dan_atom's Reviews

Vox MINI3 (AC-DC powered amp)

this handy little amp runs on mains power or 6 x AA batteries, Alkaline's last around 8 hours of playing. It also features a handy input for an mp3 player (like your phone) to play backing tracks to jam to. It also has a separate Microphone input with separate reverb and volume...goes surprisingly loud for it's small size too. I have the 1st old version -I think Version 2 is out now.

Great Solid Top Acoustic

This was a guitar in the mid price range that I was attracted to by the Fishman pickups and Solid Top and cutaway for such cheap price. Although it's made in Indonesia I'm impressed by it's quality. Holds tune fairly well too. Good guitar all round for it's price.

Great overdrive pedal

When I first got my Fender Blues Junior amp I needed a pedal for overdrive as unless I got it up to high volumes I just couldn't et feedback and it has no switch. So I got recommended this Vox overdrive pedal while I was also buying (the essential Vox V847A WahWah pedal). I think we were just talking about Vox in general so I tried this Ice9 pedal and as a comparison I also tried the old Ibanez Tube Screamer. In the end I chose the Vox Ice9.I especially liked the extra shaping the Bass knob provides with the overdrive. The "More" switch gives an instant 15db boost which is handy for lead breaks when you find that you can't turn your volume up any further as well. All round a great pedal in my opinion. I'd miss it if I lost it put it that way! :-)

The BEST Stratocaster pickups made by Fender

These are the lowest output pickups that Fender made -but that's not a bad thing at all!

All 3 pickups are exactly the same output clocking in at 5.8K (DC Resistance) & Inductance at 2.2h.

The lower the output of the pickup the more of the natural sound of the guitar comes through. As you go hotter you gain volume but gradually lose clarity and punch. The way I see it you use you amps for more volume so why not keep the pickups as natural as possible?

Ever since I put these pickups in my American Special Stratocaster (replacing the Texas Specials) my strat sounds much more authentic and "strat-like" if you know what I mean. Through my Blues Junior with a touch of gain (Vox Ice Overdrive pedal) I get great "Clapton-like" tones (similar to "From The Cradle" -a really nice bluezy strat sound -man nit's transformed the guitar these pickups!!

It sounds so good that my poor Telecaster has been getting neglected lately!

Before I decided on these CS '69's though I watched many youtube videos on other pickups and (I really liked Lindy Fralin pickups but wanted to keep the guitar pure Fender) I narrowed my choice down to the CS'69's, the CS '54's or the 57/62's. I recommend if you're looking fr new pickups and you want a great strat tone any 3 of these are the best in my opinion..to each his own though, as always!

Great amp!

Best valve amp you can get for small gigs or just practising.

Great bottom line built American guitar

I loved this guitar when I first bought it in 2012 but over time and after playing some other American Strats I noticed it didn't have a very "traditional" Strat sound. By that I mean it just sounded too hot. So last year I swapped the stock Texas Special pickups for a set of Fender Custom Shop '69 pickups -man, now she really SINGS!!! The CS '69's are the mildest hand wound pickups you can get (even slightly milder than the CS '54's) and that means that more of the guitar's "natural" sound comes through. These are the same pickups used in all strats between 1968 and 1971...from Ritchie Blackmore's '68 black strat used on Deep Purple's - "Machine Head" to Hendrix's Black 1968 strat and his famous white '69 strat. Great pickups anyway!!! So now my American Special is PERFECT to my ears! :-)

Great guitar. True Telecaster sound.

Love this Telecaster. Easier to intonate with the 6 saddle bridge than a 3 saddle brass bridge although the old style brass looks better!