Just recovered from reading about an expensive pedal

ThePrettyDamned

Drew_fx said:

Looking at my board... It's all Hardwire and Boss pedals... and I just bought a Hardwire Chorus from a chap on here! If the Hardwire delay's tap-tempo implementation wasn't shite, I'd probably have no Boss pedals at all!

They double as a weapon, too. I was on the receiving end of a boss dd3 accidentally being kicked into my head at a gig just the other day, ripping the leads out of the amp and guitar (literally the only pedal the guy was using). Plugged back in, still worked, and I needed to take ten minutes out

ThePrettyDamned

Dave_Mc said:

Time for a bump, I think...

http://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=23472&start=220#p235831

http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com.br/2014/03/shins-music-dumbloid-standard.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+GuitarFxLayouts+(Guitar+FX+Layouts)&utm_content=FaceBook

TL;DNR: It seems to be a modded tubescreamer. No diodes in the feedback loop of the first op-amp stage, but now there's a single LED for asymmetric clipping in the second op-amp stage, and the accent control is a drive control for said second stage.

EDIT: Just to make clear where the credit lies, I didn't reverse it. And I didn't even notice it had been reversed myself, someone on another forum flagged it up for me )

Not surprising. It probably does sound different, but for that money, I'd expect a zvex style pro finish at least.

juansolo

Not a shocker really. It amuses me that someone can peddle a shoddily made OD like that for $600 and yet I can't get £250 for a 4-in-1 multi effect that took quite a while to build (to say the least). I even spent some time not making it look like a dogs breakfast. Loads of enquiries, until I tell them it's £250...

...and this is the crux of gear. It's worth what you can sell it on for, and mine's worth f**k all. Lucky I'm not trying to make a living out of it I suppose.

Dave_Mc

ThePrettyDamned said:

Dave_Mc said:

Time for a bump, I think...

http://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=23472&start=220#p235831

http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com.br/2014/03/shins-music-dumbloid-standard.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+GuitarFxLayouts+(Guitar+FX+Layouts)&utm_content=FaceBook

TL;DNR: It seems to be a modded tubescreamer. No diodes in the feedback loop of the first op-amp stage, but now there's a single LED for asymmetric clipping in the second op-amp stage, and the accent control is a drive control for said second stage.

EDIT: Just to make clear where the credit lies, I didn't reverse it. And I didn't even notice it had been reversed myself, someone on another forum flagged it up for me )

Not surprising. It probably does sound different, but for that money, I'd expect a zvex style pro finish at least.

Yeah, that's the big problem. Let most people play it and they'll say, "It can't be a clone, it sounds different!" (and to be fair, until recently I'd probably have thought that, too) but there are some quite simple and small mods which will radically affect how the thing sounds.

juansolo said:

Not a shocker really. It amuses me that someone can peddle a shoddily made OD like that for $600 and yet I can't get £250 for a 4-in-1 multi effect that took quite a while to build (to say the least). I even spent some time not making it look like a dogs breakfast. Loads of enquiries, until I tell them it's £250...

...and this is the crux of gear. It's worth what you can sell it on for, and mine's worth f**k all. Lucky I'm not trying to make a living out of it I suppose.

Yeah pretty much. I suppose that's true of all products, but it's still annoying.

stickyfiddle

Has anyone told TGP it's just a TS yet?

ThePrettyDamned

stickyfiddle;180109" said:

Has anyone told TGP it's just a TS yet?

They'd probably lock and delete the thread.

A six hundred dollar tubescreamer derivative that's poorly finished with a label maker. Unbelievable.

Also, the folks buying it must be solid state amp fans, because it felt very ampy to them. So it's nice to know clipping diodes and chips can sound like a Dumble valve amp.

juansolo

stickyfiddle said:

Has anyone told TGP it's just a TS yet?

I have recently learned that life's to short to get into an argument with people on TGP. They're happy in their own little world of magic, mojo and unicorns.

Drew_TNBD

ThePrettyDamned said:

stickyfiddle;180109" said:

Has anyone told TGP it's just a TS yet?

They'd probably lock and delete the thread.

A six hundred dollar tubescreamer derivative that's poorly finished with a label maker. Unbelievable.

Also, the folks buying it must be solid state amp fans, because it felt very ampy to them. So it's nice to know clipping diodes and chips can sound like a Dumble valve amp.

I read so much crap online about the Marshall JCM900. I used one for a long time... and it was amazing! Diode clipping throughout the bloody thing!!

frankus

juansolo said:

stickyfiddle said:

Has anyone told TGP it's just a TS yet?

I have recently learned that life's to short to get into an argument with people on TGP. They're happy in their own little world of magic, mojo and unicorns.

I recently bought the shell of a ToneMonk (spit) SunKing... and whilst the inside was cooked as he'd used the wrong zener diode and max1044 chips which are noisy and it got fried ... (basically he did a shit job even with all the free help, heavy discounts and advice from Madbean) ... the box is worth the £20 I paid for it. It's that weird American take on hammered finish, it's got a Phoenix engraved on it, dakaware knobs and a poxy canvas bag with Tonemonk printed on it.

In terms of build he managed to do really badly despite the amazing help he got, in terms of pimping out an enclosure in a way that's bland enough to appeal to the masses of musicians - he pitched it just right - he knew that part of the business - people buy with their eyes (definitely on the internet).

What MASSIVELY sold me on your work is the circuit boards - amazing quality, intelligent use of boards, beautiful wiring. Whilst it's well done I don't like the art work on the enclosures. The sole reason I prefer pedals to multi-fx is my ealry love of corgi cars or majorette ... simple distinctive patterns - I love a bright multicoloured pedal board - it's like looking at the garage I had as a kid... pinks, oranges, blues,blacks, greys - I've probably got a zendoku simply for the abalone... it sounds great - but before that it looked great... and I liked the sound when Dave Kilminster used it...

I'm saying this because you expressed surprise at the boards not selling - that's my take on it. If the chorus pedal was in a more anonymous box I'd have bought it. Sounds superficial - probably is superficial but it's enough to tip my opinion, it might be enough to tip others. Also I'm not comfy with multi-fx boards except the ones Im making like the ME50 upcycle... I think the chances of getting a mix of pedals everyone wants in one box is tricky.

That's all meant in the spirit of giving any insight I have to a dude who's work I'm a big fan of - I might be trying to make your stuff into something I like and not what you want, so feel free to ignore it, I think you deserve to thrive and be recognised - is all.

impmann

You know, I've just spent some time reading this thread... I don't give a flying toss what this pedal is a clone of.

However, the thought that keeps returning to my head is - why would someone spend so much money on a pedal that purports to sound like such a dreadful sounding amplifier? All the demos I've heard of the Dumble sound like a HRD with a duff speaker...

<ducks, runs and hides, waits for the explosions>

crunchman

impmann said:

You know, I've just spent some time reading this thread... I don't give a flying toss what this pedal is a clone of.

However, the thought that keeps returning to my head is - why would someone spend so much money on a pedal that purports to sound like such a dreadful sounding amplifier? All the demos I've heard of the Dumble sound like a HRD with a duff speaker...

<ducks, runs and hides, waits for the explosions>

2 hours and no reply.  I don't think people here are that bothered about Dumbles.  I dare you to go and make that comment on TGP!  You'd probably spawn 400 posts and a locked thread inside 2 hours.

impmann

:-)

I think thats cos most of us have never heard one first hand to be able to wax lyrical about them. However, having heard/seen a few Youtube clips, I've yet to hear this magic that seems to drive grown men potty on other forums. 

On the flip side, I've heard a lot of amps that are a lot cheaper that sound better to my ears in similar vids. So it can't be the "compression"... :-) 

Obviously, this is just my opinion and therefore it can't be wrong or right. :-)

ThePrettyDamned

Drew_fx;180233" said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

stickyfiddle;180109" said:Has anyone told TGP it's just a TS yet?

They'd probably lock and delete the thread.



A six hundred dollar tubescreamer derivative that's poorly finished with a label maker. Unbelievable.



Also, the folks buying it must be solid state amp fans, because it felt very ampy to them. So it's nice to know clipping diodes and chips can sound like a Dumble valve amp.





I read so much crap online about the Marshall JCM900. I used one for a long time... and it was amazing! Diode clipping throughout the bloody thing!!

Funnily enough, I love the jcm900 sl-x sound too! Really great sounding amps, and under rated. So pretty cheap

juansolo

frankus said:

juansolo said:

stickyfiddle said:

Has anyone told TGP it's just a TS yet?

I have recently learned that life's to short to get into an argument with people on TGP. They're happy in their own little world of magic, mojo and unicorns.

I recently bought the shell of a ToneMonk (spit) SunKing... and whilst the inside was cooked as he'd used the wrong zener diode and max1044 chips which are noisy and it got fried ... (basically he did a shit job even with all the free help, heavy discounts and advice from Madbean) ... the box is worth the £20 I paid for it. It's that weird American take on hammered finish, it's got a Phoenix engraved on it, dakaware knobs and a poxy canvas bag with Tonemonk printed on it.

In terms of build he managed to do really badly despite the amazing help he got, in terms of pimping out an enclosure in a way that's bland enough to appeal to the masses of musicians - he pitched it just right - he knew that part of the business - people buy with their eyes (definitely on the internet).

What MASSIVELY sold me on your work is the circuit boards - amazing quality, intelligent use of boards, beautiful wiring. Whilst it's well done I don't like the art work on the enclosures. The sole reason I prefer pedals to multi-fx is my ealry love of corgi cars or majorette ... simple distinctive patterns - I love a bright multicoloured pedal board - it's like looking at the garage I had as a kid... pinks, oranges, blues,blacks, greys - I've probably got a zendoku simply for the abalone... it sounds great - but before that it looked great... and I liked the sound when Dave Kilminster used it...

I'm saying this because you expressed surprise at the boards not selling - that's my take on it. If the chorus pedal was in a more anonymous box I'd have bought it. Sounds superficial - probably is superficial but it's enough to tip my opinion, it might be enough to tip others. Also I'm not comfy with multi-fx boards except the ones Im making like the ME50 upcycle... I think the chances of getting a mix of pedals everyone wants in one box is tricky.

That's all meant in the spirit of giving any insight I have to a dude who's work I'm a big fan of - I might be trying to make your stuff into something I like and not what you want, so feel free to ignore it, I think you deserve to thrive and be recognised - is all.

I totally get that. It's kinda my thing and I know it's not for everyone. Cleggy (who I build pedals with) mostly likes plain/business like finishes on builds and I can dig that too. But for me, it's gonna have some artwork of some description on it, because I like it If I was building commercially I'd be limited to silk screening anyhow which would keep the colours and the design simple anyhow. Not to mention copyright would mean that I couldn't use 90% of the things I put on them. But as I mostly build for me (and usually things for sale without a buyer are surplus builds), I can go to town and have some artwork with a couple of chicks embracing on a pentagram wrapped in serpents on it.

To be honest I'd have no trouble selling them at less cash. I've had so many enquiries from across the pond about the big one. But that's screwed by the exchange rate. Selling one off builds here is more of an issue (I can build them with whatever you like on the top of them FWIW) 'cos we're all almighty pikeys As I say, thankfully it's just a means to make the hobby cheaper for me and I'm not trying to make a living doing it.

Dave_Mc

stickyfiddle said:

Has anyone told TGP it's just a TS yet?

I dunno ) Every time a thread there hits 1000 posts it's closed, so another one has to open, so that means I'm probably not subscribed to the most recent dumbloid thread...

impmann said:

:-)

I think thats cos most of us have never heard one first hand to be able to wax lyrical about them. However, having heard/seen a few Youtube clips, I've yet to hear this magic that seems to drive grown men potty on other forums. 

On the flip side, I've heard a lot of amps that are a lot cheaper that sound better to my ears in similar vids. So it can't be the "compression"... :-) 

Obviously, this is just my opinion and therefore it can't be wrong or right. :-)

I've never tried a real dumble either (or even one of the clones), and it may well be different if you're in the room with them, but based on clips I'm with you- I'm not hearing anything I can't get with other, much cheaper, amps.

ICBM

Dave_Mc said:

I've never tried a real dumble either (or even one of the clones), and it may well be different if you're in the room with them, but based on clips I'm with you- I'm not hearing anything I can't get with other, much cheaper, amps.

I've played one of the more highly-regarded clones and it was nice enough, but it was just an amplifier. Not a particularly characterful or interesting one, to me. On the other hand I'm not a fan of very smooth, refined sounds so it was probably not really going to be.

Dave_Mc

I used to like smooth, refined tones but not so much any more. I dunno whether I'm losing all the treble in my hearing or if I've just got bored of them ) I don't like really ragged tones either, though, kind of a happy medium of warmth and bite (but then I suppose everyone thinks that ) ).

ThePrettyDamned

Dave_Mc;180776" said:

I used to like smooth, refined tones but not so much any more. I dunno whether I'm losing all the treble in my hearing or if I've just got bored of them ) I don't like really ragged tones either, though, kind of a happy medium of warmth and bite (but then I suppose everyone thinks that ) ).

Nope.

Give me upper mid range aggression that most would consider grating!

I like very smooth high gain lead sounds, but rhythm needs to be slicing.

Dave_Mc

I like a bit of bite in the lead tones now too. More SD1 than tubescreamer, most of the time. But I agree, I'd generally have my lead tones a fair bit smoother than rhythm.