gear award 2015

Boss’ bucket brigade delay original returns having learned new tricks—and sounds glorious.


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.

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A well built, intoxicating, and organic-sounding overdrive from the U.K.

Whether you trace its origins to Link Wray, the Kinks, or Atomic Rooster, riff rock was spawned from the sound of an amplifier driven to filthy extremes. Overdrive pedals were originally designed to replicate that tortured-amp sound. Like many great effects, these pedals often missed their intended mark, but sounded great nonetheless.

ThorpyFX, however, nails the sound of an amp at the verge of exploding. In fact, if someone were to ask me what my favorite new amplifier was, I might just choose the ThorpyFX Gunshot. You could call it “AC/DC in a box,” but that would be selling its tonal flexibility short.

Beautiful Beast
The Gunshot is well made nearly to the point of being overbuilt. The enclosure recalls old, slope-front pedals by Sola Sound, Vox, and Colorsound, but with improvements like a recessed control panel and a heavy, laser-etched, stainless steel enclosure. I/O jacks are on the back panel—always good for conserving pedalboard space. Handsome purple chicken head knobs match the LED. It’s a striking package.

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