WOW! I really enjoyed some time I had recently with the Vox Satchurator Pedal. It was clear to me that the intent on these pedals was not just focused on replicating Satch’s tone, but on creating a palette of usable tones for guitarists of all genres. This YouTube video is a sneak peak of the new Vox Ice 9 Overdrive Pedal. Check it out!
Well the good folks over at Electro-Harmonix have unveiled the new Deluxe Memory Boy analog delay pedal. I have personally been looking for a replacement delay for my pedalboard and this pedal is one that has been in my sights. Check out this thorough YouTube video that demos and showcases not on the Delay Pedal’s features but some creative effects that can be achieved when you add additional effects into your pedal chain. Pretty cool stuff if you ask me.
Be sure to check out the Electro-Harmonix website for the lowdown on the specs and other pedals shown in this video.
Dunlop has released the MXR Micro Chorus and Micro Flanger pedals . These pedals tip their hat to their previous incarnations, that were first introduced in the 80’s, and use bucket brigade technology for processing. The Micro Chorus simply has a RATE knob to control the speed. The Micro Flanger has a RATE knob to control the speed of cycling and a REGEN knob to control the overall intensity. These pedals differ from their 80s counterparts by introducing true bypass switching so they refrain from tone sucking. Prices are $79 for the Micro Chorus and $89 for the Micro Flanger.
See Dunlop for details
The renewed Way Huge pedal line has introduced a delicious analog delay to their growing offerings. The Aqua Puss MKII is an analog delay that produces that fat warm delay sound that many lust after. For $150 MAP they are a great deal. You can check them out here at Musictoyz.com
Oxford, Leeds, & U.S. Steel
Tech 21 has expanded their SansAmp Character Series with the addition of three new pedals: Oxford, Leeds and U.S. Steel. The Oxford’s tones range from ‘70s London glam to modern stoner rock. The Leeds spans from the ‘60s classic UK rock to ‘70s prog rock. U.S. Steel delivers tones from ‘90s Valhalla to the aughts Nu-metal chunk.
Following the same design formula as the existing Blonde, British, California, Liverpool and VT Bass pedals, each of the continuously-variable Character controls sweeps through an entire tonal range of possibilities. By simply twisting a few knobs, you can build the most sought-after tones and hot rod your own. From rare vintage classics to roaring modern icons, every variation is delivered in the distinctive voicing of that amp style.
Being genuine SansAmps, each Character Series pedal can be used as a stand-alone pre-amp to drive a power amp, a studio mixer, or a PA system, or used as a stompbox with an amp. Other features include built-in, defeatable speaker simulation, which is individually tuned to match each of the speaker/ cabinet configurations associated with each type of amplifier; 3-band active EQ, Drive and Level controls; and 100% analog circuitry. MSRP: $225.00
For more information: Tech 21
The TightDrive Overdrive Pedal is the first offering from Amptweaker, a new company started by James Brown a veteran engineer from Peavey amps and most recently Kustom amps. Mr. Brown knows tone. He was the chief engineer that worked with Eddie Van Halen for nearly 13 years to develop the now famous 5150 amp.
The TightDrive Overdrive Pedal most notably features a tight control knob to tighten or loosen the bass response of your amp tone. What is very fascinating about the concept of Amptweaker is that James Brown has a “suggestion box” on his website and welcomes ideas for future pedal designs to meet the various real needs of users. Be sure to check out their website Amptweaker
This is a fascinating pedal from the folks at Xotic Effects, the EP Booster. They basically took the preamp circuit from an echoplex type unit and packaged into a skinny foot pedal design. This pedal recaptures the magical tone and nuances of the echoplex preamp and reveals the secret many legendary guitarists have known for a while. The video is courtesy of Pro Guitar Shop. Below is the skinny as described from the Xotics website.
What do the tones of renowned guitarist such as Page, EVH and Johnson have in common? They all used the legendary echo machine EP-3 as a pre-amp.
We’ve captured that magic in a new Xotic Effects pedal, the EP Booster.
We’ve used the highest quality parts available with a discrete FET design and low impedance output, the EP Booster provides up to +20dB of unadulterated boost with multi-dimensional, shimmering highs and lows, and no ear fatigue. The internal DIP switches let you choose the boost frequencies, and EQ settings.
Housed in a small 3.5″x 1.5″ x 1.5″ case with blue LED and transparent knob, the EP Booster can be powered by 9-volt up to 18-volts.
A simple pure boost that pays reverence to the magical EP-3 and captures the celebrated tones of the world’s most famous players.
Visit Xotic Efects website
The Keeley Phaser is the first OTA analog phaser with tap tempo and Leslie style ramping. The control of the pedal is separated into two modes: Tap mode and Ramp mode. In Tap mode, the pedal’s phase rate can be controlled by a tap tempo or the speed knob. The Keeley Phaser is the first analog phaser to offer both tap tempo and speed knob options in one pedal. The tap tempo is capable of producing very slow speeds. The slowest phasing recorded to date is ten minutes, which appears to be the record for an analog phaser! When using ramp mode, the second footswitch becomes a way to change between fast and slow speeds that are set by knobs on the pedal. Users can switch between two speeds in an instant or have the pedal gradually go between speeds.
OTA style phasers are well known for their lush sound and shimmery characteristics. This six stage phaser delivers with great sound in any mode. High quality components are used in every part of the signal path.
Specifications:
6 stage OTA phasing circuit
Tap tempo
Extremely long phase times (with the tap)
Leslie style ramping
2 speeds (in Leslie mode)
9-volt battery or standard negative tip adapter
Backed by Keeley’s 5 year warranty
Again, we are shipping the first pre-orders of the Keeley Phaser on Monday, January 4, 2010. The current price is $249.00.
Link Keeley Electronics