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I was searching for a Gibson from my birth-year 1960. It wasn't going to be a LP Standard $$ so I opted for an affordable Gibson. I was searching for a '60 with a '59 neck profile but they are rare and I would've had to import without playing the instrument. I settled for a slim neck carve and it's not too small. Same timbers used on the 'bursts' except for the maple cap ofcourse. Tremendous value for money.

This is the only Les Paul that I own (discounting a LP Jr) and there's a reason for that - I'm a 'Strat guy'. I have ten of them and several PRSi. This guitar however is amazing. The luthier who performed the re-fret was amazed by the rare rosewood in the fretboard.

I've got to admit that I have a bit of a Guitar Strap problem; I believe that each guitar I own requires its own "special" strap. Of course that would be OK if I didn't own over two dozen guitars as I'm too attached to each and every one of them. At first (and in the imortal words of Don McLean "A long, long, time ago") a guitar strap in my opinion was just a means to an end.

I didn't care anything about a guitar strap as long as it kept my guitar on my body. Getting paid at the end of a gig was my ONLY priority in those days. Then after several years of being in a pretty popular band in my area, (the early 80's) two things occured; I saw one of my Guitar Heroes with a strap that made me rethink my outlook on straps (Stevie Ray Vaughn's musical note guitar strap) and I had a strap come off at the botton of an LP Standard and a big dent resulted. That did it for me. And that's where my journey started. Fast forward to today, and my "go-to" strap company is Ethos.

Here's a shot of some of the Ethos straps I purchased:



First Impressions:

When I received my first Ethos strap last year, it was that smell of fine high quality leather that first caught my attention (it's akin to the smell of the interior of a new Gibson Les Paul's case in that the LP's Nitro finished goodness that's been trapped in the case oozes out and overwhelms the senses). The next thing you notice is the quality of the feel of the strap; it's soft, pliable and stitched perfectly. They are almost to the point that they feel "broken in" making it so easy to gig with brand new. Ever had a cheap leather strap edge cut into the side of your neck during a gig? I have.

Then (and this is a biggie in my book) the hole to accomodate the strap locks (or end pins) are cut just right so you don't have to struggle by tugging, twisting or using a screwdriver to push the edges down so the strap lock or strap pins fit nicely. They're firm enough for those that don't use locks and only use the straps pins on the guitar. *I highly recommend strap locks though, especially if you gig a lot, as no matter what strap you use, (save from Eddie Van Halen's contraption), the strap pin openings will eventually wear and you might just drop your guitar.

The dyes Ethos uses are all so vivid in color that the straps really catch the eye and the final waxing just give them a beautiful luster. Also, the website is set up so you can check out all their straps close up from multiple angles, as well as add customization (your name, band name, initials, symbols, etcetera) when you find the strap that you want. I also love the adjustable option as I have certain guitars that require longer or shorter strap lenghts. They come in 2.5", 3" and 3.5" widths and adjust from 45" to 56". In all they currently offer 82 different strap styles, so you'll have a lot of fun finding the perfect strap for your guitar.

Final Verdict:

Even if you think a strap costing more than say $30 is a waste, I'd like to counter that opinion with this one thought: There's something about having a "special strap" for that one guitar you have that you love. And whether you have a vintage '59 LP, or a '54 Strat or a Norlin era or new SG Standard, Ethos Straps has a "legacy" strap that will add that final touch of pizzaz to your current #1 or future NGD that will have you showing off in no time. It's like adding a beautiful tie to the new suit you bought

A well constructed American made guitar by a known luthier in the electric guitar world featuring many characteristics of the big brands.

Looks great. Plays even better. Love the feel of the neck

Very thorough review with a nice informative video!

Its bright and has a nice bright bite to it when you have a bit of gain and rip that g string down into a bend.
The neck is rather sticky to me, but im coming from fender finishes and esp satin finishes, its not terrible, but took some getting used to.
The finish is stunning both front and back, and itl hold tune

All in all if you come into this guitar expecting a classic Gibson Les Paul, you will be somewhat disappointed, if you come into it like me not having ever owned a classic Gibson, youl probably love it.

Its not a "Classic" its its own breed, and if yoir willing to give it a fair shake like i did you'll find its a rather fun instrument

great review ,,,,wish I had that guitar

I've been using the AX8 with great results since the fall of 2018. I found the initial learning curve steep as the product is so deep and the design so flexible. I also has some bumps getting comfortable with the live sound but once I discovered the Atomic CLR (with Neo speaker), I was very, very happy with the overall sound, feel and performance.

The AX8 comes with a huge variety of amp models, cab simulations, awesome effects. You can configure it for use with any kind of music for country to jazz to classic rock, funk/r&b, death metal, hell, Lithuanian Yak chants, if that's your thing It can also be used in a wide variety of setups from recording to live performance into FOH, monitors, or even guitar amps.

It also provides interfaces for up to 4 expression pedals, two sets of stereo outputs, MIDI and S/PDIF interfaces too.

The hardware's user interface is rather deep and can be intimidating. It's a bit clunky, IMO but with the free software that Fractal provides, you'll be working on your sounds in no time.

I highly recommend the AX8 for overall realism, utility, flexibility, power and a very stunning array of effects. I would caution people who are easily frustrated with technology; there may be other modelers more suited to them.

Here's a little video I did using the AX8 on four guitar tracks (Strat, Les Paul and Danelectro guitars were used).

That very amp was the first good amp I bought when I was a kid. I would go so far as to say that it ultimately shaped how I played. My biggest regret was selling it.

Unpacking
The RevivalDrive Compact comes in a plain brown box, practically undesigned and only accompanied by a sticker and a short manual. So you shouldn't expect packaging in the style of Cupertino products, but who needs great packaging when the content is so incredibly convincing?

First impression "at second glance"
The quality is eye-catching. Super processing, great choice of colors for the pots, and more about the sound ... but this is "breathtaking" when switched on for the first time, that much is promised.

A closer look
The RevivalDrive Compact is much more than a "boring" overdrive or the umpteenth creation of a "Marshall-In-A-Box pedal".

Completely analog, it claims to be an "amp-in-a-box" that reproduces the sound behavior of a non-master tube amplifier in detail.
Sounds sick he?! But whoever was able to test and play the part intensively will not believe his ears!

The Potis Highs, Lows and More / Pres not only simply fulfill their functions by name, they are also divided into hemispheres, from the left to the right stop, thus depicting the tonal characteristics of different amps as if they were:

Marshall Plexi
Vox AC 30,
Fender Twin / Tweed and Blackface

You imagine the whole thing as follows:
If I turn More / Pres all the way to the left, I'm in the VOX country, all the way to the right in the Plexi country, the lows and highs are more on the left side at the plexi and on the right side, more at the Fender.
You notice the changes in the respective gain structure very well - the guys from UK really managed to do that extremely well.

With the EQ toggle switch, the pedal can be perfectly adapted to the amp used. A small mini controller called ADJ also allows you to adjust the frequency response, very helpful to control the right spectrum for single coils and humbuckers.
There is also the possibility to go directly into the interface - this requires IRs.

Two other clever features are that the output control actually only makes it loud or quiet, so you can play any sound at bedroom volume. With the blend control you can mix in the original signal of the amp, here further unexpected sound variations open up.

Annotation:
That sounds complicated at first, but the operation is a child's play!
However, it is advisable to download the operating instructions from the official website - this will help you understand the possibilities better and help you get even more out of the pedal.

To practice
The RevivalDrive works in front of my Two Rock Studio Pro. The amp is set very clean, it can't do more. I mainly play with Strat and Les Paul.

I have already used the RevivalDrive Compact live, at gigs and during the rehearsal.
It sounds powerful and organic and it cuts perfectly through the mix.
My search for these Hendrix Plexi sounds ended immediately. I find all these typical characteristics like this smoky growl and it always sounds like another channel of my amp.
Every note is felt under the fingers, and the pedal can be perfectly adjusted via the volume potentiometer of the guitar.

The Vox and Fender sounds sound distinctly woody and transparent.

You can get everything mapped here within a few seconds:
From SRV to Gallagher, from Kossoff to Gary Moore and Slash, from Mark Knopfler to Hendrix and back.

You shouldn't expect high gain sounds, but sounds that are "grown up" and sound analog and harmonically rich the clean and distorted area.

In direct comparison with my other high-quality overdrives, the RevivalDrive Compact sounds and feels more and more direct in the overall sound.

And with all of this, the "Beautiful Englishman" gets on excellently with other pedals of every caliber.

As always, I also recorded a demo video. In the description I have placed jump marks for the respective sounds:

Conclusion
A pedal that really sounds like an amp. A new, flexible approach that is second to none.
Unexpected possibilities open up and the addiction potential is extremely high! The part motivates you enormously.

Packaging
Carton, velvet pouch, manual and four adhesive feet - somehow standard, so.

First impression
There is nothing wrong with the overall manufacturing. The pedal looks suitable for the road and is of very high quality. It is striking that it has a complete EQ range. Furthermore, there is a toggle switch (tight) on the right side (outside).

A closer look

The entire EQ reacts very sensitively, small changes are immediately noticeable. The tight switch ensures that spongy basses are compensated for. The pedal sounds transparent in any position, and the degree of distortion can be set in detail. The gain clearly sounds like Marshall, not too snotty, but very noble. You can feel the notes under your fingers. The result throughout the different gain stages sounds more like JTM in the lower region, more like JCM and Silver Jubilee in the upper region. I can't hear the plexi directly, although it's there. Hard to describe, but there is a little something missing, but not in a too bad way.


Even when the gain is completely turned down, the Dirty Shirley is already cooking, even with the Strat. The pedal is therefore not necessarily suitable as a boost. The pedal goes very well with other pedals - tested with the Vemuram Jan Ray and various fuzzes. It always sounds great, regardless of the arrangement. Overall, the pedal always sounds like "Amp", so not boxy at all. The overall character is more on the slightly compressing side - I'm not a fan of sounds that are too compressed, but here the ratio of transparency to compression is absolutely perfect.

Inside the pedal there is a trim pot that can be used to increase the degree of distortion. I have left everything in the factory settings so far because I really like the sound.

There are also sufficient volume reserves, the pedal can be decently loud if necessary.

From crunch to higher gains, everything is possible with the Dirty Shirley! Even with a very clean amplifier. With the Paula there are classic rock tones, but also fat gain, with the Strat. You can definitely get some cool classic rock tones and more.

I already had the BE-OD for the test, but it is actually a completely different creation, not to be compared in terms of sound at all, because it simply sounds more rigorous in any gain structure and does not have such a wonderful mid-range as the Dirty Shirley - what a great name by the way ;-).

The pedal hangs on the volume potentiometer as you wish. With the Strat I get into the clearest realms with the highest gain setting, by turning back the volume potentiometer on the guitar.

Comparison with the Dirty Shirley amp
I already had the Dirty Shirley Mini for test, borrowed from a friend. You can find a video on my YouTube channel. In my opinion, the pedal behaves the same as the amp. The only difference / color is due to the character of the chosen amplifier you use for the pedal.

Sound files
Hardworking as I am, I have recorded a video demo. I first decided on a video with single coils, because there are tons of demos with humbuckers ;-) But maybe I will add a humbucker demo some time later. In the video, I tried to show various facets of the pedal, but I also changed the setting of the tight switch quite often.


Conclusion
From Hendrix to Zeppelin to AC / DC and maybe even more ... this pedal covers a variety of well-known Marshall sounds. It always sounds like a natural addition to the amplifier. For me currently one of the best overdrive pedals on the market.

I've had this amp about two years. I got a smokin' deal on Kijiji ($1000 CAD), and I'm thankful every day that I got it. Absolutely mint condition for 36 years old. Not a 'Marshall in a box', it's the real thing!

The Boger Atma has been out for a couple of years now, yet it seems to be an amp I see on more stages or in more music rooms as Guitar Players are looking for a good Mid to High Gain sound without overwhelming their audiences in smaller clubs or having their neighbors flip out. I was personally tired of using an attenuator on my Marshall JTM 45. It just sounded like a Wet Blanket had been thrown on it (and I went through some pretty high-end Attenuators). And with Stage Volume such a concern these days, I thought I'd give the Atma a try.

First Impressions: Well...no. The Overdrive of EL-84's don't quite reach the infamous EL-34 status when it comes to full chest tumping "grind". That said, Bogner did a great job with the Atma as his design has come so close to the Bogner modded Marshall amps that may pro's relied upon stages across the world. The real surprise for me was just how clean the amp could sound yet maintain the sort of "roundness" (think Fender) I like in a Clean Channel (as opposed to the Jangle of typical EL-84 amps I was used to).

Can 18 Watts keep up with a Drummer? Yes and No. I've had the pleasure of gigging with some extremely talented Drummers, but some just have one volume, while other play nuanced. In the case of a heavy playing drummer, I did have to use a Sennheiser e-906 so I could be heard FOH and in the stage mix. But the good part of that is that the Sound Engineer's I worked with loved mic'ing that amp up as they could easily work around the lower SPL's the ATMA pushed yet give me an enormous sound.

The Two Channel switch is well thought out. While the "Solo" mode is controlled by a volume pot on the rear of the amp, being able to be on the Clean Channel (giving me the option of using OD pedals to hit the fornt end of the amp), or simply step on the Clean Switch to engauge a great Rhythm Tone worked great. So then when I had a Solo, I'd step on the Solo switch and get that extra bit of gain that made my guitar pop right out of the mix. And there's no other Lunch Box style amp that I know oif that can get you 60's, 70's & 80's Rock tone as well as a beautiful clean all without having to use a single pedal.

I did use the Effects Loop and placed a WET Reverb and a Fulltone TTE Tape Delay to get the various FX sounds I needed (Reverb on 60's music, Reverb and light delay on 70's tunes, and Reverb and hardfer decaying dealy for the 80's songs). I also bought the Atma Aluminum 1x12 cab that came loaded with a Celestion G12H-30 Watt 70th Anniversary edition, and while it sounded fine with that cab, I switched to a Clestion Creamback G12H-75. I just love the way those speakers sound and I love the tubes to articulate all of my OD and Clean tone needs.

I gave the Atma 5 Stars only because I couldn't give it a 4.5 Star Rating. But perhaps the Atma needs to stay in its current layout (switching and gain control on the back panel) as real estate is lacking. But I promise that if you play in a band that covers Rock from the 60's/70's & 80's, as well as good clean guitar parts, this amp is something you should go try out.

Here's a great Video Demo of the Atma: (First with a Strat, then with a Les Paul) Skip to 3:14 to hear it with the Les Paul.

I've owned a BF Super Reverb and BF Bandmaster as well as this Bassman. As fantastic as the SR and BM are, the Bassman is just nicer. This is a result of the circuit design, it is unique in the Fender lineup.

The Bassman has beautiful cleans, typical of BF Fenders, which makes it a great pedal platform. But the O/D is just glorious! When you crank it up it has the most beautiful smooth O/D that just growls and snarls. It's a somewhat unique O/D, it more gnarly compression than ratty distortion.

Basically one of the best bangs for the buck of any amp I have tried in many years, it does exactly what it says on the tin. This rating is based on my personal experience with this amp since December 2018. I have used it in a studio environment where there are many different needs depending on what you might want at any given time or depending on the exact musical tastes of guitarists that might use it.

Clearly not an amp for getting Fender tones, and if you need clean tones then this amp is not for you. But if you play rock and/or metal then this amp might be good for you and certainly there is enough volume to gig with depending on which speakers you use and their efficiency.

Recommended.

I was an immediate "Fanboi" of Tone King Amps ever since Mark Bartel started his company back in 1993. The Tone King Imperial MK I (It was simply called the Tone King Imperial back then) was a lauded amp by Pro's and Weekend Warriors alike along with some of the other amps Mark had designed. But in '93 I was gigging a mint condition '65 (OH) Fender Deluxe Reverb that I had owned since 1988. It was a one-owner amp when I bought it (even had the original cover, death cap, two prong electrical cord and sales receipt). The gentleman that owned it used it for Sunday Church gigs only in a town about 20 minutes East of me. Even Skip Simmons, a noted Fender Amp Guru in Northern CA (Sacramento) said it was the "cleanest BFDR he'd ever seen (I took it to him as I tursted nobody else to remove the aformetioned Death Cap, replace power cord and give her a clean bill of health).

I absolutely loved that BFDR amp and gigged it at 80%-90% of all my gigs as they were in Mid to small size venues (and took great care of it) for some 20 years. But then prices began to really skyrocket and the last thing I wanted was that amp damaged by beer, drunks or worse; me doing something stupid. At the time, Tommy Castro (Blues/Rock guitarist extraordinaire) was one of my local "Guitar Heroes" in the S.F. Bay Area and with his help I was able to coax some of that famous Deluxe Reverb mojo out of my amp that I became so accustomed to. But when there was a local FS ad for a Tone King Imperial (MK I) for a mere $1200.....that was just too good to pass up for one of Mark's Flagship Amps. The '65 went into my studio, and the Imperial became my Grab & Go amp.

Unfortunately, the early model had a wide Volume variance between the Rhythm & Lead channels. The Rhythm Channel could not be properly balanced out with the Lead Channel. But I managed by first using pedals on the clean side only which still gave me my BFDR fix. Then I used a Bad Cat Unleash (V.1) and I was able to set it up to balance out the two channels even though it took a little bit of Tap Dancing. But after Mark built his 20th Anniversary Handwired Imperial, (whihc sold out pretty quickly) he started production on the MK II modeled after the 20th Anniversary version but a hybrid build design. I was sold.

What made the latest version of the Imperial amp so great was that Mark incorporated his own take on an already highly praised Stand alone Attenuator (The Iron Man) but when he installed it in a way on the MK II that you could use it simultaneously on both the Rhythm & Lead Channels, or your could assign it to the only the Lead or the Rhythm, this was lights out. This design allowed me to have an even dB output for both channels, so then when I wanted to play lead, I just used a Boost to accent the Mids and provide just a bit more SPL's (about 3 dB) and then I had what I considered the best Working Mans 1x12 Combo amp made.

The key to the Lead Channel's Tweed or early Marshall Plexi tone is all in the Mid Bite. From the Noon position, set the Mid Bite almost all the way counter clockwise to get conservative, then slightly raise it to get into light up to dirty Tweed tones. Or, move the Mid Bite clockwise and the further you go the moe creamer and plexi type sounds the tones begin to sound.

Here's a great Demo by Shawn Tubbs illustrating the best of what the TK Imperial MK II can do:

This triple-pickup version delivers even more tone, and all the playability of the original. The Classic has a fast Gibson 1960 Slim Taper neck, the hallmark Les Paul carved Maple top, a Mahogany body & neck, a Rosewood fingerboard , and Gold hardware (green key tuners). Based on a 1960s Les Paul Standard Classic, this guitar features all the adornments which made that model highly sought after, including a carved Maple top, green keys and inlay for a vintage vibe and nickel hardware. Great looks aside, the 2003 Les Paul Classic features a true '60s slim taper neck. Combined with 496R/496R/500T ceramic magnet humbucking pickups, this is one scorching guitar.

My review is going to be pretty simple. That's because the KOT (and it's single channel version The Prince of Tone aka POT) is an exceptional pedal that no matter where you set it, it sounds great. I've owned mine for about 7 years now, and it quickly became my Desert Island pedal. Why? Because it checks off all my little boxes for the various type of tones I need playing in several different cover bands. For example; Clean Blues or Chicken Picken'....check. Dirty Blues...Check. 60's Rock....Check. 70's Rock....Check. Early 80's Rock.....check.

Now imagine taking a TS-808, supercharging it up, then sticking two together connected in the same enclosure, then adding internal Dip Switches and Presence controls that give you the widest control over your tone ever in one pedal; that's the KOT. Mike Piera (AKA Analog Mike) is known for making all sorts of fantastic pedals (From Delays, Choruses, Fuzzes and others) but the "Home Run" pedal of all his offerings has to be the KOT. One search on Google and you can find all the amazing musicians that use the KOT and who have some killer YT Videos available. You can also find the Wait-Times for the KOT are up to nearly 3 years now (I just checked the Website and they are shipping orders taken from May, 2017). But let add one thing; Mike had some real tough life situations occur that added to the Wait-Times, including the loss of his wife to Cancer. So it's 100% understandable.

Using the KOT live. I don't play a gig without a few "key" pedals. I use a RYRA Klone, Fulltone OCD Germanium and the KOT for all my dirt & boost tones. With thoswe 3 pedals, I can make my '66 Fender Princeton Reverb sound like a Million bucks. That siad, the KOT is the one pedal I rely upon more because it offers two pedals it one. The Yellow side is used for all my Low Gain tones on both lead & rhythm. The Red side I use almost exclusively for Lead work. I pretty much use the same settings on both sides except that I use more Output on the right side so I can get about 3dB more gain to cut through the mix. While I have played around with the internal Dip Switches and Presence controls, I've found that the Factory Setting for the Yellow/Red version of the KOT works best for me. That said, you can order it with two Red sides as there's those that swear they can get the Yellow/Red tones with one Red side's gain turned way down, but combineds together, both Red's can get close to Metal sounds. Since I don't play Metal, that's not an issue for me. But it would be for someone ordering the KOT and trying to decide between the Yellow/Red side combination or Red/Red side.

The KOT has worked flawlessly for me for a long time now, and I'd like to leave you a clip by the Co-Creator of the KOT, Jim Weider cranking on his Telecaster;

I've been a pedal junkie all my life. The only thing that kept me from buying the pedals I wanted is that when I was 14, I was on an allowance (and had a part time job) that took me 6 months of saving just to by a $59 DOD Distortion pedal back in 1975. Things have fortuantley changed for me since then

So here it is, many years later (circa 2000) or so, and a friend of mine had a pedal that was absolutely outstanding to my ears. (It had apparently been in production since 1994). But once I heard it, I knew I had to have one. While I was very hesitant to drop $329 on a Boost/OD pedal by someone I had never heard of (Bill Finnegan), I did. Little did I know what would eventually follow next; The Klone Wars.

So flash forward to the past 9+ years after the original style Klon started to become "Unobtainium" and then I was on my quest for a giggable Klone. Then in February of this year I found "THE" Klone; The RYRA Klone". So here's my take on the RYRA Klone:

1) As I already mentioned, I had just discovered ithe RYRA within the past year as the other guitar player in my band (a guy known to be as picky as a 3 y/o with it's food and who has an extensive Pro background as a Studio/Touring Musician and Sound Engineer) showed up to a gig with the RYRA. He said "Hey....you've really got to check this out". Then he plugged in to his beautiful Victory Amp and "whammo".....I was sold.

2) The pedal junkie in me had already owned some great Klones over the past 7+ years like the Tumnus, Bondi "Sick As" V2, The Archer, Bill F's V2 Klon and several others. While each did their own thing, for me the RYRA became that pedal that could be an "always on" device. If truly "Fattened" my Single Coil Sound (it loves Tele's & Strat's) and it was just perfect with either Mini or Full sized Humbuckers in my Gibson guitars. It worked just like a real Klon in that it sounded like a cranked up Twin Reverb at stage volumes, or I could set my amp on the edge of breakup, boost the RYRA's Output and Gain, and I could send my tube amp into harmonic distortion heaven.

3) The layout of the RYRA is just like an authentic Klon (but in a smaller CU-123-G/BUD enclosure) and it has the familiar Gain, Treble, Output control layout like a Klon (it even has the same original style KLON knobs). The LED bright light is just to the bottom left of the Gain control, and best of all, in a Side by Side test with my Silver Klon, it did all the same things except to my ears had just a bit better sparkle thatn my Klon or my other Klones I had when used as a pure Clean Boost. I formally used to use an Exotic EP Boost as an "Always On" EQ to obtain that sparkle, but I don't need the EP now that I have the RYRA.

4) One great part of the RYRA is that it comes in a wide variety of Powder Coated Colors (Silver, Gold, Surf Green, Purple and other colors), three different Knob colors of knobs (White, Black or Oxblood) or you can even have it engraved (there's extra costs for engraving). That's something nobody else offers as far as I know. And for $189, it won't break the bank. And for just $89 over a new Tube Screamer price, what you get will be a pedal that has the KLON DNA all wrapped up in a package that could easily become your "Go To" Boost/Overdrive. My favorite setting for a clean boost (especailly playing leads on CCR songs is with the Gain at 9:00, Treble at Noon and Output on 2:00 (Just about 3 dB louder that my clean tone) so the clean leads POP out fo the mix.

I hope that if they make a V2 that it comes with a battery holder. I didn't like the battery moving around, so I fixed that by using my Strat Trem String Foam Dampeners. I simply cut one in half and placed the two peices on either side of the battery which worked out fine. If you want to hear for yourself, just listen to what Pete Thron can do with a RYRA Klone: