Behringer Guitar Link UCG102

...The only proviso is that you should read the manual very carefully and use the Behringer website to get explanations for the terms and instructions. There is a good user forum where any problem you may have will have already been encountered and the answer will be found there.  ... more

I was given this gadget for Christmas but only recently got around to setting it up on my computer. it wasn't straightforward, I had to do a lot of research to get the best out of it but once I did I was impressed by the effects I could achieve.

So what is it?

It is a gadget that allows you to plug an electric guitar, Bass or any other similar instrument into your computer to use software emulated guitar amps, recording software and audio manipulation software.

What's in the box Jeff?

I'm glad you asked. First is the adapter itself, which has an input jack and a headphone jack, a Hi/Lo switch and a volume control. There is a lead attached to a USB plug.

There is a CD containing the driver for the device, Krystal recording software and three sample amps. you get a 30 day trial of each of the amps and a registration key so that you can register your favourite one for permanent use.

The instructions aren't the easiest, particularly for anyone who isn't familiar with the technical side of music production. There was a lot of talk about 'latency' which is apparently the delay between hitting a note and the sound coming out of the speaker.
The first mistake was assuming that the sound would come out of the computer speakers. A careful read of the instruction manual revealed that you are supposed to use the headphone jack to listen, either via headphones or by using a lead to a set of speakers or your guitar amp.

I chose Amp number three, which give 50 different amp effects which you can then route into the Krystal software and use it to record your master work with any number of over dubbed tracks.

When I finally cracked it I recorded five tracks, three guitar, one Bass and mandolin to see how it worked.
The Krystal software then allows you to add effects and mix it down to a .WAV file, which you can them burn to CD and play in any CD player. My 32 second version of House of the Rising Sun took four hours and taught me a lot about mixing.

I have decided to take some time out this weekend to record one of my own compositions, which I may or may not send to Simon Cowell.

This is the kind of gadget that could keep me quiet for hours, and for around £35 may be a good gift for the budding Eric Clapton in your life. The opportunity to use headphones and still get a full range of effects is not one to be missed. I often have to stay away from home for work and have always regretted the lost practice time. Now I can take my laptop, some headphones and the trusty Gibson and pass happy hours in my hotel room, especially when the company is having one of its economy drives and the adult movies aren't available on expenses.

Last night I was unable to sleep so I spent a happy hour with screaming guitar tones rattling my skull before returning to my slumbers.

I can thoroughly recommend this gadget to anyone who wants to lay down a few tracks or practice with effects without disturbing the neighbours

The only proviso is that you should read the manual very carefully and use the Behringer website to get explanations for the terms and instructions. There is a good user forum where any problem you may have will have already been encountered and the answer will be found there. 

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