jacob_clark's Reviews
7 reviews Back to jacob_clark's Equipboard
96
The best for the price...and more.
I've been using the Shure SE 215s for almost two years now, and they are by far my favorite set of headphones I've ever used for casual listening because they make my music sound fun while still retaining a healthy amount of detail. I fall asleep with them in almost every night because of their incredibly comfortable fit. However, as stage monitors I find they do better than almost anything else I've ever used. The SE 215s have a more bassy sound than most prefer, but I often find the output of most IEM packs and Avioms to be very bright for my ears, so they counteract that quite well. Especially when I'm playing bass or drums and need a little more of the rhythm section, they more than serve their purpose. They shine on vocals with their dry, warm mids, and they easily take the case for best $100 IEMs. In fact, they might even be better than other higher-priced models from Shure depending on your taste. If you like something warm and smooth yet still detailed, these are your first and only stop.
96
Solid, budget volume pedal
I was looking for a cheap volume pedal one day and walked out of a Guitar Center with this one used for around $40. It doesn't screw with my tone because it's an active volume pedal, it has a minimum volume control for a little extra versatility, and it's built like a tank. The only things that keep the Little Alligator from having a perfect score are its size and its slightly loose feel. The latter is something I can change if need be, but the former can be a little annoying when planning a compact pedalboard layout. All in all, though, if you need a cheap volume pedal for swells or really anything else, it's not bad at all.
96
Turn it on, smile, and wave
If you want to use this pedal correctly, here's how: turn it up all the way and leave it on all the time. The Echoplex is one of those pedals that I've ended up using as a verb (not reverb, but an action word) because it does some indescribable things to my tone. It's really hard to explain all the tonal things that happen to my tone when I play it; it just makes me sound better. The Echoplex is one of those things that you can't screw up even if you try. It's tone makes me smile every time I turn it on.
-s.webp?v=1784844261)
96
The Best Bass for Anyone. Yes, Anyone.
When I began playing bass more intensely at my church, I realized that I wanted one of my own so I could practice and mess around at home. I got an older Standard Jazz Bass from my favorite guitar store and knew that this was the best fit for me. The neck fits perfectly in my hand because of its slender width and C-shaped depth, and the tone is classic Jazz bass: smooth, but punchy if played harder. It can do a myriad of styles, from arena rock to indie to pop to anything in between. It's a great instrument to start out on for any aspiring bassist and wouldn't make a bad bass for any seasoned pro on a budget.
96
A Mexican Strat Very Worthy of the Fender Name
People always say that the Mexican standard Strat is a great beginner guitar, and I'd largely agree with that statement. It has excellent components and construction for the price. However, I still struggle to see why people don't get the Deluxe Player's model more often. It has an incredibly comfortable satin neck and 12" radius fretboard (mine is maple), a beautiful swamp ash body that shines in transparent finishes, the vintage-style Fender tuners that make string changes far less complicated, and completely upgraded electronics that not only make this Strat more versatile but hum-free. Yet this guitar still wants to be played with the same care a vintage Strat should be: finesse, not power; simplicity, not complexity; expression and passion, not pride. I'd put this guitar toe-to-toe with any of the American Strats I've played. It may not beat them out for some; however, for this player it wins because of its more modern neck and electronics.
96
A Versatile Tone Monster
This is one of the very few Line 6 products that I love. Possessing the capabilities of 100+ effects and a floorboard-like arrangement, it is incredibly easy to use for any guitarist at all familiar with pedals. Its best sounds are its reverbs and delays, as they accurately emulate the units they model. I'm not as familiar with the filters and mods to know how accurate they are, but they sound good to my ears. The one sort of letdown are the drives. They don't sound as organic as their real-world counterparts, as they lack warmth and complexity; however, they aren't terrible and I use them with confidence, even if they don't stand up to personal scrutiny.
96
The Perfect Budget Tube Amp
The world of budget tube amps is so crowded now that it can be hard to find a gem. Thankfully, Blackstar has their wonderful HT-5 to do the trick. It is among the most versatile tube amps in its price class, having boutiquey cleans, British crunch, and American blues tones all in the same package. Many amps can claim to do this sort of thing, but very few have the quality in their tone that the HT-5 has. It has a tone that can work well with all types of pickups in all types of guitars. I find it especially shines with single coils and low output humbuckers, as it doesn't color the tone more than necessary and allows the nuances of the player to shine through.