John Mayer presents his new PRS amp during the NAMM 2017
Saturday, 28 January 2017
One of the important announcements of NAMM 2017 was the release of a new John Mayer 100W all tube amp by PRS. As a media The Guitar Channel was invited to the press conference. Usually I am not very fan of the exercise of the press conference as it is usually limited to basically reading a press release or pretty much so.
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Alteratio Tocxic Instruments – Guitar Review of the Mad Max Explorer?
Friday, 06 January 2017
Here's an unusual instrument for a review, the Alteratio model from Tocxic Instruments. It's designed and built in France by a small team of passionate people. This might as well be the Explorer type guitar that Mad Max would use.
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Backstage Gear Tour – Bellwether review by Joris
Sunday, 18 December 2016
Feedback from Joris, a backstager who reviewed
the Bellwether Walrus Audio delay pedal
during a Backstage Gear Tour
Hello fellow guitar players,
Thanks to a Backstage Gear Tour, I had the pleasure to test at home the Bellwether, a delay pedal from the American boutique builder Walrus Audio (reviewed by The Guitar Channel in this article). Here's a video which will hopefully inspire you to test this pedal.
Joris video review
My feedback
Overall, the sound is very warm with a slight dark side on my gear. The Tone setting is well thought out to adjust the tone of the effect.
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Pickup Shootout: PRS McCarty vs Häussel Pickups 59
Wednesday, 30 November 2016
As promised in the article documenting the installation of the Häussel Pickups in my PRS McCarty, here's the pickup shootout between the stock PRS McCarty pickups and the set of 59 pickups from Häussel Pickups.
Pickup Shootout: PRS McCarty vs Häussel 59
I tried as much as possible to cover the same kind of guitar playing throughout the test: with the fingers only, with a pick, light and heavy riffing, etc.
Conditions of the test
Guitar: 2005 PRS McCarty
Strings: no change of strings to keep this parameter the same between both recordings
Sound: Universal Audio Apollo Twin interface
Types
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Häussel Pickups installation in a PRS McCarty
Saturday, 26 November 2016
The German pickups Häussel Pickups equip many high-end European luthiers, Nik Huber, Ruokangas and Springer to name only those three. It was necessary that The Guitar Channel studied more on those pickups.
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Walrus Audio Bellwether – An excellent delay pedal full of possibilities
Monday, 21 November 2016
Walrus Audio offers, with the Bellwether, a very complete analog sound delay pedal offering a delay with many possible settings. In addition to the conventional time, level and tone settings, you can activate and set a modulation and decide the subdivision in time, not to mention the tap tempo button (to determine the delay time) and the possibilities with external connections.
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Xtomp Hotone – Pedal Review of a chameleon tone machine
Monday, 14 November 2016
The XTomp Hotone pedal is a brand new pedal that has recently come on the market with an innovative concept: the ability to load an effect (or a couple of effects) on the pedal to make it sound like a reverb / delay, Chorus / reverb, overdrive, etc. The proposed catalog is very extensive and contains just about all the great classics of the analog pedal you can think of.
The effects are loaded on the pedal using an iOS / Android app that communicates in Bluetooth with the pedal.
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Häussel Pickups: the upcoming projects with Harry Häussel
Friday, 11 November 2016
In 2014 I had the opportunity to meet Harry Häussel (Haussel Pickups - www.haeussel.com) at the Holy Grail Guitar Show (see interview below). Harry is a renowned manufacturer of electric guitar pickups whose products are used by Ruokangas, Nik Huber and Springer.
At each major guitar event like the Musikmesse or the Holy Grail, Harry was present and we always took time to discuss.
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Report of the Springer Guitars special events organized by The Guitar Channel
Monday, 07 November 2016
Regularly The Guitar Channel organizes special events to showcase guitar builders in a rehearsal studio where it is possible to both try the instrument in a real playing environment and exchange with the luthier. Last week-end saw two events like that with Springer Guitars as the main focus points. The luthier Mikaël Springer was there in person to engage with the guitar aficionados.
Video coverage
A 2min video to get an idea of the events:
Springer Guitar Gear Evening Nov.
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MJS acoustic guitar J-78 built by luthier Godefroy Maruejouls
Sunday, 23 October 2016
Here's a first on the show with a video review of an acoustic guitar, and one built by a luthier!
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Anasounds new pedal: the Bitoun Fuzz, a double Fuzz machine
Saturday, 01 October 2016
Anasounds (www.anasounds.com) is a French boutique pedal builder with already a wide range of products from overdrive to delay, the company is now launching a new pedal, the Bitoun Fuzz. It was developed with the musician and journalist Julien Bitoun, a Fuzz connoisseur, who wanted something special. And something special they created with this Bitoun Fuzz.
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Simon Ghnassia reviews his Did Telecaster guitars
Friday, 23 September 2016
Simon Ghnassia is a guitar player who ordered not one, not two but three Telecaster type guitars from the same luthier Didier Duboscq (Eden Lutherie).
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The offer for the soft guitar cases did a lot of progress lately. Gone are the days of ugly cases which do not really protect our beloved instruments. We now have a wide range of cases including ones manufactured by Mono (monocreators.com) and Gator (gatorcases.com). Here's below is a comparison between two similar models for electric guitar: The models reviewed:[s2If !current_user_can(access_s2member_level0)]
- Gator G-PG Electric
- Mono Sleeve
Note that I bought the Mono case for my personal needs and the Gator belongs to Simon Ghnassia who owns the splendid Esquire built by luthier Didier Duboscq you can see in a photo below.
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[/s2If] [s2If current_user_is(s2member_level1) OR current_user_is(administrator)]Long live the shoulder straps!
The two cases are equipped with large comfortable and adjustable straps to walk with our instruments without excessive fatigue and without sawing our shoulders.We can see in this picture of the profiles of the two cases that the Gator is quite thicker, hence a better protection. It holds by itself alone on the side whereas I am obliged to keep the Mono on balance with the tip of my shoe you can see on the photo.
The Mono Sleeve case
The Sleeve has one pocket with a zipper and covered with a flap which is certainly very stylish but not really practical to use. Indeed, closing it with metal buckle is not very convenient. This pocket has a good volume and hosts without problem some pedals, jacks, tuner, metronome, etc.
The insertion or extraction of the guitar is done by the top of the case. One can note the special padding to hold the neck in the middle of the case:
The strong points:
The weak point:
- Design
- The finesse
- Backpack straps
- Build quality
- The flap metal buckle, pretty but not really practical
The Gator G-PG case
The G-PG opens fully in half as you can see (which is not the case for the Mono). The handle is properly seated in the center of the case and the bottom strap button on the guitar is protected (as on the Mono where such protection exists but also thinner).Pockets, pockets and more pockets! The G-PG is full of them, very well done Gator:
There's even a pocket with a rain protection you can use to cover the case:
The big pocket is spacious to put all your gear easily:
The strong points:
The weak point:
- Excellent protection of the guitar
- Many pockets!
- Backpack straps
- Quality really excellent workmanship
- Not very stylish
Conclusion
From a price perspective, we are here with two models in the same price range of about 120 to 130 €. It is not cheap but in both cases it is a very good instrument protection. It is not on this point that a winner will emerge. On the manufacturing quality side, again, this is good stuff from both sides. With perhaps a slight advantage on the Gator side. The inside of the case looks so cozy that would almost want to sleep in! The choice will be done on features. You want lots of pockets and maximum protection? Take the Gator. Looking for a sleeker design and slightly lighter? Take the Mono. Being a big fan of the guitar in mobility (see article describing my mobile configuration), I can only encourage you to equip yourself with a quality soft case and to leave the bulky and heavy hard case in your cupboards or cellars to enjoy your beautiful six-string friend anywhere without breaking your back while protecting your instrument. You will find your happiness among Gator or Mono or in other brands offering similar products. Until the next gear review, continue to play the guitar! Pierre. [/s2If]Gator vs Mono – Electric guitar soft case shootout
Thursday, 22 September 2016
Trescab, Shimverb, Ana Echo, Micro Looper Mooer pedals review
Wednesday, 07 September 2016
Here's a foursome review of Mooer pedals with the Trescab (cab simulator), Shimverb (reverb), Ana Echo (analog echo), Micro Looper (you guessed it, a looper).
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What's more enjoyable than playing guitar outside in a nice weather or just during a business trip or vacation? For acoustic guitar, nothing more simple since, as per definition, the amplification system is integrated with the instrument. For electric guitars, it is different because our dear electrified instruments need at least an amp to operate. Here's an overview of possible solutions for playing guitar in mobility:[s2If !current_user_can(access_s2member_level0)]Update: 9/5/16
- Mini-Amp
- Headphones
- Hybrid system
Mini-amp solution
There are many electric guitar amplifiers which combine the advantage of being very compact and battery operated. The Marshall MS-2 is one of the models that use a single 9v battery for many long hours of play. It has been the choice of The Guitar Channel for many years.
Complete list of The Guitar Channel mobile setup
- 1 amp Marshall MS-2 (35 €)
- 1 reverb pedal Boss RV-5 (or other reverb / delay, battery operated)
- 1 jack to connect the guitar to the pedal
- 1 mini-jack to connect the pedal to the amp
- 1 metronome Korg MA-1 (15 €)
- 1 HP Bluetooth (eg EU Boom) used to run the chord charts with the app iReal Pro
- Optional: external battery to avoid buying too regular 9v batteries
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[/s2If] [s2If current_user_is(s2member_level1) OR current_user_is(administrator)]Compactness
The advantage of this solution is that everything fits easily in the outer pocket of a soft guitar case. Note that for years, it was rather an overdrive pedal (the excellent Xotic BB Preamp Xotic) which occupied the place of the RV-5.The choice of the pedal
Over time I've realized that I had more fancy a bit of reverb that a little drive. Especially since the drive position of the MS-2 is quite usable if you know well sculpt your sound with volume and tone controls of your guitar. A reverb pedal gives the impression of space that is necessarily lost when playing outdoors.Budget
On the budget side, there is very high chance that you already have all the elements of this list apart perhaps for the Bluetooth speaker or the mini-amp itself. There is a large selection of battery operated mini-amp. We must not in any case expect miracles so when you go to try some think about it! The MS-2 has the advantage of being almost indestructible, sounds reasonably well when you take time to adjust it properly and will not eat your 9v battery in a hearbeat.Portable speakers
If you find the EU Boom speaker too big, there are others that are even more compact. There are also tiny HP you connect to the headphone jack of your smartphone that are unbeatable in terms of compactness.
Power supply
With 1 rectangular battery 9v you will get many hours of playing time with the MS-2. Note that recent type of pedal like the Boss RV-5 is a bit more greedy than overdrive pedal like the overdrive BB Preamp. If you want to avoid to buy 9v batteries regularly it is possible to complete this setup by a rechargeable battery via USB. The Volto Pedaltrain is a compact installation and which weigh down very little overall. Check-out the review I did of the Volto in this article. There are other solutions in the genre.
Headphone solutions
If you do not want / can not do some decibels with your guitar through an amp, even small, there is the opportunity to play with headphones. For fifteen Euros you can get a iRig interface that will work well to produce some sounds in a headset.The record of compactness belongs to the AmpPlug Vox (see image below of Joe Satriani model). In fact you've got a solution that connects directly to the guitar without a jack. You only need headphones of some sort and off you go!
Personally, I tire fast when I play with headphones. Especially with the smartphone type of earbuds that are not optimized dor the guitar sound as they typically offer a sound with little medium while this is precisely where the electric guitar has most of its magic.
Hybrid solutions
In a previous article, it was described how to use a Bluetooth speaker as EU Boom guitar amp. It is also a possibility that is offered to you. The disadvantage of the solution is that your smartphone is then used as a sound generator via an application and it will be difficult if not impossible to turn iReal Pro in parallel for example.
Conclusion
Whatever your situation, with or without decibel, there are all full of ways to play the electric guitar with light equipment and battery operated. It would be a shame not to enjoy. Until the next article, continue to play the guitar ... outdoors! Pierre. [/s2If]How to setup to play electric guitar on the go
Monday, 05 September 2016
Walrus Audio Iron Horse distorsion pedal review
Friday, 02 September 2016
Walrus Audio is an american builder of pedals. They propose a wide range of products. Here's a video review of the Iron Horse distorsion pedal. Get ready for some big and fat saturated tones with this gain machine!
www.walrusaudio.com
Walrus Audio Iron Horse distorsion pedal review
Review setup
Guitar used : Spartan Springer with a single P90 pickup (Haussel)
Sound : the base clean sound used throughout the review is provided by an Apollo Twin Universal Audio interface in which the guitar is plugged directly.
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Godin Guitars factory visit in Richmond, Qc Canada
Thursday, 21 July 2016
Doing a visit of a factory building guitars is an awesome thing to do. Back in January 2016, I had the opportunity to take a tour of the Taylor Guitars factory in California.
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Honk Machine IT-11 Audio: a vocal overdrive pedal
Thursday, 09 June 2016
The Honk Machine overdrive pedal from IT-11 Audio is a very vocal overdrive pedal with its specific Honk setting which allows to increase or decrease a 700Hz frequency bump right in the middle of the human voice.
Honk Machine IT-11 Audio: a very vocal overdrive pedal
This video is accessible to all because IT-11 Audio
owns a Pro Backstage Pass on The Guitar Channel
What I enjoyed the most on this pedal
The overall sounds
The possibilities given by the Honk setting
The look
What I enjoyed the least
The changing colours of the LED is kind of distracting
Conclusion
Frankly the market
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Assona Curve from MJS Guitars: a great guitar
Friday, 27 May 2016
I met the luthier Godefroy Maruejouls from MJS Guitars during the Guitares au Beffroi festival in 2015 where he was exhibiting his instruments.
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Beatbuddy pedal demo by François C. Delacoudre
Tuesday, 24 May 2016
Here are a couple of video demos recorded to demonstrate the variety of contexts where the Beatbuddy pedal can be used.
BeatBuddy wbsite: www.mybeatbuddy.com
Beatbuddy demos by François C. Delacoudre : from contrabass to slap and 2-string bass!
On a 2-string bass :
Slap:
With a contrabass :
En jam à deux :
Conclusion
As you can see from the video demos, it's possible to use the Beatbuddy pedal in many different contexts. François C. Delacoudre who is a professional bass player in France really enjoyed playing the pedal in very different styles.
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Chronicle #15 Spartan Project with Springer Guitars – Guitar setup
Tuesday, 10 May 2016
Here's the 15th episode of the Spartan Project video series. You will see how the luthier Mikaël Springer is doing the final guitar setup.
#15 Spartan project - Guitar setup
Photos extracted from the guitar setup video
Final drilling for the stop bar installation:
Installation of the Häussel P90 pickup:
Shielding of the electronic cavity:
Previous episodes of the Spartan Project
The goal of the Spartan Project is to document the building of a guitar for me by luthier Mikaël Springer.
Amp Review – DV Mark Micro 50: good sounding solid state head
Sunday, 08 May 2016
During the NAMM I was intrigued by theDV Mark Micro 50 amp. It's super small and quite powerful with 50W. DV Mark is a brand more established in the bass amp market but big players like Greg Howe or Frank Gambale are using their guitar amps so it says something about what they propose.
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Universal Audio Fender ’55 Tweed Deluxe plugin review
Saturday, 07 May 2016
Universal Audio is highly respected for its great plugins which run in their interface. So far, the guitar amps plugins available were geared toward the big distorted sounds with the Friedman or Marshall plugins. It was possible to get some cool clean tones from the existing plugins but not as good as a real Fender amp. Until now. Universal Audio has just released a plugin for the Fender '55 Tweed Deluxe amp. Here's below the Tweed Deluxe plugin review in video.
Universal Audio website: www.uaudio.com
The cool looking user interface for the plugin.
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Chronicle #14 Spartan Project with Springer Guitars – Fretting
Friday, 29 April 2016
Here's the 14th episode of the Spartan Project video series. You will see how the luthier Mikaël Springer is doing his fretting on the guitar. It is a very crucial step of the process as the way the frets are dressed is paramount to the quality of the sound and of the comfort of the instrument.
#14 Spartan Project: Fretting
Close up photo of the fretting once finished on the guitar:
Previous episodes of the Spartan Project
The goal of the Spartan Project is to document the building of a guitar for me by luthier Mikaël Springer.
Hubert Hochleitner interview (Hoovi Deeflexx) at the 2016 Musikmesse
Monday, 25 April 2016
Here's a Hubert Hochleitner interview, inventor of the Deeflexx, done during the 2016 Musikmesse.
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Taylor Guitars factory tour in video
Friday, 22 April 2016
The day I did the in-depth interview with Bob Taylor, I did a full Taylor Guitars factory tour of their El Cajon facility near San Diego, California.
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Maybach Lester guitar review, a great Les Paul alternative
Wednesday, 20 April 2016
Maybach is a guitar brand launched a few years ago with a line of instruments manufactured in Prague, Czech Republic with German pickups.
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Mobile guitar rig presented with Snapchat
Monday, 18 April 2016
Here's the mobile guitar rig I use when I want to play in the park right next to our house.
Jeff Loomis Blackouts pickups from Seymour Duncan review
Wednesday, 06 April 2016
Reviewing pickups is by definition difficult since they are necessarily installed in a guitar which itself has an enormous impact on the sound. However if we consider that the pickups are on electric guitar what an engine is to a car, we can agree that it is a very important factor. To review this "engine" built by Seymour Duncan, we used a "frame" from the Paul Reed Smith race squadron with a Custom 24 model.
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Guns’n’Roses Paradise City sound with Universal Audio
Saturday, 02 April 2016
Yes you can get Slash Guns N'Roses Paradise City sound (or at least get close to it) with the Apollo Twin Universal Audio interface with a couple of plugins and the Burst guitar from luthier Mikaël Springer.
Paradise City sound with the Universal Audio interface and a Springer guitar
It's always a challenge to try to get close to a legendary tone from a hit like Paradise City.
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