TC Electronic and Paul Gilbert have put their heads together and come up with a high-gain signature version of the MojoMojo overdrive pedal.
The TC Electronic MojoMojo Paul Gilbert Edition offers a similarly designed enclosure in a new shade of purple, replacing the Voice switch of the old model with a Nigel Tufnel-inpsired “11“ switch that toggles between an ordinary overdrive mode and a high-gain boost mode.
In true Spinal Tap fashion, this switch engages a whopping gain boost, turning it all up to “11“ for those moments when you need to, well, one louder, and with a little more juice coming out of the pedal.
The MojoMojo has been a mainstay on my pedalboard for years. I love the tones that it gives me! But I always wished that it was purple
Indeed, TC Electronic compares the Paul Gilbert MojoMojo's tone profile to that of a chicken tender – “combining juicy and crunchy in the most delicious way possible!“ To dial in the right blend of juicy and crunchy, you have four knobs for Drive, Level, and pair of active Bass and Treble controls.
“The MojoMojo has been a mainstay on my pedalboard for years,“ says Gilbert. “I love the tones that it gives me! But I always wished that it was purple. Now it is purple! And it goes to eleven! Even better!“
The MojoMojo Paul Gilbert Edition can be powered by 9V batter or a DC power supply, and is true bypass. And, just like its predecessor – and indeed the current range of TC drive pedals – it is very affordable, priced £59 / $69. See TC Electronic for more details.
This is a big day for Gilbert. His new album, Werewolves Of Portland, is out via The Players Club/Mascot Label Group. To mark the event, Gilbert has released a video for Hello! North Dakota!, a playful single about him considering relocating from his beloved Portland for a place that is not in the news so much. North Dakota? Well, why not.
Not that he has fallen out entirely with Portland. “Let's start with the things I love,“ he says. “The trees. The rivers. My local guitar repair shop, bakery, and grocery store. Beautiful places for walking and biking. Driving to anything in less than 15 minutes. My musician and recording engineer friends. Small businesses and wonderful restaurants. My son's school and teachers. The pie bakery! I love all these.“
“But if it stays like this,“ he adds. “I may need to sneak away. I'm hoping to live somewhere that isn't in the news so much.“
Werewolves Of Portland was recorded at Opal Studio, Portland, with co-producer and engineer Kevin Hahn, and saw Gilbert use a variety of his signature Ibanez Fireman models and a number of vintage Ibanez electric guitars, including the Artist, Roadstar II and Ghostrider.
“I also brought and modified a '60s Epiphone Olympic,“ he says. “I used to play those in the early days of Racer X, so it was fun to have a guitar that reminded me of my early shredder style."
You can order Werewolves Of Portland here.
