Your Gear of the Year

juansolo

MJW Twang King. (the name was my fault). Basically the best amp EVER (tm). Always wanted a Princeton, this is a Princeton + if there was ever such a thing. Bloody awesome.



Bargain of the year and cool as fuck to boot. A Pawn Shop Mustang from that bonkers sale. Cost £290. Admittedly I then splashed out on some awesome ASL pickups (SuperSonic and Eddie) and rewired it. I've also got a Toronado bridge on the way.

Things I'm particularly proud of this year though are a couple of original pedals we designed. The SuperJudge is a beast of a Marshall flavoured OD/Distortion. The Big Baby (aka: Bax30) may end up actually becoming a pro-audio effect.

Finally there's the colaborative work we've been doing with Grind Customs. From the daddy of all klone boards, to the ultimate muff, with the maddest noise machine ever inbetween. It's been a good year.

stickyfiddle

juansolo said:

MJW Twang King. (the name was my fault). Basically the best amp EVER (tm). Always wanted a Princeton, this is a Princeton + if there was ever such a thing. Bloody awesome.

How much, if I may ask, did that run to? And does it have power scaling? And can I have one as a combo, in burgundy?

digitalscream

I acquired a Soldano Decatone this year; so that clearly has to take the GOTY spot for me.

As for the worst...I actually don't think I've made a duff purchase this year, so nominating something on a relative basis would be somewhat unfair.

racefaceec90

that would be an easy choice to make.

my jooky tele one off guitar that jookychap VERY kindly gave me for nowt/nada nothing. 

still cannot believe his kindness tbh 

http://jookyguitaremporium.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/introducing-668-one.html   

dindude

Loads of pedals as usual this year. Nothing on the amp front as usual as still very happy, well a Microcube if that counts.

Guitar wise just two, a lovely Gibson Les Paul Dc Goldtop that just wasn't for me but has since found an owner who loves it.

So this is my GOTY, a Fender Jaguar Modern Player picked up for £175 on a blow out from Thomann, by far my cheapest guitar but I really like it, especially after a bit (erm lot) of modding. Soon to get some Seymour Duncan minis in it.

http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n505/dindude/aeca794dd27d78f36cec77587484dd93_zpsdb4082e1.jpg

Oh and the purchase of an MJT body transformed my homebrew La Cabronita into a belter.

http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n505/dindude/29322a99ad70866843be10a92d4d6ddc_zps8c9466b2.jpg

underdog

Oh I forgot it was this year I bought it, top spot has to go to my les Paul vermilion. It's everything most people hate on here, but costing LP standard prices it's the best guitar I've ever played, and it's oh so pretty too

Paul_C

I've only bought two things this year, an EHX Organ Machine and an EQD Rainbow Machine.

I love both, but for different reasons

I've just remembered that I bought a Line 6 DM4 too, so it's been a pedal-tastic year for me (I currently have a pedal wish-list that stands at 22, so next year might well be similar   )

not_the_dj

Charvel So Cal.....great fun to get all wiggly with the stick.

Strymon Big Sky (was that this year?...I think it might have been)....most inspiring pedal I've ever bought.

juansolo

stickyfiddle said:

juansolo said:

MJW Twang King. (the name was my fault). Basically the best amp EVER (tm). Always wanted a Princeton, this is a Princeton + if there was ever such a thing. Bloody awesome.

How much, if I may ask, did that run to? And does it have power scaling? And can I have one as a combo, in burgundy?

In order...
- I got it in stages (had the 2x10 first which I supplied the speakers for, I also supplied my own power tubes), so I'm not sure exactly. It'll be quite a bit more than a RI I'd expect as a 2x10 combo in this spec. Looking at over a grand I'd think.

- No Power scaling. It's completely stock (I wanted a Princeton). The only deviations on it are that because it's a head it's got a short 3 spring tank instead of a long 2 spring (proximity of transformers) and it's a 2x10 running Eminence Legend 1028K Alnicos (HIGHLY reccomended to 2x10 this with these, even as a combo. They sound awesome. I'd also do it as a 1x10 Princeton can get a little ragged at high vols. Plus the Legends seem to work best as pairs or quads). Oh and I gave Martin some Brimar 6V6 power tubes to use, because they're the daddy of 6V6s.

- Fairly sure @martinw could sort you out with that no problem. You could even use the correct tank in that.

stickyfiddle

Sounds excellent on paper (and I'm sure it sounds excellent in real life too). 

I've just bought an Laney so not going to be any time soon but I'd love a Princeton with powerscaling and a combo like that would fit the bill nicely

ruralfrance

The year of MJT builds for me.  Started with a two tone sunburst nocaster with a fat neck but my small hands didn't get on with it. Decided to get a smaller neck, then got obsessed with blonde/butterscotch bodies.  All sold now with a few remaining bits to shift.  I'm a fickle man.

Sold my tweed deluxe and a killer blonde bassman and finally got hold of a Lazy J 20.  Lovely amp but I'm starting to miss the Bassman.

Gassage

For me the Korg SDD3000 and the Princeton 68

ThePrettyDamned

Gassage;411084" said:

For me the Korg SDD3000 and the Princeton 68

I've not tried the Princeton 68 but I've tried the 65 and 68 vibrolux amps, and they are both astounding.

Good enough that I'm having to really think about what sort of amp I will buy in the new year.

Moe_Zambeek

H9 for me. Great unit.

Worst: Gibson SG les Paul tribute. Sounded great but alas terrible tuning, useless trem and a very flexible neck meant it had to go (back).

Alnico

Fender Baja 50's Telecaster with 'Feline' Mods inc Refinish in Danish Oil. The best guitar i have ever owned.

My huge thanks to 'Hot Stack' who has supported everything i have done and far from complaining she has done everything she could to make it all possible.

longjaw

Bought two guitars this year:

# a second hand late 90's MIK Epiphone Sheraton which I have fitted Irongear Alchemist humbucker sized P90's to. Sounds great, love the neck and looks cool (natural finish)

# a Gibson Firebird Studio from Thomann. Plays so muhc better than the Tokai Firebird I used to have and sounds great, love the neck (different shape to the Epi though) and looks cool (in black)

Very difficult to choose between them but since the Gbson was such a bargain price I'll go for that as my buy of the year.

Will probably get a MJT strat early next year if I can raise the funds - hopefully that will be my best buy of 2015!

andyoz

Has to be the wee Marshall JCM1 Head at the knock down GuitarGuitar price.
Played through a 1 x 12" V30, it's perfect for the house.  Also bought the JTM1 Custom Offset head that's great for practice on the cleans.

Snapped up nice PRS Custom 24 on local Gumtree.  It's from the Ltd Edition numbered/signed run from when the 57/08's were first released.  Blueberry 10 top (not as purple as in the shot though).  Guy had about 20 guitars and this one was literally unplayed and lived in the case all it's life.

Gru

This is all going to be very personal, but for me, gear of the year will be pretty hard as nearly all of it got moved on.

Only remaining guitars are my 335 blueburst and my Cort M520, both very nice, but haven't played either enough to judge.

Of the guitars, the stand out was the Trohman Tele, I loved the neck, best part if the guitar, best fender type neck I have played. My only gripe was the knob/switch layout, but as an artist guitar it's obviously based on the artists request. I quite liked the kill switch, but not the rotary pickup switch, I think a 5 way blade would have been miles better, and maybe a Strat layout of knobs? It all felt like it was in the wrong place. Mixed feelings about seeing go, as I loved picking it up to play unplugged. 7/10

Worst guitar.
Difficult. The one I enjoyed the least was a classic vibe sunburst Tele. I didn't gel from the day I got it. It looked perfect, but that was it. Still don't know what went wrong there, but it has ended my desire to own a good classic one. I don't even look at them anymore. Tried to get excited about the amazing price of a mint used US standard today. Nothing!

Although thinking about it, not sure that was this year? :-D

xSkarloey

Similar to you Gru I has major GAS for a semi over the summer.

Tried an Epi Casino and liked it but not enough to pay the best part of 500 notes.

Tried an Epi Dot too and not only did this particular one sound like shit, it played like it and looked like it was caked in it from the previous owner.

Tried it in a shop where the attitude is of TGP proportions and they would probably have claimed the crud was part of the mojo.

meltedbuzzbox

I have had quite a lot of stuff this year and sold a lot as well. 

To summarise

Best Guitar - Custom Shop Jazzmaster (by a country mile)

Best Amp -  Hiwatt SA212

Best Pedal - Too hard to call... I've bought lots of great pedals

Worst Guitar - Rickenbacker 610 - Its just shit. I can't even dress it up

Worst amp - Line 6 spider - was only £40 for funsies. I had no expectations to be fair. 

Worst pedal - 2 way tie Fredric Mutant fuzz and Fredric Pocket Weasel