Tasty Pedals made by Ampeg
Yamaha Guitar Group, Inc. (YGG) acquired the Ampeg brand in 2018—bringing it under the same roof as Yamaha basses/guitars/amplifiers and digital innovators Line 6. Honouring 70+ years of celebrated Ampeg history and the 50th anniversary of the amplifier that put Ampeg on the rock ‘n’ roll map, the first thing developed by YGG was the Heritage 50th Anniversary SVT, a product that quickly became one of the most requested amplifiers amongst touring artists and backline companies.
Just Pedal Ingredients.
Bass — In the realm of guitar effects, “bass” pedals are designed specifically for bass guitars, enhancing their low-end frequencies and allowing bassists to shape their tone and explore new sonic possibilities. These pedals cater to the unique characteristics of the bass guitar and provide various effects to modify its sound. For instance, overdrive and distortion pedals add gain and saturation, giving the bass a gritty or distorted tone. Compression pedals help even out dynamics by smoothing out the volume of loud and soft notes, resulting in a consistent and punchy sound. EQ pedals enable bassists to sculpt their tone by boosting or cutting specific frequencies, allowing them to emphasize certain parts of the sound or compensate for room acoustics.
Other popular bass effects include envelope filters, which produce dynamic filter sweeps in response to playing dynamics, adding rhythmic groove to bass lines. Octave pedals generate harmonies one or two octaves below the original note, creating a fuller and more powerful sound. Modulation effects like chorus, flanger, and phaser add depth and movement by modulating the pitch or phase, creating swirling textures and enhancing the overall presence of the bass line. Lastly, delay and reverb pedals introduce ambience and spatial depth, adding echoes and reflections that enhance the sense of space in music. These diverse effects allow bassists to expand their sonic palette and express their creativity in numerous ways.. Compressor — A compressor pedal is an essential tool used in guitar playing to control the dynamic range of the instrument’s signal. Compressors work by reducing the volume of loud sounds and boosting the volume of softer sounds, effectively narrowing the dynamic range of the guitar signal. This results in a more consistent and sustained sound, with smoother transitions between notes and chords.
Here are the key features and functions of a compressor pedal:
1. **Threshold**: The threshold control determines the level at which the compressor begins to engage. Signals above this threshold are compressed, while signals below it remain unaffected.
2. **Ratio**: The ratio control determines the amount of compression applied to the signal once it exceeds the threshold. For example, a ratio of 4:1 means that for every 4 dB the input signal exceeds the threshold, the output signal will be limited to 1 dB increase. Higher ratios result in more aggressive compression.
3. **Attack**: The attack control sets how quickly the compressor responds to changes in signal level once it exceeds the threshold. A fast attack time will clamp down on peaks more quickly, while a slower attack time allows more transient peaks to pass through unaffected.
4. **Release**: The release control determines how quickly the compressor returns to its normal state after the signal falls below the threshold. A shorter release time will result in quicker recovery to normal signal levels, while a longer release time provides more sustain and a smoother overall sound.
5. **Level (or Output)**: This control adjusts the overall output level of the compressed signal, allowing you to match the compressed signal with the rest of your effects chain or amplifier.
Compressor pedals offer several benefits to guitarists:
– **Increased Sustain**: By levelling out the volume of notes and chords, compressors can extend the sustain of the guitar signal, making notes ring out longer and creating a smoother, more consistent sound.
– **Improved Note Clarity**: Compressors can help even out the volume levels of individual notes within chords, making them sound more balanced and defined. This is particularly useful for fingerstyle playing or intricate picking techniques where note clarity is crucial.
– **Enhanced Dynamics**: While compressors reduce the dynamic range of the signal, they can also enhance the perceived dynamics by bringing quieter passages up in volume, resulting in a more expressive and responsive playing experience.
Overall, compressor pedals are valuable tools for guitarists seeking to control their instrument’s dynamics, increase sustain, and achieve a more polished and professional sound. Whether used subtly to smooth out peaks or aggressively to add punch and presence, compressors can significantly enhance your guitar tone and playing experience.. DI. EQ — While Ed Sheeran primarily relies on the natural sound of his acoustic guitar and vocals, he occasionally uses EQ (Equalization) to shape and enhance his tone during live performances or in the studio. EQ pedals or onboard preamps can allow him to adjust the frequency response of his guitar signal to suit the acoustics of different venues or to achieve specific tonal characteristics. Here’s how EQ might be utilized in Ed Sheeran’s setup:
1. **Tonal Shaping**: EQ can be used to adjust the balance of frequencies in the guitar signal, allowing Ed Sheeran to shape his tone to his liking. For example, he might boost the midrange frequencies to bring out the warmth and presence of his acoustic guitar, or cut certain frequencies to reduce any harshness or mud in the sound.
2. **Feedback Control**: In a live setting, EQ can help control feedback by notching out problematic frequencies that might cause the guitar signal to feed back through the amplification system. This can be particularly useful when performing in venues with challenging acoustics or high volume levels.
3. **Room Correction**: In situations where the venue’s acoustics are less than ideal, EQ can be used to compensate for any deficiencies in the sound. By adjusting the EQ settings, Ed Sheeran can tailor the guitar tone to sound more balanced and natural, regardless of the room’s acoustic properties.
4. **Matching Gear**: EQ can also be used to match the tone of Ed Sheeran’s guitar to the sound of other instruments or equipment in his setup. For example, he might adjust the EQ to complement the tonal characteristics of his vocal microphone or to blend seamlessly with backing tracks or other instruments.
Overall, while EQ may not be a central component of Ed Sheeran’s guitar effects setup, it can still play a valuable role in shaping his tone and ensuring that he achieves the desired sound in different performance environments. Whether used subtly for tonal shaping or more aggressively for feedback control, EQ allows Ed Sheeran to tailor his guitar tone to suit his musical vision and performance needs.. New — Just New products for sale, unused, and in their original packaging. They come with a protected seller guarantee and include manufacturer warranties. Read more for additional details.. Pedal — Your pedal is like a signature dish for your sound — a flavour-packed creation that transforms the bland ingredients of your guitar into something unforgettable. Each one adds its own seasoning, texture, and heat, turning a simple meal into a feast of tone.
These tasty little boxes sit in a row, like plates on a buffet, letting you mix and match flavours as you play. With one tap of your foot, you can swap sweet for spicy, subtle for smoky, and serve up something completely new. From the comfort food of warm overdrive to the fiery kick of fuzz, from smooth jazz sauce to heavy-metal spice, pedals give players a full menu of options to express their taste. And just like with food — once you’ve tried one dish, you’ll want to sample them all.
Collecting, trading, and discovering new flavours soon becomes part of the joy of being a tone-loving gourmet geek with a guitar.. Preamp — A preamp, short for preamplifier, is an electronic device used to amplify weak signals from guitars, microphones, or other audio sources before they are sent to a power amplifier or recording device. Preamps serve several important functions in audio systems:
1. **Signal Boosting**: The primary function of a preamp is to increase the level of weak signals to line level, which is the standard level used in audio equipment. This boost ensures that the signal remains strong and clear throughout the audio chain, minimizing noise and distortion.
2. **Tone Shaping**: Many preamps feature tone controls such as EQ (equalization) knobs or switches, which allow users to adjust the frequency response of the signal. This can include boosting or cutting specific frequencies to tailor the tone to the desired sound.
3. **Impedance Matching**: Preamps often include input and output impedance controls to match the impedance of the source device (e.g., a guitar pickup) with the impedance of the connected equipment (e.g., an amplifier or mixer). Proper impedance matching ensures optimal signal transfer and prevents signal degradation.
4. **Coloration and Character**: Some preamps are designed to impart a specific sonic character or coloration to the signal, adding warmth, richness, or saturation. This can be achieved through the use of vacuum tubes, transformers, or other analog components known for their unique sonic characteristics.
5. **Gain Staging**: Preamps play a crucial role in gain staging, which involves managing the levels of audio signals at each stage of the signal chain to optimize signal-to-noise ratio and prevent distortion. By adjusting the gain or volume controls on the preamp, users can control the overall level of the signal before it reaches subsequent stages of processing or amplification.
6. **Phantom Power**: Many preamps provide phantom power, which is required to power condenser microphones and certain active DI (direct input) boxes. Phantom power is typically supplied at +48 volts and is transmitted through the microphone cable to power the microphone or DI box.
Preamps are commonly found in a variety of audio equipment, including guitar amplifiers, mixing consoles, recording interfaces, and standalone preamp units. They are essential for ensuring clean, clear, and balanced audio signals in both live sound reinforcement and studio recording applications. Additionally, dedicated guitar preamps are available as standalone units or built into amplifiers, offering guitarists additional control over their tone and signal chain..
