AMPS, EFFECTS...
Through the years I've had many different guitars, amps, and effects. Some of them (most of them) I really regret selling.
My very first amplifier. Battery powered only.
In the summertime I often took the guitar and amp outside and played like a madman while watching the boats on the fjord. I think this model was called the Vox Escort, but I'm not sure as mine only said 'Vox' on the front.
1970s VOX battery powered amplifier
1982 Roland Spirit 30 amplifier
I got this from my parents for Christmas in 1982 (I was 13).
Solid-state, 30 watts, 12" speaker.
This amp stayed with me well into my late teens.I recently bought a similar amp at a garage sale and even if these amps lack power and punch, they sound better (on low volumes) than I recall - or maybe I play a bit better than I did back then.
My first effects:
Guyatone Compressor, Boss SG-1 Slow Gear, Vox 'Wow-Fuzz', Boss OD-1 overdrive, Boss DD-2 delay.
These made up my first pedalboard...well, I didn't have any board. Just pedals and ever tangling cables. And dead batteries.
I remember selling the DD-2 delay some years ago, but I don't recall what happened to the rest of these. Maybe I just threw them away..?
The Vox 'Wow-Fuzz' (bought from my cousin for about 50 Nkr ($ 8) has been described as 'deliberately inducing the kind of distortion that sound engineers had been trying to get rid of for years'.
How true.
Korg A3 multi-effects (1989)
When Guitar Player Magazine wrote about the KORG A3, 'Korg, it seems, has done everything right',
I ordered one without even having heard it. But the reviews were right; this was indeed a great unit, and it stayed with me for the next 8 years, on the stage and in the studio.
The downside: The input socket was soldered directly to the circuit board and that made it very flimsy, so I had to re-solder a couple of times. But the sounds in the A3 were superb, especially the reverb/chorus/delay (aahhh, stereo).
Roland VG88 V-Guitar System
Here's a box that I've had for 19 years now and I still use it. When the Roland VG-8 was released in 1995, it was quite a revolution. The VG-88 was its successor, released in 2000. Many mistook these (and still do) for being 'guitar synthesizers', which they're NOT. There is no MIDI involved here!
I'll let Roland Corp. explain in their own words:
"The VG-88 uses advanced COSM technology to "model" the most popular guitars and amplifiers in history, as well as produce some very unique "guitar-meets-synth" sounds of its own. New sounds and features include more natural tube and overdriven amp sounds, new polyphonic and guitar-oriented effects, an onboard expression pedal, 1/4-inch direct guitar input and more. (.....) a breakthrough guitar processor that uses advanced modeling technology to emulate the most popular guitars and amplifiers in music history. Using Roland’s Composite Object Sound Modeling (COSM) technology, it combines multiple "sound objects"—like double-cutaway guitar bodies, vintage tweed amplifiers, and humbucking pickups—to create a perfect reproduction of these components that can be played from any steel-stringed guitar with a Roland GK-2A pickup. It also has a built-in polyphonic pitch shifter for creating 12-string guitars and open tunings as well as a complete digital effects processor and parametric EQ."
When programmed properly, these units really can create highly convincing and also quite unique sounds. Many 'big names' have been using these, including Steve Vai and Al DiMeola. DiMeola still uses his VG88 in the studio as well as on tour. He even hooks it up to his Ovation acoustic and seamlessly blends in the VG's emulation of a Gibson Les Paul through a Marshall. Very cool!
Here's a little demo I recorded at home using the Roland VG-88. Everything you hear except the acoutic guitar is the VG88.
Roland VGA-7 V-Guitar amplifier
I had a Roland VGA-7 amp for awhile. Basically it's a Roland VG-88 effects unit built into something that reminds me of a Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120 amp. I have since sold it, since the insane WEIGHT was killing my back.
Besides, it just doesn't have
enough power ...
Carvin Bel Air 212
A really nice tube amplifier that had a very nice clean sound - plenty of tight lows, smooth mids, and crisp highs.
It has two Celestion G12 Vintage 30 speakers in it.
It also had a really nice reverb unit!
Dr.Z Maz 18NR / Dr.Z 2x12" cab
I used this amp with the band Ruff'n'Ready. Very simple amp - quite the opposite of my former Roland VGA7! It has master, bass, middle, treble, volume, and a control titled 'cut'. The 'cut' control is not exactly a presence control. It more serves as a kind of overall EQ after setting the standard bass, mid, and treble knobs. Turning it clockwise adds some bite to the amp and rolling it back gives the amp more overall warmth. When trying to describe the tone of the Dr.Z Maz 18, many describe it as 'something between a Fender and a Vox'. A wonderful amp. I keep kicking myself for selling that one...
Yamaha DG-Stomp
and Yamaha DG60 amp
The DG amp is just a 1x12" combo with a DG-Stomp effects unit inside.
Very easy to tweak nice sounds from both of these.
Vox Tonelab
I've had both the floor model and the desktop model of the Tonelab. Very easy to come up with good sounds in these. But I sold both, as I kept coming back to the Roland VG88 and the Tonelabs ended up gathering dust in the studio. I still miss the desktop model, though. Such a nice blue steel casing!
Zoom G3
For portability and flexibility, you can't get much more practical than this!
94 effects, along with 22 amp and cabinet models. You can chain up to six of them together. Three stompbox-style displays—each with its own dedicated foot switch and control knobs—make it easy to edit effects and bring them in and out as needed. It also has an onboard chromatic tuner, balanced line-level output, USB port, and integrated rhythm patterns and looper.
Xotic Effects
BB Preamp
For me, this has become THE perfect pedal when I want either a bit of 'crunch' or singing higher gain sound. I bought this after seeing Andy Timmons demonstrate one. I usually place it in front of the Roland VG-88 and the result is fantastic. This one's a keeper!
Laney Ironheart
IRT-60 212
Although this is marketed as a 'heavy metal' kind of amplifier, it has a great clean channel with lots of headroom and is very pedal-friendly.
I use mainly the clean channel.
And it can get very, very LOUD if you want to.
Roland Cube 60
I have two of these workhorses: Quite often I just use one, but sometimes two, when I want to be 'Mr. Stereo' !
They're lightweight and quite powerful. Mine are the older version without so many effects (I only use the 'JC Clean' amp sim in these), and these old Cubes also have better speaker elements than the ones that are in the newer models.
