Boss CE-5 Chorus Ensemble

EFFECTS - CHORUS

PRICE:	$70, new
KEY FEATURES:	E. LEVEL, output volume; RATE, oscillation speed; DEPTH, oscillation intensity; FILTER, parametric bass and treble equalization; stereo output
SOUND SAMPLE:	N/A
HIGHS:	many chorus sounds possible, useful for EQ and boost effects as well
LOWS:	has a "processed sound" in general, no one sound is outstaning
SHORT TAKE:	This has many nice features, but most should look elsewhere for a chorus pedal.

The Boss CE-5 is an example of a guitar effect that has great features but doesn't quite come together in the end. It has several cool knobs: The standard rate and depth, a master effect level, and a bass/treble filter. It also features two outputs, allowing for stereo chorus. This gives the CE-5 some interesting ancillary effects: It can serve as a signal splitter for any instrument or filter high and low frequencies. For example, I use the pedal with both outputs when I want to play through two amps simultaneously. I can also add treble via the filter knob and increase output for a boost during solos.

In spite of these cool uses for the CE-5, the chorus it produces could be much better. The effect sounds too digitally processed; I hear an annoying clicking sound each time the oscillation repeats. For many, this defeats the purpose of a chorus pedal, so most of you should try other stomp boxes instead.

Boss OS-2 Overdrive/Distortion

EFFECTS - DISTORTION

PRICE:	$20, used
KEY FEATURES:	LEVEL, output volume; TONE, brightness of output; DRIVE, amount of gain; COLOR, compression and equalization
SOUND SAMPLE:	N/A
HIGHS:	diverse range of distortions, reliable
	has all the features you need
LOWS:	sounds unacceptable when played through solid state amplifiers
SHORT TAKE:	A diverse effect for use with tube amps, suitable for anything from light gain to hard rock distortion

The most apparent feature of the Boss OS-2 is its versatility. The pedal handles mild overdrive and heavy metal distortion equally well, so all but the jazziest guitarists can make use of this pedal. The pedal's steel chassis helps it earn the trademark BOSS reliability, and there is no humming or tone muddying when in bypass mode.

Like many distortion pedals, the OS-2 must be played through an all-tube amp for the best effect. Thanks to the pedal's simple Lo/Hi Tone knob, the Boss won't color your tone very much. Since the OS-2 still sounds "like you," solid state amps won't give you the saturated gain sound this pedal is capable of. Need some extra juice for your tube amp? Try out this pedal.

Washburn Idol WI-64

GUITARS - ELECTRIC

PRICE:	$600 with hardshell case, new
KEY FEATURES:	mahogany body and neck, rosewood fretboard,
	quilted maple top, Buzz Feiten tuning system, 2 humbuckers
CUSTOMIZATION?	Seymour Duncan “Custom Custom” bridge pickup, Schaller strap locks, Ernie Ball .011 strings
SOUND SAMPLE:	N/A
HIGHS:	great playability, lots of sustain
	clear, punchy tone
LOWS:	some tuning problems, muddy pickups,
	"Voice Contour Control" is frustrating
SHORT TAKE	A joy to play if you're willing to put some time and money into it.

The Washburn WI-64, part of the "Idol" series, is a true underdog. Having received this as a gift, this was the only guitar I could afford for several years. This forced me to get creative, slowly coaxing good tones from the instrument instead of just buying something that played better out of the box.

This guitar was not set up properly at the factory. At first, I noticed the guitar going out of tune after playing the it for more than 30 minutes (or more than five minutes if the strings were old). I set up the Idol's action, inonation and truss rod as well as possible, but tuning problems persisted. I first tried larger strings; I now play the guitar with .011 gauge instead of the default .009. Equally as important, I filed the guitar's nut slots, widening them for the bigger strings. The Washburn now holds tune effortlessly, and thanks to the Buzz Feiten tuning system it intonates well across the fretboard.

Guitars in the Idol series have VCC knobs - that's "Voice Contour Control" - instead of tone knobs. According to Washburn, VCC is a "coil tapping system that allows players to incrementally blend between a humbucking sound and a single coil sound without the hum normally associated with single coils." In other words, you turn the knob down, the pickup sounds more like a single coil; you turn the knob up, it sounds more like a humbucker.

All of this VCC business allows for great tonal range, but there is a side effect. For some reason, the guitar's signal sounds muffled when the volume knob (not necessarily the VCC knob) is at less than 10. Sometimes this effect is desirable, but in general, most will want the volume at full. This lack of dynamics limits some of said tonal range.

Most importantly, though, the Washburn Idol plays very well. The guitar has a 14" fingerboard radius; this is flatter than most Strats and Les Pauls but less so than Jacksons. This makes the Idol somewhat lead-oriented, though chords are no problem to play. I've used this guitar both in the rhythm section of a jazz band and for lead in many rock projects.

Anyone willing to spend another $50-$150 on new pickups and many hours setting up their instrument should consider the WI-64. Once the guitar is set up to tune properly and the muddy stock pickups have been replaced, the Idol is a bright (thanks, quilted maple top), punchy tone machine.

Yamaha FG-04 LTD

GUITARS - ACOUSTIC

PRICE:	$300 New with case
KEY FEATURES:	Rosewood back, sides and fretboard
	Engelmann Spruce top
CUSTOMIZATION?	D'Addario .013-0.56 strings
SOUND SAMPLE:	Cover, Led Zeppelin's Bron-Y-Aur Stomp(687 KB)
HIGHS:	Great tone for singer-songwriters.
	Holds Tune very well
LOWS:	Sometimes has trouble “cutting through” a live mix
SHORT TAKE:	Unmatched tone and sustain in this price range!

Although the Yamaha FG-04 costs under $300 new, it has the tone and playability of a guitar in the $700-$1000 price range. Talk about “bang for your buck!”

If you find an FG-04 in a music shop, grab it and strum a chord. Immediately, you'll notice a bright, full-bodied tone with sustain to spare. One would expect this from a Spruce/Rosewood acoustic: A powerful sound with more treble than midrange. This is an ideal setup for singer-songwriter “open mic warriors," as the guitar's tone leaves lots of room for a voice. Beware larger band settings, though; drums and bass may crowd the Yamaha's frequency range.

The FG-04 features an uncommonly large fretboard radius. I couldn't find it documented anywhere, but I would guess the radius to be 10 or 11” (similar to many strat-style electric guitars). This means that playing lead passages and bending notes is much easier than on most acoustics; you will also be able to set the truss rod for low action without compromising sustain much. In general, a larger fretboard radius makes for more difficult rhythm playing, but the Yamaha is well-suited for many musical settings. In particular, the guitar handles bluesy, bend-heavy solos and fingerstyle playing well.

I've owned this guitar for nearly three years, and it looks and sounds as good as ever. Granted, the former doesn't say much, given this guitar's bland styling (at least the mother-of-pearl headstock inlay looks nice), but form follows function. This acoustic holds tune relentlessly and intonates perfectly, even in open tunings. Check out the Yamaha FG-04's sound sample, which was played in Open G.