Guitar

TC Flashback Delay x4 - more information

TC Electronic have now put up a website page about the FlashBack X4 with some very cool videos and sound clips. I am really excited about this product and can't wait to get my hands on one. The only product that could excite me more is a new TC Nova System, or Nova System II. What would make it perfect...a filter section, polytune included and toneprint capability. Are you listening TC, you are really innovating with some fantastic products at the moment, really looking forward to seeing what you come up with next to take away my hard earned money.Watch this space for a video review of the original TC Flashback delay which I am currently editing!PeaceNeil

TC Electronic Flashback X4 delay and looper

Wow, just seen this video!! TC seem to have done it again, the flashback delay is awesome (I haven't done my video review yet), but this pedal is four times as awesome and with the looper too!! I think I am going to have to raid the bank to get one of these. I would certainly  put it down as a major competitor to the Line 6 DL4, but having owned one and as an owner of the flashback, I sold the DL4 as I couldn't get on with it, but love the Flashback! Very cool work TC!! Hope the price is good too!!PeaceNeilLight%20B4%20Sound

Boss BD-2 Blues Driver review

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After spending most of my life trying to find the perfect lead sound, I think I have finally stumbled across it in the most unlikely of places….yes a pedal suited more for blues playing, The Boss BD-2 Blues Driver!But this isn’t it is simply amazing, cranking up the gain a bit gives me the perfect creamy lead sound I have been looking for, and by backing off on the volume on the guitar it gives a lovely crunchy rhythym sound. Obviously this isn’t for metal (have the Mt-2 Metal Zone for that), but I love it!I also love the fact it is very responsive to picking and you can get clean picked notes rather than messy messy distortion!The pedal has a few of a nicely overdriven tube amp, and also enables you to drive a tube amp harder when set up like a boost pedal.I would certainly give this pedal your consideration.

Fender Blues Junior III Tweed Review

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(***Note November 2017 I have recently undertaken a retrospective review after owning the Blues Junior for 5 years! You can read the review here)So I thought it was about time that I wrote a review of the Fender Blues Junior III Tweed (video review to follow!). So here is a quick overview of this fantastic little amp!So I have been gigging this amp for nearly 8 months now...and wow. How many watts? 15...how loud? Loud enough for sure!! (I should add that it is used mic'd up and I have a monitor). I honestly think this is one of the best sounding amps I have ever owned. The biggest plus point for me is that even thought it is tiny it packs a real punch, it is lightweight but doesn't compromise on tone and...it fits perfectly in my very small car boot! (trunk for you guys in the US).When I purchased the Blues Junior, I spent a long time comparing the BJ III Tweed with the standard BJ III in the shop, and kept trying each one to see which suited my needs, I was able to play with considerable volume which really helped. I think that the addition of the Jensen speaker is what makes a HUGE difference to this amp. I loved the Standard blues junior but the Tweed version had edge for sure. The other fantastic thing about this amp is that you can get a fantastic clean sound from it and with this clean tone the addition of pedals sounds fantastic. A simple boost pedal give a lovely on the edge Blues tone, the Suhr Riot pedal I have gives a fantastic Plexi sound and the Overdrive in the Nova System gives me the Blues rock in the middle of the two extremes!As you can tell I am very happy with this amp. I use the amp on a ULTIMATE MUSIC GS200 GUITAR STAND which gets the amp off the floor and pointed at my head, and I would recommend this to every guitarist. If you plonk and amp on the floor and expect to hear what the audience hear you will be very surprised, you will end up adding loads of mid and high frequencies to compensate, resulting in the front row getting a headache. Angle up and lower the volume. It can compete with a drummer, but...and this is a but!! It does break up at around 3-4 on the volume control, now I personally like the sound of that breakup, it is perfect for me at that level, but...you might want to consider the Hot Rod Deluxe III, for example if you want ample clean headroom. Remember this is just 15 watts!!Pros

  • Sound
  • Size
  • Weight
  • Sound
  • Looks really cool and retro
  • It works fantastically with the TC Nova system in the front end. In fact the Nova drive takes it to another level.
  • The Suhr Riot pedal seems to be a match made in heaven!

Cons

  • Foot-switch jack is in a stupid, stupid postion and really hard to get to
  • Foot-switch wasn't included, so had to buy one
  • Okay so it doesn't have that much clean headroom, but hey it is 15 Watts!
  • No effects loop? I am not too bothered, but some might be

Okay, I think the point of this review is to also admit that as a total Marshall head growing up I never even gave Fender a chance, but I actually now believe that the sound in my head for so long is that of a Fender amp for rock, blues and clean. If I were back in a metal band then maybe not...(but maybe..... as adding the Suhr Riot really does do a convincing Bon Jovi hair metal type sound!). I think I must be growing up!!EnjoyPeaceNeilSaveSave

What strings do you use?

Okay, so the only question I am ever asked at gigs (and I have done a lot over the years) is 'what strings do you use', so I thought I would pose the question to the youTube world, firstly, is it just me who gets asked this question? and what strings do you use? :)I made this little video, please feel free to video respond, lets answer this question once and for all and move on :)EnjoyPeaceNeil

New guitar music : why isn't it evolving?

So this is just a thought....and it does relate particularly to guitar music....where are we going?? There was an epic evolution of styles of guitar music from the 50's through to the 90's, but since then? Not that much (note I am not saying none at all) just not as much. So I had this though, is this because we are now trying to emulate our heros, rather than innovate?There is so much to practice, so many songs to learn (quickly)...but what are we outputting? Are we all becoming the X factor generation of guitarists? Where we can perfectly replicate a Hendrix tune or knock of a John Pretucci run, but what about our voice?Is it time to stop (for a while) practicing playing 16th notes at tempos exceeding 200 bpm, stop learning every song on the guitar because there is easy access to tuition and develop our own voice and our own innovation?Just a though?PeaceNeilLight%20B4%20Sound