We’ve had a number of pedals released into Catalinbread’s Belle Epoch Tape Echo family - starting with the original 2015 compact edition. The Deluxe edition arrived 2 years later, and and 2 years after that we had a large-format Epoch Pre - Preamp/Buffer, which is alas discontinued now.
In fact 2024 kind of sees something of a replacement for that Epoch Pre - in the shape of the 4-controls Epoch Bias - Preamp/Bias pedal.
The range currently consists of 5 pedals - One large DLX, a mini, ...
I believe the SuperCharged OD was first out in and around 2009 - in a 3-knob edition then - with Volume, Gain and Contour controls. The new one is significantly re-tooled with numerous refinements to the circuit - including an entirely new Tilt EQ control and with more range overall, while the same core 8 x MOSFET gain stage topology remains.
It’s a really full-throated, thick and juicy amp-like overdrive with an incredibly high degree of shaping - where the Tilt EQ pivots around the 800Hz ...
I’ve long been saying that Catalinbread should be externalising the SB / SL switch of its DLS - which for such a long time has been an awkward-to-reach internal dip-switch. They finally decide to do it in this Deluxe edition which comes with additional Presence and Boost controls / functions too.
I’ve owned a compact DLS for quite some while - and it’s a decent Plexi type for sure - supposedly Andy Martin’s favourite, but has never quite been one of my own absolute favourites - unlike the ...
Most people consider JHS Pedals’ 3 Series launch back in October of 2020 as the catalyst and forerunner of this particular effects pedal industry Budget phase / development. While I would go back to August of 2019 to EarthQuaker Devices’ first $99 pedal - the Plumes Small Signal Shredder OD - as the starting point of this trend.
Of course Josh Scott was the first to issue a full range of $99 pedals - where he launched with 7 white utilitarian / industrial style 3-knobs + 1-switch - somewhat...
Readers of this blog will know that I’ve long and consistently had 2 key pedal types in my pedal-chain - namely a Brian May Vox style pedal, and an Eddie Van Halen Marshall Plexi style pedal - which for the last number of years have populated slots #17 and #18.
My very first pairing was the hybrid set of Bearfoot FX EGDM and MI Effects Super Crunch Box V2 - which overall probably served the longest innings on those two slots.
Since that first pairing we’ve had matched brand pairs - from...
It’s been a while since I last did a Vox-in-a-box roundup - in fact all the way back to my 2018 12 of the Best Vox Style Pedals feature - so it was about time I did an update. Readers will know that I always have a Vox pedal in my pedal-chain - occupying what is now slot #17.
It started with the Catalinbread Galileo way back when - and then following this rough sequence :
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 :
Of those the Gen Loss II ...
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 ...
Kind of taking a leaf out of JHS Pedals’ and Fender’s playbook - or their respective 3 Series and Hammertone Series budget ranges. Catalinbread has sort of delivered its own range of 3 semi-budget pedals - priced not at the killer $99 or below benchmark - but at 50% more at $149. In some ways there is less here than those others’ typically 3+ knob designs. While the Catalinbread Elements Series has THT components onboard versus the others’ SMT types, and a lot of time has been spent crafting ...
I’m not usually one to get excited about Mono Reverb pedals - but Catalinbread definitely have a special pedal on their hands here. Grabbing the Soft Focus Reverb algorithm from Yamaha’s late 80’s budget FX500 Rack Multi-FX - it splits a Plate Reverb algorithm into 3 separate paths - one which adds a subtle Upper Octave, one which adds Chorusing Modulation, and the 3rd of which passes the Reverb effect through unadulterated.
You then have 3 independent controls to fine-tune each of the ...