Name: The BEST Aftermarket Strat Guitar Necks You Can Buy at ANY Price | Closeup Review | Tony Mckenzie @tonymckenzieofficial
Uploaded: 2026-09-22T08:17:00-05:00
Duration: 8 min 17 s
Description: The BEST Aftermarket Strat Guitar Necks You Can Buy at ANY Price | Closeup Review | Tony Mckenzie

The BEST Aftermarket Strat Guitar Necks You Can Buy at ANY Price | Closeup Review | Tony Mckenzie

tonymckenziecom 2026-09-22 | The BEST Aftermarket Strat Guitar Necks You Can Buy at ANY Price | Closeup Review | Tony Mckenzie

Make your Amp look like a $million custom job easily

tonymckenziecom 2025-05-05 | Mods that can make your amp look like a $million. These mods can be applied to almost any tube amp or tube amplifier and can improve the overall look to create a truly custom amp many guys will ask what is it or where did you get that when they see and hear it!

00:00 start
00:13 Intro & Preamble
02:00 Buying wood
02:48 Where from?
04:50 What I received
05:24 Sanding Sealer
05:44 The Dye I used
06:18 The Lacquer
06:50 Testing sealer & dyes
07:05 The results
07:53 Costs
08:34 Other custom mods
08:42 Custom markings
09:27 Custom switch rings
12:22 Cost of the rings
12:43 Sum up so far
14:14 Finished amp

Links:
John Ambler: luthierwood.com

Noisy Hammer (Case Maker): noisyhammer.com

And there are many more brands of amps on my channel at youtube.com/tonymckenziecom

My website has hundreds of reviews of guitar gear, effects pedals, amp simulators and so much more all reviewed in ways others never do - get REAL REVIEWS now: tonymckenzie.com

So I had completed the Ceriatone Train Wreck Expression amplifier All Access amp and had bought a case from Ceriatone. I ordered a dark green case and it looks brilliant. But as a sort of train wreck clone I wanted to 'jazz it up' a little and that got me thinking. I could create a few aesthetic modifications that will make that amp a little more in keeping with a custom clone of the said style of amp.

But once I thought a little more, these modifications to the tube amp aesthetics can make many tube amps look really cool and totally boutique or custom made amps... and lets face it, getting these sort of one-off mods from makers would cost you the earth, even if the boutique amp maker could even bother. So why not make some for your amp yourself? Its really not that hard and I'm sure with a little practice that you too can improve the looks of your amp in some way.

These ideas are all my own and this video by the way is NOT SPONSORED in any way. I have showed the components I used on my amp in this video, but remember you can get them from anyone. Its all up to you and I sincerely hope that it gets you thinking about how to mod the looks of your amp. And IMPORTANTLY these mods are all fully reversible if you want the amp back as it was.

So I bought this amp from Ceriatone. Indeed Nik was frankly the best feature you could wish for! The Ceriatone support is honestly rated at a 10/10 and is recommended.

So on to these aesthetics... the amp is fine as it is, but add a little pizazz to the mix and get your amp looking totally boutique - and pretty soon the audience will be asking exactly what that amp really is!

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights reserved

#trainwreck #tubeamp #ceriatone #boutique #tonymckenzie #ampmodeler #boutiqueamp #tubeamplifier

For $69 its a shocking unit thats hard to believe its a Behringer!

tonymckenziecom 2025-04-26 | For $69 its a shocking unit that's hard to believe its a Behringer that you can buy for this money. Yes just £60. The maker has always been a 'budget' or cheap bottom end maker - but if you try this one out you really will be shocked about it. Let's see exactly how good or bad it really is.

Prepare to be amazed by this $69 Behringer unit that replicates the iconic Shin-Ei Uni-Vibe pedal. A shocking find for any guitarist or pedal enthusiast!

00:00 start
00:13 Intro & Preamble
03:07 Unboxing
04:20 Controls
06:03 Inside the unit
10:06 A look at Dunlop
11:17 Look at River-Rat
12:54 Hendrix & more
14:01 External pedal
14:56 Summing up
16:32 Warranty
17:00 The score
18:31 Tone intro
19:30 Tone examples

Links:

From Andertons: andertons.co.uk/behringer-69-vibe--vintage-69s-vibe-pedal-with-footswitchable-modes-onboard-speed-control--dual-inputs

My review of the Dunlop UniVibe: youtu.be/qmeja2i5Snc?si=HRu-ucxd6FLdl3TE
And there are many more brands of amps on my channel at youtube.com/tonymckenziecom
My website has hundreds of reviews of guitar gear: tonymckenzie.com

Hendrix and the Shin Ei UniVibe are forever linked in history and particularly with the Band of Gypsies 'Machine Gun'. If you look for a real Shin Ei UniVibe they sell for thousands so maybe not look for one!

But Behringer, often seen as a low cost 'budget' brand where I come from has created a 69 Vibe pedal that bucks the trend. I have used many different UniVibe pedals over the years and there are lots of differences, but this one sounds like a winner.

In this close up inside and out review of the 69 Vibe I also show a couple of other UniVibe pedals - the Dunlop that is now discontinued as it cost more to make than to sell! and another from River-Rat that is worth a look.

Both UniVibe pedals show one format internally as to how they work, but the Behringer in this case uses a different idea to get the result - and from what I have seen it works really well.

I also show all controls, and even show a control pedal that you can buy cheaply from another company that works well.

You can even buy this 69 Vibe pedal for as low as £49.00 in the UK - I show a link to Andertons but its available from most music stores. It's going to be a big seller!

Even the casing of the 69 Vibe is metal and so strong... and I guarantee that if you watch this review that you will learn something (If only how not to play a Strat :)

This is a completely not sponsored review inside and out and this really is a REAL REVIEW - there's none of those shenanigans where the words are not mine!

PLEASE do subscribe to my channel on YouTube https:/youtube.com/tonymckenziecom and if you want to see other reviews not on YouTube then visit tonymckenzie.com

(c) A B Mckenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights reserved

#univibe #behringer #hendrix #shinei #tonymckenzie #tonymckenziecom #choruspedal #guitarpedal #riverrat #chorus

Make your tube amp sound and feel better than any simulator!

tonymckenziecom 2025-04-19 | Make your tube amp sound and feel better than any simulator out there. The Boss tube amp expander core is set to give you peace at low volumes with a tube amp, but at the same time introducing real tube amp feel and tones that you can't get from simulators.

00:00 start
00:13 Intro & Preamble
03:55 Inside the TAE Core
09:07 Front controls
14:06 Rear I/O
20:23 Power supply
21:30 Speaker cable
22:50 The manual
24:19 MIDI pedal
24:49 Specifications
26:01 Software
37:28 Phone Application
39:09 System on a chip
39:55 Overall score
43:00 Warranty
43:32 Summing up
48:20 Audio demo

Links:

My original review of the TAE: youtu.be/y5KBUgkx4KM?si=CnmIqm_Qbgcr40RD

My build of the Ceriatone Train Wreck Expression: youtu.be/UnzX7MWFD7Q?si=EqgK9fMpzbtv8Tqy

Ceriatone Chupacabra Review: youtu.be/7tL7IiosMK4

Ceriatone Centaura Klon Clone Review: youtu.be/zP6VPbNq-YU

And there are many more brands of amps on my channel at youtube.com/tonymckenziecom

My website has hundreds of reviews of guitar gear: tonymckenzie.com

It's been said many times on YouTube that amp simulators just don't have the 'feel' that a real tube amp does. But there are many protagonists that will tell you that amplifier simulators are now caught up with those 'old' tube amps and that comparison is pointless. But hold on and step back for a moment. If that was the case, companies like Friedman, Marshall, Diezel, Mezzabarba and so many other tube amp makers would have long ago gone out of business? Right? But there they are, still going.

So is there really any truth in that comment that many guy's say that 'amp simulators' just don't have the 'feel' that real tube amps or amplifiers do? Well I have used countless amp simulators from every brand (nearly) out there over very many years and I do think there is truth in the statement. How much truth? Well I guess like most things, its all subjective really.

But you have to crank that tube amp right up to get that feel and tone (listen to Hendrix back at Woodstock in 69 with that star spangled banner rendition and there is no way you can do that with an amp simulator - at least I have never heard anyone come even close. Period. The sounds are very specific coming from that Marshall rig clearly from those cranked tube amps and the feel, well I guess that you CAN feel it even though you're not playing the piece and are not there. Its pretty unique in the history of guitar. But of course today they would NEVER let a guitar amplifier rig like that be played at those volumes.

So as I own a Tube Amp Expander from a few years back, when Boss (or Roland) released the TAE Core unit I bought one immediately. In fact, I just actually sent a Two Notes unit (just released) back to Andertons because I think the Boss TAE Core will sell far more units approaching half the price of the two-notes V2 unit. I actually bought this TAE Core personally and this is in no way a sponsored review. So you get a genuine and unique overview of the TAE Core in a way that NO ONE ever shows you. Its not 'just' an amp attenuator by far.

My opinion can be trusted to be genuine from start to finish. By the way I did suggest that the TAE Core has 100 Watts output and that is incorrect - its actually 30 Watts output and that DOES matter. My apologies for that mistake.

Watch this video and see exactly what you get with the TAE Core - I include the hardware, front and rear I/O and controls, the software, the phone app and sum up what I found for the TAE Core. Is it worth the £600 that it costs? Well you'll have to watch the video to find that out!

(c) A B Mckenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights reserved

#boss #roland #tae #tubeamplifier #tonymckenzie #tonymckenziecom #reactive #tubeamp #guitaramp #ampsimulator #ampsim #guitaramplifier

The Most Underrated Guitar Accessory You Need RIGHT NOW

tonymckenziecom 2025-04-14 | I tried hard to drop this diamond pick but I just could not let it go. So I chose a rock metal track and played the hell out of it. Find out how it fared in this no holds barred closeup review.

00:00 Start
00:13 Intro and Preamble
02:12 What's so special
03:27 First look at picks
04:07 What's the cost
05:31 A closer look
06:53 Summing up
09:03 About the Played track
09:20 Lightpipe AI
11:25 The Rock Demo

Links

Visit Patoma Music Website: patomamusic.com

Buy the Eniac Album: amazon.co.uk/Lightpipe-Ai/dp/B002IU5Z9Q

Visit my website: tonymckenzie.com

Well Patoma Music sent me an email telling me that they had a diamond pick for guitar that you won't drop while playing. So me being me, I told them to send me one so I could try it - I was intrigued. I have had many over the years tell me they have the 'perfect' pick but sadly most are just a bit better than a standard pick. One pick someone sent that I tried some years back was transparent material and once you put it down you could not find it again! But these Patoma picks with a commercial diamond embedded on the surface are different.

I do know they spent some time patenting the pick and the process and anyone doing that clearly is on to something. And its a design I had never heard of so what was there to lose?

Patoma are based in New Jersey in the good old USA and they tell me they take time in making the pack individually one at a time, and I guess with the cost of the diamond coating these would be expensive... but no they are not... from around just $10.00 and low shipping costs even for around the world - you SHOULD try at least one!

While these two picks were sent free for review, honestly I really did try and drop them by playing one of my very lively tracks - Lightpipe AI from my Eniac album back in 2007 - you can buy it or stream it still from most online sellers.

So that's the story, check the review out and try and get the pick yourself if only one... really worth it!

(c) 2009-2025 A B Mckenzie and tonymckenzie.com. All rights reserved
All Trade Marks Acknowledged

#patomapicks #tonymckenzie #tonymckenziemarshall #tonymckenziexcom #tonymckenzie.com #diamondpick

Inside Marshalls Recording Studios with studio wizardry in action!

tonymckenziecom 2025-04-12 | Inside Marshall's recording studios where studio wizardry in action is creating music for Marshall's record label. See the equipment and listen to the technicians that operate the NEVE recording desk and all other equipment to create wonderful music. Video tour in April 2025 Part two. Part one is a factory visit to Marshall Amplification also in April 2025. This is a 4K recording.

00:00 start
00:23 Intro from Graham Cox
01:52 Studio content discussion
20:37 In the staging area

Links:

Marshall Factory Tour April 2025 Part 1: youtu.be/MEF_wDldYi4

With Phil Wells...
My August 2011 tour part one: youtu.be/WeerxAO3oRU
and part two: youtu.be/rhe7qXP08qw

Terry Marshall Interview April 2023: youtu.be/khqCZWVE7Jg

Marshall Amp Reviews by me:

Marshall YJM100 Amp Review Part One: youtu.be/--CSLX066J0
Marshall YJM100 Amp Review Part Two: youtu.be/x3Yu9ilGTvw

Marshall AFD100 Part One: youtu.be/kYkPdbG605Y
AFD100 Part Two: youtu.be/zpizMuXGS70

Marshall JVM410HJS Satriani Head review: youtu.be/va-dOzTtq3k

Marshall Custom Studio 2525H Amp Review: youtu.be/8wM3gqZbyN4

Marshall Studio JCM800 SC20 Stealth Amp Review: youtu.be/spmM0DQgDIg

Marshall Studio SV20 Snakeskin Amp Review: youtu.be/AXLpIjGPGAs

Marshall RARE JMP2100 Amp Repair & Review: youtu.be/S_F7ybniIqg

Marshall Class 5 Amp Review: youtu.be/GhhjWvkx-3U

Marshall 2555X Reissue Amp Review: youtu.be/4BO3QhLxDMk

Marshall 1959HW Hand Wired Amp Review: youtu.be/d-SFtu1mjV0

Marshall 1987X with 5881 tubes: youtu.be/GMV-yJ7vTSw

And there are many more on my channel at youtube.com/tonymckenziecom

Lastly visit tonymckenzie.com for much more reviews not found on my YouTube channel.

As part of a recent tour in April 3rd 2025 I visited the Marshall record company and Marshall recording studio. No some people have no idea that Marshall Amplification is involved in record companies and recording studios with high quality equipment including a NEVE desk. The boys tell you all about the NEVE mixing desk and its build and much more like Dante and other technologies. But they are all about much more than just some recording desk.

The facilities are excellent and as you might guess the technology included is really in many respects a hybrid between pure analogue and more recent digital equipment sort of crow barred in to create seamless results. Indeed as you will see in this short video you can see the current things being worked on and 'Olly' (I think he's named) covered a load of useful insights along with another colleague that was present (sadly I forgot his name) and between them offered some really great info about the Marshall Recording facility at the Marshall Factory based in Milton Keynes in the United Kingdom.

I did wander around the actual recording area after being in the control room and showed some of the amps and other equipment they have including a piano once owned by George Michael.

This is NOT a sponsored video in any way and I do not gain from Marshall for making this video which is entirely my own work. So PLEASE do subscribe do that thumbs up and ring the bell as it helps the channel stay here... this was a day recording after about an hour trip each way.

And thanks for watching.

(c) A B Mckenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights reserved

#marshall #studios #tonymckenzie #tonymckenziecom #marshallamps #marshallamp #recordcompany #tubeamp #recordingstudios #neve

I built a Train Wreck Amp: is it a trainwreck or a tone monster?

tonymckenziecom 2025-04-06 | I built a Train Wreck Amp: is it a train wreck or a tone monster? A legendary design Express from Ken Fischer. Here I show you how I built this Ceriatone Expression all access tube amplifier train wreck and what the results really sound like.

00:00 start
00:13 Intro & Preamble
01:09 Train Wreck Info
08:13 Why make this amp?
10:51 Start of build
11:36 What's in my kit
12:35 Chassis overview
13:45 Transformers
15:15 Face plates
15:43 Start chassis build
16:00 First Tip
18:08 Fitting hardware
22:35 Fit grounds & sockets
23:50 Chassis variation
24:27 Tube sockets
25:18 Hardware complete
26:42 Second Build Tip
29:07 PART TWO - Boards
29:15 Build Tips
30:57 Board for Loop
33:23 Power & Relay boards
34:50 The Main Board
36:51 Catch up so far
37:50 Board Jump Wires
40:37 Front control knobs
41:34 Chassis & Board Wiring
42:13 Heater Wiring
44:14 Other wiring
45:23 Another Tip
46:03 More Chassis Wiring
46:45 Mod Heater Wiring
48:59 OT Wiring
50:33 Catch up: Chassis
53:34 Tip No 4
55:27 Main board in place
58:32 Completed assembly
01:00:09 Effects Loop Wiring
01:03:59 Chassis Top View
01:05:36 Front Controls
01:07:33 PART THREE - Amp cost
01:08:58 Amp Testing
01:13:17 Final Problems
01:14:46 Last Problem!
01:16:48 Summing up
01:21:26 Amp Tone Examples
01:29:35 Demo Rock Track

Links:
Ceriatone website: Https://ceriatone.com

My original series of Ceriatone Dumble HRM Builds:
Part 1: youtu.be/Yi8QEtdAqVY
Part 2: youtu.be/TyrRw6BWRVg
Part 3: youtu.be/43Q2FESjc7k
Part 4: youtu.be/X0MqVH2ADyo
Part 5: youtu.be/MLKG_8flsdA
Part 6: youtu.be/1kltI8kTEQU
Part 7: youtu.be/0Glfv9kBt0w
Part 8: youtu.be/VuLtvcA6eWY

Separate video of the final Dumble HRM amp: youtu.be/kPF6cUNW9Iw

My Ceriatone Chupacabra Review: youtu.be/7tL7IiosMK4

My Ceriatone Centaura Klon Clone Review: youtu.be/zP6VPbNq-YU

Check out Noisy Hammer (Case Maker): noisyhammer.com

And there are many more brands of amps on my channel at youtube.com/tonymckenziecom on my YouTube channel

My website has hundreds of reviews of guitar gear: tonymckenzie.com too.

The Train Wreck amps originally made by Ken Fisher (Ken Fischer) are legendary, but there is only one problem. Ken passed away some years back and he only made around 70 to 100 amps or so they say. Buy an original Train Wreck amp can cost you many tens of thousands of pounds (or dollars) and so it's generally out of the question for most guitarists and hobbyists.

So Ceriatone, a company from Malaysia has created a 'clone' of many Train Wreck amps - and this is their version of the Express - but now called Expression and with added features updating the amp to am 'all access' model. It is a wonderful project for anyone to make, but Ceriatone (pronounced 'cherryatone') can build the amp for you. But I wanted a project that was harder than some amps and I chose this amp - and hopefully my build will not be a train wreck! After all I'm just like most guitarists and am not particularly qualified as an electronics engineer, but I have had some practice.

So I bought the train wreck amp kit from Ceriatone and 'Nik' the owner promised to help me if I 'got stuck' along the way. Indeed Nik was frankly the best feature you could wish for! The Ceriatone support is honestly rated at a 10/10 and is recommended.

So on to the Train Wreck amp build. I try very hard to show what my experience was AND offer advice and help if I can to anyone that wants to build one of these amps. It's not the easiest project - but well worth the effort when completed - and you will learn so much (as indeed I did).

Nik at Ceriatone did a brilliant job and his support can't be bettered. Thanks Nik.

This is not a sponsored video and the opinions are entirely my own. The amp is NOT a Marshall JTM45 or even like a Plexi, it differs greatly from the overtone Dumble HRM special I built years back, but I guess does have some aspects of the Chupacabra amp from Ceriatone. But you can see a great demo and review of this train wreck expression all access amp right here.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights reserved

#trainwreck #express #kenfisher # kenficher #ceriatone #tubeamplifier #tubeamp #tonymckenzie #tonymckenziecom #liverpoolamp #rocketamp #amplifier #guitarist

Inside The Secret Marshall Amp Factory Where Guitar Magic Happens!

tonymckenziecom 2025-04-04 | Inside the Marshall amp factory where guitar magic happens - the secret's out, and if you have never seen the factory before then you're in for a great visit. Taken around by Graham Cox and associates see the secret hideout yourself!

00:00 start
00:23 Intro from Graham Cox
00:55 Zak Wylde Amp and Guitar
01:39 Marshalls No 1 Amp
01:50 Chassis close up
02:21 Marshall modified amps
02:50 Natal Drums
03:14 Engineering Dept
03:21 Dave Mustaine Amp
04:20 Making the chassis
10:24 Jeff Becks Amp
10:56 Final inspection area
12:30 1987X reissue amp
13:21 Damon Wilson Electronics
14:03 Assembly lines
14:55 Flow soldering boards
17:12 Hand wired amps
18:06 Std & hand wired Amps
18:50 Finishing Dept
23:12 Custom designs
24:09 Covering Dept
25:18 Glue process
29:16 Chris Saunders Training
30:03 Making the cabinets
35:41 Jim at work!
36:38 Wood Mill Dept
37:33 Finger jointing wood
38:36 Pressing glue cabs
42:02 Making baffles
43:50 Sanding bay by hand
44:51 Kerry King Slayer Amp
45:47 Jaguar amp
47:11 Slash amp
47:49 About Part 2 Studio

Links:

Part 2 - The recording studio is here: youtu.be/JaXeca_9VY4

With Phil Wells...
My August 2011 tour part one: youtu.be/WeerxAO3oRU
and part two: youtu.be/rhe7qXP08qw

Terry Marshall Interview April 2023: youtu.be/khqCZWVE7Jg

Marshall Amp Reviews by me:

Marshall YJM100 Amp Review Part One: youtu.be/--CSLX066J0
Marshall YJM100 Amp Review Part Two: youtu.be/x3Yu9ilGTvw

Marshall AFD100 Part One: youtu.be/kYkPdbG605Y
AFD100 Part Two: youtu.be/zpizMuXGS70

Marshall JVM410HJS Satriani Head review: youtu.be/va-dOzTtq3k

Marshall Custom Studio 2525H Amp Review: youtu.be/8wM3gqZbyN4

Marshall Studio JCM800 SC20 Stealth Amp Review: youtu.be/spmM0DQgDIg

Marshall Studio SV20 Snakeskin Amp Review: youtu.be/AXLpIjGPGAs

Marshall RARE JMP2100 Amp Repair & Review: youtu.be/S_F7ybniIqg

Marshall Class 5 Amp Review: youtu.be/GhhjWvkx-3U

Marshall 2555X Reissue Amp Review: youtu.be/4BO3QhLxDMk

Marshall 1959HW Hand Wired Amp Review: youtu.be/d-SFtu1mjV0

Marshall 1987X with 5881 tubes: youtu.be/GMV-yJ7vTSw

And there are many more on my channel at youtube.com/tonymckenziecom

It has been a couple of years since I last visited Marshall Amplification back in May 2023 and much has changed. Marshall partnered with a Bluetooth company back then, but recently now has far eastern investors from what I understand. Hopefully Marshall will innovate both in the tube amp area of the business and maybe even the simulators market that has become prevalent over recent times.

In any case this video visit of the factory in Milton Keynes shows a lot of the things that go in to making these great amps that some people may not be familiar with. Throughout the video there are artist amps many close up and always worth a look - see Dave Mustaine making his own cab!

Graham Cox Production Manager and his colleagues take us through the factory from start to finish and he did a great job.

We saw super lead amps, Marshall 19509 HW amps, Marshall 1959 Hendrix, Marshall modified amps, a great Marshall amplification factory tour in 2025 and let's hope there will be many more.

There are a few more images of the Marshall No 1 amp close up. And look for the Marshall 20 watt studio series including the plexi, the silver jubilee, the 800 series and more - even 1960a and b cabs with Celestion speakers of course.

Marshall remains the king of the tube amps out there - a great price for a brilliant amp that rarely fail in my experience.

There is a PART 2 where we take a look at the Marshall recording studio and their equipment - interesting for sure and you might just learn something if you listen carefully.

All in all a great day at Marshall and I want to thank Graham Cox and his team for doing a great job.

(c) A B Mckenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights reserved

#marshall #factorytour #tonymckenzie #tonymckenziecom #marshallamps #marshallamp #tubeamplifier #tubeamp #jeffbeck #davemustaine #kerryking #slash

I Tried the Fender Tone Monster Pro and the Tone is INSANE

tonymckenziecom 2025-03-09 | I tried the Fender Tone Monster Pro and its turned out to be a real Monster for Tone - clearly a Master Pro - its insane! I used Firmware 1.5.5 and it changed everything for the better on this guitar effects simulator. Here's exactly what I found...

00:00 Start
00:13 Intro and Preamble
02:05 Screen Stand
05:31 The TMP Intro
07:37 Top Controls
12:28 Rear I/O
15:02 A Warning
17:40 Expression Tip
19:47 Firmware Button
21:13 My Firmware Version
22:19 Screen Graphics
25:22 Summary so Far
26:48 New Score
28:51 Alan Bruce Unchain Ed
33:28 Tony - Unchain Ed
40:17 Alan Wrecked OH
42:35 Tony - Starfall
44:72 Alan - Fascinating Cure
47:26 Tony - Malachi Crunch

Links:

Original Tone Master Pro review:

Back in October 2023 I bought the Tone Master Pro made by Fender firstly to review, but I was also curious as to how good this amp simulator with effects would be... there was a lot of hype going on at the time. It seemed to me that everyone and their dog had one on the day of release and I was waiting for some time - basically because I bought one through a music shop. Those reviews appeared and everyone said 'this is brilliant, great, wonderful... well you add further to that if you want. So I became skeptical even before I had it in my hands!

When it arrived I wanted to 'dive in' and that's exactly what I did, making a review video as I proceeded, but you know what, the unit was not that great. I could tell immediately on plugging in that it had been hurriedly released, and the operation of the nit was not that great. I also tried very hard to show the processor - which in itself had been hyped as the 'most powerful' processor out there for this type of gear, but I could not remove the heat sink. To this day 18 months later I still have yet to see a single image of the processor used in this unit.

Overall back in October 2023 it was not really very dynamic and to be honest I finished the shorter than average review early and decided it was a simulator in progress! It should not have been released at the time.

But move on to today in March 2025 and things are different. There was a firmware update some time in February 2025 and that changed it all. The Tone Master Pro had become a 'Tone MONSTER Pro' with that 1.5.5 firmware update and there was much more to see (and hear) from that horrible view back in October 2023.

So I decided to revisit the Tone Master Pro and here is the video.

I created 6 tracks, 3 played by Alan Bruce and 3 by myself as follows:

1: 28:51 Alan Bruce - Unchain Ed - Ibanez RG550LTD Japanese
2: 33:28 Tony Mckenzie - Unchain Ed - Tokai Les Paul Japanese
3: 40:17 Alan Bruce - Wrecked OH - Ibanez RG550LTD Japanese
4: 42:35 Tony Mckenzie - Starfall - Fender Jeff Beck Stratocaster
5: 44:72 Alan Bruce - Fascinating Cure - Ibanez RG550LTD Japanese
6: 47:26 Tony Mckenzie - Malachi Crunch - Fender Jeff Beck Stratocaster

The Tone Master Pro was connected directly to the Presonus desk and recording was with Studio One Version 7. The tones recorded are as they came from the Fender Tone Master Pro in stereo.

The overall view is the Tone Master Pro is now worthy to be called a Fender!

Sincerely I hope you like the video.

This is an un-sponsored video and has NOTHING to do with Fender FMIC. I bought the unit myself.

Thanks for watching this video as they do take me some time to complete with sometimes long hours involved.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the tings in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#fender #tonemasterpro #simulator #ampsimulator #ampsim
#tonymckenzie #guitar #tokai #ibanez #stratocasterguitar #jeffbeck #review #marshall

I Spent Weeks Modifying My Guitar Amp For BETTER Tones

tonymckenziecom 2025-03-01 | I spent weeks modifying my guitar amp for BETTER tones. It turned this Marshall Origin 20 tube amp in to a monster using the Headfirst Sirius Amps replacement board. Here's exactly how I did it.

00:00 Start
00:13 Intro and Preamble
01:56 The Donor Amp
03:38 The Sirius Board
05:23 Parts and Price
07:17 Assembly what you need
07:59 Starting Out
08:46 Just for You
09:47 Originated Problem
10:05 Help from You
10:41 Start Simple
12:09 Important Point
14:47 Resistors & PCB
15:51 Fitting Capacitors
17:14 Caps Fitted
19:18 Spade Connectors
19:53 De-soldering Tool
20:52 Multi-pin Sockets
22:04 Wait for Parts
24:45 Closeup of PCB
25:18 Problems So Far
29:20 Control Panel
31:15 Nearly Complete PCB
32:16 More Procedures
33:26 No Standby?
34:07 Crazy Mistake
36:54 Unsolder Tool
37:33 Other Problems
38:28 Spade Info
40:51 9 Pin Sockets
41:22 No Power Control
43:47 Help Me!
44:39 Fit the PCB's
45:33 Front Controls
45:53 Knobs
46:24 EL34 Sockets
46:47 Socket Alignment
47:16 Initial Fit
47:42 Anomalies
49:38 Must Variac
52:23 Test Meter
53:38 Ready to Rock?
55:05 Solving Problems
58:40 Does it Work?
59:26 Test with a Dummy?
1:02:07 Problems Revisited
1:16:20 Last Fixes Standby
1:18:21 Lamp
1:19:18 Score
1:20:47 Re-cased
1:24:06 Plugged in
1:27:58 Played

My website: tonymckenzie.com
Headfirst Amps Website: headfirstamps.com
Evolve DIY Amp PCB's etc: evolvediy.com
Sirius Amps: https://siriusamplification.com.au/
Marshall website: marshall.com
My original Marshall Factory Tour: youtu.be/WeerxAO3oRU?si=fRcaJEukPEp1DSEk part 1
My original Marshall Factory Tour: youtu.be/rhe7qXP08qw?si=97YOTSB_UyYNmWBF part 2

The BOM is not necessary as they made a new one!

The Marshall Origin 20 amp is made in Vietnam. Let's say it's not quite one of the most modern amps out there, but in my opinion it is very price conscious and can be bought for around £400 or less in the UK. Its a perfect vehicle for modifying and I guess Head First Amps and Sirius Amps had a great idea.

I saw the Sirius PCB being shown by Headfirst and ordered one as I like messing about with tube amps off and on. I think it would make a great project - and that's how it all turned out. I made various mistakes but the first Bill of Materials (BOM) did not help me. But I blundered on with it all and the BOM did cost me extra money overall.

In this video I show you how I completed the project and ended up with a working modified Marshall Origin 20 amp. The finished version is a real monster for sure and if you play rock its a great amp. There 'might' be some clean in there :)

So if you are wanting to either just watch the video and my antics (it IS educational) and the problems I created and fixed :) through the build then this video is likely for you. And even if you have 'no clue' about tube amps I hopefully take you through this build just as any 'ordinary' guy would, as opposed to those 'techies' approach. And I think that for ordinary guitarists with a little bit of soldering experience the project is not beyond the abilities of many - just heed the safety points I raise - and I AM NOT TELLING YOU THAT YOU CAN DO THIS. But I found it really educational and the result is ultimately that it worked! The finished amp can sound great as my cleaner style in my track shows, and Alan Bruce played heavier stuff.

Sincerely I hope you like the video.

This is a completely un-sponsored video and I bought every last Item myself - what you see could be you! And you could end up with an even better amp. But be warned if you neither have the tools or know how I recommend you don't do it! But I prove it IS possible.

I want to thank the guy at Sirius (Alex) that helped me find the reversed multi-pin connectors I mistakenly fitted the wrong way around.

The audio I played has really brilliant tone quality to that laid back track at 01:28:00 or thereabouts and Alan Bruce shows a more Metal track shows some metal tones at 1:30:20
I really liked the laid back tone - check it out.

I will be posting a few things here later maybe or not.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the tings in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#marshall #origin20 #guitaramp #guitaramps #guitaramplifier #headfirstamps #siriusamps #tonymckenzie #tubeamplifier #tubeamp #headfirst #guitaramplifier #marshalltubeamp #review #mods

My New Secret Weapon For Perfect Guitar Tone

tonymckenziecom 2025-02-17 | New Secret Weapon: Boss VG-800 V-Guitar Processor Pedal Inside Out Review:

Contents:

0:00 Start
0:13 Intro and Preamble
1:04 History V-Guitar
2:33 Unboxing
3:41 Inside the VG-800
9:25 Top Controls
12:40 Side I/O
13:44 Rear I/O
15:47 Opinion so far
17:21 Important
18:34 More on VG-99
22:07 Software: Tone Studio
28:01 Tone Exchange
28:47 IR Loader
39:51 More Tone Exchange
43:29 Short Specs
44:44 Accessories
45:24 Overpriced Cables
47:28 Presentation
48:25 Pricing
49:13 Warranty
50:16 About GK-3 GKC-AD
53:56 Summing up
56:05 VG-800 & GM-800
57:13 Add Effects?
59:14 Chips Inside
1:03:33 Likes & Dislikes
1:06:57 Score
1:07:43 Preset Examples

A comprehensive look at the V-Guitar capabilities of the Boss VG-800, featuring detailed analysis of its amp effects and modeler technology and boss tone studio integration. This guitar synthesizer multi effects pedal demonstrates impressive versatility through its extensive guitar presets and library, while the boss multi layered fx interface remains intuitive and user-friendly. Inside and out review showing build quality, warranty details, and real-world performance preset testing.

As I see more and more of the Roland pedals in this format, I started to see less editing for some of them. For example the GM-800 actually you can't create new sounds in the Tone Studio - you have to buy (or rent effectively) online software to do that.

I noticed in the VG-800 that while I could change effects that are there in the audio pipeline, that (it seems) I could not go and add extra ones... that might be just me missing something or not. But don't let it put you off the VG-800 as for the V-Guitar system its pretty cool.

I did take a really close look inside and as you will see the hardware is impeccably built and finished off really well - in fact its as good as it gets re quality hardware from what I see compared to the very many other units I have reviewed since 2009. Its perfect! And of course I do cover the chips used at least a little in this video but as the Roland BMC chip is in there its hardly listing the chip and specs sadly. Thank Roland Boss for that.

The I/O is also pretty good, but lacks full MIDI ports or an mechanical on or off button. Strangely the older VG-99 had that. In spades!

So is this VG-800 V Guitar effects processor really worth a go? Well at £600.00 (maybe $700) its not a cheap device. And then you need the GK-5 also expensive. If you already have the GK-3 you'll be dragged in with an accessory box costing £170+ just to interface the GK-3. And lets not 'forget' the awkwardly expensive GK cable at about £30.00 or so.

The Tone Studio is sluggish. The Tone Exchange is reasonable for a launch device from Boss. There is a lot to learn and my opinions are shown throughout this long video because there is nothing like hands on when you are looking to buy... those paid reviews NEVER show you what's really going on do they?

Playing at the end of the video is purely example presets without a single change from factory - so YOU make up your mind about those. They were interesting and there are plenty more in the unit.

I purchased the Boss VG-800 with my own money and the review is entirely financed by me. The review is unbiased and in my opinion shows what you really get.

Direct recorded in to my recording desk. Bought from Andertons because they had it first.

Links to my other reviews:

GM-800 & SY-1000 Synth Unit review: youtu.be/XI4EozCQYbc
GK-5 Review: youtu.be/_LwWgU8SubM
GK-3 pickup fitting: youtu.be/XUPwYIy65lY
GK-3 KIT Fitting Review: youtu.be/lrzya1Fu8_M
Guitar Effects Units Reviewed: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6E22694F35860D41
How to Videos for guitarists: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2HoYOlX1LUIVsZy9jO649CaD7HUHGfDw
Reviews of fine electric guitars: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEECCBA95315E63B6
GX-100 Effects Unit review: youtu.be/yeNSRYmm_rE

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP - AND CHOOSE THE 'ALL' BUTTON (or you won't receive notifications about new reviews!) to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel where there are literally hundreds of reviews to watch.

#boss #bosseffects #vg-800 #v-guitar #vg-800review #tonymckenzie #review #reviews #v-guitarsystem #roland #tonymckenziecom #gm800 #guitarsynth

Mind Blowing Guitar Tech That Will Change How You Play Forever

tonymckenziecom 2025-02-08 | Mind blowing Universal Audio ANTI 1992 and the guitar tech inside claims to sound perfect from the pre-sets! But will the technology in this pedal REALLY make it sound like a Peavey 5150 tube amp in a full tilt simulation? Find out in this close up review. 4K

00:00 Start
00:13 Intro and preamble
00:58 Intro to ANTI 1992
01:49 Unboxing the pedal
02:52 Inside the ANTI
05:14 Closeup of the PCB
07:23 Secondary control board
08:03 Top controls
10:48 Rear I/O
13:12 Interesting stuff
13:45 The price
15:33 Warranty
16:30 Main features
19:10 USB type C
19:38 Cabs & speakers
20:13 The phone app
22:14 Firmware
22:37 Factory pre-sets
24:27 All about tones
26:22 Chips inside
31:23 Summing up
34:54 Worth the money?
36:59 Audio examples
37:23 Track 1
38:52 Track 2
40:46 Track 3
42:36 Track 4

Links to my other reviews:

Universal Audio Dream 65 review: youtu.be/ty2DkywjIw0

Universal Audio Ruby 63 review: youtu.be/M6yLmiXc_mM

Guitar Effects Units Reviewed: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6E22694F35860D41

In June 2022 I reviewed inside and out firstly a Universal Audio UA dream 65 amp simulator pedal that at the time was quite impressive in the way it was built. Later within weeks I also reviewed the Universal Audio UA FX Ruby 63 amp simulator pedal. There are links above to the reviews for anyone interested.

Later UA introduced this FX pedal - the ANTI 1992 that is also an amp simulator pedal in a very nice red colour. Now this pedal is supposed to simulate a Peavey 5150 (probably from the 1992 vintage period as the name suggests) but is it really like the real amp? Would Eddie Van Halen chosen an ANTI 1992 against a Peavey 5150? Well, United Audio tell me that the pedal is excellent and with perfect tones ready to record direct from the ANTI 1992 itself to the studio desk. But I guess most makers would suggest that, so I decided to take a closeup of the pedal as I always tend to in my inside and out reviews. This video is the result.

Now many will know that the Peavey 5150 of 1992 was basically a 'game changer' (I hate to use those over used words) in the realms of real tube amps and I guess that's why UA chose to make this pedal along with many other models totalling 20 devices here in 2025 as follows:

* Golden Reverberator
* Starlight Echo Station
* Astra Modulation Machine
* Woodrow ‘55 Instrument Amp
* Dream ‘65 Reverb-Amp
* Ruby ‘63 Top Boost Amp
* Lion '68 Super Lead Amp
* Heavenly Plate Reverb
* Evermore Studio Reverb
* Orion Tape Echo
* Del-Verb Ambiance Companion
* Galaxy ‘74 Tape Echo & Reverb
* Max Preamp & Dual Compressor
* 1176 Studio Compressor
* Teletronix LA-2A Studio Compressor
* Flow Vintage Tremolo
* Brigade Chorus & Vibrato
* ANTI 1992 High Gain Amp
* Enigmatic '82 Overdrive Special Amplifier
* Knuckles ‘92 Dual Rec Amplifier Pedal
* OX Stomp

So it should be construed that Universal Audio are making good money from the UA FX series of amp simulators. But that is not a real indicator that the pedals are 'good' or 'bad'. So I decided to complete and inside and out closeup review showing the quality, and pedal with things like warranty, prices, any issues I found and much more. So did this pedal meet those 'it's ready to record out of the box' chiming in from UA? Find out in this incredibly close up review.

There are also FOUR audio tracks from 36:59 onward that you might want to listen to. For me, the direct to desk tones were NOT good, so I used a very good tube amp setup clean (Mezzabarba N Zero 1) and a Marshall cab with aged Celestion speakers in there and an AKG microphone to capture the real tones. The direct to desk was disappointing.

THIS IS NOT A SPONSORED REVIEW AND MY OPINIONS ARE MY OWN VIEW AS A PAYING CUSTOMER, BEING INFLUENCED BY THE MANUFACTURER BLURB AND THEN CHECKING OUT THE PRODUCT AS I FOUND IT IN REALITY IN MY RECORDING STUDIO WITH FRIENDS.

I have spent considerable time creating this video it is a completely truthful independent review - so check it out and don't just watch the sales videos from others!

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope you love the content.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#universalaudio #anti #anti1992 #pedal #peavey #5150 #tonymckenzie #musicreviews #andertons #tonymckenziecom #eddievanhalen #vanhalen #ampsim #ampsimulator

You Wont Believe What Sound Blaster G8 Can Do for Your Studio

tonymckenziecom 2025-01-01 | Can you believe Creative Labs Sound Blaster G8 really can be used for recording studios? Or is it 'just' a games audio DAC device? Find out in this inside and out review.

Contents:

0:00 Start
0:13 Intro and Preamble
0:47 About Creative Labs
2:17 Inside the G8
4:00 Top Controls
6:01 Rear I/O
6:59 HDMI Standard
7:17 About DAC's
8:07 DAC Specifications
9:12 Headphone Compatibility
10:31 X Amp Bi Amp
11:17 Internal Chips
12:45 Software Features
12:55 Crystal Voice
13:56 Scout Mode
15:07 Software in action
15:51 Playback
17:35 Recording
18:12 General Settings
19:44 Other Settings
19:56 The Mixer
20:27 Acoustic Engine
20:44 Equalizer
21:03 Crystal Voice SW
21:36 Direct Mode
21:48 Scout Mode SW
22:17 Decoder Feature
22:44 App Settings
23:53 Warranty
24:17 What's it Cost
24:36 Conclusions
27:35 Overall Score

Links to my other reviews:
Creative X4 Super-Fi review: youtu.be/J7e7FY7cmNY
Creative Sound Blaster X5 review: youtu.be/iszHalLHh9k

The Creative Labs Sound Blaster G8 is a new device from Creative that while it is generally designed for playing computer or console games as an enhancer for I/O and audio, can also be used effectively in the recording studio for many uses. But just how good is the Sound Blaster G8? And how well is it actually made - could it really be a useful device for audio recording and maybe even movie audio? Find out in this no holds barred review.

It might be true that if you play games on consoles etc. that the Creative Labs Sound Blaster G8 is really a perfect device for your pastime, and that it will dramatically enhance your audio with stereo, 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound and I can confirm that having tried it on my XBOX that the enhancement is truly spectacular.

But just as that audio is great for the games, I started to think if the Sound Blaster G8 could be used in my recording studio - and you know what, I think it can.

So I offer info about Creative Labs, I show the device both inside and out, I discuss the chips used, the specifications and all the I/O included on the unit from the point of view of a recording studio. Then I take viewers through the included application (downloadable from Creative Labs) and discuss the various features. Later I offer some basic information an discuss the warranty included that is actually two years.

Lastly I offer some conclusions and give an overall score to the G8 from Sound Blaster.

There is no playing in this review as I really wanted to show the G8 device as it really is.

This G8 was sent to me to review (I have reviewed at least two other units over a few years) and while the unit did not cost me to receive, factually this review is entirely truthful and does NOT include any bias for or against the G8 under review.

I have spent considerable time creating this video.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP - AND CHOOSE THE 'ALL' BUTTON (or you won't receive notifications about new reviews!) to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable as well as educational...

(c) A B McKenzie and http://www.tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit http://www.tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel where there are literally hundreds of reviews to watch.

#creativelab #soundblaster #soundblasterg8 #soundblaster16 #audiodac #tonymckenzie #reviews #reviews #audiodac #tonymckenziecom

My 2 Week Experiment with the Boss GX-10 Tone Changed Everything

tonymckenziecom 2024-12-29 | My 2 week experiment with the Boss GX-10 and the tone changed everything - my oh my... So is the Boss GX-10 the same as the GX-100? I looked close - really close! An in depth review with playing.

0:00 Start
0:13 Intro and Preamble
0:49 Inside the box
1:26 What we cover
2:28 Inside the GX-10
5:45 Rear I/O
7:53 Top overview
9:36 First turn on
10:39 Screen & Menus
14:55 General Points so far
15:45 Processor and Chips
19:35 GX-10 Specifications
22:22 Bluetooth adapter
23:43 BT Switcher Pedal
24:54 Firmware and software
25:25 Tone Studio
34:35 General Thoughts
36:23 Likes & Dislikes
38:24 Warranty
38:44 Summing up
39:44 Overall score
40:56 GX-10 played... jam

Links to my other reviews:

GX-100 Effects Unit review: youtu.be/yeNSRYmm_rE

Guitar Effects Units Reviewed: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6E22694F35860D41

How to Videos for guitarists: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2HoYOlX1LUIVsZy9jO649CaD7HUHGfDw

Reviews of fine electric guitars: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEECCBA95315E63B6

The GX-100 impressed me greatly at the time and so is the GX-10 a 'cut back' version of the GX-100? And does the hardware have the power with it's processor and memory to even offer anything like the GX-100? These are all questions that should be answered in ANY review and so I do just that - and show and answer a load more too.

Of course the GX-10 is superb value for money, but there are some things missing, like the Bluetooth option and that sort of thing. And can you really handle this powerful Boss GX-10 with just three switches when on-stage?

In this video review I show you the GX-10 unboxing, the inside of the unit and discuss the overall quality, I show the I/O at the back of the effects unit and pedal, I confirm the legal standards, I show the overall operation from above and close up - then move on to the software.

I do show the Tone Studio editor/librarian and connect to tone central to download some pre-sets or 'live sets' if you prefer. Lastly I cover the IR software and show it in use - although that is pretty basic.

The playing is really just an example of tone and there is so much more inside this effects processor or modeler as some call them.

I purchased the GX-10 with my own money and the review is entirely financed by me for your pleasure. The review is unbiased and in my opinion shows a good representation of what you get.

NOTE: I did not use ANY amplifier for the playing - it was all direct from the GX-10 from the stereo out... direct in to my recording desk.

I have spent considerable time creating this video entirely at my own expense. Its better than many other units out there for sure. Bought from Gear4music and not Andertons.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP - AND CHOOSE THE 'ALL' BUTTON (or you won't receive notifications about new reviews!) to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit http://www.tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel where there are literally hundreds of reviews to watch.

#bossgx10 #bossgx100 #bosseffects #bossgx #gx10review #bosspedal #tonymckenzie #tonymckenzie.com #tonymckenzieofficial #insideandoutreviews #roland #boss

I Discovered the SECRET to a Flawless Wood Finish in 20 Minutes

tonymckenziecom 2024-12-28 | I discovered the secret to a FLAWLESS wood finish in just 20 minutes with Howard Feed-N-Wax a beeswax polish plus wood conditioner.

Contents:

0:00 Start
0:14 Intro & preamble
2:01 Feed-N-Wax intro
2:40 Applying the wax
3:43 Better than just wax?
4:00 Read the instructions!
4:13 Wait 20 minutes and wipe
4:50 The results...
5:01 My thoughts
6:01 Can buy on Amazon

Is it really possible to get a perfectly flawless wood finish with Howard Feed-N-Wax conditioner in just 20 minutes or so? Should you use specialized waxes or any specific wax to get your wood guitar, amp or furniture properly protected? And is it all safe for the wood finish?

In this video I show the Feed-N-Wax conditioner preparation that can really protect wood from all sorts of issues and I used it on a wooden amp cab - it looks great and I did it in just 20 minutes! While I had (and show) Noisy Hammer Beeswax polish and I had previously tried that (as supplied with the amp case) it was not really working for me.

I was advised about this preparation by @humblegeorge and he was telling me how brilliant it actually was for the back of his guitar necks and some wood bodies etc. that he had and you know what - he's right! And its brilliant on furniture - I tried that too on a french polished sideboard. It really brought out the beauty of the wood which to me is so important, while at the same time protecting it.

I had not heard of Howard Feed-N-Wax before and was surprised that it was right there on Amazon in the UK. And for the price I bought the Howard Feed-N-Wax Conditioner in a 16 ounce bottle.

This is just a short video showing the feed-n-wax wood conditioner on a guitar amp but of course this type of wax including bees wax and other ingredients can be applied to every type of wood finish out there including furniture.

Thanks to @humblegeorge for his short bit about Howard feed-n-wax wood polish and conditioner and why not try it yourself...

This video is entirely not sponsored and my opinions in the video review are entirely my own. The product was purchased by me from Amazon and nothing in this video is sponsored in any way.

(c) A B Mckenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged.

Tone Up Your Guitar Game with Roland GK-3 MIDI Kit!

tonymckenziecom 2024-12-27 | Install a Roland GK-3 MIDI KIT that may tone up your guitar playing to the next level.

Contents:

0:00 Start
0:14 Intro and Preamble
1:47 Donor body
2:56 Drilling the GK-3 I/O
3:51 The GK-3 Kit
4:46 Location of GK-3 Board
6:45 GK-3 I/O Connector
7:46 Expensive body?
9:00 Main board fitted
9:18 Fit the I/O connector
10:46 The Manual
11:17 Drill Control Holes
14:24 Fit an ABM tremolo
19:35 Nitro Body Refinish
20:39 Finished guitar info
21:40 Power for GK-3?
22:06 Other power ideas
22:48 Fishman power
23:46 GK-3 Images discussed
24:48 Semi installed wiring
25:56 Pickup Wiring
26:40 GK-3 wiring to I/O
26:53 GK-3 pickup wiring hole
27:20 More on Fishman battery
28:09 GK-3 Controls
29:20 The Nitro Problem
29:47 ADVICE - GK-3 KIT
30:45 Likes and dislikes
34:33 Warranty?
34:47 Score
35:37 Is the GK-3 good value?
38:49 MIDI controls video
40:43 Guitar played

Links to my other reviews:

Guitar Synthesizers Roland Boss SY1000 & GM-800 review: youtu.be/XI4EozCQYbc

Roland Boss GK-5 easy install Reviewed: youtu.be/_LwWgU8SubM

How to Videos for guitarists: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2HoYOlX1LUIVsZy9jO649CaD7HUHGfDw

Reviews of fine electric guitars: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEECCBA95315E63B6

Now then, the GK-3 KIT for midi is a difficult unit to install. But if you're also building a guitar at the same time and you're unsure of what you're doing? Don't bother!

It's true that the GK-3 Kit includes everything you might need, but the instructions are at best pretty terrible and there is no way that someone without experience would easily complete the installation. What are Roland Boss thinking of?

There are countless issues as I show this installation - and even I stopped recording the installation as it all became harder and harder to complete. But I do show you most of the installation and I do offer many tips throughout the video so that you might persevere with the Roland GK-3 Kit install yourself.

WARNING: Whatever you do, if you're not completely confident about this install and have an expensive guitar then DON'T DO IT!

I purchased the GK-3 with my own money and the review is entirely financed by me for your pleasure. The review actually does show you some of the work and the pain and in my opinion shows a good representation of what you get and how hard it can be to complete.

NOTE: I Used (for the guitar part played) a Marshall SC-20 in to a 1 x 12 cab and microphone AKG in to the desk for that playing. The MIDI control functions were from synth to desk but are not created to show playing as such but more of the controls available on the guitar.

I have spent considerable time creating this video entirely at my own expense.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP - AND CHOOSE THE 'ALL' BUTTON (or you won't receive notifications about new reviews!) to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable.

(c) A B McKenzie and http://www.tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit http://www.tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel where there are literally hundreds of reviews to watch.

#rolandgk-3kit #rolandmidi #boss #gk3kit #installation #install #bosseffects #guitarbuild #tonymckenzie #roland #stratocaster #strat

STOP Ruining Your Guitar Sound! Tone Mistakes Youre Making

tonymckenziecom 2024-09-22 | Stop ruining your guitar sound with tone mistakes guitarists make every day. Believe it or not the guitar components are hyper critical! You have to have an idea of exactly what you want BEFORE you start to build a guitar. Then make it!

This Walnut Claro and Rosewood neck guitar build can give you unbelievable tone. The guitar is completed in this video and played in the next video. I show some of the secrets about the choice of pickups, tone woods, types of tremolo and tuners, and even a new switching unit from Obsidian Wire. And there is a special comment towards the end of the video.

What you will learn:
How to create a great guitar
Improve your tone
Is it worth doing?
How good is it?
My views on some channels
Why I really care less...
Watch the whole video to the end...

Related links:
My website: tonymckenzie.com
Body Review: youtu.be/sqPSwvvxzdc
Neck Review: youtu.be/jboiM0UuBYc
Obsidian Switcher review: youtu.be/SGNO4tfqXtA
Choosing the right pickups Review: youtu.be/ZfXW1Yvx0jE

I originally set out a number of months ago to make the Warmoth Claro Walnut guitar with its rosewood neck to be a brilliant tone guitar with many specifics to make incredible tones like no other - a tone monster in fact. Most will never show you what I do in this video. So I bought the parts, reviewed each part on my channel and then proceeded to make this video.

I don't go through each step of the build to the last degree simply because I have many videos on my channel showing the procedures. Suffice to say that I did create a great guitar.

gear in the build: Seymour Duncan custom sh-5, Seymour Duncan JB, Seymour Duncan YJM Fury (neck), Obsidian switcher, Fender locking tuners, Gotoh 510 tremolo, Rosewood neck. The neck and body are Warmoth. This is a typical Tony McKenzie review with an important message. The Marshall amps are not in this video. Distortion of the tone is high with these pickups, the Seymour Duncan YJM fury is great, as is the Seymour Duncan sh-5 which will be covered in the playing video.

Towards the end and for a while since my last post I have grown disillusioned about a number of things that I do speak about in my video so what I would say at this point is that I might make more reviews and videos covering a number of subjects, but its less possible that I will create any videos other than what equipment that I have currently and that IS intentional. I do have quite a lot of gear that I have bought for review so there will be 'some' reviews, but who knows how many.

Want to buy one of my guitars? or other reviewed products? Ask me... I am cutting it all back.

It is clear to me that taking the losses of buying the gear, losing money when I sell it and generally getting hit for tax when even no money being made has had an effect on my outlook about video review work and no doubt... I 'might' be back..

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the things in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#tonymckenzie #reviewer #secret #warmoth #seymourduncan #stratocasterguitar #obsidian #guitarbuilding #gotoh #fender #mckenzie #guitartone #guitartone

Guitar Intelligent Multi Effects with AI EQ: Does AI improve it?

tonymckenziecom 2024-08-10 | A guitar intelligent multi effects processor with AI EQ capability. Really! This intelligent multi-processor pedal is reviewed inside and out, an example AI and the result is demonstrated with a final played rock/metal jam that used a preset and sounded very good. But does AI improve the sound. 4K quality.

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:13 Intro & preamble
01:13 Unbox the GE1000
02:30 First impressions
03:07 Inside the GE1000
04:07 PCB close-up
05:28 Intro to chips used
06:38 The I/O
09:18 Top controls
12:38 Cast case
13:26 Specifications
17:51 Manual
18:39 Power supply
19:59 Turning it on
21:21 More about controls
25:02 Hardware thoughts
25:57 Processor and chips
26:57 About the AI
27:30 Software editor
34:39 F4 foot control
37:39 The AI EQ
41:30 More F4 switch
43:14 Groove station
44:39 Some conclusions
45:08 More AI EQ
46:17 Pricing
48:27 Score summing up
49:42 AI EQ method
52:27 AI demo off desk
54:01 Twin Rev Clean
54:46 SLO 100 DS
55:46 Neko Plexi Lead
56:40 Metal Jam

What you will learn:
Is AI useful for a guitarist?
Can the amp be turned off?
Is the pedal well made?
Where can I buy one?
How does the GE1000 sound??
What is the processor used?

Related links:
My website: tonymckenzie.com
MOOERaudio website: mooeraudio.com

I had heard about the GE1000 from MOOER and the AI capability in this intelligent multi-effects processor, and that piqued my mind a little to go and buy one. MOOER do make some pretty fair electric guitar effects pedals and this GE-1000 looked very good on paper for a fair price. So I ordered one and decided to review it for the benefit of other guitar players.

Right from the unboxing of the MOOER GE1000 I could tell that time had been spent on the design and once I looked inside, it's easy to see the high quality of the pedal. MOOER did a very good job. The processor and other components are not the newest or highest priced available, but I had no problems in loading up the processor and it all worked wonderfully. I also liked the investment cast case for this pedal that will protect it for years.

The screen is full colour and touch responsive, and about 5 inches in size. While there are only a few push switches on the top of the unit an up/down banks and THREE push buttons for preset choice, you can purchase an F4 secondary pedal for just £59.00 that adds 4 more switches that can be programmed as you like. This is a very comprehensive pedal for what you pay.

I did have some issues with the software - similar to what I have seen on other MOOER editing software installation. Microsoft block the app because MOOER does not register the app with Microsoft! You can override this, but MOOER did not bother to respond when I contacted them. In fact its over a week as I write without ANY response from MOOER. My advice? don't depend on MOOER for quality support. Through two reviews I have seen similar results.

The multi-effects unit otherwise totally behaved itself and I have to say that the presets that I tried were good tones and the Neko Tri Lead I used at the end for the rock/metal jam sounded very good. Note for that jam I used a different wah than the one on the unit.

Now do note that this is not a sponsored review (best way) and I did buy this GE1000 and the F4 pedal with my own money and I did not receive anything whatsoever for making this review - so what you see is totally genuine...

I do offer general info throughout the video review and I'm sure that this video would help guys to make up their own mind whether the MOOER GE1000 is for them or not. I scored the unit also in the video.

So if you're looking for a really close up view of the MOOER AI ( Mooer ge1000) pedal in this review then this is it. Go and watch the others out there if you prefer sales videos or reviews that are purely created for profit... but not always the truth.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the things in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#mooeraudio #mooerpedals #mooerge1000 #aieffects #multieffects #electricguitar #guitar #tonymckenzie #mckenzie #review #reviewer #ampsim #ampsimulator #modeler #roland #boss

A Marshall Amp Delivering Tones & Feel That Simulators Cannot

tonymckenziecom 2024-08-03 | An old vintage Marshall amp delivering tones & feel that simulators cannot whatever brand they might be. So is the KING of tube amps still the tone and feel monster it always was? Or is Marshall relegated to making Bluetooth speakers forever.

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:13 Intro & Preamble
00:30 About the amp
01:34 Transformers
03:34 Amp date
03:51 Controls and I/O
04:34 Tubes
04:59 Serial number
06:06 Inside the chassis
06:55 Closer to ST1?
08:09 Master volume mod
09:05 Biasing
10:13 Filter capacitors
10:49 Amp control pots
12:06 Real tube amp
12:50 Headfirst PCB
14:06 The EL34 problem
15:16 History of this amp
16:32 Reverb!
17:11 General conclusions
20:05 Amp case & more
22:28 Michael Schenker
23:04 Opinion
23:42 Can I buy one?
24:29 Score
27:15 Final thoughts
28:01 Playing setup
28:33 Track 1 take 1
31:17 Track 2 take 2 earphones!

What you will learn:
Is this amp different than simulator tones?
Can I still buy a new one?
Is this up to Marshall quality at this age?
How loud is the amp really?

Related links:

My website: tonymckenzie.com
A review of the JTM45 Mk II: youtu.be/MesLdo5zIDU
Marshall 1959 Hand Wired Amp Review: youtu.be/d-SFtu1mjV0
An original review of the JVM410HJS: tonymckenzie.com/marshall-jvm410hjs-satriani-review.htm
Marshall website: marshall.com
Marshall JVM410H review: tonymckenzie.com/marshall_jvm410h_review.htm
Discussion with Santiago Alvarez Designer: tonymckenzie.com/afd100_review.htm
Marshall Factory Tour 2023: youtu.be/sjMgLOlc9e4?si=-wC8I1IL7KA3icvR
My original Marshall Factory Tour: youtu.be/WeerxAO3oRU?si=fRcaJEukPEp1DSEk part one!
My original Marshall Factory Tour: youtu.be/rhe7qXP08qw?si=97YOTSB_UyYNmWBF part two!

When guys tell me that their amp simulator, capture device or any of the other digital devices sounds and feel the same as a Marshall amp honestly it can be quite laughable. There is no doubt that the simulators of tube or valve amplifiers are good, but they tend to lack in a number of areas. I have tried most of them since 2012, and I'm STILL looking for the one that can parallel this Marshall amplifier let alone be offering better tones and feel than this amp delivers.

Obviously, the protagonists of simulators, well, some are, hostile, rude, you get the idea, but facts really can be hard to beat with (from many) a less than perfect simulation of up to the 60 year old technology of tube amps.

Then we have the others... you know, the ones that make & sell copy amps of the great Marshall brand that are tweaked and those amps are sold as 'something special' or with 'improved tones and feel' that tries to 'better' what remains an ICON of the tube amp industry since 1962. Their followers often pay at least twice the price for a promise that is often never supplied or delivered, and in my case the 'better' amp I bought was returned because of bad internal work.

So, where does it leave this old 1996 Marshall amp head with what some suggest has 'the wrong tubes' fitted in it.. can't create that Marshall tone everyone has heard for so long? It leaves this amp and others like it right up there where it has always been... at the top of the pile - but only if you dare tell those other guys that their gear is inferior to 60 year old technology. So I have.

This 1987x (first iteration) Marshall amp cost less than £900 even today, the internal quality as you will see is pretty awesome bearing in mind that the amp has been played likely since new. It has even been in the Robert Plant band used by one of the amp owners... they say.

Consider this. Today there are guys that insist that a feather is 'too heavy to lift' or that the parrot in the corner of the room 'is too loud'. I guess for the MEN this amp would be great. It's true it IS loud, but in 2024 that is possible to overcome easily.

In this video review you will see everything about this amp, whats inside and the outside, the build quality, components and much more. At the end I play Lightpipe AI twice (use headphones for the second version).

I also offer my opinion of this amp. Don't be surprised to see that this Marshall amp is NOT built like some of the rubbish out there that is often called 'boutique' amplifiers, when in reality some of those amps are rather like the emperors new clothes.

I spent time and money making the video and bought this amp so no sponsorship here!

Thanks to NEIL for the help in getting this amp.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2023
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit tonymckenzie.com for more reviews

#marshall #1987x #guitaramp #guitaramps #guitaramplifier #michaelschenker #tonymckenzie #tubeamplifier #tubeamp #el34 #tubeamp #guitaramp #5881

Learn the secret to choosing the right pickups for your guitar

tonymckenziecom 2024-07-27 | Learn the secret to choosing the correct pickups for your guitar - critical for new builds and your best guitar. Find out how I make decisions and watch reviews of Seymour Duncan SSL-5, SH-4 Jeff Beck and YJM Fury neck pickups.

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:15 Intro & preamble
01:29 Think carefully
02:37 Pickup choice
03:21 Choice 1: YJM Fury
04:51 Choice 2: SSL-5
05:59 Choice 3: SH-4
06:33 Reason for SH-4
07:06 YJM close up
09:23 SSL-5 RWRP close up
11:27 SH-4 close up
13:56 Overview so far
15:17 Pickup Specifications
15:39 YJM Fury specs
17:27 Why THIS pickup?
17:59 SSL-5 specs
20:46 SH-4 Jeff Beck specs
24:41 Warranty
26:11 Basis of score
27:06 try out and final score

What you will learn:
Who is Seymour Duncan?
What is special about these pickups?
How to choose the right pickups?
Where can I buy those pickups?
What is the warranty?

Related links:
My website: tonymckenzie.com
Seymour Duncan Website: seymourduncan.com
Videos showing my guitar builds (playlist of 62 videos! :
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD38427759E821683

One of the hardest things about building an electric guitar is the pickup choice. Even if you want to 'update your sound' with new pickups for your guitar it remains a major stumbling block when trying to choose the 'right' pickups for you.

There are a multitude of reasons why this is not a simple choice. For example, you might play a particular style of music, but also you play other styles like blues, rock, fusion, metal, etc. and just hoping that makers when they talk about their pickups is accurate really is something that often you might take 'with a pinch of salt'. Everyone and his dog are today making pickups for electric guitar, whether replacements you might have been told are 'great', or even brands that you literally have never heard of. Buying anything like that to base YOUR TONE on is nothing short of crazy.

So what do you do? Just make a choice and 'hope' for the best, or believe your 'mates' and what they say? Remember its all subjective and your sound may well not be the same as theirs. But in this video, as well as covering some Seymour Duncan pickups like the YJM Fury for the neck, like the SSL-5 custom would RWRP pickup for the middle position and the SH-4 Jeff Beck pickup for the bridge, I actually tell you exactly how to make your own decisions based on what you play and why.

I also cover for the Seymour Duncan pickups the 4 year warranty that they offer and a 'try out' offer that Seymour Duncan offer. This removes the guess work out of pickup buying and if you do make that mistake of the 'wrong' pickup for you then SD has you covered.

If you are building a guitar then this whole series covers many of the specialized components and some of the lesser known choices of woods, neck options and much more.

This video is in 4K

I have spent some time creating this video and it remains without sponsor so is a real genuine overview of my findings of Seymour Duncan pickups.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the things in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit my website for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#seymourduncan #yjm #ssl-5 #sh-4 #stratocaster #tonymckenzie #fender #review #reviewer #customshop #pickups #guitarpickups

Transform Your Stratocaster with Gilmour Tones

tonymckenziecom 2024-07-21 | Never heard of Obsidian Wire? Transform your Strat to get Gilmour tones. Here's a solder-less controller from Obsidian Wire that creates Gilmour tones from your Stratocaster - for real. Find out if this really is for you?

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:16 Intro & Preamble
01:50 Unboxing
02:46 General overview
05:31 Unique features
07:44 The Evil-Owl tee
09:55 Basic info
11:03 Voice switching
12:58 Gilmour syndrome
13:30 Std Strat mode
13:50 Guitars it fits
14:11 Where its made
15:10 Will they ship it
17:30 5 year warranty
18:37 Things they make
19:14 Overall score
19:43 Where from here
20:31 Pricing

What you will learn:
Who is Obsidian Wire?
What is the Gilmour syndrome?
Specifications of the switcher?
Where can I buy one of these switchers?
What is the warranty?

Related links:
My website: tonymckenzie.com
Obsidian Wire Website: obsidianwire.com

My guess is you have never heard of Obsidian Wire and their control board as shown in this review video. No problem, here is not sponsored video review (I bought the item) and this one is the custom HSS / HSH for a Stratocaster that's Gen2 design. This unit is brilliant if you cannot solder! Yes, its completely solder-less install and it can get you some incredible tones from your Strat including that Gilmour tone just by fitting the unit (they say!).

But I had not heard of this brand or unit either - they come from New Zealand and they do make lots of things like pickups, complete pick guard sets and of course these controllers. But not just for Strat's, they make them for a number of guitars including Gibson Les Paul's and others too - check their website to learn more form the link above.

So what does this control unit actually do?

Well if you watch the video review you will see that its very well made using high quality components and what I like is the FIVE YEAR Warranty! ANY company that stands behind the product with that sort of warranty has a brilliant customer focused approach to business and they should certainly succeed.

There is what they call 'Intelligent Switching' on board. The controller is either optimized for hss or hsh and there are differences specifically for either setup. There's also a Auto Split that allows perfection for a balanced humbucker and single coil mix - but read it on their website for more.

You will get a crystal clear tone from this beauty particularly when you turn the guitar down, and that's achieved with a custom treble bleed on-board. And importantly there's that GILMOUR tone built right in to the controller right from the off, just a flick of an integral switch does it!

This video is in 4K

I have spent a while creating this video and it remains without sponsor so is a real genuine overview of my findings of the Obsidian Wire control unit for the Strat.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the things in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit my website for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#fender #stratocaster #obsidianwire #controller #stratocasterguitar #tonymckenzie #solder-less #review #reviewer #reviews #customshop

Which Guitar Neck would YOU choose? Fender or Warmoth

tonymckenziecom 2024-07-20 | So the choice is Fender or Warmoth. Fender Maple/rosewood or Warmoth rosewood? Its a hard choice and after viewing the Warmoth neck we compare both. Choose carefully.

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:15 Intro & Preamble
00:53 First Look Rosewood
01:39 Neck closeup
02:36 Basic fret info
03:22 About Rosewood
04:00 Fret wire
04:29 More specs
04:50 Earvana nut info
05:21 Head stock
06:49 Fret board radius
07:04 Back of neck
07:28 Licensed neck
08:37 Neck body match
09:23 Observations
10:16 Earvana close up
11:32 Pricing
14:04 Fender comparison
16:14 Important note
17:22 Warranty
18:07 Overall score
19:21 Final thoughts

What you will learn:
What is Rosewood?
What is Maple?
Specifications of neck?
Where can I buy one?
Are these rosewood necks any good?

Related links:
My website: tonymckenzie.com
Review of Claro Walnut body: youtu.be/sqPSwvvxzdc
Review of the Fender neck: youtu.be/sU9UTP00lyU
Visit Warmoth Guitars: warmoth.com

The Fender Strat or Stratocaster has been used as a vehicle over the years to make so many different guitars. My guess is ALL woods have been tried. But Rosewood for the neck is often revered and in the case of Brazilian Rosewood its now priced (and controlled) almost like no other. After the CITES debacle where they 'shut down' most woods and 'forgot' about luthier's and the like they later updated their rules and so you see rosewood once again being offered for guitars - generally fingerboards. No more of those horrible woods for finger boards or complete necks that always did look dodgy and felt even worse - for some high price when makers tried to suggest that they were more 'exotic' and 'better' than the real deal woods all guitarists sort of know.

So, here is an Indian Rosewood neck made by Warmoth that I take a particularly close look at. I show all the specifications and the build quality of course - and that takes up some time in this video because it IS a review of that particular neck that will be integrated in to a guitar coming up on my channel soon as I create it.

But then I move on a little and compare the Fender standard neck with this Indian Rosewood so you can get a really good look at it. The question is though, which one would YOU choose if you wanted a neck. Put your comments down in the text and they should be interesting. State why you chose what you did too!

I bought this neck by the way so this is NOT a sponsored review and is completely genuine.

See EXACTLY what arrived and conclude yourself if this is good or bad? Is it Fender or Warmoth?

I do discuss the ORIGINAL price in this video of the Warmoth claro and roasted ash body, but I also tell you about the cost of the GOTOH 510 tremolo too.

The guitar body that will be used later is also from Warmoth and do take a look at that video - its a brilliant body...

This video is in 4K

I have spent considerable time making this video and it remains not sponsored so is a real genuine overview of my findings and a review of the Warmoth Indian Rosewood neck.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the things in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit my website for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#fender #stratocaster #warmoth #rosewood #maple #stratocasterguitar #tonymckenzie #guitar #review #reviewer #guitarneck

The most incredible amp transformation by using a Noisy Hammer

tonymckenziecom 2024-07-12 | The most incredible amp transformation by using a Noisy Hammer? Check it out and you might do the same with yours! 4k

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:15 Intro & Preamble
01:03 The Amplifier
02:17 A case in question
03:03 Close up of Amp
04:27 Case close up
05:44 One small issue
06:10 Why do this?
06:49 About the Amp
08:00 Special features
09:25 Why get this Amp?
10:14 Inside the Amp
10:41 Case maker
11:23 What's it cost?
13:00 Conclusions
16:00 Overall score

What you will learn:
Was it worth the money?
What is a Bogner Brixton?
Is it a tube amp?
Where can I get a custom job made?
What's this Bogner like to play?

Related links:
My website: tonymckenzie.com
Bogner Brixton Inside and Out review: youtu.be/ZCgWXGNDciw
Bogner Brixton 120 to 240 Volt conversion: youtu.be/P8CFhfHAuvk
Bogner Goldfinger 45 Inside and Out Review: youtu.be/Z0kSLtBAi2Y
Noisy Hammer Website: noisyhammer.com

So, Really? What was Tony playing at with this really brilliant tube amp? You may well ask. But if you watch the whole video then of course you will learn why I did it and to be honest I think it was a massive improvement. Modifying any amp is no simple matter and you have to have a very good reason to do it.

Now it might be the amplifier itself that you set out to modify in some way. For example in this text above I showed how I modified the voltage from 120 volts to 240 volts. Beside it being important to me, I created that video to show what could be done and how easy or hard the modification was. In reality it was simple, but no one ever showed how to do it. For me the practical aspect of 'getting rid' of the 120 volts and using power right out of the mains was a big reason.

Of course in this review there are other reasons that I made this modification. I actually have two Bogner Brixton amps, one completely original and this one that I recovered twice and it never really did work out - partially because of my inability to cut the vinyl covering properly, and partly through a very difficult case to recover.

Off I went out in to the wilderness looking for somewhere that I could replace the case from, but alas, I think for the Bogner Brixton that would be a very long wait. These amps appeared in around 2012 or thereabouts, and my guess is that they did not sell as many as they might have wished so its a particularly uncommon guitar amp. And that's a pity because this amp was really pretty revolutionary.

You see, Mr Bogner had an idea of removing the tone stack from the amp to give it huge gain from just two 12AX7 tubes. There is so much gain you will wonder how he came up with that. But my guess is he looked back in time to when there were amps without tone stacks in them and decided to create a masterpiece. Unfortunately this amp slept all the way through the selling days, and here it is today - a modern wonder harking back to the end of the 1940's IMO.

I found a company - Noisy Hammer from Norfolk in the UK that could custom make a replacement case, and I wanted it to 'pop' a little as I was going to keep the amp for a very long time. So I spoke with Ryan and agreed they should make it. This video is the result - and what a result it is.

I also discuss the Bogner Brixton a little in this review but check the in depth review I have linked earlier in the video and that includes some playing.

This video is in 4K

I have spent considerable time creating this video at MY COST and it remains without sponsor so is a real genuine overview of my findings and experience with Noisy Hammer Ltd and I did pay full price for the assembly they made.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the things in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit my website for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#bogner #bogneramps #noisyhammer #bogneramplification #guitaramplifier #tonymckenzie #guitaramp #review #reviewer #customshop #custommade #tubeamp #tubeamplifier

Exploring an Exclusive Fender Replacement Guitar Body

tonymckenziecom 2024-06-29 | Never heard of Claro Walnut? A guitar body with a difference also using roasted ash. Find out why these guitar bodies cost so much, do they change the tone and are they worth the money?
#fender #guitarbody #stratocaster #warmoth

Claro Walnut and roasted Ash make your guitar sing like no other combination. I also review a Gotoh 510 tremolo system in this review and it's brilliant!

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:17 Intro & Preamble
01:33 First views
03:40 Lets look closer
04:41 About the core wood
05:39 Pickup routing
06:18 Body weight
07:25 About roasted maple
07:48 Around the back
09:12 Neck joint
10:18 Tremolo route
11:14 Body number
11:58 GOTOH 510 tremolo
13:22 Tremolo close up
15:55 Tremolo summing up
16:38 Wolfs head
18:29 Body price
20:36 Tremolo price
21:22 Where to now?

What you will learn:
What is Claro?
What is roasted maple?
Specifications of this body?
Where can I buy one of these parts?
Is the GOTOH 510 T-FE1 any good?

Related links:
My website: tonymckenzie.com

The Fender Stratocaster has been made with so many different woods, and while I was looking around I found a guitar body that was created of something very different than what they usually are. But it did look good, and somehow reminded me of some wood I saw when I was very young. The patterning on the top of this Strat body reminded me instantly of woods I had seen way back in time. But the construction of this Strat guitar body intrigued me.

So I bought it and eagerly waited for that body from Warmoth, that they claimed was only one of just 5 in the world and made from roasted ash and with something called a claro walnut top. Now that is really something out of the ordinary and I really wanted to look much closer.

So this video shows the claro walnut and roasted ash body, but also there is a bonus section reviewing a GOTOH 510 T-FE1 tremolo - and that is the highest quality GOTOH make of tremolo units. You may own a Fender Stratocaster, and that GOTOH 510 does fit a standard Strat too so take a good look - you will love it!

I do discuss the ORIGINAL price in this video of the Warmoth claro and roasted ash body, but I also tell you about the cost of the GOTOH 510 tremolo too.

Take a look at this brilliantly made guitar body, and tell me in the text if YOU think its worth that high cost that these cost...

I purposely did NOT score this body here, but prefer to score the guitar build and watch for those as the parts arrive, I can assure you that this specification will be something wonderful.

Warmoth have created on this occasion a very well made guitar body, and don't forget that it is fully and properly licensed by Fender themselves (FMIC) so no issues with copyright stuff. It is fully Stratocaster compatible too so you could fit one to a real Fender guitar as an upgrade!

The neck on this guitar is not yet shown but in part two you will see the really great neck I chose and together these items will make an incredible guitar.

This video is in 4K

I have spent considerable time creating this video and it remains without sponsor so is a real genuine overview of my findings and a review of the Warmoth Claro Walnut body.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the things in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit my website for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#fender #stratocaster #warmoth #walnut #roasted #ash #stratocasterguitar #tonymckenzie #gotoh #review #reviewer #customshop

Fractal Audio FM3 Amp Simulator: is it any good?

tonymckenziecom 2024-06-21 | An in depth look at Fractal Audio FM3 Amp Simulator Inside and Out Review. Learn the good and maybe not so good points and whether the Fender Tone Master Pro, Neural Networks quad cortex or the Kemper player is better value.

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:18 Intro & preamble
03:25 Quick top view
03:45 Inside the FM3
04:35 Quick look at processor
05:35 Power supply
06:35 Power connector
07:13 Midi I/O board
07:53 Cooling fan
10:02 Undocumented stuff
11:12 Double gang sockets
12:49 Strange connections
13:14 Top controls
16:27 FM3 I/O
18:31 Approvals
21:07 Turning it on
22:08 Top controls
22:19 The screen
27:39 Thoughts so far
27:45 Made in China
29:21 About the features
29:57 UK prices
30:56 Tube amp feel
31:54 Is it an FX-III?
33:02 3 button antics
33:31 Everyday features
34:35 More about that screen
35:53 Obsolescence theory
39:44 Other thoughts
41:34 Chips in the FM3
49:29 Systems & processors
51:32 Software & updates
52:21 About downloads
54:00 About updates
55:58 Have a laugh
57:42 After the upgrade
59:04 The editor
1:05:42 Amp controls
1:15:20 Cab settings
1:17:19 Other software controls
1:26:52 Screen size button
1:29:08 Thoughts about editor
1:30:47 Engl SE tones
1:33:42 Summing up
1:36:20 FM3 hardware
1:40:38 Likes and dislikes
1:45:01 Score
1:45:21 Notes to read
1:49:10 Audio Plexi 50
1:52:18 Audio Boogie MK IV
1:54:03 Audio Euro
1:57:55 50 Bass Guy blues

What you will learn:
How to learn to update?
Why buy it? is there a reason?
Is that the UK price?
Where can I buy one?
How good/bad are the tones?
What is the processor
Warranty features

Related links:
My website: tonymckenzie.com

With a fanfare the FM-3 from Fractal Audio was updated about 11 months ago. I bought one and decided to create the mother of all reviews and I show what in my opinion are the good points and the bad points. The FM3 is not particularly low cost at £1250.00 in the UK and bearing in mind that this area of equipment the simulators has Line 6, Fender, Roland Boss, NUX, and so many other devices is there anything that makes this stand out above the rest? Well I think there is, but not necessarily in a way that some might say.

The internet is rife with FA reviews, one after the other. You will see many from the same 'old faces' where it's possible they may have been given the gear or loaned it for a 'favorable' review? maybe or not, that's for you to decide. But for reviews that fit that methodology you only ever really see what are sales videos. Of course there are many other videos about the whole FA range, and over and over again they are trying to teach someone how to use the device. Hmm... go figure.

So I bought one from G66 (a friendly bunch of guys) and later the 6 button FC6 just because I can't dance. I decided to create as real a review that I can from the point of view of a real customer, and I show what I liked and what I did not like.

I did, as always take a good look inside this FM3 from Fractal Audio because historically I had been sold equipment that shall I say was not quite up to the reasonable standards that I expect for premium priced equipment. I show the processor, the memory, the I/O and more - no one ever does that but I believe its best to know what you're buying.

I cover the updates of firmware and discuss the top controls and back I/O. I also discuss a number of things that I think were 'OK' and many things that to be honest I don't think are reflective of a product at this price range in 2024. Watch ALL of the video because if you don't you won't see everything I mention.

There are a number of 'work around's' from others that remove issues you might/will have. For example there was a distinct delay between switching tones but with jiggery pokery you can effectively program around that. I also discuss the manuals and info in those as well as features of the FM3 according to Fractal Audio.

I do give the unit a score that I feel is correct for this amp simulator in 2024 compared to competitive guitar gear with the 'baggage' that this unit carries IMO. I have been as unbiased as it is possible to be. Would I buy another? Well that's a question - go figure...

This is not a sponsored review and it's my own opinion as an owner of the FM3. There are many points that are 100% correct. e&o.e.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see what other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit my YouTube channel for other reviews.

#fractalaudiosystems #fm3 #fc6 #axefxiii #guitarmusic #tonymckenzie #mckenzie #review #reviewer #ampsim #ampsimulator

A Fender Jeff Beck Signature for $1400 new! Check this out

tonymckenziecom 2024-06-08 | Buy a Fender Jeff Beck signature guitar for $1400 new. There's no catch, so find out how I did it and watch as I fit the neck, set it up and show the results played for yourself.

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:17 Intro & Preamble
01:00 History of the project
01:58 Fitting the neck
03:32 Neck Plate
05:54 What now
06:28 Neck tilt adjuster
07:04 Strings?
08:37 Counterfeit? can you tell?
11:37 Neck alignment
12:10 Before adjustment
13:01 After adjustment
13:24 Other settings
14:00 Intonation
14:47 After the setup
16:06 Tremolo issues
17:19 Overall result
18:40 Summing up
18:49 Overall score
21:54 Track 1 Alan Bruce
22:52 Track 2 Tony
23:27 Track 3 Tony
24:55 Track 4 Alan Bruce

What you will learn:
How to get the guitar cheaply?
Why buy it like this?
Is that really the price?
Where can I buy one?
Rock tones? what amp are they?

Related links:

My website: tonymckenzie.com
The Jeff Beck neck review: youtu.be/_cXyWgM6BSs?si=7hXSGwwdwNOyRwlu
The Jeff Beck body review: youtu.be/woGypPka00g
How to video guitar build: youtu.be/zZCVNlxB3xU
Where to buy the parts - thestratosphere on eBay: ebay.co.uk/str/thestratosphere

With a list price from Fender of around $2295 (or £2295 in the UK) the Jeff Beck Stratocaster is an expensive artist signature electric guitar. And in these days where every dollar or pound matters there should be some way of obtaining one of these guitars for a bargain price. The fact is, there IS.

Want to see how I built a Fender Jeff Beck Signature for only $1400 brand new? Join me in this video as I put together the parts and unveil the finished guitar, saving a ton of money in the process. Don't forget to subscribe for more guitar-building adventures!

In this video I show you the neck and the body of the guitar and I fit the neck and set the guitar up, then I show the results and then Alan Bruce and I play a couple of short tracks each. Don't expect Jeff Beck playing! We can't do it!

But the important thing is, that I really did buy this guitar for about £1350 for basically brand new parts, so buying one at about 30% less than list price is a reality that some might not want you to know. Fender? Well I'm sure they might be a little unhappy how you 'dodge' the list prices and let's not even mention the music retailers... but it is a genuine way to buy almost ANY Fender guitar model . whether signature, run of the mill, or even custom shop guitars cheaper than the list prices and likely cheaper than those music retailers would sell it to you.

And what is the result, well you are going to see it played rock music and YOU decide whether this guitar is as good as one from Fender or their music retailers?

And while you're at it, I want you to post below which guitar amps we used on each track. What I can tell you is that Alan used two amps and I only used one... but put your opinion below and tell me EXACTLY which guitar amps were used - that is, if you can.

In the middle of this video review I discuss counterfeit guitar strings that were bought by me from Amazon (Ernie Ball Super Slinky 9-42), and I would like you to tell me which pack on the screen (either the left or right pack!) is the counterfeit pack of strings. And remember buying from online sellers like Amazon sadly is one way to end up with counterfeit strings.

The finished guitar (it did not take long to complete and almost anyone can do it in my opinion. So go and check out the links.

I bought these parts personally and this is entirely an none sponsored review. My opinions about the finished Jeff Beck guitar and the Stratosphere (where I bought the parts on eBay) really are my own! You can completely trust the contents of this review to be an entirely genuine opinion and if ever I had issues I always say so.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the things in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#fender #stratocaster #jeffbeck #stratocasterguitar #guitar #tonymckenzie #signatureguitar #review #reviewer #cheapguitar #cheapguitars

Mind-Blowing Guitar Performance: Larry Mitchell Live 2024

tonymckenziecom 2024-06-01 | Mind-Blowing guitar performance with Larry Mitchell in concert 2024 Dallas TX, USA playing instrumental rock. Sit in the front row and watch Larry and the band show you some quite incredible music.

Contents:
0:00 Start
0:18 Reflections
6:38 Eyes So Blue
13:03 Cosmic Tears
21:22 Shadow Hawk
28:45 Shadows on the Soul
35:44 Tunnel
51:09 Unforgotten

Links:Larry Mitchell's Website: larrymitchell.com
'Unforgotten' 1999 Version: youtu.be/-e_JP05-ecc?si=gEPnkVbF6guoqA4I
Gbratt's Guitars Scott Robbins: gbratsguitars.com
Dallas International Guitar Show: guitarshow.com
Fractal Audio FM3 Turbo: https://www.g66.eu/en/products/fractal-audio/fm3

I first met Larry Mitchell back in 1999 (you can see him playing Unforgotten as I recorded it). He was and is a really nice guy and his music and attitude has always impressed me greatly.

Here Larry plays at the Dallas International Guitar Show in 2024 with a few band members. The band member I know is none other than Scott Robbins of Gbrat's Guitars who I have known for a while, in particular I first met Scott while looking for guitars some years back. Scott is also a great guy and easy to 'get on' with - need a guitar deal? Scott can help. He plays great bass guitar too!

Larry has been around music all his life and I did ask him about that. He comes from New York if I remember correctly, and is a Grammy award winning producer, engineer and artist who has so much experience in the music business. He's worked with many artists that you will know, check him out at larrymitchell.com for a complete run down.

So this video takes you through a set comprising of around 7 tracks - and the last one being 'Unforgotten' which I have to say is my favorite track, but all the others are great too. I don't have the track list but if anyone can figure it out just let me know via tonymckenzie.com and I'll post it all on here.

A few bits of information: Larry uses a signature Knaggs guitar that interestingly Scott Robbins sells the same model... I almost bought one :) but I guess I have too many guitars already.

And when I have watched Larry (as you will notice early on, he is using an FM3 from Fractal Audio) and there is no doubt that for the style Larry plays it sounds pretty good. But then again, Larry would make anything sound good. You will notice (from what I saw) that the FM3 appeared to go to a tube amp combo on-stage or so it seemed. I will be reviewing the Fractal Audio FM3 on my YouTube channel in a very close up way but ha don't expect me to sound like Larry Mitchell!

In this series there are a number of other artists including Eric Steckel and Buddy Whittington coming up (and a few more) in similar fashion recorded in a similar spot near the Category 5 stage. Note that ambient reverb in the Category 5 stage can be heard and that great, but it's quite acceptable and I'm sure with headphones on these sessions that you will hear some wonderful guitar playing from all the artists featured. Thanks to Jimmy Wallace guys too.

There is one point where Larry mimic's what my wife was doing... he looked right at her and did the same back to her right there in the set - Ha Larry has a brilliant sense of humor and both I and my wife loved to see that.

Lastly Watch Larry as he plays the 'Unforgotten' track and you will see the warmth and clear feelings that Larry also has for that great track, which he wrote about relatives and/or people that have passed on. Thanks Larry Scott and you other guys for a great set.

This is a video completely not sponsored and my opinions are just that so PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you gain from the musicians in the same way that I did.

It makes a change from reviewing 'just' hardware and remember that if any artist video is not for you, do come back to the next one and check it out - they are all different. It costs thousands for me to go to Dallas and film this stuff for the benefit of viewers.

Don't forget to visit Larry's website and that of Scott Robbins who I'm sure they would love to see you... and tell em Tony McKenzie sent you :)
(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
Larry Mitchell's music is (c) Larry Mitchell of course.

All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

The Decline of the Music Business Exposed

tonymckenziecom 2024-05-29 | Is Sam Ash closure the decline of the music business? The ramifications could be really bad. Find out an opinion in this video based on personal experiences.

Contents:
0:00 Start
1:00 A Sad Demise
2:09 Sam Ash
3:15 Friendly Staff
4:13 The Start of the End?
5:07 Gear Prices Rocketing
7:16 How Will it all End?
7:57 Opinions Anyone?
8:47 Even in Dallas Show
9:43 100 Years in Business!
11:37 Take Time To Think!
12:09 Reviews Coming up
15:37 Ernie Ball Stand
16:42 Gear I'll be Reviewing

Links:
Larry Mitchell's Website: larrymitchell.com
Eric Steckel Website: ericsteckel.com
Buddy Whittington: buddywhittington.com
Chris Duarte Website: https://duarte.rocks/
Texas Slim: https://www.last.fm/music/Texas+Slim
Sam Ash Website: samash.com
Dallas International Guitar Show: guitarshow.com
Fractal Audio FM3 Turbo: https://www.g66.eu/en/products/fractal-audio/fm3

When Sam Ash closing 18 stores imminently I was very surprised, but just a week or so later the whole brand is being closed down forever and that really did shock me. Best of luck to the staff...

Sam Ash has been around for 100 years and was about to celebrate that fact, and I always had time to visit my favorite stores whenever I was in the USA along with Guitar Center and many independents. But somehow, the news of Sam Ash total closure jarred something in me that has been nagging at me since I saw Mesa Boogie sold to Gibson and Marshall Amps sold to a blue tooth speaker company.

And I have noticed many other things too. At the Dallas International Guitar Show ( Dallas IGS ) in May 3rd to the 5th 2024 where was PRS? Simply not there? At lest I never saw them. And from what I have seen they were not at the UK music shows either.

I reported a year ago about Georges Music closing in Orlando too. They had been there for years even from back in the early 90's.

So in this video I wanted to discuss these issues about Sam Ash stores closing and these bad vibes floating around that no one is actually saying much about. I might be late to the party, but I do feel strongly about what I'm seeing and the possible long term effects on the music business.

Remember this, for every large company (and not so large one too) that goes out of business the market SHRINKS for gear makers. The 'simulators' are also playing a role where amps are concerned too. Look at Mesa and Marshall. And would YOU pay $10,000 for a Gibson Les Paul? There has to be a point where the equipment slows to a crawl and companies go to the wall through super high pricing gear that musicians cannot afford.

I mention some upcoming reviews include the Line 6 pod express, a Fractal Audio device, no McKenzie Marshall at the moment, and just to mention the best of luck to all Sam Ash employees wherever you are.

Put down in the text - go on - POST YOUR THOUGHTS - about the current overall state of the music business. It's a fact that generally musicians don't make the money that they once did... as many said it would be with the internet and music distribution. Maybe now we know where its going? And without guys with the money to afford that high end gear then makers will slide down a slippery slope maybe selling $1000 guitars and $400 simulators. Make no mistake it won't keep the big boys in business!

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the points I raised that other reviews NEVER discuss!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

The Truth About Expensive Guitar Necks: Worth the money?

tonymckenziecom 2024-04-20 | Truth about expensive guitar necks? Are they worth the money? Even a Fender neck? So what is it? It's a Jeff Beck brand new neck off a new guitar. But is this JB neck worth the high cost? twice the price of a made in Mexico neck? Find out in this review!

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:16 Intro & Preamble
00:56 How I got the neck
01:58 Unboxed neck
03:08 First look
03:57 Neck close up
04:06 Head stock
05:06 Roller nut history
06:07 Fingerboard & frets
07:53 The heel
08:50 Head stock back
09:41 Locking tuners
10:24 The dent!
12:00 More about roller nuts
12:50 Fender tag
13:20 Other info & specs
15:13 LSR nut specs
16:06 Fret specs
17:07 Custom shop prices
17:28 Truss rod
18:27 Summing up
19:30 More on total cost
21:10 Overall score

What you will learn:
Why buy a Jeff Beck version?
What about those locking tuners?
What is the price?
Where can I buy one?
Frets - the lowdown?

Related links:
My website: tonymckenzie.com
My original guitar prices video 2021: youtu.be/viO-aNtQCmQ
My recent guitar prices video 2024: youtu.be/woGypPka00g
Fender made in Mexico Stratocaster neck review: youtu.be/sU9UTP00lyU

Well it's a fact. This Jeff Beck genuine Fender brand new guitar neck is just a Fender neck? Right? Well not quite. For those guys that love the sort of 1962 era of Fender necks on Stratocaster's I'm sure that they would 'get along' with this JB neck amazingly. And do bear in mind that the Jeff Beck neck is a 'signature' neck and those are often better quality and finish than the Fender standard necks.

Now these Jeff Beck necks really are not being sold for a song! These necks do cost far more than say the recent made in Mexico standard Fender replacement neck I reviewed recently. In fact typically the best I have ever paid is about double the price of the Mexican neck for these Jeff Beck necks - if you can even find one. This one was bought off eBay from 'The Stratosphere' (their trading name) for about £500 shipped and landed.

So what's so special about the JB neck - with a 2023 specification build date. Actually there are lots of things that make these necks very special. I bought this neck because I had previously bought a brand new Jeff Beck body from the same seller and I wanted to complete the guitar. But if you want a 'similar' neck to the 1962 Fender era then you could do much worse than this one.

Unlike earlier JB necks, this one has a really nice neck profile and great for a guy like me with those small hands. It has locking tuners (on the one I bought) and has a roller nut that helps with keeping the guitar in tune. The rosewood neck has been finished on the maple side with mat finish that's as smooth as could be, and of course the fret board has been 'rolled' nicely. Lastly the frets are finished well and need little or no work. Remember these come off brand new guitars sh they should be finished exceptionally well. I have yet to find a bad one!

Like the Mexican neck, it's a 22 fret neck and is designed to fit a Stratocaster. and bearing in mind Fender made it, its likely to fit them! I would describe the neck feel as an thin C shape (just an opinion) - I have smaller hands but this neck fitted like a glove.

Now for the neck radius this neck has a fixed 9.5 inch radius, enough to help stop that choking off of strings like they do on a 7.25 inch radius neck. Frets are standard Fender material.

So is this a neck really worth buying? Watch the video and I give all the reasons why you should seriously consider a Jeff Beck neck - if you can find one.

I bought this neck personally and this is entirely an non sponsored review. My opinions about the neck and the Stratosphere really are my own! You can totally trust this neck review to be entirely genuine opinion and if the item under review is ever less than it should be I ALWAYS say so.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the things in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#fender #stratocasterguitar #jeffbeck #guitarparts #neck #frets #tonymckenzie #signature #review #reviewer #guitar

Marshalls Tube Amp Bargain: Is it really any good?

tonymckenziecom 2024-04-13 | The Marshall Origin 20 is their tube amp bargain! Is it really any good? What's it really like? A close up of inside before I mod this tube amp in to a veritable fire breathing monster with the Head First Amps mods. Is this a Marshall Vietnamese bargain? or something else?

Contents:
00:00 Start
00:16 Intro & Preamble
04:19 What did it cost?
05:02 What we show
06:18 The Origin Chassis
08:08 Main PCB Overview
10:56 PCB Components Closer
15:59 Rear I/O
18:29 Front Controls
20:45 My Opinion so far
21:45 Observations
23:40 Let's be Honest!
25:11 The Score
26:56 A Few Other Points
30:28 Playing Use Headphones

What you will learn:
Does this amp have a great tone?
What is the cost of these amps currently?
Is this Marshall quality from Vietnam?
Is it worth buying?

Related websites:

Part 2 - changing the amp: youtu.be/cP0mKFPSqvA?si=wl690TzJeybmZg_8
My website: tonymckenzie.com
Fair Deal Music Website: fairdealmusic.co.uk
Headfirst Amps Website: headfirstamps.com
Evolve DIY Amp PCB's etc: evolvediy.com
Marshall website: marshall.com
Marshall Factory Tour 2023: youtu.be/sjMgLOlc9e4?si=-wC8I1IL7KA3icvR
My original Marshall Factory Tour: youtu.be/WeerxAO3oRU?si=fRcaJEukPEp1DSEk part one!
My original Marshall Factory Tour: youtu.be/rhe7qXP08qw?si=97YOTSB_UyYNmWBF part two!

The Marshall Origin is in my opinion the forerunner to the studio series of tube amplifiers from Marshall. Often somehow 'down graded' because it bears 'Made in Vietnam' on the back of the amp, somehow many guys might just not even bother looking at the Origin 20. I bought this one from Fair Deal Music in the UK used.

But that would really be a mistake on their part. You see, Marshall do manage that Vietnamese company, and as you will see if you watch the tour above part one - even back then they were making exact designs for Vietnam to create from the designs from Marshall Milton Keynes in the UK. But being a little skeptical too, I really did want to check out this relatively low cost amplifier (especially second user) and see the quality and hear those tones for myself. I viewed the amplifier in an 'unbiased' way.

So what did I find? Taking a close look at the chassis, the power and output transformers, the tubes, the three PCB's and components I saw what is basically a very similar sort of internal design to something like a 'pre' studio amp. And while there could be questions about the Vietnam build, in fact everything I saw inside (and you can see it too) looked about the same as the Marshall amps coming from Milton Keynes - except for one weird anomaly.

On the amp under review, the Tolex seemed 'cheap' and was considerably different than that on say a Marshall 1959HW amp or even the studio series amps. It felt cheap. I don't criticize when its not necessary, but on this Origin 20 amplifier it did let the amp down a little.

However, its not why this amp is under review... this is an amplifier that is going to get modified like Headfirst Amplification do (those guys in Australia) and I wanted to show this amp before the mods. In part two of this video I will show how I modified the amp and the results I achieved from a simple Origin 20 tube amp from Marshall.

You might be surprised at the results and if you want a great rock sound then its probably worth looking at those headfirst amplification Jose (or not - maybe other HF mods) mods they show for the Origin 20 and indeed other amps too. Link above.

Listen to the playing at the end of the video, but use headphones to get those tones out properly - it is intentionally not over driven to show the clean tones with everything set at 12:00 on the knobs as shown on the screen. I did NOT crank everything to 10 (or was it 11?). Ha there's no Tonex pedal on here either! This is all Tony McKenzie Marshall!

Watch for part two (it will probably be linked when I create the video and that will show the mods I did to this origin 20).

I have spent considerable time creating this video entirely at my own expense:

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the tings in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#marshall #origin #guitaramp #guitaramps #guitaramplifier #headfirst #tonymckenzie #tubeamplifier #tubeamp #el34 #marshallamplification #headfirstamplification

How to buy BRAND NEW guitars cheaper than at dealers: Many Brands!

tonymckenziecom 2024-04-01 | How can you buy brand new guitars cheaper than at the dealers? In this video I show you exactly how to do it, and even include a closeup review of a Fender Jeff Beck complete body.

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:19 Intro & Preamble
01:44 What did I buy?
02:25 JB USA complete body
04:11 Is that a REAL USA Fender
05:47 The Signature series
06:29 It's all about quality
07:16 Closeup of the JB body
10:08 General features
11:46 Under the pick guard
13:50 Electrics & pickups
16:05 Control pots
17:54 A VERY weird thing
19:35 Around the back
20:58 Rear of the tremolo
22:42 Body finish
23:42 Other specifications
26:01 Thoughts about PRICES
27:08 Pickup Prices
28:00 Other pickup specs
28:51 WHY BUY LIKE THIS?
32:06 Score of JB body
33:37 Important note

What you will learn:
How to buy brand new guitars cheap?
Which brands are included?
What is the actual price of those guitars?
Where can I buy this stuff?
Are the parts genuine?

Related links:
My website: tonymckenzie.com
Where I got parts from: ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_ssn=thestratosphere&store_name=thestratosphere

Retail guitar prices have soared over the last few years whether Fender, Ibanez, Gibson, Schecter, EVH, PRS, Epiphone or other makes. But how can you 'beat the price' hikes? After all, music retailers tend to stick to the retail prices or somewhat near. So how would you like to buy a brand new guitar maybe even hundreds of $ dollars or £ pounds lower cost for whats basically the exact same thing?

Well I have done that for some time! And this is no joke or made up video that is somehow just trying to get viewers to listen for revenue shares. I really do tell you how I can make a guitar (a Fender Jeff Beck guitar in this case) for literally up to £600 or £700 cheaper than had I walked in off the street to buy it.

WATCH THE WHOLE VIDEO or you may only get part of the idea - and yes the links in here are completely independent, I have not been paid in any way to disclose this information, it's just a way that I can end up with top brand guitars at a fraction of the price for brand new guitars.

I do discuss the ORIGINAL price in this video of a Fender Jeff Beck body, but I also discuss the cost of a JB neck, and the overall costs I pay to end up with a guitar that compared to the retail price is so much cheaper.

Of course, as well as pricing information, you can see for yourself in this video the actual Jeff Beck Fender body and its overall quality. But it could have been any of a fair number of brands, it's just that I wanted to get a Fender JB guitar but to be honest, looking even at the second user prices I can end up with this guitar cheaper than even used examples when I checked Reverb for average prices.

And there's more. Its also possible to buy custom shop guitars this way too and the savings are considerable. For example the Fender Jeff Beck custom shop version costs literally £3899 (well beyond $4000) here in the UK and I can end up with one at a very substantial saving.

While this supplier on eBay exists this is a great way to buy a branded guitar but cheaper! What have you got to lose?

This video is in 4K

I have spent considerable time creating this video and it remains without sponsor so is a real genuine overview of my findings and a review of the JB body.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the things in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit my website for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#cheapguitars #buyandbuild #fenderstratocaster #gibsonguitars #prsguitars #ibanezguitars #tonymckenzie #schecterguitars #review #reviewer #customshop

Your Used Guitar Prices in 2024!

tonymckenziecom 2024-03-29 | Shocking: Your used guitar prices in 2024. Did they go down or up? Let's look closer because it's the Year of the Dragon!

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:18 Intro & Preamble
02:38 Calculations of prices
03:02 Gibson Jimmy Page 1995
06:07 PRS Dragon 2002
09:25 Fender AM Stratocaster 2008
09:35 Gibson CS Spotlight 2008
10:59 Ibanez 7VWH 1999
13:57 The total gain/loss
14:44 How ref prices are calculated
16:46 Vintage Guitar
17:07 Top 5 brands
18:31 The BEST guitars
21:25 Reference guide
24:09 PRS Dragon 2002 closeup
24:51 The top inlay
27:05 Pickups
28:30 Neck - whats special
31:05 Is this guitar worth it?
32:28 Important note
33:44 All info references
34:55 Have a laugh on me :)

What you will learn:
Are these guitars changing price?
Which brand is doing the best?
What is the price of those guitars?
Where can I get Vintage Guitar from?
Is this a real price evaluation?

Related links:
Vintage Guitar Price Guide Reference: store.vintageguitar.com/price-guide.html
My website: tonymckenzie.com
Original Price Guide Video - Be Afraid: youtu.be/viO-aNtQCmQ
PRS Dragon 2002 Review: youtu.be/mGmE6yMB2Yg
PRS Dragon III 1993 Review: youtu.be/R3TXM0qCN4c
Gibson Jimmy Page Les Paul 1995 Review: youtu.be/a5vXqz6G3Og
Gibson Custom Shop Spotlight 2008 Review: youtu.be/r2bfidPOppU
Ibanez JEM 7VWH 1999/2000 Review: youtu.be/D6GlJ3bFx_w

A few years back I looked closely at guitar prices and frankly they were not good to look at if you collected guitars in particular. I was surprised about that. In fact, generally putting money in to guitars was very scary and not the way to go. But in this video I get you right up to date on a few quality collectors and not so collectors guitars - some are clearly regular guitars and others could be classed as collectors pieces, or not depending on your point of view.

So I decided to take another look at prices of used guitars in 2024 and the basic results of my findings will surprise very many guys. Is it really the year of the dragon... or not? Let's find out.
The guitars I review are as follows:

Gibson Jimmy Page Les Paul 1995

PRS Dragon III from 1993

PRS Dragon 2002

Ibanez JEM 7VWH from 1999/2000

Gibson Spotlight Custom Shop from 2008

Overall I discuss the ORIGINAL price I paid and when. I show each years valuation since purchase and 2009, 2011, 2014, 2021 and then 2024 and what loss or gain I made (assuming I sold them today). It is a very sobering thought indeed - and I included inflation and that sort of thing.

Of course, in general except for one guitar I bought them all to play as I'm mainly a playing guitarist, but I do like these guitars and selling them would never be entirely out of the question as I, like most guys who play guitar, are always looking for that tone we never really achieve and that might be a way to finance 'the next one'!

After the discussion of the pricing etc. I then show the PRS Dragon 2002 and discuss a few great features that many people have never seen - and there's a full review of that guitar and others in the links higher up on this page.

Lastly, I took a look at an AI program that promised to create a 'cartoon' style 10 second clip from a video ad that sounded interesting. So I went ahead and created it.

LAUGH? I ROLLED AROUND ON THE FLOOR FROM THE RESULTS PRESENTED TO ME AND THEY ARE INCLUDED AT THE END OF THIS VIDEO - SO PLEASE GO ON AND HAVE A LAUGH - especially when the guitar dragons teeth turn in to fingers :) and start to play the dragons chin!

This video is in 4K

I have spent considerable time creating this video and it remains not sponsored entirely so is a real genuine review analysis and opinion of the gear and indeed of Vintage Guitar Price Guide. It's recommended...

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the things in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit my website for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#guitars #guitar #prs #gibsonguitars #priceguide #vintageguitar #tonymckenzie #ibanezjem #review #reviewer #gibsoncustomshop

I bought a guitar neck that shocked me about its quality

tonymckenziecom 2024-02-24 | I just bought a Fender guitar neck that might shock you about its quality level, a Fender Roasted Maple Stratocaster replacement guitar neck with Pau Ferro fret-board! Watch as I share my thoughts on this genuine Fender guitar part and what I found in this review. Dare YOU upgrade your guitar with this Fender guitar neck? and is it really a unique neck? Don't miss this review!

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:17 Intro & Preamble
02:08 How it arrives
02:49 Unboxed neck
03:27 DV247 any good?
03:43 Neck specifications
04:03 What's it cost?
05:07 Close up overview
11:58 Opinion so far
13:14 Frets
15:00 Tuner holes
16:11 Instructions
16:30 Warranty
16:41 Whats not to like?
17:08 Score
18:14 DV247 score!

What you will learn:
Is this neck a USA version?
Does it fit a Fender Stratocaster?
What is the price?
Where can I buy one?
Does Warmoth have the edge?

Related links:

My website: tonymckenzie.com
A Warmoth neck review: youtu.be/loCnFbSvmsE
A high end Warmoth neck: youtu.be/dFCZnfKnW0Q

So was this genuine Fender Stratocaster neck really very good? There are many reports out there saying Fender parts necks are bad, especially those Mexican ones... and going out looking for a neck for a guitar build I was hesitant to buy Fender!

I have often bought Warmoth necks from the USA and great they are, but the price is frankly getting too high if you're based in the UK. The Warmoth necks ARE often premium necks, but this time I decided to go and look at a Fender neck.

This Stratocaster neck is made from roasted maple - a great start and that needs no finish on it. The finger board was made of Pau ferro (I think its called) and that was a striking wood with a pattern not that dissimilar to some rosewood from over the years that I have seen.

It's a 22 fret neck and is designed to fit may Stratocaster's and bearing in mind Fender made it, its likely to fit them! I would describe the neck feel as an oval shape and very pleasing in the hand - I have smaller hands but this neck fitted like a glove.

The fret board has a fixed 12 inch radius which is not really as good as a compound radius but the fixed radius necks can have an advantage of being able to be easier fret leveled later in my opinion.

Standard fret material of course - there is no stainless steel here! The Fender neck comes with a Fender logo that was covered with gloss on the front of the peg head but no other finish (from what I see) on the neck. It was sleek and silky.

So was this neck any good, or does Warmoth win again? Many will have their own opinions but I state mine in the review so make up YOUR mind and post what you think...

I do discuss this neck in depth and if you just want to jump to the close up that's easy from the time line. I also have included a few other necks I have reviewed over the years - so check them out and tell me what you think.

I have spent considerable time creating this video and it remains not sponsored entirely so is a real genuine review of what I bought.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the things in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#fender #stratocaster #fenderstratocaster #fmic #guitarparts #guitar #tonymckenzie #genuineparts #review #reviewer #mckenzie

Boss EVH SD 3000 dual delay: The truth

tonymckenziecom 2024-02-17 | Boss EVH SD 3000 dual delay pedal. The truth. Find out everything in this inside and out review.

EVH was one of the best guitar players in history and his use of the SDE-3000 is legendary... but is this Boss SDE-3000 EVH really like Eddies setup? Is it really that good?

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:23 Intro & preamble
01:44 Whats the cost?
02:33 Whats in the box?
03:13 SDE-3000 original
03:55 EVH & SDE-3000
04:35 Two versions
05:32 Inside the unit
06:13 Closeup inside
13:44 Factory fix?
14:52 Top controls
20:32 Side I/O
21:38 Rear I/O
26:18 Std & EVH compared
28:41 Important Note
29:32 Choice and price
30:05 Power Supply
31:06 Solving hum
31:44 Reference manual
32:27 Tone Central downloads
33:13 General thoughts
37:04 Section about chips
40:42 More thoughts
41:47 Summing up
43:14 Review score
44:06 Playing

What you will learn:
Is this really a good delay?
What's wet, dry, wet?
What will one of these cost me now?
Is this Roland quality?
Which model do I choose?

Related links:

My website: tonymckenzie.com
Original SDE-3000 for sale: reverb.com/uk/item/78753918-roland-sde-3000a-vintage-digital-delay-80s-1u-rackmount
Boss SDE-3000 EVH Reference Manual: boss.info/us/support/by_product/sde-3000evh/owners_manuals
Boss SDE-3000 EVH updates and drivers: boss.info/global/support/by_product/sde-3000evh/updates_drivers

Well not too long ago the Boss SDE-3000 EVH delay pedal and standard delay pedals were released. I was drawn to the EVH version as it offers the elusive wet, dry, wet setup (you will hear int in the review) but I did wonder whether Eddie himself signed off this Roland Boss SDE-3000 delay pedal or whether others used Eddie's association to launch the unit. So after a short while I bought the Roland Boss SDE-3000 EVH pedal and decided to review the pedal really close up to see exactly what is on offer.

Find out about the insides of the delay pedal and whether I saw anything untoward inside the one I bought, and of course was I happy with the SDE-3000 EVH delay pedal. I did also consider the SDE-3000 Standard Delay pedal and in the review I confirm why this might be a better choice.

Overall, the pedal is OK and I did score in the review what I feel is a fair score for what I found.

The Roland Boss SDE-3000 EVH pedal is an interesting device of course, and it replicates two SDE-3000 originals just as the Roland Boss people said, but unless you really are Eddie (you're not!) then while some players can use them extensively, others like myself might have a more limited use experience... its all a matter of preference.

You CAN play any style you want of course on the boss sde 3000 evh delay and this unit is not just limited to 'Eddie Van Halen'. But using this pedal 'all the time' might prove to lock some players in to a particular style that could sound a sort of same over and over sound longer term so do consider that won't you.

In this review I used a Kemper Player in to the Boss SDE-3000 EVH and then through to the recording desk - the demo never saw a real amp at all.

I have spent considerable time creating this video entirely at my own expense:

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the tings in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#boss #sdefx #evhgear #roland #delaypedal #dual #tonymckenzie #wetdrywet #evh #review #boss

Kemper Player Exposed: What You Need to Know

tonymckenziecom 2024-01-27 | Kemper player exposed: What you need to know. is it really any good? Has Kemper created the simulator player that kills tube amps? Find out in this no holds barred closeup review.

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:19 Intro & Preamble
01:31 What's in the box?
02:14 Experience with Kemper
04:47 Inside the Kemper Player
11:19 A Battery!
13:57 Second Processor
16:20 Player Controls
22:17 Rear I/O
24:17 Chinese Power Supply
25:46 Closeup of the Chips
42:53 Hardware Quality?
43:20 Thoughts so far
45:28 User Manuals
47:39 Technical Specs
51:39 More Kemper Thoughts
54:15 The TONEX?
55:22 Why Kemper?
57:10 Independence Matters
57:47 Rig Manager Software
1:13:33 Rig Manager on Phone
1:15:31 No Gain Without Pain
1:16:01 Who is the Player for?
1:17:12 Warranty
1:17:48 Buying from Germany
1:18:44 Overall Score
1:19:51 Any Concerns?
1:22:02 Happy Chappy?
1:22:34 Connect to an Amp
1:24:23 Old Stuff
1:26:19 My Free Profiles
1:29:21 Tones Played
1:29:54 SPLAWN Nitro (Lightpipe AI)
1:33:03 The Setup
1:34:43 Tumblety Track Compared
1:38:06 Download Profiles
1:38:29 ENGL E670 Lead TM
1:39:23 ENGL E670 Lead 2
1:40:16 Marshall JVM410HJS Clean
1:41:00 JVM410HJS Rhythm RED
1:42:16 JVM410HJS Lead1 W/Shift
1:43:07 JVM410HJS Lead1 No Shift
1:43:50 Marshall YJM100 Lead
1:44:41 Mesa R King II Ch3 Vintage
1:45:03 Mesa RK II Ch4 Modern
1:45:51 SPLAWN Nitro Crunch
1:47:21 SPLAWN Nitro Heavy

What you will learn:
Is the Kemper Player for you?
Is the Kemper well made?
What is the software like to use?

Related links:
My website: tonymckenzie.com
The original Kemper review: youtu.be/RNDhwM0s03I
Kemper Amp Focknrollers video: youtu.be/y-qYdYNzxs4
Kemper Rack Inside and Out Review: youtu.be/4RZUnEyG2eM
Kemper Rack Power Conversion: youtu.be/ymyMzfjphxI
Kemper Rack Floor Pedal Review: youtu.be/cZgli5vZUTI
Kemper DI Box - Why you need one: youtu.be/lrWnvG__HeA
Splawn website: splawnguitars.com

And of course this video which is actually the most extensive Kemper Amp review (at least the player) so far. So is the Kemper player a winner or loser?

You could say that I have been around Kemper Profiles and the Kemper amp and now a Kemper Player since January 2012 and have seen much from this maker. Sure enough the quality of their products are genuinely usually good, although back in the day they did have issues with the lights around the controls if I remember correctly. But the Kemper is getting on a little...

When the Kemper Profile Player was released I was a little surprised really, as I expected a new Kemper Profiler with new technology, rather than this profile player. But don't be put off, I believe that this player is produced just at the right time. But there is one 'fly in the ointment' so to speak - more of that later.

The thing about this Kemper player is for around £600 (depending on many things) and THE RIGHT PROFILES then the Kemper player can rock. And I have to say, that in my opinion this player will probably suit rock and metal players likely better than some pop band or act.

So who is the Kemper player for? These days there's that pesky TONEX - the one I had to spend a week trying to get it authorized by its maker... and usual suspects cry 'it's a game changer'. But in reality the truth is, compared to the Kemper player that the Tonex device, while having a capture mode, lags so far behind the Kemper player for a great reason. I do cover this in the video and you really should watch the whole thing to get a real understanding of what you're buying.

Don't want to watch the internals and chips section? No problem - just skip to 42:53 and those are gone :). I cover so many things in this inside and out review that this is likely the best review and most authentic you will ever see. Kemper and the 'paid reviewers' will NEVER confirm that, but hey, my opinion really is completely unbiased and I bought this unit.

Note that this unit supports guitar AND bass guitar but frankly could be used with any audio generative device... and its not really a Kemper stage is it!

I have spent considerable time creating this video over three weeks of work entirely at my own expense:

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the things in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and http://www.tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit http://www.tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#kemperamp #kemperprofiler #kemperamps #guitar #bass #synthesis #tonymckenzie #amplifier #ampsimulator #review #reviewer #insideout #mckenzie #kemperprofiler #kemperstage #ampsim

AnalogMan Chorus Pedal Review | Will its price increase?

tonymckenziecom 2024-01-06 | The AnalogMan guitar pedals need no introduction, but is this Chorus effect likely to go the way of the King of Tone? Find out in this close up review and analysis. Includes sound examples.

What you will learn:
How does the Analog.Man chorus sound?
Can it be used with other gear?
What about pricing and will they increase over time?

Related Links:
My website: tonymckenzie.com
Analog.Man Website for chorus: buyanalogman.com/Analog_Man_Standard_Chorus_p/am-standard-chorus.htm
My review of the King of Tone: youtu.be/91Zs1kVw0mM

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:25 Intro & Preamble
02:08 Whats in the box?
03:29 Closeup of the pedal
04:17 Unique serial number
05:11 Inside the unit
06:24 Controls & I/O
06:57 Why this pedal exists
09:10 Features
13:38 How I got mine
16:05 What do these pedals cost?
17:16 2024 Prices
19:36 How is KOT in 2024
20:39 Summing up & thoughts
21:13 Overall score
22:34 Audio tones

There is no denying that the Analog.Man pedals are some of the best gear around - and as an example the King of Tone pedal has an approximate waiting time of about 5 years! from May 16, 2018 to todays date of January 6th 2024.

But the standard chorus pedal is currently just a few weeks today! But don't assume that the standard chorus is 'just another pedal'. Analog.Man himself confirms that the chorus is based on the original design from Electro Harmonix back near the end of the 80's - and Mike at Analog.Man says they have continued to enhance that chorus pedal to this day! So what's not to like.

And what about the pricing? This pedal can currently be bought for a few hundred dollars in the USA, but this pedal is starting to climb in value and I mention the pricing of available units on eBay and places like that where the chorus can actually cost currently a number of times the original cost. I have even seen some models of this chorus up to $1300!

So how good is this standard chorus? Well in this video I show you the pedal inside and out of the unit, discuss the overall quality and that sort of thing, I mention those price things going on, and of course there are audio examples of the chorus itself being demonstrated through a Marshall JVM410HJS Joe Satriani amp.

I have spent considerable time creating this video over ten days of work and two days editing entirely at my own expense:

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the tings in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and http://www.tonymckenzie.com 2009-2023
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit http://www.tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#analogman #chorus #kingoftone #effectspedal #analogueman #tonymckenzie #guitar #guitarist #review #reviewer #marshallamps #standardchorus

Convert 5 Volts to 9 Volts PSU for Effects Pedals almost by magic!

tonymckenziecom 2023-12-31 | Get a 5 Volts USB PSU and instantly create 9 Volts 400ma for guitar effects pedals - 5 volts to 9 volts its easy!

Have you ever arrived at a gig and been short of a 9 Volt power supply to power maybe effects for guitar or other similar unit? It's a mistake that can be a real pain!

How about your 9 Volt power supply fails and stops you using the effects rack for your guitar?

As well as the pressure at gigs its always a difficult thing with time, you need answers fast. Well now I can show you in this video how to solve the problem with a lowly USB 5 Volt PSU, and lets face it, often we have those for charging phones and that sort of thing right there with us.

By using the device I show in this video (and keeping the odd one in your gig bag, problem solved - no sweat!

I have spent time creating this video and entirely at my own expense:

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the tings in it that other reviews NEVER show!

(c) A B McKenzie and http://www.tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit http://www.tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#roland #boss #powersupply #powersupplyrepair #conversion #5-9volts #tonymckenzie #psu #review #reviewer #easyfix

Roland Boss GK-5 Easy Installation on an LP Guitar | See how its done

tonymckenziecom 2023-12-29 | The new GK-5 claims to be a breakthrough from Roland Boss for pickups for synths... so how easy it to install on a Les Paul? Find out here...

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:22 Intro & Preamble
01:32 GK-5 components
02:40 The guitar I used
03:07 The GK-5 closeup install
10:18 Software setup
11:43 Important Note

What you will learn:
Is the GK-5 easy to install?
Can it fit any guitar?
How to setup the pickup in Tone Studio

Related links:

My website: tonymckenzie.com
Boss SY-1000 Support: boss.info/uk/support/by_product/sy-1000/updates_drivers
Boss GM-800 Support: boss.info/uk/products/gm-800/support
GK-3 Cable genuine: gak.co.uk/en/roland-gkc-5-15ft-cable/33682
GK-3 cable non-genuine: amazon.co.uk/dp/B0768HRF17?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
GK-5 Pickup: pmtonline.co.uk/boss-gk-5-electric-guitar-synthesizer-pickup
GKC-DA Interface: andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/guitar-pedals/guitar-synth-pedals/boss-gkc-da-guitar-synth-converter

My Roland Boss SY-1000 and GM-800 Guitar Synths Review: youtu.be/XI4EozCQYbc
My Roland GK-55 Review: youtu.be/pM2tVfaRsjk
My Boss GP-10 Review: youtu.be/Be6He5c_nA4
My Boss SY-300 Review: youtu.be/99aJyDzN7CA
My Roland Boss GK-3 Installation Review: youtu.be/XUPwYIy65lY

The GK-3 was a pain to fit back in the day and get tracking properly (it never really succeeded) but is the GK-5 a better unit that actually works?

So I show you about the GK-5, it's components and I take an Tokai Les Paul type guitar and fit the GK-5 to that guitar. While I do cover the fitting to an LP guitar, it's not a bad idea to watch this video even if you're fitting it to a Stratocaster or something similar, because the procedures are not that different really.

Now I did create the video and have never fitted a GK-5 Boss pickup to any guitar before, so if I can do it, you should be fine - just watch how I do it.

Part of this series includes a 1 1/2 hour video all about the SY-1000 and the GM-800 synths for guitar and that video covers loads of different things overall. You can find that here: youtu.be/XI4EozCQYbc as that is the main video in this series on guitar synths.

I have spent considerable time creating this video over ten days of work and two days editing entirely at my own expense:

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the tings in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and http://www.tonymckenzie.com 2009-2023
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit http://www.tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#roland #boss #guitarsynth #gk5 #sy1000 #pickup #gm800 #bossgk #tonymckenzie #synth #tonecentral #synthesizer #review #reviewer #gk-5

Roland Boss SY-1000 & GM-800 How good or bad are these guitar synths?

tonymckenziecom 2023-12-27 | Roland Boss Guitar Synthesizers? Are they really any good and what about the GK-5 Pickup? Is the SY1000 and GM-800 useful or Useless? Find out in this no holds barred inside and out closeup review.

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:20 Intro & Preamble
00:58 What's in this review
04:25 Inside the SY-1000
06:55 Controls of the SY-1000
09:25 I/O of the SY-1000
11:25 Summing up so far
11:51 A Real Review
12:34 Pickup cables
14:24 The GK-5 Pickup
16:29 GK-5 Close up
18:46 The GM-800 Synth
19:55 GM-800 Inside and Out
20:46 The main board
21:50 Chip side of board
25:05 GM-800 Controls
28:11 GM-800 I/O
30:00 The chips close up
31:10 Summing up GM-800
32:27 SY-1000 | GK-5 Syndrome
34:55 GKC-DA converter
36:31 Inside the GKC-DA
37:51 Summing up GKC-DA
38:49 SY-1000 Tone Studio
49:49 DM-800 Tone Studio
58:16 Summing up Software
1:00:02 SY-1000 Presets Played
1:11:40 GM-800 Presets Played
1:22:28 Final Summing up
1:24:06 Likes and Dislikes
1:26:18 Important Note

What you will learn:
Are guitar synthesizers for you?
What will a guitar synth cost me now?
What is the quality like?

Related links:

My website: tonymckenzie.com
The original review: tonymckenzie.com/marshall-jvm410hjs-satriani-review.htm
Boss SY-1000 Support: boss.info/uk/support/by_product/sy-1000/updates_drivers
Boss GM-800 Support: boss.info/uk/products/gm-800/support
GK-3 Cable genuine: gak.co.uk/en/roland-gkc-5-15ft-cable/33682
GK-3 cable non-genuine: amazon.co.uk/dp/B0768HRF17?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
GK-5 Pickup: pmtonline.co.uk/boss-gk-5-electric-guitar-synthesizer-pickup
GKC-DA Interface: andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/guitar-pedals/guitar-synth-pedals/boss-gkc-da-guitar-synth-converter
My Roland GK-55 Review: youtu.be/pM2tVfaRsjk
My Boss GP-10 Review: youtu.be/Be6He5c_nA4
My Boss SY-300 Review: youtu.be/99aJyDzN7CA
My Roland Boss GK-3 Installation Review: youtu.be/XUPwYIy65lY
My Roland Boss GK-5 Insallation Review: youtu.be/_LwWgU8SubM

I've seen Roland and Boss gear for guitar synths going back for many years. Some of these synthesizers for guitar have not always been that successful with issues ranging from not good sounds, to tracking that borders on being rubbish, to the high cost of the hardware and different other problems that could not easily be fixed.

However, Roland Boss have been busy over the last few years with the introduction a couple of years back of the Boss SY-1000 guitar synthesizer and recently towards the end of 2023 the GM-800 synth. And they did not stop there either.

There's a new guitar synthesizer pickup available too; the old GK-3 surely had its problems when using a 13 pin cable to communicate - AND a guitar lead. But the NEW GK-5 solves all of that with a single 'stereo' 6.3mm (1/4" Jack) cable from the GK-5 pickup right to the GM-800!

But what about the SY1000 with its 'old' interface, surely that's not redundant? No, Roland Boss created a GKC-DA interface that can drive the SY-1000 with a GK-5 to a 13 pin connector. I looked at that closely also. The boss gm-800 review and the boss SY-1000 review is here at last.

So are these guitar synthesizers really any good? Well, yes and no - you need to watch the video from start to finish to learn the secrets of the Boss synths. I cover the hardware of each unit, the chips inside, the controls, the software and even end the video with at least 15-20 tones directly out of each guitar synth so you can get a feel whether guitar synthesizers are for you.

I do offer an opinion as we go through the video in a number of places and what I thought myself based on what I have known about these devices for a very long time. There are literally hundreds of different tones of synthesizers inside these units and if you're not really familiar with this type of guitar device then this video will undoubtedly help you to understand the equipment and tones that you can get from these instruments.

I do show the tone central gm 800 and the sy 1000 software also.

And remember that both units support guitar AND bass guitar.

I have spent considerable time creating this video over ten days of work and two days editing entirely at my own expense:

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the tings in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and http://www.tonymckenzie.com 2009-2023
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit http://www.tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#roland #boss #guitarsynth #guitarsynthesiser #sy-1000 #gm-800 #bossgk #gkc-dm #tonymckenzie #synth #synthesizer #tonecentral #review #reviewer #mckenzie #gk3 #gk5 #guitar

The BEST Marshall Amp They Ever Made! | A Really Close Up Review THE Most Versatile Amp With Playing

tonymckenziecom 2023-12-16 | So which Marshall amp is the most versatile amp they ever made? Find out in this 10 year anniversary and exactly why its so great.

Marshall have made some wonderful amplifiers and many guitarists have their favorite amp. But here I show what really could be the best Marshall amp they ever made...

Contents:

00:00 Start
00:19 Intro & Preamble
03:37 The Amp inside
07:52 The main PCB
10:04 Components close up
10:46 Quality fitments
11:56 Internal fuses
12:26 Power smoothing
13:13 Bias adjustments
14:01 Midi/Channel control
14:41 Overview of resistors
15:15 Control pots
15:40 Rear I/O board
16:10 Cement resistors
17:26 Output transformer
18:15 Input board
19:04 Chassis material
19:21 Amplifier housing
20:48 Rear I/O
24:44 Front amp controls
32:20 Interesting points
33:11 The different versions
33:57 410H-410HJS compared
34:30 410H and no choke
34:48 MIDI hookup
35:44 Foot control
36:15 The user manual
36:46 Satriani settings
37:32 Amplifier weight
38:36 Prices?
39:28 Other thoughts
40:39 Overall score
42:11 Important note
43:17 Every channels tone
47:15 Example 1
48:26 Example 2
49:37 Example 3

What you will learn:
Is this amp really versatile?
What will one of these cost me now?
Is this Marshall quality?
How many did they make?

Related stuff:

My website: tonymckenzie.com
The original review: tonymckenzie.com/marshall-jvm410hjs-satriani-review.htm
Marshall website: marshall.com
Marshall JVM410H review: tonymckenzie.com/marshall_jvm410h_review.htm
Discussion with Santiago Alvarez Designer: tonymckenzie.com/afd100_review.htm
Marshall Factory Tour 2023: youtu.be/sjMgLOlc9e4?si=-wC8I1IL7KA3icvR
My original Marshall Factory Tour: youtu.be/WeerxAO3oRU?si=fRcaJEukPEp1DSEk part one!
My original Marshall Factory Tour: youtu.be/rhe7qXP08qw?si=97YOTSB_UyYNmWBF part two!

From the first time I used this amp back in 2014 I knew immediately that it was something special and offered guitarists something that is pretty much unique - the ability to use one amp for all styles that they play. Versatility was king.

This JVM410HJS Joe Satriani amp made the alternate JVM410H sound like a poor sister - and I think that's still the case today. The 410H (as I'll call it) suffered in many ways to the Marshall amps that I was used to over the years. The internal build was different than this 'Satch' amp, there was no choke, the drive channels of that 410H amp squealed after about 9:00 on the drive knob and lots more. But sadly (in some ways) this JVM410HJS Satch amp that is reviewed here could easily be confused with that 'other' amp. Until you plug it in!

Fear not. Recently I have noticed for about the last three years or so many YouTube 'reviewers' 'discovering' the JVM410HJS Satch version amplifier. Where were these guys when the original was released? in kinder garden no doubt... but at least they are catching on to this Satriani monster amp these days. And no wonder.

Many guys will never have played a JVM410HJS or even seen one, let alone with all those features that this amp has against the regular 410H? Well I think that if you have never played this Satriani amp head then you would be in for a massive rude awakening. The JVM410HJS is most likely Marshall's secret weapon and absolutely the most versatile amp Marshall Amplification have ever made to date.

You will see in this video that I show a general overview, the chassis, the Power Transformer and Output Transformer, the main board and compare this to the 410H board, the choke, and more.

I also offer my opinion as an owner of over 20 tube amps and a number of Marshall amps. Don't be surprised to see that this Marshall amp is NOT built like some of the rubbish out there that is often called 'boutique' amplifiers, when in reality some of those amps are rather like the emperors new clothes. But this JVM410HJS really IS different.

Play any style you want with this amp - its got the lot. Prices are climbing too. So what better time to review this amp - a unique Marshall limited edition signature amplifier at it's 10th anniversary of its release back in 2014.

Now all we want is for this to come out as a 20w Studio version - come on Marshall, you'll sell tens of thousands!

I have spent considerable time creating this video entirely at my own expense:

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the tings in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and http://www.tonymckenzie.com 2009-2023
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit http://www.tonymckenzie.com for more great reviews or my YouTube channel

#marshall #jvm410hjs #guitaramp #guitaramps #guitaramplifier #joesatriani #tonymckenzie #tubeamplifier #tubeamp #el34 #marshalltubeamplifier #marshalltubeamp

Legendary Tones Mr. Scary George Lynch Tube Amp Mod | Can this amp mod REALLY add Lynch tone?

tonymckenziecom 2023-10-22 | George Lynch Mr. Scary Tube amp mod - can this tube unit really give you Legendary Lynch tones. Find out in this close up review using Marshall JTM and JCM800 amps.

Contents:

0:00 Start
0:17 Intro & Preamble
3:00 Mr. Scary info
3:53 What no simulator?
5:09 Closeup of Mr. Scary
7:06 Gain & deep control
7:32 Tubes used
8:28 5881 or not?
9:40 Hot Mod 2 Overview
10:49 Tube closeup Mr. Scary
12:02 Summing up so far
12:30 Marshall JTM Studio
15:05 Fitting Mr. Scary
17:25 Summing up again
19:20 My website
19:35 10 Million views..
21:18 A REAL review..
22:11 Playing Ex1 JTM
23:18 Ex2 JTM and TS
25:32 Ex3 SC20H JCM800

Related links:
Legendary Tones Website: legendarytones.com
Marshall website: marshall.com
Marshall JTM Studio Review: youtu.be/1JOwtfTd7KE
Marshall SC20H JCM800 Review: youtu.be/spmM0DQgDIg
Hot Mod 2 Review: youtu.be/99aSToDk1Zs
Marshall Factory Tour PT 1: youtu.be/WeerxAO3oRU
Marshall Factory Tour PT 2: youtu.be/rhe7qXP08qw
My website: tonymckenzie.com
For those who say 'He can't play': youtube.com/shorts/M8j0oa6nWhE

Now on to the review:

Ah George Lynch... what a brilliant guitarist, and he has some of the best tones of any guitarist out there he really IS a tone hound. And George has linked up with David of Legendary Tones (makers of the Hot Mod 2) to create something very scary... that's right - it's Mr. Scary! This is an add-on for tube amplifiers that can boost or change tone to varying levels.

It is said often by many that the tone of an amp changes when you drive the amp in a different way, and maybe even with less on the gain knob on the amp - and use the Mr. Scary gain control set to 1:00 (o'clock) that will enhance the actual tones coming from the tube amp. Well, its an intriguing thought to simply fit the device and all of a sudden you're George Lynch! But sadly, that won't be the case and you (like me) will likely be relegated to being in the sort of tone field after much work.

Of course though, the Mr. Scary amp mod from Legendary Tones WILL help, but not maybe in the way you might assume. I'm STILL me!

So I bought the Mr. Scary unit from David at Legendary Tones and jumped in with both feet (at least I try don't I) to see if it would change the tone on a Marshall JTM Studio - an amp no one else seems to have tried this tube amplifier modification out on. It certainly does affect the tone of that amp, and while some of it can be subtle depending on what YOU want, it still was worth taking a closer look in that Marshall JTM Studio that no one else did. Then I use an Marshall SC20H JCM800 Studio Stealth amp and check that device out also. For my playing I like the SC20H more but it's really down to the individual.

In the video, I look close at the Mr. Scary tube mod unit, how to fit it, the tubes and brands etc. and ultimately play both of those amps in simple ways (no detuning!) so that you can get an idea of the tones I got from those guitar amplifiers. I Used an Ibanez RG550LTD on the SC20H and a Tokai SC80 fitted with active pickups on the JTM Marshall.

I have spent considerable time creating this video entirely as I said and at my own expense and it is unsponsored in ANY way and is a genuine review without input form other people.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that it makes you look further in to the Mr. Scary mod unit from Legendary Tones.

(c) A B McKenzie and http://www.tonymckenzie.com 2009-2023
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#legendarytones #hotmod2 #ampmod #mrscary #marshall #studio #tonymckenzie #tubeampmods #tubeamp #5881 #12AX7

GOTOH Locking Tuners for a Les Paul | Do they make a difference? | are they worth the effort?

tonymckenziecom 2023-10-15 | GOTOH locking tuners seem to be a good idea for my Tokais Les Paul as the strings go out of tune constantly. Find out if they fixed the problem?

Contents

00:00 Start
00:19 Intro and Preamble
01:49 Why GOTOH tuners?
04:36 The current tuners
06:11 How I got this guitar
08:41 The GOTOH SG301-MG-T
09:56 Changing the tuners
11:30 The fitted tuner
12:18 The fitted set
12:55 Fitting notes

The Tokais was out of control! No matter what I did this guitar had a big problem with going out of tune at the mere looking at it (or so it felt like that). So I decided to change the tuners for GOTOH locking tuners - and I bought them off eBay for about £100.00 or so.

The Tokai Les Paul had many changes to it including the fitting of Fishman pickups and a Fishman battery which was great. But I had fitted some Gibson Studio tuners and nothing I did could stop the guitar going out of tune. So the time came for me to do this and solve the issue once and for all.

I did not want tuners that needed to modify the guitar in any way, so eventually I settled on these SG301-MG-T LP set and they seem to do the job amicably.

I did show also the Fishman Fluence pickups on the guitar and the Fishman Fluence Les Paul battery also.

Along the way I tell you the issues that I had, so if you are looking for a run through of the problems I had then watch the video.

This is NOT a sponsored video review in ANY way and what I show is factual to what happened when I changed out the tuners.

Visit my website: tonymckenzie.com for some great reviews not on YouTube.

This video is entirely financed and sponsored by me with my own money so it's important for you to subscribe and thumbs up, ring the bell and click ALL to see more of my videos. Please do SUBSCRIBE to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable too.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2023
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged

#gotoh #lockingtuners #tokais #tokai #lespaul #lespaulguitar #guitarmods #tonymckenzie #review #mckenzie

Fender Tone Master Pro Part Review | Maybe its not what you thought? | is the HeadRush Core better?

tonymckenziecom 2023-10-14 | Fender's Tone Master Pro is here and buying it right now might be an eye opener for some. Is this £1650 unit really ready for sale? Find out in this no holds barred part review.

0:00 Start
0:20 Unboxing
1:14 Internal Quality
2:38 Main Board
3:55 Internal Battery
4:22 Main Processor Board
6:03 I/O Board
8:17 Internal Power Supply
8:57 First Turn on
10:06 Firmware Update
10:53 The Rear I/O
11:33 No Manuals, No Specs
15:06 General View So Far
19:02 Top Controls Overview
19:20 7" Touch Screen
20:23 More Controls
21:00 Presets and Lists
22:31 Firmware 10/8/23
22:51 Global Presets
23:16 Screen Jump?
24:15 On-screen Effects
24:50 The Mixer
25:19 Signal Routing
26:14 Physical Effect Control
27:08 A Looper?
27:55 Control Buttons
28:14 Foot Switch Mode
29:30 Non-Graphic Graphic
30:19 General Rant...
37:31 Help Each Other

Links:
Headrush Core website: headrushfx.com/products/core/index.html
Headrush Prime Review: youtu.be/NWI6-UZ53P0?si=Rqe0EzW5hA9Mk8Gu
NUX NME-5 Trident Review: youtu.be/Tfn1qrHIJfY?si=mlgwsSOGOs5znbvC
Line6 Helix Floor Pedal Review: youtu.be/0sN-bwrDf2Y
IK Multimedia TONEX Review: youtu.be/FrS1hwOuLm4
Roland Boss GT1000CORE floor pedal Review: youtu.be/FdGkvVf1D-I?si=Ij4RWAMpAyYJQEns

I bought the Fender Tone Master Pro to create a thorough review inside and out of the unit with playing so that potential customers could get a really good idea about the reality of the Tone Master Pro without any sales hype. I guess I have not quite achieved my goal, but not really as I would have liked it to be. And yes there IS a rant in this video about the unit.

Andrew of @ Digital Guitars UK - (Digital-Guitars) did create a nice ambient piece of audio here: youtu.be/NpKpG4o5tdw that you might want to listen to and it shows the unit can sound OK as in that ambient piece he created... nice one Andrew. But for my audio that will have to wait I'm afraid.

The Fender Tone Master Pro looks good in the sales videos, but I noticed that there was not really that much real information or close up detail as much as I would have liked. Still, it sounded good on those 'reviews' so after buying the Headrush CORE and reviewing that (link above and you SHOULD watch it) I bit the bullet and bought the Fender Tone Master Pro for £1650.00. I did want to buy this from Fair Deal Music ( http://www.fairdealmusic.co.uk ) but when I checked they could not advise a delivery date, sadly... but by now they might have some and at a better price than I paid. Ask Gary for a price...

So after a quick look at the Fender Tone Master and checking some of the tones, I decided to create a review that showed some of the features of the Fender Tone Master Pro and some of the similarities to the Headrush CORE because of a number those similar aspects (and the HR Core is less than half the price of the Fender unit). But this review turned out not so good because of some aspects of my purchase from Fender. Watch the video to find out more.

While I do show you lots of things that others don't (that's for sure) there was so limited information available from Fender to the likes of me (a paying customer) - no manual, no specifications etc.) that this review I decided to curtail early and come back when Fender can get their act together and actually supply a manual and full specifications... if that's even possible from what I saw. And that's sad.

The Fender Tone Master Pro effects pedal really in my opinion is a product released for the Christmas period, but clearly not complete. With firmware updates surely imminent (maybe or not) and a single page fly sheet with no specifications why, you don't even know what you're buying.

This video is the review result as of 8th October 2023.

I'm sure that the unit will be updated, the manual released, and those specifications Fender skirted around will be released. So when they are, I'll come back to this Tone Master Pro and review it again.

I don't score the unit in this review as it might prove embarrassing to the makers. I will score it when they release the proper documentation and I re-visit this unit.

I started reviewing simulators with the Kemper Unit in 2011 and have seen very many since for reviews...

Visit my website: tonymckenzie.com for some great reviews not on YouTube.

This video is entirely financed and sponsored by me with my own money so it's important for you to subscribe and thumbs up, ring the bell and click ALL to see more of my videos. PLEASE do SUBSCRIBE to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable and gives a good overview as of the time of recording it on 10/8/2023.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2023
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit my website for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#fendertonemasterpro #tonemasterpro #fender #simulator #capture #guitaramplifier #tonymckenzie #review

NUX NMT-1 Multi Tester & Tuner | Solve Cable issues at a Gig Easily | Brilliant!

tonymckenziecom 2023-10-08 | The NUX NMT-1 is one of those devices that is essential for guitarists and anyone using audio cables. It supports 1/4" TS/TRS connectors, DC power cable, and even current tester for pedals and even includes a tuner! Even use adaptors to test other cables these days - I wish I had this unit years ago!

NUX NMT-1 on the internet: nuxefx.com/nmt1.html

Street price is $45 or maybe around £40.00 and will be available within a month or so through NUX distributors.

This little unit from NUX should not be ignored, especially if you are going 'on-site' for gigs or anywhere that you depend on the cables you're using to be perfect every time. Of course that never happens and sooner or later you will get a problem. No testing gear? Well you might come unstuck! But hold on, there's the new NUX NMT-1 Multi Tester that includes a chromatic tuner to the rescue.

And what's more, the unit uses a rechargeable battery (chargeable through a USB C connector for power) so that you'll never be without this tester.

The screen is high quality color LCD and the screen quality is superb, also having plenty of light for dim stage use. When I looked at this unit it was clear to me that I had not seen another device like it and that the uses for this tester are also brilliant for in my recording studio.

Cables are often the worst area for problems to solve and the benefits are brilliant because the tester is in the tuner itself.

This unit was supplied by NUX for review, but make no mistake these are my own opinions - as NUX would agree. This is NOT a review about a Fender Tone Master Pro so don't confuse yourself!

Please subscribe and thumbs up, ring the bell and click ALL to see more of my videos. Please do SUBSCRIBE to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable - its taken a full week of my life to produce it!

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2023
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit http://www.tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#nuxefx #nux #multitester #guitartuner #tonymckenzie #review #mckenzie

Headrush CORE Close Up Review | A tube amp replacement? and what about Fenders Tone Master pro?

tonymckenziecom 2023-10-07 | Headrush CORE released near Fender's Tone Master Pro. Could the Core hold a candle to the Fender Tone Master Pro? and what about real tube amps? Find out more in this inside and out review.

0:00 Start
0:20 Intro & preamble
0:45 Unboxing
3:30 Inside the Core
3:25 Power Supply
4:08 Inside overview
6:33 Processor Board overview
7:22 I/O board overview
10:07 Chips close up
10:16 Memory
10:44 Power management
11:02 Prime & Core Processors
13:51 Ancillary chips
14:01 I/O board
14:40 ADC converter
15:39 DAC converter
17:08 Relays
17:36 The ARM chip: Last chip
19:51 Summing up so far
21:20 Power supply
22:06 Top & screen controls
26:11 I/O available
31:12 More screen controls
32:21 Control of output
32:41 Preset pedal control
33:01 Assigned pedal controls
33:34 Moving pedal locations
34:26 General observations
36:29 Compared to Prime
36:56 Prime boards
37:49 The buying dilemma
38:42 More important features
39:03 ChopTones - IR's etc.
40:06 Amp cloning
41:17 Cloud storage
42:01 Music streams
44:52 The Looper
45:26 Assigning outputs
46:20 More Prime/Core points
47:37 Are Headrush wrong?
50:00 Fender changed it
52:06 Warranty
53:17 Summing up
54:01 Likes...
55:46 Dislikes...
56:43 Overall score
58:25 Manual
59:16 Final thoughts
1:01:30 Playing tones
1:06:45 Playing in context

Links:

Headrush Core website: headrushfx.com/products/core/index.html
Headrush Prime Review: youtu.be/NWI6-UZ53P0?si=Rqe0EzW5hA9Mk8Gu
NUX NME-5 Trident Review: youtu.be/Tfn1qrHIJfY?si=mlgwsSOGOs5znbvC
Line6 Helix Floor Pedal Review: youtu.be/0sN-bwrDf2Y
IK Multimedia TONEX Review: youtu.be/FrS1hwOuLm4
Roland Boss GT1000CORE floor pedal Review: youtu.be/FdGkvVf1D-I?si=Ij4RWAMpAyYJQEns
Gear4Music website: gear4music.com

End of chip section is 19:51 if you want to skip those.

Reviewing the Headrush CORE for guitar is not simple especially after the Prime I reviewed a while back. Inside there are amplifiers, effects, IR's (speaker sims) and a host of other features that I need to share with viewers.

When I looked at the Prime I considered that a bargain really, but with the CORE its a bargain and then some! With most of the features of the prime, and a smaller footprint there is not much to 'not like'!

Right from the start the Headrush CORE was better: the unit connected to the internet (something the Prime failed on in its review) and boom, it was online, updated, prepared (all by itself) and then immediately ready to rock. This was good!

Ha I can guarantee that I will have missed something in this Headrush CORE review but let's not worry too much as I show the truth of the device in all its glory right there in the video review.

The unit is very easy to use and that's a major feature that Headrush should be congratulated on, as was the Prime (when it worked). And anyone new to the simulator type of products won't have much trouble with the controls. Remember there is no editing software available and likely there won't be any!

The amp cloning (it actually can copy amps, cabs, effects and more) effects processors and other units all have their own particular way of creating copies of tones. This is NOT a Kemper Amp, nor a Neural Networks unit but how would it fare against the Fender Tone Master Pro pedal just released? That's a great question and while I don't compare here maybe that's for another day.

In this video, I'm looking at the new Headrush CORE Close Up pedalboard and answering some questions about the CORE regarding the recent Tone Master pro pedal.

Are you looking for a tube amp replacement? Or do you just want to add some extra distortion or other effects to your guitar sound? Check out this video to see what the Headrush Core Close Up pedalboard is all about and what it can do for your guitar playing!

And does the Headrush CORE come even close to what most tube amps provide - excellent tones AND feel? Somehow I don't think so, but it's all subjective and you might disagree...

All Headrush tones are unmodified.

My next big review from this one is the Fender Tone Master Pro!

Visit my website: tonymckenzie.com for some great reviews not on YouTube.

I also give a fair score of the CORE based on my own experiences as a paying customer.

Lastly, there is tone examples and then a short rock piece showing the CORE in a musical context.

This video is entirely financed and sponsored by me with my own money so it's important for you to subscribe and thumbs up, ring the bell and click ALL to see more of my videos. Please do SUBSCRIBE to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable too.

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2023
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit my website for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#headrush #headrushfx #core #prime #ampsim #ampsimulator #capture #guitaramplifier #tonymckenzie #review #mckenzie

NUX Trident NME-5 Close Up Inside and Out Review | NUX Trident Modeler | Is this pedal any good?

tonymckenziecom 2023-09-30 | NUX Trident NME-5 in a close up review showing inside, outside, software and playing examples. Is the Trident a great modeler? Find out in our genuine review.

0:00 Start
0:18 Intro & preamble
1:18 What we're covering
2:16 What's in the box?
3:40 Inside the NME-5 Trident
9:11 Power Supply
9:34 Top Controls
13:34 Rear I/O
20:14 Connections - using them
22:35 Thoughts so far...
25:08 Processor & other chips
32:27 Editing Software in Use
42:06 Control without Software?
43:32 Warranty
45:12 What's the NME-5 cost?
46:17 Recording Setup
47:00 Summing up
47:54 Things I liked
49:08 Any dislikes?
50:38 Overall Score
53:56 Audio: 03-C LM-Heavy
57:10 Audio: 01-A CT-SL Lead
59:19 19-B UT-Clean (Tele)
1:01:06 19-B UT Clean (LP)

Links:
NUX Website: nuxefx.com
Trident link: nuxefx.com/trident.html
NUX Facebook: facebook.com/nuxeffect
NUX YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCY4dCY4uWccBi0CldgI2ZDQ
My website: tonymckenzie.com

NUX (a Cherub company) recently released the Trident guitar amplifier and effects modeler (NME-5). This unit offers much for an excellent price, and NUX have certainly come up with the goods with the Trident. The target market is already very crowded but NUX should do well with the NME-5 with all the features this unit offers musicians.

It's a small unit suitable for many uses, it can be used without even using the editing software; if you're one of those musicians that don't like playing around with software, then the NME-5 Trident could be for you. In many ways, although the unit is completely up to date and includes many of the newer features like amp modelling, IR loading and much more, the design allows any user to operate the device from the control knobs alone. The I/O is excellent.

But of course there is more to the Trident than just a few controls, and NUX have thought very carefully about how to make the unit and include many aspects that other companies simply don't supply. Things like this: although the MIDI ports on the unit are 3.5mm jack sockets, NUX included two converters that make those MIDI ports absolutely standard 5 pin DIN connectors; they included a USB type C port rather than the older mini/micro USB as found on competitive devices - and even included the USB cable. There's even an on/off switch! No more forgetting that the unit is turned on (as with many Roland devices) - now you can easily turn it on and off! Just a few examples of NUX designing the perfect modeling pedal.

The Trident NME-5 is really a bargain at the price offered. You could use the Trident for home use, studio use, on-stage gigging and of course many more uses, for many types of musicians.

NUX will confirm on their website at nuxefx.com about the included processor and processing power of the NME-5, the included 'chop tones' and other features. There are a substantial number of amplifiers, cabs, IR's and much more included and those features help make the NME-5 Trident a powerful device, but at a cost effective price without affecting the overall power of the unit.

One of the things I liked about the Trident is the simplicity of use when using the unit for the first time; any user will quickly develop in to an expert through use, its so easy to pick up. And that included editing software is very simple and uncomplicated to use. In the review it all installed first time in to a Windows 10 computer (works on all later versions too) and even upgrading the firmware looks really easy to complete.

The Trident is really a breath of fresh air in this sector of the market, its relatively low cost, has great features, and NUX ensure that no matter what, you ALWAYS get more than you thought you were getting - and that's a really great way to be as a maker.

Check out the overall score that I gave the NME-5 Trident from NUX and remember that this is a completely genuine and truthful review.

Lastly, myself and Alan Bruce play through the NUX Trident pedal with a few of different settings and guitars as an example of the tones that were in the unit by default. We did NOT add any other effects - what you hear is what's in the unit. There are a multitude of Pro players using NUX these days check them out.

The Trident was supplied to my by NUX for review on this occasion, but make no mistake that this is, and will always be for all equipment a completely truthful review.

Please subscribe and thumbs up, ring the bell and click ALL to see more of my videos. Please do SUBSCRIBE to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable - its taken a full week of my life to produce it!

(c) A B McKenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2023
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit http://www.tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#nuxefx #nux #modeler #trident #effectspedal #tonymckenzie #review #mckenzie

Rock & Metal Guitar Playing: Watch how easy it is

tonymckenziecom 2023-09-03 | Mastering metal guitar and not as hard as some might suggest. Watch me play rock and metal at speed.

Hope all the subscribers like it in any case and if you like it too why not subscribe as you will see loads of things that are never on other YT channels.

In this video, we meet Tony McKenzie, who is playing the metal guitar instrumental music. Tony is maybe better than some think at metal and old school style of metal, and his guitar playing is maybe different than you might imagine for someone of his age.

He used a Diezel tube amp and Ibanez guitar which are both are perfect for metal fans, and his Diezel Hagen sounds absolutely perfect for this style of metal or rock he is playing. If you're a metal guitarist looking for an amazing tone that is really as good as it gets, then you need to check out the Diezel Hagen... and indeed the Ibanez RG550LTD that can be still found out there.

PLEASE subscribe as this 'old guy' needs some subs :) and thanks for watching.

(c) A B McKenzie 2009-2023 All Rights Reserved.
All Trademarks Acknowledged.

#ibanez #tonymckenzie #ibanezrg550 #diezel #hagen #metalguitar #metalguitaristsolo #rockmusic #metalguitar

Revealing the Shocking Truth: How a Cable Can Destroy Your Tube Amp

tonymckenziecom 2023-08-27 | Yes, there are guys out there that don't know that some cables can easily destroy your tube amp or cause the output transformer to fail. Are YOU one of them?

Contents:

0:00 Start
0:23 Intro & Preamble
0:50 Reasons for cable talk
2:55 The rights and wrongs
3:21 Cable example right
4:49 But with the wrong cable..
5:41 Things can get bad
6:24 Correct cable is king
6:54 Hendrix and torn pants!
8:46 A great cable review
9:18 Cable specifications
10:39 The warranty
11:18 Cable close up
12:02 Why these cables are good
13:01 email from nasties?
14:45 Future reviews

What you will learn:
Is this the right cable?
What do these cables cost?
Can it really blow up your amp?
Guarantee? How long is it?

Related web links:
My website: tonymckenzie.com
Cable link: northwestguitars.co.uk/products/ernie-ball-6ft-speaker-cable-straight-straight-black

While there are many well versed and practiced guitarists, there are also many guys that sometimes do silly things without knowing the consequences of their error. And believe it or not guitar cables are a perfect example. Get things right and its all hunky-dory right? But get things wrong (even unknowingly) and Boom - its too late - you could have a damaged guitar tube amp with maybe the transformer blown and that can be a very expensive repair.

I was recently needing a longer cable for a tube amp and wandered around a recent guitar show as many guys do; I wanted a specific cable for the task in hand because the one I had was too short. There were the really rubbish cheap no-name Chinese cables for sale there as they always are, some of those promoted as high quality but were clearly not; and then there was the other extreme - very well known brands that cost substantial money - and I really do emphasize far more money.

By the way this video and review is NOT SPONSORED IN ANY WAY and my findings are absolutely genuine.

So I was thinking about cables and the problem that most cables are not even labeled as to what they actually are? We all take cables for granted - and that can be a massive mistake that anyone can make. Flip in the wrong cable when they all look the same and you're on the road to a very expensive tube amp amplifier repair.

But I also thought much about the claims from all of these cable makers and sellers and whether a cable costing £7 or £50 ($10 to $75) was really that different and whether the claims they make are just sales gimmicks.

Ultimately, I did buy two cables, and through this video firstly I advise the problems of using the wrong cables and show the differences, but secondly I make a review of the cables I eventually bought and tell you exactly if they met up to the standards that I (and you) NEED for these critically important cables. Ignore it all at your own peril!

By the way, if you have a line 6 helix or other digital gear the cable thing is probably less important to you... and don't use speaker cables for the four cable method (4 cable method) but if you have a tube amp... (maybe a Marshall tube amp or any of them) make sure that the speaker cable really is a speaker cable and mark it up... now, before you forget... later you will thank me...

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I sincerely hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the things in it that most other people really never show. It could actually save you a big repair bill!

(c) A B McKenzie and http://www.tonymckenzie.com 2009-2023
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit http://tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews (just updated servers) or my YouTube channel

#cable #tubeamp #cables #guitarist #tonymckenzie #marshallamps #cables #tubeamplifier #ernieball

Boss ME-90 Effects Processor: Time to see a REAL review.

tonymckenziecom 2023-08-19 | Boss ME-90: Fed up of sponsored reviews? Here's a REAL truthful in depth review of the Boss ME-90 effects processor pedal.

BOSS ME-90 new release so I watched review after review | typical sponsored reviews that don't tell you what the ME-90 is really like for regular musicians. So I did. Completely independent review.

Contents:

0:00 Start
0:13 Intro & Preamble
0:15 ME-90 out of the box
1:45 Quality inside the unit
2:50 Internal construction
4:16 Rear I/O connections
5:27 Boss Bluetooth socket
6:15 Quick front control overview
8:05 Memory or manual mode
8:49 Opinion so far
10:46 Operational abnormality
11:26 The manual matters!
11:45 Ease of use?
13:09 About the buyers
13:48 More about Bluetooth
14:48 USB cable NOT!
15:05 Closeup effects overview
15:23 Output switch
15:39 Compressor & FX1
18:51 OD/DS pedal
20:37 Modulation pedal
21:38 Delay pedal
22:49 Preamp section
23:52 Noise suppressor
24:24 EQ & FX2
24:54 Reverb control
25:41 Pedal FX control
26:24 System settings
27:13 Control pedals
27:46 Software
32:30 IR's
33:34 General thoughts
34:27 Missing stuff
36:26 Things I liked
38:21 Things unliked
39:28 Warranty
40:01 Score
41:40 Intro to playing
42:51 Playing

What you will learn:
Is this ME-90 really any good?
What does the ME-90 cost?
Is the overall quality good?
Warranty? How long is it?

Related web links:
My website: tonymckenzie.com
Boss website: boss.info/uk/products/me-90
Boss Video: youtu.be/D-CAW34CBdE

That's just like Boss and Roland. They NEVER tell non sponsored reviewers about soon to be released products and that's the case with me and the ME-90. I have been reviewing (and using) Roland and Boss music gear for as long as I care to remember and so once I saw the ME-90 it was time for an 'ordinary guy' to take a closer look.

All those reviews I watched of the boss me 90 (ME-90) actually became a chore. Over and over I heard things like "What else could you want", "The ultimate processor", "Effortless multi FX tones", The usual and cynical "Game changer", and let's not forget "Modeling without the hassle". It does after a while become so predictable and some people believe all of that. I don't!

But in reality, I saw things rather different than the 'sponsored' video boys. You see, I have only what I actually see in front of me from my ACTUAL PURCHASE to show in a truthful review, there is no external pressure on me, no free pedal, nothing to add except what I find, so my ME-90 review is entirely a true reflection of what I found - and what was missing too in my opinion!

Are you ready to hear what the Boss ME-90 Effects Processor has to say? In this real review, I'll give you a detailed rundown of what this pedal is all about.

If you're looking for a metal guitar multi-effects pedal, then you need to check out the Boss ME-90! This pedal has everything you need to create great metal guitar sounds. From distortion to modulation, this pedal has it all! In this real review, I'll give you a detailed rundown of what this pedal is all about, so stay tuned!

So in this video I set out to show the features and benefits of the Boss ME-90 for the majority of either starting out guitarists, or semi-pro guys that want an effects pedal that is more maybe old style than new style, but has the added advantage of some software (if it must be part of the reason to buy) and an intro to IR's etc.

While I show you lots in this video that NO-ONE never does, I do also show just how simple the ME-90 is for ease of use, quality, warranty, expected costs and so on.

I do think this effects processor from Boss is value for money and does offer a sort of hybrid effects unit especially useful for those that don't want the whole plethora that digital only could add. It feels like a 90% Analogue and 10% digital unit, although the truth is it all seems to be a digital unit inside.

I do run through the control section in some depth for musicians.

This is a very robust device and surely will withstand the rigors of getting thrown around a little.
Both Tony McKenzie and Levi McKenzie reviewed this device without ANY discussion with music gear retailers or makers and we have spent considerable time creating this video entirely as I said and at my own expense:

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the tings in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and http://www.tonymckenzie.com 2009-2023
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit http://tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#boss #bossme90 #effects #processor #guitarist #tonymckenzie #effectspedal #effectspedals

Marshall Custom Amplifiers Wonderful! shorts

tonymckenziecom 2023-08-08 | If you're a fan of guitar amps that look a bit different then take a look at these Marshall Amplifiers - they're beauties.

The Marshall amps studio series consists of 4 different models and I can even show you a unique one (on my channel) but take a close look at these unique and fully customized guitar amplifiers and speaker cabs and you'll be amazed.

Think of some type of cool design and Marshall can create it for you and at really special prices that eat amps from other countries alive... check them out.

This is an entirely unsponsored video, and all equipment had been for sale at the time of photographing it by me. I did not buy anything from Andertons, these were all available from Fair Deal Music. You could say it's guitar amps as they should be seen, but either way check these amplifiers out - views to behold and some very unique designs.

In this video, I'm showing some Marshall Custom Amplifiers, one of the top amplifiers made. Marshall amps are wonderful and deliver great sound quality!

(c) A B McKenzie 2021-2023
All rights reserved.
All Trade Marks Acknowledged.

#short #marshallamps #guitaramp #marshalls #guitaramplifier #tubeamplifier #tonymckenzie #customshop #shorts #shortsvideo

Unlock the Truth: Is Marshall JTM Studio ST20 the Best 20w Tube Amp?

tonymckenziecom 2023-08-06 | The things they never show you about the Marshall JTM ST20 Studio 20w tube amplifier and why its one of the best tube amps out there.

Marshall released the JTM Studio ST20 after a long delay. But is the truth that maybe this amp is at the top of the pile for quality, tone and flexibility. Lets unlock what others never showed you. A fully independent review too!

Related links:
Fair Deal Music: fairdealmusic.com
My website: tonymckenzie.com
Marshall website: marshall.com
Marshall playing: youtu.be/lUQD-fJXjE8

Contents:

0:00 Start
0:26 Intro & Preamble
0:57 JTM45 Example
1:30 Fair Deal Music
2:26 Comparing with Friedman
2:50 The Chassis
3:19 5881 Power Tubes
3:45 Preamp Tubes
4:02 Inside the Amplifier
4:13 Switch Quality
4:47 Preamp Area
5:33 Power Amp Area
5:47 Cement Resistors Compared
6:57 Control & I/O Boards
7:33 Back of the Amplifier
8:15 Made in England!
8:49 Front Controls
8:58 JTM1 in Marshall Museum
11:06 Amp Aesthetics
11:40 Start Guide & Manual
12:06 3 Year Warranty!
13:02 The JTM Era
13:25 JTM Tones Opinion
14:37 Driving The Amplifier
16:29 Marshall Reissue Pedals
17:32 Other Thoughts
18:39 Have I had Enough?
19:39 Tones with Les Paul
21:39 Tones with a Stratocaster
22:47 Tones with Jumped Channels
25:34 Final Track Tone Example

What you will learn in this video review:
Is this amp flexible for many styles?
What does the JTM Studio 20H cost?
What about overall quality and build?
Does it have a good warranty?

Note final track I edited... as copyright... they say: but sadly not Gary Moore? :(

Unlocking the truth about the Marshall JTM Studio ST20 and comparing with other gear - you decide.

I never expected this amp. And along it came just a few weeks ago so I ordered one for review. I bought mine from Fair Deal Music and I had that amp the very next day! Their service was excellent and the price was very good.

With the Marshall JTM Studio ST20 amplifier this amp uses 5881 tubes as opposed (at least in the UK) to EL34 which on a JTM45 I own had those EL34's fitted.

Many guys will never have played a JTM tube amplifier, let alone with those 5881 tubes, so they really won't have much of an idea about the sounds from this great little amp. And I have to say, neither will they have likely experienced the quality of the Studio series of valve amplifiers from Marshall either if they don't own one.

So in this video I wanted to show most features and benefits that the Marshall JTM ST20 has to offer, but also some of the other products out there that cost far more and frankly paled in to insignificance once you mention quality and maybe engineering prowess.

While I show you some of the things that others really never do, I do also show just how great this amp really is in most respects including some of the tones. Alas the last track someone claimed a copyright.. questionable as they were NOT Gary Moore...

I expected from the Studio series maybe a newer amp model from Marshall (TSL maybe?) after all the previously released Studio series including the SV20, the SC20 (Marshall studio classic), and the 2525, but I have to say that this amp really did surprise me; not least from its incredible flexibility of different tones and suitability to different styles available to anyone who buys one. It's not a deat* metal amp of course! But it can easily do, clean, blues, rock, heavy metal and with the right pedal maybe more.

I do show some of the pedals that I have tried with the JTM Studio ST20H and each has a different tone to it. In there are of course many tube screamers (even a hand wired one) that work great with the JTM.

From just 5w watts out or 20w watts out and that ability to balance the tones with a jumped connector makes this amp very flexible.

Its finished in the older style levant too, and you'll notice no corner protectors.

I do show the Marshall JTM1 at the Marshall museum in the video so do take a look at that priceless amp yourself and see where it all started.

Of course there's not really a Fractal Audio Axe-FX III in the JTM and make no mistake there's no JTM ST20 in the Axe-FX III anything like this one. Real 5881 tubes (valves) rule.

I have spent considerable time creating this video entirely as I said and at my own expense:

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the tings in it that other reviews NEVER show!.

(c) A B McKenzie and http://www.tonymckenzie.com 2009-2023
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit http://www.tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my YouTube channel

#marshall #jtm #guitaramp #guitaramps #guitaramplifier #studio #tonymckenzie #tubeamplifier #tubeamp #5881