I’ll have ordered one of those by the time you read this. Meanwhile, the fantastically despicable Jordan Fuzztite I reviewed in 2015 remains my favorite mayhem machine-although I haven’t been able to get the remarkably responsive Toe Bender MkII from Canada’s Toetags Electronics out of my head since I took it for a spin in our 2016 Pedal Issue. Rockett Audio Archer that Joe Gore reviewed in 2015 was an always-on part of my board for years, but the op-amp glory and flick-of-a-switch flexibility of the dual-channel DrVa stomp from Sweden’s SoundBrut (which I reviewed early this year) has since replaced it-the MkII version that came out this summer is one of two stomps on my board that’s never off. My pick for most gorgeous vintage-style vibrato is the DryBell Vibe Machine from Croatia, whose simplicity and expression-pedal friendliness I gushed about in a 2016 review. My go-to delay, the Ibanez ES-2 Echo Shifter (which I demoed for our 2013 review), is obviously mainstream, but its tweak-friendly format and old-school tones are pretty unusual nonetheless.
![cooper fx signal path selector cooper fx signal path selector](http://mas.txt-nifty.com/3d/images/2009/09/13/2009091305.jpg)
Of the seven stomps currently on my board, five are units I reviewed and loved so much that I couldn’t not buy them. Our annual Pedal Issue is the one “October surprise” that those on the left, right, middle, and everywhere in between can unabashedly agree flat-out rules. These pedals are now so integral to my music that I almost can’t imagine playing without them. Many of my longtime go-tos are boxes I never would’ve heard of, let alone gotten the chance to play, if not for my gig here. I’m not one of those players with an air-traffic-control board at my feet, but there are a few stomps that are absolutely indispensible to my repertoire. It has shaped my evolution as a guitarist, musician, and songwriter, and I’m truly grateful for that. Getting to play through just a fraction of the incomparable variety of obscure-to-mainstream stomps we review has enabled me to assemble a rich, vibrant palette I couldn’t have even dreamed of on my own.
![cooper fx signal path selector cooper fx signal path selector](http://www.urban75.org/blog/images/comacchio-ferrera-italy-09.jpg)
You get giddy just thinking about what must-haves might be lurking behind the layers of cardboard and bubble wrap.īut it’s way, way more than just fun self-indulgence. Nick is tromping through the door with big-ass boxes full of tone toys. Every time the mail arrives, it’s like ol’ St. It goes without saying that one of the coolest aspects of working in guitar journalism is getting to check out killer new gear from all over the world pretty much as soon as it’s available. Second, I’d like to pause and celebrate what being part of the process means to me, personally. Mostly, I just want to, first, acknowledge the Herculean efforts put forth by PG gear editor Charles Saufley (as well as our diverse crew of freelance and staff stompbox experts) during the months leading up to the compendium of gluttony we roll out at this time of year. That’s not so much a knock on them as it is an acknowledgement that putting together something like our Pedal Issue, year in and year out-and doing it with such style and insight-requires a lot more time, effort, and meticulous attention to detail than most places can muster. Other outlets try, but if you look closely, it’s always a pale imitation. Invariably, it’s a mighty collection of 30+ reviews whose diversity and depth of analysis and testing is never matched. But our annual Pedal Issue is the one “October surprise” that those on the left, right, middle, and everywhere in between can unabashedly agree flat-out rules.
![cooper fx signal path selector cooper fx signal path selector](http://mas.txt-nifty.com/3d/images/2009/09/13/2009091313.jpg)
Sure, throughout the preceding months we’re still rolling out a steady stream of videos, reviews, sound clips, and news about all sorts of pedals. Every year at this time, Premier Guitar raises a collective toast to the mighty stompbox.