Miracle Digital Loder V3.42
Amabella Batton
It's always fantastic to see how the pedal-chain had evolved over the year - and which pedals have put in a shift on the board. Every month it's a difficult task of stick or twist for every slot - depending on the incoming new releases. And also if a pedal is potent enough to wholly take over and commandeer a slot as such Not always a fair basis of comparison as some slots by nature have to change pretty much on a monthly basis - like slot #5 of course.
Interesting to see that all but 10 turned over this year as such - while the new Boss NS-1X had but a brief stint on slot #28.
It's important to focus on the long-stay 'Anchor' pedals too - the Boss SY-200, JA Prism and Bloom, Thorpy Heavy Water, Strymon Riverside, Coppersound Triplegraph, Strymon Sunset, Empress ParaEQ 2, TC Electronic Mimiq, and Boss RC-600. Those 10 are currently going nowhere. I've tried alternatives of those slots - but nothing seems to improve on what is already there!
Note also that the Sitek Cristal Buffer has been added as a permanent feature too now - above the Empress ParaEQ - that's actually where it sits on the board - and indeed it comes after the heavy distortion and EQ section.
A very satisfying year overall in terms of pedal releases - but I've been totally shattered since about October - it's a miracle I've made it this far without collapse. You would not believe the number of hours I've dedicated to this are this year - a punishing regiment for sure - great to be going into a proper Christmas break now!
The Keyztone Exchanger Pro is an absolutely essential pedal for me - it delivers exceptional Tele and Strat Voicings for my Humbucker-based main guitar. It's the best version yet of this format and really works well for me - much more authentic that using the coil-split. Been in the chain since May!
Only recently added to the chain - but a superb take on a pitch-shifter - with Explore Mode Gesture Control and Expression Ramping - delivering really interesting shimmery / fluttery textures. Only downside is that it doesn't have the Tom Morello +2 Octaves Interval - which limits is long-term impact for me, and means that either the DigiTech Whammy Ricochet or Boss PS-6 will take over sooner than later. Because of the Nova Twins - I'm particularly into the PS-6 at the moment!
The Boss SY-200 still holding its own here - there is no other equivalent still that can compete with this within this form factor. A superb synth pedal in every way - with really easy to use intuitive user interface. I look forward to seeing some proper competition for this one eventually!
So many options here - and a very difficult choice in the end. The new version of the Bispell Gleam first hit the board in July, and it's pretty extraordinary in it potency - using 4 silicon transistors to replicate really well those classic germanium-powered fuzzes of the 60's.
No change on slot #6 - I've long since given up finding a replacement for the JA Prism - I've tried various alternatives in that spot and none deliver the same gooey analog warmth as the Prism does - so that one's a keeper for sure!
Another keeper on this slot - the JA Bloom - and I've never used it more really - using all 3 functionalities here - Compression, EQ and Boost pretty much every day - the Low-Cut that I have set on the EQ has been essential for so many bass-heavy pedals this year - which were rather optimised for single coils - having the low cut engaged has pretty much been essential. There is no other pedal that offers up all these features in an instantly switchable way - which means that this one's going nowhere either - a very solid workhorse!
There have been some really cool boosts this year - but oddly none that really challenge this Thorpy Heavy Water 3-in-1 boost. I find it essential to have a Germanium boost in my chain - for enhanced harmonics in particular - while I use all 3 modes - single and combined that is to say - fairly regularly. Looks like the Heavy Water holds onto its protected status for quite a while longer!
So after a long stretch - the Thorpy Scarlet Tunic is taking a break from this slot - and in comes the 'Redverend' XX from my good friend Guillem at Decibelics - deliver 4 superior voicings of Crunch, Overdrive, Distortion and Fuzz - a really excellent pedal for sure - and one that is surely to reign a while on this slot! I still of course really love the Scarlet Tunic - I'm just sharing the love is all.
The Messiah Guitars Eddie Haddad BoostDrive came in during July - and I loved it from first encounter - both Drive and Boost side are just perfectly calibrated for some really cool complementary action - and this pedal sounds superb every which way - I particularly enjoyed running it in Distortion and pseudo-Fuzz voicings. This one is really cleverly engineered and perfectly calibrated!
The Electric Love Aquatone - which only landed just recently - has quickly risen to become one of my favourite overdrives. It basically builds on and expands the Blues Driver format - with 3-Band EQ and 2-way Overdrive / Distortion switch. Delivering far more granularity and entirely new territories for the Blues Driver to expand into. Ben and Brian have properly doubled down on the Blues Driver circuit and made it much the better for it!
This Hello Sailor Effect Anchor Drive arrived in November - and had a massive impact on me. It's simply thunderously good with massive extension, plenty of versatility - and as loud as you like. Also has beautiful guitar volume gain cleanup - just about exactly what I would want from an overdrive where I commissioning it myself. A total under-the-radar monster - that more people really need to get their hands on - sounds IMMENSE!
The Anchor here is applied a little generously as the Riverside was off the board for a few months - to give the 29 Pedals FLWR and airing - but inevitably the Riverside took up its throne again in June and has remained there since - so officially it was there at the start of the year, and at year's end!
There is no holding back the Coppersound Triplegraph - it's still entirely holding its own - there really is nothing else remotely like it! I feel it could do with some extra feature - like Octave Ramping Time and a selector for 2 Octaves - so you can do the Tom Morello thing with this too - that would make the massive footprint a little more palatable. I certainly feel it's the best at what it does - but could still probably do a little bit more!
I think most of you have gauged my feelings on this pedal by now - the Kernom Moho Magmatic Augmented Analog Fuzz is an absolute essential for all fuzz fans and fanatics! Sure it doesn't do the volume gain cleanup thing perfectly - but it does do it to a significant extent - and all those myriad fuzz voicings - vintage, modern and otherworldly make this a fuzz like no other - it's only got about 1 million flavours - or so!
There's obviously something special about the Anasounds Sandman as it's been glued to slot #16 since June. It basically combines the best version of its Savage Overdrive (Klone), with the best of its Ego Driver (Screamer). Really sounds superb - once you tweak the internal settings appropriately. I've not felt the need to relieve it from its position since it arrived - looks fantastic too!
My very first tube-powered Tubesteade EggNog was just perfect in this format - 3-Band EQ and Boost - all in a compact enclosure, and with a manageable 12V DC[-] 350mA current draw - much more practical and usable than its larger siblings. Sound terrific too - really captures the Tweed Amp tonality - pretty much the perfect Tubesteader for me. I will be getting more if they come in this handy format - alas the most recent one has gone super-size again - and is not to my preferences - hopefully the next one then!
I had the Bispell Saxon on this slot for most of the year - but then the PedalPalFX PAL800 Gold V4 came in for November and bumped it. The PAL800 is the superior sounding MIAB - has something of a more lively texture to it. I've long intended to get one of those in - and now seemed to be exactly the right time. I will swing round for the PAL987 in the new year - to complete that set!
The Bispell Proxy has pretty much owned this slot for most of the year - I had intended on giving the Victory Copper and Sheriff and airing at some stage - but that never quite happened - so that's an exercise for next year. There's also the UAFX Ruby and Lion that I need to check out at some stage. While the Proxy has acquitted itself pretty well on Brian May duties and will probably hold way for a few months longer!
Josh Smith's Signature Poly Flat V has owned slot #20 all year - and will be joined by its Poly Verbs sibling in the new year. I love most everything about the Flat V - but the touch functionality does glitch out occasionally - and isn't always fully responsive - certainly nowhere near the levels as on a smartphone - that said it works well most of the time - and delivers some great tones - with the unique amplitude and resonance modulation!
For a while the Rainger FX Dr Freakenstein Chop Fuzzz looked like it was going to claim the Fuzz of the year title - but it's been such a strong year - and so many innovative new pedals in that category, Regardless of all else this is the finest pedal David and his team have built to date - sounds superb with 3 different ways - and looks killer too - with custom knobs and custom modded VU meter.
One of the surprise highlights of the year - which I managed to get hold of rather unexpectedly right at the start of the year - in January. The Bixonic Axentrix has been on and off the board a few times this year - where it really is a superb kind of hybrid Expandora which totally excels on the Fuzz voicing. It has lots of extra features for more extensive tone-shaping - it sounds consistently vibrant and lively - and not at all 'digital' just a fantastic new take on the Expandora.
The Intensive Care Audio Vena Cava Filter / Distortion first entered the chain in October - and made an instant impact. It's exactly the kind of wall-of-sound filter-distortion that I so love - beautiful rich textured breakup - with lots of volume on tap - a perfect pedal for me really!
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