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Benson Amps is a boutique amplifier company based in Portland, Oregon, known for producing high-quality, hand-built amplifiers with a focus on tone and craftsmanship. Founded by Chris Benson, the company has gained a reputation for creating versatile, modern amps that combine vintage-inspired sounds with contemporary reliability. Benson amps are prized for their clarity, warmth, and dynamic range, often favoured by musicians who appreciate both vintage tones and the flexibility needed for modern playing styles.
Benson’s product line includes both guitar and bass amplifiers, as well as effect pedals, all designed with a commitment to quality components and attention to detail. Their amplifiers are known for offering a wide range of tones, from crisp and clean to rich, saturated overdrive, making them suitable for a variety of genres. With a focus on user-friendly controls and intuitive design, Benson Amps has become a popular choice among both professional musicians and audiophiles looking for bespoke sound equipment that provides exceptional tonal depth and character.
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Distortion pedals take your clean guitar signal and transform it into something bigger, bolder, and full of attitude. By clipping the waveform, they add sustain, bite, and aggression, creating that thick, compressed tone that’s powered rock music for decades. From the growling crunch of classic hard rock to the tight, saturated roar of modern metal, distortion is all about energy and presence. It gives every note weight and authority, pushing your amp to its limits and beyond.
There are countless flavours of distortion, each with its own texture and edge. Some sound smooth and creamy, others raw and gnarly like tearing fabric. It’s the sonic equivalent of turning up the heat until the sound cooks — rich, sizzling, and perfectly seasoned to taste. Whether used for rhythm muscle or soaring leads, a good distortion pedal doesn’t just add volume; it adds personality, grit, and that unmistakable sense of power under your fingers.
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.
A fuzz pedal is one of the earliest and most aggressive forms of distortion, turning your clean guitar signal into a thick, saturated wall of sound. It works by clipping the waveform almost flat, creating a compressed, gritty tone full of harmonic overtones. The result is raw, unruly, and unmistakable — from the sputtering breakup of vintage germanium circuits to the searing sustain of modern silicon designs. Fuzz pedals react strongly to your guitar’s volume and pickup choice, making them dynamic tools for expressive players.
Whether you’re chasing the classic tones of Hendrix and the Smashing Pumpkins or exploring heavy, experimental textures, fuzz remains a favourite for its personality and unpredictability. It can sound smooth and sustaining, or wild and velcro-like, depending on how it’s set up. A good fuzz pedal cuts through the mix while adding thickness and attitude, turning any riff or lead line into something bold and unmistakably alive.
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A preamp pedal shapes and boosts your guitar’s signal before it reaches your amp or recording interface, giving you control over tone, gain, and headroom. It acts as the first stage of amplification, adding warmth, clarity, and character while preparing your signal for the next part of the chain. Some preamps emulate the response of classic valve circuits, while others offer clean, transparent tone shaping ideal for acoustic instruments or direct recording setups.
Used on its own, a preamp pedal can serve as the foundation of your tone, providing a consistent core sound wherever you play. When combined with other effects, it enhances dynamics and helps each pedal sound more defined and natural. Whether you’re looking to push your amp harder, bring life to a dull signal, or refine your sound for the studio, a good preamp pedal adds presence, punch, and musicality to any rig.
Volume pedals control the output level of a guitar signal using a foot-operated treadle. They allow smooth volume swells, dynamic control during playing, and easy muting between songs. Volume pedals can be placed at different points in the signal chain to either control overall loudness or adjust gain and drive behaviour when positioned before distortion or overdrive pedals.
