Please turn your speakers up!


















 

TQR Resource Directory – Suppliers & Links

"Sound better – play better!"

Now more than ever, we’re confronted with hard choices when it comes to evaluating and choosing the tools that define our sound as guitarists. Top artists can rely on their contacts in artist relations to keep them abreast of the latest innovations and cool tools, and now, you can too. 

The companies found in our professional resource directory are many of the most innovative providers of premium products and services for guitarists in the world. We invite you to get to know them, and confidently rely on the members of our directory in your ongoing Quest for Tone. Without exception, you’ll find our directory members to be knowledgeable, helpful, and ready to discuss your needs, whether you’re considering a new amplifier or guitar, guitar effects, tubes, pickups, speakers, or restoration and repair services. 

You’ll sound better and play better with expert advice and guidance available from our professional resource directory members, and you’ll also make some valuable new friends along the way. Enjoy... 


 

Antique Electronic Supply is a mail order supplier of electronic components for guitar amplifiers, high-end audio, antique radios and amateur radios. AES carries a large supply of hard to find NOS vacuum tubes made by RCA, GE, Sylvania, Tung Sol, as well as current production vacuum tubes like JJ/Tesla, Svetlana and Valve Art. They even have REAL original 7591s in stock now! If you are looking for capacitors, AES is the right place! Their extensive capacitor inventory includes Sprague, Xicon, Auri, Hovland and Solen, just to name a few. AES also offers Hammond, One Electron and other transformers; Jensen and Celestion speakers; Switchcraft jacks and Carling switches; tolex, handles, grill cloth, reverb tanks, knobs, chemicals, books, schematics, test equipment and a whole lot more. AES has been in business for almost 20 years, and they have learned how to please their customers. Same day shipping on orders received by 2:00 p.m. Ask for their FREE 76-page catalog. 

AES is also a distriubutor for Jensen. Musicians everywhere are thrilled to hear the unique sound of Jensen Vintage Series speakers again, and the Jensen re-issues of the famous Jensen designs of the 50’s and 60’s are built to the exact specifications of the originals to achieve the same authentic sound in guitar amplifiers today. Many current manufacturers are using them as well, such as Fender, Mesa Boogie, Victoria and many more. Jensen Vintage Speakers are available in both true ALNICO magnet models and ceramic magnet models. The classic Jensen ‘P’ Series, features highly efficient AlNiCo magnets and vintage style seamed cones, when applicable, resulting in the pure vintage tone loved by guitarists throughout the world. The Jensen ‘C’ Series provides additional tone choice and the advantages of lower cost ceramic magnets. Originally developed in the 1960’s to meet the demands of the emerging pop music industry, the ‘C’ Series has remained a classic ever since. CE Distribution is the exclusive US importer and distributes the Jensen speakers to distributors and dealers throughout the United States. Write to info@jensenvintage.com to find a distributor or dealer in your area, or contact CE Distribution.


Antique Electronic Supply, Tempe, AZ 480-820-5411 info@tubesandmore.com www.tubesandmore.com

 

Allparts Top players and guitar builders rely on Allparts for the right guitar and bass parts they need, in stock and ready to ship. Allparts offers a complete range of finished and unfinished guitar bodies in a variety of premium tone woods, including alder and swamp ash, with optional highly figured maple tops. Finishes include all of the most popular vintage colors, including see-through blonde. Premium necks are also available with maple, rosewood, and ebony fingerboards in a variety of neck shape profiles, with or without binding. Custom design your next guitar with Allparts, including tailpieces, tuning keys, bridges, nuts and saddles, pickups, pickguards (that really fit), knobs, hardware, and electronics for many popular models. Bass players and lefties can also find the parts they need at Allparts! You can also rely on Allparts for hard to find parts along with vacuum tubes and amplifier hardware.

AllParts, Houston, TX 
713-466-6414 www.allparts.com 

Analog Man (Mike Piera) is one of the premier guitar effects dealers and manufacturers serving professional players worldwide. Analog Man is unique, since it manufactures, modifies, buys, sells, and repairs vintage and new guitar effects. Specializing in vintage and high-end effects, you won't find cheap Taiwanese "happy meal" style, toy effects there. Analog Man is dedicated to helping you successfully pursue your quest for tone, and every customer is treated as a prospective friend. There are now Analog Friends all over the world with the common interest of vintage guitars and effects. Analog Man can meet all your effects needs, including: Buying and selling vintage, new, and custom built effects, and modifying pedals to sound and function better. A full repair service, including referrals to specialists. Creating the best new effects with vintage values, schematics, and original owner's manual copies. FREE help with effects problems by e-mail or in our Web Forum, plus professional consultation and technical services. 
Analog Man specializes in pedal modifications for the Ibanez and Maxon Tube Screamers and several Boss pedals (SD-1, DS-1, BD-2, DD5, etc). They also modify Fuzzfaces to vintage germanium specs. Analog Man hand-built pedals include the Clone chorus, Comprossors, and Sun Face fuzz pedals. There are 3 versions of the Comprossors available, based on the Ross style and/or the Orange Squeezer style of compression. 
Other hand-made pedals available from Analog Man include the FOXROX Captain Coconut and TZF flanger, Teese RMC wahs, Z Vex, Black Cat, Tubester, Ultravibe, Pedaltrain and George L cables. Mike maintains excellent relationships with these manufacturers to insure that quality and service standards are high. Please check the web site for more information, and e-mail if possible. If you must call, please mention ToneQuest and they'll make time to help you. 
Analog Man, Bethel, CT
www.analogman.com 203-778-6658

 

Avatar Speakers was founded in 1991 by Dave Noss and is known for selling well-built,high value guitar and bass speaker cabs loaded with the best speakers in the world from Celestion and Eminence. We also offer the best prices on raw speakers from these fine companies. 

Avatar recently introduced the new G2112H Premier cabs available in Red, Orange, Green, Brown, Black or Blonde tolex, loaded with your choice of speakers. Features include 13 ply baltic Birch cabs with superb dovetail corner joints and your choice of open, oval, or closed backs. Grill cloth colors include Wheat, Black, vintage Fender and Oxblood with white piping. We also offer a Premier Vintage cab modeled after the ‘60s Bluesbreaker. Avatar also markets their great sounding Hellatone line of 12" guitar speakers – aged Celestion G12H30’s and Vintage 30’s, both of which have received stellar reviews. Avatar Speakers, Dalton Gardens, ID, 208-762-5251, www.avatarspeakers.com 

 

Jeff Bakos Amp Works  Jeff Bakos Bakos is one of the top amplifier tech’s and independent recording engineers in the Southeast. To quote Jeff, “ I’ve seen just about everything there is in here except a Dumble.” Well, now he's seen that too as we recently completed our review of John Mayer's Dumble Overdrive Special in March 06. 

Jeff has worked on thousands of new and vintage amps, he is an authorized warranty repair tech for Fender and Mesa Engineering, among others, and in addition to having restored and maintained practically every vintage amp ever made (except Dumble’s), Jeff has filled his Atlanta recording studio with a remarkable collection of vintage amplifiers, including tweed, brown, and blackface Fenders, Marshalls, Ampegs, and Hiwatts. If you want it done right the first time and sounding good, Jeff is your man in the Southeast. 

Bakos Ampworks and Studio, Atlanta, GA 404-607-8426

 

Callaham Vintage Guitars & Amps

Callaham Vintage Guitars and Amps Callaham Vintage Guitars & Amps Bill Callaham is a builder of exceptional electric guitars that exceed the original quality, tone, and beauty of the vintage models that inspire his work. “Better than vintage” is an apt description for the Callaham “S” and “T” model electric guitars that feature premium lightweight ash and alder bodies, custom hand-shaped rock maple necks, and cryogenically treated Lindy Fralin pickups specially wound to Callaham’s specifications for true vintage tone. Bill also offers cryogenically treated, pre-wired vintage pick guards for Strat style guitars, and his exclusive formula for cold-rolled steel alloy tremolo blocks continue to delight players around the world with improved resonance and sustain. Callaham vintage saddles also improve sustain while minimizing string fatigue and breaks. Additional Strat parts include stainless steel trem arms, string ferrules, bridge plates and mounting screws, and string retainers. Attention Tele Players! Callaham now offers a complete line of custom Tele parts. Please visit their web site for information on pre-wired control plates with premium pots, capacitors, and cloth-covered wire, specially wound and cryogenically treated Fralin vintage Tele pickups, compensated brass bridge saddles, bridge plates, knobs, jacks, tuners and string trees! The only thing better than Callaham parts is a Callaham guitar. We said that, and you can take it to the bank. 
Callaham Guitars, Winchester, VA 540-678-4043 callaham@callahamguitars.com, www.callahamguitars.com 

Check out the ALL NEW Carr Mini-Mercury! The Mini-Merc is an extremely versatile combo with all tube Reverb, 3 position Boost switch, Treble cut switch, and a built in attenuator yielding 8, 2, ½, or 1/10 watt output. 100% hand wired and every amp is rigorously tested before leaving our shop. The Mini-Mercury offers tones and big amp ‘feel’ ranging from lush 60s American reverb to modified ‘brown’ ‘70s British crunch at almost any volume. The cabinet measures a friendly 19.5” wide by 15” tall by 10” deep at the bottom sloping to 9” deep on the top. Our new Mini-Mercury has the same electronics as the standard 1-12” Mercury differing only in its smaller cabinet and its warm and smoky 10 inch Eminence "Lil Buddy" hemp cone speaker.

Plug into any Carr amp and you’ll immediately understand why we said in our first very first ToneQuest review, “Finally, somebody got it right.” Right, as in the perfect marriage of classic Fender balance, clarity, and head room, with innovative overdrive features that produce natural, sweet tube distortion, but never at the expense of the tone you’ve worked so hard to capture in your instruments. Lots of small–batch amp builders use premium components and labor–intensive, point–to–point construction, and Carr is no exception. The Solen filter caps used in Carr amps alone cost more than the sum of the parts in many boutique circuits!

 Carr amps are professional tools and works of art that will inspire you for a lifetime. Check out the many stellar reviews and dealer locations for Carr amps at their web site, and contact the boys at Carr for more information about which Carr model is best for you.


Carr Amplifiers, Pittsboro, NC 919-545-0747,
www.carramps.com 

 

Bill Collings’ story provides a classic example of what can be achieved with an engineer’s brain, a machinists’ hand and an experienced repairman’s eye for structural integrity and design. After dropping out of medical school in Ohio to work in a machine shop, Collings moved to Texas in the mid 1970’s where the experience he gained repairing guitars guided his design of the first Collings guitars. His understanding of the flaws and shortcomings found in production guitars was instructive, and he set out to eliminate those shortcomings with the very first order he received for  two dozen Collings guitars. 

Today, Collings has 50 full-time employees working in a new, 22,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility, and Bill Collings remains hands-on, having built all the tooling used throughout the shop and personally working on guitars at his bench whenever time permits. As the business has grown and processes refined, there is one thing that has not changed...Bill Collings’ commitment to building the finest handmade acoustic steel string instruments in the world.

Collings instruments have grown to include 32 different acoustic guitar models including the famed dreadnought and OM models, seven award-winning mandolin models in both lacquer and varnish finishes, three archtop guitars, and a new line of seven electric instruments crafted to inspire rock, blues, jazz, country, and your music, too.

Bill Collings work is respected by professional and amateur musicians alike…anyone on the quest for quality. Some of these include artists: Keith Richards, Lyle Lovett, Pete Townshend, Emmylou Harris, Andy Summers, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, Joni Mitchell, Don Felder, John Sebastian, Lou Reed, John Fogerty, Tim O'Brien, Pete Huttlinger, Kenny Smith, Brian May, Joan Baez, John Prine, Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap, and Steven Spielberg to name a few. We invite you to play a Collings today.

For more information on the complete line of Collings instruments and dealer locations, please visit our web site.

 Collings Guitars, Austin Texas 
 
512-288-7776  www.collingsguitars.com

 

Celestion Ltd. Nobody knows more than Celestion about guitar loudspeaker design and manufacture. Think of your all-time favourite guitar riffs and solos, chances are, they were played through Celestion guitar loudspeakers. For the last fifty years - since the birth of the Celestion Blue (the first ever purpose-built guitar loudspeaker) - our magical mix of metal paper and magnets has formed an essential part of the sound of guitar music. Some of the greatest speakers available today are part of the Celestion Classic Series. Over the years, we’ve applied our design expertise to build a range of speakers that will give you classic Celestion tone, no matter what style you play. The Alnico Series and the Heritage Series, both hand-built in Ipswich, England, are the result of meticulous attention to detail, created for those who are absolutely dedicated to the pursuit of true Vintage tone.For high-volume OEMs, Celestion Originals represent outstanding value for money. We have the specialist experience coupled with the most advanced, high-volume manufacturing techniques to deliver Celestion tone, quality and brand appeal at extremely competitive prices. 

Celestion International Ltd www.celestion.com For OEM Enquiries, contact Andy Farrow at Celestion America, 732-683-2356. For retail and distribution enquiries, contact Group One Ltd 516-249-1399 www.g1limited.com


Dave's Guitar Shop Dave’s Guitar Shop offers Fender, Gibson, PRS, McInturff, National, Taylor, Gretsch, Guild, Rickenbacker, Martin, Santa Cruz, Lowden, and many other fine new and used instruments, plus new and used amplifiers such as Fender, Marshall, Line 6, Carr, Matchless, Victoria, Bad Cat, and Ampeg, hundreds of guitar effects, and aftermarket pickups from Joe Barden, Seymour Duncan, and more. Due to their inventory of over 1,000 guitars, amps, and accessories, Dave’s is an excellent resource for top of the line Custom Shop and Historic reissues, to intermediate new and used gear. Unlike some dealers’ out of date stock lists on the web and in print, Dave’s inventory is updated daily. The selection of new and used instruments is truly exceptional, and you can often select among several models of the same new guitars to find that special instrument that was meant for you. Dave’s staff is friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the instruments and gear that they sell, because they are players, too. Please check the web site for current inventory, and you are welcome to call for more information or an accurate, in-hand description. 

Dave’s Guitar Shop, LaCrosse, WI 608-785-7704
www.davesguitar.com

 

Eastwood Guitars HOME

Since 2001, Eastwood has been creating some of the most exciting Electric Guitars the world has ever seen. Our RADICAL VINTAGE REMAKE series feature a variety of models based on popular sixties designs - from the classic Mosrites to our top-selling AIRLINE - they capture the excitement and style of the originals. Each year the prices of the originals skyrocket - getting harder to find and harder to play! Eastwood's focus is to make top quality replicas - that cost less and play better - so the average musician can experience the excitement of playing one of these beautiful vintage guitars as their every day player.

TONE & STYLE - All Eastwood Guitars are fitted with high-quality modern components that offer an optimal playing experience that far exceeds their 1960's original counterparts. It is hard to find a guitar these days that oozes more vintage style than an Eastwood! All Eastwood Guitars are setup professionally before shipping to our customers.

VALUE - All Eastwood Models are subjected to extensive research and development to continually raise the level of performance. At the same time, we are very careful to maintain an affordability level that our customers expect. These elements combine to deliver peak performance and higher quality than the originals at a much lower price.

SERVICE - A product is only as good as the people who stand behind it. Eastwood Guitars service is second to none in the industry because we simply treat customers the same way we would expect to be treated. All guitars come with a 3 Year limited Warranty. Guitars purchased directly from us receive a no-questions-asked return policy. Or, if you are located near an Eastwood Dealer, you can buy from them at the same direct price we offer online.

THE FUTURE - We continue to bring new models to the Eastwood line-up. Our goal is to introduce 3-5 new models each year, available in a wide variety of colors and of course, including left-hand versions. Please feel free to email us directly if you have some suggestions for models that we should consider developing in the future!

Eastwood Guitars – Toronto, Canada 416-294-6165
www.eastwoodguitars.com

 

 

Eminence “If you’ve listened to live music, you’ve almost certainly listened to Eminence.” Eminence has been building speakers to custom specifications for nearly every major manufacturer of guitar amplifier and sound reinforcement products since 1967. Their new Legend Series of guitar speakers captures the essence of the vintage American and British speaker designs that are held in such high regard today by so many discerning players. The Legend Series includes classic British and American designs for 6," 8," 10," 12" and 15" speakers utilizing ceramic and AlNiCo magnets, British or American cones, and Kapton polyamide voice coils for superior heat dissipation and durability. Best of all, because Eminence has been successfully competing for years with other speaker manufacturers as an OEM supplier, the Legend Series speakers are priced far below those of many other popular manufacturers of “reissue” and custom speakers. The Eminence Legend Series delivers all of the tone and durability you need, at a lower price, with no compromises in quality. To locate genuine Eminence dealers in your area, please visit their web site or call Eminence Speakers

Eminence Speaker LLC, Eminence, KY, 502-845-5622 www.eminence.com Contact: Chris Rose

 

Evidence Audio was founded in 1997 by Tony Farinella to supply the MI and Studio community with performance-based cables at reasonable prices. The most well-known cable is the Lyric HG (High Gain) guitar cable. Readers of Guitar Player Magazine voted the Lyric HG as “Best Accessory of 2004” supporting the opinion drawn by editors of magazines from around the world. 

In simple terms, cables from Evidence Audio are built different; as a result, they sound different. The Lyric HG features two solid core high grade IGL copper conductors and a braided shield that is grounded at the amp end only. This is the correct way to “drain” spurious noise. By using solid core conductors strand interference is eliminated as well. Designed to be neutral and honest, the cables don’t actually “improve” your tone, they simply replace a cable in your signal path which was likely destroying it. What you hear is a tighter more muscular bottom end, a clearer more complex mid-range and a sweeter more detailed high end. Dynamics and harmonics are improved and sustain is no longer masked. Overall the guitar becomes more three-dimensional sounding, cuts through clearer and at the same time takes up less space in the mix. 

The Siren Speaker Cable and The Source AC Power Cable compliment the Lyric HG. They offer a solution to distortions cause by cables in other areas of the signal path and power supply. The effects of the speaker and power cable are consistent with that of the Lyric HG: you hear the guitar and amplifier, not the cables.

While not inexpensive, cables from Evidence Audio are still one of the most cost effective ways of improving your tone. It’s like changing pickups or a bridge – a small detail with big results. Please visit the Evidence Audio website to locate a dealer near you and demand a demo!

Audionova Inc., http://www.audionova.ca/
514-631-5787 ext. 22

 

Fishman Transducers  Widely recognized as the premier designer and manufacturer of acoustic amplification products, the Fishman name has been synonymous with technical innovation in acoustic amplification for almost 30 years.  

Fishman pickups and preamps, toneshaping products, amplifiers, and performance systems are the essential tools acoustic musicians, engineers and sound technicians rely on to accurately amplify the natural tones of acoustic instruments.  

Fishman began creating a name for itself in the early 1980s, following the success of Founder Larry Fishman’s pioneering pickup for acoustic bass and the Thinline pickup for C.F. Martin & Co. Larry Fishman’s innovative and unique approach to engineering and building amplification products has led to the granting of over thirty patents.  

From its ambitious entrepreneurial beginnings, Fishman grew to become the industry standard name in acoustic amplification. Today Fishman products are sold both to original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and to the music-playing public through a worldwide network of musical instrument dealers and international distributors.

For more information, please visit www.fishman.com.

 


GHS – The String Specialists Who plays GHS strings? Artists as diverse as Eric Johnson, Martin Barre, Charlie Sexton, Will Ray, Warren Haynes, Tom Morello, Ritchie Sambora, Steve Howe, Brent Mason, Junior Brown, Zakk Wylde, Tommy Castro, Rene' Martinez and TQR advisory board member and AC30/Telecaster stud Mr. James Pennebaker, to name just a few! 

GHS has been manufacturing guitar strings since 1964, and whatever your musical tastes, GHS has the right string for you. You’re invited to try a set of GHS classic Boomers, brilliant Nickel Rockers, Burnished Nickel strings for a warm, vintage tone, Compound Nickel strings for electric archtops, and the recently introduced Infinity Bronze coated acoustic strings for extended tone and brilliance. All GHS strings are available in a wide range of gauges to appeal to every player. Refer to the GHS "Brightness Bar" found on select packages of strings and at our web site. It's your guide to determining which strings will produce the specific range of tone you're seeking. 

Please check out the all new GHS web site at www.ghsstrings.com for expert information about GHS strings, including technical documentation on the entire GHS line of strings for fretted instruments, tech tips, string tension calculations, the "Brightness Bar," and a comprehensive list of the top artists who play GHS strings. All GHS strings are manufactured to continually exceed your expectations. 

GHS String Corporation, Battle Creek, MI 1-800-388-4447, www.ghsstrings.com  

 

Over the years, Gibson has received countless requests from players needing work on their guitars, mandolins, etc. These players all say the same thing: “I don't trust anyone but Gibson to work on my instrument!” Until recently, these folks had to rely on whoever was available in their local area and hope they had the skills and experience to do the required work.

All that has changed now. Gibson has opened the doors of its in-house repair facility and is accepting stringed instruments of all types and all brands for repair or restoration. Offering a state of the art, temperature and humidity controlled environment, as well as a full staff of highly skilled and experienced luthiers, Gibson is fully equipped to perform any and all operations required in all phases of repair and restoration. 

Among the services offered are:
Pro Set Up – Acoustic or Electric
Fretwork – Fret Dress to Plane & Refret
Custom Wiring/Pickup Installation
Structural Repairs – Body Cracks, Bracing, Broken Headstocks
Neck Resets
Custom Paint/Finish Repair/Relics
Total Restorations
So whether it’s an acoustic or electric guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele or oud, if it has strings and it needs attention, we can help. It doesn’t even have to be a Gibson – we’re an equal opportunity Repair Shop! Call, write or email. We’ll guide you through the process and we’ll help with shipping and insurance information so your instrument gets here and back quickly and safely. We’ll tell you upfront what your costs will be and no work is begun before what is to be done has been explained and approved by you.

Gibson Repair & Restoration
Nashville, TN

www.gibson.com/products/places/repair/ 615-244-0252

 

Mike Kropotkin’s KCA NOS Tubes offers a wide selection of hard-to-find and rare new old stock (NOS) American and European tubes for guitar amplifiers and tube hi-fi, including American 6L6 and 6V6, 12AX7, 12AT7 tubes, tube rectifiers, European 6V6, EL84 and EL34 power tubes, and other hard-to-find NOS tubes for guitar amplifiers and audio equipment. KCA has expanded it’s offerings to new production tubes including SED (Svetlana), Electro Harmonix and Sovtek tubes. Due to the growing demand for NOS tubes, KCA’s stock is constantly changing, and inventory is regularly updated on the web, or you may call for more information. Ordering is simple through a secure online shopping cart . If you’re not sure which tubes will sound best in your equipment, contact Mike for unbiased advice via e-mail. KCA’s web site also provides reliable information on tube substitutions and general advice on tube selection, and Mike services and restores new and vintage point-to-point amplifiers. 

KCA NOS Tubes, Sterling, VA 703-430-3645 
www.kcanostubes.co

 

K&M Analog Designs, LLC, was formed in northern California in1998 by Bill Krinard and Joe Mloganoski. The company brings a combined 70 + years of experience in tube amplification and guitar tone to the boutique amp market. As talented designer/engineer and seasoned guitarist (respectively), Bill and Joe have developed a uniquely toneful, dynamic and affordable line of hand built vacuum tube amplifiers that are instruments designed to completely complement your individual playing style. Each amp is equipped with proprietary custom transformers and coupling caps, the best available new and NOS tubes, and each model has unique build architecture and layout not found in other modern hand built designs. Early K&M customers such as Carlos Santana helped launch the company to the forefront in its earliest days. Current K&M and Two–Rock devotees include John Mayer, Steve Kimock, Mitch Stein, Barney Doyle, Mark Karan, Michael Kang, Volker Strifler, and Matt Schofield, among others. The company launched its line of Two–Rock amps in the summer of 1999. Current models include the Custom Reverb Signature, Overdrive Signature, and the affordable and portable Jet and Jet Signature head and combos. The Classic series of amplifiers have become by far the most popular of any Two–Rock series to date. The line features single channel clean amps with reverb, and several dual channel platforms with different lead voicings, tube or solid state rectifiers, and other tone tailoring options. Power levels of 20 to 150 watts are available.Two-Rock is also celebrating their 10th Anniversary this year, commemorating the event with a 10th Anniversary Limited Edition amp/cabinet package as well as 2 production amps, including the just released 10th Anniversary J-2 head and combo. A number of extension cabinets equipped with special design speakers by Eminence and Warehouse Guitar Speakers are available, as well as an all-tube buffered effects interface(mono or stereo). A number of customized versions of the aforementioned have also been built for players seeking the ultimate personalized tone machine.

Joe Mloganoski, Joe@two-rock.com
K&M Analog Designs,LLC. 619 Martin Avenue, Suite 6 Rohnert park, CA 94928
www.Two–Rock.com
707–584–TONE(8663)
In Japan: www.Two–Rock–jp.com

 

Koch Guitar Amplification was founded in 1988 by Dolf Koch in the Netherlands and are known worldwide as a manufacturer if high end boutique guitar amplifiers. They have many models for all styles of music from the new 20W Class “A” Studiotone combo to the 120W Powertone II head. 

All amps are channel switching with two or three extremely versatile channels. They are recognized for having both sparkling clean channels and wide ranging drive/gain channels. They were the first to utilize trim pots on their heavy duty circuit boards enabling anyone to adjust bias with only a screwdriver and voltmeter. Speaker damping switches which when toggled from high to low alter the tone to a more scooped sound. Rhythm volume switch on the footswitch (included) which when engaged drops the level to a pre-determined “Rhythm” level. It’s the opposite of a boost and does not alter the lead tone as a result. It so useful guitar players tell us that they’re surprised that no has done this before. All amps have Accutronics reverbs and Koch designed speakers that have a sweeter more extended high end. These speakers also handle more power and have a better bass response than almost any guitar speakers available. They are an integral component to the KOCH sound.

Other products include the Loadbox which attenuates a tube amplifiers output without destroying its tone, i.e. no huge loss of high frequencies. The Pedaltone is a semi-four channel, foot operated preamp which has four 12AX7 preamps tubes. One of these tubes acts as a .5W power tube! It has many patch points and output options for almost any application.

Some famous people that use Koch are: Paul Reed Smith, Al Di Meola, Randy Bachman, Buzz Feiten, and Jimmy Bruno to name a few. KOCH also manufacturers the 300W EDEN VT300 all bass head and the 200W Sadowsky SA200 bass head on an OEM basis.
Audionova Inc. www.audionova.ca/
514-631-5787 ext. 22

 

Jason Lollar Custom Guitars & Pickups Jason Lollar learned his guitar-making craft at Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery in Phoenix, Arizona. Since 1975 he’s been designing and building solid-body electric, archtop and acoustic guitars. In addition to his talents as a luthier, Jason also rewinds and repairs old pickups, and he winds over 25 different replacement pickups, including P90’s, Fender-type single coils, bass pickups, steel guitar pickups, and his stunning Imperial Humbucking PAF pickups. Lollar pickups represent the culmination of Jason’s life long research into the true character and construction of classic vintage pickups, and the same skill and attention to detail is devoted to pickup repairs and rewinds. The ToneQuest Report is proud to recommend Lollar pickups in your quest for inspiring guitar tone. 
Jason also builds a limited number of handcrafted solid body, archtop, and acoustic guitars using maple, honduran mahogany, cherry, and alder. Models include the Standard – an Alder solid body, traditional bolt-on design, the Tonemaster — an alder off-set waist, contoured, string-through solidbody guitar with a Lollar Stringmaster style steel guitar pickup in the bridge and a Lollar Chicago Steel pickup in the neck position. Other models include a solidbody ‘V’ style guitar from Honduran Mahogany with a Koa top. Jason’s ‘SG’ style guitar utilizes a super light alder body with a mahogany neck and P90 pickups. The 16” Concert and Performer archtop models feature P90’s, rosewood or ebony fingerboards, dot or gold MOP inlay, Grover keys, single-ply or aged binding, and a standard tobacco burst nitro finish. Jason is currently building archtops with Sitka spruce tops, mahogany necks, and Western maple back and sides. For more information on all Lollar custom pickup designs, repair services, and custom guitars, call Jason or visit the web site. 
Jason Lollar
www.lollarguitars.com
206-463-9838


Just Strings.com Now more than ever, guitarists are reaping the benefits of technical innovations in string making that have led to the widest selection of guitar strings ever available. JustStrings.com is dedicated to providing guitarists with the largest selection of acoustic, roundwound and flatwound strings, complimented by exceptional personalized service and outstanding value. Trying different types of strings often results in amazing new discoveries that not only improve the sound of your instrument, but dramatically enhance your playing enjoyment. From traditional hand-crafted strings to high-tech exotics, JustStrings.com exists to help you get the most out of your instrument. Try a new set today, or order your favorite acoustic or electric sets and SAVE! Juststrungs.com offers the best prices on all of the major and specialty brands, promptly delivered to your door. Shop online at JustStrings.com, or place your order by fax at 603-889-7026, or telephone at 603-889-2664. 

JustStrings.com, Nashua, NH e-mail info@juststrings.com, www.juststrings.com 


Keeley Electronics - Robert Keeley’s Time Machine Boost, Keeley Compressor, and his custom, state-of-the-art modifications for vintage pedals continue to receive rave reviews from guitarists around the world. Keeley pedals are used by Aerosmith, Abbey Road Studios, Steve Vai, legendary producer Bob Rock, George Lynch, Peter Frampton, James Burton, and many, many more guitarists and music pros around the world. The Time Machine Boost is a supremely versatile 2 channel, 3 mode pre-amplifier designed to drive your amplifiers into overdrive or saturation, as seen on the cover of the March issue of VG. The two channels are labeled “Vintage,” and “Modern,” with the “Vintage” side inspired by rare germanium boosts like the Dallas Rangemaster. The “Modern” channel is a new +23dB gain, dual JFET transparent signal amplifier. The Keeley Compressor is a superb audiophile and studio grade compressor with true bypass switching and premium metal film resistors and capacitors for the cleanest Ross clone compressor ever available. Available with a standard Ibanez/Boss style adapter jack and/or battery power, you can say goodbye to that old red Dyna Comp! 
Robert Keeley pedal mods include 2 versions for TS9’s - the TS808 mod, and the “Baked TS9” for searing hot Tube Screamer tone. Keeley uses the original TI RC4558P chip that appeared in the early TS808’s, while increasing the bass response and overdrive range. The result is a perfectly voiced 808 that’s cleaner when turned down and produces twice the drive/gain when turned up, with all of the stock 808 character in the middle. The Keeley modded BD-2 is not a fuzz pedal but has the best characteristics of a fuzz pedal, and it’s much smoother and more realistic sounding. This is the pedal if you’re looking for the cranked Fender Super amplifier sound. It has tremendous volume output, and it can be used as a clean boost, driving your amp into natural sounding overdrive. Other exclusive Keeley modifications include the Boss Blues Driver BD-2 Tube Mod, the PHAT Switch BD-2 Mod, Rat Mods, Boss DS-1 Seeing Eye Mod, Boss SD-1, and Boss Chorus CE-2. For detailed specs, user comments, dealer information, sound clips, and ordering information, please visit the Keeley Electronics website. 

Keeley Electronics, Edmond, OK
www.robertkeeley.com


Klon Since its inception in 1994, Klon has been a one-product company, and given the overwhelming success of that product, the Centaur Professional Overdrive, it's not hard to see why. Designer Bill Finnegan, assisted by two circuit-design specialists, set out in 1990 to create an interactive and ultra-transparent overdrive, one that doesn't put its own stamp on your sound, but rather brings out in a very organic way more of what your rig was already giving you. Bill's premise was that there were many players who, like himself, had great guitars and amps, and who, as he likes to put it, “were not looking to reinvent the wheel,” and the fact that he has sold some four thousand Centaur units (as of November 2002) attests to his intuition, as well as to the perfectionism that led him to spend over four years developing a single product. That perfectionism, of course, is also evident in the production unit: Bill builds every Centaur himself, by hand, using only the finest components and assembling them with meticulous care. Each unit undergoes a series of rigorous tests before shipment, and each is backed by a comprehensive ten-year warranty. Given the ongoing demand for the Centaur and Bill's disinclination to let anyone but himself build them, expect a wait of several months for delivery, but also expect your Centaur, when you receive it, to manifest a sonic superiority, a construction quality, a physical beauty, and a conceptual rightness beyond your expectations.

Klon Centaur Professional Overdrive, Boston, MA 617-666-1551
www.klon-siberia.com   e-mail: info@klon-siberia.com

 

   The basis of every tube amp’s characteristic sound is the unique design of its transformers. Mercury transformers are legendary for their stunning tonal superiority, build quality, consistency, and reliability. We believe in old-world customer service and single-minded focus. Transformers are our only business, allowing us to concentrate on providing you with the best-sounding guitar amplifier trannies in the world.If your amp is suffering from bland and unexciting tone, then it’s time for a transformer upgrade or repair. Here are your options:ToneClone™ Best-of-Breed Series Transformers: Behind every great-sounding vintage guitar amp is a piece of transformer history. 

Within any amp line there are usually a large number of transformer variations, inconsistencies and just plain ol’ building errors that affect their sound (good or bad). At Mercury, we seek out, study, blueprint and replicate only the best-of-breed transformer designs (including their all-important anomalies) and add these discoveries to our catalog. And we make these incredible tonal selections available to you through our ToneClone™ line. Axiom® Series Next-Gen Transformers: Next-generation guitar amplifier transformers. The Axiom series are in a class by themselves. We’ve taken our advanced knowledge of modern transformer design and mated it with historically best-sounding designs of the past. Axiom trannys are hybrids that take vintage tone to the next level! More bloom, more overtone color, and awesome tonal depth. If you ever needed convincing as to how outstanding transformers affect your sound, Axiom trannys will astonish you.

Mercury Vintage™ Transformer Service: Most vintage transformers have already outlived or are nearing the end of their life expectancies. That’s the bad news – now for the good... Mercury will restore, rebuild or rewind your valuable original transformers. Or, we can clone your originals so that you can continue to play your old amp without fear of further “wear and tear.

”FREE TRANSFORMER TESTING AND EVALUATION SERVICE: Do you think there might be something wrong with your transformer? Send it to us. We’ll test it in our lab and report back to you. Our evaluation procedures are thorough, complete and reliable, and always free. The only transformers that come with a 10-year Manufacturer’s Warrantee and a Money-Back Tonal Guarantee. Made entirely in the U.S.A.

Mercury Magnetics – www.MercuryMagnetics.com 
Sales@MercuryMagnetics.com, 818-998-7791

 

 

Mojo Musical Supply is the all-inclusive amplifier parts supply house. Mojo specializes in pre-1980 amplifier parts, including a wide range of custom and vintage reproduction cabinets, a line of exact reproduction transformers, and hard-to-find electrical components. They continue to supply a full range of speakers for the guitar market, including Jensen, Celestion, and of course, our own custom Mojotone speakers. The in-house cabinet shop at Mojo specializes in making authentic Fender and Marshall reproduction amplifier cabinets, custom cabinets from your own design, as well as cabinet repair and re-covering. Mojo stocks over fifty different amp coverings and grill cloths to insure that vintage enthusiasts and custom amp creators have a large palette to choose from. Within the last two years, Mojo has become one of the largest vacuum tube importers in the world, stocking over 20,000 tubes. Because they buy tubes in large volumes, prices remain very competitive. For completed electronics, Mojo is the east coast distributor for Belov amplification and also the home of Mojotone Custom electronics. Mojo manufactures and markets the Tone Machine amplifier, a powerful and eclectic tube guitar combo. They also offer turnkey and partial component electronics and cabinets for OEM’s and builders of all sizes.
The future of Mojo lies in their ability to work directly with manufacturers or bring the manufacturing in house. Plans for the coming months and years are focused on making quality vintage parts available at even better prices, while assuring that all Mojo  products are of the highest quality.
Mojo Musical Supply
Winston-Salem, NC
1-800-927-MOJO, www.mojotone.com

Have you ever thought, “If they would just make a Tele with….” , “I love my Strat but it just doesn’t….” “Why don’t they make a Jaguar that could….”? Well, you’ve come to the right place. From exotic woods, custom paint, unlimited neck types, custom designed logos, pickup selections, Timewarp aging, or any other feature imaginable – Esquires with hidden neck pickups, Strats with interchangeable pickup assemblies, Custom Shapes — whatever… If you can dream it, we can build it.

Each guitar is a unique work of art, handcrafted by me. The use of 100% nitrocellulose lacquer, high quality vintage hardware, superior woods and a wide variety of pickups and options produce magical instruments that have thus far not been available “off the rack”. The level of aging on our Timewarp guitars can be adjusted from “played it once a month at church” to “used to break open a window during a fire in a Louisiana roadhouse.” 

Bill Nash is an Olympia, WA based builder of aged vintage guitars inspired by Leo Fender. Available through Nash Guitar dealers in the US and overseas. Please see NashGuitars.com for information and a dealer near you. 

 Nashguitars, Tumwater WA
1-877-484-8276 Int'l 360-753-6124
www.nashguitars.com

 


The brand name PLEK stands for a technology which allows the best fret dress and setup work, based on a computer controlled scan.

The Plek is a computerized tool that scans an instrument strung to pitch, generating graphic views of the fret plane, fret heights, fret shape and placement, fingerboard relief radius, humps and bumps — basically everything that luthiers and repair pros have wanted to see well but couldn’t, until now. Besides having measurement and dressing capabilities many times more accurate than the human eye allows, the PLEK has two particularly great advantages over manual fretwork.

First, it scans and dresses a guitar while it is tuned to pitch. This is a major breakthrough, since necks are subjected to approximately 100 pounds of string tension. This string tension invariably affects the shape of the fret plane, creating curves and humps that change when the strings are removed for a fret dress. The PLEK identifies precisely what needs to be done for perfect results when the instrument is re-strung, whereas even the most skilled luthier or repair professional must guess about how to compensate for the effect of string tension when dressing the neck with the tension released.

Secondly, the PLEK applies very sophisticated formulas for optimum neck curve or relief, adjusting the calculations for the actual string height and individual string gauge from the treble side of the fingerboard to the bass. Achieving these same results by hand would be lucky and extremely rare at best! 

The Plek is now in use by some of the top repair and restoration experts worldwide. We invite you to contact the Plek repair shop nearest you, or learn more about Plek technology at www.plek.com

Plek, Berlin/Germany
+49 30 5369–6339, custom@plek.com

Joe Glaser, Nashville/TN
+1 (615) 298–1139, glaserjoetoo@aol.com

Gary Brawer, San Francisco/CA
+1 (415) 621–3904, gary@brawer.com
FretTek, Los Angeles/CA
+1 (310) 474–2238, plek@frettek.com

Peekamoose, Paul Schwartz and Hawley Waldman
(212) 869 2396 
New York, NY  
e-mail: info@peekamoose.com 

Philtone, Baltimore/MD
+1 (410) 783–0260, philtone@erols.com

Suhr Guitars, Lake Elsinore/CA
+1 (951) 471–2334, johnsuhr@suhrguitars.com

Charlie Chandler’s Guitar Experience, London, UK
+44 20 8973–1441, sales@guitarexperience.co.uk

GuitarLabs Scandinavia, Stockholm, Sweden
Phone: +46 8 644–9480, info@guitarlabs.se

 

Reinhardt Amplifiers It’s not uncommon for Reinhardt amp players to comment that their new Reinhardt amp “sounds great with all my guitars,” which isn’t so surprising… While Bob Reinhardt builds 12 distinctly unique guitar amps (plus a 200 watt bass head), every model is designed to meet the practical needs and expectations of working in players in a wide variety of venues – from small clubs to arenas – and with tone and power shaping features that make Reinhardt amps truly versatile tools built to professional standards. Whether your prefer the dynamic character of dual EL84s in the Reinhardt 18, twice the power in the 4-EL84 Titan, the club-friendly dual 6V6 MI-6 and Sultan inspired by Mark Knopfler, or the classic tones of the dual EL34 Vintage 50, 50 watt Storm, or the 100 watt Fat Albert and V-100, Reinhardt delivers the exceptional, classic tone and road-tested construction that experienced pros demand. Innovation Meets Classic ToneAll Reinhardt amps are available with custom voicings and options, such as power scaling and dual channels that deliver variable levels of rich distortion, touch-sensitive dynamic response and truly classic tones derived from premium EL84, 6V6, EL34, KT66 or KT88 power tubes. Reinhardt amps come standard with a custom blend of Flying C, JJ, TungSol Reissue and EH tubes. Transformers are custom Heyboer, and we use the premium caps that are best suited for each application – Sozo Vintage series and Mallory 150s. You’ll also find PEC Mil Spec 2 watt pot, 1% tolerance resistors, Teflon wire, shielded input cable for low noise and CNC machined .090 aluminum chassis with welded corners for durability. Who’s playing Reinhardt amps? Reinhardt players include Mark Knopfler, Brent Mason, Greg Martin (Kentucky Headhunters), Pat Buchanan, Lou Toomey (Brooks & Dunn) and Keith Nelson (Buck Cherry) to name just a few. Please visit our web site for detailed specs on every Reinhardt model, sound clips, and unsolicited testimonials from current Reinhardt players. 

Reinhardt Amplifiers  434-525-5590  www.reinhardtamps.com

 

RS Guitarworks is the your one-stop source for expert finishing, refinishing and aging, complete guitar assembly and repair, custom electronic upgrade kits, pickups, hard-to-find hardware, and more!

 

Located in Winchester, Kentucky, RS Guitarworks began as a small repair and refinishing shop in 1994. As the word spread among guitarists, our business rapidly grew and today we receive expensive guitars from around the world for aging and refinishing. We offer many hard-to-find vintage replica parts and other specialty items related to vintage Fender and Gibson guitars, and we also custom build complete guitars, including our “Old Friend” Series, “Step-Side” and “Artist Replica” models. 

 

RS Guitarworks Premium Wiring Kits offer a dramatic and immediate improvement over the factory electronics found in even the most expensive guitars. During a year of research and development we tested over 20 different tone capacitors and nearly every type of potentiometer made before developing our upgrade kits, which feature measured CTS pots within 10% of their specified value, and RS Guitarcaps in .022uf and .047uf values made expressly for us by Hovland. Our customers tell us that our wiring upgrade kits impart a fuller, clearer tone than standard factory components, with a smoother,  more even and responsive taper from each pot. Additionally, each potentiometer is tested on a digital meter, checked for the proper sweep pattern and sorted and labeled as a neck/volume, neck/tone, bridge/volume or bridge/tone control.

 

Wiring Upgrade Kits are available in 5 different styles for various Les Paul type guitars, as well as Telecaster, Stratocaster, and PRS guitars, and Explorer and Flying V types. Nearly any other configuration can also be built with a call to our shop. RS Guitarworks is also an authorized Fender, Jackson, Charvel, Guild and Gretsch Service Center.

 

Please call or visit our web site for complete information on finishing, refinishing and aging of new and used guitars, custom wiring kits, vintage repro parts and repairs.

 

RS Guitarworks, 859-737-5300

www.rsguitarworks.com 37-5

300, 

 

Rocky Mountain Slides I became obsessed with creating a family of high quality hand crafted slides that would be able to offer the questing slide player "custom" options at a reasonable price, and offer a slide with a wider tonal pallet. These slides and tone bars are truly like nothing else in the market today! Lighter, faster and more maneuverable slides based on the density of the material and not just the mass or weight of it to provide the necessary tone and sustain required.

Like most slide players, I acquired allot of slides over the years and liked some of what that one did, or this one did, but never found one slide that offered enough to really make me happy! I personally have a collection of over 300 slides to use as tonal references in the designing of our ever increasing family of slides. To be able to truly construct slides that can be called HYBRID – a blending of the best of Brass, Glass, Steel and Ceramic tones...a truly unique sliding experience!

Our Company now offers over 195 finger slide possibilities and over 63 tone bar combinations and growing… I never want to stop creating a quality, hand crafted alternative to the “One size fits all” mentality that seems to permeate this area of the music accessories market. The right tool for the right job is always a good thing, and as creative people you should never have to “Settle for something LESS”. Please feel free to visit our site and discover the wonderful expanded universe of tonal combinations that we offer.

We are constantly improving and updating our website and among other improvements, have added a Blog, for anyone to add their comments and feedback on our line of slides. Just one more way to interact, and have an immediate and positive impact on the options and possibilities available within our family of slides and tone bars.  Input is imperative with us and we always love to hear back from all those that have a “Dream Slide” or a tone or tones, that they haven’t reached yet!

We also have an ever expanding Custom Shop, where you can let your imagination go wild and we’ll work together and see what the muses bring. The Company motto, from its inception, has always been…”If you don’t try, you don’t get!!” That is what has driven this company to always try harder and experiment with our materials and the inspiration of ourselves and others around us.  I hope to hear from you soon – Doc Sigmier.

Rocky Mountain Slides, 719-530-0696
www.rockymountainslides.com
 

 

Stewart-MacDonaldStewart-MacDonald offers a complete line of hard-to-find tools, parts, accessories, instructional videos and books for building, repairing, setting up, and optimizing the playability and tone of stringed instruments. Whether you are just getting started or you're a seasoned luthier, you'll find everything you need in the Stew-Mac catalog, including: fret wire, finishing supplies, glues and adhesives, wood, bodies, necks, binding, tuners, nuts and saddles, inlay, bridges, tailpieces, electronics, pickups, and free information sheets and professional advice! Their friendly customer service and technical support staff are trained to help you make the best product choices, and they also offer an Unconditional Return Guarantee. If you're not satisfied with an item for any reason, simply return it. 

Stew-Mac is the leading supplier of innovative products for guitarists and repair pros, and every thing they make is guaranteed to work well, because every product is tested by the professional luthiers at Stewart MacDonald first! The master builders and repairmen on staff include Dan Erlewine - well-known author of guitar repair books and magazine articles, member of the ToneQuest Report advisory board, and a regular contributor to TQR. Dan and all of the experienced luthiers at Stew-Mac personally develop and test every product the company offers, and they are also dedicated to education. The Stewart MacDonald catalog is packed with helpful tips, and the company produces an extensive series of training videos at their facility in Athens, Ohio.

For more information on the entire range of products available, please visit the Stewart MacDonald web site. In addition to their free online help service, your telephone call is also always welcome.

Stewart MacDonald
www.stewart-mcdonald.com 1-800-848-2273 

 

Long before the first Swart amp ever appeared, Michael Swart had been playing through vintage amps for decades at live gigs and recording sessions as both a guitarist and recording engineer in Wilmington, NC. 

Despite his access to countless vintage Fender, Vox, and Ampeg amps, Swart always felt the quintessential small recording/home use amp had yet to be built, thus begin the quest for the best tone via a small, manageable package.  After a slew of suitcase amp wannabees, emerged the original Space Tone 6V6se, a Class A, 5 watt, Single-Ended, tube rectified beast with an über simple circuit revolving around the soulful 6V6.  The amp delivered big sound with unmatched musicality along with amazing distortion. The 18w Atomic Space Tone soon followed to wide acclaim, and Swart amplifiers were quickly embraced by working pros and guitarists who shared Swart’s appreciation for truly exceptional guitar tone.

Today, six different Swart models are hand-built to serve the needs of guitarists for live performance and recording:

Space Tone 6V6se - The amp that started it all.  5w, Class A, Single-Ended, Tube Rectified, 8" Weber, finger-jointed, lacquered tweed pine cab. Amazing

STR-Tweed - Another BIG Class A, Single-Ended 5w w/extra stage, Swart reverb, and 12” speaker.

Atomic Space Tone -  Perhaps the amp that REALLY put Swart on the map.  Considered one of the finest made. 18w 6V6 or 6L6 with tube reverb & tremolo

AST Pro: AST circuit w/slightly larger cab, recessed knobs, 12” of choice

AST Head MKII - AST in a head w/defeatable master volume and choice of cabinets

Super Space Tone 30 Head (SST-30) 30w of soulful 6V6/6L6/EL-34 mother of tone beauty.  Richer than chocolate.  Matching, custom tweed 2 x 12 Space Tone Cabinet 

Head to Swart Online for the latest news, rants, photos, raves, artists, events, and dealer locations.  Michael answers every call. Kelly responds to every mail.  Personal service is #1 priority.

Swart Amplifier Co., Wilmington, NC  910-620-2512
http://www.swartamps.com

 

 

 

 

 

All TQR subscribers will receive an exclusive 10% discount when ordering TonePros components — just mention the “TQGPD” discount code when ordering by phone or online. 

TonePros Sound Labs   Since our first published review article, The ToneQuest Report has enthusiastically recommended the patented TonePros system of guitar components. TonePros tailpieces feature a patented locking design. For years, guitars with stop tailpieces and wrap-around bridges have been cursed by “lean” or tilt on their stud mounts. Since string tension was all that held tailpieces on, the only contact area was just a bit of the edge of the bottom flange, just a bit of the lip of the stud top, and often just as little contact with the intonation screws. TonePros® Locking Studs provide 100% of the contact area of the bottom flange, 100% of the contact area of the stud top, no lean, and dramatically improved sustain, resonance and tone.TonePros bridge and saddle components feature the “patented pinch” - the lateral pressure that is applied from the strategically placed “tone screws” that greatly reduce the play or wiggle of the bridge posts in their inserts. The posts are frozen in place, resulting in a solid connection between the strings, bridge, and guitar top, transferring more string vibration and resonance to the guitar body, resulting in an audibly stronger, sweeter, woodier type of resonance and sustain. And once your guitar is set up, it’s locked. Bridge height and intonation settings remain intact and exact, even after re-stringing. TonePros® System II Components are found on the worlds best guitars, played by the world’s best artists.
TonePros Sound Labs International
www.tonepros.com/
818-735-7944

Marquis Distribution  At Marquis Distribution, we offer the highest quality guitar parts to fit your needs. We specialize in guitar replacement parts, and hard to find, vintage-inspired and vintage replica parts, including aged TonePros and TonePros Kluson parts, emphasizing your desire to achieve a vintage look and tone at an exceptionally high level of performance. Whether you need to replace one part on your guitar or outfit many guitars with whole new setups, our focus remains on the individual customer and your unique needs. Be sure to ask for the 10% ToneQuest discount! www.marquisdistribution.com, 209-845-9579ll 
 



ToneMan Veteran working guitarist Don Butler is an experienced tech who specializes in servicing and restoring JMI-era Vox tube/valve amps as well as many other vintage British amps including Marshall, Selmer, Hiwatt, Sound City and Orange amps. Don also services and restores vintage tweed, blonde, brown and blackface era Fender amplifiers. Don’s modifications and upgrades to vintage reissue Vox, Marshall, and Fender amps have earned him a solid reputation among players throughout the country for achieving dramatically improved, authentic vintage tone from reissue amplifiers. Don uses hand-made Mercury Magnetics Axiom Tone Clone transformers, along with the correct, premium signal path components to bring reissues to vintage specs. He also modifies reissue Vox wahs to vintage specs, and he offers upgrades to Vox Valve Tone pedals and reissue Ibanez TS9’s. For the past 5 years, Don has been building the famous Rangemaster Treble Booster, which is an exact replica of the original Dallas Rangemaster unit from the early 60’s. In addition to the original treble model, Don builds a full range model and a switchable model combining the features of both Rangemaster units. Don was also the very first dealer for Pyramid strings, and you can count on him to maintain a full inventory of Pyramids at all times. Don Butler, Newhall, CA, 661-259-4544
de1b@earthlink.net, www.tone-man.com 

 

Check out the all new Regal! From our first Victoria to the one we build for you, every Victoria amplifier is meticulously crafted for real musicians and built to be played for a lifetime. We utilize components and manufacturing techniques that are chosen for their proven ability to meet both the sonic and real world gigging demands that musicians depend on. From the real Allen Bradley resistors (new manufacture, not surplus) to the finger jointed pine cabinets, every aspect of a Victoria Amplifier is designed to provide years and years of faithful service and superior tone. With the addition of our new Victorilux and Sovereign amplifiers, Victoria now offers amplifiers with features like reverb, tremolo and high gain circuits that will surpass anything currently available and define the word “ tone” for years to come. But manufacturing new amplifiers is not all we offer! Our restoration and repair department is equipped to turn the most heinous, hacked up old amp into an inspiring gem. Our obsession with period correct components and our real world expertise are your assurance that an investment piece or an old road hawg will leave the shop with all of its tonal potential maximized. The job gets done right at Victoria Amplifier. You can be sure that we at Victoria Amplifier Co. will continue to provide the finest guitar amplifiers available anywhere, at any price. New from Victoria — the Victorilux and Victoriette — the ultimate club amps, plus, the Sovereign — our answer for players seeking true vintage British tone with master volume and reverb at a stage–friendly 35 watts! 

Victoria Amplifier, Naperville, IL
www.victoriaamp.com 630–820–6400 

 

As a special offer WD® Music Products, Inc. is offering a 10% off coupon to ToneQuest readers... Visit us at www.wdmusic.com and enter coupon code TQWD at checkout. (Please note: Coupon good for wdmusic.com web orders only, offer not valid on wdbiz.com orders).

For the past thirty years WD® Music Products has been providing quality service and parts to satisfied working musicians, discriminating builders and OEMs. WD® pioneered the field of aftermarket pickguards and continues to lead the way in the niche we created in 1978. We have manufactured thousands of pickguards and if you need a replacement or something you envision yourself we can make it happen. For many years WD® Music has also carried a full line of replacement parts for just about any stringed instrument.

WD® Music is proud to continue the legacy of Kluson® tuning machines, one of the most respected OEM and replacement tuners for decades. Replace or restore your vintage instrument with genuine Kluson® tuning machines from WD® Music. We stock Kent Armstrong® pickups, L.R. Baggs® acoustic gear, Q-Parts® custom knobs and accessories, Bigsby® tailpieces, Graph Tech® products, Wilkinson® bridges, Grover® tuners and accessories, Big Bends® maintenance supplies, Guitar Facelifts, effects and much more.

History is repeating itself with genuine Kluson® tuners, continuing with WD®’s customer service, and...Stromberg® Jazz Guitars. No one can attempt or claim to reproduce the prestige of the original archtop Stromberg® guitars. But with history in mind WD® is also proud to distribute Stromberg® Jazz Guitars. With six models to satisfy everyone from the serious working jazz musician to the rockabilly king Stromberg® offers an affordable, quality instrument for almost any taste or style. Stromberg® jazz Guitars is a small, limited production archtop guitar company whose main goals are quality, playability and affordability. Play one and see.

WD® Music Products. Thirty years of knowledge, service, quality parts and accessories waiting to serve you. Everything from pickguards, tuning machines, pickups, electronics, necks, bodies, bridges, prewired assemblies and hard to find hardware—if your guitar or bass needs it, chances are WD® Music has it. Old fashioned customer service, genuine Kluson® tuners, classic Stromberg® Jazz Guitars, and so much more. Call 877-WDMUSIC or visit
www.WDmusic.com www.kluson.com,  www.Strombergguitars.com, www.pickguards.com   
www.kentarmstrong.com

 

 

 

 

 

Visual Sound Founded in 1995 by guitarist Bob Weil, Visual Sound is excited and happy to announce that it has recently come out with two new pedals to join the already critically-acclaimed V2 Series: the Open Road Overdrive and the Truetone Clean Boost pedals.Designed by Weil and chief engineer R.G. Keen, these pedals had already “wowed” a great number of players, artists and dealers when previewed earlier this year at the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim…and, now, it is making a huge impact on players of all stripes, as the pedals have been flying off the shelves.BREAKING NEWS: Visual Sound has partnered with the Warped Tour to create a limited-edition guitar effect pedal, the Vans Warped Distortion. With appropriately named knobs like Grind, Edge, and Loud (translation: Drive, Tone, Volume…), the Vans Warped Distortion is totally geared towards Warped Tour inspired guitarists. With grinding low-end distortion, it will make you just want to turn all the knobs to “10” and let it rip. Visual Sound has put all the road-tested features of their renowned V2 Series pedals into the Warped Distortion, so you won’t ever have to worry about it dying on you in the middle of a gig.The staffs of Vans and the Warped Tour were stoked when Visual Sound brought this pedal to them. So many bands on the Warped Tour use Visual Sound products, so it was a natural fit. As if that weren’t enough, the 10th Anniversary edition of the Visual Volume pedal and line of 1SPOT adapters and power supplies continue to find their way onto pedalboards and rigs all around the world, as well.For more information about Visual Sound, mp3 downloads and product information, please visit the Visual Sound web site or MySpace site, or contact Bob Weil personally.

www.myspace.com/visualsoundusa

Visual Sound, 931-487-9001
www.visualsound.net 

 

 

 

All material contained in this website has been © 2000 Copyrighted by: The Tone Quest Report