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You asked, we listened! Please note that User Reviews are back! The Home page has returned to an editorial focus, with an emphasis on Articles and Industry News. The drop down menus are gone and simpler navigation has been implemented, and the forum landing page structure is going back to a more familiar layout. This transition is being performed "live", so some things may be moving around temporarily as we complete the process. Thanks for your patience as we implement these changes that our Community Members have asked for.


- Your Harmony Central Team
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GreaserMatt's Reviews
Spector Performance Series 4 Performance Series 4
Performance Series 4

‎11-24-2008 12:00 AM

Overall Rating: Been playing 20 years, own(ed) a ton of stuff, I like finding stuff cheap & trying it out. I got this with a new Fender gig bag & a stand for $200 form a woman off craigslist; she bought it for her son & he got bored with it. I'd neve...
Overall Rating: Been playing 20 years, own(ed) a ton of stuff, I like finding stuff cheap & trying it out. I got this with a new Fender gig bag & a stand for $200 form a woman off craigslist; she bought it for her son & he got bored with it. I'd never pay for one new, but I'm more of a Fender guy anyway. I love the fel of the neck & the tone controls, but I wish it had a bit more heft to it. Not sure if I'd replace it if it were swiped; I'd probably just look for something else. A good quality bass for the money though.
Features: Made after 2000, their website says they are made in the USA, 24 frets, 4 string bass, figured maple top on solid basswood body (really light), vol/tone/vol/tone knobs for the 2 EMG/SSD passive humbucking pickups, they list for $550, neck is rock maple w/ rosewood fretboard, pearl dot inlays, satin finish on neck, poly on body, body is styled after their NS series bass, bridge is styled after the fender bass, but a little more flashy, enclosed schaller style tuners w/ one screw per tuner, all chrome hardware, nice, fast thin neck, I guess it's right in between a P and a J bass (the neck width/style), standard frets, black graphite nut, bolt-on neck w/ 5 bolts w/ washers (no neck plate). I think mine is either the slate gray model or the black cherry; it looks black, but under the light it's a kind of purple stain then clearcoated over the wood.
Sound Quality: You can get lots of different sounds out of this thing, using the tone & volume controls, but I think the passive pickups should be a bit hotter for $550 (not that I paid that for mine). I own a Wilson Bros. Ventures bass w/ passive Seymore Duncan jazz pickups in it & they are twice as loud as these things. That bass retails for $750 though. You could play alot of different type of music with this thing, but you may look a bit silly playing in a country band with the same bass Flea uses (maybe not). Right now I use a Peavy TKO w/ a 15" Sheffield driver, or a couple of old Hartke 4x10 cabs w/ about 6 different heads, depending on what I feel like plugging into at the time. Very quiet when you're not playing; great for slapping!
Reliability/Durability: Seems reliable, but I think if you beat on this thing much it would break. Not much to the body, compared to a Fender P bass. Nice hardware; tuners are solid. Bridge will last a long time. Solid pots/knobs. Poly finish on the body; I got an old Kramer bass that I've been beating on for 20 years & there is only the checking to show for it (poly is forever). Strap buttons are solid, as well as the high quality jack. Never adjusted the nut since I've owned it, & I slap on this thing. A very well-built instrument. I never gig w/ a backup, but I play bass, LOL.
Customer Support: n/a I get all my stuff used...
Price: $200.00 USD
Electro-Harmonix USA Big Muff PI Classics USA Big Muff PI Distortion / Sustainer Guitar Effects Pedal
Big Muff Pi USA Reissue

‎11-24-2008 12:00 AM

Overall Rating: Been playing 20 years, punk, rock, metal, garage, surf, rockabilly, country, etc., own(ed) lots of stuff, used to have a whole box o' pedals, now trying to get 'em all back, I'd def replace if it got stolen, maybe buy an orig, love th...
Overall Rating: Been playing 20 years, punk, rock, metal, garage, surf, rockabilly, country, etc., own(ed) lots of stuff, used to have a whole box o' pedals, now trying to get 'em all back, I'd def replace if it got stolen, maybe buy an orig, love the sound, hate the footpads on it, but that can be changed, I like the fact that they kept the reissue like the original. I like trying out lots of different stuff. Great or Mudhoney, Sonic Youth, or garage rock. A nice change from a Marshall or Boss DS-1...
Sound Quality: Played it through a small fender tube amp & then an old yamaha twin (both 70's vintage), it sounded great, & a very big sound outta the twin. It's pretty noisy with the sustain all the way up, that's why I keep it between 9-12 oclock. If it sounds weak/crappy, check your battery. Love the harmoics outta this thing. I usually use a Boss DS-1. You could dail in a Steve Turner (Mudhoney) sound with this, if you had a Mustang & Fender tube amp. I will admit that there are some settings where this thing sounds real bad, but if you kep the settings where I have described previously, I think you'll be happy with it.
Reliability/Durability: Not built as well as a Boss, but as long as you take care of it, it will last. I'd gig with it if I was gigging right now.
Ease of Use: I'm writing this review to tell all those that are *****ing about this pedal: you're doing it wrong! LOL, if you wanted to play death metal, this was not the pedal to buy. I got this used with no manual, but it's real easy to use. Put the volume where you want it, tone almost dimed, & the "sustain" (distortion) between 9 oclock and 12 oclock. I got real good sounds & harmonics with these settings. It's a fuzz box! It's supposed to sound fuzzy. I don't know much about editing patches or firmware, but I think was a good reproduction of the original.
Customer Support: n/a bought it used.
Purchased From: craigslist
Matao SG SG
SG

‎10-16-2008 12:00 AM

Overall Rating: Been playing 20 years, own(ed) a ton of stuff. I bought this thing because I was curious, because there were no reviews of it on here, and becasue I miss my old SG. This will do until I get a real one again. As wit hmost stuff I get a...
Overall Rating: Been playing 20 years, own(ed) a ton of stuff. I bought this thing because I was curious, because there were no reviews of it on here, and becasue I miss my old SG. This will do until I get a real one again. As wit hmost stuff I get ahold of, it was dirty, & needed a bit of attention. The jack crackles, & one of the pots are scratchy, but it plays nice & looks pretty cool as well. It looks almost like a student model at first glane, because of the cheap tuners & plywood construction, but when you pick it up it actually plays quite nicely. I've never seen another one, so I would be hard pressed to find one if it was stolen, but you couldn't get alot for it, so I don't think anyone would. I love the lightning fast neck. I hate the whammy bar. I wish it had a toggle instead of the slide switches, but they give it a different look, so that's cool. I also wish it came with a case; I'm not sure Matao even made cases. As soon as I get a Matao Les Paul, the Rocker, and a tele (they made those as well), I may do a website on these guitars. It is an above average japanese guitar from the era.
Features: Matao SG guitar, made in Japan in the 70's, 21 frets, body is made out of 12 ply plywood (dark/light), 2 passive chrome PAF style humbuckers, 2 volume knobs, 2 tone knobs, knobs are a cheesy "top hat" style, 2 slider switches (like a Fender Mustang) instead of a toggle, SG style pick guard, weird Bigsby bridge & whammy bar, block "pearl" inlays on a rosewood fretboard w/ white piping & dots along the top of the neck, piping is also on the bottom, but w/ no dots, not sure what the wood of the bolt-on neck is made of, but it feels good, "book end/scroll" style headstock like an SG, 3 piece headstock (both sides of the headstock have a piece glued on), 3x3 cheesy tuners that you would find on an acoustic of the same vintage, all seem to hold tune though, chrome neck plate says "made in japan" on it, cherry stain body w/ black headstock, white Matao logo, Gibson style truss rod cover, white plastic nut, standard scale/length, feels a bit lighter than a Gibson, poly finish I think.
Sound Quality: This is a rock machine. Bridge pickup sounds like a buzz saw when it's played through a Fender tube amp w/ a Boss DS1 distortion box. Neck pickup is a bit more mellow. I played it through a 70's Fender musicmaster bass amp (great for guitar), & a 70's Yamaha G100 2x12 (Solid state). No noise when I'm not playing. The jack has some issues (crackling). I'll have to get to that. Full humbucker sound w/ tone & volume on 10. Muffled, mellow sound when you back it off. It has the same style plastic pick up guards around them like Gibsons. I'm not into whammys, so I tightened the whammy until it didn't move around. It works though, & the guitar stays in tune when you use it. You can get some different tones out of this thing, depending on where the knobs are. I play rock, punk, surf, rockabilly, metal, country, etc., but this is best used for rock/punk/metal of course. I like how fast the neck is, but hate the whammy (SG's shouldn't have whammy bars on them).
Reliability/Durability: I'd use this thing live, although I only play bass in bands. I never bring a back up bass, but if I played guitar in a band I'd bring another with me. Hardware has lasted this long, I'm sure it will be ok. The finish is poly, & it's starting to chip away where the buckle rash is, but this thing is 30 years old. My Matao strat seems to be much better quality wood & hardware than this thing, but it's still a fun guitar to own & play. Strap buttons seem solid. One at the base of the neck & one at the end of the body. You could depend on this thing, but no guitar players I know go to a gig without a backup guitar. An above average guitar for it's day.
Customer Support: N/A. I wish there was more info on these guitars!
Purchased From: craigslist
Price: $100.00 USD
Peavey TKO 115S TKO 115S
TKO 115S

‎08-09-2008 12:00 AM

Overall Rating: Been playing 20 years, own(ed) a ton of gear, not my first choice of amps, but it was cheap: I got this off a guy for $60; the grill was missing & the speaker was held in by 2 bolts. The chassis was flopping around in the top portion ...
Overall Rating: Been playing 20 years, own(ed) a ton of gear, not my first choice of amps, but it was cheap: I got this off a guy for $60; the grill was missing & the speaker was held in by 2 bolts. The chassis was flopping around in the top portion of the cab. The whole thing reeked of cigarettes. I wiped it down w/ some cleaner, then I took out the speaker & all of the other screws fell out of the cab. I tightened up the head & replaced the speaker & rocked it. This amp sounds good. It's not the best bass amp, but it would serve a beginner or someone on a budget very well for a long time w/ proper maintenance (or not!). Get casters for it! Love the bright switch, hate the weight of the thing. Don't worry about anyone stealing it; they won't get far! This won't sound like an ampeg svt, but if you need a bass amp & only have a couple hundred bucks, this will work for you. If anyone knows where to get a replacement grill for it, let me know.
Features: Peavey TKO 115S combo bass amp, not sure of the year, newer one w/ the smooth tolex, 15" sheffield speaker, circuit boards inside, features: Front - high & low gain inputs, pre-gain, bright in/out, contour in/out, low & high shelving, graphic eq in/out, 7 band eq, master volume, chorus/effects patch send/return jacks, preamp out, power amp in, headphone jack, power switch w/ red LED. Ported cabinet w/ handle on top (bad idea).
Back - 3 way ground toggle switch, fuse is on the inside (bad idea), a schematic of the front controls, s/n 09458711, 80 watts solid state w/ 8 ohm speaker, Peavey elec. corp, MS, usa. 3 prong cord. Grill was missing.
Pretty versitle amp, high gain input is best, bright on is best, contour should stay off, eq is nice but not necessary, works good though, didn't try the effects loop, no switching, didn't try the phones jack (you'll go deaf), very heavy; invest in some $3 casters from Lowe's. I got winded carrying this up a flight of stairs, & I used to be a mover. The fuse is on the inside of the chassis, which I think was a total mistake on Peavey's part. Very loud, which is a good thing. I don't use these "loops" for the most part, but I don't record much, so I can see their appeal. I'm confused bythe "chorus patch"; does this have built in chorus? I couldn't get any out of it, if it does. A good but not great amp.
Sound Quality: I own Fenders, but I reviewed this as if a beginner was looking for an amp, so I used an SX jazz & an old kramer striker p bass. The sx hummed at about 5 on the pregain & master volume, but the kramer did not. On this setting, it was very loud, and very clear (no distortion), but when I slapped the low E string, a kind of crackle sound came out of the speaker. I'll have to remember not to do that. Bright button helps the sound alot, so does the eq; I just usually keep eq's flat. You can tweak it & get some sounds out of it though. Good for punk, metal, rock, maybe country, not too sure about jazz, maybe at lower levels. Peaveys are sort of known for being "rock" amps. A good amp but not a "great!" amp...
Reliability/Durability: Built like a tank. I will agree w/ previous reviewers about the sturdiness of this cab. I'm weary of the whole circuit board circuitry thing though. I like older solid state amps, before all this circuit board crap. Way more reliable (but not as cost effective unfortunately). I'm recommending casters for the bottom, just in case you forgot! Save your back! LOL
Customer Support: I'm sure they are ok...
Purchased From: craigslist
Price: $60.00 USD
Wilson Brothers VMB-100 VMB-100
VMB-100

‎07-31-2008 12:00 AM

Overall Rating: Been playing 20 years & own(ed) a ton of stuff; this bass was a great score. I got this from some 18 year old kid off of craigslist for $145, & really didn't know what they were, I just love Mosrites, so I took a chance. I loved it as...
Overall Rating: Been playing 20 years & own(ed) a ton of stuff; this bass was a great score. I got this from some 18 year old kid off of craigslist for $145, & really didn't know what they were, I just love Mosrites, so I took a chance. I loved it as soon as I strummed the thing. I didn't even bother playing it through an amp, I just gave him the dough & left. Got back home, looked them up online & found out it's a $700 bass! He must've got it as a gift or something. The only thing I don't like about it is that on real Mosrites, the large horn is on the bottom & the smaller one is on the top, giving it a funky look. This just looks like a p bass with a different neck on it. I'm sure the lower models of this bass (the 55 & 75) are built just as nice, they just don't have the piping & upgraded pickups. I own 10 other basses, & this is quickly becoming my "go to" bass. I don't thik I'd pay full price for one of these new (I'm pretty cheap like that), but this was a good bargain. I love the way this thing plays & would definately want another one if this thing was stolen. I only saw one review of these & it was for the lower model (a 55), so I thought I'd let people know about this bass. i'd buy another one if I saw one for a good price...
Features: Wilson Brothers Ventures model VMB 100 bass, 2005(?) made in Korea, serial number under clear coat on back of headstock (starts w/ an "S" for sunburst), 20 frets w/ zero nut fret, brass nut, 4 string bass, like a Mosrite but with the body reversed (large horn on top like a p bass), 3 piece alder body w/ maple neck & rosewood fretboard, piping on body, neck & headstock, dot inlays on neck & fretboard, 2 tone & 1 volume knobs, no toggle, 3 ply pick guard, mine is a yellow/brown sunburst (kinda like a tobacco burst), 2 Seymor Duncan brand passive jazz pickups, I'm assuming this is a poly finish, standard chrome vintage style bridge (not thru body), generic (no brand name) schaller non-locking type tuners, pretty thin neck (quick), nice sized frets (but not jumbo), standard scale/length (about 45" long). Came with a harshall case with gold "Wlson Bros. The Ventures" logo on it. Nice.
Sound Quality: Great sound. These pickups are hot! Very muddy/muffled/bassy to bright/trebly, depending on how much you turn the knobs, They have a nice growl to them, like most jazz pups. It can handle most styles of music. I use old Kustom & Acoustic heads right now, & it sounds great through them. Zero noise when I'm not playing it. Very rich & full when the knobs are all the way up, a nice low muffled sound if you want as well (although I'm not into that type of sound). You can get alot of different sounds out of this thing, depending on where you have the 3 knobs. One of the pearl plastic caps fell off one of the knobs though, which is kinda cheesy for a $700 bass (see below). Haven't played it live but it sounds great in my basement, this neck feels great. I'm sure it would be a great live bass; it looks cool, is easy to play & sounds great.
Reliability/Durability: You could play this thing live no problem, just watch the headstock, it's just like a Gibson (2 tuners on each side). Wack that too hard a few times & you might have trouble. Hardware is very nice & works well. I didn't need to adjust a thing; it felt great as soon as I started playing it. Finish seems nice too. This poly stuff lasts for years. Solid strap buttons. They are very good quality as well, not those cheesy $2 ones. The Seymor Duncans sound real good as well.
Customer Support: n/a
Purchased From: craigslist
Price: $145.00 USD
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