LiberaToe BearAss - "Dual Channel with Fuzz, Compression & Sustain options"
BearAss works for rhythm, lead, and bass guitars, primarily (e.g., certainly you can use the Compressor for vocals or the Fuzz for instruments). There are three aspects to this pedal, including Fuzz,…
Hufschmid Guitars 2mm Torlon 4203 - "Torlon 4203 : The Unbending"
I am lucky enough to own many plectrums Patrick HUFSCHMID made, in various sizes, shapes, thicknesses and materials. All of them are of the highest quality, speaking of craftsmanship, finish, and of …
Ibanez SZ520QM - "Great feeling guitar "
I haven't had the sz520 long, but it feels great! Very smooth and fast. I bought it used for 300 bucks. It sounds really decent. No complaints. The finish on it looks great. Especially considering it…
Hagerman Amplification Tsar Face - "Even Bias with real Soviet-Era Transistors"
For those who dislike fuzz or may be looking for an alternative, the TSAR FACE is an option. This is a low-gain germanium PNP transistor-based fuzz with a unique circuit design. Using two Soviet-era …
Hagerman Amplification Half Watt - "Big amp sound in a small package"
If you are a tube snob, then the Hagerman Half-Watt is an ideal practice and studio recording amp. This is a cleanish amp, although it has some growl and burn when cranked or when playing hard, runni…
Sonicake Matribox - "High-Quality Sounds on a Budget"
Of all the budget multi-effects modelers, the MATRIBOX is my favorite, and I would venture to say that some of the guitar tones (particularly hi-gain) sound impressive. They are ‘dry’ and sound decen…
Driftwood Amplifiers Purple Nightmare Preamp - "2W Amp + Preamp with Killer Tones from Rock to Metal"
Now and again, gear comes along that blows me away, and I am sure others have had that experience. The Purple Nightmare Preamp (based on Driftwood Amp’s flagship Purple Nightmare head) follows suit w…
Epiphone PR-200 - "The one I kept."
I travel as an electrician There's probably 6 or 8 times that I get to a job, check offer up or FB and find a cheap acoustic to play on my days off. I usually end up giving them away right before I l…
This Heavy Earth GRIM 3 - "From clean to hi-gain, Grim 3 makes any tone come alive incredibly well."
GRIM3 is a ‘sick’ pedal, and in a good way. What may throw off some people is that this is not a hi-gain pedal, despite the name or that it comes from its creator, This Heavy Earth. The function and …
LiberaToe ProudAnus (filter-fuzz) - "Dual Channel with Filter or Fuzz, or Filter + Fuzz (bass or lead)"
A fuzz and an envelope filter in one, and ideal for either lead/rhythm or bass. This may not seem unusual, but add to that a dual channel with various filter options, and you have a killer pedal for …
Ibanez QX54QM - "Easy Playing, Comfortable and with NINE Pickup Combinations"
I had headless guitars in the past, both of which were double the price as the Ibanez Quantum (QX54QM model). I found one brand stiff playing, whereas the other two had wiring or sound issues (that …
Universal Audio Dream '65 Reverb Amplifier - "Pure Fender Sounds in a Pedal - Authentic!"
I supposed I could joke about how this is a guitarist’s ‘Wet Dream,’ but the name Dream ’65 will suffice. Emulated from select 1965 Fender Super Reverb amps, as well as select speaker emulations, UA …
Universal Audio Del-Verb Ambience Companion - "Studio-Grade Reverb & Delay emulated from actual Vintage Gear"
The Del-Verb is impressive. It houses a Tape EP-III, a Deluxe Memory Man, UA’s own Precision delay, a 1965 Spring reverb, an EMT Plate reverb, and a Lexicon Hall reverb. Both delay and reverb have t…
LiberaToe Brever - "Dual Channel Spring Reverb + Enhancer (great sound and analog)"
NOTE: I bought a 'module' of the Brever, but it is available in a full-pedal format for about $150. Brever may be as close as it gets to an actual amp spring reverb. Now, I am basing my opinion on…
Universal Audio Ruby '63 Top Boost Amplifier - "Complete Amp-in-a-Pedal that Emulates Incredibly Well"
After having UA’s Woodrow ’55 (Fender Tweed amp emulation) for only a few hours, I knew I had to review the Ruby ‘63 (Vox AC30) and Dream ’65 (Fender Reverb Twin), the latter of which I will be done …
