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Zander Circuitry Elegantly Revamps, Refines and Improves its Compact Series Pedals

Big Muff Style FuzzDistortionFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionOctave FuzzOpAmp FuzzRat Style FuzzSilicon FuzzZander Circuitry+-
2023-GPX-Zander-Revisions-700.jpg

I’ve been a huge fan of the Zander Circuitry Compact Series - since the Siclone Silicon Chaos Initiator Fuzz first appeared in late 2020. Zander’s Alex Millar has long intended to further refine and iterate those pedals - and that’s what he’s been working on over the last year or so - where the newly revised range launched on the 1st of this month.

 

There used to be 9 pedals in the range - where I have 8 of those - or all bar the Sono Bass Fuzz & Preamp. In fact the Sono, Siclone Fuzz, ...

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Colortone Pedals leads the way with its own design of Cog Series knobs and Silicon Cap Headliners

Colortone PedalsGuitar Gear Improvements and PrototypesGuitar Pedal 101Zander Circuitry+-
2023-GPX-Colortone-Cog-Series-Knobs-and-Headliners-V2-700.jpg

Some of you may recall my seminal Knobs-focused Pedal Design 101 article from 2019 where I highlighted most of the more commonly used knobs, alongside some more distinctive and bespoke types - some made specially for / by those brands, where others have just been cleverly procured.

 

Some brands are very much instantly identified with a certain style of knob - while the majority of builders still make use of mostly Davies Moulding types and derivatives, Boss and MXR types in particular, some ...

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Best of British Pedal Builders Roundup - an A-Z Overview in 105 parts!

Bispell AudioBlack Country CustomsBleak District ElectricColorsoundD*A*M EffectsEffects Pedal MakersEffektrodeEmanating Fist ElectronicsFlattley Guitar PedalsFredric EffectsGreat Eastern FX Co.Hamstead SoundworksHello Sailor EffectsHorrothia EffectsHudson ElectronicsIntensive Care AudioNRG EffectsOrigin EffectsPedal PlanetPete CornishPigDog PedalsRainger FXRedbeard EffectsReeves Electro Guitar PedalsRitual DevicesStone Deaf EffectsTate FXTheGigRigThorpyFXZander Circuitry+-
2023-GPX-Best-of-British-Builders-V2-700.jpg

WARNING! This post is massive, and will probably crash your mobile device! Best accessed via Desktop or Laptop!

 

Last time I did this exercise I featured just 9 companies in my cover shot, and covered 57 overall - with just videos for the top 9.

 

While this time around I’ve doubled down - where there are 27 companies in the cover shot and 105 overall! And circa half of those are accompanied by a video - which is a lot! I first cover the 27 Leading Lights group, and then the 78 brands in ...

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The Brighton Guitar Show & FX Expo Highlights

AudiostormBispell AudioBleak District ElectricBright Onion PedalsBrighton Guitar ShowBuzzing Bugs Audio DevicesDemiurge InstrumentsFlattley Guitar PedalsFunny Little BoxesFX ExpoGoliath FXGreat Eastern FX Co.Guitar Gear ResourcesGuitar Gear RetailGuitar NerdsHamstead SoundworksIndifferent EngineIntensive Care AudioNRG EffectsPedal PatchRainger FXRedbeard EffectsRitual DevicesRotoSoundStrings and ThingsTate FXThorpyFXTimber Tones PicksTwo Notes Audio EngineeringWaterbear College of MusicZander Circuitry+-
2023-GPX-Brighton-NRG-Effects-700.jpg

Like most I believe - I had a wonderful time at the recent Brighton Guitar Show and Pedal Expo - where I spent 97% of my time in the Pedal Room, with just brief excursions out to the Hamstead Soundworks and Timber Tones stands in the main Guitars Room.

 

I pretty much managed to get to the vast majority of stands I intended to - but there are always some casualties as time is a finite commodity! And I was there actually from just after eight until gone 17:30 - one of the very last to leave - ...

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The Brighton Guitar Show & FX Expo takes place TOMORROW, 15th of July at Brighton Racecourse

AudiostormBispell AudioBleak District ElectricBright Onion PedalsBrighton Guitar ShowBuzzing Bugs Audio DevicesDemiurge InstrumentsEmmergy FXFlattley Guitar PedalsFunny Little BoxesFX ExpoGoliath FXGreat Eastern FX Co.Guitar Gear ResourcesGuitar Gear RetailGuitar NerdsHamstead SoundworksHorrothia EffectsIndifferent EngineIntensive Care AudioLatent Lemon AudioMaking Waves EffectsMooerNRG EffectsPedal PatchRainger FXRedbeard EffectsRitual DevicesRotoSoundStrings and ThingsTate FXThorpyFXTimber Tones PicksTwo Notes Audio EngineeringWaterbear College of MusicZander Circuitry+-
2023-GPX-Brighton-Guitar-Show-V2-700.jpg

So we’re just one day away from the Brighton Guitar Show and FX Expo - where Mr PedalPatch - Phil Steere takes up the reins alongside show partners and sponsors Zander Circuitry (Alex Millar), RotoSound (Jack Dunwoody), Strings & Things (Marc Snelling), and WaterBear College of Music (Adam Bushell and Bruce John Dickinson). All those brands are listed in the middle of the above visual! With further details below.

 

The show is in a handy location at the Brighton Racecourse - just a 10 ...

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Distinct, Memorable and Instantly Brand-Identifiable Compact Pedal Enclosures Part 2 - Trade Dress Edition

Alexander PedalsAnimals PedalBJFEBlackhawk AmplifiersColortone PedalsDeath By AudioDemedash EffectsDiamond PedalsEarthQuaker DevicesFlower PedalsGuitar Gear Improvements and PrototypesGuitar Gear ResourcesGuitar Pedal 101GuitarSystemsIconic GearJackson AudioJAM PedalsJHS PedalsMu-TronOrigin EffectsPettyjohn ElectronicsSitek Guitar ElectronicsSpaceman EffectsTanabeTru-Fi Guitar EffectsVFE PedalsWalrus AudioZander CircuitryZvex+-
2023-GPX-Compact-Pedal-Shapes-PT2-700.jpg

So this is the second of this series - where the first was more about the uniqueness of the enclosure shape - more structural really - covering the overall form factor. While this edition is more about ’Trade Dress’ or the Memorability of the Aesthetics - style of graphics, consistency of theme, and consistency of control topology - doing something in a consistently measurable way that makes that pedal instantly recognisable from afar as belonging to a certain single brand.

 

So this one is ...

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2022 Best New Time-Based Effects Pedals of the Year

Alexander PedalsAmbient EffectsAnalog DelayBest in ClassBlack Country CustomsBossCatalinbreadChase Bliss AudioColortone PedalsDeath By AudioDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDouble TrackingDr ScientistEchoverbFree The ToneJAM PedalsKeeley EngineeringKinotoneLaney AmplificationLine 6Lo-Fi DelayMerisMojo Hand FXOddball DelayOld Blood Noise EndeavorsPigtronixPlate ReverbPLBR EffectsPolarbear EffectsRack Style ReverbReverbReverb WorkstationReverse DelayReverse ReverbShimmer ReverbSolidGoldFXSpacey ReverbSpring ReverbStrymonTape DelayWalrus AudioWamplerZander Circuitry+-
2022-best-New-Time-Based-Pedlas-Annual-700.jpg

So this is the first selection here where I only own a handful of the candidates - it’s easier to say what is in the reference collection than out :

  • Boss RE-2 Space Echo Compact - $249
  • Boss RE-202 Space Echo Deluxe - $399
  • Chase Bliss Generation Loss MKII Stereo Magnetiser - $399
  • Chase Bliss Habit The Echo Collector - $399
  • Meris LVX True Stereo Modular Delay System - $599
  • Old Blood Noise Endeavors Screen Violence Stereo Saturated Modulated Reverb Pedal - $279

Of those the Gen Loss II ...

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2022 Best New Fuzz Pedals of the Year

AC NoisesAcorn AmpsAnasoundsBardic Audio DevicesBest in ClassBig Ear PedalsBig Muff Style FuzzBlack Mass ElectronicsCalico EffectsCatalinbreadCoffee Shop PedalsColortone PedalsDrunk BeaverElectro-HarmonixFjord FuzzFrost Giant ElectronicsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionFX TeacherGated and Velcro FuzzGermanium FuzzHeather Brown ElectronicalsKeeley EngineeringKing Tone EffectsKMA AudioLoe SoundsMaestro Style FuzzMastro ValvolaModulated FuzzOctave FuzzOddball FuzzOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzPigtronixRainger FXRed Noise PedalsReeves Electro Guitar PedalsSilicon FuzzSilktoneSolidGoldFXStomp Under FootSuper-Fuzz StyleTampco PedalsThorpyFXTone Bender Style FuzzTriungulo LabWalrus AudioZander Circuitry+-
2022-GPX-Best-of-New-Fuzzes-Annual-700.jpg

So for the end of year Fuzz selection the only pedal of note that came a little too late to be included in this roundup was the very recent Reeves Electro BlackHatSound Deluxe Wedge - of which only 15 units have been made so far. Markus has promised me I can get copper insides when the next batch comes around - so I can complete my set!

 

Other than that everything of note that I’m aware of is included here in this selection. Again I own most of these - while there are still some down on the ...

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2022 Best New Distortion Pedals of the Year

Aleks K ProductionAura AmpsBeautiful Noise EffectsBest in ClassBlackhawk AmplifiersBossBrown Sound DistortionDistortionDriveDrive WorkstationDrunk BeaverDual-DriveFrost Giant ElectronicsGear AntKMA AudioKSR AmplificationKuro Custom AudioLeyland PedalsMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionMidValleyFXMissing Link AudioMooerMulti-DriveOld Blood Noise EndeavorsPreAmpRainger FXSinvertekSolar GuitarsSolar PedalsSoldanoTone InkVictory AmpsWamplerWampler CollectiveWestminster EffectsWren and CuffZander Circuitry+-
2022-GPX-Best-New-Distortion-Pdeals-Annual-700.jpg

Obviously the big Distortion story of the year for me was my recent Full Metal Racket High Gain Distortion roundup - and roughly one third of this selection was in service of that feature alone. Even then I didn’t get to everything I wanted to as a couple or so builders weren’t particularly responsive. This is often quite a thankless task of revolving and closing doors - in any case case I’m proud of what I managed to accomplish regardless - and some of the candidates are quite superb.

 

The ...

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2022 FX Expo Highlights

Alder & AshAudiostormBleak District ElectricBright Onion PedalsEmmergy FXFredric EffectsFX ExpoGoliath FXGuitar Gear ResourcesGuitar Gear RetailHoly Island AudioHorrothia EffectsIndifferent EngineJames' Home of ToneJoesPedals.comLeyland PedalsLife Is Unfair AudioNRG EffectsPedal PatchRainger FXRitual DevicesTate FXTom WilsonTriungulo LabVein TapZander Circuitry+-
2022-GOX-FX-Expo-Indifferent-Engine-700-V2jpg.jpg

Best Stand in Show by Indifferent Engine (above)

 

fxexpo.co.uk

 

The Inaugural FX Expo Show has been quite the adventure - 2 years in the making owing to Covid! - It’s so much a major occasion to have this many prominent and promising independent UK pedal builders all under the one roof. And it could not be helmed by a better man than Alex Millar - who has the strength of will and dogged determination to see it all through.

 

I obviously did the Show Preview a while back now - and while ...

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