4/6 Reflector PLL-DLR

guitar

The truth about absolutely neutral and linear boosters

“We’ve all been there: playing that perfect song, 16 bars before the solo, in love with the sound, 8 bars before the solo, still in love with that sound, preparing the foot to hit the booster pedal so that everyone can hear you solo with that incredible tone. Your 40 seconds of fame start now! Unfortunately the sound isn’t louder, but rather muddy and undefined, or the top-end is harsh and you’ve lost all the depth in the low frequencies. So what happened? While you’ve landed here, reading this blog entry, others have gone to a forum to write: “My current boost pedal lacks transparency! I need an absolutely clean linear boost, which doesn’t add or suck highs and just increases the volume for my solo!“.

The replies are mostly the same: “Use the ultra linear YXZ!“, “Pedal ZXY is the best clean one!“, “TS9 is the way to go!“, “You need a volume pedal!“ and “I use an equaliser! IMHO the best!“. Believe me – I see these posts all the time and you probably have as well. So, who is right? Nobody? Everyone? Unfortunately there’s no answer to satisfy the poor guy… I think he’s simply asking the wrong question. Ok, ok, ok, … lets sort this out and consider the topic in all its aspects.

There are 3 points: -technical aspects, -signal interaction of the gear used, -hearing and listening habits

“Technical aspects sounds boring!“
Yes, absolutely. We want to make music, right? But what if I told you that if you had an absolutely clean & linear boost, you probably wouldn’t like using it with a valve amp? It isn’t hard to build something like that, but it won’t be the ultimate weapon for every amplifier or for every situation. Depending on your amplifier and the gear you are using, there’d be a high chance the sound would be harsh in the highs or muddy in the low end. Why? This has something to do with the architecture of your valve guitar amp and the behaviour of the valves. Virtually no guitar amps have a linear frequency response and depending on the amplitude of the incoming signal, the amp’s signal is more or less distorted but never linear. So perhaps we should reconsider the term “linear boost“. I’ll give you an example:

“Damaged eggs don’t sound fine!“
Imagine you have a bucket. This is your amplifier. I give you a few eggs, which are your signal. You put the eggs in the bucket, which is now half-full. You put the lid on the bucket. Perfect. You want a louder signal? You want a boost? No problem. I give you a few more eggs and you put them carefully into the bucket. Still fine, no eggs are damaged, although the bucket is full to the brim. The lid only just fits, but you again want more boost. You remove the lid, I give you more eggs and you press the lid onto the bucket so it closes. You can imagine what just happened. The result is that a few eggs are damaged or broken. Your amplifier is distorting, because it can’t process the signal anymore in the way you wanted it to. Imagine you have a high gain amp and it’s already feeding-back. What you actually have is a bucket full of scrambled eggs and now you put more eggs in it. Good luck with that! Do you remember the start of this post? The scenario where you tried to boost the sound of the solo? You had put too many eggs in a bucket which was already full. That’s what happened. The result was damaged eggs. And damaged eggs usually don’t sound good. Which brings me to the next topic: interaction.
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Fender Player Plus Nashville Telecaster® in Sienna Sunburst

Fender Player Plus Nashville Telecaster in Sienna Sunburst

Fusing classic Fender design with player-centric features and exciting new finishes, the Player Plus Nashville Telecaster® delivers superb playability and unmistakable style.

Powered by a set of Player Plus Noiseless pickups, the Player Plus Nashville Tele® delivers warm, sweet Tele® twang – as well as Strat® in-between tones – without hum. A push-pull switch on the tone control engages the neck pickup in switch positions 1 & 2 for two additional tones. The silky satin Modern “C” Player Plus Tele® neck fits your hand like a glove, with smooth rolled edges for supreme comfort. The 12″ radius fingerboard and 22 medium jumbo frets facilitate fluid leads and choke free bends. A modern 6-saddle Tele bridge with block steel saddles adds a touch of brightness while providing precise intonation and the locking tuners provide rock-solid tuning and make string changes quick and easy.

With classic Fender style, advanced features and stunning new finishes, the Player Plus Nashville Telecaster is the perfect tool to spark your creativity and stand out from the crowd.

More specs here: https://serialnumberlookup.fender.com/product/0147343347

JHS Pedals Colour Box V2



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New TONEX FX

excellent time for buying

A free update is coming soon for all TONEX users. It includes 8 new FX, including 2 delays, chorus, flanger, tremolo, phaser, rotary and new spring reverb. Two new FX blocks can be configured pre- or post-amp and cab for maximum customization. The 8 FX are compatible with TONEX Mac/PC, TONEX Pedal, and TONEX ONE. The software and firmware updates will ship in November 2024

IK Multimedia ToneX Pedal Special Edition

special offer 70th Anniversary Deal. This is a exclusive Thomann 70th Anniversary product. And as an additional bonus, customers also always receive the TONEX – Metal Gems Collection worth EUR 59,00 for free on top when they purchase this Special Edition.

https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/tonexpedal/


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Harley Benton TE-53KR mods

Touch less. Play more.

AIRSTEP Lite is the simplified version of AIRSTEP, it has removed all hardware control interfaces and only kept the Bluetooth to send MIDI and HID messages. This means that Lite can only connect to mobile phones, tablets, and computers to control software, but cannot control hardware devices. In addition to this, the other functions of Lite are the same as AIRSTEP. And, can be re-programmed (Lite Advanced firmware) to function as an Airstep Play: Foot control the playback, loop, speed and pitch of video & audio on iOS, Android, Mac and PC.

Line 6 M13 Stompbox Modeler

Line 6 kennen we ondertussen al jaren als een bedrijf dat steeds kwaliteit levert, en om de zoveel tijd een nieuw product lanceert dat de rest van de digitale wereld weer op achtervolgen zet. De nieuwe M13 Stompbox Modeler is niet echt een nieuw product, maar eerder een samenvatting van hun gekende prestaties. De immens populaire stompbox- reeks, bestaande uit de DM4, DL4, MM4 en FM4 (drive-, delay, modulation- en filtermodeling), wordt namelijk in deze enkele multi-fx gepropt. Benieuwd of men de kwaliteit en gebruiksvriendelijkheid van deze gekende units heeft kunnen behouden!

ALGEMEEN
Concept
Het concept achter de meeste Line 6-producten is ondertussen wel gekend: je neemt een aantal klassieke effecten of versterkers, en gaat deze zo dicht mogelijk benaderen via digitale technologie. Deze aanpak is ondertussen zo wijd verspreid, dat het bijna makkelijk wordt om te vergeten dat Line 6 een ware pionier is als het aankomt op deze digitale technologie. Voor de M13 biedt men dus een multi-fx pedaal die volledig werkt als een pedalboard met losse effecten. Je kan dus de effecten apart instellen en onafhankelijk van elkaar in- en uitschakelen. Daarnaast zijn er ook nog enkele extra functies, zoals de looper.

Vormgeving
Op dit vlak laat Line 6 zelden of nooit steken vallen, en ook ditmaal is de styling een schot in de roos. De combinatie van de zwarte behuizing en de gechromeerde knoppen en beschermranden geeft een zeer stoer uiterlijk. De verschillende units zijn duidelijk onderverdeeld, en aan de hand van een makkelijk te volgen kleurencodering (zie verder) kan je alles uit elkaar houden.

Handleiding
Ook hier is Line 6 een voorbeeld voor zowat alle ander merken. De handleiding is, zoals steeds, overzichtelijk en zeer informatief, maar weet tegelijk toch een humoristische ondertoon te houden. Je krijgt twee verschillende handleidingen: een voor de exacte werking van het toestel, en een tweede handleiding met alle info over de verschillende gemodeleerde effecten.
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Germanium Transistors

For the Aion FX Radian Germanium Boost diy kit

  • OC-44:
    hFE=66
    Ic=.73mA
    Ube=147mV
    ICEO=46uA
    ICEs=4uA
  • OC-125:
    hFE=89
    Ic=1.3mA
    Ube=137mV
    ICEO=.35mA
    ICEs=14uA

The Radian Germanium Boost is an adaptation of the Rangemaster Treble Booster produced by Dallas Musical Ltd. of London beginning in 1965. (Dallas would later merge with Arbiter Electronics to form Dallas-Arbiter, best known for the Fuzz Face.)

The Rangemaster was originally designed to add treble content to somewhat dark British amplifiers such as the Vox AC30, but it took on a life of its own in the hands of Brian May, Tony Iommi, Rory Gallagher, and several other highly-regarded guitarists of that era.

The original Rangemaster was not actually a pedal, but rather a freestanding unit that was intended to sit on top of the amplifier. Bypass was done via a slide switch on the front of the unit, so it wasn’t practical to turn it on and off while playing, and it was used as an always-on tone enhancer.

The Radian is a pedal conversion of the Rangemaster with one big enhancement: a voltage inverter has been added which allows it to be powered with a standard center-negative adapter while maintaining the positive-ground operation of the original. The PCB also includes a biasing trim pot so you can dial in a perfect bias without having to swap out resistors.

The other enhancement is a “Range” toggle switch that lets you choose between a treble boost, mid boost, or full-range boost. The treble-boost effect in this circuit is achieved by first cutting low frequencies, then boosting the whole signal so that the lows are restored to normal and the treble frequencies are emphasized. This toggle switch lowers the low-frequency cutoff point so that less of the signal is cut and more is boosted.

N5X British Overdrive amplifier part 2

I found a second hand Wide Body Mesa Boogie Mark IV combo housing and ordered a corresponding
Aluminum Chassis Mesa Width Style and got some special delivered chassis straps for it and put the DIY Ampmaker NX5 inside

combined with a B-Stock 12 inch 16Ohm Celestion G12H anniversary speaker
for now running with a Mesa 12AX7 and a JJ EL844 ?

One of its greatest features, is the Power pot, a VCB/VVR voltage control kit going from 256 Volts at maximum to 21 Volts at minimum (actual measurements), making overdriving the tubes by diming (not dimming) both Gain and Master pots a breeze, for tasty rock sounds in the living room. The diy build manual says:

“First amplification stage
This is the first stage of the amplifier and it uses one half of the preamp valve to amplify the low level guitar signal. The final part of this section of the circuit includes the Gain pot, which controls how much of this boosted signal is fed into the second stage.

Second amplification stage
The guitar signal – still fairly clean so far – is fed into the second part of the amp. If the Gain control is set high, the incoming signal will overdrive this second amplification stage to create some preamp distortion. The output of this stage then runs through a network of resistors, capacitors and pots that allow you to control the treble, middle and bass frequencies of the signal that will be passed along to the power valve. With the EQ Bypass switch enabled, however, you can choose to have the full output of this stage passed along to the power valve.

Power stage
The power stage, which includes the Master volume control, the power valve and the output transformer. The Master volume is the simplest part – a pot that lets you dial in how much signal the power valve receives. Low settings for cleaner tones, and at higher settings you can overdrive this valve to get maximum distortion.

High-voltage supply
In the N5X, there’s a Variable Voltage Regulator (VCB) circuit. You can use the VCB pot to dial down the voltage supplied to the power stage. There’s just one good reason to do this: it lets you have power-valve distortion at any room volume, from 0W and 5W.”

It will pair up with my Marshall DSL-5CR

This was a fun and educational (9 months!) build !
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ZZ Top – The Complete Studio Albums 1970-1990

ZZ Top – the Studio Albums 1970 – 1990 is a 10 CD boxset of the band’s classic studio albums from their Warner Bros. Years. This compact, clamshell boxset features each album in a mini, vinyl replica card sleeve with original artwork, including replicated original gatefold sleeves for Tres Hombres and Tejas. Most importantly the original audio tape versions will finally be available, for the first time, on CD for three of the albums: First Album, Rio Grande Mud, and Tejas, and the original masters for Tres Hombres and Fandango will also be included. Much discussion has been had on the quality of the mixes released on CD in the 1980s but now the original audio will be available once and for all in an amazing boxset!

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MIDI Reimagined

a next-gen MIDI controller
100 banks, more than 80 messages per switch, stackable messages, and flexible MIDI routing are just the beginning. The BRIDGE6 is a compact, next-gen MIDI foot controller with no compromises. A lightning fast ARM processor and plenty of storage means regular and ongoing firmware and feature updates.

Come out of the Dark Age
Connect everything – your gear, apps, and plugins – and control them exactly the way you want with RGB colour feedback and a high-contrast, easy-to-read display. White OLED graphical display and 12 RGB LEDs let you customise labels and text.

Control everything
Configure to your needs with our sleek, intuitive web editor. Export your layout, and use our huge device library to save you hours of setup time. Add wireless MIDI with CME WIDI devices.

Never lose track of time
With two independent MIDI clocks on board, LFOs sync’d to those clocks (or not), and the ability to turn the tempo into analog switch output, or pulse output, you really do have the best of all worlds.

Flexiport Magic
Two 1/4″ TRS jacks give you 12 options from MIDI Out (all TRS types) to Expression In, Aux Switch In, Sync Pulse Out, and our unique Device Link protocol for high-speed communication between PIRATE MIDI devices with Flexiports.

Community driven
Many of the awesome features we’ve implemented have been the result of lots of discussions with you – the one who actually uses the device! We continue to closely and personally interact and chat with anyone who wants to be a part of our community. You can suggest features, tweaks, report bugs, and give us ideas on how to improve your user experience.

https://piratemidi.com/

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Analog Man Prince of Tone overdrive

Description

The POT is pretty much the same as half of the King of Tone, with an external MODE switch standard. It is the same as the KOT with HIGHER GAIN option, so you can use the full range of the DRIVE knob and it has a little more drive at the top than a normal gain KOT. The DISTORTION mode is improved though, for a louder, stronger distortion sound. See http://www.kingoftone.com for more info.

Power Jack is standard on the POT –

The TREBLE trimpot is inside, just like the KOT.

There are also two new DIP switches inside! They are a bit subtle at some knob settings and modes:

DIP1 : LO-MID lift switch. The tone from your lower strings will be enhanced a little when DIP switch is ON.

DIP2: TURBO switch- with higher gain settings you’ll hear deeper compression, especially in DIST mode. You will hear a brighter, crunchier sound with this on at higher DRIVE settings when this DIP switch is ON.

The three modes, as on the KOT, are:

1) Normal Overdrive mode (OD mode): This is the standard King Of Tone sound, – a touch drive available than a tube screamer. Can get much louder than a tube screamer. The RED side of KOT has this setting from the factory.

2) CLEAN mode : This mode has less distortion, it can be used for clean boosts or clearer, louder sounds. It’s sort of a cross between a true clean boost and an overdrive. CLEAN MODE is even less compressed and louder than the OD mode. I love this mode with high drive settings too! The YELLOW side of KOT has this setting from the factory.

3) DISTORTION mode : more drive than the standard mode- a touch of hard distortion. The sound is more compressed, yet retains the pedal’s character. Same volume as OD mode.

At low DRIVE settings, or when playing softly, there is not much difference between the three modes, they all can get pretty clean and have the same level at low drive settings. The ability to clean up when playing softly is a very useful feature of this pedal. The Drive knob works like the KOT with HIGHER GAIN OPTION, so you can set it anywhere and get great tones.

The DRIVE knob taper is different than the KOT. It comes up faster and more linear, while KOT has a lot going on from 2:00 to max. So comparison to a KOT with HG option will not be the same at the same knob position unless it’s up all the way, where they are the same.

We are making these by hand in China by the same people who are making our Analog Delay. Though it’s made in China, we use the same parts as the King of Tone – best Japanese chip and capacitors, not cheap Chinese parts. No surface mount parts, NO ROBOTS, everything is vintage style and hand wired for easy maintenance and repairs unlike most Chinese pedals and most USA “boutique” machine-made pedals which are disposable if they have any problems like a pot, jack, or switch that wears out.

POWER SUPPLY: A Standard Boss PSA120 type 9V DC adapter will work fine. Center is negative. The pedal uses only about 6mA of current at 9V. You can get a fuzzier sound if you want, at lower voltages, for example the SAG mode on the pedalpower2. When your battery dies you will notice the pedal will not get nice and clean, the sound will be hairier. Use a good Alkaline battery or a power supply for best results. You can use higher voltage for more headroom, 12V is common, 18V is safe too. Clean boost may be improved the most with higher voltage.

CHIPS: You can also try other standard dual op-amp chips in the Prince of Tone. Just make sure you put it in the right way, with the pin#1 dot on the side with the chip socket cut-out. The TS-808’s JRC4558D chip sounds good in this pedal, especially with single coil guitars and smaller Fender type amps. You can try a high fidelity chip for the CLEAN mode which may work well.

Size
We made our own case for this pedal, it’s lower and a little shorter than our Beano Boost / Orange Squeezer / large SunFace box, and a little bigger than the Astrotone / Peppermint / small Sunface size.
Size is 2.5″ wide x 4.5″ long x 1.5″ tall, not including switch/knobs/jacks.

Buffer option
If you run through some long cables to your amp, or through some tone sucking pedals (volume pedals, etc) you might want to add the optional buffer inside the POT. If you run the POT into a pedal with a good buffer like our ARDX20, then it’s not needed at all. There is no room for a battery with the Buffer option. The buffer will work great at higher voltages like 12V or 18V also. See our BUFFER page for more info.

Source: Analog Man Prince of Tone overdrive

Boss ME-80 Guitar Multiple Effects

Hands-On Access To A World Of Great Tones
Mobile, battery powered, and filled with a diverse selection of flagship-quality BOSS amps and effects, the ME-80 is the ideal compact tone processor for performing guitarists. A friendly knob-based interface makes it simple to dial in great sounds in seconds, while easily selectable operation modes offer the flexibility of individual stompbox-style on/off or instant recall of complex multi-effects setups. Unique new footswitches deliver twice the control of previous designs for efficient and intuitive effects switching, patch selection, and real-time sound shaping while playing on stage. The free BOSS TONE STUDIO software unlocks even more tonal possibilities, providing a cool graphical interface for tweaking and organizing sounds on your computer, plus a web connection to BOSS TONE CENTRAL for direct access to free gig-ready patches created by top pro guitarists and much more.

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Made in Japan

For over 30 years the Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer has been one of the most popular overdrive pedals in the world. The unmistakable little green stomp box has been a perennial favorite, cherished by rocks most celebrated guitarists for it’s warm, creamy tone and unequivocal responsiveness. Now Ibanez has expanded the palette of “The Screamer” with the new TS808DX.

Simply put, this new version is two pedals in one: A true TS808 Overdrive, featuring the JRC4558D IC for that signature soft, subtle clipping sound, and a boost circuit, capable of adding up to 20db at the tap of a switch. The pedal incorporates two individual, true bypass switches for total independent control, allowing the Overdrive and the Booster to be used separately or in conjunction with each other. Add the Boost for a few extra db while playing through the Overdrive circuit, or just engage the booster on its own for that little extra lift while playing clean.

A toggle switch allows for the choice of placing the Boost Pre or Post the Overdrive section and a rear panel switch offers the option of 9-volt or 18-volt operation, It’s the Screamer you know and love, taken to a whole new level.
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Slightly more open with a tighter bottom end


ZERO WATT STEREO AMPLIFIER: Integrate your pedalboard adding full stereo routing directly to a PA System, Amps, Audio Interfaces or anything you need with its 4 simultaneous outputs (2 x XLR, 2 x 1/4 bypasseable outs), stereo effects loop, headphones out and aux in.
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