Vol. 25, No. 8
June 2024
Players, Gear & Sound — The Inside
In a world where craftsmanship meets passion, several stories stand out. One recounts the meticulous restoration of a 1960 Les Paul, lovingly named the Radius Burst, involving a team of skilled artisans, resulting in its glorious debut at the Milan Guitar Show. Another tale follows the journey of Blackie Pagano, whose love for tube audio led him to become a revered expert in guitar amp and audio repair, catering to legends like Lou Reed and GE Smith. Meanwhile, Steve Carr's 25-year legacy in amp building culminates in the Bel-Ray, a modern marvel blending power, versatility, and timeless design, which captivates with its stunning tones. Not to be outdone, Jeff Bolin's Analog Pedals presents the KY Hot Brown, a pedal crafted to summon the iconic "brown sound" reminiscent of Eddie Van Halen's legendary tones, earning accolades as a must-have for any guitar enthusiast. Each narrative showcases a dedication to excellence, preserving tradition while pushing boundaries in pursuit of sonic perfection.
PLAYERS, GEAR & SOUND
The Inside
Restoring The Radius Burst
By Tom Guerra. The story of Italy's most iconic vintage guitar — Alberto Radius's 1960 Les Paul Standard sunburst — and the international team of luthiers and finishers who brought it back from a troubled 1992 re-top to its former glory.
EXPERT GUITAR AMP AND AUDIO REPAIR
Blackie Pagano Interview
By Riverhorse. New York-based amp tech and builder Blackie Pagano traces his path from suburban Maryland Delta blues obsessive to 35-year veteran of guitar amp repair, restoration, and custom builds, with stops along the way for bar bands, studio work, and luminaries like GE Smith and Lou Reed.
CARR AMPS
Steve Carr Feature Interview
By Riverhorse. Carr Amplification founder Steve Carr reflects on 25 years of building boutique amps, from his early days repairing amps in Chapel Hill to the creation of his latest design, the Bel-Ray — a versatile amp drawing on Vox, Hiwatt, and Marshall circuits around an EF86 preamp tube.
The Bel-Ray
By Riverhorse. Steve Carr's Bel-Ray combines Vox, Marshall, and Hiwatt voicings in a single 16-watt, hand-wired combo — ToneQuest puts it through its paces with a range of guitars and speakers, and comes away thoroughly impressed.
MISSING LINK AUDIO'S
Anthem Dual Drive Pedal
By Riverhorse. Missing Link Audio's Anthem Dual Drive pedal is a Lynyrd Skynyrd-inspired overdrive featuring a 3-way toggle voiced for individual band guitarists — Collins, King, Gaines, Rossington — plus a dedicated Boost. ToneQuest puts it through its paces with Gibson and Strat rigs into a Marshall Plexi and a '64 Deluxe Reverb.
LIKE GRAVY FOR YOUR POUTINE
Jeff Bolin's KY Hot Brown
By Scott Ulrichs. Jeff Bolin of Analog Pedals discusses the inspiration behind his KY Hot Brown overdrive — a six-JFET-stage pedal chasing Eddie Van Halen's warm brown sound — and reveals how Billy Gibbons and Buddy Guy recently discovered his work.
ANALOG PEDALS REVIEW
KY Hot Brown
By Riverhorse. Jeff Bolin's KY Hot Brown is a plug-and-play take on Eddie Van Halen's legendary "brown sound," delivering a serious amount of gain alongside beautiful, lively harmonics. For the money, it's a slam dunk that works especially well with humbuckers.
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