Carvin - UX16 UHF Wireless Receiver & Body Pack Transmitter

Carvin UX16 UHF Wireless Receiver & Body Pack 

When people usually think about Carvin, Guitars is what usually comes to mind. The company that is in its fourth generation started out winding pickups but now does guitars and basses, guitars and bass amps, live sound, guitar kits, effects, wireless and so much more. I am such a huge fan of Carvin cause they are not in big box stores they do not sell out like so many do to the import market and you can get custom gear for half the price or less  then the average Gibson or Paul Ree Smith with as much if not more quality and more service after the sale. Today we are not going to be talking about the guitars or amp side.
We are actually going to talk about the UX16 UHF Wireless Receiver & Body Pack.


Layout & Features
The UX professional wireless systems are built to last. 16 channels offer the freedom of running multiple systems simultaneously - no more buying one frequency systems that you have to specify each frequency. Rack mount one or two UX systems together with the optional UX-DR rack mount chassis. The UX-MC hand held system utilizes our finest CM68 element for crisp hi-end with a smooth bottom-end. Our latest dual AA batteries technology replaces the old 9V battery system lasting up to 25 hours without changing, and the PLL (phase lock loop) engineering uses UHF technology (ultra high frequencies) to assure the signal carrier is locked-in for up to 300'. Dual Diversity receivers automatically switch to the best signal path so you don't get drop-outs. Full bandwidth with less than .5% THD delivers impeccable sound that even the high priced systems lack.
 
Frequency Response: -3db @ 40 Hz & -10db @ 30 Hz (suitable for guitar, bass or similar instruments)
S/N ratio: 100dB
Wireless frequency: 692 - 697.975 Mhz
Audio Input: 600 ohms XLR
Stability: ±.005%
Freq. stability: ±0.005%
Crystal Controlled
Powered by AC/DC power adapter (provided)
Dimensions: 8.701" wide x 1.575" high x 5.984" deep

The body pack can be used for a Lavalier mic, Headset mic or Guitar/Bass.


Sound
The UX16 setup has a crystal clear sound and clarity that us guitar players really need. It does not add any sound itself to take away from your treasured tone. I do not have any pops or clicks that some cheaper systems will do. I have actually had it set up in my basement walked up the stairs across the kitchen and on out the garage went two houses down and still had total clarity and response (Had windows open and my Carvin V3 full stack playing but had a mic rigged up so I could play it back to make sure no cut outs or clips or pops).


My Opinion
There are so many wireless systems out there some that have more features (Carvin offers systems that have more features then this model) and also that can cost a truck payment. This model is a great wireless for the gigging, touring, studio, jamming musician that wants top of the line but does not want to pay a outrageous price to get it. With the 16 channels you will never be in a position to not be able to use it or have interference. If you are in need of more then one wireless you can get two and the Carvin mounting kit and only use one rack space so it is not big and bulky. Carvin offers a 90 day warranty with it in case you might have problems with it (Not Going to happen) and also they have the best customer service I have ever dealt with (I had a guitar one time get delivered with a chip in it and they took care if it with lightning speed). You will not go wrong with this unit I use it constantly and have for a while now and it has never failed me!!!

Contact:
carvinguitars.com 
www.facebook.com/carvinguitarsofficial 
www.facebook.com/carvinaudio/timeline 

There is a great video on the Carvin Guitar Website that you can watch by clicking this link! http://www.carvinguitars.com/products/UX16-BP

Conquest Cables Guitar Cable

Conquest Cables OPI 10' Custom Shop Cable

This day in age it always frustrates me when I see a guitar player that has a 2500 dollar Paul Reed Smith guitar and a 2400 dollar Marshall amp and then they buy a 7 dollar cable and wonder why there sound is a bit off.

Larry Spalla and his company Conquest cables has gone up and beyond to take care of the musician making hundreds of different cables all hand made in the USA with using the best materials on the market not skimping on anything to deliver musicians a product that can compete and devour products up to three to four times the price. Conquest also makes custom cables for the musician or studio that needs something special. 

I have got to know Larry and his passion for the little guy is amazing and his products are even better!! Today we will talk about the OPI Custom Shop Guitar Cable. 

 

Layout & Features

4 Conductors

24ga with 41x40 in each .995 pure (When the conductors are combined the actual gauge becomes 18 and the actual strand count is 41x164)

Effective conductor (copper) O.D IS .44

Shield Coverage is 95% of tight angle braided T.C .995% pure

conductor resistance: 6.39 ohms per 1,000

Shield Resistance: 3.958 Ohms per 1,000

Capacitance: 29 pf/ft

Overall O.D. is .245 of specially constructed PVC

1/4 Nickel Phone Plug

10' long

 

Sound 

The technical specs can be really confusing to most musicians that are simply just looking for something that sounds really good. I tried this cable out with a Gibson Les Paul Classic, Gibson Sg Standard, Carvin Dc400a, Carvin Cs6, Dean Micheal Schenker V, Ltd Wilton signature, Schecter Hellraiser Solo 6 guitars. I also bounced with amps using a Carvin V3, Carvin V3m, Mack Gem, Crate Blue Voodoo, Marshall Jcm 800 and 900 heads. I wanted to really try this cable out with multiple setups to see how it would handle with high gain to country style sounds and settings. The Conquest cable is quiet with no pops no hisses and super quiet. I also compared the Conquest to four other brands (Will not name brands) hooked up into a recording unit to check the measurable background noise it made. The conquest was almost nothing at all while all four of the other cables you could see the background noises and pops coming into the recording unit. I noticed something that honestly I did not think was possible when I was trading in and out the other four cables against the Conquest cable, My overall sound was clearer and brighter. I had never heard in the 25 years I have been playing that a cable had the way to not only be quiet and quality but actually make your sound better. 

 

My Opinion 

Conquest has really taken steps to make sure that the hand made cables they make are not just another company. When it comes to your sound you really do not need to cheap out with a poorly made import cable when for about the same price you can have a Custom Shop cable that will not only last you a lifetime but also give you a better tone. Conquest has a lifetime warranty for all there cables what is a very cool feature that so many cable companies would not even think about doing. If you are a musician that has to have all the crazy gear out there and need something that is not a standard cable they make then just contact them they will make it for you for a price you can afford. Conquest is the oldest cable maker in the United States and not just made for the pro musician they are made for everyone!!! 

 Contact 

Facebook Link  

http://conquestsound.com/

 

Tailpeace Dsignz - Tailpieces

Tailpeace Dsignz Tailpieces

I had a friend of mine send me a picture of a guitar that had a chrome snake tailpiece on his guitar and I knew that this was something unique. I did some looking around and met the owner Neal Gallop via Facebook and he explained the entire company out to me. I did my homework on the product talking to a few other guitar players that loved there Tailpeace so I knew I had to have one for myself. Something that really surprised me is that most of the profits made on these go straight to charity. Today we will talk about the Tailpeace Dsignz custom tailpieces. 




Layout & Features

Tailpeace makes four standard models the Snake, Bull Head, Cross and Skull. They are in multi different colors Chrome, Gold, Black, Nickel and Raw. They are made out of lightweight aluminum so they will not add weight to your favorite axe. These beauties will fit right into your stopbar tailpiece guitar like a Les Paul without any modifications or
tools needed. They float above your body of your guitar so no
scratches on that beautiful finish. I purchased a Gold Cross and put it on my Carvin Cs6 (There version of a single cut Les Paul). It only took me about ten min to install cause of the added length I had to change my strings (It was time to change them anyway). A very simple upgrade all the way around.

 
Sound
This is a upgrade but not to enhance your tone but I was very surprised when I installed this Tailpiece and I noticed a difference
in my sound. There was a noticeable difference in sustain and it added a bit of acoustic sound to the cleans. The heavy saturated leads really had more overall tone to them. As we know with like
brass blocks on a Floyd Rose Mass=Tone and adding this adds
a bit of enhanced sound. It really was a pleasant surprise cause it
was made for eye candy.


My Opinion
Neal really has come up with a great product that will really spruce up your favorite stopbar tailpiece guitar. It is a brilliant idea to make your guitar unique and separate you from the crowd. The Tailpeace looks really good under the lights on stage also. I am so impressed that most of the money goes to a charity so buying this not only makes your guitar look and sound better but you are helping out to make the world a better place. They are
very reasonable priced so any guitar player with a bit of scratch can
afford to dress there axe up. My Carvin Cs6 has never looked and played
better then it does with my Gold Cross Tailpeace.


Contact
www.facebook.com/TailPeaceDsignz 
http://tailpeace.com 

Select A Head - Custom Drum Heads

Select A Head Drum Heads  


I got turned on to this company a while back cause I am such a huge collector of Rock N Roll items and a avid collector of any and all guitar and bass gear. After a few talks to the owner of the company I was totally sold on how these products are made. I was on the website and was totally blown away with the college teams and bands that have given there names to the company to use there names and album covers. I had to pick out one of my all time favorite bands that helped carve out the thrash and metal genre that started back in the 80's and still releasing albums and touring up to today Metal Church!!


Layout & Features

Width 23''

Depth 5''

Weight 8lbs

Chrome lugs & Bass drum claws

Black drum head, hoop & shell

Band, College Team or your custom graphic on head


Sound

These are not meant to be played these are for being hung up on the wall and or used for promotion of your product or band. The drum head can be played or used if put into your drum kit with your custom graphic.


My Opnion

Select A Head has really come up with a great product whether if you are a fan of music or college sports and want to show your colors. They also offer custom heads if you own a company or in a band and want your logo and or band name on the drum head. While the head is for display purposes they take a extra measure laminating the decals providing a UV protection and helps with scratches and scuffs for them that want to play it. This product is solid as a tank and top notch components to make it a product that will be around for a very long time whether you are hanging it on the wall or having fun pretending to be your favorite drummer. This is a great product for the musician or music fan in your life or maybe your favorite drummer!!! I will be a fan for a very long time and maybe we will be seeing the Reviews By Jon custom one made up in the future!!!

Contact
www.facebook.com/selectahead
selectahead.com

Carvin - Ultra V Classic Reissue

Carvin Ultra V Classic Reissue
Carvin is a company that is really a do it all company that started with pickups over 60 years ago making the Kiesel a house hold name. I first got my taste with Carvin about 5 years ago when I was hanging out with a good friend of mine and I told him ''I am looking for a different sound''. My friend went in his back room and brought out this Carvin V guitar from the 80's and told me to take it home for the weekend. This guitar looked like it was ready for the scrap yard not my studio with more dings and bings and rust on the knobs and bridge. I took this guitar home and plugged it into my Marshall stack and my jaw about hit the floor I had not played a more cool V in my life the tone was amazing and it played like a dream. I at the time was playing single cut guitars for the most part like Les Pauls so I orderd a Cs6 and the rest is history for me. Today I would like to talk about the V Reissue from the legendary company Carvin!!
Since Carvin is a Custom Shop your guitar or bass may differ from the specs you choose.

Layout & Features
Alder Body
Flamed Maple Neck
25'' Scale
Plain Maple Top
Ebony Fretboard
Abalone Square Inlays
24 Jumbo Frets
Master Volume & Tone 3 Way Selector With Coil Tap
Original Floyd Rose Tremolo
C22 Covered Pickups
Carvin Locking Tuners


Sound
This guitar is oozing tone from the great tone woods Carvin put on this to the great C22 pickups that are standard for most models. Lets talk about the Carvin c22 pickups first, These are great all around pickups that are made in house with 22 pole pc's that have no drop out and can get sparkling cleans to down right distortion and really has a great sustain for them melodic leads these pickups are standard on most models. I can use this guitar for a full set of styles cause of the versatility of the guitar from blues to metal with the use of the coil tap it really opens up for limitless tones and possibilities. The Floyd Rose Original is top of the line what has never failed me for the heavy chunking whammy's we all love to play to get that chop effect or squeals or add tons of difference in leads.


My Opinion
Carvin Reissued this guitar cause lets face it V's are damn cool and this one is really right on with any V on the market today. The neck is smooth and extremely comfortable one of the best I have ever played in my life not to thick or thin. This guitar has the four main features that make a V a killer guitar 1. Weight-It is light on the shoulder so no shoulder damage. 2. Tone- This guitar is a blues, rock, classic rock, metal, prog metal, pop rock, industrial, thrash guitar all wrapped up in a pretty purple package. 3. Looks-  No one makes them quite like they do from the heel to the offset that is backwards from most offset V's, It has that madman taking stage look! 4. Playing Comfort- This guitar is not a cheap made guitar it is made to not just sound good but for total comfort, it is a 2 hour at a time guitar that will not leave you feeling fatigued. I own a storage full of guitars and this one is not only one of my favorite V's of all time but one of my favorite guitars. With all Carvin guitars your experience will be different then mine cause you will design your own guitar with your own features with a 10 day money back guarantee and a 5 year warranty for any defects in craftmenship. They are all made in the USA in there shop in California using the best equipment on the market and honestly one of the best customer service departments. If the V is not your flavor then you are in luck they make about every body style you would ever want just check there website!!!

Contact
https://www.facebook.com/carvinguitarsofficial
http://www.carvinguitars.com/

This Video Is Not Me Nor My Carvin V Just Thought It Was A Really Cool Video Of Another Satisfied Carvin V Owner!!!!!!!

 

Re-Axe Products - The Axe-Handler

Re-Axe Products Axe-Handler

 I met the guys from Re-Axe for the first time on the side of the road and did a interview for a radio show I was doing at the time. I can honestly say Jeff Cutler is one of the most genuine, honest, down to earth people you will meet that truly cares for people in a way I almost never see anymore from business people. The American company is based out of Arizona with there Axe-Handler being there top product also there gearbox is a great tool for musicians on the move and a great
acoustic guitar pick with many more products on
the way. Re-Axe makes products to make the 
musicians life better with well thought out 
products in a price range even the starving musician can afford.
Today we will talk about the mighty Axe-Handler!
Layout & Features
There is two versions of the Axe-Handler ''The Original'' and ''Strings Out''.  The Original works by using the fretboard to sit right in the small C in the Axe-Handler that is set on any flat surface from your cab, combo amp, table or any other surface. The Strings Out works in the same aspect but instead of having the guitar leaned with the face of it inward you turn your guitar around like more of a standard guitar stand. The product is heavy enough that your guitar will not slip out of it from normal use or vibrations of cranking your amp on a
heavy vibration stage or jam room. The Original also has a small open on the top great for your guitar picks or loose change. Both of these products are small and light weight that can fit into any guitar case or gig bag for a instant guitar stand on the go from jam rooms, stage, studio or just showing off your favorite instrument.

My Opinion
Re-Axe products has not just made another ''Guitar Stand'' they have totally reinvented it from the ground up. I have three of these that I use on a daily basis from Jam room, studio and bedroom playing. I have never once had the product fail on me or my high priced guitars that I would not trust anything else to keep them from losing a headstock. I honestly do not think for under 20 bucks you can find a better product that will do everything the Axe-Handler will. This gets rid of the bulky overpriced tube guitar stand that has been littering jam rooms and stages since the guitar was first invented and gives you the freedom to never be without a guitar stand. If you also are a company that likes the Axe-Handler then Re-Axe Products can make up a custom run of these bad boys with your company logo or band name and or logo. They do not deal with big box companies giving the mom and pop shops the exclusive selling rights or you can buy them for the same price right off the website.

Contact Info
http://axe-handler.com 

www.facebook.com/ReAxe 

 

 

 

Mack Amps - Gem Head

Mack Amps - Gem Head

I met Don Mackrill some time ago and got to know him and his
company really well. The Canadian company Mack Amps does
things the very old school way of using high quality components
hand making each amp with the ideals of a high quality all tube old school amp should not cost 2000 dollars or even 1000 and in this case not even 800 bucks. Don is one of the nicest down to earth guys you will ever meet while his knowledge of amps is second to none. Mack Amps has three main amps the Gem, Heatseeker and the Skyraider. They also have a great line of classic pickups that will take that Les Paul or Strat and breathe life into it like you only hoped them higher priced pickups would do. For them that want a 
really cool cab to match there Mack Amps then Don can hook you up with that also. Today we are going to talk about the Gem a low wattage all tube masterpiece that will thrill the all tube addict and make a believer that you do not need to spend a mortgage payment to own. 

Layout & Features
 

• 4 watts switchable to 0.4 watts
• 1xEL84 cathode biased, Class A
• 1xNOS 6AC10 triple triode preamp tube
• Solid state rectifier
• Switchable gain stages: panel or foot 
• Single tone control that cuts AND BOOSTS!
• Speaker output: 8 ohms - like all Mack amps, any impedance speaker cab can be used without causing damage
• Red anodized aluminum cabinet
• 8" W x 5 1/2" H x 4" D
• 117/120 VAC, 60 Hz
• 4 lb 

Sound
The micro Gem is such a warm amp that you can dial up the most sparkling cleans with tons of headroom. When dialed up you can get that classic to modern day blues that amps twice the price would not even come close to dialing in. When pushing the amp a bit I could dial in beautiful classic rock styles of Skynard to Nugent. When maxing the amp out them beautiful tubes pushing full bore I had a gorgeous AC/DC sound that was bright and brilliant. If you are a pedal pusher no worries there the amp is very responsive to all sorts of pedals, I used some heavy distortion pedals and I was very impressed the tone I was getting. This is a great amp for them still true to the real guitar tone starts with using a real tube amp!

My Opinion
Mack Amps has hit a home run with the Gem amp that allows the musician that is in tight quarters or is looking or real tube tone from a real tube amp that can be reached at lower volumes. This is the perfect little studio amp to get that natural breakup from the tubes also at lower volumes and watts. I usually had the amp at the .4 watts and was plenty loud thru a 4x12, 2x12, 2x6, 1x12 cabs I have used it with. The tone shaping is amazing on this amp that allows you to push in the preamp to give you a whole new pallet of sounds to play with. The amp is rated at 8 ohms but with the high quality of parts used there is no issue running this head thru 4, 8, 16 ohm cabs with no issues or burning anything up at these low wattage's. I personally recommend the foot switch if you look into getting this amp it makes the hands free to not mess up your recording, jamming or stage if you choose. I can put this head into most of my cases and gig bags what makes traveling a breeze. I can also state with my head being dropped down a flight of stairs that this thing is built like a tank (Sorry Don).

Contact:
http://www.mackamps.com/ 

www.facebook.com/MackAmps 

 

EarCandy Cabs 2x6

EarCandy Cabs
EarCandy is located in Valparaiso Indiana the owner Tim has a very passionate work ethic in making the best in guitar and bass cabs. I think people underestimate what a great guitar cab can do for there overall tone. Tim will take your ideas and wishes and turn it into a cab of your dreams. He has is patent way of making cabs sets him way apart from the Marshall, Mesa, Peavey etc cab you have been using. Tim is the nicest guy you will ever meet and make your tone his top priority in the making of your new cab.

Layout & Features
 ¾” AAA White Birch Wood Cabinet
Pat pending Twin ported baffle 
Steel Circle Grills
All steel hardware
Steel top strap handle
Point to Point hand wired with silver solder
Wired with 14 gauge OFC professional grade speaker wire
Steel reinforced Rubber feet
15 pounds, 15.5” wide x 10” tall x 8” deep
This cab is 60 watts at 4 ohms

 Sound
Do not let size fool you on this tiny cab this is a dynamite comes in small packages style of guitar cab. I will admit at first look I was scared it would be all highs with the 6'' speakers but it will keep with the best of them on aggressive lows, chunky mids, crystal clear highs. The twin ported baffle system really takes this cab into tonal directions I do not get out of some 4x12's I have used in my life. The speakers do not fuzz out with higher volumes and it is a great all around speaker for all genres from country to metal.

My Opinion
This is so much cab in such a little space from stage to studio this cab will drive your tone into directions you never thought about. EarCandy will make you a much bigger cab loaded with any speakers you want and any theme, tolex, colors, design your imagination can take you. I was looking for a light small cab with a big voice that I could toss into my truck for jam sessions to save space in the studio and not give up quality like some speaker cabs are at this price range. I have seen so many musicians put little stock into there cabs taking whatever companies throw at them or the local guy at the Guitar Center tells them to take. I see musicians spending 5000 dollars on a guitar and then just use any cab and cannot figure out why there sound is a bit dry. EarCandy is the real deal and I will have one of there cabs in my rig cause when it comes to my tone I cannot expect nothing but the very best!!!

Contact
http://earcandy.com/    

Warlord Custom - The Switch

           Warlord Custom Effect Pedals

Warlord Custom is a hand built custom effect pedal company from Greece. I met the owner George Liagas some time ago via social media I fell in love with his passion and designs instantly. George has been pushing into many different directions then just effect pedals working on different amps and just added the Geoge Karafotis Signature Distortion Pedal. This day in age it really is hard to know good versus bad when it comes to effect pedals. There is a insane amount of companies making pedals along with so much guitar gear so much of it is made in countries I cannot pronounce with terrible parts and plastic casings. Warlord reigns up in the top of the top with quality, sound, design and service after the sale. I have got to know George and he is different then so many of the gear makers out there cause his passion and love is driven by his designs and
his love for gear and others. This pedal is not for making sounds it is for driving amps and guitars case in point two guitar amps with one guitar or two guitars with one amp.

Layout & Features
This pedal is straight up and yet very effective with two foot switches. The side has for one input or two inputs and two outputs or one output depending on how you are setting up. A plug in for your pedal board rounds of ''The Switch''.

Sound
This pedal is extremely quiet unlike so many name brand and imported switching or A/B pedals. This pedals has no hum, hiss, click and to my to my surprise both channels are at the same sound. This is one of the times that no sound is actually a very great thing!!!

My Opinion 
The switch from Warlord Custom is a great pedal that really does exactly what it is supposed to. I can run two guitar amps at equal volume or two guitars into a single amp depending on your needs for the show or studio. What makes this pedal so much different then many others I have owned tried or seen in live setups is the extreme quiet of this pedal when clicking from amp A or amp B or having amp A & B going at the same time it is super quiet non hiss non click coming thru the speakers. This pedal will do nothing for your sound unless figuring that having two amps going whether you are setting up the now very popular wet/dry, heavy medium heavy low end, clean amp dirty amp, or having two guitars set up into a single amp for a easy transition. I love what this pedal has opened up for me as a musician and I would recommend it to anyone looking to take there depth a bit further with there tone.

Contact
guitarpedals.eu 
 https://www.facebook.com/warlordcustom 

   

VG Guitars - Phoenix V

VG Guitars
I first met the owner of VG Guitars on Facebook (A very mild mannered down to earth guy by the name of Chris Conrad a couple years ago). I loved the classic looks of the guitars and basses he had made from Les Paul and SG copies to beautiful Strats and Basses. I originally had talked to Chris about possibly making me a guitar made from Swamp Ash a lighter wood for a very light guitar (This was right after I had my massive heart attack). After much talking back and forth and passing ideas back and forth we started a journey on another guitar. When the metal gods speak you must listen and between a mill messing up and stealing our design and flooding in Colorado to a musician chipping a huge piece out of it we went back to the drawing board and out of the ashes of our mistakes and others come this beauty we deemed our ''Phoenix''.

Layout & Features

Maple neck, mahogany body, ebony fretboard, mother of pearl diamond inlays, 3 way toggle, 2 toggle switches, 1 volume, 2 tone, stopbar tailpiece, Dimarzio Chopper, Super Distortion, D Activator pickups, locking tuners.
The toggles allow for coil tapping and more flex to change pickups to active to make for more combination of sounds.
               


Sound
The term of ''Jack of all trades master of none'' is so not this guitar it really is the ''Jack of all trades and mastered them all''. There is usually no comparison of a custom made guitar to your exact specs to a stock off the shelf guitar. This guitar is a Strat, Tele, Les Paul, Sg, Firebird, Jackson, Esp, all wrapped up into a ball of fury that when I first plugged it in took flight over my soul. The ability to combine subtract and use the pickups in any configuration buckered or singled out really gives this guitar such a unfair advantage over any guitar I have ever played. When I use the Chopper (Bumblefoot's favorite pickup) and turn the tone way down I get the sweetest smoothest cleans I have ever heard and add some sweet tube infused distortion and the leads I get are articulate, brilliant, smooth and robust. The Super Distortion has graced more guitars then a buffets have rednecks so it really was a no brainer to add this pickup to the center to give me that classic rock of the Ace Frehley. I really had to think long and hard about the bridge pickup and what to use (I am a metal player by trade) I was a bit nervous not have really used Dimarzio's before but wanted to go all in and take a chance and after being on the Dimarzio website looking at all the high output pickups I knew I had to go with the D activator. I know Dimarzio makes higher output pickups then this but you can also get to much of a good thing and I was worried it would way over power the other two pickups but it is magically delicious. This guitar is quiet, loud, soft, brutal, heavy, coarse, classic and is a fire breathing guitar like nothing in the universe!!!!! This guitar is tonally the full package in every way shape and form and I would trade half my collection before I would even think of parting with this musical masterpiece.

My Opinion
VG Guitar is not a household name in the guitar world chances are this is the very first time you have heard of them. Way over in Woodstock VA is a one man guitar maker that does not do this for money or fame or fortune he does it cause he honestly loves guitars, music and people. In a world that is over run by imports from places I cannot even pronounce, it is so refreshing that someone does this still the old fashion way of hand tools, love, blood, sweat and tears!! This V is raw and straight from the hip no flashy binding or pretty add ons it is a natural wood lovers paradise. I do have to confess this guitar is not 100% VG the neck was made by my good friends at Carvin Guitars and also there tuners and stop bar and tailpiece. The use of Carvin parts or hybrid was because of me I love the neck on my Carvin V and wanted a neck that was similar to it and I love there locking tuners but this write up is not about Carvin. I am not total savy with how guys like Chris work there magic but he took this neck and made it feel like silk or felt on a pool table it is smooth as a babies butt. I usually am not a huge fan of bolt on necks but after this guitar I will take a much closer look and not be so prejudice against them. I wanted to add also that originally this guitar was going to have a custom air brushed paint job of massive rolling flames like of a explosion but after I seen the grain of the mahogany I could not do it I felt it would have been a crime against nature. I have so much love for this company and what Chris does check them out for your classic guitar or something different.

Contact
https://www.facebook.com/VGGuitars 
               

NSX Engineering - Delay Pedal

NSX Engineering
Some time ago I was contacted by a friend and was told there was a new company hand making effect pedals. I contacted NSX Engineering cause I was excited cause gear makers are very far and few here in the valley.
NSX Engineering is from Idaho Falls Idaho with Nathan Slade at the helm taking a bit of a different take on full on hand wired all analog pedals. When Nathan and I talked on the phone it almost sounded way to good to be true a pedal of my choosing with the skin of my choosing all the entire way I want it for under a 100 bucks but he said that was totally how it would happen. I ordered a Delay pedal but wanted it worded really different so went with D-Laid and a orange simple skin on it. It took about a week and a half and then Nathan said it was ready so I made the hour long trip to Idaho falls and took a quick look around his setup. Nathan had some pedals that he made all setup and played a bunch of them from all styles some that had some of the most beautiful skins on them I had ever seen. Nathan's setup was everything I had hoped it to be from all the components and parts and a bit messy (I like messy). I got this pedal home and it was time to give it a whirl in my own settings and guitars.

Layout & Features
The pedal has three knobs Delay, Mix, Repeats and a toggle Infinity. The layout is basic with a In and Out and Infinity toggle with a simple switch on and off.

Sound
I honestly was not expecting a lot for 100 bucks with most import pedals being close to 200 and high end reaching 500 dollars but this pedal would give any boutique Delay pedal a run for there money. I can get that rich full sounding Pink Floyd sound to the Prog Metal sounds of Dream Theater without a lot of dialing. I could dial in them 80's leads clear to modern day shredding with a quiet on and off what really surprised me This Delay pedal really was bold when it needed to be and it was purring like a baby kitten when the music called for it. I used my Carvin V3 and V3m heads with it mixing it with the amps reverb and I was getting such beautiful sounds that a pedal costing three times the amount would only deliver. I can hear a change with  the Infinity toggle but have not really been in a situation that required me to change it back and forth cause I am getting all the sounds I need without it.   

My Opinion
This pedal can perform up with pedals costing three times or more and who does not like custom features on skin and name of the pedal. While talking to Nathan he was up for making new pedals and new designs of any kind shape or sound. It impressed me this day in age of having products made in other countries using sub par parts and made in huge patches that a person right here in the United States would offer such options and not take the rent money to do so. I would and will use and support this company cause not just cause of the amazing products but honestly Nathan is one of the nicest guys I have ever met and is willing to go up and beyond at a moments notice to keep his customers happy.

Contact
https://www.facebook.com/NSXmusicaltechnology