Guitar, Amps, Pedals

Those who are fortunate enough to take the journey to the annual NAMM Show know that when you step out onto that floor, you're bound to find something that completely rocks your world. Something huge, something wild, something you've never seen before. For the past four years or so, Chase Bliss Audio has been the brand doing most of the mindblowing in the pedal realm. Let's go back to the 2019 NAMM Show. Chase Bliss Audio owner and designer Joel Korte debuts a first of its kind pedal dubbed the Automatone Preamp MKII. It features motorized faders that adjust automatically when cycling through presets. We've seen it in the studio for years, so why not go there with a pedal? And just like that, the pedal becomes an instant success because of its innovation and fantastic sounds. Continue reading →

With 2021 nearly here, we're concluding our blog wrap-up of the best selling pro audio gear of 2020. You didn't think we would skip synths and pedals, did you? Fear not, filter sweepers and fuzz lords! We've got you covered! While few will reminisce about 2020 with great fondness, one positive to come from this year is an overwhelming amount of new tools for tinkering in the studio. From pedals built in collaboration between companies to synthesizers that revive classic designs, this is the gear that got our customers through the past 365 days. Continue reading →

Any studio worth its weight in gold has amplifier options for days. Something that will set your space apart from the rest is the new rackmount version of The Amp. This collaboration from Milkman Sound and Vintage King will give you a rack-ready amp that easily plugs into your workflow and works well with both pedals and outboard gear. The new take on The Amp is actually the same as the beloved 50 Watt pedal version, but comes in a 19-inch rackmount chassis. The preamp of The Amp centers on a single 12AX7 running at high voltage in a discrete Class A circuit. Just like a guitar amplifier, the tube preamp reacts to what a player is playing, generating harmonics and a sweet sounding high fidelity tube tone that you will love. Continue reading →

As one of the most popular techniques in modern recording, reamping allows engineers the flexibility to capture the best sounding guitar takes and send them through any amp or chain that they desire. This practice gives users the chance to experiment with different microphones, various settings on amplifiers, and unique pedal combinations without having to re-record another take. Want to know the best part? It's pretty easy to do! In this blog, we'll be going over the basics of reamping and the gear that you'll need to get the job done right. So sit back, plug in, and let's talk about how to get pristine takes that you can do whatever you want with later. Continue reading →

The beloved pedal makers at Strymon recently unleashed the brand's latest release, NightSky. This pedal takes on the form factor of the popular Volante Magnetic Echo Machine and gives users instant access to 13 presets (300 via MIDI) of lush, warm reverb with endless possibilities. NightSky is ideal for those who want to experiment with their reverb. The pedal offers up nine different knobs with additional button-based controls for dialing in the sound you're dreaming of. You can select different waveforms using the MOD section, sculpt the EQ of the effect with the TONE section, use GLIMMER and SHIMMER to enhance different frequencies and pitch shift your reverb... That's just the tip of the iceberg. Continue reading →

As a trusted resource of repairs for over decade, Echo Fix has certainly established themselves as the go-to when your tape echo machine has gone haywire. So it makes sense that the Australian company would go even further down the prototyping, testing, and design rabbit hole to create their own take on the classic tape echo. The resulting Tape Echo EF-X2 is nothing short of stunning. This unit has an extremely deep feature set, which starts with four basic functions; tape echo, real spring reverb, DSP reverb/chorus and preamp. From there, the possibilities to tweak and develop creative sounds are endless. Continue reading →

Keeping up with current guitar pedal releases can sometimes seem like a full-time job, there are just so many innovative brands who keep pushing the envelope and finding new ways to recreate classics. We wouldn't trade this embarrassment of riches for the world and that's why we put together a new video featuring our choices for the hottest pedals and effects of 2020 so far. Our list starts with the Vongon Paragraphs, an outstanding analog four-pole resonant low pass filter pedal that has been flying off the shelves for the company. Next, the legendary Shin-Ei line is back, and we're talking specifically about the picture-perfect fuzz of the Companion. Rounding out the pedal selections on our list, Strymon discontinued its long-time compression option in the OB-1, but it's now back with the impeccable Compadre. Continue reading →

It all began in 2018, as Joel Korte of Chase Bliss Audio started the design process of a revolutionary looper pedal. He let the world in on the secret via a Kickstarter campaign that was overwhelmingly funded by rabid pedal heads. To say that anticipation has been high is an understatement, and while the journey has felt like a long one, we've finally reached the summit. The Chase Bliss Audio Blooper pedal is in our hands and it was worth the wait. Continue reading →

Dustin McLaughlin from Vintage King Audio here, and when I wasn't behind the camera or working on editing videos for VK, I was checking out the hottest guitar pedals of 2019. To say this year was "monumental" for pedals would be an absolute understatement. There were enough incredible releases to keep the heads talking on forums until 2040! So what happened in the world of guitar pedals in 2019? The smaller companies that we've come to know and love over the past few years like Meris and Chase Bliss Audio gave us incredible new tools for our boards. Meanwhile, industry forefathers like Electro-Harmonix and Boss continued their dominance with epic recreations and a few new concepts. Continue reading →

Over the past decade or so, musicians have increasingly looked to cab sims, impulse responses and DIs to lighten their load in terms of weight and volume. The new Strymon Iridium ($399) offers a different take on these options for guitarists by giving them a fully-featured cab sim/IR loader that lives on their pedalboard. Have you ever plugged your guitar directly into a full-range monitor with your favorite overdrive engaged? It sounds like a coffee can filled with hornets angrily buzzing around. With the Iridium placed after your overdrive and before the monitor, this transforms the can of bees into your favorite tube amp with the flick of a switch. Continue reading →