Tubes rule; we all know that. Even those of us firmly in the digital modeling camp still enjoy a good tube amp. There’s something about the warm glow, the smell, and the sense of history that appeals to us. Many pedals require some sort of amplification circuit, so putting a preamp tube or two into a pedal would seem like… Read More »For the Love of Tubes
Have you ever looked at the underside of a pedal or the rear of a guitar amplifier and wondered about all those little symbols such as FCC, CE, CSA, TUV or UL? Why is it that we typically see those on products from the big players, but not on the boutique devices? What exactly does ‘This equipment has been tested… Read More »The Significance of Certification
In this blog post, we are going to take some different cables into the lab, and look at how they stack up in terms of some basic, measurable numbers. In our test, we have seven different cables varying in price from less than $6 to over $250. There are a variety of different core materials and jack plating’s, as well… Read More »Cables: Which Are Best?
Those of us interested in guitar effects pedals are spoiled for choice in the current age. There are hundreds, possibly even thousands of small and large effects pedal makers producing all manner of different effects with a wide range of features and price points. However, one thing is notable by its absence, or rarity anyway. How many boutique digital effects… Read More »The Magic of Digital Effects Pedals
Most guitar effects pedals run on a 9VDC power source, which allows for a wide choice of pedalboard power supplies, wall warts, or batteries to run them on. However, there always seems to be one or two pesky pedals in the collection that complicate the issue requiring some other voltage; say 12V, 15V or 18V. Although it may seem like… Read More »Working With Voltage
In previous blogs, we reviewed the pros and cons of various disposable battery technologies for effects pedals. This time around, we are going to study rechargeable batteries as an alternative. The Contenders Theoretically, rechargeable versions of the alkaline batteries would be a good choice for effects pedals. The chemistry is the same, but the battery is constructed so as not… Read More »Rechargeable Batteries and You
I’m sure you’ve all heard the story about how renowned tone magician Eric Johnson keeps around a box of partially discharged 9-volt batteries and can tell the state of charge from the sound of his fuzz pedal. There are plenty of people who are convinced their gear sounds better with different levels of battery charge. Some pedal board power supplies… Read More »Inside EJ’s Box of Dead Batteries
Why are isolated pedalboard power supplies used? The lowest cost genuinely isolated pedalboard power supplies start at around $100, and can reach in excess of $300. Simple daisy chain style adapters are available for less than $5, yet these larger isolated supplies remain hugely popular. What possible reasons could there be to pay forty times the price for something larger,… Read More »Isolated Power Supplies: What’s the Point?
Among the expensive professional tools and machines that are used in a commercial electronics assembly facility, there are some small hand tools that are used all the time. These are none the worse for being low cost, generally available tools, and any musician interested in doing some of their own tech work can put these to good use on a… Read More »Cheap, Useful Hand Tools For Every Musician
At the turn of the 19th Century, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla fought the current wars. Eventually the AC power system pioneered by Tesla and George Westinghouse won out as the electrical power delivery system for most of the world. In this video, we wage our own mini current war comparing modern, compact and low cost switching power supplies… Read More »Current Wars II