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Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

ThorpyFX adds more versatility to its ER-2 Uni-Vibe, now in Block 3 Edition with additional Phase Switch

So here we have the further evolved Block 3 Edition of the ThorpyFX ER-2 Uni-Vibe. This was first released in June of 2023, and then re-engineered in November of 2024 - after Light Dependent Resistors (Vactrols) were put on the RoHS ban list. At the time the circuit was bu...

Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

Dr. Scientist unleashes the Dungeon Crawler - an incredibly saturated and sustaining Extreme Metal High Gain Distortion with Active Gyrator EQ's, with extra Grind Rectifier and Boost

A killer magnificently saturating Extreme Gain Distoriton - which does the Grinding Metal thing exceptionally well - with almost limitless saturation and sustain. It’s not the sludgiest of distortions or necessarily the most thudding and thunderous in the low end - but it ...

Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

A Brief Hobbyist Primer on Effects Pedal Circuits Fixed Resistors - in collaboration with Drunk Beaver's Vitalii Bobrov

This article was composed and assembled in collaboration with good friend Vitalii Bobrov of Drunk Beaver Pedals - a fantastic engineer, with an encyclopaedic knowledge of effects pedal components - which you can see in all his smart circuit builds.

 

This article focuses on Fixed vs Variable Resistors and Potentiometers - those will be covered in a follow-up article.

 

There are 6 Key Chapters to this project of differing length and detail.

Hopefully we have covered everything you need to know about Fixed Resistors, and how they apply to Guitar Effects Pedals!

 

 

CHAPTERS

  1. A Brief History of Resistors
  2. The Key Types Of Effects Pedal Resistors
  3. How a Typical Resistor Works
  4. Identifying Resistor Values
  5. Key Functional Applications for Fixed Resistors
  6. Smart Resistor Deployments and Mods in Specific Circuits (Fuzz Face etc.)

Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

Walrus Audio's 10th in the Fundamental Series is the 3-Mode Lo-Fi Delay

This is officially the 10th in Walrus Audio’s Fundamental Series, while I’m not clear on whether all 10 are still fully available.   The format remains the same, and the first editions were typically more vanilla style, while more recent releases have been a touch mor...

Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

EarthQuaker's larger Full Stereo Easy Listening Analog Amp Simulator gets loaded with extra features - including Aux In, Active 3-Band EQ, and XLR Stereo Out

So EarthQuaker has significantly evolved its mini Easy Listening ’65 Deluxe Voiced Headphone Amp. That model just came with a Master Control, and Mono In and Stereo Out (Headphone) Ports.   The new one adds Full TRS Stereo Ports - Ins and Outs, an Aux in and control, ...

Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

Jackson Audio outmuscles everyone with 2 of the world's most potent Power Supplies - the Node and Node-X8 Xpander - with 2,200mA per each of 12 or 8 Isolated Outlets at 9V DC [-]

Former Power Supply Champion Cioks used to have the industry leading Max 660mA per Isolated Outlet, and  Jackson Audio has found a way to deliver more than 3 times that amount of current to each Isolated Outlet.   The top-surface 4-way Dip-Switches on the Cioks -...

Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

SolidGoldFX releases versatile Silicon Tone Bender MKII style Fuzzbox

I’m a huge fan of SGFX Compact Fuzzes - where I already have 10 to my name. The 11th was supposed to be the 76 MKII - but that never quite happened. So it’s likely that this Fuzzbox will be my 11th SGFX Compact Fuzz. I still aim to get the 76 MKII though!   I’ve not a...

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Text • marcusohara@aol.com

Lonnie Mack's Guitar and Amplifier on the Auction Block

  Lonnie Mack with #7 Attention Joe Bonamassa, George Gruhn, Mike Reeder, Gary Dick and everyone else in the vintage guitar market. Lonnie Mack’s prize 1958 Flying V is going up on the auction block on September 26th of this year. Holly with Her Dad Sadly, Lonnie...

Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

King Tone rolls out Soloist Mini Edition of its SRV Screamer Overdrive

This will possibly appease those who aren’t overly fond of the curves on the latest Compact Soloist Overdrive.   The Mini has all the same controls - while the Glass / Stock / Edge Voicing switch is internal rather than on the surface. I don’t see why they couldn’t ha...

The Unique Guitar Blog Updates instantly via WebSub
Text • marcusohara@aol.com

Gibson's Model B Series Of Guitars

  1965 Gibson B-25N A friend sent me a picture of his 1965 Gibson B-25N guitar recently.  This got me reminiscing about the Gibson B series of guitars.  Around 1965 I wanted a 12-string guitar. My teacher brought in his Gibson B-25 12-string for me to try o...

Fret Science
Text • Keith

Eight Nights, 2,300 Miles, and a Very Loud Guitar Camp in Tennessee

A road trip from Massachusetts to the Woodshed Guitar Experience in Crossville, by way of Cleveland, Nashville, and the Martin factory. What I saw, who I met, and what I brought back for Fret Science.

Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

In Loving Memory of my Darling Mother Eileen, who passed away suddenly last week, and is laid to rest today

I apologise for being a little out of sorts and off-balance these last few days, I would hope it was understandable under the circumstances.

 

I will be spending time with the family over the next few days, and there will be no post tomorrow - Friday as a result.

 

Hopefully normal service will resume at the start of next week, while it could be Tuesday!

 

Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

The Drunk Beaver XR Series MD-1 Medal Mind is a superb take on the Exar MD-03 and MD-04 - originally inspired by the Boss MT-2 Metal Zone

A potent take on the dual-gain-stage Boss MT-2 Metal Zone architecture — this MD-1 Metal Mind pedal overhauls that vintage topology with modern low-noise op-amps, robust power supply filtering, true-bypass switching, and an active three-band EQ with fixed midrange voicing....

Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

IK Multimedia launches its supposedly much requested ToneX Board - but is it the right Format?

I have to start things off by saying that I’m not currently in the market for one of these devices - as I typically favour a more mostly analog stomp box approach - featuring an assortment of pedals rather than a single substantial all-in-one-unit.   While I feel it’s...

Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

Tube Preamps & Overdrives Capsule Collection and Target

This article was engendered by the recent arrival of my very own Keeley Electronics Tube Drive - which becomes my 13th Tube Preamp / Overdrive to date. With that particular adventure starting back in February of 2023 with the acquisition of the Tubesteader Eggnog.   I...

Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

Drunk Beaver's Pedal Drop #42 is a brand new custom circuit - the Kubiansk Sub Fuzz - Dual OpAmp Twin Sub-Octave Fuzz

The Kupiansk Sub Fuzz is an entirely custom design, a Vitalii original! It’s and OpAmp-based fuzz circuit (NOS Soviet KR574UD2V dual op-amp). The first stage has soft clipping (AL103 Soviet LED and 2x KD522) in non-inverting amplifier configuration. The second stage is in ...

Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

Key 12A*7 Preamp Tube Types and Characteristics

It’s been a while since I did my Key Power Amp Tubes Overview - back in April of 2024. I always intended to do a follow-up feature for the most typical PreAmp Tubes. I just needed the right catalyst / inspiration to get stuck into that.   And lo and behold - the ...

Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

Ligma Electronics' 'You Need To Wake Up' is an interesting Mix of Room Reverb and Granular Buffer Effects

There’s a lot going on with this pedal - with multiple functions on each control - whether Knob, Toggle-switch or Footswitch.   The top ROOM REVERB Section shapes and swells the Reverb part, the 2nd Row controls the Number of Grains (GUESTS) and how they intermingle (...

Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

I managed to land a Limited Dealer Edition Keeley 12AT7WC Twin Triode Tube Drive Dual Channel Overdrive, courtesy of Andertons in the UK

The original limited 100 Run Sylvania 12AT7WA Edition (as below) caught a lot of us by surprise - I dare say even some of the dealers and distributors. As I believe the September 1st launch date had already been set, but Robert decided to pre-release that 100 Unit Limited ...

Guitar Pedal X News
Text • Stefan Karlsson

Hagerman's Mini Pentode Tube-Powered Tubifier Buffer Pedal is an essential Tone Enhancer for all Digital and Solid-State Rigs

Boss and Strymon have for a long time included a JFET Input Stage to enhance the output of their digital pedals. The JFET warms up the signal and opens it up a little more - adding a touch more colour and texture. And Jim Hagerman’s Tubifier is a level and some above that....