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Amp-wise I have a little Mesa Boogie DC-3 1x12 combo which is supa-cool for some things but my main amp is the mightly ENGL Steve Morse Signature 100w head, running through an ENGL 2x12 with V30s (an immense-sounding cab!). Not really into Steve Morse but it is a phenomenal sounding amp - Fendery (yes Fendery) cleans, souped-up-JCM900-on-roids crunch and Rolls Royce extreme high gain stuff. Three channels, two gain modes and two voicings on EACH channel, two master volumes, all of which is MIDI-controllable and a fancy "mid-matrix" EQ on the 3rd channel make it really versatile - so long as you can manage the switching, which brings us nicely onto...
The TC Electronic G-System... This is a unique foot-controller/effects unit that has a massive range of delays, reverbs, phasers, pitch shifters, filters compressors and so on, which connects to the ENGL via MIDI. Each patch/preset in the G-system is linked to a specific channel, gain mode, and tone setting on the amp (all editable). So for example I can switch the amp channel and completely change the FX in the signal chain by pressing one footswitch. Sometimes the Abandon Mute sounds are pretty involved, with lots of things going on and off at the same time and having everything set up this way means a lot less button-pressing. It's also great on covers gigs where there's a specific sound for one song, something completely different for another - I can instantly call up my "Creep" tremolo sound, a 60's Beatles-type slapback delay, a heavy, gated Foo Fighters tone or whatever else is on the setlist that night.
I have a couple of Ernie Ball Jnr volume pedals connected to the G-System as expression pedals, so they control the internal wah, whammy, tremolo speeds, delay mix settings, or whatever else. More excitingly though, the following are connected to the loops on the G: a Devi Ever Rocket, a modded Boss DS-1, and a DNA Smoky Fuzz. They can be added to the signal chain by the G-system in any combination and the G will effectively switch them on and off automatically. The Rocket is an insane fuzz that gives this thick saturated fuzz reminiscent of Siamese Dream-era Pumpkins, and has this stupid self-oscillation mode that makes it pretty much uncontrollable; needless to say, a lot of fun. The DS-1 isn't a Keeley mod but apparently it's exactly the same bits that they put in - whatever they did it definitely lifts the sound, makes it fatter and gives a nicer "grindy" distortion sound. The Smoky Fuzz is the newest addition - without doing a proper review it seems to do everything from fat, thick, Muff-type tones to authentic sharp, 60's stuff. Don't know anytihng about DNA - apparently these sell in the states for between $2-300 but I picked it up on ebay for £45 - whatever the economics it sounds great, and that's all that matters...
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