TwoGearGeeks’ DI Roundup

The TwoGearGeeks decided it was time to test out some DI boxes (Direct Input) for you folks!  We focused on DIs that would be good for both bass guitar and acoustic guitar, two instruments routinely run through DIs live and in the studio.  We hope to do some bass- and acoustic-specific DIs in future posts.

Here is what we tested, along with its respective price:

A-Designs Audio REDDI – $795

Manley Labs Mono Tube DI – $575

Tech21 ParaDriver DI – $209

Radial JDI Mk3 – $220

At the outset, let’s get two things out of the way.  First, sound is a tricky and subjective thing.  The TwoGearGeeks prefer classic tones and mainly play and listen to roots rock, country, Americana, etc.  So, put our comments about tone in that context — we don’t typically like over-effected basses that make a weird “meow” sound or a lot of guitars that sound like the guitar riff in “Owner of a Lonely Heart” (except when Yes plays it, of course).

Second, we did not test every DI on the market (although in our 40+ years of combined experience, we’ve played a good chunk of them), and we focused on DIs that would be suitable for bass and acoustic guitar.  For this review, we don’t have unlimited time and couldn’t get every single DI out there to test.  Plus, using a bass-specific DI (like the Aguilar Tone Hammer) or an acoustic-specific DI (like the LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI) would defeat the purpose of the roundup.  So, we figured that we would try to get a good cross-section of higher-end DIs without being 100% extensive across the market.

We tested the DIs in a variety of studio and live environments with:

• 2005 Modulus Guitars VJ 4-string bass with Bartolini pickups and active Bartolini preamp, DR Black Beauty strings;

• 1965 Fender Jazz Bass (stock), with Rotosounds;

• Evidence Audio Melody instrument cables; and

• Vintage Crown acoustic guitar (Hummingbird copy) with LR Baggs M1 active pickup.

We also used Bob’s 1966 Ampeg B-15N for comparison purposes.

So, let’s get to it!

A-Designs Audio REDDI

The first thing to note about the A-Designs REDDI is that it looks cool — it is fire engine red and is housed in a serious metal box complete with heat vents and a brilliant blue power light.   It certainly looks like it means business, and is by far the largest and heaviest of the DIs tested.  It is not fitted for rack mounting, and will not fit in an average gig bag or guitar case.  The REDDI has impeccable build quality, but it seems appropriate to expect perfection when you spend $800 for a DI.

Tech specs

• Input Impedance: 1 meg
• Gain Range: 16 dB
• Noise (EIN): -126 dB
• Instrument Jack Input: 1/4 phono combo XLR
• Balanced XLR Output:
  • Output Impedance 600 Ohm
  • Maximum Level +22 dBu

• Output: Low-Z, transformer-balanced
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 60k Hz
• Distortion: THD: > .08 @ 1 Khz
• Power Requirements: 100/120/230 VAC – 42 Watts
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 3.5″ x 3.5″ x 14.5″
• Weight: 10 lbs. (4.54 kg.)

Bass

Before receiving the REDDI, Bob had a nice chat with Peter Montessi, the President of A-Designs Audio.  Mr. Montessi indicated that the REDDI was designed with a vintage Ampeg B-15N in mind, and, after some testing, that tone definitely came through.  The REDDI really did sound a lot like a bass through an amp, not simply a bass through a DI.  Good stuff.

With either an active or passive bass in the studio, the REDDI offered warm, round and clear tone that really sits well in the mix.  We thought that it smoothed out the “active” tone of the Modulus, without robbing any of the character of the graphite neck.  The REDDI offered a nice hot signal and it was really even along all the strings.  It has an adjustable gain setting, which is great.

With the passive bass, the REDDI sounded nothing short of amazing.  It sounded so good, in fact, that we kept soloing it in the studio, yearning for a song with a lot of sonic space so that the REDDI could shine.  There was plenty of satisfying low end both recorded and live, without any mud.

We first encountered the REDDI a few years ago at a bar gig in Seattle.  We overheard the sound guy tell the bass player after soundcheck that the REDDI was probably the best DI he’d ever heard.  We didn’t — and still don’t — disagree.

Acoustic Guitar

With an acoustic, the REDDI offered plenty of tube warmth, with lots of presence and clarity in the studio.   It really would be great in a sonically-open song or solo/small band acoustic setting live, i.e., vocals, guitar and piano.  The guitar got a little lost in a crowded song, but we would certainly use the REDDI in any solo acoustic performance.  It just sounds darn good.

Overall

Without a doubt, we can easily say that the REDDI is amazing piece of audio equipment.  It was the warmest of the DIs tested, and sounds a good deal like a vintage Ampeg B-15N flip-top (but portable and new!).  The REDDI is a perfect DI for bass and good for a sonically-open live or studio acoustic guitar.  However, we will acknowledge the obvious point that not everyone can afford an $800 tube DI.  But, if you have the money, give the REDDI a serious look.

Manley Laboratories Mono Tube DI

The Manley Labs Mono DI is a nice looking piece of equipment, with a subtle purple tint on the brushed-metal face. and simple, easy to access controls.  Being roughly one rack space tall and wide, the Manley seems more at home in a studio than at a gig, especially since it had no visible signs of the rack mounting capability.  Even though the shape is a bit confusing, the good news too is that it puts hair on your chest (get it — Manley??  Ed. — that was Josh, not Bob).

The test unit kindly provided by Manley Labs came equipped with an Electro Harmonix 12AX7 tube.  The build quality was quite impressive, and it would look great in any studio environment.

Tech specs

• Vacuum Tube: 5751 (Ed. — the lower noise and gain version of a 12AX7)
• Gain: -6dB or -26dB
• Input Z: 10 Mohm to 1 Mohm
• Output Z: 150 ohm xfmr
• Frequency response: 12 Hz – 15KHz (-3dB)
• EQ: LF rolloff -3dB points: 12, 42, 100, 250Hz
• Transformer-Coupled Balanced XLR Output
• Console Out Boost Switch
• Ground Lift Switch
• Factory set for 100V, 120V or 220-240VAC operation for original destination country’s mains voltage.
• Operating Mains Voltage changeable with power transformer re-wiring and fuse value change.
• Mains Voltage Frequency: 50~ 60Hz
• Mains power consumption Mono Tube DI:
  0.050 Amps (50 milliamps = 50mA) @ 120V = 6 Watts
  0.025 Amps (25 milliamps = 25mA) @ 240V = 6 Watts

The Manley Mono Tube DI has a few items of note to discuss.  First, on the front of the unit, there is a toggle switch labeled “Console Boost” and “Unity.”   According the owner’s manual,

“UNITY” refers to power conversion similar to the way a good transformer works. The voltage is lower and the current is stronger but the power stays the same.  The voltage loss is 23 dB and in a good range for all console mic preamps to handle well. “CONSOLE BOOST” mode adds 17 dB of voltage gain over “UNITY”.  The voltage loss is about 6 dB.  This is a good setting when the instrument has a low output or when feeding several consoles in a live setting due to losses in splitters.

We found that we used the “Console Boost” when recording but “Unity” live.  You may have a different experience.

Second, the Manley DI also has a five-position knob that allows allows users to adjust the output frequencies, which is really handy to get some EQ tweak on the fly.  The knob

[s]elects between five types of 6 dB per octave low frequency rolloff:  BASS FULL is the closest to a “flat setting”. BASS FULL = 12 Hz / -3 dB, BASS MED = 42 Hz, GUITAR/SYNTH = 100 Hz, GUITAR MED = 250 Hz, GUITAR BRIGHT = 550 Hz.  All settings have a gentle roll-off on the highs (15 kHz -3 dB) to avoid some of the harshness of typical DI’s and to better approximate a clean amp-like sound.

Bass

Not surprisingly, we tested both the active and passive basses with the full spectrum position (i.e., “Bass Full”) in live and studio settings.  The Manley Labs DI offered ample tube warmth to bass along the full spectrum, although with the active bass it was not as punchy as the REDDI.  The tone was clear and round, and the higher notes popped out nicely in the mix.   With the passive bass, the Manley was actually a bit punchier than the REDDI.  However, it is like comparing a Porsche to a Ferrari — they’re both awesome, just different, and people could argue about which is better indefinitely.

For either passive or active basses, the Manley is a very high quality tube DI that we would recommend.  It offers warm, rich tube tone that sits well in the mix.

Acoustic Guitar

We tested the acoustic with all five frequency positions, but ultimately settled on the middle position (i.e., “Guitar/Synth”) during our recording sessions.  The Manley offered warmth and a smidgen more clarity than the REDDI.  The Manley sounded great solo or in the mix, with mellow highs free of harsh overtones.  It’s nice that it has a few settings so you can match the sound to your instrument, especially live.

Overall

The Manley Labs DI offered a warm, rich tube tone that sits well in the mix.   For the price (which admittedly is beyond many people’s budgets), we were not disappointed.  It is a great-sounding tube DI, and the bells and whistles really add value for the price.

Tech21 ParaDriver

Tech21 is a company well-know for its SansAmp line of pedals.  Most folks have seen or used a Tech21 product, and they generally don’t disappoint.  The ParaDriver sported impressive build quality for the price, and it came delivered in a nice metal tin with a sticker.  The manual was informative, easy to comprehend and access, and had some great sample settings.  In this day of overseas outsourcing, we like that Tech21 still makes their products in the good ol’ US of A.

Tech specs

Because the ParaDriver is more than just a DI, we decided to include a guide for the controls (from the manual):

• DRIVE: adjusts the overall amount of gain and overdrive, similar to when the output section of a tube amp is being pushed.

• BASS & TREBLE: These active tone controls cut or boost ±12dB from unity gain at 12 o’clock. Bass is 80 Hz, treble is 3.2 kHz.

• MID SHIFT & MID: Sweepable, semi-parametric EQ controls range from 170 Hz to 3.5 kHz, ±16dB, respectively.  With Mid Shift, you can select the center frequency of the mid-range control (MID), enabling you to notch out specific frequencies that may be causing your acoustic guitar to feed back.

• BLEND:  allows you to blend the direct instrument signal with SansAmp Tube/Microphone Emulation circuitry.  In most cases, you will probably have this set at maximum (100% SansAmp). If you should want to hear some of the distinct timbre of a piezo pickup, or reduce the amount of “compression,” you can simply adjust accordingly by turning the Blend control counter clockwise. At minimum, the SansAmp circuitry is bypassed. However, all the other controls remain active.  The unit then functions as a standard DI with EQ.

• LEVEL: adjusts the output level of both the 1/4” and XLR outputs.

Bass

After using the ParaDriver in the studio, live and in rehearsal, we found that it really shines as a live/rehearsal tool.  In the studio, the ParaDriver gave both the active and passive bass a high-tech, detailed sound.  As noted above, this is not really the type of sound that we like, but others may disagree.  C’est la vie.

Using the ParaDriver as an amp simulator (either in rehearsal or live) really allowed it to come into its own.  The manual has several sample settings, including “Deep Tube Bass” and “Active Bass Simulator,” each of which did a surprisingly good job of tone transformation.  During our first session with the ParaDriver (during a rehearsal), we tested the “SVT® Bass” setting and it made my little Eden combo come alive with growl and beefy bass goodness!

Acoustic Guitar

To be perfectly honest, we had a hard time finding satisfying tones using the ParaDriver with an acoustic.  We tried the sample settings, we tried the DI straight, and then we tried some more, but we found the tone a bit dry and brittle compared to the other DIs tested.

That said, the ParaDriver did sound really great as an overdrive pedal for electric guitar.

Overall

Overall, the Tech21 ParaDriver DI offers a really good option for a bass player with about $200 to spend who needs both a dependable DI and tone shaping capabilities.  The ParaDriver was not our favorite studio DI, but it is a great live tool.

Radial JDI Mk3

The Radial JDI tested is the only one of the four that was not made in the USA.  Radial’s products are proudly made in the Great White North, eh.  Perhaps its Canadian roots explain its sturdy build and nice evergreen color.  The JDI is built to last, and to take abuse while it is around, so it is not surprising that it has a high-quality Jensen transformer and welded steel construction.  The JDI was the most traditional DI-like in appearance, and is at one with the Force (get it — JeDI??  Ed. — that was Josh again.  Sheesh.).

Tech specs

• Dynamic range: 135dB
• Signal to noise: 119dB
• Maximum input level: +19dB
• Frequency range: 10Hz~40kHz
• Linearity 20~20kHz: 0.1dB
• Phase coherence: 4º at 20Hz, 0º at 1kHz
• Distortion at 20Hz: 0.006%
• CMR rejection 100dB @60Hz
• Input impedance: 10kW
• Output impedance: 600W
• Construction: Welded steel
• Finish: Baked enamel
• Input connectors: Two 1/4” phone
• Output connectors: XLR male

Bass

With the active bass in the studio, the Radial JDI offered a more balanced tone than the Tech21 ParaDriver, but perhaps not as much warmth as the tube DIs.  No surprise there.  With the passive bass in the studio, the JDI was much warmer sounding and had a nice low-end beef.

Either live or in the studio, the JDI provides a nice, warm tone (although a bit low-mid heavy), with excellent clarity in the mix.  It is a solid, portable piece that fits easily in any gig or utility bag, and can handle the road like a champ.  Bob has been personally using a JDI as his “go to” DI for smaller live shows (at home and on the road) for the past several years.  Now, a REDDI purchase may be warranted too…

Acoustic Guitar

We were both surprised at how well the JDI sounded with the acoustic.  The tone was remarkably warm and balanced for a solid state DI.  It seems to have the correct sonic range for the guitar — great bass response and a full sonic palate  of mids and highs.

In the studio, the JDI translated a real “woody” sound, even in a relatively crowded mix.  Live, the JDI manages to maintains warmth, but translate clarity as well.  This is certainly a “go to” piece for an acoustic player, and a workhorse that will be with you for many years at home and on the road.

Overall

The Radial JDI Mk3 is an excellent DI, especially for the money.  It gets a special nod for how well it handled the acoustic guitar.  You really can’t go wrong.

Conclusions

Of the four DIs that we tested, each offers a different tone, a different price point, and a different recommended use.  If you’ve got the money and need to have the absolute best, grab yourself an A-Designs Audio REDDI.  You won’t be disappointed.

If you’ve got some money and want a tube DI, but want a few more bells and whistles than the REDDI, the Manley Labs Mono Tube DI will treat you well.  It offers tube warmth, gain control and some tone shaping options all in one.

If you only have about $200 and you need a solid, reliable DI with serious tone shaping options, the Tech21 ParaDriver DI is a good choice.  It is a great tool for the working bassist.

If you only have about $200, you like simplicity and want a DI that will be good for bass or guitar, and will operate flawlessly night after night (after night…), the Radial JDI Mk3 is a great choice.  It just works, period.

Overall, you really can’t go wrong with any of these items.

L.R. Baggs M1 Active Soundhole Pickup

Price: $250 List
Available at: Sweetwater.com

The Good Stuff:

I bought this pickup for my 1960’s Crown Hummingbird copy after hearing how it sounded on my buddy’s Epiphone EJ-200. The main thing I noticed was that it sounded like an acoustic guitar and not like an acoustic/electric guitar. Rather than having the sort of thin, slightly distorted sound that I hear from most under-bridge pick ups, it has a warm woody sound more reminiscent of a mic’ed guitar. There were some super technical explanations on the LR BAggs website about how they achieve this sound using stacked pickups to cancel hum etc. The gist of it  is, that you clamp the sides of the pickup to the sides of the soundhole and this picks up vibrations from the surface wood of the guitar. That tone is then blended with the string sound picked up by adjustable magnets (very similar to an electric guitar pickup). The magnets are adjustable up and down with a hex wrench (included), and it comes with a few extra in case you lose some (which I did ). I have used this guitar/pickup setup extensively like and have not had any problems with feedback (or lack of volume) whether I was at a big outdoor venue or a tiny cramped club. Additionally, the volume knob is located directly on the pickup so there is no need to drill anymore holes for that.  I was also interested in this pickup because you can install a quarter inch jack through the strap button on the base of the guitar so you don’t have to  have a cable hanging out the front of the soundhole like some of the other pickups I was considering. The battery is lithium so it lasts forever too. I have had this pickup for three years and never needed to replace it.

The Bad Stuff:

Honestly, I can’t say much bad about this product. The only problem I have ever encountered is when I adjusted the magnets up too close to the strings and it clipped in the house system a little. It does require you to drill a hole in the base of your guitar to use the strap button input and I know not everyone will be willing to do that. It is also not easy to get in-and-out of the guitar. It is pretty much put it in and leave it. So if you are concerned with having the pickup in your soundhole all of the time then you might not like it.

Overall:

This is a solid product that sounds great and just works. If you look on the http://lrbaggs.com you’ll see tons of professionals use this pickup and for good reason. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a pickup for playing live, especially with a band.

P.S. I am actually hoping to try out an LR Baggs DI with it to see if it sounds even better. We’ll see, we will be posting our DI round-up pretty soon with reviews of a whole range of DIs.

Evidence Audio “Forte” Instrument Cable

Price: $130

Available at BassNW and other fine retailers.

The TwoGearGeeks tested a 20′ right to straight cable in a variety of live, rehearsal and studio settings, primarily with bass guitars (but with a smidge of guitar thrown in for good measure).  The test gear included a 1972 Fender P-Bass, a 2005 Modulus Quantum 4, a 2006 Lakland Skyline DPLE2, an RS Guitarworks Telecaster and a host of amps.  We followed Evidence Audio’s advice and did well over 10 hours of “break-in” on the cable before the testing (by running signal through it from a continuous output source to an amplifier to a speaker cabinet at home).

The Good Stuff:

Let’s cut right to the chase — the Forte cable is great.  It has an excellent, rich, warm tone, with deeper lows and clearer mids than a Monster cable or a generic cable with either bass or guitar.  Sonically, the Forte is very similar to Evidence Audio’s Melody cable, which we reviewed last year.  Perhaps the Forte has a slightly beefier tone, though, one that is perfectly suited for rock bass.  The simple benefit over the Melody is that the Forte is a much more flexible cable, which makes a huge difference in live applications (especially during tear down at a busy club).

The Forte is also hand made in the USA, a fact that we love.

Honestly, everything good that we said about the Melody applies equally to the Forte.  No need to repeat ourselves, just read the Melody review!

The Bad Stuff:

As with the Melody, the Forte is a pricey cable.  But, you get what you pay for in cables, IMHO.  If you are using a good instrument into a good amp, why cheap out on cables?

Overall:

The Forte is an excellent addition to the Evidence Audio cable stable, and — to us, at least — worth every penny.

Behringer CS-100 Compressor/Sustainer Pedal

Price: $30

Available Online at: Trading Musician

The Good Stuff:

This is my first review that I really don’t have much good to say. It’s cheap, it hasn’t elctrocuted me, it doesn’t have bone, monkey, or axe or any other dumb title as its name.

The Bad Stuff:

Aside from the problems with all of this line of Behringer pedals (ie cheap contruction, difficult to change battery, weird AC placement), this pedal just doesn’t really sound good. I bought it to try out getting a super compressed country sound with my tele. I read a few other reviews of the pedal suggesting turning the attack and sustain (ie compression) all the way up. So I tried that, and it definitely compressed the heack out of the signal but the tone just sounded bad. It tried messing around with the tone knob to no avail, and I tried out the attack and sustain at a variety of positions. This pedal basically sucks the tone out of my amp and leaves it sounding thin and unpleasantly distorted.

Overall:

I’ve heard good things about MXR compressor pedals (which also appear to be built better) and I’d like to try one of those against this Behringer pedal. This is one of those cases where you should spend the extra dough for the higher end pedal, cause unfortunately, this one ain’t cutting it.

Behringer UT-100 Temolo Pedal

Price:$30

Available Online at: Trading Musician

The Good Stuff:

This pedal sounds much better than it’s plastic baby-poop brown exterior would suggest. I bought it because it was cheap and I had I sold my amp that had tremolo built in, but I still wanted to use the effect live every now and then. It works well enough and lets you adjust the type of tremolo with a rate knob to control the speed, an intensity knob to control, well the intensity, and a wave knob to control the severeness of the individual volume cuts. If you turn it to the square wave shape, turn the rate down most of the way and the intensity up all the way you can get a kind of echo effect, though this is not what the pedal is meant to be used for. To see how well this pedal really worked, I decided to try the pedal on a ’71 deluxe against the built in tremolo on that amp. While the pedal did give more options for controlling the tremolo, the built in effect (which is powered by a tube) had a noticeably warmer tone that added to the overall effect.

The Bad Stuff:

This pedal feels cheap. It has a plastic body and cheap pots. I’d be surprised if it held up on the road outside of a hard-sided pedal board. It also has one of those crazy systems for changing the battery that requires you push in a pin on each side of the pedal while simultaneously prying the top off of it. The AC input is also on the side of the pedal, which I think can cause the power supply cable to get in the way, especially if you are using a multi-pedal power source like I do.

Overall:

If you are recording, find a tube amp with this effect built in. If you are playing live this pedal works fine. Unless you buy a tube pedal I don’t think any pedal is going to sound much better for this effect, though you can probably find one built more for gigging. Remember it does attenuate your sound a bit since it is basically turning down your guitar over and over again so you may want to turn you amp up a bit or use a clean boost pedal along with it.

Evidence Audio Melody Instrument Cable

Price – $99

Available at BassNW and other fine retailers

Made by Evidence Audio

The TwoGearGeeks tested the 20 foot, straight to straight Melody cable through a variety of bass and guitar rigs.  We tested it against Bob’s Monster Cable and Josh’s cheap-o no name cable.  Bob followed Evidence Audio’s advice and did well over 10 hours of “break-in” on the cable before the test.

The Good Stuff:

The first thing you notice about this cable is how sturdy it is.  In fact, it is so sturdy that it is difficult to get it to lay flat and unravel some times!  Much of the “heft” in the cable must come from the solid copper core and four-layer exterior.  With this kind of build quality and a lifetime warranty, you can rest assured that this cable means business.

As for tone, I never thought I would say this, but there is a marked difference in tone between ordinary cables and the Melody.  For bass, I am partial to my 20 foot Monster that has been serving me without fail since 1998.  That’s right folks, my main cable is 11 years old.  It has a really solid low end presence and a great “dark” tone that works well to calm down modern amps.  Compared to the Monster Cable, the Melody is a much more defined and articulated sound in the bass (the tones, not the instrument), which is great for recording.  The highs and mids are quite present but with a warmth that I honestly wasn’t expecting.  Personally, I don’t imagine that it will be worth the hassle to use the Melody live for bass at most rock or blues shows in bar venues — by the time anyone hears your signal, any benefit of this cable likely is gone (after factoring the sound guy, the quality of the PA, the quantity of adult beverages consumed, etc.).  Plus, why risk having some yahoo spill beer all over your $100 cable??  I could see using it at a jazz gig, though.

For guitar, Josh and I agreed that the Melody really shined.  We ran it through a vintage Fender Deluxe and it brought out the bass and smoothed out the treble compared to the other cables.  It just plain sounded GREAT and kicked the proverbial butts of the other cables.  Country licks on a Telecaster and the Melody are a match made in heaven — no harsh overtones and plenty of presence in the bass and mids.  For guitar, I could personally see the benefit of using this cable live at any venue.  The tonal difference was just so much better that it’d be a shame to leave this in a studio.

The Bad Stuff:

The only downside to this cable is the high price.  But, the Melody is a great example of “you get what you pay for.”   A lot of people overlook their cables or just cheap out, and this is a serious oversight.  Anyone concerned about their tone should evaluate why they are running an amazing instrument into an amazing amp with a poop cord.  That’s just dumb, people.

Overall:

Overall, this is a wonderful cable for guitar and bass.  For bass, the clarity is perfect for jazz gigs and studio sessions.   For guitar, this is a must-have for any scenario.

Morley ABY Switcher/Combiner

Price: $50-60

Available online at: http://www.amazon.com/Morley-ABY-Selector-Combiner-Switching/dp/B0002D06EU

The Good Stuff:

Nice heavy metal construction in an unobtrusive black and white box. I got this pedal in order run one guitar through two amps at the same time, or one at a time. It worked great for doing that, though the buttons can be a little hard to press on stage so switching mid-song proved problematic. Later I used it to run two guitars through all my pedals and out to an amp. This worked out better since I only change guitars in-between songs. You could also use it to run two basses, or keyboards, or really anything with 1/4″ cables. It functions without a 9-volt battery, or any power source, which is a nice change. Though it works better with a 9-volt so you can use the LED lights to tell you with you are set to “A and B” or “A or B.”

The Bad Stuff:

The buttons can be pretty hard to press with your foot, and sometimes I have had to push them a couple times to get it to switch. Changing the battery on this requires a Philips head screw driver. This is why I have been operating it for a few months without a battery. You have to remove and replace four screws to change the battery, and it needs a battery for the LEDs to work. It would be nice if you had the option to use an adapter, in case you are on the road and don’t have a screwdriver handy before a show.

Overall:

This is a great tool to have on your pedal board. It allows a lot of flexibility with signal routing and instrument switching, and it doesn’t seem to add noise into your chain. I wouldn’t try to switch during a song on stage, but it is easy enough to use for quick changes in-between. Shop around, I’ve seen these used online for as little as $30 and new for as little as $40 (and as much as $65).

DigiTech “Bad Monkey” Tube Overdrive

Price: $50

Available at Musician’s Friend online at: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/DigiTech-Bad-Monkey-Tube-Overdrive-Pedal?sku=150831

The Good Stuff:

This is a mean, green, machine (literally bright green). I bought this pedal because I wanted to overdrive my tube amp for a few solos and didn’t have $200 to drop on an Ibanez Tube Screamer. Generally when you buy a pedal for less than $50 (I got mine for $40, the price has gone up since) you get what you pay for. So I was pleasantly surprised by the amazingly warm tube-ish sounds coming from this inexpensive metallic green box. The real special feature that I haven’t seen on other overdrive pedals is the high and low tone adjusting knobs. On most pedals the low-end tends to drop out along with most of the classic warm tube sound. With this pedal you can boost that low back in there and get some really cool vintage sounds. This is not a tube device, it is a digital emulator (which I am generally not a fan of) but these guys really pulled off a great-sounding pedal. For me, I like to keep the gain almost off and just use the level knob to get a good boost going through my tube amp, creating actual tube distortion. But it sounds just about as well turning up the gain a little and playing through a solid state amp. You can get a really crunchy classic rock vibe if you crank up the gain (and it can get loud as hell too). This is definitely for people looking for a more vintage tone, not for a clean metal type distortion. Additionally there is an amp and mixer output. The mixer output has some kind of crazy “Cabinet Emulation circuitry” for connecting to a mixer to recording device. Pretty cool extra feature, though I’d probably still run it through a tube amp for the full effect when recording.

The Bad Stuff:

Namely, the name. I could do without having a bright metallic green pedal with the words “Bad Monkey” is a silly yellow font (Yes, I am a design geek too) at my feet on stage. I’d prefer if they were going to make a vintage tube overdrive emulating pedal that they made it look a little more classic. It is a solid, metal, ruggedly built pedal with decent pots but it looks cheap because of the paint job.

Changing the battery on this thing should be an olympic sport. It has this system where you have to push in a little pin on both sides of the pedal at once and then pop the top off. I have had to recruit a team of people to do this. One to hold the pedal, and two to push the pins (I think I heard this joke before…).

Overall:

This pedal is an amazing value at $50 (and it was even better at $40). It easily sounds as good or better than any similar pedal twice as expensive. If you are in the market for a tube overdrive pedal, and you don’t feel like spending $200+, then look no further. I would probably even try this against a Tube Screamer in the store to see which you like better, the bass tone knob is a real tone saver if you are suffering from too much high end. Luckily it uses an AC adapter so you don’t have to attempt to change the battery.

Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner

Price – $99 (pretty much anywhere on earth)

You can get it online from Sweetwater at : http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TU2/

The Good Stuff:

This pedal, like all Boss pedals, is metal and built like a tank (and it has a warranty just in-case). It also has nice bright LEDs so you can see the thing while trying to tune inbetween songs on a dark stage. But the main reason I like this pedal is the mute function. The pedal has two outputs, the top one bypasses the mute function, and the bottom one will mute while the tuner is engaged. The added bonus to having the tuner mute, is that you shut it off while you play, thus turning off the LED display and eeking a few extra shows out of your 9 volt. Speaking of the 9 volt, the battery is easy to access. There is an easy turn screw (no tools required) at the base of the pedal, whcih when loosened will allow the pedal face to lift so you can remove and replace the battery. It does also run on an AC adapter, and can be daisy-chained together to power other Boss pedals.

This is what is known as a “Stomp Box” pedal, meaning you just stomp on the face of it to turn it off or on, which is great for live settings when pedals with buttons can be difficult to operate. It is called a chromatic tuner, but it will operate specifically as a guitar or bass tuner as well. I prefer to use it in chromatic mode even when I’m playing guitar though. It allows me to tune to a drop D easily, or even tune while I have a capo on the guitar. There are two types of LED indicators to tell you when you are in tune. The one you should use has red lights to the right and left of a center green light. When you get it to rest on the green light, ta-da you’re in tune. The other one does this crazy chasing light pattern that is supposed to slow as you get more in tune and speed up the farther you are out. While entertaining to watch, this function is really unnecessary.

The Bad Stuff

Since it mutes while tuning you can no longer use the Tu-ning in E Major joke on stage. Seriously, aside from the silly streaming light function, there is not much to complain about with this pedal. It is $99 which is a lot more than many simple guitar and bass tuners out there, but they generally don’t mute and aren’t built to last. You can’t find it anywhere for less than $99 dollars, trust me I looked, so just go ahead and buy it when you see it. I now own two of them so I can switch between my electric and acoustic guitars on stage and be able to keep them both in-tune and muted while I’m not playing them.

Overall:

This is the industry standard for tuning in a live sound environment. If you are playing gigs you need one of these. Not only is it built for the road, it is also what most everyone else uses, so theoretically you should be in perfect tune with most everyone else as well. Make sure you register it with Boss so you can take advantage of their warranty, and put a sticker or something on it so you can identify it as yours.