Pigtronix's 80's-inspired Star Eater Fuzz and Gloamer Volume Swell make for a Striking Pair
I’m quietly impressed with the peak 80’s looks of Pigtronnix’s new pair of Star Eater and Gloamer pedals. Those metallic pastel hues on the knobs really make these pedals pop. While I don’t see why these could not be made in the more pedalboard-friendly vertical format. As is, they just take up way more space than they should - however cool they are.
The first is described as an All-Analog Dual Stage Super Jumbo Fuzz - which has a Mids Bump or Scoop activated via left-hand Footswitch, while the main Fuzz has Silicon or Germanium Clipping Voices - to go with its simple 3-knob controls.
The other of the pair is a Volume Swell - via key Attack and Decay knobs, and additional Compression and Sensitivity. With secondary Footswitch manipulation of the Decay. Makes of a different sort of take on the classic EHX Attack Decay. Where I much improve the format of the EHX variety which also has a little bit more about it.
Here follow the individual details :
Star Eater Analog Dual Stage Super Jumbo Fuzz with Contour - $179
Controls - Sweep (Filter / Tone - only active for Contour), Volume, Hunger (Gain), Contour : Bump / Scoop, Voice Si / GE, Contour Footswitch, Engage Footswich.
A fairly simple but potent fuzz - which several of my readers have recommended to me. Pigtronix is of course the home of the Disnortion - so they really know how to craft interesting gain pedals. And this one with its simple and elegant switching makes for a tempting proposition. It's well priced at $179, while I don't necessarily understand why it needs to be this large, and in this particular orientation. If you must do a BB-enclosure pedal - then please do it in the more pedalboard-friendly vertical orientation - that would surely server this pedal better. There's much to like here, including the maximum versatility through the minimum of controls - and it sounds suitably splendid all-round. While I'm struggling to get over the form factor - as I know it will be much harder to accommodate in my chain and will therefore not be in particularly high rotation for me. I'm still kind of tempted though ...
Gloamer Volume Swell with Compression - $279
Controls - Volume, Blend, Compression, Sensitivity, Decay, Attack, Decay Footswitch, Engage Footswitch.
For the Gloamer, even though it's quite a different take, and say with added Compression instead of added Fuzz - I still don't think you can get away from mentioning the more potent and pedalboard-friendly EHX Attack Decay, which is also much more cost-effective at just $156 dollars currently. Practicality and Utility matter a lot to me, and it's far easier for me to slot in the Attack Decay than this Glaomer. I concede that they to slightly different things and where the Gloamer's differentiator is its Compression control which helps squish and squeeze things further. While it is also a pretty much direct competitor to the Attack Decay which I already have. Again I like the look of this one, don't like the format orientation - and the price point is relatively steep here too at $279. It's an interesting proposition for sure, not as appealing or tempting for me as the Star Eater - which I still deem to be slightly flawed in format. There's no denying though how good these two look together.
I know quite a few of you have the Star Eater - how many of you also have the Gloamer or are thinking of getting one? And where do you sit on the subject of pedal-board practicalities and form factor?
