2019 Pedal-Chain Musings and Experiments

This Sunn Model T clone is taking up temporary residence in slot #12 in place of the more customary and much-loved Custom Tones Ethos TWE-1. I have lots of other temporary swap-outs here too - like the Bogner Burnley and Wessex, Bearfoot FX Model Hs, Mad Professor Golden Cello and Simble, Sinvertek No.5 Distortion and Wampler Euphoria - oh an I will also be getting the Demon Pedals Kondo Shifuku which will likely become my Dumble-style pedal of choice!

When I acquired the Origin Effects RevivalDrive Custom, I thought nothing would dislodge it, and once I acquired the Wampler Pantheon - I initially though that the be-all of Bluesbreaker clones, yet the King of Tone is obviously a very special pedal - and particularly in this rare JHS modded edition which externalises the various internal dip-switches and trim-pots for incredibly versatility. Unlike the RevivalDrive you can very usefully stack the two Channels here and vary the channel profile - Boost/Overdrive/Distortion very easily by way of the now external controls. On this slot I also have the recently acquired sonic blue BYOC Crown Jewel Drive/Distortion, as well as Empress Effects MultiDrive, Beetronics Royal Jelly, Electron Analog Drive, Hudson Electronics Dual Broadcast, OBNE Alpha Haunt and Rainger FX Dr Freakenstein Fuzz to name a few! I may still acquire the excellent True Tone Jekyll & Hyde for some-time rotation here too.

I've decided to rotate in Sheldon Ens' excellent Tweed Drive pedal here - in place of my usual favourite Dr Scientist The Elements - which still really owns this slot as such. Other pedals on occasional rotation here include the Bogner Burnley, Keeley Filaments and Subdecay Vector, while I still intend on acquiring the JHS Kilt and Wampler Sovereign too at some stage for further rotation.

A second appearance from a Coda Effects pedal - whose Montagne tap-tempo Tremolo is also very decent, in any case #19 is my most rotated slot - and bar some of the more odder fuzzes and 'Rats', sees the appearance / rotation of all my various IC, OpAmp and Silicon Fuzzes - of which there are myriads - all the modded EHX Muffs for instance, while this slot has been heavily occupied by the Ayahuasca Trem-Fuzz and Jacques Bat Fuzz of late.

The Alchemy-modded Xotic SL Drive pretty much owns this slot - but I will be making an accommodation for Decibelics' forthcoming Angry Swede HM-2 clone when that materialises sometime in the next few weeks or so. I have a number of mini Drive, Fuzz and Distortion pedals, and most of them would be rotated into this slot. I keep meaning to get the recent Suhr Minis too - the Riot and Shiba Drive - which would also be rotated in on this particular slot. Pedal not out yet - no video available therefore!

This has been the Diezel VH4-2 slot for the longest time, which I've decided eventually is really too large a pedal for my current pedal-chain. Right now I have the Wampler Triple Wreck occupying this slot, but feel it will inhabit generally more compact pedals in the future - such as Metal Zones and the forthcoming REVV G4 which I have pre-ordered. I also still really like the RockFabrik Mind Abuse and will likely get that eventually, while I've decided I likely won't be getting the Diezel Herbert now because of its over-large footprint, not sure it really needs to be so big!

So the pedal hasn't really changed, rather the slot assignment as incoming pedals have meant some re-arrangement is required. The Gravitas is still my favourite Tremolo, followed by the Stone Deaf Tremotron and Alchemy-modded Boss TR-2 - I've considered a Swindler Effects Stereo Red Mountain Tremolo, but don't feel I really need another Tremolo at the moment - but if I was considering one - I might pick up the Mastro Valvola LFO.

I still reckon the tap-tempo Chase Bliss Wombtone will be my perennial favourite here, but I've decided to rotate in this rather tasty Zvex effort. I still have the Alexander La Calavera, Boss PH-1R and MXR Phase 95 Mini too - don't really need any more phasers after this. The Vibrophase is quite distinctive though and gives you a sort of mix of uni-vibe and phasey textures.

This has ousted the incumbent 'Rotary Slot' or Tech 21 NYC Roto Choir as it was, I find myself using the Eventide H9 more for that effect in any case. This therefore becomes the dedicated 'Glitch' slot - for which I have 3 pedals acquired already - this forthcoming Pladask Fabrikat, the Montreal Assembly Count to Five, and The King of Gear Mini Glitch. I am also considering the MWFX Judder, Drolo Molecular Disruptor and Hexe reVOLVER which I may or may not add within the next year or two. The MWFX Judder is pretty much definite.

This is another transplanted slot as such - now likely to feature the forthcoming (for me) Boss Waza Dimension C Stereo Spacial Effect (Chorus really). I still really like the Chase Bliss Warped Vinyl - but am going to give the Boss a rotation. I also have the TC Electronic Dreamscape in reserve here, and may also consider the Neunaber Inspire at some stage.

Another pedal slot that has had to me moved because of the Pyramids' stereo capabilities. I've mentioned several times how the Pyramids impressed my in 2018, and that I would eventually rotate it in for this slot. I thought it might happen in 2018, but will now likely happen at some stage in 2019. I still love the now discontinued Chase Bliss Spectre - and will continue to make use of that on frequent rotation, and I have the A/DA PBF and Alchemy-modded Boss BF-2 Flangers in reserve.

The bulb really did not switch on quick enough for me on this one - I see this now more as an Eventide H9 competitor, although I will be using it mostly for its 82 different Modulation modes / algorithms. It oust the Boss MD-500 and Strymon Mobius which I will still keep in reserve. I wasn't sure about the HX Stomp, but I've seen so many fantastic implementations of this pedal that I just have to have it - it has a much more user-friendly interface to the H9's too, which only really works properly for me with the Barn3 extras applied.

This is still essential 'fairy dust' for my stereo rig - producing a thicker and sparklier tone. It's stereo magic though was overly interfering with panning dynamics - particularly on delay ping-pong - so I moved the Mimiq away from near the end of the chain to towards the start of the stereo pedals - and ahead of all those I intend to use for panning-effects!

I was hoping this would appear in 2018, but it will now likely be properly launched at Winter NAMM 2019 with much fanfare - a full year after it was first introduced! Will be fascinating to see what final form it takes, what presets are onboard and more details on its exact capabilities - I do rather think this is going to be one helluva game-changer though for both guitar and synth players alike!