Over the past 10 years there has been a huge increase in small, specialized companies that produce high quality, unique guitar amps and effects pedals (electronic devices that alter or add to the sound of the instrument, or delay, distortion, compression, etc.).
Some of them consist of only a few guys in the garage, manually assembling products that are either variations on vintage designs or strange new invention that converted sound of the instrument into something completely new.
These small shops are similar to microbreweries to compete in an industry that has become dominated by large corporations focused mainly on mass production and cutting costs. This is a very encouraging development for those who feared that the day of hands-on craftsmanship has all but disappeared from the electronics industry.
The Internet has given small businesses the ability to reach customers around the world, and it is encouraging tinkerers to their skills in the market. For consumers who seek out well-made products and appreciate the personal customer service you can call and speak with the owner of most of these companies, it is an encouraging development.
Of course, all this personal attention and installation manual do not come cheap. The all-tube amplifiers in this category, which usually take cues from the classics, but often add a modern reliability and lighter weight can cost more than $ 4000. And, effects pedals can reach $ 500 or more.
Who thinks of vacuum tube will still be around 2012? High-end guitar amplifiers have helped keep them alive. There is something magical about tube amp cranked up loud, they produce the effect called "leaks" that squeezes (compresses) hard to hit notes, guitar, and spits them out with dynamic aggressiveness just can not create any other way.
Some manufacturers of boutique effects pedals and look for a new (old stock NOS) components from the 60's and 70's to build an authentic revival of classic pedals. These original pedals cost a small fortune now (if you can find one), and the classic tube amps that are often imitated.
Not all of these companies focus on a retro design, expensive though. Some digital technology to take the next level, creating an effect pedal that perform complex tasks that just were not possible before. For example, Audi Source Massachusetts makes a multi-wave distortion pedal that "divides the input signal into 10 different frequencies, defaces individually then recombines them." This allows the guitarist to play a complex chord distortion (grungy, aggressive sound of rock guitar), with each remaining note to discern, instead of conventional distortion effect that lasts all notes together and slathers them with analogous "dirt" that may sound great when you play a simple major chord or single notes, but turns into a complex chords muddy mess.
Do they make a futuristic digital effects, or faithful reproductions of classic tube amps and pedals, all these small producers have brought back a commitment by hand, carefully designed products that can not be a bad thing.
Cue Acoustics is proud to make a similar commitment to quality, innovation and manual assembly in the consumer audio industry.
Will the head of communications designer odd acoustics. He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, has won numerous awards as a guitarist, composer and designer, featured in Guitar Hero and Rockband video game, and he has toured in Europe and North America, as a member of the band Think Tree and Count Zero.
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