As guitarists, it always seems we are on the quest for the perfect, nirvana of tone, and when it comes to overdrive and distortion, it is this holy grail that we always seem to be chasing. Yes, I am very guilty of this, the point where you think you have found the perfect pedal, but then G.A.S. (gear acquisition syndrome) gets you and you just have to try something else. I particular blame the internet for this! Anyway, as you can see from my previous reviews I am pretty much happy and content with my set-up, although I do tweak from time to time. To cut a long story short, I was selling some other bits and pieces and I was offered this pedal as a trade. Now, I should have stuck to my guns and just taken the cash, but hey it was an overdrive pedal, and I had heard good things about it, so I brought this 2nd hand on a whim and as a trade for another pedal. I thought that if the worst comes to the worst, it is straight back on Ebay, nothing ventured nothing gained (no pun intended) and all that. Sometime fate does good things!!So most importantly what does it SOUND like?I owned the OCD a few years back, probably my first purchase of a pedal 'unheard', using the now familiar technique of reading a thousand reviews, forum posts and youtube videos. I didn't get off to a good start, I can really appreciate the OCD, it is a good overdrive pedal, but wasn't for me, it lacked the tone that I was looking for, probably which is more soft clipping. I plugged in the Plimsoul, not really knowing what to expect..... about an hour later I still couldn't stop playing with it (the pedal that is!), wow and wow, you know you have a good one when (as I may have said before) time passes, you can't stop playing, and this pedal was one of those for me, the difficulty is choosing which sound to go with as there are just SO many options possible.It seems the design of the pedal is a synergy between a soft-clipped OD and a hard-clipped distortion pedal, as everyone say like a tube-screamer/od-1 bred with a DS-1 or Rat type pedal!! So what is not to like!! It is amazing that you can go from the softly compressed bluesy type sounds to a very saturated high-gain distortion (and the more you turn up stage 2, the more the little red LED flashes depending on how you playing....I like that touch!). The Plimsoul also cleans up nice from the guitar and is very responsive and suitably sounding depending if you are using a single coil or humbucker. I would say the Plimsoul is a bit more mid focused that something like the OCD for example, it is noticeably not as transparent as say the OCD or Wampler Euphoria or Timmy, but actually I am coming to the conclusion of 'sod' transparency, I want dirty!The thing I love most about this pedal is the way it sustains a note and gentle nudges you into feedback and it is a lovely musical feedback. It is very warm sounding too (much warmer sounding than the Boss SD-1 that I have been using for years....which is is replacing), I guess I have mine set in what would be OD with a slightly distortion, it is the perfect tone!How easy is it to use?Very easy, I mean it is an overdrive pedal. There is tons and tons of level on tap (barely got above 10 o'clock, so this could be used as a nice boost pedal as well...but a bit of a waste to do that as it sounds so good!). Hi-cut is basically the tone control, and sustain is what we would normally think of as drive. Stage 2 is where the real distortion starts to kick in, although you could say the knob is a little bit small for some fingers and you can't quite see where it is set from a distance. (just a little niggle!)There is 9V input and it runs from a battery, but you can run it up to 18V, not tried that yearAre there any nice touches?Nicest touch the stage 2 LED which response to you playing...cool as!Will it fall apart?No it is solidly built for sure!!Pros1)It sounds fantastic, like really fantastic2)The number of tonal options possible mixing the Stage 1 and Stage 2's together3)The sustain and level availableCons1)It is expensive (if you don't get lucky like I did)2)You probably will want another one!Video review coming.PeaceNeil
TC Spark Mini Booster review
It really does seem that TC are on a mission at the moment, releasing the most amazing guitar related products, and really listening to what guitarist wants (well maybe not me as I want an upgraded Nova System with just an Auto wah option and better tuner!), but it seems they have done it again. Today they announced the new TC Spark Mini booster, the smaller sibling of the amazing Spark boost, but without most of the additoinal tone options, this is just a cute simple booster. What has blown my mind is the toggle switch, which acts both as a latching and then momentary switch, how cool is that. As you can see in the video below, you can use it as a short little boost for a lick or run, without having to stomp on the switch twice ,just hold and release. Now that is COOL. Video sounds awesome too!Quick search of the web seems to suggest that it is coming in late July 2013 (so not long), I am hazarding a guess that it will be around the same price as a polytune mini...maybe a bit less due to no complex screen.Now where is my Nova II?PeaceNeil
JOYO JF-16 British Sound and Vintage Overdrive follow up review
So here are a couple more demos of the pedals working together using both the Joyo British Sound and Overdrive pedals, this time a take on Hendirx for you. (The first is named after the Creme Brule classic....one for the league of gentlemen fans out there I think!)A rough take of all the Hendrix solos in All Along the Watchtower using Joyo British Sound (Marshall) and vintage overdrive pedal and a Vox Wah pedal, along with TC Electronic Hall of Fame and Flashback Delay (to try and recreate the tape echo/slide/12 string section). Was a lot of fun!! Oh and using a Fender Strat (of course) into Logic with some cabinet simutation in the box (4 x 12)EnjoyPeaceNeil
Egnater Tweaker 40W Head Review
A tiny bit of background to this review. I tried out the Egnater Tweaker 15 head in a shop ages ago and instantly fell in love. Cut a long story short, they didn't have any in stock (and I couldn't afford a new amp), but wow what a little beastie! Just like guitars, it is sometime rare to find an amp that you don't want to stop playing (I had this with the Cornford Roadhouse and Fender Blues JuniorIII recently, although I did try out a Fender Deluxe Reverb which was amazing...but rather too much!). About 12 months ago, I borrowed the Egnater Tweaker 40 Combo, and I used it at home and on a couple of gigs. I thought that it was awesome in terms of it's portability, and at home really liked the the it sounded, but at the gigs there was something missing. One reason for this, was that one of the gigs was in the worst sounding venue of all time, so perhaps I was a little bit harsh on the amp. Long story short, the borrowed amp went back, never to really be thought of again.I have been exceptionally happy gigging for the last couple of years primarily with my Fender Blues Junior III. Who would have thought it for a little 15 W amp, but it works really well with the music we are playing. But...two things, one I am on the eternal quest for the right tone (okay I know what it actually is....my JMP-1 rack with 2 x 12 cab, but it is a little over kill for most gigs, and I can't be bothered to carry it up 3 flights of stairs on a regular basis), and two the Blues Junior is awesome, but sometimes you just want 'that' distortion sound that Fender amps aren't renowned for....and I was kind of in the mood for a bit of that.Having said I always wanted to pick up an amp with a bit more clean headroom, which wasn't too much of an issue with the BJ III, but I was always on the verge of breakup (sorry the amp was...not me personally) and I fancied a little bit more breathing space. The Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III, was always been on the cards as a potential, but I am not really drawn to it for some reason. I tried out the previous version...wow is it loud, but the OD wasn't totally to my taste.So the Tweaker was lurking in the background again, I was also thinking (as we do tend to go in circles) that perhaps a head is the best option, opening up the possibility of different cabs for different jobs. So, I thought I'd give it another chance, and also because I thought of a new way of using it. The big factor in this is the fact you can set up two identical channels....why would you do this??Well...you set up one clean and then one which is basically your clean channel with a bit of a boost, a fantastic situation to be it, especially as you can shape the channel as well. This really appealed to me. But also because I could set up one channel clean, then the second with some lovely amp distortion, and then use a pedal to push for a lead tone, and giving me a slight crunchy tone on the clean too. So many options, and a few more than were possibly with the Blues Junior III which makes a little teensy bit more suitable for live use....for me!So many options! How cool is that, this amp really does deserve sometime spent with it to get the sounds that you want, but believe me, they all seem to work, so much so you are spoilt for choice and it makes it difficult to decide which one to ultimately go with. Currently, I have my heart (and selector switch) set to the Brit tone stack option as it gives me the throaty distortion sound I was looking for. I really like the versitility that this amp gives you to have either two mirrored channels, i.e. you set both up the same, and the perhaps use channel two with a bit more gain an level as a kind of boost. This would work fantastically well if you say were running with some distortion/overdrive pedals before the amp. You have clean/dirt and then clean boost and dirt boost.If breakup is your thing, then with the gain set around 11-12 you can get some lovely crunchy tones. I love how the tight switch...erm tightens up the bottom end (ooer missus!) and give you a much more punchy tone, conversely I like the deep switch engaged to give a lovely thick distortion tone. The shared EQ is a little bit frustrating, I guess the ultimate tweaker would want control over everything. I do like the responsive nature of the EQ thought, it is really hard to dial in a bad sound.I am currently using it with the Ampeg GVT112E 1 x 12 Cab review the cabinet and speaker (Celestion V30) work in perfect harmony, although lacking the metal thump, but hey, I am going for portability here. The amp also takes pedals really well, I used it in conjunction with a old school Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive and this sounded fantastic. In effect creating three levels of boost, with the existing boost switch, giving crunch, distortion and lead tones.Oh and did I mention how small and light this amp is? Throw it in a backpack or a holdall, no more worries about lugging heavy gear. Pair it up with your cabinet of choice and you are good to go! I think my misgivings about the combo were right and I stand by them, but perhaps I didn't allow the little fellow a proper chance. I think the head works better as you can chose your cabinet and perhaps more the speakers that you favour! I guess I should use a higher rated speaker, but I do love vintage 30's and they are in the 0.5 max wattage range.A slight negative for some is that there is no inbuilt reverb, so you will need an external reverb pedal (probably better). I am not really fussed about no reverb as I'd either would add some using TC Hall of Fame, but to be honest unless it is for a special effect, gigging with reverb isn't really a requirement as you are having to deal with the natural reverb of the hall/room/venue.Pros
- How many options? SO many!! It is tweaktastic, to your hearts content
- Enables you to potentially take 'different' amps to different gigs
- It is SO small and light, how cool is that! You can throw it in a backpack
- Two channels the same! Enabling to to have variations on a channel (or two very different channels)
- Comes with a great footswitch (included!)
Cons
- Shared EQ, not a biggy, but would have allow the ultimate Tweakery experience
- AC/Brit/USA tone stack applicaple to both channels, shame as it would be awesome to have USA on one and Brit on two!
- No protective edges on the side, shouldn't be too much of a problem if you are careful
- No reverb...if that's your bag!
Video review coming soonPeaceNeilCheck out other reviews here 
Ampeg GVT112E 1 x 12 Cab review
Pretty simple review here for this 1 x 12 16 ohm cab with a Celestion 12" Vintage 30 Speaker. What can I say, it is super light (always a plus for me as I live up so many stairs. It is really robust and looks like it could take whatever is thrown at it. Powered by either my Marshall JMP-1 pre-amp/8008 Poweramp, it sounds really great (I should add I love the Vintage 30 speaker, hence my choice) and it also makes a nice companion for my Egnater Tweaker 40 W Head, and makes it a nice and light package to carry about. Of course it is a closed back cab, so the projection is quite narrow, and it is never going to sound as full and as deep as a big sounding cab. But hey, I mic up these days, so it is purely for monitoring and to get a reasonable tone, which is really does.Here is the blurb about what Ampeg say about it
Ampeg GVT112E Guitar Extension Cabinet delivers a modern cabinet with stunning retro styled looks. Ampeg GVT112E has that great look of the 70's era, featuring a straight up no frills American tone and tough road-ready design. GVT112-E comes loaded with a Celestion 12" Vintage 30 speaker which handles up to 60-watts of raw power at a 16 ohms rating, making this 1x12" cabinet an ideal partner for any Ampeg GVT amp head, or combo extension.
Pros
- Cost
- It is SO small and light, how cool is that! You can throw it in the boot no worries...literally
- Has a Vintage 30 in it
Cons
- Closed back, so narrow projection beam and a little bit boomy
- Never going to compete with a bigger cab sonically
PeaceNeilCheck out other reviews here
Joyo JF-16 British Sound Pedal Review
So another review of the a Joyo Pedal, I have already reviewed the Joyo Tremolo, American Sound and Ultimate Drive, California Drive, so it is the time of the Joyo JF-16 British Sound! This pedal is trying to model a good old Marshall! This time the pedal is trying to emulate the Marshall Bluesbreaker.How easy is it to use?The pedal is dead easy to use it has a 3 band EQ section and controls for level, gain and voice. The voice control is perhaps the only one which isn't immediately clear as to what it does, but it is basically a mid-shaping pre-amp controlThe pedal could be used as an emergency amp, or strapped to a pedal board you could create your own amp simulator board, without the need of something like a Line-6 amp simulator. To me this is probably the best feature of these pedal, as I have mentioned in previous reviews. I have been using it to do direct recording too and it sounds fantastic. In conjunction with something like a traditional pedalboard, you have your own amp modelling system.There is 9V input and it runs from a battery.Are there any nice touches?Pretty standard pedal really, nothing really stands out! Nicest touch...it costs less than £30!!! (Ethics aside)So most importantly what does it SOUND like?For a pedal which costs less than £30, it is really good for a nice 'British' sounding rock pedal. I wasn't as blown away with it as I was with the American Sound pedal, but it really would be impossible to have any real complaints given the cost. It works well as a dirty/crunchy DI amp modelling box in the studio.I would say I am happiest with the pedal with the voice and the drive setting beyond 12 o'clock, but the trade off is that there is an increase in noise (like the real amp I guess, but not intentional!). The pedal actually works really well with the Joyo Vintage Drive pedal to give a lovely lead tone, and you can here the examples of this below. I found using it with a separate drive pedal suits me more (personally), I will say that the pedal is very dynamic and does respond well to your playing, it does cleans up well using the guitar's volume.It is well worth every penny. I would suggest putting it on your shortlists.Demonstration of the lead sound of the pedal in conjunction with the Joyo vintage overdrive pedal.Demonstration of the lead and rhythm sound of the pedal in conjunction with the Joyo vintage overdrive pedal. Example using Led Zep's The Ocean.The pedal is also true bypass.Will it fall apart?The case is made of pretty robust Aluminium, built like most pedals, but whilst I am sure it could take a complete hammering, I probably would treat it with some care, I also worry about the battery cover which seems a bit flimsy. I use a PSU, so this isn't really an issue for me.Pros1)Like the other pedals...the cost, and could be used as an emergency amp in a live situation!2)It sounds pretty good as a crunchy amp and as a direct box, with the drive turned up the distortion sounds pretty good.Cons1)Not 100% convinced about the construction if used under pressure2)It's not quite there, but then again I am a massive Marshall fan3)Increase in noise at high drive settings (sounds like a fry up!)4)The ethics of ‘stealing’ IP and cheap labour economics?5)Not as good as the American Sound.Video review coming.PeaceNeil
Zoom G5 review
I have been in the market for a modelling floor pedal for sometime now, and I really like the idea of the Boss GT-100 or Line 6 HD500 as a simple, throw in the bag solution for some gigs and recording work. Also, a part of me thinks that I should have one just to keep up with what is going on in the guitar world. Now of course I would love to try the Axe FX II, but currently that is out of my price range and would not give any advantage over my existing rack (Marshall JMP-1, TC Electronic G-Major 2) in terms of portability (i.e I might as well just take my existing rack!). I have tried out the Boss GT-10 and I didn't like it, I have had various Line 6 Pod's and amps over the years (as well as the M-series) effects, but they have all found their way on to eBay or gumtree, none of them have been 'keepers'. So I am yet to be convinced, but I do really like the idea!So, I was recommended the Zoom G5 and it did seem to be getting some good reviews online. Unfortunately, there was no where local stocking it, so I plumped for a deal online with Thomann, and eagerly awaited it's arrival. So I had the Zoom for a few hours and then…….. sent it back. Now don't get me wrong, I think for a lot of people this would be a mighty fine unit, but it just wasn't for me, and here is why….The construction was very impressive, robust and looks like it could take a fair amount of abuse. Not so sure about the lateral movement of the Z-pedal, but I am not really sure how much that would be used anyway! The looper is really easy to use and a lot of fun, coupled with some interesting sounding built-in rhythm tracks (and metronome) make it a really useful learning and practicing tool. The clean sounds were really nice, highlighted by some of the presets. I loved how simple it was to use and the individual LCD displays were a joy to work with. There were a huge amount of effects on board to play with, on the whole they were impressive, for me, the delays, reverbs were pretty cool. I will hold my hands up and say I am not a fan of some of the more synthy/filter effects, but I am sure for some people they would be a joy to use. I did also like some of the wah models, although the Autowah sounded rather fake, and I couldn't quite get the sensitivity control to respond well to my guitar at all.In terms of the amp modelling, I found that the clean models were really nice, and worked will when adding the Tube Screamer model to get a lovely crunch, and then hitting the fantastic 'tube booster' could get a nice lead tone. I think the tube booster is a fantastic idea and is implemented really well in the unit, I really do wish more units (and amps!) had this function. The MS (Marshall) amp models weren't too bad, but I found that the higher gain amps were just to fizzy and quite noisy at higher gain levels. I found this quite off putting for my own personal tastes, in particular the Zakk Wylde and Eddie Van Halen 'soundlike' patches weren't fantastic at all, in some respects were quite terrible! I did try to work with these patches to get a better approximation (not to the tone but to something which wasn't just fizz), but I didn't succeed. I also found the the Jazz patches were rather sterile, rather than warm. Having said that, the models on the whole were quite responsive to changes in guitar volume.Connectivity wise, I found the unit slightly lacking when compared to the others (but hey it is half their price), although the lack of midi was a bit of a disappointment as the unit could have been incorporated into a bigger set up. Not fully sure how the eco mode works though! The G5 does have a USB recording interface too, which makes it really useful for home recording.Pros
- Very simple to use
- I thought the clean sounds were really good, in particular the FD model was really nice
- I wish every pedal, amp had the tube boost function, extremely useful and tailorable.
- Very reasonably priced
- Ground lift on the XLR output
- Z-pedal is a nice idea (does take some getting used to)
Cons (for me)
- I just didn't like the distortion sound at all. Rather too 'fizzy' for my tastes.
- No Midi control
- Noisy on high gain
- Some of the effects sounded quite 'fake'
I think overall, that this is a really useful tool! It seems equally at home in the studio, practice room or live. Taking time to dial in some sounds would certain get some good useable results. I appreciate that this is a quick review based on a few hours playing with the unit, but I have to say that if I am not inspired by a unit then it has to go back. I am sure that this would be a great unit for some people, just not for me. I certainly put it on your list of units to try out if you are in the market for a modeller.I guess I am still yet to be convinced by modelling, I really can see the potential for these units, I really would love to rock up with a pedal and a guitar and with one cable connect directly to the PA and be good to go. Unfortunately, at the moment I am not quite there, I would say the Zoom is in the same league as the other modellers and really worth your consideration if you are in the market for one of these units, as it really does have a fantastic price tag.I should also point out something extremely important, I am really NOT a tone snob! I will happily play through anything, but ....and it is a big but, I do know what I like and I do need to be inspired by a sound (be it valve, solid-state, digital) and unfortunately with this unit I wasn't inspired at all. About 12 years ago, I had the Johnson J-Station earlier modeller and there were a few sound on there which were inspiring and usable, so I am not anti-modelling, I just need something that makes me want to play more and more and more.....PeaceNeil