StewMac Lightcycle Phasor II
Build the revered studio-quality phaser in a box.
The Lightcycle is our take on the incredibly versatile Mu-Tron Phasor II. We’ve packed all the tone and legendary flexibility of the original in a pedalboard friendly box. By just twisting the controls you can dial in rotary speaker shimmer or wild spacey soundscapes all from this single pedal.
We've written these detailed step-by-step instructions for the beginner—from getting familiar with all of the resistors, to soldering, to the first time you plug it in, we're here to help. Even if this is your first electronic project, these full color instructions will make it easy and fun to make something you'll be proud of.
Electric blues guitarist Cedric Burnside.
Guest Picker - Cedric Burnside
Mr. Burnside's no-frills pedalboard.
A: I only have two pedals—one is a tuner and one is an AB box. I just like the AB box because I can play both amps at the same time—the lead amp and the bass amp. But I can live without any pedal and just play my guitar.
Current Obsession: Juke joints. I’ve just noticed the lack of them here in the hill country. It used to be a staple of this area, and I’ve been working to see when and where I could possibly open my own to bring that culture of music back to the area. Hopefully I’ll have my own here sooner than later.
Reader of the Month - Dominic von Riedemann
Mr. von Riedemann's pup, standing in for Mr. von Riedemann.
A: My Way Huge Green Rhino MkII has been a staple on my board since I bought it in 2012. The adjustable midrange and bass controls give it a lot more versatility than your typical TS type, and it loves pretty much every guitar and amp I’ve tried it with.
Current Obsession: I’m hard at work recording with my band the Boardwalk Cowboys, plus I’m listening to new music from Jason Isbell, symphonic metalsmiths Therion, and dance-punk outfit Model/Actriz.
Publisher - Jon Levy
Jon’s pedalboard
A: My gigging pedalboard is constantly morphing, but it centers around this essential item: a low-gain, always-on overdrive. The Timmy pedal has been my mainstay for about 10 years, but recently I’ve been test-driving (awful pun intentional) two impressive new contenders: the Keeley Blues Disorder and Messiah Guitars Billy overdrives.
Current Obsession: Playing guitar with dynamics. And being a better listener. Like many guitarists, I find this very challenging. I’m prone to using my guitar as a firehose: Once I get going, you’d better run for the emergency exits because I will not curb this awesome power! I gotta learn to shut up, or at least improve my right-hand technique to allow the song to breathe a bit.
Gear Editor - Charles Saufley
Mr. Saufley, represented by a mallard.
A: When push comes to shove, I guess I would say a Deluxe Memory Man. Delay is probably the effect I need above all others—especially if my amp has tremolo and reverb (and it had better). But the Deluxe Memory Man is more than a perfect analog echo. The level control can add grime to a too-polite signal, and a touch of the DMM’s vibrato is always woozily delish. Plus, a guitar, a Deluxe Memory Man, and a good-looking amplifier is about as stylish as a rig gets.
Current Obsession: Playing along with windchimes. There’s a beautiful, fascinating, and most instructive mix of structure and chaos in the springtime ring of windchimes.
Katana-500 Bass Head
The compact Katana-500 Bass Head brings serious bassists a next-generation sound experience backed by decades of BOSS R&D. This amp is incredibly clear, punchy, and responsive, realized with 500 watts of carefully tuned Class D power. Cab Resonance takes things further, using high-tech calibration to internally fine-tune the power output section for the user’s preferred speaker cabinet.
With a simple button press, the Cab Resonance feature in the Katana-500 Bass Head calibrates the amp’s reactive output stage circuitry to match the unique impedance and frequency properties of the connected cabinet. This proprietary BOSS process analyzes numerous elements, including the lowest frequency the cabinet can produce, high-end resonances, and many other factors. With this information, advanced processing dynamically enhances the output to provide superior feel and response, powerful lows, and high-definition overall sound.
The Katana-500 Bass Head offers a deep selection of controls to hone the primary sound. There’s a four-band active EQ with three adjustable frequency options for both the low-mid and high-mid controls. A Bottom knob tunes the low end for different stages, while three Hi Cut settings smooth the sound as needed. With the Shape button, users can instantly revoice the amp with mid-scoop, bright, and wide-range curves.
The Katana-500 Bass Head also includes sophisticated tone-shaping tools to refine the fundamental sound. Via the Amp Feel switch, the player can apply Modern or Vintage tonal characteristics for different styles if desired. Comp and Drive types are available to control dynamics and introduce grit and aggression, while the FX section provides three bass-tuned effects for color and inspiration. There’s also a Blend knob to dial in some direct bass sound for additional clarity.
The Katana-500 Bass Head integrates a versatile range of connectivity into its compact design. Two locking-style speaker outputs support high-current operation, and the XLR line output can be used to send a direct, pre, or post signal to a house PA. Players can shape the line output voice from the front panel with three mic’d speaker emulation presets and three custom settings. There’s also a dual-function output for headphones practice or analog recording, plus USB for capturing mix-ready tracks in computer music software.
With BOSS Tone Studio for Windows and macOS, players can edit amp parameters and access over 60 BOSS effects to swap alternate types for the Comp, Drive, and FX sections. Plugging in a GA-FC or GA-FC EX foot controller provides remote operation of numerous amp functions, including the front-panel user memory and two additional memories. The optional Bluetooth® Audio MIDI Dual Adaptor allows users to stream music from a mobile device and wirelessly shape tones via the BTS editor app for iOS and Android.
Katana Cabinet 112 Bass
The Katana Cabinet 112 Bass delivers big, punchy, and articulate sound for any professional bass amp. It’s an ideal match for the Katana-500 Bass Head, providing full support for the amp’s 500-watt output in a compact, space-saving footprint.
The Katana Cabinet 112 Bass features a two-way design with a 12-inch woofer and a high-frequency tweeter. It comes loaded with an Eminence Neodymium Series woofer, a highly regarded driver with powerful sound and reduced weight. Switches on the rear panel allow the tweeter to be bypassed or set to two preset levels. The cabinet features locking-style connectors on the primary speaker input and the link output for connecting a second cabinet.
BOSS KATANA-500 BASS HEAD | Outstanding Bass Tones with Innovative Cabinet Calibration
You can purchase the new BOSS Katana-500 Bass Head and the Katana Cabinet 112 Bass at authorized US BOSS retailers in May for $799.99 and $699.99 respectively.
To learn more about Katana-500 Bass Head and Katana Cabinet 112 Bass, visit www.boss.info.