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Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Kauer Guitars Super Chief

The Kauer Super Chief makes its channel debut — and it is an absolute dream machine. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Kauer Guitars Super Chief takes center stage — outfitted with a Lollar Firebird Neck and Lollar Mini-Humbucker Bridge, into the Benson Amps Monarch with the Benson Amps Germanium Preamp, Caroline Guitar Company Arigato Phaser, and Echo Fix EF-X3 Chorus Echo.

🎸 Kauer Guitars Super Chief: https://www.kauerguitars.com/instruments/super-chief

The Super Chief is Doug Kauer's personal favorite model in the Kauer lineup — a 15.5" wide semi-hollow with Kauer's proprietary I-beam internal construction, the largest body they build. The I-beam keeps the top and back from vibrating against each other while still allowing the chambers to resonate, producing a sound Doug describes as unrivaled in the lineup for clarity and punch. He has five of them himself, which says everything.

This particular build is a genuinely special configuration. Taos Turquoise on the front, natural back, sides, and neck — white body binding with tortoiseshell purfling. Maple top over roasted flame maple back with Spanish Mahogany core and neck. Wenge fretboard. Full specs:

Maple top / Roasted Flame Maple back / Spanish Mahogany core and neck. White binding with Tortoiseshell purfling. Taos Turquoise front finish, natural back/sides/neck. Standard C neck profile (0.86" at nut / 0.91" at 12th fret). 1.70" nut width. Wenge fretboard, 22 Jescar 47095NS frets, 12" radius. Keystone inlays. Sperzel Open-Backed Locking Tuners. Descendant bridge. Mastery Vibrato. Plek'd.

The pickup configuration is Kauer's signature Lollar Kauer Mini's setup: Lollar Firebird in the neck and a custom Lollar Mini-Humbucker in the bridge with a blank chrome faceplate — styled to look uniform from the front. The Firebird's mid-forward bark and the Mini-Humbucker's tighter, more articulate bridge character cover the full range of what the Super Chief's large semi-hollow body can do. The middle position blends them in parallel throughout the second half of the demo.

The Benson Amps Germanium Preamp is the sole gain source here — its servo-biased germanium transistor stage providing warmth and harmonic complexity from clean boost through edge-of-breakup. No additional fuzz or overdrive in the chain.

🎸 Kauer Guitars: https://www.kauerguitars.com
🎸 Lollar Firebird + Mini-Humbucker: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Kingtone MiniFuzz v2 & Duellist v2 - Jesse Davey

Three KingTone Guitar pedals, one session — MiniFuzz V2, Vibe 1968, and Duellist V2, all with humbuckers. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the KingTone Guitar MiniFuzz V2, KingTone Vibe 1968, and KingTone Duellist V2 share the spotlight — featuring the Frank Brothers Ultralight Semi-Hollow with Lollar El Rayo Humbuckers (neck and bridge), Lollar Firebird (middle, blender knob with three-position switch), and a Bigsby, in Sonic Blue, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander.

Watch the individual demos:
MiniFuzz V2: https://youtu.be/pya6XSesCds
Duellist V2: https://youtu.be/WF36QOJzUU0

KingTone Guitar is Jesse Davey's hand-wired operation built in the USA. The three pedals in this demo represent his full gain range — vintage fuzz, lush modulation, and a dual overdrive — and this video explores how they interact as a system rather than as isolated demos.

MiniFuzz V2 recap: Si/Ge toggle (BC183 silicon / MP10b germanium, switchable mid-performance), three-way mode toggle (Fat / Vintage / Zonk), Bias knob with LED indicator for temperature-corrected bias setting, six side-panel dipswitches (Add Warmth A, Symmetrical Clip A, Add Distortion B, Symmetrical Clip B, Buffer, Boost). Compared across Ge and Si modes in all three voicings from 10:48. The Lollar El Rayo's alnico character and mid-forward voice push the MiniFuzz V2 differently than single coils — the Bias control becomes the primary tone tool for landing on the right saturation point.

Vibe 1968 recap: KingTone's take on the Uni-Vibe, adding the rotating speaker character and phase modulation. Applied to the MiniFuzz V2 from 07:08 for cleanup tones, then combined with the Duellist from 14:40 for the most layered section of the demo.

Duellist V2 recap: String Singer (Side A, Tube Screamer-inspired) and Heavy Hand (Side B, Bluesbreaker-inspired). Fat/Stock/Glass pre-clipping EQ voicing on both sides. Quad dipswitches. A-B/B-A channel order switch. String Singer explored across bridge and neck pickups with all three voicing modes from 12:41. Both sides stacked from 17:05.

The Ultralight's Blender Pot with three-position switch adds the middle Firebird pickup into the El Rayo humbucker signal — blended in at 04:53 and used throughout the second half, adding the Firebird's mid-forward bark as a distinct third voice inside the humbucker signal.

🎛️ KingTone Guitar: https://www.kingtoneguitar.com
🎸 Frank Brothers Guitar Company: https://www.frankbrothersguitars.com
🎸 Lollar El Rayo + Firebird: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R121 & R10 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Van Diemens A.A.D. Red Ochre Deluxe Treble Booster with Mulecaster

In this episode the Van Diemens Analogue Audio Disruptors Red Ochre Deluxe Treble Booster takes a second run — featuring the Mule Resophonic Mulecaster with Mule Tomthumbucker Mini-Humbuckers, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander with the Echo Fix EF-X3 Chorus Echo in the loop. The Caroline Guitar Company Arigato Phaser joins throughout.

Watch the first Red Ochre Deluxe demo with the Kauer Gripen and Wolfetone Kauerbuckers: https://youtu.be/TpP1rfvekyg

Join the Van Diemens email list: https://www.vandiemenseffects.com.au/subscribe
Red Ochre Deluxe product page: https://www.vandiemenseffects.com.au/red-ochre-deluxe
Follow: https://www.instagram.com/van_diemens_aad/

The Mulecaster is a fundamentally different instrument from the Kauer Gripen that featured in the first demo. Where the Gripen is a solid neck-through mahogany guitar with high-output Wolfetone Kauerbuckers, the Mulecaster is a hollow steel body with no resonator cone — made by Matt Eich in Saginaw, Michigan, 25" scale, set up like an electric guitar. The hollow steel body gives the Mulecaster a three-dimensional resonance and overtone character that wooden guitars don't produce. The Mule Tomthumbucker is a low-output mini-humbucker wound specifically for the Mulecaster's steel body — lower output and inherently brighter than a conventional humbucker.

Lower-output pickups and a treble booster is a specific combination. High-output pickups compress the booster's input earlier, which smooths and saturates the OC44's character before the EQ switch has much to work with. The Tomthumbucker's lower output means the CV7003 transistor is less compressed across the sweep — the three EQ positions cover a wider apparent range, the frequency emphasis is more prominent, and the volume knob cleanup sweep is more expressive because the transistor has more headroom.

Three EQ positions: brightest (maximum treble emphasis, most Rangemaster-like character), middle, and darkest (maximum low-end retained — the fullest, most foundational version of the boost). The Arigato Phaser enters at 01:33 alongside the boost. Volume knob cleanup from 01:53 — the Tomthumbucker's touch sensitivity makes this especially musical with a treble booster engaged.

🎛️ Van Diemens A.A.D.: https://www.vandiemenseffects.com.au/red-ochre-deluxe
🎸 Mule Resophonic Guitars: https://www.muleresophonic.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul R8 Historic

A 2002 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul R8 Historical — clean, pushed, cranked, and fuzz. And the beginning of a mod series. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the 2002 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul R8 Historic Model takes center stage — clean tones across all three pickup positions, pushed and cranked amp tones through the Benson Amps Monarch, and Fuzz Face tones with the R2R Electric Si Distorter TFK.

Get the Edge of Breakup x Emerson Custom Les Paul Prewired Kit: https://emersoncustom.com/products/eob-les-paul-prewired-kit-premier-pro?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG

I picked this one up used on Reverb, reworked the action and intonation, and now it's time to go deep. A series of videos is coming with this guitar — changing wiring and pickups, experimenting with what a historically significant platform like the R8 Historic can do when you start making thoughtful modifications to the signal chain. What would you change first? Drop it in the comments.

The R8 designation refers to Gibson Custom Shop's historical recreation of the 1958 Les Paul Standard — the sunburst Les Pauls from 1958, 1959, and 1960 are considered by many the most valuable and tonally significant solid-body electric guitars ever built. Gibson's Historic program began in earnest in the 1990s and these early 2000s R8s are well-regarded in the collector and player community for their construction quality — hide glue neck joint, long tenon, weight relief-free solid mahogany body with a carved maple top, hand-wired stock electronics. This 2002 example is in the thick of the period when Gibson's Custom Shop was producing some of the best Historics to date.

The stock Gibson Les Paul wiring is the starting point of this series. The volume and tone knob behavior explored from 06:18 onward — particularly the interaction between the tone knobs and the middle position on a two-humbucker Les Paul with stock components — is exactly the kind of baseline that reveals where the modifications will make the biggest difference. CTS pots, Sprague or Mallory capacitors, stock pickup winding heights all feed into what you're hearing.

🎸 Emerson Custom x Edge of Breakup Les Paul Prewired Kit: https://emersoncustom.com/products/eob-les-paul-prewired-kit-premier-pro?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG 🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

🎸 2002 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul R8 Historic | Stock Gibson Humbuckers | Standard 2-Vol/2-Tone/Toggle Wiring 🎛️ R2R Electric Si Distorter TFK | NOS Telefunken Silicon | Fuzz Face Topology 🔊 Benson Amps Monarch

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Seeker Electric Effects Face (Lineage Series)

Seeker Electric Effects makes its channel debut with the Face — a Fuzz Face that delivers everything you want from the circuit and then some. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Seeker Electric Effects Lineage Series Face Fuzz takes center stage — featuring the Wide Sky Guitars Tawa with Curtis Novak Humbuckers and Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander.

Get a Face: https://www.seekerelectriceffects.com/product-page/face-blue Follow Seeker: https://www.instagram.com/seekerelectriceffects/

Seeker Electric Effects is Mike's small-batch boutique operation building the Lineage Series — a lineup of NOS-loaded fuzz pedals in custom folded metal enclosures, each named after the circuit it's based on. The Face is the Fuzz Face, built faithfully on the classic schematic with two matched NOS Germanium or Silicon transistors on a custom PCB.

The Fuzz Face circuit has two well-known limitations that make it frustrating to dial in on a modern pedalboard: the fixed bias gives you whatever character that particular transistor pair produces at that temperature, and the standard input impedance often produces a woolly, undefined low end that doesn't control well with higher-output pickups. Seeker's Face addresses both with internal trimpots — accessible inside the enclosure but out of reach of accidental adjustment mid-set.

Input trimpot: controls how much signal hits the fuzz transistors. All the way down is stock Fuzz Face behavior. Turned up, it tightens low strings, cleans up the overall fuzz character, and at extreme settings approaches overdrive territory. Essential for humbuckers — the Curtis Novak HBs in the Wide Sky Tawa are explored across this range from 06:00 onward, and the control makes the difference between a bloated low end and a full-range, musically useful fuzz.

Bias trimpot: sweeps from blown-out, nasty, spitting fuzz through the optimal bias point to thick and gated. Ships pre-set to the optimal bias for the specific transistors installed — you can leave it there and it'll be the best the pedal can be, or you can explore the extremes.

External controls: Fuzz and Volume. Volume output is higher than stock — able to push well above unity for slamming the amp input hard, explored at 10:25 and 12:15 in this demo.

Lineage Series custom folded metal enclosures. NOS capacitors throughout. NOS transistors — specific components subject to availability by batch, but Mike builds a ripping fuzz regardless.

🎛️ Seeker Electric Effects: https://www.seekerelectriceffects.com 🎸 Wide Sky Guitars: https://www.wideskyguitars.com 🎸 Curtis Novak Pickups: https://www.curtisnovak.com 🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Fender Custom Shop '60 Journeyman Stratocaster

A Fender Custom Shop '60 Journeyman Strat just landed — and I want to know what you think needs changing. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Fender Custom Shop 1960 Journeyman Relic Stratocaster takes center stage — clean tones across all five pickup positions, gain tones with the Meris Mercury X, and Fuzz Face tones with the R2R Electric Si Distorter TFK through the Benson Amps Monarch.

As we all know, I love to mod guitars. What does this one need? What do you think I'll change first? Drop it in the comments.

The Journeyman Relic is Fender Custom Shop's middle ground in the relic lineup — less aggressive than the Heavy Relic, more broken-in than the NOS or Closet Classic. The goal is a guitar that looks and feels like it's been played seriously for 30+ years: aged finish, worn hardware, slight checking and fading, but still solid construction and no damage. The Faded Aged Surf Green nitrocellulose lacquer finish on this one is exactly that — the color has shifted and faded from what Surf Green looks like new, and the body has the kind of subtle checking and age marks that come from decades of temperature cycling.

Full specs: Light weight Alder body. Quartersawn Maple neck — quartersawn for dimensional stability and a slightly brighter, stiffer neck feel. Dark AAA Rosewood fretboard, flat lam. 21 Jumbo 6100 frets. 60 Style Oval C neck back shape. 9.5" radius. 1.650" nut width. Hand Wound Texas Special Pickups — the same overwound single coil voiced for clarity and output that became famous as Stevie Ray Vaughan's pickup of choice. Reverse Wound/Reverse Polarity middle pickup for hum cancellation in positions 2 and 4. American Vintage Relic bridge. 3-Ply Green/Black/Green pickguard. Vintage clay dot position inlays. Limited Edition engraved neck plate. Limited Edition headstock decal.

The wiring configuration is the most interesting detail for Strat players: 5-Way Selector, 1 Volume, 1 Tone, and a Blender knob — the third knob blends the neck and bridge pickups together, giving access to pickup combinations not available on a standard Strat 5-way. Neck + Bridge blend is a thick, complex voice with the neck's warmth and the bridge's snap combined — explored in the demo throughout.

🎸 Fender Custom Shop: https://shop.fender.com/en-US/guitars/stratocaster/ 🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Moon Guitars Moonburn Deluxe

Moon Guitars makes its channel debut — and this Burn Deluxe is one of the most striking instruments I've had in my hands. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Moon Guitars Burn Deluxe takes center stage — featuring Lambertones Lamber'Tron Filter'Tron-style pickups, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander, with the R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44 Germanium slamming the amp from 09:00.

Learn more and start a build: https://www.moon-guitars.com Follow Moon Guitars: https://www.instagram.com/moonguitars/

Moon Guitars LLC is the work of luthier Kyle Wolfe — founded in 2017 in New Jersey as a repair shop, evolved by 2020 into a dedicated custom build operation. Kyle's philosophy: exceptional instruments don't require impossible price tags, but quality and honesty are non-negotiable. Every Moon guitar is built with what Kyle calls "honesty, ambition, and versatility" — for players who chase tone seriously.

This Moon Burn Deluxe (completed 02/05/2024) is a genuinely unusual tonal combination. Tempered Swamp Ash body with Figured Myrtle top — Swamp Ash for the punchy, airy characteristic that made it Leo Fender's preferred body wood, Myrtle for the visual drama and its own bright, focused tonal contribution. Aged Honduran Mahogany neck with dual action truss rod and titanium reinforcement — a warmth and sustain counterbalance to the bright top wood pairing. Indian Rosewood fingerboard, 14" radius, 22 Jescar Jumbo Stainless Steel frets, bone nut, Hipshot locking tuners, Hipshot flat mount bridge with titanium Moon block. Thin C neck profile. 25" scale. Natural Natura Onecoat oil finish throughout, charcoal stained figured Myrtle top. Glow in the dark fret dots with matching side dots.

The Lambertones Lamber'Tron is a vintage-correct Filter'Tron-size pickup with custom AlNiCo cast magnets (Neck AlNiCo IV / 3.55k DCR, Bridge AlNiCo VIII / 4.35k DCR), injection-molded bobbins, and nickel-silver baseplates — designed to bring the full-range articulation and dynamic response that standard Filter'Tron-style pickups typically compress away. This is not a Gretsch-on-a-Strat construction; the Lamber'Tron's Filter'Tron character on an Ash/Myrtle/Mahogany combination is its own specific voice that this demo explores thoroughly.

🎸 Moon Guitars: https://www.moon-guitars.com 🎸 Lambertones Lamber'Tron: https://lambertones.store/products/the-lambertron 🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Wonderful Audio Technology Fuzz Lands

A fuzz from the intersection of Tone Bender and Fuzz Face territory — and one of the most interactive control sets I've explored. Welcome to Wonderful Audio Technology on Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Wonderful Audio Technology Fuzz Lands takes its channel debut — featuring the Wide Sky Guitars P125C Cutaway with Curtis Novak P90s and Emerson Custom Pots and Treble Bleeds, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander.

🎛️ Get a Fuzz Lands: https://www.wonderfulaudiotechnology.com/fuzz-lands Follow: https://www.instagram.com/wonderfulaudiotechnology/

The Fuzz Lands is a JFET, germanium, and silicon transistor combination that doesn't clone any existing circuit — it's a hybrid that sits in the space where Tone Bender and Fuzz Face topology overlap, with three toggle switches that access meaningfully different voices rather than subtle variations of the same character.

Two knobs: Volume (plenty of output on board) and Fuzz. The Fuzz knob doesn't travel from clean to fuzz — it travels from smooth to velcro. The germanium and silicon transistors are always engaged across the sweep; the knob changes bias and gain of the fuzz itself.

Three toggles:

Roots (2-way): Vintage mode (JFET bypassed) or Modern mode (JFET active). In Vintage, it behaves like a classic buffer-sensitive vintage fuzz — extremely responsive to guitar volume knob, lower settings lean into treble booster or overdrive territory. In Modern, the JFET gain stage is switched in, adding significantly more gain, less buffer sensitivity, and the JFET's ability to saturate the germanium and silicon transistors into broken, gated territory at high Fuzz settings.

Earth (2-way): Changes the input frequency range. Up is tighter, more midrange-forward, vocal quality — cuts through the mix, sustaining lead tone. Down is thicker, fuzzier, the classic full-range character.

Nature (3-way): Changes voltage feedback of the transistors — a genuinely different mechanism than Earth. Up is gated and broken with usable sustain for leads. Middle is smooth with a touch of crispy crunchiness. Down is Bender-y, almost nasal — goes from overdrive to full fuzz across the Fuzz sweep.

All five controls interact with each other. With a clean amp the character leans Tone Bender-style — snarling layers, upper-harmonic complexity. Push the amp to the edge of breakup and the character shifts toward Fuzz Face territory. Explored fully in this demo from 10:43 onward.

🎸 Wide Sky Guitars: https://www.wideskyguitars.com 🎸 Curtis Novak Pickups: https://www.curtisnovak.com 🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Benson Amps Germanium Preamp

Benson Amps returns to the channel with the Germanium Preamp — the Preamp Pedal and the Germanium Boost combined into one. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Benson Amps Germanium Preamp takes center stage — featuring the Kauer Guitars Gripen with three Wolfetone Kauerbuckers and Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Echo Fix EF-X3 Chorus Echo and Caroline Guitar Company Arigato Phaser join throughout.

🔊 Benson Amps Germanium Preamp: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitarpedals/germaniumpreamp

The Benson Preamp Pedal has been one of the most loved amp-in-a-box overdrives in the boutique pedal world. The Germanium Boost has become a staple for players who want the unique warmth and compression of germanium transistor character without the temperature sensitivity that makes germanium fuzz circuits unpredictable. The Germanium Preamp takes one step from each: it replaces the first FET transistor stage in the Preamp Pedal's gain circuit with the servo-biased germanium gain stage from the Germanium Boost.

In Benson's own words: "The result is an alternate universe take on our flagship pedal that marries the incomparable feel of germanium with the careful equalization and tone controls of the preamp pedal. The result is a slightly lower gain, but richer sounding and feeling overdrive/boost/fuzz/whatever we really, really dig."

The servo-biased design is the key practical detail. Standard germanium circuits are temperature-sensitive — they drift with heat and cold and can cut out at around 120°F on a hot stage. The servo bias from the Germanium Boost stabilizes the gain stage so it maintains consistent germanium tonality without the temperature dependency. It reliably imparts the germanium character without affecting frequency response or requiring warm-up time.

Four controls: Gain (distortion amount), Treble (low-pass filter), Bass (high-pass filter), Volume. The Treble and Bass knobs are active EQ — Treble rolled off warms and darkens, Treble cranked brightens. Bass rolled off tightens, Bass cranked fattens. Explored across the full range in this demo, including guitar tone knob all the way down at 03:53 and EQ extremes at 07:44. The Gripen's three-pickup configuration with Emerson Treble Bleeds gives a wide range of tonal starting points for the Germanium Preamp to interact with.

9VDC center negative or battery, 50mA.

🎛️ Benson Amps Germanium Preamp: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitarpedals/germaniumpreamp
🎸 Kauer Guitars Gripen: https://www.kauerguitars.com/instruments/gripen
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

R2R Electric MK1.5 Pro Fuzz

R2R Electric returns with a rare one — the MK1.5 Pro, the forgotten link in the Tone Bender lineage. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the R2R Electric MK1.5 Pro Fuzz takes center stage — featuring the Kauer Guitars Super Chief with Lollar Firebird Neck and Lollar Mini-Humbucker Bridge, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" with Celestion G12H speakers via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Echo Fix EF-X3 Tape Echo runs in the loop, and the Effectrode Tube Vibe joins from 06:13.

Get on the R2R Electric mailing list: https://www.r2relectric.com/how-to-order
Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/djlavalamp/

The MK1.5 occupies a specific and rarely discussed moment in British fuzz history. The Tone Bender lineage runs MKI (three transistors, 1965) to MKII (three transistors, different topology, 1966) — but the MK1.5 is the transitional variant that fell between them, using only two transistors in a topology closely related to the Fuzz Face rather than the three-transistor Tone Bender structure. Where the MKI and MKII use 500k pots, the MK1.5 uses 100k pots — which narrows the sweep range and emphasizes the brighter, raspier character that distinguishes it from its siblings. OC75 transistors are the transistor of choice here, as in the original.

As with every R2R Electric build, the MK1.5 Pro is built entirely with vintage and NOS components — OC75 germanium transistors hand-matched and selected, 100k vintage potentiometers, period-correct capacitors and resistors, hardwired point-to-point on period-accurate Vero board construction, as close to all-original as the circuit can get.

The "Pro" designation adds three controls to the standard two-knob MK1.5 format: Level (output), Attack (gain), and Bias. The Bias control is the key variable that makes this circuit so interactive — cranked high it produces fat, compressed, sustaining fuzz with strong amp-pushing capability. Cut to minimum, combined with Level near or slightly above unity, and the character shifts completely: buzzing, raspy, ripping fuzz with a ragged edge at the top end. The Bias and Level controls are deeply interactive, explored in detail across the full demo.

Note: plays best first in signal chain before any buffered bypass pedals.

The Kauer Super Chief is Kauer's largest model — a 15.5" wide semi-hollow with I-beam internal construction, Spanish Mahogany core and neck, built in Elk Grove, California. Doug Kauer's personal favorite in the lineup.

🎛️ R2R Electric: https://www.r2relectric.com
🎸 Kauer Guitars: https://www.kauerguitars.com
🎸 Lollar Pickups: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Van Diemens A.A.D. Red Ochre Deluxe Treble Booster

The Van Diemens Red Ochre Deluxe returns — this time with the Mule Resophonic Mulecaster and its hollow steel body. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Van Diemens Analogue Audio Disruptors Red Ochre Deluxe Treble Booster returns for a second pairing — featuring the Mule Resophonic Mulecaster with Mule Tomthumbucker Mini-Humbuckers, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander with the Echo Fix EF-X3 Chorus Echo in the loop. The Caroline Guitar Company Arigato Phaser joins throughout.

Watch the first Red Ochre Deluxe demo with the Kauer Gripen and Wolfetone Kauerbuckers here: https://youtu.be/TpP1rfvekyg

This pairing is genuinely distinct from the Gripen demo. The Mulecaster is a hollow steel body with no resonator cone — 25" scale, Mule Tomthumbucker mini-humbucker pickups, set up like an electric guitar but with the three-dimensional resonance that steel and hollow construction add. The Tomthumbucker's lower output and inherent clarity interact with the Red Ochre Deluxe's Mullard CV7003 OC44 transistor differently than high-output humbuckers — the treble booster's frequency shaping is more prominent and less compressed, with the Mulecaster's natural brightness and the 3-way EQ toggle's positions covering a wider apparent range.

Three EQ positions explored across both pickups: brightest (maximum high-frequency emphasis, minimum low-end), middle (a tonal middle ground), and darkest (maximum low-end retained, the most full-range treble booster character). The Caroline Arigato Phaser enters at 01:33 and is used as a texture alongside the boost and pickup combinations. Volume knob cleanup explored extensively from 01:53 — the Tomthumbucker's touch sensitivity makes the cleanup sweep particularly expressive with a treble booster engaged.

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Kauer Guitars Banshee Standard

A second Kauer Banshee Standard on the channel — this time in Taos Turquoise with tortoise purfling, and one of the most striking finishes I've seen on any guitar. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Kauer Banshee Standard takes a second run — Lollar Firebird Neck and Middle pickups, stealth Lollar Mini Humbucker in the bridge styled to match the Firebirds perfectly, into the Benson Amps Monarch and Benson 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. Origin Effects Revival Drive Compact, R2R Electric Rangemaster OC202 Silicon, Meris Mercury X Reverb, and Echo Fix EF-X3 all feature.

Watch the first Banshee Standard demo here: [LINK TO GOLD TOP VIDEO]

Full specs for this build — Serial #632:

Spanish Mahogany back and neck. Brown Mahogany finish on back and back of neck. White binding with tortoise purfling. Taos Turquoise top finish. Standard C neck profile (0.89" at 1st fret / 0.99" at 12th fret). Nut width 1.70". Wenge fretboard, 24.75" scale, 22 frets, 12" radius, Jescar 47095NS fretwire. Cornerstone inlays. Cocked Wah switch. Middle Pickup on/off switch. TonePros Nashville Tune-o-matic. TonePros Stop Tail. Rickard Banjo Tuners. 2 Volume / 2 Tone / 3-way Toggle. 6 lbs 9 oz.

The pickup configuration is the same as the Gold Top build: Lollar Firebird neck and middle with a Lollar Mini Humbucker in bridge position — aesthetically matched to the Firebird covers. This demo goes deeper into the Cocked Wah switch territory and cleanup comparisons between the neck Firebird and bridge Mini Humbucker that the first video touched on, as well as more extended ambient tone exploration with the Echo Fix EF-X3 and Meris Mercury X from 14:51.

The two Banshee Standards together illustrate how much the finish and weight affect perception — the Taos Turquoise at 6 lbs 9 oz vs. the Gold Top at 7 lbs 4 oz is audible in the resonance character, and the tortoise purfling on the binding gives this build a very different visual personality while the maple and mahogany construction underneath is the same.

🎸 Kauer Guitars: https://www.kauerguitars.com
🎸 Lollar Firebird + Mini Humbucker: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Echo Fix EF-X3 Chorus Echo — Analog Tape Delay, BBD Chorus, Spring Reverb & Preamp

The Echo Fix EF-X3 gets its dedicated debut on the channel — a machine that does four analog things at once, all at the highest level. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Echo Fix EF-X3 Chorus Echo takes center stage — featuring the Frank Brothers Arcade with Righteous Sound RAF A4 and A2 Humbuckers, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The R2R Electric Rangemaster OC44 and Reeves Electro 2N2 Face Silicon Fuzz join for the second half.

The EF-X3 is what Echo Fix — an Australian company with nearly 15 years of tape echo repair and restoration experience — built once they decided to make their own tape echo. The result is a machine that bests vintage units on reliability, flexibility, and feature set while maintaining the one thing they couldn't be compromised on: the tape echo sound itself.

Four fully analog signal paths in one enclosure:

Analog Tape Echo: Multiple playback heads with multiple echo modes and independent head outputs. Head 1 and Head 2 are explored separately in this demo — each playback head has its own 1/4" TRS output at the rear panel for discrete recording, panning, or stereo ping-pong delay routing. Mode 1 and Mode 2 select different head combinations and rhythmic delay patterns. CV control over motor speed and feedback via expression pedal. Auto tape stop circuit engages when no signal is present to extend tape and motor life. Self-oscillation when feedback and echo volume are pushed — the machine becomes an instrument.

Analog BBD Chorus: Bucket Brigade Device design for the unmistakable warble and shimmer of classic analog chorus. Rate and Depth controls. Explored from 06:09 in this demo.

Analog Spring Reverb: Real springs, same physics as vintage amplifier and studio spring reverb. Explored from 08:53 — blended with tape echo and chorus in later sections.

Echoplex-Style Tape Preamp: The input gain stage modeled on the Echoplex EP-3's preamp circuit — the coloration and harmonic saturation before the tape heads that makes the Echoplex sound distinct from other tape delays.

The Reeves Electro 2N2 Face Silicon Fuzz debuts at 18:33 — a very limited point-to-point hand-wired silicon Fuzz Face built by Markus Reeves in Northamptonshire, UK, named for the 2N2222A silicon transistors at its core. Fast, articulate, high-output.

🎛️ Echo Fix EF-X3: https://echofix.com
🎸 Frank Brothers Guitar Company: https://www.frankbrothersguitars.com
🎸 Righteous Sound Pickups: https://www.righteoussoundpickups.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Kauer Guitars Gripen — NAMM 2024 New Product Debut

NAMM 2024 new product debut — the Kauer Guitars Gripen makes its world premiere on the channel. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Kauer Guitars Gripen takes center stage for its debut — outfitted with three Wolfetone Kauerbuckers, into the Benson Amps Monarch, with the R2R Electric Rangemaster OC202 Silicon, Effectrode Tube Vibe, and Echo Fix EF-X3 Tape Echo.

🎸 Kauer Guitars Gripen: https://www.kauerguitars.com/instruments/gripen

The Gripen is the first truly new Kauer Guitar design in nearly eight years — a joint creation between Doug and Max Kauer that's simultaneously the most angular, cubist guitar the brand has ever made and completely, unmistakably Kauer at its core. Named for the Swedish word for "awesome" (and for a mythical winged creature — the Gripen shares neck-through construction with the Banshee, their other winged guitar), the Gripen replaces every curve in the Banshee's outline with deliberate angles. The result is a guitar that looks like origami and plays like a dream.

The neck-through Spanish Mahogany construction is the foundation — the same material and construction method that makes the Banshee feel as it does, and anyone who has played a Banshee will find the Gripen sits similarly in the lap and plays similarly in the hands. Stop tailpiece for maximum sustain and resonance. Fully Plek'd in-house at Kauer's Elk Grove, California facility for frictionless, flawless fretwork. Hipshot locking tuners. Beveled body edges for comfort despite the aggressive geometry. Weight under 7 lbs.

Full specs: Spanish Mahogany neck-through and wings. 24.75" scale. Wenge fretboard with Gripen-specific crown inlays. Standard C neck profile (0.87" at 1st fret / 1.01" at 12th fret). Width at nut: 1.70". White binding.

This unit is loaded with three Wolfetone Kauerbuckers — custom-wound humbuckers designed specifically for Kauer guitars by Wolfetone in Ireland. The five-pickup-position demo across all three pickups and their parallel combinations is the core of this video, revealing how much tonal range the Gripen's pickup configuration delivers before a single pedal is engaged.

🎸 Kauer Guitars: https://www.kauerguitars.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Walrus Audio Silt Fuzz

A tube fuzz — and not the gimmick kind. The Walrus Audio Silt Harmonic Fuzz makes its channel debut. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Walrus Audio Silt Harmonic Tube Fuzz takes center stage — featuring the Wide Sky Guitars Tawa with Curtis Novak Humbuckers, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander.

The Silt is a collaboration between Walrus Audio and Jim Hagerman of Hagerman Amplification — a genuine tube amplification expert. The collaboration is what makes the Silt work: putting a 12AU7 preamp tube inside a fuzz pedal is straightforward. Getting it to sound right is not. The 12AU7 drives the core fuzz stage, adding the bone-rattling warmth, genuine grit, and harmonic complexity that purely solid-state fuzz circuits approach but can't replicate — the difference is in the overtones that appear at the top of sustained notes and chords, where the tube's behavior diverges from transistors in a distinctly musical direction.

Five controls: Volume, Gain (input to fuzz stage, from subtle crunch to full-throttle fuzz), Tone, Contour 3-way switch (pre-tube EQ stage — Highpass for tighter/sparkly, Flat for full response, Lowpass for warm/bassy), and the Harmonic footswitch. Running at 9V is the standard operation; 12V unlocks an extra gain boost that pushes the fuzz to a deeper, more electrified character.

The Harmonic Mode is the second voice. Rather than being a separate circuit, it acts as a frequency doubler placed before the drive stage — the doubled signal hits the tube fuzz input alongside the fundamental, producing crispy, octave-like overtones in the harmonics. This isn't a clean octave generator: it's an octave-flavored texture that sounds best with the guitar's tone knob rolled back, which is demonstrated in depth from 12:26 onward. The Contour and Tone controls remain active in Harmonic mode, giving a wide range of available character from the same footswitch.

🎛️ Walrus Audio Silt: https://www.walrusaudio.com/products/silt-harmonic-fuzz
🎸 Wide Sky Guitars: https://www.wideskyguitars.com
🎸 Curtis Novak Pickups: https://www.curtisnovak.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Thorpy FX The Veteran SI

ThorpyFX returns to the channel — this time with the Veteran Silicon Dual Fuzz, putting a Rangemaster and a Fuzz Face in one box with two independent footswitches and extraordinary stacking results. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the ThorpyFX Veteran Silicon Dual Fuzz takes center stage — featuring the Wide Sky Guitars Tawa with Curtis Novak Humbuckers, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander with the Meris Mercury X in the effects loop.

The Veteran is the third pedal in ThorpyFX's "Vintage Reimagined" Series — Adrian Thorpe's mission to build the definitive versions of the most important vintage fuzz circuits with modern control, quieter noise floor, and more tonal flexibility than the originals. The Veteran Silicon combines a 1960s Fuzz Face-style silicon fuzz (think the Smiley face reissues) and a Rangemaster-style silicon treble booster in one enclosure. Two independent footswitches. Fuzz first in the signal chain, running into the Boost. Stack them and the Rangemaster's Range control shapes the frequency content hitting the Fuzz Face's output — the stacking behavior is a genuinely distinct third voice from either circuit alone.

Six knobs across two circuits:

Fuzz side: Fuzz (gain), Volume, Smooth (input impedance — controls bass response and how the circuit interacts with pickups; lower is more bass-heavy and traditional, higher rolls back bass for a less heavy, smoother fuzz), Bias (controls the "heat" available to the circuit — increases output volume and adds mids as it's pushed).

Boost side: Boost (output level) and Range (frequency selection, from bass-heavy through mids-focused through treble-boosted — essentially choosing where in the frequency spectrum the boost is most active, from a full-range push to a classic Rangemaster-style treble emphasis).

The silicon versions of both circuits are specifically voiced to replicate germanium character while delivering lower noise and greater temperature stability — designed to be used in all conditions without the drift and sensitivity of period germanium transistors.

🎛️ ThorpyFX Veteran Silicon: https://thorpyfx.com
🎸 Wide Sky Guitars: https://www.wideskyguitars.com
🎸 Curtis Novak Pickups: https://www.curtisnovak.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Van Diemens A.A.D. Red Ochre Deluxe Treble Booster

A Tasmanian treble booster and Kauer's most audacious guitar yet — welcome Van Diemens A.A.D. to the channel. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Van Diemens Analogue Audio Disruptors Red Ochre Deluxe Treble Booster takes center stage — featuring the Kauer Gripen with Wolfetone Kauerbuckers, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander with the Echo Fix EF-X3 Chorus Echo Analog Tape Echo in the loop.

Richard builds Van Diemens Analogue Audio Disruptors in Tasmania, Australia — named after Van Diemen's Land, the original colonial name for the island. The Red Ochre Deluxe takes its name from a secluded, rocky beach near Richard's house on the Tasmanian coast. Every pedal is hand-built point-to-point, one at a time, with carefully selected vintage components, and biased by ear rather than by spec — the transistor voltage is set as a starting point, but the final bias position is found aurally, dialing in the sweet spot specific to that transistor.

This specific build features a Mullard CV7003 transistor — the military specification version of the legendary OC44 used in the original 1960s Dallas Rangemasters. The CV7003 delivers the thick, balanced, woolly character that remains the benchmark for treble boosters. Tuned slightly darker than the original Rangemaster in its brightest position — designed to add classic drive and snarl without ear-piercing high-frequency spikes. The 3-way EQ toggle switch covers the range from tightest/highest frequency response (most low-end cut) through a middle position to full low-end retained — explored throughout this demo with the Wolfetone Kauerbuckers responding differently at each position. All NOS Philips, Mullard Mustard, and Mullard Tropical Fish capacitors. NOS Piher and Allen-Bradley resistors. Handcrafted turret board.

The Kauer Gripen is Kauer's first truly new design in nearly eight years — a joint design between Doug and Max Kauer, angular, cubist, and immediately identifiable. Spanish Mahogany neck-through construction. 24.75" scale. Wenge fretboard with Gripen-specific crown inlays. Beveled edges for comfort despite the aggressive geometry. Under 7 lbs. Wolfetone Kauerbuckers are custom-wound humbuckers designed specifically for Kauer guitars. Tom Dumont of No Doubt debuted his Gripen at the Fire Aid benefit concert in Los Angeles.

🎛️ Van Diemens A.A.D.: https://www.vandiemenseffects.com.au/red-ochre-deluxe
🎸 Kauer Guitars Gripen: https://www.kauerguitars.com/instruments/gripen
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbuckers

The Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbuckers in the all-Korina Frank Brothers Arcade, into the Benson Earhart's top boost channel. A pickup demo that earns its runtime. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbuckers take center stage — installed in the Frank Brothers Arcade all-Korina build with aged nitro finish, into the Benson Amps Earhart Reverb Combo 1x12" with top boost engaged via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Benson Amps Stonk Box, JAM Pedals Ripply Fall, and Meris LVX join for the second half.

Check out more guitar pickup demos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLY1KzQHoiH1WyoqFxSBsbFPm_RjF3Ef_

Seymour Duncan's Antiquity series is their Custom Shop's answer to the most elusive vintage PAF question: what do those original 1950s Patent Applied For humbuckers actually sound like, and can you make them again? The answer involves going back to the same factory that built the original PAF mold for Gibson — Seymour Duncan's Custom Shop uses the same butyrate bobbin mold. Every Antiquity humbucker is wound on Seymour's original Leesona winding machine from the early Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan, using 42AWG plain enamel mag wire. Each pickup is aged both cosmetically and magnetically — the Alnico 2 bar magnet is degaussed to simulate decades of natural aging, the covers are chemically treated, and the hardware is hand-worn. Not wax potted — true to the original Gibson PAF, which takes the pickup right to the edge of harmonic breakup and keeps it there.

The result: airy openness in the top end, Alnico 2 warmth and bloom in the low mids, clear single-note singing quality with just the right amount of treble emphasis. The bridge is wound slightly hotter than the neck for balance and added warmth. Not over-wound, not aggressive — this is the pickup that rewards picking dynamics and guitar volume knob position.

The Korina Frank Brothers Arcade is a specific test. Korina (Spanish cedar) is the wood Gibson used in the late 1950s Flying V and Explorer — tonally similar to mahogany but lighter and more open in the midrange. The Antiquities' Alnico 2 character and the Korina's natural warmth and resonance interact in a very particular way, especially into the Earhart's top boost circuit.

🎸 Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbucker: https://www.seymourduncan.com/single-product/antiquity-humbucker
🎸 Frank Brothers Guitar Company: https://www.frankbrothersguitars.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Kauer Guitars Banshee Standard

One of the finest goldtop finishes I've ever seen on an electric guitar — and a pickup configuration that opens up tonal combinations most guitarists have never explored. The Kauer Banshee Standard makes its return to the channel. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Kauer Banshee Standard takes center stage — three Lollar pickups, a Cocked Wah switch, a middle pickup on/off switch, and more tonal variables than any three-pickup guitar I've played — into the Benson Amps Monarch and Benson 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. Origin Effects Revival Drive Compact, R2R Electric Rangemaster OC202 Silicon, Meris Mercury X Reverb, and Echo Fix EF-X3 all feature.

The pickup configuration is the headline. Lollar Firebird neck and middle, with a Lollar Mini Humbucker in the bridge — aesthetically styled to match the Firebird covers so all three pickups look identical from the front. The Mini Humbucker's tighter, more articulate character in the bridge sits distinctly against the Firebirds' mid-forward bark, and the middle Firebird pickup's on/off switch allows blending it with either the neck or bridge independent of the standard 3-way toggle — an unusual and genuinely versatile pickup routing explored in depth from 08:38 onward.

The Cocked Wah Switch is a custom Kauer feature: a fixed wah-position tone cap that simulates a wah pedal parked at a specific frequency — engaged at 12:22 across various pickup combinations, then combined with the Rangemaster for a particularly expressive set of textures at 21:33.

Full Banshee Standard specs: Spanish Mahogany back and neck. Brown Mahogany finish on back and back of neck. White binding. Gold Top finish. Standard C neck profile (0.87" at 1st fret / 1.01" at 12th fret). Nut width 1.70". Wenge fretboard, 24.75" scale, 22 frets, 12" radius, Jescar 47095NS fretwire. Keystone inlays. TonePros Nashville Tune-o-matic. Bigsby tremolo. Rickard Banjo Tuners. 3 Volume / 1 Global Tone / 3-Way Toggle. 7 lbs 4 oz. Serial #625. Built 04/10/2023.

🎸 Kauer Guitars: https://www.kauerguitars.com
🎸 Lollar Firebird & Mini Humbucker: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R10 & R121 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26 Edge of Breakup . 7/26/26

Bennett Custom Audio Lighthouse | Feat. Wide Sky Guitars P125C

The tremolo-equipped amplifier in a pedal — Bennett Custom Audio's Lighthouse is the most thoughtfully designed tremolo I've encountered. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.

In this episode the Bennett Custom Audio Lighthouse Amplitude Modulating Amplifier takes its channel debut — featuring the Wide Sky Guitars P125C Cutaway with Curtis Novak P90 Pickups, into the Benson Amps Monarch 2x12" via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander, with the Echo Fix EF-X3 Tape Echo and Meris Mercury X Reverb.

Mark Bennett of Bennett Custom Audio (Canada) has built the Lighthouse around a specific idea: not just a tremolo pedal, but a tremolo-equipped amplifier. An all-analog preamp with Gain, Presence, and Volume controls precedes the tremolo stage — capable of delivering edge-of-breakup and overdriven tones on its own. The tremolo then acts on that preamp signal the way tremolo circuits in vintage tube amplifiers did: as part of the amplifier, not after it.

Two tremolo modes, each with a separate individually-tuned signal path:

Bias Tremolo uses an additional long-tailed pair and push-pull amplifier stage to modulate the volume of the full signal — the LFO pushes the amplifier in and out of distortion just like an old tube amp's bias-varying tremolo. This is the tremolo of Fender blackface and brownface normal-channel amplifiers.

Harmonic Tremolo modulates bass and treble frequencies out of phase from one another — they fade in and out alternately, creating the lush, vibey shimmer of Fender brownface amplifiers from the late 1950s and early 1960s. The most sought-after tremolo sound in vintage amp history, now available with independent signal path tuning.

Three waveforms (Sine, Triangle, Square) combine with both modes for six distinct flavors. When Bias mode and Square wave are combined, Chop mode is activated — the Intensity control changes the duty cycle (ratio of on/off time) rather than depth, creating anything from subtle rhythmic pulses to full choppy stutter.

The Tilt EQ acts exclusively on the wet tremolo signal — adjusting the tone of the modulated signal independently from the dry signal creates interesting tonal contrasts between the two, an unusual and genuinely creative control. Tap tempo with quarter/eighth/triplet subdivisions. Holding either footswitch ramps the tremolo rate up or down and returns to the original tempo when released. Proprietary high-voltage internal power circuitry for massive headroom and low noise.

🎛️ Bennett Custom Audio Lighthouse: https://www.bennettcustomaudio.ca/lighthouse
🎸 Wide Sky Guitars: https://www.wideskyguitars.com
🎸 Curtis Novak Pickups: https://www.curtisnovak.com
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers

Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.

Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R-121 & R-10 | Sennheiser E906 | Ableton Live 11

Edge of Breakupinfo@edgeofbreakup.studio

Edge of Breakup
info@edgeofbreakup.studio