News: Vox/Joe Satriani Ice 9 Overdrive

I guess a lot of people want to sound like Joe Satriani these days and they must be buying lots of Satch-endorsed Vox pedals. Why else would Vox be cranking them out so frequently?

Hot on the heels of The Time Machine (delay), The Satchurator (distortion) and the Big Bad Wah, Vox is introducing an overdrive pedal named “Ice 9” that is expected to ship in June this year. It’s a curious name because overdrive is all about warmth so I think the marketing guys could have come up with something better and more satchalicious. “Alien Overdrive ” anyone?

Here’s what Vox has to say about it at http://www.voxamps.com/us/pedals/ice9/

• "Two voices of overdrive: Vintage or Modern
• Gain and Volume knobs offer exacting distortion control
• Tone and Bass controls deliver detailed tone-shaping
• The signature Joe Satriani 'More' button

"The Vintage mode employs a special op amp and premium diodes to offer overdrive effects that are sweetly warm and classic, with just the right amount of sparkle and sustain. In contrast, the Modern voice utilizes a Germanium diode to kick up a cutting-edge overdrive that is altogether new and aggressive. "

As for the Tone and Bass controls, Vox says:

“The Bass control adds extra bottom to the sound before it enters the drive stage, delivering dynamic low-end response. Turning the Bass down will result in an overdrive tone with a crisp, extra bite The Tone control shapes the sound as it exits the drive stage, offering even more sonic flexibility.” The More button apparently adds a 14 dB volume boost.

So this sounds like an overdrive with superior tone control and a boost, in a similar style to the CMATMODS Super Signa Drive that I covered here http://tonewarrior.blogspot.com/2010/02/news-cmatmods-releases-super-signa.html

It will be interesting to hear how this sounds as the overdrive market is very competitive, despite most of the pedals in this space being fairly undistinguished in my opinion. No pricing details as yet, but Vox is going to have to deliver a killer pedal at a killer price to knock the Paul Cochrane Timmy off my board.

Product Review: Voodoo Lab Tremolo

My main amp delivers a lot of tonal options and has a great spring reverb, but it does not have tremolo. I really like the classic, clean Fender amp tremolos of the ‘60s and went searching for a stomp box solution.

I had heard a lot of good things about the Danelectro Tuna Melt at the low end of the market. I also considered the Demeter Tremulator at around $180, but I couldn’t bring myself to spend this much on an effect that I would only use sparingly. After listening to a lot of demos on YouTube and by ProGuitarShop, I settled on a used Voodoo Lab Tremolo that cost me about $80 on eBay – a decent discount from the $129 new street price.

The pedal comes in a strong metal casing and the footswitch is very smooth. This version has four controls (earlier versions had just two) and they are Intensity, Slope, Speed and Volume. The key to this pedal is the Slope control, which provides a wide variety of sounds – from subtle, smooth tremolo to extreme helicopter-like chops. Speed and Intensity give you more subtle control over the speed and deepness of the “throb.” Two nice touches are the Volume control so you can cut, boost or keep the effect at unity when engaged and an on/off LED, which is handy if you a playing live. Other positives are the pedal uses the same lamp and photocell assembly found in many popular vintage amps and it is true bypass. It is also made in USA, which is to be commended.

To be honest, I can’t find much wrong with this pedal at all other than it is larger than the Boss-type units so it does take up some valuable board space.

Plugged in, I really like how the unit sounds. It is very warm and rich and does accurately recreate the sounds of vintage amp tremolos. You can cover Duane Eddy, surf, scary movie/sci-fi, and avant-garde soundscapes with ease. I don’t care for the extreme choppy settings myself (but it’s nice that they are available) and I tend to use it as a subtle tremolo shimmer for clean picking and slow blues. My favorite setting is Intensity at 2 o’clock, Slope at 10 o’clock, Speed a little past 2 o’clock and volume at 11 o’clock (which actually sounds like unity to me). I run the pedal in my effects loop after my Small Stone Phaser and before my Boss Digital Delay DD-3.

If you a looking for a quiet, true bypass tremolo that delivers a wide variety of sounds from vintage to extreme, the Voodoo Lab is a good choice at a good price. Compared to the Danelectro Tuna Melt I think it is more subtle and controllable; compared to the Demeter it is considerably cheaper and less “throbby”, which I prefer. Since I purchased my Voodoo Lab trem, Seymour Duncan has introduced its Shape Shifter pedal and that seems like another good choice and well worth checking out at a similar price point.

King of Tone – Robin Trower

Robin Trower needs no introduction as he has one of the most recognizable guitar tones in rock. And he has always had an extensive pedal board to supply those tones. Here is a great video from Musician’s Friend where Robin talks about his Signature Strat and Fulltone effects pedals.

You can see it for a limited time at:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/mc_highlight2

Here is another great site that has copies of some of Robin’s interviews with various guitar magazines over the years:

http://members.shaw.ca/stevesplace/magazines.htm

If you want to hear some of Trower's best playing, I highly recommend these albums:

Twice Removed from Yesterday (1973)
Bridge of Signs (1974)
King Biscuit Flower Hour Live 1977
Beyond the Mist (1985)
Living Out of Time (2003)

News: Smaller Pedal Power Unit from Voodoo Lab

I've had my eye on a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus for a while as a clean, regulated power source for my main board is becoming more of a necessity as I add more pedals. Along with quality cables, devices like this really help to cut hum and extraneous noises while keeping pedals consistently supplied with enough power to operate at their peak. The company is extending its product line with the recent announcement that Pedal Power ISO-5 is now shipping. This is a good option, although perhaps not a necessity, for those with smaller boards.

According to the company press release: "With 5 completely isolated, regulated, and filtered output sections, it's the ultimate compact solution for small pedalboards, rack shelves, or as an additional supply for larger boards. Based on the same technology that made the original Pedal Power the industry standard, Pedal Power ISO-5 keeps digital effects and even the most sensitive vintage and boutique analog pedals dead quiet.

Pedal Power ISO-5 delivers clean, consistent power even with poor AC line conditions found on stage. Unlike wall warts that create a large hum-inducing magnetic field, or daisy-chained digital switching supplies that generate unpredictable transients, Pedal Power ISO-5 uses a custom designed, audiophile quality toroidal transformer for stable, pure power. Plus, its completely isolated output sections eliminate ground loops and unwanted interaction between effects, giving you noticeably improved tone, dynamics, and lower noise.

Features include 3 standard 9V outputs, a dedicated 18V output, and a unique 9/12V output designed to run modern, high-current digital effects from TC Electronic, Eventide and Line 6. Pedal Power ISO-5 comes with a detachable AC power cord, all the necessary pedal power cables, and is handmade in the USA with a five-year warranty"

Pedal Power ISO-5 MSRP: $160.00

Upgrading a Peavey Reactor

I recently bought a mint condition Peavey Reactor – a made in USA Fender Telecaster copy – for $125 on craigslist (see here: http://tonewarrior.blogspot.com/2009/12/peavey-reactor-great-telecaster-copy.html). These are very nice guitars for the money and are ideal platforms for a wide range of upgrades.

While the guitar played really well, the stock pickups were fairly average in tone so that’s where I started. There are so many fantastic high-end pickups around from the likes of Lindy Fralin, Don Mare, Lollar and Kinman, but as this would not be my main guitar I decided to go with a more economical choice. I wanted a traditional ‘50s Telecaster tone so I selected a Seymour Duncan Vintage Rhythm STR-1 and a Seymour Duncan Vintage ’54 Lead STL-1. I am very happy with the results.

The STL-1 is a vintage-correct reproduction of 1954 Tele lead pickup and is well suited for a wide range of styles, from traditional country, country pop, chicken pickin', rockabilly, blues, and blues-rock. The STR-1 is a vintage-correct reproduction of 1954 Tele lead pickup that delivers a twangy, bright and biting sound. The Seymour Duncan web site states that the rhythm (neck) pickup should compliment the bright twang of the lead pickup with a smooth and open tone, warm lower-mids and airy highs. I agree and these pickups work well together. Compared to the stock pickups they are louder, fuller, and much more articulate (less muddy) – especially the neck pickup.

While I was at it, I also decided to upgrade the electronics. I have been interested in trying a 4-way switch for some time and this was a great time to experiment. I replaced the stock 250k pots with 500k pots because I wanted a really bright sound and added a Sprague Orange Drop 047µF Capacitor. I also dropped in a 4-way switch, which was wired in this manner:

• Position 1: neck/bridge pickups in series
• Position 2: neck pickup
• Position 3: neck/bridge pickups in parallel
• Position 4: bridge pickup

These upgrades have made a huge sonic difference. This Tele really rocks now and delivers great twang and bite. Play with some gain and this little guitar is a blues-rock monster. Position 1 is absolutely killer. It sounds incredibly rich, combining the fullness and power of a humbucker, but with the nuances of single coils.

Cosmetically I also made a few changes to improve the guitar’s appearance. I ordered a custom cut pearl white pickguard from Chandler guitars (unfortunately the more cost effective standard Telecaster pickguards do not fit the Peavey Reactors). I also added two new black knobs with pearl tops ordered from Stewart MacDonald. This guitar now looks as good as it sounds.

So for about $350 I have a great Telecaster that I would put up against all imports without hesitation and even some of the U.S. made Fender Telecasters that start around $799.

Video - BBE Soul Vibe

Here's a decent video from the folks at Gearwire putting the BBE Soul Vibe through its paces. This is a Univibe sound alike, providing that famous rotating speaker sound made famous by Jimi Hendrix ("Machine Gun"), Robin Trower and others. It sounds pretty good to my ears, especially with some gain. It seems like the build quality is high and for $129, it represents good value for money. At this price point, the Voodoo Lab Micro Vibe is also worth checking out.

Specifications

• Input Impedance: 82k Ohms
• Output Impedance: 1K Ohm
• Hardwire Bypass: Yes
• Power Requirements:
  • DC inlet: +9VDC min.200ma
  • Battery Life: 100 hours
• Dimensions: 3.7"(W) x 4.7"(D) x 1.8"(H)
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 lbs.

Recommendation: Beta Monkey Drum Loops

While we are on the subject of drum loops I thought I would highlight the acoustic drum loops and samples available from Beta Monkey. I use these myself and think they provide a lot of variety in sound (different kits and styles) as well as tempo. But most important of all, the recording quality is excellent and everything sounds very real and natural.

In my arsenal I have:

Drum Werks Volume 1 - Classic & Hard Rock Grooves
Drum Werks Volume 2 - Rock Tool Box of Grooves
Drum Werks Volume 3 - Blues & Bluesy Rock Grooves
Drum Werks Volume 4 - Versatile Studio Rock & Pop Loops
Double Bass Mania

And the thing I like most about Beta Monkey . . . the drummer always keeps perfect time :-)

Learn more at http://www.betamonkeymusic.com

500Mb of Free Loops from Prime Loops - until 3/14/10

This post has nothing to do with tone, but if you do any home recording like me, you are always on the look out for free loops with which to build backing tracks and original compositions.

To say thank you for all the support, the loop and sample provider Prime Loops is offering a collection of free loops and samples to everyone - not just to previous customers and subscribers.

FreePack 2010 offers more than 500 MB of free audio loops, samples, and multi-patches. The exclusive pack includes loops from new releases, such as NYC Piano Sessions, Dubstep Nation, Ghetto House Grooves, Orchestral Scores, and many more.

Get it while you can. All content is royalty-free and available absolutely free until March 14, 2010. For more info go to:

Learn more at http://www.primeloops.com/index.php?page=free-pack