The company's first stomp carries a 4-pack of separate "gears" of variable analog overdrive textures and harmonic content along with a clean blend feature.
GENZLER AMPLIFICATION proudly announces a "redux collaboration" that brings Jeff Genzler and Andy Field back together again developing a newline of bass effect pedals under the Genzler Amplification brand. Both forces have shared design passions that date back to the early 1990's while working together at Jeff's former company, Genz Benz. Andy and Jeff, along with current Genzler Amplification engineer Scott Andres, were responsible for the products that put Genz Benz on the map so many years ago.
Along the way, corporate acquisitions of GB by KMC Music and eventually Fender Musical Instruments, and the decisions that lead to the finale of Genz Benz, all principals went their separate ways. Andy was soon brought-on at Mesa Boogie to develop their flagship line of Subway bass products. Eventually Jeff and his wife Catherine decided to jump back into the game, starting up Genzler Amplification with Scott Andres again as principal engineer. Jeff and Scott working together again developed such innovative products as the Bass Array cabinet designs, the Magellan series of bass amplification, the recent Nu Classic series bass cabs, and Acoustic Array combos.
While Andy remains at Mesa designing new Mesa specific products, with the blessings of management there, this new "gig" brings back the fun and collaboration of working closely with good ole friends and compadres. "When you've worked so long together in the trenches over a few decades, having this team back together just feels good all over again," Genzler states.
"Through the years, and through all of the crazy adventures of this music products industry, we remained close friends," reminisces Andy Field. While chatting one day, they realized right then, that they missed the unique collaboration that had fueled years of design passion and decided that this would be as a good a time as any to "get the band back together" for a "fun and creative" side project (or reunion tour) that was more than 30 years in the making.
The Genzler Amplification pedal line will be exploring a variety of pedal concepts based on decades of collaboration together, looking back into hundreds of pages of their old design ideas, and to explore interesting circuits that were started but never used, blending them with new innovations. A retrospective of sorts, this is a chance to dig into their collective pasts to develop what they feel players would use and appreciate, going forward.
The first pedal in the line is the 4 ON THE FLOOR, CLASSIC BASS OVERDRIVE, offering 4 separate "gears" of variable analog overdrive textures and harmonic content along with a clean blend feature. HPF and LPF controls are included to shape the overdrive engine's signal path. This pedal offers touch sensitive asymmetrical and symmetrical overdrive characteristics, variations of compression and overdrive complexity, along with a true bypass. The versatility allows this to be used as a clean boost, shifting through various overdrive gears to all out heavy, saturated drive. This pedal also offers another level of versatility as it accepts nearly any power supply; 9 – 18 Volts, either polarity.
DRIVE (GEAR) DESCRIPTIONS – This 4-position switch works like the 4 speed gearshift on the transmission of your favorite classic car, selecting one of four available drive algorithms.
- 1st GEAR: Reminiscent of a tube amp's clean channel (including natural harmonics) with a bit of overdriven tone when driven hard. Many players will find that this works well as an "always on" tone.
- 2nd GEAR: Emulates a tube amp's mildly overdriven tone, with a small amount of dynamically compliant clipping asymmetry. This is a natural feeling, touch sensitive algorithm with very mild compression.
- 3rd GEAR: A more aggressive up-shift from 2nd gear, this moderate, asymmetrical overdrive is less compliant, with greater compression for a tighter feel.
- 4th GEAR: This is the most aggressive gear of all -- a heavier, symmetrical, low compliance overdrive that can enter distortion territory when driven hard.
The 4-OTF-PEDAL will be an excellent compliment to the companies MAGELLAN 350 and MAGELLAN 800 Bass amps. The new pedal will start shipping late June, 2021, and USA MAP is $229.99.
Genzler 4 on the Floor Demo
Genzler Amplification is looking forward (and backwards) to this new journey together and engaging with the player community on exciting new designs, while hoping the community appreciates these bonds of friendship and longevity that have joined up again to create exciting and enduring products. More to come, soon......
For more info, visit:
genzleramps.com
- Genz Benz Streamliner 900 Bass Amp Review - Premier Guitar ›
- Genzler Amplification Magellan 800 and 112T Review - Premier Guitar ›
- Bose Unveils the L1 Pro Portable Line Array Family - Premier Guitar ›
- Genzler Amplification Presents the 15" Nu Classic - Premier Guitar ›
- Genzler Amplification Launches the Crash Box 4 Bass Distortion - Premier Guitar ›
Lutefish, the real-time music collaboration device and platform, is excited to announce a suite of new features designed to simplify setup, streamline collaboration, and offer more flexible subscription options for Lutefish Stream users. These latest updates, Audio Presets, Automatic Session Recall, Improved Scheduling with Contact Visibility, and a new Yearly Subscription Plan, are all about making it easier than ever for musicians to jam together, no matter where they’re based.
Save Time and Stay in the Flow with Audio Presets & Session Recall
Musicians can now save and reuse their exact audio settings, reducing setup time and ensuring every session sounds exactly as they want.
- Automatic Session Recall: When users leave a session, their current audio levels are automatically saved and restored when they rejoin.
- User-Defined Audio Presets: Each user can create and name up to five custom presets, like “Band Practice,” “Studio Mic Setup,” or “Quick Jam,” making it effortless to jump back in with the perfect sound.
“These tools are all about saving time and hassle,” said Patrick Finn, Business Manager at Lutefish. “Musicians want to make music, not spend time rebalancing levels every session. With presets and recall, we’re giving them time back and helping them sound their best, every time.”
Smarter Scheduling and Contact Visibility
The latest update to Lutefish also made it easier to find collaborators and book sessions. Users can now:- View all their contacts at a glance when scheduling a session.
- Instantly identify which contacts own a Lutefish Stream device—so they will always know who’s ready to jam.
Go Yearly and Save 20%
Lutefish now offers a Yearly Subscription Plan, providing users with the same great access as the monthly plan at a 20% discount.
This option is now available within the Lutefish app and web platform, and current monthly users are eligible for a discount with an upgrade to a yearly subscription.
Lutefish’s mission has always been to empower musicians to connect and collaborate without boundaries. With these new updates, Lutefish Stream continues to break down barriers—whether you’re jamming with a friend across town or collaborating with a bandmate 500 miles away.
For more information and to start jamming today, visitlutefish.com.
Empress Effects is proud to announce the release of the Bass ParaEq, a bass-specific parametric EQ pedal.
Building on the success of their acclaimed ParaEq MKII series, which has already gained popularity with bassists, the Bass ParaEq offers the same studio-grade precision but with features tailored for bass instruments.
Basses of all types – including electric and upright basses with active and passive electronics – can benefit from the Bass ParaEq’s tone-sculpting capabilities.
The new pedal follows the success of the Empress Bass Compressor and ParaEq MKII Deluxe, which have become some of the company’s best-reviewed and top-selling products. The Bass Compressor’s popularity confirmed what Empress had long suspected: bassists are eager for tools built with their needs in mind, not just adaptations of guitar gear.
The Bass ParaEq retains the line’s powerful 3-band parametric EQ and studio-style features while introducing a bass-optimized frequency layout, a selectable 10MΩ Hi-Z input for piezo-equipped instruments, a dynamically-adjusted low shelf, and automatic balanced output detection—perfect for live and studio use alike.
The Bass ParaEq also offers an output boost, adjustable by a dedicated top-mounted knob and activated by its own footswitch, capable of delivering up to 30dB of boost. It’s perfect for helping your bass punch through during key moments in live performance.
Whether dialing in clarity for a dense mix or compensating for an unfamiliar venue, the Bass ParaEq offers precise tonal control in a compact, road-ready form. With 27V of internal headroom to prevent clipping from even the hottest active pickups, the Bass ParaEq is the ultimate studio-style EQ designed to travel.
Key features of the Bass ParaEq include:
- Adjustable frequency bands tailored for bass instruments
- Selectable 10MΩ Hi-Z input for upright basses and piezo pickups
- Auto-detecting balanced output for long cable runs and direct recording
- Three sweepable parametric bands with variable Q
- High-pass, low-pass, low shelf, and high shelf filters
- Transparent analog signal path with 27V of internal headroom
- Buffered bypass switching
- Powered by standard 9V external supply, 300mA (no battery compartment)
The Bass ParaEq is now shipping worldwide. It can be purchased from the Empress Effects website for $374 USD and through authorized Empress dealers globally.
Kiesel Guitars has introduced their newest solid body electric guitar: the Kyber.
With its modern performance specs and competitive pricing, the Kyber is Kiesel's most forward-thinking design yet, engineered for comfort, quick playing, and precision with every note.
Introducing the Kiesel Kyber Guitar
- Engineered with a lightweight body to reduce fatigue during long performances without sacrificing tone. Six-string Kybers, configured with the standard woods and a fixed bridge, weigh in at 6 pounds or under on average
- Unique shape made for ergonomic comfort in any playing position and enhanced classical position
- The Kyber features Kiesel's most extreme arm contour and a uniquely shaped body that enhances classical position support while still excelling in standard position.
- The new minimalist yet aggressive headstock pairs perfectly with the body's sleek lines, giving the Kyber a balanced, modern silhouette.
- Hidden strap buttons mounted on rear for excellent balance while giving a clean, ultra-modern look to the front
- Lower horn cutaway design for maximum access to the upper frets
- Sculpted neck heel for seamless playing
- Available in 6 or 7 strings, fixed or tremolo in both standard and multiscale configurations Choose between fixed bridges, tremolos, or multiscale configurations for your perfect setup.
Pricing for the Kyber starts at $1599 and will vary depending on options and features. Learn more about Kiesel’s new Kyber model at kieselguitars.com
PG contributor Tom Butwin reveals his favorite songwriting secret weapon: the partial capo. Watch how the Shubb C7 and C8 can simulate alternate tunings without retuning your guitar—and spark fresh creative ideas instantly.
Shubb C8b Partial Capo for Drop-D Tuning - Brass
The C8 covers five of the six strings, leaving either the low E or high E string open, depending on how it's positioned.
- Standard setup: Placed on the 2nd fret while leaving the low E string open, it simulates Drop D-style sounds—except you're still in standard tuning (key of E). You get that big, droning bass feel without retuning.
- Reverse setup: Flipping the capo allows the high E string to ring, giving you shimmering drones and new melodic options across familiar chord shapes.
- A flexible tool that lets you simulate alternate tunings and create rich sonic textures—all while keeping your guitar in standard tuning.
Shubb C7b Partial Capo for DADGAD Tuning - Brass
The C7 covers three of the six strings—either D, G, and B or A, D, and G—depending on how it's flipped.
- Typical setup (D, G, B): Creates an open A chord shape at the 2nd fret without needing your fingers. This frees you up for new voicings and droning notes in the key of A.
- Reversed setup (A, D, G): Gets you close to a DADGAD-style tuning vibe, but still keeps you in standard tuning—great for modal, spacious textures often found in folk or cinematic guitar parts.
Use it alone or stack it with the C8 for wild, layered effects and truly out-of-the-box inspiration.
