OVERDRIVE- DIEZEL VH4....the sound that defines modern Metal

DIEZEL VH4

Current Price $300.00 USD

Who doesn't know that the first time we all heard the sound of today's Heavy Metal was from the bands of the 90's.

Since then there have been dozens of gourmet amps and pedals trying to serve up the 90's cake but with this years icing.

In the 90's the German Amplifier maker Diezel
nailed the voice of Heavy Metal.
The competition soon had no choice but to
make a 'Me Too' amplifier.

I play a varied style of original dirt based Indie Alt. music. I have everything from a Klon and a Tube Screamer to a Amptweaker Tight Metal pedal. With 14 OD's I am not missing anything in the middle either.
My pedals cover the OD sounds of the 60's
70's, 80's and 90's.
BUT this is the missing piece in my puzzle.
My 90's sound is only OK.
I thought my Tight Metal was 'it'.
Not bad ...But not 'it'.
...this is IT!

What Diezel has done is absolutely nailed the original cake and with the original icing
They have cloned their own Diezel VH4 amplifier in a pedal.

I like the first video because you can hear that the bypass clean tone that the pedal will go thru is very very neutral. If what you have is just an average practise amp this vid will give you a reasonable idea of how it will sound on your own rig.    

                                                                            

Just for the pure pleasure of it

The Anderton Twins...lol

This pedal takes the idea of

IF IT'S NOT BROKE DONT FIX IT

if you want to pick on it you will need tweezers

So....did it blow your mind and now you want one? The damn thing is so new that the paint is wet. Only available in Britain. ANDERTON'S have ONE!...and only ONE LEFT !!!
None of the other stores have even got their first order!!!

So let me try and figure this out ...a pedal designed by a German Amp maker...the pedal is built in the USA and is only available in England ??? and England only has ...one!  LO

        So one last video....go to 28...and listen to the pedal go thru a Chinese Joyo $150.00 USD transistor amp.

                                                                 Very persuasive. 

MINE JUST ARRIVED...I got it direct from Diezel USA. It took 8 days.

So it is a very big pedal....4 3/4" x 6 1/2".
I did squeeze it on my board.
I have had a Bogner in the past. If you have played one you have an idea of its sound at 12 o'clock.
In my hast to give it a listen ... I used it with 9 volts...unaware that in the box was a 12v power supply with every adapter in the world included. You can run it on 18v too.
I do not recommend more then 12v...it has more then enough headroom with that. The volume is unity gain at about 9 o'clock. So the output is ridiculous. At 12 o'clock it doubles the volume. OUCH!!!
It is designed to get the best medal sound by boosting the volume and pushing your amp hard.
So at unity...the way I run things it really does not want to 'take off'. This was disappointing.
The EQ is excellent. But if you have never had a tube amp it will confuse you. Tubes are interactive.
You will find by moving perhaps the bass that it changes the mids too etc.
So do not set the knobs the same way you are perhaps doing on an OD you already own and expect even a similar basic EQ. It will not happen. With enough patience you "will' find a great sound. The pedal does have a wide base of tones and they are very rich. It is definitely very fat and punchy. but it is deceptive because it is always tight and focused. It is impossible to muddy the sound.
I did find a nice cross between what it is meant to do and a a more Marshall sound. When I switched to a real Marshall type pedal...I soon seen it was not so close. LOL
It really is a contrast to the Marshall...the Marshall is definitely not tight or focused. LOL
This pedal works for me because I have so many ...especially Marshall OD's and it gives me a very alternative dirt sound.

One thing that deserves special attention. This pedal sounds very impressive with a Strat. No matter how hard you push it your Strat never looses it's voice. It never ends up with that terrible "IT SOUNDS LIKE A CHEAP HUMBUCKER" sound.
Nothing worse then a Strat that sounds like a thin humbucker. NOTHING!!!
It is not hard to back this pedal off a bit and get that just right Strat rhythm ...more Stevie Ray and Hendrix then a Plexi with a Tube Screamer...very similar but much fatter
I may yet get another larger then life Metal/Marshall pedal...but I could never dispense with this one because of my Strat..

So...if the videos got you convinced ...listen to a few different Marshall type sounds first. Because this is definitely the best choice for a more American sound...but if you are a  Marshall lover...get one of those first.
I would use this for short solo's but if I was going to stretch out. NO!
I would go back to a Marshall...probably the Friedman BE-OD.

Summary

A fat punchy sounding pedal great for power chords yet so articulate you can play anything because it will not muddy up.
The tone is excellent. The harmonics are detailed and rich.I really like this pedal. It gave me just the right nudge to write a new tune.

On the down side...the obvious price and it's size.
It likes to be cranked. It does not like unity gain...it will not sing without being pushed to at least 12 o'clock.
If your ears are tuned into a Marshall...think twice before getting this

Keep in mind ...I am not a Modern Metal Player.
when it comes to dirt for me...Sabbath's first album is where I am at. Sluggish tempos with rests between power chords and a lot of linear riffs played in unison with the bass player.

I am not into the modern quarter note throbs with chords being muted to drive the rhythm and pinched harmonics pulled out every few bars. Oh yes..and a 'floyd' working overtime.
It sounds like great fun...but with a bass player/singer that has affinity to turn anything into jazz. No.  lol

I am sure this pedal would be King for that because it just will not muddy up...and is tight! tight! tight!

Last week at the Namm show Diesel have announced

 a "NEW" 

VH-4 ???

It has a switchable second channel. Itis also going to be $80.00 USD more...ouch!!

The original one was only shown at the the Summer Namm in August and has only been available since about Oct.  In fact the earliest review was mid Nov. 2006.
This is going to pizz off a lot of players who would prefer the new one.

THE DIEZEL DIEFET DELUXE DH-4

The new one at the show had 2 separate gains. The gains are now stacked. The pedal is otherwise the same as the prototype. It gives you a bit more gain and a bit more low end.
So if you have the original one...You are not going to miss too much. As for me I always like to find the very best sound the pedal can do then leave it. If I need more or less overdrive I just use a different  pedal.
You will note that the NEW VH 4 at NAMM was a 9 knob prototype without a name change.

The production model has 8 knobs and is now called the  Diesel Diefet Deluxe DH-4. The new knobs are labeled Structure and Deep. The 2 gains are stacked. . Deep is for an extra low resonance boost it is opposite of the tight control on a Marshall style pedal and Structure is a negative feedback loop from the preamp of the amp it copies it changes the overall EQ to match the original amp. It is hard to explain other then to say if you push the second gain too hard you it can smooth out the sound. It seems nuts but works because it is trying to fight the distortion and clean up the signal. lol

CODA

The Deluxe takes this pedal from one of the best OD's you can buy for a great American style to

a Swiss army knife METAL pedal. true Metal players will all have this on their short list.

For me the first one is perfect BUT...there is no such thing as too much as too much OD especially as I imagine I could use a sprinkle of the sounds it offers. In short knobs can be turned up or down to taste.

Serious Metal players will most certainly have this on their short list.

Others like me will probably give it a miss because they will not know how good it sounds stripped of the new overkill features. If they offered both models that would not happen.
Oddly enough the American website is selling the old one with the new one not to be found???
So if you want the old one ...now is the time.

I would recommend the new one...just wait until the dust settles.

FEB. 28....and the only pedal for sale on the DIEZEL USA site is v.1 ....they have had a sh@t load of time to update the site.

THIS HAS TO BE DELIBERATE...IT TELLS ME THEY WANT TO CLEAR THEIR STOCK AND NEITHER DISCOUNT THE PRICE OR GIVE YOU A CHOICE. 

GREED CITY!!!

BOTH PEDALS ARE GOOD.. but to say this is pizz off is an understatement.

UPDATE: May 5/5

Well...I found that I was only using it on my Strat. set to give me a medium gain. Coupled with my Strat it sounded much like a Marshall JMC 800. Dialing up this tone made me relize that the PedalPalFX PAL800 JMC EMULATOR has a similar sound... for less then half price.

So I put my Diezel on REVERB...I did well I broke even.

JULY

The site has no sign of the new pedal.

It has instead a massive campaign promoting the old model with video's etc.

They screwed up big time... just when all the STAR video jocks were reviewing or about to review the old pedal they announced the new one. They seemed have simply pulled out the new one and kept their mouth shut. they got away with it. LOL

The great reviews for the old one have just been pouring in.

i did get my substitute for it and it was twice as good as i thought it would be.

HAPPY ENDING!!!

^^^The Musician's 11th Commandment

NEVER LET OBJECTIVE REALITY INTERFERE

 WITH YOUR SENSE OF SELF IMPORTANCE

No ...this is not a flippant statement. If as a musician you do not believe that you have as much to say musically as everyone on the planet ...and the right to say and believe in it ...you will be headed to oblivion.
So repeat this statement to yourself every day.

Trust me ...this is the truth!
Imagine a world without music
good...
NOW YOU KNOW YOU ARE IMPORTANT!!!

IF YOU ARE NEW...touch base here

"DON"T PIZZ ME OFF ...JUST DO IT!!!"

EASY...just go to the Post ....HOW TO USE SDS

GIBSON HAS THEIR CREDIT RATING SLASHED

REALLY DUMB

In 2015 Gibson's biz tanked. What they sold was full of quality issues. They put out some dumb

stuff...
The highlight was the tuner on the LP.

WHY WOULD SOMEONE SPENDING OVER $3000.00  NOT WANT THIS BLOB OF JUNK PERMANENTLY ATTACHED TO THERE GUITAR      LOL

THE QUALITY TANKED.
And as we all know better made guitars are available at less the half the price.
and an exquisite hand made state of the art guitar can be had for around $2000.00 USD 

In 2016 they did better but could not recover from 2015. The banks have there eye on them!

WHAT'S NEXT GIBSON GUITARS MADE IN USA  KOREA !!!!

ELECTRO HARMONIX SUES MOOER

LAW SUIT

Still $55.00 USD if bought online straight from China

Mooer are famous for their clones. How  I understand cloning is that if you wire up separate analog parts...as in transistor x goes into transistor y...no problem. The reason that is OK is because if it were illegal...and that combination was patented ...the same part of that circuit might show up in a garage door opener ... and we all know that the guy with the door opener is not trying to rip off a pedal maker. 

But with octave pedals one is using digital software ...which can be literally downloaded from chip A to chip B....a big no-no

$284.00 USD

So kids if you want a great cheap octave pedal grab the Mooer quick as they are being recalled.

IF YOU WERE NOT CONVINCED THAT
YOU ARE GETTING THE SAME PEDAL.
EH...MAKES A GOOD ARGUMENT THAT
YOU ARE.  LOL

If you buy a few...you can sell the extra pedals and your's will be free. lol

OVERDRIVE- TECH21 RICHIE KOTZEN OMG

TECH21 RICHIE KOTZEN OMG

This is an overdrive that takes the old school approach. It is not trying to copy a specific amp. It just goes for a huge warm mid range sound. It definitely is Brit sounding.

Current Price $189.00 USD

Well worth a listen.

ANOTHER HERO !!! ANOTHER BEST ON-LINE STORE

 ROGUE MUSIC 

If you have read the TECH21 HOT-ROD PLEXI post...you have seen the video of one damn impressive pedal.
The point is the demo is of the limited edition export model. There were only 1000 made.
and that was back in 2013.
Used they go for as much as $500.00 USD The limited edition is black. The standard model is a very dark purple.

 ROGUE MUSIC put a picture of the black pedal on-line to sell  ...but it was the purple one that they stock and sell.

I sent a note explaining that I wanted the one in the pic...or cancel the order..I got a note from Dick Michaels... basically confirming that I would get the black one in the pic.

By the time the person who pulls the product off the shelf and ships it the link had been broken.

Yes...I got the purple pedal because for one thing they only ever had the purple pedal.
Basically they just probably went to a library of pics for the Ad and up pops a nice pic...to be fair the purple is so dark it looks black.

.....and yes I returned it for a refund.

But Dick ....was not going to have me disappointed.

He got hold of the manufacturer. They scoured the warehouse...and Bingo there was one lost and forgotten for years sitting collecting dust in a back corner.
So I not only got the pedal...I got it for $179.00 NEW...not used for $500.00 used.

I'VE SAID IT BEFORE.
THE BEST STORE IS NOT ONE THAT NEVER MAKES A MISTAKE ...BUT THE STORE THAT DOES AND SORTS OUT YOUR PROBLEM IN A FAIR AND EXPEDIENT WAY.

So children,,,Rogue Music has good prices. Check and see if they have what you want before you buy some where else. They are great with shipping...cheap and no bad surprises.

So in short I got a brand new pedal for less then half it would have cost me used. Better still a rare pedal that has a value that can only go up.

...and Dick Michaels ...made it possible by going way beyond anyone I have ever dealt with.

This makes Dick an SDS Hero...SO THANKYOU DICK!!!

Tell your boss that Paul says that you should get a week off with pay. Thanks to you the store will now

have as many as 14,000 players know that Rogue Music is a great place to shop.

OVERDRIVE- LARENCE PETROSS DESIGN LPD EIGHTY 7 ..... An SBS world preview!

LAWRENCE PETROSS DESIGN

LPD EIGHTY 7 

This is LPD's newest pedal. It is not formally on sale until January 2017. 
In fact the colour and  graphics are not finalized These pics are just the prototypes.
But  thanks to Lawrence Petross SDS has a preview complete with a couple of short vids

WHAT IS AN 87 ?

This is the second Plexi pedal by LPD. The first is the LPD SIXTY 8...which is just gaining an under ground status not unlike the early Tube Screamer or more recently the Klon.
.
So...this is like a first time film director winning an Oscar. It is hard act to follow.

In the 80's the JCM800 was out...this was Marshall's attempt to deliberately push the tone into the highs and upper mids to make a real screamer!
Many players thought they were especially harsh because they pushed the highs too much. A few modified Plexi's in California became the studio's choice. They were more of a cross between a Plexi and a JCM800. They had that solid Plexi sound but with a much more aggressive gain.

Many of today's gourmet amps take this route Basically they put another gain stage in a Plexi design.

The 87...captures this sound.

.
The beauty of the PLEXI is that it keeps out of the way of the vocals giving the player a fat huge exhilarating sound to play all night .

I wish to thank Lawrence Petross for giving SBS the first preview of his new pedal.

A  NEW VIDEO THE FIRST FOR THE NEW YEAR!!!

Lawrence gave me a heads up...he knows SBS come here to get pedal news first!!

now we have a chance to see what it can really do...

OVERDRIVE - MAXON OD820 not another Tube Screamer but it's replacement ???

MAXON OD820 OVERDRIVE PRO

IS THIS THE NEW TUBE SCREAMER ?

IT'S GREEN ENOUGH ...

    Current Price $199.00 USD

It was not Ibanez but Maxon that invented the Tube Screamer ...Ibanez just licensed it. They had a worldwide distribution for their guitars so they put the ts808 on the map. It has been a long wait but they did not want to blow a sizable rep...with a pedal that a 3rd of the gourmet boys have already come up with.

I can not fault it. It is the ts thing but with the quality of sound in keeping with

better technology and better design. 

 I have a it covered with my Tube Screamer Demon. But my board has been pushed to the limit with the best of all OD pedals, so updating my ts with this can never be counted out.

Still on call
but soon to retire.

LOL

                 It easy to be cynical but this is a damn good pedal.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! WE ARE ONE YEAR OLD ...DEC 23/15 to DEC 23/16

It all started Wed. Dec. 23,2015

I was killing time waiting for a few Xmas gatherings on the 25th and 26th
I thought I would give you a heads up on one or two each of some pro sounding pedals that were all about $30.00 USD each.

So that might take an hour here and there over the Xmas holidays then I would just move on.

It went viral half way thru the same day ??? So I'm still here. LOL

The first Strat was in here.

There are now over 16.000 of us that come here for pedal and now guitar info.
You are now a player that knows where to get entry level pro or better for dirt cheap.

As for pedals you not only know which $30.00 Chinese jobbies are so good you might never replace them.
But if you do replace them ...you know what pedals are the best of the best  ...you usually know this within 2 weeks of it being offered for sale. In some cases days before any one else.
In short SDS gets a world premiere of the pedal.

You are also entitled to bragging rights ....LOL.

BEHRINGER PLASTIC JUNK, RESURRECTED

BEHRINGER PEDALS WILL SOON BE NO MORE...
CRAP SOUNDING PEDALS IN TACKY PLASTIC BOXES 

DISCONTINUED

OR MAYBE NOT!!!!

TC ELECTRONIC

Beautiful steel boxes....same old pedals!!!

BEHRINGER HAS BOUGHT OUT TC ELECTRONIC....and their first offering under new management is to try and pass off their old junk in high tech metal boxes. I did not have to listen to them all...as they would not pass the 'SMELL TEST' !!!

Seriously...they are the same pedals!!!

WHAT A F...ING CON!!!

Too bad TC Electronic a great innovative company eaten up by big biz...trashed by greed!!!

IKEA MAKE A GUITAR YOU ASSEMBLE !!!

Is this a kit guitar made by Ikea where you get a box full of parts etc.

Or is it a Rickenbacher from the 60's that was the Ikea of their day. 

Maybe it is a made in China jobbie....that someone in one of the far west provinces came up with from having seen too many bad Hollywood movies. 

Actually it is a 60's Ric....the Astro D.I.Y. kit guitar... hard to believe ...

a real 'Ripleys'

THE FIRST TELE....EVER MADE.... 3 TUNERS ASIDE HEADSTOCK?

COOL STUFF TO KNOW

This little gem is a clone of a 1949 Fender Broadcaster Prototype #1

the first fender prototype

note the scratches from the first ever ashtray cover

Finished & For Sale 1950

By the beginning of 1950 the 1950 Broadcaster was for sale to the general public.

They made 5 prototypes in 1949.  The 'snake head'...then the same one but with the classic Tele inline headstock which they sold a few from the factory floor.T
The 3rd had 2 knobs on a plate but mounted behind the bridge...the last prototype #5 moved that plate to the side.
The 5th prototype was the 1950 finished model.

The few guys who bought the second prototype  with a pine body no truss rod but the 6 in a line headstock were part of the early Rock-a billy scene. They travelled up to Canada then back down to the deep South just to make a living.

Prototype #4 ...for sale at the factory just knock at the back door

The maple neck had no truss rod...the drastic temperature changes from their travel forced Leo to add an adjustable truss rod. The body was pine so it got bruised easily from knocking the guitar around in the dark small clubs with tiny stages.

 Alder was cheap and light enough and did a good job on absorbing the knocks. Leo had some very smart gutsy employees who pushed him for these improvements..

The whole effort took the right leader (Leo) the right team and at the right time to pull it off.

prototype #2

prototype #3

Harmony sued him for using the name so it was dropped after only being used for a couple of months.

It was sold without a name. It is historically referred to as the 'Nocaster'...then in the autumn it became the Telecaster.

Over the years the pickups have had their output increased and the bridge have been improved with 6 saddles over just 3. ...but visually the guitar is much the same.

OVERDRIVE- FIRE CUSTOM SHOP CARPE DIEM .... this plexi changes everything !!!!

FIRE CUSTOM SHOP
CARPE DIEM
(100 watt Plexi stack)

So just when I think I can not possibly find another mind blowing overdrive this shows up.
Go figure from Brazil too. Who would have thought.

Current price $280.00 USD

Now Wampler do make a pretty decent one and with countless more knobs and switches. The Wampler is nothing to be ashamed of. BUT...as they say in a horse race this wins by a nose.
In a word this has balls. The sound is definitely better then the Tech21 Hot -Rod Plexi by a lot. Unless of course you have the limited Edition Export model.
The 'thump' control which is simply a Marshall 4x12 speaker simulator is to die for.
It is a shame someone does not do a Marshall 4x12 simulator with controllable resonance. (for those that have not heard this)
 A: check the post and
 B: do not confuse this function with speaker simulators for recording...the difference is night and day!)
OK OK...I digress again!

So the Carpe Diem is a classic Plexi.
in this case I would say this is the 100 watt stack with the heavy lower mids...as in Hendrix style.
Yes children Uncle Paul says this thing hauls!!!

....finally when you get this pedal ...play it for your friends ....then say to them in a kind and soft voice 

"Eat your guts out!" "This one is mine!' "ALL MINE!!!!" then break out into a sardonic laugh. A small dance would not go a miss either.

So...'That Pedal Show' got this pedal from the manufacturer...and let us hear it....so ...orders go thru the roof but no one has any???
So Anderton's and others go chasing after it.
Fine but.
Fire Custom Shop really never exported. They soon learnt how to...and what to charge too.
In Brazil it sold for about $140.00 USD before this sudden exposure.

Yes...I know what you are thinking ...others have tried but...the leak was pre plugged.

"Ok" ...you say..."will you buy this pedal?"  you say.
and I say "that is the dumbest damn ass question I have ever heard in my whole life!!!!"

OVERDRIVE- ROTHWELL HEARTBREAKER OD.....it does it all from ts808 to Metal

ROTHWELL 
HEARTBREAKER OVERDRIVE

A very unique pedal from the U.K.
I suspect we have a real engineer behind this pedal
the opposite of Menatone The King.

Both trying to do the same thing. Both doing it superbly well.

-Rothwell from a pure scientific method of deconstructing what makes up a sound and perfecting it. Cause and effect taken to exacted conclusion.

-Menatone where intuitive gut instinct, trial and error and the sound of what they want already firmly embedded in their mind. Their goal being that though technology is important  Art is imperative.

Current Price $158.00 USD

Both succeed...

The Rothwell is clear crisp and defined down to last overtone.
The Menatone creating a soulful magic that the sound seems almost organic.

The pedal has a great industrial retro look. In fact it really looks like a real piece of gear from the 50's or even late 40's. Built to last.

Video's (like the above) do not get better than this. No flash BS just a very simple tutorial with good playing to adequately show anyone exactly how each sound will work in context with it's use. In short..you hear a light overdrive or a metal OD sound used in the exact style it is meant for.
Check it out. It speaks for itself.
                                                            <><><>

Where have I heard this before?
_______

It is interesting that the reviewer on this second vid uses the 'Free'  tune to demo the product since he did the same showing off the Catalinbread Plexi pedal too.

Then the light went on ...the 'Free' tune !!!!
...the Heartbreaker sounds like the Catalinbread product. I certainly do not think they borrowed something from them as this pedal has been around as long or longer then a lot of Catalinbread pedals.
They obviously have a similar philosophy for overall tone.
Not bad!

CODA

First the price. At $158.00 USD (incl. shipping) from Rothwell direct.
This is a very good deal. It is Boss pedal pricing.

It was nearly a hundred more when a few dealers in the US had it...it sold poorly and was expensive...so it got dumped ages and ages ago.

....the pedal industry may love myths and legends....but it is not immune from fashion...this pedal has been around since 2009 ...but since it has survived ...if only barely ...a lot of word of mouth has saved it.

A few Brit stores sell it...or get it direct.
For the value of the parts alone you get build quality and great sound
...it is one sweet deal.

It is in the same territory as Menatone's The King
The King is soulful...the Heartbreaker however has a lovely crafted simplicity to it's exact and focused sound.

It really gets down to taste.
Both are equally great.

With my 14 OD's I definitely do not need it  I have it covered with my 'King'.
Will I get one. I would never say never.
But...it is not on my short list.

I do like this pedal very much...it has punch and balls even if you play low or a bit busy ....there is not a trace of mud. Clarity ...clarity ...clarity !!

on second thought...I will have to see what can go to make room for it. LOL
....I do have a spot half the size....if I  Dump the Joyo ...Exotic BB clone...this pedal would easily sub for it yet give me more.

WHY SDS IS THE BEST...bad pun

Hello earthlings...

OK folks I take pride in finding the best pedals and now guitars at the best prices!

Attention to detail can be crucial!!!

Take for example the new Fender Mustang and Duo Sonic...not even Fender
published what wood it is made of. This is critical...not only for value but more important tone.
I had to scan several countries to find out. It turned up in a store called Cosmo's Music in Toronto Canada.  Alder! Virtually all but a few Fenders are made of alder. So any pickup designed for any Fender will likely sound great in it

Then for example Gibson has just announced the new Gibson M2...which is in fact the old Gibson Melody Maker updated. They do not actually say this but.. I would think ...M2 is Melody Maker 2.
OK...to the point.
It comes in about 10 colours...and it took someone who went to NAMM to find a pic with a  couple in it ...then following that lead to another I got a pic with 5...so it was off to Google UK...a store there had a pic with all 10.

So..if it is hot...or so new the paint is still wet you will find it here.
The Freeman had only been out 2 weeks....and there were no ads just gossip from other blogs.
You will also find small obscure company's that offer exceptional gear at low prices.
Have you heard of Rothwell pedals or of anyone using them? Probably not. We all should have ...because they make a seriously great product
OR
How about the Fire Custom Shop from Brazil...right up there with the very, very best!!!! Their recent Plexi is so good it sells for double what it sold for in Brazil...and they are getting it...because the sh@t they make is worth it!!!
I just bought one! If you could get a great tone...and make your dirt sound twice as fat...and were in a trio too...wouldn't you?

Theft is my game...I scour the entire world stealing from the best...even when it is not in English. I take into account many opinions but I am not a slave to them. I condense a lot of blah blah into getting to the point. I have no one in the music biz that I owe favours to so I can say what I want. I freely compare pedals. If a pedal has a better rival you hear about that rival right then and there in the new review.

A lot of players are getting the Bogner Burnley OD...I bought one...it is damn good!
Only 2 weeks later the Friedman BE-OD came out!
I was so impressed I got one.
I played it for only 5 minutes.
I was stunned!!! Quite literally stunned!
I kept playing it. It was 7pm...when I finally noticed the time...I had 4 hour left before I needed to be at work!!!
That evening I put my new Bogner for sale on Reverb!!!

I never say dumb sh@t  like like "this pedal would not suit everyone" I say
"this pedal is crap! " No one needs to fork out $250.00 USD on crap...nor do they need to spend that on a pedal where the clone is equally as good for $35.00 USD.

What is more there is something new every week...often many new things. Posts are made at least twice a week and updates and additions every day.

My point is...welcome but come back soon...

OVERDRIVE- DR. SCIENTIST THE ELEMENTS .....a DIY where you do not make the pedal but it's tone

D.I.Y.

DR. SCIENTIST THE ELEMENTS

Made by a husband and wife team near Edmonton Alberta Canada. A very interesting approach.

They took all the elements that pedal makers use to make the voicing for an overdrive but instead of creating a 'voice' for the pedal and allowing you to cut a few highs and boost the gain...then set the overall volume ...they put a knob on every part inside that shapes the sound. In short you can then 'voice' your own pedal. So here you have it. You can shut up about finding your own unique sound.

You have no excuses. Or you can be just like me and settle for the best preset you can find in a pedal. LOL

Yes for all my bull ...I just want it done for me

Still ...there are times on a tune even with 15 OD's I could really use this pedal big time.

The pic clearly shows all the many parameters you have... a massive amount of EQ and I expect clipping diodes to add a bit of nasty to your overdriven transistors.

The lady in the family does the great graphics so you have an endless choice of artwork.

to choose from.

I have never seen so many video's made on one pedal ...dozens

....I do not know if these videos show
it's best features as with so many to choose from I had O. Deed

(pun intended) after checking out these.

CODA

You can in theory create a personal tone on it...that if put beside the same pedal someone else has and both are recorded it would sound like both players owned an entirely different brand of pedal.
Dr. Scientist does not design your sound ...you do!!!!

That is indeed ...cool!

OVERDRIVE- TECH21 HOT-ROD PLEXI...there are 2 but one is hard to get

TECH 21 HOT-ROD PLEXI

This has got to be the ultimate 100 watt Plexi right down to the 4x12 cabinet thump!
Then they took that last step further and put in that modern boost typical of a Gourmet Repro-Plexi amplifier manufacturer...the sound of an enhanced overdrive channel with a 12ax7 to supply the smack!
I hate to once again say the sound is huge  ...so lets just say it is massive ... lol

Jimi Hendrix had out his first LP when I went to a concert to see him. I went thinking his record was a lot of studio tricks. I left the concert thinking what Eric Clapton said to Pete Townsend when they first saw him together in a small London pub.

Clapton said "THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING !!!"
This pedal was the sound I heard that night.

The Export model with the
'THUMP '  cab resonance control
only 1000 made


The current model
with the 'PUNCH' mid control
   SUCKS!!!

Current Price $179.00 USD

The first video compares the real amp with the pedal!

IF you have been searching for a sound so big if it reflected back off the wall it would crush you

then prepare to be amazed at the sound on this video !!!!

OUCH !

NOTE:  the new label on the purple faced pedal is a mid control ...this pedal was for the domestic market and is currently the only model made ...unfortunately the black faced  model was a limited edition for international distribution. The mid control labeled 'PUNCH' model is a very pedestrian pedal ...it is devoid of the amazing 'THUMP'.

 In my opinion the Thump was a very important feature it gave the pedal a massive girth ...it makes the demo redundant ...without the Thump feature I would not recommend the pedal!

I had a bad  feeling I should research the name change... It was worth it as I was going to buy one.

BUT 

 I had a good look and found a few by searching world wide. There are 

'New Old Stock' Black Faced models in Australia ...France and even South Africa. These varied in price from about $250.00 USD to nearly $500.00 USD.

The best deal was in the U.S. via Germany where ...I got the last one ...from Rouge Music for $179.00 USD which is the current price of the new model.

Rogue Music buy up dead stock and clearances from stores and resell it. 

The Export stock is from 2013... so act accordingly if you want one. Get hunting.

                                       A few will eventually show up.

NOT GOOD NEWS IN SPITE OF ME ASKING WHEN I MADE MY ORDER AND BEING AFFIRMED THAT I WAS GETTING A BLACKFACE MODEL....I DID NOT...I AM SURE THAT THE ONE WHO CONFIRMED MY ORDER SIMPLY LOOK AT THE PICTURE ON THE POSTING...I FULLY EXPECT THAT THEY DO NOT AND HAVE NOT HAD AN OLD MODEL...BUT SIMPLY USED IN HOUSE FILES OF PICTURES FOR THEIR AD!

SO NOT ONLY DO I NOT GET THE PEDAL I HAVE ALL THE POLITICS AND EFFORT NEEDED TO BE DONE TO GET A REFUND!!!

...

SO FOLKS ALL THE DUMB ASS STUFF I THOUGHT COULD HAPPEN  ...DID
In short there was never a  THUMP model in the first place

But credit where credit's due...they called up TECH21...who had one left collecting dust on the back shelf for a few years ...just waiting for me.  LOL

A PLEXI IN THE REAL WORLD
-------------------------------------------

So how does it sound?
Well with the THUMP off it is adequate but not very exciting OD.
With the THUMP on....it does sound very big.

In the real world the thump will change according to the pitch and dynamics of the playing.
This does not do this...the effect is much more static ...it is more like an octave pedal playing an octave lower then the music played. The higher the volume and the more real speaker is pushed the better the elusion.

The Carpe Diem and the LPD Sixty 8 Drive...are far superior pedas when it gets down to the actual amps sound. BUT...these pedals are a hundred dollars more.

So what's the verdict???
I expect in the video ...the amp it was being played thru had a bit of spank...and was 40watts or more
which is not unfair if you play with a drummer in a band context.
At 5 watts though it is a nice effect...but not mind blowing.

So in short I think live this thing will kick some serious butt 

At a price of $179.00 USD it is good value for what you get.
I worked on a tune I thought it would fit...and it did indeed do wonders for that tune.

The Carpe and the sixty 8 are a far better choice ...and in the long run would fit any tune needing some dirt.

So folks not being able to get one is not a crisis ..but if one comes your way it could be a useful addition to your board.

I only had my Tele to test the pedal ...I will let you know how it sounds with my LP.

Well with the Les Paul this thing speaks!!!!
Once you get the your tone settled you bring up the thump so it is even with the with your sound without it ,,,then even with a cheap practice amp you get pretty much what you hear on the vid.
That sir!  Is not to hard to take.  LOL


SO ENDS THE CRAZIEST POST ON THIS SITE  :-)

DOES WOOD MATTER ???

DOES WOOD MATTER!!!

The collective opinion says that rosewood is warmer and fuller sounding ...but it can muddy or be uneven.

The maple is bright ,even, tight and clean but can be a bit harsh or strident.

Actually all things being equal except the neck ...both sound great
.
Personally the maple to me is my preference because in a band context it cuts thru the mix just a bit better.
But you want the guitar when sitting on a stand to say "PLAY ME" ....so the look is important ...whatever gets that guitar in your hands the most should be your choice.

DON'T YOU WISH THIS WAS AN OPTION ON EVERY GUITAR?

    .....WOOD MATTERS

 

I found this cool video of a guy who owns several old Strats. All but his 63 are                      either Alder or Ash.

But compare them to the 63 in Mahogany. The Mahogany is noticeable darker sounding. It is fatter in the low mids and has a lot of bass. Mahogany in a Fender is very unusual!

Gibson use mainly mahogany.

  DOES THE WOOD ON AN OLD GUITAR SOUND BETTER ? 

It most certainly can. It is scientifically guaranteed to be different. Science can not argue better!

I have read of knowledgeable people say it does not.

They say it is a myth. Myths can cause the placebo effect. They also claim there isn't any science on it.

Well those that can hear the difference get the 'last laugh'

There is now ample proof.

  YOU HAVE JUST GOT TO LOVE THE PIANO  

For years Yamaha have been trying to build the perfect piano. No matter how good they made
it the establishment and indeed the players preferred the Steinway.
So what was it about the Steinway that made a difference?
 AGE ?? MAYBE?? Those that were the best players played the best concert halls and those halls had a Steinway of course. BUT those halls are very old...and so was their Steinway. LOL
So...Yamaha searched around and found some old Steinway's that were way past their 'best before' date.
In short junked ones kept for  parts.
They hired both chemists and even botanist to cut up the wood and see what made it tick.
It turns out all wood contains sap. It dries out pretty fast when the tree is cut and dried. BUT the sap slowly crystallizes over the years. This will happen naturally but the process is enhanced by vibrating the wood. Could it be by hammering the metal strings over it?
So Yamaha has managed to artificially 'AGE WOOD'.and had the experts compared. YES!!!!
Sooooo they have just moved a similar system into their Acoustic guitar manufacture.

Having said all that Paul Reed Smith says it is all about moisture. It is generally assumed that if wood is air dried to a content of 805 it is Ok to make sh@t out of it that will not warp. So guitar makers do just that. A 59 Les Paul after drying out for years has a moisture content of 20%. WHOA!!!
The PRS kiln dries it's wood over 3 days until it HAS 20%.

THE 1952 FENDER FORECASTER...is it time to make this guitar?

A BIT OF FUN

The 1952 Fender Forecaster was never made...in fact it was never even thought of !

In the 1950's the second biggest selling guitar in America was the Kay Vanguard. It recently struck me that part of it's appeal is it's shape. It looks like a Fender that was meant to be made in 1952. Which would be two years after the Tele and two years before the Strat. The Vanguard is a 'Missing Link' between the 2 body styles.

So I started thinking .What if I designed one just different enough that where the neck is mounted it would fit a Stat or Tele neck. You can then build the new Kay using all standard Tele/Strat hardware and PU's.
This keeps the price down...allows for endless 'hot roding' and really makes the guitar
appear to actually be the mythical Forecaster

What if you could actually buy this guitar ???

you would have the rarest of all the Fender's...the
 '1952 Fender Forecaster'

I think the easiest way is to start with a body blank...the Fender Custom shop
                                         did just that on this one below. Then they traced out the Strat shape...and dispensed with the fancy routing and carving.

Fender Custom Shop Strat

                                                                                         

It would not be too hard alter the cutaways coming in towards the heel of the neck on the Strat.
The top cutaway would tie in 5 frets up the neck and the bottom tie in at the second fret.
This would both keep the heel and neck fitting 
the same as a stock Strat. It will also not threaten access to the highest frets nor would it alter how the heel fits to the body.
In short the new guitar would look much different 
...but the feel and playability would be the same as a  a stock Strat.
Great feel for any average player... nothing to even get used to for a Tele or Strat player.
Bullet proof !



So I am designing a prototype that can be made in China with American Standard Strat/Tele quality that could be sold for less then $500.00 USD. I have contacted a Chinese manufacturer 

. 

  

HARDWARE..

Perhaps the neck pickup should be a Strat...but with a chrome cover
The  Tele neck PU is chrome..

The Tele control plate could be mounted on an angle with the switch at the top

to mimic the layout of the Strat's controls

.

Keep the the tele neck pickup & bridge ...but update to the 6 saddles
the 1954 Strat had 6 saddles.

The upper side of the Strat pickguard is good but we will have to lop off the bottom
It needs to be shorten because of the bridge/pickup mounting plate.

The Tele Deluxe takes care of shaping the cutaway corner of the guitar

this keeps the vibe of the fun look of the Kay but following the pickguard curve of the Deluxe

puts us back into a Leo design

We will need a headstock that
 falls between the Tele and Strat style.
So since Reverend guitars have been
freely borrowing on Fender ideas
in fact the Eastsider is a Tele.
we will borrow the headstock back. LOL
Perfect ...It is thin like a Tele but clearly it is a Strat shape.

The fake sunburst does not make it....
but the old Fender Torino red would be good.


I think a classic 'Blonde'  maple/neck fingerboard goes without saying!
Fender did not use rosewood for fret boards in '52.


So a quick review
the Vanguard body shape will be used ...with a modification to fit the heel of  a Strat/Tele neck
and a minor change in shape of cut-away to make it the same shape as the Tele deluxe pick guard.
The bridge will be the current American Tele bridge.
The pickguard will be a merge of a strat style on the top half and a Tele Deluxe on the bottom half.
The pick guard at the bridge will go strait across ...Tele style ...and the cutout for the steel control plate will be angled to align it to the outward curve of bottom rear bout of the body. To mimic the slanted controls of the Strat.

The neck pickup will be a Strat but with a chrome cover...and the neck will be the standard Tele one.

Oh yes and the Pickups.
The best of the Tele pickups to me is coincidentally the 1954.
it has the Tele twang but with a nice fat snarling bite that sounds great with overdrives.
Duncan do a superb '54.
The also do a very convincing staggered Strat
BUT.

That said some cheap and cheerful Chinese jobbies will do to keep the price down.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

AUG.13, 2021

THE BIG SURPRISE

In 1951 Leo was making sketches of his new

guitar for 1953

LEO thought his guitars should be like cars

every few years you got a New VERSION

In other words the 1950 Tele would cease production and 

so the 1953 Tele would look like my Lenard.

Like a car a few things would be used over

but NOT the look.

Hence the spec of the basic shape. The back half is identical

The treble Horn was added (borrowed from 52 P. Bass)

The lower horn was cut off.

the bolt on maple neck, the wood used etc. stayed the

same

The 6 saddle hardtail bridge was already a prototype

in 51 for such a guitar.

The edges were more rounded off but the top was till flat.

the rear did have a tummy cut.

The Tele PU at the neck was kept ...but a new PU was already 

designed (the Strat PU? Highly possible)

for the neck position. 

The middle PU was added by me so you can get

the out of phase thing

I got all this info from guy who worked with leo every

morning in the last 4 years he was alive.

and got to see all the pics and notes from the 50's

Leo never thru his ideas out even when

they were rough sketches.

This 'Guy' is still alive so I will not invade his privacy.

by saying who he is.

I will give you a hint.

He is famous for designing a sh@t load of

after market hardware for hot rodding your fenders.

nearly all of it is still available and NOT hard to find.

Goggle  ...

The Second Best Guitar on the Planet

It has the whole story on the lenard guitar.