Picked up some oddball effects recently..

In the last month I've happened across some funny effects pedals.

First up is a Univox Uniwah. This is a goofy wah/volume pedal that doesn't use a pot. Rather it modulates the inductor by it's location near a chunk of metal. It uses three "C" batteries, since the volume part of it is optical. Mine produces a noticeable 'clunk' in use because the inductor is loose. It's also a massive tone sucker. If you're offered one, don't really bother unless you just want some weird stuff around your house.

Second up is a Paraclete Productions "Wa-Vol" - a chrome private label version of the Foxx wah volume. This one doesn't work. I think it's a bad transistor, which are still available NOS from Small Bear. Once I get the parts, we'll see how it sounds.

Last up was a Ross "D/P Combination." A purple AC powered first generation Ross Phaser and Distortion pedal in one box. This one is pretty cool. The first generation phaser with "Intensity" knob is more usable than the later versions. It doesn't get all 'helicopter sounding' when you crank the knobs. Distortion is relatively low output, but sounds pretty good. I think I'll be swapping out the switches so I can true bypass it, and perhaps swap the order of the FX. Right now it's distortion into phase, and I think I'd like it to be the other way around.

Sounds kind of cool.

I've been buying and selling stomps for awhile now and just today stumbled across something that (I think) is cool and a bit different.

The Slash Fuzz/Octave. Very flexible pedal...very flexible indeed.

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Originally Posted by Rickenjangle

The Slash Fuzz/Octave. Very flexible pedal...very flexible indeed.

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Don't know that one. Based on anything in particular?

I've got a my first octave fuzz on it's way. I registered for the Harmony-Central collaborative Kickstarter project, The Octophant. Sounds like it'll be pretty cool. I should see that in July.

It's a new one. I'm not sure what it's based on but it's got a good-sounding fuzz-face-like fuzz sound (probably silicon-not germanium) and then it's got a control for sub-octave, which can be blended in clean (post-fuzz) or dirty (pre-fuzz). This setting sounds like the Blue Box.
Also there's the octave-up effect (not really Octavio-sounding 'cause it tracks better and is more consistent) that can be blended in (pre-fuzz all the time) and it's got its own knob. Also a pair of internal trim pots supposedly control the response of the up-octave.

And, you can use both up and down octaves together.

This gives you:

Fuzz only
Fuzz with clean down-octave
Fuzz with dirty sub
Fuzz with octave up
Fuzz with both/sub clean
Fuzz with both/sub dirty

So I think I'll end up picking one up. It'll be my fuzz swiss army knife. Should be available soon...shipping around 5/13 according to Musicians Friend.

I've had a couple octave fuzz pedals- a cheesy plastic Danelectro one (French Toast?) that my mother's husband grabbed for free at the swap shop at their local dump, a very used $60 Fulltone Octafuzz and a co-worker just let me borrow a Fender Bender re-issue that his dad got for him when he was a VP at Fender.

I'm getting an Ampreg Scrambler clone in a week or so.

Cool. I've been intrigued with them ever since I heard Jorma used one in Hot Tuna.

I've always wanted one for its "cool" factor! Too lazy to build one myself so I paid someone else to make me one... Lame I know.

I just picked up a Visual Sound Garagetone Axle Grease delay for $40!! VERY cool sounding delay pedal. My guitar board is now about done.