Origins of Fuzz with Mike Matthews of Electro-Harmonix
Founded in 1968 when the now legendary Mike Matthews quit his day job as an electrical engineer at IBM to build fuzz pedals, Electro-Harmonix has since become one of the most influential brands in effects pedals — and music in general. Their flagship pedal, the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff, has seen countless iterations — and has […]
Using Varispeed in Your Recordings
Varispeed recording is a really interesting and easy studio trick that can add textures and otherworldly timbres to vocals and instrument tracks. I happened to be listening to some Ween recently and thought the way Gene’s vocals sounded on some songs had a slightly unreal quality to them. As I thought about it a second, […]
Top Tones: JHS Sweet Tea V3
What’s more American than sippin’ on sweet tea on a summer day? If you answered grabbing a Player Series HH Telecaster, plugging into a versatile OD/Distortion combo pedal and wailing from sea to shining sea with tones as majestic as purple mountains and as tasty as freedom fries, you’ve got us there. Thankfully, we experienced […]
Top Tones – Walrus Audio Emissary Parallel Boost
For just having two knobs, the Walrus Audio Emissary Parallel Boost is a damn versatile pedal. From girthy midrange to sizzling top end, hear all the tones we were able to make with this pedal and a Fender Vibro Champ in this Top Tones video! Jul 17, 2018Mason
Dunlop at Summer NAMM
There was so much to see at the Dunlop booth, we had to split it across three videos! Thankfully, the one-and-only Bryan Kehoe was there to guide us through the lineup of new pedals from Dunlop brands, including the MXR Dyna Comp Deluxe, EVH 5150 Chorus, and Way Huge Overrated Special Smalls. We apologize for […]
Guitar Workbench Collection: Modding Your Guitar
Sometimes, you find a guitar that’s 100% perfect for you right off the bat, and no changes are necessary beyond a minor setup. When that happens, it’s a truly beautiful thing, but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes you may find yourself wishing your guitar had this or that feature, or had a tonality you […]
Overdrive from an Amplifier or a Pedal?
Getting overdrive primarily from an amplifier versus overdrive from a pedal has always been an interesting subject to me. Why is it that people get so obsessed with finding the best overdrive pedal or combination of pedals just to mimic what an amplifier sounds like when it’s being overdriven? Sure, The Beatles would also plug […]
Understanding How a DJ Mixer Works
So you want to become a DJ? There is more to it than just pressing play — a DJ must learn the techniques to properly mix songs and match beats. This series will cover the ins and outs of a DJ’s rig, providing you the basics and more to start building up your technique. The […]
Building a Guitar Part 4: Installing Pickups
Welcome back to the next installment of Building a Guitar! At this point in the build I’ve already discussed tips on choosing the right body and neck, proper hardware best suited for your needs, and given a tutorial on adding a custom neck finish. The last step to completing the body of the guitar is […]
