Allen Hinds's equipment [Amplifiers, guitars, effects]

Allen Hines was born in Auburn, Alabama in 1956.
His father was a high school teacher and an amateur pianist, and his mother was a gospel choir director; from an early age he was surrounded by Southern music such as blues, R&B, and gospel.
As he became a teenager, he naturally became interested in the guitar and became fascinated with the sounds of Ray Charles, Jimi Hendrix, and Duane Allman that he heard on the radio.
Although he studied the French horn for a time, he was drawn to the expressive power of the guitar and gradually became more interested in it.

After graduating from high school, he went on to a local university, but dropped out as he was unable to suppress his passion for music.
He went on to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston to dig deeper into his musical roots.
While studying jazz theory and composition in earnest, he honed his own unique phrasing, blending standards with southern grooves.

While in school, he applied for and was successfully selected for a scholarship program run by Guitar Player magazine.
He took this opportunity and moved to Musicians Institute (MI) in Los Angeles.
At the time, MI had become a gathering place for up-and-coming guitarists amid the fusion boom, and Allen quickly distinguished himself there.

After graduating, he was hired as a lecturer at MI, and while teaching he also began his career as a session guitarist.
Although he was a teacher, he steadily built up his skills as a player in the field and became known as one of MI's most famous instructors.

For over 30 years, he has taught classes at MI covering jazz, blues, and fusion, and has trained many professional guitarists.
His classes consistently emphasize "groove," "timing," and "use of air" over technique.

While working in Los Angeles, his melodic approach and soft tone gradually gained him a buzz within the industry.
He soon began being invited to perform with top artists such as Natalie Cole, The Crusaders, Roberta Flack, and Bobby Caldwell.

While crossing various genres such as soul, R&B, jazz, and pop,
His restrained expression and delicate chord work, which always seemed to stay in tune with the music itself, were highly praised.

His playing is so natural that he has been described as "letting the guitar do the talking," and his style of placing sounds in sync with the context of the song and the rhythm of the vocals has earned him the respect of his peers.
His work as a session musician was a perfect fit for the musical diversity of the city of LA.

In 2005, after many years in the business, he released his first solo album, "Fact of the Matter."
Since then, with albums like "Beyond It All," "Falling Up," "Fly South," and "The Good Fight," he has continued to build a world of "singing guitar" that transcends jazz, soul, and blues.

What is distinctive about his music is that, even though it is instrumental, it has a rich melody that gives it a lyric feel.
Sometimes natural laid back, sometimes emotional slides, sometimes jazz-like chord voicings,
Allen Hines' true talent lies in unifying all of this through the filter of "singing spirit."

He also toured Japan with his group "Allen Hinds & LA Super Soul," which includes soul and funk players from LA.
Its international acclaim is growing year by year.

While still enrolled at MI, he shares his approach with many guitarists through YouTube, master classes, and online materials.
He also works as a composer, providing songs for television programs and other artists.

His attitude of not being limited to the role of a guitarist, but rather playing as a means to deliver music,
It continues to provide great inspiration for many intermediate and advanced guitarists.

In recent years, he has been releasing more blues-oriented works that seem to return to his roots.
The sound now sounds more refined and "effortless speech."

The XTC-AH was born from a collaboration with Allen Hinds, a long-time Xotic Guitar user. This guitar was selected by Kirk Fletcher at an exhibition held at the Cotton Club during his visit to Japan. Our staff selected this guitar from seven of the same model.

A unique idea from Allen Hinds, a huge fan of vintage guitars...
Although it has a simple 1PU rear, it is equipped with a custom pickup developed for this Signature model, so it doesn't sound too treble. The 3-way switch allows you to select various tones, creating a wide variety of sound variations.
The iconic vintage color "Butter Scotch Blonde" is medium aged with a very thin nitrocellulose lacquer coating. The lightweight ash wood has a nice seasoning. The roasted custom neck is made of one-piece maple, the fingerboard has a 1R and a slightly thick Medium C-shaped grip, and the neck is also finished with a gloss coating, giving it a vintage-like feel when playing.
The acoustic nuances produced by the lightweight body are an important factor in the sound, and the thickness of the neck gives it a fat and soft sound. The wooden structure and each part give it a more vintage feel than previous XTC models.

This is the signature model of Allen Hinds, a long-time Xotic user.
The shoe features a multi-layer color scheme with his signature Lake Placid Blue base and 3-Tone Sunburst.

The alder body has an all-lacquer finish. The neck and fingerboard are both made of roasted flame maple. Not only is the grain beautiful, but the roasted wood's aged feel creates the XSC-like sound.
The relatively lightweight alder body has a well-balanced weight distribution, resulting in excellent sound and playability.
The fingerboard radius is 9.5R, which is slightly flatter than the 12R of a regular XSC.
The neck grip is also a special Medium C shape.

The XSC's looks and sound are designed to evoke a vintage feeling, but when you actually hold it, you'll be amazed at how modern it feels to play.
The slightly tall frets make it easy to hold and the sound has a good compression, so you can feel the high adaptability of the sound making in live performances and recording. The neck has a supple texture with an oil finish, and the slightly asymmetrical shape is hand shaped by craftsmen one by one, giving it an exquisite feeling that is easy to hold while being thick enough to be played.

The Raw Vintage California Classic pickups are hand-wired in the LA workshop, and the equalization is clear but not too treble, providing an exquisite match with the aforementioned compression to support your playing.
The XSC-AH has a dummy center PU, a 3-way selector, and a 49.2mm pitch RV-PAF rear PU.

The clean channel references American circuits from the mid-1960s, while the lead channel is the result of a decade of extensive development.

This amp is a true two-channel amp with independent tone controls for each channel, featuring a midrange boost, an adjustable boost for the drive channel, and a fixed boost for the clean channel. Players can easily switch between a wide range of tones from crystal clean tones to blues/rock crunch to sizzling fusion sounds. It's also super easy to operate, set the clean channel first, then adjust the master to suit the size of your room, and then set the lead channel control to your preferred crunch tone. With the included footswitch, you can step on the mid boost for creamy fusion tones, step on the boost for a rock sound, or step on both for infinite sustain. The active master volume eliminates the need for an attenuator in small rooms, and the fully buffered tube effects loop allows time-based effects to be placed nicely after the preamp.

The MAZ 38 is one of Dr.Z's most long-standing and beloved designs. It has the perfect combination of sound and power, and with four EL4s and no negative feedback, it offers a broad palette of tones. The MAZ 84 has plenty of clean headroom, acts as a great pedal platform, and delivers a great drive sound at the right volume. This amp can accommodate a variety of styles and playing approaches, and you can dial in a mid-38s blackface sound or a British chime. The Dr.Z MAZ 60 is a highly versatile amp that can cater to players of any genre, whether they're into blues, country, roots, or rock.

The front panel features volume, treble, middle, bass, reverb, cut and master controls. The back panel comes standard with 4, 8 and 16 ohm speaker outs, an effects loop and an EQ bypass function. The footswitchable EQ bypass provides a nice lead boost and essentially turns this amp into a two channel amp. The MAZ 2 is powered by a quartet of cathode biased EL38s with a 84AR4 rectifier.

The model used by Allen Hinds has been modified many times by Dave Freidman.

1968 was a big year for Fender amps. The new look of the Silverface with pure Fender tone expanded the range of amps musicians could choose from, and countless guitarists have been strumming Fender tones. It features a silver and turquoise blue front panel and a classy "drip edge" grille. The 68 Custom amp delivers world-class deep, clear and powerful tube tone for classic Fender sound. Paying homage to the look and tone performance of the time while adding great flexibility, this model is equipped with one 1" Celestion® G12V-12" speaker, and clearly conveys the rock and roll spirit to the present day. The "Vintage" channel has a traditional Silverface tone. The "Custom" channel has a Bassman tone stack. Negative feedback is reduced to enrich touch sensitivity. Hand-wired tube sockets, custom-made Schumacher transformers just like the original. Genuine Fender, tube-driven spring reverb and tremolo (vibrato) are shared by both channels.

TC ELECTRONIC / POLYTUNE 3 NOIR is a mini-sized model of the pedal-type polyphonic tuner POLYTUNE 3, which is equipped with a buffer and is easier to use. The true/buffered bypass switch is located on the side of the main unit, allowing you to switch according to your needs. High-precision tuning and high visibility with high-brightness LEDs are realized in a compact body.

■ Features
- Compact tuner with high-quality buffer
- Equipped with three tuning modes
　-Polyphonic: Displays tuning information for all 6 strings at once (6-string guitars only)
　- Strobe: Ultra-high precision tuning mode with an accuracy of ±0.02 cents
　- Chromatic: Quick tuning mode with fast response
- Built-in high-quality BONAFIDE BUFFER that can be turned on/off
- True bypass/buffered bypass switchable
-Always-on mode can be set to check the tuning at all times
-High visibility anywhere thanks to high-altitude LEDs
■Specifications
Bypass mode: True bypass (buffered bypass selectable)
Input connector: 1/4" mono standard phone
Output connector: 1/4" mono standard phone
・Calibration A=440Hz fixed
Tuning range: A0 (27.5 Hz) to C8 (4186 Hz)
Current consumption: >100mA

The ST-0.02 pedal-type strobe tuner from SONIC RESEARCH boasts an accuracy of ±300 cents. The input analog signal is displayed directly on the LED ring. It boasts an accuracy of ±0.02 cents. It also supports True Temperment neck, Buzzy Feiten tuning, and tuning up to 9 strings. You can connect USB and program custom tunings.

■ Turbo Strobe Tuner
■ Features
Strobe display: Accurately displays even the slightest pitch differences. Even the slightest pitch deviations can be displayed with no latency.
Switchable Output: Switch between mute while tuning and constant output.
Ultra-high precision tuning: Tuning with an accuracy of ±0.02 cents.
■ Changing the reference pitch: The default setting is A4=440Hz. It can be set in the range of 300.0Hz to 599.9Hz.
■Flat Tuning: Can be set up to 9 semitones (half steps).
■Power-on restore: The unit remembers drop tuning, A4 reference and mode settings.
■Power supply: DC9V power supply (center negative) or 9VDC dry battery
■Power consumption: 48mA
■Size: W61mm x H112mm x D34mm
■Weight: 246 g

TC ELECTRONIC/DITTO JAM X2 is an intuitive looper with BeatSense technology that detects external tempo and automatically syncs loops, Rec-Play/Rec-Dub modes, and unlimited overdubs.

The Xotic SP Compressor is a compact yet versatile compressor with three different compression modes. The attack and release can be adjusted with the internal dip switch, allowing for a wide range of effects from natural sound to emphasized compression.

Xotic's EP Booster is a clean booster with a simple one-knob design that adds rich harmonics and sustain to your guitar tone. The internal DIP switch allows you to change the EQ characteristics, and it is compatible with power supplies from 9V to 18V.

The RC Booster V2 is a renewed model of the classic clean booster RC Booster. It supports clean boost up to +20db that is faithful to the original sound. It has a two-band EQ of ±15dB. It can also be used as a buffer due to its flat response and rich harmonics.

Based on the AC-Booster, it is equipped with a compression mode switch to enable further fine tuning. By selecting from three different compression modes to suit the characteristics of your guitar or amplifier, you can easily create a smooth sound. The tonal response has been improved compared to previous products. Even with mild distortion, it can produce a lustrous tone with a long tone. The bass strings are also reproduced tightly and do not muddy the sound. The pedal has a treble boost dip switch inside to correct the sound contour and improve sound clarity, so it can be used widely regardless of the instrument.

A new booster and drive pedal born from a partnership of over 20 years between Allen Hinds and Exotic!

The AH-booster is a smoother, more refined version of the Xotic AC COMP that Allen Hinds has used for many years. By selecting from three different compression modes to suit the characteristics of your guitar or amplifier, you can easily create a smooth sound.

Based on Allen's favorite old AC-Comp pedal, we've revived the design with modern features such as 9-18 volt operation and improved tonal characteristics for a tight, yet smooth overdrive sound.

- Overdrive with amazing touch response
- Adjustable +-15dB 2-band active EQ
- Compatible with DC9-18V, and increasing the voltage to 18V reduces compression, increases headroom, and produces a punchy sound.
- Internal DIP switches allow for adjustment of treble and presence
・トゥルーバイパス

Xotic's Soul Driven AH is a signature model by Allen Hinds, and features a warm overdrive sound with an emphasis on the midrange. Tone and mid boost controls allow for versatile sound creation.

Shin's Music's DUMBLOID is an overdrive pedal designed to reproduce the sound of the legendary Dumble amp. It has a high degree of freedom in adjusting the tone, and is highly regarded as a versatile pedal that can be used in a wide range of genres.

The XW-2 LTD is a more refined wah pedal that emphasizes "maximum tone with minimal effort."
The design eliminates external adjustment knobs, giving you easy access to the perfect, tuned wah sound.
Just plug it in and you'll have the best wah sounds ever, that will truly elevate your imagination.
While based on a traditional classic sound, it also incorporates the essence of evolved wah that goes beyond vintage.

ELECTRO-HARMONIX / Super Pulsar is a compact tremolo pedal that can achieve any tremolo sound. You can change the waveform of sine wave / triangle wave / pulse wave, and you can also tap input and create rhythm patterns, greatly expanding the possibilities of the tremolo effect. The diverse functions allow you to achieve a variety of tremolo sounds, and the versatility that makes it useful for any genre and the intuitive operability unique to Electro-Harmonix are also attractive.

"Super Pulsar is a true super tremolo with powerful controls and signal paths. The tremolo waveform can be selected from adjustable sine wave / triangle wave / pulse wave, and tap tempo and TAP divide (pronunciation rhythm setting) can be simultaneously performed, so you can save your own rhythm patterns (up to 8 customized presets can be saved / recalled). Also, with the EXP control, you can use a flying magic moving tremolo (RATE / DEPTH / SHAPE / PHASE / VOLUME can be adjusted).

The luxurious inputs and outputs are selectable as stereo in/out, mono in/stereo out, stereo in/mono out, or mono in/mono out. The warm, lush tone of the analog circuitry envelops a variety of waveforms.
Specs

Analog tremolo with stereo in/out, mono in/stereo out, stereo in/mono out and mono in/mono out
The modulation waveform is adjustable (sine wave/triangle wave/pulse wave), and nine rhythm patterns can be changed and saved by the user.
The modulation rate can be adjusted with the RATE knob, and it also supports a tap tempo switch, external tap switch, or clock.
The phase waveform of the right channel can be adjusted from 0 degrees to 360 degrees in conjunction with the left channel.
The modulation rate and depth can be adjusted to suit your playing style by adding modulation to each parameter.
The RATE/DEPTH/SHAPE/PHASE/VOLUME can be adjusted using an expression pedal or CV control.
Eight presets can be saved and recalled
MODE footswitch scrolls through TAP divide mode, EXP mode and 8 presets
True Bypass
Power supply: 9V DC center negative adapter

Memory Lane Jr. is a digital delay that inherits and evolves the concept of the original Memory Lane, the world's first analog delay with a tap tempo function. It uses bucket brigade analog modulation to reproduce variable sample rates, and adds reconstructed filters and companding to extract the key element of Memory Lane, which is a smooth sound quality with an analog feel. It achieves more than twice the delay time of Memory Lane and a wider range of sound quality in a more compact body. A standard 9V adapter is also applied to the power supply, making it more versatile. Except for the digital sampling engine that copies and delays the sound, all circuits around the sampling engine, such as the direct path and feedback path, are composed of analog paths, and it has succeeded in creating a unique sound that only MEMORY LANE Jr. has, which is different from general digitally processed sounds.

■ High-quality delay of up to 1200ms.
■ You can choose from three delay patterns: quarter note, dotted eighth note, and triplet.
■ Modulation allows for a wide range of sound arrangements
■ Analog signal path including simple modulation circuit
■ By setting the internal board, you can select a trail mode that keeps the delay sound even when the foot switch is off.
■ High-end audio grade components. (Panasonic capacitors, 0.5% resistors)
■ Bi-color LED allows you to see the status of the delay time and tap tempo functions

The Inspire Tri-Chorus Plus is a pedal equipped with eight high-quality chorus/vibrato effects unique to Neunaber Audio Effects. It delivers beautiful, rich chorus sounds in a compact effector size that could only be achieved with a large rack effect.

■ Recording effects
・TRI: Tri-Chorus effect that creates a classic rack chorus sound.
・HEX: A high-density chorus with two Tri-Chorus sounds connected in parallel.
・CASCADE TONE: A rich chorus effect created by connecting two Tri-Chorus units in series.
・CASCADE VIBE: An effect that creates complex tones by connecting Tri-Chorus and Tri-Vibrato in series.
・HARMONIC VIBE: An effect that applies Tri-Chorus to the low range and Tri-Vibrato to the high range. It has a cleaner tone than CASCADE VIBE and is also ideal for combining with distortion.
・HARMONIC DETUNE: A clean chorus effect that detunes the low range and applies Tri-Chorus to the high range. This sound goes well with strong distortion.
・+DETUNE: An 80's style chorus effect that adds detuning to Tri-Chorus.
+ECHO: A classic tone that combines Tri-Chorus and Stereo Echo.
■ Features
- Includes 8 types of chorus effects
- Five controls for flexible sound adjustment
・トゥルーバイパス
- Input/output supports both mono and stereo
-Zero latency, low noise analog dry signal
・Compact size
- Powered by a standard center negative DC 9-12V adapter (batteries cannot be used).
・Designed and manufactured in California USA

The Mini Deja Vibe is a perfect copy of the Uni Vibe, an analog chorus/vibrato effect that faithfully reproduces the unique vibration of the Uni Vibe, the key to the famous and intense guitar solo tone in Jimi Hendrix's "Bold as Love" and "Machine Gun" from the album Band of Gypsy.
When used in conjunction with a fuzz pedal, you can get that rotary/phase sound that's just like Jimi Hendrix's.

Photocells are used as parts, allowing you to switch between vintage and modern sound characters, resulting in a contemporary and clear sound image.

The “Screaming Sister” 8ctave Boost is a homage to the vintage octave boost pedals used by many iconic guitarists including Doyle Bramhall II, Johnny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

Housed in a sturdy steel vintage style enclosure, the Screaming Sister delivers a highly musical octave boost effect that sounds absolutely incredible when paired with something like the Vibe-Bro.

This faithfully reproduces the vintage COB used by guitarist Doyle Bramhall II, which could be considered his signature tone, and can be used for everything from clean to amp-like thick distortion.

Flint features a vintage amp shimmering tremolo circuit, a high-quality, dreamy tremolo effect, and three different reverb algorithms. On the tremolo side, you can switch between the complex '3 Harmonic Tremolo, the sleek '61 Power Tube Tremolo, and the sharp and balanced '63 Photocell Tremolo. On the reverb side, you can choose between a classic '65s spring reverb, an inventive '60s electronic plate reverb, or a nostalgic '70s rack reverb (hall type).

By fine-tuning nine parameters, you can control the details of the tremolo and reverb character. The sound making is very diverse, including splash-like sparkle, pulse-like resonance, pulsating bluesy sound, ambient fluctuation, and gentle reverb pad. Each effect section is equipped with a true bypass on/off switch, and the input and output sections are made of high-quality analog sections. Flint delivers the tremolo and reverb sounds that have been engraved in the history of music in a pedal format.

■ More authentic than the real thing
Tremolo and reverb appeared in the early days of guitar effects. The combination of these two fascinating effects was ideal. These effects, installed in the classic amps of the 1960s, have added color to countless records and performances, from early surf music, muddy American southern blues, spaghetti westerns, film noir soundtracks to modern indie rock. As music has evolved, they have continued to provide endless inspiration to artists.

Flint is a studio-class high-quality pedal that reproduces this combination. We thoroughly researched the popular and classic tremolo and reverb circuits, and succeeded in faithfully reproducing the complex layers of sound and subtle nuances using our own algorithms. Flint is two effects in one, with a tremolo on one side and a reverb on the other.

■TREMOLO
'61 Harmonic Tremolo:
Harmonic tremolo is a rare type found only on tube amplifiers in the early 1960s. It features a two-band filter effect that alternates between emphasising low and high frequencies. The result is a gentle pulsating tremolo effect, like a smooth phaser with alternating emphasis frequencies.

'63 Power Tube Tremolo:
In power tube tremolo, the LFO signal directly interferes with the bias of the push-pull output stage. When the LFO is connected to the bias, the bias current to the power tubes goes up and down, and the gain goes up and down. This alternation creates the tremolo effect. Crossover distortion occurs when the tremolo volume approaches zero and the tubes stop working. Conversely, harmonic distortion occurs when approaching maximum volume. Also, the drop in the power supply at maximum output affects the bias point of the power tubes. All these factors combine to create the "dirty" sound of the tremolo.

'65 Photocell Tremolo:
The Photocell Tremolo is a faithful reproduction of the photocell tremolo found on mid-60s American amplifiers. The photocell tremolo uses an LDR (light dependent resistor) to control the level of the input signal. The LDR is used in conjunction with a miniature light bulb connected to an LFO. When the LFO oscillates, the brightness of the miniature light bulb changes, which changes the resistance of the LDR. This change in resistance and impedance affects the signal level, creating a "hard" tremolo sound that changes drastically between the two levels like a square wave.

■REVERB
60's Spring Reverb:
The Spring Reverb is a reproduction of a full-sized two-spring tank used in vintage amplifiers. The spring tank generates different delay times, creating a complex and smooth reverberation sound and a reverb-specific frequency characteristic. Vacuum tube circuits are used for input and output to the springs, and a method is used to convert the electrical signal into a mechanical signal that rocks the springs and then back into an electrical signal again.

70's Plate Reverb:
The Electronic Plate Reverb is a faithful recreation of the first digital reverb ever made. This hardware marvel was a parallel arrangement of multiple delay lines, each with multiple outputs and a filtered signal fed back to the input. The result is a rich, smooth sound with multiple parallel output taps that can be used to quickly create dense reverberation in a short time.

80's Hall Reverb:
The Hall Rack Reverb recreates the nostalgic late 80s rack-mounted digital microprocessor reverbs. At the time, reverb sounds were created with efficient serial loops of delay, all-pass and low-pass filters, despite limited processing power. The delay line was modulated to increase the density of the reverb or add warmth to the sound. This hall reverb is characterized by a dense reverberation that slowly builds up after the early reflections.

■ Effect Order function
In addition to the reverb-then-tremolo arrangement, like vintage tube amps, you can also apply tremolo before the reverb for a cleaner, more modern tone. Flint offers a secondary Effect Order function that allows you to change the order of the reverb and tremolo for precise tone control. This setting can be accessed from the secondary functions in Live Edit and saved per preset.

■Pre-Delay function
A new secondary Live Edit function, Pre-Delay, has been added, which allows you to adjust the time before the reverb signal starts and this delay time can be saved per preset.

What's new in Flint V2?
While retaining the original sound and basic functions, we've added I/O and control. The following updates have been made:

Equipped with a mono/stereo input switching switch.
It has USB-C for updates and TRS MIDI (via EXP/MIDI jack) for full MIDI functionality.
Pre-Delay can be set using the Live Edit function.

Lex faithfully reproduces the unique, powerful sound of vintage rotary speakers.
This unit has been developed based on extensive research into the complex interference that occurs in actual rotary speakers, and the user interface has been significantly revamped to make it easier to perform a wide range of settings.
Newly added controls include a DRY knob that adds dry signal, a VOLUME knob that can boost/cut by +/-6dB, a MIC switch that changes the position of the sound pickup microphone, and a RAMP switch that changes the (rotor) rise speed when switching with the SLOW/FAST switch.
With added functions that allow for diverse expression with simple operation, Lex delivers the ultimate rotary sound with a focus on realism.

In addition to a USB-C port for firmware updates and MIDI connectivity, it features a TRS MIDI jack for controlling MIDI, full stereo input and output with mono/stereo switchability, and a premium JFET input.
Each model is equipped with a powerful ARM processor, which offers higher processing power while reducing power consumption.
Up to 300 presets can be saved with MIDI clock synchronization. The user interface is now easier to use, simpler, and more intuitive, while still allowing for more diverse and detailed settings.

Pedal Power 4X4 was developed for use with digital effects units equipped with DSPs and other effects units that require high current consumption.
Of course, it can also be used with effects that require a standard 9V power supply, so it is in high demand for medium to large sized pedal boards.
The inside is equipped with an automatic temperature regulating fan, so you can continue to perform at maximum performance without the internal temperature rising, even in harsh environments such as outdoor stages.

▼Good sound comes from a noise-free power supply
Voodoo Lab's Pedal Power, individually handmade in California, USA, has become the industry standard for stable, noise-free power supplies for effects pedals.
The Pedal Power series, which has continued to be chosen by artists, guitar techs, and effects board builders, can maximize the potential of your effects.