Gateway to Helix, or a wireless wonderland of tone?
Dynamite price for the number of effects and amps. Wireless performance is solid. Visually appealing and effective interface.
Polycarbonate chassis might not be most road-worthy. Not enough power for some advanced DSP-intensive effects.
Line 6 POD Go Wireless
line6.com
I fondly remember the first-gen POD from Line 6. It didn't look like anything else. And it was packed with way more features and effects than my novice's sense of tone could comprehend. It had amp models based on units I'd only read about and offered a fantastic portable and quiet solution to practicing. Heck, Pete Anderson even used a pair of them on stage as recently as 2014 when we caught up with him for a Rig Rundown. And if it's good enough for Mr. Anderson...
Fast forward to the newly released POD Go Wireless. It shares a lot of digital DNA with company's newer flagship Helix processors. The interface is intuitive with effective visual representations of every part of the virtual signal chain. With a wireless unit this might be one of the best accessibly priced digital processors around.
I've Got a Blank Space Where My Board Should Be
One of the primary benefits of any good digital modeler, profiler is the ability to better understand how each element of your chain interacts with your gear. The POD Go takes a bit of the guesswork out by automatically placing a few components on your virtual board but leaves a lots of potential for experimentation.
When you load up a blank preset it starts with wah, volume, effects loop, amp, cab, and EQ blocks. The four open spots (two before the amp and two at the end of the chain) are available for gain effects, modulation, reverb, delay, or any of the additional 206 effects that come loaded with the unit. (Line 6 regularly offers free amp, cab, and effects updates). Although a few elements always remain in place, the remaining slots can be rearranged with ease.
I love the phasers and effected delays so much that I designed a board with four of them just to see how much syrupy oscillation I could drum up.
Even Better Than the Real Thing?
The POD Go Wireless offers a total of 10 "blocks" (the amp, cab, and effects elements that make up a signal chain). That should cover the needs of most players the POD Go Wireless is designed for. The unit itself is not quite as road-rugged and portable as the HX Stomp, but the built-in treadle and easy setup are huge advantages. In terms of DSP power, the POD Go has a little less processing power that the HX Stomp and slightly less than half the power of a full Helix Floor model. It's missing a few of the more DSP-intensive effects in the Helix line, like the dynamic hall reverb and the recent polyphonic additions, but that doesn't mean there are loads of very good-to-excellent sounds at your disposal.
I A/B-ed a few of the effects with my HX Stomp and found nearly all of them to be excellent equivalents. And after experimenting with the stock cabs and a few free impulse responses I found online (there is a sizable online community of IR creators), I felt I could match nearly any tone I could get out of my Helix Stomp. The POD Go Wireless's range of available amps are impressiveāwith accurate Fender, Vox, Marshall, Dumble, Revv, and Orange models along with original Line 6 designs. When it comes to effects, the modulation and delay sections are where I feel the POD Go really shines. I love the phasers and effected delays so much that I designed a board with four of them just to see how much syrupy oscillation I could drum up.
Obviously, the main difference between the POD Go Wireless and the standard POD Go is the addition of a G10 wireless unit. After plugging the included dongle into the guitar input of the POD Go Wireless, the unit and the guitar paired almost instantly. I'd rank it as one of the most pain-free wireless setups I've experienced. And as expected, the G10 was rock solid. (All of the sound clips for this review were recorded with the G10).
The Verdict
Line 6 has established the Helix ecosystem as a pro-level sound-creation environment for players that favor the flexibility of a digital setup. Does the POD Go Wireless match the Helix's performance power? Not quite. But it comes impressively closeāparticularly for the price. It gives you access to some of Helix's very best tones, offers numerous I/O options, a well-designed, intuitive interface, and a handy treadle. It's not quite as sturdy as the Helix units, and if you're looking for a rig more suited to regular road abuse, the HX Stomp is likely more your jam. But overall, the POD Go is one of the best entry-level multi-effects units in existence, and the inclusion of the G10 wireless makes it an even greater value. And even though my nostalgic side would love to see a retro kidney-bean version, the POD Go Wireless represents real progress, and an evolution of basically great and practical tone-creation tool.
- Line 6 HX Effects Review - Premier Guitar āŗ
- Line 6 POD HD Pro X Review - Premier Guitar āŗ
- Line 6 POD HD500 Review - Premier Guitar āŗ
Selenium, an alternative to silicon and germanium, helps make an overdrive of great nuance and delectable boost and low-gain overdrive tones.
Clever application of alternative materials that results in a simple, make-everything-sound-better boost and low-gain overdrive.
Might not have enough overdrive for some tastes (although thatās kind of the idea).
$240 street
Cusack Project 34 Selenium Rectifier Pre/Drive Pedal
cusackmusic.com
The term āselenium rectifierā might be Greek to most guitarists, but if it rings a bell with any vintage-amp enthusiasts thatās likely because you pulled one of these green, sugar-cube-sized components out of your ampās tube-biasing network to replace it with a silicon diode.
Thatās a long-winded way of saying that, just like silicon or germanium diodesāaka ārectifiersāāthe lesser-seen selenium can also be used for gain stages in a preamp or drive pedal. Enter the new Project 34 Selenium Rectifier Pre/Drive from Michigan-based boutique maker Cusack, named after the elementās atomic number, of course.
An Ounce of Pre-Vention
As quirky as the Project 34 might seem, itās not the first time that company founder Jon Cusack indulged his long-standing interest in the element. In 2021, he tested the waters with a small 20-unit run of the Screamer Fuzz Selenium pedal and has now tamed the stuff further to tap levels of gain running from pre-boost to light overdrive. Having used up his supply of selenium rectifiers on the fuzz run, however, Cusack had to search far and wide to find more before the Project 34 could launch.
āToday they are usually relegated to just a few larger industrial and military applications,ā Cusack reports, ābut after over a year of searching we finally located what we needed to make another pedal. While they are a very expensive component, they certainly do have a sound of their own.ā
The control interface comprises gain, level, and a traditional bright-to-bassy tone knob, the range of which is increased exponentially by the 3-position contour switch: Up summons medium bass response, middle is flat response with no bass boost, and down is maximum bass boost. The soft-touch, non-latching footswitch taps a true-bypass on/off state, and power requires a standard center-negative 9V supply rated at for least 5 mA of current draw, but you can run the Project 34 on up to 18V DC.
Going Nuclear
Tested with a Telecaster and an ES-355 into a tweed Deluxe-style 1x12 combo and a 65 Amps London head and 2x12 cab, the Project 34 is a very natural-sounding low-gain overdrive with a dynamic response and just enough compression that it doesnāt flatten the touchy-feely pick attack. The key adjectives here are juicy, sweet, rich, and full. Itās never harsh or grating.
āThe gain knob is pretty subtle from 10 oāclock up, which actually helps keep the Project 34 in character.ā
Thereās plenty of output available via the level control, but the gain knob is pretty subtle from 10 oāclock up, which actually helps keep the Project 34 in character. Settings below there remain relatively cleanāamp-setting dependent, of courseāand from that point on up the overdrive ramps up very gradually, which, in amp-like fashion, is heard as a slight increase in saturation and compression. The pedal was especially fantastic with the Telecaster and the tweed-style combo, but also interacted really well with humbuckers into EL84s, which certainly canāt be said for all overdrives.
The Verdict
Although I almost hate to use the term, the Project 34 is a very organic gain stage that just makes everything sound better, and does so with a selenium-driven voice thatās an interesting twist on the standard preamp/drive. For all the variations on boost and low/medium-gain overdrive out there itās still a very welcome addition to the market, and definitely worth checking outāparticularly if youāre looking for subtler shades of overdrive.
Some of us love drum machines and synths, and others donāt, but we all love Billy.
Billy Gibbons is an undisputable guitar force whose feel, tone, and all-around vibe make him the highest level of hero. But thatās not to say he hasnāt made some odd choices in his career, like when ZZ Top re-recorded parts of their classic albums for CD release. And fans will argue which era of the bandās career is best. Some of us love drum machines and synths and others donāt, but we all love Billy.
This episode is sponsored by Magnatone
An '80s-era cult favorite is back.
Originally released in the 1980s, the Victory has long been a cult favorite among guitarists for its distinctive double cutaway design and excellent upper-fret access. These new models feature flexible electronics, enhanced body contours, improved weight and balance, and an Explorer headstock shape.
A Cult Classic Made Modern
The new Victory features refined body contours, improved weight and balance, and an updated headstock shape based on the popular Gibson Explorer.
Effortless Playing
With a fast-playing SlimTaper neck profile and ebony fretboard with a compound radius, the Victory delivers low action without fret buzz everywhere on the fretboard.
Flexible Electronics
The two 80s Tribute humbucker pickups are wired to push/pull master volume and tone controls for coil splitting and inner/outer coil selection when the coils are split.
For more information, please visit gibson.com.
Gibson Victory Figured Top Electric Guitar - Iguana Burst
Victory Figured Top Iguana BurstThe SDE-3 fuses the vintage digital character of the legendary Roland SDE-3000 rackmount delay into a pedalboard-friendly stompbox with a host of modern features.
Released in 1983, the Roland SDE-3000 rackmount delay was a staple for pro players of the era and remains revered for its rich analog/digital hybrid sound and distinctive modulation. BOSS reimagined this retro classic in 2023 with the acclaimed SDE-3000D and SDE-3000EVH, two wide-format pedals with stereo sound, advanced features, and expanded connectivity. The SDE-3 brings the authentic SDE-3000 vibe to a streamlined BOSS compact, enhanced with innovative creative tools for every musical style. The SDE-3 delivers evocative delay sounds that drip with warmth and musicality. The efficient panel provides the primary controls of its vintage benchmarkāincluding delay time, feedback, and independent rate and depth knobs for the modulationāplus additional knobs for expanded sonic potential.
A wide range of tones are available, from basic mono delays and ā80s-style mod/delay combos to moody textures for ambient, chill, and lo-fi music. Along with reproducing the SDE-3000's original mono sound, the SDE-3 includes a powerful Offset knob to create interesting tones with two simultaneous delays. With one simple control, the user can instantly add a second delay to the primary delay. This provides a wealth of mono and stereo colors not available with other delay pedals, including unique doubled sounds and timed dual delays with tap tempo control. The versatile SDE-3 provides output configurations to suit any stage or studio scenario.
Two stereo modes include discrete left/right delays and a panning option for ultra-wide sounds that move across the stereo field. Dry and effect-only signals can be sent to two amps for wet/dry setups, and the direct sound can be muted for studio mixing and parallel effect rigs. The SDE-3 offers numerous control options to enhance live and studio performances. Tap tempo mode is available with a press and hold of the pedal switch, while the TRS MIDI input can be used to sync the delay time with clock signals from DAWs, pedals, and drum machines. Optional external footswitches provide on-demand access to tap tempo and a hold function for on-the-fly looping. Alternately, an expression pedal can be used to control the Level, Feedback, and Time knobs for delay mix adjustment, wild pitch effects, and dramatic self-oscillation.
The new BOSS SDE-3 Dual Delay Pedal will be available for purchase at authorized U.S. BOSS retailers in October for $219.99. To learn more, visit www.boss.info.