Some of Maxon's finest

For those of your who haven't had a chance to go out and try some of Maxon's new 9 Series let me just say this...quality and class all the way baby. To be quite honest, I haven't heard any difference between the vintage runs of these pedals and the new. The build quality is immaculate, and with a matching tone to go with this you have some of the top dogs of stompbox world.



CP9-Pro+ Compressor
This comp most definitely falls into that elite category of "last comps you will ever need." Whether you use this puppy in the studio or on the stage, it will deliver some of the most professional quality compression anyone could ask for. The CP9-Pro+'s circuit is based a low-noise DBX compression technology that is used in some of the worlds best high-end pro audio products, hence the name Pro+. I won't get into the circuitry and insides of this pedal, all I can say is it's guts do one hell of a job providing some of the tastiest compression I have ever heard. There's one thing you always hear when it comes to comp pedals...there are either the subtle kind, or the squashy kind. This little honey does both and does them well. Lay back on the controls and you get the perfect amount of compression perfect for always leaving on. A hint from this pedal goes a long way. We did some acoustic guitar and some lap steel tracks in the studio a few months back that never sounded so good. The picking dynamics and bit of extra ringing from the notes provided us with the perfect sound for mastering and mixing. This is where this pedal is seperated from some others, it works amazingly as a professional studio tool. Compression was once the one effect I didn't understand and knew very little of. If you fall into that category of player that really doesn't know what comp is used for or how it works the CP9-Pro+ is the perfect pedal for walking you through the many sounds that are possible when plugged into the right comp box. Now my favorite way for using compression...as a sustainer. Some years back I had recorded a session with a producer/engineer who gave my guitar this insanely cool sound. It was a mixier of fuzz, reverb, compression, and delay. I ended up calling that sound my "Screaming Banshee" tone. For years I couldn't get that tone onto the stage, I got close many times but never really exact. The sound was a combination of the notes being squashed, streched, and opened. Pure psychedelic heaven, if you know me you know I love classic psych rock. There are only a few compressors in pedal form that have ever given me my Banshee tone, this being one of them, and the one that probably does it the best. Welcome to compression 101 kids.



CS-9 Pro Chorus
There is the right kind of chorus and there is the god awful, corny sounding, please turn that off chorus. This here being one of the right kind. I've always seen the chorus effect as the introductory effect to the beginning player. It is one of those effects that many times comes with an amp, and that there are hundreds and hundreds of pedals of. Again, like it's brother above the build quality is like no other and it has the engine and guts to match. The cats at Maxon really deserve a lot of credit, I say this cause once the pedal boom hit they could have gone about things like many pedal companies did, in the wrong direction. Not only have they kept the sweet'n'organic sound of an old favorite, but with this new CS-9 Pro Chorus they have gone the extra mile to give us more of what has worked for so long. That's pretty much all they did when they rebuilt this pedal. It is still capable of delivering those mellow, space traveling, dreamy, liquid-like tones. Can still add that hint of effect that beefs up your tone and does well to make itself almost unnoticeable. Only now the quality of this effect is so much more sweeter. Like in the past they kept it true to that bucket brigade technology, that unmistakeable sound that has worked for so long. You'll find out of this pedal those old school pulsating chorus sounds that killer vintage amps once produced. Like any grat chorus pedal the CS-9 Pro Chorus can also imitate an authentic, lush sounding rotary speaker effect. This is where I found this pedal to really shine and stand out from so many. Whether plugged into a guitar, keyboard, or lap steel it just sounds freakin great! And that's not all. There is one more sercret weapon within this badboy. It's Delay Time control. I'll let the good folks at Maxon explain this one. "The Delay Time control exhibits an inverse relation between the delay time and the frequency shift of the chorus - as the delay time increases, the frequency that is shifted decreases. This inverse relation creates "double level" and "cancellation" peaks and notches at particular frequency points to create an amazingly realistic, three-dimensional chorus effect. In addition, the Delay Time control is interactive with the Rate and Depth controls, so that if you increase the Depth, the Delay Time range increases, and if you increase the Speed, the Delay Time changes faster." How cool is that?! Not much more needs to be said here.



For more info on Maxon products go to www.maxonfx.com or www.godlyke.com You can also click the Godlyke logo in our links. Look for more killer pedals from Maxon to come soon.

Not for the weak

Diabolical Devices

So what do these cats have to offer that others don't? Many many things, and the first time you plug into one of their devices you'll notice you're not playing just some boring piece of gear. I had the pleasure of discovering Diabolical Devices some months ago and was quite taken by their extensive line of unique and insanely cool musical products. The Matter Disorganizer is only one of the few products that this extremely talented outfit produces. Besides effects pedals Diabolical Devices also builds a killer collection of hand wired amps, an array of circuit-bent instruments, wild keyboards, and a handful of strange and out of this world analog devices that will give you just about every color in the sound rainbow. These cats aren't out there cloning the Fuzz Face, Tubescreamers, and Big Muff's. No sir they are not. They have tapped into a whole new world of analog based heavenly devices. One thing I will have to get my hands on sooner or later is one of their kickass looking guitar amps...but that's for another time. What we have here my dear friends is one sweet and evil sounding stompbox. A pedal definitely worth making some for on your pedalboard.

The
Matter Disorganizer

The Matter Disorganizer is a silicon based fuzz box with some octave up options and beyond. When I say beyond I mean it does some things I was very surprised by and certainly not ready for. Let's touch on it's more traditional side first though shall we? Pulling out vintage fuzz tones and scorching Hendrix like lead tones is an easy as pie for this little pedal. It's setup of three knobs and two switches are capable of a lot. What I love about this pedal is how self-explanatory it is. Fuzz controls the fuzz amount, Tone shapes your tone, and Volume dishes out the output...lovely! On the left you find it's Bypass switch, just dial in your sound and WAHLAA! Prepare for a lot of meaty, ear grinding, fuzz screaming madness. Think Vox Superfuzz and Foxx Tone Machine having a baby. It oozes creamy fuzz tones and somehow is still capable of sounding just a bit ruff around the edges, this is one of those strange blends that makes a great pedal great. This is a perfect pedal for you single note fuzz addicts, powerful enough to make single note runs sounds like beefy power chords. It holds like no other and without the need of a compressor or sustainer. Imagine that early Soundgarden tone on steroids, or a that sick and twisted Justin K. Broadrick sound. If you're looking to get a Godflesh and Jesu tone this is the pedal to get the job done. Another cool thing about the Matter Disorganizer is it cleans up into a wicked sounding overdrive, not your normal run off blusey overdrive, but a new breed of tasty sounding overdrive that is more than useful. I got these gret low-fi overdrive tones when doing this. Take the Volume knob on your guitar and rol back about half way, do the same with your tone knob, and you have a kickass new sound. I must say, I am very wary when it comes to fuzz boxes. There are just too damn many of them out there and the reason for it being the pedal boom we experiened a few years back. Something this fuzz box has to offer that is quite satisfying is it's ability to sound both modern and classic, and without giving up any original character of it's own. And now that we're talking original I do believe it's time to mention this pedals little 8va switch. I'm not exactly sure what the hell is going on inside this pedal and I really don't care, all I know is that once I step on this here 8va switch all hell runs loose and there's no turning back. You get all that psychedelic classic rock octave fuzz madness, add a little synth texture, a dash of sputtering/screeching goodness, make sure to stir properly, and you have one of the baddest motherfuckers this pedal world has ever seen. This is the kind of switch you want to have with you when you're playing a gig and want all heads to turn your way. The sounds the Matter Disorganizer is capable of once the 8va switch is engaged are far beyond words, definitely not for the weak. I had a blast mixing in high amounts of reverb, and analog delay, the outcome is off the hook! The sonic adventures you will have with this pedal will have your music sounding like no other and have heads turning to see where it's coming from. It's great to have cats like John McNeece out there building us these grand little works of art. Also a killer way to experience those gems from early days, not everyone can afford vintage fuzz pedals. There not too many cats out there with the gift for tweaking and turning the old school devices into something unique and original. Every time I come across one of these cats I feel it is my duty to share their work with you. You can hear where the inspiration came from for desiging this pedal, you can also hear something new. And in the end it turns out as another timeless classic.


For more info on Diabolical Devices go to www.classaelectronics.com Have blast discovering some killer new toys my friends. Look for more Diabolical products in the near future.

News/Updates

Vintage FX:

One of my all-time favorite boutique pedal companies has redone their website. Go check it out and get yourslves some of the baddest and most affordable boutique quality stompboxes out there. You can check out the Colordrive review and interview with builder Dave Archer that we did in the month of Feb. Also look for the VFX Tremolo review to come next month. Hope you dig the site and support this awesome effects company.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Effectrode:

After a long break the Effectrode Phaseomatic is back! Phil has been working on the new batch of Phaseomatic pedals. This is the first pedal he designed and now has ten years of research and development behind it. The world's first and only photo-optical, tube phaser achieves deep, lush phasing with uncomparable presence and clarity. Phil has also been working hard in the workshop, with Effectrode’s new Tube Drive and Delta-Trem pedals nearing completion. Watch this space for more details or check out the spec on the web-site now.

Checkout the Phaseomatic by clicking on this link:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Effectrode/18db7a2c82/2cd4fc1f52/773b648226

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Solid Cables:

Here's a sneek peek at the new Solid Cables GT series cables. The official launch for these bad boys will be at Nashville NAMM. For those of you planning on hitting the event you can visit Solid Cables at booth 1222. Sharing booth 1222 with Soldi Cables will be 65 Amps, Duesenberg Guitars, and Souldier Straps.

click this link for more info

http://solidcables.com/dropbox/gtseries.pdf

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

COOL PEDALS:

Coming at you from Germany...My good friend Andreas Zielger of Cool Pedals has got himself a handsom new pedal, the Steam Machine. The Steam Machine is a Overdrive/Distortion/and Booster. Dial in your sound and take it to the next level with the optional Boost switch. Endless tones and tons of fun!!! Also on the horizen he has some killer new mods up his sleeve, and these mods won't disappoint my friends. Andreas has just started a tap-tempo mod for the Boss TR-2 Tremolo pedal, don't miss out! Then there's The Great Destroyer mod for the almighty Boss DS-1, an over the top fuzz mod for an already kickass pedal. Can you imagine the outcome? Use the Analog War Cry Youtube search on the bottom of our website to look up Cool Pedal's Boss DS-1 The Great Destroyer mod.

Steam Machine