I recently bought a Palmer PCABM.
What do I think of it? Here are my first impressions.
Continue reading “First Impressions: Palmer PCABM”First Impressions: Palmer PCABM
Studio Diary #63: Pros and Cons Debate: Exploring Amp/Cab Switchers
Pros and Cons is an irregular series where I do a deep dive into a decision that I need to make – normally about gear for a home hobbyist studio. Here, I share whatever problem I’m trying to solve, all the background reading on the various options, and a look at the pros and cons of each way forward. I find that this process helps me make a more informed – and less emotive – decision. If you’re faced with a similar decision, I hope it helps you too.
Are they overkill luxury, or a necessary expense for any home hobbyist who uses multiple amps into the same load box?
That’s the question I’m trying to answer for myself in this post.
Continue reading “Studio Diary #63: Pros and Cons Debate: Exploring Amp/Cab Switchers”New Arrivals: December 2025
Traditionally, December is a month where I try to avoid buying new (to me) gear, because Santa Claus (aka my wife Kristi) normally has something under the tree for me.
This year, though, I was forced into an emergency purchase, because I sat down one afternoon and discovered that my entire guitar rig was dead. Oh the (necessary) joys of using a power conditioner to power everything!
Continue reading “New Arrivals: December 2025”2025 Review: Home Studio Gear
Studio Diary #62: When A Power Conditioner Fails
‘Studio Diary’ is an occasional series where I talk about building a home recording setup for hobbyists and enthusiasts like us. I share my personal experiences, and the thinking behind some of the decisions that I’ve made along the way.
After exactly 13 years and 11 months – to the day! – my Furman power conditioner appears to have died without warning.
Continue reading “Studio Diary #62: When A Power Conditioner Fails”First Impressions: Blackstar Debut 100RH Amp Head
I recently bought a Blackstar Debut 100RH amp head.
This is going to be an additional pedal platform amp. Read on for my first impressions.
Continue reading “First Impressions: Blackstar Debut 100RH Amp Head”Studio Diary #61: Remastering My Original Pedal Platform Presets For Axe-FX 3 Firmware 28.05
‘Studio Diary’ is an occasional series where I talk about building a home recording setup for hobbyists and enthusiasts like us. I share my personal experiences, and the thinking behind some of the decisions that I’ve made along the way.
Fractal Audio have recently overhauled their amp modelling in the Axe-FX 3 / FM-9 / FM-3. And my recent dive into the Orange Getaway Driver has shown me that I need to revoice my signal chain. I’m taking this as an opportunity to re-evaluate everything about the pedal preset I’ve built for the Axe-FX 3.
I spent most of Spring dividing my playing time between the pedal platform patches that are based on the DRRI and using my real Tweed Deluxe amp. When I came back to my original 57 Vintage and 65 Modern presets, I could hear a stark difference – and not in a good way.
So, before I finally wrap up this series on the pedal platform patches, I want to go back and re-master those two original pedal platform presets. There’s been some recent Axe-FX 3 firmware updates that make this easier to do and sound better than ever.
Continue reading “Studio Diary #61: Remastering My Original Pedal Platform Presets For Axe-FX 3 Firmware 28.05”#TweedTone: Dialling In A 5F6 Bassman Reference Tone For 2025
Recently, I posted about my latest attempt at creating a reference tone for my 5e3 Tweed Deluxe reissue amp. I’m still wrestling with creating a similar 5e3 reference tone purely in the Axe-FX 3. Sadly, I’m nowhere near ready to write up my promised comparison of the two.
I decided to take a break from that, and work on another reference tone that I’m going to need for future #TweedTone blog posts: capturing the mighty 5F6 Tweed Bassman sound.
Here’s how I got on. There’s audio demos to listen to, and a full breakdown of the signal chain that I used, with plenty of photos / screenshots to show you everything.
Continue reading “#TweedTone: Dialling In A 5F6 Bassman Reference Tone For 2025”#TweedTone: Dialling In A 5e3 Tweed Deluxe Reference Tone For 2025
New year, new (and hopefully improved!) reference tone from my Fender 57 Custom Deluxe amp.
All made possible thanks to a late 2024 freebie from Origin Effects … and me figuring out how I’d been using my Fryette Power Station PS-100 wrong …
Continue reading “#TweedTone: Dialling In A 5e3 Tweed Deluxe Reference Tone For 2025”Studio Diary #60: Choosing A Pair Of Compressors
‘Studio Diary’ is an occasional series where I talk about building a home recording setup for hobbyists and enthusiasts like us. I share my personal experiences, and the thinking behind some of the decisions that I’ve made along the way.
Fractal Audio have recently overhauled their amp modelling in the Axe-FX 3 / FM-9 / FM-3. And my recent dive into the Orange Getaway Driver has shown me that I need to revoice my signal chain. I’m taking this as an opportunity to re-evaluate everything about the pedal preset I’ve built for the Axe-FX 3.
Now that I’ve covered all the blocks that help me explore what a pedal can do, I want to focus on a few extra things that I’ve added just for me, starting with compressors.
Continue reading “Studio Diary #60: Choosing A Pair Of Compressors”