You could WIN a StewMac Ghost Drive and Pedal Building Tool Kit in this all new giveaway! Enter before March 26, 2024.
Ghost Drive
StewMac Ghost Drive Pedal Kit
More than a "klone"—it's the closest we've ever seen to the real thing! Few pedals reach mythical status like the Klon Centaur Professional Overdrive. We scoured the world for the EXACT right components to recreate this "holy grail" circuit.
Considered the finest transparent overdrive ever, the original Klon is shrouded in mystery, epoxy, and hype—but amazingly, it delivers. It's a guitar player's dream come true: saturated tube tone from your amp at a reasonable volume. It doesn't change the character of your amp, you get just the right amount of overdrive without losing your unique tone. It's relied on by countless players like Joe Perry, Mike McCready, Joe Bonamassa, John Mayer, Nels Cline and more.
Don't buy your next pedal—build it!
Original Klon's are selling for up to $10,000 (and they're still going up)! Many big pedal makers make their own "klones", but they never quite get it right. With this kit you'll be hand-wiring every component to the board, just like the originals. Many believe the hand-wired circuit has a huge impact on the tone of this pedal. And…the black epoxy is optional.
All the right components
We dug deep to find the identical pair of 1N34A germanium diodes just like the original. Many claim these diodes were the heart of the original Klon and why so many of the imitators fall short.
This pedal is extremely easy to use: just gain, treble, and output. The gain is where the magic is by adding sweet saturation and harmonics while retaining the character of your amp. The treble acts as a boost or cut, allowing you to dial in the perfect mid-range for your tone.
Pedal Building Tool Set
Start building your own effects pedals
Are you ready to take control over your sound? Here's all the right tools you need to get started.
Building pedals is super fun and really rewarding. With just a few solder joints and a bit of tinkering, you can shape your tone in completely new ways. When you're first getting started it can seem overwhelming with all the tiny transistors, resistors, and delicate connections. Now we've made it easy even if you're new to working on electronics.
We've picked the quality tools pros use so you'll have great sounding pedals right from the start. From keeping PC boards steady, to stripping fine wires, to making tiny connections, this set has everything you need for solid connections and trouble-free builds.
The Pedal Building Tool Set includes:
Guitar Tech Screwdriver and Wrench Also sold separately
This handy screwdriver set has every specialized bit you need to build pedals and a whole lot more. With this set you can install all of the knobs, switches, nuts, and jacks you'll come across, and even adjust tiny trim pots inside pedals too. Not only that, you can adjust all the hardware on your instruments too.
PC Board Holder Also sold separately
This is the essential third hand you need when building pedals! One small slip can ruin a trace or melt a fragile component. You need both hands for these jobs, and holding your work steady is important for a clean connection (and so you don't burn yourself!). This holder locks the board steady and moves in any direction you need, which makes it easy to solder on crowded PCBs.
Wire Cutter Also sold separately
This isn't your ordinary wire cutter—the extremely fine angled cutter allows you to get close to your solder joints and trim away all excess component leads. This is integral to having fewer shorted connections in your builds.
Fine-gauge Wire Stripper Also sold separately
Pedals (and pickups too) use very fine wires that are nearly impossible to strip with hardware store strippers, and it's easy to damage the wire and ruin the connection. These strippers make removing the coating from tiny wires a total breeze.
Solomon SR-965 Soldering Iron Also sold separately
This dependable iron gets the job done without breaking the bank. The fine point tip is perfectly made for soldering a printed circuit board. It heats up fast and gives you the right control to make delicate connections.
Solomon Soldering Stand Also sold separately
The stand keeps the iron held safely and the included sponge keeps the tip clean for better connections.
Solder Wick Also sold separately
The right way to fix soldering mistakes! Solder Wick is essential for getting the solder out of a joint without overheating and burning out the pads on delicate printed circuit boards. It helps clean up excess solder too.
Delta 60/40 Solder Also sold separately
The right solder for guitar electronics! We find that one tube lasts for 3-4 pedals worth of solder joints. Approximately 15 feet (457cm) of 60/40 rosin core solder in a handy, easy to use compact dispenser tube. International set includes lead-free solder.
#2318 includes a 110-volt AC electrical appliance, 60Hz. It has a U.S. standard Type A plug with two flat parallel prongs, ungrounded.
The inspiration behind this young reader’s build came from getting hooked on 7-strings, and an admiration for John Petrucci.
The story behind this guitar is pretty funny. Since Dream Theater caught my ear and I heard the thick tone of a 7-string guitar on “The Dark Eternal Night,” I wanted, needed, a 7-string. However, there was one small problem: getting this new piece of gear approved by my mom. She’d always say, “Stick with your 6-strings,” and, “You don’t need another, you already have three.” (GAS—or “gear acquisition syndrome”—has made this difficult.) But whenever I’d walk into a guitar store and pick up a 7-string, I wouldn’t want to put it back.
Then, one day in chemistry class, I decided to check Reverb and see what the prices are like on Ibanez JPM100s these days. Not surprisingly, they’re reaching $10,000. I kept scrolling until I saw a set of bare guitar bodies with the Picasso faces engraved in the wood with a CNC machine. The gears started turning. I sent a link to my dad and said, “Thoughts?” Later, at dinner, my mom OK’d the idea. The journey began.
I ordered the basswood body from Perle Guitars via Reverb with an Ibanez Lo-Pro Edge from a retailer in Germany. I got the pickups from DiMarzio with the goal to get it to sound as similar to John Petrucci’s as possible, by using his signature Crunch Lab and LiquiFire set. I even got the toggle switch from DiMarzio, which allowed me to have a split-coil sound in the middle position. I put 500k CTS pots and a .022 µF cap on the tone knob. I ordered locking tuners from Gotoh.
The biggest issue was sourcing the neck. I couldn’t find a single builder who builds custom Ibanez AANJ necks, which left me with buying a used neck from a parted guitar. The wait for the right neck lasted around three months. I bought a 2000 Ibanez RG7620 neck in practically mint condition from Uplander Guitars in Canada. I used black, gray, and red stains I bought locally. The idea for it was to look almost robotic with red eyes and avoid too much of a copycat look, hence the color choice.
Knowing I was going to John Petrucci’s Guitar Universe 4.0, I decided I may as well show it off and get it signed. It was the right choice. This guitar was a head-turner and even brought in compliments from Tosin Abasi and Aaron Marshall. The signatures on the back include Al Pitrelli, Scott Weis, Zakk Wylde, Tim Henson, Scott LePage, Tosin Abasi, Guthrie Govan, Rena Petrucci, Mike Mangini, Dave LaRue, Lari Basilio, Jason Richardson, Plini, Fredrik Åkesson, Ola Englund, Captain Fawcett, Joscho Stephan, and, of course, John Petrucci. There are two steps left: filling in the engraved channels with resin mixed with blue glow-in-the-dark powder, and applying a clear coat to preserve the signatures for virtually forever.Submit your guitar story at premierguitar.com/reader-guitar-of-the-month
If your story is chosen, you’ll also receive a $100 virtual gift card from Allparts, the industry’s leading supplier of guitar and bass parts! All entrants will receive a 20-percent-off coupon to allparts.com.
Please note that the coupon cannot be combined with other promotions.
TWO Winners! Enter below for your chance to win your preference in Pickup sets from Reverend!
Prize #1 - HA5 Humbucker Set
The Reverend HA5 bridge humbucker is a classic style humbucker, but wound slightly hotter than vintage for extra drive and punch. Warm but open tone with excellent clarity.
The Reverend HA5 neck humbucker is a vintage PAF style humbucker. Warm but open tone with slightly relaxed mids and excellent clarity. Slightly underwound for neck position.
Prize #2 - Split Brick Pickup for Bass
Strong lows and highs, open mids. Like a vintage P bass pickup but with more beef, yet retains clarity.