Summer NAMM '99 in Review: Guitar Accessories: Part 2

The cool pedal award goes to Boss and their new PS-5 Super Shifter. (Click on the link to check out a sound clip of it!) I myself own Boss' "Harmonist" and "Pitch Shifter/Delay" pedals. I absolutely wear these things out during gigs. I love them. The Super Shifter is essentially these two pedals combined but with a few new features added.

PS-5 Super Shifter

The new sounds include a variety of "whammy bar" effects. These are accessible though the use of an external "expression pedal," but they can also be summoned without an external pedal.

The cool thing about NOT using an expression pedal is when you step off the stomp box, the note snaps back to the original pitch... just like a real whammy bar or "B-bender." This way, you can use it for country bends or even drop a whole chord down as much as an octave... and unlike a real whammy bar, the chord stays in tune.

The "flutter" effect perfectly duplicates the technique where you snap the vibrato arm and it vibrates rapidly for a half second. Jeff Beck did that every so often. Also of note, the unit processes at 24 bits so it tracks notes quicker and more accurately. This allows the pedal to effectively be used to transpose (replacing a capo).

Drawbacks? Well, in an effort to save processing and knob space, the Super Shifter can't do three-part harmony like the Harmonist can. It also loses the long delay effects of the Pitch Shifter/Delay. At $249 list, it's rather expensive too.

On the plus side, if a player mastered this pedal, it could eliminate the need to lug a tremolo-equipped guitar to gigs or sessions. This solves a lot of tuning and sustain problems associated with floating tremolos.

Visit www.rolandus.com for more info.

"E-Z Peg" is an inexpensive product offered D'Andrea. Any acoustic player who has ever fiddled with the traditional, crappy bridge pins on an acoustic guitar will want to check these out.

First and foremost, they have textured edges, eliminating the need to locate a pair of pliers to yank the pins out. They are brass (verses plastic), so sustain and tone is hypothetically enhanced.

The string is actually fed through the pin, thus the pin is designed to increase downward force on the bridge (for better tone and sustain) and also reduce forward and upward tension. This should be less damaging to the bridge over time and also help keep the string in tune.


Functional diagram of the E-Z Peg	The E-Z Pegs installed

The plain brass version lists for $19.95, while the more decorative models (wood, black onyx, ruby, mother of pearl, abalone, or traditional brass with mother of pearl) are priced up to $32.95.

You can visit the D'Andrea web site at www.dandreapicks.com.

Pro Tec cases are not new. In fact, I've carried my Strat in one for years. I still think they're cool enough to be worth mentioning.

Pro Tec designed what I'd call a hybrid between a gig bag and a hardshell case. It has heavy duty ballistic nylon on the outside. It zips open and shut. It has lots of padding. So it's like a gig bag in that it's it's easier on your car, your wall and whatever else you bang it into. But it has an internal frame of some sort, so the instrument is protected too.

Other cool features include an outside zipper compartment... though I wish they'd make it bigger since there's plenty of room. The lid to the inner compartment is designed to support the neck of the guitar when upright, so the case doubles as a portable work bench.

They are pretty reasonably priced too. The Strat-style case lists for $90. They have had Les Paul cases, but don't offer one at the moment due to lack of demand. If they do offer it again, I'd want to have one for my Les Paul.

Learn more about Pro Tec cases on their web site, located at www.ptcases.com.