The idea of an entirely virtual rig isn’t as foreign to the current generation of up-and-coming guitarists as it was even five or 10 years ago. ToneStack, the latest iOS app from Yonac, is an all-in-one suite that speaks to a wide range of digitally adventurous tone tweakers. For the cost of a pack of strings, you get a good selection of amps, cabs, mics, and effects, as well as an amazing amount of flexibility in designing your signal chain. If your palate goes beyond the included assortment of toys, ToneStack offers additional amps and effects as in-app purchases.
Once you pull up a preset, you can drag and drop each element of your signal chain to your heart’s content—even A/B cabs, amps, or entire effects chains. At times, the virtual knobs can be a little difficult to dial in accurately, but for the most part, the app feels snappy and responsive. I plugged in with a Mexican-made Stratocaster and was able to dial up reasonable takes on Gilmour’s saturated “Pompeii” lead tone and R.E.M.-esque warbly tremolo. A 2-track recorder is also included, which makes bouncing and sharing riffs and demos a snap.
Test Gear: Fender MIM Stratocaster, Apogee JAM
Ratings
Pros:
Affordable. Includes 20 effects. Inter-App Audio and MIDI functionality.
Cons:
Difficult to dial in specific settings on the more complex effects. Some of the distortion pedals sound thin.
Street:
$4.99
Company
yonac.com
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