You could WIN a StewMac Ghost Drive and Pedal Building Tool Kit in this all new giveaway! Enter before March 26, 2024.
Ghost Drive
StewMac Ghost Drive Pedal Kit
More than a "klone"—it's the closest we've ever seen to the real thing! Few pedals reach mythical status like the Klon Centaur Professional Overdrive. We scoured the world for the EXACT right components to recreate this "holy grail" circuit.
Considered the finest transparent overdrive ever, the original Klon is shrouded in mystery, epoxy, and hype—but amazingly, it delivers. It's a guitar player's dream come true: saturated tube tone from your amp at a reasonable volume. It doesn't change the character of your amp, you get just the right amount of overdrive without losing your unique tone. It's relied on by countless players like Joe Perry, Mike McCready, Joe Bonamassa, John Mayer, Nels Cline and more.
Don't buy your next pedal—build it!
Original Klon's are selling for up to $10,000 (and they're still going up)! Many big pedal makers make their own "klones", but they never quite get it right. With this kit you'll be hand-wiring every component to the board, just like the originals. Many believe the hand-wired circuit has a huge impact on the tone of this pedal. And…the black epoxy is optional.
All the right components
We dug deep to find the identical pair of 1N34A germanium diodes just like the original. Many claim these diodes were the heart of the original Klon and why so many of the imitators fall short.
This pedal is extremely easy to use: just gain, treble, and output. The gain is where the magic is by adding sweet saturation and harmonics while retaining the character of your amp. The treble acts as a boost or cut, allowing you to dial in the perfect mid-range for your tone.
Pedal Building Tool Set
Start building your own effects pedals
Are you ready to take control over your sound? Here's all the right tools you need to get started.
Building pedals is super fun and really rewarding. With just a few solder joints and a bit of tinkering, you can shape your tone in completely new ways. When you're first getting started it can seem overwhelming with all the tiny transistors, resistors, and delicate connections. Now we've made it easy even if you're new to working on electronics.
We've picked the quality tools pros use so you'll have great sounding pedals right from the start. From keeping PC boards steady, to stripping fine wires, to making tiny connections, this set has everything you need for solid connections and trouble-free builds.
The Pedal Building Tool Set includes:
Guitar Tech Screwdriver and Wrench Also sold separately
This handy screwdriver set has every specialized bit you need to build pedals and a whole lot more. With this set you can install all of the knobs, switches, nuts, and jacks you'll come across, and even adjust tiny trim pots inside pedals too. Not only that, you can adjust all the hardware on your instruments too.
PC Board Holder Also sold separately
This is the essential third hand you need when building pedals! One small slip can ruin a trace or melt a fragile component. You need both hands for these jobs, and holding your work steady is important for a clean connection (and so you don't burn yourself!). This holder locks the board steady and moves in any direction you need, which makes it easy to solder on crowded PCBs.
Wire Cutter Also sold separately
This isn't your ordinary wire cutter—the extremely fine angled cutter allows you to get close to your solder joints and trim away all excess component leads. This is integral to having fewer shorted connections in your builds.
Fine-gauge Wire Stripper Also sold separately
Pedals (and pickups too) use very fine wires that are nearly impossible to strip with hardware store strippers, and it's easy to damage the wire and ruin the connection. These strippers make removing the coating from tiny wires a total breeze.
Solomon SR-965 Soldering Iron Also sold separately
This dependable iron gets the job done without breaking the bank. The fine point tip is perfectly made for soldering a printed circuit board. It heats up fast and gives you the right control to make delicate connections.
Solomon Soldering Stand Also sold separately
The stand keeps the iron held safely and the included sponge keeps the tip clean for better connections.
Solder Wick Also sold separately
The right way to fix soldering mistakes! Solder Wick is essential for getting the solder out of a joint without overheating and burning out the pads on delicate printed circuit boards. It helps clean up excess solder too.
Delta 60/40 Solder Also sold separately
The right solder for guitar electronics! We find that one tube lasts for 3-4 pedals worth of solder joints. Approximately 15 feet (457cm) of 60/40 rosin core solder in a handy, easy to use compact dispenser tube. International set includes lead-free solder.
#2318 includes a 110-volt AC electrical appliance, 60Hz. It has a U.S. standard Type A plug with two flat parallel prongs, ungrounded.
Announced at the 2025 NAMM show, Cory Wong’s new collaboration with Ernie Ball Music Man scratched an itch—namely, the itch for a humbucker-loaded guitar that could appease Wong’s rock-and-R&B alter ego and serve as complement to his signature Fender Strat. Inspiration came from no further than a bandmate’s namesake instrument. Vulfpeck bassist Joe Dart has a line of signature model EBMM basses, one of which uses the classic StingRay bass body profile. So, when Wong went looking for something distinctive, he wondered if EBMM could create a 6-string guitar using the classic StingRay bass body and headstock profile.
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II ReviewErnie Ball Music Man StingRay II ReviewDouble the Fun
Wong is, by his own admission, a single-coil devotee. That’s where the core of his sound lives and it feels like home to him. However, Wong is as inspired by classic Earth, Wind & Fire tones and the pop-punk of the early ’90s as he is by Prince and the Minneapolis funk that he grew up with. The StingRay II is a guitar that can cover all those bases.
Ernie Ball has a history of designing fast-feeling, comfortable necks. And I can’t remember ever struggling to move around an EBMM fretboard. The roasted maple C-shaped neck here is slightly thicker in profile than I expected, but still very comfortable. (I must also mention that the back of the neck has a dazzling, almost holographic look to the grain that morphs in the light). By any measure, the StingRay II’s curves seemed designed for comfort and speed. Now, let’s talk about those pickups.Hot or Not?
A few years ago EBMM introduced a line of HT (heat-treated) pickups. The pickups are built with technology the company used to develop their Cobalt and M-Series strings. A fair amount of the process is shrouded in secrecy and must be taken on faith, but EBMM says treating elements of the pickup with heat increases clarity and dynamic response.
To find out for myself, I plugged the StingRay II into a Fender Vibroverb, Mesa/Boogie Mark VII, and a Neural DSP Quad Cortex (Wong’s preferred live rig). Right away, it was easy to hear the tight low end and warm highs. Often, I feel like the low end from neck humbuckers can feel too loose or lack definition. Neither was the case here. The HT pickup is beautifully balanced with a bounce that’s rich with ES-335 vibes. Clean tones are punchy and bright—especially with the Vibroverb—and dirty tones have more room for air. Individual notes were clear and articulate, too.
Any guitar associated with Wong needs a strong middle-position or combined pickup tone, and the StingRay II delivers. I never felt any significant signal loss in the blended signal from the two humbuckers, even if I could use a bit more midrange presence in the voicing. The midrange gap is nothing an EQ or Tube Screamer couldn’t fix, though. And not surprisingly, very Strat-like sounds were easy to achieve for having less midrange bump.
Knowing Wong’s love for ’90s alt-rock, I expected the bridge pickup to have real bite, and it does, demonstrating exceptional dynamic range and exceptional high-end response that never approached shrill. Nearly every type of distortion and overdrive I threw at it sounded great, but especially anything with a scooped-mid flavor and plenty of low end.
The Verdict
By any measure, the StingRay II is a top-notch, professional instrument. The fit and finish are immaculate and the feel of the neck makes me wonder if EBMM stashes some kind of secret sandpaper, because I don’t think I’ve ever felt a smoother, more playable neck. Kudos are also due to EBMM and Wong for finding an instrument that can move between ’70s George Benson tones and the hammering power chords of ’90s Blink-182. Admittedly, the nearly $3K price could give some players pause, but considering the overall quality of the instrument, it’s not out of line. Wong’s involvement and search for distinct sounds makes the StingRay II more than a tired redux of a classic model—an admirable accomplishment considering EBMM’s long and storied history.
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II Cory Wong Signature Electric Guitar - Charcoal Blue with Rosewood Fingerboard
