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If the crazily named Reezafratzitz distortion pedal from Denmark’s Emma Electronics (street $245) has a dual personality, both of them are nasty. But for lovers of saturated distortion, the pedal’s double-trouble approach to fuzzing up sound waves offers musical, usable tones. The magic in the box is the Reezafratzitz’s “Bias” knob. Turn it all the way counterclockwise and you’ve got what Emma describes as “Class B” distortion, an amp class that’s rarely used but that’s known for its flabber. Turn it all the way clockwise and the pedal emulates “Class A” distortion, common to small tube amps. (The more efficient AB amp class alternates the signal between two sets of tubes, sharing the strain and allowing for a more efficient, louder amp—a big yawn from a distortion point of view). In practice, the Class B bias setting sounds deep and compressed, along the lines of a cranked Marshall JCM900 head, whereas the Class A side lessens the compression for a more open distortion (relatively speaking). Turning the Bias knob anywhere in between blends the two sounds. Let’s be clear, this isn’t a subtle pedal: It goes from distorted to very distorted, screaming like a trapped witch at the slightest opportunity. […]... Click on the title for more
With thousands of delay pedals available, not to mention recording plugins, choosing an effect can be overwhelming. Are you looking to add a subtle slapback or an intense rhythmic pattern? While it’s capable of everything you’d expect from a delay pedal, Seymour Duncan’s SFX-10 Deja Vu Tap Delay truly excels at the latter. Though its sound is not as immediately glowing as an Electro Harmonix Memory Man or controls as eccentric as a Line 6 Delay, the Deja Vu’s strength lies in its flexibility and precision when dialing customized sounds into a live environment. The Deja Vu contains all the standard delay controls (wet/dry knob, feedback, delay time) with some notable extras. A dedicated tap tempo footswitch with a ratio knob (half note, quarter note etc.) makes it unbelievably easy to adapt complicated delay settings on the fly. Meanwhile, a toggle between a true bypass mode and trailing repeats lets you kill the delay effect while letting the echoes trail off. This allows for adding anything from sweet flourishes to ringing shock waves. Finally, a feedback insert jack lets you apply a separate effects chain to the wet signal, giving you endless possibilities for customization. Even without using the insert, […]... Click on the title for more
The Eau Claire Thunder from Dwarfcraft Devices is the big one; big tones, big features and a big, knob laden enclosure. This pedal cranks out all manner of fuzz from the blunted, smokey kind of Sabbath style fog to the much more modern aggressive waves of noise rock bliss. The five knobs on the pedals face seem infinitely interactive and changing one leads to variations in the way they combine with each other. While some people may find this strange, it should be noted that the ECT is not a good house guest. It’s cooperating just long enough to get the job done before trashing the place and leaving through the back door. Sturdy metal construction and heavy duty foot switches de rigueur are there as expected, while the finish is kind of gum paste propaganda poster which is refreshing and punk-y. The ECT sounds, at times, like a circular saw. It won’t be polite. It may be out to steal your woman, drink your whiskey and destroy your hearing. Housed within its die-cast enclosure, it has the unrelenting force of a Wisconsin winter storm. At its core is a standard volume, tone, gain arrangement yielding a distortion that is […]... Click on the title for more
’60’s fuzz pedals are some of the most collected and sought after guitar effects. Due to their use on seminal recordings, these pedals continue to sell for exorbitant prices and inspire numerous reissues and sound-a-likes. Keith Richards signature snarl on “Satisfaction” using a Maestro Fuzz-Tone or Jimi Hendrix’s soaring solos with the Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face are sonic touchstones which rock guitarists continue to emulate. Lesser known, but still highly coveted, is the Shin-Ei Companion Fuzz. Sharper and harsher than its U.S and British counterparts, this Japanese fuzz pedal didn’t rise to its collectible status until the 1980’s when The Jesus and Mary Chain and other neo-psychedelic bands re-appropriated the sound. Fridgebuzzz Electronics’ Land of the Rising Fuzzz is a compact and affordable version of the obscure effect, complete with True-Bypass switching for tone aficionados. It’s an all analog, simply designed fuzz effect for those looking to recreate the Shin-Ei’s biting tone. If you’re looking for a sizzling shoegaze sound or piercing lead tone, the Land Of The Rising Fuzzz is wonderfully effective. There’s no EQ boost, compression or shape modulation here – just a pure and effective fuzz. With three controls, Volume, Fuzz and Tone (high frequency roll off), […]... Click on the title for more
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Part of the uniqueness of “True Loves” - Brooklyn's Hooray for Earth debut album - lies in a certain kind of heavieness that’s intertwined with its pop buoyancy. The drums are massive and brooding (and were recorded on a rooftop) and the keyboards are thick and lush with extensive layering on every track. While the album does have extensive guitar work, most of it is reworked and chopped up to sound like keyboards. The album was also mixed by Chris Coady who is no stranger to cutting-edge sounds (Beach House, Delorean, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and TV On The Radio to name a few). We sent band leader Noel Heroux a few questions about the album's recording process. - Read the Q&A here.... Click on the title for more
