Strymon has put the equivalent of a vintage 1960s amp in a stomp box with its new Fairfax Class A Output Stage Drive. Inspired by a little-known tube unit from the ‘60s, Fairfax is the first in Strymon’s new line of fully analog pedals dubbed Series A and is available today for $199.

Fairfax is unique in the world of drive and boost pedals in that it’s a full tube amp circuit that’s been miniaturized using only analog components. The inspiration comes from the Herzog tube drive, created in the 1970s by Garnet Amplifiers for Randy Bachman, who was then performing with Bachman-Turner Overdrive. The Canadian group was Bachman’s followup to the Guess Who and recorded popular hits like “Let It Ride,” “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” and “Takin’ Care of Business.”

The Fairfax pedal encompasses every element of an amp’s topology, including a tube preamp, a Class A power amp and a proprietary circuit that emulates the saturation characteristics of the output transformer, an integral part of a tube amp’s sound.

At the heart of the pedal is an internal power supply that boosts the incoming nine-volt DC power to 40 voltes to deliver a massive amount of headroom that creates the Fairfax’s amp-like sound and feel. Electric guitar tone moves from clean at low Drive settings to full transformer-like saturation as the gain is increased.

Fairfax also boasts a Bright circuit that modifies the treble response, as well as a variable Sag control that produces dynamic artifacts at low values, and full sputtering and gated sounds you get from a fuzz pedal at extreme settings.

“Man, this thing is such a chameleon,” says Sean Halley, Strymon’s Head of Marketing and a long-time session and live player. “It can be a creamy and gooey boost that works great with any style of amp, and it can also breathe saturated fire.

“Because it’s really an amp circuit, it doesn’t change your core tone, and it stacks brilliantly with other drive pedals.”

The Fairfax is the first in Strymon’s new new line of fully analog pedals dubbed Series A.

Gregg Stock, Strymon’s CEO and senior analog engineer notes that while Strymon is better known for digital signal processing, “our analog engineers are always coming up with interesting ideas for fully analog designs, so we created Series A to give them an outlet.

“There will be a number of pedals in the line by the end of next year, so we’re really excited to see some of these products come to market. It’s been a blast to work on this stuff.”

Fairfax is available now directly from Strymon and from dealers worldwide for $199 U.S.

Strymon’s BigSky Multi-Reverb pedal has been a staple in my setup since it debuted in late 2013, and for two very good reasons. First, it offers 12 studio-class reverb algorithms that run the gamut from classic to futuristic. Second, those reverbs still sound vibrant, realistic and fresh more than 10 years after BigSky became the gold standard for reverb pedals.

I recently reconsidered that second point for one reason: Strymon’s newly released BigSky MX pedal, which delivers new reverb machines, dual-reverb capability, full IR functionality and much more. Strymon didn’t just revise BigSky’s features for this new incarnation; they used the same kind of neural-tweaking techniques behind A.I. to create lifelike virtual spaces that respond to your playing.

That power comes via an 800MHz Tri-Core Arm processor (versus the BigSky’s 366MHz SIMD SHARC), with 32-bit floating-point processing that makes these reverbs drip and shimmer with uncanny depth and realism. If you’re looking for more natural-sounding and highly detailed ambience effects, as well as more extreme sonic adventures, BigSky MX has them.

WELCOME TO THE MACHINES

Like its predecessor, BigSky MX has 12 reverb engines. They include 10 found on the original pedal — Room, Hall, Plate, Spring, Bloom, Cloud, Chorale, Shimmer, Magneto and Nonlinear — plus two new offerings: Chamber and Impulse, the latter of which employs Impulse Responses (IRs).

In addition, Strymon created new algorithms for Spring, Plate, Hall, Room and Shimmer alongside the voices of the original pedal. Although the Swell and Reflections machines were deleted, the Swell feature can now be found in the Hall machine, while the psycho-acoustically accurate small-space Reflections machine seems unnecessary given the verisimilitude built into the MX.

The Impulse machine comes loaded with 22 impulse responses ranging from vintage and modern gear to acoustic spaces. You can add your own IRs of up to 10 seconds in length and edit them right in the pedal. As for the Chamber machine, it nicely fills a niche between Room and Hall settings. Chamber reverbs are larger than room reverbs and smaller than halls, making them perfect for those times when you want ambience that gets noticed but doesn’t overwhelm.

The Chamber engine in BigSky MX captures the right mix of warmth, focus and density to produce very useable and sophisticated-sounding settings. These have quickly become my go-to reverbs for playing and for mixes where I want to impart ambience that conveys intimacy or adds a splash of depth to my guitar or another instrument. The results sound professional and never crowd the mix.

DEEP DIG

Editing the MX presets is a breeze, thanks to the row of seven controls for decay, pre-delay, tone and modulation, the two user-assignable parameters per preset and the dry/wet mix knob. Going deeper into each preset is equally easy: Just press the Value button at the upper right to open the menu and dig into a host of parameters for every engine. Best of all, you can swap out engines for each preset with a spin of the Type dial to quickly audition other reverb machines.

And while we’re discussing parameters, the new stereo panning control is a useful addition that brings greater dimensions to the effects. Use it to place a reverb off-center or to situate two different reverbs wherever you’d like in the stereo field, whether for creative effect or to open more space in the mix.

Lest we forget among this wealth of new treats, the ability to use two reverbs in series or parallel is a powerful feature that opens up a host of sound design opportunities. For example, place Shimmer in series with a pre-delayed Chorale for a reverb that sings like a heavenly chorus. Or use Plate in parallel with the physics-defying Nonlinear reverb and pan them to opposite sides for a dramatically unusual panorama of sound. The stereo pan control really shines in these dual settings, opening the door to some wildly creative sound designs.

But perhaps the coolest thing of all is that all this power is available through the handful of controls on the pedals. No parameter is ever more than a couple of button presses away, with no smartphone apps or buggy Bluetooth connection to slow you down.

For greater convenience, Strymon offers the free Nixie 2 software librarian that lets you upload and download patches, load IRs and gain real-time control of parameters from your desktop. The process was intuitive to follow, and once my IRs were imported, they showed up in their own folder in the Impulse engine, where I was able to load and edit them. It couldn’t be easier.

Other noteworthy additions to the BigSky MX include an easy-to-read high-resolution OLED display, discrete Class A JFET preamps for clean tone and less sensitivity to long cable runs, DIN and TRS MIDI jacks (BigSky offers just DIN), USB-C, expression control, and a dedicated Infinite foot switch in place of the third preset foot switch included on the original BigSky.

MX FX

As for its sound, the 3-D realism is remarkable. Comparing my original BigSky to the BigSky MX… well, there is no comparison. The improved detail, sonic nuance and sense of being within an actual physical space is apparent, and the new presets do a good job of demonstrating what this box can do.

Some of my favorites include the Impulse engine’s 250 Long, Gate Reactor and Slinky presets, the Magneto machine’s Moody Bounce and SmartWhales settings, and the Chamber’s Sweet Neck, Pretty Chamber and Warm Chamber offerings.

Among the more extreme selections, I really like the Bloom machine’s Little Burst and Fellowtron (a cool Mellotron emulation), the Chorale engine’s Subtle Choir preset, and — for fun rhythmic playing — the Stutter Butr and ChoppedSprng presets in the Nonlinear offerings. In addition to the 100 factory presets, you can store 200 user presets, and all 300 presets can be overwritten.

The question for players who already own the BigSky will be “Do I need these improvements and new features?” You may not get the full benefit of them if you play onstage and not in the studio. But if you record or simply enjoy playing with the best gear you can afford, then it makes sense to consider upgrading.

For guitarists who are unsatisfied with their current reverb pedal. — or who find the reverb on their multieffects pedal too vanilla — the MX is a must-try contender that will satisfy your ambience requirements regardless of your musical style.

Granted, BigSky MX is not cheap, and players familiar with the original BigSky might miss that third preset foot switch and have no use for the Infinite switch that’s replaced it. Undoubtedly some players may find the original algorithms more to their liking or prefer their less-detailed sound.

But that’s how it goes with gear, and it’s why many guitarists today still use pedals of previous eras. For that matter I own plenty of reverb pedals and have no plans to part with them. They all do something very well or exclusively their own.

But with that said, BigSky MX will be replacing the BigSky as my go-to reverb pedal. I’ve heard nothing that covers all the bases with as much sonic diversity, flexible programming or pristine and detailed audio quality.

SPECIFICATIONS

CONTACT strymon.net

PRICE $679

REVERB MACHINES Room, Hall, Plate, Spring, Bloom, Cloud, Chorale, Shimmer, Magneto, Nonlinear, Chamber and Impulse

CONTROLS Type, Value, decay, pre-delay, tone, mod, param 1, param 2, mix

FOOT SWITCHES Bank A, Bank B (press
A and B for Bank Down) and Infinite (press Bank B and Infinite for Bank Up)

I/O Left in, right in, left out, right out, USB-C, expression/MIDI in and out, power input

EXTRAS Free Nixie 2 librarian (Mac, PC)
to organize presets and load IRs

POWER 9 VDC (adapter not included)

DIMENSIONS 5” x 7” x 1.87” (DxWxH)

BUILT USA

PRO Remarkable 3-D reverbs, new algorithms with greater realism and depth, Impulse machine with ability to load user IRs

CON None, but the price may deter some users

There's a little bit of Cesar Diaz's magic in Strymon's new EC-1 Single Head dTape Echo. The late guitar tech was behind the tone of electric guitar players like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards. Now his handiwork has played into the latest model to join Strymon's legendary line of effects pedals.

Creation of the EC-1 began when Strymon set out to devise a single-head tape echo pedal based on the award-winning dTape algorithm at the heart of their El Capistan stompbox.

Things took a turn, however, when Gregg Stock, Strymon CEO and analog circuit guru, attempted to kick off the project by studying the preamp of a vintage tube EP-2 Echoplex.

“We decided to start the project by investigating the preamps from tube echo units,” Stock says, “so I bought an original Echoplex EP-2 to begin the process. It showed up in pristine condition and sounded amazing.”

Stock soon learned the unit had been heavily modified by Diaz.

“His mods created a single unit with the best attributes of both tube and solid-state Echoplexes,” Stock explains, “so we spent a bunch of time figuring out how to re-create its behavior.”

Pete Celi, Strymon co-founder and DSP maven, says of the EP-2, “it was so clean and mechanically stable that other nuances stood out more prominently — chief among them being some capstan-induced variations that help to widen the spectrum of the repeats.”

Strymon has packed their new know-how into the EC-1 Single Head dTape Echo pedal. In addition to offering two models of the EP-2’s tube preamp, with variable gain, the EC-1 has a three-position Record Level switch that allows for additional gain control. A glitchless tap tempo allows the user to set tempos without introducing tape artifacts, while Tape Age and Mechanics controls modify several under-the-hood parameters to produce authentic tape behavior at all settings.

Says Celi, “With the Mechanics control at around 1 p.m., you get a hyper-authentic representation of that golden EP-2 unit, with a high-speed flutter that adds dimension to the echoes.”

And because the EC-1 is a true stereo pedal, it has TRS stereo inputs and outputs and processes the left and right inputs independently, allowing the pedal to be placed anywhere in the signal chain.

Other features include full MIDI implementation, TRS MIDI, a rear-panel audio routing switch, USB-C and 300 presets.

The EC-1 is available now directly from Strymon and from dealers worldwide for $279 U.S.

For more information and sound samples, visit Strymon and the company’s YouTube channel.

The EC-1 joins a huge range of pedals created by Strymon, including the NightSky reverb, Iridium Amp and IR Cab pedal, and the Compadre Dual-Voice Compressor and Boost.

If you’re building your first pedalboard, one of the best delay pedals should be high on your list. Take it from me, I’ve been through the wringer, helping players piece together pedalboards during my time working in a guitar store for the best part of a decade. The delay pedal is a super versatile effect that changes your sound unlike pretty much anything else, and best of all, it inspires creativity.

Put simply, a delay pedal records a copy of your signal and repeats it back to you after a set amount of time. Delay as an effect has been around for a long time, beginning in the 50s and 60s as large, mechanical tape loopers in studios. Since then, delay has become a hugely popular effect, thanks to ever-shrinking technology allowing creators to cram more into smaller units.

If you’re after a budget delay pedal, the Fender Hammertone Space Delay is an easy-to-use option that will get you up and running quickly. At the other end of the spectrum, the Strymon Timeline offers everything from cascading, modulated repeats to trippy reverse textures, making it a more advanced option that I’ve personally enjoyed experimenting with.

If you’re brand new to delay pedals, head to my how to choose section to find out about what to consider when making your first purchase. I have also created a glossary that succinctly explains key terms that will help clear up any jargon you may be unfamiliar with.

Best analog delay

Overview

Where the majority of delay pedals are now digital, the MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay is an outlier, a genuine analog delay with a distinctive voice all its own. Admittedly, I’m a little biased, as this little gem has been on my pedalboard since day one.

Usability

Internal trim pots control the width and speed of the modulation, although they’re not the easiest to access, requiring you to remove four screws. The same goes for battery changes, so a pedalboard power supply is highly recommended. Despite that one drawback, its characterful delay tone sets it apart, and it’s the kind of sound you’ll keep coming back to.

Sounds

There’s a dark warmth to the Carbon Copy that’s the antithesis of some of the cleaner delay sounds on this list. With delay times up to 600ms, it’s more versatile than you might expect, handling everything from vintage slapback to more spacious, ambient textures. Add in the onboard modulation, and it opens up even further, offering a surprising amount of depth given the simple control set.

Best digital delay

Overview

The Line 6 DL4 MkII is a reboot of a now-legendary digital delay pedal that’s been heard on countless recordings since its inception in 1999. Lovingly known as the ‘green monster’, this new version packs even more sounds and features into a unit that is slightly smaller than the original.

Usability

Despite the expanded feature set, the DL4 MkII sticks closely to the layout that made the original so popular. The large, clearly labeled controls make it easy to dial in sounds quickly, while the familiar footswitch layout keeps things intuitive whether you’re playing live or experimenting at home.

The onboard looper is as usable as ever, now with extended looping time and the same straightforward functionality that made it a sleeper hit in the early 2000s. It’s a pedal that invites experimentation without ever feeling overwhelming.

Sounds

If you’re after classic analog delay tones, the models here are impressively close to the vintage units they’re based on, delivering warm, musical repeats that sit naturally in the mix. All of the original DL4 sounds are present, but it’s the expanded range of modern textures that really stands out.

From pristine digital repeats to more experimental, modulated delays, the DL4 MkII offers a huge palette of tones. Add in the bonus reverb effects, and you’ve got a genuinely versatile soundstage to explore, making it one of the most complete digital delay options currently available.

Best tape delay

Overview

Tape delay is often considered the Holy Grail of delay effects, and whilst many pedals attempt to recreate tape delay, none quite nail it… Apart from the T-Rex Replicator D’Luxe Tape Echo. A genuine tape delay, shrunk into pedal format… although the word ‘shrunk’ should be used fairly loosely as it is still large compared to most effects pedals.

Usability

Equipped with a slot to add tape cartridges that look similar to cassettes, the Replicator D’Luxe records your signal directly onto the tape and then plays it back in one of three settings: short head, long head, and a mix of the two.

As it is a genuine tape delay, you do need to purchase the tape cartridges separately and will need to replace them eventually, which means there are additional running costs over the lifetime of owning this unit. The other potential ‘running cost’ could come from repairs, as this is far more delicate than most other typical delay pedals.

Sounds

Each setting has its own unique character, but all are unmistakably the sound of classic, beautiful tape delay. Plus, when the tape wears down over time, you will get the chorus effect that worn tape produces, which many love! The Replicator D’Luxe won’t be for the majority, but for delay die-hards, this is one delay you have to consider adding to your collection, because no other delay pedal – particularly a tape delay pedal – comes close.

Best ambient delay

Overview

If you’ve tried every delay out there and still yearn for more, the Meris LVX Modular Delay System will offer enough depth to please even the most adventurous tone seeker. Packed full of features and functionality, the LVX is less of a delay pedal and more of an instrument in its own right.

Usability

Effects pedals like this often sound complex, yet Meris has created this to be as intuitive as possible. It’s all easily manipulated via an instinctive menu system accessed from a few knob presses and turns to adjust your chosen parameter. This display makes it clear what’s contained within your sound and how it’s being manipulated, making for an incredibly immersive experience. Ideal for adventurous and progressive guitar players.

Sounds

The Meris LVX will function as a simple delay pedal if you want it to, but it will also help you create otherworldly, ambient soundscapes that shift and undulate beneath your guitar tone. Create unruly rhythmic patterns, step sequencer-type pitch-shifting delays, synth pads, infinite reverb tails, and bass-heavy rumbles that will evoke horror and sci-fi soundtracks. It’s truly the top choice for those looking to get lost in a world of mesmerizing delay tones.

Best budget

Overview

If you want a simple delay pedal without the bells and whistles, or you’re just a bit short of cash, the Fender Hammertone Delay pedal is one of the better options out there for cheap delay stompboxes. Fender released the Hammertone series back in 2022, and they have been an incredibly popular option for both beginners and budget-seekers alike.

Usability

Firstly, there is a modulation control that can be augmented by dipswitches inside the pedal, and overall there’s a really nice feel to the way the delay tails degrade as they repeat. It’ll do that infinite oscillation style trick as well as act as a nice slapback, making it super versatile if tape delay sounds are your bag. Plus, the standard pedal chassis makes it an easy pedal to stick on your pedalboard when you get to that stage, unlike bigger units like the Line 6 DL4 MKII.

Sounds

There’s loads of flexibility thanks to the useful pattern control, which gives you various multi-head tape sounds. There’s a quarter-note delay and two rhythmic patterns that are pre-programmed, giving you that classic Space Echo and Echorec-type sound without having to splash the cash.

Best compact delay

Overview

Boss’ original delay pedal, the DD-3, has been around for a long time now, so it was about time it got an upgrade. Enter the Boss DD-8, which does everything one of the best compact delay pedals ever made does, and loads more.

Usability

With an additional footswitch, you can also unlock extra functionality from certain sounds, making the pedal even more sonically flexible. Add in stereo operation for some seriously wide sounds and the option for multiple footswitches, or one expression pedal, and you’ve got a lot of delay pedal for comparatively little cost.

Sounds

Despite the name, there are actually 11 different modes in the DD-8 if you count the looper. All the classic delay sounds like tape, analog, and digital are here, as well as lots more esoteric tones like shimmer, modulated, and even a delay-plus-reverb option. Considering the size, it makes it a great do-it-all option for players without loads of pedalboard real estate.

Best for studio

Overview

Present on more pro ‘boards than we care to remember, the Strymon TimeLine delay pedal is about as close as it comes to industry standard these days. Packed full of sounds and ways to tweak them, it’s the dream delay pedal for players who like to painstakingly craft their tones whilst in the studio.

Usability

In terms of connectivity, the Timeline will slot into any studio due to the number of options. There are loads of ways to integrate into your existing rig and further manipulate the sounds, which is partly why it’s so popular on pro pedalboards. Add an expression pedal to control parameters in real-time, run other pedals in the built-in feedback loop, and use MIDI control for easier preset selection; it really can do it all.

Sounds

There are 12 main tones on offer here, ranging from tape and bucket brigade-type delays right through to lo-fi and filtered sounds. They’re all eminently tweakable as well, with the Filter and Grit controls allowing you to dirty up the tones, or you can add modulated sounds to your tails. You can pitch-shift your repeats and even get multi-head tape and rhythmic multi-tap sounds. With all these options, it is a fantastic weapon to have in the studio for when you want to add a little something extra.

Also consider

How to choose

Although straightforward in theory, delay pedals can quickly become confusing in practice. I’ve seen this firsthand while working in a guitar store, which led me to develop a simple checklist for beginners. Here are four key things to keep in mind when choosing your next pedal. If you stick with this method, you won’t go far wrong.

1. Analog or digital

First things first, decide between an analog or digital delay. This isn’t just semantics; it plays a huge role in the overall character of the pedal.

Analog delays typically use Bucket Brigade Device (BBD) chips, which pass the signal through a series of capacitor stages, gradually degrading it in a musical way. Digital delays, on the other hand, convert your signal into digital data using signal processing, allowing for greater precision and control.

In practice, analog delays tend to sound warmer, thicker, and slightly darker, with repeats that blend into your playing more naturally. Digital delays are cleaner, brighter, and more defined, making them better suited to precise rhythmic playing, such as dotted eighth-note patterns, or more modern, articulate sounds.

2. Pedalboard or studio

Now, if you’re just starting out, you’ll likely not have a pedalboard or a studio, but my point is to consider the chassis of your delay pedal. Something like the Line 6 DL4 MkII is a chunky unit that will struggle to fit on a beginner’s pedalboard, while something like the Boss DD-8 Digital Delay has been designed with that in mind.

This is a good consideration for future-proofing your purchase. A larger delay pedal may be totally fine if you’ll only ever use it at home or in the studio. However, if you have goals of playing gigs or jamming with friends, where a pedalboard will come in handy, then it’s worth thinking about this before you buy.

3. Tap tempo

This is a big one, especially for beginners. It can sometimes be tricky to dial in the correct tempo using the controls alone, particularly if you’re learning a song that relies on it. However, if the delay pedal you go for has a tap tempo feature, where you can tap in the tempo of the repeats yourself, then it becomes much easier to get your repeats in time with what you’re playing. It’s a small feature, but an incredibly useful one when learning songs with delay.

4. Other features

Lastly, nowadays a delay pedal doesn’t just have to give you delay. For example, one of the world’s most famous delays, the MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay, has modulation built in that you can switch on or off, making it more versatile. Others include loopers, allowing you to lay down lead parts or background ambience while experimenting with different settings. If you like your money going further, considering a pedal with extra features is a great way to stretch your dollar.

FAQs

Key terms

• BBD (Bucket Brigade Device): This is a type of chip used in analog delays that passes the signal through a chain of capacitors. It typically sounds warm and is very musical.
• Buffer: A type of circuit that helps preserve your signal strength; it helps when running long cables or multiple pedals.
• Delay time: The amount of time between your original note and the delayed repeat.
• Dotted eighth: A rhythmic setting where repeats fall between beats, creating a bouncing feel to your delay.
• Dry signal: This is the unaffected guitar signal before it hits an effect.
• Ducking: A feature that lowers the volume of the delay while you’re playing, then brings it back up when you stop, keeping things clean.
• Feedback: This is a control that determines how many repeats you hear on a delay pedal. Higher feedback means more repeats and eventually can lead to self-oscillation.
• Flutter: This is a subtle pitch variation that mimics the instability of tape delay, adding movement and character. It adds a musicality to the delay.
• Kill dry: A setting that removes your dry signal, leaving only the wet sound. It is typically used in parallel rigs.
• Latency: Referring to a slight delay between striking a note and hearing it. Modern pedals will typically have incredibly low latency.
• Modulation: An effect that adds movement to your delay repeats, often in the form of chorus or vibrato.
• Parallel: This is a routing method where your dry signal and effects run side by side rather than in a straight line as they’d typically do.
• Self-oscillation: This is when feedback is set so high that the delay repeats feed into themselves, creating a looping, often chaotic sound that can be hard to control, but when used right, can create exciting sounds.
• Series: The opposite of parallel, this is a traditional signal chain where one effect feeds directly into the next.
• Slapback: A very short delay (usually under 150ms) that creates a quick, echo-like bounce, common in rockabilly and country. Tonally, it sounds quite similar to reverb.
• Subdivisions: This refers to the rhythmic spacing of delay repeats, such as quarter notes, eighths, triplets, or dotted patterns that can be controlled on delay pedals.
• Tap tempo: A feature that lets you tap in the delay speed with your foot to match the tempo of what you’re playing. It typically works with the pedals’ footswitch or by connecting an external device.
• Trails: When delay repeats continue naturally after the pedal is turned off.
• Wet signal: This is your signal chain affected by an effect, instead of your dry signal.

How we test

At Guitar Player, our team of experienced musicians have thoroughly explored the world of delay pedals, rigorously testing various models in real-world scenarios to provide you with practical and reliable reviews and recommendations.

Our handpicked selection of the best delay pedals showcases exceptional sonic qualities, intuitive controls, and reliable performance. We meticulously evaluate factors such as delay types, sound quality, versatility, build quality, and user-friendliness, ensuring that these pedals stand out among the competition.

With Guitar Player as your trusted resource, delve into our recommended delay pedals, all thoroughly vetted by fellow musicians. Discover the options that will elevate your sound, add depth to your playing, and ignite your creativity. Whether you seek classic analog warmth or modern digital precision, let Guitar Player guide you in finding the perfect delay pedal to enhance your musical journey.

Read more on how we test and review products.

Canadian-born Steve Dawson was well into the second act of his music career when the pandemic hit.

After a successful run as an artist, sideman and producer north of the border, the guitarist had relocated to Nashville. He set up a busy studio there while continuing to record and tour with, among others, future Americana superstar Allison Russell’s band Birds of Chicago.

Remarkably, Dawson has found the past two years to be some of his most productive.

For starters, he recorded three solo records, the first of which, Gone, Long Gone (Black Hen Records), offers a master class in all things slide, from the Cooder-tastic “Dimes,” to the Weissenborn-style Hawaiian inflected “Kulaniapia Waltz.”

He also continued his terrific podcast, Music Makers and Soul Shakers, which features in-depth player-to-player interviews with musicians, including guitarists Ariel Posen, Guthrie Trapp, Charlie Hunter, Jim Campilongo, et al.

And he set up a remote recording crew capable of safely churning out records for musicians young and old.

Yet somehow he still found time to get deep into the weeds with GP on the making of his record and the joys of multiple amps.

Did you develop your career in Canada as a solo artist, session player or both?

It was a bit of everything. I made solo records and had a duo with a violin player doing unusual acoustic instrumental music. Weirdly, the latter took off; we won awards and got booked at festivals.

And then people started asking me to produce. That appealed to me because it allowed me to stay off the road.

How did you develop as a producer? Do you have engineering skills?

I’d been around studios and made records. I was not confident enough to engineer, but I could gather a group of people, put them in interesting scenarios, and make everyone comfortable.

I knew how I wanted things to sound, so I hooked up with a couple of engineers and learned a ton from them. Now I engineer all the time. Also, 12 or 13 years ago I started mixing records for people.

With players not congregating in studios, how did you create tracks for the new record?

One thing I got out of Covid was making friends with a click track again. I hadn’t used one for about 15 years and had hated them. I would do a rough outline of the song to a click, and send that to the drummer – either Gary Craig in Toronto or Jay Bellerose in L.A.

I would get the song back and maybe arrange it slightly differently, or do a little drum editing, and then send it to the bass player, Jeremy Holmes in Vancouver.

At that point, I would record all my keeper tracks, do a rough mix of everything and send that to other musicians.

Every day was like Christmas because I’d get these great files in return. Those might inspire me to change some of my parts or guitar sounds. It was time consuming, and not the way I would’ve usually made a record, but fun.

In the video for “Dimes,” it looks like you’re playing a Ry Cooder-type guitar.

It’s a Fender Stratocaster I bought new in ’91. I was into Stevie Ray Vaughan then, but by ’94 I was sick of Strat sounds so I got rid of all the pickups.

Over the years, I’ve probably had 30 different combinations in there. I have always used it for slide, but during Covid I said, “Screw it, I’m going full-on Coodercaster.”

I got a gold-foil pickup and lap-steel pickup from Mojo Pickups in England.

What strings are on it?

I mostly use D’Addario NYXLs: .015 on top to .062 on the bottom. I usually tune the two E strings to D [low to high, D A D G B D]. Coming from playing in open D and open G, I find it is the best of both worlds.

I’ve got my slide on my fourth finger and the middle four strings are tuned standard, so I’m able to still play all kinds of chords.

Which slide are you using?

I picked it up in England. Some guy tagged me on Instagram and said he made it. It looks like glass, but I don’t know what the hell it is. [laughs] It’s a little heavier than glass.

What about amps?

I had four amps set up the whole time. I had a Radial Shotgun box that splits the guitar signal four ways. It deals with any phase-inverting or ground issues.

One amp was a Flot-a-tone accordion tube amp from the ’50s. It gets hot and smells funny [laughs], but it sounds great.

There was a ’53 tweed 5E3 Deluxe. It’s the super-primitive one that you can’t jump the inputs on. You can’t turn it up very loud either; it has to be close-miked.

The third was a Premier 88, which is a crazy amp that comes attached to a separate cabinet that has one 15-inch and two three-inch speakers. It has five white tabs; when you flick them down, they cut certain frequencies. There’s a tremolo on it that’s somewhere between a brown Princeton or Deluxe and a choppier Twin.

Finally, there was a Fender Princeton. I’d use a combination with no EQ. I’d just turn one or another of the amps up in the mix to create the tonal palette.

Did you ever use fuzz for the slide solos?

I used fuzz a lot. My Vancouver friend Chris Young’s company, Union Tube and Transistor, makes amazing pedals. His early prototype fuzz, the Buzz Bomb, gets a lot of play in the background.

His other one, the Sone Bender, is a Tone Bender knock-off, but it’s more reliable than a vintage fuzz pedal. I used that on a lot of the solos.

For more subtle overdrive I used a Greer Lightspeed.

The tremolo comes from the amps, for the most part, although I did have a Strymon Flint. A Strymon Volante created some delays, and I used a Tel-Ray oil can delay for slapback.

Your Weissenborn-style lap guitar sounds different on different tunes.

The tunings are different, usually variations on C tuning. For bluesy or original stuff, like “Bad Omen,” it’s [low to high] C G C G C D. Sometimes I vary it, like tuning the high string to a C unison or Eb, or the 2nd string C to a Bb for a dominant 9 chord.

But when I play traditional ’20s and ’30s Hawaiian music, like “Kulaniapia Waltz,” I tune it to G [low to high, D G D G B D]. G tuning makes me play very differently.

Also, on that tune, the mic would’ve been a lot farther away, whereas with “Bad Omen” it’s closer and more compressed, so it sounds more aggressive. On that tune you’re hearing a combination of the acoustic sound and an amp signal from the pickup adding some grit.

There’s a bit of tremolo, but it’s subtle because it’s on the electric channel only.

You also play some smoking single-line solos.

When I play “normal” guitar stuff, I tune to standard and usually use a Nash T-style. That’s my main electric guitar, but I also have a Gibson ES-335 and an Epiphone Casino.

Tell us about the Henhouse Express Junior project.

It’s our name for an inexpensive way for people to record during Covid. We would Zoom with the artists to get their feedback on what the songs were about and what they wanted to hear.

We did the same process for my record. After a year we realized everyone we were recording was over 40, so we started a contest to connect with younger people.

It was free; there was no commitment and no strings attached. We just wanted to have fun and do something with kids. It does help promote our services to a new generation, though, which is great.

Gone, Long Gone is the first of three records you made for yourself during Covid. What are the others, and how do they differ?

The second is an all-instrumental pedal-steel psychedelic record called Phantom Threshold and will come out around July. It’s billed as Steve Dawson and the Telescope Three.

The third is more like the first, except it has more traditional stuff. Half is brand-new songs, but it’s geared toward interpreting old stuff.

Order Gone, Long Gone here.

Given the company’s success in the effects pedal market, it might have come as a surprise when Strymon announced its entry into amp modelers and IR cabs with the Iridium.

Then again, the California pedal maker’s know-how with premium DSP could be as easily applied to the virtual backline as to the complex reverb, delay and modulation pedals with which it’s made its name, and which the folks at Strymon clearly hope you’ll partner up with this handy, compact, fly-rig-capable pedal.

To fit such an impressive feature set in this compact pedal enclosure, Strymon made several of the tone-shaping decisions for you. Only three amp choices are included, but they’re classics: Round, modeled on the Fender Deluxe Reverb; Chime, based on the Brilliant channel of a Vox AC30 Top Boost; and Punch, based on a Marshall “Plexi” Super Lead.

Each amp shares the same controls for drive, bass, middle, treble and level, plus a room control that dials in reverb of three selectable sizes (not intended to replace outboard reverbs). However, with this model, the EQ responds like the tone stack of its respective amp.

As such, the middle does its thing in traditional fashion on the Plexi model, but it becomes a bonus control on the originally mid-less Deluxe Reverb, and an output-stage treble-cut control on the AC30.

As per most things Strymon, many of the controls on the simple interface do double or triple duty. Cab bypass, amp bypass and input level are accessible via the drive control. The level control also accesses level trim, power-up modes and five options for expression connection modes. Meanwhile, the room knob taps small, medium and large room options, all of which is selected and saved by pressing and holding a combination of foot switches.

Strymon’s main intention with the Iridium is pedalboard integration.

While you can generate some old-school lead tones from each amp model when desired, Iridium isn’t focused on providing channel-switching-like clean/crunch/lead options (although it’s somewhat achievable by means of the user preset Fav switch, via the four presets accessible with a Strymon MultiSwitch, or through the 300 presets available with full MIDI implementation).

Rather, consider your pre-Iridium drive pedals the gain shapers, as so many guitarists do these days anyway, and the Iridium itself the box that injects realistic amp tone into the chain.

To that end, the pedal carries no onboard effects – other than the eponymous room control – but that is once again in keeping with its intention. Your wet atmospherics of choice should all function perfectly well chained up after Iridium, while traditional pre-amplifier modulation pedals can even be run into the unit in stereo thanks to the TRS input’s dual mono/stereo capabilities.

The aforementioned amp models are achieved in familiarly impressive Strymon fashion using in-house Matrix Modeling and powered by a high-performance 32-bit floating-point SHARC ADSP processor, while a hybrid IR/algorithmic processor delivers the studio-reverb-like room sound.

The cab sims are delivered by the hi-res 24-bit/96kHz/ 500ms stereo IRs, which equates to unusually powerful stuff in a box this size.

Three IRs are available per amp, factory loaded to deliver a Deluxe Reverb 1x12, Blues Junior 1x12 and Vibrolux 2x10 for the Round model; an AC30 2x12 Alnico by popular third-party IR producer OwnHammer, 1x12 Alnico by Celestion, and Mesa 4x12 by Valhiller for Chime; and a GNR 4x12 by OwnHammer, 1x12 Vintage 30 by Celestion, and 8x12 Marshall by CabIR for Punch.

And that’s only the beginning. Strymon includes a broad selection of alternative IRs for use with the pedal, and you can load in any compatible third-party IRs or those you make yourself using Strymon’s Impulse Manager Software via the USB connection.

Although there’s little space here to fully describe its massive capabilities, that Impulse Manager software is an enormous tone-tweaking tool, and using it simply to EQ each IR to suit your sound and playing style can make a tremendous difference to the results.

Some may wish the Iridium had a pair of XLR outs, but that would force a bypass of any post-Iridium reverbs and delays, unless a stereo loop was also added, all of which would necessitate a larger enclosure. No doubt Strymon weighed the options and decided to strike a happy medium.

We tested Iridium with a variety of electric guitars, with pedals before and after the unit (as appropriate), into studio monitors, headphones (which also eliminates any post-Iridium effects) and a Tech 21 Power Engine Deuce Deluxe for traditional backline use.

Overall, We found an awful lot to like about this small box of wonders. First and foremost, the three amp models sounded enjoyably realistic, proving an excellent foundation for anything that the majority of pedal-centric rigs is likely to need to create.

Touch sensitivity and the segue from clean to clipping works well in all three, though perhaps a little more smoothly in the Chime and Punch models, which is how you’d find these amps in real life.

The Round model sounds “like” a Deluxe Reverb, although to our ears perhaps more an average Deluxe Reverb reissue than an exemplary vintage combo. That works for thousands of guitarists every weekend anyway, and it provides plenty of familiar voices and a usable clean template.

The Iridium felt and sounded great into the Tech 21 (a powered 1x12 semi-FRFR cab) for traditional back-line-style “in the room” playing.

As with so many of the more advanced modelers these days, it really shone through the studio monitors and headphones, where its rendition of a studio-processed amplifier made total sonic sense.

As such, it consistently delivered tones that were fully ready to be laid down in the DAW, or pumped to the FOH system for an uncompromised live experience.

While none of the three amp models is intended to offer contemporary high-gain performance, Punch in particular will get close with drive dimed and level adjusted to taste, but again, that’s where your pedals come in.

Overdrive applied to the front end by a Wampler Tumnus Plus, an Ibanez TS9 and a JHS Angry Charlie yielded the same results we’d expect from genuine tube amps of these types, and again showed how seamlessly a compact rig like this can come together.

Room proved useful and realistic, and the Iridium integrated well with post-output reverbs and delays.

Finally, we found the nine factory cab IRs all toneful and worthwhile, and also had no trouble loading in a few personal favorites, with great results.

Despite its size and simple control interface, this box will do a lot more than can be fully covered in this space. Yet its cornerstone sounds and easy functionality are themselves enough to warrant an enthusiastic reception on the market, and an Editors’ Pick Award.

Specifications:

• CONTROLS: Drive, bass, middle, treble, room, level. Toggle for Amp round/chime/punch and Cab a/b/c. Foot switches for on/off and Fav. Back-panel switch for mono/stereo/sum.
• CONNECTIVITY: In (stereo-capable via TRS), Out L, Out R, Exp/MIDI, USB, 1/8” stereo headphone output, 9VDC power input
• EXTRAS: Pre-loaded with nine hi-res stereo cab IRs (three per amp type) and will take third-party loading via Strymon Impulse Manager software; compatible with Strymon MultiSwitch Plus for selecting four presets; MIDI control capable (enabling 300 presets)
• SIZE: 4” x 4.5” x 1.75” (excluding feet and knobs)
• BUILT: Assembled in USA

Virtually every effects maker with a significant lineup offers a compressor of one flavor or another, but for many players this plethora of squeeze options leads not so much to a love-hate relationship with these pedals but more of a “love-meh.”

If you’ve tried a compressor or three but haven’t found a need to keep one on your pedalboard, chances are this effect's potential benefit to your signal chain, and therefore tone, just hasn’t quite clicked with you yet.

On the other hand, if you have maintained one at the front of your chain, there’s a good chance you’re addicted to the thing and it’s always on.

This preamble comes by way of laying some groundwork both for the strengths and potential underestimation of the Strymon Compadre.

Part of the beauty of the compressor side of this dual compressor-boost pedal is its subtlety and unobtrusiveness, and therefore the way it makes it easy to discount its strengths in the first place.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves, so let’s dig into the form and function a little more first.

Billed as a dual-voice compressor and boost, the Compadre is a replacement of sorts for Strymon’s discontinued OB.1, an even simpler two-button optical compressor with boost.

In the new red box, Strymon has loaded an entirely analog VCA (Voltage-Controlled Amplifier) compressor with what it calls a "studio grade" Class-A JFET input that has settings for Studio and Squeeze, the latter a squishier, more overtly compressed vintage variation on the theme.

Functions such as attack, decay, threshold and gain makeup are preset, so there are knobs for only compression and level, plus a clever dry control for blending your desired amount of un-effected signal into the mix parallel-compression style (which is great when, for example, you want a lot of squish but don’t want to lose your attack and clarity).

The Boost side of the pedal carries a single knob for boost gain, along with a switch to select from three classic modes: Treble, Mid and Flat.

Crucial to this side’s versatility, however, is a boost type switch on the back panel for Clean or Dirty, a simple toggle that takes it from a linear boost to one with more clipping and coloration.

As with most everything Strymon, even the versatile simplicity described thus far isn’t enough.

In addition to input and output jacks, the back panel carries a TRS volume input for connection to an external volume pedal, and a FAV/MIDI jack for use with a Strymon Favorite switch (to instantly call up a favorite preset) or a MIDI controller (to recall up to 300 presets and integrate with full MIDI-switching rigs).

This panel also carries the included center-negative nine-volt DC adaptor input, and the pedal is selectable for true bypass, ultra-low-noise buffered bypass or auto bypass, which forces buffered bypass when a volume pedal is connected to the volume input.

The Comp LED changes color from green to red to amber (respectively) when these modes are selected.

Tested with Les Paul and Stratocaster electric guitars into Friedman Dirty Shirley Mini combo and blackface Bassman (head and 2x12 cab) tube amps, the Compadre quickly provided a plethora of great-sounding tone-shaping options that smoothly segued from subtle to essential.

The compressor side is utterly adept at that “didn’t know I couldn’t live without it until I turned it off” thing, providing a distinct and appealing enlivening of the overall sound that can be easy to underappreciate until you throw the proverbial blanket back over the amp by switching it off.

Studio mode is lush and balanced, adding shimmer and bloom and the perception of extra life in your tone.

It's much like hitting the signal with a good 1176 studio unit or similar, rather than imposing any dramatic squash.

Squeeze mode might not sound quite as thick and juicy as some of the most popular pedal compressors out there – namely the revamped Ross, Dyna Comp and Dan Armstrong clones – but it provides a noticeable sag and swell even while it avoids extremes, which some players might find even more usable.

We found it extremely pleasant and rather addictive. In either mode, this is an admirably quiet compressor circuit, too, which is to say it will of course still “grab” and seemingly amplify any noise ahead of it such as 60-cycle hum, but it induces very little self-noise into the signal in the process.

The Boost side does its thing as efficiently as any simple and well-made solid-state gain stage should, but the voicing and Clean/Dirty switches increase its potential exponentially and really make this another beast entirely.

Treble mode is great for sparkling up dark amps, and Mid helps give single-coils more humbucker-like girth, but we expect players will keep it in Flat more often than not.

As such, the Clean setting ably delivers the relatively uncolored solo lift that many guitarists seek from such pedals.

Switching to Dirty, however, adds a subtle yet tasty degree of clipping that enhances the harmonic depth slightly and aids the impression of pushed tubes, while taking the pedal into the low-gain overdrive zone with the Boost control advanced.

All in all, there’s a ton to love about this otherwise unassuming and impressively versatile dual-pedal, which earns an Editors’ Pick Award.

Specifications:

• CONTROLS: Comp: compression, level, dry, studio/squeeze switch; Boost: boost (gain), treble/mid/flat switch, clean/dirty switch.
• EXTRAS: TRS volume pedal input, FAV/MIDI jack, three bypass modes, center-negative 9V DC adaptor input (adaptor included)
• SIZE: 4" x 4.5" x 1.75" (excluding feet and knobs)
• BUILT: Assembled in USA

When it comes to effects, acoustic-electric players generally fall into three categories: purists who eschew them, dabblers who are open to possibilities and gear heads who are into full-on processing. 

If you use effects at all, it’s important that you apply quality sounds artistically and judiciously. The primary acoustic guitar effects are chorus, delay and reverb, and while many modern acoustic amps offer them onboard, we’ll focus on pedals here and look at amps next time. 

Get your effects in order

Chorus can add depth and sparkle. Put the chorus first (after compression or gain) following the cardinal rule of modulation before time-based effects. A nice tight chorus applied at a generous depth can provide a decent approximation of a 12-string. 

Add the upper element of an octave pedal to make it more convincing. A wider chorus will add a watery texture, but don’t slather on so much chorus that the dry glory of the wood gets lost in a flood. Delay and reverb are time-based effects and are ideal for adding ambiance. 

Think of delay as extra hits of a particular sound. Put the pedal after modulation effects and before reverb, with its potentially long tail. Reverb is the last in line as it puts everything in a new space that can be as small as a room or as huge as a stadium. Put acoustic effects in an effects loop if one is available on the amp or D.I. pedal to keep the tone as tidy as possible. 

Stir it up

Mixing up effects keeps tone interesting over the course of a gig. Take the chorus away for some songs, and change the rate and depth for others.

Consider using two reverb pedals the way acoustic solo act Christie Lenée does, with one set short and another long so she can quickly click them on or off rather than interrupt the show to tweak a single unit. Use two reverbs individually for different types of tunes, or together for a more prominent overall effect. Uilizing a short reverb provided by the amp in conjunction with a lush, spacious pedal reverb for slower songs can also work well. 

Customizing delay tempos to tunes is crucial. A delay with tap tempo capability is awesome for live applications when it’s not practical to bend down and adjust timing.

Express Yourself

Extension and expression pedals are a live processor’s best buddies. Many pedals feature extended I/O for connecting a tap/toggle footpedal that can control delay tempo or chorus rate. Expression pedals can expand capability tremendously and allow unique real-time control of everything from chorus depth to reverb size or rate of decay on a delay.

This is where effects processing becomes an art form. And in live art, real-time expression is everything. Pro pedalboards are often configured with expression and extension foot controllers prominent, and with effects set up to let the foot controllers take precedence for performance.

The actual pedals are frequently housed in a rack or cabinet sitting side stage. A volume pedal is simply a dedicated expression pedal, and it’s always a good idea to have one handy to home in on overall level for a particular part, or back off quickly in the case of a random feedback attack.

On the modern market

Myriad modern modulation and time-based effects are expanding horizons immensely for the acoustic effects enthusiast. Eventide’s MicroPitch Delay blurs the line between the two camps, earning an Editors’ Pick in the July issue of Guitar Player.

Editor-in-chief Christopher Scapelliti reviewed Earthquaker’s new Astral Destiny and noted, “Earthquaker Devices has made uncommon reverbs a specialty of its extensive pedal line.” Strymon is another such manufacturer embraced by acoustic gurus such as Kaki King for expansive pedals such as the BigSky reverb. King now swears by her laptop rig based on Apple’s MainStage software, and we’re certainly entering an era when that won’t be at all weird. 

There is another trend toward pedals designed specifically with the acoustic player in mind. L.R. Baggs entered the effects pedal arena in 2018 with the Align Series, and its Reverb and Delay pedals earned Editors’ Pick Awards.

Fender introduced the stage-friendly Acoustic Preverb preamp and reverb pedal last fall and is developing an entire acoustic-oriented range. Meanwhile, Universal Audio introduced its UAFX pedals, designed to bring studio-quality ambiance and modulation to the stage.

It’s obvious that there has never been a better time to get into acoustic-electric effects. As we emerge from the pandemic and move into a new era of performance, take the opportunity to explore how they can spice up your live tone.

Further reading...

• Part 1: Get Yourself Ready to Return to the Stage
• Part 2: Understanding Acoustic Preamps, D.I.s and Digital Enhancers
• Part 3: How to Apply Compression and Overdrive to Acoustic Signals
• Part 4: Acoustic Effects
• Part 5: Understanding Acoustic Amps

There is a new sound seeping into the world of country guitar. Drenched in slap-back delay, fuzz, reverb and tremolo, it displays more mood than chops but is firmly grounded in serious technique. Records by Lee Ann Womack, Aubrie Sellers, Andrew Combs and Elizabeth Cook feature guitar sounds closer to Daniel Lanois, Neil Young or even Sonic Youth than to Brent Mason or Dan Huff.

At the forefront of this wave is Ethan Ballinger, whose edgy work on the Womack and Combs records grabs the ear, provoking a WTF reaction and the question, “How does he get away with that?” Taking a seat in his East Nashville kitchen, Ballinger attempts an answer.

“My parents played in a bluegrass band called the Cluster Pluckers, so I never had a shot at being normal,” he explains. As it turns out, his raising was assuredly atypical. Not many guitarists’ parents hosted picking parties attended by the likes of Chet Atkins, John Hartford and Roy Acuff. “There’s a picture of me at three years old with a little toy banjo, jamming with Chet,” he says.

That kind of upbringing would normally lead to childhood playing bluegrass festivals, but at age five Ballinger became obsessed with his older brother’s music. “I was a grunge kid, and electric guitar was my true love,” he explains. Still, bluegrass called him back. “As a teenager, I stole my mom’s mandolin and got way into it. It was then that we started playing together, and now we tour and play as the Ballinger Family Band.”

While bluegrass helped him hone his considerable chops, his own music swerves in a different direction. “I’ve always tried to expose myself to a wide variety of things,” Ballinger explains. “Old country and bluegrass is in my blood, but rock and roll is also my roots. They both feel like home to me.”

He describes his 2012 recording, Don’t Lose It, as a meeting of Elliott Smith, Paul Simon and Pink Floyd. For his 2019 EP, Misery Hill (Bandcamp), he explains. “I was trying to be as melody driven as possible and less chordal. These goals are what make me wake up in the morning. I want to keep writing and exploring sounds.”

If there is a thread that binds Ballinger’s records to his studio guitar work, it’s a deep affinity for the way those sounds create emotions. On the aforementioned recordings, and 2015’s Tennessee Spring, feelings are evoked by the layering and processing of guitars, as much as by lyrical content.

“I’ve been obsessed with movies since I was a kid, which probably plays into it,” he says. “I think of music as organized sound instead of as a set of strictly regimented notes. I’ve always responded more emotionally to sound than to Western harmony.”

To that end, outboard pedals and effects play a big role in Ballinger’s guitar work. On Tennessee Spring, he signal-processed everything, even his acoustic instruments. As an example, he points to the solo on the track “ldky.” 

“I played that on a Gitane Selmer-style guitar, like the one used by Django Reinhardt,” he reveals. “I play in a gypsy swing band called Hot Club Time Machine, and I find you can dig into that guitar in a way you can’t on an electric. I played the solo on the Gitane and ran it through a bunch of effects after the fact.

Ballinger brings his love of sonic experimentation to his session work, as well. When the solo arrives in “Heart of Wonder,” a track on Andrew Combs’ Americana-based Canyons of My Mind record, his guitar explodes in a wash of fuzzy noise, culminating in some screaming bends. Apparently, more than letting him get away with it, the producers with whom he works actively encourage it.

“I would have an idea and they would push me to make it weirder. We’d arrive at something I never would have thought of,” he says. “We did that record at Battle Tapes Studio in East Nashville, where they have many pedals. It’s fun to try gear you’ve never used before; it can make you react and respond in different ways. I was trying different combinations of fuzz pedals. I can’t even remember what guitar I played on that. It was all recorded pretty quickly.”

A similar philosophy was at work during the sessions for Lee Ann Womack’s The Lonely, the Lonesome, & the Gone. “The only direction producer Frank Liddell would ever give is ‘Don’t do anything obvious,’” Ballinger says.

The resulting solos on “Sunday” and “Wicked” are more Hendrix than Hank, played on a three-pickup Silvertone 1454 semi-hollow strung with a D’Addario .010–.046 set. “That was my main axe for years. I played that guitar exclusively because it’s versatile,” he explains. “I also have Tele- and Jaguar-style Danocasters.”

Ballinger’s taste in amps and effects are influenced by his love of ambience. “I used my Gibson Falcon amp from the ’60s. I was going through a solid-state Echoplex, which warmed up the amp. The reverb and tremolo on that amp is special. I’m a pretty big reverb whore. I love amp spring reverb. It is darker and more saturated. I will use a short subtle delay or have a long delay as a wash underneath everything.”

On Ballinger’s road board, his signal path is tuner, volume pedal, DigiDelay, EarthQuaker Devices Spires double fuzz, Walrus Audio Julia chorus/vibrato, EarthQuaker Devices Palisades V2 overdrive and Strymon Flint tremolo and reverb.

“It’s relatively simple and allows me to get a good range of sounds,” he says. “For the studio, I bring my whole bag of goodies. I recently got a Maestro Phase Shifter, which I used on Aubrie Sellers’ new record. When you have new gear, it keeps you fresh, so I’m always acquiring things that sound weird.”

Ethan Ballinger is forging a career as a studio player, producer and solo artist by combining “weird” with a solid, but not obsessive background in traditional technique.

“I feel blessed that anyone would ever call me to mess up their record,” he says. “There’s a place for perfect, clean chicken picking. I spent a lot of time as a teenager chasing the technical things. But I wanted to do too many other things to pursue the virtuoso path. Also, I realized that most of the guitar players I liked weren’t the guys who could do anything. I think your style comes more from your limitations than from being able to play every style perfectly.”

Although he has chops to spare, Anthony Pirog isn’t your prototypical blues-rock virtuoso or metal shredder. Like many modern electric guitar heroes, Pirog is musically multilingual. In his case, this means that he’s equally conversant with Danny Gatton-esque country picking, jazz, free improvisation and post-rock experimentalism.

Recently, he’s provided plenty of places to point, including three albums released within months of each other. Music from the Anacostia Delta (Cuneiform) features the Spellcasters – Pirog and fellow Telecaster-wielders Joel Harrison and Dave Chappell – whose music demonstrates the wide range of tones available from Leo Fender’s revolutionary instrument.

Also, from Cuneiform came the self-titled record Five Times Surprise, a free-improvisation supergroup featuring pioneering avant-guitarist Henry Kaiser, Aquarium Rescue Unit drummer Jeff Sipe, Dixie Dregs bassist Andy West and violinist Tracy Silverman.

Finally, 2019 saw the release of Anthropocosmic Nest, the second album by the Messthetics, Pirog’s band with the former Fugazi rhythm section of bassist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty. The recording reflects their cohesion after touring almost constantly since their 2016 self-titled debut.

“We played most of these songs live for close to a year, over more than 200 shows,” Pirog explains, “whereas our first record was done after only a handful of performances.” As with so many modern guitarists, Pirog is a pedal pusher and, on Anthropocosmic Nest he isn’t afraid to use them.

“Touch Earth Touch Sky,” for example, displays a drop of distortion and a deluge of atmosphere. “I turned on my Rat pedal and all the ambience for that one: the Boss DD-7 for reverse delay, the EarthQuaker Afterneath reverb, the Moog Moogerfooger MF Delay, as well as Strymon’s Flint and Big Sky pedals,” he explains. “I’m swelling everything in with my Boss volume pedal.”

The guitarist also added a Valhalla Shimmer reverb plug-in to the mix. On the same tune, Pirog revisits some now-retro analog guitar synthesis. “I wanted the end to sound like Tibetan horns,” he says. “I played the low notes with the Roland G-707 guitar driving Roland GR-300 and Korg X911 guitar synthesizers. It was the GR-300 again for the higher solo at the end.”

Over Lally’s catchy bass line for “La Lontra,” Pirog solos with some intermittent octave fuzz. “That’s the Greer Super Hornet,” he says. “It has a momentary octave switch. When I start hitting the first double-stop, I’m tapping the switch with my foot so it spits out the octaves.”

The tune “Assignment” offers octave madness of its own. “My DigiTech Whammy pedal is set for an octave up,” he reveals. “I start tapping it like a momentary switch, and then loop it with the Electro-Harmonix 16 Second Digital Delay reissue, using its octave slider to make it glitch out.”

Having played these compositions live for so long, Pirog found it easy to lay down the initial tracks. But Anthropocosmic Nest is not a live-in-the-studio project. Pirog added various overdubs to create the kind of sonic interest that encourages repeated listening. This begs the question of how the band will now perform the music live.

“I can’t bring a 24-pin synth setup out with us to interpret “Pacifica,” so I got the Meris Enzo pedal and found a guitar-synth setting on that to play the melodies,” he says. “The overdubbed parts won’t be played live, but they were just for extra texture. Besides, when I was very young, I decided that a record and a live performance don’t have to be tied together. I watched the Led Zeppelin movie The Song Remains the Same a lot, and that didn’t sound anything like the records.”

The Messthetics and Five Times Surprise albums were made at roughly the same time, resulting in some moments of creative cross-pollination. For example, Henry Kaiser’s use of the Red Panda Tensor and Montreal Assembly Count to Five pedals inspired Pirog to use both devices on the Anthropocosmic Nest track “Drop Foot.”

“I set the Montreal Assembly pedal to an octave up in reverse, as a quick delay,” Pirog explains. “I played a C barre chord and hit the hold button on the Tensor, which was also set to octave and reverse delay. I’ve been using my Boss DD-7 for reverse delay, but I’ll be switching to the Tensor.”

When the Messthetics formed, Pirog thought it would be a high-intensity improv group like Five Times Surprise. Instead, the Messthetics began intuitively putting songs together, crafting dynamics and developing group vocabularies. Says Pirog, “We rehearse three times a week and record our rehearsals so we can listen back and spend time on the ideas – whereas Five Times Surprise was 100 percent improvised, aside from our cover of the Mahavishnu Orchestra tune “You Know You Know.” We recorded four or five hours of material and Henry edited it into the record. We had specific ideas for improvisations, but they weren’t song structures. It was five people going for it.”

On both Five Times Surprise and Anthropocosmic Nest, Pirog employed his ’62 Fender Jazzmaster with Joe Barden pickups, strung with D’Addario .011s. The former album also saw him play his ’69 Fender Telecaster Thinline for overdubs. He used only his ’65 Fender Deluxe Reverb for that outing, but he adds a Marshall 2061X with a 1x12 Marshall extension cabinet when recording and playing with the Messthetics.

As for picks, Pirog’s plectrum of choice is a BlueChip in an elongated teardrop shape that is custom cut for him. At $35 apiece, the picks are luxury items. “I have three in one pocket at all times, and a case in my other pocket with five more,” he says. “It’s hard to take them out and see $100 invested in three picks, but I was impressed that the attack noise wasn’t as abrasive as the Claytons I was using.”

Though Pirog is committed to his various projects, don’t expect Five Times Surprise to hit the road anytime soon. “We’d like to play, but everyone lives in a different part of the country,” he says. “Still, I think if something came up, we would do a show.”

Until then, Pirog can be seen in clubs and theaters around the world with the Messthetics. The band’s show at 2019’s Big Ears Festival was, for many, the guitar highlight. In a schedule that also featured guitar legends David Torn and Bill Frisell, Pirog’s performance felt like a torch was being passed to a new generation.

Strymon has unveiled the NightSky, its highly-anticipated new reverb pedal.

The NightSky is a complex, hugely ambitious unit, featuring numerous capabilities that revolve around the variable rate core of its reverb. The functions around the variable rate core include a 4-pole resonant filter, modulation and a Voice section that "enhances the aural spectrum of the reverb."

Featuring an Instrument/Line input level switch, it can be used with a guitar, bass or synth, or linked to a mixer.

As for that reverb, three kinds of it can be found on the NightSky - Dense, Sparse and Diffuse. 

Dense is a plate-style reverb with a fast response time, while Sparse is a "granular-sounding reverb" that's more clean with sustaining input, and a bit more off-the-beaten-path with staccato inputs. Diffuse, in the meantime, can get you all the ambient textures and unusual swells your heart desires.

The NightSky's Mod section features selectable waveforms to modulate the reverb or tone filters, while the Shape rotary dial allows users to choose from a variety of modulating waveforms. 

The Tone section allows users to edit the reverb's EQ, and features High Cut and Low Cut knobs, plus a Filter switch to select the High Cut's response. Low Pass allows for synth-esque shaping of the reverb's frequencies, while Regen cuts the reverb's higher frequencies. 

Users can adjust modulation, meanwhile, with Speed and Depth knobs, and select where the modulation is applied with three target switches. The reverb itself, pitch and High Cut tone position can all be modulated.

With Drive, you can add some saturated overdriven harmonics, while harmonic processing for high- and low-end explorations can be added with Glimmer. Voice also allows for significant changes to the reverb.

Finally, Shimmer allows for pitch shifting of up to +/- 1 octave to the reverb, and features a rotary Interval dial offering +/- 2nd, +/- 4th, +/- 1 and +/- 5th intervals in between.

Because obviously there aren't enough features on the pedal - which can be run via true bypass or a transparent analogue buffer- as is, 16 presets can be saved on the NightSky itself, while an additional 300 can be accessed by its fully-featured MIDI in/out. 

The pedal can be hooked up to a computer via USB, while users can connect an external expression pedal, or a Strymon MultiSwitch Plus, for accessing presets or engaging or bypassing the Tone, Voice and Mod sections.

The Strymon NightSky reverb pedal comes with a 9V DC power supply and draws a minimum of 300mA of current, and is available now for preorder for $429.

For more info on the pedal, stop by strymon.net.

Having recently discontinued its beloved OB.1 compressor/boost pedal, Strymon has unveiled what seems to be its logical successor, the Compadre compressor/boost pedal.

The Compadre is well-stocked with two analog compression circuits and two analog boost circuits. The boost and compression effects can be used either together or independently from one another.

The pedal's two compression circuits are Studio - which gives users more smooth and transparent sounds modeled after those found in vintage studio rack units - and Squeeze - which gives users heavier compression with tons of sustain. 

The pedal's boost circuits are a clean boost and a dirty boost with soft clipping. The pedal's selectable boost EQ allows users to select between a treble boost, a midrange boost or a flat mode.

Under the hood, the Compadre features a Class A JFET input circuit. Elsewhere, users can connect an expression pedal to the Compadre to add volume control, or add an optional MiniSwitch or MultiSwitch Plus to store or recall settings. 

Buyers can also access up to 300 preset locations by integrating the pedal into a MIDI pedalboard using Strymon's MIDI EXP Cable.

The Strymon Compadre compressor and boost pedal will be available starting May 11 for $299.

For more info on the pedal, head on over to strymon.net.