During the 1960s, Marshall switched to louder KT88 power valves as his amplifiers grew more powerful. Whilst at about 45 watts, the JTM45 was loud, in 1967 he introduced the 50 Watt and 100 Watt Superlead. It’s these 100W Superleads that gave The Who and Jimi Hendrix their sound.

By this point, Marshall was using EL34 power valves – these are the ones most commonly associated with Marshall amps. They could produce more volume and gave the amps a stronger mid-range character.

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Hot-Rodded Plexis

As rock music got heavier in the ’70s, guitarists started modifying (commonly known as hot-rodding) their Plexis for more gain (essentially, volume) – and this is a large part of the reason why the “Plexi sound” means different things to different people. This brings us back to Eddie Van Halen and his hot-rodded Marshall on Van Halen I. Moving on to the 1980s, one name stands out – José Arredondo – whose amp modifications for Steve Vai, James Hetfield, and Eddie Van Halen, made him a legend in the guitar world.

This progression eventually paved the way for the high-gain modern Marshall amps like the JCM800, but the lineage is all routed to those plexiglass front panel amps that Jim Marshall was making in the back of his music store in North West London in the early 1960s. Whether you’re a fan of the classic ‘60s Plexi sound, or the juiced up ‘70s hot-rodded Plexi sound, the aura around the Plexi has etched Marshall into Rock ‘n’ Roll legend.

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Modern Alternatives

Several contemporary companies offer their own take on the hot-rodded Plexi-style guitar amp, giving you a wide choice when it comes to achieving that classic sound. You should certainly check out EVH – a range designed by Eddie Van Halen himself. Other models to look out for include the hand-built Victory amps, and the excellent Friedman products.

Plexi Sound in a Box!

But what if you’re not playing at giant sold out arenas, and you have no use for a 100-watt Plexi? Or you simply don’t have the funds to shell out for a new amp? Well, you’re in luck. In recent years, pedal builders have looked to capture that distinctive tone in a compact stompbox format, so you can take that sound with you anywhere, at any volume.

From Tone City to Strymon, there’s a Plexi pedal for you. For classic low-to-mid gain Plexi sounds, try the JHS Charlie Brown. Or if you’re looking for the higher gain, hot-rodded Plexi sound, or for a more versatile Plexi pedal, check out the Tone City Golden Plexi, the Universal Audio UAFX Lion 68 Super Lead Amp Simulator Pedal or the Wampler Plexi Mini.

Hear the sounds of the Tone City Golden Plexi 2, or the NUX Plexi Crunch for yourself!

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F.A.Q

• What is a Plexi amplifier? The terms ‘Plexi’ or ‘Plexi style’ refer to amplifiers which deliver a classic ‘rock’ sound with high volume and distortion.
• What is ‘Plexi’ short for? Plexi is short for ‘plexiglass’ – a reference to the 1960s Marshall amps which had a plexiglass front.
• What is a hot-rodded amp? An amp which has been custom modified for higher volume and distortion.
• What is a stompbox? Small, portable units designed to modify your guitar’s sound. A stompbox differs from a guitar pedal in that it has a simple on/off switch.

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Overdrive Pedals

Overdrive pedals come in all different shapes and sizes, and there are probably more different types of drive than any other types of gain pedals out there. A quality, versatile overdrive is a necessity on any pedalboard. Overdrives generally produce a moderate amount of gain and are therefore used for low to mid-gain sounds, like blues, rock and its many subgenres.

Usually (but not always), this effect is achieved by using a soft-clipping circuit, mimicking the characteristics of a slightly over-driven amp. The quintessential electric guitar sound was built on this effect. Although there are countless different types of overdrive pedals, I will cover three of the most popular styles: the Tube Screamer, Bluesbreaker, and Klon.

Tube Screamer Style Overdrive

The Tube Screamer is the most famous of overdrive pedals and is characterised by its distinctive EQ curve. Most stompboxes based on this style of overdrive will be soft-clipping, cut the bass and add lots of mid-range, which can add thickness to a clean sound, or tighten up a high-gain metal sound. It boosts the perfect frequencies right around 700-1K Hz to cut through any mix. So whether you play in a metalcore band and you’re looking to create fast staccato attack, or you’re pining for that famous Stevie Ray Vaughan blues sound, look no further than the Tube Screamer.

The Tube Screamer was made by Ibanez in 1979 but was first sold under the Maxon label. You’ll find most Tube Screamers referred to either as an OD-808 or a TS9 – the difference being the JRC 4558D integrated circuit (IC) chip in the former and TA75558 IC chip in the latter. In layman’s terms, the 808 sounds smoother and the TS9 a little brighter and harsher. There have been dozens of iterations of the design over the years, including the TS9DX Turbo which adds “Hot”, “+” and “Turbo” modes.

As one of the most famous drive pedals ever created, other companies have had their go at putting their twist on the iconic sound. That includes the ideal budget choice, the Tone City Kaffir Lime, the gorgeously unique Earthquaker Devices Plumes and the all-encompassing JHS Pedals Bonsai, packing nine different types of Screamer circuits into one pedal.

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Bluesbreaker Style Overdrive

Like the Tube Screamer style circuit, Bluesbreaker style overdrives also use soft-clipping to create a smooth, compressed style of overdrive. They are ideal for adding a little bit of extra dirt or stacking with other pedals. But unlike a Tube Screamer, it won’t imprint its own character onto your tone. It is designed to be “transparent”, meaning that it has a balanced frequency range, so you can keep the core tone of your guitar and amp and just layer on some sizzle.

The Bluesbreaker type pedal is a great option for blues rock tones as it is a low-to-medium gain overdrive that adds smooth sustain as you increase the gain. Favoured by John Mayer, this type of pedal is perfect for someone who loves their current guitar tone, but is looking to push it with a bit more gain.

Marshall created the original Bluesbreaker and nothing beats it based on simplicity and effect. The Mooer Blues Crab achieves transparent gain at a small expense, while the Snouse Blackbox is a more refined high-end take on the sound, adding boost and presence controls with top quality components.

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Klon Style Overdrive

Arguably the single most revered pedal of all time and one of the most expensive on the used market. When the Klon Centaur was invented in 1994, its design was unlike any previous overdrive as it utilised a hard-clipping circuit. However, it doesn’t sound harsh like a distortion because it is blended with a clean boost circuit which has no clipping. The result is a harmonically rich, stacked tone that retains an echo of the natural sound of your guitar and amp.

Although Klon style pedals are often described as transparent, they do impart a subtle upper-mid-boost to the EQ yet avoid cutting the bass as a Tube Screamer would. Because of the hard-clipping style, a Klon style overdrive is a great option for a getting a crunchy rock rhythm sound, but it is more commonly used with the gain turned down as a clean boost to add a bit of sparkle and clarity to your sound. This type of pedal is very versatile and great for players who value quality above all else in their playing.

Check out our deeper dive on the Klon and its Centaur clones. More briefly, have a listen to the TC Electronic Zeus Drive if you’re shopping for a Klon style pedal on a budget as it delivers on the highly sought-after tones without busting the bank. The Wampler Tumnus mini pedal is one of our favourites if you want the straight-up Klon sound without any tone dialling. Seeing as though the original Klon Centaur is all-but out of reach for most of us, the Vemuram Spiritone should be next on the list as your premium pedal choice, made in collaboration with Japanese guitarist Char and packed with two custom circuits.

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Distortion Pedals

If overdrive pedals are meant to sound like valve amps turned up to 9 or 10, then distortion pedals are meant to sound like an amp searing at 11. While some overdrive pedals are transparent in keeping your original tone intact, distortion pedals fundamentally alter your sound to get that harmonic, gritty sustain that you’ve heard on countless rock and metal songs. If you’re looking to master your Metallica riffs or Satriani solos, then distortion is for you. Because distortion adds more level (volume) to the signal and generally uses hard-clipping, it compresses your signal to an even level, ensuring that whether you’re chugging or tapping, you’ll always be heard.

Distortion comes in all forms, but some of the industry standard staples include: the MXR Distortion +, a gritty vintage to colour your tone; the Boss DS-1 unleashing a guitar hero-esque harmonic sustain; and the versatile ProCo RAT, which ranges from dial a light, crunchy overdrive, to thick and heavy distortion and all the way to fuzzy obliteration. All of these are classic designs that have been used widely in rock music since the late 1970s.

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Fuzz Pedals

In the words of the great Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin fame, the job of a fuzz pedal is “overdrive the sound, and make it sound pretty rude”. Fuzz has been an integral part of many great guitarists’ sound, from Jimi Hendrix and Eric Johnson with the Fuzz Face, to Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) with the Big Muff to Jimmy Page with the Tone Bender.

Fuzz can be pushed to the most extreme style of gain pedal, but when tamed, it is musically rich and an inspirational tool that has been integral to lots of trendsetters’ sounds. Much like the other types of pedals mentioned today, there are many variations of fuzz pedals, but the three pillars of fuzz are the Tone Bender, the Fuzz Face and the Big Muff.

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Tone Bender Style Pedals

Tone Bender style pedals have a really aggressive distortion characteristic, but remain clear even at high gain because the bass is cut in the EQ so the sound doesn’t get muddy or sloppy. This type of fuzz pedal is perfect for chunky power chords and driving hard rock riffs. It also pairs especially well with humbucker-equipped guitars as they will fatten the bass-end without getting bloated. The most famous user of the Tone Bender is Jimmy Page, and without it, Led Zeppelin would never have had their legendary sound! A classic style Tone Bender is very easy to use with just 2 controls: ‘level/volume’, and ‘attack/fuzz’. Some versions will also have a tone control to tweak your sound to your exact liking.

Original Sola Sound Tone Benders are only available to buy second-hand now, but lots of current brands make their own versions of the original with their own take on it. The Behringer Fuzz Bender has a fun elongated shape like the classic pedal, and sounds like it too, with modern and original settings. The Catalinbread Katzenkonig is a more premium and unusual choice, combining singing fuzz tones with the best elements of a RAT distortion.

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Fuzz Face Style Pedals

Most famously used by Jimi Hendrix, the Dunlop Fuzz Face is one of the seminal sounds of early psychedelic rock, but it does so much more. Fuzz Face style pedals are unique in how they react with the volume pot on your guitar. At full volume, it can produce a thick hair-raising rumble for mighty lead playing, but roll the volume back to 6 or 7 for a smooth, warm overdrive that’s perfect for chords. Take the volume back again to 3 or 4 for sparkly crystal cleans.

The fuzz face was not only responsible for Hendrix’s monstrous lead tones on the likes of the Purple Haze intro and All Along the Watchtower, but it was also at the core of his beautiful chimey clean tones on Wind Cries Mary. Because of the thick bass and soft attack of the fuzz face, it pairs especially well with Strat style single coil guitars, which remain more percussive and dynamic than higher-powered humbucker guitars. So, whether you’re looking for that Hendrix sound or just something new, there are few pedals out there more fun than the Fuzz Face!

The original, legendary Jim Dunlop Fuzz Face is a fun circular shape – maybe not ideal for your pedalboard but quirky enough to get your attention. Take your pick of germanium or silicone transistors, the former being warmer in sound and the latter a touch harsher. The Boss FZ-5 gets you a similar tone for less and in a more conventional rectangular package.

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Big Muff Style Pedals

Perhaps the most controllable of the three fuzzes but the most distortion-like in sound, the Big Muff acts as if you could keep turning up the gain on a distortion pedal. It’s great for creating a massively thick and heavy rock rhythm sound. Because of the huge amount of bass and mid-scooped characteristic it will happily sit in a band mix. Try stacking a Tube Screamer after it to bring forward a more prominent midrange. It also pairs well with other gain pedals, more so than the Tone Bender and Fuzz Face. Most Big Muff style pedals include a tone control and unlike its fuzzy counterparts allows for additional tone tweaking with attitude.

The Electro Harmonix Big Muff is the OG – a hugely popular pedal that has defined rock guitar, used lots of bands from Pink Floyd to The Smashing Pumpkins and My Bloody Valentine to The White Stripes. They offer several iterations on the classic circuit, such as the super bassy Russian Big Muff and the feature-packed, versatile Deluxe Big Muff.

Tone City’s Matcha Cream does a great job bringing the Big Muff spirit on a fraction of the price, while the Browne Amplification T4‘s flattened EQ curve pushes a stronger oomph in the midrange frequencies.

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Side Note: As a general rule, if you’re using multiple pedals, always put your fuzz first because a lot of fuzzes don’t play well with others. Read more about this here.

Which Drive Pedal Should You Buy?

Now that you have a better understanding of how gain pedals work, hopefully you can narrow down your drive choice to find the perfect one for you and your style.

As a quick summary: boost pedals will raise the volume of your amp, but put in front of a valve amplifier you may get a nice, juicy driven tone. Overdrive pedals’ soft-clipping makes them great for dynamic crunchy rock, blues, jazz, indie and alt tones. Famous iterations include the mid-range heavy Tube Screamer, the transparent Blues Breaker or the luxurious Klon Centaur style stompboxes.

Distortion pedal hard clip the soundwaves and create a menacing bite in your guitar tone – ideal for hard rock, metal and any chaotic or aggressive sound. The RAT pedal, Boss DS-1 and MXR Distortion + are all diverse picks.

Fuzzes can be both classic and extreme depending on how you dial them in. A Fuzz Face will bring the Hendrix bluesy rock goodness, while the Tone Bender is closer aligned to the Zeppelin sound. The Big Muff is more ferocious and beefier in the low-end.

But why only choose one drive pedal? Try experimenting with different combinations to find a sound that is truly unique to you!

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The post Boost, Overdrive, Distortion & Fuzz: A Beginner’s Guide to Gain Pedals appeared first on Andertons Blog.

Fender Jaguar

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In 1962, the Jaguar became Leo Fender’s fourth and final electric guitar design before selling the company to CBS in 1964. The Jaguar was marketed directly to that emerging West Coast pop scene.

Fender Advertising Poster from 1962

However, by the late ‘60s the surf scene had all but washed away. As the British invasion hit the radiowaves, Jaguars started collecting dust. And while the Strat and Tele continued to rise in popularity, Fender’s offset Jaguar and Jazzmaster faded into into the background.

Around the late ‘70s, people started picking up old Jaguars in bargain basements and pawn shops around London and New York, as they had become significantly cheaper than Strats and Teles. The Jag was reborn in the emergence of punk and post-punk. With its bright single-coil sound and peculiar ‘strangle switch’, the Jaguar had the perfect range of dynamic cleans building up to an aggressive bite for this new sound.

The two most famous Jag players were Johnny Marr of The Smiths and a few years later, Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain. Both bands typify anti-conformism. These legends have cemented the Jaguar’s status as the Alternative Rock guitar of choice. You’ll be sure to see Fender Jaguars on Festival stages up and down the country for years to come.

What’s the Difference?

Both the Jaguar and Jazzmaster have many similarities. When it comes to which one you’d choose, it can be quite tricky to decide. So let’s point out what sets them apart:

Scale Length

The Jazzmaster bears the typical Fender 25.5-inch scale length, which is the same as the Strat and Tele. This instrument will feel instantly familiar to anyone who has played a Fender, or any contemporary guitar for that matter. There is a particularly comforting feel to the Jazzmaster that makes it an incredibly quick to adjust to no matter the situation you find yourself playing in. It simply comes down to preference here: you’ll either be in camp Jazzmaster, or the shorter scale length camp with guitars such made by the likes of PRS and Gibson.

In contrast, the Jaguar’s 24” scale length is much shorter than most guitars, giving the strings a slinkier, looser feel, making bends and vibrato much easier. Tonally you may hear a rounder, more instantly gratifying sound and vibrations through the body of the guitar, compared to the focused and snappy 25.5” scale. The shorter scale lends itself well to riff rock sounds, with that bounce you can only find from the strings dipping out and returning to tune. That can extend to how you play, as it might encourage to play with more aggression or verve. In 1962, Fender marketed the Jaguar as “faster and more comfortable” for its shorter scale length. While we like to think most modern guitars are relatively easy to adjust to playing no matter the size or length, the Jaguar will undoubtedly be easier to handle for people with smaller hands who might struggle to bridge large intervals on the fretboard.

Number of Frets

Typically, the Jazzmaster has 21 frets, while the Jaguar has 22. The Jaguar’s extra fret only makes that feel of the shorter scale length more noticeable, as the distance between the frets is condensed to fit in one more fret. Nothing here is overwhelming or radically different to most other modern guitars in the way they handle or in how the neck feels. The Jazzmaster aligns closely to a typical Strat or Tele, while the Jaguar offers a touch more versatility.

Pickups

Perhaps the starkest difference between the Jaguar and Jazzmaster is the construction of the pickups.

A common misconception is that Jazzmasters contain P-90 pickups but that is not the case. Jazzmaster pickups are unique, in that they make use of single-coil pickups that are neither like a Strat, Tele or like the P-90s of a Jaguar. While in the design process for the Jazzmaster, Leo Fender was looking for a tone than the Strat and Tele which would be something that jazz guitarists would appreciate. Whilst retaining all the top end sparkle of a great strat pickup, this tweaked pickup has shorter poles and a wider magnet wind. It provides a more present midrange and fuller bass. Their low output means that they are still clean and twangy, perfect for shimmery chords, but with a mellower, rounder tone.

Jaguar pickups are more similar to that of a Strat, with a brighter tone. But in response to the emergence of higher volume levels in the early ‘60s, Jag pickups utilise a metal shielding claw around the pickups to reduce 60-cycle hum (or 50-cycle hum in the UK and Europe). This additional metal component has a similar effect to the brass baseplate on a Tele bridge pickup which gives it a brasher top-end resulting in a more aggressive sound than a Strat or Jazzmaster. Jaguar pickups are also mounted directly to the body of the guitar, which adds a little bit of extra oomph in the attack. This is great for playing with distortion for a really gnarly and cutting sound.

Both guitars broadly stick to their traditional sounds across the main Fender lines, like the Players II Series, American Professional II, Vintera II and Squier Classic Vibe. You may occasionally be able to get your hands on an alternatively configured model from the Made in Japan series and other limited edition runs.

Bridges

Jags and Jazzmasters have the same great tremolo system and bridge. The tremolo itself is brilliant – the notes glide out when you smoothly press and release the long arm, as the pivot and spring are mounted underneath the metal plate visible on the body. It feels satisfyingly luxurious and it’s an aspect that players love when looking to add unique texture to their sounds – think of the drifting melodies of My Bloody Valentine.

The traditional bridge does however cause some issues, as the strings are liable to slip out of their seats when you strum harder. Fender’s modern models are equipped with more reliable tune-o-matic style or Mustang bridges, but some players still love the old school setup.

Switching

The switching is where it all happens with the Jazzmaster and Jaguar and it’s what defines them in the guitar world, offering you a unique playing experience. Both offer independent lead and rhythm circuits, which allow for on-the-fly tone changes and give you the chance to detail your sound in a way other guitars simply cannot.

Jaguars and Jazzmasters function quite similarly. In the lead mode, the guitar functions as you’d expect, with a tone knob, volume and pickup selector, but only for the bridge pickup and for the bridge and neck pickups together.

In this lead mode, the Jazzmaster has a conventional 3-way switch, while the Jag splits the circuit between three individual switches. The first two switches control the individual neck and bridge pickups, while the third switch, known as the “strangle switch” is a bass-cut control (a high pass filter) that produces the iconic jangly tone. Watch below as Oz explains how Jaguar switching works…

The rhythm circuit functions the same on both guitars. The rhythm circuit has a much darker tone, and selects the neck pickup only, bypassing the regular switches and controls. Volume and tone are controlled by the 2 thumbwheels on the upper horn of the guitar.

Body Shape

The two guitars do actually have different bodies, if ever so slightly, and it may not be noticeable unless you had them lined up next to each other. A Jazzmaster is the marginally larger of the two. It makes sense considering the more compact scale length that accompanies the Jaguar and the traditionally larger bodies of jazz guitars.

Which one should I choose?

Now that we know the differences, it’s time to answer the real question – which one to pick. For a familiar feel and rich clean to slightly driven tones, the Jazzmaster is perfect. It has a unique sound but is balanced enough that you can find an entire palette of tones.

If you’re looking for something that feels and sounds just a bit different, the Jaguar might be the guitar for you. With its shorter scale length and hotter, brighter sound you can get dirtier with the gain and make full use of the lead and rhythm circuits.

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Want to learn more?

Why not also check out our Ultimate Guide to Offset Guitars

The post Fender Jaguar vs. Jazzmaster: What’s the Difference? appeared first on Andertons Blog.

So, unless you have a spare three grand lying around, you might be wondering how you can get your hands on a Klon? Since the reveal of the schematics in 2008, every major pedal company has tried their hand at a Klon ‘klone’. For between £100 and £250, here are some of the best clones available today:

Wampler Tumnus/Tumnus Deluxe

Brian Wampler is one of the best pedal builders in the industry, and his Tumnus brings the magic of the Klon with an affordable price tag and a pedalboard-friendly miniature pedal. Or if you’re looking for ultimate tone shaping, the Tumnus Deluxe trades the traditional treble control for an independent 3-band EQ for limitless tonal possibilities.

Ceriatone Centura

If you want a clone that both sounds and looks the part, then the Ceriatone Centura is the one for you. As well as nailing that iconic Klon sound, it faithfully recreates the enclosure and knobs for the authentic Klon look. The pedal is available in classic gold, silver, or purple for an update on the classic style.

Mythos Mjolnir

Zach Broyles of Mythos is a relative newcomer to the pedal industry, but the Mjolnir fired him into the big leagues. His tweaked version of the Centaur replicated the unmistakable Klon tone while adding some clarity to the overdriven sound.

RYRA The Klone

RYRA’s Shane Logan is a one-man band, building every pedal by hand, much like Finnegan’s original Klon. Also, like the Klon, The Klone can be bought in gold or silver, along with black cherry or seafoam green. The design is very reminiscent of the Centaur, but in a smaller, more pedalboard-friendly enclosure.

JRAD Archer/Archer Ikon

The Archer, the original Klon clone, was the first 100%, part-for-part remake of the fabled Centaur and remains one of the best. The Ikon is a slight variant on the standard Archer, which has slightly more midrange compression and less presence for a smoother, less bright sound.

Way Huge Conspiracy Theory

Founded by George Tripps in 1992, Way Huge was one of the forefathers of the boutique boom. So naturally, he took on the most famous boutique pedal of all. The Conspiracy Theory is widely regarded as a near-perfect replica of the Klon.

Keeley Oxblood

Robert Keeley is one of the most respected names in the pedal industry, with a track record for making exceptional pedals. Unlike most Klon clones, the Oxblood isn’t an exact clone. Instead, Keeley has replicated the transparent boost/overdrive tone of the Klon with his own original circuit. In his design, he offers more versatility with two clipping options, for even more gain, verging on fuzz. It also contains a ‘phat’ switch to add a beefier bottom end to the tone.

Klon Centaur Alternatives Under £100

Want to experience the Klon Centaur for yourself but working on a tighter budget? Don’t worry – there are a number of impressive entry-level pedals out there that offer that classic Klon sound without breaking the bank. Here’s our pick of the best:

Electro-Harmonix Soul Food

Electro-Harmonix are one of the kings of mid-priced pedals, combining quality, durability and affordability, and the Soul Food is no exception. This Andertons best seller nails the Klon tone and can be yours for under £100.

Tone City Bad Horse

At under £40, the Bad Horse represents excellent value for money, making the legendary Klon sound accessible to anyone.

TC Electronic Zeus

The brand-new Zeus is the newest addition to the list of Klon clones. It features the classic gain, level and treble controls with an additional ‘fat’ switch for a fuller bass response. Much like the Klon KTR (the machine-built version of the Centaur), it can be switched between buffered and true bypass to optimise your signal chain. It also boasts germanium clipping diodes like the original Klon, a feature you won’t find anywhere else in this price range!

Behringer Centara

Behringer truly leave no stone unturned when it comes to offering legendary music gear for ultra-accessible prices. The Centara delivers the mythical golden crunch thanks to almost like-for-like internal circuitry, with soft-clipping Germanium diodes bolstered by stepped-up internal voltage, and a dual concentric gain knob for a wide range of crispy saturation.

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Klon Centaur FAQs

What is the Klon Centaur known for?

The Klon Centaur is famous for its ‘transparent overdrive’, a natural-sounding, dynamic boost that retains your guitar and amp’s character while adding warmth, grit, and presence.

Why is the Klon Centaur so expensive?

Original models were hand-built in limited numbers and are no longer in production. Combine that with its iconic sound and reputation, and it’s no surprise prices on the second-hand market have skyrocketed.

Is a Klon just a Tube Screamer?

No – while it’s true they’re both overdrive pedals, the Klon and the Tube Screamer are very different beasts. The Tube Screamer has a midrange-heavy EQ and soft clipping, which gives it a punchy, compressed tone that’s great for tightening up high-gain amps. The Klon, on the other hand, has a more transparent sound, blending clean and overdriven signals for a natural, amp-like response. It uses hard clipping, retains more bass, and operates at higher voltage for increased headroom. In short, the Klon was designed to fix what Finnegan didn’t like about the Tube Screamer.

What is a transparent overdrive?

A transparent overdrive adds gain and mild compression without dramatically changing your guitar’s tone. It’s often used to push amps into natural breakup while keeping the EQ intact.

Is the Soul Food a good Klon clone?

Yes, it’s one of the most affordable and popular Klon-style pedals, delivering the core tone of the original at a fraction of the price.

What’s the best Klon-style pedal under £100?

The Tone City Bad Horse and Electro-Harmonix Soul Food are both top contenders, delivering impressive tone for players on a budget.

Final Thoughts

Bill Finnegan sought to reinvent the overdrive pedal to achieve a transparent tone, and (as the eBay prices will attest) he achieved it. But whether your budget is £40 or £4000, there’s a Klon out there for you, so go pick one up and find out for yourself what makes the Klon Centaur the most expensive pedal in the World.

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The post A History of the Klon Centaur – and Our Guide to the Best Klon Centaur Clones appeared first on Andertons Blog.

Back in 2018, the guitar industry was only talking about one thing… the John Mayer PRS Silver Sky. Having been a long-time Fender artist, Mayer’s switch to PRS was big news, and everyone had an opinion when they unveiled their first S-Style guitar. In the years since, people have come to accept that they are excellent guitars.

For several years fans have been calling for a more affordable SE version of the Silver Sky, and in January of this year, PRS obliged. Complete with the same 635JM single coil pickups as the US version, a Rosewood fingerboard, and a 8.5” fingerboard radius – halfway between a vintage and modern S-Style radius, the SE Silver Sky retains that vintage mojo!

2. Yamaha Revstar

For 2022, Yamaha have completely redesigned the popular Revstar range, with resounding success. The updated range offers “enhanced playability, versatility and tone”.

It is now available at 3 different price-points:

• Element – At £399, this is the most affordable line. Even at this price, you get a Mahogany body, Rosewood fingerboard, satin neck, and proprietary Alnico V humbuckers!
• Standard – At £649, you now get a Maple top, Stainless Steel frets, and a choice of humbuckers or P90s!
• Professional – at £1599, the top of the range model is made in Japan to the highest standards, using a 2-piece Mahogany body with carbon reinforcement!

Netflix’s Stranger Things 4 was the biggest TV show of 2022! New character turned fan-favourite, Eddie Munson stole the show in the final episode, playing Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” on his B. C. Rich Warlock to save the world.

BC Rich have built an extremely limited run of “Eddie’s Guitar” replicas. The standard series features B.C. Rich’s own ’86 high gain humbuckers, Floyd Rose locking tremolo and custom “Hellfire Club” neckplate. The USA Custom Shop version is equipped with a DiMarzio Super Distortion in the bridge position, DiMarzio Deactivator in the neck and a Kahler Professional locking tremolo. It also includes a custom “Hellfire Club” hardcase.

2022 sees the return of the popular ML2 series from Chapman – their take on a single-cut design. These sleek looking instruments are designed for the ultimate player experience. With a satin finished roasted Maple neck and 12” fingerboard radius, the ML2 feels super-fast to play. And with Hipshot locking tuners, Graph Tech nut and a hardtail string-through bridge is has rock solid tuning stability!

The Seymour Duncan pickups bring all the bark and growl you could want from your single-cut, with a dynamic and articulate Sentient humbucker in the neck and an overwound Pegasus in the bridge for that extra punch and saturation.

Originally introduced as a limited run in Fender’s Parallel Universe range, the Meteora now joins Fender’s permanent lineup in 2022 as part of the Player Plus range. These Mexican-made guitars feature Fender’s top-of-the-line specs at an affordable price-point.

With a flatter than normal 12” fingerboard radius, rolled edges and deluxe locking tuners, it’s clear that this is for players seeking high performance. This is supported by Fender’s powerful ‘Fireball’ humbucking pickups, and incredible tonal versatility from the S-1 switching!

These Fender Special Run Squier Telecasters have been custom spec’d here at Andertons! These baritones have a long 27” scale length, allowing for lower tunings for you to discover new sonic horizons.

These FSR Cabronitas are fitted with Fender-Designed Alnico P90 pickups, with a fatter and more midrangey sound than a standard single coil. They clean up like a classic single coil but take on a beefier tone when you add gain – perfect for blues through to metal. The P90 is truly an all-rounder!

This Limited Edition run in Lemon Burst has a classic vintage look. To match the looks, this ’59 is probably the most vintage accurate Les Paul Epiphone have ever made.

Featuring P.A.F style Gibson BurstBucker pickups (used on the Gibson USA Standard lines) and a chunky ’59 C profile neck, it certainly sounds the part. But it doesn’t stop there; with USA-made CTS pots, Mallory capacitors and ‘50s style winding, you’ll find exactly what you’d see in a real ’59. Guitar.com called it “more convincing than some instruments we’ve played bearing the Gibson name on the headstock.”

Seth Baccus has fast become one of the UK’s foremost luthiers – read here to find out more. He has built his reputation over the last 10+ years as a world-renowned master builder. He now has his own UK-based team, building incredible, heirloom quality instruments which are, in his own words “so good that they’re indistinguishable from what I can build as a one-man maker.”

With a variety of pickup configurations, Seth Baccus Guitars sit somewhere between a Telecaster and a Les Paul. Each guitar has an Obeche body – which is like Mahogany but lighter and with a bit more top-end. This is paired with a luxuriously flamed roasted Maple neck, with a choice of Maple or Rosewood fingerboard. Choose from a variety of pickup option from the UK’s own Bare Knuckle or Monty’s.

In 2022, Squier are celebrating their 40^th Anniversary, and to celebrate, they’ve released a whole range of stunning guitars! Whether it’s Strats, Teles or Jazzmasters you’re after, they’ve got you covered. The range consists of the Gold Edition and the Vintage Edition.

With an array of stunning colours, the Gold Editions have all-gold hardware, while the Vintage Editions have silky smooth satin finished bodies and necks for a classic look and feel!

Carlos Lopez, owner of Castedosa, left the Fender Custom Shop after 16 years as a Master Builder to start his own venture in 2022. Lopez was renowned for his alternative guitar builds – something he has honed in on since founding Castedosa.

The Conchers Baritone sports a cool retro look and relic’d finish. Its 27” scale length lends itself to lower tunings for a rich palate of new sounds. With 3 pickup configurations there is plenty of tonal variety – choose between P90s, Humbuckers, or Mini-Humbuckers. Lopez also builds effects into some of his guitars, such as Fuzz & Octave effects.

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If you enjoyed this, why not check out our Top 10 Best Guitar Pedals of 2022… So Far!

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Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses)

For many, 1987’s Appetite for Destruction is hailed as one of the best sounding rock albums of all-time. And laying the foundation for Slash and Izzy, was Duff McKagan with a Gallien-Krueger.

Dave Holland (Jazz Legend)

Proving that GK amps can run the gamut of genres, multi-Grammy award winning musician Dave Holland plays upright bass through his GK.

Justin Chancellor (Tool)

Justin Chancellor is known to have great tone, and a great variety of different sounds and effects. And at the foundation of that is his GK amp. His aggressive, heavy riffing is complemented by that “GK growl”, whilst also having the headroom to make it an excellent platform for 46 & 2 other effects!

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Compressors are great tools for guitarists, but they’re not right for everyone. So if you’re wondering whether you should add a compressor to your rig, we’ve got you covered.

I Only Play at Home

If you’ve ever had the luxury of being able to play through a loud valve amp that’s really cooking, there’s a unique feel you get from the amp. As a valve amp is pushed close to its limit it will naturally compress, making the guitar feel easier under the fingers. It’s not necessarily a huge audible effect, but it’s like the amp is encouraging you to play — as you dig in, the amp squashes and rounds off the top-end, and each note sustains longer.

If you’re just playing at home, you’ll never get your amp loud enough to experience this, but with a compressor you can simulate that exact same feeling. When you need to be conscious of your volume, you can get into the habit of being afraid to dig in. But with a compressor on, you won’t get a huge volume spike — you’ll just get a thicker, warmer attack. So, if you have to play at low volumes, you should definitely try out a compressor pedal!

I  Mostly Play Clean

If you predominantly play with a clean tone, then a compressor is a life-saver! When you play with overdrive, your signal is already compressing, which is how the distortion is created. But if you’re playing completely clean there is almost no compression at all, meaning that it’s very difficult to control the dynamic range.

Without any compression you also won’t get much sustain, so you will get a big transient peak that will die out very quickly. Adding a compressor will control those peaks, allowing you to still play dynamically, but helping fill your sound with more sustain between each note — allowing for tight rhythm playing and seamless solos.

I Mostly Play with Overdrive

If you generally play with overdrive then you will already be compressing your signal, but adding a compressor to your signal chain can add more texture to your sound. Certain famous guitar tones such as overdriven Fender or Dumble amps are sometimes described as “chewy” — this comes from a thick, compressed mid-range. This can be replicated with a compressor. They’re also great to use for solos to boost your signal and add sustain for big bends, or to even out your dynamics when playing fast legato passages.

There are multiple ways you can stack compression with overdrive. It is most common to place a compressor in front of your overdrive, which acts as an overall tone fattener, as the added sustain will also overdrive. It is also a practical solution because, by their nature, compressors raise the noise floor — so going after your overdrives could amplify the noise floor.

Another option is to place your compressor after your overdrive, that way you retain the dynamics and attack of your guitar going into the overdrive, but it just adds some sustain and level control. Having it this way round gives the compressor a subtler effect that retains more dynamic range.

I Play Slide

Compression is very common in slide playing, and it’s often not a subtle effect. Slide guitar can be challenging and unforgiving, but compression helps alleviate that. By softening your attack and adding sustain, it’s easier to slide smoothly up and down the fretboard without sharp dynamic spikes.

A common trick among slide players is to use 2 compressors, that way the effect is even more exaggerated as the second compressor will grab the transients that the first one misses. In fact, the Origin Effects SlideRig uses this exact trick — with a knob that allows you to blend in a second layer of compression to the first. An alternative for slide guitar is to use a fuzz, which does a similar job of limiting your attack and adding sustain. Why not try a combination of compressor and fuzz to see what suits you best?

I’m a Bassist

For a bass player, compression is your most important effect and is a must-have! A bassist’s main role in most musical contexts is to lay the foundation of the groove, and for that you need to keep a steady volume. A compressor will ensure that each note has a similar volume, so when you adjust your playing dynamics, you affect the timbre of your attack without completely jumping out of the mix. A compressor will also round out the attack of the notes, ensuring a thick and rich bass sound with that classic “thump” that stays present in the mix.

Can I use a Guitar Compressor for Bass?

In short, yes. In long — a guitar compressor will work, but a bass compressor will probably work better. Compression works the same on basses and guitars, but bass compressors focus on a different frequency spectrum. Bass and electric guitars fill different areas of the frequency spectrum, and that’s partly why they sound so damn good together. A bass compressor will focus more on compressing bass and lower mid-range, much like a dedicated bass amp. While a guitar compressor is optimised for a wider spectrum, with more upper mids and treble.

Studio-Style Compressor Pedals

Most compressor pedals will only have 2 or 3 controls, often for level, attack and amount of compression (or maybe even 4 controls if you’re lucky enough to have a blend control as well). But some pedal manufacturers such as DSM & Humboldt and Origin Effects are building a whole new breed of compressors. These are compressor pedals for guitarists that give you the control and precision of the big, expensive studio compressors — often based on legendary studio compressors like the 1176.

So if you’re looking for something super easy to work with, then a classic 2-knob compressor is perfect. But if you want to have total mastery of your tone and you’re not afraid to tweak, then check these out…

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If you liked this article, why not check out these:

• What is Reverb in Music?
• What is EQ?
• The Top 10 Best Guitar Pedals of 2022… So Far!
• 5 Things You Need to Know About DSM & Humboldt
• Electric Guitar String Gauge: What Should You Use?
• 6 Things You Need to Know About Universal Audio Volt Interfaces

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Victory are changing the game in the amp world, building boutique amps at competitive prices. These may just look like pedals, but don’t be fooled. Concealed beneath the chassis is a 180W hybrid amplifier with an all-valve preamp! Whether you’re looking for a compact ampless rig, or an all-in-one amp and recording solution, the V4 Amp pedals do it all. We all love the sound of a real tube amp, which is why you won’t find any solid-state circuitry in these preamps – just pure, unadulterated valve goodness!

The power section is designed for ultimate efficiency and portability, boasting a mind-blowing 180W. You can plug straight into a 4Ω, 8Ω or 16Ω speaker cabinet, with more than enough headroom to handle any home, studio, or gigging situation.

Sat between the preamp and power section is Victory’s revolutionary “Valve Response Circuit” (V.R.C), which introduces a truly authentic valve power amp feel, adding sag, compression and thump that feels dynamic under the fingers.

These Amp pedals are also purpose built for direct recording, featuring market-leading Two Notes Cab-Sim technology for a 2-in-1 speaker emulation and audio interface. With presets designed by Graham Coxon (The Sheriff), Chris Buck (The Copper), Rabea Massaad (The Kraken), Jack Gardiner (The Jack), and our very own “Danish” Pete Honoré (The Duchess).

Every V4 also features built-in reverb, headphone output and a series effects loop. So whichever flavour of amp you like, the V4 series has something for you:

• The Duchess – American Clean
• The Copper – Dual Channel British AC-Style clean and crunch
• The Sheriff – Dual Channel British Plexi
• The Kraken – Dual Channel Modern High Gain
• The Jack – Dual Channel Versatile All-Rounder

2. Boss Space Echo Delay Pedals

The vintage Roland RE-201 Space Echo units are some of the most coveted “holy-grail” effects units in music history, combining stunning multi-head tape delays with a warm, gritty preamp. Boss have flawlessly captured these spellbinding units in compact, reliable digital stompboxes for a perfect blend of vintage and modern.

The fine details of the iconic magnetic tape delay have been meticulously replicated, from the compression and warmth of the tape to the warble and flutter of the motor, for a musical delay with rippling modulation. Boss have also captured the splashy and lush spring reverb from the original unit, to bring space and colour to your sound.

On the RE-2 you can select between any combination of the 3 tape heads for a variety of rhythmic delays. The RE-202 has further functionality, emulating the beloved preamp from the RE-201, colouring your tone with warmth and crunchy vintage saturation when cranked up. You can also toggle between “New” or “Aged” tape to go from shimmery hi-fi repeats to dark, degraded delays which gently bloom underneath your core tone.

Boss have also packed these pedals with modern features for todays players, including extended delay times, onboard presets for one button switching, and MIDI capability to save and store up to 127 settings.

3. Strymon V2 Pedals

Strymon have been the industry standard for digital effects pedals for the last decade. Their incredible DSP technology has kept them at the top of the tree all this time. 2022 sees the release of the second generation of their best-selling dual pedals.

So what’s new? They now have all of the features and MIDI compatibility you would expect from a modern digital pedal. They also boast a new analogue JFET input circuit for a more organic dynamic response and a new ARM DSP chip for increased processing power.

The majority of  the range has also updated from 5 knobs to 6 knobs, allowing you to more easily control all of the pedals’ parameters without diving into hidden secondary controls, for a simplified user experience!

A titanic brand resurrected; Maestro invented the first ever guitar pedal back in 1962. 60 years on and they’re back! It is no exaggeration to say that without the Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz, music as we know it today would never have existed. Heard on iconic tracks, such as “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones, Maestro were at the heart of the ‘60s British invasion. Read here for more on the history of Maestro.

In 2022, Maestro have relaunched with updated all-analogue takes on their most legendary effects, offering a uniquely authentic vintage experience!

• Fuzz-Tone FM-Z – Of course we start with the return of the first ever pedal. The FM-Z recreates the iconic FZ-1 Fuzz Tone with two different fuzz modes for vintage and modern voicings.
• Ranger Overdrive – A modern overdrive, inspired by the overdriven tones of some the world’s most revered tube amps.
• Invader Distortion – A high-gain distortion with an aggressive sonic character that is rich in harmonic content. It also features a switchable noise gate for further modern usability.
• Comet Chorus – A lush chorus that utilises Bucket Brigade technology to deliver warm, classic analogue chorus tones. It it’s “Orbit” mode it adds amplitude modulation for a very convincing Leslie rotary speaker effect
• Discoverer Delay – A modern, bucket brigade analogue delay with switchable modulation for authentic tape-like “wow and “flutter” effects.

5. Line 6 DL4 Mk. II Delay Modeller Pedal

The Line 6 DL4 was one of the most popular guitar pedals of all-time. It was right at the forefront of digital effects technology back in 1999 when it was launched and has been a mainstay on pro pedalboard for over 2 decades. In 2022 Line 6 unveiled the Mk. II, retaining all the magic of the original, with a whole host of new innovations.

If you were a fan of the original, you’ll be pleased to hear that all 15 of the original effects remain unchanged, with an additional 15 delay types added from Line 6’s industry-leading HX® effects catalogue. From the legendary EP-1 Tube and EP-3 Solid State Echoplex units to the Space Echo and Deluxe Memory Man, the DL4 Mk. II has it all!

The Mk. II is far more powerful than its predecessor, boasting 2 independent loopers with up to 4 minutes loop time, 30 delay options, 128 presets via MIDI, XLR output and stereo in and out.

Chase Bliss have built a huge following for their uniquely innovative pedals, capable creating incredibly creative sounds. Their latest addition, the Habit Echo Collector has been an instant hit!

Described as “a delay with a memory”, the Habit stores everything that you play, so you can revisit & reuse sounds from the past. It’s like a time-travelling delay! With delays, loops and dipswitches galore, we guarantee that there’s music you can make with this that you couldn’t with any other pedal.

For the experimentalists, this has to be the pedal of the year! You can revisit and reuse sounds from the past to build compositions right inside the pedal, gather up loops, design custom echo patterns — the only limit is your creativity!

The original “grey box” DOD 250 pedal is one of the most coveted and collectable pedals ever made. However in 2019, JHS owner Josh Scott explains “I stumbled across a pedal that didn’t exist. Yeah, cue the ‘Twilight Zone’ theme song. It was a DOD Overdrive/Preamp that predated the ‘Gray Box’ 250 pedals that everyone — myself included — had assumed were the first version ever made.”

Josh decided that a discovery like this deserved to be shared. As well as faithfully recreating the iconic “grey box” circuit, he also replicated the circuit he had accidentally uncovered, marked serial number 75.

The JHS Overdrive Preamp pedal is a stunning overdrive that can fatten a clean sound, add creamy overdrive, or tight, gritty distortion. But more importantly, it is a piece of history – one for collectors, players, and purists alike.

8. Boss GX-100 Guitar Amp & Effects Processor

All-in-one portable amp and effects floor modellers have dominated the pedal market for several years now with the likes of the Line 6 Pod Go, and the Headrush MX5. In 2022, the Boss GX-100 has joined the party! With 23 Amp models and over 150 effects, derived from the flagship Boss GT-1000, the GX-100 has limitless tone right at your feet!

As you would expect from a powerful processor in 2022, it has all the features and functions you could ask for, including: 100 presets and 200 additional slots, an intuitive touchscreen display, MIDI functionality, IR loading and an internal USB Audio Interface. So, whether you want great tones out of the box or infinite tweaking, it’s all possible with the GX-100.

At Andertons we’ve been blown away by the Fjord Fuzz Pedals, and the new Kvasir is no exception. A vintage fuzz with a twist. While most vintage fuzzes use either germanium or silicon transistors, the Kvasir uses power transistors. This completely unique design has a slightly different character that sets it apart from ever other fuzz in existence.

Don’t panic, it still has everything you want from a vintage fuzz – it’ll do thick and chewy, or spitty Velcro-ripping dirt, and retains the quintessential clean up from your volume that you get from vintage fuzz!

With volume, bias, and “thiccness” controls, there’s sure to be a fuzz sound in there for you. The bias control can take you from smooth, chewy sustain all the way through to gnarly gated fuzz with a pronounced upper octave. With the thiccness, you control how much low end you have, from wall of sound Fuzz Face tones to cutting clarity!

10. TC Electronic Impulse IR Loader Cab Sim Pedal

This compact little stompbox from TC Electronic could be the perfect addition to your pedalboard. This super straightforward cab sim pedal will open up a whole new realm of flexibility to your rig, allowing you to go ampless at the push of a button. It’s probably the easiest cab sim pedal to use on the market today!

With 25 built-in IRs, including 12 official Celestion speaker cab IRs, and 5 acoustic guitar IRs, the Impulse truly runs the tonal gamut.

The Impulse boasts true bypass and an impressive 200ms of capture time – 4 times as long as it’s similarly priced competitors. This means that the IRs capture the sound of the cab and mic they’re emulating with far more detail and accuracy.

Honourable Mentions

Here are some more blogs you might like

• Best Guitar Pedals of 2021!
• Klon Centaur: The World’s Most Expensive Pedal
• Chorus Pedals: Are They Cool Again?
• 5 Things You Need to Know About DSM & Humboldt
• 5 Ways to Use Delay Pedals
• Boost, Overdrive, Distortion & Fuzz: A Beginners Guide to Gain Pedals

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The post The Top 10 Best Guitar Pedals of 2022… So Far! appeared first on Andertons Blog.