You don't need a stadium rack to sound like the Edge. PG Contributor @TomButwin breaks U2's guitarist down to the pillars of his sound: a cranked Vox, dual delays running into the amp's front end, a transparent overdrive, a Gibson Explorer, and a right hand that doesn't miss.
Instead of trying to clone The Edge's rig, which changes constantly and is far bigger than most of us will ever run, he builds the foundation.
The Vox AC15 Hand-Wired does most of the work, set to the top boost channel. The Eventide H9 Harmonizer Gen 2 handles both delays and runs into the amp's front end, the way the Edge does it. A Mr. Black Deuce Coupe drives the amp without coloring the tone, and it cleans up off the guitar's volume knob. Then Tom gets to the '70s Explorer, (thanks @sweetwater !) the accuracy the Edge's parts demand from your picking hand, and a pick trick you'll want to steal.
AC15HWR1X
Few amplifiers have shaped music history like the VOX AC15. With the AC15 Hand-Wired, that legacy lives on – reborn with painstaking attention to vintage accuracy and updated with modern refinements that make it stage- and studio-ready.
This is more than a reissue. It's a complete reconstruction of a vintage legend – hand-wired and fine-tuned to bring the '60s sound back to life. Featuring hand-wired circuitry, custom transformers, and vintage-accurate cabinet construction, this amplifier aligns classic British tone with modern necessities including bypass-able master volume, a transparent effects loop, and custom-voiced spring reverb.
Now, the unmistakable sound of a vintage VOX is finally within reach. Built for vintage enthusiasts, aficionados, and modern players alike. The AC15 Hand-Wired delivers the unmistakable voice of VOX!
H9 Harmonizer® Gen 2
The H9 Harmonizer Gen 2 brings Eventide’s iconic multi-effects pedal into a new era, delivering studio-quality sound and creative flexibility in a compact, performance-ready format. Building on everything players loved about H9 Max, it expands the platform with the full H90 algorithm lineup, modern ARM processing, and a faster, more intuitive workflow for stage and studio rigs. It includes the full 74 algorithm lineup found in the H90, including all 5 2 original H9 Max algorithms, spanning delay, modulation, reverb, pitch shifting, granular, Harmonizer+ vocal FX, looping, and much more.
Deuce Coupe
From its initial release in late-2011, the Deuce Coupe shattered what was to be expected in an overdrive pedal, fully delivering on the promises of “amp-like response”, “incredible dynamic content”, “detailed articulation”, “high head-room”, and “uncolored tone.”
Unique and novel topology, meticulous tuning and calculated, deliberate electronic design practices granted Jack Deville the ability to create and deliver what became a true cult-classic. While many overdrive pedals sound good, and some even great, very few offer the astonishing clarity, natural feel, and dynamic response that the Deuce Coupe so effortlessly delivers.
70s Explorer
Armed with an iconic angular body and eye-grabbing hockey-stick headstock, this Gibson ’70s Explorer re-creates the trail-blazing axe that rocked a million stadiums. The Explorer’s resonant mahogany body and comfortable rosewood-topped SlimTaper mahogany neck offer a memorable playing experience night after night. Under the hood, twin ’70s Tribute Burstbucker pickups deliver a tight low end, complex midrange, and sweet highs to cater to rock and well beyond. To top it off, small touches like black speed knobs and chrome hardware give this solidbody electric guitar an arena-ready look. Add in the beautiful Classic White finish, and this Gibson '70s Explorer will be a great addition to any guitar collection!
Nexadyne 5
The Shure NXN5 guitar amp microphone is poised to change not only how engineeers mic guitar amps onstage, but how performers hear themselves in the mix. The secret? Shure's patented Revonic dual-engine transducer technology. This inventive technology utilizes two precisely matched transducers that provide an enormous range of acoustic optimization, maximizing specific frequencies and minimizing handling noise and mechanical vibration. This is how your amp was always meant to sound onstage! To boot, the integrated signal processing of the NXN5 produces a stronger output than traditional single transducer designs, thus eliminating the need for a traditional shockmount and corrective audio editing. It all equates to an ingeniously designed guitar amp mic that puts the playing characteristics of the performer first — a strategy that guitarists here at Sweetwater fully appreciate.
