Rebel Red

This is an interesting pedal. It has loads of bottom end despite not having a control for it. In fact, it only has a treble control, the other two keep the output & distortion levels in check. What can you use this for? It goes darn well with anything bright-sounding; be it your amp or guitar. If that is the tone you are living with because it somehow fits into a band context for instance, then this is something you should consider. Do note that, despite its demure conception, the pedal can accommodate a 9V battery. Available at Davis GMC (List: $120)

Selling

Posting some stuff for sale on behalf of a friend. First up, we have a One Control Crocodile Tail Loop / switcher (OC10). Pedal board & cigarette box / lighter, not included, there for size comparison. Item details: CLICK

Martin Roland 4-track mixer (MRM-40). 

Drop strap.

Summary of listing

• Once Control OC-10 ($350 neg)
• Martin Roland mixer MRM-40 ($120 neg)
• Drop Strap ($70 neg)
• Contact: Mr. Raziff 8-684-2763 (h/p) or FB: https://www.facebook.com/TheRiff36

Control State

I know this is not gonna be popular but it's an important highlight. One Control released an amp head recently, the BJF-S66 is sleek & it's a solid state unit. That's right, it'll be an immediate put off for many amp purists but we know there are some fabled tones coming from solid state amps & tube amps don't work for some of us. This is a good presentation of the amp:

Red assault

These pedals are on constant rotation lately:

• Killing Floor (Seymour Duncan)- Very intense booster, just the way I like it. Top of the list if I wish for a non-drive boost with lots of intensity. Works best with high output pickups.
• Raspberry Booster (One Control)- Another great non-drive booster with drive-type responses. Not as intense as the KF but the fact it features MASTER control means you have saturation unlike standard volume boost units. Thumbs up to the presence (Z) control as well. Works best with darker voicings.
• Santa Ana (Fender)- 2-in-1 unit (drive/ boost) featuring 3-band EQ & two bypass types for a slight difference but something you'd appreciate. Not as creamy as expected but a good drive unit to own. 

Coincidentally, they are all red. 😁

Berry boost

I guess I'm in the mood for another booster unit, this time it's the Raspberry Booster by One Control. Dimensions-wise, it's definitely in the mini pedal league without being feeble in terms of weight & construction. I love the fact that the pedal in question features both level (Master) & gain control. These are the details that add to drive differently in terms of definition but keep in mind that it's a booster unit. Any high expectations in terms of drive responses should be kept in check. That Z knob is simply a presence control & affects your tone quite markedly if you're the type who keeps varying your guitar's volume control every now & then. For high gain dweebs like me, it adds hair to tone, simply put, you'd hear a touch more top end in the mix. 

The clean end

Had some playing time in the evening so ended the day with some great cleans. That's right- clean. Coming from someone who doesn't give a hoot about driveless tone, it means a lot. The formula: Single coils + chorus + boost. The chorus you see here is One Control's Little Copper Chorus & I have good things to say about it in the next instalment. 😁

Selling: Pedals...

One Control ABD mini pedal. Unlike others, this one works with battery as well.

Protone makes some of the best pedals around. This clean boost is under-used, in superb condition & going for half price.

ONE CONTROL: Anodized Brown Distortion

• Condition: 9/10, box included
• No reservations, no trades
• queries: subversion.sg@gmail.com
• Self-collect: CCK mrt stn
• Price: $85 (final)

Protone: Clean Boost

• Condition: 9/10, box included
• No reservations, no trades
• query e-mail as above
• Self-collect @ CCK mrt stn
• Price: $99 (final)

Pedal-ing

Some amps out there sound more awesome given a little boost in terms of drive. In this aspect, we are looking at connecting drive/distortion pedals either through the conventional guitar-pedal-amp set up or letting them work some magic through the FX loop. Nobody should tell you how you should be connecting them, it's what works for you.

I've been revisiting my Marshall JCM 800, was happy with a Tube Screamer in the FX chain but upon close listening, this didn't quite increase the amp's ferocity. The Tube Screamer increased some cream factor in there but the amp could be edgier in terms of drive. So out came some distortion pedals: BOSS DS-1, EHX Metal Muff, Montreux Knebworth & One Control Anodized Brown Distortion. The JCM 800 simply prefers a growling distortion that does not overpower its own voicing & my One Control Anodized Brown distortion was it. In addition to more growl, I could still hear the Marshall tone in there. If it is flipped to sound otherwise, then what's the point of having a Marshall to begin with.

Sometimes, it's easy to overlook a preferred set up simply because we embrace a certain hype pertaining to a tried & tested formula of matching a certain amp to a particular drive pedal (Oh, man you gotta try a Twin Reverb with a Tube Screamer- sounds familiar to you?). Do ask yourselves, first & foremost if that adventure was yours to begin with. There is nothing wrong with emulating a well-known set up of a certain guitar icon but do keep things objective. If it doesn't work for you then you have no obligations to embrace it.

One Control: Anodized Brown Distortion

Do you need distortion? Here's a distortion unit for you, by Japan's One Control foot switch/ loop specialist.

Do you need the brown sound? Here's some brown sound for you so it means you are not dealing with a paltry serving of distortion like BOSS' DS-1 (it's a different type of distortion we're dealing with here). Yes, it's something more throaty in the EVH vein if you use it as it is. In conjunction with your amp's dirty channel, you can hear some aggression going, no doubt about that.

Do you need some creamy tone? Here's some creamy distortion voicing for you, just turn that tone control down, let it slave for more bottom end while leaving the treble response still discernible.

Do you need more space on your pedal board? Here's one in an economical footprint for you, it runs on battery as well in case an adaptor is not your thing.

Do you need to hear it in action? It's available at Davis GMC :-)