#CoffeeAndKlon 36: Runaway Inflation For Guitar Gear

#CoffeeAndKlon is my (irregular!) Sunday morning magazine series, where I talk about whatever’s on my mind right now. There’s always coffee, and there’s normally chat about the Klon and its many competitors.

When I started writing this, Winter NAMM 2024 had just kicked off, and my inbox was full of my favourite guitar stores sending out links to their pre-order product pages. Out of curiosity, I clicked through to the Andertons page to take a look …

… and my jaw hit the floor at just how expensive new gear has become.

But was my reaction right, or was it just a reflection of how hard general inflation has affected all prices in the last few years? I’m going to explore that today.

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Side-By-Side: Marshall Shredmaster and Warm Audio ODD Box v1

When I looked at how Marshall’s The Guv’nor sounded next to Warm Audio’s ODD Box v1, I came away with some questions. One of them was this: is the ODD Box closer to the Shredmaster than the Guv’nor in sound?

Marshall Shredmaster and Warm Audio ODD Box v1 on my pedalboard

This is just a quick blog post to find out.

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First Impressions: Tone City King of Blues Dual Overdrive Pedal

This photo shows the Tone City King of Blues overdrive pedal on my pedalboard, next to my Analogman King of Tone overdrive pedal.

It’s impossible to talk about the King of Blues without comparing it to the Analogman King of Tone – because that’s the question everyone wants to know. Is it a King of Tone clone, or (at the very least) a passible substitute?

No, it isn’t. The King of Blues is its own thing. And I really dig it. Read on for the full details, including audio demos to demonstrate why.

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