tommy_perkins

My impression of Gibson acoustics is that they're traditionally viewed as rhythm guitars, as the mahogany is associated with a warm, earthy tone that has plenty of personality, but may not be the first choice for, say, a bluegrass picker who wants something super articulate like a Martin D-18. The Gibson J-45 Rosewood does a pretty good job of giving you the best of both worlds: It's got character and depth, but lots of clarity if you want to pick out some leads parts.

I know they're discontinued and John Snyder from Electronic Audio Experiments told me that he's equally enamored of his collaboration with Electrofoods Ltd., the Kerria Lacca, which is worth seeking out if you can't find a Dude Incredible, although both are rare. Regardless, I love having the IVP-style preamp as a boost that adds some grind to my tone, and the Harmonic Percolator clone is plenty violent on its own. Put 'em together and it's pure grindhouse horror-bliss, yet lots of articulation as well. Works well on a board, but also the kind of pedal you can throw in a bag with your cables and jam econo.

This is pretty compact way to address a pair of issues endemic to long signal change: signal loss and noise. And you get a clean boost as a bonus. The pedal contains two buffers, one for the start of the loop and one at the end. And it's got a noise filter and a tuner out option. Very handy.

I own a bunch of ODs and fuzz, and I haven't had a chance to put this in front of each of them, but so far, this pedal lives up to the company's claim that: "The extra gain and subtle grit of its otherworldly NOS transistors will make all of your other pedals sound better - seriously, all of them. The GERM WARFARE will breathe new life into your favorite fuzz, and give your time/modulation effects some sass without overwhelming them." Right now, I'm testing it side by side with the Spaceman Effects Mercury IV, which doesn't have near the treble that the Germ Warfare has. I had thought the Mercury was the gold standard for boosts, but I gotta admit I'm struggling here. Would love to get together with a band soon and see how both cut through the mix.