Shout at the Devil

:::Cool Pedals:::

Bavaria, Germany

Builder: Andreas Ziegler

There is only one real way to describe this pedal...Overdrive & Beyond. There are many pedals out there that promise multi-drive voicings but usually that means having to mount some oversized not very user friendly stompbox onto your already crowded pedalboard. Cool Pedals has found a clever way to give us classic, modern, and everything in betwen in a small killer looking guitar pedal. Inside the Dirty Devil you will find some very recognizable dirt tones and at the same time discover some new ones you'll be proud to add to your arsonal of sound. Selling your soul to Satan never sounded so good.

Dirty Devil

OD/Dist/Etc...

Look at this pedal!!! It screams badass, and it delivers like no other. This is one pedal I was more than happy to put through it's paces, it's very user friendly and every setting you dial-in sounds like fantastic overdrive overdose. The Dirty Devil was built for the player in need of one pedal that can do it all. When I say "it" I mean overdrive & distortion. Need a vintage TS-808 tone? You got it! Want to go a bit heavier into the DS-1 realm? No problem. And it doesn't stop there, this is not a pedal that will bore you easily. It responds really well to your guitars volume knob and the amount of compression is damn near perfect! There is a warm yet slicing quality to the sound it produces, it is rich in harmonics, and will have both humbuckers and single coils howling like a beast. The Dirty Devil is handmade, sports high quality components, and is built to last. It's builder and designer is Andreas Ziegler. A passionate and hard working cat with a mission to give us players choice and killer tone in one amazing pedal. I'd have to say he pulled it off, the Dirty Devil kept me busy for quite some time. Let's look at the Dirty Devil's layout, which is very clever I must say. You have the traditional Volume-EQ-and Gain knobs, which all work together when you step on the On/Off switch. The Boost knob is there to give you a little more and is engaged by the Boost switch. Now here's where this pedal gets exciting and where Andreas really came through, the Voicing and Mode mini-toggle switches. To the right you have your Voicing switch gives you Classic/Turbo/Devil tone options. In the Classic mode you'll find all your vintage, boutique, light overdrive tones. Turbo gives you a bit of a jolt and boost, the tone is much hairier and dirtier. Last is the Devil, this incorporates LED clipping and sets the eyes on the devil to blink in and out depending on how you strum. The Devil voicing is probably the strongest and most original of all the voicing tones, there is a rich and thick Plexi like sound to it, but it also gives you a hint of modern undertones. A very cool voicing. The fun has just started cause from here we go into the Boost section of the pedal. When adding the Boost switch you get to choose the level of intensity you'd like your boost to sound like. There are three modes, TS-NT-DS. I told you this pedal was no joke. Now, in the TS the tone stays true to that old school booster sound, kind of the way a clean boost would work, it doesn't add much much grit but makes your tone louder. The NT, which stands for "No Teeth", here I found to get a vintage type boost sound out of the Dirty Devil, combined with the right Voicing this mode really stays true to classic rock heaven. Last is the DS mode which drenches your sound with a boost of creamy, heavy distortion. The possibilities are endless, dialing in the sound that works for you is as easy as pie. The Dirty Devil most definitely falls into heavyweight category of effects pedals. There are many overdrive pedals swarming the pedal scene right now and if I had to put together a top 10 list the Dirty Devil would easily make the cut. This is one of those pedals that once you get your hands on will stay with you forever.  

For more info on Cool Pedals go to www.coolpedals.de or click the logo in our links. Look for more features on Cool Pedals in the near future. Cool Pedals also offers a handful of killer mods, check them out!!!

Set the controls for the heart of the tone

This my fellow addicts of the tone, this is by far one of the coolest and most useful stompboxes to come across since the legendary Tubescreamer. I think of a great vintage amp, an amp that just delivers that beautiful and spot-on tone. That sound that works so well with your picking dynamics, you know the one I'm speaking of, it stays clean'n'crisp with a brush of your pick and screams out natural overdrive grit when you dig in. This is the sound I've found in the Thinman OD, and it's been a long time coming.

Thinman OD

*Volume: Sets the output level

*Bias: Bias Limiter-clean blend to starved bias

*Limit: Med to Hard limiter-clean to med limit

Three controls...the magic number of the overdrive pedal. Drive-Tone-Level. Anyone who knows anything about overdrive pedals or anyone who's ever built one has used this formula, And for good reason. Less is more! The Thinman OD has also been designed with three controls. only these three puppies give you a whole new method on how to get that golden grit out of your amp. A few hours after recieving the pedal I had to call it's creator, his name is Dan Simon. This is a man with a true love for great tone, his passion for tone jumps out of the phone, you can hear it in his words when you speak with him. It's that talk you get out of any die hard, cut throat, axe slangin player. I get why and for who he built this pedal for, it's a pedal that you'll either get or you won't. Which by I mean, if you're a player you'll love it, if you're an eye-candy collecting pedal junky you won't. You'll notice by looking at the pedal that it definitely doesn't fall in with the trend of bright colors and many buttons and knobs. I love it for that! There's no where for your tone to hide, the original sound you push through the pedal stays intact and easy to enhance. I'm not one to buy pedals for their artwork and hype, like a certain bullshit company who builds small hand painted pedalZ and sellZ them for and arm and a leg, but that's a topic for another day. When you hold the Thinman in your hand you will notice that it's quality all the way, it's like a mini tank. The little light-up knobs are an extra cool treat as well. I've never seen knobs like that on a pedal, they make for easy control on dark stages and add a signature look to the pedal. This is the perfect pedal for those of you looking to lower the pedal count in your setup, with the right touch it does the work of two pedals and delivers two wonderful sounds. That's not all either, the Thinman works especially great in front and behind other boosters, overdrivers, distortions, and fuzz boxes. This is where this pedal really shines! Imagine being able to get a little bit more magic out of those already great sounding and favorite boosters and drivers of yours, a hint more grunt, and a tad more balls. The overdrive'n'dirt this pedal produces is very organic and natural sounding. It lives in that realm of overdrive we love to get out of our amplifiers, only with this pedal no longer do we have to set the controls to overload hell. I play a pretty big amp, 4 x 10 Fender Deville. If you know these amps you kow how wonderful a clean tone you can get out of them, and with a little mod to the eq section you have a damn near perfect clean tone. But these also get very loud once you set them past 2 on the volume knob. That is no longer a problem for me and now I can set the level where I want it and get the perfect amount grit and growl out of it. I like to palm chords like no one elses business, with the right amount of overdrive it's just rock and roll heaven. I can get my palmed chords to ring out even longer and stronger now. They're full of rich, thick, harmonic bliss and ring with tight, clear, overtones. I amost wish I could come up with a whole new category to place the Thinman in but I can't, it's something you have to experience for yourselves. Those of you tone freaks and will most definitely get where Dan is coming from with this pedal design. It is a pedal that dances and plays around your touch, and dishes out amazing dynamics. Dymanics... probably thr most important thing in music, if not one of the most important. To have a great song you need your melody, your hook, your tone and sound, and dynamics. This is one of the best ways to describe this pedal, dynamics and great response. The way I've set up my pedalboard is like so: Tuner-Clean Boost-Overdrive-Thinman-Fuzz, and so on into the modulation pedals. This is the best way to get the most out of your Thinman, actually to be honest I could really scratch my Overdrive pedal if I wanted, only I love it too much and it works so damn well the Thinman. Overall, this is a pedal that players will appreciate, a pedal that will work with you and not steal the style you've worked so hard to perfect. That is what effect pedals are for, to help us shape and get the sounds we dream about. The pedal is a tool, at least that's the way I've always looked at them. The DDyna Thinman OD has to be one of the best tools I have come across in years. The hunt for that holy grail tone has been something us players have been on the trail of ever since we were first bitten by the sound of that favorite tune. When I said that it's the most useful pedal to come along ever since the Tubescreamer I meant it. Not that it's here to replace it or that it even does the same job. When you sit down with this pedal you'll know where I'm coming from. Enjoy.


For more info on DDyna Music Company you can go to www.ddynamusic.com or click the DDyna Music logo in our links. Look for more features from this wonderful pedal company in the near future.

Gear Giveaway Contest #1

The
"Help us spread the word"
Contest

Hello friends, followers, and readers of Analog War Cry. Yes it's time to give away some killer gear! We'll be giving away a pair of brand spankin new AIRLINE® Vintage Voiced Single Coil Pickups from Eastwood Guitars. These babies ain't no joke, they look, sound, and play freakin great. The pickups will go to any new subscriber who signs up and emails us letting us know they are interested. We will pick a random email address at the end of the contest, contact that person and ship them the pickups. We're looking to reach out to as many people as possible and now you guys have shot at helping us out. Our main focus here on Analog War Cry has always been to keep the music community informed about all the killer gear that out's there. We're stoked to have the chance to work with all the people featured on our site, and always excited when a new piece of gear comes through for demoing. These people work their asses off to build us some of the best gear available today and it's all about you guys having a chance to try it out. We ourselves been blessed to have had to chance to try out so much cool gear this year and we'd like to continue keeping you guys informed as it comes through. The more people we can reach, the more gear you have a shot at checking out. Email us with the info at analogwarcry@gmail.com The contest starts the minute the post is up and will continue on through July. We will announce the winner August 1rst. Below is a little info on the pickups from Eastwood Guitars. Good luck!

*PRIZE*

AIRLINE® Vintage Voiced Single Coil Pickup

Have you ever wondered what makes those old AIRLINE guitars sound so wicked? How can a Humbucker sound like that? Well, it can't. The original VALCO pickups were SINGLE COIL, not Humbuckers. They looked like a Humbucker, but that is where the similarity ends. The VALCO pickups were found in all AIRLINE®, SUPRO and National Guitars in the late fifties and early sixties. We dissected the originals and have now re-created that famous tone in a new SINGLE COIL design that is housed in a Humbucker format. These are made specifically to replace your Humbuckers and give you that oh-so-nasty growl that is familiar from the likes of Jack White, Hound Dog Taylor, J.B. Hutto and Jimmy Reed.

Rock and Roll is proud once again

Pete Biltoft and Vintage Vibe Guitars Pickups...Nothing but absolute heavenly tone, spot-on builds, and a hell of a pickup spread that offers up just about any style pickup your mind can imagine. Let me also mention they offer an impressive selection of pickguard assemblies and will build you pickups to your specifications. With the direction players have gone in these last few years, tweaking and hot rodding their guitars like it was the 80's again, there could be no better stop for upgrading your axe. When Pete Biltoft first started building pickups the main focus was to make sure his builds consisted of carefully selected high quality materials, to give players the ability to dial-in and shape the tones they needed. This goal has been met and then some, and along the journey Pete has been able to take his own ideas to build pickups that have revolutionized the game. There are a handful of "What if's" that have been floating around in my head ever since I first started playing, like "What if you could get that killer P90 tone out of a Stratocaster style single coil pickup?" Well sure enough Pete has achieved this and the results are some you must experience for yourselves. In this article I will be introducing you guys to the VVG H540-SW Humbuckers and the ever so popular SP-90 Strat sized P90's. Can you dig it?

SP-90

*Adjustable height nickel plated pole pieces
*Calibrated strength twin bar magnets
*43 gauge magnet wire, 10,000 turns/bridge - 8,500/neck and middle position
*DC resistance: bridge/10.3k-ohm - neck and middle/8.4k-ohm
*Scatter wound coils * Vinateg style cloth covered output leads
*Grounded shielding surrounding the coil/reduces noise...
*Potted under vacuum to eliminate microphonics
*Middle pickup is reverse polarity reverse wound
*These pickups are handmade in the USA

I have seen, heard, and played a lot of cool pickups in the last few years. Many of them good ideas, but somehow they've always ended there, just a good idea. To me, if a pickup doesn't cut it when it comes to tone, it just don't mean squat, no matter how genius the design. Let me assure you, the VVG SP-90 is no gimmick! That authentic P90 tone that has done so much for rock'n'roll can now be heard screaming from your favorite Stratocaster. You can only imagine how stoked I was when I soldered these puppies in and heard all that good midrange-tone crunch come howling from my amplifier. The SP-90's give you the ability to tune in a signature sound to fit your style, and give you a handful of unbelievable tones to add to your arsenal. Every set is shipped with two extra sets of magnets. Available magnet types include Alnico-II, Alnico-III, Alnico-V, and ceramic-8. This along with the adjustable pole pieces give as many possibilities as you will need to keep things fresh for a long time. Through my favorite overdrive and fuzz pedals these pickups sounded like nothing else I have ever heard through a single coil pickup. There is an aggressive yet round and vintage tone that comes from the SP's that aren't usually heard through standard sets of P90's. The tone is much more in your face, much more defined, the harmonics are rich'n'hearty, and picking dynamics sound-off how ever you'd like them. Whether you're looking to build your own unique Strat or up for some good old fashion hot rodding, these pickups will not let you down. Absolutely the most excting thing to hit the Stratocaster since it's birth.

VVG H540-SW Humbucker

*Exposed coil hum-canceling pickups give the fat humbucker tone and are available wound to vintage or modern specs
*These pickups allow the user to exchange the bar magnets with ease. Pickups ship with complete sets of magnets in both Alnico-V and ceramic-8
*Adjustable height nickel-plated pole pieces
*Both the neck and bridge position H540-SW pickup adjustable poles have North up magnetic polarity
*Complete easy to follow wiring diagram and installation instructions are included
*Scatter wound coils
*External braided shielded output leads
*Grounded shielding surrounding the coil effectively reduces noise from external electric fields
*Wax Potted under vacuum to eliminate microphonics
*These custom pickups will fit in all guitars routed for standard size humbuckers

The humbucker, the one pickup I've probably tried the most flavors of. A killer sounding humbucker will give you tonal, class A, heavenly bliss. A not so hot bucker just messes things up, scrambles up your chords, and everything gets lost. When I discovered Vintage Vibe Guitars I was in the middle of upgrading one of my guitars. I was on the hunt for a pair of buckers so when Pete offered to send out a pair of the H540-SW's I was open to checking them out. When they landed on my doorstep I could instantly see all the time and hard work, high grade materiels, and knowledge that was put into building them. All of the VVG pickups that I have had the chance to checkout look and play like works of art. They're put together so slickly, they just look soo damn cool! I'm huge on playing 335's and other semi-hollow body style guitars. One thing I've mentioned before is that as amazing as those guitars sound, they can sometimes be limited to just one tone. When you play an array of different styles of music like I do it is important to be able to pull off many tones/sounds with whichever guitar it is you're playing. I put the Zebra color VVG H540-SW's in my Hagstrom Viking and they have not left it since, and I don't see them going anywhere for a long long time. I'm still able to maintain that classic semi-hollow body tone, and can now get some more aggressive tones as well. The pickups gave my Hagstrom the ability to sound as powerful as a Les Paul, it can now cut right through when chucking away at rhythm guitar parts, and scream and howl like the best of them. Probably the coolest and my most favorite thing about these pickups is how well they work with effects pedals. I rely on my stompboxes to get my overdrive, fuzz, and distortion tones. When you play through Fender amps and set a clean tone that you're going to be building all your dirty tones from, you use pedals. If the pickups you're using can't adapt to the stompboxes you're using, it doesn't matter how nice a pedal you have. I actually discovered something with these pickups that I'm not used to doing...playing straight through without the need of any boxes. We had them down at the studio (which is always the best place for putting any gear through it's paces) and was able to get some of the meanest tones. I was surprised at just how much power these buckers actually have. Cranking the clean tone I was able to get a sweet sweet hairy grit, and backing off on my picking I was back in Fender springy clean tone heaven. I almost wish I didn't love these pickups so damn much so I can tell you what they sound like through some other guitars. I imagine the tone would be just as beautiful and dynamic. The way I see it, once you got a great sounding pair of pickups it won't matter what you put them through, these are that breed of pickup. Overall I am blown away by the H540-SW's. I have never been so quick to give a set of pickups a permanent home, have never heard a humbucker sound so killer through a semi-hollow body, and have never loved a pickup so much without the use of effect pedals. Hey, these babies were able to open my mind enough to some new ways of playing, enough said.

For more info on Vintage Vibe Guitars go to http://www.vintagevibeguitars/ or click the VVG logo in our links. Look for VVG pickup demos and an interview with Pete in the near future. Dig it!

Godlyke releases the TWA Little Dipper

A few months back we mentioned Godlyke would be releasing their own effects pedals under the Totally Wicked Audio brand. That time has come, and what we'll soon have access to will surely quench your pedal junky needs. The first model to hit the streets will be the LD-01 Little Dipper/vocal formant filter, which will be shipping in late June. What exactly is a vocal formant filter you say? Hmmm, well I had a chance to play with one at NAMM last Winter. Imagine your auto wah/envelope filter, only much more expressive, organic sounding, with crystal clear tone, and human-like qualities. The Little Dipper also has the ability to hit the extreme and can create some knarly spaced-out sounds. This is all I can say from a quick demo of it, but that little bit of time spent with it showed me a revolution in envelope filters. Below is some more info on the TWA brand from our good friends at Godlyke. Keep your eyes peeled kids, Analog War Cry might just be demoing one here shortly.




Godlyke, Inc. is proud to announce the launch of our new line of boutique effect pedals, Totally Wicked Audio (TWA). Consisting of dedicated analog stompboxes, TWA line features unique and esoteric effect types that will help set the discerning player apart from the masses. All TWA models are 100% made in the USA using the highest quality components and offer all the features and construction quality expected from a high-end analog device.

The flagship model of the TWA brand, the LD-01 Little Dipper will be released during the 2nd quarter of 2009.

The Little Dipper is an envelope-controlled vocal formant filter based on a classic 70's circuit. It's dual filters react to playing dynamics, crreating peeks and notches that simulate the vowel sounds of human speech. The Little Dipper allows the user to emulate talk boxes, auto-wahs, filters, and phase shifters, as well as creating strikingly vocal wah-sounds. A built-in fuzz circuit emphasizes harmonics for a more dramatic effect while dry blend and noise-gate trim pots offer a full-frequency response with ultra-low noise operation.

The Little Dipper features a 16-gauge bent steel chassis with heavy-duty powder coating and eye-catching LED display. The Little Dipper also features mechanical true-bypass switching and comes with a three-year manufacturer's warranty.

-Godlyke Distribution, Inc.


For more info on Totally Wicked Audio products as well as other products distributed by Godlyke, go to www.godlyke.com or click the Godlyke logo in our links section. You can also reach them toll-free at 866-246-3595 (international dial 973-777-7477)

The Dark Side of Tone

It was just another day of surfing the web (or so I thought). I hit all the regular forums for talk of strange, new, and upcoming gear. I also visited my favorite Youtube channels for new effects pedal demos and did some browsing hoping to come across a unique find. Then there in the Related Videos section I noticed a video labeled The Great Destroyer!!!! Hosted by a channel called theonetrueaen. This turned out to be the video home of Dwarfcraft Devices, an underground operation specializing in against-the-grain designs and non-traditional tone boxes. This discovery was made a few months ago, since then I have made contact with them and have had the chance to demo not one, not two, but three of their off-the-wall builds. I should also say that these last few months with these pedals were nowhere enough time to pull out the sounds they're capable of. I should also say that when I say "them" and "their" I mean him, as in Ben the twisted mind behind these freakishly original effects pedals. Before we try and dissect the mind of this mad creator let's take a look at the...

The Great Destroyer

To try and compare or describe this pedal in the "normal" sense, with the same old analogies would be sacrilegious. When Benjamin Hinz threw himself into the world of pedal building I'm sure his first thought wasn't "Hmm, I wonder what I can do with a TubeScreamer..." Plugging into the Great Destroyer for those of you who aren't ready for it can be both mind blowing and scary, the sounds that come out from this little box are beyond just creative noise and experimental. The Great Destroyer for me definitely delivered some much needed new colors to paint my tunes with. It's capabilities range from the "norm" all the down to the damned extreme. It is a very good idea that you get yourself some starting point settings from Ben before diving into the madness that is the Great Destroyer or you might just be discouraged and end up missing out. Let's start with some of the more traditional fuzz tones the Great Destroyer produces. If your thing is the Fuzz Face or Big Muff this pedal isn't for you, but if you're into more modern, fatter, and sharp cut right through the mix version of these pedals you will be right at home. The four knobs read Volume, Tone, Gain, and Starve. Other than the Volume knob these controls don't respond like your everyday run of the mill control knobs. The Tone knob once you start to tweak it automatically freaks out and begins to chirp and cry like a robot having the life beaten out of it. The Gain knob delivers such a massive boost of freakout that the first time I turned it I was thrown back, and the fact that my amp was at 6 didn't help. Then there's the Starve knob, I would imagine it's job is to starve the pedal of power to create interesting and wild fuzz tones, which it does! Combining it with the rest of the knobs is where this control really begins to get interesting. When I think of the tones this pedal creates I think of bands like Godflesh, Jesu, Low, NIN, QOTSA, and Fantomas just to name a few. The Great Destroyer creates tones perfect for rhythm guitar playing and chucking away. There is an element to this pedal that screams CHORD HEAVEN! There is a war going on out there, a war between builders who everyday send their creations out to the masses to see what new circle of sounds can be created. We plug our sonic weapons into our amps and try one way or another to invent the next signature sound. Dwarfcraft Devices and the Great Destroyer are on the frontlines of this audio warfare and with their weapons you will turn heads, shake things up, and hunt down the sounds only heard in your dreams and nightmares.

An

Interview With

Benjamin Hinz

Alfie Cruz:
Hello Ben, I'll start with a question I like to ask all effects builders. If you have one, your favorite all-time stock pedal? Favorite company?

Benjamin Hinz:
Well, I think that the old DOD Digidelay could be my all time favorite. You could do a loop, then twist the time knob and pitch it up and down, and it made gnarly noises as the battery died. My most used though is probably my Crybaby Wah. Bottom of the line, straight-outta-the-box crybaby. I don't know how I ever played without one.
You get such a huge dynamic range with YOUR FOOT, MAN!

My favorite company is definitely Devi Ever USA, I wish I could have all her pedals, because for a fuzz junkie like me, there is a perfect fuzz for every occasion, and between the two of us we've got it covered.

AC:
What did you grow up playing?

BH:
Telecasters, I still do. But for my beginning, my sound was four string Telecaster>Bad Monkey Overdrive>DOD Digidelay>Peavey halfstack. My rig kind of grew up around that, EHX ring mod, Line 6 DL4 being the two most important additions.

AC:

I had asked about your start in building and you said it was in the summer of 07. A buddy of yours had started building and turned you on by letting you know how simple it was. The book you read on Hardware Hacking. Just give me a bit more info on those early early days when you first got interested.

BH:
Ok, well I was spending a lot of time in the cold dark basement working on this electronic stuff, but nowhere near as much as I am now! Hardware Hacking (which I heard a nasty rumor is out of print?) by Nicolas Collins really jump started me into building my own stuff. First was the Thumping Double Squaresnakes, my main Squarewave Synth, and soon after the Great Destroyer. I was hoping that I could basically, sell the first unit, build another for myself, and put the "profit" what little there was, into new parts for more pedals for myself! But very quickly friends and strangers both wanted more and more and more! Luckily I lost my cooking job in December of 07 (Galloway Grill, eat shit!) so I had a little more time to build.

AC:
You said you had experimented with pulling apart Behringer pedals and what not. Exactly what was it you did? Do you take them apart to learn how they worked, to see what kind of components, parts, etc.. they sported?

BH:
Oh, haha! I had no intent on learning! Circuit bending is just poking around and hoping for the best, it's like anti-science. I took them apart and just stuck a wire between random solder joints on the circuit board, and marked the ones that were cool.

AC:
That's killer! I'm gonna have to start taking some unwanted gear apart and what freakish sounds I can get out of them. Your first actual original build was?

BH:
Thumping Double Squaresnakes

AC:
What goes into a Dwarfcraft Device? How do you go about creating your designs, do you have something in mind, jump in blind, or experiment?

BH:
A whole lot of blood sweat and tears!! But really, it's a really strong effort on my part and my wife's, who does the bookwork, and a lot of the enclosure work. She actually populated the PCBs for the last batch of Great Destroyers, that was cool. Louise (my wife) works 9-5, so I have 2 or 3 kids all day. Then she comes home and we make dinner, and put them to bed, usually by eight. Then we have to walk the dogs, some times I take a half hour or forty five minutes on my playstation or the internet. Then I usually work from 9-2, and it's winter now so I'm fucking freezing the whole time in my basement. Summer is much better, its nice and cool-ish in the basement and I have my drill press out in the garage, so I can listen to Boris and smoke while I drill. I'm thinking about moving a major portion of the operation out there when the thaw comes, you know, for smoke and Boris.

AC:

Launch of Dwarftcraft, where you offered them up first and who was of help to you? The first pedals you offered in your line?

BH:
First to help were a few people from offsetguitars.com, and especially a LOT of people from Shortscale.org buying Great Destroyers from me. They're like my other family, and probably 3/4 of my friends. The next big help was Alan Sparhawk from Low buying (eventually) 4 destroyers from me, and letting me shoot some video of him with it. I think he's using it with one of his smaller bands, The Retribution Gospel Choir, who are fucking great. Last and most importantly Devi Ever has helped me out in sooooo many ways soooo many times. I can't even begin to thank her. Just the other day she set up a sub-forum for Dwarfcraft on her website. Like she needs the "competition". But I think we have more "overlap" than competition. Our stuff sounds really different, so that helps. Mine is more "open" and "flappy" and hers is a lot tighter and grippier. I know, doesn't make much sense but let me say it this way. I use Dwarfcraft for rhythm, and Devi for leads. I guess where we overlap is the "noise" department, but you can never have too much of that shit, in my opinion.

AC:
I can see that the stuff you build aren't the everyday mainstream effects pedals (which I love and respect). What got you into building these rare designs?

BH:
Yearning for new sound. One of my main obsessions in music is making the guitar sound like it's no longer a guitar. Some of the new stuff is more specific like, a dude wanted a bass fuzz with a clean/dirty blend, and I thought the Big Muff could be a lot better, so those ones I had very specific goals in mind. Honestly, if I had come out with another Fuzz Face or Tube Screamer, nobody would have given a fuck. I wouldnt have given a fuck. Luckily, I have always been into noisy droney dangerous stuff, so when i make pedals for myslef, they are unlike someone elses.

AC:
With all the companies out there building pedals today where do you see the business going? What would you hope your effects do for people?

BH:
First, I hope that people get out of their Tube screamer, Fuzz Face, Big Muff rut. These are all great pedals, but SRV, Hendrix and Jack White already happened. I like to see the variety on pedal board shots, peopel developing their own "signature" sounds. As far as the business goes, well I think we're going to hit a plateau at best, and a drop at worst in the near future. There's a new guy every day putting boutique pedals in the world, and people's wallets are getting thinner and thinner, at least in the US. Unfortunately for the rest of the world that starts to affect them too. I know Analogue Haven has been seeing a drop in sales this year. Times are tough and we who build pedals build items that are non-essential to survival for most people. On the other hand, there will always be a core group buying gear, mostly people who never had much money anyway, and are used to saving up for a piece of gear. To those people I say "KUDOS!" If I could give you all a pedal, I would!

AC:
Where can players find your boxes?

BH:
Theres a few places now.

Madape.com
Analogue Haven
Tone Factor
Brickhouse Music (Eau Claire and River Falls Wisconsin hometown pride, woot!) If you can, definetly stop into Brickhouse, they are all cool guys, and most of them know Dwarfcraft's products, so they won't probably give you the evil eye when you start oscillating and whatnot. Also they usually have stickers and stuff.

And then In belgium we have Crush The Button
England is The Last Guitarist
Japan has 9volt audio, I think it's called. I'm not sure, it's a bitch to navigate, what with it being all Japanese and stuff.

AC:
What's next for you? If there was anything you could build what would it be?

BH:
I've always wanted to build a really big gestural instrument, kind of like a theremin, but more sounds and controls. Maybe with a footboard to switch some paramaters? Something where I can just wave my hands around like a wizard and control sounds. After that, a brainwave to audio converter. The you can just put the helmet on, plug it into the PA and do the whole show from your mind. I think I would sell a lot of those. I was thinking about that, and how maybe in heaven thats how concerts are, you just go into the club and theres a dude up there thinking his whole set. But then it woudl turn into some goddamn cleverness contest, and pretty soon everyone would have those little black glasses and tight jeans and $50 tshirts that look like they came from the dump, and it owuld turn out you were in hell. So Yeah, I hope the Hereafter has a plan for when i get there. Maybe just sex 24/7. I suppose then I wouldnt need to make music.

AC:
Anything else you would like to let people know about you and your boxes?

BH:
1)They retain low end. I mean, how the fuck did the ten thousand guys before me miss that? If your pedals sound GOOD on bass, you sell twice as many.

2) No, I'm not high.

AC:
I'm really stoked to have you on board and look forward to demoing one of your boxes. Please let me know once you have the chance to send one out, I'd like to do a two part article on Dwarftcraft Devices. One part with the article and interview and the other with a review and demo of a pedal. Hope to hear from you soon. Please feel free to call me anytime and if there's anything I can do for you to help further your quest I'm game.


For more info on Dwarfcraft Devices click on the Great Destroyer logo in our links or go to www.myspace.com/dwarfcraftdevices
Look for more posts, demos, and podcasts on Dwarfcraft Devices in the near future.

A Thing Of Beauty

We're lucky to have this gift of music, whether we play it, produce it, or just have a genuine love for it. Within the tunes we love and listen to lives those sounds we will remember forever, tones we'll take to our death beds, and creativity that can only come from special pieces of gear. As a player and music lover I'm always listening for some unique sound to do just that, something that will take my experience to the next level. This is where most of us get our inspiration from and the reason why certain songs become memorable. A lot of the credit for the wonderful sounds we hear in our favorite tunes belongs to the cats out there building us the unbelievable effects pedals we have access to today. One such person is Phil Taylor, the man behind the almighty Effectrode Audiophile Pedals line. The first time you set eyes on one of his pedals you know there's something different about them, you see the build quality and just know you're in for something special. The first time you play one? Well I'll just say this, you'll know right away you're playing something like no other, something capable of transporting your sound into the creativity pocket. There is no hit and miss with Effectrode pedals, all of Phil's designs possess immaculate tone and construction. These are effects pedals that are built to give you exactly what you need, and that can help you reach those sounds you have always wanted to hear. My experience with Effectrode was just like this...there was no turning back. In this post we'll be looking at the Vibra Chorus, an absolute thing of beauty!

EFFECTRODE
Vibra Chorus

*All Tube: 100% pure analog vacuum tube audio path for maximum signal integrity and hi-fidelity sound reproduction.

*True Bypass: True bypass footswitching with a unique anti-pop circuit to drastically reduce the well known "click" or "thump" noise associated with electro-mechanical switching.

*Something Special: Unique golden ratio of stagger-tuned phase-shifting capacitors selected for electric guitar.

*Pink L.E.D: Pulsates with modulation speed for visual song tempo matching.

*Wall-Wart: Supplied with switched-mode technology wall-wart power supply adapter for low, low noise.

:Built Using Audiophile Grade Components:

*Heavy duty USA made Carling Technology footswitch
*Pro-audio quality Nuetrik jack sockets
*Precision grade metal film resistors
*Resin potted polyester coupling capacitors
*Porcelain tube sockets
*Fitted with JJ Premium vacuum tubes
*Diecast aluminium enclosure
*Tough powder coated finish


I am very lucky to have had the chance to put one of these amazing pedals through it's paces and very excited to have the chance to share it's capabilities with you guys. In all the years I have been playing I have never come across a pedal as warm, rich, and musical as the Effectrode Vibra Chorus. I took it down to the studio to plug it in the one of our nicer amps and the sound that came out had both my partner and I frozen with our jaws on the floor. I know it is almost a sin to say this, but there is just no comparing it to anything else. I have played many many chorus and vibe pedals in my time and for someone who religously makes it a point to put pedals through their paces that is a very strong statement. There is a quality to the pedal that just leaps out of the amp and into your heart. The pulsating vibe/chorus effect is so organic it feels almost like a breathing, like the sound is just there with you in the room and is not being forced out of or through anything. Both the chorus and vibe effect are tricky ones, they can easily sound either too extreme, sharp, and edgy...or dull, flat, and lifeless. There is none of that while playing through this baby. Every note stays on tact, every chord stays clear, every lick stands out and becomes a work of art. This might sound like a bit much to some of you, but let me assure you that once you plug into one you'll hear where I'm coming from. I would love to pick Phil's brain to see where he comes up with the ideas that he turns into his creations. His ability to shape thin air into magic is something we rarely see today, a dedication that hasn't been seen since the golden ages of the 60's and 70's. It's cats like this that give our music those signature sounds we can carry throughout our entire careers. It so happens that we took the Vibra Chorus down to the studio on a working day while we were recording the new tracks for my band's new record. The pedal was able to deliver the haunting and dreamy chorus effect we had been hunting for for the last few month's. With both single coils and humbuckers the Vibra Chorus produced heavenly tones. Where I heard it really sing was through my semi-hollow body Hagstrom Viking. If you know semi's like any one does you know that getting them to play well with pedlas can be tuff. The Vibra Chorus's ability to adapt to any guitar is mind blowing. At it's lowest settings with the Depth and Rate knobs set mild the effect is thick, lush, and heavy with push and pull. Your chords and licks swim in it's effect and come out pure yet full of character. Set at extreme and high settings the Vibra Chorus stays full of life and doesn't become useless. There are so many chorus and vibe pedals that only work well within their sweet spots and become useless once you reach the super lows and super highs. There is no sweet spot with this pedal, the entire range is sweet. My favortite placee to set pedal and where I have become addicted to the sound is Depth right before noon and Rate right around two o clock. MY GOD WHAT A SOUND! You could easily leave the pedal set at this setting and never get tired of the holy goodness that it sings out. The way this pedal works with electric guitars is absolute magic. Or is it? Phil's research on how to get the most out of his effects is impressive to say the least. He is definitely ahead of the game and well on his way into the stompbox history books. Everything about his pedals is sexy, the artwork, the knobs, the tubes, it's design, and of course the tone. Then just as much as it's capable of being beautiful it also hits that lovely dark side that makes our music interesting. There isn't much more I can say about this pedal that I haven't said yet, discovering for yourself what the possibilites are is a treat you will enjoy. This is one of the few pedals that will make that small list of timeless classics, collectables, and go-to favorites. I am proud to be one of the few that has the privilege to use this pedal in his music. Their are few pedals that have made the permanent line-up on my pedalboard, I spend lots of time rotating and swapping pedals in and out. But every once and a while they stay for good...the Vibra Chorus has become part of the family, and a leader of my tone/sound.




Look for an indepth look into the mind of Phil Talyor. Analog War Cry will be doing an interview with Phil in the near future. For more info on Effectrode pedals go to www.effectrode.com or click the logo in our links section. Get in on the magic!!!

Godlyke Releases PA-9D Power-All Deluxe Kit

PA-9D Power-All Deluxe Kit

In this day and age having access to a solid, user friendly, and reliable power supply is as important if not more important than the effects pedals we use in our setups. There are many power supplies out there kids, but beware! The pedal boom saw many many gimmicks and poorly designed gear. Through lots of research, trial and error, and tweaking I learned which pedals out there stood true and which ones were mear jokes. The same went for power supplies, some are prone to white noise and buzzing, some are too weak, and some can easily ruin your beautiful collection of stompboxes. I for a long time used batteries and only batteries, even when I had pedals that were only mounted with power jacks I'd use battery adapters and use batteries, what a mess I must have been making. It was simple though, tidy, and a quick way to setup. Only my power lacked consistency and the pain of having to swap batteries in and out became a very annoying pain in my ass. When I discovered Power-All's PA-9 Deluxe Kit at first I was a bit skeptic, any real musician will always go through the "test" before becoming convinced. All of the skepticism quickly disappeared once I got a chance to plug my board in and listen to the results. There is one simple way to explain this power supply...CLEAN POWER! Just imagine consistant, safe, and plenty of power for that carefully designed pedalboard you've worked so hard to setup. My pedalboard has never looked so neat and has never sounded so damn good. With some careful planning the Dasiy Chain cable it comes with can easily be tucked away to keep your rig tight'n'tidy. Not to get into any hype but I must also say this. There are pedals on my board that I can honestly say I've never really heard until I played them through the PA-9D. Pedals that I've always felt weren't delivering to their fullest. It's like the power supply distributes the ultimate amount of power to each pedal, while keeping the power balanced througout the board, and having each pedal perform at their highest levels. I don't sweat losing power while gigging or practicing anymore, and don't worry about my pedalboard getting fried. Try one and find out for yourself, with a lifetime warranty you can't go wrong. Below is some info from Godlyke on the PA-9D Power-All Deluxe Kit. Go on and dig it kids, it'll do you right!

Features:

* Power-All 9 VDC, 2000 milliamp digital power supply

* Cable-11/R 11-lead right-angle Daisy Chain with spring-loaded jacks
* (1) Cable-Blue/R right-angle 3.5 mm Phone Plug Jumper Cable for use with EH and other vintage pedals
* (1) Cable-Green Line-6 Jumper Cable with spring loaded jack for use with Line 6 Modelers and other pedals requiring a 2.5 mm internal diameter jack
* (1) Cable-Green/R right-angle Line-6 Jumper Cable
* (1) Cable-Grey Battery Clip Jumper Cable for pedals with no AC input
* (1) Cable-Red/R right-angle Reverse Polarity Jumper Cable with spring-loaded jack (5) Cable Cap insulator sheaths to cover power leads when not in use

The PA-9 Power-All is the world's first 2000 mA, single outlet power supply designed specifically for guitar effects users. Rather than waste money and natural resources on disposable batteries, users can now power their entire pedalboard from a single power supply that takes up only one outlet space!

The Power-All Deluxe Kit provides 9 volts DC at 2000 milliamps - more than enough current to power dozens of effects pedals, including up to 4 Line 6 Modelers. The Power-All Deluxe Kit can power eleven pedals out of the box, and comes complete with a variety of jumper cables that allow connection of phone plug, reverse polarity, digital, and battery-only type pedals. New Ten-Foot, 18-gauge output cable allows for longer power runs without an extention chord.

The Power-All's special circuit design offers the lowest noise floor of any digital power supply on the market. The PA-9 now comes with a ferrite-core filter built onto it's output cable to further reduce noise and hum. The PA-9 automatically converts any input voltage from 100-240 VAC to 9 VDC, allowing it to be used anywhere around the world.

Built to stand rigors of the road, the Power-All features professional-grade construction and comes with a lifetime warranty. The Power-All is not sold through big-box retailers or jobbers and offers A+ margins to independent music retailers.


For more info on Power-All power supplies and other Godlyke products go to www.godlyke.com or click the Godlyke banners or logo in our links section. Look for more posts on Godlyke Distribution products.

Space and Time at your feet

Moody Sounds

Mushroom Echo

Controls/

*Optical Sensor: controls pitch & echo
*White Knob: sensitivity control
*Red Knob: controls repeat amount
*Mode Switch: switches between normal mode and optical sensor
*True Bypass *9v and 12v power option

You may be saying to yourself "Hmm, doesn't sound like much." Which is perfect for the surprise that lies in store for you. There are so many delay pedals out there right now, lots of them doing really well, and lots of them capable of doing just about anything you can imagine. The cats at Moody Sounds took both the traditional and the modern to create one hell of a analog delay that'll expand your delay needs while maintaining a classic old school feel. I see the Mushroom Echo easily becoming an all time favorite and collectors piece in years to come. In the world of analog delays there are a few things we look for, user friendliness, good tone, and versatility. The Mushroom Echo delvers this and then some. When you first look at the pedal it seems like a very simple pedal, which it is. Only this pedal has a few tricks up it's sleeve. But before I get into the tricks and sonic layers you can pull off with this pedal let's first take a look at it's tone. One thing that is clearly noticeable from this pedal when you first plug it in is it's rich and warm sound. I'm a huge fan of tape delays, (who isn't?) they trail off perfectly and sound amazing. The only thing is they're not always the suitable choice for gigging or lugging around to band practice. Who wants to carry one around, take the risk of damaging it, and go crazy looking for replacement tape? The characteristics of the Mushroom Echo's delay is very very similar a tape delay and will fit comfortably on any pedalboard. For the price you will not find a more sweet sounding analog delay pedal. To use the Mushroom Echo as a traditional delay pedal you set the mode switch to Normal (to the right). The White knob controls your delay time and Red knob controls the delay amount. You can set it anywhere from slapback delays to med/long delays, there is no infinite repeat but it will trail off long enough to create some trippy licks and cool layers. Coupled with a good overdrive or fuzz pedal sounds killer with this pedal, the delays don't get in the way of the playing and trail off behind your notes perfectly. Now the Optical mode, this is where this analog delay separates itself from the others. On the lower right side of the Mushroom Echo is the optical eye sensor, moving your foot, hand, and even shadow over it will determine the speed of the delay. The less light the sensor is exposed to the slower the delay becomes. You set the speed you want to start with by turning the White knob and go from there. Moving your foot over it like a wah wah works best for creating experimental and unpredictable delay sounds. You can get anything from crashing sounds to bomb explosions, chorus effects to pitch shifting. The one really cool sound you can get from it is the dive bomb effect. You set the Red knob to the highest echo amount, flip the White knob to the slowest setting, play a chord and bring your crashing down on the sensor. The outcome is unreal! It is also possible to control the speed of the delay with your foot by hovering above it, slowly moving it up and down creates trippy warbling tape delay effects. The possibilities are endless. If you're a big fan of classic psychedelic rock this is the pedal for you. Come open your mind and let this pedal take your sound into it's world of madness and creativity. The Moody Sound Mushroom Echo is one of the most well thought out designs to be constructed since the analog delay pedal landed on our doorstep. 

For more info on Moody Sounds you can go to www.moodysounds.se/ 

Look for more pedals from Moody Sounds to come in the near future.

Welcome to the next level

WMD FatMan

envelope filter

Some of my favorite effects pedals have always been envelope filters, the unique shape of sounds they create is almost impossible to shy away from. It is one of the few effects that doesn't discriminate, can be used in just about every type of music, and will instantly make even the most bland guitar lick interesting. In this world we live in, this world of stompboxes, pedals, and effects, we have all seen some great envelope filters. Lots of them have become classics, collectibles, and a favorite weapon for the stage. The design of this wonderful effect has pretty much stayed intact throughout the years without much evolution to it's sound and tone. That is until now, there's a cat out there by the name of William Mathewson who's mind has taken this wonderful effect to whole new level. His design? The FatMan. The result? An extremely versatile envelope filter keeping true to the old school and capable of producing some of the new. It's times like these I'm glad I became a musician.

 FEATURES:

 *Fat & Warm Pure Analog Circuitry

 *12 Filter Frequency Ranges

 *Tweakable Filter Feedback

 *Lowpass & Bandpass Filter Modes

 *Reverse Sweep

 *Tweakable Attack Speed

 *Internal Gain Adjustment 

 *Key Input

 *Hand Wired True Bypass

 *Violet LED

 *Top Quality Components

 *Super Hard Epoxy Powder Finish

 *Standard 9V Power Jack

My God what an amazing pedal this has turned out to be, another killer find to add to the wonderful collection of discoveries I have made this year. Released a few years back I cannot believe I missed this one, no matter because this is one of those pedals that is way ahead of it's time. If you're a fan of the wah wah pedal and classic style envelope filters this pedal will be a real treat, it takes off where you'd imagine these designs were left off. Being that the FatMan is of pure analog circuitry you might imagine it must sound warm, round, and thick, which it does. But I must tell you I have never heard a more vocal sounding envelope filter in all my days, the shape of the effects it produces are almost human like, giving your sound an entire new platform to play on. William really went to town when he sat down to create this pedal's layout, you will notice how well each control works with one another and how simple it is to adjust it to your playing style. Like most traditional envelope filters the FatMan sports the basic controls needed for knocking it's sound, but where this pedal shines is in it's not so traditional controls. A Range knob lets you click in to 12 different frequencies making this pedal friendly to just about anything you plug into it. Set it 1-4 and you're living in way down low land, perfect for playing with bass and low notes. These settings X out the mids and highs which give you deep and round tones. In the 5-8 realm you dive into the more wah wah sounding effects, great for guitar work, licks, and quick playing. From 9-12 you're in treble city, this is perfect for really standing out in the mix. These settings really give you a plucky sound, a poppy compressed effect. With the Range knob alone you have access to more sounds than you'll know what to do with, but luckily for us the fun does not stop there. The FatMan has one very special feature that will blow your mind, it blew mine. The Key Input... where to start? Before I get into this control option let me just say that the FatMan also has the traditional control knobs like Attack, Threshold, Feedback, Sweep Up/Down, etc... Once you get the hang of things with this pedal and you dial in some favorite settings you'll be able to further manipulate them with the Key Input. This option let's you trigger the envelope filter effect with another device such as a drum machine, mic, keyboard, etc... I used the Key Input with another guitar which was a ton of fun, I set the Attack and Threshold to my liking, played my guitar while my buddy played the other guitar to shape and bring the effect in & out. What other devices must sound like through this is something I am very much looking forward to. The possibilities are endless with an effect like this, become bored and it's the end of your ride. But if you're like me and don't become easily turned off, a pedal like this will bring a lifetime of sound tweaking fun. William Mathewson's talents has brought into this wacky world of sounds some very interesting creations, take a little time to find out just how.... you won't be sorry you did.

For more info on WMD effects click the logo in our links. Also look for more WMD effects to come in later posts. Demos and videos coming soon.

Deep Trip Land/Lessons in Fuzz Part 1

DEEP TRIP

Kryptone

Let the gates of hell and heaven be awakened, let it all come crashing down. Imagine what would rain down, imagine the sound. A sea of galloping, rumbling tone, shaking the earth with a growl so lovely it could only be harnessed and used in music. When I came upon Deep Trip Land I knew I was amongst my kind, my breed of human being. All the favorites of yesteryear came screaming out of this little green box and my mind was boggled beyond belief. Once again we are within reach of a sound so pure and flooded with classic rock blood that we have no choice but to play... play Rock and Roll. Tell me, does this sound like you?

*Power Consume: 10mA

*Swiftcraft Jacks

*Alpha Potentiometers

*External Battery Drawer

*Regular 9v Negative Center DC Jack Operation

*NOS Germanium Transistors

(CONTROLS)

*Volume Knob: Controls overall output

*Mood Knob: External bias control for one of the Ge Transistors

*Fuzz Knob: Controls dirt, texture, etc... The more the better!

*Mode Toggle: Adds in a high impedance cell in front of circuit. For brilliant, defined sounds, and use with wah wah pedals.

*Voice Toggle: Filter out bass frequencies and decrease overall gain. Treble Boost/Classic Fuzz/& Extra Bass settings.

Every once and a while, as musicians, we come across a piece of equipment that really shakes our bones, speaks to our souls, and pushes us to want drive the song writing machine to the fullest. These tools become keys to the doors of our creativity and unlock the moments where our most memorable writings are born. We become overdriven with madness and unstoppable playing ability. I would imagine Hendrix when he first heard the Fuzz Face might have experienced moments like these. This is what the Deep Trip Kryptone has been able to do for me the last few months, I have been struck with an inspiration so large I can hardly contain the number of tunes that have been pouring out (I might just have to dedicate an album to it). There is a definite signature tone that comes from the Kryptone, it is one of those tones that brings a flood of killer songs, flashbacks, and sighs of tonal relief. For someone who breathes and lives music this pedal can open up an entire symphony guitar sounds, knowing how to manipulate these simple boxes is where the magic lies. Being in my early thirties I missed the birth of the fuzz, that first run of fuzz boxes that all my idols played, and with all the hype that surrounds these wonderful pedals it hasn't been easy to purchase one. Thank god for the cats at Deep Trip. The origins of the Kryptone's circuit was spawned from the classic Vox Tonebender, not a bad place to start if you ask me, and like the Tonebender the Kryptone also dishes out a wall of rich, thick harmonics, impressionable EQ balance, and unmistakable classic rock voicing's. There are also treble booster characteristics which work great with chords and licks, throw a little overdrive in front of this pedal and you have just about every stage of distortion you could ever want. It's layout of controls all work very well together and don't over do it even at their highest settings, keeping it more of a traditional fuzz as opposed to the handful of freakwild fuzz boxes that are flooding the scene right now. The Volume knob controls it's overall output which can also on it's own drive your amp into gritty overdrive and grit tones. The Mood knob is an external bias control for one of the germanium transistors, a very very cool option. Just past noon (at around 1:00) is where the Mood knob does it's heaviest howling, it is in this setting that the 60's and 70's come rolling in. Roll it back to starve it of power and roll it up for a sharper cutthroat sound, every way around this control delivers class A velvet tones. The Fuzz knob controls the level of the effect, you will notice that for a fuzz pedal even at full blast it stays clear, the highs crisp, and the mids focused. The Mode toggle switches in a high impedance cell in front of it's fuzz circuit. This adds for a glassier sound, quicker response, and makes the Kryptone wah wah friendly. The Voice toggle switches between treble booster settings, vintage rock fuzz tones, and fat'n'chunky goodness, great for matching up with different amps, guitars, and instruments. Then there's the artwork (which I can honestly call a work of art) which is unlike any other I have seen on a pedal, it gives off a psycedelic/classic rock/acid vibe. A large LED at the front of the pedal shines green and adds to the mystery of it's capabilities, not a pedal that will bore, not a pedal you will throw away and store. It runs on the standard 9v power adapter or 9v battery, a handy battery compartment makes it easy to swap out old batteries. While I'm on batteries I have to mention something else very unique about this pedal. We all know how killer old batteries can sound, they give off those fluttery, burpy fuzz tones that sound great when blasted all the way. With the Mood knob you can dial in these tones and then some. I've been using the Kryptone with a slapback analog delay, hint of compression, and wah wah pedal. Controlling the volume knob on my guitar makes it possible to move in between rhythm and leads. I tested the Kryptone through a Tele, Les Paul, Mosrite, and Hagstrom, the pedal adapted easily to all four guitars all gave out four different usable tones. A great box to drag out to the studio. I would have to label the Kryptone a genuine classic rock pedal and a fuzbox destined for timeless fame. When Ed at Deep Trip Land described the Kryptone he said it was their "most sensitive pedal in terms of picking nuances and guitar volume/tone technique." I can only imagine what else they have in store. This only the beginning my fellow pedal junkies, oh yes there will be more, and like you I myself am very curious to hear where the next pedal will take us.


For more info on Deep Trip effects go to http://www.deeptripland.com/en/
You can also click the Deep Trip logo for direct access to the website. Look for more Deep Trip pedals on future Analog War Cry posts.

Maxon...keeping it real since way back when.

There isn't one stompbox junkie out there who has not heard of Maxon's effects pedals. What they've done for the music scene with their killer effects and builds has held tight since first they peaked their head in the early 70's. Many of you might not know it but Maxon actually started out as a guitar pickup manufacturer, soon after they dove into the world of guitar pedals and the rest is history. The well known all mighty Ibanez line has also been manufacturered under the Maxon name, including the super popular Ibanez 9 series, where the Tubescreamer was born from. Maxon has definitely paid their dues and then some, having released some rare builds which have proven hard to find in these times of pedal madness. Today Maxon continues their quest to build an intelligent line of effects pedals, and if I may say so they're doing it better than ever. The last few years has seen the comeback of some of their classics which include their Vintage Series, Reissue Series, and Nine Series. The builds are top notch, heavy heavy duty, and road worthy to the max. There are a handful of mainstream companies that have impressed me in the last few years and Maxon is most definitely one of them. Imagining one of their boxes dying out is as close to impossible as I gets, get your hands one some and feel, hear, and see for yourselves.

AD-999 Pro Analog Delay

Delay Time: 80-900 milliseconds
In/Out: input, output, dry output
Input Impedance: 500K Ohms
Output Impedance: 10K Ohms or less
Residual Noise: -100db (IHF-A)

CONTROLS/
Delay Time Knob
Feedback Knob
Delay Level Knob
Multi-Delay mini Switches: 3/8, 4/8, 5/8
On/Off True Bypass Switch

When I first heard of this pedal I thought it had to be too good to be true, there had to be some catch or fault to this pedal. When the AD -999 Pro arrived I went ahead and put it through it's paces, flipping every switch, turning every knob, and trying every setting combo I could think of. The result? Hands down the most versatile analog delay pedal I have ever come across. Both sound and build screams quality and class, if you're looking for the last analog delay you'll ever need you've found it. What is it we look for in a good delay pedal? Is it warm tone, is it clarity? The list can go on forever, the AD-999 Pro takes care of just about every need you'll ever look for in a good sounding vintage delay pedal. Insanely warm yet clear tone, wide delay range, user friendly control layout, and some tricks you may not of come across. It's build like all of Maxon's pedals is of the highest level, I've said it before and I'll sday it again, I'd find it extremely hard to damage one of these puppies. The three traditional controls of Delay Time/Feedback/and Delay Level all respond to the most minimal of changes which make it a simple delay pedal to navigate. The heart of this pedal and the reason it's sound is so addictive is it's four custom made Maxon MC4107D bucket brigade IC's, which deliver up to 900 milliseconds of the sweet, velvety, and lush delay...absolute ear candy. We all know how much fun a killer analog delay can be, tweaking the knobs in and out to create a circus of time-warped tones. The AD-999 Pro will never bore, use different combos of it's three multi-delay switches to dial in a ton of freaky but useful delay patterns, or use it straight up for more traditional applications. Picking out chords never sounded so beautiful, yeah that's right I said "beautiful". The pedal's effect really shines through where many of today's delay pedals fail, there are so many gimmick and conjob delays boxes out there promising this that and the other thing whiole in reality they hand you more knobs and switches than you know what to do with, try dialing in a useful tone with them puppies. Don't me wrong, I am a huge fan if expeimental music, tones, and sounds, in the end if something doesn't help produce music then it only keeping me away from it. You gotta admit there are a lot of noise boxes out there at the moment, some useful, many not. You'll never have to worry about the delays getting overly noisy, like the AD-9 Pro the AD-999 Pro also sports the RMS level sensor and noise reduction circuitry. Some delays can swamp out your tone, take over, and leave your music in the dust, not a problem here kids. Another way this pedal works great in is through your effects loop, it's dynamic range can adapt to any input level leaving you with nothing but gold baby. How many of you have tried this with other delays only to come across piercing tones and unwanted distortion? Lord knows I have. The ability to have the option to use the pedal through your effects loop cuts down the umber of effects running in your chain which saves you much needed quality tone. Speaking of tone, I had taken the AD-999 Pro out to the studio to see if there were some fuzz pedals I could match it up with (I like to cut the delay really short to get a killer ghostly effect), I was super stoked to discover the delay tones blended in just where they were needed. The fuzz stays strong and upfront while the delays tailor off right behind each guitar lick, kind of like the Dead Meadow and Black Keys fuzz tones. I am happy to say that I have found a wonderful use for this pedal and it will be making some appearances on my band's records and live gigs...come to think of it I believe I will give it a permanent home on my pedalboard.

Look out for more Maxon effects pedals in later posts. Analog War Cry will also be demoing the AD-999 Pro and many others in up-coming podcasts and videos. For more info on Maxon products click on the banner above, the Maxon logo in our links, or visit www.maxonfx.com

Klein Pickups/Bringing back the art of tone.

The musician, how he strives to find that special tone that lives within him. He sits patiently experimenting with endless combinations of settings and levels, hoping to strike gold. Some access their dream tone though skill, some with a fine ear, and others simply by chance. With all the wonderful gear available today I'd say it's almost impossible not to sound good. Some cats rely on their pedals, some their amps, and then there's that other breed of musician, the type that goes in and gets his hands dirty. These are the cats that have their sound howling at the moon, the ones you'd swear had to have sold their souls to the devil in order to sound so damn good. Under a fine light you come to see that the devil has nothing to do with it, what you do find are people like Chris Klein, and the passion that lives within that will only settle for pure, uncut tone. We're talking pickups here friends, pickups that'll have your axe singing like it's never sung before. It is important that we educate ourselves in every area of the tone spectrum, by dissecting our favorite tunes, artists, and eras we come to find the sound that fits us best. There is no better feeling than learning how to take control of our tone, and equally as good is discovering the new skills we acquire along the way, like a kid and a new toy. Well I happen to be that kid at the moment, these last few months have been my jump into the world of pickup swapping, and it's opened up an endless world of beautiful tones. When I came across Klein Pickups I had to pause and listen, my guitar was saying "We can stop here." For those of us who need more than the mass produced factory pickup this is the place to be, you'll come to discover your guitars true voice.

Model: Esquire

Output: 7.6k

Magnet Type: Alnico 3

When I first spoke with Chris about which pickups to try out I thought why not an Esquire model, I was very curious to hear his take on this timeless legend. When I saw the work put into the pickup I could tell they were built by a skilled hand, when I heard what the pickup sounded like I knew that passion and spot on research went into bringing it to life. The Klein Esquire pickup holds true all the sound of the classic pre-CBS Fender tone, imagine all the same characteristics with more richness and clarity. Coupled with a vintage Tele bridge and 3 brass saddles this pickup will deliver all the sustain, power, and size you'll ever need in a bridge pickup. It's wound with Alnico 3 Flush mount magnets and Enamel wire which stay true to early esquire specs. A hint of well balanced compression helps hold the tone in place and keeps it from becoming shrill and overpowering. Through clean settings it gives off a lucid chime and sparkle only a true to heart classic Esquire could produce. Overdrive and light distortion settings is where this pickup really sings, and my favorite were driving it through fuzz boxes. It grabs notes and releases them with ease, making guitar solos easy to manipulate into whichever shape or form fits your style best. This most certainly isn't just another bum replacement, I can bet once this puppy is swapped in it'll stay there. There's a reason why cats like Johnny Cash, Paul McCartney, and Jeff Beck used Esquires in their music, the signature tone. For those true seekers of the vintage sound this pickup is the perfect place to start and a great way to regain one of the cornerstones of rock and roll. When all is said and done, I have to say I am extremely impressed with this pickup and would stand it up to any original.

Model: Early 50's

Output: 7.7k

Magnet Type: Alnico 3

Ah yes, the early 50's, when I think early 50's I think of one thing...the Tele. All the wonderful funk, country, and blues tones we know and love so well has made it's comeback in the Klein Early 50's pickup. Think of all that a good neck pickup can do for your sound and you have the Klein Early 50's Tele model. The shape of the tone and well balanced EQ makes for a versatile collection of great sounding guitar sounds and layers. After installing the pickup my guitar's tone knob came to life, my pick attack was spot on, and overall response of my amp's EQ was muc clearer. Rolling back the volume and tone knob through a good fuzz box produced some killer sounding classic rock rhythm and solo tones, think Sabbath and Cream...all day baby. My guitar was transformed into a screaming rhythm machine, full of weight, bite and growl. Clean settings with these pickups sound fantastic, a touch of compression and you have all the spank you'll ever need. Chris really went all out when he decided to build his version of a early 50's Tele neck pickup, playing and listening to the pickup you can feel it's genuine and vintage tone, an art loved but not lost. For those of you cats sporting standard Telecasters, building your own guitars and looking for an upgrade or mod, Klein's Early 50's and Esquire pickup models make for perfect replacements. We used a standard Tele to swap the pickups into and the projection afterwards was like day and night, it ups it all, your amp's tone, the delivery of your stompboxes, anything you throw at these pickups sound great through them. I've always been a huge fan of using rhythm pickups for lead licks, there's no better way at getting a chunky lead tone than by using a good neck pickup. One of the best things about rocking a set of Klein Pickups is that they're all hand wound and built from vintage specs, like vintage pickups this gives each pickup it's own distinct sound and character. What more can I say? You can't go wrong with these badboys, the sound is right, the price is right, and your axe will love you for it.

For more info on Klein Pickups go to www.kleinpickups.com or click the logo in our links. Also stay tunes for pickup demos of the Klein Esquire and Early 50's, and our interview with Chris Klein.