In their short production runs, Boss’ analog delays, the DM-2 and DM-3 were done in by digital competition within the Boss family: the DD-2 and DD-3. Had Boss merely revived the DM-2 it would have been cause for celebration. But the newest incarnation, the DM-2w Waza Craft, stretches the capabilities of the original with sonically scintillating results.
To start, Boss retained the basic functionality and delay parameters of the original DM-2, which are accessible in standard mode. Here, the DM-2 reminds you how fat and natural good analog delay can sound—and if you’ve been in the trenches with digital delay for a spell, the tones can be a revelation. Custom mode addresses the short (300 ms maximum) delay times that were perceived as shortcomings in the early ’80s by giving you an 800 ms ceiling. But custom mode is also just a touch clearer and brighter—and in a good way that doesn’t undo the delicious, dark essence of the analog repeats. Better still, it turns the simple control set into a beautifully expressive and sensitive tool for generating organically swelling self-oscillation and ringing overtones that complement those dark and softly tapering echoes. Beautiful!
Test gear:Fender Stratocaster, DeArmond JetStar, Fender Bassman, Vox AC10
Ratings
Pros:
Deep, sometimes beautifully dark, and immersive delays. Cool knob sensitivity.
Cons:
None.
Street:
$149
Boss DM-2w Waza Craft Delay
bossus.com
Tones:
Ease of Use:
Build/Design:
Value:
TC Electronic PolyTune 2 Mini
TC’s polyphonic PolyTune was a hit from its first iteration. The ease—and the sense of reassurance that comes from determining which strings are sharp or flat with a single strum—made it super practical in real-world performance situations. This even smaller version makes it even more utilitarian. It’s an elegant, simple tool and a shoo-in for a Premier Gear Award.
$89 street
tcelectronic.com
Click here to read the full review
In the years we’ve compiled our annual list of Premier Gear Award winners, we’ve probably never seen a list more eclectic than 2015’s. From high-gain monster amps and atmospheric reverbs to mini overdrives and wahs, 2015’s award winners covered all the bases.
As always, it was a joy to see how both big-time musical instrument industry players and little shops a step removed from the garage managed to haul in Premier Guitar’s prize for gear excellence. And if anyone’s counting, we’re pretty sure we also set a record for Premier Gear Award winners. So we hope you’re comfy—this list of primo gear may take some time to cover.
Built Bellamy Tough
While the MBC-1 is relatively inexpensive, Cort didn’t cut corners. Some of that might be due to Manson’s involvement (which includes final setup and assembly). After serving as John Paul Jones’s guitar tech for several decades (and building some of JPJ’s custom basses) Manson and his team possess a wealth of knowledge and perspective.
Whatever the inspiration, the MBC-1 is replete with thoughtful design details. Locking tuners with thick, sturdy grips help ensure tuning stability. The irregular height of the machine heads creates an even break angle past the nut, improving resonance and eliminating the need for a string tree. I also appreciated the rout just past the last fret, which exposes the truss rod, facilitating fast and easy adjustments.
One slight concern is that the pickup selector switch is positioned next to the volume and tone knobs. While I didn’t have any issues, I can imagine some players inadvertently flicking the switch during aggressive strumming.
The basswood body’s unique single-cut design (with a slightly exaggerated upper horn) stands apart from Fender and Gibson clones. The matte-black finish was formulated to be extremely resilient and scratch-resistant. With its no-pickguard top and a stark rosewood fretboard free of position markers or inlays, the MBC-1 has both a tough, utilitarian guise and undeniable rock star appeal.
The Manson Touch
The Manson team oversees construction and final setup, so it’s no surprise that the playability was fantastic right out of the case. The wide, D-shaped, high-gloss maple neck has a compound radius fretboard with medium jumbo frets. It’s extremely comfortable, whether playing large chord shapes in the low register, bends around the 10th fret, or melodies past the 12th.
Manson’s custom pickup set consists of an alnico 5 bridge humbucker and a neck single-coil. Testing the MBC-1 with a Mesa/Boogie Mark IV amp, I was impressed by the high quality of these pickups. With many guitars in this price range, the first order of business is to swap out pickups. But these sound so nice that it’s hard to imagine an improvement unless you’re looking for a very specific sound that the Cort can’t deliver.
Ratings
Pros:
Fantastic tones. Excellent playability. Reasonable price.
Cons:
Matt Bellamy fans may mourn the lack of a built-in Kaoss Pad.
Tones:
Playability:
Build/Design:
Value:
Street:
$599
Cort Matt Bellamy MBC-1
cortguitars.com
The bridge pickup has a bright, modern rock tone palette with plentiful, cutting mids and heaps of sustain. Using the Mesa’s lead channel, I could cover everything from hard rock to hyper-aggressive metal, depending on how I set the amp gain and the Cort’s volume knob. Even with the guitar volume down to about 4, I got surprisingly hot, lively, and dynamic blues-rock tones.
The neck pickup is beefy and warm. Even when I attacked the strings, turned up the guitar tone, and dialed up a clean, bright amp sound, things never got shrill. With the guitar’s volume knob rolled back a hair and using the Mesa’s rhythm channel, I got powerful, articulate blues-rock tones. While the pickups have unequal output, the volume shift between them feels organic.
The middle position pairs the single-coil and humbucker for rich tones with excellent mass and string detail. Fast single-note lines were easy to play, but maintained strong note-to-note clarity. This position was also great for funky rhythm work with a clean amp setting.
Sonic Killer
While I don’t quite have Matt Bellamy’s creative spirit, I had a blast putting the kill button to use. The video game-like button design is much easier to work than a toggle switch. This led me to a whole new relationship with the guitar’s sonic possibilities. Rather than just use the kill button for a staccato accent that I might employ once in a set, I connected a looping pedal and used my left hand to articulate a power chord progression with hammer-ons while using my right hand on the kill switch to create beats. I then layered various textural parts above that groove and gradually got into a trance-like state. The kill switch is more than a gimmick. It was a catalyst for an otherworldly musical exploration.
The Verdict
While I didn’t have an original Manson Bellamy for comparison, the MBC-1 is a quality instrument by any standard. For Bellamy fans, the kill button puts one of his signature effects at your fingertips. Even if you’re not a Muse devotee, the MBC-1 is a great axe that covers a huge range of styles at an accessible price.
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