Pedals that exceeded your expectations

[Sauerkraut]

Death by Audio Germanium Filter

It's good, but hard to tame and use in a live setting. I actually went and replaced mine with a Behringer SF300, which is exactly 10x cheaper and 3x more useable to me.



Now there's a pedal that exceeded my expectations, and then some.

[GreenKnee]

Death by Audio Germanium Filter

It's good, but hard to tame and use in a live setting. I actually went and replaced mine with a Behringer SF300, which is exactly 10x cheaper and 3x more useable to me.



Now there's a pedal that exceeded my expectations, and then some.

I find it the opposite once I adjusted the internal trimmer for appropriate volume when the knobs are set where I want them. All the way to heavy, and 10 o'clock clean/dirty. I adjust fuzz level then with a volume pedal before it, goes from sparkly clean to fairly gnarly just nice.

I'm definitely going to look at that Behringer though if it does the same thing and then some.

[Sauerkraut]

Death by Audio Germanium Filter

It's good, but hard to tame and use in a live setting. I actually went and replaced mine with a Behringer SF300, which is exactly 10x cheaper and 3x more useable to me.



Now there's a pedal that exceeded my expectations, and then some.

I find it the opposite once I adjusted the internal trimmer for appropriate volume when the knobs are set where I want them. All the way to heavy, and 10 o'clock clean/dirty. I adjust fuzz level then with a volume pedal before it, goes from sparkly clean to fairly gnarly just nice.

I'm definitely going to look at that Behringer though if it does the same thing and then some.

I used it the same way; with the upper, tone knob set all the way to heavy. I found any setting higher than 9 o'clock boosts certain frequencies too extremely to be tolerable for more than a few seconds. That tone knob could've been super useful if there had been a way to control it with an expression pedal. I suspect that would've made it an amazing sounding and super fun pedal. As it is, the fact that there's no expression pedal jack or even a simple external level control really let it down. I used a volume pedal in front of it too, because it forces you to; it's pretty much impossible to use without one. In my opinion, it's a needy diva of a pedal that forces you to adapt in ways you shouldn't have to. Especially not for €300.

The Behringer offers great sounding mid-scooped, mid-boosting and (in a "secret" in-between setting) flat frequency fuzz, plus a simple boost. It has a level knob and separate bass and treble controls. I didn't want to like it, but it runs circles around the DBA.

[GreenKnee]

I'll definitely pick one up used next time I see one.

I suppose the DBA is setup for me in a way that my board already works. I always have a volume pedal after a comp and boost to control gain levels of my dirt pedals. The knobs on the DBA are large enough to use with my foot, which is a common thing for me to do with other pedals (wingman knobs on a couple, OBNE expression slider as a tiny expression pedal) so it suits me fine. I'm not dying on a hill at all for the DBA, I just find it works great for me. The filter is touchy but works great for double tracking as there's such a wide, crazy sweep of sounds that it can really fill in gaps without having to use multiple amps and whatnot.

[GreenKnee]

Way to go drunk posting and I can't edit my post, sorry

[jorri]

TC bucket brigade. For the price, hell yes. Its not quite a DMM or anything (and closer to a carbon copy so not sure why comparing, it feels halfway between maybe.) but a very nice modulation and fast delay - the chorus is very good and glad its at least a part of the replacement to my DOD rubberneck which had modulation that crapped out when set slow at fast time settings(i.e. unchorusable)/couldn't really slap (too washy, which i did like but not for everythinf. i do want a simpler long washy 'tape' delay to pair with it). Did consider the DMM or related but saving cash, and mainly looking at the mod, which actually might be as good and more prominent, albiet a less interesting tone or long repeats- i don't think i NEED to especially when stacked.
Oh, its also very tiny!

What i think is below expectation is the damn voyage of three tools and prizing the enclosure apart that's tightagainst jacks and PCB....all for mod speed trimmer. I think its in danger of dmage, even, by users who don't build pedals. Luckily i wouldn't play much with it but could have been interesting to have the "dmm vibrato". Now there is space on the front for a mini pot and instead place a mod on/off toggle despite having a depth control. Now that's another "stop making useful controls as trimmers" example.

General review, makes a great addition for the slow mod chorusy sounds. Maybe not a main delay, but a small package for that moddy stuff will get used a lot!

[Sauerkraut]

(…) my DOD rubberneck which had modulation that crapped out when set slow at fast time settings(i.e. unchorusable)/couldn't really slap (too washy, which i did like but not for everythinf. i do want a simpler long washy 'tape' delay to pair with it).

I feel the same about my Rubberneck; it’s good, I like the washy analog sound, but it’s not for everything. My El Cap sounds prettier and can slap with the best of em. BUT one of the coolest things about the Rubberneck that you won’t find on many other delays is that send/return jack. You can have so much fun with that. It’s even become a crucial feature in some songs with one of the bands I’m in.

[Nevets]

I just grabbed a small Flamma Analog Delay pedal and was surprised. It's a very nice sounding delay! Earned a spot on my mini pedal board.

[jorri]

(…) my DOD rubberneck which had modulation that crapped out when set slow at fast time settings(i.e. unchorusable)/couldn't really slap (too washy, which i did like but not for everythinf. i do want a simpler long washy 'tape' delay to pair with it).

I feel the same about my Rubberneck; it’s good, I like the washy analog sound, but it’s not for everything. My El Cap sounds prettier and can slap with the best of em. BUT one of the coolest things about the Rubberneck that you won’t find on many other delays is that send/return jack. You can have so much fun with that. It’s even become a crucial feature in some songs with one of the bands I’m in.

Yes its nice and unique, almost going into some tapey frippertronic slow thing rather than a standard ana delay. A sense that its producing sound as if my tone knob were rolled off even with the tone way up. Never used send/return myself; find pitch shifters cool for that but i have a pitch/granular delay. Its quite big though, and will definately search for something in that area but more like an Echorec or other binson/tape emulator thing.

[JVG]

Got another one to add: Foxrox Octron 3

I’ve had this for quite a while, so definitely out of the honeymoon period. Prior to having this, i’d tried several octave fuzz pedals, including some of the big names, and always felt them lacking in one area or another (for my tastes).

The Octron is exactly what i was looking for. It has just enough options to make the sound quite versatile, without being overwhelmed by knobs and switches. In other words, a simple bloke like me can operate it! And most importantly - the sound is superb. It’s one of those pedals which inspires me to play more creatively.

Highly recommended.

[JVG]

And another…

EQD Dispatch Master.

After a few years of going deep into the rabbit hole of simulated spring reverbs, plate reverbs, and various other reverbs, i finally realised that I don’t need any of those for what i’m into.

The reverb on the Dispatch master does what I need it to, and the delay is handy for use in series with a second delay pedal to create rhythmic patterns. Even on its own, the delay is completely fine.

I got the pedal fairly cheap second hand, thinking i would probably move it on quickly. It hasn’t left my board in the year or so since i got it.

[bubba899]

And another…

EQD Dispatch Master.

After a few years of going deep into the rabbit hole of simulated spring reverbs, plate reverbs, and various other reverbs, i finally realised that I don’t need any of those for what i’m into.

The reverb on the Dispatch master does what I need it to, and the delay is handy for use in series with a second delay pedal to create rhythmic patterns. Even on its own, the delay is completely fine.

I got the pedal fairly cheap second hand, thinking i would probably move it on quickly. It hasn’t left my board in the year or so since i got it.

Love this shout. It feels like it's rare to find a delay/reverb that it's not really trying to sound like some other vintage unit, which makes it perfect as a general ambiance pedal and to match up with other character delays.

[N0_Camping4U]

Oil Can Adineko by Catlinbread. That thing can do everything. Swampy murky shoegazey shit, slap back, reverb, delay. It should be on every pedal board. I don't even use many pedals but I love that thing. Hell I use it with vocals, too.

[jorri]

Oil Can Adineko by Catlinbread. That thing can do everything. Swampy murky shoegazey shit, slap back, reverb, delay. It should be on every pedal board. I don't even use many pedals but I love that thing. Hell I use it with vocals, too.

Catalinbread seem top of the game for simulated delays. My Echorec keeps surpassing everything - how does it sound so mechanical? And the preamp. Well perfect swirly modulation too, and washy or snappy, no need for verb. The only fault is wanting those trimmers on the top, as what's the point of a 'secret fuzz mode' i cant step on. Id use it as a drive pedal if that option was there.
Must check out their oil can delay too.

[marqueemoon]

I want an Adineko badly. As mentioned above it has a huge range of sounds, and the spooky/weird ones are very fun.

Gonna add my Lehle volume pedal to the list. Spendy, but it was a big step up from passive, and has become an essential part of my setup.

Oh, and the Bananana Matryoshka bass synth. I generally have pretty boring taste in pedals, but I love this one in my bass setup. Unlike a lot of octave and synth pedals there’s more of an element of chaos like something’s going to explode.