Do you have GAS? And I’m not talking about a tummy ache. If you are like a lot of guitar players and bass players, you have what’s commonly referred to as Gear Acquisition Syndrome. It’s a serious malady that can cause big problems at home and disrupt the checkbook.
Plus, in this bummer of an economy, it’s becoming harder and harder for those GAS sufferers to find relief. Good news folks, there is help available and it’s cheaper and easier for you to access.
Trading Card Effect Pedals.
There is great tone to be had at great prices. In the old days, lots of gassers would save up for weeks on end and grab themselves a new guitar. Now, you can head on down to the local guitar emporium (or Fat Tone Guitars) and for a small price–often times under $100–get yourself a great new guitar effect pedal. Many of these great inexpensive pedals have some awesome sounds and features.
Electro-Harmonix has been a leader in the trading card pedal category with their Nano line. Their Nano pedals are small in size, usually have fewer bells and whistles but are great values. Cool pedals include the EHX Nano Clone Chorus pedal and the Nano Holy Grail Reverb pedal.
EHX Nano Clone Chorus
Brand new at Fat Tone starting this week is the Mellowtone line of guitar effect pedals. Eric of Mellowtone has named his new line of trading card pedals the Party Favor line. These cool pedals deliver the goods–fuzz and overdrive– in a small, inexpensive footprint. A great trading card fuzz pedal to start your collection is the Mini Wolf CPU fuzz.
Mellowtone Mini Wolf CPU
Keep watching for more cool trading card pedals from more builders in the future. These provide great ways to change your tone without draining your pocketbook.
We had a great year at Fat Tone Guitars. What can be better than playing guitars and amps and effect pedals all day long?
I’ve also had a blast talking with customers and learning what makes their tone wheels turn. Without a doubt, the sound of the year can be summed up in one word
That cool onomatopoetic word that conjures up images of soft, fluffy teddy bears and cotton balls. Fuzz also represents all that is big and loud and thick when a fuzz sound is emanating from an electric guitar. Fat Tone Guitars carries at present time, 56 varieties of fuzz pedal. Makes you think of ketchup. But seriously, these fuzz pedals deliver the goods for guitar players of all shapes and sizes. A good fuzz pedal can make your lead guitar sustain for days and sound almost like a violin.
A good fuzz pedal can make your power chord crash and roar like a herd of buffalo.
A good fuzz pedal can add sputter and crackle and disguise your guitar sound almost to the point where it doesn’t sound like a guitar at all.
And while not for everybody, a good fuzz pedal is musical and in the hands of a competent guitar player (not me), adds layer and volume and gobs of tone.
Great fuzz pedals this past year were made by:
MJM Guitar FX
Earthquaker Devices
Electro-Harmonix
ZVex
Devi Ever
Tortuga Effects
Mad Professor
Blackout Effectors
Analog Man
Malekko
Durham Electronics
BMF Effects
Fulltone
Subdecay
Way Huge
Barber Electronics
MXR
EWS
To sum up this year, Fat Tone Guitars has added great new pedal lines like:
Devi Ever
Pigtronix
MJM Guitar FX
Rockett Pedals
Blackout Effectors
WMD Devices
We’ve added a great new guitar line in:
DBZ Guitars
We also had an awesome holiday party and here are some pictures:
It’s time for the annual Fat Tone Guitars year end Top 10 Guitar Effect Pedals of 2009 list. In all fairness, this is our first Top 10 list but it’s fun to do so look for another list next year. The Fat Tone Top 10 list seeks to acknowledge those guitar effect pedals that have left a positive impression on us this year.
Our criteria for recognizing an effect pedal for excellence is vague. It’s kinda like we know it when we hear it. In a loose order of importance, here’s the criteria:
The pedal must sound killer. Seriously. No sandpaper or scratchiness allowed.
The pedal must be a great value. It can be an expensive pedal with awesome tone or lots of functionality and usefulness.
Great manufacturer behind it’s design and sale. As a retailer, it’s so refreshing to work with a pedal manufacturer that takes pride in their work, supports the customer AND the dealer.
Sales volume and popularity.
As you can see, the popularity of a pedal comes in last giving some great sounding but still “under the radar” pedals a chance at winning the coveted award. Enough banter–lets get started.
Our favorite effect pedal of 2009 was the incomparable, super sounding MJM LONDON FUZZ, Germanium Edition. This pedal hit all the criteria dead on and did it all year long. Great smooth fuzz. Affordable price. It seems that everyone wanted a London Fuzz and we couldn’t keep them in stock. We’ll do better in 2010.
MJM London Fuzz
Empress Superdelay Digital Delay Pedal–The Superdelay did it all. A pristine sounding digital delay pedal that had the best tape echo sound we’ve heard outside an Echoplex. And the learning curve was lower on the Superdelay than on other top of the line delay units.
Analog Man Beano Boost–A very cool vintage sounding pedal that rewards the skilled guitar player. The Beano Boost is based on the Dallas Rangemaster and delivers organic overdriven dirt like it’s going out of style.
Xotic RC Booster–A good clean boost is like good vodka. No coloration. The Xotic RC Booster allows your amp to do it’s business and gives that extra ooomph to get it there. This pedal became our best selling clean boost pedal and then some.
Durham Electronics Zia Drive–The Zia Drive is a super smooth, musical overdrive that is super amp-like. And I’ve yet to hear a better rhythm guitar pedal that delivers the chunka chunka like it should. Chicken Bone Dan plays the Zia Drive.
MJM China Fuzz–The China Fuzz is based on the old Univox Super Fuzz and in my opinion, the best sounding fuzz pedal at Fat Tone. While the China Fuzz is still not selling in boatloads, those that give it a whirl are not disappointed.
Blackout Effectors Musket Fuzz V2–The Musket Fuzz is based on the Big Muff. But it’s so much more. Vintage and modern sounds abound in this highly tweakable fuzz bonanza. And Kyle at Blackout Effectors is one of the finest inthe business.
Tech 21 Boost DLA Digital Delay–Here is a digital delay pedal that is highly versatile, sounds great and has a super feature set while still selling for under $200. One of Fat Tone’s top selling summer pedals.
Fulltone Clyde Deluxe Wah Pedal–The Clyde Deluxe is a tried and true monster. Delivering some great wahsounds and with settings that make sense, this pedal will continue to sell well into the next decade and beyond.
Barber Electronics Half-Gainer Overdrive Pedal–Barber Electronics makes workhorse pedals that deliver the goods at the best boutique prices around. The Half-Gainer is a two channel overdrive pedal that is tweakable and affordable.
Empress Superdelay
Analog Man Beano Boost
Xotic RC Booster
Durham Electronics Zia Drive
MJM China Fuzz
Blackout Effectors Musket Fuzz
Tech 21 Boost DLA
Fulltone Clyde Deluxe
Barber Half-Gainer
Check out all of Fat Tone Guitars great lineup of guitar effect pedals here.
YouTube allows viewers to comment on videos as well as rate the videos from 1 to 5 stars. Overall, this is a fun feature as well as informative. We’ve learned some fun facts from viewers leaving comments. Believe it or not, we’ve also sold some gear as a direct result of our posting a YouTube video.
However, there seems to be a nasty trend emerging in the YouTube world. I’m sure it’s not a new thing, but I’ve noticed that it is becoming much more commonplace. I’m talking about negative comments on the posted videos. And some of the comments are not only negative, but downright rude and mean.
For the videos, we’ve hired a guitar or bass player (as I suck too much to be the talent), hired a videographer, set up some awesome gear, and tried to showcase an entertaining–and in some cases informative–video. Why would a viewer take the time to write rude, demeaning comments? Wouldn’t it be easier to simply not watch the video if it’s not to your liking?
This makes no sense to me. Anyway, here are some examples of our video work:
Forgive me but Black Friday is ridiculous. Watching the newscasts of Walmart Nation busting down the doors and trampling those in their way, just to grab a flatscreen TV or laptop computer that has its price marked down is just plain asinine. If you ever catch me waking up at 3am to cram myself into a big box store in search of a few dollars savings, please shoot me.
Walmart Black Friday Madness
I am a retailer so I understand that luring customers in is no easy task. But catering to the lowest common denominator–low LOW prices–doesn’t get you a loyal customer base. And loyal customers are the bread and butter of the small, independent retailer.
Fat Tone Guitars is attempting to provide value to customers. Our pricing is competitive and usually as low as Guitar Center’s but there are other things that make a shopping experience with Fat Tone worthwhile.
The best selection of guitar effect pedals in Chicago and one of the best selections on the web. Want to buy a new fuzz pedal? We’ve got about 13 different fuzz pedals IN STOCK right now.
Fat Tone has a decent return policy. If you don’t like what you bought, call us up within 7 days or so and we’ll let you exchange it or return it.
We love what we sell. I’m a bass player and our two employees are guitar players. We love music. Call us up and we can talk about music, guitars and effects for hours. You just might learn something. We just might learn something.
We are people who love music and we understand that our customers are folks that love music too. We never lose sight of that.
Yes, we are running holiday sales. And sure we are trying to grow a guitar and effect pedal business but we’re trying to do it in a cool, friendly way. Check us out….
DBZ Guitars is a new guitar company founded by guitar visionary Dean Zelinsky. Dean was the creative force behind the original Dean Guitars and in many ways launched and drove the hard rock guitar market. Rock players in the 80s and 90s that were looking for an alternative to Gibson found solace in the stylings of Dean Guitars. Great classic Dean guitars included the Dean Z and the Dean V.
Fast forward to 2008 and Dean is no longer with Dean. Enter DBZ Guitars, a Northbrook, IL guitar company that again is putting out very awesome rock guitars. But there are new guitar ideas brewing over at DBZ that take rock in a new, creative direction.
The DBZ Imperial is a solid body guitar that cleverly employs both new and classic style elements to create a playable guitar that is at home with many styles of music. In fact, a jazz player looking for warm tones will find a guitar with numerous ES-335 elements and a warm sound. A rock player will love the V neck and the sustain from the mahogany body and neck. A Blues player will love the humbuckers and the full tone that flows from the axe.
DBZ Imperial Premier AB in Goldtop
The true uniqueness of the Imperial comes out when you view the profile of the guitar. It seems to taper into nothingness…creating a comfortable playing surface that never interferes with your right arm. It’s truly special and cool.
DBZ Imperial FM in Trans Wine profile
DBZ Imperial FM in Trans Wine
Check out the DBZ Guitars currently in stock at Fat Tone Guitars
Welcome to Fuzz Of The Week. Today, we’re examining the Barber Electronics Trifecta Fuzz. The Trifecta Fuzz pedal is a vintage sounding fuzz that with a small amount of tweaking, you can get to sound like 3 different fuzz boxes and giving the pedal it’s name.
While the Trifecta is laid out in a standard way, the player can navigate the pedal and dial in different sounds. Barber uses a knob they call the “Sludge” knob which in essence, gives you control of the bass frequencies. In application, the Sludge knob makes the Trifecta sound great with all kinds of pickups–humbuckers and single coils.
Next, the Trifecta includes a 3 way switch (Trifecta) that connects you with 3 different vintage style circuits. At the end of the day, guitar players can grab lots of vintage sounds that run the gamut from smooth and silky to giant overdriven fuzz. Great Big Muff style sounds abound.
The record business is in serious disarray which means that many acts are on perma-tour status. In my opinion there are few things better than live music.
This past weekend, Fat Tone Guitars had the pleasure of hosting a hard touring Chicago band, The Steepwater Band, in our showroom. Playing close to 150 shows a year, The Steepwater Band is made up of Jeff Massey on guitar and vocals, Tod Bowers on bass and Joe Winters on drums. Taking their cue from both classic British bands like The Faces and Humble Pie and American bands like The Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Steepwater boys play heartfelt roots based heavy music. While their music has the feel of classic rock, it’s performed with total feeling in the here and now.
The Steepwater Band at Fat Tone Guitars
I’m a big fan of their tunes and their sound and they really rocked the house at Fat Tone Guitars.
As you can see from Jeff’s pedalboard, he’s a connoisseur of great tone. Great pedals on this board include Analog Man, BMF Effects, Electro-Harmonix, Klon, Dunlop and more.
Today, we have a little twist on our Fuzz Of The Week series. You can enter a giveaway to win this week’s entry, the Earthquaker Devices Tone Reaper Fuzz Pedal.
The Earthquaker Devices Tone Reaper is a strong and raunchy fuzz pedal that uses a germanium/silicon hybrid transistor to deliver a biting Fuzz drenched tone. The Tone Reaper will make your guitar sound awesome in a group format, pushing you through a loud rhythm section.
The EQD Tone Reaper’s layout is standard with a level, fuzz and tone knob. Playing with these controls lets you add thick, molasses like fuzz and sustain to your lead lines, or dial it up for spittery, popping chopiness.
You be the judge.
Earthquaker Devices Tone Reaper
Fat Tone Guitars is giving away a brand new EQD Tone Reaper pedal as part of our October scary promotion. You can enter the giveaway by telling us the first album or CD you ever bought with your own money. A winner will be chosen randomly from all entries. There is no purchase necessary to enter.
Fat Tone Guitars hosts events in the showroom from time to time. Many of the artists that perform on our small stage are local musicians who are simply looking to play for an audience and have a good time.
Past performances include:
Rebeltone at Fat Tone Guitars
and
Super Mini Trio at Fat Tone Guitars
and
Bob Corritore, Patrick Rynn and Chris James at Fat Tone
