2010 PREMIER GEAR AWARDS
never diminished bass response in
return for high gain. He also found
the Holy Fire to be exceedingly
clean, remarking “the overdrive
sound is thick without being muddy,
and you can bring it up to the highest settings without adding significant noise. In fact, this pedal has
got to be the quietest OD pedal
I’ve ever heard.” Ouimette surmised
that part of the Holy Fire’s quiet and fiery magic is attributable to
the 48-volt power supply that comes with the box. But whether he
was using it for thick gain or subtle overdrive, Ouimette found that
the Holy Fire had a “unique ability to bring the best out of your
guitar and amp.”
Street $195
creationaudiolabs.com
hold. Reviewer Gary Guzman found
that the H.D.R. gave the ICON Type 3
(November 2010) greater punch and
responsiveness in many situations and
added presence and brilliance when
needed. But he also found the simple
combination of the Godin and the
Lollar pickups a perfect match. “With
or without the H.D.R., the Lollar P-90s
had me hooked with their balance of
midrange, clarity, and warmth. These
pickups inhabit an ideal sonic space
that’s brighter than a humbucker, yet
has a fatter, thicker tone than a tradi-
tional single-coil that breaks up very
smoothly with distortion.”
Street $1395
godinguitars.com
Elite Tone Fillmore Thunder
As legendary as the original
Octavia octave fuzz is—especially
to Hendrix disciples—it’s not a
widely or readily understood
effect. It’s a little bit hairy, alien,
and random, which of course is
why Jimi loved it—and why so
few players in search of Jimi’s
tone ever master it. The Fillmore
Thunder (May 2010 web exclusive), a beautiful Octavia-style circuit from Elite Tone may not be much easier to get your head around,
but a player with the patience to unlock this pedal’s many capabilities
will find a wealth of Octavia tones that evoke Jimi’s sickest octave
tones—and realms beyond, too. A Bias knob helps players dial in a
less-compressed distortion than original Octavias, and a Gain control
makes it easier to tailor the pedal to your guitar’s output. Together,
they make the Fillmore Thunder a more expansive and capable take
on the Octavia sound. Reviewer Kenny Rardin took this praise a step
further, calling the Fillmore Thunder “the most controllable Octavia
I’ve ever played.” He cited the unit’s exceptional flexibility, too, noting that “usually Octavias are used on the neck pickup and above the
seventh fret; this one tracks well throughout the fingerboard and even
works well on the bridge pickup.” Sounds to us like a true evolution
of a revolutionary and timeless effect.
Street $177
elitetone.com
Kilpatrick Audio Vibro Man
Canada’s Kilpatrick Audio knows how to
pack a lot of tricks into a single pedal. But
few pedals by any manufacturer come close
to packing as many truly useful and expressive tricks as the Kilpatrick Vibro Man modulation pedal (March 2010). Its ingenious circuit gives you not just delicious vibrato and
tremolo effects, but also a vibrating band-pass filter that can be used in conjunction
with the tremolo to produce mind-bending
modulation madness. With such deliciously
twisted modulations, it only makes sense
that the Vibro Man also enables you to send your signal out in stereo
for warped synchronization effects. It also includes a Touch switch
that accentuates a given effect the harder you play. Reviewer Jordan
Wagner said using the Tremolo and Vibrato together produced some
of the coolest modulation effects he’d ever heard, noting that the
Tremolo occupied a modulation sweet spot that was “not too soft,
but certainly not too choppy.” But what impressed him most was the
Vibro Man’s range: From subtle to seasick wobbly, its tones make it a
“multi-function modulation powerhouse.”
Street $249
kilpatrickaudio.com
Godin ICON Type 3
Godin has always packed a lot of value into their guitars, but the
ICON Type 3—with its Lollar P-90s, rock-solid and super-clean
construction, and clever High Definition Revoicer (H.D.R.) active-to-passive switching capability—is one of the most value-packed
6-strings we’ve seen in a long time. For starters, it’s a looker. It
features a simple, elegantly sculpted mahogany body that steps
off from Gibson design territory but employs an offset waist and
smooth top carve to claim an aesthetic all its own. The chambered
body also makes the guitar light and extremely comfortable to
Lovepedal RedHead
Sometimes it seems tonehounds spend
their whole lives trying to clean up their
dirty tone. Fair enough. But sometimes we
like our dirty a little more wild. That’s where
the Lovepedal RedHead (September 2010
web exclusive) comes in. Steve Ouimette
used the word “irreverent” to describe this
pedal’s fiery voice. He also invoked the
name of Billy Gibbons, a virtual patron saint
of grease, sleaze, and attitude, as someone
who would adore the RedHead’s snarling
and delightfully boxy tone. In more aggres-
