Effects Bay

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

In my role as a bass teacher, I often am asked, “what effects pedals should I get?”

The simple answer is that bassists really don’t need pedals, but then I follow that up by telling what the most useful effects for bass are. A an octave pedal  is definitely one of these. It is an effect which adds an octave below the note you are playing and it is a simple way to enhance the sound of a bass. Pino Palladino made a name for himself with extensive use of an octave pedal with a fretless bass. You can hear this most notably on the song, I’m Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down, recorded with Paul Young. Here’s a nice live version (a little faster than the original). Keep listening to hear what he does at the end of the song.

Of course, in my role as a freelance bassist, I often bring a large pedal board with me. This usually causes the other players to groan, “oh, no, please don’t use those!” If I brought every pedal I owned, they would go into shock. However, once I start playing, I use the pedals sparingly. When I use the octave pedal, generally one of the other musicians will turn around and smile at me.

Over the years, I have owned a variety of pedals including the Boss OC-2 pedal and the EBS Octabass. Now that I have had the MXR M288 Bass Octave Deluxe for a while, I can say that this pedal gets the sound for which  I have been searching for years.

One of the features necessary in an octave pedal is good tracking and this pedal definitely tracks well, not only for single notes, but also for double stops (two notes at once). When using an octave pedal, just make sure you don’t play notes below A. The pedal may be able to produce those sounds, but your speakers won’t. I generally try to avoid going below C.

The next feature you need in the pedal is the ability to mix your straight bass sound with the octave sound and once again this pedal comes through using a control which is called Dry. Turning this dial all the way to the left will give you just the octave sound and to the right will give you almost no octave sound. You will want to start with the control and the middle and then adjust it to get the blend you want.

The unique feature of the MXR pedal is that it has two distinctly different octave bass sounds. MXR calls one sound Girth and this is a clean and smooth octave-below sound. The other sound is called Growl. This sound has more bite and to me it sounds very much like a synth bass doubling your notes. The two sounds have independent controls and can be blended together, giving this pedal a wide range of available sounds.

There is also a mid-range boost switch and the particular frequency and intensity of this boost can easily be adjusted with an internal slide switch and trim pot.  I like the sound of this boost the way it was set at the factory, but your mileage may differ.

Other features of the pedal are its extremely small size and internal circuitry which will keep the unit functioning properly even if the battery voltage starts dropping. The pedal is also true-bypass, which means that your signal completely bypasses all internal circuitry when the pedal  is switched off.

The instructions that come with the pedal include three sample settings: Sub Slap, Sub Rock, and …. Playhouse. (hmm…)

The price of this pedal is not out-of-line with that of other pedals of this type, especially since the Boss OC-2 pedal has now become collectible and prices for that one are going up steadily.

I strongly recommend this pedal for anyone who is covering songs on which the original recording had a synth bass part or a synth doubling the bass part You could also use it on a song in which the guitar is doubling the bass part. Then you will free up a guitarist to play a different part.  It also will instantly make any solo stand out. These are uses in which the pedal works for me and you will probably find some more uses once you have the unit.

One more feature I almost forgot to mention is that the pedal is blue so it matches my main bass, a Mike Lull M4V with a custom blue sunburst finish! Next time we meet, I’ll talk about other types and models of pedals which might be useful for a bassist to own. Happy bass playing!

Jeremy Cohen has been playing bass for over 40 years. He works as a bassist in the S.F. Bay area and is first call bassist for a variety of bands. He is known for tasteful, solid playing, sight-reading ability, the amount of preparation he does before gigs, and his ability to walk into any situation (with charts or not) and fit in.

He also has taught many students over the years and is extremely proud of all his students. Read what Matt Freeman of Rancid has to say:
http://www.jeremycohenbass.com/BParticle.09.pdf
Read, listen and see more about him at http://www.jeremycohenbass.com
His CD is on sale at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jazzexpress

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I’ve been keeping an eye out at Amazon for some good deals… and it’s been rough. Not a lot going on after the Christmas sales I imagine. I did find a good deal on the Line 6 Uber Metal pedal at Amazon though. The Uber Metal lists for $179.99 and you usually see it available in the $100 range, but is currently on sale for only $91.83. You save a few bucks, and the Uber Metal does ship with FREE super saver shipping. I wasn’t able to find any ‘good’ demos of this pedal on youtube (I’ll spare you), but it seems the Uber Metal is similar to the MXR M116 Fullbore Metal pedal (which is also on sale for $91.73). Has built in noise gate and EQ adjustments to get that super scooped mid metal tone.

Here is the official description on the Line 6 Uber Metal:

So much gain, so little time. The high-gain model in the ToneCore pedal line, Uber Metal brings you massive amounts of gain in one tiny, tough package. You can chose from some of the best Line 6 high-gain tones including Metal, Pulverize, and Insane. Also included with the Uber Metal is a built-in selectable noise gate, and scoop control for massive tonal contouring.

Again, the Line 6 Uber Metal pedal is currently on sale for only $91.83 at Amazon.com

Popularity: 3%

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Today’s pedal line is from Michael Stettes. 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 play bass (and do some light synth work) in Sam Cooper & The Sleepwalkers, a Wilco-ish, Sun Kil Moon-y sort of band that I love dearly. We just did a winter EP called “Snow” and you can download the three songs off it for FREE at http://samcoopersolo.bandcamp.com/releases. It includes an original as well as two covers. So if you wanna hear some slackers put their own spin on “Kiss From a Rose” as well as the Christmas classic, “Walking in the Air,” boom, do it. I mean, it’s friggin’ Seal, man. Get some.

The Bass: I’m only using one bass guitar right now–a MIM Fender P-bass that’s been completely gutted, sanded down, and rebuilt to emulate a 60′s P-bass in every way. Electronics have been replaced, frets have been sanded, and it’s been repainted with a nitrocellulose laquer (ReRanch Sonic Blue) with the headstock matched. The coat has started to become a little seafoamy with time, but that’s just fine. Here are a few pics, one with me in it from a gig a little while ago. The pic with the driftwood came from the luthier who sold it to me, and he didn’t include the tugbar, but I wouldn’t have used it anyway. I also put a sizable nick in the headstock that I’m irked about, but like the luthier told me to do when I bought it from him, I’ve been “playing the hell out of it.”

The Board: I use a modified Pedal Pad AXSII. It’s really heavy but it’s super durable. I loved the board but since I bought it used, the carpet wasn’t in the best condition. I ripped it off, painted the bare wood black, and drilled some 12″x12″ aluminum sheets into it. They’re lightweight, and good for adhesive strips of velcro. I’m thinking of modding it further by drilling a handle between the wooden flaps so I can lift both up at once.

The Power: I use a Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2 and have a Visual Sound 1-Spot plugged into the PP2′s outlet. The only thing I don’t like about the PP2 is the fact that because the barrel connectors are straight, it’s hard to fit them in tight spaces, like on pedals with 9v jacks on the side right next to the jacks. That’s where the 1-spot’s angled connectors come in. I have the PP2 attached with velcro to the underside of one of the flaps, reinforced by super glue. Super-glue is awesome. I’ve noticed some minor noise that I think is likely ground-loop related and cuased by the daisy chain, so I’ll likely get a Voodoo Lab ISO-5 at some point to supplement MAH POWAH.

The Cables: Most of the connections on the board are made using Planet Waves Solderless Pedal Board Cables. I strongly recommend them. Easy to make and use. I have a couple of DiMarzio Patch Cables, an Armor Gold one, and a few cheapies of origins unknown. I use a Monster Rock cable from the guitar to the board. People say Monster is overrated, and that’s probably true, but their Rock cables coil extremely well, look good, and have never given me an issue. From the board to the amp, I use an Armor Gold cable.

Korg Pitchblack Tuner: Nice and bright. Does its job and does it well. The footswitch has gotten a little glitchy over the years and I might repair it soon. I’d prolly get another if I had to replace it.

Boss DF-2 Super Feedbacker & Distortion: Many reviews knock the dirt of this pedal, but I actually dig it. However, I don’t use this as a dirt pedal live. I solely use it for its feedback function in combination with my other pedals to create cool, droney soundscapin’, which is why I don’t mind it being in front of the compressor. I’ve toyed with the idea of getting the new Boss FB-2 Feedbacker/Booster as a replacement, and storing the SF-2 for safekeeping since it’s discontinued. Oh, and I had a guy put a purple LED in mine, because fuck red.

Ashdown Dual Band Compressor: A buddy of mine had this sitting around his house and just gave it to me. I had never messed with a bass compressor pedal before. I was definitely missing out. I almost always leave it on now. It’s got a pretty big footprint, but I love the sound it gives me. Plus, the EQ on it is really powerful.

Fender Sub-Lime Bass Fuzz: What a cool pedal in both looks and sounds. Rockin’ ballsy vintage bass fuzz. Comes with a price though: learning curve, weighs a bit, and some of the controls are under the pedal. I’ve thought about having it rehoused by Walrus Audio and renaming it the “Sub-lemon-al Bass Fuzz” (see what I did there?). Still, I love it. This is my go-to pedal for dirt live. I stack it with the El Oso if I need even more.

Devi Ever U.S. Fuzz: Gated, sputtery doom. Lacks a little low end, but I can adjust the amp for that and it’s good for smooth, synthy, saw-like fuzz. It’s actually off my board now (I had stolen it from my guitarist and he wanted it back, d’oh!) I now have a clone of the U.S. Fuzz that Noisekick FX did for me called the “DEUS,” which means “GOD” in Latin, but also pays tribute to the original: Devi Ever US. The clone has an an additional toggle switch for more low end. I combine it with the Hummingbird for cool pulse sounds.

Heavy Electronics El Oso Bass Distortion: Use this when I want a mostly clean tone with a background of sizzle. Thank you Blend knob! Sayer, the proprietor of Heavy Electronics, is an awesome chappie, and you really can’t go wrong with his pedals. Ever.

Earthquaker Devices Hummingbird: This is essentially a tremolo, but Earthquaker refers to it as a repeat percussion pedal, which is probably more accurate. It’s all chop, can get really fast, and its depth goes all the way to silence. Exceptional pedal.

Danelectro Cool Cat Chorus: While this can definitely add some thickness to the dirt and the drones, this is strictly a placeholder pedal. I will soon be replacing this with the Source Audio Soundblox Bass Envelope Filter. And yes, I’m getting the Hot Hands to go with it. I’m torn on whether or not I should get the “Pro” version of it. If I get a bigger board though, I’ll keep the Cool Cat because I like the spund of chorus on bass, but in that instance, I may replace it with the Tech 21 Bass Boost Chorus.

MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay: You see this bad boy everywhere for a reason. Solid, dark, analog delay. I’ve tweaked the internal controls for more modulation.

Line 6 Verbzilla: There are two main things I use this reverb for. The first is the Octo setting for thickening the feedbacker drones and for other shimmery things. The second is the Ducking verb, which is really ideal for bass guitar. It responds to your playing dynamics. The louder you play, the less reverb you hear, so your signal isn’t muddied, and when a note rings out, the verb fades back in. Plus, the Verbzilla has a trails switch that I think is ideal for delay/reverb pedals.

The Amp: Nothing fancy. Just a little Ampeg BA115 Combo.

Thanks for reading! i know I probably included a lot of details you don’t care about, but I personally like reading that kind of stuff, and thought others might as well! Again! Free songs! Seal! http://samcoopersolo.bandcamp.com/releases

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The following is a guest review by Donny Silva. If you are interested in writing a guest review, please contact me!

My Name is Donny Silva. I play bass in a band called Defy Tolerance. We are a rock band out of Phoenix, AZ. I play Spector basses and Gallien Krueger amps/cabs.

www.defytolerance.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Defy-Tolerance/102358636468140
www.facebook.com/roskotheworshiprocker

Coming from being a guitarist I wanted to use effects. I really wanted to “grunge” up my tone. I soon bought the MXR M80 bass DI+. Here are the features from their website:

- Distortion channel with gain, volume, and blend controls
- Color button
- 3-band EQ
- Phantom power
- 1/4″ and XLR outs
- Parallel output jack

I will keep this simple. The EQ is great. Even though it is only Bass, Mid, Treble, you can get a lot of tone out of this pedal. There is a separate volume control for each channel and a “color” button. This “color” button enables a preset scoop. I think it has a traditional Ampeg tone to it, real middy.

The EQ transfers to the distortion channel when engaged. This is possibly the only downfall of this pedal. The distortion channel has a gate and a blend knob. The gate is nice, you can set the trigger point with a trigger knob. The gain is a little harsh on this pedal. It is very gritty. But what makes it very versatile is the blend knob. This will blend in the distorted signal with the clean signal. I drive the gain at about 2 o’clock and have my blend knob at 7 o’clock. I get a very clear grit to my tone.

There also is a Phantom/Ground button. This is a great feature if you have phantom power from a mixing board.

As a bass player you it is nice to be able to send a direct signal to the front of house engineers. With this pedal you can send the FOH guys your tone and also send the signal to your amp. There is a third “parallel output” . I imagine this is most useful to send to a tuner.

I am loving this pedal, It can really liven up a cheap practice amp or give a great live tone for any performance. I highly recommend it.

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So there has definitely been a lot of talk about Van Halen these days. New album. New tour. Back in the day (we’re talking 8th grade or so) I was a HUGE Van Halen fan (probably like a few of you). I remember making calls about picking up a Kramer guitar. This was WAY before I even held a guitar in my hands for the first time. So I guess, the reason I play guitar today is because of Eddie? Maybe.

I was bummed reading about Eddie’s behavior from Sammy on the last tour (I can’t remember if it was the last tour or not) and seeing some of the few clips where Eddie definitely wasn’t Eddie of old. I really hope for 2012 things are better for him. Yesterday, I saw that Lava Cables posted a photo of Eddie Van Halen’s pedal board from the recent gig at Cafe Wah (which I believe is the first show of their tour on Jan 5th).

Here is the photo that was posted and the breakdown of Eddie Van Halen’s pedals:

Here is the breakdown of pedals

MXR M234 Analog Chorus
Custom Mute Box
Dunlop EVH EVH95 Wah
Boss OC-3 Super Octave
MXR EVH117 EVH Flanger
MXR EVH Phase 90
G-LAB PB-1 Power Supply
6 loop bypass switch
4 loop bypass switch

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Today’s pedal line is from Jon and Paul from Mod Gun. 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.

Love your site and would love to be featured on Pedal Line Friday!

Here are the pedal boards we use in the band Mod Gun. We are from the Boston area and gig regularly. Our music is available for free download at modgun.bandcamp.com. Please take it!

The first board is home made from ply wood and carpet. The red boss master switch toggles all of the modulations and time based effects on the second row on and off. I run into a dynacomp before my gain stages on the first row, and there is a second dynacomp outside of the switch’s loop at the end of my signal chain. I run my board through a 77 bassman 100 head with a 2×12 avatar cab loaded with eminence swamp thangs. For guitars I use a Gibson Les Paul 40th Anniversary model and a De Armond Starfire.

The signal chain goes like this
MXR Dynacomp
Guyatone SV-2 Slow Volume
MXR M-109 6 Band Graphic EQ
MXR M-104 Distortion +
MXR M-103 Blue Box
EHX Big Muff
Fulltone Octafuzz
Dunlop Fuzz Face
Boss PSM-5 Power Supply & Master Switch

Out from the switch into:
EHX Deluxe Electric Mistress
EHX Small Clone
MXR M-101 Phase 90
Guyatone MD-3 Micro Digital Delay
Boss DD-6 Digital Delay
Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
Boss TR-2 Tremolo
Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner

Back into the switch:
MXR Dynacomp

The second board is our lead guitarist’s Pedal Train Pro. That’s his Fender Custom Shop 1960 Stratocaster. He also uses various other Strats. He runs his board through an Orange Rockerverb 100 into a 4×12. The following pedals run through the front of his amp:

Vox V847 Wah
Xotic EP Booster
Catalinbread Ottava Magus
EHX Pog 2

The rest run through his effects loop:
EHX Little Big Muff
Zvex Fuzz Probe
EHX LPB1
Fulltone Mini Deja Vibe
Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter
Boss TR-2 Tremolo
EHX Memory Toy
EHX Freeze
Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner

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I just came across a nice deal on the MXR MC401 Line Driver at Amazon. This is the Custom Audio Electronics (CAE) version. Quality build on the enclosure and the circuit is tight, as you would expect from CAE! The MXR MC401 Line Driver lists for $169.74, and is usually available for $99, but is currently on sale for $70.11 at Amazon! That’s $30 off regular price! This pedal is also available with FREE super saver shipping. At the time of this post, there were only 5 in stock. Usually when the stock number gets down to 1 or 2, the price will jump back up, so if you’re looking for a line driver.. this is a great opportunity to get one at a great price.

Here is the official description of the MXR MC401 Line Driver:

MXR and Custom Audio Electronics founder Bob Bradshaw – two names that have shaped the tones of the world’s greatest guitarists – join forces to bring you a dynamic new line of pedals. The Boost/Overdrive and Boost pedals are the first offerings in the series produced by MXR, featuring the unique sonic stamp of legendary designer Bob Bradshaw. Since 1980, CAE’s innovative pedal designs were made in limited quantities only for his select clientele. When it was time to bring these pedals to the masses, there was only one name he could trust to deliver the same quality and standards that his customers demand – MXR. Available only from Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc., the world’s leader in analog pedal technology. MC-401 Boost/Line Driver The MC-401 is simple in design but superbly effective in solving a variety of mis-matched line level and signal conditioning problems that can occur when combining effects. The MC-401′s circuit design has been used for years by CAE in the world’s best guitarist’s rigs to remedy these problems and rejuvenate the sparkle, punch and brilliance that can be lost. It can also be used as an ultra-clean boost for solos or to drive effects for more dynamics and sensitivity.

Again, the MXR MC401 (CAE) Line Driver is on sale for only $70.11 at Amazon!

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Ah… it’s getting to the “Best of 2011″ time of year. I’m always interested what items stood out for the year that is about to end. Always seems to create some good discussions, etc. I came across the Guitar World staff pick (by Paul Riario) Top 10 Effect Pedals of 2011. You can read the full article here.

Basically, he broke it down to the following:

1. Dunlop Cantrell JC95 Cry Baby
2. MXR Custom Badass ’78 Distortion
3. Electro-Harmonix Ravish Sitar
4. Eventide Space
5. Strymon Lex Rotary
6. Keeley Luna Overdrive
7. Caroline Guitar Company Wave Cannon
8. Wampler Hot Wired Brent Mason Overdrive/Distortion
9. Visual Sound Dual Tap Delay
10. Way Huge Green Rhino

The Cantrell wah has been brought up multiple times as being a great wah. I’ve seen it on a few Pedal Line Friday boards and I thought that was a solid pick.

It was also great to see Caroline Guitar Company’s Wave Cannon in there. We had the privilege to demo the Wave Cannon (and gave it away) a while back. Definitely a great pedal for sure.

I was slightly surprised to see the MXR Custom Badass ’78 Distortion. I’ve never played that pedal, but I often see mix reviews here. Some people love it while others.. not so much. Let me know your opinion of the ’78 distortion if you have it by commenting below.

I think Strymon is going to be showing up a lot on these lists to come. I have the Strymon BlueSky, and basically everything they put out is golden. I’ve never seen a complaint about Strymon.

A couple of pedals that I want to look into is the Keeley Luna Overdrive and the Wampler Hot Wired. Both of those pedals I’m not too familiar with.

The Electro-Harmonix Ravish Sitar is another one that people are interested, but I don’t see many people actually owning this pedal. I know it’s new, but may have limited applications for the masses. Again, let me know what you think.

The Visual Sound Dual Tap Delay is a pedal I want to check out re-al bad. All the demos of this are great. A very simple delay with complex ability.

Please let me know your thoughts about that list…. good, bad and the ugly

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Today I wanted to talk about the MXR Custom Badass Modified Overdrive. It’s not just another OD, but the folks at Dunlop/MXR added some nice features in there. Basically a *bump* switch and a 100hz cut/boost control which allows for some great tone shaping. The Bump switch adds a low and mid frequency output boost, while the 100hz filter really dials in the low end.

Here is the official description of the MXR Custom Badass Modified Overdrive:

Next up in the MXR Custom Badass line is the Modified Overdrive-a classic overdrive circuit with modern modifications for improved performance and versatility. For added flexibility, we’ve added a 100Hz cut and boost control that allows for a more focused EQ when cut, or a beefier tone when boosted. The Bump switch engages an alternate EQ voicing that boosts the lows and mids. Put it in front of the ’78 Custom Badass Distortion for a slew of amp-like gain structures that won’t mask your tone.

* Classic overdrive circuit modded for improved performance and versatility.
* 100HZ cut and boost control allows tonal fine-tuning.
* BUMP switch engages alternate voicing for a low and mid-range boost.

I also found a nice *bundle* deal on this pedal. You can pick up the MXR Custom Badass Modified Overdrive with 4 free cables (2 FREE Strukture 6″ Patch Cables and 2 FREE Strukture 18.6′ Instrument Cables). The MXR Custom Badass Modified Overdrive bundle is available for only $99 at Amazon.com

Here are two great videos by jimdunlopusa:

and

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Earlier this year, I had a chance to grab some lunch and a beer with John Haughm of Agalloch (and his lovely companion Veleda – you have to check out her photography!) to discuss another unrelated project. But recently, I thought it would be great to talk gear with John and how they play a role in Agalloch. Pedals, guitars and amps are always fun to talk about, but what I really like is how they *apply* to music or to the creative process. A simple fuzz pedal to one person is a completely different beast or tool to another, and it’s interesting to see how and WHY they use particular pedals.

I’ve been kicking around the idea of very gear (specifically pedals) oriented interviews by musicians for musicians for a while, so let’s start things off!

Agalloch is a dark metal band based out of Portland, Oregon. For more information, check out the website, Wikipedia, Facebook and MySpace pages! If you get a chance be sure to catch Agalloch on the road, they tour quite a bit (and to Europe).

To start, here is John’s pedal line. He’s using a bi-amp set up with half of the pedals going to one amp (78 Fender Deluxe Reverb Combo) and the other going to the other amp (Orange Rockerverb 100 MKII halfstack) with the option of running both amps (and all effects) at the same time.

Ernie Ball JR Volume Pedal -> Korg DT-10 Tuner (dedicated out from the Vol Pedal) -> TC Electronic Nova Delay -> Radial ABY Amp Switcher

-> Radial ABY for Amp Switcher -> ProCo Rat2 Distortion -> Red Witch Analog Empress Chorus -> Electro-Harmonix Freeze -> 1978 Fender Deluxe Reverb Combo
-> Radial ABY for Amp Switcher -> MXR M-152 Micro Flanger -> Boss DD-6 Digital Delay -> Boss RC-20 Loop Station -> Orange Rockerverb 100 MKII halfstack

Moogerfooger Analog Delay MF-104Z (effects loop on the Orange)
All housed on a Pedaltrain PT-2 and powered by a BBE Supa-charger

- John, how would you describe your music to someone completely unfamiliar with Agalloch?
JH: There is a long answer and a short answer to this question. The short answer is “Dark Metal”. The long answer…well we have a lot of influences that range from black metal like Bathory and Ulver to doomy stuff like Bethlehem and Katatonia all the way to stuff like Fields Of The Nephilim, Swans, Coil, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Arvo Part, Death In June, Steve Reich, and Joy Division. Our style combines a great deal of opposing musical genres to create some really dark, eclectic, heavily layered, and often longwinded compositions that ebb and flow with varying degrees of mood and depth. We have sprawling 17 minute long dynamic epics and we have 3 minute acoustic pieces. Plus ambient drone, noisy stuff, experimental folk, progressive rock tendencies, etc…

Also, my favorite band in the world is Rush. You can hear their influence all over our songwriting and especially Alex Lifeson’s influence in my playing.

- Ok, I’m sure you get asked this a lot, where/how did the name Agalloch come about?
JH: It is a rare type of wood that is burned for its aromatic smoke. The name sounded good and it didn’t pigeonhole us to a single, tangible heavy metal stereotype.

- How critical are your pedals for creating the Agalloch’s sonic atmosphere?
JH: For me especially, they are crucial because most of my parts totally depend on them. My bi-amping alone creates half of the wall of sound live.

- Has a pedal (or combination) actually gave birth to a song?
JH: Yeah, in fact I started writing a new composition the day I bought the Nova Delay. It ended up being a song on our last album called “Ghosts Of The Midwinter Fires”.

- How has the Travis Bean guitar influenced your song writing, if at all?
JH: Well I have only owned a Travis Bean since early 2009 but that guitar definitely cleaned up my very “loose and dirty” playing style. I had to get used to a guitar with such precise clarity that any sloppiness would be heard. I have played a lot of different guitars over the years but the Travis Bean is far and away the best instrument I have owned. I own three of them now (2 standards and an Artist). It is amazing what that tone can do to certain songs that used to not sound that great live….but now sound completely revitalized.

- I’m assuming everything is powered up with the Voodoo Lab PedalPower 2+ underneath?
JH: It is a BBE Supa-charger under the Pedal Train PT2. We use the Supa-charger for the voltage switching since we tour Europe a lot.

- You have 3 very different delay pedals. The MoogerFooger Analog Delay, the Boss DD-6 and the TC Electronic Nova Delay. Can you describe the differences and how they apply for your sound?
JH: The Moogerfooger is used primarily for leads and solos. The DD-6 is used with just the Orange for really noisy distorted delays. The TC Electronic is used for both the Orange and Fender simultaneously. I use it a lot for clean tone passages that require a very U2-ish pinging delay but I also use it for those moments when I want both amps effected for a full wall-of-sound atmospheric experience.

- Why do you prefer to run the MoogerFooger through the effects loop rather than through the input?
JH: It sounds cleaner. I use it for solos and leads primarily and I want those delays to be smooth and understated.

- How do you feel the Boss DD-6 holds up compared to the MoogerFooger and Nova?
JH: It’s reliable. I’ve never had a problem with it which is great for a cheap delay pedal that I’ve had forever. Sound-wise it does what I want it to do which is basically the more nasty distorted delays. I don’t like that it is not true-bypass but whatever. It doesn’t seem to affect my tone at all.

- Is there a specific task that the DD-6 can do that others can’t do as easily?
JH: It does have this cool haunting vibe to it with the settings I use. The other pedals could probably get that vibe too, but I use them for other specific sounds. But yeah…for a wicked haunting distorted delay sound from a cheap pedal that’s built like a tank, the DD-6 is just fine. Of course I’m always trying new pedals out and changing my board around so will likely replace the DD-6 eventually. For now though, it does its job.

- I see the ProCo RAT is on the the ’78 Fender Deluxe Reverb, why did you opt for that particular distortion pedal for the Fender?
JH: The RAT was recommended to me by several people so I checked it out and thought it sounded really great with the Fender, especially with that amp’s reverb. I mostly use it for texture on top of the normal gain I use from the Orange.

- Can you explain how the EHX Freeze is used? It appears to be in the effects loop, which I don’t see that often for that pedal. Is it with the Fender? Do you primarily use it in ‘latch’ mode? If so.. why?
JH: There are a couple newer songs that require a sustained note here and there. I also use it for one of our show intros which involves a very ritualistic drone that slowly builds into the first song.

- For modulation, you are using the Red Witch Chorus/Vibrato and the MXR Micro Flanger each to their respective amps. Can you let me know why you chose those modulation pedals over others?
JH: I have always loved Red Witch stuff so their chorus pedal was high on my list. Totally satisfied. Killer pedal. The MXR was something I tried in the studio. That pedal through the clean tone of a vintage Hiwatt was like a voodoo experience. I literally couldn’t stop playing ’80s post punk riffs! I had to get one! It is a great little chorus pedal that often does its job too well.

- Have you messed around with modulation in the effects loop?
JH: Yeah, whenever I get a new pedal I’ll try it with every possible configuration until I get whatever sound I’m looking for.

- There is something strange in the water over there in Portland (and in the NW in general) that promotes effects building. Have you dabbled with any of the effects that are made in your neck of the woods? Prescription Electronics, Devi Ever, Spaceman Effects, Jack Deville Electronics, VFE Electronics (WA), Catalinbread (WA) are just a few names that come to mind.
JH: I bought the Catlinbread Semaphore pedal but ended up giving it to the other guitarist in the band since he plays the majority of tremolo parts and he was looking for a killer tremolo pedal for his board. The others I haven’t tried. Our bassist uses a Monolith Lodestone which is made locally. My friend Daniel Menche (local noise legend) has a pedal made from an Altoids can! It’s awesome! Built by another local pedal artisan…

- How important is the RC-20 looper? Does Agalloch do a lot of loops?
JH: Well…we tend to use programmed ambient loops between songs while we tune. I also use it for layers of noise at the end of our set. Its clunky and takes up a lot of space….but we do use it a lot. Eventually we might just have our soundguy run these sounds through the PA but for now I kind of like being in control of them.

- I’ve asked this as a ‘community question’ in the past on EffectsBay, but if you could only keep one pedal on your board.. .what would be that pedal?
JH: Tough question….probably the Moogerfooger Analog Delay. Funny story…a Line 6 rep sent me a DL-4 for free along with a European A/C adapter for it. He’s a fan and wanted me to check out some of their stuff. I thought “Cool, I’ll use this overseas instead of the Moogerfooger”. Well, I did that and just found myself missing the Moogerfooger. The Dl-4 isn’t a bad pedal. It has some cool modulation effects that are nice for noise and such but…it just is not a replacement for the Moogerfooger Analog Delay!

- Is there a pedal or effect that you’re thinking about picking up next? If so, what are you thinking?
JH: I have been thinking more and more about guitar synth technology and maybe trying it out. I’d also like to check out more boutique delay pedals. Luckily in Portland there are several shops that carry a vast array of strange pedals that I can check out anytime.

- Is there a bastard step-child pedal on the board? Something that always bugs you, yet it remains?
JH: Not so much anymore. I have had problems with pedals in the past that I simply ditched after one tour. I had a Voodoo Lab tremolo pedal that I just hated. It lasted one show. Again, the RC-20 takes up a lot of space and we only use it between songs…which is important….but I could probably do the same with a smaller looping pedal. Another annoyance is the voltage switch on the Supa-charger is in a really bad spot under the PT2 so switching back to 120V literally involves either a toothpick and flashlight or simply unscrewing it from its mount. Not a great design.

I would like to thank John Haughm for spending a few minutes and geeking out with me. I would like to continue this series – if you’re a touring/recording guitarist/bassist or have contacts to someone that might be interested in non-traditional gear focused interview, please contact me!

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