Category 
Guitars
Along with the piano, the guitar is certainly the most played instrument in the world because it combines rhythmic and harmonic richness while remaining relatively affordable… and transportable. Acoustics, electrics or acoustic-electrics, it consists of a fretted neck and a body (or resonance table), over which are stretched 6 to 12 strings that are plucked to produce sound.
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List of user reviews
Guitars
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Characteristics 
- The Martin & Co DXM is dreadnought acoustic guitar that isn't an acoustic/electric, so it doesn't have any pick ups or setting controls. The body of this guitar is made out of both wood and polymer and the neck and rest of the body is made out of some sort of laminated material, which is the reason that this guitar is so cheap. Like all Martin guitars, this was made in the USA and I believe that it has somewhere between twenty and twenty-two frets.
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Utilization
- The overall feel of the Martin & Co DXM is pretty good. While it doesn't compare to the other guitars that Martin makes, it is definitely playable and isn't uncomfortable on the fingers at all. I would just say that is lacks a certain fluid feeling that is prevalent in most Martin guitars. However, of course this is trade-off that you make with a lower end guitar. Getting a good sound isn't too hard as this guitar definitely has a full bodied tone that is perfect for a wide variety of music.
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Sounds
- While this of course doesn't have the same sweet sound that has made Martin famous, it definitely has a nice overall. It is full bodied and overall pretty thick sounding. I have mostly used the guitar for practicing on as I don't own it and have used a friend of mines. I probably wouldn't recommend this as a primary recording guitar, but for live shows and practicing this is a perfect guitar for someone on a budget. It is suitable for all sorts of music that you would want an acoustic guitar on including rock, folk, pop, and country.
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Overall Opinion
- I first used the Martin & Co DXM about a year ago and was immediately impressed with it considering how cheap this guitar is. While a guitar at this price will never sound as good as one double or triple this, it overall has a pretty good sound is easy to play. While I wouldn't recommend the guitar for professionals or experienced players, I would definitely recommend it to someone looking for a cheap acoustic guitar that still sounds good and is playable. I would have expected the Martin & Co DXM to be a lot more than it is and because of this it is definitely a good deal and is a guitar that all beginners and intermediate players should look into.
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Characteristics
- The MXR Distortion II is a distortion pedal designed for electric guitar but suitable with any electronic instrument. it has 1/4 inch connections and requires 9 volts of power. It is an analog piece of gear that isn't rack mountable because it is a stomp box.
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Utilization
- The make up of the MXR Distortion II is quite easy to follow as everything is clearly labeled and easy to understand. It simply has four knobs for drive, resonance, filter, and output and that is all that there is to the pedal. Even if you don't have much experience with distortion pedals, using common sense I don't think that you will have much of a hard time understanding how to use the MXR Distortion II. A manual isn't necessary for using this pedal at all and I can't speak to how well put together it is because I haven't seen the it.
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Sound Quality
- The sound quality of the MXR Distortion II is quite good overall. The pedal has a certain tone to it no matter how you set the parameters, which is part of what I like about it. This doesn't mean that it isn't possible to get a wide array of sounds, it just means that all of the sounds have a certain tone to them. I usually use the pedal for recording with a Fender Strat and a '76 Fender Twin Reverb and I'm able to get some pretty awesome sounding distortion tones within this configuration - both for lead and rhythm parts. The distortion tone can be described as chunky and fat overall and is definitely something that is good for playing classic rock, among other genres.
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Overall Opinion
- I've been using the MXR Distortion II for a number of years and it has always been a pedal that I come back to now and again because I like the way it sounds a lot. It has a cool look to it and gives you a really thick distortion tone in a compact pedal. The price of the pedal varies depending on when it is from but it isn't all that expensive for a nice distortion pedal like this even at the highest possible price. MXR makes qualities pedals and the MXR Distortion II definitely fits right in with this. This is definitely a distortion pedal to try out and consider if you are looking for a great sounding distortion pedal.
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Characteristics
- The Proco Sound Rat Solo is a distortion pedal that is designed for electric guitar and has standard 1/4 inch connections. It can be powered by a nine volt power supply or battery and isn't rack mountable as it is a stomp box.
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Utilization
- The make up of the Proco Sound Rat Solo is extremely easy to follow as there really isn't anything out of the ordinary here. The pedal has knobs for distortion, scoop, tone, and volume and has a switch that has modes for hot, melt, or burn. There isn't anything to the pedal other than this and I found that it didn't take too long for me to have a full grasp of the entire pedal, so for this reason I don't believe that a manual is needed.
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Sound Quality
- The sound quality of the Proco Sound Rat Solo is mediocre in my opinion. I think they designed the pedal for solos as the name states and is probably best suited for lead parts rather than rhythm ones. I have used the pedal two or three times with my Fender Strat and '76 Twin Reverb, so I'm getting an accurate read on what this pedal actually sounds like. While I haven't been too impressed with the pedal, it doesn't have that bad of a sound overall I just don't think that it is up to par with most of the distortion pedals that I use out there. I usually like the pedals that Proco Sound put out there, but this is an exception to that.
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Overall Opinion
- I've only used the Proco Sound Rat Solo a few times in the last year or so and I don't think that I will be using it again anytime soon as I'm just not a big fan of the way that it sounds. It is probably a bit over priced as well and I would recommend just sticking with the original and vintage Rat pedals over this one as it will cost less and in my opinion will sound a lot better. All in all, the Proco Sound Rat Solo pedal is a mediocre pedal in my opinion.
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Characteristics
- The Digitech DL-8 Delay/Looper is a newer pedal designed for guitar that is compact and much smaller than most loopers that I have seen. It is a digital based pedal and has standard 1/4 inch connections for stereo inputs and outputs. It can be powered by either a nine volt power supply or battery and isn't rack mountable as it is a stomp box.
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Utilization
- Using the Digitech DL-8 Delay/Looper isn't hard at all as you only have a few parameters to play around with. You've got knobs for level, repeats, time, and a mode knob where you can choose between different types of delays including up to 8 seconds of delay, reverse, analog, loop, tape, modulated, and slap. This makes it a versatile pedal as it allows for control over a lot of different types of delays. I've never needed to look at a manual so I can't say if it would be helpful or not, but unless you are a beginner with delay pedals I wouldn't think that you would need one.
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Sound Quality
- The sound quality of the Digitech DL-8 Delay/Looper is about average in my opinion. While it does have usable delays and will record your loops well and clearly, it sounds a bit too digitally processed for my taste. I have only used the pedal a few times but I have used it with a Fender Strat and a Fender amp, so I was getting a clean read on it from my configuration. I don't think that the sound quality is up to par for professionals, but I would definitely recommend this pedal for someone who is starting out and interested in messing around with delay and loops. The pedal does have true bypass so when you don't have it engaged you won't get any noise and it won't kill your tone at all.
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Overall Opinion
- While I wouldn't use the Digitech DL-8 Delay/Looper for recording or for live shows as the delay portion of the pedal isn't realistic sounding enough for my taste and the length of delay isn't long enough to be able to do anything too crazy with looping, it is a well built pedal that is definitely useful for getting your feet wet with delay and looping and for simply practicing. However, if you are really interested in a good delay or looper I would recommend looking at either the Line 6 DL4 for delays or the Line 6 JM4 for looping, both of which will give you more bang for your buck than this in my opinion...
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Characteristics
- The Boss EH-2 is a foot pedal designed for electric guitar to 'enhance' your tone. It gives you a brighter tone and cuts through a mix or a room quite well. The pedal has a 1/4 inch input and output and like all Boss pedals can be powered by either a nine volt battery or power supply. It isn't a rack mountable piece of gear as it is a stomp box.
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Utilization
- The make up of the Boss EH-2 is quite simple to follow as it only has three parameters - it has knobs mix, frequency, and sensitivity - with an LED light to show the rate of sensitivity. That is all of the parameters that this has to offer although this doesn't mean that you can't get a good amount of varying tones between the parameters given. I think that just about anybody could figure out how to use this pretty quickly without a manual and regardless of experience...
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Sound Quality
- The sound quality of the Boss EH-2 is pretty good overall even if you only use it subtly. It is similar to other enhancers, exciters, and tone boosters, but it has its own sound and its own capabilities. I use the pedal with a Fender Strat and a '76 Fender Twin Reverb or '65 Deluxe Reverb amp most of the time for recording and live shows, so I think I've definitely been getting an accurate read on what this pedal actually sounds like and I definitely like what I'm hearing. While it isn't a pedal that I tend to use all that often, I like having it around because you never know when a unique enhancer like this will come in handy...
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Overall Opinion
- The Boss EH-2 is an older pedal in the Boss collection and is no longer made, but if you are interested in getting one you should be able to find a used one for a reasonable price. While I do think that there are some better options if you are just looking for a tone booster, this will definitely have the same effects and does have a very nice sound. I'm a big fan of the older Boss pedals as I not only think that they are great collector's items but generally enjoy the sounds they have to offer. All in all, the Boss EH-2 is definitely worth a look if you want a unique enhancer/exciter.
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Overall Opinion
- The Dunlop Pegwinder 101 is a device that helps you to turn your pegs quickly and easily while you are restringing your guitar. It can definitely be annoying and sometimes ineffective when you are trying to do this by hand and having a product around like the Dunlop Pegwinder 101 is always a good idea for guitarists as it will just make restringing your guitar a whole lot easier. It will also help you to properly wrap the strings around the string holders and to stay on tighter. While it isn't necessarily too hard to do this without a peg winder, I like to always have one on hand inside of my guitar case as I find it really just helps to expidiate the process more than anything, not to mention that it can just be annoying to twist the pegs around that many times! While I happen to have this particular Dunlop version of the peg winder, I'm not going to lie and say that pretty much any peg winder out there is going to be effective as long as it is made properly. These are always going to be cheap and I tend to lose mine every now and again, so at least getting a new one isn't that big of a deal as it only cost a few dollars at most. This would definitely be pretty hard to break so as long as you don't lose it like do sometimes, you'll probably be able to hold on to the same one for a while as I can't see on of these even getting too worn out either. I definitely think that every guitar player should have a peg winder on hand for restringing purposes and the Dunlop Pegwinder 101 is just as good as any of them out there and it comes from a brand that I have definitely grown to trust to make good products...
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Characteristics
- The Sunn Concert Lead is a tube based guitar amplifier head that has two separate channels. I'm not sure exactly what the wattage on this head is (I think it is 100 watts), but rest assured that this thing can absolutely crank loud. Each of the channels has two has 1/4 inch inputs and there is a also a 1/4 inch speaker cable output in the back to send this to a speaker cabinet. The head is also pretty small and has a handle, which is nice because it makes it easy to carry around.
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Utilization
- The make up of the Sunn Concert Lead is extremely easy to follow and both of the two channels has the same exact parameters as they are the same in configuration. They each have knobs for volume, bass, mid, treble, but since there are a few different versions the rest of the parameters usually vary. I know that there are some that have built in distortion, but the one I have used doesn't have any effects. A manual for this would be hard to find, but I don't think that one is needed anyway as it is easy enough to use on its own.
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Sounds
- The clean tones that I get with the Sunn Concert Lead are pretty great as I love how loud that I can get this amp. I usually use the amp for recording with either a Gibson SG or a Fender Stratocaster. I haven't generally used this amp with any effects other than maybe a distortion or an overdrive pedal. I've never gigged with this head and usually used it with a huge speaker cabinet, so it is definitely something that I use for recording rather than for gigging, but I don't see why you couldn't use it for both.
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Overall Opinion
- While this is definitely a good sounding amp, the Sunn Concert Lead isn't really an amp that you can seek out because they are pretty hard to find. It is more of an amp that you kind of stumble upon if you get lucky, but even if you don't you're not missing out on all that much because there are definitely a lot of different amps that I would rather use than this one even though I do like the sounds that I get with this amp. If you are looking for a vintage amp of this nature, I would definitely recommend checking out this amp if you can find it or anything by Sunn, but there are plenty of other modern and vintage amps out there that sound better and are more easily accessible.
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Characteristics
- The Fulltone Catalyst is an overdrive, boost, and fuzz pedal designed for use with electric guitar. The pedal is an analog one that has standard 1/4 inch connections and can be powered by a nine volt power supply. The pedal isn't rack mountable as it is a stomp box.
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Utilization
- Using the Fulltone Catalyst overdrive pedal is quite easy to do because it has simple parameters. However, at the same time it definitely offers up enough parameters to make it possible to get a wide array of different overdrive, fuzz, and distortion tones. The pedal has parameters for volume, gain, treble, bass/mid, and a switch to choose either between a spark or flame mode, which is pretty ambiguous on paper, but is easily distinguishable once you try it out and play around with it at a little bit. I don't think that a manual is needed because it is easy enough to use figure out how to use on its own.
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Sound Quality
- The overdrive tones that are possible with the Fulltone Catalyst are pretty varied, but I have to say that I'm a fan of just about every sound that I have been able to get with this. I use the pedal with a Fender Strat and a '76 Fender Twin Reverb and this combination gives me an awesome set up for recording that I've used a number of times for recording. You can use this pedal as more of a subtle boost, but can also get it to crank pretty nicely to give you some great overdrive. It is a very realistic tone that you can get with this pedal and is quite natural since this has no compression on it at all like some pedals do.
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Overall Opinion
- I first used the Fulltone Catalyst about six or eight months ago for a recording session and was immediately impressed with the lead tones that I found myself getting. It is definitely good for rhythm parts as well, but I think that it excels best for lead tones. The price is definitely reasonable for a well built pedal like this, but isn't the cheapest pedal on the market. If you are a rock or blues lead guitar player, the Fulltone Catalyst is definitely an overdrive pedal that is worth looking into.
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Characteristics
- The Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster SFX-01 is a pedal designed for electric guitar and is an analog based pedal. It has standard 1/4 inch connections and can be powered by a 9 volt power supply. The pedal will work in tandem with your pick ups and has the power to transform the sound of a single coil to more of a humbucker and vise versa, which is definitely pretty cool. This isn't a rackable piece of gear as it is a stomp box and does have true bypass.
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Utilization
- Using the Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster SFX-01 isn't hard at all as it only took me a few minutes to understand everything going on with the pedal. It only has a few different parameters to play with as it has a large knob for gain and a switch for resonance that will change your sound pretty drastically depending the way that you set it. The manual for this is pretty helpful if you aren't exactly sure how this can help your pedal and the best ways for it to work in tandem with your electric guitar.
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Sound Quality
- The sound quality of the Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster SFX-01 isn't anything crazy, but I like using it because it can instantly give me a fatter sound if I only have single coil pick ups on my guitar and want more of a humbucker sound. You need to have this pedal at the beginning of your chain if you want the resonance to work, so always remember to have it there. I use the pedal with a Fender Strat and a '76 Fender Twin Reverb and it comes in very handy when I don't have access or time to change to my Gibson SG. A very good sounding pedal that is very convenient.
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Overall Opinion
- I've been using the Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster SFX-01 for about a year and it has become a main stay in my pedal chain. It is unique and gives me something that no other pedals will really give as other pick up boosters and EQs just don't have the same effect that this does. I was a bit skeptical a first because Seymour Duncan doesn't usually make pedals and definitely isn't exactly known for them, but this has turned out to be a good thing because they have used their expertise in making pick ups and transformed that into a great pedal. This isn't too expensive of a pedal and is definitely worth looking into if you are interested in changing the sounds that your pick ups can provide for you.
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Characteristics
- The Electro Harmonix Holy Grail Plus is an analog reverb pedal that is similar to the original Holy Grail reverb pedal. This pedal has 1/4 inch connections and I powered it with the specific Electro Harmonix power supply and I don't know if it can be powered with another 9 volt power supply as I have no tried. This isn't a rack mountable piece of gear as it is a stomp box.
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Utilization
- The configuration of the Electro Harmonix Holy Grail Plus is pretty easy to follow overall as it simply has three parameters. It has knobs for blend, amount, and mode, which you can choose from spring, hall, and room type reverbs. This is slightly different from the original Holy Grail pedal and allows you to get some slightly different sounding reverbs, although I believe that only one of the modes is different. As you can see, with only three knobs this pedal is very easy to use and for this reason a manual isn't a necessity.
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Sound Quality
- The sounds that are possible with the Electro Harmonix Holy Grail Plus are pretty great overall. I like all three of the modes as it allows me to get some contrasting reverb sounds within one place. While I do wish that there were more modes as I am always a fan of versatility, you can still get a good amount of different sounds. I usually use the pedal with a '76 Fender Twin Reverb and a Fender Strat, so I'm getting a pretty good idea of what this pedal actually sounds like. While the spring reverb on the pedal is probably the best of the three modes, it still doesn't compare to the spring reverb I have on my Twin Reverb, but is still realistic and very useful for live shows or recording./
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Overall Opinion
- I've been using the Electro Harmonix Holy Grail Plus for about six months and it is definitely a nice sounding reverb pedal. While this wouldn't be my first choice for a reverb pedal, when I have access to it at the studio I work at I will definitely dabble with it as you can get some cool and interesting tones. It is pretty similar to the original Holy Grail, and its hard for me to say if one is better or worse, they are just slightly different in make up and the tones that you can get. The price is definitely reasonable and you know you're getting top quality from Electro Harmonix. If you are looking for a nice reverb pedal, definitely check out the Electro Harmonix Holy Grail Plus.
