HM-2w in the works

[jorri]

Where does the rumor that Kevin Shields used a Boss HM-2 come from and why does it continue to persist?

I saw them play live multiple times back in the day. Kevin never used a Boss HM-2. Other people did. He did not. I have heard that Bilinda used one live. I never saw that, but it could be being a Boss pedal that it was an easily sourced pedal replacement. Even if she did use it live, it wasn’t an important part of their “sound” for the simple reason that Kevin did not use one.

According to a roadie, for Loveless live shows he used – Digitec Whammy, Boss EH-2 enhancer, Boss PQ-4, 2 x Boss GE-7, Boss T-Wah, Pro-Co Turbo Rat, Roger Mayer Axis & Mongoose, Marshall Guv’nor, Jim Dunlop Roto-Vibe, Boss Tremolo/Pan (Boss PN-2 to be specific), Digitech PDS-8000 (now replaced by the Jamman), ADA Pre-amp, MidiVerb2 (made by Alesis for those who don’t know), SPX90 x 2 and 3 x JCM800’s (only 2 amps were actually running) JCM’s valved with EL34′s and ECC83‘s

I can confirm that is the set up I saw on multiple occasions. For a short time he had a 2nd Rat in place of the Marshall pedal and a Fuzz Face in place of the Axis fuzz. No HM-2.

The same goes for the Fender Blender rumors. He has one now. I believe gifted by his friend J Mascis, but not something he used on or before Loveless. He had one on his board, along with 209 other pedals during the reunion shows, but mostly for show, and not part of the MBV sound.

A Vox AC-30 was more important to the MBV sound than any of those pedals.

Yeah that has just been a persistent rumor forever. But I've never been able to find a source for that either. Nothing he was doing sounds particularly like an HM2 to me.

If it was true, it was in the earliest recordings. Even the one with male singer before bilinda. Is not the sound on their albums, its the more JAMC sound they had back then imho.

[Nick and the Noise]

It would be funny if the switch just set the pedal to the swedish chainsaw. Useless, but charming.

I think the switch should turn the distortion off, but let the EQ enabled. I think the weird EQ curve is what makes the HM-2 special, not the distortion circuit. That way, you can try your other fuzz and distortion pedals with the HM-2 EQ curve.

[Veitchy]

It would be funny if the switch just set the pedal to the swedish chainsaw. Useless, but charming.

I think the switch should turn the distortion off, but let the EQ enabled. I think the weird EQ curve is what makes the HM-2 special, not the distortion circuit. That way, you can try your other fuzz and distortion pedals with the HM-2 EQ curve.

That'd be brilliant. Sorta like an idiosyncratic boost/eq pedal.

[bubba899]

It would be funny if the switch just set the pedal to the swedish chainsaw. Useless, but charming.

I think the switch should turn the distortion off, but let the EQ enabled. I think the weird EQ curve is what makes the HM-2 special, not the distortion circuit. That way, you can try your other fuzz and distortion pedals with the HM-2 EQ curve.

That'd be brilliant. Sorta like an idiosyncratic boost/eq pedal.

Yep. This all day long.

[tade]

There are a couple of pedals out there that are just basically the eq circuit on its own, but I haven't tried them or listened to any demo of them.