i-bands.net [READ ONLY MODE] :: View topic - what to look for in boutique or modded pedals

browndog2woof · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 3:15 am Post subject:

fretted bros and gals,

lately aku dengar banyak cerita pasal hot rodded boutique pedals.. first aku mau tanya..

1) beli pasal mau gempak orang
2) mau follow guitar hero atau apa orang pakai
3) fashion show/trend
4) sound

apa mau cari dalam good pedal..

1) sound bila on.. tarak colour ori string dynamics and responds
2) sound bila off mesti clear as possible near the ori tone or better/ tak suck tone, or for that matter, true bypass
3) loose tone as per strings, not too tight neither too loose, good bottom, mid and sparkles
4) not too overdose of gain... even on modulation or delay. thick lushing sound still ok to me.. not thin and dry.
5) easy to tame knobs.. to me, the lesser the better. i'm not a rocket scientist.. and i hate those unnecessary knobs that 'tak dengar kata!' that means too complicated to tweak..
6) not sounding too digital.. natural sounding tone prefered! a nasal, dry and thin sound of a digital effect sounds are the worst ones that i hated most! no matter how expensive they are..
7) i prefer one in one pedal, but a very good sound when played. not 20 in one.. jack of all trade but master of none...

apa ada dalam good circuit boards..

1) not smd circuit (ala, yg micro macam dalam, computer, hp or walkman). mau yg solid good quality parts..
2) must use good quality components, pcb, controls, resistor, transistor, wires, chip etc. don't worry, they will charge you...
3) as for that circuit lay out - the simpler makes it better. mostly on analog overdrive pedals or/and some early bucket brigade chip pedals (on modulations and delays)...

kalo dah banyak sangat strange looking custom factory microchip and ic's inside, you might have problems if a problem occurs.. for example boss ce2 pcb and circuits doesn't look too complicated to work on for repairs if you have the parts. ts9/sd1 for that other comparison and good example... it still maintains till today. look at boss dd3 pedal... their specs evolve from year to year of so called improvements or better design... look at custom factory the chip... omg, mana mau cari ini barang sekarang? obselete sudah!

but why are there issues on new vs old badge? jap vs taiwan? this production vs that production year? let me tell you bros and gals. it's all definitely all about SOUND! please don't get yourself caught in a trap.. and don't forget that early MIT are japs stuffs too.. not all japs productions have the same good sound as the other.. keep this in mind.

so came in boutiques fellas. their work are based on...

1) make your pedal sounds better than the existing tone..
2) as near as possible to the early productions or vintage..
3) put more steroids, tone/boost switches and leds to meet up the with the current demand.. or satisfy your needs..

but can all of these really be true on doing magic and wonders?

it has to match with your total package too!.. amps, guitars and most of all, your tone.. some pedals really matches with certain amps/guitars and have some kind of solid bonding tone relation between one another..... or vice versa... for example is that, ts9 output buffer matches the input of fender tube amps (the word vintage and mods are involved here.. look up for cesar diaz and rene martinez, you know what i mean) some pedals work well with tube amps, some with transistors.. this is how it goes..

during the 60s, amp makers will make amps based on the tubes/transformer/components supplied on that particular decade... therefore, all pedal makers will make these tube amp as their reference amp... this will go right to the late 70s... most bands still plays tube amps and the sound is indeed still happening.. all kind of early introductions pedals are there.. (for example, pedals like ts 808, sd1 still exist till today...)

then came of the transistor amp invasion on mid 80s right through late 90s... thought of taking over the tube scene.... therefore, some pedals are made and based on transistor amps as for their guide and reference.. indeed influences the pedal makers design. this is before the appearance of half breed/cross breed amp designs starts to move in.. (transistor preamp with tube powered power amp or vice versa..) most makers are beginning to aware of the return of the tubes...

then, the next decade of living dangerously came... vintage and collectors, musicians are looking and hunting more on yester years nostalgic tone. they realised that 60s and 70s stuffs are really way cool compared to the boredom of transistor amp solid state technology.. so, the companies are now on a new tube based amp or starting making reissues to meet up with the supply and demand.. but there things that time forgot..

1) the vintage makers or factories of the best parts and components are obselete/closed
2) the cost are now skyrocketed to produce the same specs, grade and quality.. i.e material content, wood grades, expensive alnicos, all sorts of wires, chemicals, raw materials etc. etc. or they have all gone up... so they begin to turn to substitute grades or materials as replacement... even redesign the parts and components.. making them smaller.. and cheaper..
3) they don't makes things like they use to in the old days.. period!
4) when they became mass productions.. every single cost does matters, however, cosmetic wise must be authentic to the originals... but as for the parts inside, well, you know and i know la... hmmm... and sound wise? sendiri mau ingat la.. their real competitor is their own ghost!

and also, last but not least, a not properly set guitar won't give you the best of your guitar sound... get this done! they will definitely contribute on your next pedal selection. it's about sound to your ears.. and also please, get rid of this attitute.... guitar mahal, amp mahal, pedal mahal but cables pakai cap ayam atau itik serati...

so by changing to this boutique or hot rodded pedal will make you and your guitar sounds heroic? i don't think so... improve, yes, a little maybe. magic?... no! because in the real world, they all are linked. it's a package. your amp, your guitar, your cable, your pedal, your music, your playing, your tone and most of all, yourself!

the feel and soul in you is something that is unpredictable.. no one can see that except god. ain't no mojo' here! but at least now you are more alert on how and why to get a good pedal for yourself next time when you are ready to do so... or something else that suits best for your needs and situation.

cheers!

woof!