The Internet is a wonderful thing. Not only does it give ideas like WTDP? a platform to exist (thanks, Internet!), it gives folks like us the ability to cast a much wider net when it comes to gathering up knowledge on the plethora of smaller pedal making shops scattered across the globe. I can say with little doubt that without the Internet we would have never heard of Israel-based PiggyFX and certainly never had been able to get our hands on a Schweinefleisch fuzz to review. But we did! The only thing left was to figure if this wild boar was made of straw, sticks or bricks?
FMR Audio will be offering up its new ARC compressor stomp soon. The pedal is named for its ability to allow a player to balance the Articulation, Resonance and Clarity (ARC) of their instrument. At the heart of the pedal is FMR Audio’s PBC-6A pro studio compressor. The pedal sports a 20dB, 1MOhm input impedance preamp, balanced XLR output for ‘front of house’ or recording, an output attenuator on the AMP jack to allow easy interfacing and volume balancing bypassed signal with effected signal, a 30v internal supply for studio-like performance and daisy-chained power jack for ease of connection into pedalboards. The pedal will retail for $350.
It dawned on us towards the end of last year that we needed to shake things up a bit on the pedal and amp review front. Firstly, we felt the need to change our amp platform from a great, but out-of-production combo – the Reverend Hellhound – to a more traditional, readily available model – the Fender Princeton Reverb RI. We also wanted to bring in more tonal standardization by using one set of high quality cables for pedal reviews and another for amp reviews. We now use Lava Clear Connect cables for all the pedal reviews and Analysis Plus cables for amp test drives. Cool? Yeah… we thought so too!
Yeah, yeah, yeah… this one is waaaaaaaaaay overdue. Sorry about that. I had thought of scrapping it all together and just jumping to #4, but there is some good stuff on here… so here it is! Tunes from Gov’t Mule, Our Lady Peace, more Oz Noy/Eric Johnson goodness live from Austin and a special bonus for the groove fans among us at the end. We’re already thinking about #4, which may actually happen on location from Austin sometime next month. Not 100% sure on that, but that’s the thinking right now. But for now, sit back, relax, grab a brew and press play below!
WTDP? Radio #3 (feat. Gov’t Mule, interview with Steve Mazur of Our Lady Peace and Charlie Hunter)
The fine folks at Strymon Engineering have gone live with the order process for their new Orbit dBucket Flanger. The pedal is in stock and ready to ship. The Orbit is based around the company’s dBucket algorithm – like the forthcoming Brigadier delay pedal – for accurate reproduction of every stage of an analog bucket brigade chip. The true bypass pedal sports three LFO types (log, lin, through zero) and three feedback types (positive, negative, pos/neg), stereo output, expression pedal input with selectable control over any knob parameter, favorite footswitch for saving your favorite setting and more. The Orbit dBucket Flanger sells for $299.
Pigtronix has posted notice of an update available for its popular Echolution delay/modulation pedal. The updated includes a more accurate tap tempo function and new ‘Dub’ mode. To enter the loop function’s new “Dub” mode simply hold down the tap tempo switch in Loop mode to add new material. Also, the pedal’s Reverse function now is enabled in all three settings (Short/Med/Long) of the Modulation mode. The cost of the Echolution code update is $20 (check, credit card or PayPal) and includes return shipping within the USA. You can check out all of the details related to the Echolution update offer by going here.
The fine folks at Australia’s MI Audio have launched a new facebook fan page with a teaser graphic of their new compressor pedal in tow! The new compressor is something the company is ‘really excited about’ according to the fan page, because they view the pedal design as a shift from the classic compressor designs they have come to expect to a design that is ‘more in studio/pro territory.’ The pedal has controls for Volume, Sustain, Gate, Release, Attack and Level. The new MI Compressor is slated to ship in March. Check out their facebook page for updates. They’ve created one for MI Amplification as well that has a sneak peak at their new Megalith metal amp!
Right before the big NAMM show in California last month, we were contacted by Rachael Becker at Heavy Leather NYC to gauge our interest in reviewing a couple of her company’s custom leather guitar straps. Now, we’ve always been big on guitar accessories here, but never that big on the non-electronic variety. However, given our efforts to branch out a bit in 2010, we agreed to take a look at her offerings. We ran into her at NAMM, fresh from delivering a new strap to Slash, where she said we’d be getting a handmade Black Beauty and Ballroom Blitz in the mail soon. And now that they’ve arrived, we’re having a hard time letting them go!
Lukeramps is set to beginning taking orders on its latest amp design – the 20-watt Tiger tube amp. The Tiger is loaded with single 12AX7 and 12AT7 pre-amp tubes and two 6V6 power tubes. The amp features a low noise floor, three-band tone stack, presence control and separate 4, 8 and 16 Ohm speaker output jacks. The amp also sports send and return jacks as well as a line out with level control. The Tiger is available as a head or 1×12 combo in Natural Pine or Black Tolex. Black Tolex combo runs $875, while the Black Tolex head is $710. Pine versions of each are slightly cheaper.
On a cold Friday in H-town, the WTDP? crew made its way to Walter’s On Washington to take in the sweet 60’s guitar pop group Drug Rug – a collaboration between New England’s Sarah Cronin and Tommy Allen. With plenty of tremolo in tow, the band – just Sarah on guitar (a nice, red Epi hollow body) and Tommy on skins this time out – plowed through a healthy set of newer material off the group’s ‘Paint the Fence Invisible’ release. The set was quick, but had great energy thanks largely to Cronin’s pixie guitar strut during upbeat tunes like ‘Hannah Please’ and ‘Punk Song’. Check out some pics from the gig after the jump… including a set list complete with effects cues!
Jamie at Earthquaker Devices is shipping the new Monarch overdrive to his dealer network this week. According to the builder, the Monarch takes elements of his favorite amps (Bassman 50, JTM45 and Graphic MkII) and condenses them down into a small foot-friendly format. More specifically, it is based around the pre-amp of the Orange Graphic MkII, but pushed to go into higher gain territory like a vintage Marshall. The pedal sports knob controls for Treble, Bass, Gain and Level. Jamie added he has been working on quartet of new designs that are coming together quickly. Stay tuned!
The crew at Ark Amps has unveiled their newest creation – the Rhino, a 70-watt all-tube bass and jazz guitar amplifier. The Rhino is a master volume amp that can achieve a light, but rich overdrive with the preamp gain at max, according to the builder. The amp also sports a bright switch along with the presence, bass, mid and treble controls. Ark said the preamp was originally designed for jazz guitar, and has been modified to work well for both bass and jazz guitar. Continuing the resonant cab approach used on the Model B cab, Ark ended up with an organic, woody sounding cab that really compliments the unique design of the amp circuit. Price information coming soon!
This February, like last February, WTDP? will be going fuzz! All of the planned YMMV pedal reviews will be fuzzes from the four corners of the US… and the world! Included in the mix to be reviewed is San Diego Pedals’ Envy envelope fuzz, Earthquaker Devices’ Tone Reaper, the PiggyFX Schweinefleisch and Gearmandude’s Lothar! That’s one hot, steaming bowl of fuzz! We’re going to press to get more done, but those four are locked in on the schedule. Do you know of any fuzzes that you’d like us to take a look at? Shoot us an e-mail and let us know. We take requests!
Godlyke Distributing have put together a pedal raffle with proceeds earmarked for Doctors Without Borders – a medical humanitarian group that has been on the Haitian frontlines following the devastating earthquake earlier this month. For every dollar you send to Godlyke through PayPal (e-mail address is Godlyke@optonline.net) you will be registered to win a new Hao Omega Drive Sixteen pedal. There is no limit on the amount of tickets you can buy. The winner of the pedal will be chosen at random on 7 February. Be sure to include ‘Relief Raffle’ in the notes section of the payment. If you don’t want to go through PayPal, but would still like to help, contact Godlyke here.
The second pedal sent to us by Montreal-based Solidgold Soundlabs was a dirt box honestly titled the Rock Machine – an overdrive/boost stomp with a vintage bent. The OD sector of the boutique pedal market is awash with pedals, most derived from vintage Tubescreamer circuits while others like the Rock Machine, bring something a bit different to the party. I was thrown a bit by the Rock Machine at first due to its appearance – one knob and one toggle… hardly standard issue for an overdrive, but once I got into the pedal, the logic of the controls come forward. But does the Rock Machine deliver on its promise of vintage classic rock and blues tones in one package?
The Internet is a wonderful thing. Not only does it give ideas like WTDP? a platform to exist (thanks, Internet!), it gives folks like us the ability to cast a much wider net when it comes to gathering up knowledge on the plethora of smaller pedal making shops scattered across the globe. I can say with little doubt that without the Internet we would have never heard of Israel-based PiggyFX and certainly never had been able to get our hands on a Schweinefleisch fuzz to review. But we did! The only thing left was to figure if this wild boar was made of straw, sticks or bricks?
The second pedal sent to us by Montreal-based Solidgold Soundlabs was a dirt box honestly titled the Rock Machine – an overdrive/boost stomp with a vintage bent. The OD sector of the boutique pedal market is awash with pedals, most derived from vintage Tubescreamer circuits while others like the Rock Machine, bring something a bit different to the party. I was thrown a bit by the Rock Machine at first due to its appearance – one knob and one toggle… hardly standard issue for an overdrive, but once I got into the pedal, the logic of the controls come forward. But does the Rock Machine deliver on its promise of vintage classic rock and blues tones in one package?