Experimental pedals/"Freak Out" pedals - Page 2

N.F.A. · #21 03-01-2012, 11:32 AM

Man this thread is starting to become frustrating to me. Many of the pedals so far are either one offs or limited runs. I went to the ss/bs website and both the Polygrace and Blargotron-otron are no longer made. 4545 is being redesigned. Schumann is long gone. Suckage...

behndy · #22 03-01-2012, 01:32 PM

yeah, the PolyGrace was a 20 run thing that got bundled with his band's second cd release. it's an awesome bugger, but rare as butts. most people that spend some time with it do NOT want to give it up.

the Blargotron CAN be made still i think. he's in the midst of touring a bunch right now, so he only hits home at random spots, but i know he did one recently for a guy. i think he just doesn't offer it as a standard part of his lineup on his page?

new 4545 should be AWESOME though. he'd talked about bridging the gap between (i actually prefer it) the 2525's setup and the Crazy Amounts Of Range That's Maybe A Mite Intimidating'ness of the 4545. exciiiiiiiiiiiited to see what comes of it. again, there's a (understandable) lag on newer stuff since his band's doing well right now.

damn success gettin' in the way of mah PEDALZ.

N.F.A. · #23 03-01-2012, 02:08 PM

Yeah, I'm used to waiting on pedal builds. That's par for the course. I just hate missing out on one offs, limited runs, etc. I may have a trade in the works for a 4545. (Woo hoo!)
Trying to get a pedalboard together for a 2 piece experimental group project that may be on the horizon. (Both of us playing a variety of instruments.)

Knettgummi · #24 03-01-2012, 03:54 PM

Wanna get me a Red Panda Particle when I have the funds. I'd say that qualifies as a "freak out" pedal.

(And I see Behndy is "guilty" of some more demoes here

)

EDIT: Oh, and as for what it does: it is basically a type of delay/pitch shifter based on granular synthesis (granular synthesis is the scientific term for "this thing can do f*@#ing everything imaginable!")

behndy · #25 03-01-2012, 03:57 PM

lol. i LOVE the Particle!

sooooooo waiting on the final release. ridiculously useful take on odd delay/pitch shifty stuff. one of those things that really gives you ideas every time you plug it up.

runmikeyrun · #26 03-01-2012, 07:20 PM

I'm still a fan of the Uglyface. Yes, you have to build it, but that's half the fun!! I built mine into a wah shell so I can do dive bombs with the oscillating frequency...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwAfWCuoM1A

behndy · #27 03-01-2012, 09:51 PM

DOOD. i have an Ugly Face somebody built and then offloaded to mah favorite pedal store for what MUST have been like $12 'cause they called me up and were like, "you.... need to come down here. and bring $40. TRUST ME.". so ANGRY. i love SubDecay but it kinda kills the Noise Box. granted, the Noise Box is way more reliable in terms of reproducing the sound you want with knob fiddling, but i LOVE the Uggo.

Vlad5 · #28 03-03-2012, 11:13 PM

The Unpleasant Surprise is billed as an experimental fuzz gate. It does bit crushy sounds and gets synthy too. Its weird, and I don't feel the need for a bit crusher or synth pedal so long as its on my board. Yeah, it does fuzz too...

groooooove · #29 03-04-2012, 08:35 AM

zvex machine is my favorite freakout tool ever.

CHILDISHGAMBINO · #30 03-04-2012, 09:31 AM

The Copilot Orbit can get pretty freaky, Gnomeratron can oscillate like crazy in some settings and you can flip switches and turn knobs to "play" the oscillations. Reverse delay is always weird or just delay period. If I run my PS-6 in sbend mode 2 oct up into the Orbit with VCO side dialed in a bit more than the fuzz stuff gets crazy. Anyway just some rambling thoughts...

Gero · #31 03-04-2012, 08:56 PM

Fuzzhugger Absynth is one of my favorites. Another is the mellowtone wolf computer. Both are great oscillofuzz's plus "normal" sounds too.

ANYthing from Montreal Assembly. Seriously.

behndy · #32 03-04-2012, 09:40 PM

i love Tommy The Dalton at FuzzHugger, but i just couldn't bond with the AB Synth. i had the bigger Dream version i think? it did some cool stuff, but it cut butts off my low end.

same with the Wolf. it's weird, 'cause i know a lot of bass guys that KNOW their stuff, and they love it. i could only get noise out of it. odd.

BassBrass · #33 03-05-2012, 08:01 AM

I tried an AB Synth and I think my pedal is broken, just makes high end hissy fuzz. Does not do what youtube demo did...
The freaky pedal I'm liking these days is the Mellowtone Wolf Computer in a blend. It's more stable than the SSBS 4545, has less hiss but makes similar (usable) sounds. Less good with the unusable sounds of course, having free will anarchy filters.

DeltaPhoenix · #34 03-05-2012, 08:16 AM

About the AB Synth, are you using an active bass? It doesn't work well with them, it needs passive pickups to complete circuit, like a wooly mammoth.

N.F.A. · #35 03-05-2012, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by behndy

i love Tommy The Dalton at FuzzHugger, but i just couldn't bond with the AB Synth. i had the bigger Dream version i think? it did some cool stuff, but it cut butts off my low end.

same with the Wolf. it's weird, 'cause i know a lot of bass guys that KNOW their stuff, and they love it. i could only get noise out of it. odd.

Could it be the variations in chips, if they are germanium anyway? I have actually been eyeing the Wolf. Hmm..

BassBrass · #36 03-05-2012, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N.F.A.

Could it be the variations in chips, if they are germanium anyway? I have actually been eyeing the Wolf. Hmm..

Wolf Computer in a blend, always! To preserve that low end I use either a Wounded Paw or Xotic blender.

Yes, as to the ABSynth, I play active And I put it in the blender as well. I'll try it with a passive! thanks. Since I use actives mostly it will go to my guitarist for a tryout. Just, it has the Prettiest paint job evar! Green with a tree! Maybe I'll frame it and hang it on the wall.

N.F.A. · #37 03-05-2012, 09:50 AM

Pretty sure this is the next pedal I am getting. It's the NASA one that arpeggiates. Thanks to someone in this thread for pointing the way to this company.
montreal assembly

behndy · #38 03-05-2012, 09:55 AM

lol. yeah, Dalton does some great looking pedals.

i've always kinda been a stickler about not buying pedals that i need another pedal with. everything super weird that tends to rob low end i usually don't get unless it has a blend built in. it's just that with so many amazing smaller builders out there right now you can usually find someone that will do what you want and add a decent blend for you. so i've had stuff that i've got the feeling that WITH a blend it'd be very cool, i usually move it on and find something similar that lets me dial in the amount of clean per pedal, not per blended loop.

i KNOW. 4545 can be an unpredictable BEAST. it's kinda it's charm. that's why i love having that and the 2525. i use the 2525 for live stuff, the 4545 for horrible noises at home stuff.

omie · #39 03-05-2012, 11:01 AM

Not sure if this qualifies, but here is a little demo vid I did for fun on a Mcneece Mayhem.. mostly various fuzz tones but near the end I turn up the weird. What this pedal lacks in low end when the 'weirdness' is turned to high is totally made up in ANGER volume.

Pedal is based on the 555 chip.. kooky.

Damascus · #40 03-05-2012, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeltaPhoenix

I don't think so. It was made to celebrate his bands CD release. Believe me, people are always asking him to build more.

Obviously not enough. When i first saw the specs on that pedal i did a bug-eye and was heartbroken like all the rest when i learned of its scarcity ten seconds later.