead, JCM 800, and the AFD. The JCM 800 and Super Lead heads are still in production. Looks like the Super Bass isn’t made any more. The AFD was (if memory serves) a limited run – Captain Anderton did a video about his.

Amp plugins are well worth looking at if you can’t afford a real amp, don’t want the hassle, or don’t have the physical space for a collection of big and heavy vintage amps. They run inside your DAW software (I always recommend Reaper – it’s great) and all you need is an interface (like the Focusrite Scarlett) to plug your guitar into.

And, as you can hear on Pete’s demo, they offer very usable tones these days.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Pete’s video.

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Here Come The Strats

Before you order that new PRS Silver Sky, you might want to check out these custom-order Fender Stratocasters from Andertons:

These Strats are the sister models to the Telecasters that Andertons recently had made. They feature a 59 neck carve – based on guitars made by the late John English – rosewood fingerboards and ash bodies. Pickups are Custom Shop 69, reverse-wound Custom Shop 65, and a Texas Special for the Bridge. The end result should be a Strat that you won’t find anywhere else.

Tone-wise, there’s a certain something that they seem to share with the original run of Telecasters from the earlier video. There’s a clarity and definition that even survives what YouTube does to video audio tracks. I suspect that, in person, these’ll exhibit that 3D sound quality that marks out the very best-sounding guitars.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Andertons’ video.

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Blindfold Challenge – Affordable High Gain Amps

Chappers and the Captain have posted the 2nd part of their high-gain amp blindfold challenge. This time, they’re looking at 7 amps at £1,000 or below.

These kind of videos are a great opportunity to hear a bunch of amps side by side. Exact same guitar, exact same guitarist, and it looks like they’re running each amp into the exact same cab (so they’re all mic’d up the same). The only difference is the amp itself.

And these aren’t aspirational boutique sell-a-kidney amps. These are the kind of amps that you’d be looking at if you want a real valve amp for home and gigging.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed this video.q

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Fractal Audio X-Load LB-2 Load Box Demo

Burgs has posted a short demo of Fractal Audio’s new? reactive load box, the X-Load LB-2.

This looks a little different to the other reactive load boxes on the market. There’s a voicing switch on the front, to switch between UK and American speakers. Presumably that changes the impedance behaviour?

I’d be interested in putting one of these up against the Captor, to hear how much difference there is in practice. I think that’d be the only way to understand what problem the LB-2 is trying to solve.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Burgs’ video.

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Hagstrom Super Viking Demo

Shane’s got his hands on a Hagstrom Super Viking. Does he like it? Let’s find out.

I loved the tone he got for the opening track, and indeed throughout the demo. I thought it’s one of the best sounds he’s had on the channel to date.

And I’m not surprised. Hagstrom did a demo evening at my local guitar shop AStrings, and every single guitar that night sounded fantastic. They were really nice people to talk to afterwards too. If you’re looking for guitars that’ll go head-to-head on sound with the top-dollar gear, Hagstrom should be on your list.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Shane’s video.

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Looking Glass Pedal Demo

Shawn Tubbs has posted a short demo of Digitech’s Looking Glass overdrive pedal.

In this demo, Shawn does something that I wish more demos did: he plays a Strat, a Tele and a dual-humbucker guitar too. It really gives you a flavour of what this pedal might do for you.

I do own a Looking Glass myself. Right now, it’s in the pedal cupboard, waiting for me to have the time to spend on it properly. Easter weekend can’t come soon enough!

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Shawn’s video.

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Positive Grid Bias Amp 2 Demo

Fluff has just posted a demo of Positive Grid’s new Bias Amp 2.

Bias Amp is guitar amp emulation software that you run on your computer.  You plug your guitar straight into your audio interface – no real guitar amp required. If you don’t want a real amp, it’s definitely an option to consider.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Fluff’s video.