Saturday, 19 May 2012
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  • Digitech Digidelay
    Reviewer Background:
    Pro player - 40 years
    Purchased From:
    private party
    Price:
    $40.00 USD USED
    Features:

    This delay has high quality stereo delay output, tap tempo, 3 ranges of delay plus tape echo, reverse, modulated and loop modes. The controls are standard for any delay: level, feedback, delay (time).

    Sound Quality:

    Overall sound quality is superb. I mostly use tape echo and modulated delay modes, both of which I love.

    Reliability/Durability:

    No exp

    Ease of Use:

    Very easy. Couldn't be more straight-forward.

    Customer Support:

    No exp

    Overall Rating:

    Using a DD-3 but wanted a second delay pedal on the board dedicated to longer delays. This is the first Digitech pedal I've owned and was so impressed I bought a Chorus Factory (see my review).



  • Carr Raleigh
    Reviewer Background:
    Private Player
    Purchased From:
    Fat Tone Guitars
    Price:
    $1,100.00 USD USED
    Features:

    This is a 3 knob 3 watt amp so it's not meant to have many features, having said that Reverb would be nice.  I use mine with a T Rex Room Mate which is the next best thing.

    Sound Quality:

    Small amps should not sound this big!! the clean sound on this amp is really quite something and has real punch when pushed which the "you tube" demos don't get across.  You get the whole clean thing but when wound up and in its native environment, home or studio, it sounds a lot bigger than it is.  The best way to describe the amp is that it is very musical picking all the harmonics and detail of your playing like all Carr amps do but this does it in such a small package.  As others have mentioned engaging the master turns it into an overdrive machine which is nice but if you want BIG clean sounds in a small package I am having difficulty coming up with another amp.

    Reliability/Durability:

    Weighs very little and its built by Carr so it's gong to be going for a while.  Take off the back and you can see where the cost is, all hand wired and the best bits.  This build quality does not come cheap.

    Ease of Use:

    3 knobs 3 watts all you need yet very versatile with a wide range of tones available from warm jazz to sparkling cleans with mid push and fat overdrive sounds.  Remarkable really.

    Customer Support:

    Very responsive, I asked what value step down transformer was needed for the UK and they got back right away.

    Overall Rating:

    I was looking for a small amp with a broad range of tones, you can get small amps with 8" speakers from Fender and Swart etc but they are more one trick ponies and don't get me wrong the Swart is a great little amp but what they lack is the wonderful clean tone that you get with this.  I am sure that the 10" Hemp cone Little Buddy has much to do with it not having that boxy sound, it keeps the package smaller than using a 12" and gets away from the sound compromise of a 6" (Fender Champ 600) or the 8" of the Fender Champ 5 watter.



  • Digitech CF-7 Chorus Factory
    Reviewer Background:
    pro player - 40 years exp
    Purchased From:
    GC Online
    Price:
    $50.00 USD USED
    Features:

    Tremendous flexibility in tayloring all of the available chorus/flange models. Dedicated Level, Speed, Depth controls plus three additional controls that change function according to the model selected.

     

    The only way to make it any better would be if settings could be saved for each model so you could say have the Multi Chorus (model 1) set for a sublte airy effect and the Voodoo Chorus (model 2) set for a heavier leslie type effect. So changing the effect is as simple as switching from model 1 to model 2. But I suppose that would greatly increase the cost.

    Sound Quality:

    Excellent. Very natural and open sounding effect.

    Reliability/Durability:

    I haven't had this long enough to say, but it seems very sturdy. Pretty heavy for its size.

    Ease of Use:

    The 6 fx controls are on 3 concentric potentiometers. One problen is that when the ring control is moved the center control moves too. So it sometimes takes two hands to tweak one control.

     

    Attaching velcro to the bottom is a problem. Velco will not stick to the type of rubber used on this product. Period. I found a lot of discussion about this on the net. I peeled the rubber off of the bottom to attach velcro.

     

    I've heard that these eat batteries, but I run my board off a Godlyke Power-All.

    Customer Support:

    No exp with Digitech Customer Service.

    Overall Rating:

    Up to now I've only used rack mount chorus fx because I had not found a pedal that had the same level of transparent sound quality. I want to control my tone on my guitar, amp or overdrive/distortion pedal, not have the chorus pedal limit my tone. I hate weezy sounding time based effects. After heaing the modulated delay effect on the Digidealy I acquired I was convinced that a Digitech chorus using that X chip would deliver what I wanted for chorus in a pedal.

     

    I was not disappointed in the least with this product.



  • Amt Electronics Extreme III Distortion pedal
    Reviewer Background:
    Hobbyist
    Purchased From:
    Ebay
    Price:
    $70.00 USD USED
    Features:
    Basic features, level, low, high and gain. Knobs operate smoothly with good sensitivity. Footswitch is quiet with no hard "click" when engaging the pedal. Small footprint is nice. Perfect size for function and practicality.
    Sound Quality:
    This really sounds like a high gain tube amp! Very natural sounding with plenty of gain for hard to heavy rock applications. I have a 1967 Ampeg Gemini G15 amp and it sounds better than any high gain pedal I have used. This one is a definite keeper! My other distortion pedal is a vintage Ibanez Fat Cat FC10 and with the two of these and my Zoom PD01 and MXR 10 band eq, I have all the bases covered as far as dirt is concerned. This AMT pedal is right up there in tone with my former Blackstar HT40 amp's dirty channel. Yeah, I think it's that good! It's plenty loud! Louder than any other distortion pedal I have owned. I really love these AMT pedals for the price. I thought this sounded better than the California Sound version and the Du Haste pedal. Very versatile pedal, not just high gain but also gets a good overdriven tone at low gain levels or rolling back the guitar volume. I probably would only sell this to replace it with another AMT pedal. I don't like chinese or Taiwanese built pedals so I tend to only buy Japan or USA pedals. This one is hand built in Russia and I would trust the build quality more than the cheaper built Asian pedals that sell for similar prices.
    Reliability/Durability:
    Like I said, seems to be hand built quality. Sturdy metal housing and nice stompswitch. No issues in function or it's bypass or working with other pedals.
    Ease of Use:
    Doesn't take long to dial in a great tone.
    Customer Support:
    Overall Rating:

    Great pedal! The AMT pedals are a great value for the price! I think these pedals will only grow in popularity when word spreads about this Russian company!



  • fender modern player marauder
    Reviewer Background:
    20 years amateur
    Purchased From:
    ebay
    Price:
    GBP259.00 GBP
    Features:

    IMAG0219-1.jpgchinese made (same factory as VM squiers)

     

    for the money (rrp £340) this is a well equipped guitar, extremely versatile with "triplebucker"/p90 pickup configuration., decent enough tuners, koto body(sort of strat/jagjazz hybrid),vintage strat tremolo, maple neck, rosewood board, master volume & master tone.

     

    in essence this is a h/s/s config guitar with a five way selector:

     

    1- humbucker (first 2 coils of triplebucker)

    2-hum bucker & single coil (all three triplebucker coils)

    3-single coil (third coil of triplebucker on its own)

    4-single coil & p90 (third rail of t/b & p90)......very position 4 strat like1

    5-p90 (mp90 jazzmaster) nice spanky single coil to woody jazztones with tone rolled off!

     

    i had a pull/push (on with neck pickup) tone pot mod fitted which gives 2 more positions:

     

    6-humbucker & neck p90 (first 2 rails & p90)

    7-all coils on (marauder "superquack" equivalent)

     

    i felt the trem was a bit of a weak link, so i upgraded to a stestsbar system which looks great on this guitar & works a dream ( part of the reason i upgraded the trem was curiosity about the stetsbar, which i've fancied for ages)

    Sound Quality:

    IMAG0220.jpg great sounding guitar which should cover all you requirements, jazz, country, pop, "hendrix", rock, & metal.

     

    pickups sound decent enough, i have no plans to swap them!, plenty of grunt to nice fendeer spank!

    Reliability/Durability:

    build quality is fantastic, action fit & finish are all superb, straight from the box the action was lovely, intonation spot on, no buzzing or rattling.

     

    can't see any issues arising further down the road.

     

    i just wasn't too impressed with the stock tremolo  ( no vintage strat trems are great!)

     

    all in al this feels better than my mex tele & as good as my jap strat or korean prs se!

    Ease of Use:

    five way switch, one volume, one tone,,,,how hard can it be?

    Overall Rating:

    great, comfortable, versatile guitar,,,,,,,cool (unusual) looks, cheap as chips!

     

    i have 10 guitars,,,,,, a gibson firebird, fenders, charvel, kramer, prs s.e. hofners & self builds, and i can't put this'un down!

     

    some may argue its a squier with a fender decal, but then what's a mex, korean, indonesian, or jap for that matter,   it's only a decal!

     

    go and buy one (as tony says)..............they'rrrre ggrrrrreatt!



  • fender marauder
    Name: fender marauder
    Brand: fender
    Model: marauder


  • Sierra SDS43 - Warm, even tone with strong bass
    Reviewer Background:
    coffee house performer
    Purchased From:
    mirc
    Price:
    Features:

    Pretty plain guitar aesthetically. Satin Cedar top, satin finished neck (my strong preference), Laminate Mahogany back and sides. Unique tuning machines that work very well and stay tuned for long periods.

    Sound Quality:

    Easily one of the best sounding entry level guitars I have played. Loud, well defined with excellent tone. I had a Takamine GS330S (similar look, style and materials) and the Sierra is louder and stands up to hard strumming better.

    Reliability/Durability:

    No opinion yet. Cedar is soft and the lack of pickguard will lead to a scratched up top, no doubt.

    Ease of Use:

    Nice neck and excellent action. I DO prefer a wider, bound neck than this one.

    Overall Rating:

    I very nice guitar. Good player and great sound for a solid top. I recommend this guitar for beginners. Great to learn on.



  • Sierra SDS43
    Name: Sierra SDS43
    Brand: Sierra
    Model: SDS43


  • Dr Dave, lifelong player
    Reviewer Background:
    gigging all my long life, recording studio engineering ADAT days, drummer for 10 yrs.,
    Purchased From:
    ebay
    Price:
    $1,750.00 USD
    Features:

    This is an update. Feature wise still best buffered effects loop, with send / return pots which is sweet dialing in time based effects, like Wampler faux tape delay wow! Aslo paralell/series switch...huge feature on any amp as effects vary so much with direct signal vs effects & unity gain level can be dialed in! This way no diving into effects editing pages.

    Sound Quality:

    Still feel as strong as I did last review. The cascading gain stages is best route to dial in sweet overdrive IMUO & experience back to the 70's. Spades here cause it is always surprising me being D voiced and guitar, volume/ tone pot sensitive big time! The sweet singing overdrive still amazes me! Red Plate amps are sounding great but at some point don't we have enough amps?

    The 53' tele sounds like only it can & so does '87 pre factory PRS w buckers. Just brings out the best in all guitars. Gretsch white Falcon is the BOMB clean! 3D - HIGH FIDELITY

    Reliability/Durability:

    Great after a ton of gigs, recording, woodsheding, jamming, midnight noodling! Serious build quality as good or beter better than all my Boogies over the yrs which says a lot!

    Ease of Use:

    Just have to start tweaking D voiced amp, but easy now.

    Customer Support:

    Andy Fuchs is a great guy & will talk amps/guitars for hours! Very smart dude!

    Overall Rating:

    I go straight in no pedals needed but they do sound great when used. But the pedal thing is very expensive, trendy, suck tone & signal strength so straight in is where tone lives! My wife still says it's the best amp in 40 years & she is still right.



  • KLdguitar power attenuator PB1
    Reviewer Background:
    studio
    Purchased From:
    dealer of KLDguitar
    Price:
    $174.00 USD
    Features:

    It is very simple gear, I only connect it with cabinet and amp. Two knobs adjust different attenuation. One for stage, one for studio.

    Sound Quality:

    It is awesome! I am actually a little surprised at kldguitar PB . It is so good qulaity and cheaper than other attenautor . It has allowed me to  push my AC30 at I considered its  "sweet" spot and practice/play without shaking my neighbors, lets be reasonable and take into consideration what this item actually does. Sounds FANTASTIC and does exactly what I needed it to do.

    Reliability/Durability:

    It is very stronge and very nice case.

    Ease of Use:

    very easy to use

    Overall Rating:

    Love it, very good useful gear for me. Certainly, if it has compensation , XRL out maybe better