january 2015

Dynamic Marshall-style distortion meets powerful parametric EQ.

Stone Deaf Effects’ Trashy Blonde Overdrive proves the power of a good parametric EQ. While that statement may provoke a collective “duh” from the studio engineers and bassists who regularly rely on parametric EQ, many guitarists have never experimented with—let alone understood—the effect. Sure, many stompboxes have tone controls, and some allow you to choose the target frequencies. But true parametric EQ also lets you specify the <em>width</em> of the affected band, dialing in anything from a wide swath to a narrow slice. It’s a useful tool for bringing out the liveliest frequencies in a tone or mix, or cutting frequencies that muddy the sound. Combining that degree of tone control with righteous and responsive Marshall-style overdrive circuit makes the Trashy Blonde a powerful and versatile tone shaper.

Goldfinger
If King Midas had been a gear hound, he’d have owned a Trashy Blonde.
The pedal’s bold gold finish and large enclosure make it hard to miss. Weighty construction and substantial knobs and switches make it feel like a quality product. A side-mounted 9V battery drawer enables quick battery changes.

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Sean Lennon finds momentum in his psych-rock project with partner Charlotte Kemp Muhl.


Sean Lennon shows off his trusty Jazzmaster (and a sweet hat) at a July 2014 show at the DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He says he prefers the tone of a Jazzmaster to any other guitar: “Their pickups are very special and have a full, beautiful, rich tone that is the best I’ve ever heard.” Photo by Chris Schwegler / Atlas Icons

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