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Mastotron, Orbit or ?

CHILDISHGAMBINO

CHILDISHGAMBINO

Inactive
May 4, 2006
2,916
2,572
Courtenay, BC, Canada
#1
Hey guys, I just got my bonus and I am wanting to buy myself a synthy gated fuzz. I've narrowed it down to these two due to price, clips I've heard, and convenience. I'm in Canada so I'll either be ordering from Long and Mcquade or Moogaudio.com. Which one would you choose or would you choose something else entirely?
 
#2
Personally...(and ive been dreaming of owning one of these two someday) i would go for the CoPilot Orbit, just becuase it seems to be able to get a much wider variety of sounds (from your very useable, average synthy gated fuzz) to the rediculous. And from what ive heard, it can get you the "basic synth tone" that the mastotron can also do. But again...ive never owned either.
 
#3
There are enthusiasts here for both of those, but IMHE these are "better" than the Mastotron (not actually gated): Iron Ether Oxide, Small Sound Big Sound Team Awesome Fuzz, the Goose (I forget the maker but there is a recent thread, but one setting is gated) even the forgotten MXR Dunlop Bass Blowtorch has more tone shaping capability with a synth buzz than the Vexter and it does softer fuzzes too. My favorite synth sound is a Devi Ever Ruiner in a blend, around 60% clean. Or get a used Brown Dog because it's so expensive otherwise... OR a Tech 21 Red Ripper...
 
#5
I checked out the Ruiner last night on Moog. Is it gated? I did notice it said my bass would love me if I bought it. The Oxide, Team Awsome, and the Goose all seem like really nice pedals. I haven't seen them on any Canadian sites though. I have ordered stuff from the States before but I'd like to avoid it if I can. Less waiting.
 
#7
CHILDISHGAMBINO said:
I checked out the Ruiner last night on Moog. Is it gated?
Click to expand...

Wonderfully not gated and glitchy from it's huge gain level which is why I use it in a blender. Can be over the top fun-glichy, which to my mind is better than unwanted glitchy I got from the Mastotron. Blowtorch is better at coming to a full stop-silence between notes in a non-gated pedal. Cheapest too of pedals I mentioned.
 
#8
Moog Audio is awesome -- got to try out a whole bunch of stuff when I visited Montreal this summer.

I own an Orbit and have tried the Mastotron, I would say there is no comparison. There is one setting I liked on the Mastotron and almost all of the knobs are all the way up or down -- totally at the extremes of what it can do, so you can't tweak anything once you get to the synthy sound. On the other hand, it's cheaper, it does that one gated synth tone really well, and it's pretty easy to use.

But that one really good setting at the extreme of the Mastotron is where the Orbit starts (FM side completely off, int/gate at about noon). You can get way way way more synth sounds out of the Orbit and it functions well as a noisemaker (if you put the mix towards the FM side) and doom fuzz (if you open the up the gate). A little pricier, and not intuitive to use, but it is completely worth the money and time.

If you're not convinced, watch the John Davis Tonefactor review for the Orbit.
 
#13
I picked my Orbit a UPS yesterday. I've only spent a few hours with it so far but what a weird awesome little box of farting robots and broken laser guns. Definitely a very sensitive and interactive little thing. I'm still trying to figure out where to put it. Right now it's after my XXL and OC2. I'm going to try different placements out after work. Anyone have any favorite settings or other advice they'd like to share?
 

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