GuitarJack in place when laid flat with your
iPhone on a table. (That said, it also means
that, when placed in an IK iKlip or similar
upright iPhone holder, the unit is more like-
ly to slip out.) Indeed, it’s hard to argue with
the build quality and elegant design of the
GuitarJack. Frankly, I have big-name effects
pedals that aren’t half this solidly built.
The better news is that is sounds as
good as it looks. That’s because it boasts
a proper 24-bit AD/DA converter. And
though you can only currently play back
at 16-bit, that’s slated to change with an
upcoming firmware update. It’s also the
only interface in our group that features a
dedicated microphone input—and, yes, you
can record using both the guitar and micro-
phone inputs simultaneously into Four Track
or Studio Track. That’s huge. GuitarJack is
made right here in America, too.
Sonoma’s Guitar Tone app can be launched
as a stand-alone app, or it can be integrated
within other Sonoma apps, like Four Track
or Studio Track, where it operates much
like a plug-in effect in a DAW like Logic or
Pro Tools. (One curious thing, though—the
stand-alone version’s tuner function disap-
pears when you’re using Guitar Tone within
Four Track.) Guitar Tone’s main page displays
the first of several presets, a list that can be
expanded by purchasing additional Amp and
RATINGS
Pros: Ultra-solid materials and design. Stereo recording
capabilities. Excellent digital converters.
Tones
Ease of Use
Materials
Value
Sonoma Wire Works, GuitarJack ($149 street, includes two Guitar Tone expansion packs) and
Guitar Tone app (free, expansion packs $9.99 each), sonomawireworks.com
cons: Guitar Tone app can be noisy. Onscreen buttons are
small and crowded. Some tones lack character.
Pedal Packs (and the cool presets that SWW
has designed to exploit those sounds and features). By touching the small FX, Amp, and
CAB boxes (which are a bit too small for my
taste) below the preset icon, you can swipe
through options for all three.
Perhaps you want a Vox AC30-style
cab—no, make that a slant 4x12—and
how about a tweed-style head and a
germanium-style fuzz unit? It’s all avail-
able with a few touches. What’s more,
each cabinet choice includes several
microphone-emulation options—including
dynamic, condenser, ribbon, and preci-
sion—and to my ears, they pretty much
nail the characteristic EQ qualities of each.
As a GuitarJack owner, you’ll already have
an expanded set of virtual amps, effects,
and cabs, though you’ll almost surely want
to plump for the additional AmpPack
