The BBE Sound Sonic Stomp

If you are having trouble cutting through your live mix and turning up is just not an option, this is the solution for you.  I don’t want to come off like a shill for BBE but I used this pedal the other day and I could not believe how it changed my sound.  I played a jumbo acoustic through it and the results were nothing short of amazing.  I use chorus to make the guitar sound more full but that does not even compare to the effect this has on the live sound.  The BBE Sonic Maximizer has been doing this for years to live sound applications on a system level and now it is available to guitarists and bassists in a convenient stomp box.

Appearance
The pedal has a white and fire engine red glossy finish with the standard BBE knurled knobs and blue LED indicator light.  Easy to read lettering finishes off the look of a no nonsense pedal.

Construction
Like all of the other pedals in the BBE family, this pedal is rugged and well made.  The metal housing makes it nice and durable for onstage use although once you turn this one on, its going to be hard to turn off.  The on-off switch is typical of the BBE family and this one is also made to last.  The input and output jacks are on the sides and marked in big letters in a contrasting color the to main paint color.  The battery compartment (9 volt) is on the bottom and has a plastic cover that is secured with a tab that can be opened with your fingers.  The AC adapter plug is on the front and this pedal comes with an AC adapter.

Operation
This one is easy to use.  You have two knobs and their operation is very intuitive.  The Lo Contour lets you boost or roll off the low end and the process knob lets you add the “Sonic Maximizer” effect to your signal.  I had the Lo Contour turned up to around 7 and the process at about 8 and it sounded perfect.  Like any effect, it is all in what the user hears and is very subjective but I found there wasn’t a lot of tweaking involved to get a good sound.

The Sonic Maximizer is hard to describe.  Most pedals fit into one category or another like modulation, distortion or delay but the Sonic Maximizer  doesn’t.  It takes your sound and makes it sound like it is coming from everywhere like a surround sound processor.  I would use it at the end of the chain but experimentation is key to developing your own style.

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This pedal is a 10 out of 10 in every category and it would be applicable to anyone looking for something more.  With the list price of $179.00 and an advertised price of $99.99, it is an inexpensive way to take your sound to new places and if you consider the included AC adapter, you can’t beat it.

For more information check them out at their website BBE SONIC MAXIMIZER or you can purchase them at BoutiqueMusic.com.

BBE SOULVIBE Rotary Speaker Effect

The rotary speaker effect was made popular in the late 60’s by Jimi Hendrix.  Of course everything he touched became popular as everyone wanted to be like him.  The rotary speaker simulator or “vibe” is no exception.  The modulated sound that ranges from a slow sweep to a fast warble is typical of the vibe sound and adds depth to a guitars overall tone.  The BBE Soul Vibe is one of the better offerings in that category.

Appearance
The pedal has a beautiful, bright yellow glossy finish with a cool funkster kicking back in a chair sipping a glass of wine and chilling out in a retro leisure suit, platform shoes and wicked afro.  But that’s where the retro ends.  The chrome knobs are knurled in case you have to make a quick change on stage and the indicator light is a blue LED that pulsates in time with the speed of the rotary effect.

Construction
This pedal is made to be played.  The metal housing makes it nice and durable for onstage use.  Any guitar player knows that when things get groovin’ on stage, stompboxes really earn their name.  The on-off switch is a typical high profile effects box switch and the metal construction means it will have a long service life.  The input and output jacks are on the sides and marked in big letters in a contrasting color the to main paint color.  The battery compartment (9 volt) is on the bottom and has a plastic cover that is secured with a tab that can be opened with your fingers.  The AC adapter plug is on the front and this pedal comes with an AC adapter.

Operation
There is no great mystery here.  Operation is very simple.  The two knobs control speed of the rotary effect and intensity of the effect and the blue indicator light lets you visually know the speed of the effect.

The SOUL VIBE is a modulation effect similar to a flanger or phase shifter without the spacey sound.  It gives you a deep growling sound when played through an amp that is distorting and has a very Leslie like organ effect when played clean.  The SOUL VIBE makes your leads come alive without the heavy effect sound of a phaser or flanger.  The effect sounds best by itself but if you want to use it with other effects, I would use it at the end of the chain because it is modulating the signal and will tend to overdrive any effect it is fed into.

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This pedal is a 10 out of 10 in every category but it is not for everyone.  Modulation effects can be very cool if used in moderation but they can be tiring if you overdo it.  With the list price of $189.00 and an advertised price of $129.99, it  may seem steep but the metal construction makes it a good, long term value and if you consider the included AC adapter, you are paying about $115 for the pedal.

For more information check them out at their website BBE SOUL VIBE or you can purchase them at BoutiqueMusic.com.

Danelectro Free Speech Talk Box

There is nothing that a guitar player enjoys more than a floor full of effects. There is such a wide variety of effects to choose from and if you are looking to set yourself apart from all of the others you’ve got to get a talk box.

Appearance
This pedal is typical of the Danelectro line; well made, durable and excellent sound. From the cool retro finish to the high quality Dan-O-Tube, this pedal is made to last. It has a switch to activate the effect, a volume and a growl(distortion) control. There is also the output hole to attach the Dan-O-Tube and an input to attach the inline mics.

Construction
The Free Speech Talk Box has a metal housing and a large, low profile metal switch to turn the effect on and off. I like the low profile switches as your foot can activate the effect even if it is slightly off axis. It is easier to miss the taller switches on some pedals and that can affect your performance if a particular phrase depends on an effect. The Dan-O-Tube is a very thick, flexible plastic tube with a clip for mounting to a mic stand and a pair of mics to send the sound back to the pedal.

Operation
The great thing about this pedal is that it will even work on a small combo amp. That’s right, a small combo amp. This is an inline pedal as opposed to the original design talk box that required the user to place the talk box between the output of a guitar head and the speakers. This talk box takes the signal at the input of the pedal, routes it out to the Dan-O-Tube and uses a pair of minature mics to send the signal back to the pedal and out to the amplifier.

To make the famous talk box sound (Peter Frampton, Joe Walsh, Richie Sambora) just place the tube in your mouth and shape your mouth around the Dan-O-Tube to control the sound coming out of the tube. The sound will be picked up by the minature mics and routed back to the pedal. Its that simple! You can also use this through a PA system by running the Dan-O-Tube next to a vocal mic. The minature mics on the Dan-O-Tube are removeable.

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This pedal is definitely a 10 out of 10 in every category. From it’s ease of use to it’s ultra cool sounds, the Danelectro Free Speech Talk Box will give you a wide variety of sounds that are only limited by your imagination. With a list price of $129.00 and an advertised price of $93.75 this pedal costs about one third of the original talk box.

For more information check them out at their website Danelectro Free Speech Talk Box or you can purchase them at BoutiqueMusic.com.