start me up!
Five awesome new products to get your gear engine revving this month…
D’Addario Pedal Tuner
1 D’Addario has used its tuning pedigree to enter a new mini pedal tuner into this hotly contested world. Besides its lightweight, compact build, the imaginatively named Chromatic Pedal Tuner features a vertical-sweeping LED pitch display for clear reading. Its 32-bit chip has four times the processing power of a regular headstock tuner, making for a faster, more accurate read out. True bypass switching and 9 V power supply operation are also onboard. (£92,www.daddario.com)
Music Nomad The Octopus
2 Tired of lugging around an entire tool kit to sort out problems with your rig? The Octopus is an all-in-one screwdriver, nut driver and hex wrench that you can use for everything from adjusting pickup height to tightening your output jack, tuning machine bushings, plus pedal and amp pots, too. The screwdriver is reversible to provide Phillips and flat-head tightening, and it’s made with a strong ballistic nylon that won’t scratch your hardware or finish. (£13.99,www. musicnomadcare.com)
Graph Tech Chops Dry & Glide
3 If tone really is in the fingers, you need to keep ’em squeaky clean to play your best. Enter Graph Tech’s ChopsDry&Glide–anengineered talc formula designed to neutralise the acids in your skin to stop corrosion. That keeps your hands dry and smooth and, if your fingers are as sweaty as ours, it prevents them eating through your strings in a matter of hours. Roll it on and not only do you get improved playability but your hands will smell like a “summer vacation”, apparently. (£7.99,www.graphtech.com)
Ax e Decals
4 Anyone seeking the most outlandish possible look for their guitar will have their eyes very much popped by Axe Decals. The company’ s premium guitar skins come in a host of flavours, from abstract designs to animal prints and videogame/filmhomages.A variety of sizes mean they fit most major body shapes– including acoustics. The hi-res print is made from air-free wrap film to prevent bubbles during application. There’s even a custom design tool where you can upload your own images! (£19.99,www.axedecals.com)
St ompLight USA DMX Pro
5 Yep, a stage lighting rig in a pedal! If your local pub isn’t exactly blessed in the lighting department, stick the Stomp Light at your feet to bat he you and your guitar in sweet LED tech ni colour. Three foot switches control the action – on/off, mode and colour – while a pair of knobs tweakbrightness/decayand rate/sensitivity. A built-in mic is on hand to adjust the lighting to your dynamics, but you can also connect your guitar or any other line or mic signal to harness the rave. (£289,www. madisonandfifth.co.uk)