NAMM 2019: Fender American Acoustasonic

NAMM is upon us again, and I think the thing that everyone has an opinion about is the new Acoustasonic guitars from Fender. The early 2000s were a pioneering time. One of the standout products for the guitarist from that time is the Acoustasonic. You can probably think of someone you know that know that owns one. I know so many people that had one. this guitar is like the product of a love affair of Ovation guitar, with its round, composite back, and a Telecaster. I honestly can't stand them. They are neck heavy, bulky, awkward and dead sounding. In short, I hate them.

Enter, NAMM 2019. Fender has had hit after hit. The new line of effects is stellar and growing. Their limited artist tribute series must be making money hand over fist. It seems like Fender can do no wrong. Then there is this. The concept is a compromise. It must have been designed by a committee. It's like someone asked, "How do we get an electric guitarist to buy an acoustic?" then people started shouting out ideas at random. The end result was what we know today. It looks like they got the band back together to brainstorm again. This time they thought that exotic woods, an oddly sized soundhole and randomly place pickup should be added. I don't know what the street price is on this, but I'm sure I wouldn't pay half of whatever it is.

Happy World Guitar Day

Today marks the first World Guitar Day. It's about time that we guitar players had a day. I'm not sure about the origins of World Guitar Day, but it's nice to have a day to make us stop and reflect on the fact that there are guitar slingers all across the world. We may not speak the same langue or have much in common, but the thing that unifies us is a love for a wonder instrument know as the guitar. I am reminded of the global reach of the six-string when I look into my traffic analytics. I can see that I receive traffic from nearly every country in the world.

I fell in love with guitar as a young lad. I found a beat up old classical in my sisters closet and begged to be taught how to use it. Even at its best, that guitar was barely playable, but play it I did. It's what I learned my first chords on. I learned how to strum and keep time. I have a special place in my heart and closet for that guitar. So today, I remember it and everyone that supported my musical journey. Thank you.

5 Ugly Truths about Video Game's Love Affair With The Guitar

It's seems like a very long time ago, but there was a time when video games discovered the guitar. Every young guitarist that that their dreams had come true. They could combined their passion for an instrument into the brightly colored screens and scrolling dots.


The Predecessors


Before there were guitar heroes or rock bands there was Parappa the Rapper. It was an early rhythm bases game (the same type of game that all guitar related games are). In this game you had to press buttons on a regular controller in a particular rhythm. It was basic idea wrapped around an interesting interface. The game featured well written original music... ok, so as well as you can write a song about frying French fries and the like, but hey, it was rather entertaining. I actually played this game before the big guitar boom in gaming.


The Explosion


For the most part I turned my nose up at most of the Guitar Hero games. I thought that I was going to avoid degrading my self by not picking up one of those plastic atrocities. Of course, the popularity of the games finally came to a point where it was impossible not to try. ...and I sucked. I was disappointed in myself. I knew that I would be able to crush this fake guitar with my amazing real-guitar skill. But it turns out that following a scrolling dot and pressing buttons doesn't directly correlate to playing the guitar. There was a time, after the peak of popularity that I sat down and played the Guitar Hero for a few hours. I progressed very little and was very frustrated. Real guitar for life...


The Aftermath


Guitar Hero and the other games that followed had their time. I think that it was a novel idea and actually credit the games for an increased interest in learning actually guitar. However, there is a lot of disappointment when an expert Guitar Hero picks up an actual guitar and then must start over from the beginning.


Conclusion


I never invested in these games. Of course this was a fad. It blew up, then it fizzled. There were product tie-ins and band tie-ins. It did introduce a lot of young people to classic rock and guitar driven music. That hasn't help stop the onslaught of electronic noise in 117% of pop music, but sometimes you just can't stop the musical equivalent of Adderall.

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5 Ugly Truths about Guitar Magazines

If you have been playing guitar for a long time (we're talking 10-15+ years), the you know what it was like to read guitar magazines. They were to way to find more information about the thing you love to do. They had everything. There were articles about your favorite guitarist, gear reviews, tabbed out songs, and girls holding guitars... I mean, it was all you could ever ask for, right?

They're Out Dated


Of course they are. In the internet age, nearly all print media is looking like a dinosaur. people are writing and publishing their thoughts on the hourly basis. The best way to get the latest information about you preferred artist is to follow them on social media.


They're Not Exactly Ethical


I don't mean to slight the competition here, but let's face it. If your lights are kept on by the people you are reviewing, then do you think there is a bias? I know that if would be difficult for me to be completely ethical if I had to manage a relationship with the people I am actively criticizing. So called reviews in these magazines read like reheated press releases. Good thing you are more savvy than to believe those wood-pulp-pushers and you read blogs!


They're Old Fashioned


So, remember those girl and guitar that I mentioned way back in the introduction to this post? Well, turns out that they are falling out of fashion. They were once was a strong presence in guitar periodicals, but recently guitar-babes have been view as a 'tacky addition' rather than 'attractive feature'. Even NAMM, once the home of many a booth-babe, has done away with the distraction. This is probably due the fact that woman are becoming more of a part of what has been traditional a male dominated hobby. It probably doesn't come as no surprise, but woman don't enjoy the objectification of other woman... go figure.


Tabs Aren't That Hard To Come By

One of the main attractions of these magazines are the transcript songs in the back of them. Unless you had a very guitar ear and a lot of patience, these magazines were a god-sent. Now-a-days we have website on top of website trying to shove their tabs down your throat. Not only that, but you have a dozen different versions to choose from. Honestly, the internet has not been nice to print media, but that's the way the world works.


There Will Be Boxes


... of magazines.  Anyone with a subscription to a magazine will tell you that sooner or later you will have a pile of paper that needs to be tamed. Typically this requires a large box of holding. Once that box is full (because it will be full) you'll put it in you closet... until you move it out to make room for you next box of magazines. Then, you'll put the boxes in you garage, or attic, or somewhere until that is overflowing with glossy pages on top of glossy pages. This will continue until the ghosts of all the murdered tree come and take you away to answer for  your crimes against tree-kind.


Conclusion


Keep reading my blog. Duh...

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Ugly Truth About The New Keeley Compressor

Keeley has been impressing us since they first started modding BOSS pedals. They were on the cutting edge of the big 'mod' boom. Then they developed a line of original offerings that continues to innovate and expand. Keeley have been able to offer effects that compete with any other pedal for top spot. Their new compressor is likely to be no less impressive. It already has a few things going for it. So let take a closer look.

It's Tiny

Yes, it is another tiny pedal in a 1590A enclosure. Although I do not like skinny, tiny pedal like these, the Keeley compressors have been high regarded as some of the best. Little is known about the particulars of this pedal (it's not even on the Keeley website yet) it resembles the C2 Signature compressor. That particular model is out of production and resembles the ROSS/|Dyna, two-knob style Compressors. So this pedal seems to take a little inspiration from the C2 and adds a Mix knob, which I Find to my liking.

Too Many Compressors

Keeley is no stranger to the compression game. Their four knob compressor was probably the most sought after compressor for a period of time. It's features and fidelity filled a gap in the market that took some of the largest effects manufactures by surprise and introduced guitar players to compressor that made little or no compromises with their tone. This pedal does have some parallels with another pedal in the Keeley line-up, or rather a part of a pedal. The Steak and Eggs pedal by both Keeley and JHS has been praise three ways to Sunday. Notably, the tiny compressor and the compression side of the Steak and Eggs share the same features: Level, Sustain, and Blend. Is this Keeley capitalizing on the success of their joint venture with JHS?

These Pedals Are Too Familar

Take this pedal and put an unfamiliar logo on it. Does it still seem desirable? These tiny pedals have been flooding in from China. My local music store has adopted a line of these tiny guys. They sell for about $40. Put this pedal next to a Chinese pedal and tell me if it's worth two and a half time the price. Maybe it is, but maybe it's not. You could argue that Keeley holds it's value and is a better investment and that dealing with an American company will offer you better customer service. You would be right on all accounts. But when looking at the direct utility of the pedals themselves, it might become difficult to justify the price. (even though the first time I saw the asking price of one of these I thought it was a steal for a Keeley Compressor)

Conclusion

I'm not going to pretend that I don't like this pedal. It's probably the most excited I've been about a compressor, perhaps ever. It's not often that compressor get a lot of hype. They are used as tools, like EQs and boosts. There just isn't the colorful language given to these pedal as there is to overdrive and distortions. But, this pedal has all the makings of a great option if you are looking for a Compressor. It is small, so if you run your Comp 'always on' then you don't have to worry about turning it off and on and how uncomfortable that can feel. The price makes it no more expensive than many others that offer similar (or even fewer) controls. It maybe different or flashy, but it may just be the best option for compression to come out in the last few years.

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UGT News!

This month at Ugly Guitar Truth, we've seen some milestones come and go. Viewership is sky-rocketing. We nearly tripled viewership over last month. and we continue to set records. The previous post marked the 100th published post on the site. We are in the triple digits! There have been long stretches of no activity, but if you have kept up lately you've notice that post are regularly coming on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Some exceptions here and there, but three posts a week is the schedule. There are more reviews and topical discussion coming, so stay tuned!

As always, thanks for reading.

The Most Important Rule For Getting Better At ANY Instrument

I teach music and several instrument. I am asked all the time, "What will help me get better at ____". You can fill that blank in with anything you want and my answer will be the same. My guitar student ask me how they can get better at switching between chords. My drum students ask how to help they right/left independence. This is my best tip/hint/trick whatever, and I'm giving it to you for free on the internet. I am a guitarist of nearly 20 years and I use this in my practice (when I'm doing it right).

Practice.

That's it. Practice makes you better, but it makes you better at what and how you practice. If you practice sloppy, you'll play sloppy. If you practice clean and perfect, then you'll play clean and perfect. Practice makes perfect, but only at what you practice. Slow down and get it right. Speed comes with time. Also, the more consistent your practice, the faster you progress. So how do you get better? Practice. How do you get better faster? Practice consistently. Instead of playing for 2 hours once a week, try to play everyday for 15/30 minute.

There you have it. That's my most valuable tip/trick/hint I can get. There is not magic bullet. It comes with work. but you can make the most of you practice by following these rule. Get out there, practice, and be AWESOME!

The Ugly Truth About Playing Multiple Instruments

If you read any of my other posts, you probably know that I am a guitarist. Yes, I do play guitar and it is my main instrument, but if you are bad at context clues, let my let you in on a secrete: I play multiple instruments. I couldn't imagine not playing more than one instrument now, but there was a time that I did good just playing my six-string. Being able to throw-down on other instrument is great. I can rock out on other instruments and that's cool, but everything isn't as awesome as it may seem.

Each Instrument Add More Practice Time. 

Yes, I have a favorite instrument. obviously I play the guitar much more than the other instrument that I play. Although, if you don't use it, you lose it. So I have to keep up the other instruments that I want to continue to play. I currently have five instrument that I feel comfortable playing. Other instruments I am familiar with but not to the point were I could join other musicians with it. The first instrument that I added after the guitar was the drums. My friend asked if I wanted to join his band. I said, "Yes, I play guitar". He said, "Great, you can be our drummer." and that was how I learned how to play the drums. This started a passion for learning instrument that has yet to stop. I've since added Bass, Ukulele and Banjo to the list of instrument I am competent in. Each one of the instruments adds hours a practice to my routine. Being able to play these instruments is great, but it comes with work.

You Can Become The Back-up For Everyone. 

I'm not going to lie, I like being the guy that people call. It's like when Commissioner Gordon picks up the Bat-Phone. Except it's a cell phone and I don't get to punch crime in the face with a "Ka-POW!". Close enough though... It started out innocent enough. I wanted to help. I noticed that the bass player would be out occasionally so I offered to fill it. After all, I was lost in the mix playing acoustic behind two pianos. Bass seemed like a more significant addition. Being the guy that can fill in made me feel important. Even if I didn't play as well as the guys I filled in for.

You Probably Won't Be As Good As Someone Who Focuses On One Instrument

I know many people who play several instruments on an expert level. I'm not saying that you can't be good at more than one instrument, but there is a point where one instrument will be will win out and the others suffers. I could, rather easily rank my ability on the instrument that I play. In a since it's like riding a bike. I'll never forget how to play G, C, and D on the guitar, but how to play a D flat minor on banjo? It sort of like the conversation about having more than one child (which I do). Can you spend the same amount of time with both of them? The same amount of attention? (well this took a weird turn) The true is that it's hard to keep all those plate spinning, but sure is rewarding.

Backorders Suck!

Back in April(?) I ordered a Dark Matter distortion pedal from TC Electronics. It was backordered for like a month. I Then waited said month and still nothing. I contacted my favorite online music store and the date had been moved to June. The pedal should have shipped by now but I continue to torture myself by rereading the description on the web. I've been unable to play one of these pedal (or even see one in person for that matter). The pedal was marked down to "clearance" price, so I couldn't pass it up. Also I had just discovered that my "distortion" choices on my board were light. By that I mean I had one distortion.

Whats My point in all this? Waiting for a pedal sucks. I can not stand waiting. It should come soon but who knows. I'm also waiting on some parts from China, but that's China... It has been months since I've bought anything new. I'm Jones-ing real bad. I almost bought a guitar today at Guitar Center. It was a Squier Showmaster. Lately I've been wanting a guitar with Floyd Rose. Go figure. I read somewhere that Floyd Rose was objectively better than non-FR trems... Whatever. I've never really played with a guitar that had one. The times I messed with one I found it bulky and clumsy. Its time to revisit that. I'll dream about that Showmaster tonight...

5 Ugly Truths About Fenders Micro Effects Pedals

They are sigh inducing

From the colors to the, to the actually types of pedals that are served up, Fender has created the least inspiring line of effect since... their last line of effects. Way to go guys! But seriously, Fender has a terrible track record of effects. The last time that Fender had a dog in the effects game was in the dark ages when they put out the "Tone Bender", and that was only because they were one of the few putting stock in the stuff back then. It has been copied, but it is almost unanimously believed that the design has been improved on in every conceivable way. The first experience with a Fender pedal was with their tuner they put out year ago. I bought it because it was half the price of the Boss TU-2. It also worked half as well. I've stayed away for the most part since then. Everything from the design to the colors to the names of Fenders pedals have been lack luster for as long as I can remember. These pedals are no exception.

They are copies of copies

In the new line up we have a compressor, EQ, DI, and an A/B/Y pedal. The comp is in the same vein as many others from Donner/Mooer/Monoprice and the like. Whether or not they are the same on the inside is a little harder to ascertain. The EQ is seen in many other places. The Graphic sliders function in the same way as the Boss GE-7 or MXR's graphic EQ pedal. The closest resemblance is that to the Mooer pedal. They are just slightly different shades of blue. The DI and A/B/Y are tried and true designs in a compact little pedal. Fender is not fooling anyone here. These are, at best, clones and at worst they are exact copies of other pedals. I don't think that there is anything necessarily wrong with that. Depending on who owns what, Fender might not even be dipping into anyone else "bag of tricks". What it is, is a lazy way to push product out. Fender looks like they said, "This is popular, let's slap our name on it and sell it to Fender fans.", and called it a day.

They are Fender effects

If you have ever tried Fender effects, then you probably have been disappointed. To call them lack luster what be an understatement. In the last 10-15 years Fender has made attempts and failed to bring to market, anything that might be considered successful. Not to say that what they put out was blatantly bad. That accomplishment belongs to Behringer. But finder has found a way to miss the mark every time. Which make me assume that they are either hopelessly out of touch of the pedal/effects market, or they are so conservative that they can't explore and find a niche that is well suited for them. either way it leaves the consumer with a bad taste in our collective mouths.

They might have got everything right

Having said that, allow me to directly contradict myself. For the keen observer, you may have noticed that Fender's line-up of micro pedals is a little thin. For the longest time, I haven't been able to put my finger on what was missing. There is not a single overdrive, distortion or filter among them. At first I thought that they add more pedal to this line later. As of the writing of this post, they haven't. What they do have is a list of pedals that don't take a lot of scrutiny. Their comp and EQ are arguably designed by someone else, tested and liked. Their DI and A/B/Y boxes are so simple a monkey could design those. Not only that, but personally I don't like switching the tiny pedals on and off. They don't feel sturdy. They save space, but that is the only reason to have one of these pedals. So why not have your "Set-it and forget-it" pedals (ones that you don't switch on and off often) as space saving micro. This, my friends is the best move that I've seen Fender make regarding effects. That is...

They probably haven't

If they have screwed it all up. Lets face it. This is the company that could produce a $15 analog, needle style tuner that worked beautifully. (I wish I still had that thing) But fail in the highest order when it came to a $50 pedal that performed the same task. Fender has fumbled the ball in the clutch play before and it would not surprise me if they do it again. The easiest of tasks seem like the hardest to accomplish. I don't know why a huge company like Fender has so much trouble making simple things that people put together in their garage all the time. Not like they need to make anything other than the same guitars they have been making for that last three quarters of a century. All this coming from a Fender fanboy. If anyone from Fender is reading this: please, when it comes to making pedals do it right, or don't do it at all.

The Ugly Truth About Your Boost Pedal

If you asked someone to name the pedal on their board, chances are that you'll hear a lot about distortion, overdrive, filters, reverb, delay, and maybe even a fancy programming or looping pedal. Chances are, that person won't wax poetic about their boost pedal. Sure, there are a lot of pedals out there that promise a "clean boost", but what is that really? Isn't that just turning up the volume on you guitar? Maybe you want something to drive the front end of you amp a little harder, but isn't that why we have overdrives? So say you don't want your signal clip before it goes to your amp. You want the sound that your amp makes when pushed past it's clip. Fair enough. Do you need a special pedal to do that? ...eh

So you want a straight path your amp. Chances are your no a bid "pedal" guy. So why not set your amp up to overdrive (turning up your level and lowing your master)? Maybe because your amp is too simple to have a level and master. So you're one of "those guys". Your amp came from Sear and Roebuck's back when it was a mail-order and it only have two knobs and one broke off. But this is the best amp and the only thing that you truly love. You just want to torture the tubes enough to make it scream. Your the type of guy that needs a boost pedal. Right? ...eh

So you have to have a boost pedal. You want some ridiculous box with one know that only turns up the volume on your signal. The simpler that better, right? that is your motto. After all, that amp of your has only got one knob and it's the best. Your amp is a relic and your ideas about "boost" pedal is a little screwy, but hang in there, I'll explain.

You boost pedal is basically the same thing as an overdrive, except that they've removed the clipping circuit and your are just left with a boosted signal. Great right? Maybe not. Everyone loves a good TS-9 tube screamer, and everyone is familiar with the big fat "mid-hump" that you get when you kick one on. (if you're not then you must be very board, why are you reading this?) So the pedal effect the shape, tone, color of your tone. In the same way, all these boost boxes do the same thing. Maybe its not as noticeable, or maybe you just like the way it changes things, Think all those wonder sounds are made by your amp being pushed? Maybe they are, or maybe its that pedal you just hit.

So you must boost, but your boost pedal is just a neutered dirt box that you can't control as much as said dirt box because they took the "tone knob off the thing! Don't worry. I wouldn't leave you hanging. I have an answer for you. You might not like it, but its the truth. Behold, your new boost pedal!

 Yes. The lowly Boss GE-7 Equalizer. Vile and reproachable as it is. Boss the brand of pedal that everyone started with and now no one will admit to using. I too have started limiting the number of boss pedals on my board. The humble GE-7 without as much as a 3PDT switch is the king of all boosts. The pedal does what it claims. It can cut or boost your frequencies, but it has a feature that not all EQ do. The level slide is actually the star of the show here. Now I know what you are saying, "I've used this pedal and its too noisy to boost." Ok, I hear you, but I raise you this: I once got my self into modding pedals. opening these things up and fiddling with their insides. There is a lot of potential in this box, but wait it get better. I was once half way into a mod, meaning I had removed all of the pieces of the pedal that were to be replaced, then just for kicks, I powered it on and played through it. It sounded identical to another GE-7 that had already been through the mod and it was missing bits of its insides. I'm not a electrical engineer (if you couldn't tell) but to this day I can't remember which one has the mod and which one is running around with less than a full deck of cards. And they are both dead silent. So for no more than you'd pay for a boutique boost and a little be of stomp-box-operation you can have a flat boost, treble boost, bass (fat) boost, mid boost, mid scoop or low-fi pedal. In short, friends don't let friends buy boost pedal.

4 Ugly Truths about The Guitar You Are Playing

It is easy to think that the guitar that you play on a regular basis is special. You probably take great pride in it's condition and savor it's tone as you play. Perhaps you invested a great deal of money in your instrument so that you could have a recognizable name on the headstock or a certain feature. Well that money you so willingly forked over bought a guitar with some frequently overlooked truths.

1) Its overpriced

I assume that anyone looking at a gear blog is probable an avid musician. Being so mean you probably don't have an entry level instrument. This leads me to believe that you've paid to much for it. There is several things that go into the price of an instrument, but the most important thing to a manufacturer is, "How much are you willing to pay for said instrument.". You may notice that many brands have several "lines" and even some related brands that manufacture copies of more expensive guitar. These guitars look very similar to the more expensive ones, but don't have a particular brand or features that the others do. Fender has their high end "American" line, then their "Standard" line that is manufactured in various place other than the US, and finally they have some models that made in China. They also have a sub-brand "Squire" that makes practically the same instrument in China for much less then similar models made under the Fender brand. I'm not say that Squires are the same guitars as the American line of Fenders, but if someone where to know how to carefully select and set up an instrument then a Squire could perform just as well as a much more expensive guitar. There is just something intangible about owning a genuine article. But remember...

2)Its mass produced

No matter how much your guitar is "the one" remember that a limited run still mean around 500 units. There might be little differences with fit and finish, but the features are the same. There is a lot of talk about a guitars tone being heavily influenced by the type of wood it is made from. There is truth to that. Density influences mass and has a lot to do with reverberation. What does all that mean? Meh... But what has the most influence over the sound your guitars sound? Pick ups. Whats that? You play an (straight) acoustic? Have you read this blog before? Lets look at you signal. You have you guitar (wood and all) and its steel strings that produce notes, these travel through your pick ups and other components. That is just in you guitar! It travels through you chord (hope you got a good one) and trough whatever else in your path; tuner, effects, preamps, and whatever else. And you're worried about your choice of mahogany or maple? Once you decide, keep in mind...

3) There are many like it

Well duh, the woods used, the pick ups, the materials in the hardware, fretboard, inlays, and other part will be the same as many other guitars. In many ways this is a good thing. If your guitar is ever in need of repair, then you have plenty of options. Other than fitting your guitar with serious mods, your guitar is extremely replaceable. Everything from the neck and the body to the string trees, Your guitar is just a series of parts put together by someone that is probably in another country. (By the way, if your guitar wasn't made in another country, then most likely some of the parts were.) No matter where you guitar was made or how many were made with the exact same options by the same people...

4) It is the only one exactly like it

This is what every guitar thinks about their guitar, despite the number of guitars that are just like it. A guitars journey through its life changes it. Take my first Telecaster. It have been through a lot. I've covered it with stickers, repainted, and recovered it with stickers. Its also been thrown against a wall and nearly broke in half. It has had the pick ups, and some other hardware replaced. The dents and dings are more than character, they actually help me feel where certain frets are. The neck has seen more nasty sweat than a cheap motel mattress (thankfully that is the only body fluid its seen. I hope...). Even though I can replace every singe part on the guitar and even buy that exact model again. It would be my tele. It couldn't be my tele. I've owned several Telecasters, and despite being extreamly similar, There is only one.

5 Ugly Truths About Building Your Own Effects

I started a few years back modding pedals. It was exciting to crack open pedals and fiddle with the inside bits. I knew very little about what I was doing, but I knew what I had to do. I was handy with a soldering iron and was cheap, so of course I wanted to try to get the boutique sound everyone was on about on a budget. Going from there, I found that for the price of a used pedal and a mod-kit (or an order from a parts vendor) You can buy a kit with everything you need to build an entirely new pedal. There a few things that you have be mindful of.

1) There is A Steep Learning Curve

Can you tell a resister from a Capacitor? Do you own a soldering iron and necessary accessories to complete projects? Do you have a large amount of free time to use on projects of varying difficulty and usefulness? Do you have a some extra cash to blow on something that may or may not work? Well then, you can embark in to the wonderful world of pedal building. That is, right after you learn how to read schematic and gain a basic understanding how/why pedals work. Building pedals can be a lot of fun. It might save you a bit of money after you get the hang of it. Before you get the hang of it, you might have to sink a bit of money, time, and frustration into gaining that grasp.

2) It won't work

Typically, your first time out won't work. If it does, then you are either lucky or the most talented person I've ever heard of. Depending on the project, there are tons of things that can go airy. So if you are skilled enough to make every solder joint solid, there is still a chance that anyone of the components you've installed are improperly placed. Do you understand exactly how a 3PDT switch works, or how to tell which leg of an LED is negative? Even if you double and triple check your schematics and diagrams as your build, chances are there will be a bug or two that don't work. Which leads us to...

3) Troubleshooting

Typically, this is the step that is the hardest. You know the inner workings of your components, your solder joins are flawless, and you can read technical schematics in Chinese. Now is the time to put all that hard work into action. The pedal is built and everything is "correct" but it is still not functioning properly. This is where a multi-meter comes in handing. You may want to brush up on how to use said device to best serve your needs. The continuity function comes in very handy. I've spent many an hour trying to figure out why something wasn't working only to understand that it was beyond me. So I ended up:

4) Getting Help

There is a wealth of knowledge out there (here) on the interweb. I wouldn't be typing now if not for the vast amount of resources that I've found on this subject and many others that can be found on websites and forums. Sometimes it takes a big man (or lady) to admit that they need help. Other times it take someone who has spend countless hours burning his fingers only to wind up with an extremely frustrating paperweight. You'll find that many people are looking for the same answers that you are. If you are having a particular problem, then you can contact some builders personally. There are fantastic communities of builders and prospect builders willing to help us. Sometimes even with the guided help of experts, we still find a way to fail. Which leads us to...

5) Acceptance

Yes, sometimes the best thing to do is to give up. Maybe today is not your day. Maybe you need to walk away and try again later. Perhaps you were a little too ambitious and need to try a simpler project. I have a couple projects that are just that, projects. I started them with a good understanding of what I need to do and still wind up with something that is unsuitable for use. That's Ok. We learn something every time we start a new project. Its not just about to product at the end of the build but what we learn along the way.