Need a new Stompbox? Find your next effect in this month's Gear Finds!
TriceraChorus
Inspired by the classic Tri-Stereo Chorus and stompbox choruses of the 1970s and early 1980s, the TriceraChorus pedal pairs rich Bucket Brigade-style chorusing with Eventide’s legendary MicroPitch detuning for a lushness that rivals the jungles of the late Cretaceous Period. TriceraChorus features three chorus voices and three unique chorus effects which can be used to create a wide stereo spread with pulsing waves of modulation. The innovative “Swirl” footswitch adds psychedelic flanging, phasing, and Univibe-style tones. It has never been easier to dial in syrupy smooth, deep modulation on guitar, bass, synths, strings, vocals, and more.
Maestro Original Collection
To be called “legendary” is to have shaped music as we know it. From the Rolling Stones to the Raconteurs. From Pete Townshend to George Harrison and from Clapton to Frampton. They strived to coax the truest expression from their instruments - the sound they heard in their heads and their hearts. Their signature sound - so uniquely shaped by effects that it changed everything. It’s the Fuzz-Tone FZ-1 that fuels the groundbreaking riff in the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” and the funky wah filter that anchors the “Theme from Shaft.” While the impact they had on the lineage of music is also unique, many have one thing in common—Maestro. So, while not everyone has heard of Maestro, everyone has heard Maestro.
Maestro, the “Founder of Effects,” is back with an all-new line of effect pedals - the Maestro Original Collection. Five new pedals, designed, voiced, and styled for the musician looking to shape their unique sound. A tribute to the sound and style of the brand’s much-beloved classic models of the 60s and 70s, with modern features, expanded versatility, and advanced tone-tweaking capabilities. Each function as an innovative “two-in-one” pedal, with a single toggle that switches between two distinct modes. Each features a straightforward three-knob setup, true bypass switching, and an ergonomic, pedalboard-friendly wedge profile.
It doesn’t matter what you play. As long as there are sounds being made, new legends will emerge. Maestro is back to help you SHAPE YOUR SOUND.
Electro-Harmonix Intelligent Harmony Machine
The EHX Intelligent Harmony Machine instantly creates matching harmonies to what you play. It’s like having one – or even two – guitarists jamming with you at the same time and always in perfect sync. The Intelligent Harmony Machine opens a door to the music of great multi-lead guitar bands and multi-part harmonized solos. Plus, its ability to apply harmonies ranging from simple to sophisticated will totally transform what you play. Of course, it also boasts EHX’s renowned impeccable tracking and genuine musical tone.
MESA/Boogie Drive Pedals
MESA® Drive Pedals are built by the same artisans that create the award-winning Mark Five™ and the legendary Dual and Triple Rectifier® amps. They stand ready to serve up all rock genres with cut and aggression while retaining much of the signature warmth and organic sonic quality found in our amplifiers. Ranging from high to lower gain applications, including classic rock or howling blues, we have a drive pedal that will help you achieve the sounds that so many artists have employed in our amps to create the world’s heaviest guitar tones!
Progressing along the gain spectrum, the transparent boost/overdrive CLEO™ is joined by the vintage-inspired, medium gain DYNAPLEX™ and the higher gain GOLD MINE™. The CLEO is a transparent boost/overdrive design focusing on vintage-inspired low to medium gain overdrive sounds packed with dynamic nuance, lively attack, and a wide variety of essential clip sounds. Moving on to medium gain, the DYNAPLEX is all about the “British Crunch” style with classic mid punch, chirping harmonics, and the chime players desire for classic rock sounds and beyond. Progressing to the higher end of the gain spectrum, the GOLD MINE is focused on mid to high gain sounds, classic heavy chunk, and rich gain with harmonic complexity, soaring single note sounds, and the liquid gain and girth that gain lovers expect from MESA.
Like every MESA product, our pedals are built using the same quality components, craftsmanship, and inspiring performance as our custom amplifiers...all hand-built in Petaluma, California, USA!
Electro-Harmonix Pitch Fork+ Polyphonic Pitch Shifter
Dual engine pitch shifting with nearly endless possibilities and expansive control options! The EHX Pitch Fork®+ features two independent pitch shifting engines with full control over each. Both will transpose your pitch up or down over a +/- three octave range and detune +/-99 cents. With rock solid tracking, an organic, musical tone and extensive control, it’s your ultimate harmonizer.
Pedal Pad CUSTOM PEDALBOARDS : BUILT TO ORDER!!
Pedal Pad pedalboards are hand-built for YOU in Coatesville, Pennsylvania! Our boards feature an ALL-IN-ONE solution where the board is also the case. Just pop the top and PLAY! Our ordering interface allows you to configure any board with a plethora of options. More options or requests? Just email or call and we'll make it happen! Most custom orders ship within 2-3 weeks!
Electro-Harmonix Nano Big Muff Pi Fuzz
EHX took the Big Muff Pi circuit and simply shrunk it without changing its rich, creamy, violin-like sustain and sound. The EHX Nano Big Muff Pi works and sounds identical in every way to our classic NYC Big Muff Pi. Get a piece of the pi for yourself!
Valeton GP-200
Implementing the HD digital modeling technology accumulated throughout years of the Valeton team's diligent efforts, the GP-200 delivers hundreds of re-editions of tones from world-classic amplifiers and stompboxes with a comprehensive upgraded algorithm. Combining 140 legendary amplifiers and cabinets simulations and 100 renowned stompbox effect pedals, plus 20 factory cab IR slots, the GP-200 will guarantee your consistently great sound on stage.
Electro-Harmonix Ravish Sitar Emulator
Transform your electric guitar into a sitar! Very few instruments offer as much harmonic and dynamic flexibility as a sitar. Electro-Harmonix has streamlined the essence of the sitar into a compact enclosure that offers a polyphonic lead voice and tunable sympathetic string drones that dynamically react to your playing. With the EHX Ravish Sitar Emulator, you can create your own custom scales for the sympathetic strings while you set the decay time for the lead voice.
Two expression pedal inputs allow you to bend the pitch of the lead voice and control the volume of the sympathetic strings simultaneously. These unique controls offer the player the ability to program the Ravish to become a totally unique and organic instrument unto itself.
The Ravish is truly a design with the flexibility to be a crossover tonal wonder.
VOX Valvenergy Pedals: Mystic Edge
Iconic amp sounds for your pedalboard. The Valvenergy series valve distortion pedals offer the warmth and harmonics of amp distortion in a compact pedal format. The all-analog signal path and Nutube allow for genuine overdrive and distortion tones with the feel of a real tube amp, while internally boosted voltage gives greater headroom and dynamics. Three output modes allow you to use this as a standard pedal, a line-level preamp, and a direct amp-sim using the built-in analog cabinet simulator.
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Acorn Amplifiers F#%k Face Fuzz
The F#%k Face is a triple gain stage fuzz with thick and meaty sustain that sounds huge in front of a slightly cranked tube amp. Baseball card collectors from the late 80’s will immediately recognize the infamous ‘error card’ graphics of the same name. The circuit is based on the legendary Fuzz with a different Face, but with an additional silicon transistor gain stage and voiced to retain more useable and dynamic fuzz tones all along the sweep of the two controls. In the front of your pedal chain, the F#%k Face will add dynamic interactivity to the volume controls on your guitar which enable a sweep from slight grit to full ripping-velcro breakup.
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Blackstar Amplification Dept. 10 Pedals
Brought to you by Blackstar’s R&D division responsible for blue-sky innovation and design, Dept. 10 are the most advanced valve pedals in the world. Meticulously designed and engineered by a team of musicians for musicians. At the heart of each Dept. 10 pedal is an ECC83 triode valve, running at more than 200V internally like a valve amp, which allows them to deliver organic tone, dynamics and break up. Dual Drive and Dual Distortion include Cab Rig, our next-generation DSP speaker simulator that reproduces the sound and feel of a mic’d up guitar cab in incredible detail. Deep-dive using our free software and capture the incredible tones via low latency USB, XLR D.I. out or headphones. Choose from Boost, Dual Drive or Dual Distortion to help you craft your perfect tone.
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Nobels ODR-mini
The ODR-mini delivers creamy, natural overdrive – Everything from pushed clean amp tones to gain filled stacks! It has the same tones as its legendary brother – the ODR-1. You‘ll love the warm mid-gain tones for rock and blues, and the screaming hard rock sounds from the ODR-1 Mini. Plus the mini features true-bypass switching, the SPECTRUM pot with mid-click, fluorescent pointers on the “GitD“ – knobs (Glow-in-the-Dark). Guaranteed to be a BIG part of your sound while a small part of your pedal board.
Effect-Type: Overdrive
Analog
Mono/Stereo: Mono In, Mono Out
Control: Drive, Tone, Level
Bypass Modus: True Bypass
9-18 Volt, center negative
Consumption 25 mA
Dimensions (WxLxH / mm): 42 x 93 x 50
Weight: 175 gr
Country of origin: China
Solid metal housing
Low current consumption
Requires stabilized power supply 9-18 Volt DC, with min 100 mA, 2.1 mm plug, center negative, (not included)
Hear Audio
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Darkglass Electronics Alpha Omega Photon
Versatility, empowerment, limitless options, and ever-demanding tools at the disposal of every musician and composer are today on demand. A call for inventive devices continues to make musicians more inspired, clever and connected. The Alpha·Omega Photon combines Darkglass' signature Alpha·Omega parallel distortion with the versatile format of the Aggressively Distorting Advanced Machine. In addition to powerful distortion and studio-quality compression, the Alpha·Omega Photon is capable as an audio interface via USB-C or an amp replacement using cab sim IRs and XLR DI output.
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George L's Effects Cable Kits
Enhance the tone and clarity of your pedalboard with award winning sound.
The George L’s effects kit.
The kit comes with 10’ of cable, 10 right angle plugs and 10 stress relief jackets.
Available in black, vintage red and purple.
As easy as 1, 2, 3 no soldering!
Cut, poke and screw your way to 47 years of sound excellence.
SurfyBear Metal Reverb Unit
The Holy Grail of guitar reverb effects, the Fender®-style spring reverb, has been finally revisited with modern features!
Try it and discover why most surf guitarists and the truly reverb addicted are turning to SurfyBear.
★ exclusive SurfyPan type-4 spring reverb pan by Accutronics® and Surfy Industries
★ aluminium body with removable feet on the bottom side for better positioning on pedalboards
★ clean boost to adjust the volume when the effect is on
★ innovative dual-LED on/off button
★ true bypass functionality to keep your signal intact when the effect is off
★ external footswitch possibility though the dedicated 1/4" jack (footswitch not included)
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Previously only available as a made-to-order Jackson Custom Shop model, this new Pro Series model is designed for Death Angel founder and lead guitarist Rob Cavestany.
Alongside Death Angel, Rob Cavestany has been pushing boundaries and wowing sold-out crowds since 1981. For nearly thirty years, Jackson Guitars have been a staple of his touring rig, however, Cavestany’s infatuation with the brand began long before he stepped onto his first stage. Randy Rhoads played an early role in influencing the music and style that Cavestany would soon come to love. Rhoads’ seminal playing with Ozzy Osbourne changed Cavestany’s relationship with music forever, and that impact is apparent from a first glance at this new Pro Series model. While known for his impact in thrash metal music, Cavestany notes that his other heroes come from across the metal and rock spectrum, including Jimmy Page and Tony Iommi. The unique design of this Rob Cavestany Signature Pro Series is a love letter to a number of Cavestany’s guitar heroes.
“I’ve always loved the look of pointy guitars. Two of my favorites, Eddie Van Halen and Akira Takasaki, played Starbody shapes, but the high frets were hard to access. I used the devil horn shape of guitars that Angus Young and Tony Iommi played to replace the extended wing of the Starbody,” adds Cavestany. “Then I used the curve at the bottom of a Randy Rhoads guitar which looked like a shark's fin. It’s comfy to play sitting down, meanwhile, you can get into all kinds of positions with it when rocking live!”
Introducing The Rob Cavestany Signature Death Angel | Jackson Presents | Jackson Guitars
Pro Series Signature Rob Cavestany Death Angel
For more information, please visit jacksonguitars.com.
Just take your musical vitamins!
Intermediate
Beginner
•Create a goal-oriented warm-up routine.
• Learn to outline all 12 major scales in a single position.
• Develop an understanding of tremolo picking, quintuplets, and the chromatic scale.
Warm-ups aren’t just about limbering up your fingers. Warming up helps with focus and confidence. It’s difficult to go into a performance cold. Whether it’s a Broadway show, a Carnegie Hall performance, a bar gig, or any formal or informal setting, you need a warm-up routine. Like a runner who needs to stretch before a competition, a musician needs to get their mind and body ready before a performance. Though there is a flood of method books on the market along with YouTube tricks and tips, there is no standard canon of technical exercises available for electric guitar. As a professional guitarist over the years, I’ve seen the need for an effective, comprehensive, yet quick warm-up routine.
The Warm-Up Routine
The following are ten specific exercises, appropriate for both hands with a focus on picking, and when played at tempo should take about five minutes. You’ll be ready to play just about anything and still have your energy to devote to the gig. The idea is to be able to practice technique that surpasses the demand of what you’ll be playing. These are easy to memorize and highly portable, without having to carry books or download an app.
Directions: Use alternate picking for all exercises except for the sweep picking one. Be mindful of the picking as it is important to develop monster technique. Play all notes evenly and cleanly at a slow tempo before gradually speeding it up.
Ex. 1 is probably the exercise I despise the most. It was shown to me by a guitar phenom/colleague in graduate school. He played it fast with no errors, clinks, or hesitations. It sounded angular and I hadn’t heard anything like it before, so it piqued my interest. What makes it difficult is the alternate picking on each string, with only one note per string.
Start with one finger per fret from the 6th to the 3rd strings. Then bring the fingering down to the next four strings starting on the 5th string. Continue to move the shape until you run out of strings. The left-hand pattern will be 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3, 1-2, 1. At this point, move down a fret and invert the shape starting on the 1st string. Keep this up until you reach the 1st fret. It’s challenging to play cleanly, but it sounds cool and is a necessary technique.
Ex. 2 encapsulates the difficulties of guitar playing in a single measure. This one focuses on string crossing and pick direction. Be aware of the extra note added to the pattern. It turns the picking direction around, providing an opportunity to begin a phrase with an upstroke. I find that my picking gets tripped up when the pattern changes, making this a good example to overcome this technical challenge.
The most basic and traditional form of the major scale is shown in Ex. 3. What makes this challenging is a combination of two- and three-notes-per-string shapes while alternate picking. You end up straying from a predictable flow of notes per string. Play this one four times to train your picking hand to accurately get this skill down.
So, you say you know the major scale? This may be one of the more difficult ones. The premise in Ex. 4 is that wherever you are on the neck you have access to all notes and scales without shifting to a more comfortable fingering. When you’re playing over a chord change or an idea, you want to be able to play the next note within reach. The moment you have to shift to play a line, often your thinking stops and creativity is averted.
This may even be more of a mental exercise than physical. It requires keeping track of several items at the same time: moving through all keys in the cycle of fourths, the direction of the scale, and finding the correct note in position, all at a racing pace (eventually).
Play the major scales in one position without shifting positions. The object is to play within a four to five fret span without using open strings. There are four directions for this exercise: up, down, alternating up/down, and alternating down/up.
This is more of a quasi-classical guitar passage where the right-hand fingers do the work (Ex. 5). Specifically, it’s a pedal-point exercise where one note stays the same while other notes are moving. It really works up alternate picking technique with the triplet part.
Ex. 6 is one I would play before a performance. When I started performing on Broadway, I realized the involvement and demand of the right hand. Fast picking is determined by tremolo technique, so I wrote a tremolo part on a G minor arpeggio leading up to a Bach excerpt (1st violin Sonata BWV 1001 Presto).
Ex. 7 is all about pentatonic quintuplets. Notice that for each starting note of the five-note group, the pick direction will be the opposite from the previous one. It sounds amazing when played fast, a la Eric Johnson.
Perhaps the chromatic scale is already everyone’s go-to warm-up. However, Ex. 8 utilizes open strings combined with fretted notes in the first position, which is a challenge. This may be on par with something out of Mel Bay Book 1, but try playing it fast and clean.
To play modern ideas on guitar, you have to know sweep picking. Since sweeping uses different musculature, it will feel odd or different at first. Start off slowly with triplets, then take the same note pattern and play 16th-notes followed by quintuplets. Ex. 9 aids in both picking and rhythmic control.
Ex. 10 breaks out of narrow, scale-step intervals and branches off into wider intervals, like 4ths, 5ths, 6ths, and 7ths. The techniques involve string skipping and a plethora of different shapes. Practicing intervals is an excellent ear training exercise and should be done daily—like taking vitamins.
I hope this warm-up routine brings you a newly heightened technique and much success in your musical performances. Until next time, happy shredding and enjoy the journey!
Looking for more great gear for the guitar player in your life (yourself included!)? Check out this year's Holiday Gear Finds!
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s Faded
SE Standard 24-08
Kaepo
MONO FlyBy Ultra Backpack
JBL 3 Series Studio Monitors
Guitar Tech Screwdriver Set
Xvive U2, U3 and U4 Wireless Systems
Elixir® Strings Acoustic Phosphor Bronze with NANOWEB® Coating
Elephant Foot Risers and Frames
D'Addario XPND Pedalboard
Cloudlifter CL-1
Caparison Horus-WB-FX MF
The Woman Tone
Templo Devices Holiday Specials
Taylors Guitars GS Mini
DR-05X Stereo Handheld Recorder
Sennheiser MD 421
Jaclyn Slimm