Cusack’s Screamer V2 makes no bones about being inspired by Ibanez’s famous green stomp, but its 3-position clipping toggle—which selects between standard, “crushed,” and asymmetrical LED clipping—adds a welcome wrinkle to the three-knob formula. V2 has a good deal more saturation than classic Tube Screamers, and it’s a rich, toothy distortion that never feels thin or piercing, even with tone maxed. Further, its EQ response also lacks the TS’s characteristic midrange hump, so it sounds much more transparent whether you’re using it to get dirty or as a clean boost—though the amount of oomph on tap at minimal drive settings is somewhat modest.
But clipping modes are obviously the star attraction here. Their sonic differences are virtually indistinguishable with level and drive below noon, but past that more traditional players will love that standard mode yields a bristling, harmonically rich and very versatile distortion, while asymmetrical mode has a smoother, rounder, more amp-like response. (Think cranked, possibly modded vintage Fender.) Meanwhile, subversives will love that the V2 can get into gnarly, RAT-like territory in crushed mode.
Test gear: Squier Classic Vibe ’50s Tele with Nordstrand NVT A3 pickups, Goodsell Valpreaux 21 and 1x12 with Weber Blue Dog and Silver Bell speakers.
Clip 1 — Tele Bridge; off, then all 3 clipping modes with level and tone at noon and drive at max
Clip 2 — Tele Bridge and Neck; off then all 3 clipping modes with level and tone at noon and drive at 3 o'clock
Ratings
Pros:
Intriguingly flexible tone possibilities. No midrange hump. Solid build.
Cons:
Clipping-mode nuances disappear at lower drive settings. Distracting “clip-o-meter” and confusing dual-color status LED.
Street:
$185
Cusack Screamer V2
cusackmusic.com
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This outing of Dipped In Tone kicks off with an exciting update from Zach Broyles’ camp: He’s opening a brick-and-mortar guitar shop in Nashville, called High Voltage Guitars. Opening on October 8, the store will carry gear from Two-Rock, Divided By 13, Dr. Z, Castedosa, Fano, Novo, and of course Mythos Pedals. Zach hints that there might be some handwired JHS pedals from Josh Scott himself, too, and Rhett reveals that he plans to consign some of his guitars at the shop.
The business side of Zach’s new venture brings them to a key piece of today’s episode: Rhett and Zach aren’t running charities. They do what they do to make money; guitars, gear, podcasting, and content creation are their literal jobs. And they’re not as glamorous and breezy as most armchair commentators might guess.
Want to do what Rhett and Zach do? Welcome to the club. The guitar-influencer field is what one might call “oversaturated” at the moment, and it’s difficult to break out—but not impossible. As our hosts explain, it requires putting in 60-hour work weeks, a diverse skillset, a knack for catching people’s attention, and a certain level of genuineness. Rhett knows this path well, and he has hard-earned advice for staying true to oneself while building a following in the gear world.
Tune in to learn why Rhett thinks Fretboard Summit, a three-day guitar festival organized by Fretboard Journal, blows NAMM out of the water and builds legitimate connections between guitarists, and catch the duo dipping a Dick Dale-inspired, all-Fender rig.
