Hello, my name is Shane and I'm an addict.
Is there a 12 step program out there for overdrive/distortion addiction? Really, how many do I need? I've owned so many and sold almost all of them to start building them. I've had: original TS-9, BD-2, DS-1, SD-1, big muff, mudhoney, OCD, Reezafratzitz (4 and 5 knob), real tube, blue note, bit-o-honey, klon clone, riot, brownie, fulltone 69, blues driver, Tim, pinnacle, minstrel, rockmans, preamps, and a bunch more. Plus boosts: katana, lemon aid, legendary tones, RC boost.
Now I have built the thunderpuss, spackler and fatpants. Serendpity, Boneyard, Chunk Chunk, Grapevine, LaVache, Formula No 5, uproar. I have boards for nuetrino, zygote, boomstick, cosmopolitan, faultline, silverfox, mudbunny, quasar. Now I am looking to pick up a couple of more that I may have missed before moving into Fuzz pcb's. This is only dirt boxes. So what the heck is wrong with me? I don't even play guitar much anymore. I just slam A chords and turn knobs and swap chips and diodes. The good news is that I probably won't keep them all. I'm building at least 2 a week now! I need help!
I think of myself as this guy.
(http://www.amctv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BB-Walter-White-S4-590-284x184.jpg)
you're a drug lord?
:P
Quote from: petesz on September 05, 2011, 12:51:16 AM
you're a drug lord?
:P
No, no. He just owns a car wash. ;)
Or a pedal building business... UH OH CONSPIRACY!
Or he's just a badass.. yeah 8)
I bought a TS9 in the early nineties and at that time i didn't see what the big deal was....so...i stuck it in the closet...for over ten years! Then became interested in modding pedals so i sent it to Analogman to do his classic mod. Got it back and still didn't see what the big deal was....tucked it away again. I ordered a mod book from Brian Wampler and modified a few of my Boss pedals but left the TS9 alone. I have tried to love that pedal but couldn't find anything great about it. Then i found the Keeley tru bypass mod online and did that....now when it's off it doesn't make everything else sound like crap. Then finally did a Wampler mod to give it a bit more bottom end....now I "like" it and could put it on my board. Truth is, i'm really an overdrive and distortion junky. I don't know why...i have a great amp and don't need pedals to emmulate other amps. There is something about a box with a light on it that bekons my inner cave man. Actually i could find something to like about most any overdrive...i know...I've just exposed the little green TS9 on my soul....please don't judge to harshly...
You think of yourself as the Dad from Malcolm in the Middle? :D
Quote from: Haberdasher on September 05, 2011, 01:34:25 AM
Quote from: petesz on September 05, 2011, 12:51:16 AM
you're a drug lord?
:P
No, no. He just owns a car wash. ;)
Isn't that the same thing. I sat on a jury for 4 weeks for a drug case. Car wash stalls are used frequently for "trading"...
Quote from: plesur on September 05, 2011, 12:07:18 PM
You think of yourself as the Dad from Malcolm in the Middle? :D
Exactly. I am addict for that show (not really).
Not to derail...I'm not much of a TV watcher, but BB is one I cannot resist. I love the character of Walt.
Funny. One of my favourite shows is Fringe, also because of a character called Walter.
Jacob
Join the club Shane. My to-do list is nauseating, or you could look at it like I'm set for the next ten years!! ;D
Until Mr bean releases another 20 boards I must have!!!!
To the OP, sounds perfectly normal to me.
Addiction report: Finished the nuetrino and boomstick today (unboxed). I hate boxing them and it costs almost as much to box one as it does to just build the pcb to try it out. I just use clip leads and don't even put switches on them. I think I am only going to box the ones that I want to keep. I built and boxed a spackler and a fatpants in 1590A enclosures so anything larger will be a welcome change!
So far, favorite high gainers are the chunk chunk and boneyard. I didn't like the uproar, grapevine, or boomstick too much. King of Klone is pretty cool and is worth tweaking a bit more. I really liked the serendipity and nuetrino for medium/low gain. I didn't like the Formula 5 as well as the LaVache for cranked tweed tones. I still have quite a few dirt boxes left to build so I'm hoping to keep less than half. We'll see.................
I think I am going to have to learn some jedi mind tricks to counteract Madbeans powers.
ME- "These are not the pedals I am looking for. I can go play my guitar now."
MADBEAN- "These are not the pedals you are looking for. You can go play your guitar now."
The problem is that Madbean is not a stormtrooper. He's more like Yoda.....
So my dad comes by last night to see what the heck I have been doing for the last month. He'll be 70 this year and has been playing guitar since he was a teenager (mostly 50's, simple blues, and old old country). So I demo all of the builds so far and his favorite was the chunk chunk! He doesn't use dirt on anything he plays but was really excited about the sound when I played some good old 80's rock stuff through it. He has built several amps and was fascinated by the fact that this pedal is really a scaled down amp. When I showed him that you have to bias the FETs like a real amp you couldn't get the smile off his face. He also liked the serendipity set for slight grit so I may have to build him one for Christmas. Funny that we play nothing alike and we both liked those two and the boneyard the best out of all of them so far. My dad is really one of the coolset people ever and has been my hero forever. He said "I'm proud of you son. This is really cool." :)
Cool! I love hearing stories like that.
Seriously. You're gonna make me get emotional about this story! You are lucky to have a good bond with your dad. :)
Yeah that is a real good story about you and your Dad.
Sharing a hobby with your old man must be mega cool.
My Dad can't play guitar; he literally forced me to learn when I was young as he wished he had learnt when he was younger.
He loves looking at my guitars and hearing me play though, he used to love going to guitar shops with me as well.
I tell him he is not too old to learn but I think he thinks he missed his chance :'(
Wow, thanks guys. I didn't expect the responses. I have a 17 year old who plays guitar now and my dad bought him an amp kit for them to build together. My son soldered every wire and turned every screw while my dad walked him though it. He also gave him a Les paul special last year when he knew the he was "hooked" on guitar. He gave me his main guitar and amp years ago (original fender 57 tweed deluxe and a 69 gibson 335) because he switched to telecasters and "needed to make room". He bought me a Martin acoustic out of the blue two years ago as well. He's retired now but he has played nursing homes a couple of days a week for years. He lifts weights 3 days a week and still uses his brain (he had a patent granted just a couple of years ago). He's amazing!
Your dad is the dude by the sound of it mate!
That's so cool that your father is trying to be involved. My dad nearly glimpses but has no idea what I'm doing! Plus your son is getting a nice early start with a helping hand, the best way.