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Just got these two PCB's from Parasit Studios (www.parasitstudio.se/original-effects.html). Super cheap postage, and they came in about a week (which is quicker than I can get some of my work supplies from Melbourne - go figure)
I bought the U-235 Suboctave Generator, and the Darkadiator. Pretty excited to build both.
Attachment 23340
I'm also kind of keen to try their Theremin Fuzz, New wave CV Generator, and Into the unknown, but will have to see how I go time/money-wise.
Finished the U-235 Suboctave Generator. It's pretty epic. The detuned option is probably my fave, and the single octave down is pretty great. I'm also a huge fan of the two octave option, but it's super rumbly so it might not be to everyone's taste.
Looking forward to finishing the other now.
Gotta laugh at the designation... The real U-235 was quite a famous WW2 German submarine, and Suboctave is not a too distant side step in naming.
Any sound bites for us to have a listen of ???
I thought the U-235 rang a bell, but couldn't quite put my finger on it. Of course, I was too lazy to google it.
Out of town this weekend, but will try to record something when I get back to Canberra. I'm liking it a lot though; definitely recommend.
Finished boxing up the Darkadiator last night. Took me awhile to get it working in the box because of some trouble with a rough solder joint, but nothing too tedious.
https://i.imgur.com/XB5e9sg.jpg
It definitely needs a boost of some kind if you're playing with single coils, otherwise there's zero sustain (at least with my set up). At the minute I'm trying to get enough boost that there's great fuzz/sustain while simultaneously avoiding introducing too much hum. Tbh I don't think I'll manage it with the guitar I have, but I'll try it out at my uncle's next week as he has a bunch of guitars so I can see if humbuckers/active pickups make much difference.
Is the 'Darkadiator' an OD??
I would have though it is more as octaver/phaser effect pedal due to the Octave switch and rate/width controls... A thickener rather than a distorter...
Their website describes it as 'a discrete (fully transistor based) glitchy and gated fuzz with PWM, octave down and LFO modulation.'
https://www.parasitstudio.se/darkadiator.html
Allrighty then....
Must be a lot going on inside that stomp box.... By the description there would be a pretty growly warbly fuzz with everything dialled up and switched in...
Yeah, it's certainly a dirty fuzz (my kind of fuzz to be honest). I'm enjoying playing with the modulation too.
I built their theremin fuzz yesterday - it can be built one of two ways, and I built the minimal version (just theremin, no fuzz). It's really wild, and sounds great. I can see myself having a lot of fun with it
There is quite a range of pedals on the Parasit site. Plenty of Fuzz and distortion versions. Could keep some people amused for years...
Ha ha ha, yeah - I suspect I will be one of those people. Their PCB's aren't expensive, and the postage is both quick and cheap (which is ideal). Plus they have some interesting effects.
Finished boxing up the Suboctave generator and the Theremin Fuzz. Gave the Theremin Fuzz to my bro for xmas.
Also tried to get better pics than previously, but tbh they're still not great.
https://i.imgur.com/mHCHfFU.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/0X3yDQg.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/oLFIIH9.jpg
Damn i've really got to get back into my pedals
That Theremin Fuzz is cool, I think Z-Vex manufactured a similar pedal called the Fuzz Probe, that used a plate as the sensor, you could do some pretty wild stuff with it.
Man, they're super addictive. I think I've made one every week since the start of September, and I'd never touched a soldering iron before that. Not sure what I'll do with them all...Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy40
Ah, that sounds great, I'll have to keep an eye out for it. I'm a huge fan of the Theremin fuzz. Now I'm inspired to try to build a Theremin proper (my wife will actually kill me).Quote:
Originally Posted by DrNomis_44
EDIT: Just googled the Fuzz probe. I definitely have to build something like that
All this recent pedal-building has got me looking at buying more PCB's from Parasit. I found another Theremin Fuzz pcb in a drawer that I forgot I was going to build for myself, so that seems a good place to start.
Also pretty keen to build this:
https://www.parasitstudio.se/mega.html
I was about to post that U-235 happens to be a radioactive isotope of Uranium, but looks like someone beat me to it, in a way, that is.
Their pedal artwork gives it away as well.
https://www.parasitstudio.se/u235.html
None of their designs appeal to me much though. I am not much of a fan of standard fuzz, let alone the funky experimental fuzz stuff on that site. I do like the design of the U-235 enclosure though.
Ha ha ha, I love it (though my wife and almost everyone else I know would agree with you). There isn't many of their pedals that I don't want to tryQuote:
Originally Posted by jugglindan
Have you ever tried any Devi Ever fuzz pedals then?
I like the description of the Legends of Fuzz
Some say, it’s a sound that haunts you at night… the desperate 8 bit beep that reminds you your heart is empty and you are close to death.
...
Maybe we’ll define a new kind of saw tooth wave shape now… shark tooth, because that’s what this fuzz sounds like… a shark’s mouth full of teeth ready to clench down, and it doesn’t matter if a few are lost while eating cold rusted steel from a 1950′s buick rotting on the bottom of the ocean, because there is more where that came from. Unmerciful bastard of a fuzz really… just like that beep beep beep counting down the moments till your inevitable death
Ah, that's cool. I'll add that to the list
EDIT: Just googled the Fuzz probe.
i feel that one should be very careful about googling about fuzz probes....just saying 🤨🤨
Some effect pedals have names that definitely require Google Safe Search
I had some idea for a sci-fi themed print or decal for the theremin fuzz, but I've spent all day playing the midsomer theme tune with it and things have become a bit silly...
Attachment 36361
Here is a short and very dodgy demo:
https://soundcloud.com/user-651479333/theremin
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnH
How about this sci-fi themed name..."MiB (Men In Black) Fuzz", or "X-Files Fuzz".
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnH
Cool, if you fed that through a delay effect set to a long-ish delay, you could generate some real out-of-this-world sci-fi sounds.
That's the plan! I have to find my delay pedal first though, ha ha haQuote:
Originally Posted by DrNomis_44
Possibly a "The Day The Earth Stood Still" theme? There was apparently some theremin involved in that one.
Attachment 36418
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The day the earth stood still is one of those movies I've heard about but never seen. I do love a good dodgy sci-fi, so I'll have to search it out.
I have always wanted to do a science fiction movie marathon based on the opening song from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. There is debate over some of the obscure movie references, but more than enough classic movies can be identified. The marathon would show movies in the same order they appear in the song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKhPVHoodrU
Oh, what a cool idea!
Yep, it's one of those old 50's classic B-Grade sci-fi movies from back when sci-fi was a relatively new genre, I've seen both it and the later remake with Keanu Reeves in it.Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnH
I actually didn't even know there was a Keanu Reeves version until I googled to find a copy of the older one!
I guess now I have two movies to watch.
Here's an interesting article that runs through the entire lyrics and references all the movies.
That's a good read. Also there's definitely some good theremin in the day the earth stood still trailerQuote:
Originally Posted by jugglindan
The invisible man looks good too. Think I might have to spend some time catching up on the classics
My personal fav in that particular bunch is Forbidden Planet. If we ever get the chance to catch up I could lend you a bunch of classic sci fi on DVD.
I'd be super down for that! It'll be interesting to see what happens now there are COVID cases in the ACT again. Sigh
Yeah. I think the few weeks after school holidays will set the tone for the next few months here. Let's just hope it's not too bad!