Showing posts with label Octave. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Octave. Show all posts

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Ugly Guitar Truth: EHX Canyon Delay/Looper

This little pedal flew completely under my radar. I paid attention to all the NAMM 2017 debuts but somehow didn't even get a hint of this pedal. Tell me if I'm wrong, but did you see anything about this pedal before now? Regardless, here it is, and we have to talk about it. Thankfully this pedal should drop on the 13th of February (2017) so there isn't much waiting for this one. As for price, well, there seems to be a little confliction as to what can be found online. Musicians Friends had posted a price tag of 158 USD, but EHX has been caught tweet a cost of 139 USD street price. So with the information that we have, Is this pedal a yay, or a nay. It's mighty morphing Ugly Truth Time...


It's Small...


Alright, small can be a good thing. Lots of good things come in small packages, but delays that occupy tiny spaces are usually lacking in the feature department. I mean, look at the Strymon and Eventide well-endowed delay boxes. Those are feature packed and massive. So this little box couldn't have that much to offer... Except it kind of does. 11 modes give you more than a BOSS DD-20. It can loop for a full minute and you get 2 "secret knobs when you hold the Tap/Divide button. This has to be one of the most feature laden delays in the size box. No, it isn't stereo. But you can control the rate and depth of the modulations. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's a new trick for a compact delay.




Don't EHX Have A Lot Of Other Delays?




Yes. Yes, they do. The Memory Man/Boy/Toy line is extensive. And they do have some cross over as far as price. There is even a DMM (Deluxe Memory Man) setting on this pedal. However, this is a digital pedal. Kind of different for EHX, but I guess they were just waiting until they really had something that they liked before they put one out. Analog Delay users are going to analog, digital are gonna digital, that's just what happens. What has a lot of people looking at this pedal is the long list of modes and the affordable price. It could also be the neat tricks that this pedal is capable of that has people interest as well.. hmm, guess there is a few thing to like about it...



Wasn't There Another 3 Second Delay Released Recently?




Yes. I even wrote my thought on the DOD Rubberneck here. I like the DOD delay a lot. It has a lot of cool things going for it. It also has a $250 Street price, so fair is fair. The DOD pedal has features that this pedal can't touch. The titular feature, Rubbernecking, is pretty unique to that pedal. It also has a built in tap feature. Admittedly, the DOD looks cooler. But If I had to go with one delay on my board and also had to choose between these two pedals, then I would be picking the Canyon. The Rubberneck is a pedal that I'd be proud to own, but if I had to choose one, then I'd pick the one that can Loop, Reverse, Shim, Octave and Verb.

Conclusion




I like this pedal. I like this pedal a lot. You could probably tell that already. This pedal would be a great addition to a pedal board that wasn't already fitted with a delay. I'd even pick this one over the BOSS DD7 and the smaller Flashback delay. If you are looking to upgrade your delay but don't want to get one of the larger "do everything" units or if you looking to save a buck, then this pedal would be something to look at seriously. Should you drop everything and get this pedal for its wonderfully healing properties? Of course. But try to remember that this people isn't as powerful as one those others that have all the blinking lights and MIDI and extra holes... Oh, it has a dumb name too...






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Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Airline Guitar Effects Are Now A Thing

I was first aware of Eastwood/Airline guitar when my local music store clerk alerted me to them. I was in the market for something funky, but playable. Their blend of vintage looks and modern craftsmanship make for a unique product. I've been a fan of there designs ever since, so when I saw that they were coming to market with effects my attention was peaked.


Designed after the front end, reverb, and tremolo of a vintage Airline amplifier, this pedal has a lot going on. You have Shape, Mix, Tone, Drive, Rate, more Tone, Depth, Level and Size. So if you like knobs or switches, then you need to pay attention to this pedal. I am digging the look and feel of the pedal. I can't speak much to the sound of it, but from what I've heard, it is at least not your 'same old' effect.


The next effect in their line is a Fuzz/Octave. Given the fact that Eastwood and Airline guitar kinda live in the "good old days", it makes sense that they make a Fuzz/Octave. The combo that rocked the 60's and 70's. Just like their guitars, they've added some modern features. The Octave is digital and it is fast tracking. You can blend an upper and lower octave. You can also select each effect separately. Not only that, but you can choose to separate the octaves from the fuzz. I dig it.




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Monday, June 20, 2016

Ugly Truth About TC Electronic Sub N Up

TC Electronic has come out with a new pedal right before NAMM. The crazy pedal gurus at TC have developed an octave pedal that might replace all other octaves. Why might this effect replace whatever octave your are currently using? Because it can probably do whatever it is that you are doing with yours. How can I make such a blanket statement as that? Because, TC Electronic has equipped this pedal with their Toneprint tech. This makes it one of the most versatile octaves on the market. What's more is that it is affordable. $129 for the last Octave pedal you'll ever need to buy (probably).


So Here's The Ugly Truth


The ugliest thing about this pedal is the color scheme and design. In a cage full of pedals, this one sticks out like a sore thumb. Most pedals are slick and color coded. This one is a little bit of an eye sore. The only other thing that could be said is how this pedal functions. The analog purist with not enjoy the tech under the hood, but anyone who plays an octave knows that they hate chords. Playing through a three-knob Boss Octave is almost like fighting a bear. Overload it and you get nasty noise. If you are looking for that, then you know what you need, but there is nothing I want out of a Octave that I can't get from the pedal.


Even without hooking up this pedal to a computer to unleash the full power of this Toneprinting-beast, then you still have a superior sound octave. You may want to consider a paint job though...




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