Analog Man ARXD20 Dual Analog Delay

For those who weren't aware, Analog Man has finally released a successor to the popular but hard-to-get AR20DL analog delay!

From Analog Man:

The new ARDX20 is based on the awesome tone of the old pedal, but adds several features that customers have been requesting, and are now needed in the ever-growing boutique delay market. About 100 pedals were sold in the summer of 2009, then full production ramped up, so availability should be good starting in September 2009. Designed by Analog Mike in the USA and primarily by Analog Man Japan, the pedal also has final assembly, calibration, and graphical engraving completed in Japan after being hand built to our precise specifications in China by a few assemblers who we chose for their excellent hand-soldering and detail work.

The ARDX20 uses a specially designed ergonomic enclosure for ease of use and best fit on pedalboards without taking up too much valuable real estate. This pedal will cover echo and delay functions for almost any musician, as it's designed for flexibility and tone. Some features are external and optional, as not everyone may want to pay up front for these. Standard delay time can go up to 600mS, higher than most analog delays, with clear, not dull, delay sounds, and very little noise. The repeats are easily controlled for infinite feedback without runaway volume problems which can damage your speakers. There are two LED lights which blink in time to the delay setting. These lights are always flashing, so you know the current setting before engaging the delay pedal and turning on one of the two channel's LED.

True bypass switching is now used, for no change of tone when OFF. There are two channels with two complete sets of controls. Not only the delay time, but also delay level and feedback can have two independent settings, chosen with the footswitch on the left. This allows, for example, a short, quiet slap-back delay with just a few repeats for rhythm parts, and a long, loud delay with several repeats for lead - just what most players need. There is a handy battery compartment on the bottom and a normal 9V barrel type power jack on the back which most people will use. Unlike digital delays (including "analog sounding" digital delays), power consumption is low, only 15mA. So an alkaline battery should last about 30 hours of use in emergencies or if you prefer not to use a power supply. Jacks are on the top of the pedal for the most efficient layout on pedalboards.

There is an EFFECTS LOOP jack next to the input jack. The delayed signal only, not the dry signal, goes through the loop. Use a Y-cable to run any effect in the loop. Modulation pedals like chorus or vibrato are cool here, for a natural modulated delay sound. Or use a VOLUME pedal with a Y-Cable (or an expression pedal) to control the level of the delays. Or use both, or even more pedals in the loop! Pulling back the volume pedal will kill the delay sound. You can also control the FEEDBACK this way, as lowering the volume will reduce the feedback, so you can easily control infinite delays. Great for jams!

Another request was fulfilled by the DELAY TIME EXPRESSION jack. Use a normal expression pedal to control the delay time of one channel. This allows pitch bends and whammies of the delayed sounds, as well as fine control of the delay time to match the music. This jack will also be used for external options that we will introduce, including tap tempo, modulation, multiple delay time preset boxes, etc. Between the Delay Time jack and Effects Loop jack, there are a multitude of ways you can use the ARDX20.

The ARDX20 will stand atop the effects world offerings along with other Analog Man pedals like the Sunface, Beano Boost, Peppermint Fuzz, Choruses, BiComps, King of Tone, and modified pedals, with value, performance, and support that is second to none. Please see buyanalogman.com for more information, videos, and ordering.

ToadWorks Pipeline Harmonic Vibrato/Tremolo & Fat City Overdrive

PipeLine Harmonic Vibrato / Tremolo

ToadWorks USA is pleased to announce the release of PipeLine, the only stereo tremolo pedal capable of replicating the fabled ‘harmonic vibrato’. With the addition of a Waveform adjustment, wide range of speed, low-pass frequency trim adjustment and an expression pedal input, ToadWorks has taken Tremolo to the next level.

MSRP: $300.00
MAP: $250.00

ToadWorks entered the boutique effect market in 2001. With an artist roster that includes Howard Leese, Paul Jackson Jr. and Paulie Z, ToadWorks has raised the standard for quality effects while remaining affordable to the average musician. With a product line that includes the Award-winning Barracuda ® Analog Flanger, all ToadWorks effects are carefully handcrafted in the USA.  For more information, visit www.ToadWorksUSA.com.

Fat City Dual Overdrive

ToadWorks USA is pleased to announce the release of a new Dual Overdrive pedal, Fat City. Two years in development, Fat City is the next step in analog overdrives.

With two unique flavors of OD, an independent clean boost and the ability to stack the overdrives, Fat City gives bedroom players and working musicians an affordable, reliable method of reproducing overdriven tones normally found in high-end tube amplifiers.

MSRP: $375.00
MAP: $300.00

ToadWorks entered the boutique effect market in 2001. With an artist roster that includes Howard Leese, Paul Jackson Jr. and Paulie Z, ToadWorks has raised the standard for quality effects while remaining affordable to the average musician. With a product line that includes the Award-winning Barracuda ® Analog Flanger, all ToadWorks effects are carefully handcrafted in the USA.

Diamond Compressor Review

The Diamond Compressor is a studio-quality guitar compressor pedal that does a damn fine job providing subtle compression while keeping your tone intact.

The EQ Tilt at noon will allow you to get everything from darker/beefier compressed tones, to more present compressed tones, while keeping your eq unaffected in the noon position.

The Compression control allows everything from an ever-so-slightly compressed boost (with the volume rolled all the way up and compression all the way down), to mild all-around compression, to country chicken-pickin' tones.

The volume control does what you think it would.

Overall, this pedal improves your tone, and is the kind of compressor pedal that you can leave on all the time.

Here's a great video review of the Diamond Compressor:

If this Diamond Compressor review helped you determine that this is a pedal for you, check out the current eBay auctions:

Top 10 Guitar Gift Ideas | 2009

Christmas season is right around the corner, and you're looking for great gift ideas. We're here to help!

We only recommend quality equipment. Sometimes a mass-produced piece of guitar equipment is a great value, and sometimes boutique or vintage is the route to go for that top-of-the-line tone. Either way, the result will be a quality guitar gift for your friend or family member. Without further adieu...

[Read more]

Buy Gibson Echoplex | For Sale

We have a rare Gibson Echoplex for sale. This is the famous Digital Pro (EDP-1) Looper/Phrase Sampler. This is the most powerful looper (no longer being made), and it includes the foot controller along with the manual and power cord. The Gibson Echoplex can be used for guitarists, bassists, keyboardists, or any other electronic musican.

If you've ever wanted to buy a Gibson Echoplex, now is your chance. Check our eBay feedback (spotcheckbilly1) and buy with confidence.

This particular item has sold, however here are the current eBay auctions.

How to Arrange Guitar Effects Pedals

Guitar effects pedal placement has long been the bane of gearheads' existence, or the fun of it..depending on how you view it. This articles makes sense of the options, allowing for more educated experimenting (and final decision making).

A common first approach is by Robert Keeley (as originally published in Mix Magazine), maker of the famous Keeley Compressor. Let's take a look at what he had to say... [Read more]

Empress Superdelay | A Beast Among Delays

Welcome to the last delay you'll ever need....seriously. That's their slogan for the Superdelay. You have to admit that's intriguing. So, what makes this the "last delay you'll ever need?" It's time to find out, and the best way to do this is to watch it in action. Here's a fantastic group of videos, put together by Empress Effects, which displays all the capabilities of this beast. Take a moment and check it out, you won't be disappointed.

[Read more]

Pigtronix Mothership | Analog Synth for Guitar

Pigtronix has recently released one of the coolest analog guitar synth pedals available. Here's the description from Pigtronix.com:

Pigtronix Mothership is an analog synthesizer featuring VCO, Sub-Octave and the world’s first Intelligent Ring Modulator. Incredibly fast note recognition and enormous analog sound make this unique synthesizer ideal for use with guitar, bass, horns, vocals or any other musical instrument. No special pickup or interface is required.

At the heart of the Mothership is a newly designed note detection circuit that achieves high-speed and accurate pitch to voltage translation. The Mothership is a true analog mono-synth with a limitless array of tuning options between its voices. This pedal is capable of otherworldly tones that have never before been available in such a compact and easy to use format as well as some new sounds that reach into bizarre and uncharted musical territory. Are you ready to go there?

VCO - The main voice of the Pigtronix Mothership is a VCO  (voltage controlled oscillator) that outputs either triangle or square waves. The VCO can be tuned anywhere from two octaves above the input signal to two octaves below the input signal and functions over the entire range of both 5 string bass and 6 string electric guitar. An adjustable portamento (glide) effect can be added to produce subtle slides from note to note or outrageous multi-octave glissando maneuvers. An expression pedal jack for Whammy control provides tunable pitch bending up to one octave using a standard TRS 20K Expression pedal. That’s right… ANALOG WHAMMY!

Sub-Octave – The Pigtronix octave down is massive; it will shake your house. The Sub Octave is always locked to the input signal, providing a warm and solid fundamental for whatever harmony you create with the other voices. A dedicated SUB Out jacks allows low frequencies from the Sub Octave and Ring Modulator to be sent to a separate bass amp for maximum booty.

Intelligent Ring Modulator – In designing the Mothership, Pigtronix has created something never before heard by mankind: the pitch tracking ring modulator. Tune this ring modulator to the sound you desire and it will follow every note you play, retaining the exact harmonic intervals between its output and the signal it is tracking. A “ring mod source,” switch lets the ring modulator follow either the input signal or the VCO signal, providing an immense array of analog textures and interactive harmony. The glide and whammy functions also apply to the intelligent ring modulator, letting the musician morph one harmony into another and then back again.

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