The 60+ guitars, amps, pedals, basses, and accessories that stood out from the crowd and earned our coveted Premier Gear Award this year.
Carr Telstar
This handwired 17-watt, 1x12 combo employs two familiar power tubesāa 6L6Ā and an EL84āto produce the presence and immediacy of a great Fender tweed, the thrilling sparkle of Vox overdrive, and a tighter, tougher bass response than youād expect from a strictly vintage midsized combo. Telstarās suave spring reverb, strong note fundamentals, articulate attack, and extraordinary touch response caused Joe Gore to exclaim, āI love this frickinā amp.āRead the review
$2,450 street, carramps.com
Watch the First Look:
Plus! December Premier Gear Award Winners!
Read the full reviews on the pages indicated below!
1. Peavey Invective.MH ā $699 street, peavey.com
2. Chase Bliss Dark World ā $349 street, chaseblissaudio.com
3. Comins CGS-16Ā ā $2,399 street, cominsguitars.com
4. Ernie Ball Music Man Short-Scale StingRay ā $1,999 street, music-man.com
5. EBS MicroBass 3 ā $349 street, ebssweden.com
This versatile outboard preamp/DI combines the flavors of two classic amps for tone-sculpting nirvana.
All clips recorded direct into Avid Mbox into Logic X.
Clip 1: [ā84 Yamaha BB 3000S - neck pickup soloed] Lo gain distortion with compression at 10 o'clock, blend at 1 o'clock, 2k boosted at 3 o'clock on both channels, tone and drive at 2 o'clock, character switch engaged, and deep switch engaged.
Clip 2: [Spector Euro 4 LX with both pickups at full volume.] Hi gain distortion with compression at 10 o'clock, blend at 1 o'clock, 2k boosted at 5 o'clock on dirty channel, tone and drive at 11 o'clock, character switch engaged, and deep switch engaged.
Clip 3: [Sadowsky Vintage reverse PJ 5 in active mode with both pickups at full volume.] Clean channel only with 180hz boosted at 2 o'cloc and character switch on.
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RatingsPros:Versatile sounds. Clear layout. Dual XLRs. Channel blending. Cons: No cab sim. Street: $349 EBS MicroBass 3 ebssweeden.com | Tones: Ease of Use: Build/Design: Value: |
Swedenās EBS has a rich, 30-plus-years history of innovation as a purveyor of hi-fi bass tones. Players like Marcus Miller and Stanley Clark helped put EBS on the map, and when the companyās HD350 was introduced in 2001, the amp (now called the HD360) quickly became a favorite among slappers and modern gospel players alike for its squeaky clean highs and tight, modern lows. Meanwhile, EBS was determined to also be known for a wide variety of tones, including midrange-forward hard rock and metal, and the model that carried the rock torch for the brand was the Fafner II. Why all this reminiscing about two classic Viking warships in the sea of bass amps? The EBS MicroBass 3. Itās the companyās new all-analog floor unit that combines the characteristics of both amps into a small, road-ready enclosure.
Nordic Know-how
Unpacking the MicroBass 3 from its black, rune-themed box, I was immediately struck by its build quality. The housing is solid, and the controls have a confidence-inducing amount of resistance at first turn. Pedals with lower-resistance knobs will often come out of a gig bag with the previous showās settings altered, so itās a feature I always appreciate.
Many bassists, including me, love a simple, SVT-style layout. If presented with too many controls, we can be slightly pensive about a new piece of gear. The MicroBass 3 has a plethora of controls, but they are laid out in a very concise and efficientādare I say very Scandinavianāway that almost makes the ownerās manual unnecessary.
The first feature that grabbed my attention is the pair of XLR outputs. One is a designated post out at all times, while the other can be a completely unaffected pre out or a second post out, determined by a small button next to the output. (Why this isnāt standard on every bass preamp/DI designed for professional use is beyond me.) Other features on the sides of the unit include a separate input for the drive channel only, serial on/off switch for series mode, an aux-in for playing along to music, a headphone out, and an effects loop. The effects return can be sent to the FOH or mixer in stereo by pushing the button located to its right. Next to the effects loop is the mute footswitch, which engages the onboard tuner that displays on the small LCD screen.
Ebony and Ivory
The MicroBass 3 houses two channels which can be run in parallel or series: a dirty channel (Fafner II) and clean channel (HD 360). The clean channelās controls are assigned an angelic shade of white, while the distortion channel, of course, is black. (The color scheme is actually incredibly helpful.) Located underneath the two rows of channel controls are a character switch for mid-scooping and a bright switch that adds hi-fi sheen to the tone, but without adding any noise to speak of.
The gain switch on the upper right side of the pedal maneuvers the overall sound of the distortion section, from vintage-sounding, lo-gain distortion to a more modern, super-saturated hi-gain sound. Next to it is the 3-way type switch, which provides a varying amount of thickness to the distortion channelāthin, middle, or deep.
Out to Sea
With an ā84 Yamaha BB3000S running through the clean channel, it took me no time to find a high-quality, rich-yet-neutral bass sound, without any control tweaking at all. I achieved full P bass-tone glory and was ready to gig or record by simply engaging the well-voiced character switch. With a slight boost on the treble control, the pristine high-end presented itself by showcasing all the overtones of my brand-new stainless-steel strings. I appreciate gear thatās able to let the top-end shine through vintage, passive pickups. And the MicroBass 3 did exactly that.
Eager to hear both flavors of distortion, I set the type switch to deep, added a little onboard compression, set the mids to 2k on both channels (about 3 oāclock), and set the distortion channelās tone control to 3 oāclock. My sound was definitely on the more aggressive side of āvintage,ā but it was warm and well defined while listening on headphones through an Mbox interface. My midrange setting also gave the sound a nice honk that cut through, without adding gain.
When I flipped the gain switch to high and cranked the mids to 5 oāclock on the distortion channel, I was rewarded with a creamyābut also very aggressiveātone, reminiscent of what the companyās Billy Sheehan Signature Drive can achieve. I then switched over to my EMG-equipped Spector Euro4LX, and the tone cut superbly with these settings.
The Verdict
I felt like I had run a short-distance race after my first session with the MicroBass 3. The pedal can do so many things at once, and is a lot easier to navigate than you might think at first glance. For anyone travelling or short on space, the MicroBass 3 is an effective solution to several issues we contend with as bassists. The amount of control the pair of XLRs provides is truly a godsend for anyone who dreams of easily hauling their 2-channel studio rig to gigs. And when you consider the upgrades since the previous-generation MicroBass, such as the onboard tuner and compression, this pedal is well worth some time and attention. Color me impressed.
A smorgasbord of reverb tones, from familiar to freakazoid.
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RatingsPros:Unique reverb effects. Countless combinations. Expressive real-time control. Flexible routing. Stores two settings. Cons: Not cheap. Mono only. Street: $349 Chase Bliss Dark World chaseblissaudio.com | Tones: Ease of Use: Build/Design: Value: |
You can describe the concept behind most Chase Bliss effects in four words: āanalog effects, digital control.ā Designer Joel Korteās pedals can perform such digital tricks as preset storage, real-time control, and exquisitely complex parameter adjustmentsāwithout compromising their warts-and-all analog color.
But the Dark World is a departure for Chase Bliss. Itās their first all-digital device. So is it devoid of weird sonic warts?
Uh ⦠no.
Double Digital
The Dark World pairs two reverb circuits in a single 125B-sized enclosure. Itās a collaboration between Korte and two other pedal makers. One circuit (āWorldā) is a straightforward hall/ plate/spring simulator by Robert Keeley. The other (āDarkā) is freakier, based in part on low-fi designs from Cooper FX. The implementation (including MIDI control, expression-in jack, a trio of 3-way toggle switches, and a bank of 16 tiny DIP switches on the side-top surface) mirrors previous Chase Bliss products. Thereās a dedicated on/off switch for each reverb, a blend knob to balance their levels, and a global tone control to nudge those blends brighter or darker.
Each reverb employs its own Spin FV-1 DSP chip, but man, do the results differ! The sweet-toned World reverb offers relatively conventional colors. Typically for FV-1 reverb, the results donāt sound identical to their analog inspirations, but theyāre more than listenable. Long reverb tails are nice and smooth, with little lo-res granularity. A pair of knobs specifies the reverb and pre-delay times.
The Dark Side
The Dark reverb is ⦠something else entirely. Itās a spinoff from Cooper FXās Generation Loss pedal, which calls itself a ālo-fi VHS simulator.ā Itās actually digital reverb with artfully applied modulation, bit-crushing, and sample reduction. These effects introduce wobbly pitch shifts, treble loss, and seemingly random clicks and pops. All are regulated by a single āmodifyā knob. Crank it clockwise, and degradation ensues.
And what lovely degradation it is! These tones are fragile and dreamlike, evoking distant radio broadcasts, faded photos, and, yup, rotting VHS tapes. If you can perceive beauty in decay, youāll encounter it in these sad, lonely sounds. (Note to self: Check out the Cooper FX Generation Loss pedal. Updated note to self: Dangāitās discontinued.)
Infinite Ambience
Now, imagine running those distressed tones through rich conventional reverb. Or running conventional reverb through the Darkās filtering, modulation, and distortion. Or combining both effects in parallel rather than in series. (Thereās a 3-way routing toggle that enables these modes.) You can also use each reverb on its own. Are you getting a sense of the possibilities here? And weāve only covered about half the options.
That degraded āVHSā tone is merely one of the Darkās three modes. And the rest each add unique twists to the otherwise common functions they perform. The shimmer, for instance, transposes the wet signal up or down an octave. But instead of performing a straightforward transposition, the shimmer is created by a complex and shifting dual-channel algorithm. Thereās also a freeze mode for infinite sustain. But rather than just capture and hold a snippet of audio, it clears the reverb buffer and captures new chunks of incoming audio depending on whether you play loud enough to trigger an adjustable volume threshold. These refinements lend extra animation to these ordinarily static effects. And theyāre not the only source of animation: the Dark World has many real-time control options.
Chips and DIPs
With a connected expression controller (not included), you can pilot the Dark Worldās primary parameters in real time. The DIP switches select which of the five parameters the pedal controls and sets their polarity. The possible combinations arenāt literally infinite, but it can feel that way.
All this makes for a spellbinding playing experience, especially when using an expression controller. Itās difficult not to stumble upon exciting new sounds within a few minutes. And you can save two favorites in memory, recallable via footswitch.
Whatever the settings, the Dark World favors a particular type of playing: dreamy clean-toned parts with lots of empty space. Sure, you could play distorted riffs or speedy lines. But the reverbs are so compelling that youāll probably find yourself playing a note or two and then pausing to hear what happens. Thatās the approach I take in the audio clip, as does every online demo I encountered.
The Verdict
The Dark Worldās seemingly endless reverb textures are bewitching. There are many fresh sounds here, and they get even more exciting with expression control. If you like spacy ambient textures, youāll be in ecstasy. The $349 price may seem high, but remember that the Dark World provides two complete reverb effects and many ways to combine them. It fuses ideas from three different manufacturers. Itās a unique design that required substantial R&D. I call it a good dealāand a great stompbox.
A classic bass gets a short-scale makeover, but doesnāt come up short anywhere else.
Recorded direct into Focusrite Saffire 6 interface into MacBook Pro using Logic.
Clip 1: Fingerstyle bass riff with tone at 75 percent
0:00 - Parallel with bass boost engaged
0:14 - Single-coil with bass boost engaged
0:30 - Series mode
Clip 2: Slap riff with tone at 90 percent
0:00 - Parallel with bass boost engaged
0:10 - Single-coil with bass boost engaged
0:20 - Series mode
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RatingsPros:StingRay sound with all the benefits of a short-scale instrument. Awesome passive electronics. Cons: Neck might feel small for larger hands. Itās a bit pricey. Street: $1,999 Ernie Ball Music Man Short-Scale StingRay music-man.com | Tones: Playability: Build/Design: Value: |
What more can be said about a bass thatās almost as iconic as the Precision and Jazz? A lot, actually, since the folks at Ernie Ball Music Man have never been content with simply replicating Leo Fenderās original design. Sterling Ball and his team have been tweaking the StingRay formula for over 35 years by not only expanding the aesthetic spectrum, but also implementing modern-construction techniques for the classic bass. The StingRay we checked out combines inspiration from last yearās StingRay Special, along with passive electronics andāa first for the companyāa short, 30" scale. And yes, it still has that StingRay sound.
Shrink āRay
If youāre savvy to the most recent versions of the StingRay, Ball and company have made some subtle but significant refinements to the recipe. Ash continues to be the body wood of choice, but the contouring is sleeker, which provides easier access for the plucking hand and an overall good feel against the body. The new short-scale model uses similar styling, but in a slightly smaller shape to preserve the short-scale vibe.
The neck received a bump in the fret department, expanding from 21 to 22 stainless-steel frets. As a result, the neck joint has been sculpted to provide smoother access. The maple neck is capped with either rosewood or maple, and is fastened with five bolts, rather than the original six. J-style bassists will dig the smaller neck and 1.5" nut width.
The tuner hardware has a similar look, but an enhanced feel in its redesign. The aluminum tuners have a slightly thicker clover head, yet weigh a half pound less than the originals. They feel comfortable in the hand and offer smooth, precise adjustments, while at the same time benefiting the instrumentās balance.
The electronics certainly make the short-scale StingRay stand out from its family members. The little monster sports a specially designed, passive humbucking pickup thatās equipped with neodymium magnets. Sonically, these magnets deliver increased output and a slightly warmer tone. Passive electronic lovers will also cheer over the short-scaleās circuit, which comprises a volume control, a 3-way pickup selector, a passive tone control, and a passive bass boost.
Blue Meany
Our test bass made a great first impression. The ultra-marine-blue finish is gorgeous, and contrasts nicely with the maple neck. The instrument is very well built, with all components feeling stout and sturdy.
Iāve found that many short-scale instruments tend to hang at a horizontal position with a strap, but the short-scale StingRay maintained a comfortable playing angle for my style. It also held its balance well in a seated position, which allowed me to focus less on ergonomics and more on playability.
Initially, the neck felt a little too small for my large hands, but I was able to acclimate to the fretting landscape in a relatively short period of time. One has to be a bit careful traversing the upper-frets area, as the narrow fret spacing is not too forgiving. Still, the neck was super-fast, and I was soon taking on runs and technically challenging lines with ease.
I explored the shortyās tones through a Bergantino rig, consisting of a Forte HP amp and an HG410 cab. Within seconds I heard that classic StingRay sound, a singular timbre with gut-punching lows, and mids and highs that weave perfectly in a mix. The surprisingly versatile passive circuit gives the StingRayās inherent sound some unique dimensions. Series position delivers thick low-mids and growling, grinding highs. The middle position engages single-coil mode by soloing the front magnets. I wouldnāt say it delivers a āP-style sound,ā but it did evoke a familiar old-school tone that became even more pronounced when I dialed down the tone control. The bass is particularly snappy in parallel mode, great for slapping or giving bass lines some extra grunt.
All of these settings were enhanced by the bass-boost circuit. A simple tap on the volume control engages the boost, which delivers a little oomph to the sonic cocktail. Historically, Iāve always dug the StingRayās 2- and 3-band preamps, but this passive option may already be my favorite.
The short-scale StingRayās characteristics all shined onstage when I played a recent corporate show. At gigs like these, musical styles can quickly shift from mellow-jazz jams for background dinner music to Top 40 faves youāve probably played too many times at wedding receptions. The StingRay provided a voice for every need. I created a very satisfying Motown sound for the intro to āMy Girlā by switching to the single-coil position, engaging the boost, and cranking down the tone control. With a quick switch to series mode and a crank of the tone control for the next song, I was copping Entwistleās aggressive bass line for āMy Generation.ā Throughout the night, the short-scale StingRay impressed with its ability to find the right sound for the song, and fit appropriately in the mix.
The Verdict
One could describe the latest from Music Man as a StingRay that spent too much time in the dryer, but such a description would do this instrument an incredible disservice. Itās very well designed and provides excellent balance and playability. Sonically, itās impressively versatile, and, to my ears, one of the best-sounding StingRays in the family. Its price is no doubt up there, but it contains all of the qualities of a U.S.-built StingRayābecause it is a U.S.-built StingRayāand in a travel-friendly package. Iām anxious to see how ambitious the company will be in expanding the pint-sized series, but in the meantime, theyāve knocked it out of the park with their initial offering.
A relatively affordable archtop from a high-end artisan.
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RatingsPros:Great looks. Superb playability. Fine traditional jazz tones. Cons: Very expensive for a factory-made Korean guitar. Street: $2,399 Comins GCS-16-2 cominsguitars.com | Tones: Playability: Build/Design: Value: |
I confess Iāve never played one of the high-end archtops crafted by Philadelphia luthier Bill Comins. But theyāre highly regarded and drop-dead beautiful. Theyāre also drop-dead expensive, as youād expect for fine hand-carved archtops. Base models start at $10,000, with custom-spec instruments selling for 20 grand or more.
Comins recently followed the lead of several other ultra-premium luthiers in launching a line of relatively affordable instruments assembled on a South Korean production line. His first venture was the GCS-1, a $1,699 semi-acoustic. This GCS-16-2 is his second Korean model. We reviewed the $2,399 double-humbucker version, the GCS-16-2. (The single-pickup GCS-16-1 lists for $2,199.) Our review model sports Cominsā vintage blonde finish. All GCS models are also available in tangerine burst, violin burst, autumn burst, and black.
Pretty and Petite
Our review guitar may lack a devasting price, yet it retains the devastating good looks of Cominsā upscale instruments. Itās svelte, as archtops go, with a 16" lower bout (hence the numeral in the model name) and a modest 2 3/4" body depth. Itās a nice blend of archtop orthodoxy and personal design touches, such as the substantial asymmetric headstock that echoes the body contours, and handsome multi-ply binding rings the top, back, neck, and headstock. The cream-colored binding and blonde finish contrast beautifully with the black of the tailpiece, pickguard, Wilkinson tuner buttons, ebony fingerboard, and the reflective headstock finish. This is one classy-looking guitar.
Obviously, thereās cost-cutting in relation to Cominsās high-end instruments, and not only in the automated construction. The spruce top is laminate, as are the maple back and sides. (Many high-end and classic archtops, including some from Cominsā line, also use laminate tops and sides.) The fretboard decorations are minimal pearloid dots. The floating bridgeās base is wood, but the bridge itself is a generic Tune-o-matic unit. And while the attractive pickguard and tailpiece have the look of carved ebony, theyāre actually Richlite.
Thereās no shame in plastic pickguardsāmany of the worldās most desirable guitars have them. But because we expect parts that look like these to be carved from wood, I felt a flash of downscale disappointment the first time I touched the tailpiece. It was solely an emotional response, and your reactions may differ.
Top-End Tones
Richlite and laminate notwithstanding, this guitar sounds expensive. The custom-wound Kent Armstrong humbuckers are simultaneously warm and articulate. Thereās much airy treble openness, even when dialing in mellow, dark neck tones. Note fundamentals are stout and stable. Fine sustain and punchy attack lend mass and power to single-note solos. Meanwhile. excellent string-to-string separation brings clarity to chord-melody playing and contrapuntal voicings. Whether youāre soloing or comping, the guitarās natural compression lends a suave, polished character. Itās no struggle to maintain balance from string to string and from register to register.
At all settings, tones are complex and detailed. My ears simply got sucked in. The GCS-16-2 nails the sound and attitude of a fine traditional jazz guitar, or at least it would if I were a fine traditional jazz player. I recorded the demo clips using the factory roundwound strings, but premium flatwounds would nudge the guitar even closer toward a mid-century archtop aesthetic.
Primed to Play
With its smallish proportions, the guitarās body cradles comfortably under your forearm. Novice archtop players accustomed to electric solidbody dimensions are likely to feel more at home here than they would on models with larger bouts.
According to the manufacturer, all GCS guitars make a stopover at Cominsā Philadelphia workshop for fret-dressing and setup before they reach consumers. It certainly feels like it: The GCS-16 arrived perfectly intonated, with a smooth, buzz-free setup. The 25" fretboard is a comfy compromise between Fender and Gibson proportion. Same with the 1.7" nut width. The neckās medium C-shape would satisfy Goldilocks. The frets feel fab. Theyāre just substantial enough to let you dig into notes without impeding motionāyou can shred yourself silly here, if thatās your thing. My only wish: rounder fret ends, especially on the treble side. Your desires may differ.
The Verdict
Cominsā GCS-16-2 is gorgeous to look at and a pleasure to play. Its vintage-style jazz tones are deep and detailed. In fact, itās so adept at old-school jazz sounds that I seldom used the bridge pickup, despite its excellent sound. (Iād probably opt for the $2,199 single-pickup version, myself.) There are two ways of looking at the price tag: At $2,399, the GCS-16-2 is by far the most expensive Korean-made production guitar Iāve encountered. But for those of us who canāt afford a fine hand-carved archtop (that is, nearly everybody), the GCS-16-2 provides an impressively comparable experience at a fraction of the cost. This guitar has been sitting around my house all week, and itās beguiled me. I couldnāt seem to walk past it without pausing to play. The GCS-16-2 is an inspiring instrument that made me want to focus and play my best.