With the Malekko Plus Ultra 213’s potential to move between searing bumble-bee fuzz and creamier near-overdrive tones, it’s easy to imagine players making this their go-to fuzz.
We’ve grown accustomed to stompbox companies big and small using pedal housings themselves as a canvas to differentiate their wares with a little rock ’n’ roll visual craziness. But it would be hard for a pedal to convey its intent through graphics more accurately or effectively than the Malekko Plus Ultra 213. Resplendent in orange metallic flake and a washed-out image of a Mustang Cobra II (Farah Fawcett and Cheryl Ladd’s ride of choice in Charlie’s Angels, natch!)—this pedal screams haze-of-smoke, Sabbathoid, desert-highway-shimmering-with-heat, shag-lined custom-van/muscle-car rock.
What’s cool about the Malekko Plus Ultra 213 is how well it delivers on the promises the fancy graphics make. Like many Malekko boxes we’ve tried, the Plus Ultra 213 is deep with functionality and tones. And what’s doubly awesome about this groovy-looking stomp is how readily and wonderfully it performs outside the most obvious applications—using a combination of an all-pass filter and wide-ranging tone and sustain controls to put burly overdrive and searing hornet-buzz fuzz at your fingertips, as well.
Crushing Orange
Though it’s flashy, to say the least, the Plus
Ultra 213 is a pretty un-fussy and elegant
piece of pedal design. Four knobs line the
top of the pedal, and the three rightmost
controls—sustain, tone, and volume—will
be familiar to anyone who’s ever used a Big
Muff or similar fuzz. The last remaining
knob on the left controls the resonant frequency
of the filter and unlocks the more
mind-expanding tones within. Apart from
the four knobs, there’s a switch for bypass
and one for activating the filter circuit.
Not surprisingly, the addition of the filter circuit makes the Plus Ultra 213 a little busy under the hood, but it’s also very tidy and carefully put together. Perhaps the only complaint you could make about the Malekko’s construction is that the excellent graphics are a decal rather than screen printed, which dulls the sparkle of the metal flake paint and diminishes the air of top-shelf quality that otherwise distinguishes the pedal. On the other hand, if using a decal makes sounds this cool more affordable, it’s most definitely a smart trade.
Mean, Muscular, and Malleable
Were the Plus Ultra 213 a simple fuzz
alone, it would stoke any rocker obsessed
with the sounds of Iommi, Randy
California, Clapton’s Cream–era tones, or
the desert rock and neo-psych of Kyuss,
Fu Manchu, and Tame Impala. At fairly
neutral settings, it’s naturally geared toward
the boxy-but-harmonically-rich and wooly
tones that define a lot of late-’60s and
early-’70s riffery, as well as the work stoner-rock
acolytes. What’s remarkable about the
Plus Ultra 213 in these sonic environments,
however, is how much definition and harmonic
content it retains through the murk.
And players who’ve tossed their Muffs
across the room in frustration over losing
picking nuance and midrange in these furrier
fuzz zones will be thrilled at the extra
grind that the Plus Ultra 213 lays on top of
it’s more corpulent, Muff-like foundation.
But one of the real treats of the Malekko is how easy it is to deviate from the desert-rock template. Cranking the tone control all the way clockwise makes the Plus Ultra 213 sizzle and buzz more like a Maestro FZ-1, Tonebender Mk 1, or Fuzzrite, but with more body—a tone that’s fantastic for rising above a power trio or lending a little mid-’60s biker rock or Stooge-punk attitude. Keep the tone up and roll back the sustain all the way, and the Plus Ultra is a sweet high-gain overdrive that works beautifully with single-coils in particular, and can lend a little extra sass to blues-rock leads or country rock.
As tasty as its fuzz voice is, it’s the all-pass filter that really makes the Malekko special. Once you’ve introduced the filter circuit into the mix, the filter knob shifts the filter’s resonant frequency—emphasizing treblier points on the harmonic spectrum as you move the knob clockwise and creating an effect akin to parking a wah in a given position and adding a subtle phasing effect. Depending on where you set the resonant frequency, the filtered fuzz can also seem a lot more present and louder, which is a real asset if you play in loud band where it’s tough to get a lead out over the mix. The benefit here is twofold—you get a boost in your signal and a sonically arresting, psychedelicized fuzz tone that will stand out and float above the most punishing cacophony.
Ratings
Pros:
Killer range of character-rich fuzz tones. Supreme
desert-rock tone machine. Looks freaking awesome.
Cons:
Expression pedal crucial to accessing full potential.
Tones:
Ease of Use:
Build:
Value:
Street:
$195
Malekko Heavy Industry
malekkoheavyindustry.com
The filter function is most fun and expressive, however, when you add an expression pedal to the mix. Moving the filter through its range with a foot controller emphasizes the all-pass filter’s phasing qualities and opens the door to heavily lysergic mutations of phase, fuzz, and wah sounds that are typically hard to deliver and control this effectively without the help of an analog synth circuit. It’s a function that makes the Plus Ultra 213 a very versatile fuzz weapon capable of delivering genuinely show-stopping and out-of-the-ordinary tones—particularly when you take advantage of the way that it interacts with the tone control.
The Verdict
While the Plus Ultra 213’s strengths and
emphasis are ’70s-style and desert-rock
fuzz tones, it’s the pedal’s range that distinguishes
it from the rest of the heavy fuzz
pack. And given the Malekko’s potential to
move between searing bumble-bee fuzz and
creamier near-overdrive tones, it’s easy to
imagine players across myriad styles making
this a go-to fuzz or abandoning the
two-to-three fuzz strategies that clutter a lot
of pedalboards. Really cracking open the
Malekko’s potential demands the addition
of an expression pedal, and given that it’s
already priced right around 200 clams, the
most complete version of the Plus Ultra 213
experience will cost you if you don’t have
a spare expression pedal around. Still, even
without the sweepable filter capability, the
Malekko can do the work of multiple fuzzes,
which makes the expense considerably
more palatable. And if you’re out for the
ultimate muscle-car-barreling-down-a-barren-
two-lane-road fuzz tone, the Plus Ultra
213’s ability to deliver on the promise of it’s
hot-rod-emblazoned exterior may alone be
worth the price of admission.
This legendary vintage rack unit will inspire you to think about effects with a new perspective.
When guitarists think of effects, we usually jump straight to stompboxes—they’re part of the culture! And besides, footswitches have real benefits when your hands are otherwise occupied. But real-time toggling isn’t always important. In the recording studio, where we’re often crafting sounds for each section of a song individually, there’s little reason to avoid rack gear and its possibilities. Enter the iconic Eventide H3000 (and its massive creative potential).
When it debuted in 1987, the H3000 was marketed as an “intelligent pitch-changer” that could generate stereo harmonies in a user-specified key. This was heady stuff in the ’80s! But while diatonic harmonizing grabbed the headlines, subtler uses of this pitch-shifter cemented its legacy. Patch 231 MICROPITCHSHIFT, for example, is a big reason the H3000 persists in racks everywhere. It’s essentially a pair of very short, single-repeat delays: The left side is pitched slightly up while the right side is pitched slightly down (default is ±9 cents). The resulting tripling/thickening effect has long been a mix-engineer staple for pop vocals, and it’s also my first call when I want a stereo chorus for guitar.
The second-gen H3000S, introduced the following year, cemented the device’s guitar bona fides. Early-adopter Steve Vai was such a proponent of the first edition that Eventide asked him to contribute 48 signature sounds for the new model (patches 700-747). Still-later revisions like the H3000B and H3000D/SE added even more functionality, but these days it’s not too important which model you have. Comprehensive EPROM chips containing every patch from all generations of H3000 (plus the later H3500) are readily available for a modest cost, and are a fairly straightforward install.
In addition to pitch-shifting, there are excellent modulation effects and reverbs (like patch 211 CANYON), plus presets inspired by other classic Eventide boxes, like the patch 513 INSTANT PHASER. A comprehensive accounting of the H3000’s capabilities would be tedious, but suffice to say that even the stock presets get deliciously far afield. There are pitch-shifting reverbs that sound like fever-dream ancestors of Strymon’s “shimmer” effect. There are backwards-guitar simulators, multiple extraterrestrial voices, peculiar foreshadows of the EarthQuaker Devices Arpanoid and Rainbow Machine (check out patch 208 BIZARRMONIZER), and even button-triggered Foley effects that require no input signal (including a siren, helicopter, tank, submarine, ocean waves, thunder, and wind). If you’re ever without your deck of Oblique Strategies cards, the H3000’s singular knob makes a pretty good substitute. (Spin the big wheel and find out what you’ve won!)
“If you’re ever without your deck of Oblique Strategies cards, the H3000’s singular knob makes a pretty good substitute.”
But there’s another, more pedestrian reason I tend to reach for the H3000 and its rackmount relatives in the studio: I like to do certain types of processing after the mic. It’s easy to overlook, but guitar speakers are signal processors in their own right. They roll off high and low end, they distort when pushed, and the cabinets in which they’re mounted introduce resonances. While this type of de facto processing often flatters the guitar itself, it isn’t always advantageous for effects.
Effects loops allow time-based effects to be placed after preamp distortion, but I like to go one further. By miking the amp first and then sending signal to effects in parallel, I can get full bandwidth from the airy reverbs and radical pitched-up effects the H3000 can offer—and I can get it in stereo, printed to its own track, allowing the wet/dry balance to be revisited later, if needed. If a sound needs to be reproduced live, that’s a problem for later. (Something evocative enough can usually be extracted from a pedal-form descendant like the Eventide H90.)
Like most vintage gear, the H3000 has some endearing quirks. Even as it knowingly preserves glitches from earlier Eventide harmonizers (patch 217 DUAL H910s), it betrays its age with a few idiosyncrasies of its own. Extreme pitch-shifting exhibits a lot of aliasing (think: bit-crusher sounds), and the analog Murata filter modules impart a hint of warmth that many plug-in versions don’t quite capture. (They also have a habit of leaking black goo all over the motherboard!) It’s all part of the charm of the unit, beloved by its adherents. (Well, maybe not the leaking goo!)
In 2025, many guitarists won’t be eager to care for what is essentially an expensive, cranky, decades-old computer. Even the excitement of occasional tantalum capacitor explosions is unlikely to win them over! Fortunately, some great software emulations exist—Eventide’s own plugin even models the behavior of the Murata filters. But hardware offers the full hands-on experience, so next time you spot an old H3000 in a rack somewhere—and you’ve got the time—fire it up, wait for the distinctive “click” of its relays, spin the knob, and start digging.
A live editor and browser for customizing Tone Models and presets.
IK Multimedia is pleased to release the TONEX Editor, a free update for TONEX Pedal and TONEX ONE users, available today through the IK Product Manager. This standalone application organizes the hardware library and enables real-time edits to Tone Models and presets with a connected TONEX pedal.
You can access your complete TONEX library, including Tone Models, presets and ToneNET, quickly load favorites to audition, and save to a designated hardware slot on IK hardware pedals. This easy-to-use application simplifies workflow, providing a streamlined experience for preparing TONEX pedals for the stage.
Fine-tune and organize your pedal presets in real time for playing live. Fully compatible with all your previous TONEX library settings and presets. Complete control over all pedal preset parameters, including Global setups. Access all Tone Models/IRs in the hardware memory, computer library, and ToneNET Export/Import entire libraries at once to back up and prepare for gigs Redesigned GUI with adaptive resize saves time and screen space Instantly audition any computer Tone Model or preset through the pedal.
Studio to Stage
Edit any onboard Tone Model or preset while hearing changes instantly through the pedal. Save new settings directly to the pedal, including global setup and performance modes (TONEX ONE), making it easy to fine-tune and customize your sound. The updated editor features a new floating window design for better screen organization and seamless browsing of Tone Models, amps, cabs, custom IRs and VIR. You can directly access Tone Models and IRs stored in the hardware memory and computer library, streamlining workflow.
A straightforward drop-down menu provides quick access to hardware-stored Tone Models conveniently sorted by type and character. Additionally, the editor offers complete control over all key parameters, including FX, Tone Model Amps, Tone Model Cabs/IR/VIR, and tempo and global setup options, delivering comprehensive, real-time control over all settings.
A Seamless Ecosystem of Tones
TONEX Editor automatically syncs with the entire TONEX user library within the Librarian tab. It provides quick access to all Tone Models, presets and ToneNET, with advanced filtering and folder organization for easy navigation. At the same time, a dedicated auto-load button lets you preview any Tone Model or preset in a designated hardware slot before committing changes.This streamlined workflow ensures quick edits, precise adjustments and the ultimate flexibility in sculpting your tone.
Get Started Today
TONEX Editor is included with TONEX 1.9.0, which was released today. Download or update the TONEX Mac/PC software from the IK Product Manager to install it. Then, launch TONEX Editor from your applications folder or Explorer.
For more information and videos about TONEX Editor, TONEX Pedal, TONEX ONE, and TONEX Cab, visit:
www.ikmultimedia.com/tonexeditor
The luthier’s stash.
There is more to a guitar than just the details.
A guitar is not simply a collection of wood, wire, and metal—it is an act of faith. Faith that a slab of lumber can be coaxed to sing, and that magnets and copper wire can capture something as expansive as human emotion. While it’s comforting to think that tone can be calculated like a tax return, the truth is far messier. A guitar is a living argument between its components—an uneasy alliance of materials and craftsmanship. When it works, it’s glorious.
The Uncooperative Nature of Wood
For me it all starts with the wood. Not just the species, but the piece. Despite what spec sheets and tonewood debates would have you believe, no two boards are the same. One piece of ash might have a bright, airy ring, while another from the same tree might sound like it spent a hard winter in a muddy ditch.
Builders know this, which is why you’ll occasionally catch one tapping on a rough blank, head cocked like a bird listening. They’re not crazy. They’re hunting for a lively, responsive quality that makes the wood feel awake in your hands. But wood is less than half the battle. So many guitarists make the mistake of buying the lumber instead of the luthier.
Pickups: Magnetic Hopes and Dreams
The engine of the guitar, pickups are the part that allegedly defines the electric guitar’s voice. Sure, swapping pickups will alter the tonality, to use a color metaphor, but they can only translate what’s already there, and there’s little percentage in trying to wake the dead. Yet, pickups do matter. A PAF-style might offer more harmonic complexity, or an overwound single-coil may bring some extra snarl, but here’s the thing: Two pickups made to the same specs can still sound different. The wire tension, the winding pattern, or even the temperature on the assembly line that day all add tiny variables that the spec sheet doesn’t mention. Don’t even get me started about the unrepeatability of “hand-scatter winding,” unless you’re a compulsive gambler.
“One piece of ash might have a bright, airy ring, while another from the same tree might sound like it spent a hard winter in a muddy ditch.”
Wires, Caps, and Wishful Thinking
Inside the control cavity, the pots and capacitors await, quietly shaping your tone whether you notice them or not. A potentiometer swap can make your volume taper feel like an on/off switch or smooth as an aged Tennessee whiskey. A capacitor change can make or break the tone control’s usefulness. It’s subtle, but noticeable. The kind of detail that sends people down the rabbit hole of swapping $3 capacitors for $50 “vintage-spec” caps, just to see if they can “feel” the mojo of the 1950s.
Hardware: The Unsung Saboteur
Bridges, nuts, tuners, and tailpieces are occasionally credited for their sonic contributions, but they’re quietly running the show. A steel block reflects and resonates differently than a die-cast zinc or aluminum bridge. Sloppy threads on bridge studs can weigh in, just as plate-style bridges can couple firmly to the body. Tuning machines can influence not just tuning stability, but their weight can alter the way the headstock itself vibrates.
It’s All Connected
Then there’s the neck joint—the place where sustain goes to die. A tight neck pocket allows the energy to transfer efficiently. A sloppy fit? Some credit it for creating the infamous cluck and twang of Fender guitars, so pick your poison. One of the most important specs is scale length. A longer scale not only creates more string tension, it also requires the frets to be further apart. This changes the feel and the sound. A shorter scale seems to diminish bright overtones, accentuating the lows and mids. Scale length has a definite effect on where the neck joins the body and the position of the bridge, where compromises must be made in a guitar’s overall design. There are so many choices, and just as many opportunities to miss the mark. It’s like driving without a map unless you’ve been there before.
Alchemy, Not Arithmetic
At the end of the day, a guitar’s greatness doesn’t come from its spec sheet. It’s not about the wood species or the coil-wire gauge. It’s about how it all conspires to either soar or sink. Two guitars, built to identical specs, can feel like long-lost soulmates or total strangers. All of these factors are why mix-and-match mods are a long game that can eventually pay off. But that’s the mystery of it. You can’t build magic from a parts list. You can’t buy mojo by the pound. A guitar is more than the sum of its parts—it’s a sometimes unpredictable collaboration of materials, choices, and human touch. And sometimes, whether in the hands of an experienced builder or a dedicated tinkerer, it just works.
Two Iconic Titans of Rock & Metal Join Forces for a Can’t-Miss North American Trek
Tickets Available Starting Wednesday, April 16 with Artist Presales
General On Sale Begins Friday, April 18 at 10AM Local on LiveNation.com
This fall, shock rock legend Alice Cooper and heavy metal trailblazers Judas Priest will share the stage for an epic co-headlining tour across North America. Produced by Live Nation, the 22-city run kicks off September 16 at Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, MS, and stops in Toronto, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and more before wrapping October 26 at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, TX.
Coming off the second leg of their Invincible Shield Tour and the release of their celebrated 19th studio album, Judas Priest remains a dominant force in metal. Meanwhile, Alice Cooper, the godfather of theatrical rock, wraps up his "Too Close For Comfort" tour this summer, promoting his most recent "Road" album, and will have an as-yet-unnamed all-new show for this tour. Corrosion of Conformity will join as support on select dates.
Tickets will be available starting Wednesday, April 16 at 10AM local time with Artist Presales. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, April 18 at 10AM local time at LiveNation.comTOUR DATES:
Tue Sep 16 – Biloxi, MS – Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Thu Sep 18 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre*
Sat Sep 20 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
Sun Sep 21 – Franklin, TN – FirstBank Amphitheater
Wed Sep 24 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
Fri Sep 26 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
Sat Sep 27 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Broadview Stage at SPAC
Mon Sep 29 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
Wed Oct 01 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
Thu Oct 02 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
Sat Oct 04 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
Sun Oct 05 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
Fri Oct 10 – Colorado Springs, CO – Broadmoor World Arena
Sun Oct 12 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
Tue Oct 14 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
Wed Oct 15 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre
Sat Oct 18 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
Sun Oct 19 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
Wed Oct 22 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
Thu Oct 23 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
Sat Oct 25 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
Sun Oct 26 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
*Without support from Corrosion of Conformity