Chasing Tone - Guitar Podcast About Gear, Effects, Amps and Tone

If you had to choose just one pedal to gig with, could you do it? What would you choose? Brian and Blake discuss what they would do. We all have quirks, dislikes and odd fears. Like Brian’s fear of Pool drains or Blake’s dislike of chewing on dry towels. (Yeah, I know). And there is a new pedal that has caught Brian’s eye. It has some very cool features that the guys discuss, but it also has some...

Brad Paisley was in town over the weekend and Brian was on stage with the band. He talks about the experience. Chase Bryant. Brian knew him before he was big. Brian and Blake talk about his story and how it is a great example of patience, being extremely talented, and using networking to get to where you want to be. And there is a new way to podcast that the guys are mulling over using and they wo...

Tuners are very necessary. Some use a pedal and some use a headstock tuner. But would you leave that on your guitar throughout a gig? Is it wrong to do so? Brian and Blake have strong opinions on the subject. Brian got away from it all for a few days of outdoor fun with his son. This meant he was “off the grid” for several days. Needless to say, his inbox was a bit full. Was it worth it? Brian wil...

Brian is back from NAMM. So is Blake, sort of. They recap the show and some of the after hours fun. What do you wanna do with your life? College is good for some, but not all. Do you really need it to chase your dream? Brian has some strong feelings about it. And the topic that nearly broke the internet this week in the tone group. Do batteries make a difference in your tone? The guys share their...

You get a call to hire your band, but they can’t pay you but “hey, you can get some exposure.” Brian and Blake discuss this phenomenon and the exchange rates on “Exposure Bucks”. What happened to guitar solos in country music? The guys talk about it. Brian hangs out with Avenged Sevenfold who is touring with Metallica, will he replace Kirk Hammett’s Wah with a Wampler Hamm-it Wah? Ghetto Blasters,...

In this special "Tone Tips" Episode, Brian breaks down the features on the new Wampler Ethereal Reverb and delay pedal and then runs it through it's paces, letting you hear the results. Support the show

He ballroom dances, plays bass, and helps bring Brian’s designs to life. Wampler Engineer Jake Steffes joins Brian on this weeks episode.. Jake and Brian take on answering a listener question about gain. What is it? Does it differ according to playing style? You are a DIY’er and want to dabble some in the digital world, but how do you even get started? Do you need to be a programmer? Jake answers...

Three years ago Travis, Max and Brian started the Chasing Tone Podcast and to commemorate the occasion Travis pays Brian a visit. It was too much to fit in one podcast, so here is part 2. One of the perks of working in the guitar gear industry is meeting some of your guitar heroes along the way. Brian and Travis have some stories to share. Like the time Travis hit Brent Mason at a restaurant. True...

Three years ago Travis, Max and Brian started the Chasing Tone Podcast and to commemorate the occasion Travis pays Brian a visit. Travis just sold his 68 Marshall for four grand, which begs the question, what piece of gear would you buy if you had $4,000.00? Travis has a new amp and has found tonal peace using a Fryette Attenuator. He explains the difference it makes in his sound. Still picking on...

Brian and Blake talk about their favorite recorded clean tone and how Pearl Jam shaped Brian’s affinity for reverb. Do you have a portable amp in you gig bag in case of an on stage disaster? Are there alternatives? The guys take a look at it. The cliche’ that is band pictures, Blake doesn’t listen to Eric Johnson, Brian wants to start a Luke Bryan cover band, and beer can reverb? All in this weeks...

Are gear magazines relevant in the internet age? Brian has some thoughts. A listener question about mic’ing guitar amps in a live mix brings up a great discussion on using the EQ spectrum to broaden the mix. The new MS3 is out from Boss. Brian and Blake take a look. Blake channels George Michael and Brian has a killer Luke Bryan impersonation. And what can Brian do with all his gear magazines? All...

Everyone knows the the mystical 4558 op-amp IC chip is responsible for the best overdrive tones right? I mean, even Stevie Ray insisted on it in his pedals, am I right? Right?! Joking aside, I dive through several popular op-amp IC chips and let you hear what each one sounds like in the context of Guitar Overdrive Pedal Circuitry. Well, not every one out there, but some popular ones... from $.20 I...

Blake and Brian look back at their starter amps and talk about some of the options available to new guitarists today. There is something to having your amp in the room and “feeling” your tone, but is there a way to translate that when you record? Brian recently made an Ebay purchase, unfortunately the pedal was D.O.A. You will be surprised by what he found when he dissected it. Zip tying your peda...

Blake picked up a Univox EC80 Tape Delay. He and Brian take a look at it. Tuners. A necessary evil on any board. They also bring out strong opinions as to which one is best to use. Let’s get ready to rummmmble! If you want to get good at guitar you have got to practice. But is there a point where you don’t need to? Or does practice change as you get better? The guys talk about it. Brent Mason is g...

The guys answer a question from the Tone Group. How do you effectively set up and use delay pedals. Can you have too many? How do you relate to a non gear head guitar player? Is the quest for tone contagious? Blake talks about how tone became important to him. What is wrong with todays radio? Brian and Blake take a look at that and maybe the bigger question, do we really need radio? Brian’s NAMM m...

Brian talks to Blake about his progress on the new revision of his DIY book. How he is getting more relevant mods into the pages. Blake has some new-to-him pedals. Like a DOD FX75 Stereo Flanger. The guys take a look at them and Brian looks at their schematics to see what’s really cool in them. Guitars get the girls, the PC police need to chill, live streaming, and there is a reason Brian doesn’t...

There is a new fuzz pedal in the works. Is it a Big Muff clone? Fuzz Face? Brian talks about where the process is, and some hints about what is in his latest creation. Using DIY skills for “evil”? Brian shares how he messes with people’s minds when he gigs. Has DSP technology caught up with analog in producing tone? It may be closer than you think. Who is wearing M.C. Hammer pants? Trolling the tr...

The guys talk about their first concerts and how it influenced their guitar playing and their tone. Brian admits he had a Prince phase. Blake has issues. This week he shares his frustration with his lack of pedalboard preparedness and indecision. Can Brian help him save 30 minutes of setup at practice? Boss has a new gig rig looper. The ES8. It is full of features that has Blake eying one. Brian a...

Fresh off the newest Wampler release, Brian and Blake talk about what is in the Psychosomatic Pedal. It is something….else. Brian get’s very honest about the “secrets of the trade” that he discovered in the creation of the Psychosomatic. We have been doing it wrong. For years. The Psychosomatic may be the pinnacle of Brian’s achievements and he ponders what profession he may pursue next. Confused?...

Blake is Back! He and Brian dive into some pedal mod ideas that Brian would like to try out. Can a TS-9 do that? Brian has re-released his DIY book on Amazon until the new edition is done. But there is a poor confused soul who’s comment caused Brian to go on a rant. Blake shares how he started the Tone Mob podcast, and the story behind the first episode. And Brian rediscovers an old guitar and fal...

Brian has a special guest in the shred shed as he welcomes Victor Lee to the podcast. Victor is an up and coming guitarist who is establishing himself in the studio and on YouTube and itunes. Victor and Brian discuss creating songs and how to find the sound to fit the song, and how to dial in tones to create moods. They also take a look at the Thornbucker pickup and discuss impulse responses and w...

It’s new gear day for Blake. He finally obtained a 1981 Les Paul Custom and that sparked a discussion about the Gibson standard. Brian and Blake discuss how different parts of the guitar can affect tone, as well as what makes a "boutique" guitar different than a standard off the shelf guitar. More coffee talk. Early titles for the podcast. Waxing and tasting capacitors to get the best to...

Knobs on the pedal, on the amp, even on the guitar. How do you set them to get great tone? Does the same settings work the same for every player on every rig? Brian and Blake explore the subject. The guys also discuss some of the secrets to great dirt pedal design, and explain the differences between amp eq and pedal eq. Brian has some goats and my put them to work, french dressing on pizza(?), an...

You see it all the time. Talented guitar player, got his riffs down, nails the solos, but no stage presence. Brian and Blake discuss this phenomenon and what it means to “get up” for a show. Can falling short of our personal life expectations mean the end, or finding a new direction? Brian reflects on the loss of a friend and the implications of that very question. Can there be too many coffee sho...

Brian and Blake discuss how they interpret music different from those who are not musicians. Take a step back as Brian takes a hard look at his past, and how high school led him to building pedals. And how George Lynch and Skid Row played a huge part in that development as well. The guys reinvent education and Brian contemplates his future in another exciting episode of Chasing Tone. Support the s...