Jonny Brelliott's TODP is an ingeniously expansive and a superb sounding Modular Tube Overdrive with a built-in upgrade and customisation path
Many thanks to my good friend Henry Kaiser - who introduced me to my new friend Jonny Brelliott. Henry was one of the early adopters of Jonny’s TODP Overdrive - where his model hadn’t yet evolved to the modular format / concept that it is now - as per my pictured one. The core Pentode Tube circuit is the same in my review version as in Henry’s, as are the clipping options and controls - but more fixed in their arrangement. The exterior has an identical control topology with all the same ...
Benson Amps collaborates with Jessica Dobson on signature Deep Sea Diver Fuzz-Echo
Chris Benson makes incredibly musical devices - and that is very much the case once more with his Jessica Dobson signature Deep Sea Diver Fuzz-Echo pedal. I don’t always gel with the horizontal medium enclosure format with is inoptimal dimensions - I don’t understand why this cannot be a vertical format - as it’s the pedal’s width which is mostly the limiting factor for pedalboard compatibility. All that needs to happen is that the enclosure layout is rotated 90 degress clockwise - so the ...
Two cool new Lichtlaerm devices have arrived at Joe's Pedals - the As Above So Below Octave and Shimmer Reverb, and the 60W PandorA Pedalboard Power Amp
You should know by now that I’m a huge fan of Lichtlaerm Audio and have a special relationship with Joe’s Pedals here in the UK as well as Lichtlaerm’s Daniel Ringl. I own five Licthlaerm pedals to date as per my January update, and there are now two further candidates here - a 2-way Octave and Shimmer Reverb, alongside a really potent 60W Pedalboard Power Amp.
The As Above So Below Reverb is a fairly expansive and full fat Octave Shimmer type unit with FX Loop and ports for Ramping and ...
Drunk Beaver's Pedal Drop #27 is the superb enhanced Volnovakha take on the Univox Super-Fuzz
I love the blooming harmonics of the Super-Fuzz circuit, yet a lot of those originals are a little underpowered on the output. I prefer vintage-inspired but slightly modernised circuits which have a significantly improved output profile.
This will be my own 25th Super-Fuzz - that’s how much I like the format. And Vitalii has really pulled out all the stops for his version. The original 1968 Super-Fuzz essentially had 3 controls :
Balance (Volume), Expander (Fuzz Amount), Tone Switch : ...
Audio Cultivation Projects' Fourth Solid-State Distortion is a great take on those trashier sounding solid state amps - using a Hybrid Transistor + OpAmp topology
I’ve been wanting to cover this pedal since I first glimpsed it. Something about its elegant design really appeals to me - as does its Drive / Distortion output profile. It supposedly sits somewhat adjacent to the Music Man 112 RD, Epiphone Studio 10s, and the Silvertone 1464 solid state amps - for that kind of brasher garage-punk / rock sound.
It starts with a fairly conventional control topology of Output / Level, Gain and Shape (Bass EQ),
while it’s 3 toggle switches make it really...
Cosmic Loop FX's new Parallelarator is not just a Parallel Blender, but an ingenious Wet-Dry-Wet Gateway / Junction Box
My now good friend Rich Cattell came along at just the right time, as I was having issues with my TheGigRig Wetter Box at that very moment, and still somewhat in the market for a top-notch Parallel Blender.
Superficially those pedals look quite similar, but they’re quite different animals. The Wetter Box is an excellent Full Stereo (TRS) Parallel Blender - where everything can be Stereo - including the Main Core Input. All the Send & Return Loops are full stereo here in both directions - ...
Hello Sailor Effects' Compact SeaWolf PT2399 Delay is a super lush hand-wired take on the Deep Blue
I now totally understand the allure of Mad Professor’s Deep Blue Delay which is so well-loved, and which my good friend Joe has managed to further refine and improve - using the very best in primo vintage and NOS components - all hand-wired in the most exquisite fashion.
This is truly a lush delay - leaning somewhat towards dampened and softened - slightly spongy in some ways - for the most beautiful decaying repeats. The nature of the decay is exceptional here - and I like riding the ...
Walrus Audio's Canvas Clock allows you to seamlessly sync up the Clock Speed / Tempo of 4 pedals at a time
Essentially you have both full-size 5-Pin MIDI and 1/8" Mini MIDI connections - along with Ports for up to 4 devices at a time.
The Two Knobs set the various Parameters for the system - Time signatures etc., and the A & B assignable Footswitches allow you to set different functions - step through different song tempos, tap tempo etc.
Controls - Preset / Menu, Tempo / Save, A Footswitch, B Footswitch.
Ports - MIDI In, 1/4" Sync 1, 1/4" Sync 2, 1/4" MIDI Out, 1/4" Sync 3, Sync 4, USB-...
Aclam's latest Vox Conqueror Go Rocky Go take further cements their reputation as the leading purveyor of Highest Quality Beatles' Vox Sounds
This lates Vox-Conqueror-inspired pedal covers the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour and White Albums. Interestingly ’Magical Mystery Tour’ is my brother’s favourite Beatles Album, while the White Album is my own second-favourite Beatles work. My favourite is of course ’Revolver’ - which is covered by Aclam’s previous Dr. Roberts pedal. And my 3rd favourite Beatles Album - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is ably covered by Aclam’s Mocker pedal.
Controls - Volume, Drive : Attack <> ...
Tampco's Nelson Martins Distorter collaboration is a super smart and expansive 3-Part Parallel Gain Machine - blending Clean Signal with Fuzz and Overdrive
What we have here is a +20dB Clean Blend, Classic Fuzz, and a Low Gain Overdrive - all blended together in parallel. You have separate footswitches for Fuzz and Drive - and can blend in your perfect mix via the 2 x Level and single Clear conntrols.
Controls - FUZZ } Voice : Pushed / Scooped, Level, Tone, Gain, Bias, Fuzz Distortion; DRIVE } Level, Tone, Gain. Drive Footswitch; CLEAR } Blend.
Most of you will recall that the Klon Centaur default blends Dry and Effected signals in ...
