The Tone Control

The Tone Control

By The Tone ControlArtsPerforming Arts
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The Tone Control episodes

  • Ep. 138 - They Cut The Guitar Part Off

     

    • Podcast suggestion: Hit Parade (stab: Sea Foam)
    • New Guitar Day: Fender Special Edition Custom FMT Telecaster (stab: WA Descent)
      • Derek got it on scratch and dent at the local guitar shop! It’s awesome! 
      • Relish Guitars - https://relish.swiss/guitars/  (stab: Seymour Duncan 805)
        • If Elon Musk started making guitars, this would be it. 
        • These are extremely expensive but super futuristic guitars.
        • Aluminum core, with a magnetic back so you can get inside the guitar in like 2 seconds 
        • Pickups just pull out of the back, completely hot-swappable 
        • 17 pickup positions via a touch pad slider 
        • Piezo pickup inside with a midrange boost on a push/pull, mono/stereo output jack toggle. 
        • Details. Models. 
        • Pedal Genie 
          • Daredevil Pedals Red Light District 
          • Wetter Box by The Gig Rig https://www.thegigrig.com/wetterbox (stab: Wampler Reflection)
            • The Gig Rig makes that G2 switcher thing that is bananapants crazy 
            • Wetter Box allows you to blend your effects in parallel in real time. 
            • Blend any effect with your direct signal, or blend 2 effects together 
            • Blend controllable via expression pedal! WHAT?! 
            • Stereo via TRS, phase flip on loop B, independent gain controls on each loop, internal voltage doubling, internally isolated power, true or buffered bypass, 
            • 2 modes: Blend will cross fade from A to B, and Mix will add B to A. 
            • ~$240 as of 5/24 (exchange rate
              • 1 hr 8 min
            • Ep. 137 - $600?! R. Kelly Must Have Peed on it or Something

               

              • Righteous Tele update (stab: Red Witch Factotum)
              • Instagram questions (stab: Stone Deaf Warp Drive)
                • How many drives is too many? 
                • Channel bound fingerboards, yes or no? From Alex at coppersound 
                • Humbucker or single coil? From Ryan 
                • Played a ton of gigs recently, two of which with a band called Sleepspirit. They’re using Kemper rigs! Let’s talk about that. (Stab: Organizer)
                  • Another band was using an electric 12 string like a fucking madman! 
                  • Pedal Genie 
                    • JHS Kodiak Trem $200 
                    • Spiral Electric FX - thanks Righteous Ryan! Interview up on the website! (stab: TC Viscous Vibe)
                      • Owned and hand built by Tom Cram who is the guy that brought Digitech/DOD back from the dead. He had major work on the Obscura, Polara, DOD 250, etc 
                      • Currently makes two pedals: Yellow spiral and black spiral 
                      • Yellow Spiral
                        • Mostly lives in overdrive land and dips into fuzz
                        • It’s kind of fuzzy and has some natural octaving by the sounds of it.
                        • LED or Silicon diodes 
                        • Black Spiral
                          • Much fuzzier than the Yellow but can also be more of a straightforward rock tone 
                          • Based on the Meastro FZ1-S, an early version of which later became the DOD Carcosa Fuzz 
                          • Works best with a crunchy amp channel. 
                          • Controls for gain, bias, detail, and output. Toggle switch for clipping options. 

                            • https://www.spiralelectricfx.com/collections/black-spiral-fuzz/products/black-spiral-fuzz-with-acid-drop-finish-b41  

                            1 hr 25 min
                          • Ep. 136 - "Dongle" is the word you're looking for
                            • J forgot something (stab: Earthquaker Rainbow machine)
                            • Pick 5 pedals from one builder, what 5? (Stab: PitchGrinder)
                            • Fractal Audio FM3 (Stab: SG Electroman)
                              • Fractal amp and effect processing at $1000. 
                              • 3 footswitches 
                              • All the I/O
                                • https://www.gearnews.com/fractal-audio-shoots-for-line-6-helix-with-fm3-floor-based-amp-modelling-and-fx/ 
                              • Pedal Genie 
                                • Strymon Deco https://www.strymon.net/deco/ 
                                • Gibson 2019 “Original Collection” (stab: Apollo Phaser)
                                  • New “original collection” kind of reminds me of the Fender American Vintage line 
                                  • All full-weight, hand wired controls, no electronics or coil taps or anything. 
                                  • Also looks like they’ve done away with the whole “alternate finishes” thing and how have a few options for each model
                                  • Les Paul: 50’s Standard (choice of P90 or HBs), 60’s Standard, Les Paul Special, Les Paul Jr. 
                                  • SG: 61 Maestro Vibrola, 61 Sideways vibrola, 61 standard, SG special, SG Jr
                                  • Firebird, V, Explorer, Thunderbird, and SG bass. 
                                  • Prices seem okay. Very much streamlined.


                                    • 1 hr 14 min
                                  • Ep. 135 - What I Can't Figure Out Is... Anything.
                                    • BEER OR GEAR?!?!?! (stab: Mr Black Dark Star Reverb)
                                    • (Special note: if you’re bored by this segment skip to 18:55 when we wrap it up)
                                    • Richter Double Guitar Strap (stab: MH Colossus Fuzz)
                                      • Matt Heafy of Trivium has released a strap that goes over both shoulders 
                                      • Ergonomics are important for career musicians, especially with heavy guitars
                                      • However, is there anything dorkier than this? 
                                      • Kentucky Hot Brown pedalboards (from Righteous Ryan!) (stab: WA Descent)
                                        • Husband and wife team out of Louisville KY 
                                        • Really nice wood pedalboards. Total custom options available 
                                        • Ryan did a Q&A with the owners which will be featured on our blog. They talk about the design process, where they source the wood, and new projects.  http://tonecontrolshow.com/post/184373897669/qa-with-kentucky-hot-brown-pedalboards 
                                        • Pedal Genie
                                          • Bogner Ecstasy Red $300 
                                          • Matthews Effects The Chemist Atomic Modulator
                                            • 1 hr 7 min
                                          • Ep. 134 - What's A Podcast? I'm Eight.

                                            THE TONE JERKS ARE HERE!

                                            They’re here! The Tone Jerks run a killer weekly podcast that we’re big fans of and we think you should check them out 

                                            • Give us a rundown on Jerk history. How did this all start? 
                                            • What’s your main rigs? We’ve heard from Brian in a previous segment (episode 120!), but are there any updates? Kyle, what’s your bass setup like?
                                            • Kyle - how do you afford to buy pedals all the time? Do you have a sell/trade budget you keep rolling money over into new gear? Or just out of pocket because FUCK IT?! 
                                            • Find the tone jerks everywhere! Instagram and facebook group! 

                                              • ----

                                              • Derek had one of the worst gigs ever last night. Let’s talk about bad gigs. (stab: SG Electroman)
                                              • JHS YouTube Channel (stab: Positive grid nonsense)
                                                • Vlog style, super informative videos about pedals and how they work, why they are the way they are, history, examples, not just a big JHS sales pitch. Nice.
                                                • Here’s one on the Univibe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-1yQm2cj20 
                                                • Coppersound Daedalus (demo)
                                                  • Dual reverb! 
                                                  • I held onto it to demo for the show. Went old school because it felt really amp-like. 
                                                  • Airis Effects Target Mids (stab: Box of War)
                                                    • 1 band parametric EQ to sculpt midrange 
                                                    • Controls for level, frequency, Q, and Boost/Cut
                                                    • 1400hz to 2700hz
                                                    • Placed in front of the amp it’s a fully adjustable clean boost, but can also go in the FX loop for modifying your amp. 
                                                    • Basically you can manipulate your guitar tone or your amp tone
                                                    • $169 but on sale for $139 at the time of this note
                                                    • Positive Grid Bias FX 2 (stab: MS Holy Dove)
                                                      • Totally re-engineered DSP engine. 
                                                      • Ships with 100 new amp model designs, new cab/mic combos, and Celestion IRs
                                                      • Guitar Match! Now it will listen to your guitar and transform it into one of 18 classic guitars like ‘57 Goldtop, SRV strat, ‘58 Countryman, etc 
                                                      • Standard edition: $99, Professional: $199, Elite: $299
                                                      • Pedal Genie
                                                      • The Tone Jerks! 
                                                        • 1 hr 34 min
                                                      • Ep. 133 - Ours Has TWO Lights

                                                        Derek is building a tele for Righteous Ryan! 

                                                        • Shell pink, Bare Knuckle flat 50s pickups, roasted maple neck with compound radius and stainless steel frets.

                                                          • Paradox FX Futura Multiparametric Envelope Chorus

                                                          • Analog bucket brigade chorus WITH envelope follower 
                                                          • The envelope can control rate, depth, or both simultaneously 
                                                          • Controls for Blend, Sensitivity, Level, Rate and Depth 
                                                          • Two mini toggles to choose the direction of the envelope (slow/fast and shallow/deep) 
                                                          • $210 

                                                            • Coppersound Loma Prieta Tremolo 

                                                            • I bought it. 

                                                              • PedalGenie.com! 

                                                              • Alexander Effects Defender 
                                                              • KHDK Ghoul Screamer 

                                                                • Old Blood Noise Endeavors Rever Delay/Reverb 

                                                                • Collaboration with Datachoir (is this a band? They’re sound people of some kind) 
                                                                • Delay and reverb in one thing, cool!
                                                                • Features a MOMENTARY reverse sound. This is it boys and girls. 
                                                                • You can swap the order of the reverse and the dealy 
                                                                • Ships in late March. $229 

                                                                  • Anasound Element Spring Reverb Pedals 

                                                                  • WITH ACTUAL REVERB TANKS 
                                                                  • It’s basically an external spring reverb that fits on your pedalboard 
                                                                  • Three spring tank sizes, the first two can maybe fit on/under your pedalboard. The third one is huge 
                                                                    • Le Bon (small), La Brute (med), La Truand (yuge) (french for the good, the bad, and the ugly) 
                                                                    • The pedal itself has a two band EQ, mix, output, and a spring saturation switch. 
                                                                    • Saturation can overdrive the springs and get this crazy distorted reverb. 

                                                                      •  uakvq88q  

                                                                      ^ Super secret PodBean tracking code. 

                                                                      1 hr 24 min
                                                                    • Ep. 132 - Kyle's Complaints with a K

                                                                      To skip past our computer talk and get to the goods, skip to 10:19. 

                                                                      • Hit Anchor.fm/shuffleall to hear Derek's new podcast! 
                                                                      • Questions from the components! (stab: OBNE Dark Star Reverb)
                                                                      • TC Electronic June-60 Chorus (stab: Bogner Uberschall)
                                                                        • Vintage chorus based on the Roland Juno 60
                                                                        • Bypass switch, mono/stereo slider, and two buttons for modes 
                                                                        • Y-cable for stereo 
                                                                        • Mode 1: slow, warm chorus. Mode 2: Faster, more dynamic movement
                                                                        • I + II: Dual chorus, slightly offset LFOs that give a slight Leslie effect 
                                                                        • Cool retro design w/ wood panels. Looks like the Juno 60 
                                                                        • Pedal Genie
                                                                          • Deep Space Devices - Golem - $169
                                                                          • Klon Centaur is back (stab: Wampler 30 Something)
                                                                            • Bill Finnegan, creator of the Klon, is making new models again. 
                                                                            • About 8000 models were made between 1994 and 2000 originally. 
                                                                            • Original production run price was only $225, later went up to $329
                                                                            • The pedals are built by Bill and are the original Centaur, not the surface-mount KTR model
                                                                            • He’s putting them on eBay starting at $100. 27 bids later, #3888 sold for over $2000 
                                                                            • At the time of this note, #3952 is at $1358. 
                                                                            • What’s the hot take on this? Are we as guitarists over the Klon?
                                                                              • 1 hr 19 min
                                                                            • Ep. 131 - It's Such A Good Idea, It's Stupid
                                                                              Ep. 131 - It's Such A Good Idea, It's Stupid
                                                                              We're on Anchor.fm! Download the app and leave us a voicemail!  
                                                                              Ernie Ball VP JR Tuner (stab: SD Warp Drive)
                                                                              Tuner built right into your volume pedal! 
                                                                              When heel down, tuner engages, but can be set to always on
                                                                              Has a touch screen to change tuning options
                                                                              1-10 readout for volume level 
                                                                              Input, output, tuner in, tuner thru? 
                                                                              9-18v, standard vp jr size and assembly. New stronger cord inside. 
                                                                              Comes in black, white, red, and gold! (red is the best) 
                                                                              ----- 
                                                                              Fender Alternate Reality & Rarities lines (Stab: Wampler Faux Tape Echo)
                                                                              Alternate Reality line is MIM 
                                                                              TENOR TELECASTER - $500
                                                                              It has four strings, tuned (probably) to CGDA 
                                                                              22.75” scale, maple neck and fretboard, 21 frets, 9.5 radius
                                                                              Electric XII - $1000
                                                                              Same body and headstock as the original 1965 version
                                                                              Redesigned split coil pickups, 3 way selector 
                                                                              Powercaster - $900 
                                                                              Jazzmaster-type body, looks a little more squat than a JM 
                                                                              Bridge HB, Neck P90
                                                                              Tuneomatic and stoptail bridge
                                                                              HH Meteora $1000
                                                                              Meteora came out a while ago and had telecaster guts, this is what the guitar should have been 
                                                                              String thru body, tuneomatic bridge 
                                                                              Coil taps, and a second push/pull to swap the volume controls so you can do volume swells on either pickup more easily. Confusing? 
                                                                              Sixty-Six - $900
                                                                              Jazz bass guitar 
                                                                              HSS configuration, vol/tone plate from a jazz bass, 5-way selector 
                                                                              Kind of an offset strat 
                                                                              Rarities line is more boutique, higher end stuff. 
                                                                              ------
                                                                              Pedal Genie! 
                                                                              Empress Nebulus $300 
                                                                              Alexander Wavelength $200 
                                                                              -----
                                                                              Gibson is back! (stab: MH Colossus Fuzz)
                                                                              Streamlined, super simplified lineup 
                                                                              No more richlite! Back to real woods
                                                                              One confusing thing is the “alternate finishes” models, I don’t get why they didn’t just make all the colors under the single model. 
                                                                              Les Pauls
                                                                              SGs
                                                                              Designer  (anyone know why they are called that?) 
                                                                              ES  
                                                                              Custom Shop
                                                                              Prices are still a little high, but I think they’re on the right track. 
                                                                              Interviews with new CEO sound very promising
                                                                              1 hr 18 min
                                                                            • Ep. 130 - It's A Rat With Robot Legs! It Can Learn Tricks!

                                                                              Ep. 130 - It’s a Rat With Robot Legs! It Can Learn Tricks!

                                                                              • EarthQuaker Devices Swiss Things (stab: SG Electroman)
                                                                                • 2 Effects loops, with an a/b/y switcher, boost, tuner out, expression input… everything 
                                                                                  • Loop 1: unbuffered. Ideal for distortions, overdrives, vintage pedals.
                                                                                  • Loop 2: buffered, after loop 1. Ideal for modulation and time based stuff
                                                                                  • Amps: This lets you run stereo in a A, B, or Both setup. Boost switch to give those amps a little extra umph. Also features a phase switch. 
                                                                                  • Buffered tuner out, high headroom output buffer to drive long cable runs 
                                                                                  • Expression volume in lets you use any exp pedal to control volume. Volume is placed after loop 1 for true volume control, not for cleaning up dirty tones.
                                                                                  • “Flexi-Switching”, which is relay-based true bypass. Can be set to momentary or latching. 
                                                                                  • Pretty much a small true bypass looper with a bunch of added stuff 
                                                                                  • $250 
                                                                                  • Strymon Volante (stab: MH DMBL)
                                                                                    • Multi-voice, multi-head, magnetic echo machine. 
                                                                                    • Four heads, each with on/off button for Playback and Feedback.
                                                                                    • Controls for Record level, mechanics (controls amount of mechanically related speed fluctuations), low cut, wear, repeats, echo level, spring reverb mix, time, and head spacing. 
                                                                                    • Time controls delay time at head 4. Heads 1-3 subdivide according to the spacing knob. 
                                                                                    • The repeats stop at head 4, so there is no decay unless the feedback buttons are engaged 
                                                                                    • Three types of delay: Drum delay (echorec), Tape echo, and Studio (reel to reel) delay. 
                                                                                    • Up for preorder, $400
                                                                                    • They have also updated the Multi-switch to work with Volante as well as Riverside and Sunset Drive. More functions, still works with other strymon pedals. $129 
                                                                                    • Sono Amp Modeling Interface from Audient and TwoNotes $450 (stab: WA Descent)
                                                                                      • Audient desktop USB interface with 10 in / 4 out
                                                                                      • 12AX7 preamp with 3 band eq and Two notes Power Amp and Cab Simulation and re-amp output.
                                                                                      • 2 Audient console mic preamps, ADAT input, main speaker out, to amp out, headphone out, Zero latency monitoring with monitor mix.
                                                                                      • Free plugins and software with ARC. Torpedo Remote
                                                                                      • IK Multimedia AXE I/O Audio Interface  $350 (stab: 805)
                                                                                        • Guitarist focussed computer USB interface
                                                                                        • 2 instrument inputs / Mic inputs, amp out, 2 line outs, external switch inputs, midi
                                                                                        • Active/Passive Pure/JFET Z-Tone impedance adapting circuit (1MOhm to 2.2kOhm)
                                                                                        • Amplitube 4 Deluxe
                                                                                        • Fender Acoustasonic Tele - video demo included (stab: MS Consider the Raven)
                                                                                          • This is supposed to be the first true hybrid between electric and acoustic guitars, not just “acoustic electric” 
                                                                                          • 5 position selector for Electric, Acoustic/Electric blend, Percussion and enhanced harmonics, alternative acoustics, and core acoustics 
                                                                                            • 1 hr 23 min

                                                                                          About The Tone Control

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                                                                                          The Tone Control is a sometimes side-eyed look at the guitar world and making music! We talk about everything good, bad, smart, stupid, and weird about guitar gear and bring it to you every other Monday.