What's That Dude Play?

LS can’t stop the ROC

Blake — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:46:11 +0000

LS Effects has re-introduced its ROC distortion pedal to its line up. According to the builder, the ROC v2 has two notable improvements over the initial stomp released in 2009. The new ROC now has the ability to go from a mild boost, to an overdrive and then to heavy distortion without coloring a player’s nature amp tone… and now it is also smaller and cheaper. The ROC has a pre-distortion Bass control and post-distortion treble Cut control, allowing the mid hump found in most OD/distortion pedals to be eliminated if desired. The ROC v2 sells for $194 and is available via the LS website.

Fuzzhugger ratchets up the fuzz

Blake — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:32:05 +0000

Tom over at Fuzzhugger has a new fuzz that has been offered up to a few select folks in the past, but now is fully on the company’s menu! The Lab Ratchet, according to the builder, is a gained up, overdriven fuzz – smooth and amp-like, with a unique vowel sound to it and plenty of sustain. Then the Ratchet knob comes in, acting as a texture/crush/sustain control, making the Lab Ratchet fuzzier, crunchier, and sounding seriously bit-crushed while giving the user full control over the amount of sustain. The three-knob pedal (Level, Gain and Ratchet) boasts a wide range for each control, making the pedal more versatile than initially meets the eye. The Lab Ratchet is for sale via the Fuzzhugger website and costs $115.

Buffalo gets fuzzy

Blake — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:16:52 +0000

" width="309" height="240" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-18594" />France-based builder Buffalo FX has a pair of new fuzzes ready for delivery – one being an update to their original Germanium Fuzz and the other their take on the classic Tonebender MkII. Regarding the new Ge fuzz, the builder says it has all the classic sounds of a 60’s-era germanium fuzz plus the added versatility of the external bias and pre-gain controls. The Tonebender MkII is based on the original circuit using NOS Germanium transistors, but with the added functionality of external bias, tool free battery change and 9V DC power capable. The Ge Fuzz runs 145 euros plus shipping. The Tonebender MkII sells for 155 euros plus shipping.

Now THAT’S a multi-effect!

Blake — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:16:22 +0000

Peter at VFE Effects is working on something you might want to check out… especially since you’ll have a chance to win it! It is a multi-effect that will house 18 VFE effects, including a tap-tempo delay all under one giant 20-inch by 11-ince sloped-panel enclosure. The pedal will boast 18 programmable presets, master bypass footswitch, switchable discrete input buffer and switchable stacked op-amp output buffer, and a whopping 168 total knobs, switches and jacks. Also, there are inputs/outputs for every effect with automatic signal routing when nothing is plugged in. Players will be able to use just one master input and one master output with no other cables needed, re-route the signal in any order using patch cables, connect other pedals in any part of the signal path, and have multiple instrument/players use the same pedal, and create patches for different songs (or parts of songs) that switch on/off effects for everyone. Go here for all the details on how to enter to win this massive unit. But hurry… entries must be end by 28 May.

That’s no SuperMoon, it’s a Tunnelworm!

Blake — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:33:23 +0000

If you’ve kept up with Jack Deville Electronics recently, you know the boys from Portland have discontinued several pedals to make room for new ones. Prototyping has been coming along nicely and now we have the first glimpse of what is to come… the SuperMoon reverb and Tunnelworm thru-zero flanger. Both pedals are still being tweaked, but here is what we know… thanks in part to a heads up from our good friend Bart at Effects Database.

The SuperMoon sports three knob controls – Mix, Modulation and Decay. How does it sound? Hear for yourself in the brief proto demo video below. The Tunnelworm remains a bit of a mystery configuration-wise, but if you go to Jack Deville’s website there is a product page up where you can hear a taste of what the flanger can do. Both the SuperMoon and Tunnelworm are expected to hit the streets in the coming weeks. More info on pricing and availability when we get it. Stay tuned!

Marrs steps into the Multiverse

Blake — Wed, 09 May 2012 16:00:47 +0000

Canada’s Marrs Pedals has a new combo pedal pair on offer in the form of the Multiverse and Satellite. The Multiverse is a control-ladened hybrid tremolo/boost/fuzz/strobe controller all in one package, while the Satellite is a remote strobe light that is controlled by rate of the tremolo from the Multiverse. The Multiverse sports a series of knobs and switches that control the tremolo and fuzz options packed in the pedal. The Blip switch engages an irregular trem cycle capable of very fast speeds. Chop/Swell is a waveform selector. Clean/Dirty engages an overdrive to fuzz circuit. There also is a switch to activate the Satellite strobe. The Guitar/Timer switch tells the Satellite what to follow. The Multiverse costs C$325 plus shipping.

The Satellite itself sports an on/off switch. There is a brightness control that let’s the user tone the beams down. It is only controlled by the Multiverse. The Satellite is priced at C$100 plus shipping.

Check out the demo video for this interesting duo below!

Mayflower sets sail

Blake — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:48:29 +0000

The boys from Oklahoma-based Walrus Audio have released a new overdrive pedal that sits somewhere between their previously-released Voyager low gain preamp and Iron Horse full-on distortion. The new Mayflower is a true-bypass overdrive that boasts a transparent, mid-range signal that is great for cutting through or adding to the rhythm, according to the builder. The pedal boasts four knob controls – Level, Drive, Bass and Treble. The pedal is available now and is priced at $179. Take a look at the demo video below.

Majik Box and Munky krush it

Blake — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:39:20 +0000

The crew at Majik Box have teamed up with Korn guitarist James ‘Munky’ Shaffer to off up the new Krush distortion pedal. The main tone of the new box is a thick, heavy distortion that evokes the quintessential Korn guitar sound. The pedal allows players to wring this iconic tone out of nearly any amp, according to the builder. The second tone is a lo-fi tone that is a thin and slightly broken sounding… similar to the sound that Munky uses on intros and breakdowns of many Korn songs.

The pedal boasts four knob controls – Level, Tone, Drive and Focus. The Focus knob alters the mid-range characteristic of the pedal. It also allows players to adjust the mid-range perfectly for 6, 7 and 8 string guitars. The pedal is shipping now and is priced at $230. Check out the video below where Munky walks you through the new stomp.

Godlyke ships Flame Drive

Blake — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:37:07 +0000

The crew at Godlyke are shipping the new Providence Flame Drive to retailers. The Flame Drive is a versatile overdrive pedal that can deliver anything from sweet, silky overdrive to edgy overtone-rich distortion, according to the builder. It features fast attack response that follows the most detailed picking nuances and an amp-like distortion that is never flat or muddy. The Flame Drive features a newly developed Vitalized Noiseless Switching Circuit that minimizes switching noise that can occur when the effect is switched on or off while maintaining optimum sound quality. The pedal also boasts the Vitalizer circuit, designed to prevent signal degradation. The Vitalizer circuit is active even when the effect is off, ensuring that a degradation-resistant signal is being output at all times. The pedal sports knob controls for Level, Drive and Tone as well as a Bass Boost button for added low-end punch. The Flame Drive retails for $399.

Wanna buy a monkey?

Blake — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:51:24 +0000

The crew at Jack Deville Electronics is hard at work on a handful of new pedal offerings, starting with a new vibrato stomp they are calling the Drunken Monkey. Many pedal geeks wondered what JDE had in store after the announcement of the discontinuation of the Buzzmaster and Mod Zero pedals. Not a lot of hard info on the Drunken Monkey just yet, but there is a short demo video… it appears from the looks of the prototype, the new pedal will have three knob controls. Check it out below and let Jack know what you think! Stay tuned…

Wren & Cuff ship the Caprid

Blake — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:32:37 +0000

The crew at Wren & Cuff have shipped their new ‘Ram’s Head’ flavored fuzz – The Caprid ‘Legendary Distortion’. According to the builder, the Caprid is made up of the best parts of four different Ram’s Head circuits to create a girthy distortion that captures the sustain and rich upper harmonics of the original Ram’s Head sound. The new pedal features the original “3003″ style circuit board, all carbon composition 1/2 watt “brown-tone” resistors and Mullard ‘tropical fish’ capacitor clipping sections. The pedal, which brings chewy fuzz to both guitar and bass, is available at most Wren & Cuff retailers now and costs $279.

Barber shakes things up

Blake — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:41:01 +0000

Barber Electronics has let it be known on facebook that it is building the last of the B-Custom Super Sport overdrives, and recently stopped production of the LTD and LTD SR. The company added that there is no immediate replacement designs for these pedals on the horizon, so if you are interested in them you may want to check with your favorite Barber dealer for any remaining stock. Barber plans to rework its pedal line over the next year, but hints you can likely expect new micro-sized pedals in 2012. The rework will also likely include additional discontinued pedals in both the Barber and B-Custom lines to free up resources. Stay tuned!

Effectrode pre-amp takes wing

Blake — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:53:25 +0000

The crew at UK-based Effectrode Audiophile Pedals have teased a new stomp concept on their facebook page that promises to put the ‘rocket science’ back into effects pedal design. Dubbed the Blackbird SR-71 pre-amp, the new pedal is due to undergo testing very soon… and while not many details have been released regarding the new offering, Effectrode boasts that it will have more flexibility and features than a high-end tube amp. That sets the bar pretty high. We’ll have to wait and see regarding the final product, but maybe not for very long. Stay tuned!

Hovercraft Amps launches Kickstarter

Blake — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:35:17 +0000

Solid Cables founder Nial McGaughey is soliciting funds for a run of guitar amps inspired by rare tube amps from a specific period in rock history – late 1960’s to early 1970’s heavy psychedelic rock and proto-heavy metal guitar rock.

“I have a huge soft spot for what’s now termed stoner rock,” said McGaughey. “The amps those guys used 40 years ago are now too valuable and rare to take on the road. Our amps owe their sonic inspiration to vintage Matamp, Orange, Laney and local Portland heroes Sunn Amplifiers. I got feedback from enough people that they loved the similar sound of our recycled amps and that was good enough for me to do this.”

Originally, Hovercraft amplifiers were uniquely remade from used tube amplifiers and components, but demand quickly outstripped supply, selling out within 24 hours of being announced. So Hovercraft has now kicked off a Kickstarter project to get 55 amps pledge funded by 4 June. Once all 55 amps are funded, Hovercraft will then be able to make these historic amp voices sing again.

Each of these new amplifiers (model name “Caribou”) will be uniquely tailored and voiced to the owner. No two will be alike. Priced at only $750, it will be very interesting to see… and hear… the results. Interested? You can check out the Kickstarter project page here.

What’s Subdecay up to?

Blake — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:04:19 +0000

Brian over at Subdecay Studios has been teasing a new pedal on the company’s facebook page, recently posting this pic showing multiple MN3209 chips. These are typically used for chorus/flanger type applications… so that narrows the band a bit. Given Subdecay’s reputation as modulation junkies as seen through the company’s more recent releases – like the DLX line – it seems pretty likely we’re getting a flanger/chorus type pedal. The first prototype has been constructed, and Brian reports the happy news that ‘it works!’ The real question is how many bells and whistles will be attached? Will this be a simpler Subdecay design or more closely resemble the DLX line? Time will time, because as of right now… Brian isn’t! Stay tuned!