I grew up in a house full of guitars, as my father was forever building electric guitars on the families kitchen table. I spent my teenage years trying to tame a 100 watt Marshall JCM 800 and matching 4 x 12 cab in a bedroom, only just large enough for a bed. I’d bought it not REALLY understanding exactly how loud 100 watts is. At this young age I started to experiment with recording and MIDI and cut my teeth on Pro 24 and Notator on an Atari synced to a Foster R8 with an MTC-1.
Playing in bands and working in recording studios for many years, I learned to mix, record and eventually worked as a sound engineer. I also worked for many of the UKs large pro audio retailers, where I helped to set up DAWs in everything from local studios, music technology colleges all the way through to world famous recording facilities like Air Studios and The Strongroom. As I couldn’t help myself, I even owned my own recording studio in London for a while. There I learnt a lot about recording guitars, dealing with bands and getting quality results anyhow.
Over the years I have acquired a very sizeable guitar collection, which includes many guitars that I have built myself. I’m a total hoarder of effect pedals and valve amps and I’m a certified guitar geek. So there are not many that I have not owned at least once. Whether Parker Fly guitars or Klon Centaur pedals, I’ve had them all. Now running the annual Analogue To Digital music show in the UK, plus the Vintage Guitar Fair, I get to be busy throughout the year and also get to rub shoulders with many other guitar lovers, luthiers, manufacturers and pro players.
My tastes in music includes everything from Dinosaur Jr to Squarepusher.
Write him: jef (at) gearnews (com)
When you need to use more than one guitar amp in your live rig things can get complicated very quickly. Maybe you should consider a bit of transmutation?
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Made in England, these new Brexit Means Brexit RAT clone pedals are making a statement, but will it be one you'll want to own or disown?
This diminuitive fully 100% analogue tape echo pedal from Denmark, looks like it'll be busting wallets this summer. Plus it will easily squeeze onto most pedal boards too!
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Erupter combines the simplest of circuits paired with the most straightforward control interface imaginable to offer you some sonic destruction - fuzz doesn't get any easier than this.
The Black Muck is a new limited-run fuzz pedal that's hand-built in Athens - and sounds pretty filthy!
The new Joe Satriani Signature model looks stunning and will literally sustain forever, or at least until the battery runs flat. Celebrating the Surfing With The Alien 30th Anniversary in style!
So you want a be-bop jazz tone, but you want something versatile with modern playability. This new hep cat on the block could be the answer.
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Finally available to buy 9 months after being announced, Hotones B Station is now reaching dealers. Was it worth the wait? You cannot argue with the price, at least, given the features on offer.
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Yes, it's Star Wars Day and TC Electronics have lost the plot. About the same same length as a womp rat and about as useful as a dead one.
Johnny A gets his own signature model and it looks like a lot of guitar for not a lot of money. Hopefully!
An update to its Sexydrive drive pedal, the Gurus Amps Sexydrive MkII adds a blend feature allowing you to add the clean signal to your drive tone.
Dave and Mick from That Pedal Show can now boast their own drive pedal, the D&M Drive, made by none other than Robert Keeley. Will this stop their eternal quest for the ultimate guitar drive tone?
These new short-scale, semi-hollow Maranello Cavo basses look like they pack plenty of punch, with some nice finishes and some tasty-looking Toaster pickups. But will they play as good as they look?
The sweet little Blast Furnace gated fuzz has a delay module thrown into the mix for good measure, giving you a hot-sounding gated fuzz with added momentary delay!
The new Mustang GTV amplifier range comes in three sizes and each packs in some serious connectivity and new features.
This Bank Holiday Monday we bring to you a chilled out selection of cool new acoustic guitars, basses and amps, with something for everyone regardless of whether you play 6 string or less...
New CITES rules mean your rosewood guitar is now under the watchful eye of customs officials around the world. Here's a quick primer on what you need to know about CITES 2017.
This top quality Japanese boutique delay pedal gets an overhaul for 2017. Should this Flight be on your radar?
When your pedalboard is filling up, you might want mini versions of these two pedals, so you can squeeze more out of your guitar - enter TC's new Hypergravity Mini Compressor and Mimic Mini Doubler.
