Effects Bay

Today’s pedal line is from Ben Howard (@benzakonium). If you have a pedal line (doesn’t have to be in a board) for your rig, please email me a photo, bio, description of pedals and routing to pedallineeffectsbaycom. Every Friday I’ll showcase a pedal line submission. Make sure you include any links to your band or music page.

I’d like to submit my setup for Pedal Line Friday.

Here’s my line:

Monster Cable >>

Custom Audio Electronic MC404 Wah – This is the newest addition to my line. I’ve been looking for a Wah for a long time, I’ve tried a lot and apart from the Fulltone Clyde Deluxe, this is the only one I’ve liked. The dual Fasel feature is amazing with two completely differently voiced conductors, Yellow is classic Cry Baby and Red is warm and dark. It also has a built in MXR MC-401 Boost/Line Driver which ads up to 20dB of boost if you kick the switch in… very handy. It’s True-Bypass which you don’t get in most Cry Babies >>

Korg PitchBlack Tuner – Not much to explain here, just a great tuner especially in strobe mode, true-bypass so no tone messing going on >>

Pigtronix Philosopher’s Tone Compressor – This is just the sweetest compressor. I love this pedal and use it a great deal. It’s really quiet and it has a hidden gem with it’s Grit knob that ads in a layer of distortion which is blendable, this makes it sound like you are playing through two amps at once, one clean and one distorted. It really nails that Chili Peppers tone when using a Strat >>

B.Y.O.C Phaser – This is a clone of a classic Phase 90 Script, but with an added control for the amount of phase effect. If you dime it, it’s just the same as a Phase 90, so mine stays dimmed most of the time. It’s a great phase pedal, probably would be even better built by somebody with more skill than me, but it was only my second crack as a B.Y.O.C kit and it seems to work ok for me >>

EHX Big Muff Pi with Tone Wicker – I wanted a classic fuzz tone, but sometimes found regular Big Muffs a little… well muffled, this has the ability to by-pass the tone circuit which really opens up the tone. The Whicker switch adds in a mid-range boost I believe which also helps it stand out in the mix >>>

B.Y.O.C OctaFuzz – This was my first B.Y.O.C build. I got it because I was looking for that Hendrix OctaFuzz tone and I read that this was one of the simplest pedals for beginners. Well it is a simple pedal and I put it together without any major headaches, but it doesn’t sound like a Hedrix OctaFuzz… It’s a crazy sounding pedal that takes some taming. It works best with single coils, bridge position and with the volume and tone set down a bit. It’s a fat sound and can be fun to kick in now and then >>>

ProCo Solo – I went in to my local guitar shop with the full intention of buying a classic RAT and somehow walked out with this. It’s a great sounding pedal and goes from dirty fuzz to searing distortion. It can really scream through the mix which is great for lead, but it has a mid-scoop which can also be good for rhythm work. However I mainly have it set so it sounds like a classic RAT… kinda ironic, but at least I have the ability to tweak it if I need to >>>

B.Y.O.C Overdrive II – This is basically a Tubescreamer clone with some great extras. It has so much more control over the shaping of the tone than most Tubscreamer clones and you really can make it sound like lots of different pedals just with a few tweaks. I got it after I saw Gearmanndude demo one, check out his video, you’ll get a better idea than me waffling on. I use the boost in this pedal a lot too, it’s really clear and great for clean as well as being able to throw an amp over the edge into crunch >>>

Boss GE-7 Monte Allums Mod – This is a great EQ pedal. I bought it on eBay with the mod already in place, so I don’t know the details of what is involved, but from their website it seems it’s got replaced op amps for a cleaner signal… it’s a great tool to just tweak you tone at the end of the chain and I leave it on almost all of the time, I also use it to give a slight signal boost which really brings my amp to life >>>

Effects Loop >>>

MXR Stereo Chorus – I love this chorus pedal, you just have so much control with it. The bass cut switch is great for strumming as it keeps the bass frequencies intact. If you crank the Rate knob it does a great Leslie sound too >>>

EHX Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai – I have a love/hate relationship with this pedal. It has great flexibility and being able to save presets and call them back and the touch of a knob is awesome. But it’s a tone sucker, especially the Looper which just rips the guts out of your tone. Having said that I use the looper a lot as it’s a great practice tool, I’m thinking of swapping this out for a Way Huge Aqua Puss II and a Boss Loop Station >>>

All of this is powered with a T-Rex Fuel Tank and routed using Fulltone Cables with the exception of one George L’s due to space constraints, it then goes into an Egnater Tourmaster 4100 Head with an Orange 212 Cab… both of which are incredible. I mainly use the amps distortion straight up and just my pedals on the clean channels to kick them into crunch or fuzz.

About Ben Howard:

I don’t currently play in a band, so I don’t have much to promote other than that I am a graphic designer specializing in branding, so if there are any pedal/amp/guitar manufacturers, big or small, looking for some graphics, packaging concepts or advertising then give me a shout… I’m always up for doing work based on trading for gear. You can contact me via my Twitter account: @benzakonium
Ben Howard

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I just saw that Phil from Fat Tone Guitars tweeted about a sale going on for the Empress Tap Tempo Tremolo Effect Pedal. I just recently did a post about the Empress Superdelay, so this is a nice follow-up post! Looks like you can save $25 today/tomorrow on the Empress Tap Tempo Tremolo Effect Pedal with the following code at checkout: EMP25

Here is the description of the Empress Tap Tempo Tremolo Effect Pedal:

The Empress Tap Tremolo is an original design built from the ground up to include innovative features without sacrificing tone. The audio signal path is analog, but the tremolo effect is controlled digitally via opto technology.

Pristine Sound- The Empress Tremolo has to be heard to be believed. It’s whisper quiet and free from the “LFO throb” usually associated with tremolos. We dare anyone to find a better sounding tremolo.

Waveform Selection – You can modulate your sound with three different waveforms. An asymmetrical tremolo was modelled after a ’65 Fender Vibrolux (brown face) to give you the fullest tremolo sound possible. A square wave can be utilized if you’re after a harder sound. And if you’re looking for a more normal tremolo, you can use the triangle wave setting.

Tap Tempo – The Empress Trem averages your last four taps so it plays in sync with your music. You can also choose different tap to tremolo rate ratios. 1:1, 1:2, and 1:4 are available.

Two Speed Mode – An exclusive feature to the Empress Trem. You’re able to set two different rates, and switch between them using the tap tempo stompswitch. This is similar to playing through a Leslie cabinet and changing the speed.

Rhythms – Another exclusive feature. The Empress Trem will definiately do your run-of-the-mill tremolo sound to a tee. But you can also set it to play different rhythms. Check out the soundclips for examples.

Gain – A problem with most tremolos on the market is that when they’re engaged, you hear a noticeable drop in volume. The Empress Trem solves this by having a gain stage on the output. It’s able to deliver up to 6dB of gain without adding any distortion to the signal.

True Bypass – The Empress Trem employs true bypass, so you can be sure that it’s not affecting the signal when disengaged.

Perfect Size – The enclosure measures approximately 4.5″ by 3.5″ by 1.5″, which is delightfully small when considering all the features packed into this unit.

According to Empress’ site, this pedal’s price is $449. Fat Tone Guitars has the Empress Tap Tempo Tremolo pedal for $249.95 (plus $25 off with the coupon code EMP25

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Hello, I wanted to talk about the Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Boy Analog Delay with Tap Tempo, since we’re in the middle of the EHX Deluxe Memory Boy give-away (Thanks to Tone Factor). If you didn’t know about this give-away, please enter for a chance to win this pedal for FREE!

The EHX Deluxe Memory Boy is a great pedal with some awesome features (Effects loop, tap tempo and note divisions).

Below is the official description:

The Deluxe Memory Boy is the newest member of the iconic Memory Man family. It carries on the family tradition with new performance aspects that give it unique power and metronomic definition.

Quality IC’s deliver warm and organic tones while the new Tap tempo allows you to always be in perfect sync with the groove. Choose from five note divisions for metronomic variance while staying in sync and always on the mark. The added EFX loop integrates your pedals to follow the groove with tonal dexterity .Use an expression pedal to control your modulations for performance flexibility. The Deluxe Memory Boy is slick, smart and always on time.

Features:

Pure analog IC’s
Tap Tempo with footswitch control
5 selectable note subdivisions
EFX loop
Expression pedal with multiple functions
Multi waveform modulation

Here is a great video by EHX:

You can pick up the Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Boy Analog Delay with Tap Tempo for $179.25 at Tone Factor!

Remember, if you like reading about these pedals and seeing videos reviews from others, please subscribe to the RSS feed and get notified via email when there are new postings!

Popularity: 7%

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I posted a video of Jason Newsted, where he states the Dunlop Crybaby 105Q Bass Wah “is the secret to the universe”. Mighty large statement, so I had to take a closer look!

Here is the official description of the Dunlop Crybaby 105Q Bass Wah:

The Dunlop Crybaby 105Q Bass Wah Pedal is a wholly unique effect masterfully applied to bass. Adds a growling, funky new dynamic to your sound. Customized circuit for the bass guitar, a 100kOhm Hot Potz potentiometer, sturdy die-cast body, and a Q dial lets you alter the wah parameters. The Dunlop Crybaby 105Q Bass Wah Pedal is powered by the Dunlop ECB03 AC adapter and/or 9V battery, not included.

I found a interesting video by happyslappysoong:

You can pick up the Dunlop Crybaby 105Q Bass Wah for $119.99 at Musician’s Friend.

Remember, if you like reading about these pedals and seeing videos reviews from others, please subscribe to the RSS feed and get notified via email when there are new postings!

Popularity: 6%

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I think Dunlop TV is starting to be one of my favorite things to watch lately. Great insight with gear and musicians. Love it. I came across this interview of Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica fame). I was glad to see that he’s still rockin, but also really interested in his paintings. I hope he goes far with it, he clearly has a passion for it.

Along with his paintings, this video goes into his rig from the early days of Metallica to what he has now. Very interesting.

Popularity: 9%

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I’ve been working on pedals for a few months now. I absolutely love tweaking. I’ve been having issues and challenges, but these have really helped me learn the ‘process’. I didn’t really like building kits, since I feel it’s a little too ‘auto-pilot’. I really wanted to learn and understand how electrical components affect the signal, etc.

About a month ago I stumbled across this video which is EXACTLY why I don’t like kits. This is showing Brian Wampler (Wampler Pedals) working the breadboard and tweaking the circuits to get the sound he’s searching for in his head to come out of the amp. To do this, you need to really understand how these components work.. or at the very least have the balls to mess things up. Kits are great to get started with the soldering iron, etc., but the breadboard is where it’s at for creating something instead of just building something.

Popularity: 9%

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I’ve been hearing about this. I asked the question “Best delay pedal available today?” a while back, and the Empress Superdelay was mentioned several times. Empress Effects has been pumping out some fantastic pedals since 2004ish and have really secured their place as a quality boutique pedal company.

While poking around at Amazon, I found a decent deal on the Empress Superdelay, but first here are the details of this awesome delay:

The Empress Superdelay isn’t your basic delay. Sure it does basic delay sounds, and it sounds better than anything else out there while doing them. But if all you want is a simple delay, the Empress Superdelay isn’t for you. The Empress Superdelay is for musicians who want to be inspired by their pedals, not limited by them.

* Killer Sound Quality – The Signal to Noise ratio is around 105dB.
* 2.8 Seconds of Delay Time – For your extra long delays.
* 8 modes – normal, tap, autoset (delay time is set by tempo played), reverse, rhythm mode (multitap), tape mode, misc (dynamic, gate), and 12 second looper.
* Expression Pedal Input – allows you to control either mix or feedback with your foot.
* High Pass/Low Pass Filter – high pass is good for electronic music, low pass is sweet for darker analog delay type sounds.
* Fast/Slow Modulation – slow adds extra texture, fast is a little crazy.
* 8 Presets – Settings can be saved to 8 presets. With three stompswitches, accessing the presets is easy.
* Tap Tempo with Ratios – many of the modes use tap tempo, and the ratio selection makes fast in-time delay times easy.

Here is a great video by EmpressEffects:

Also, here is a good video about the Tape Mode. There are a few modes, and various videos can be found that covers them all:

Currently (this may change), the Empress Superdelay is available for $432.31 at Amazon.com

Remember, if you like reading about these pedals and seeing videos reviews from others, please subscribe to the RSS feed and get notified via email when there are new postings!

Popularity: 4%

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Looks like Musician’s Friend just released another coupon code. Offer expires on 4/28. Through Wednesday night, use Coupon Code PLAY at checkout. Here is the break down on savings:

Spend $100 – $249.99    Save 5%
Spend $250 – $699.99    Save 10%
Spend $700 – $3299.99    Save 15%
Spend $3300+            Save $500 off

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While the coffee is brewin’ this morning, thought I’d do some searches for fuzzes. I’ve been hearing about Malekko, but never checked them out, so here we go. I first wanted to see what they were all about, so I checked out their website, and in particular, read their story. I really appreciated where these guys come from, and knowing a little about the builders can reveal their angle when it comes to circuit designs. Seems like a personal way to see if their ‘style’ fits yours.

The definitely have a good assortment of pedals/styles to choose from including Synth Modules. But I came here (this time) to look for fuzz… and I found it. The Malekko Omicron Series Analog Fuzz Pedal.

Here is their official description:

This is our take on a classic Germanium diode based fuzz pedal of the past. It produces a wide range of fuzz tones in a super small enclosure. Very easy to use, the FUZZ has just two pots:

VOL, which increases the volume of the signal and is capable of producing a volume boost if so desired, and

DRIVE, which increases the fuzz amount…go ahead, turn it up!!!

But that’s not all- simply flip the pedal over, unscrew the four retaining screws (screwdriver not included), and remove the bottom cover to reveal a tiny three-position switch on the upper left-hand side! This mini switch unleashes the true power of the FUZZ! Position 1 (up) gives you a sweet octave fuzz. Position 2 (down) gives you a heavier “scooped” tone. Engineered to be searing and musical, both of these classic fuzz tones will inspire you to play and play. That’s two killer tones for one low price!

I found a great video by gearmanndude. I was impressed how this fuzz held up with chords. It’s definitely a very useable fuzz sound, which I can see be used in various applications.

You can pick up the Malekko Omicron Fuzz pedal for $130.00 at Fat Tone Guitars (item qualifies for free shipping).

Remember, if you like reading about these pedals and seeing videos reviews from others, please subscribe to the RSS feed and get notified via email when there are new postings!

Popularity: 5%

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I made a post of the Way Huge Electronics Aqua-Puss MkII Analog delay last month, but today, I saw that Premier Guitar Magazine did a great review of this pedal. The first post featured a NAMM 2010 video and this pedal, but this review is a great studio setting review of the pedal.

Here is the video by premierguitar:

You can pick up the Way Huge Electronics Aqua-Puss MkII Analog delay for $149.99 at Musician’s Friend.

Remember, if you like reading about these pedals and seeing videos reviews from others, please subscribe to the RSS feed and get notified via email when there are new postings!

Popularity: 5%

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