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GALLERY: L.A. Amp Show 2012

See the boutique amps, guitars, and effects on display at this year''s L.A. Amp Show.

"Quilter Amps showcased their new extended line of the MicroPro 200 amps. This Class D, 200-watt amp now comes with two new speaker sizes: 10"" and 12"" combos in addition to the standard 8"" the MicroPro is known for. Quilter also introduced a stand-alone head version that packs all the same power and features, but only weighs seven pounds. All of the amps are hand-built in Costa Mesa, California, and are compact enough to fit in an airplane's overhead bin. Quilter's CEO Chris Parks says, ""Despite the small size, the 8"" MicroPro can still easily match a 40-60 watt tube amp twice its size, and four times its weight."""

Some of these are deep cuts—get ready for some instrumental bonus tracks and Van Halen III mentions—and some are among the biggest radio hits of their time. Just because their hits, though, doesn’t mean we don’t have more to add to the conversation.

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ā€œSometimes, I’d like very much for my guitar to sound exactly like a supa cobra.ā€

Luthier Creston Lea tells us about his favorite dirt pedal—an Athens, Georgia-made stomp that lets his guitar be a hero.

Let’s face it: Nobody can tell what overdrive pedal you’re using. Whether you’re in a carpeted suburban basement accompanying the hired clown at your nephew’s fifth birthday party or standing on the spot-lit monitor at Wembley, not one person knows whether the pedal at your feet cost $17 or $700, has true bypass, or has an internal DIP switch. Nobody leaning against the barn-dance corncrib or staunching a nosebleed up in the stadium’s cheap seats is thinking, ā€œHeavens yes!! THAT is the sound of a silicone diode!ā€

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A dual-channel tube preamp and overdrive pedal inspired by the Top Boost channel of vintage VOX amps.

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Reader: T. Moody

Hometown: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Guitar: The Green Snake


Reader T. Moody turned this Yamaha Pacifica body into a reptilian rocker.

With a few clicks on Reverb, a reptile-inspired shred machine was born.

With this guitar, I wanted to create a shadowbox-type vibe by adding something you could see inside. I have always loved the Yamaha Pacifica guitars because of the open pickup cavity and the light weight, so I purchased this body off Reverb (I think I am addicted to that website). I also wanted a color that was vivid and bold. The seller had already painted it neon yellow, so when I read in the description, ā€œYou can see this body from space,ā€ I immediately clicked the Buy It Now button. I also purchased the neck and pickups off of Reverb.

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