4
« on: February 24, 2015, 10:34:01 AM »
I don't know if we have a thread like this yet.... but I'm curious about what got everybody started in this hobby/addiction.
I'll go first, and my apologies, as this will be long winded....
For me it was kind of out of necessity. I started playing guitar when I was 9 years old, and then picked up a bass in my freshman year of high school (story behind that one was that I wanted to play guitar in the school Jazz band, but was late for auditions and they already filled that spot. so the teacher handed me a bass and said "here, just remember All Cows Eat Grass for the bass clef and go for it"). Still focused on guitar, then went off to college.
Played guitar in a couple of bands while in college, until one day when all of my pedals, and my amp were all stolen from a rehearsal space that was on campus. Being a college kid, I had no money to replace the gear, nothing was insured, I was screwed. I borrowed gear from friends for a while and then that band disbanded. Around the same time some good friends of mine kicked their horrible guitar player out, their bassist moved to guitar (and is incredible), and they asked me to play bass for them. The band owned the whole bass rig, so it was no cost for me. Did that with those guys for 4 years, then left and moved to Nashville, now focusing on bass. At this time the zVex Woolly Mammoth was going for like $350, and I wanted one, but now I'm newly married, right out of college, living in Nashville, in a sketchy part of Nashville, painting apartments to barely pay my bills while pursuing music. Just didn't have the money.... but I had spent hours soldering cable in college for our schools recording studios, so I was just curious, "can I make one? maybe it'll be cheaper. worth a look."
Hop on Google to search for a schematic. I find one on analogguru's site. Then I discover DIYSB and smallbear and add everything to a cart, and it was like $35 with everything but a circuit board. I was floored. "That's all that it is? Holy..."
Attempted a vero layout based on analagguru's schematic.... fail. Find FSB and Brian's Sabertooth layout. He may not remember this, but I emailed him a ton of noob questions, multiple times, and he kindly replied every time and answered. Ordered some tiny drill bits, bought some PCB etchant and cooper clad from Radio Shack, grabbed a magazine and an iron, and etched my first board, and eventually built my first pedal. The rest, as they say, is history.
I love this hobby, not just for the money it has saved me in gear, but also for the sense of accomplishment I get each time I fire up a pedal, and really for allowing me to build my guitar rig back up and start playing my first love again. I'm forever grateful for this community.
I'd love to hear your story.
Cheers everyone.
Ian
Show Posts
