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Yamaha RBX765A
By RickD on 05/07/2008 at 02:11 Serious about music, want to make it your profession.

Characteristics  
- In What Country was it made? (USA, Japan, Mexico, France...)
Taiwan.

- How many frets, Pickup Type and Configuration?
24 frets, 2 active humbucker pickups.

- What are the setting controls (volume, tone, pickup selector position)?
1 volume, 1 pickup balance, bass, treble.
All except the volume have a middle setting that you can actually feel very easily.

- What type of neck?...
It's a 5 string so the neck is quite wide, and i have little bass experience so it's hard to tell, but it seems nice enough to me! ;-)
Utilisation  
- Does the neck have a nice feel?
Yep!

- Easy access to the top notes (last frets)?
Yes, in fact it is, but do you really want to do that??

- Is it's design ergonomic(in terms of the shape, weight...)?
It's a heavy beast and it's a bit unbalanced, which is not so nice when playing sitting down...it leans toward the head of the neck... :-/

- Can one easily get a nice sound?...
Yes!
Sounds  
- Does it suit your style of music?
Yes. But beware that unless you EQ it this bass sounds very "slappy", metallic & 80's style. Say Billy Idol on White Wedding, but more slappy.
The EQ is powerful and both pickups sound very different so you can tune your sound to get something quite different, don't worry.

- With what amp(s) or effect(s) do you use it?
I don't have an amp anymore, i go direct via a tube preamp or preamp-compressor and it sounds great.
Overall Opinion  
- For how long have you been using it?
About 8 years.

- What thing do you like most/least about it?
Least: I don't really like the shape or colour (mine is a weird translucent blue-green, yuck!), i'd much prefer a natural finish and a shape like the Rickenbacker 4001 or even a Hofner violin bass...i think this one looks rather vulgar to be honest.
Most: it has that slappy sound i love, and has that extra deep 5th bass string...nice!

- Did you try many other models before getting this one?
Tried an active 5 string Yamaha before, can't remember which, it was white though...didn't sound good at all. Then in the store i tried a few and this came out on top for me, cos it has that old 80's slappy sound right off.

- What is your opinion about the value for the price?
I think i paid around 3500 F (£350) (530€) for this, which is not bad for a new 5 string active bass...i think it's pretty good value, but don't go amiss: this is not a high quality instrument. If you want something real good try a MusicMan maybe...

- Knowing what you know now, would you make the same choice?...
Yes, but i'd go second-hand. No point in buying new instruments if you can get a second-hand one that's in good nick.
[ More info : Yamaha ]
Zoom GFX-8
By Truth~Seeker on 05/04/2008 at 03:00 Music is a hobby.

Characteristics  
Utilisation  
- Is the general configuration/setup simple? Yes, via PC
- Is the sound or effects editing easy? Yes, via PC
- Is the manual clear and sufficient?... Yes
Sound Quality  
- Are the effects good, usable and sufficiently realistic? Yes
- With what instruments do you use them? Electric Guitar
- Which are your favorites and/or the ones you hate? Stock lousy, your own, incredible.
Overall Opinion  
- For how long have you been using it? 8 Years
- What thing do you like most/least about it? Tones!
- Did you try many other models before getting this one? Yes!
- What is your opinion about the value for the price? Now, Killer +
- Knowing what you know now, would you make the same choice?... Yes!

Regards,

mvm
http://tinyurl.com/5v4n6r
[ More info : Zoom ]
Washburn KC-20V
By RickD on 05/02/2008 at 23:43 Serious about music, want to make it your profession.

Characteristics  
- In What Country was it made? (USA, Japan, Mexico, France...)
I believe this was made in Korea.

- How many frets, Pickup Type and Configuration?
If i remember correctly it's a 22 fret.
It has 2 single coils & one humbucker.

- What type of Bridge(Floyd, Wilkinson...)?
Oooh, now the tremolo on this is really basic, and it won't let the guitar stay in tune very well...it doesn't lock the strings at all. Best not used?
The strings go through the body, vertically, for added sustain (the guitar doesn't have much...).

- What are the setting controls (volume, tone, pickup selector position)?
1 volume, 1 tone, 5 position pickup selector.

- What type of neck?...
The neck is nice, narrow, & easy to play. It is bolted, not glued, so little sustain.
The body is nicely finished.
Utilisation  
- Does the neck have a nice feel?
See above.

- Easy access to the top notes (last frets)?
Yes, not bad, but only 22 frets.

- Is it's design ergonomic(in terms of the shape, weight...)?
Yes, quite nice.

- Can one easily get a nice sound?...
Errm, no.
Don't even try. A good player will make it sound ok, i can't make it sound like anything at all.
Sounds  
- Does it suit your style of music?
Maybe with the right effects...

- With what amp(s) or effect(s) do you use it?
I never use this, it was my first, and i have a proper guitar now.

- What kind of sounds do you get and with what settings(clean, distorted,...)?
Poor sound whatever the setting.

- What are your favorite sounds and/or least favorite?
The best sound is the humbucker, quite loud and lots of medium & treble: great for slide. But i really can't see what else this guitar could be used for. Maybe rhythm with the selector on position 2 (both single coils).
Overall Opinion  
- For how long have you been using it?
I used it for about 5 or 6 years. Looking back, i wonder how i managed to bear it for so long.

- What thing do you like most about it?
That i don't have to use it anymore.

- Did you try many other models before getting this one?
Nope, was my first. I got a tiny 20w McKinley amp with it...no reverb, terrible sound...

- What is your opinion about the value for the price?
I paid 1980 Francs (£200) for it in 1991 (new), but you could find it for 1400 Francs (£140) at the time already if you looked around. I think it was very overpriced and i really wouldn't recommend it to anyone, even for a fraction of the price. Unless you're planning to change all the pickups...in which case it could be a decent guitar i suppose. Maybe i should do that...
[ More info : Washburn ]
Damage Control Womanizer
By aidan.04 on 05/01/2008 at 18:42

Characteristics  
TThe Womanizer from Damage Control is a tube preamp in stompbox form for electric guitarists. The dual 12AX7 tubes provide distortion with dual-cascading gain stages and acts much like the front end of a quality tube amp.
It has 1/4" in put and output, as well as a direct recording output, which when used emulates an open-backed 4x12 cabinet, so it can serve as a direct box for studio or live use if you wish.
The controls include gain and volume, pre and post eq, and an on-board compressor. Very cool.
Utilisation  
I'm not a tube amp expert so I can't explain how they do it, but with only 2 tubes in Class A setup, the Womanizer has 4 stages of gain that let you travel from ultra clean to a classic heavy disorted tone, very akin to a cranked early Marshall.

It takes some time twiddling knobs to coax the different tones available out of this box. The versatility creates a bit of a learning curve I'm afraid, but you can't complain because good sounds are still easy to dial in.
Sounds  
This box is like a dream come true for guitarist that want classic tube crunch without paying a fortune for a dual-channel tube amp. I own a low-end tube combo but its only a single channel amp, and I still rely on stompboxes for even moderate gain sounds. Moving beyond just a distortion circuit that is sypical of most overdrives, this employs actual TUBES which means you achieve real tube amp sound, crunch, and dynamic response!

The cleaner end of the spectrum is fairly transparent gain wise, but it does impart a tubey-ness to your tone that it complimented my amp. As I cranked the gain and dialed in just a touch of compression the tone gets righter and raunchier, but in very gradual degrees. At full blast, this thing is like a cranked tube combo. Not Boogie high gain mind you, but a more early and classic British tube sound. I would imagine the Demonizer would give more aggressive high gain distortion if thats what you prefer. But this preamp is very musical and will retain the individual notes of a chord, very tube-amp like.

I found that I liked to keep the compression minnimal, as it sounds better and more "open" in my opinion the less you use. Being heavy handed with this compression kinda kills the natural tonal characteristics in my opinion.

But I was very pleased with a lot of the sonic possibilities and overall pallete of tone available. I played my Ibanez Ghostrider with PAF humbuckers through this, and into my Epiphone Valve Special set fairly clean. It brought a new dimension to even the clean sound of my amp, and its gain structure interacted nicely with the amp so I imagine others would find similar results.
Overall Opinion  
Basically, I love this thing. It lets me take my 200 dollar tube amp, and add an entire new level of gain never before possible and compression, for less money than I could have bought a larger dual channel amp, which would have created volume problems. I think a lot of other guys out there like myself have been waiting for something like this. If you already have a high quality tube combo, like a Mesa, Carvin, or Bogner then you don't need this. But if you are a Fender guy looking for non-fender gain structure, or someone with an amp that doesn't deliver the gain and options you wish then this is for you.
Its 300 dollar price tag is a chunk, but it will replace many of your overdrive boxes you have been buying to find distortion you are happy with. Buy this, or perhaps the demonizer if you play more aggresive rock.
[ More info : Damage Control ]
Sigma DM-5
By aidan.04 on 04/30/2008 at 17:53

Characteristics  
My Martin/Sigma DM-5 dreadnought acoustic guitar was made in Japan in the early 1970's I believe.
It has 20 frets, with access up to the 14th fret. It has a solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides, and a rosewood bridge and fingerboard. There is a very understated binding and rosette, and simple dot inlays on the fingerboard.
Utilisation  
The neck is substantial but very manageable with a slight radius, very typical of Martin guitars. It allows chords to be barred at the first fret position with moderate ease. Access to anything beyond the 14th fret is next to impossible due to the lack of a cutaway.
Ergonomically, its is a full fize dreadnought guitar which takes getting used to while sitting down due to the thickness, but it is very lightweight due to the thin sides and back and well-designed bracing. It is also what lends itself to the full and robust sound of this guitar.
Sounds  
The Sigma series is basically by all birthright a Martin guitar. It was deisnged by them, and the materials are high quality but manufacturing of them was done overseas in Japan back during a time when most guitars were manufactured in America still. I've played a couple Sigmas in pawn shops that didn't impress me, but this specimen has always given me great sound. Its the only DM-5 I have ever come across.
If you like the Martin dreadnought sound, then you would like this guitar. It has a mellow, sweet sound that projects, with excellent balance between attack and warmth. The thin sides and back allow for maximum body vibration and resonance, especially compared to some new guitars I've played recently that sound dead in comparison to my old DM-5 because the inferior or laminated materials add a lot of weight and resistance to vibration.
I play a lot of folk type strumming and fingerpicking, to acoustic rock, to bluesy single-note runs. The DM-5 stands up well to hard playing with fullness of sound and can be very dynamic in lower volume ranges like in mellow fingerpicking. It is a good all around and versatile acoustic. This guitar is the ruler by which I measure any other guitar in the under $1000, because its hard to find anything in that range that can beat it. Martin no longer offers a guitar under a $1000 that can touch it.
Overall Opinion  
I've owned this guitar for 3 years, and its been in my family for almost 10 years. It was bought at a pawn shop for 75 bucks I think, brought home, and cleaned up and looks great even now at almost 30 years old. So for the money, I don't think a guitar could ever make me as happy. I would gladly pay 500 for a used guitar that sounded this good if I had to. Fortunately Sigmas aren't highly valued and you can pick them up at pawn shops or ebay for well under 200 bucks. If they have been cared for, then they are more than worth it.
[ More info : Sigma ]
Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive
By aidan.04 on 04/29/2008 at 16:51

Characteristics  
The Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive is an overdrive pedal built on an interesting concept. It is has an 808 Tube Screamer style overdrive circuit to boost the signal, and a "clean" control blends back in clean but "boosted" signal, which is supposed to add back in some of the attack and feel which is lost in a strictly overdriven signal that is under compression. Its very similar to playing through a clean amp and a distorted amp and blending the two sounds together, which has been done by numerous guitarist in search of that mystical tone in their head.

Like every other Voodoo Lab pedal, the Sparkle Drive is 100% analog and hand-wired.It features true bypass switching and comes in a heavy-duty cast aluminum casing with a rugged metal switch. It even has a 5-year warranty.
Utilisation  
The Sparkle Drive has 4 knobs, 2 of which really control the thing.
Sound Quality  
Basically at full blast, this pedal is like a crunchy classic rock overdrive, not a high gain distortion. Rather than scooped or bottom heavy, its more of a thick but midrangey sound thats sonically somewhere around what you would expect from a Tube Screamer 808, which is what it is supposedly based off of anyway.
The name Sparkle Drive is apt here, because being able to blend back in a boosted clean signal to the signal adds a bit of transparency, clarity, and sparkle to the tone, though it does diminish the gain.... which is already only moderate at best. So naturally, my favorite way of using this pedal is wide-open in front of my tube combo already running at slight boost, and then In just adjust the "clean" knob according to my mood.
Typically, I play my Ibanez Ghostrider with Gibson PAF humbuckers and occasionally a Telecaster. This pedal loves both of them and interacts differently with the different styles of pickups. When it comes to hand-wired analog pedals, you really have to try it out with your rig to know how you're gonna like it.
Overall Opinion  
I can hardly say this would be my main overdrive. I mean, I prefer a TS9 tone to the 808 and already own an original TS9 and other pedals so its almost redundant, although this pedal was a bargain at 120 bucks so I might thin out my collection because of it.

This is an interesting pedal to have for the sonic versatility. I would definitely reccomend it as an 808 style overdrive if you don't have one or want to get one.
[ More info : Voodoo Lab ]
Voodoo Lab Micro vibe
By aidan.04 on 04/29/2008 at 15:50

Characteristics  
The Micro Vibe is Voodoo Lab recreation of the original Dunlop Univibe from the 60's and 70's that replicated the effect of a rotating speaker cabinet. It was most famously used by artists such as Jimi Hendrix and others as as well. Voodoo Lab has created a fine product here, by offering a pedal that is 100 percent analog and even hand-wired, with true bypass. Pedals like this should make pedal-loving players drool.

The Micro Vibe accepts 9V batteries, and is packaged in a rugged metal casing that embodies simplicity.
Utilisation  
It doesn't get simpler than this, The Micro Vibe has two knobs, for "intensity" and "speed". To state the obvious, the "intensity" knob controls the depth or degree of roatary speaker effect, and the "speed" controls the relative speed of the rotating speaker. No manual needed. Plug and play.
Sound Quality  
If you like psychadelia, or even just classic rock you can appreciate what a rotary effect can do to space out your sound. Well, the Micro Vibe definitely delivers. It can offer you a subtle chorusy tremolo sound, all the way to a deep swirling pulse that is lush, earthy, and organic sounding. Unlike a lot of the hand-wired pedals from the 70's, this one is a bit more predictable; you CAN'T get a bad sound out of this box. It does what its supposed to, and not much else. Playing with the speed dial will give you some eerie sounds, but nothing too crazy. Its just a good all-around tremolo pedal that is quite good at recreating the Univibe sound, which is something even the Univibe reissues don't really do. Voodoo Lab knows what they are doing.
This pedal interacted nicely with my small tube combo and my other floor effects, like placing distortion in front brings out a bit more of the modulation/phaser sound. Add in a delay and it gets spacier, a flanger and it gets downright scary-wierd quick.
Overall Opinion  
Pitting this pedal against the Fulltone Mini Deka Vibe, or other even more expensive tremolos- its hard to pick a winner on sound alone. But the Micro Vibe is seriously awesome contruction, and it is dirt cheap compared to the others being only 150 or so. So its a pretty easy choice to make for me. I love this thing. Its one of the pedal purchases that I feel the best about in a long time.
[ More info : Voodoo Lab ]
Vox AC15 CC1
By aidan.04 on 04/29/2008 at 14:52

Characteristics  
The AC15CC 15-watt Class A tube combo is the next incarnation of the 1958 classic that guitarists have loved for years.

The AC15 Custom Classic (which is made in China) comes equipped with a few modern features and conveniences that its ancestor didn't have. Controls include Master volume, Treble and Bass controls and Tremolo with fully variable Speed and Depth, and features spring reverb. Tremolo and Reverb are footswitchable with the included footswitch.

It sports 2 EL84's and 2 12AX7's, and has a silicon rectifier. The speaker impedance can be switched between 8 or 16 Ohms so you can connect it to external cabinets oif your choice.. The AC15CC is available with either a Celestion AlNiCo Blue Speaker (AC15CC1X) if you fork out a couple hundred extra dollars, or is available with a VOX designed Custom speaker (AC15CC1). Its up to you.
Utilisation  
This amp is fairly quiet. I've noticed slight hum in most or almost all of the lower end tube combos like Blues Junior, Epi Valve Junior. I was glad to not see that here with the Vox AC15.

The controls are self-explanatory. One thing I noticed is the eq section interacts a great deal with itself, and with the gain section. (most amps behaved like this back in the day anyway). It means you need to really explore the settings and protential to tweak, not just put everything at 12 o clock and settle for what you get. But getting a good sound from the start is easy.
Sounds  
The AC15 is all about earthy classic British tube tone. It behaves much like you'd expect from a small tube combo. It breaks up without having to shatter your windows and gives you a nice clean overdrive. This amp is very responsive to picking attack. It LOVES single-coil pickups, so break out the LP Junior with P-90's and Telecaster. Its like jangly classic rock heaven. Sadly, I don't play single-coils at all hardly. But it loves my Ibanez Ghostrider with Gibson P.A.F. humbuckers, it brought out a lot of brightness and gave me a nice raucous bark of a rhythm tone, and some stinging bluesy leads.

This amp has crazy, glassy high transients. It has brightness for days and can bring out the tinkly highs from even the darkest guitar (like an old Fernandes w/humbuckers that I have) with the treble dimed, without being harsh at all.

What this amp does not do is 5150 or bogner like high gain, which.... I would hope you weren't expecting. With a pedal thrown in front I'm sure you'd be happy with the high gain sounds you could coax this amp into, then maybe you'd get some versatility from this amp. In and of itself, its a pretty distictive sounding amp so you have to like that "vox sound" to really appreciate this amp.

A word here about the speaker: If you play it in the store and it sounds a bit "brittle" to your ears, you are not alone. But after a good amount of playing (a few weeks or so) you will significantly break in the vox speaker and it sweetens up for you. The more I played this amp, the better it sounded.
Overall Opinion  
I play indie rock that leans toward classic rock tones sometimes, so I like the raw classic sound of this amp that leaves cheesy solid state amps in its dust. Sometimes I demand more gain at lower volumes than this is capable of producing but I'm quite used to relying on my Tube Screamer and DOD pedals, which interacted with this amp nicely.

I gotta say, 600 bucks sounded like a lot but now I'm quite convinced that tonally and features-wise this is quite an amp for the price. I own an Epiphone Valve Special which is great at 200 or so, but it doesn't have a 12" speaker, tremolo, or switchable dual channels, or footswitch. The only thing that concerns me is the reliability. Its the only thing that made me feel hesitant when I read reviews of it, and yes it does have plastic jacks and cheap feeling pots, and the fuse holder is quite sketchy looking. At least the tube sockets look like decent quality. Thats the only thing I can knock off points for. I havent had any problems yet but I'm crossing my fingers on this one.
[ More info : Vox ]