Tag Archives: News

BOSS US tones of the month and podcast

BOSS US have some very interesting goodies on their website. First, the excellent Paul Hanson is giving tone recipes every month. He basically shows you how to reproduce the guitar tone(s) of a famous song using a small set of BOSS pedals. It is really cool, click on the image to go to the index:

Boss tone index

Secondly, Paul Hanson has been hosting a podcast (available here) for a few years now. There is a new edition more or less every two months and it usually features one guitarist or bassist. There is a lot to be learned, most of the interviewees are session musicians and I wish they would all stop reminding me that I should always practice with a metronome. Anyway, check it out!

MXR on fire

The guys at MXR are on fire. They have released at the NAMM a host of very interesting pedals. MXR is known for pedals such as the Dynacomp compressor, used by almost everybody, or the Phase 90 phaser, used by Eddy Van Halen to create the “Ain’t talking about love” swooshy tone and lots of other swooshy tones.

MXR is releasing more of these little foot print, easy to operate models. Apart from brand new models such as the Zakk Wylde Black Label ZW38 chorus and the CSP 202 Custom shop compressor, three models are re-released :

New MXR Micro Effects

First the M148 micro chorus was an 80s one button chorus. The Rate control is apparently enough to give you a wide diversity of tones. This 2010 version features the welcome addition of a true bypass.

Secondly, the M152 Micro Flanger is based on the M117 flanger model (so good that some people actually committed murder to get one, so I am told). It features two controls, Rate and Regeneration, as well as a true bypass.

Last but not least, the Phase 45 is a limited edition reissue. Akin to the much acclaimed Phase 90, it features a single speed control and has a hand wired circuit board.

For more detailed information, the excellent i heart guitar blog has a NAMM report about these babies.

Price wise, I have spotted the micro chorus for 100€, the micro flanger for 110€  and the phase 45 for 120€ on various European websites.

I for one can’t wait to try them!

Steve Vai opens his back catalog

Steve Vai has decided to release some songs from his “back catalog” (as in songs that never made it on a record at the time) through his VaiTunes Initiative. Fans of the master, rejoice!

konradlubej_08
Steve Vai in the Netherlands in 2004 - Pic Konrad Lubej

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