MONSTER All-Analog Boutique Pedalboard For 2023

Welcome to my nightmare...!!

Yes, that time has come around again folks. On 1 January every year, I unveil my new all-analog pedalboard that I'll be using for demo videos during the coming 365 days onto the channel. I always try to take the concept and make it as extreme as I possibly can, using the absolute best gear available, whilst also making it a snapshot of who I am as a player at that point in time. We all change and evolve as players - so why should our rigs stay the same from one year to the next?

This time around, I've gone all out to make every single piece of the puzzle as good as it can possibly be. As always, everything is so-called "boutique" - which to me, means being largely hand built by people whose names I know (and some I'm very honoured to call friends); to the highest possible standards; and using the finest quality components out there. No stone has been left unturned in the pursuit of the classic tones that inspire me.

Today, I'll be using my "FiftyLuxe" Tele (AKA my old MIJ '52 Reissue that was recently overhauled by Matt at Monty's Guitars, and is now loaded with his new Wide Range Humbuckers), though my favourite amp/cab/speakers, and showing you how this monster rig sounds. I'll go through each of the pedals individually, talk about how I'm using them, and then at the end,stack them together to create some dense, layered textures.

What do you think? What was your favourite sound? Did I take it too far? Or could I have gone further? Comment below!

Guitar is a modified Fender MIJ '52 Reissue Telecaster w/ Monty's Wide Range Humbuckers. Amp is a Vajra JTM45 clone running into a Zilla Studio Pro 2x12 cabinet loaded with Celestion Gold & Fane A30 AlNiCo speakers. Recorded with Aston Spirit Condenser, '70s Sennheiser MD441 and sE RNR1 ribbon mics, with a Schoeps CMC6 room mic.

0:00 Intro Playing
1:00 It's That Time Of Year Again...
2:41 THE BIG REVEAL
3:23 What Has Changed?
6:25 Upping My Power Game
8:42 The "FiftyLuxe", A JTM45 & Some Fine Speakers
10:58 Audio Kitchen Small Trees
13:22 Williams Audio Golden Ranger
15:30 Williams Audio OC81D MkII Tonebender
17:05 Analog.Man NKT Sun Face
18:29 JAM Pedals Black Muck
20:19 Effectrode PC-2A Tube Compressor
24:47 Origin Effects Magma57
26:00 Decibelics Reverend
28:08 Decibelics Golden Horse
29:56 RYRA The 808
31:11 Retro-Sonic Flanger
32:23 Crazy Tube Circuits Cyclone
34:10 PastFX PX65 Stereo Chorus
36:00 Hagerman VALVE
38:56 Kingsley Page
40:03 Kingsley Jester (Sizzle)
41:59 Asheville Analoger ADG-1
44:53 Fairfield Circuitry Meet Maude
46:56 Analog.Man ARDX20 Delay
48:30 ThorpyFX Chain Home Tremolo
49:21 Surfy Industries Surfybear Metal
50:44 Summing Up The Monster Board...
51:25 EXTENDED PLAYING
1:04:24 Outro

[bugeyedmudafuka]

Those socks are pure rock n' roll 🤘

[ABCDEF-ksop]

Wow Joe outstanding rig, cool seeing the surfybear on there !
More like a Pedal Carpet, than a board ^^

[michaelpal]

Also..VIPOTS emailed me. have to decide if I can do the work. Your video on these Pots helped me. Thank you again!! And that pedal board and all your toys are simply fantastic!!

[michaelpal]

The First 20 seconds CAPTURED ME!! That sound...Sonically PERFECT!!! Subscribed X 100%

[monkeybrains]

Been looking forward to this one. Love a good pedalboard run through.

[banditsharp]

A fabulous insight into the mind of a very humble genius! Happy New Year Joe!

[Mike-pvhg]

happy new years perkins you crazy english bastard
cool pedalboard

[kirabarsmith]

Awesome build, Joe, you never disappoint. Such an impressive pedal collection you've curated, you inspired me to ditch the ones and zeros as well. Hard to choose a favorite from your board, but the Asheville ADG-1 surprised me most, their ACV-1 is on my to buy list already. Thanks for all the great content, your hard work shows. Happy new year!:)

[Spidouz]

29:00 I’m glad to finally see someone on youtube that also use the Decibelics Golden Horse. I’ve been saying on all Klon videos that it’s the one to try because it’s perfect… and even better if you like small size pedals. I’ve been using mine on a Two-Rock amp (chasing the John Mayer clean tone) and it’s probably one of the best purchase I’ve done so far. Cheers

[joehoppard]

Monty modded Tele sounds killer. Love the board, proving more is more! Happy new year.

[Kevin-the-Just]

Congrats on being the first vid of 2023! 🥂

[punsandriffs]

literally look forward to this every january

[dannyt]

Your a madman Joe, maximum effort equals another great video. Happy New Years Buddy!

[Decibelics]

Amazing board and sounds! Exquisite guitar playing. Happy New Year Joe!

[generalreviewer]

Great stuff, Joe. A really informative and enjoyable watch.

[davebeaven]

All the best Joe - looking forward to another year of reviews...

[matthewf]

I love the sound of a Centaur on max gain.

[doubled]

Have you ever looked at Suhr Discovery? BBD. Has modulation on the repeats and high and low filter pass. So versatile.

[dwaynedelario]

Happy New Year, Joe! Excellent board, wow. I set up my Blankenship JTM45 with literally the exact same settings and jumper. I'll roll the bass knob to zero for a neck humbucker, but I can't believe we landed on the exact same values for each knob. Great minds!

[kosmicwizard]

Your gear is absolutely top-notch, Bro! I'm also a luthier modded tele guy, into a hand wired jtm45 clone (running on kt66 power tubes with a tube rectifier), into a 2x12, but mine for now is loaded with a Celestion Alnico Goldback and a G12H30 70th anniversary, but I'm dying to try a Fane A30. I think the Jester and the Reverend are the only 2 pedals I own that are on your board.

Earlier in the year, when I recommended getting a Coppersound Strategy V2, it would play the part of the Small Trees, at 1/3 the price. A Burr Brown op amp running at 18V is great, but not Audio Kitchen level of greatness, so props to you on gear that I'll never be able to own.

Regarding the 2020 lightning thing, and considering you are missing my favourite brand from your board, a highly recommend getting a Pettyjohn Tone, it's a studio grade That runs an upgradable discrete 990 op amp at 36V internally and has a Jensen transformer on the upgrade list as well, both upgrades are well worth the money. There are 4 left ever, and if you use bstock30 in the discount code section, that will save you 30%, there is only 1 bstock left. Run it after your surfybear, yes, last in your chain, period. Enjoy!

Thanks for the many great videos this last year, and looking forward to seeing many more great ones in the years to come! Cheers.