Random Thoughts

[Rev. Rye]

Inspired by an article on Reverb.com, here's a rig loosely based on the one I'm currently using that can be bought for less than $1000 on Reverb.

Restrictions:

• Includes a guitar, an amp, and some means of staying in tune.
  
• Is giggable in a small to medium club (i.e. no headphone amps or 4-watt microamps).
  
• Is something you would get a kick out of using.
  
• Employs any mix of new, used or handmade items, but they must be available on Reverb.
  
• Costs less than $1k in total. Claimed prices must reflect past transaction history.
  

So, restricting myself to gear that can be purchased on Reverb.com, and thus removing my guitar El Presidente and the Vaux amp out of the mix, here we go.

Guitar: James Neligan Cask Series Hogshead Guitar. Price: $159.99

My main axe is a Cigar Box Guitar, made out of a kit with a neck made by Catoctin Mountain Music and a Padron cigar box. It also includes a piezo pickup that allows you to plug it into an amp. The only problem: It's not really available on Reverb. I think the kit cost $70, but that's not readily available. The version that is available is significantly less finished, has three strings instead of the preferred four, the bridge isn't affixed yet, and the neck isn't even fretted. However, this version, while significantly more expensive, is finished, and has a pickup ready for the next stage.


So Far: $159.99

Effects:
Here's an artist's rendering of the pedals on the list:

(Note: Because Pedalboard Planner doesn't have the TC Electronic Smorgasboard series in its image bank, I have had to make do with the TC Electronic Shaker Vibrato). 
(Note 2: IRL, I also have an Orange Squeezer compressor clone and a reverb pedal on my board. I have removed the former because I figured it might not make that much difference, and the latter because the amp I selected has on-board reverb.)

Pedal 1: Electro-Harmonix Analogizer. Price: $71.90. This one, I use in real life. It's basically a combination of a low-key overdrive and an short delay. Just set the gain just a hair above halfway to open the amp up and start the gain going a bit, and the spread control just a hair below halfway to create a sort of ADT effect like the Beatles used. The first time I heard about it, I decided it might be pointless. However, somehow, at some point, something clicked in my head and made me think this could be perfect. It did not disappoint.

Pedal 2: Earthquaker Devices Speaker Cranker Overdrive. Price $129. At the moment, my current overdrive pedal is a TC Electronic Cinders, which I think is okay, but could be better. Last month, I ordered an Electric Majik 7 Series Overdrive, which is based on the Vox 7 Series amps that the Beatles used in the Sgt. Pepper days. However, I have heard that the builder isn't one of the most reliable salesmen. I will hold out hope that it'll come, and will work well with my guitar. However, (especially since that isn't available on Reverb.com either) I think this would be an excellent substitute, if only because it's pretty much everything an overdrive pedal should be: it doesn't mess with your EQ. It's just your tone, only a bit dirtier. Just one knob for overdrive and you don't even need to change the volume because it stays constant, whether it's at the minimum or maximum.

Pedal 3: TC Electronics Vibraclone Rotary Speaker Simulator. Price: $59.99. As soon as I figured out how the Beatles' gear worked, I knew I needed to find something that simulated the Leslie speaker cabinet. However, there were some problems: they tended to be expensive, and needlessly complicated. And then, last year, I found this. 



I bought this at a Guitar Center a bit less than a year ago. It did not disappoint.

Subtotal: $260.89
Running Total: $420.88

Amp: Vox MiniSuperBeetle Price: $329.99.

Let's be honest; The three pedals I included in the effects section, I name-dropped the Fab Four, a band that, ironically, broke up before effects pedals (beyond the wah and fuzz pedals) REALLY took off. Do you seriously think I'd neglect the chance to pick a cheap amp that specifically implies a connection with them? While I have used it (specifically to test out the Vibraclone), my main amp is something different: the "Vaux" amp my Dad and I made. Main components are a NightFire 14 watt amp kit, a Joyo AC-tone, a Jensen Mod 6-15 speaker, and a laptop battery for portability. Naturally, this isn't available on Reverb. 



Running Total: $750.87

Tuner: I know that this is largely meaningless, especially when there are several free apps that can tune your instrument (my personal fave is 432 Tuner), but the parameters of the contest demand it, so here's what I use IRL: Snark ST-8. Price: $13.95

It's simple, it's accurate, it's cheap, it goes down to 432 Hz, what's not to like?
Running Total: $764.82


Optional Mods: Changes you can make to your amp to potentially improve the tone, 

Mod 1: Eminence RF10C Speaker. Price: $79.99. If you're not satisfied with the volume you're getting out the Mini SuperBeetle, I suspect this may A) get you where you want to go, since, if my research is accurate, the sensitivity ratings indicate this speaker may make it 45% louder, and B) this may be closer to the classic Vox tone than the stock speaker.



Mod 2: Victory Lowrider Vintage Gold Foil Standard pickup. Pickup: $62.94. Ry Cooder is probably my favourite American guitarist (definitely my favourite American electric guitarist), and he helped ensure the gold foil pickup wouldn't just become an artifact of cheap old Japanese guitars. This is a cheap version that sounds authentic, and has a similar DC resistance rating. So, if you think you can pull it off, you might as well try it.





Final Total: $907.75