Category: Generic

Fuzz Box Acquisition Syndrome

So, I’m losing my mind over Muff clones.

Triangles:

I like the first one better, but I think it’s probably more to do with the crappy amp on the second video.

Ram’s Head:

Not sure which I prefer, but I think the second one might be better.

Op Amp:

Not sure which I prefer, but I don’t think either of them sound as good as the transistor models.

Later on I might check on some other brands, or maybe some Russian model clones.

I am obsessed and there’s nothing I can do to stop this craziness.

Pedal Swap?

Always tinkering…

I have two Big Muff Pi pedals. One on the board at the band’s rehearsal space. The other is at home with my stay at home set up.

This is the one on the band board:
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This is the stay at home:
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The first pedal is huge. The second pedal is tiny.

I love the first pedal to death. It’s AWESOME. But it doesn’t really play well with my Marshall amp. There is a ton of extraneous noise. A little research tells me that the reissue NYC pedals (which the big one is) are generally considered to be very noisy. The little pedals, including the Nano, which is the one I have, are supposed to be a little less noisy. I haven’t noticed any noise issues through my Fender amp, but I haven’t used it with a long signal chain, and I probably haven’t been as loud as I get with the band.

So the question is, should I swap them? Should I bring the Nano to practice and bring the full size guy home?

Or should I invest a couple of hundred dollars into a high end clone of the original “triangle” muff, or maybe the “rams head” version that came a few years later? Or should I try and get a Russian version?

Upgrades at Last

I bought my Gibson ES-335 Pro on eBay back in 2000.  It was in rough shape.  All discolored and grimy from cigarette smoke.  It played like a gift from guitar heaven, but it had seen better days.  It was even missing a knob.

16 years later, I finally replaced that missing knob.


It’s glorious, but I can’t very well leave the shiny black and white knob alone with the gross smoke yellowed old knobs, could I?


I’m hoping to bring this guy to a repair shop on Thursday to get some routine maintenance done.  There are spotty pots and loose connections.  I want it all cleaned up in time for Lizardfish’s gig on July 1st.  Hopefully I won’t chicken out.  Having some stranger put his hands on your baby… It’s tough to let that happen.

Oh CrudBuckets

I missed a day yesterday. I was back on a really good roll of posting at least once a day. Then yesterday?

Oh crud.

Today the Bruins signed Kevan Miller to a four year deal because this is bizzarro world where players who suck to high heaven are rewarded with huge sums of money over a long term of years.

Oh crud.

The Sharks are up 3 games to 2 over the Blues and that is good.
The Lightning are up 3 games to 2 over the Penguins and that is good, except that I didn’t pick with my heart this round, I picked with my head and I picked the Penguins.

Oh crud.

My back is KILLING ME.

Oh crud.

The Red Sox are up 4-1 after two innings and I am about to have Doritos for dinner.

Life is good again.

Joe Kelly

I turned on the Red Sox game with one out in the top of the seventh.  Joe Kelly had yet to give up a hit.  Woah!  NoNo!

First batter I see is out on a diving catch by Jackie Bradley.  Highlight reel stuff!  Don’t they say that every no hitter has one amazing defensive play that saves the day?  Did Bradley just give Kelly that play?  This could be serious!

Next hitter doubles to right center field.

Aww crud!

Hue

Well hello and welcome to the Internet of things!  We might be a tad late to the party, but as of right now we can use our phones to turn the lights in the living room and dining room on and off.  We can change the colors in the living room too.  It’s the future, babie!