Akron, OH (November 8, 2018) -- Extra special effects pedal manufacturer EarthQuaker Devices released the Limited-Edition Black Ash Endangered Fuzz today, November 7, 2018.
Limited to only 1,500 units worldwide, Black Ash is a fuzz/overdrive taking cues from the legendary “three-knob” Tone Bender. It uses a highly curated selection of premium components including paper-in-oil capacitors and half-watt carbon composition resistors from EarthQuaker Devices president Jamie Stillman’s personal collection to light a fire under a classic fuzz/drive circuit that delivers an explosive-yet-detailed treble response, a sturdy and articulate midrange, and subterranean bass extension.
The Black Ash’s unique Top control adjusts key frequencies between 2kHz and 10kHz to select how “forward” the guitar sits in a full-band mix and helps to pair this dynamic fuzz Device with different pickup types. At low Top settings, the Black Ash takes on a woody, organic character with a mellow, pleasantly subdued upper harmonic presence. As the Top control is increased, Black Ash gives a stiffer response with a sharper attack that can make humbuckers chime and makes single coils glisten. Other controls include Volume, which offers plenty of output gain above unity, and Fuzz, which adjusts the amount of gain from cooled-off amp-like breakup to scorching fuzz tones.
Black Ash is limited to 1,500 units and is available at EarthQuaker Devices dealers worldwide on November 7, 2018.
Each Black Ash is guaranteed for life and built one-at-a-time, the hard way, by hand by amateur dendrologists in the arboretum of Akron, Ohio, USA.
Watch the company's video demo:
For more information: EarthQuaker Devices
A faithful recreation of the Germanium Mosrite Fuzzrite with a modern twist.
From the years of 1966 to 1968, Mosrite produced two distinct fuzz circuits---one outfitted with silicon transistors, the other with germanium parts. Of the two, the germanium version is by far the most rare, with original designer and Mosrite employee Ed Sanner estimating that around 250 ever made it out the door. In that final year of production, Mosrite shifted exclusively to silicon parts, making germanium components a thing of the past. However, by 1968 the public was hungry for fuzz, having heard it on a handful of recordings, most notably "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly and "Incense and Peppermints" by Strawberry Alarm Clock. These two buzzy, sinewy fuzz tones were part of a wave of psychedelic rock gaining traction in the mainstream, and both were recorded prior to the introduction of the silicon Fuzzrite.
Other purported users of this early Fuzzrite circuit include Ron Asheton of the Stooges, Norman Greenbaum on "Spirit in the Sky", Henry Vestine of Canned Heat, and many others. Catalinbread have a germanium version at their disposal, and we've used it as a benchmark to create an extremely faithful version with a modern twist. Just like the original, the Catalinbread Fuzzrite Germanium includes two NOS PNP germanium semiconductors with a polarity inverter IC so it plays nice with all forms of power. Unlike the original, Catalinbread added a toggle switch to shift into modern mode, significantly beefing up the low-end content to suit more contemporary rigs.
The Fuzzrite Germanium is out now and available for $179.99 at participating retailers and catalinbread.com.
The all-new HT series offers "heat treated" pickup technology along with the Cutlas HT, StringRay HT, and Sabre HT guitars.
The Ernie Ball Music Man Sabre HT guitar delivers an incredibly dynamic and responsive playing experience. The pickups are able to achieve an ultra-high-output, powerful low-end response while retaining a distinctively clean, clear tone and definition at lower volume control levels. The HT (Heat Treated) bridge pickup utilizes patent-pending heat-treated pole pieces with a large ceramic magnet and an overwound coil that gives the pickup higher frequency harmonics and excellent touch sensitivity. The Sabre's custom-wound neck humbucker also features a large ceramic magnet and has been wound specifically to pair with the Sabre's HT bridge pickup. In other respects, the Sabre HT shares many of the original Sabre guitar specifications such as a contoured Okoume body with a thick maple top, Schaller locking tuners, and 22 stainless steel frets. The Sabre HT is available in a Yucatan Blue, Raspberry Burst, Showtime, and Snowy Night finish.
The Ernie Ball Music Man Cutlass HT showcases new custom Music Man pickup technology delivering an incredibly dynamic and responsive playing experience. The pickups are able to achieve an ultra-high-output, powerful low-end response while retaining a distinctively clean, clear tone when rolling back the volume control. This set of three HT (Heat Treated) pickups uses patent-pending pole pieces and a large neodymium magnet which provides remarkable definition. The bridge pickup has been wound with plain enamel magnet wire providing a strong, powerful tone, while the neck and middle pickups have been underwound with heavy formvar magnet wire for a more traditional voice. All three pickups have been crafted for a complimentary tonal offering across all five switch positions. The Cutlass HT shares many of the standard specifications of the original Cutlass guitar, including a contoured Alder body, a roasted figured maple neck, 22 stainless frets, Schaller locking tuners, and Music Man vintage tremolo. The Cutlass HT is available in a Showtime, Brûlée, Midnight Rider, and Raspberry Burst finish.
The Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray HT showcases new custom Music Man pickup technology inspired by over a decade of guitar string research delivering an incredibly dynamic and responsive playing experience. The pickups are able to achieve an ultra-high-output, powerful low-end response while retaining a distinctively clean, clear tone and definition at lower volume control levels. The Stingray HT (Heat Treated) bridge pickup utilizes patent-pending heat-treated pole pieces with a large ceramic magnet and an overwound coil that gives the pickup higher frequency harmonics and excellent touch sensitivity. The custom-wound neck humbucker also features a large ceramic magnet and has been wound specifically to pair with the Stingray's HT bridge pickup. This Stingray HT is outfitted with a stop tail Tune-o-Matic bridge which sets it apart from the Stingray's vintage style tremolo but shares a number of the standard specifications, including a contoured body, a roasted figured maple neck, 22 stainless frets, and Schaller locking tuners. The StingRay HT is available in a Showtime, Brûlée, Midnight Rider, and Raspberry Burst finish. HT Series instruments are available now at authorized Ernie Ball Music Man dealers.
Visit them online at www.ernieball.com and www.music-man.com.
Presets extend the flexibility of an already expansive and easy-to-use reverb.
Intuitive. Great range in all controls. Well-built.
Some digital artifacts at long decay times.
Walrus Audio Slötvå walrusaudio.com
Walrus Audio is a prolific builder, but, as the five reverb pedals in their lineup suggest, they have a real affinity for manipulating time and space. The beauty of the Slötvå reverb (which is derived from the company’s very similar Spin FV-1 chip-based Slö reverb) is how satisfying and simple it makes dramatic shifts between time/space textures.
Slötvå’s big departure from the Slö model is the addition of three presets, enabling quick switches between vastly different reverbs. But Slötvå’s interface is also pretty easily mastered and manipulated on the fly without using presets. And that operational flexibility makes Slötvå just as capable of delivering surprises as predictable, repeatable results.
Slötvå’s three algorithms all range to super-long decay times, especially when you hit and hold the sustain button. “Dark” adds a minus-one-octave signal, rise adds an almost reverse-like swell effect, and dream adds a latch function that effectively “freezes” the reverb signal. In all three modes, the octave content can reveal chorale-style overtones and discernibly digital artifacts at long decay times. Some players love and utilize these sounds to great effect. So, try before you buy if you don’t know where you stand. If you’re untroubled by a little shimmer at expansive settings, however, Slötvå is a fun, intuitive, and performance-practical way to source a genuinely expansive range of unobtrusive to ambient reverb sounds in a compact, easy-to-wrangle unit.