My blossoming love affair with Electro Harmonix

[curtisstetka]

Yes, I admit it. A man ought not to have such urges for little metal boxes but I simply cannot help myself. They make such cool, goofy stuff!

I was once very angry with them for the boxes being about three times larger than necessary but I think I've gotten to the age where personality can overcome a little junk in the trunk, so to speak.

I've got a Mini Qtron and a 10 band EQ. Currently bidding on an Electric Mistress that I may or may not win. Also keeping my eye on auctions for Big Muffs and the Black Finger compressor.

Are any of you guys EH junkies?

[curtisstetka]

Sheesh, I can't believe I forgot to mention the way the Graphic Fuzz makes my mouth water. Seriously. Water.

[Kap'n]

Back in the day EH stuff was the stuff you bought when you couldn't afford others. Cheap construction, etc.

However, at that time, folks weren't listening to the sound of the EH boxes. Nothing subtle about EH FX. As one of the guitar mags described 'em, sonic brylcream.

Good stuff. Glad it's working out for you. Graphic fuzz...sounds like one I should try.

[Gris]

First stompbox i ever had was an - Electric Mistress! - my mom bought me back in early-mid seventies... :-)

[LPDonkey]

Oh Yeah, I had a clone theory that I used constantly in the late 70's early 80's. I don't have any EH now, but I must admit I've been looking at maybe picking up an old CT just for nostalgic reasons. I also heard the new Flanger Hoax pedal they've recently released. It's definitely got that EH vibe...nothing subtle about their stuff. :bwa

[Wilko]

With my first electric guitar I got a Small Stone phase shifter.

I still have it and have been gigging with it. Does a great Merle Haggard 70s country sound. I've been usingit sparingly for somereallycool sparkle.

I also have a Hot Tubes distortion and my original Big Muff Pi from the same period (late 70s).

[chuckocaster]

i have two big muffs, and have owned at least 5 others. both don't work right now, the russian ri cause i pulled the transistors to build other distortion boxes with...and a "3003" usa one. don't know what year it is, but one of these days when i finally learn what the hell i'm doing with a soldering iron i'm going to fix it...

i like their delay pedals too, i might buy one one of these days, but first i'm getting a keeley modded AD9.

you should buy one and put a battlestar galactica sticker on it, i think that's be pretty cool. i gots a no name rotary speaker effect that i covered in NASA stickers, i must say it is badass.

[photoweborama]

I had a Small Stone also. I hated the cheap case, but now, any metal case is a step up from the cheap plastic stuff. I seldom used it, but I wish I had it now.

[Ironhandjohn]

My very first effects pedal was a black Russian Big Muff Pi pedal, which I love to this day!!


I am wanting an Electric Mistress flanger, not because I need a flanger, but I hear David Gilmour used one in the earlier days.... c I'm trying to get the " Young Lust" solo tone, which I've heard on PF's later albums.



I just got a TS-9 last week, though, and I'm positively ga-ga over it! It's a reissue, but all Maxon, which I've read is good according to Analogman.



Love my EH fuzz, though. What's the next step up from the cheap, black, Russian EH fuzzes, in case I want to upgrade???

[wstandis]

I had an english muffin for a while, it was awesome but I traded it for the fulltone FDII.

[curtisstetka]

I won that auction for the Electric Mistress but haven't received it yet. From the sound clips I've heard I'm hoping it will replace both my chorus and my flanger pedals. Looks like my pedal collection is shaping up to be a combination of Fulltone and Electro-Harmonix. Weird.

[stratcat55]

I had a bunch of EH stuff betwen 71-75. I had a Muff Fuzz that was a little tiny box with a slide switch a single knob. The best sounding fuzz I ever had. I also had a couple of Big Muffs, a Black Finger Sustainer (sucked) and some crazy box that had 3 tremelos built into it (can't remember the name of it) really weird sound. Funny thing, back then they used any knobs they could get their hands on. My first Big Muff had really tall cheap cheasy knobs on it.
I wish I had all that stuff now.

[GuitarG]

I had a bunch of EH stuff betwen 71-75. I had a Muff Fuzz that was a little tiny box with a slide switch a single knob. The best sounding fuzz I ever had.

I used to have one of those as well. It sounded great. I used it for awhile in the late '70's. I always kept my amp head sidestage to my right, and I would reach over and click the little switch (which made a huge WHUMPH sound through my amp as it was engaged) for solos. Great tone. A studio I used to wok in had a Memory Man and whenever I was stuck for a unique sound I would pull it out. I got this weird modulated slapback effect that sounded great and always made it to the final mix. Cool box. I wish I had one now.

[Rickenjangle]

I've owned at least 3 big muffs, and by far the best one was the blue and grey reissue (the first reissue before the army green one came out). Very nice. The memory man is great, and the poly-chorus is just amazing.

If you're into the Mistress, you should listen to early Rush. Electric Mistress is all over their earlier stuff.

[fetchzee]

I used to have one of those as well. It sounded great. I used it for awhile in the late '70's. I always kept my amp head sidestage to my right, and I would reach over and click the little switch (which made a huge WHUMPH sound through my amp as it was engaged) for solos. Great tone. A studio I used to wok in had a Memory Man and whenever I was stuck for a unique sound I would pull it out. I got this weird modulated slapback effect that sounded great and always made it to the final mix. Cool box. I wish I had one now.

You HAVE to try out the new Double Muff. Supposedly 2 of the Muff Fuzz circuits daisy-chained into each other. My first ever effect was one of the Muff Fuzzes, and this new one does a pretty good job of nailing it.

Both of em on, however, is a whole 'nother beast. A good beast. A good, hairy, Yeti-like beast of tone. Not exactly what I'd call subtle, but definitely useful.

[curtisstetka]

It's weird then that Double Muffs go for less on ebay than a reg'lar Big Muff Pi.

Anyway, got the Electric Mistress and the first night I tried it, she sounded great so I left positive feedback for the seller. Of course, immediately thereafter I got a lot of static-y sounds when it was engaged. I diagnose a bad switch.

So as soon as my switch comes in she goes under the knife. I'm converting it to true bypass while I'm in there. Why not?

Anyway, as I told a friend of mine - the Electric Mistress doesn't make the same sounds as a regular mistress but it's more conducive to keeping the wife happy.


That, my friends, is a JOKE. Don't go telling tales about me now.

[chuckocaster]

you're going to have to draw me a picture, as i am a bit dense...:ahem

those switches in the EH pedals are pretty nitorious for being crap. my friend has had just about all of them to go out in his...so they're all just about brand new.

congrats curto!:yay

[Old Believer]

I had a Big Muff Pi, a Screaming Tree (treble booster), and a Small Stone back in the late Seventies.

The stuff was so low fi that it was cool. I wish I still had those three boxes.

[Gris]

Thing i remember most about that Electric Mistress i had all those years ago was... playing the intro to "Lucy in the Sky" over & over for all my teenage friends - LOL. seriously that pedal nailed the warble.

[DrFramus]

I have been fining my self going after the EH products more and more myself. I have the deluxe memory man delay and the small stone phaser. What is nice is that the new EH pedals are all coming factory true bypass now. I have been jones'n to try a micro synth and 16 second delay too. I am not sure I can afford to put any more EH on my pedal board becasue of the real estate though!

I have not tried any of their distortion pedals, but the delay/modulation stuff they make is great. Should I be diving into the distortion?