Reviews

Taylor Guitars’ striking SolidBody line has been well received since its debut, but the the launch of their online SolidBody Configurator has taken things even further, allowing players to create their perfect SolidBody from a multitude of color, pickguard and pickup combinations. This month, we’re testing a trem-equipped SolidBody Standard.

Features
The Taylor SolidBody Standard is an elegant instrument, featuring the best of both traditional single-cut designs and established tremolo-equipped instruments. The SB-S1-T combines a beautiful quilt maple top over a chambered, three-piece Sapele wood body. Topping off the features are two Taylor Style II humbuckers, an ebony fingerboard and a Taylor-designed, fullyadjustable aluminum tremolo bridge.

Sound and Playability
For starters, I didn’t expect this guitar to be such a lightweight instrument. What was even more astonishing was how well the guitar resonated when I played it unplugged. After playing some simple chords with my fingers, I kept hearing this ringing sound coming from the body. After putting it next to my ear, I noticed that it was emanating from the aluminum bridge. Even after sitting for a couple minutes on my workbench, the bridge was still holding a slight, faint tone of the last note played—amazing.

After witnessing this, I was eager to plug it into my 1973 Marshall Super Bass head. The Style II bridge humbucker was fat and powerful, while still retaining articulation. Equally as impressive was the matching neck humbucker, and I had a blast flipping through the five switching options available in the blade selector switch. There are two positions that split the coils, but only in combination with the other pickup (for example, the inside coils of both pickups in series); there is unfortunately no way to completely coil-tap either pickup.

Is it for You?
If you’re a fan of balanced, single-cut body design yet long for the versatility of a (smooth and stable) tremolo, take a look at the SolidBody Standard. Even if the trem isn’t your thing, check out the company’s new online SolidBody Configurator—when you combine Taylor’s attention to detail, flawless construction, and tons of options, you can’t go wrong.

• Custom-designed humbuckers
• Chambered body with balanced construction
• A variety of pickup combinations
• Aluminum vibrato system
• Hardshell case

STREET PRICE: $1,999

Listen to the Rocktron Black Rose
Thick Example
Thin Example

Guitarists often have a love/hate relationship with octave effects. “Stoner rock” bands wouldn’t be caught without them, but most musicians struggle with their tracking capabilities—play a slow riff and they’re great, but try a blazing line or your favorite jazz chord and you’ll receive a pile of confusing glitches in return. Enter the team at Rocktron, who have introduced the Black Rose Octaver as part of their new Boutique Series of pedals. This series promises high performance at a reasonable price, so this month, we put the Black Rose through its paces, to see if there are any thorns.

Features
The Black Rose is a mix of both the familiar and the innovative. It includes the standard octave down (Thorns) and mix (Merge) controls, and adds a tone (Fragrance) knob. It also includes Wet/ Dry outputs, true bypass switching, and an innovative Roots switch, which takes you from a smooth to heavy crunch instantly, essentially giving you two pedals in one. All of these features are packed into a stomp-proof, stage resistant housing—laser-etched with a rose around the LED—ensuring years of dependable use.

Sound and Ease Of Use
I tested the Black Rose with a Custom Shop Stratocaster and a Schecter Damien Elite with EMGs, both run through an Orange Tiny Terror head and 2x12 cab. Stacked up against some of my favorite octave pedals, the Black Rose quickly surpassed them in terms of features and glitchfree operation. The tracking was surprisingly dead-on, and perfect for everything from Sabbath-style leads to Steve Vai “harmonizer” solos. With the help of the Roots switch (put into the “Thick” position), I was even able to dial up an authentic bass tone for some demo tracks I had laying around the studio. Hands down, it is one of the best octave effects I’ve had the opportunity of playing.

Is It For You?
If you’re a fan of octave effects, but demand modern features like true bypass and Wet/Dry outputs, the Black Rose will not disappoint. From simple octave down effects to faux-bass tones, the Black Rose can do it precisely and quietly. This one is easily worth the price of admission.

IN A NUTSHELL

• True bypass
• Top-notch octave effects
• Controls for Thorns (octave intensity), Merge (mix), and Fragrance (tone)
• Roots switch for Thick (heavy crunch) and Thin (smooth crunch) tones
• Wet/Dry outputs

STREET PRICE: $119

Listen to the Maxon ST-9 Super Tube Overdrive

Released in 1979, Maxon’s TS-808 “Tube Screamer” pedal (sold under the Ibanez name) was one of those destined to become a classic. In the three decades since its introduction, it has become, as effects guru Tom Hughes calls it, “the quintessential overdrive.” Of course, from the start, the Tube Screamer’s trademark frequency hump has been both a signature and an Achilles’ heel, leaving some rockers wishing for a little less midrange and a little more low end.

Maxon addressed this in 1982 with the release of the rare ST-9 Super Tube Screamer, which retained much of the original 808 circuit, but allowed guitarists to tweak that hump to their heart’s content. Although those original examples now go for a pretty penny on sites like eBay, Maxon has decided to reissue the ST-9, with a few worthy improvements, as the ST-9 Pro+ Super Tube. This month we put it through its paces to see just how it stacks up to its forefathers.

Features:
The ST-9 Pro+ brings back the familiar Drive, Tone, and Level controls, while the original Mid Boost knob has become the Mid Enhance setting, although they have much the same function. The ST-9 Pro+ also adds true bypass switching, selectable voltage (9 or 18-volt), and a new Classic/Low Boost switch, giving users even more options to sculpt their tone.

Sound and Ease of Use
After testing the ST-9 Pro+ with an Ibanez RG321 and a Fender Stratocaster, run into an Orange Tiny Terror and an Electro-Harmonix .22 Caliber power amp, into an Orange 2x12 cab, the first thing that jumped into my mind was that this pedal truly excels as a lead boost—and I’m very picky about my lead boosts (so much so that I usually take only a modded wah and a clean boost to gigs). A good lead boost lets you keep that great rhythm tone, then kicks your amp into “natural overdrive” when it’s engaged. The ST-9 Pro+ is perfect for this application, and the Mid Enhance knobs allows you to dial things in so that your lead cuts right through the mix.

That’s not to say rhythm guitarists won’t have plenty of fun with the ST-9 Pro+. The pedal never got muddy or lost definition, even when placed into the perfectly fattening Low Boost mode (which provided more bass than I ever thought possible in a Tube Screamer variant). Of course, if you’re looking for that vintage TS sound, the Classic mode delivers it in spades (with even more midrange available via the Mid Enhance control). Switching the pedal’s voltage from 9 to 18 volts may shorten your battery’s life, but it also opens up a whole new voicing for the unit—the clarity and headroom are greatly increased, as are the dynamics of the unit. In short, the ST-9 Pro+ is packed with improvements, and may very well be one of the most versatile ODs on the market now.

Is It For You?
With a bevy of controls and options, the ST-9 Pro+ is poised to please both Tube Screamer purists and reach some audiences who may have written it off as “not their thing” in the past. Lead players will love dialing in their perfect solo tone, while rhythm players will dig on that classic TS mojo without losing the bottom end. Sometimes you can improve on a good thing.

IN A NUTSHELL

• True bypass switching
• Selectable 9 or 18-volt operation (via internal dip switch)
• Controls for Level, Drive, Tone, Mid Enhance, Low Boost/Classic switch
• Solid construction
• Versatile overdrive and lead boost tones
STREET PRICE: $206.25

Canadian-based guitar giant Godin is known for either shattering convention with its designs, or building dead-on replications of classics while adding an extra feature or three. The Empire model, just released under the company’s Richmond line, appears at first glance to be a take on the venerable Gibson Les Paul, but quickly proves that it has a style and an attitude all of its own.

Features
What’s impressive with the Empire is the fact that, despite the guitar’s understated appearance, it is chock full of Godin’s R&D efforts. A custom-designed, low-noise single coil sits in the neck position, and behind it sits another Godin pickup, a custom humbucker that can either be heard by itself or in tandem with the single coil by way of a three-position toggle switch. The middle pickup setting can be adjusted through the use of the Empire’s one Volume and one Tone knob.

The neck specs are fairly traditional, coming in at 22 frets, a 12-inch radius; 1 11/16-inches at the nut, and 24 3/4” inches in scale length. The neck itself is mahogany topped by a rosewood fretboard, and fitted into a silver leaf maple body. The bridge piece is a chrome wraparound that matches the tuning pegs. The Empire comes in a black, cream or raw finish.

Sound and Ease of Use
Curiosity will lead most to try out the singlecoil neck pickup first. Plugging into a Fender Hot Rod DeVille, I found the clean setting of the single coil to project the perfect amount of brilliance for open-chord strumming with the Tone knob set all the way up. Turn down the Tone a touch and you’re in Mike Stern land, ready to shred some single-note bop fusion with the help of a chorus pedal. Flip to the Drive channel or turn on a Tube Screamer, and it’s nice and hot and punchy, prime for some searing chicken pickin’ runs or slow, down-home barroom blues riffs.

You’ll want to take care to avoid over-saturating the single-coil setting—the tone can be buried without a compression pedal cranked up—but the humbucker is a different story entirely. The Empire lives for overdrive, and the more signal you put through an amp, the better it sounds. It also sounds just as good with a moderate level of drive, retaining its warmth and sensitivity. This timbre provides a useful counterpoint to the single coil at similar gain levels.

This guitar is truly made for getting down to business. The simple controls make it easy to dial in a hot rock tone on the fly, and the neck is smooth and comfortable, thanks to Godin’s Ergocut technique, which gives their necks a unique, worn-in feel out of the box. Close your eyes while you play and the Empire feels about $1,000 more expensive than it costs.

Is it For You?
The Richmond Empire is a versatile solidbody electric at a very reasonable price. You can sound good in virtually every guitar situation you’d find yourself in—it sounds killer in blues and hard rock settings, and can hang in a jazz session with the right amp and a little tonesavvy. All in all, this Canadian-made axe is an exceptional buy and goes above and beyond against any number of Asian and Chinese clones that inhabit the same price range.

IN A NUTSHELL

• Godin low-noise single-coil pickup
• Godin custom humbucker pickup
• 3-way toggle switch, Volume and Tone knobs
• Mahogany neck
• Rosewood fretboard
• Silver maple body
• Black HG, Cream HG and Natural Raw SG finishes
• 24 3/4” scale length

STREET PRICE: $499

One consolation of living through tough economic times is that gear manufacturers have sensed that musicians now operate on a tighter budget, and therefore have begun building low-cost, quality equipment. Even established brand names—in this case Marshall Amplifiers—are looking to cater to players’ recession-thinned bank rolls. This is the concept behind the new Marshall MA series. These amps, assembled in Vietnam, pack all the wallop and tonal richness Marshall is known for, but at a reduced cost. This month, we’re plugging into the MA100C 2x12 combo.

Features
The Marshall MA100C is a two-channel valve (British for “tube”) amplifier that pushes 100 watts through a pair of 12-inch Eminence AX45 speakers housed in the chassis. It has two channels: Clean and Overdrive, which also comes equipped with a Boost function. MA100 amps utilize three ECC83 preamp tubes (the British equivalent to the 12AX7) and four EL34 power tubes.

The left side of the front control panel includes the amp’s only input jack and a four-knob setup controlling the Clean channel output and EQ (Bass, Middle, Treble and Volume). Following that is a button controlling the channel selection, a button controlling the Boost switch, and an LED light showing your current channel selection. A six-knob setup controlling the Overdrive output and EQ follows that, containing a Crunch Balance knob (which sets the difference in gain and volume between the unboosted overdrive and the boosted overdrive, and only operates in the Boosted mode), along with Gain, Bass, Middle, Treble and Volume knobs. The MA100’s Master section contains the amp’s Reverb, Resonance and Presence controls, and are followed by the standard Standby and Power switches on the far right hand side of the panel.

The rear panel features two speaker output jack sockets. It can run either one 8-ohm cabinet or two 16-ohm cabinets running parallel through the amp. A third jack socket is tapped from the 16-ohm winding on the output transformer, and should be used when running a single 16-ohm cabinet. A footswitch jack sits to the right of the speaker jacks, along with Return and Send jacks for the MA’s effects loop. A Bypass button disables any connected external effects when pushed.

Sound and Ease of Use
Testing first with a Fender Stratocaster on a clean setting (set up on the Clean channel with a 7 on the Bass, 2 on the Mid, 7 on the Treble, 7 on the Volume, 3 on the Reverb and 7 on the Presence), the amp sounds pristine and shimmery. The reverb, though at a low setting, has a nice swirl to it, and even with the Strat on the neck pickup, has a noticeable cut thanks to the high-frequency Presence boost. It’s instinct to want to play Axis-era Hendrix with this setup, and while ripping into the intro sections of “Little Wing” and “Castles Made of Sand,” it becomes apparent that these Asian-born Marshalls are indeed the real deal. Cranking the Reverb knob doesn’t saturate the signal the way a Fender tube amp would, though you’d be hard-pressed to get the same high-end punch on a Fender that this Marshall gives you. It’s just the age-old, give-and-take paradigm that embodies the difference between American and British amps.

Plugging in a Gibson ES-335 with the same setting yields a full-body clean tone that’s nice and dry, prime for classic jazz comping when on the neck humbucker. Flip the toggle to the bridge pickup, and you get classic Jimmy Page clean snarl, a la “D’yer Mak’er.”

Of course, Marshalls are all about the crunch, so the fun begins when you step on the footswitch to engage the Overdrive channel and dial up a classic Marshall overdrive tone (Crunch 7, Gain 7, Bass 6.5, Mid 7, Treble 7, Volume 8.5, Reverb 0, Resonance 6, Presence 6.5). Fair warning: This will piss off your neighbors. Keeping with the ES-335, the tone is pure blues-rock —distorted, but the natural tone of the guitar remains very much intact. It’s like the amp has a built-in Tube Screamer, and reacts perfectly with a good pair of humbuckers. Depending on your mindset you can coax a range of tones from your fingertips, from early-’70s Steve Howe to vintage Slash. The amp cuts through with an abundance of bite and a good, taut timbre. Switching to the Strat, things can get a little toppy, but maybe that’s the point. I rolled back the Treble a touch, applied a little reverb and found a nice setting for “Red House”-style slow blues leads.

Seeing that Marshall makes the amplifier that “goes to eleven” in This Is Spinal Tap, it would make sense that things get weird and wild upon flipping on the Boost mode. Dialing up the suggested lead setting (Crunch 8, Gain 7, Bass 6, Mid 2, Treble 6.5, Volume 8, Reverb 0, Resonance 5, Presence 6-8), and keeping with the Strat, the distortion overwhelms the single-coil solidbody to where feedback readily rings from the instrument when turned towards the speakers. The Boost channel, when compared to the “More Drive” channel on a Fender Hot Rod DeVille, is much tighter in comparison; the frequencies sound much more separated on the Marshall, which is what makes a Marshall a Marshall. It serves as a nice litmus test for the amp’s ability to replicate the essential sonic possibilities of its forefathers.

Is It For You?
In short, who doesn’t want a tube amp for the price of solid-state? While the amp’s long-term reliability compared to its U.K. counterparts has yet to be seen, my initial impressions of the build quality and tone were nothing less than outstanding. The MA series offers a legitimate, low-cost alternative to those looking to own a real deal Marshall while still having money for rent.

IN A NUTSHELL

• 100 watts
• Three ECC83 tubes; four EL34 tubes
• Clean, Overdrive and Boost Channels
• Two 12” Eminence AX45 speakers
• Spring analog reverb
• Serial effects loop
STREET PRICE: $899