Guitar Reviews 4U - Overview of the Gretsch Synchromatic Nashville and Falcon 2025 guitars

 

Guitar Reviews 4U - the Gretsch Synchromatic Nashville and Falcon 2025 guitars

The New kids on the Trestle Block...

We take a look at the just landed mid-price-range offerings

from Gretsch guitars in this review

Verdict: A good purchase if you're looking for a Filtertron-ready equipped Gretsch

guitar without the pro level price tag, I'd buy one if that was the case for needing one

(I do have Japan made Gretsch guitars so I have this need covered)

A good 'base instrument' that you can further upgrade with other hardware if desired.

Up a level from the Electromatic series and half the price of a Japan Gretsch

I came across these guitars recently on the Coda music site and the White Falcon they had listed sold quickly although I believe is now back in stock. I thought they'd made a mistake with the price and listed a Player White Falcon new at £1249 GBP! So I hopped on the Gretsch guitars site to see more about these new guitars and found out this was a new range.

The Gretsch Nashville Hollow body a 5420-6120 priced inbetweener -

Priced reasonably and reminds me of the 5120 Filtertron ready Special edition  which was pegged at around £1100 Sterling - not far out from the £1249 ticket price here - 

This Synchromatic Nashville is referred to on the Gretsch site as '6120 family'

Let us start with the Gretsch Synchromatic Nashville guitar, available in the Orange Stain or Cadillac Green (which seems to have a metallic type Green finish of the type as seen on the Fairlane Blue 5420T guitars which had metallic inclusions in the finish. Gretsch refer to the Nashville as 'from the 6120 family' but do not give it a distinct model name like the 6120, or 5420T for example other than Synchromatic Nashville.

(Older Synchromatic Gretsch guitars had the 'Cat eye' F holes and some reissues of these were made in recent times.)

(Mentioned as being part of the 6120 family, this Nashville gets you on the '6120' Train - I had a Japan 2008 6120 that had the same switch and pickup layout as this Synchromatic.)

Here on the Synchromatic Nashville we have a maple construction upgraded 5420T, made in China and has the same 1959 inspired Trestle Bracing as the Chinese 5420T guitars. This version of the bracing has the 2 feet that secure top to back of the guitar at the Bridge but the wood only runs forwards along the neck block and not down onto the back board at the neck end joint as on the 6120 Hot Rod and similar higher price tag guitars. 

Gretsch state that this arrangement of the bracing gives the guitar slightly more vibrancy as the board can resonate more than the fixed at both ends 59 true bracing. I purchased a 5420T in the 2 tone 'Anniversary Green' made in China in November 2024 with the same design of '59 type bracing' and I was very pleased with it. It certainly is slightly more resonant than my 5420T in Fairlane Blue made in Korea.

The Nashville in Cadillac Green candy metallic finish -

I think these will sell well, there was a limited run 5420T in this colour -

If there was a Blue Sparkle one it would sell like hot cakes - take note Gretsch!

The construction is pretty much the same as the 5420T in many respects, nicely done and the neck extension at the body join is the same as on the 5420T as part of the neck block and not sculpted underneath as on the Japan guitars - the extra wood connection likely helps the sustain and provides greater structural strength and tone transfer. 

The orange Nashville has nice wavy grain on the factory picture with a slightly creamy aged binding that really looks good, the harshness of pure white binding is lost - giving it a 'vintage' look out of the box.

The Nashville Orange Headstock and Ebony fingerboard

The T-Roof logo is sharper, like on the 2420 Streamliner 

and an improvement oer the 5420T logo

Although no 'horseshoe inlay' as on the Player TG Nashville from Japan

The neck has a scarfed on headstock and this is used on many guitars up to this price point for economy of materials, a shame in a way as Maple isn't greatly expensive as a wood and even factoring in say $50 USD extra into the cost could make this more like a Terada Japan neck.

The Japan Player, Hot rod and anything Gretsch beyond that price point uses full Maple neck wood with wing pieces at the machine head area. The scarfed on head is used by many makers and with modern glues should give no issue on 10 gauge strings, I have noticed no separation on my 5120 or 5420's I have owned that have this type of neck construction.

The Gretsch name  logo on these Synchromatic guitars is an improvement over the 5420 Electromatic type which never looked as nice as the one on the cheaper recent Streamliner guitars. The Synchromatic guitars here now use a style of logo seen on the Japan level professional series guitars and looks the better for it. The Headstock is faced with a veneer on the orange Nashville giving it a nicer look than the 5420T with a plastic type overlay.

The quality of finish is great, 

you can see the scarf neck joint here on the back of the neck -

it would be better if the machine heads were sealed type rather than these open backs

The Headstock needs no introduction, but follows the smaller 1958 onwards shape used on most of the Gretsch guitars except the Falcon guitars of that era (or the smaller Jet style guitars). An Ebony fingerboard is a nice feature here and having Gretsch guitars with Ebony, Rosewood and Laurel boards fitted, the Ebony is the nicest looking and playing. 

In contrast, the Hot Rod now features a Rosewood fretboard and owning earlier Hot Rods with the Ebony board, these are just so much nicer.

The fingerboard features the Thumbnail edge style inlays and the neck is bound around the top edge of the headstock as on the mk 3 Electromatic 5420T onwards. The modern Hot Rod guitars use Rosewood boards rather than the earlier Ebony which is a shame as Ebony wood looks and sounds nicer.

The Nashville rear view shows no new surprises - 

for those familiar with Gretsch guitars

The neck radius is 12" and C shaped, with medium jumbo frets. The necks on these Chinese made guitars have a great feel and my Chinese made 5420T guitar is no exception, my 5420 Anniversary Green 2 Tone is often a guitar I pick up at the end of the day just to play a few chords on or to try out song ideas, it plays easily, sounds nice acoustically and has a slick action.

The Falcon version of the Synchromatic has sealed Grover Machine heads installed and it is a shame that on the Nashville model that they didn't instal sealed Machine Heads rather than the open back ones as used on the Electromatics in budget form and Waverley Grover ones on the professional level guitars. These open back Tuners do nothing for the guitar and Gretsch should continue with either better quality units or go over to sealed units in my view.

The cheaper Streamliner guitars have sealed heads and they are nice and smooth and I wonder why Gretsch persists with the open back machine heads on these lower end guitars, I changed the open back heads on my Korean made 5420T to sealed types and the difference in operation and sound is obvious and I will change my Chinese 5420T heads over to locking ones in time.

Gold hardware is used on this range, with the addition of the metal jack base plate, Filtertrons and typical 3 way 'Electromatic' switching with Tone and Volume pots

You'll have noticed that the Synchromatic guitars feature Filtertron pickups, I recall a special limited edition run of 5120 guitars in orange finish that were factory fitted with chrome Filtertrons. This was a modification that many 5120 owners were already doing, me included!

The price point on the Electromatics with Filtertrons is roughly comparable with the Sychromatics of now. 

The Filtertrons on these Synchromatic guitars are the 'fixed' height Gretsch Filtertrons - unlike the 5420T guitars which have FT5E pickups with height adjustments by screws at the ends of the pickups, the Synchromatic Filtertrons are the original 'fixed to the body' type units that you'd find on a 6120 or similar, the only adjustment they have is by using spacer gaskets under the Bezels or by adjusting the pole piece screws to nearer the strings. (Although I did modify my 5120 with Filtertrons to have sprung adjuster screws at the ends of the pickups).

The hardware on the Synchromatic features a new 'V' Bigsby B6C type unit which is a step up from the old cast alloy B60 used on the Electromatics, although the Bigsby on these new Synchromatics is a new tooling. I would if I owned one, likely buy a Gretsch by Bigsby B6C as an aftermarket part and instal that as they are great and look better in my view.

I have seen these guitars played on the Gretsch official launch video and they do sound good. These guitars also feature a baseplate on the jack socket which offers a more rigid area for the jack and is something that the 140th Anniversary 6118 features. It also helps save the finish around the jack input socket from damage when inserting the jack plug.

The Body diameter of the Synchromatic guitars is not quoted but I suspect they are around 16" wide tops on the Nashville and 17" on the Falcon based on visual comparison. (They have a 2.5" depth.) One guitar site quoted the Falcon Synchromatic as 17" but even Gretsch don't state the body width on their website, but it does appear to be slightly larger than the Nashville visually.

The 24.6" scale length of the Nashville is true to the 6120 guitars, as is the Falcon guitar's 25.5" scale length to the original Falcon.

For those interested in simple Gretsch upgrades, see my 5420T post here

Where do these models fit into the grand scheme of things?

The Synchromatic range are a higher end take on the Chinese made Electromatic 5420T and similar guitars (these earlier 5420T Chinese made guitars are very well finished), my Chinese made 2 tone Anniversary is faultless and I used to have a Japan made Anniversary so I was aware of how nicely that was made in comparison. 

The Falcon Synchromatic and the 5420T Chinese guitars as mentioned also feature a variation of the 59 Trestle Bracing system which has the feet at the back under bridge end. I would not be put off buying a Synchromatic with the 'made in China' knowledge, as the guitars from there have USA quality control and are as I said very nicely made and finished. 

The Synchromatic range sits above the Electromatic and below the Japan made guitars, providing an affordable and well appointed guitar for the price position which features Filtertron pickups. Given that these guitars are almost into the higher end bracket, it would be more logical to make the necks like the Japan guitars in my view.

The Synchromatic  Falcon guitars

The Synchromatic White Falcon - 

reminiscent of the professional series White Falcon 1 from around 2004

The other model in the Synchromatic range is the Falcon, available as a White Falcon and a Black Falcon as shown here. These build on the same Trestle bracing feature as on the Nashville and also have the Ebony fingerboard with thumbnail inlays.

The Black Falcon with Gold Trim 

The high end Falcon model as most of you will know featured a 17" wide body on the hollow bodied guitars. As I stated earlier, the width isn't mentioned on the Gretsch website for these Synchromatic guitars but the Falcon looks to be 17" wide.

The Falcon available in black or white finish features the classic Gold 'Sparkle' binding to the neck and body as on the higher end Falcon guitars. It doesn't end there though, the pot knobs all feature jewelled tops like the more expensive professional level Falcon along with Gold Sparkle Truss rod cover. The machine heads are Grover Imperial style sealed units, like the original Falcon units.

These Falcons also have the distinctive V cutout to the headstock shape, with the basic T -Roof Gretsch name logo like on the White Falcon 1 from 2004. The distinctive winged Gretsch logo hasn't been fitted on this price level of guitar which may disappoint some as it was fitted to the White Falcon version of the Rancher acoustics made in Indonesia.

Perhaps distinctions have been made according to price point for the guitars as to the specifications made for these Synchromatic guitars, certain features have been chosen that visually at any rate differentiate at sight between a Japan made or USA made level guitar and those made elsewhere, such as the Filtertrons and the new Bigsby, like on this model range. So you can see at a glance where the guitar is likely made by those features.

The Synchromatic guitars sit at a defined price point, above the Chinese made Electromatic and below the Japan made Player series. The upgrade of the fingerboard to Ebony and the fitting of Filtertrons (the pickup upgrade that some do on the 5420T guitars) means you have a guitar uniquely placed. A shame that they spent money tooling the new Bigsby which doesn't visually cut it for me, they could have saved the tooling costs by fitting the Gretsch by Bigsby B6C which I have done to 5420 Electromatics and improves look and tone greatly.

Typical UK price points for the Gretsch range would be: (For US roughly £ to $ straight comparison)

Streamliner £450.00 Electromatic £749 Synchromatic 2025 £1250 Japan £2400 USA £5000+

I think these guitars will sell well as they take you in above the (already very good) level  Electromatic (which I have used in live performing) and the step up from there to a Player guitar means you get a lot of guitar in the middle price bracket, the name, the look, the style and the sound.

 

Guitar Reviews 4U - D'Addario Strings - Should I put heavy or light gauge strings on a guitar to get 'vintage sound'? We investigate....

 

Guitar Reviews 4U - D'Addario Strings - 

Should you put heavy or light gauge strings on a guitar to get 'vintage sound'? 

Here's a look at whether to go 'heavy' on string gauges and what this could do 

to your guitar to get the 'sound' and the potential damage to your guitar.

Most of my Stratocasters run with these 9-42 strings - 

a mix of standard 9 gauge Light top and 10 gauge bottom strings works great.

 D'Addario also make  9 gauge acoustic strings which I use on some acoustics

D'Addario show this great guide to string loading on the back of their

string packaging with the Brooklyn Bridge 'gauge' of string tension loading -

you can easily see just how much more load you create by going heavier! 

There has been a fad over recent years for some players wanting to recreate a more 'authentic' they perceive guitar sound, by using heavier gauge guitar strings. 

The reasoning often being that in the past, heavier gauge strings were only available and used then as standard fitment as the lighter string gauges were not then available.

Back in history, guitarists such as Eddie Cochran and James Burton used to get around this situation of heavy strings by using a light gauge Banjo string on the top E string and by discarding the low E string and installing the rest of the the strings A,D,G & B on the 6,5,4,3 & 2 positions with the 'ultra light' by the standards of the day string on the top E string position.

This allowed James Burton to get his famous sound. He could at least bend the top strings in his lead guitar work much easier.

On the Shadows tour in 2004, guitarist Hank B. Marvin of The Shadows used one of his Stratocasters strung with heavy gauge strings with a 13 gauge top to replicate his early 1959 Stratocaster sound for some of the old 1960's numbers played. His other stage Stratocasters on the tour were strung with more 'normal' modern 10 gauge strings.

Normally Hank might play a 10 top set, sometimes with a 52 bottom E in a 10-52 set rather than a 10-46 so he could get the heavier bass string sound of the old days without the need to fit the complete heavy gauge strings of a 13-56 set. This would allow the lighter '10 top' string unwound 3 strings to be used which are easier to play.

On this subject, some of the heavier sets now offer a wound 3rd like the early 1960's strings, Hank's early Stratocaster strings had the wound 3rd and some 'purists' use those to emulate the sound.

Going to heavy 13-56 range strings will appreciably load up the string tension on a guitar and in so doing, will put more strain on the structure of the guitar woods and the hardware. It does also make the guitar harder to play, there is more string tension to overcome when bending strings or using the trem arm.

I have used D'Addario strings since 1984 and I have also tried other string makes - Fender, Gibson, Ernie Ball, Rotosound and a host of others. Ernie Ball and D'Addario are really my primary choice now as they have a relatively low string 'pull' tension - I tend now to only really use D'Addario strings and Ernie Ball on a Buddy Holly style Stratocaster.

On a Stratocaster, changing makes even of the same string gauge range say 10-46 in both sets can cause problems, installing Fender 10-46 vintage strings for a tryout on a Stratocaster pulled my Trem block up some and led to me having to do some adjustment of the action.

When I put a new set of D'Addario 10-46's on a guitar that is new from a music shop and has the original 'from the factory' 10-46 strings on, the D'Addarios have less tension and sound much better. 

Over the last 40+ years I've tried different string makes and my conclusion is that the D'Addario strings are easy to play, have lower string tension and stay bright and in tune much better than others. Quality does not vary from set to set and I have only broken one top string in all the years playing them.

Back to the original question - heavy or light gauge? So, we consider the player wanting to replicate an artist's 'vintage' sound- they buy the guitar of their desire and decide to install the heavier gauge strings. 

Yes, you might get a louder sounding instrument with the higher mass strings, but you will find the strings harder to bend and perhaps harder to play, the guitar action will need adjustment to compensate for the string change.

The real issue for me as someone who has built and repaired guitars is the added load on the instrument, especially a vintage guitar made decades ago. The heavier load strings will put added loading on the structure of the guitar and may cause damage to the structure. Some old guitars were constructed using animal glue that can give out under heavy string loading. 

Older Gretsch guitars have tenon joint necks with screw location and these necks can move with age, so increasing the string gauge is not kind to them at all! It might have been ok when the guitar was new but some of these classics are now 60 years plus old and that has to be considered.

Personally after 40+ years of playing, I use a standard 9-42 set on most of my mainly Squier and Mexican Stratocasters and a 9-46 set on those I want a more vintage sound with the slightly heavier bottom strings such as a custom shop Maple neck 1959. My Tokai guitars have 9's on now a couple of 1983 TST 50's and a 2014 Goldstar Sound TST50. 

I use 10-46 universally on my Gretsch guitars - although the 5420's now come new with 11 gauge sets fitted, I usually swap those right away in any case and often as I install a Tunamatic roller saddle bridge and often swap the B60 Bigsby for a B6C 'V' style unit - all of which improves the sound and tuning stability greatly.

For acoustics, on acoustic 12 strings I use a 9 gauge set, on standard 6 string acoustic I have used the 9 gauge D'Addario strings and the 10 gauge set - the 9 gauge is a lighter string with less volume but is kinder to guitars I play less frequently. The 9's on a six string do have less volume but it is a trade off and I use them at home only. My Gretsch Rancher from 2013 has 9's on and sounds and plays very nicely. One of the best guitars for playability and sound.

To compensate for 'vintage' string sound you can if you use an amplifier modeller and a mixer as I do a lot, ramp the gain up (and presence if that is on your modeller) a touch and this will give a bit more 'alive' and 'loaded' vintage type sound.

An example of this vintage sound being found on The Shadows 'Man of Mystery' it is a great recording from 1960 and Hank's 1959 Stratocaster has the original heavy strings on, into a Vox AC15 and it really sounds fabulous.

Modern technology can to an extent be used to simulate the 'heavier' string gauge and that would be my route to follow rather than load up your instrument with strings that are more difficult to play and could also cause problems for the guitar structure.

Guitar Reviews 4U the Vox Tonelab ST Amplifier Modeller

 

Guitar Reviews 4U the Vox Tonelab ST Amplifier Modeller

The Vox ST is a compact version of the Tonelab EX

being introduced after the ceasing of the Tonelab LE board

See my other Tonelab Modules review here

The Tonelab concept as a separate modelling unit started with the Studio module and ended with the EX and ST modules. The EX being a slightly more functional module than the ST. It has easy connectivity to Apple's Garageband software.

As we have covered in our previous review on the Tonelab series modules, I've added this one on the EX as one has come my way at a price that seemed too good to pass up and allows me to have an example of each of the Tonelab units and one to review.

The Tonelab ST in all its glory that still retains the functionality of the

original Studio module but with patch selection and expression pedal.

The physical size of the unit is less than the earlier versions from the EX back

The Tonelab St has 11 Amplifier models, the Vox ones are referred to by name Vox AC 15 etc. and the other models made by Fender, Marshall etc are referred to by titles that suggest who makes them! 

After the amplifier model is selected, to the right is the tone controls and gain control, below and to the left a Pedal section where you can have Top Boost, Octaver and a range of features often found on small standalone module effects.

The Mod/Delay sweep switch covers the Chorus, Flanger, Delay and similar effects and to the right of that is a standalone Reverb section.

Completing this row is the Patch display and write buttons.

Unlike the previous Tonelab products, the ST doesn't have a 'Bank' system, in this case the ST has the first 49 patches as editable patches - as you would have on the other Tonelab products, but the remainder from 50 up to 99 are pre-set uneditable patches.

The patches are cued in by use of the up and down buttons on the last row at the base of the unit - here is also the Tuner which you activate by pressing both up and down buttons at the same time.

The ST is really a 'Light edition' of the EX, in that it has most of the functionality but a small footprint.

Why did I buy it? It is compact and I can edit plenty of patches for live playing in various musical styles and sounds which means I can go into my aux in on the Vox VT40 and use that as a PA and use the ST as a 'Brain' - having a clean and neutral channel set on the VT40 first.

It is a pity this set up wasn't put into an amplifier and the addition of bank patches would have been great. 

However, in the meantime Ipad interfaces into the new Vox VT40+ have meant that patch management can be done on the Ipad rather than on the amplifier, through Sound Editor set up.

Old School outputs now feature USB and the MIDI connections are no longer

The ST gives me the 'old school' flexibility and although I could use an EX for the same job, the ST will be fine for most situations.

Lastly, we have a volume pedal to the right of the main controls, this can also be assignable as an expression pedal. On the rear panel, the ST and EX have USB connection, so you can use these for connection to a computer for recording and the line switch options and output volume are handy for that and for going into a D.I. situation for live playing.

This is a nicely made unit and very functional, it has moved on from the LE by the adoption of MIDI outputs to USB which a bonus, you can get MIDI to USB conversion cables I believe but the USB connection is more modern.

Connecting to Garageband is easy, you can use the USB in to the computer, simply connect the uint and power on and in your Apple Menu>System Preferences>Sounds you can then assign the Tonelab to the Input source - be careful to have the volume down in Garageband before introducing the Tonelab as it can cause feedback if you are using a high gain input. Also set the output switch on the rear panel to 'Line.'

For my Garageband test track I used a clean sound Vox AC15 amplifier patch with the rear panel volume set at 12 o'clock position - so when the pedal is right down it does not overload the input. I tried it against an instrumental backing track and it sounded nice.

The EX really is the last of the Tonelab 'old school' units and is both a collector's item and a fully usable modeller. The lack of Bank facility is a downside but most of us will be able to get by! 

Guitar Reviews 4U - The VOX DA5 - 5 Watt Practice Amplifier review

 

Guitar Reviews 4U - The VOX DA5 5W Practice Amplifier - 

Features a Mic and AUX input on the rear panel - ideal for the Beach!

The Vox DA5 - a Mini Vox amplifier that can be Mains 9v or AA powered 

The DA5 is a small and simple amplifier ideal for songwriting, recording or live busking, as it has a choice of power sources either a mains to 9v adaptor input (Mains current down to a 9v input into the unit) or AA Battery power (AA Batteries) for playing outdoors in the street, on the beach or in the garden. It features power output settings of 0.5w, 1.0 watt and 5 watts on a slider switch found on the back panel.

It is also a useful workshop amplifier to test guitars you've been working on too! 

The version shown above is in the 'classic' Vox look and style used since around 1960 that was applied to the early VOX AC30 with the Black Tolex and Diamond woven Speaker Grille cloth and Gold 'Vox' name badge.

What the DA5 can do is surprising, that given a few years ago a small guitar amplifier of this size would only feature Volume and Tone Controls with a Reverb if you were lucky. The DA5 moves that limitation on with a good array of Amplifier types and Effects on board.

Vox DA5 in alternative Red Tolex and with Stainless Steel pressed Grille -

Black Tolex is the usual finish, White, Red and Pink Tolex are limited run options

The other version of the DA5 is as found above with the metal grille cover, usually it is with a Black Tolex finish and pressed Grille of a style found on the VT 30 to VT 100 model modelling amplifiers. I wanted the classic old Vox look and chose that version, otherwise there is no difference to the controls.

The DA5 is a plug and play small amplifier which does not have any modelling features such as patches or banks, largely as it has not got the space for the digital controls for these on the top panel. On the top panel, you can find the Amplifier Model or type settings as your start point. 

Vox usually on their units and in their owner's manuals alludes to the trade names of amplifiers by cleverly using such names in such cases as 'Blues' to equate to a Marshall, ' 'Clean 1' and 'Clean 2' these usually are AC15 and AC30 type amplifiers, 'Crunch' a Hi-watt and 'Hi Gain' a Rectifier amplifier for this example. Those can vary according to the number and model being replicated.

The Top Panel gives you easy access to the controls

The Rear Panel has a Microphone and Aux in inputs

The rear panel houses the Microphone input (a 6.35mm mono), an aux in for your MP3 player and a Line / Phono output for headphones or a mixing desk. A slider switch allows you to attenuate power in 0.5, 1 and 5 watt outputs. So you can play along with your vocals too, there is no bluetooth on this model so you can't beam backing tracks to the unit, you have to physically connect them via a 3.5mm cable.

Playing the guitar through the DA5, you'll find the simple to use controls useful to get the sound you require quickly and easily. On the 5W setting, in a bedroom the DA5 is quite loud enough even at a low volume and is useful for playing along to DVD's on your TV.

Back to the controls, the amplifier settings are descriptive so you have a flavour of the sound by the description. On the top row are a Master Volume, Tone and Gain, so you can crank the amplifier there if required, used in conjunction with the rear switch if you want to achieve a driven sound at low volume output.

There are twelve effects which are quite usable and can be controlled from the Edit function control for in cases speed, depth or time depending on the effect chosen. There are no 'Bank' or 'Patch' settings to save these too but that's a trade off for the size of the unit.

The DA5 is a good small amplifier to have to hand for various jobs, as a portable play outside amplifier, a workshop guitar tester amplifier, or as a small studio or songwriting amplifier and also for playing along to music from the TV or a music centre.

Value for money is good, although the DA5 is not a current Vox product you can find them secondhand reasonably priced. Later Vox models of the DA5 concept with more features including a Tuner are the Mini GT2 and GT3 Amplifiers can also be found used.

My only issue with the DA 5 is the small length of lead on the mains adapter, however a replacement of the same mv rating with a longer lead is only around £10 so that is an easy fix.

Vox Tonelab Amplifier Modellers - Tonelab Studio, Tonelab SE, Tonelab LE, Tonelab EX - reviewed

 

Vox Tonelab Amplifier Modellers review

The requirement

In the early 2000's, Vox through their association with Korg brought the Tonelab amplifier modeller to the world of guitar players. It was a reaction to the introduction of the Line 6 POD Amplifier modeller which was very successful at the time.

The Vox Tonelab 'Brain' of the Studio unit was also built into two vintage looking Amplifiers the AD 60 VT and AD120 VT - giving the retro look of an old AC15 and AC30 but with more onboard functionality than those originals, like the AD 60 and 120 these were amplifiers that Vox has not bettered.

The Tonelab products featured control knobs which guitar players would instantly be at home with, rather than buttons and menus and sub menus that were found on effects rack modules of the time. Simplicity of operation and the tones were key!

Here's a  review of the various Vox Tonelab products I have owned.

The Tonelab Studio version

How it started - The Vox Tonelab Studio

In the late 90's I had a Line 6 POD and that was a great introduction to the new arena of Amplifier Modelling - and the POD was a game changer for live guitar and recording players, with good reproductions of classic amplifiers and effects in one red kidney bean shaped metal box. It could be used on stage or in the studio alike.

It suffered the drawback of the Tonelab Studio unit in that the Patches and Banks had to be manually selected which could be inconvenient in a playing situation.

The Vox Tonelab Studio rear panel

The Line 6 unit prompted other manufacturers to come up with their own type of modeller, Boss for one with their GT multiFX unit, Behringer with their product and so on. Vox as part of the Korg group were not to be left out nor were shy on using the technology and expertise of Korg's synth functionality - seen in their Triton and similar synths in this new area of guitar electronics. 

The Line 6 POD's shape was unique

Vox launched their Tonelab Studio, a standalone unit that could be used in music recording and  also in live playing, with sound patches arranged in banks of 4 x 24 Sets that could be edited, saved and renamed to your own preferences. 

The preset patches often were constructed and modelled to give you the same guitar and amplifier settings used on classic songs by well known performers. Being able to recall these quickly was a major advantage to players on stage. 

Vox's 96 patch palette was a great advance and sadly the VT series of amplifiers to follow after the AD60, had a mere 8 user patches. 

Apart from the Vox amplifiers featured on the Tonelab unit, the other amplifier models likely based on Fender, Mesa Boogie, Marshall and others were euphemistically named, so you could work out what they represented without having to give the actual name of the amplifier, property of other manufacturers! Once you heard the patch, you got the idea what it was alluding to!

For a performer, especially playing a broad range of music at weddings & functions, the Tonelab gave a quick way of having pre-defined amplifier and guitar effects sounds to hand without the need for changing settings and levels. A problem on darkly lit stages or where one song of a different style and perhaps volume segued into another was now solved by the pre-sets on the Tonelab.

The VC4 Foot Controller

The VC12 Foot Controller - as like the VC4 could be

used with the Tonelab Studio and the AD60 and 120 Amplifiers

The VC12 could store over 100 patches

There was one drawback on that original Tonelab was that it needed to be within reach of the player to effect the change of patches via the small buttons and it was not always convenient to break off playing to select a different patch. Or you would need an assistant to select the patches for you, remotely. This was true when you set a patch for accompaniment playing and then needed to switch to a patch with more gain for a lead solo. 

The introduction of the VC 4 and VC12 Foot controllers solved this issue. Both of these boards could be used with the Tonelab Studio and the AD series amplifiers, connecting to them via a CAT 5 Data cable connection. 

Both of these pedals are hard to find these days - I have VC12s as they offer greater functionality including the ability to back up the patches as I use them on my AD60 and 120's too.

With these, it was a case of using the foot switches to make your patch selection. This made the Studio a viable proposition for live stage work and a benefit in the studio too for volume control. 

The VC12 had 2 pedals one for volume (Outer) and the innermost one could be assigned as an expression pedal for Wah Wah effects for example, independent of the volume pedal as on the Tonelab SE version.

The Vox Tonelab SE - Stage Edition

The SE model added extra functions of patch & bank buttons and extra pedals

The Tonelab SE came about as the logical development of the Studio unit, the SE 'Stage Edition' gave you the the VC12 foot controller chassis amalgamating with the Studio 'Brain' of the Studio unit with the addition of a slightly increased functionality all in one place.

The AD60VT and 120VT Amplifiers

The AD120VT Amplifier and VC12 Foot Controller

The AD120VT Control panel - much like the Tonelab Studio and SE

in functionality and largely with rotary controls and few buttons

The AD60VT and AD120VT were a logical amplifier extension of the Tonelab Studio, the 60 was in the style of the old AC15 'TV cabinet' style amplifier, with a single 60 watt speaker and a rear attenuator rotary switch on the back panel giving various set outputs between 1 Watt and 60 Watts. The 120 had two speakers and the same rotary control.

This made these amplifiers ideal for home, studio and stage use. Built around 2000-2004, they were not USB equipped, being somewhere in that netherworld between old and modern connectivity! We have to remember that back then, MAC computers circa 2000 used SCSI as an interface before USB became the most used method of connection of devices. 

Although boards could be used to retrofit a USB socket board to old SCSI era 9600 type Mac computers. The Tonelab Studio and SE did have MIDI DIN Sockets on the rear panel which you could use with some sound cards of the time. This was the time when Cubase and Logic were the new recording studio programs for computer home studio recording.

The AD series amplifiers embodied the Tonelab concept with a reduced 32 patches, still enough for the majority of performers. However, the AD amplifier could also be used as a slave amplifier - on one patch just set it to 'flat' with tones set to mid positions and the Studio module then connected by audio left mono 6.35 (1/4") jack out to the input of the AD60 or 120, so you could use the greater patch selection of the SE via the amplifier as a 'driver'.

The Tonelab LE 

The Tonelab SE was a great success and Vox went onto replace that with a more functional and compact unit called the LE. The LE featured a 120 patch capacity over the 96 of the SE, the LE lost the inboard expression pedal of the VC12 and SE which was a reduction in weight too. 

The Tonelab LE rear panel view

The controls layout was simplified too for the LE but also some of the functions like the Reverb was expanded. Whereas the SE is ideally suited to classic vintage sounds, the expanded capabilities of the LE allow it to venture into more modern sounds too.

The rear panel features send and return 1/4" Jack sockets, Headphone 3.5mm stereo socket, 2 x MIDI Sockets, single 1/4" Jack socket input and left (Mono) and Right 1/4" sockets to a PA or mixing desk. An SPDIF optical socket on the rear panel is also fitted which connects to the G5 type Apple Macintosh.

The Tonelabs from LE backwards all use a din type lead connectable transformer.

Not one to rest on their success, Vox then introduced a smaller still pair of units to move forward from the LE:

The Tonelab ST top and rear views

The Tonelab EX - features on-board speakers

Last but not least are the later incarnations of the LE compact Tonelab un it, the ST and EX Amplifier modellers. 

The ST is the less well appointed and simpler unit but still a very versatile modeller compared to the EX. The EX has a pair of onboard small speakers mounted under the top plate between the 1 & 2 and the 3 & 4 Foot Switch buttons. 

The EX speakers are small but give you the sound of the patch when played without having to use headphones or connect to an amplifier. Both of these new limits now feature USB connectivity having moved on from DIN MIDI connections for a soundcard. 

All of these units differ depending on what you go for and indeed what you are looking for. I have owned them all and the EX is the only one I don't still have. Whichever one you go for the audio is superb, I purchased my Studio to play along to Shadows backing tracks and the sound is really close to the original recordings.

Due to the different features on the individual model types, not all the settings will be the same.

25 years on from the Line 6 POD and the Line 6 Spider Amplifier, these Vox units are still sought after, get one while they are still affordable and about.