lobberuno's Reviews
43 reviews Back to lobberuno's Equipboard
821
Small but tasty Reverb
I just got this small reverb for bringing some ambient background to the guitar riffs and rhythm. I need to say this is a small pedal, it doesn't has in-depth menus or submenus, with a lot of things to configure like... well, you know which pedal I'm talking about. But, for the small size and it carries 4 reverbs (essentials for my reason), also due the price, it does well. It happened to me that I had a previous reverb (Hall of Fame 2), but I just used Shimmer or Church (also named as Cathedral or Cavern), and I never used the Tone print stuff and the other modes.
This is my specific case that I just use like one or two reverbs for like anything. By the way, I absolutely love the reverbs included in the Empress Echosystem, it is so good, that also I use them a lot. However, the Hall and Spring reverbs included on the Echosystem are different to Space and Plate included on the Skylar.
During this one hour experience, the best thing was the Shimmer -Octaved Down-, it brings a new and fresh sound to anything like it, sounds new and modern, also doesn't get noticed but adds low frequencies to your sound. Massive.
I dislike that you need a TRS adapter to split signals to amps, so I ran the pedal in mono and anyway it sounded awesome. I can't wait to run it on stereo.
Skylar also can add Chorus as modulation for Space and Plate modes, á la BigSky formula.
I'm curious to add a Mariana Pedal on Pre/Post to the Skylar. It will be a nice experience.
Update: 15/01/2024.
After some serious playing and test, still I'm not able to split signals due the TRS input, so currently I'm playing a Vox AC15C1 with the drive and delay signal, and a Fender CDR68 Custom-Vintage Channel, with the full signal, with nice results. Still the most liked effect is Shimmer Octaved Down. Also, this pedal can achieve Bigsky-esque sounds.
A good feature that I was missing is the dry signal on/off option, able to change in a submenu by holding the Reverb Type knob, so you could have one preset with as dry signal and the other as wet signal.
Recent cons detected are that you can just have two presets with the pedal, and there is no a buffered bypass so the preset change passes being noticed. Still, I will preserve the 5 stars rating due the sound quality but in nowadays terms, more options are needed for the standard guitarist/keyboard player.
Preferred Settings + Usage:
Shimmer -octaved down- is until this moment my most liked experience with the pedal.
821
Rich and Harmonics Rhythms, nice price
Currently, testing this pedal so I would prefer you take this review like a grain of salt.
Previously, I had a TS Mini, BD-2 Blues Driver, Fulldrive 2 Mosfet and recently got a Nux Tubeman MkII, all them are great on its own for the way these were designed. Now, it's time for a Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive. My rig for test was a Gretsch G5420T into the SD-1, then jacked into a Vox AC15C1 and to a Fender Custom Deluxe on Vintage Channel. The electrical outlet is grounded properly, just the power supply for the pedal is ungrounded.
I read great reviews about this pedal, and all them are true. The AC15C1 might sound harsh in some setups, but the SD-1 tames well this amp. The SD-1 brings a mellow sparkle and a very comfortable smoothness to your playing (Strokes-You only live once rhythm interlude riff for example), but if you add more gain to the sound, you can play hard rock or even metal if you bring treble.
Volume and gain pots are like an equation to balance for me, but sometimes I can experiment full volume and gain just for fun. Starting at zero gain, we get sparkled clean boost with some mellow vibes. The more the gain, adds more subtle sparkle on the background guitar sound, so you can understand what is currently playing. The Volume control is preferred at 12'o clock first, then you turn the knob to adjust The Tone knob is toward clarity (contour).
For the Fender CDR 68', I liked better how the SD-1 matches the amp, the smoothness is still noticeable, but not excesive, like when playing on the Vox AC15C1 that feels like playing on a sponge fretboard (that grade of smoothness in a good way). The sound is amazing, you can listen to the notes, and still a little grit on the background, a distintive chime for the SD-1. However, using the Custom Channel that uses mid-push I found an interesting response from the amp, still clear, pushed the low mid frequencies in a good way, great for soloing and still can be rhythmical. Probably, a compressor could be added to the formula, but is not required.
Comparing the SD-1 versus other pedals:
SD-1 vs. TS Mini. As far I remember, the TS Mini has more grit and can sound harsh on full tone, its EQ makes that you want to do riffs all the time. With the SD-1, I tend to do mellow rhythms (bigsby included). Also, the TS Mini needed a booster to do nicely for solos and consistent riffs (EP Booster). Probably, a booster might help for the SD-1.
SD-1 vs. Fulldrive 2 Mosfet. Not in the same category, but for versatilty, the FD2 wins here, however, the SD-1 has clarity while the FD2 might sound unclear or muddy on some setups, unless you plug a 18 vdc power supply for the FD2 to bring clarity. For mellowness, dynamics and vibe, the SD-1 is the way to go. If you want versatility, you may prefer the FD2.
SD-1 vs. BD-2. This is an interesting match, both are somewhat transparent, however the SD-1 sounds mellow and also its EQ is provided with Mids, where the BD-2 is mid-cut, it might sound harsh on a Vox AC15C1 or a Fender Deluxe Reverb. Not the case for the SD-1 on these both amps.
Boss SD-1 vs Nux Tubeman MkII. A very close match. Both are mellow, both starts on clean boost setups. However, where the Nux has a modern vibe tone because the FET electronic design, the SD-1 tends for a classic tone. You can play with both pedals the same songs and probably you will don't notice if the pedal was changed. But, both are EQ on different ranges, and I tend to do rhythms with the SD-1 more than with the Nux, which is more an general purpose pedal. Update Feb.19.2023: Is also important to mention, the Nux Tubeman MKII has less grit on the gain Pot where the SD-1 has more grit starting the 9 o'clock gain pot position. You could 'clean' the grit on the SD-1 with a compressor before the SD-1 lowering the sustain and bringing up the level. As Summary, the Nux Tubeman MKII is a bit cleaner than the Boss SD-1.
On its own, the SD-1 as lead tone, is not being a favorite for my taste, is because I feel so much the mid push on my fingers, probably could fit nice for slow riffs or rhythm-riff-like solos (Hendrix - Little Wing). Also for rhythm lead feels great, warm, smooth and easy to go between chords, Bigsby vibrato chords or changing the neck position.
Update Feb.19.2023 The SD-1 matches other pedals nicely, say, for Riffs and Solos, put a very subtle Reverb on the first spot of the pedal chain to improve the acoustic frequencies. As well, pairing the SD-1 after a MXR Micro Amp gives extra frequencies to the overdrive.
Based on the previous comment I can state:
The Tone Knob controls a contour parameter for the whole EQ sound, if you balance the gain-volume and finally you adjust the tone, you will be able to master this pedal. Think about this like a mini amp.
The best matches for guitar-amp is Single Coils with Mid-Cut amps, examples: Strat with Vox AC15, Fender Deluxe Reverb, and so on. This because the Boss SD-1 offers mid push. However, it reinforces smoothness and mid push in a good way with Humbuckers and mid pushed amps (Les Paul into a SD-1 plugged to a Marshall, Hi-Watt, for example). It is up to your taste how your setup is going.
You can't go wrong with a Boss SD-1, which I'm considering to put on my pedalboard and kick off the current green overdrive.
31/08/2024 Update Today I did a practice pairing a MXR Micro Amp with the Boss SD-1 plugged into the Fender Custom Deluxe Reverb '68, Custom Channel, all this because all the excitement about the comeback of the Oasis band. If you don't have a Marshall Amp nearby, well, this is a practical "Marshall at home", just try to add also some compression to the recipe and the windows will begin to shake. Sounds are some like 70's-80's depending how you configure the drive-volume ratio on the pedal and the tone.
821
Nice delay staple with looper included
I got this pedal from a friend, and before I tested it with a nice score. However, after I got an Empress Echosystem, with a better processor, is noticeable the difference on the sound quality. Yet, I believe the TC Flashback has a hidden Reverb which you can tweak by using the Tone Print tool, so this is the "magic" for its sound, a boosted and compressed sound and finally we get a beautiful tone for our delayed rhythm.
I mostly use this pedal just for the looper, because is easy to start and stop. I tried to combine with the Empress Echosystem, using this last just in Reverb mode having decent results.
The TC Flashback is amazing, however, it lacks some advanced features that I look at delay pedals, like tap tempo and kill-dry button easier to switch. But, let's going to do a fair review, this is a small pedal and despite that has been released years ago, it is still a favorite for most pedalboards.
UPDATE NOV/28/2024. What can I do to this pedal if I'm going to buy a better Delay Pedal (like a Timeline, for example) soon? As I stated, this is a nice staple pedal, so: 1. The first use you can do is to use it as a Looper. 2. Behind the pedal there is a cover, so you have to unscrew then you can configure the Dipswitchs following the manual directions to have a Kill-Dry configuration. Then, the Mix knob will now act like the pedal volume and use the Delay Time Knob around 30-100 ms, Digital Delay mode for the biggest clarity. What will this used for? Your sound will have a proper delay so this emulates a tube amp effect and brings dynamics and a smooth playing. If you play Blues or Jazz, please try this option, but will work with any style. The pedal must be the on the closest place to the guitar input (not the amp input). Additionally, I setted a cheap reverb pedal without use (Mooer Shimverb) between the Flashback and the guitar plug and this drastically improved my playing (I'm a huge fan of tube amp dynamics to be honest).
Preferred Settings + Usage:
Guitar ->->Shimverb (very subtle spring settiings) ->-> Flashback (Kill-Dry, Mix 100%, ±50ms Delay Time) ->-> MXR Micro Amp ->-> Nux Tubeman MKii ->-> GFi Systems Skylar.
821
Rich and Mellow sound for classic revamps
The G5655T is a great guitar, I'm impressed. Yet, is different from a solid body electric guitar, because the magnetic induction works different, think about using an electroacoustic guitar with pickups, is like the middle point between electric and acoustic.
Recently, I just play just for fun, trying to improve on bends, rather than speed, chords with long decay reverbs and trying stuff about those late 50s, early 60s style (surf included).
Previously with solid body electric guitars, I have been searching for a clean and clear overdrive tones and I found to roll out the magnetic poles on the humbuckers so them will sound more clear. But, with the Gretsch G5655T it works pretty well. These are untouch since I bought the Gretsch G5655T.
The guitar looks pretty solid, feels lightweight compared with other electric guitars. Maybe could replace an electric guitar, but in essence both are on different classes. Think about a semihollow body guitar like a guitar with richer sounds, nice feedback and natural acoustic.
I'd recommend this guitar for musical revamps on 60s rock, music with mellow acoustics, bended chords or effects. Even Jack White-esque sounds.
Pairs well with pedals. Trebble bleed pots included. Master volume included. Bigsby included. Split-Coils is desirable but not included.
Update 2023/02/06. I've playing the Gretsch and I'm still amazed. The sound is rich on harmonics, and comfortable to play. Mine still needs some adjustments for a perfect playing but I would like to explore a some more time before a major modification.
Sincerely, it doesn't replace an electric guitar, because the frequency range is between single coils and humbuckers. Instead of, it co-ops with any other guitar very good. Yes, this is a guitar that I have waited for so long.
UPDATE NOV/28/2024: Because this is a very different guitar and pickups than a common solid electric guitar with humbuckers, single coils, P90, and so, I strongly recommend to DON'T adjust the poles from the Filter-Trons, unless you want a really vintage for your tone. Recently, I have been adjusting the pickups height and poles. Spoilers: I messed it a little then finally I restored it like a factory reset so it sounds more electric and suitable for acoustic, clean, boosted and overdrive tones. Maybe and just maybe could bring some distorted tones with the proper pedals (a la Jack White-esque).
Preferred Settings + Usage:
Bigsby bend on chords. Adjust pickups before use. My pickups adjust are at middle height, the bridge tuner matic is on low height preferring to have a lower distance on the upper strings side (4-5-6 strings). I'm not very technician to these adjust, I just play and do the adjustments, until the bassy strings sound clearer.
821
Good compressor for the price
My first and unique compressor before this one was a MXR Dyna Comp. Many people knows about it and it has been on professionals' pedalboard since its release.
My change into a lower budget pedalboard resulted in a time reduction for my playing, so I don't need a better or superb professional rig at the moment. However, I found over that even budget stuff can fit or sound 'well' on certain combinations. Having a good amp and a good guitar is 2/3 the way for the tone you ever dream. The another 1/3 is on your cables and the quality of your pedals.
I bought this compressor for under USD$20, free shipping. Probably still I'm trying to figure out how good it is on stage situations, but the first con is the stompswitch, it does a "clack" big sound considering you do studio recording, you might want to change the stompswitch.
About the sound, I just tested it on low volume, but feels great when it is connected to the Vox AC15C1 and improves greatly the smoothness during the playing (this is, the dynamics get improved and also the touch response). I remember regreting about my Fender CDR68 and the Vox AC15C1 because both didn't feel like if them were tube rectified. However, with this compressor, helps a lot compressing the sound to give a sparkle to the sound.
Finally I understand that when we found a saturated tone, is because the frequencies get compressed. Taking note about this, when you have an overdriven amp (like the Vox AC15C1) but you don't get more overdrive, you probably have to put a compressor in the first spot of your pedalboard and turn up the sustain.
About the tone, I feel it lack of some frequency push around 700~800 Mhz, exactly I don't know, or it is because I was playing very low (around 3-4).
Some cons I can add about this pedal is that sometimes tend to bring noise to the signal, and is resolved using an isolated power supply for pedals, supposing that the electrical supply is correctly grounded according to the National Electrical Code (NEC).
The question is why should I need a compressor? Let's compare this pedal into two amps.
The first one, Class A Vox AC15C1, if you add more volumen per channel, the gain goes up at the same time the volume goes up. However, you sometimes need clearing your sound because it is fuzzy, gritty and even messy. So you connect your compressor, all knobs at 12 o'clock and then turn counterclock wise the sustain until you feel comfortable with what you're listening to. Turning the sustain knob clockwise, you get a grittier sound, as the same if you turn right the level knob. Do you want to nail the Marshall amp sound with your AC15C1? Bring a compressor into the signal chain, put a proper gain and sustain down the pedal.
On the other side we have a Fender Custom Deluxe Reverb '68, which features a Class AB amplification, the compressor reacts as an 'acoustic improver', so you can lower the gain pot on the guitar, get a proper volume and then turning counter clockwise the sustain to get a close tone like if the guitar was an acoustic. However, if you turn sustain in clockwise, the dynamics get improved and the feeling during your playing gets smooth. If you turn right the level knob, the gain raises a little up and the volume goes up.
If you just want to have pedals on a budget, this is a nice option, even better than a digital effects processor (yuck!)
Sep.22.2023 Update. Recently, I'm practicing and I finally found how may it work on my pedalboard. The best concept for this pedal in my opinion is as enhancer, improves your sound, from a poor signal to a richer sound. Those thin and lack of character sounds, goes up with crispy and some decibels more in your chain. Those guitars with special coils may take profit of this pedal (probably from any compressor). My favorite setup is left knob at 10 o'clock, right knob at 2 o'clock and the central at your choice depending how much speed you require.
This pedal as enhancer is always always on.
821
Green overdrive as you expect, but with a impressive response.
Right before I had the MXR Micro Amp, the Empress Echosystem and the Mooer Shimverb, so I needed an overdrive to don't be annoying with the neighbors. I was about to buy the Behringer TO800, but something went wrong and then I forgot to purchase again. After some days, I found the Nux Tubeman Mkii and I decided to get this one after watching some videos.
Once it arrived, I tried first with a Fender Custom Deluxe Reverb '68, on the Custom side. I was impressed with the quality and the features, because is a quiet pedal, with gain on zero, it works as a clean mid boost, has a good response to dynamics and to the guitar pots, it overdrives with clarity, very cool, it has headroom, the sound can be trebly, normal or muffled... It is a bang for the buck.
Then, I tried this overdrive with a Vox AC15C1 and it sounded awesome. No harsh sounds, just clear tones and awesome lead riffs. I liked it more with the AC15C1 than the CDR68.
I never tried the Ibanez Ts808, but I think how it would sound and feel a real one, and probably the Nux Tubeman doesn't do that "whack" sound when you hit the strings or probably you wouldn't be likely to riff all the time, like the Ibanez TS Mini, but it has a great sustain and tone.
I already had a Ibanez TS Mini and a Fulltone Fulldrive 2 Mosfet, both are really good, but I preferred more the FD2 for flexibility and also because it tamed the tone for the Vox AC15C1 (no a harsh overdrive). The TS Mini is good, however, I think it has a lot of overdrive since you turn the gain pot from zero. Despite the small headroom, is a good overdrive pedal. By the other hand, the FD2 had its own mid boost overdrive and it has rich harmonics added (sounds a little chorused because the frequencies added), feels good when playing and also sounds tamed (no harsh tones), but requires +18Vdc for its full potential (to have more headroom and clarity).
So, I'm thinking that these three pedals are equalized on three variations of mid-push and these have their own flavor. The Nux Tubeman Mkii is more modern oriented as it has a FET technology and brings clarity to the sound, and it feels and sounds like the Fulldrive 2 Mosfet running on +18Vdc. Awesome work for Nux.
I was thinking on getting the Fulltone Fulldrive 2 Mosfet again, but it will not be needed anymore, just I put the MXR Micro Amp before the Nux Tubeman MKII and it pushes the overdrive like the boost stomp on the FD2. Great pedal, honestly.
Now, I want back the Xotic Ep Booster, just to push the pedal a little harder if is needed, lol.
UPDATE: Alright, I've been practicing this time with the Fender Custom Deluxe Reverb 68 and I'm getting the sounds that I want without any effort, I dial the knobs and there are. Before I got the overdrive, I was digging into the amp, getting some vintage sounds, from late sixties and seventies, I really travelled to the time, and now with the Nux Tubeman MKII, I get a modern tone, more like to The Strokes, Artic Monkeys and so on. The amp reverb gets consumed by the overdrive, so you can dial the in-amp reverb up to 10 and you barely will notice it, and the same with any time-based effect. I don't know if this is good or bad, but this means that if I want the reverb to be noticeable, I probably will have to separate the sounds into dry and wet. Now, I think I would like to give a try to other Nux drive pedals, like the Horseman or the Steel Singer.
821
Good reverb toy for the price
Probably is not the super high quality sound that you expect for any other kind of reverb, but for the price is fine. I put this pedal after a reverb signal from a Echosystem as a 'reverb layer' to shape a Hall or Spring effect, with 70-100% Decay and 50% Level on the Shimverb, on the wet-amp. I replaced a Hall of Fame 2 for this one, because I used only two effects on it and I use more the reverb from the Echosystem. So, if you search a quality shimmer, probably you would have to look anywhere else, unless you want something different, toy-sounding like. The shimmer sounds kind like a bit ring... digital traces... like a toy.
For the room and spring modes, it does nice, but the digital decay traces can be listened, if you want something more organic or real-simulated, this pedal is not for you.
The best thing of this pedal is that you can get a full wet mode at level 100%, that way you're able to do sound FXs, pads and so.
UPDATE: Probably a little late, but I'll tell you that if you feel dissapointed about this pedal, I encourage to give it a try by doing this.
The digital traces can be listened and that can be threated as a "reverb layer". Being said this, you can put this pedal before a delay or after a reverb with a little more processing quality. I think is about to have a variety of sounds and shape what actually we use.
The Mooer Shimverb - Shimmer mode, sounds better when this pedal is before the delay. Try it this way and you will notice a better blend with the general sound. If you have a expression pedal, control the feedback to push the shimmer intensity.
If you put this pedal before the delay, you will have space-ish tones.
Check it out: https://soundcloud.com/lobbruno/mooer-shimverb-shimmer-01-draft
With Keyboard (Casio LK-220)* https://soundcloud.com/lobbruno/mooer-shimverb-03
*Please note that the route is Casio>Shimverb(Shimmer)>Echosystem(Spring Reverb), so the Shimverb is almost on full Mix (at 90%) texturizing the sound and the Echosystem is providing the ambient and decay. Please note the Casio LK220 is an entry level keyboard.
Update Feb.17.2023 I recently got a Boss SD-1 and I watched a video on YT which remembered me about putting a reverb into the first spot on the pedal chain before Compressors, Overdrives and so. Then, this pedal fits nice for that specific function without spending too much, because the settings on the pedal are minimal.
821
Super clean and quiet playing, finally I got a lossless sound!
Currently, I just play on my home to keep praticing, and I was reading many articles about the power supplies, daisy chains and how them can affect the tone. I never put importance on this, but finally I decided to do it to protect my pedal gear and because I was hearing a buzzing from some pedals. Alright, today the isolated power supply arrived.
I can say, I'm quiet impressed, this thing improved the tone and dynamics like about four times what it was. I was going to get a Voodoo Lab PP 2+, but for the price this thing is worthy. Maybe now I can do my super pedalboard without getting tone suck.
How the tone is improved? Say, playing the guitar with the AC15C1 felt thin and without much life, now with this isolated power supply it feels like a rounded sound (pretty much cloae like the Custom Deluxe Reverb without pedals), and the CDR feels now with clarity and way comfortable to play. Like those ping-pong air games on the play corner.
So, my suggestion is if you don't like your pedals or your amp, probably what you need is an isolated power supply.
821
By the way, the Empress Echosystem works well with the 9V 300mA included on the Caline CP-08.
821
Also the Xotic EP Booster works super good at 18 Vdc.
821
Recently, the Echosystem has been suffering power downs when the power supply gets into a very hot temperature.
821
Good for the price
Just until I had many types of cable I noticed that every cable has its own "Mini EQ", and definitely impacts on the tone. The shorter the cable, maintains better the signal, and this way is probably better in a studio recording, where you want to keep every detail on. If you are searching for that kind of cable, probably you will want a Mogami or a CS Fender Cable.
For practical and stages purposes, practices and so on, if you have a harsh sounding amp, use this cable as it went good with my AC15C1.
821
Good for nassal amplificators, like Fenders, so these cables bring a sparkle over the tone. Anyway, maybe an EP Booster will do great to compensate for a solo or riff part.
821
The best advices for using this cable, it is good for nassal voiced amps, like the Fenders, instead of a Vox, for example, which might tend to sound harsh or too thin.
821
Nice reverb for your reverberation needs
It is a good pedal, I got it as second hand, but still in great shape. I also found the true bypass and buffered bypass functions, and kill dry. I didn't like at all the shimmer reverb, so I'll still tweak a little more to check for my taste setup.
The Mash function might be a mess sometimes, when you try to shut off the effect but instead of this, the Mash option is activated.
821
Probably the buffered option is my best suited for good dynamics.
821
Yet, I'm still tryong to figure out how to get the best from this pedal. The most used effects by me are spring, church, hall... I should use the tone prints, I have three of them, one from That Pedal Show (Spring Reverb) and two from Pete Thorn. I miss the Gate Reverb from the past Hall of Fame, probably I'll load it to play a little with it.
821
I would like to put this pedal in a separate closed loop, adding also the Carbon copy to the circuit, just to experiment.
821
Thinking about putting again this red buddy in the chain, before the Echosystem, for ambiental sounds.
821
Fair condenser microphone at cheap cost
This is a distinctive condenser microphone from Amazon has arrased the top selling charts for its nice performance at such low cost. This is not, however, the best overall option but a good one to start with. I'm using this one along a Shure SM57 to record my amps.
821
Today I mounted my super micro studio (just what I already have but on a table). I can say, before I had bad luck adjusting the gain on this condenser microphone but today worked like a charm. It also fits the Vox AC15C1 scheme color, so I just made a knob with the mic cable (no stand) and it sounds good. No desired sounds just belong for hiss and amp noises, non ambiental intereference. I don't have wood panels in this panel, is more like a warehouse indeed.
821
My setup was a mix between stereo/wet-dry, because my cleaner amp was the Fender CDR68 and the Vox AC15C1 was the one with wet effects and sometimes where the delay repeating patterns continued.
So, even a cheap microphone can help your studio, but requires you to know your equipment, and the guitarist to know how to stroke on the guitar or controlling the volume/tone knobs.
821
You will love the Bassman tone stack
Indeed when everybody likes this amp because it is pedal friendly, saturates the tone early and has some upgrades, you will love the Bassman tone stack for sure. Probably, I'm more used to the Vox AC15C1 grit; however, the Fender Custom Deluxe Reverb '68 can bring a sound contrast to compensate the EQ.
For a full potencial, you have to turn up the volume up to 3-5, getting a clean boost. The amp begins to overdrive until 6-7, and distort on 8-10.
Update Feb 16th, 2023:
What is up with this amp after a time?
It is and splendid amp, the tone feels warm and you can play everything on it. Funny fact is that the ambience near my place is close to the sea and the amp now looks like a real '68, but also the wear affected the tone and sounds better than before.
821
After one day using this amp, I've tried with some of my pedals. My fiesta recommend is to use an EP Booster to improve the smoothness provided by the mid push of this pedal, on the custom channel it will feel like a real Deluxe Reverb '65. For overdrive, the TubeScreamer ir anything alike is a good one to test. I've been pairing the Vox AC15C1 and this amp, and sometimes I can't notice any difference in sound, but for a good thing.
41016
if you like the EP preamp sound then an xotic, or better yet a real echoplex, will always improve every amp LOL... if you don't like it (some crazy people don't) then it ruins everything. The deluxe and ac15 are a great pairing for gigs where you can get away with some volume.
821
Both amps plays really good, Jim! I have been trying to check many configurations (Vox or Fender as lead, on stereo with balanced volume and others). The Fender is not totally clean but it is compared to the Vox tone.
821
The only cons that I found is that if you want to play this setup as clean tones in a big scenario, you have to mic the amps.
821
The Vox maybe can still be clean until some point... thought.
821
Finally found a way to merge the sounds of these amps but in pedals terms. Say, you can put an overdrive pedal for the Vox and it sounds incredible good for your taste but maybe doesn't goes well at all with the other amp. So, the TS Mini has a good taste for both amps, but I need something more flexible on tap like the Fulltone FullDrive 2 Mosfet. On the next step, I was trying to make a setup with two chains, but that resulted in a more complex pedalboard with dynamics losing. Then, I put the plug in the Vintage Channel and voilá! This way the overdrive pedals paired well on both amps.
821
Just some hours ago, I had another session to test the setup. I ended figuring out that I like better the Vox with a little more volume, the Fender just a bit behind so in a strong strumming, the Fender pushes its mids with a volume at the same level like Vox.
821
This night I have tried a real Wet-Dry setup, using the Comp and drives pedals through the Vox AC15C1, for a dry setup. Then, I micked the amp using the Behringer UMD404HD and I sent that processed signal via 1/4" plug through the Echosystem and Hall of Fame 2, to finally reach the Fender Custom Deluxe Reverb '68... It's awesome!!! It's a whole different experience than splitting the signal with the Echosystem, which is a good and easy setup but a real Wet-Dry setup rocks! I would like to hear this as Wet-Dry-Wet. My thoughts about using a tube amp for wet is that when the tone is saturated, the amp brings warmness to the tone, sounding attenuated rather than rigid or "cold".
821
Some minutes ago, I turned out the beast up to Vol 10... Whoa... Fantastic! The Custom channel, with Bassman tone stack, does that "Bzzz" fuzzy sound that rock players will love. Recently, I'm more into the Fender CDR '68 than the Vox AC15C1, but definitely, I love both amps.
My guitar have been customized to magnetic induce less electrical current within the coil (I put off tje poles a little), so the guitar sounds more acoustic, and this amp can do vintage and modern music. The reverb, depending your guitar can work for any style, but depends the amount used for every one.
Turn it up to 6-7 on the amp, then turn down to 1-3 in your volume guitar pot, you will notice the dynamics of the amp at a low audible volume. Or you can do it on inverse for a classic sound.
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Common FAQs for Vox AC15C1 (AC15C1 from here) and Fender CDR '68 (CDR68 from here).
1) The CDR68 has more volumen than the AC15C1. 2) Both amp overdrives on differently flavor. The AC15C1 is more metallic (listen to Kings of Leon's Black Thumbnail song) and the CDR68 more cristalline (on youtube search this demo https://youtu.be/7HWlGsNB_p4) 3) If you will pair both amps, try to get pedals that match for both amps, or you should think on split the signal for them. 4) It is more easy to do rhythms on the AC15C1 than the CDR68 (from what I have been played). 5) If you're into classic rock like ACDC, Led Zeppelin and so, probably you will want to get the CDR68, sometimes it gets into the Vox range. 6) The CDR68's custom channel does on mid range. And the vintage channel is mid-scoped. 7) Boost pedals on CDR68 is volumen boost, but an overdrive pusher for the AC15C1 (a really good thing). 8) The AC15C1 can go clean on loud volumes if you turn up the master and you keep low the Channel Volumen (Normal or Top Boost). Probably even on higher volumen than the CDR68, but lacks on bassy tones. 9) AC15C1's clean tones are 'thin' and the CDR68's are 'bold'. 10) Both amps do a good contrast in the mix.
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Bring your tone a little shine like a car wax
I got this pedal inspired by the equipboard of Caleb Followill from Kings of Leon, but also this site recommends this pedal. After testing the MXR Micro Amp with my pedalboard, I found that this pedal brings a little shine to the tone, so your sound will have a proper clarity. After the 12 o'clock, the MXR Micro Amp begins to bring overdrive to the amp, as the volume climbs up. At full range, you obtain a greatly overdrive increase (depending your amp will raise the volume or the gain). The dynamics in this pedal are awesome, it improves my playing a lot.
MXR Micro Amp into a Vox AC15 (Class A amp)
Very subtle volume push, until you reach closely full pot, but instead adds gain frequencies and overdriving your signal. It is a nice transparent push when you like more of your Class A amp without messing on volumes, or having an overdriven setup and cleaning the signal with the guitar pot.
MXR Micro Amp into a Fender Custom Deluxe Reverb '68 (Class AB amp)
You get volume raising, subtle added frequencies. Still trying to figure how to match this pedal with the amp.
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I should talk more about this pedal, which I feel it is glorious to me. It improves the frequencies from the amp, so the clarity obtained let you to low the volumen knob from your guitar without losing dynamics. This is great!
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Because this, now I'm analogue
This was kind of the top notch multieffects by 2009 and Amplitube recently was introduced in the market. So I bought this multieffects with the hope of improving my sound. I learnt a lot of history from the manual, but I never liked the sounds from this hardware.
For recording it is so great, so you can use the inputs and the USB to get sounds from Amplitube, but the POD X3 sounds were just so artificial. Even Amplitube had a better sound, so starting from here and thanks to Line 6, now I became All-Analogue in my sound.
Probably with the time, the emulations will get close to the real thing but they will ever miss anything in the process.
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Good for beginners
I think I'll never pass from the beginner level, but lets say that my early times, when I had to figure everything in the electric guitar (there were no guitar instructors in my town neither youtube or so), my dad brought me this multieffects. I liked the multiple effects included, specially one called Satch, it was a kind of high gain simulation with a wah included and mid equalized, very good to start shredding (anyway, at that time I would never could do shredding lol).
Another effect was a shifter, so this added with an overdrive and a long delay, it produced a sound FX which I called "NeutronBeam". With the included pedal the tone went from low octaves to upper octaves producing the sound effect.
Anyway, the sound is so digital, but this was a cheap multieffects. I replaced this with a DIgitech RP200, at the end of 2003 , though. I liked the effects more from the A1XG, but the Digitech had more effects and parameters to adjust everything.
I would get it again if I could just for the fun, lol!
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Good amp for quiet practice and recording
I don't remember how this amp sounds, at that time I just cared about the volume and well, after many years I understood that I have to care about the tone. The overdrive is smooth, I still have the cabinet and the panel (some mice invaded my amp and ate the circuitry so if you store an amp you should take care about this), probably I would want to rebuild this amp and change the speaker for a blue alnico one to have something different than the Vox AC15C1.


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