Joining the Bixonic Expandora Club

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Joining the Bixonic Expandora Club

Post by HNB » Sat Nov 29, 2014 11:44 pm

I have one of the first versions with the internal switches coming in. I wanted to try one out for awhile because of the Bush thing, but also because Reverand Gibbons has done cool things with it. I hear the low end can be a bit weak, but I think running it through my Showman with a 15 cab should help that out. Hope it all works when it gets here. :)
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Re: Joining the Bixonic Expandora Club

Post by zhivago » Sun Nov 30, 2014 1:17 am

Looking forward to your review on this one...

I have always been intrigued due to the Rev Willie G's connection...it's meant to have a crazy setting with the dip switches where it sounds like it's gonna explode! 8)
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Re: Joining the Bixonic Expandora Club

Post by HNB » Sun Nov 30, 2014 10:11 am

zhivago wrote:Looking forward to your review on this one...

I have always been intrigued due to the Rev Willie G's connection...it's meant to have a crazy setting with the dip switches where it sounds like it's gonna explode!
The album Rhythmeen is supposedly made with a Expandora. Check out the album, it's really cool. Classic ZZ Top vibe, but more modern sounding distortion.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL ... DVfykwTIQe

Yeah the two switches have four settings: Overdrive, Distortion, Crunch, and the forbidden setting when you turn both switches to off. :)

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Re: Joining the Bixonic Expandora Club

Post by HNB » Sun Nov 30, 2014 10:14 am

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Re: Joining the Bixonic Expandora Club

Post by zhivago » Sun Nov 30, 2014 1:49 pm

Love the Rev!!! 8) 8) 8)
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Re: Joining the Bixonic Expandora Club

Post by Ursa Minor » Sun Nov 30, 2014 8:10 pm

Always wondered about these. I may have to give one a try... :whistle:

I always loved the fuzz tones on Bush records (guilty pleasure of tonz :whistle: ). Especially the first two. Does anyone know if the Expandora was featured on any particular recording? I think I hear a lot of Rams head on the first record but who knows. I know Razorblade Suitcase featured a lot of brown Princeton action, which is pretty cool, but weird old fuzz pedals were likely plentiful in the studio. I had an old old article where they talked about amps and pedals and such...wish I still had it.

Can't go wrong with some Billy G action either! 8)
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Re: Joining the Bixonic Expandora Club

Post by HNB » Sun Nov 30, 2014 9:06 pm

I read it was used on 16 Stone and Razorblade Suitcase.
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Re: Joining the Bixonic Expandora Club

Post by HNB » Fri Dec 12, 2014 5:09 pm

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Re: Joining the Bixonic Expandora Club

Post by HNB » Sat Jan 21, 2023 12:07 pm

I was remembering how I miss this pedal and then I remembered I thought I had one that Timbo made? I dug around upstairs and found it. The pcb does say Expandora on it. It looks like the Reissue style with the switches on the top and I am not sure what the pot on the side does, but I am excited I remembered I had this and didn't go rebuy another one. LOL

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Re: Joining the Bixonic Expandora Club

Post by countertext » Sat Jan 21, 2023 8:48 pm

Ha ha, nice save! Your old one is still getting played - I was playing some ZZ Top shit through it earlier this week! :D

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Re: Joining the Bixonic Expandora Club

Post by HNB » Sat Jan 21, 2023 8:56 pm

countertext wrote:
Sat Jan 21, 2023 8:48 pm
Ha ha, nice save! Your old one is still getting played - I was playing some ZZ Top shit through it earlier this week! :D
Awesome! I couldn’t remember who it went to. It does some awesome stuff for sure! :)
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Re: Joining the Bixonic Expandora Club

Post by skeletonsmith » Sun Jan 22, 2023 4:02 am

Thom Yorke also played one of these during the Hail to the Thief-Period.
Always wanted to try one.

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Re: Joining the Bixonic Expandora Club

Post by HNB » Sun Jan 22, 2023 10:07 am

They are very similar to a turbo rat, but also very different. They are brighter than a rat and sound less controlled if that makes sense?

Like to get them similar in sound, you have to turn the Rat's tone up a bunch more to get the treble and it is still more bassy. Also the Expandora is more sputtery/uncontrolled in it's forbidden/fuzz setting.
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Re: Joining the Bixonic Expandora Club

Post by BoringPostcards » Sun Jan 22, 2023 11:41 am

I always wanted one of these, but never came across one.
Det er mig der holder traeerne sammen.

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Re: Joining the Bixonic Expandora Club

Post by HNB » Sun Jan 22, 2023 5:12 pm

It is totally worth trying out. While they are pricey, you can always sell it back out there if you don't dig it. :)
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