Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt, accompanied by city officials, visited the captivating contemporary art exhibition titled “Cat’s Testicles Rule the City” (CATSANOVA 2024) on Tuesday.The exhibition, part of the ongoing Bangkok Design Week 2024, is being hosted at Poh-Chang Academy of Arts, Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin until February 4. CATSANOVA 2024 has a unique objective – to employ art as a medium to address the surging problem of stray cats in Bangkok while promoting their adoption. The governor and city officials explored the exhibition to gain insights into the creative endeavours addressing this social concern. Key activities within the exhibition include a hands-on painting activity, encouraging participants to create artwork featuring cat’s testicles. This artistic initiative doubles as a campaign aimed at advocating for the responsible control of the stray cat population and their overall well-being. A significant facet of CATSANOVA 2024 involves finding new loving homes for stray cats brought in from the Animal Control Centre in Bangkok’s Prawet district. The event is being supported by the Department of Health and the Veterinary Public Health Office. In collaboration with SOS Animal Thailand and Pettinee Company, the event offers valuable support for adoption efforts. This includes motivating factors, online veterinary health consultation (relevant) and online vaccination records accessible through the LINE OA system at no cost. Visitors are encouraged to make contributions to support the stray cat neutering project, which aims to control the population of stray felines in the capital.
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Three Indian martial arts athletes from a region claimed by China have been forced to pull out of the Asian Games in Hangzhou after not receiving clearance from the host country, media reports say.
The three women, competing as wushu fighters, are from the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, a region claimed almost in full by Beijing as “South Tibet”. Wushu, or kung fu, is a multidisciplinary martial art that originated in China. According to the Hindustan Times newspaper, the trio were approved to take part by the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee but were unable to download their accreditation cards, which act as visas to enter China. The rest of the 10-member squad along with the coaching staff left for the games in Hangzhou on Wednesday, the newspaper reported. Neither the Indian Olympic Association nor the Ministry of External Affairs immediately responded to requests for comment by the Agence France-Presse news agency. The Indian wushu team did not travel to the Chinese city of Chengdu for the World University Games in July after the same three athletes were issued stapled, rather than pasted, visas – an indication that Beijing does not recognise India’s territorial claim over Arunachal Pradesh. That move triggered angry reactions from India with the foreign ministry saying it was “unacceptable”. Arunachal Pradesh is on the other side of the Himalayas from Tibet and shares a common Buddhist cultural heritage with its northern neighbour. The Dalai Lama fled through the state in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in his homeland and has lived in India ever since. Beijing briefly occupied most of the territory in a bloody conflict three years after the Buddhist leader’s flight. This year, India reacted strongly after China renamed 11 places in the disputed region. New Delhi consistently maintains that the state has always been and will always be an “integral and inalienable part of India”. Artist Louise Bourgeois’ massive bronze work ‘Spider’ has set a record as the most valuable sculpture ever sold at auction by a female artist, fetching $32.8 million at Sotheby’s in New York City on Thursday. The 10-foot arachnid was the centerpiece of the night’s contemporary art auction and set a price record for Bourgeois’ works, beating the $32.1 million another ‘Spider’ netted at a 2019 Christie’s auction. Sotheby’s made a point of reporting that works by female artists made up $50.4 million of the $204.7 million realized at both the contemporary sale and an ultra-contemporary auction taking place the same night.
‘Spider’ was previously owned by Fundacao Itau, a foundation set up by Itau Unibanco, and loaned out to the Sao Paulo Museum of Modern Art, which exhibited it at museums throughout Brazil. It was initially purchased by Itau Unibanco founder Olavo Setubal for just $450,000 after it was unveiled at the 23rd Biennial de Sao Paulo in 1996. The foundation reportedly sold the sculpture to finance education, health and culture programs at Itau Cultural, a nonprofit it oversees. Other editions of ‘Spider’ are held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City. Hauser & Wirth gallery reportedly sold another ‘Spider’ last year at Art Basel for an undisclosed sum. Bourgeois, who didn’t begin making her iconic spider sculptures until she was in her 80s, claimed she was drawn to the creature because it reminded her of her mother, and indeed one of her most famous sculptures is the hulking bronze ‘Maman’ – French for ‘mother’ – a 30-foot spider holding an egg sac full of white marble eggs. She continued making art until her death in 2010 at age 98. Painter Georgia O’Keeffe’s ‘Jimson Weed/White Flower No.1’ remains the highest-priced work by a female artist, having fetched $44.4 million in a 2014 auction at Sotheby’s. Last year, an Andy Warhol print of actress Marilyn Monroe became the most expensive piece of American art ever sold at public auction, netting $195 million at a Christie’s sale. The identity of the purchaser was not made public. Randall William Rhoads was born on December 6, 1956 in Santa Monica, California. Randy was youngest of three children, he had a brother named Doug (also known as “Kelle”) and a sister named Kathy. Their mother Delores owned and operated the Musonia Music School where Randy learned much of his guitar basics, and also taught the guitar himself to other students for a period of time. Randy first started playing the guitar at the age of 6, and by the age of 12 he switched to an electric. When he was 14, he started playing in the band called “Violet Fox” together with his brother Kelle. Couple of years later, he formed another band with his friend Kelly Garni initially called “Mach 1”, “Little Women”, and finally – “Quiet Riot”. The band quickly became one of the most popular groups on the Los Angeles club scene, and by late 1976 were signed to CBS/Sony Records. Their albums “Quiet Riot” and “Quiet Riot II” were released only in Japan. In September 1979 Randy was auditioned for Ozzy Osbourne’s new band. Supposedly he walked into the Ozzy’s motel room in Malibu with his 1974 Les Paul and a tiny practice amp and started warming up. Before he could even show off what he’s hot, Ozzy interrupted him and said “‘You’ve got the gig”! Randy recorded only two album with Ozzy – ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ (1980), and ‘Diary of a Madman’ (1981) – and for that short period of time he managed to achieve success that most of the guitarists can only dream about. On March 19, 1982 Randy tragically died as a result of an airplane accident. While the band was heading to a festival in Orlando, during one of their stops, their tour bus driver and ex-commercial pilot Andrew Aycock took Randy and the band’s makeup artist Rachel Youngblood for a flight in a small Beechcraft F35 plane. While attempting to fly closely over the tour bus, one of the plane’s wings clipped the top of the bus, breaking the wing into two parts and sending the plane spiralling out of control. All three passengers were killed in the accidents. The Guitars
Guitar Amps
–1970s Peavey Standard 260 Used with the Quiet Riot. He played it through a cabinet packed with six Altec speakers. The amp is now kept at the Musonia. Supposedly Ozzy would never let Randy use this Peavey, so Greg Leon who took Randy’s place in Quiet Riot lent him a couple of Marshall rigs. – Marshall 1959 After joining Ozzy, Randy switched to Marshall. On stage he would use up to three amps, each played through a set of 1960A and 1960B cabinets, both painted white. Guitar Effects Randy’s effect rig was fairly simple. During the Quiet Riot years he only used a MXR Distortion Plus, and an MXR 10 Band EQ. After joining Ozzy he started using the Crybaby Wah, and couple of more pedals, such as MXR Stereo Chorus, MXR Flanger and Korg Echo. Some of the songs on the Ozzy records were recorded using the AMS DMX 15-80S Digital Delay. Guitar Strings Randy used GHS Boomers .010 or .011 gauge. Guitar Picks Randy used Picato medium thickness picks. The equivalent of these would probably be closest to Dunlop’s .88mm. This article was inspired by a couple of different events - firstly ongoing conversations I have been having with Pete Thorn about the colour of LEDs for different pedal types, and secondly an odd question I did get from my wife: "Are these colours fashionable'? Well, all this leads to some explaining duties. Looking at my pedal board I see all colours of the rainbow, from black to white. Yeh, white. What's that with JHS? Only white? But for most pedal makers it's about colours. So there must be reason, right?
I simply considered each colour in turn and which pedal I naturally recalled in response - I then extended the range and filled in a few more of the gaps. While there are some colours still open to contest, other colours have long been claimed and rationalised - which you can see quite evidently in much of Mooer’s colour selection - which helps you figure out the original source circuit largely by the colour of the enclosure. All because the question, are the same coulor pedals interchangeble? You would think yes, but a Tubescreamer is not the same as a Nobels ODR-1, both green. And a Boss DS-1 is in a league of it's own. The most interesting point for me is that fire-engine red and standard yellow are both ’Owned’ as such by compressors. My first association for Red is the MXR Dyna Comp, and the first association for standard neutral or pale yellow is the Diamond Pedals Compressor - as replicated by Mooer too. But my Fender The Bends is black. Also interesting is how Ibanez owns both forest and light green shades with its TS808 and TS9 Tubescreamers. The most modern pedal in the visual is the recent Bondi Effects Art Van Delay - which has pretty much laid claim to Hot Pink / Fuscia. Well, let's explain this confusing colour theory by using the Colour Wheel above. RED To me there are two automatic associations that come directly to mind for the colour red - the MXR Dyna Comp is the standout choice, followed by Marshall Distortion pedals en masse for some reason - even though Marshall is most likely readily identified with the colour 'Gold' there are a number of Marshall-based distortions including the brand new Red Mod version (no coincidence) of Catalinbread's Dirty Little Secret. Besides that we have the Amptweaker Tight Rock, Dawner Prince RedRox, JHS Angry Charlie, Mad Professor Mighty Red Distortion, MI Effects Super Crunch Box and Wampler Pinnacle - all sporting RED. Boss also has the red DM-2 Delay - but that is more of Cerise hue, and not the proper bright red. Actually Boss's Looper pedals are all bright red, and as was its second every compact pedal - the SP-1 Spectrum and in fact the VO-1 Vocoder too. I think on balance though my first instincts were correct here, and Red has to be given to the MXR Dyna Comp which just has to be the most readily universally associated pedal in this colourway. ORANGE When I think of the colour Orange I get two immediate references - MXR's Phase 90, and Boss's DS-1, and then when I really apply myself I recall the Ibanez Overdrive - which is actually a Muff-based fuzz rather. JHS also has the Orange Squeezer Compressor, and there are a number of Orange Amp pedal replicas. But Mad Professor's Tiny Orange Phaser and Mooer's Ninety Orange Phaser - kind of underline that this is MXR Phase 90's category to loose. There are actually a number of Boss orange-hued distortion pedals - of which the DS-1 is the most memorable. But the colour orange belongs to the Phaser type of effect specifically from MXR. YELLOW - amber/mustard, deep yellow and pale yellow As per the above visual we're actually dealing with 3 different shades of yellow here. When I just think out 'Yellow' I consider Boss's Over Drive pedals first, then the second edition DOD 250 PreAmp - which actually started off Grey and is still probably more associated with its original colour. And finally the pale yellow Diamond Compressor - which is the one Mooer replicates in its own even paler yellow enclosure. Actually there is also the MXR Distortion+ which we mustn't forget, but as I am more principally a Boss fan - I'm more likely to recall the Boss Over Drives first. The darkest yellow shade - sort of amber / mustard yellow immediately brought to my mind the T-Rex Mud Honey pedal, and perhaps the BJFe Honey Bee Overdrive - while on closer inspection - it's actually definitely the same colour as the Mud Honey. I feel that those 3 yellows are the most likely associations, although some will likely swap with the Boss OD-1 or Diamond Comp Jr for the MXR Distortion+. GREEN - forest green, and light green If you hear mentioned of 'The Green Overdrive' pedal pretty much 99% of you will immediately recall the Ibanez Tube Screamer, while others might think of the Maxon OD-808 or Nobels ODR-1. Checking with Mooer - its own TS808 replica sort of follows the forest green of that pedal. While interestingly Ibanez also lays claim to the lighter green colour - which could in Nashville in particular be more likely associated with the Nobels. Boss's line of Phasers is also green - PH-1 through PH-3 - but the obvious Phaser colour has to be the Orange of the MXR Phase 90. Overall then the ever so ubiquitous Ibanez Tube Screamers win the Green colourway category by a landslide. Update - I forgot to mention MXR's Carbon copy delays which feature a darker green standard version, and lighter green 'Bright' version. Tube Screamers still win though! A further note on Moss Green or Army Green here - which is readily associated with the Green Russian Muff style fuzzes - including EHX's own Green Russian Big Muff Pi. TEAL To my mind only 4 teal pedals spring readily to mind - first Boss's ever-present TR-2 Tremolo, Mad Professor's Little Green Wonder Overdrive, TC Electronic's Petrucci Dreamscape Modulator, and Wampler's Ethereal Delay+Reverb. I feel this category is still up for grabs to a degree, although I personally feel the strongest resonance here with the Boss TR-2 Tremolo. BLUE - mid blue On the colour wheel I selected as reference there was only one shade of blue depicted - a sort of mid basic blue - in fact all the colours here are relatively primary - so we miss out on the lighter and powder blues, sky-blue and more ink-blue, royal-blue and cobalt shades - which Thorpy's brand new Heavy Water pedal sports so well. Boss actually has a number of 'Blue' pedals - Choruses, Compressors, Multi-Overtone, Pitch-Shifters, Sampler/Delays, and Vibrato. It only really has one monikered Blue pedal though in the BD-2 BLUES Driver - which surely has to take the most common blue colour pedal association over the long-term. There is Strymon's BlueSky Reverb, MXR's Blue Box Fuzz and Wampler's blue Ego Compressor - but none of those has triggered quite so many mods and replicas as has Boss's original BD-2 Blues Driver circuit. The Blues Driver is a very slightly unusual mid blue - with a hint of green in it - but the colour plus the name surely cements its position at the head of this category. If considering the lighter blues - then surely the Boss Choruses must be in heavy consideration. PURPLE Much like the Boss blue Blues Driver - Lovepedal has one of its own monikered colourways in the guise of its Purple Plexi Distortion. The name verily matches the colour. Purple is often associated with Jimi Hendrix too - so a number of Hendrix Fuzz and Vibe -derived pedals often feature a purple tone. There is also Way Huge's Purple Platypus - whose colour is actually closer to Violet - but that also has the colour in its moniker - as does Carl Martin's Purple Moon Fuzz N' Vibe. More recently we have REVV's Purple G3 Distortion and Wampler's Pantheon Overdrive - actually Fulltone's Plimsoul is also actually a very dark shade of purple. For me though it's Lovepedal's Purple Plexi which most readily springs to mind here and to which I award winner of this category for now. MAGENTA / GRAPE Difficult to know what to name this category - I see Magenta as being slightly brighter than Grape - for the former the contenders are most likely Strymon's Orbit Flanger and Suhr's Riot Distortion, while the more Grape shade represented here is most definitely matched by Boss's BF Series of Flangers - where I personally have a modded BF-2. Eventide's new Rose Delay pedal would snap into this category too as would JAM Pedals Limited Edition Hendrix-style Fuzz Phrase. Boss BF-2/3 for the win though. HOT PINK / FUSCIA When I think of Pink guitar pedals I most immediately think of the trio of Alexander Pedals Hot Pink Drive, Bondi Effects Art Van Delay, and Earthquaker Devices Rainbow Machine Modulator. JHS used fo have the Pink Panther Delay which was a more subtle shade of pink, and now renamed the Lucky Cat Delay, While I feel that recent entrant Art Van Delay has somewhat staked a claim with its powerful application of block colour. I feel that this category is still sort of up for grabs - but the Bondi Art Van Delay is a very strong contender here. Other Instant Pedal Colour Associations not on the Wheel/Chart
Final Thoughts
Readers and players alike will have their own personal choices and preferences here depending on what they've been more exposed to. Fans of Boss will probably be closer to my preferences while those with a more stronger association with say MXR or another brand which uses strong colours may more closely associate with those pedals. Being the fuzz fan I am it's also relevant to mention the Dallas Arbiter / Dunlop Fuzz Faces - Red = Germanium, Blue = Silicon convention - which has been taken up by a number of builders - and in no more clear way than with Fulltone's two takes on the Fuzz Face - 69MKII and 70-BC Fuzz. Fuzzes though are still largely a 'minority sport' so that overall they have little chance of being the most impactful in enforcing specific colour associations. Of all the colours above I feel the strongest associations are with Orange = MXR Phaser, and Green = Ibanez Tube Screamer - those are surely shoe-ins for near enough everyone. Other colourways here are more open to influence and interpretation. Expanding on the innovations of Cort’s original 8-string multiscale, the KX508 Multi-Scale II features an updated okoume body and a specially designed Fishman Fluence Modern Humbucker.
The KX508 Multi-Scale II is the second iteration of the eight-string KX508, Cort’s first multi-scale 8-string guitar introduced in 2020. Like its predecessor, the KX508 Multi-Scale II has a visually stunning poplar burl top in a Mariana Blue Burst finish. Beyond its visual appeal, the poplar burl is an ideal tonal complement to Cort’s newly introduced okoume body. Okoume is known for its light weight and ability to improve tonal clarity. It has a tight low-end and highly articulate high-end, which matches the overall sonic characteristics of the KX508 Multi-Scale II. The multi-scale, measuring 26.5 to 28 inches, offers a punchy low end while maintaining a familiar feel and tension on the treble strings, which allows for speedy runs and string-bending. Players have unhindered access to the high frets thanks to the low-scooped heel. The 5-piece maple and purple heart neck not only provides strength and stability, aided by a spoke nut hotrod truss rod, but a strong and focused sound. The Macassar ebony fingerboard (15.75-inch radius) offers smooth playability along the 24 frets with teardrop inlays. Macassar is an ideal tonewood for high-gain applications because of its ability to cut through a dense mix. At the top of the neck, the 2 7/32-inch nut width (56.5 mm) is surprisingly comfortable for an 8-string guitar and is even suitable for players with smaller hands. The individual hardtail bridge with string-thru-body design results in greatly improved sustain, superb string separation for enhanced articulation, and precise intonation. Deluxe locking machine heads offer reliable tuning as well as easier and quicker string changes. Hollywood star Alec Baldwin has accused several crew members on the set of the film ‘Rust’ of negligence, which led to the death of Halyna Hutchins. He filed a lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday hoping to “clear his name.”
The tragic incident took place a year ago during the production of the film at a ranch in New Mexico. Baldwin fired a live round from a prop revolver, fatally shooting cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. The actor claimed he had been assured that it was a ‘cold’ gun, meaning it was either empty or loaded with dummy rounds. No one has been charged with a crime so far. Baldwin’s suit names the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was in charge of handling guns and ammunition on set, and first assistant director Dave Halls, who handed him the gun that day and said it was safe. The two other co-defendants are Sarah Zachry, who was in charge of props, and Seth Kenney, the owner of a firm that supplied weapons and ammunition to the set. Baldwin’s lawyer, Luke Nikas, alleges that the “tragedy happened because live bullets were delivered to the set and loaded into the gun.” He claims that crew members broke the safety rules when handling the firearm, which led to Hutchins’ death. The suit further alleges that Kenney kept his firm in “disarray” and stored ammunition “haphazardly.” According to the suit, the actor “must live with the immense grief, and the resulting emotional, physical, and financial toll, caused by the fact that cross-defendants’ negligent conduct, assurances, and supervision put a loaded weapon in his hand and led him, Hutchins, and everyone else on set to believe that his directed use of the weapon was safe.” Baldwin’s counter-complaint came after Mamie Mitchell, the film’s script supervisor, sued Baldwin, Gutierrez-Reed, Halls, and other production members last year, seeking damages for the “physical and emotional harm” she has suffered as a result of Hutchins’ death. In January, Gutierrez-Reed sued Kenney, claiming that he provided an ammunition box to the set, which contained a mix of dummy and live rounds. Hutchins’ family settled a wrongful death lawsuit with the production company last month. “I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or attribution of blame,” Halyna Hutchins’ husband, Matthew Hutchins, said. London Metropolitan Police arrested two environmentalists on Friday after throwing tomato soup over Vincent van Gogh’s iconic ‘Sunflowers’ portray. A video exhibiting two younger ladies emptying a can of Heinz soup into the glass-encased 1888 masterpiece has gone viral on social media.
“Officers have been shortly on the scene on the Nationwide Gallery this morning after two Simply Cease Oil protesters threw a substance over a portray after which glued themselves to a wall. Each have been arrested for felony harm and aggravated trespassing,” according to London’s police headquarters. The Nationwide Gallery later revealed that the body of ‘Sunflowers’ was barely broken, however the paintings itself was intact. Simply Cease Oil, which is making an attempt to get British authorities to cease all new fossil-fuel tasks, has been blocking bridges and busy intersections throughout London for the previous two weeks. Regardless of the arrest of dozens of its members, the youth group issued a direct warning to regulation enforcement on October 11. Friday’s assault on a Van Gogh portray shouldn’t be the primary time Simply Cease Oil has focused the paintings. Earlier, employees vandalized Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Final Supper’, John Constable’s ‘The Hay Wain’ and Van Gogh’s ‘Peach Timber in Blossom’. In September, a employee, 21-year-old Louis McKenney, was sentenced to 6 weeks in jail after chaining himself to a goalpost throughout a match between Everton and Newcastle United in Liverpool on March 17. Simply Cease Oil was based in February. As a significant supply of funding, it lists the Local weather Emergency Fund, a US-based charity that has funded the abolitionist riot and Britain’s containment – two actions infamous for his or her disruptive protests in London and past. The Dead Daisies have announced a temporary new vocalist and bassist after Glenn Hughes was diagnosed with Covid. The band issued a statement on Monday afternoon (25th July) confirming that Glenn Hughes will be sitting out the rest of their European tour following his positive Covid test. David Lowy’s rock collective have drafted in Whitesnake’s Dino Jelusick as their new vocalist for their European tour dates, while Yogi Lonich will play bass. “We're sad to have to announce that the dreaded virus has hit the camp again with Glenn testing positive and unfortunately unable to continue,” The Dead Daisies said. “He's doing OK and please join us in wishing him a speedy recovery.“As Yogi filled in for David when he was crook, we're forging forward with Yogi playing bass and Dino Jelusick joining us on vocals for the rest of these shows. “We know some of you were coming to see Glenn but we hope you will still come out, rock with us and have a great time. “Too many bands find it easy to just cancel but we're determined to keep playing for you guys ... Rain, Hail, Heat or Virus. “If you do want to give it a miss, we're in the process of speaking with the promoters to work something out .. we'll keep you posted. “Look forward to seeing you at the shows.” The Dead Daisies support Judas Priest at Vienna Ancient Roman Theatre in France tonight (26th July) and they wrap up their European trek at Time To Rock Festival in Sweden on 5th August. The current incarnation of The Dead Daisies features Glenn Hughes, sole constant member David Lowy, guitarist Doug Aldrich and drummer Brian Tichy.
Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse has announced that he is stepping away from the band on a permanent basis. In April, Morse announced that he'd be going on hiatus from Deep Purple to look after his wife Janine, who is battling cancer, but would not be leaving the band. The guitarist also said that he hoped to rejoin Purple's current tour once circumstances and improved health allowed.
Now Morse has admitted that he is unable to commit to Deep Purple's schedule for the rest of the year and beyond, and has left the band."Last Autumn, I suddenly left the Purple writing session in Germany because my wife was having a real medical crisis," explains Morse. "Almost a year later, we are learning to accept stage four aggressive cancer and chemo treatment for the rest of her life. "We both miss being at shows, but I simply couldn't commit to long or far away tours, since things can change quickly at home. I suggested lining up a substitute guitarist last Autumn, hoping we could see the miraculous cancer cure all of us have heard about. As time went by, I could see the way things were heading though, after 28 years of being in the band. "I've already played my last show with Purple back in Florida on the Rock Legends Cruise. I wish to thank the listeners who so strongly supported live music and turned every show from a dress rehearsal to a thundering, exciting experience. I'll miss everybody in the band and crew but being Janine's helper and advocate has made a real difference at many key points. "As Janine adjusts to her limitations, she is able to do many things on her own, so we will try to play some shorter nearby concert tours with friends to – hopefully – get both of us out of the house!" A Unique Made 2 Measure Series, Curated by the Dutch Guitar Legend
Legendary Dutch guitarist Jan Akkerman rose to international fame in the early seventies with his band Focus. They explored progressive rock and had global success with hits such as “Hocus Pocus” and “Sylvia.” In 1973 Akkerman was voted ‘Best Guitarist in the World’ by readers of the leading UK magazine Melody Maker. After he departed from Focus, Jan started a solo career that continues to this day and has included collaborations with artists such as B.B. King, Paco de Lucia, and Ice-T. To celebrate the maestro’s 75th birthday, Gibson and Jan have collaborated to recreate his favorite guitar based on the black 1954 Les Paul Custom he played at the legendary concert and album Live At The Rainbow (1973). As Akkerman says: “No guitar in the world can beat this black Les Paul Custom. Such a beautiful sound. I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard it for the first time.” This series of 10 guitars were produced through Gibson Custom’s Made 2 Measure program and pays homage to the original model with some special little extras, including nylon saddles, a 60s neck, and Grover tuners. The guitar is available in three different finishes; gloss, VOS, and Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged. Each guitar has a different song title on the headstock, making every guitar completely unique; the names are selected by Jan Akkerman himself based on his favorite songs.
Though the Overdrive feels pretty-mid forward to me, there is a pre-mid boost. There’s a lot of utility in this control. It can help the Overdrive span more of the distance between a TS and Klon, and it can make the transition between humbuckers and single-coils easier to manage. In general, though, I found that the Overdrive sounded airiest and best able to breathe with the tone wide open and the mids scooped. Unleash the gain in this kind of setup and the Overdrive sounds pretty beastly.
The resonance switch is an even more valuable escape hatch—or portal to weirdness. It takes the place of a resonance or feedback knob that you’d see on many flangers. Generally, replacing a knob with a switch that moves between presets means diminished flexibility.
Things are different over on the digital voice. In this domain, repeats ring with clarity, and the ghosts of bum notes will haunt you if you’re not careful. But the clear repeats also expand the potential for punchier beat-centric and repetitive patterns and riffs. Analog 2 is my favorite voice. Its mid-forward repeats excite a more prominent, shimmering set of harmonics. It’s a great environment for enjoying the mix of those extra overtones and a dose of extra motion from the pedal’s modulation section. The modulation can be dialed up to amazingly queasy levels of intensity at high depth and repeat settings. In general, though, I like the modulation depth at more modest levels. And the Delay sounds nice enough to require little in the way of modulation dressing. That said, I strongly suggest this mode with the Hammertone Chorus. It’s a yummy combo.
There are more immaculate digital delays and more authentic digital takes on bucket brigade echo. But to me, the Delay’s quirks are big plusses. That they so interestingly color the pedal’s broad range of personalities make it a true bargain. |
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