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2022 June Pedal-Chain Update - Episode VI - Thorpy Milspec Precision

Beetronics FXBig Muff Style FuzzBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBrown Sound DistortionBufferChorus and VibratoCompressorDistortionDriveEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQFlangerFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzGermanium FuzzKing Tone EffectsKlone and Transparent OverdriveMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionModulationMulti-DriveMulti-FXOctaverOld Blood Noise EndeavorsOpAmp FuzzOverdrivePedal ChainPhaserPitchRat Style FuzzRedbeard EffectsSilicon FuzzThorpyFXTone Bender Style FuzzToneQuestTremoloUtility+-
2022GPXSKPedalChainUpdateJune700.jpg

So most of you won’t have realised that I’ve been down with Covid since last Tuesday. In fact the first 3 days were particularly painful - while since then I mostly fell concussed - just plain knocked out really, and while only a few aches now linger my vision is still somewhat blurry - and I’m still suffering a touch of brain fog.

 

All that said, I never let an illness get in the way of progress, and I have endeavoured to work my way through it - even though like wading through treacle at ...

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Key Moments in the Evolution of The Pedal-Chain

Guitar Gear Improvements and PrototypesGuitar Gear ResourcesPedal ChainToneQuest+-
2016AfBlgToneQuest700

In the wake of the recent Pedal-Chain Explainer Article - I thought it an opportune moment to do a potted snapshot history of the origin and evolution of my Pedal-Chain.

 

The very top image initially appeared on my original ’Tone Quest’ article (Novemeber 2016) where I set out the broader parameters of a signal chain - from start to finish!

 

I had certain perceptions at the start of the process which were very quickly cast by the wayside - as there’s generally far too much nonsense advice...

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32 Key Guitar Effects Pedal Types - Preferred Compact Pedal per Type : 2022 Edition

Acoustic SimulatorAlexander PedalsAmp and Cab IR SimBecos FXBest in ClassBig Muff Style FuzzBitcrushing and Lo-FiBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionBufferCatalinbreadChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCompressorCrazy Tube CircuitsCryBabyDelayDemedash EffectsDigital DelayDigital ReverbDigiTechDistortionDOD EffectsDr ScientistDriveDryBell EffectsDual-DriveDunlop EffectsElectro-HarmonixEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQFeaturedFlangerFlower PedalsFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGlitchGuitar Gear ResourcesGuitar Synth and SequencerJackson AudioJAM PedalsJHS PedalsKMA AudioLooperMarshall Style DistortionModulationMulti-DriveMXRNoise GateOverdrivePastFXPedalboard and Pedal-ChainPeterson TunersPhaserPigtronixPitchPlutoneium EngineeringRedbeard EffectsReverbRing ModulationRotary SpeakerSilicon FuzzSinvertekSonic ResearchSource AudioSubdecay EffectsTC ElectronicToneQuestTremoloTunersUni-Vibe and VibeUtilityVolumeWalris Audio+-
2022AfBlg32CompactPedalType700.jpg

NOTE - this article is too large (108 videos) to work properly on Mobile devices - make sure you view on Desktop or Laptop!

 

This is my largest ever article - and it will unlikely be repeated in this fashion - as this takes so long to compile - and the 108 Pedals / Videos included just take a little too long to load up on the screen. In any case it’s a pretty exhaustive run-down in rough order of preference of my favourite Compact Enclosure Pedals of Each Type.

 

For a few here there are ...

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The Method behind the Madness - an Explainer Feature on the Inner Workings and Science of my Pedal-Chain / Pedal Platform Stereo Rig

12 Degrees of SaturationFeaturedGuitar Gear Improvements and PrototypesGuitar Gear ResourcesGuitar Pedal 101Pedal ChainPedalboard and Pedal-ChainToneQuest+-
2022GPXSKPedalChainUpdateExplainerl700V2.jpg

So I’ve had a lot of people ask me to explain the reasoning and science behind my 41-strong Pedal-Chain - how it came about, and how it has evolved.

 

The funny thing is that when I got back into guitar in 2016 - following the passing of my two biggest  musical heroes and inspirations - Bowie and Prince - I had intended to keep things very streamlined and simple. As a teenager I struggled to recreate the sounds of my guitar heroes and kind of threw in the towel after a few years of trying and...

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End of July Pedal-Chain Update - Episode VI - Mercurial Conveyance!

Ambient EffectsAnasoundsBig Muff Style FuzzBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBuffalo FXChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCooper FXDemon PedalsDigital ReverbDr ScientistDriveDual-DriveDumble Style OverdriveElectro-HarmonixEnvelope Filter and Auto WahExpresso FXFlangerFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzGFI SystemGlitchJackson AudioKlone and Transparent OverdriveMarshall Style DistortionMenatoneModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveOCD Style OverdriveOctave FuzzOddball ModulationOpAmp FuzzOverdrivePedal ChainRedbeard EffectsReverbReverb WorkstationSilicon FuzzSpacey ReverbTone Bender Style FuzzToneQuestTremoloTubescreamer Style OverdriveVox Style DistortionVS Audio+-
2020GPXSKSignalChainPostNAMMJuly700V2.jpg

July has largely been a very decent month for me and culminated with the arrival of my twin new Expresso FX Dual Custom Fuzzes and my annual white whale as such - the Chase Bliss Audio Automatone Preamp MKII on this occasion.

 

It looks like 4 pedals failed to get over the line within the appointed time period - the longest-ranging of which is my Evil Pumpkin Modded DS-1 - which has been en-route from Kiev since June 12th and which I surely hoped should have landed by now.

 

My JDM Pedals ...

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Steve Mac's Home Studio 'Wall of Sound' Pedalboard Dynamics and Essential Tone Components

Analog.ManAndy Betts MusicArtistArrayBig Muff Style FuzzBK ButlerBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossChorus and VibratoColorsoundCompressorCustom PedalboardsDelayDemeter AmplificationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDriveElectro-HarmonixEQFenderFlangerFree The ToneFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGiuseppe BagnaraGuitar Synth and SequencerIbanezKlone and Transparent OverdriveKorgLoop-SwitcherMarshall Style DistortionMJM EffectsModulation WorkstationMooerMorningstar FXOrigin EffectsOverdrivePete CornishPlate ReverbProCoRat Style FuzzRotary SpeakerSilicon FuzzSpring ReverbStrymonTape DelayThorpyFXToneQuestTube OverdriveTunersUni-Vibe and VibeUtilityXotic EffectsZoom FX+-
2020GPXSteveMacStudioBoard700.jpg

I would like to start by thanking Matt Knight and Joe Branton of Guitar Nerds who made this all possible and put me in contact with Steve Mac - guitarist and original member of the Australian Pink Floyd. This all stems back to the Guitar Nerds’ podcast for Friday 3rd July - an interview with Steve Mac, and the accompanying social media pictures of Steve’s home studio pedalboard - or literally ’wall of sound’.

 

I’m a considerable Floyd and Gilmour fan and avidly follow Björn Riis’s Gilmourish...

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Mikey Demus's Pedalboard Dynamics and Essential Tone Components

ArtistArrayBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionCaroline Guitar CompanyDelayDigital DelayDigiTechDistortionDouble TrackingDown-TunerDriveDunlop EffectsEchoverbFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionHarmonizerKlone and Transparent OverdriveLo-Fi DelayLoop-SwitcherMetal DistortionMikey DemusMXRNoise GateOctave FuzzOctaverOpAmp FuzzOverdrivePitchPitch-ShiftingRedbeard EffectsStrymonTape DelayThorpyFXToneQuestTunersUtilityWah and Fixed Wah+-
2020GPXMikeyDemusBoard700V3.jpg

Readers of this blog should be well aware by now of Skindred’s Lead Guitarist and Redbeard Effects Head Honcho Mikey Demus. And while I had been very familiar with his band Skindred for a number of years - my focus didn’t shift fully to Mikey himself until he got into partnership with Adrian Thorpe and started producing his own range of signature pedals.

 

The first release was an exceptional take on Mikey’s core signature Orange Rockerverb 100 Amp sound - the Red Mist MKIV Distortion. Mikey ...

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End of May Pedal-Chain Update - Episode IV - A New Hope!

Ambient EffectsAnasoundsBig Muff Style FuzzBitcrushing and Lo-FiBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBrown Sound DistortionChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCooper FXDigital ReverbDistortionDr ScientistDriveEarthQuaker DevicesElectro-HarmonixEnvelope Filter and Auto WahFlangerFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGFI SystemGlitchJackson AudioKlone and Transparent OverdriveKuro Custom AudioMarshall Style DistortionMenatoneMetal DistortionMI EffectsModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveOctave FuzzOddball ModulationOverdrivePedal ChainPhaserRat Style FuzzRedbeard EffectsReverbReverb WorkstationSilicon FuzzSpacey ReverbSuper-Fuzz StyleThorpyFXToneQuestTremoloVox Style DistortionVS Audio+-
2020GPXSKSignalChainPostNAMMMay2700.jpg

May was the month that several things finally slotted into place - all my missing / presumed lost USA orders finally landed as did a few other pedals which had been somewhat lingering in the wild - so May delivered a pretty decent pedal yield overall in the end. I also got to be involved in a couple of exciting up-and-coming brands - Kuro Custom Audio of Italy and MidValleyFX of USA. I’ve already published a feature on the excellent Kuro Akuma Fiery Fuzz as featured on slot #5, and hope to be ...

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Try Before You Buy Makes US's Pedal Genie and UK's Tonebuddy Essential Resources for Many Pedal Fans

Guitar Gear ResourcesGuitar Gear RetailPedal GeniePedal Rental ServiceSound Affects PremierTonebuddyToneQuest+-
2020GPXStateOfPedalRental700V2.jpg

It’s been well over a year now since I did my first head-to-head comparison between industry standard Pedal Rental / Subscription Service - Pedal Genie of the USA, and the then fledgling Tonebuddy sort of UK equivalent. I may have been a little harsh on Tonebuddy as it was really just starting out, and its scale of operation did not really allow it to provide as close a service to Pedal Genie as it might have liked.

 

I’ve actually been meaning to do this update for a while -...

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Josh Smith's Pedalboard Dynamics and Essential Tone Components

ArtistArrayBoostDanelectroDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDriveDunlop EffectsEchoverbEventideGFI SystemHarmonizerJosh SmithKing Tone EffectsLoop-SwitcherLovepedalMarshall Style DistortionModulationModulation WorkstationMorningstar FXMythos PedalsOctaverOverdrivePitchPitch-ShiftingPower SuppliesReverbReverb WorkstationTC ElectronicToneQuestTubescreamer Style OverdriveTunersUtilityVemuramWah and Fixed Wah+-
2020GPXJoshSmithPedalboard700.jpg

So I seem to have fallen into something of a Josh Smith ToneQuest phase of late. I’ve always been a fan of his core signature tone/s while not necessarily the biggest fan of his musical output per se. His first influence on me was his signature Eventide H9 Rotary preset - which settings I share in this post. I have somewhat fallen into using my own H9 mostly in Josh’s Rotary mode - with a few choice reverbs and delays too, but modulations generally coming from other parts of my pedal-chain.

 ...

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