Pedal that most disappointed you vs. pedal that most surprised you?
- Thread starter daeg
- Start date
dcalespaul
New member
Disappointment:
big Muff pi ram's Head (Aion) because I thought it would be better. Far from being lame, just not my sound,
just like the Range master (Der Range), too high and noisy for my taste in my Ace Colt amp, unless I'm alone (long live the germanium).
Good surprise:
Theseus (Aion King of tone), became my main overdrive, Hi gain red part and low gain yellow. I haven't tried the pedalpcb version, but it won't be long!
I ordered the dark rift a few days ago, I hope it will be a good surprise !!!
big Muff pi ram's Head (Aion) because I thought it would be better. Far from being lame, just not my sound,
just like the Range master (Der Range), too high and noisy for my taste in my Ace Colt amp, unless I'm alone (long live the germanium).
Good surprise:
Theseus (Aion King of tone), became my main overdrive, Hi gain red part and low gain yellow. I haven't tried the pedalpcb version, but it won't be long!
I ordered the dark rift a few days ago, I hope it will be a good surprise !!!
Guardians of the analog
Papi Fuego
I have been disappointed more than surprised. Mainly boutique stuff, the pedals I like most are the boring unsexy stuff from boss, mxr and Maxon/Ibanez.
Disappointments:
EQD-pretty much all I have tried, and it's a lot have been a let down. They do one sound good and that's it.
Wampler-always way to bassy, I presumed they were geared toward bedroom players doing low volume playing. They always mushed out at any real volume.
Vfe-based on circuits I liked, but added way too many knobs that made it harder to dial in.
Surprises:
Many of the boss pedals I've built recently. I wrote off many of these pedals because I read they sucked or because of buffer tone suck. Many of these are really good and the basis of the boutique pedals everyone raves about.
Skreddy- I am in love with the hybrid fuzz driver I built and the P19 is the only muff variant I really like.
Vfe dark horse- I recently got one from @Bio77 and it's the first vfe I have jelled with of the 6-7 I have played.
Disappointments:
EQD-pretty much all I have tried, and it's a lot have been a let down. They do one sound good and that's it.
Wampler-always way to bassy, I presumed they were geared toward bedroom players doing low volume playing. They always mushed out at any real volume.
Vfe-based on circuits I liked, but added way too many knobs that made it harder to dial in.
Surprises:
Many of the boss pedals I've built recently. I wrote off many of these pedals because I read they sucked or because of buffer tone suck. Many of these are really good and the basis of the boutique pedals everyone raves about.
Skreddy- I am in love with the hybrid fuzz driver I built and the P19 is the only muff variant I really like.
Vfe dark horse- I recently got one from @Bio77 and it's the first vfe I have jelled with of the 6-7 I have played.
Last edited:
daeg
Well-known member
On his YouTube channel he mentioned a lot of his pedals are popular circuits with 3-knob Tone-Stacks added.
Personally I can't stand that sort of thing. How many times do I need to put my guitar signal through a Fender/Vox/Marshall Tone Stack? How many places along my signal chain do I want to have to micro-manage the Bass/Mids/Treble?
I've grown to appreciate overdrives with ONE tone knob, whether that be Treble-Rolloff, Bass-Cut or something else.
Harry Klippton
Not Interested
Thank you for putting this into words because I've always felt this way
PapaBear
Well-known member
Yea, I pretty much find a tone I like on any pedal and there it stays.
drgonzo1969
Well-known member
I gotta add the Boss Dimension C Waza to my surprises list. It's the closest thing I have come to an "always on" pedal. I have the hardest time turning it off. Even in high gain situations. All the modes sound great. literally not a bad sound in it. And there is no knobs. You literally plug in and you are there.
Guardians of the analog
Papi Fuego
You should build the blue shift, you get more sound possibilities.
drgonzo1969
Well-known member
I will definitely build the blue shift eventually. I have a few other builds with expensive chips I need finish up before I undertake another pricey build. Maybe I will treat myself for christmas. The wiring on the blueshift still intimidates me a little haha
daeg
Well-known member
Yes yes yes. I got the TC Electronic clone out of curiosity and was sharked how satisfying the sound is.
That said it hasn't stayed on my board, but I'm always tempted. I started programming an FV-1 workalike but didn't finish it.
daeg
Well-known member
Fama
Well-known member
I used to use a plugin version, and since it was added to the QC (well, Dimension D) I've had one on all the time. It's the most subtle setting and the mix is not very high either, so you can't really tell that I have chorus on unless I toggle it off. It just adds a little bit of nice color and maybe a tiny bit of width (that one is stereo I think).
It's funny - I don't like 3-band EQ on a pedal but LOVE adding bass pots to single tone control ODs. Contrary I guess. But I swap between a Gretsch Duojet, a Les Paul, a Casino and a 335 and they all seem to like different amounts of bass. I fact I think that control over bass might be more important to me than a treble pot. I rarely change the treble but adjust bass a lot.
I've made a few pedals where I've fixed the treble point and the "tone" control works on the low end. I guess using tweed style amps has had an effect (pardon the pun) on how I EQ things.
The Red Rooster is my favourite treble booster and it's only two knobs - level and bass. And I built a custom Tchula boost (Electra based) with Gain, Volume and Bass pots. The Volume is usually on full, but just by it being there it lowers the volume enough so that the pedal isn't too loud.
Bricksnbeatles
Member known well
V2 should be coming out this year according to a post a few months ago on the Aion blog. I’m guessing/hoping that means incorporating stereo inputs among the changes.
Guardians of the analog
Papi Fuego
Ok Mr. Klein Bottle
Seriously though, for recording, stereo rigs are cool but from a practical standpoint having a stereo rig and the routing and all that goes with it is such a hassle. Unless you have a JC120.
Bricksnbeatles
Member known well
100%Ok Mr. Klein Bottle
Seriously though, for recording, stereo rigs are cool but from a practical standpoint having a stereo rig and the routing and all that goes with it is such a hassle. Unless you have a JC120.
My main interest in stereo effects comes into play for recording— especially on synths which often are already a stereo sound source.
Guardians of the analog
Papi Fuego
Lots of good talk about single pot tone shaping. My personal opinion is that pedal designers try to take a pedal and make it too versatile. You can add too many controls. I think taking the time to fine tune a pedal for a certain sound or end result and having only the essential controls makes for a better sound and end user experience. By trying to make the pedal inclusive to all players, rigs and music styles you end up alienating pretty much everyone in the process. You either like the sound of the pedal or you don't. There is nothing worse than playing a pedal and you have to spend a ton of time dialing it in and never getting the sound you want (I'm looking at you vfe
)
)
Last edited:
ChrsGuit
Active member
The big thing with rangemasters and other germanium fuzz pedals it putting them before EVERYTHING. I built one and bought a Blammo! Zap Master... both were so high pitched, ice pick sounding ... and almost felt like they were gonna blow my speakers... I contacted Dan from Blammo! and he personally walked me through biasing the transistor... it was slightly off but not much...
He offered a full replacement or refund and his apologies, but I decided to try it by itself first... Turns out the buffer in my boss TU-2 Tuner was making the Germanium in the pedal go haywire... It was much improved after I put it the very first in my chain... It is REALLY sensitive to your guitar's volume and tone controls and you can really dial it in... especially on an amp with a bit more low-end and grit... It's a very cool tone tool, but not something I'd make space on my board for... I'm in the same boat with Fuzz pedals... never really liked any except an octavia style octave fuzz
