Effects Bay

The other day, I saw a post on MusicRadar.com about their five favorite distortion boxes. I’m always interested in these types of posts to see if I can learn of anything new, or get reminded of something I forgot about. Their list of the five favorites consisted of the following:

1. Radial Bones London Distortion
2. Seymour Duncan Twin Tube Mayhem
3. ProTone Skumstortion
4. Roger Mayer Metalloid
5. MXR Fullbore Metal

Number one being the Radial Bones (R800-7105) London Distortion. I’ve heard about Radial Bones (out of Canada) but never gave them a closer look. Figured this would be a good time.  This pedal is a solid-state version of the Tonebone pedal which tries to emulate the high-gain Plexi-style amps.

Here is the official description:

The London ‘Bone’ from Radial Engineering is a solid-state version of the popular Tonebone Hot British distortion pedal. Inside is a multi-stage drive circuit that produces rich, fat tones reminiscent of the latest high-gain Plexi-style tube amplifiers. This unique circuitry retains note clarity even when driven to extremes.

The Bones London pedal has variable drive that lets you dial-in the perfect amount of distortion, a powerful dual-band equalizer with Radial’s distinctive passive-interactive tone circuit, a 3-position ‘Kick’ switch to add extra mid-range drive or fatten up single coil pickups, plus a 3-position ‘Bite’ control that can compensate for overly bright amps or add extra cut and sizzle to your tone.

The Radial distortion pedal employs a unique high-performance buffering circuit with preset load correction that retains the performance of ‘true bypass’ connectivity while lowering the impedance and susceptibility to noise. This enables the London pedal to efficiently drive the guitar signal when using longer cables and lets it employ Radial’s own EIS — Electronic Impulse Switching — for outstanding durability without the challenges of mechanical switches.

For maximum on-stage efficiency, the Bones London is configured for ‘clean, rhythm & lead’ playability whereby in bypass mode, you get the natural clean sound of your guitar. When the distortion pedal is activated, you can choose between two output drive circuits using the toggle footswitch. Each is equipped with a variable level control ( so that Level-1 can be set for rhythm while Level-2 can be driven at a higher level for lead. To increase sustain and cut for solos, the second drive circuit is augmented in the mid-range. Bright, easy to see LEDs deliver on-stage switching cues so you know exactly where you are at all times.

As most players employ pedalboards, the London features standard ‘Boss style’ 9V powering that will adapt to most multi-pedal power supplies. The ultra-compact design with top mounted i/o connections allow effects pedals to be placed close together for those wishing maximum pedalboard density.

I did find a video by GearWire where they talk to Radial Engineering at Winter NAMM 2009 about this pedal.

You can pick up the Radial Bones R800-7105 London Distortion for $158.99 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!

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Last year was my first trip to Chicago. I had a fantastic opportunity to visit Electrical Audio, a fantastic studio in the Chicago area run by the legendary Steve Albini. I was truly blown away how the studio opened their arms to us and granted us full access to the area to work on project over the course of two days there. Steve was incredibly generous with his time and space. I can’t thank him enough.

Shot I took of the console in Electrical Audio - Studio A Control Room

Today I received a email from Tim Midgett (you may know him from Silkworm, but now of Bottomless Pit) where he told me he as trying to put a campaign together to pay off the remaining mortgage payment of Electrical Audio’s space. He thought it would be a kind gesture to ask all the people that have recorded there (incredible recordings at absolutely great rates) or all the people that have taken part of the forum there over the years. I wanted to chip in to say thanks for letting us use the space.. for nothing. It’s the least I can do.

As far as I know Steve Albini is in the dark with this, and if we can hit the target goal of $230,000, that would be a very impressive gift to the man and the studio. Tim did some simple math, and is only asking for $115 minimum pledges. We only need 2000 pledges at this minimum amount to make it work. Pledges are not charged until the target is reached.

If you’re interested and can help… please make a pledge at the point.

Here is campaign information: http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/campaign-0-472
Here is a thread at Electrical Audio Form talking about it: http://www.electrical.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=52040

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Hello all! Just wanted to do this quick post to remind you that EffectsBay.com’s Deep Trip Hellbender Fuzz give away is still going on.. but ending soon. The kind folks at Deep Trip is letting me give away this very nice fuzz pedal.  If you’re unfamiliar with this, we did a review, which you can read here.

I had a few questions asking about the size and about the switching, so I cranked out a quick little video showing the size (compared to a Boss TU-2 of mine) and I talk about some of the features (oh, and talk about the LED).

If you haven’t entered the contest, please do so by submitting the entry form here. Please, try to spread the word by re-tweeting the post, posting it on your blog, or mentioning it on a forum.

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Today I was reading a blog post by Fat Tone Guitars where Phil goes into Distortion and Overdrives and mentions the MJM Phantom Overdrive. I remember looking at this 808 overdrive based overdrive a bit ago, but sort of forgot about it until reading the post. I thought I would feature it today.

Here is the official description by Fat Tone:

If you’re in love with the classic 808 overdrive tone but sick of sorting through all the clones and mods on the market, stop! The MJM Phantom Overdrive Pedal is here. The Phantom gives you the warm, sweet 808 tone that you crave with some improvements. The selector switch lets you go from a traditional screamer tone to a higher gain overdrive with some added low end. Now everything that you didn’t like about the screamer has been taken care of and there is clearly no other choice than the MJM Phantom Overdrive.

I found this video by rasomaso which shows what this pedal is all about:

You can pick up the MJM Phantom Overdrive for $165.00 at Fat Tone Guitars.

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!

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The following is a guest post by Kevin Ian Common. If you are interested in guest posting, please contact me!

Hello Kind Readers!

The Common Men are working on new material, and in this time I thought quite a bit about songwriting and the consequences of songwriting. I will focus today on some wisdom that has either been imparted onto me or self-realized after all of these years of writing and collaborating with artists of all genres.

Songwriting poses some serious challenges. Here are three main things I feel should keep you balanced during the songwriting process:

- Seek out Knowledge, but Know your Limitations

I have met many songwriters who have tried to overreach themselves and the end result is a meandering mess of a song. This is a tricky one to abide by because as songwriters, we are all naturally curious and want to see what chord substitutions can do and the like. Keep that adventurous spirit, but also realize that certain chords work together for a reason, and more often than not, your first instinct will be the best choice.

You will find yourself growing as a songwriter who wants to learn more about either theory, chords, or melodies. Actively seek out knowledge and immediately apply it to your next song. It may work, it might not, but applying everything you learn as soon as you learn it will make it part of your vocabulary as a songwriter.

In high school, I learned as many chords as I could. I was an expert at chord functions when I entered college. In my theory education, I received my education in HOW and WHY those chords work well together. That–along with my training in melody, voice-leading, and keys–helped me formulated ways to manipulate the audience through interesting and outlandish–but still appropriate–chord changes.

The second part is knowing your limitations. Everyone has a certain “style” to how they write songs. It doesn’t matter what genre you claim to write, if you were to write a pop song, rock song, or reggae song, they will follow a certain pattern and chord progression. Embrace this and be proud of it. You have your own influences and derive from them in ways unlike anyone else who might have the same influences.

As a songwriter in The Common Men, the promise of new material always gets the fans excited, and while I may venture from our usual song type, fans can always pick out the little things that still tell them it’s a Common Men song.

- Keep Things Simple (But Complexity has it’s Place)

This is pretty self-explanatory, but allow me to elaborate anyway Even songs that are super complicated (think about most progressive rock bands) have some elements of simplicity to it. Complexity for complexity’s sake makes songs sound meandering and messy.

However, remember that even with band’s that play simple music, they have a song or two or even elements of songs that have something complex about them. It doesn’t have to be a complex time signature change or overly complicated chords. The complex element can be an extra-melodic bass, a more syncopated drum beat or a simple chord with some extended harmony (think sustained chords or diminished chords) added to it. Perhaps your song is in E and you bring the bridge to C, or maybe you make the outro in E Minor. It’s the details that can really make your song standout.

- Perspective, Perspective, Perspective!

This is perhaps the most important of the three tips. This one helps you retain your sanity!

First and foremost: always be mindful of your audience. This does NOT mean that you write what you think the audience wants to hear. This simply means that you realize WHO will be hearing your music.

Most audience members have little to no knowledge about music–they only know what they like. Most of the time, the audience will simply not “get” you. Don’t be upset if they don’t “get” your lovely modulations or time signature changes. Most of the time, these people will simply go home and say to someone “Yeah, they played some complicated stuff.” They will also relate you to what they know. The Common Men are influenced by Joy Division, Bowie, Interpol, and The Moving Units to name a few. However, we get compared to Devo, The Fixx, The Minutemen, and The Dead Kennedys. It just happened that we remind them of what they like because they might not have heard of our influences or simply don’t see it that way. I figure, a fan is a fan

It may take you days, weeks, months to write a song. However, it only takes seconds for someone to listen, process, and judge your work. So, if they stick around and come up to tell you they enjoyed your set or really like a certain song, smile and be gracious about it!

In my years as a performer and songwriter, I know about the times when no one would show up to a show or even stick around. Now, The Common Men play to a good-sized audience every time we play out in our hometown. This keeps me humble and thankful for everything we have done and accomplished. This also helps breed confidence in our abilities as songwriters and arrangers. Though, the first time someone heard one of my songs ages ago and said “Hey, that sounds good!” was all I needed

I hope you have enjoyed this column! I will go into some of my favorite chords, and maybe a review or two of gear! Thanks again for reading!

Kevin Ian runs over 17 pedals. He is quite the tap dancer live on stage! He is currently the frontman/guitarist for The Common Men. You can find them on MySpace, Twitter and Facebook.. Please direct questions and comments to thecommonmenmusicgmailcom

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For another project I’ve been working on, I had an opportunity to make it to one of my favorite cities this weekend.. Chicago. Man, I have to say I really dig Chicago. The people are wonderful, and I’m always amazed at how nice everyone is. I know there are always exceptions to the rule, but seriously people in my experience in Chicago are great. Also, I really enjoy the architecture. Fantastic skyline, and the transportation system is excellent. Things I don’t like.. traffic is super crazy for a Montana-dude like myself. Insane.

One of the things on the agenda was to see Foals play at Lincoln Hall. I’ve been telling people for about a year now, that you have to check out Foals from Oxford, England. They are AMAZING. I already knew that, and have been a fan of both of their albums (Antidotes and Total Life Forever), but this was going to be my first time to actually experience them live.. and to experience them in a great club, Lincoln Hall. On top of that, I was able to meet Yannis and spend some time with him.. wicked.

Lincoln Hall in Chicago is a great venue. Nice size room that can fit 550 people, with a bar/restaurant attached to it. Lincoln Hall has a main floor (sound booth and bar + stage) and a upper balcony area (with another bar). Frankly any spot in that club is a great location to see all the action, plus you’re only a arm’s length away from getting a beer (Yay!). If you’re looking to catch a show in Chicago-land, look up Lincoln Hall to see if something great is going on there. One other cool point, was talking to the sound guy at Lincoln Hall (Paul) mentioned he played drums with Seam. Man… I loved Seam back in the day. Anybody else into them?Foals, for people that aren’t familiar with them, is a band that like has a serious upbeat groove, but very clean, interactive guitars, that end up on the edge of exploding at the end of the song. They definitely have a energy and vibe that is catchy, which will suck you in, but with smart aggression that leaves you satisfied. Watching them was everything I expected from them, but the energy on stage which the audience elevated was unbelievable. I found myself watching the band, then the crowd, then the band, it was pretty magical. I’ve been to a few highly energetic shows in my past, but this one had something different. Not sure what, but it felt very connected. A few days have passed, and I’m still thinking about it. After the show, a EffectsBay friend Juli (@cordinatedcable) of Cordinated Cables and her husband Dan stopped to say ‘Hi’.. which was cool to meet a online friend in the real world.

So, Foals are still touring (view tour dates), if you have a chance to check them out.. PLEASE DO. You won’t regret it.

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Today’s pedal line is from Josh McDowell. 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.

Hello, my name is Josh McDowell and I play in a post-punk band called The Dirty White http://thedirtywhite.com .  Here’s my current set-up.

Right to Left:

VOX Standard Wah -> MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay -> MXR Phase 90 -> MXR Ten Band EQ -> Behringer DR600 Digital Reverb -> Fender PT-10 Tuner.  Powered by a Behringer PB600 Pedal Board.

Above: Tech 21 SansAmp Classic (needs repair).

Below: Footswitch for a Fender Super-Sonic Amp

Not pictured:  BOSS DS-1, MXR Blue Box, DOD FX20B Stereo Phasor, Danelectro Milkshake Chorus, Hamiltone Homemade FUZZ

Notes:

All effects run into a Fender Super-Sonic Amp with a Marshall MF400 4×12 Cab

Guitars: Fender Strat, Fender Squire Jagmaster, ’64 Gibson Melody Maker, Epiphone Les Paul Deluxe, Epiphone Les Paul Junior

First is the VOX Wah. I prefer the classic standard wah sound, since I don’t use it a lot.  It seems like it needs to be first in the chain to get the proper input signal to get the signature “throw” sound.

Next is the MXR Analog Delay. The modulation switch makes this pedal quite versatile. I like to twist the delay knob while the regen is cranked to get some killer swells and loop effects.  It’s also great for getting U2 type delay sounds. Putting this early in my signal chain gives it a more pronounced sound.

After that is normally my SansAmp distortion.   I bought it on ebay after I heard Kurt Cobain used it on the In Utero tour.  It’s my favorite pedal by far. Tons of switches and knobs allow you to get Vox, Marshall, and Mesa Boogie tones all from one pedal. Currently, it needs repair so I’m using my amp distortion which I like as well.

In place of the SansAmp is the MXR Phase 90 (1996). I modded it after reading a web tutorial that would make it more like the script model.  It sounds better after the mod too. At the 45 degree mark, you can really hear that “Love Hurts” tone. I like to max it out sometimes to get a “wobbly” sound.  It requires a separate power supply as well as the SansAmp because they both use a male adaptor.

The MXR Ten Band EQ is pretty standard, I use it to refine my tone.  Of course 10 bands are better than 6 and so on. If I had to lose this pedal live, I could. It also uses a separate power source because it requires more that a 9V.

Next is the Behringer Reverb.  This has a digital after taste that I could do without, but it gets me by until I can upgrade it.  It actually sounds better with vocals.

Finally is the Fender tuner. It’s not extremely precise, but it has a bypass that makes it perfect for shows.  The Behringer pedal board itself has some noise interference, but it beats buying 9V batteries by the pound. It has a 6 point daisychain, but it does not adapt to male end plug.

One other remarkable pedal is the MXR Blue Box. It can be one of the most useless pedals for a mainstream guitarist.  I play in a noise rock band so I’ll occasionally use this pedal to get some absolutely ridiculous fuzz sounds. At its most controlled setting, it sounds like an 8 bit videogame, at the other extreme it’s a note-less monster of noise.

Thanks for letting me share my love of pedals with you. Please check out my band, The Dirty White, if you have time.

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Reggie Watts is from Montana. Reggie Watts does some amazing things with voice and loops. Reggie Watts performed on my birthday… in Montana.. and yet I still missed it. I am pissed that I missed Reggie Watts.

Seriously though, Reggie does amazing things with his voice and loops, it’s pretty incredible. I was super stoked to see this way-too-short video of Reggie doing what he does best at Electro-Harmonix using a Electro-Harmonix Classics 2880 Super Multi Track Looper and Classics 2880 Footswitch. Check out the video by EHX:

If you’re not familiar with Reggie Watts.. check out his site (http://www.reggiewatts.com). Or maybe check out this lovely clip called ‘Fuck Shit Stack’

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Today’s Free Shirt Wednesday is for SoundCloud! I’m pretty excited about this.. since I’m a big fan of their service. SoundCloud basically allows you to easily share/play music on the web. I’ve been using it for our pedal demos since I can upload high quality MP3s or wavs along with our video demos. The audio quality is preserved.

As for me, I know I only scratch the surface, since I only upload audio for my site, but you can share audio with collaborating artists, etc. Also, there are no file size limits for uploads, so you can push some large tracks up there. They measure storage in minutes. The free account I think is 120 minutes of audio. You can then push it up to various levels and payment plans if needed.

Besides the functionality, they also present the audio in a very cool way, by actually showing the wave form of the audio track. Looks cool, and they also provide WordPress shorttags to include them in your post. Very easy, very slick.. and cool. Thumbs WAY up for these guys.

Below is a great video that explains what they do:

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The following is a guest post by Jack Broughan. If you are interested in guest posting, please contact me!

Fugazi has always been a band characterised by strong principals, but the bands guitar sound has been governed strongly by the “keep it simple” ethos. Attempting to achieve much with very little equipment, Fugazi seek to gain a stronger connection with their music without being saddled down by excess gear.

Guitars:

Guy:
A Sunburst Rickenbacker 330 with RIC HB1 humbuckers.
A Black Rickenbacker 330 with RIC HB1 humbuckers.

Ian:
A white 1970′s Gibson SG fitted with a Dimazrio Super distortion in the bridge.
A brown1970′s Gibson SG fitted with a Dimazrio Super distortion in the bridge

Left, Ian uses his white SG and Marshall JCM. Right Guy uses his sunburst Rick with his park amplifier.

Amplifiers:

Guy:
A Park 100 Watt head,
A Marshall JCM 800 2203 head,
A red Marshall JCM 800 412 cabinet fitted with 75 watt celestion speakers.

Ian:
A Marshall JCM800 100 watt 2204 [Horizontal Input],
Marshall JCM800 412 cabinet fitted with 65 watt celestion speakers.

Guy using his Marshall JCM800 with his Black Rickenbacker 330.

Effects Pedals:

Guy:
An MXR Distortion plus,
A Budda Budwah,
An Echo park Echoplex.

Ian:
None used.

Notes:
Ian plugs directly into the high gain input in his JCM 800 and also keeps his presence and treble very low and bass and mids cranked on the amp.
Guy Also uses the MXR as a boost pedal.
Guy also alternates between the Park and the Marshall.
For more recent tours he has been seen using the Marshall.

by Jack Broughan

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