WALRUS AUDIO FUNDAMENTAL DISTORTION
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| $100.00 USD |
This is a bog standard 80's hardclipper OpAmp dirt box. It could use the Rat, Tube Screamer or the Boss SD-1 type of topography but there are hundreds of new variations on offer every year. Some are over hyped pedals in pricy enclosureswith paint and graphics that say WOW! These can go for $250.00 USD,maybe more. Unfortunately they often sound about as good or evenworse than a Chinese mini pedal that sells for $24.00 USD.The layout is gain, tone and volume using sliders rather than knobs. They do not provide an audio improvement but are simply for eye candy. They are also not like a pot an easy fix at your local repair shop to do in a day. You get 2 clipping diodes Silicon and LED. Dark is likely both LED and Silicon on together.It has a nice Pro look.
CONCLUSIONIt is not tight but has a sloppy lower bass and muddy lower mids.When pushed it is fizzy fuzzy and when backed off it sounds thin.At best it has a couple of usable but very generic sounds.I would not trade it for my Movall Plexi Troll that costme $22.00 USD and included free shipping.
the fine print....the winner in the American cheapies dept is Wampler.
His Phenom is based off of the voicing of a Peavey 5150.
It looks and sounds as good as any $200.00 pedal.
If Wampler would have brought it out as just another
of his regular line of OD's no one would have blinked
at a $200 price yet it too is $100.00 USD
Which do you prefer? The Soldano SLO pedal or the Phenom?
ReplyDeleteBoth, LOL I have the Soldano and it is a keeper. The Wampler is equal but different. The cool thing is on a tune that sounds good with the Wampler it may not sound as good with the Soldano. A tune that kills with a Soldano will still sound great with the Wampler.
ReplyDeleteTo get to the pont if I had neither I would get the Wampler. There are a lot of hobbyist players that buy a pedal and have fun with it for a couple of months and then sell it and scoop up something else. The Wampler has been out 4 months so a few are showing up used. New or used a guy can usually find the money for Under $100 pedals.