Author Archive
Magnetic Effects (first I've heard of this British Company) announces the release of the Electrochop tremolo. The Electrochop is a super choppy tremolo that features the classic, unique LFO section from the Vox Repeat Percussion. A new audio circuit has been designed around the LFO, resulting in a tremolo that sounds like the Repeat Percussion but with a fuller, louder sound and more controls. All the classic throb but with more user friendly features.
The controls are: Volume, Depth and Speed plus a toggle switch that alters the overall speed range. The speed range goes from very slow to crazy fast. At higher speeds the sound morphs into a ring modulator type effect.
... Click on the title for more
We got a nice letter from Ben and Louise at Dwarfcraft Devices. It turns out that famed Amp Manufacturer, Bogner, put out an amp called Shiva right around the same time as Dwarfcraft Devices put out a pedal with the same name. All was well until Bogner decided that they wanted to put out a pedal called Shiva as well. Dwarfcraft decided to play nice and has since renamed their pedal the She Fuzz.
... Click on the title for more
Coming to us out of left field is the Anti-Effect from Chaosound, a Polish company. This thing is right up my alley. It's weird, it's unpredictable, it's unique. So what is it? The Anti-Effect destroys the sound by imitating electro-acoustic track damage. It breaks the sound in a chaotic way but allowing you to control the damage. For example, it allows you to imitate the sound of a malfunctioning guitar cable or... a burning amplifier! You can also create "thunder and lighting" effects, as well as bombing and crushing - yes, not for the faint of heart, that's for sure.... Click on the title for more
New to the Heptode line of guitar effects: The Virtuoso Phase Shifter. The Virtuoso is a boutique recreation of the original Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter, as used in the 1970s by keyboardist John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) and guitarists Steve Howe (Yes) and Ernie Isley (Isley Brothers), among many others.
Footswitches below three colorful LEDs select SLOW, MEDIUM or FAST phase. The effect ramps up or down when changing from one speed to another and like the original, sounds superb with guitar or keyboards.
Phasers are something that you want to sound warm, vintage and gooey. I am very intrigued by this unique boutique vintage offering from Heptode. Great sounding phasers are particularly rare.... Click on the title for more
In case you're unfamiliar, the Mooer Micro Pedal series of stomps is sort of the new Boss in terms of covering a wide variety of effects with affordable prices. The thing with these little beauties is that they are fitted into a micro case and pack a maximum of features while maintaining a small price tag and footprint; something to be desired by anyone with an ever growing pedal board. This is the first of a series of reviews I will be conducting involving the Micro Pedal line. The first four on my reviewer's bench include the Echolizer (digital delay), ShimVerb (digital reverb), LoFi Machine (Bit Crusher), and Fog (Bass Fuzz).
A new pedal from a boutique company based in Philly, the Babbling Flower comes to us from TSVG. This is apparently one of two new fuzzes and features a second footswitch to engage fuzz thickness. They claim to use high quality components like the ones used in great vintage amps and effects of old, while still keeping a modest price. Currently they offer a selection of overdrives, fuzzes, and boosts and their pedals feature interesting artwork and hardware choices (knobs, enclosure shapes). Cool Stuff! - Gus Green... Click on the title for more
