In tribute to recording legend Steve Albini's passing - here are 23 representatives of the Fuzz Format he helped popularise - the InterFax Harmonic Percolator HP-1
I last did a roundup selection for Harmonic Percolators back in May 2019 (around 5 years ago!), where this time around I near enough double down on the possible options. Of course the late 70’s Ed Giese designed pedal was absolutely ginormous, and famously with just 2 slider controls - one for ’Harmonics’ or input gain, where the second ’Balance’ one represented Volume / Output. Interestingly this was a hybrid Fuzz circuit - which originally featured 2N404 Germanium, and 2N3565 Silicon ...
15 Notable Trem-Fuzzes and Oscillating-Fuzzes
So it’s been quite a while since I last covered this subject - indeed you have to go back to a August 2018 feature, which covered just 6 pedals. And where the then mentioned 770 Circuits seems to have wholly gone to ground in the interim, and there is no sign of its Komparator Trem-Fuzz anywhere anymore!
This time around I cast a slightly wider net - do note that these are a mix of LFO-assisted - therefore more Trem-Fuzz, and more natural feedback fuzz-oscillation. Essentially these are are...
Catalinbread travels back to the 70's with its StarCrash Themed Collection - including 2 new pedals - the StarCrash Fuzz and SideArm Overdrive
The StarCrash 70’s Collection re-skins 4 Catalinbread classics (Adineko, Katzenkönig, SFT, and Valcoder) and adds 2 brand new period correct pedals - a Screamer-type SideArm Overdrive, and a 70’s style StarCrash Sustaining Fuzz.
I really like the styling of these - which enclosures come in a really appealing apple-green sparkle, and where prices vary from $179 to $209 for the Adineko delay.
I only own the standard Katzenkönig from this circuit selection, I’ve had the SFT on the wishlist...
Catalinbread adds the Epoch Bias / Preamp compact to its Belle Epoch Echoplex-derived Family
We’ve had a number of pedals released into Catalinbread’s Belle Epoch Tape Echo family - starting with the original 2015 compact edition. The Deluxe edition arrived 2 years later, and and 2 years after that we had a large-format Epoch Pre - Preamp/Buffer, which is alas discontinued now.
In fact 2024 kind of sees something of a replacement for that Epoch Pre - in the shape of the 4-controls Epoch Bias - Preamp/Bias pedal.
The range currently consists of 5 pedals - One large DLX, a mini, ...
Catalinbread resurrects its thunderous SuperCharged Overdrive in new and improved Legacy Edition format
I believe the SuperCharged OD was first out in and around 2009 - in a 3-knob edition then - with Volume, Gain and Contour controls. The new one is significantly re-tooled with numerous refinements to the circuit - including an entirely new Tilt EQ control and with more range overall, while the same core 8 x MOSFET gain stage topology remains.
It’s a really full-throated, thick and juicy amp-like overdrive with an incredibly high degree of shaping - where the Tilt EQ pivots around the 800Hz ...
Catalinbread unleash the Deluxe edition of their Dirty Little Secret Plexi Drive - to go head-to-head with the Tsakalis AudioWorks Room #40
I’ve long been saying that Catalinbread should be externalising the SB / SL switch of its DLS - which for such a long time has been an awkward-to-reach internal dip-switch. They finally decide to do it in this Deluxe edition which comes with additional Presence and Boost controls / functions too.
I’ve owned a compact DLS for quite some while - and it’s a decent Plexi type for sure - supposedly Andy Martin’s favourite, but has never quite been one of my own absolute favourites - unlike the ...
Walrus Audio enters the Budget Pedal Arena with its incredibly well-considered Fundamental Series initial offering of 8
Most people consider JHS Pedals’ 3 Series launch back in October of 2020 as the catalyst and forerunner of this particular effects pedal industry Budget phase / development. While I would go back to August of 2019 to EarthQuaker Devices’ first $99 pedal - the Plumes Small Signal Shredder OD - as the starting point of this trend.
Of course Josh Scott was the first to issue a full range of $99 pedals - where he launched with 7 white utilitarian / industrial style 3-knobs + 1-switch - somewhat...
9 cool pairs of Vox-in-a-Box and Marshall Plexi style Pedals which have, or are about to fill slots #17 and #18
Readers of this blog will know that I’ve long and consistently had 2 key pedal types in my pedal-chain - namely a Brian May Vox style pedal, and an Eddie Van Halen Marshall Plexi style pedal - which for the last number of years have populated slots #17 and #18.
My very first pairing was the hybrid set of Bearfoot FX EGDM and MI Effects Super Crunch Box V2 - which overall probably served the longest innings on those two slots.
Since that first pairing we’ve had matched brand pairs - from...
15 of the Best Compact Enclosure Vox in a Box style Overdrives
It’s been a while since I last did a Vox-in-a-box roundup - in fact all the way back to my 2018 12 of the Best Vox Style Pedals feature - so it was about time I did an update. Readers will know that I always have a Vox pedal in my pedal-chain - occupying what is now slot #17.
It started with the Catalinbread Galileo way back when - and then following this rough sequence :
- Catalinbread Galileo
- Bearfoot FX Emerald Green Distortion Machine Silver (Silicon) - longest raining to-date
2022 Best New Time-Based Effects Pedals of the Year
So this is the first selection here where I only own a handful of the candidates - it’s easier to say what is in the reference collection than out :
- Boss RE-2 Space Echo Compact - $249
- Boss RE-202 Space Echo Deluxe - $399
- Chase Bliss Generation Loss MKII Stereo Magnetiser - $399
- Chase Bliss Habit The Echo Collector - $399
- Meris LVX True Stereo Modular Delay System - $599
- Old Blood Noise Endeavors Screen Violence Stereo Saturated Modulated Reverb Pedal - $279
Of those the Gen Loss II ...
