Ten options for fueling your pedalboard population.
You may have taken on a new pedal or five after checking out all the reviews in the October 2016 issue, but when was the last time you assessed your power needs? We’ve rounded up 10 power supply units this month—big to small and loaded to simple—that are poised to serve as the heart of your pedalboard.
Pigtronix Power
Able to power up to eight pedals, the fully isolated power outlets on this supply (four of which are switchable between 9V, 12V, 15V, and 18V) ensure stable power and ultra-low noise.
Powerbox Mk2
This unit houses five galvanically isolated output groups and can power up to 10 pedals. The output voltage of three of the five groups can be changed via the DIP switches located topside.
Ojai
This pint-sized powerhouse is part of an expandable and modular system, and has five high-current, individually isolated, ultra-low-noise outputs to help pedals achieve their highest dynamic range.
PB-107/Power Box Lithium
Via the included 8-plug daisy chain cable, this rechargeable power supply takes care of pedal-powering needs while displaying battery status, current draw, and time remaining.
1 Spot Pro CS12
This power brick features 12 isolated outputs, five voltage options to power just about any pedal, switchable input voltage, and includes brackets to mount under Pedaltrain pedalboards.
Provolt9
This unit employs star grounding—rather than parallel connections—to suppress unwanted hum, and provides a consistent, ideal 9.6V to each of its six outputs.
Kerosene
Housed in a rugged aluminum alloy chassis, this micro-sized power supply can help clean up power-cord and pedalboard clutter with its tiny footprint, while still offering eight 9V DC outputs.
Adam
Small and flat enough to tuck under the tiniest of pedalboards, this power supply offers a pair of fixed 9V outlets and a second pair that are both configurable to 9V or 12V.
Phoenix
So you have a lot of pedals. Not a problem for this 15-output power supply that uses two internal custom-wound toroidal transformers to deliver ultra-clean power and superior noise filtering.
Pedal Power 2 Plus
All eight outputs on this handmade power supply are completely isolated to eliminate tone robbing, prevent hum, and allow combining of outputs to create different voltages.
- DIY: How to Make a 9V Power Supply Out of a Drill Battery - Premier Guitar | The best guitar and bass reviews, videos, and interviews on the web. ›
- Got Noise Issues? It Could Be Your Pedalboard's Power Supply - Premier Guitar ›
- Got Noise Issues? It Could Be Your Pedalboard's Power Supply - Premier Guitar ›
- Powering Your Board - Premier Guitar ›
- DIY: How to Make a 9V Power Supply Out of a Drill Battery - Premier Guitar ›
- Outlaw Effects Launches NOMAD Pedal Boards - Premier Guitar ›
Linkin Park introduce new vocalist Emily Armstrong (of Dead Sara), new drummer Colin Brittain, and share their first brand new music in seven years.
Linkin Park share a new single (HERE) and video (premiering HERE at 4pm PT/7pm ET), for “The Emptiness Machine,” plus a global livestream performance (happening now HERE and available only for 24 hours), and the launch of 6 upcoming arena shows in Los Angeles, New York, Hamburg, London, Seoul, and Bogota as part of the From Zero World Tour. LP Underground fan club exclusive pre-sales start September 6 and general on-sales September 7. Go to LinkinPark.com for more info.
These surprises herald the arrival of LINKIN PARK’s first album since 2017, FROM ZERO, on November 15.
Tomorrow, Friday September 6th, the band joins long-time friend and Apple Music host Zane Lowe for an in-depth candid conversation about the incredible legacy of Linkin Park, the 7-year long journey to new music and their excitement for the future.
Without expectations, Shinoda, Delson, Farrell, and Hahn quietly began meeting up again in recent years. Rather than “trying to restart the band,” their instinct was to simply spend more time together, and reconnect with the creativity and camaraderie that has been at the core of their friendship since college. During this time, they invited various friends and cohorts to join them in the studio; among the guests, they found a special kinship with Armstong and Brittain. A natural chemistry drew these musicians back into its gravitational pull as they logged more and more hours in the studio. It was the sound of lifelong musicians rediscovering the uncontainable energy of a new beginning once again. Over this season, FROM ZERO was born.
FROM ZERO
FROM ZERO TRACKLIST
- From Zero (Intro)
- The Emptiness Machine
- Cut The Bridge
- Heavy Is The Crown
- Over Each Other
- Casualty
- Overflow
- Two Faced
- Stained
- IGYEIH
- Good Things Go
About the new era, Shinoda stated, “Before LINKIN PARK, our first band name was Xero. This album title refers to both this humble beginning and the journey we’re currently undertaking. Sonically and emotionally, it is about past, present, and future—embracing our signature sound, but new and full of life. It was made with a deep appreciation for our new and longtime bandmates, our friends, our family, and our fans. We are proud of what LINKIN PARK has become over the years, and excited about the journey ahead.”
Right out of the gate, “The Emptiness Machine” channels the DNA of LINKIN PARK, harnessing the band’s explosive energy and retaining the hallmarks of their instantly identifiable and inimitable sound. A chameleonic and catchy anthem, Shinoda’s hypnotic melodies hand off to Armstrong’s blistering chorus, over distorted riffs and head-nodding drums.
Shinoda elaborated, “The more we worked with Emily and Colin, the more we enjoyed their world-class talents, their company, and the things we created. We feel really empowered with this new lineup and the vibrant and energized new music we’ve made together. We’re weaving together the sonic touchpoints we’ve been known for and still exploring new ones.”
FROM ZERO WORLD TOUR 2024
September 11, 2024 | Kia Forum - Los Angeles, CA
September 16, 2024 | Barclays Center - New York, NY
September 22, 2024 | Barclays Arena - Hamburg, Germany
September 24, 2024 | The O2 - London, UK
September 28, 2024 | INSPIRE Arena - Seoul, South Korea
November 11, 2024 | Coliseo Medplus - Bogota, Colombia
Featuring dual-engine processing, dynamic room modeling, and classic mic/speaker pairings, this pedal delivers complete album-ready tones for rock and metal players.
Built on powerful dual‑engine processing and world‑class UAD modeling, ANTI 1992 High Gain Amp gives guitarists the unmistakable sound of an original "block letter" Peavey 5150 amplifier* – the notorious 120‑watt tube amp monster that fueled more than three decades of modern metal music, from Thrash and Death Metal, to Grunge, Black Metal, and more.
"With UAFX Dream, Ruby, Woodrow, and Lion amp emulators, we recreated four of the most famous guitar amps ever made," says UA Sr. Product Manager Tore Mogensen. "Now with ANTI, we're giving rock and metal players an authentic emulation of this punishing high gain amp – with the exact mic/speaker pairings and boost/noise gate effects that were responsible for some of the most groundbreaking modern metal tones ever captured."
Key Features:
- A complete emulation of the early '90s 120‑watt tone monster that defined new genres of modern metal
- Powerful UAFX dual-engine delivers the most authentic emulation of the amp ever placed in a stompbox
- Complete album‑ready sounds with built‑in noise gate, TS‑style overdrive, and TC‑style preamp boost
- Groundbreaking Dynamic Room Modeling derived from UA's award-winning OX Amp Top Box
- Six classic mic/speaker pairings used on decades of iconic metal and hard rock records
- Professional presets designed by the guitarists of Tetrarch, Jeff Loomis, and The Black Dahlia Murder
- UAFX mobile app lets you access hidden amp tweaks and mods, choose overdrive/boost, tweak noise gate, recall and archive your presets, download artist presets, and more
- Timeless UA design and craftsmanship, built to last decades
For more information, please visit uaudio.com.
- YouTube
The Memphis-born avant-funk bassist keeps it simple on the road with a signature 5-string, a tried-and-true stack, and just four stomps.
MonoNeon, aka Dywane Thomas Jr., came up learning the bass from his father in Memphis, Tennessee, but for some reason, he decided to flip his dad’s 4-string bass around and play it with the string order inverted—E string closest to the ground and the G on top. That’s how MonoNeon still plays today, coming up through a rich, inspiring gauntlet of family and community traditions. “I guess my whole style came from just being around my grandma at an early age,” says Thomas.His path has led him to collaborate with dozens of artists, including Nas, Ne-Yo, Mac Miller, and even Prince, and MonoNeon’s solo output is dizzying—trying to count up his solo releases isn’t an easy feat. Premier Guitar’s Chris Kies caught up with the bassist before his show at Nashville’s Exit/In, where he got the scoop on his signature 5-string, Ampeg rig, and simple stomp layout, as well as some choice stories about influences, his brain-melting playing style, and how Prince changed his rig.
Brought to you by D’Addario.
Orange You Glad to See Me?
This Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V was created after a rep messaged Thomas on Instagram to set up the signature model, over which Thomas had complete creative control. Naturally, the bass is finished in neon yellow urethane with a neon orange headstock and pickguard, and the roasted maple neck has a 10"–14" compound radius. It’s loaded with custom-wound Fireball 5-string Bass humbuckers and an active, 18V preamp complete with 3-band EQ controls. Thomas’ own has been spruced up with some custom tape jobs, too. All of MonoNeon's connections are handled by Sorry Cables.
Fade to Black
MonoNeon’s Ampeg SVT stack isn’t a choice of passion. “That’s what they had for me, so I just plugged in,” he says. “That’s what I have on my rider. As long as it has good headroom and the cones don’t break up, I’m cool.”
Box Art
MonoNeon’s bass isn’t the only piece of kit treated to custom color jobs. Almost all of his stomps have been zhuzhed up with his eye-popping palette.
Thomas had used a pitch-shifting DigiTech Whammy for a while, but after working with Paisley Park royalty, the pedal became a bigger part of his playing. “When I started playing with Prince, he put the Whammy on my pedalboard,” Thomas explains. “After he passed, I realized how special that moment was.”
Alongside the Whammy, MonoNeon runs a Fairfield Circuitry Randy’s Revenge (for any time he wants to “feel weird”), a literal Fart Pedal (in case the ring mod isn’t weird enough, we guess), and a JAM Pedals Red Muck covers fuzz and dirt needs. A CIOKS SOL powers the whole affair.
Shop MonoNeon's Rig
Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V
Ampeg SVT
DigiTech Whammy
CIOKS SOL
The legendary Queen guitarist shared an update on his social media that he noted as a "little health hiccup." "The good news is I can play guitar,” he said.
Brian May revealed that he was rushed to a hospital after suffering a minor stroke and temporarily losing control of his left arm. In a message to his fans, May addresses the events of the past week:
“They called it a minor stroke, and all of a sudden out of the blue, I didn’t have any control of this arm. It was a little scary, I have to say. I had the most fantastic care and attention from the hospital where I went, blue lights flashing, the lot, it was very exciting. I might post a video if you like.”
“I didn’t wanna say anything at the time because I didn’t want anything surrounding it, I really don’t want sympathy. Please don’t do that, because it’ll clutter up my inbox, and I hate that. The good news is I’m OK.”