Our very own custom FX builders (Subzero FX, Liptone & JMorerro) interviwed @

[nineworkz]

We can't be much prouder of these guys!

Neil, Lipton and Jmorerro keep the custom fx fire burning!

CHEERS! =)
__

Part 2:

http://www.pulse.ph/posts/stompography-part-2-of-2-sub-zero-guitar-fx-jmorrero-custom-pedals/
__

Part 1:

http://www.pulse.ph/posts/stompography-part-1-of-2-intro-liptone-pedals/

[nineworkz]

excerpt from the intro:

"Make a cursory search on Google or log on to the popular forum PhilMusic.com and you’ll find dozens offering just such assistance. For the budget guitarist, DIY is surely the way to go. And for the even more price-conscious, many offer customization services to existing pedals by big manufacturers. These tinkering jobs let a guitar player choose a more genre-specific tone with, say, an off-the-shelf BOSS DS-1 distortion pedal with a few snips and a kzzzt. Then, voila! A British-type gain is achieved.


From the lot of modelers, customizers, and DIY-ers, we chose our three subjects as much for their originality and inventiveness as for their willingness to talk and confess to the mania of making stompboxes.


One thing’s for sure, the quest for tone to these guys is all too real. In all instances it’s led them far beyond making clones for existing pedals, to producing their original units forged in dreams of solder and wiring.


Here are three stories of obsession and lust that’s cost our subjects time, money and, in some cases, the decay of personal relationships. All in furtherance of mastering the unique blend of engineering, music, and art that is creating a guitar pedal.


What does it take to make an original stomp unit? Let’s find out. Turn the knob and enjoy."
___

read more at the links above! =)

[shodawmoon]

great share. thanks man.

[samuelfianza]

[neil_squadron]

nicey..tnx jam

[metalheadz]

*claps
astig haha pero namiss ko tuloy yung leviathan pedal ko

[KASALANAN]

We can't be much prouder of these guys!

Neil, Lipton and Jmorerro keep the custom fx fire burning!

CHEERS! =)
__

Part 2:

http://www.pulse.ph/posts/stompography-part-2-of-2-sub-zero-guitar-fx-jmorrero-custom-pedals/
__

Part 1:

http://www.pulse.ph/posts/stompography-part-1-of-2-intro-liptone-pedals/

kayo ba sir guitarist ng EVEN? if so hands down galing niyo sir

[firemodel55]

I do NOT agree with a lot of points in the article.  The only point I agree on in the article is that you need a guitar and amp for you to plug the stompbox in between.  Surprisingly, the article forgets to mention that as it proceeds in the narrative.  However, I think for what they are doing and their pricing, they BRING IT.

But to me, they are NOT yet world class because of the following reasons:

1) Musical Exposure -- they don't design or make pedals for the top artists in the world.  Unfortunately, its a realization of the Philippine Condition.  I recently bought a Cornell First Fuzz.  By the way, I hate fuzzes.  So does my luthier friend.  But I told my luthier, you have not heard a Fuzz that sounds this good.  True enough he is now a convert -- turning his tiny trebly strat into something as thick as a les paul.  We were both floored but we both realized that we were never exposed to the good sounding fuzzes thru our combined years and it takes a reproduction by Mr. Cornell to show us/let us hear the beauty of the early fuzzes.  By the way, it doesn't sound as fizzy as you think.  In fact, if anything it makes the sound thicker and more dynamic -- yup that doesn't sound like your typical fuzz.  And yet my reason for keeping it is because, it does the thick sound and dynamic in a way that no other fuzz or overdrive or distortion can.

2) Money in the Bank -- they don't own a lot of the good sounding amps and good sounding guitars that should be tested with pedals.  This is the biggest minus. How sure are you that the boss they are modifying to make sound good on the behringer will NOT actually ruin your sound going thru a Fender amp?  You are not.  Wala kasi silang mga amp na iyon.  Tingnan niyo ang mga local made pedals ay mas maraming version kaysa american and european counterparts?  Natatawa lang ako. 

The problem with the article is that is glorifies pedals too much and removes it SO much from the context of the guitar and amp.

I can say that I own more pedals than these three guys combined and all these pedals are 90% boutique and scattered around the house.  If there should be someone designing pedals, it should be me but... I want to emphasize that the guitar with character and good sounding tube amp is worth much more than a pedal -- but more expensive too.  A lot of the local designers have tube screamer clones.  I have a TS9 (first re-issue MIJ) modded with riken ohms and a specially selected Texas Instrument Made in Malaysia chip that Mr. Lito Bote helped me pick out.  And I am willing to bet that none of the local TS clones can beat it in terms of sound.  In fact, it beat a real old vintage  TS808 in terms of sound.  But you know what, where that pedal really shines in is when its set as a boost in front of my 1972 Marshall Super Lead Head.  Talk about people criticizing the Tube screamer mid hump, it just seems to be friendly with the amp. 

Don't get me wrong...  I also enjoy pedals but I want to say, if the Filipino is to first improve his tone -- pedals (stompboxes) are not the first things he should spend on.

[pitongjerome]

I do NOT agree with a lot of points in the article.  The only point I agree on in the article is that you need a guitar and amp for you to plug the stompbox in between.  Surprisingly, the article forgets to mention that as it proceeds in the narrative.  However, I think for what they are doing and their pricing, they BRING IT.

But to me, they are NOT yet world class because of the following reasons:

1) Musical Exposure -- they don't design or make pedals for the top artists in the world.  Unfortunately, its a realization of the Philippine Condition.  I recently bought a Cornell First Fuzz.  By the way, I hate fuzzes.  So does my luthier friend.  But I told my luthier, you have not heard a Fuzz that sounds this good.  True enough he is now a convert -- turning his tiny trebly strat into something as thick as a les paul.  We were both floored but we both realized that we were never exposed to the good sounding fuzzes thru our combined years and it takes a reproduction by Mr. Cornell to show us/let us hear the beauty of the early fuzzes.  By the way, it doesn't sound as fizzy as you think.  In fact, if anything it makes the sound thicker and more dynamic -- yup that doesn't sound like your typical fuzz.  And yet my reason for keeping it is because, it does the thick sound and dynamic in a way that no other fuzz or overdrive or distortion can.

2) Money in the Bank -- they don't own a lot of the good sounding amps and good sounding guitars that should be tested with pedals.  This is the biggest minus. How sure are you that the boss they are modifying to make sound good on the behringer will NOT actually ruin your sound going thru a Fender amp?  You are not.  Wala kasi silang mga amp na iyon.  Tingnan niyo ang mga local made pedals ay mas maraming version kaysa american and european counterparts?  Natatawa lang ako. 

The problem with the article is that is glorifies pedals too much and removes it SO much from the context of the guitar and amp.

I can say that I own more pedals than these three guys combined and all these pedals are 90% boutique and scattered around the house.  If there should be someone designing pedals, it should be me but... I want to emphasize that the guitar with character and good sounding tube amp is worth much more than a pedal -- but more expensive too.  A lot of the local designers have tube screamer clones.  I have a TS9 (first re-issue MIJ) modded with riken ohms and a specially selected Texas Instrument Made in Malaysia chip that Mr. Lito Bote helped me pick out.  And I am willing to bet that none of the local TS clones can beat it in terms of sound.  In fact, it beat a real old vintage  TS808 in terms of sound.  But you know what, where that pedal really shines in is when its set as a boost in front of my 1972 Marshall Super Lead Head.  Talk about people criticizing the Tube screamer mid hump, it just seems to be friendly with the amp. 

Don't get me wrong...  I also enjoy pedals but I want to say, if the Filipino is to first improve his tone -- pedals (stompboxes) are not the first things he should spend on.

i smell shootout!

[firemodel55]

i smell shootout!

Naku... No shoootouttts.  Mali ang process eh... Dapat your own individual setup.  Kundi lalabas lang mga voyeur ang nakikinig

[hack3rberry]

 

[boybangs]

Hays...

[pitongjerome]

Naku... No shoootouttts.  Mali ang process eh... Dapat your own individual setup.  Kundi lalabas lang mga voyeur ang nakikinig

wait. correct me if im wrong but, if you have your individual set up then it will be "my set up vs your set up" na?

because all other variables should be constant except the tube screamers if you wanna prove that your tube screamer is better than the clones..

anyway nothings prolly gonna be worng since you are comparing Tube screamers most prolly they have the same circuits..


it should be "your tube screamer vs tube screamer clones"?

ppwede ba kung:

yung individual set up mo + your tube screamer, then yung tube screamer clones will your use your set up too? para constant ang other variables..

paki correct nalang kung mali analogy ko..

[plugzzzz]

Naku... No shoootouttts.  Mali ang process eh... Dapat your own individual setup.  Kundi lalabas lang mga voyeur ang nakikinig

bakit kanya kanyang setup dapat same setup ang shootout same guitar same amp....kung kanya kanyang setup alam naming magaganda gamit mo diba tsaka kung malaki tiwala mo sa pedals mo bat natatakot ka sa shootout?...

pedals (stompboxes) are not the first things he should spend on.

pero dito i agree


the thing is di lahat ng tao mayaman katulad mo na can afford to buy highend stuff pero kung umpisa ka plang at wala kang budget i guess ok lang bumili ng pedals muna na masaya ka sa tunog na ma proproduce using a crappy amp... as you go along the way naman things improve... sample ako before when i was starting amp ko rage amps it sounds crap pero what can i do wala akong pera pero now Vox AC30 na

[juan_portnoy]

[siore]

I do NOT agree with a lot of points in the article.  The only point I agree on in the article is that you need a guitar and amp for you to plug the stompbox in between.  Surprisingly, the article forgets to mention that as it proceeds in the narrative.  However, I think for what they are doing and their pricing, they BRING IT.

Well, part2 touched on it briefly, look for jmorerro's quote towards the end about the bigger importance of guitar and amp.  Even if it the article did not focus on that, ok lang.  It's all about the local DIY stomps, so they zero in on the topic.

But to me, they are NOT yet world class because of the following reasons:

1) Musical Exposure -- they don't design or make pedals for the top artists in the world.  Unfortunately, its a realization of the Philippine Condition.  I recently bought a Cornell First Fuzz.  By the way, I hate fuzzes.  So does my luthier friend.  But I told my luthier, you have not heard a Fuzz that sounds this good.  True enough he is now a convert -- turning his tiny trebly strat into something as thick as a les paul.  We were both floored but we both realized that we were never exposed to the good sounding fuzzes thru our combined years and it takes a reproduction by Mr. Cornell to show us/let us hear the beauty of the early fuzzes.  By the way, it doesn't sound as fizzy as you think.  In fact, if anything it makes the sound thicker and more dynamic -- yup that doesn't sound like your typical fuzz.  And yet my reason for keeping it is because, it does the thick sound and dynamic in a way that no other fuzz or overdrive or distortion can.

I think they would do well to stick to their niche.  Not to say they shouldn't accept international orders, but to say they have to design and build for international artists implies that you should only please that market.  They are first and foremost Filipinos, so naturally they cater to a lot to local orders.  I say draw inspiration from the foreign builds, then use your ears and creativity to build something that first, sounds good to you, and second, works well in full band situation.  All in local context.  If others use their wallet to agree with what you have built, then all well and good, you build a following, you have a good product.

Nevermind the foreign acts or foreign artists, most of whom would buy local to them anyway and thumb their nose down on most Asian non-japanese builds.  But it's a bonus if some would order from you.

2) Money in the Bank -- they don't own a lot of the good sounding amps and good sounding guitars that should be tested with pedals.  This is the biggest minus. How sure are you that the boss they are modifying to make sound good on the behringer will NOT actually ruin your sound going thru a Fender amp?  You are not.  Wala kasi silang mga amp na iyon.  Tingnan niyo ang mga local made pedals ay mas maraming version kaysa american and european counterparts?  Natatawa lang ako. 

Maybe it's funny to you, but you have just made a blanket statement that they don't have good amps.  In fact, it's rudimentary that a good build must sound good in a number of amps, and a lot of them audition on amps a lot of people use.  Not just one.  Who would test on only a single behringer w/ an 8" speaker amp?  You think he would be successful? (rhetorical)

Also, versions are only an indicator, that either the build is a work in progress (to get something right or try new parts/methods), or it is a true custom build that customers can ask for modifications they see fit for their needs.  What's so funny about that?  There is no standard for 'good sounding' (arguable for you, but don't take it there), and to truly move forward you gotta work in different platforms.

The problem with the article is that is glorifies pedals too much and removes it SO much from the context of the guitar and amp.

Eh.  So maybe next time they could put out an article about the guitar and amp.  I don't think it glorifies the pedals too much, just a good write-up on the chosen subject.  Which happens to be local pedal builders.

I can say that I own more pedals than these three guys combined and all these pedals are 90% boutique and scattered around the house.  If there should be someone designing pedals, it should be me but... I want to emphasize that the guitar with character and good sounding tube amp is worth much more than a pedal -- but more expensive too.  A lot of the local designers have tube screamer clones.  I have a TS9 (first re-issue MIJ) modded with riken ohms and a specially selected Texas Instrument Made in Malaysia chip that Mr. Lito Bote helped me pick out.  And I am willing to bet that none of the local TS clones can beat it in terms of sound.  In fact, it beat a real old vintage  TS808 in terms of sound.  But you know what, where that pedal really shines in is when its set as a boost in front of my 1972 Marshall Super Lead Head.  Talk about people criticizing the Tube screamer mid hump, it just seems to be friendly with the amp.

Good for you.  But I hate to break it to you, the whole "If you work at the parts the whole will be a success" does not necessarily apply.  It only works, and there's only success if the results speak to you in a positive way.  "Premium parts" are meant to attract buyers like you, who demand the best, also at a premium.  Not to say that they don't build with premium parts to begin with, because some will...  just to have that base covered right at the beginning.  Fortunately, having local builders you can actually go to, speak with, and audition builds with, means that tolerances can be a little looser and tweakable.  BTW, did you audition your tubescreamer dual opamp chip with other chips?  It's socketed, isn't it?

Don't get me wrong...  I also enjoy pedals but I want to say, if the Filipino is to first improve his tone -- pedals (stompboxes) are not the first things he should spend on.

I agree here.  But pedals are some of the cheapest fun you can get if you're bored with your gear.

[kaloyski]

I have a TS9 (first re-issue MIJ) modded with riken ohms and a specially selected Texas Instrument Made in Malaysia chip that Mr. Lito Bote helped me pick out.  

hindi ba "Busted" na itong usapin na 'to sa Visual sound's version of mythbusters?!

[yellow_paper]

una apoymodelo69 - pano mo nalaman na wala sila matino gitara? close kayo?
pangalawa apoymodelo69 - tama, kasama ang gitara, ampli, cable, pikup at kung ano ano pa sa pagbuo ng tunog, pero naisip mo na ba kung sino talaga nagpapatunog?
pangatlo apoymodelo69 - baket ba kylangan mo lagi isingit ung mga butik mo na gamet? tiga butika kaba?

sana nakita mo na kung pano humawak ng gitara iyang si jm at kung ganu kasarap sa tenga magpatunog yan. di mo titignan ung ginagamit nya kasi sa sarap ng tunog pipikit kana lang (or hihiyaw)

baw

[kaloyski]

^^ natawa ako dun sa pangatlo ah.. hahaha

[mikki_blinkme]

another legendary thread in the making yehehes! 

[plugzzzz]

sana nakita mo na kung pano humawak ng gitara iyang si jm at kung ganu kasarap sa tenga magpatunog yan. di mo titignan ung ginagamit nya kasi sa sarap ng tunog pipikit kana lang (or hihiyaw)

baw

lol.....jim plays well kahit sabihin mong crap yung gamit nya o di highend maganda padin yung tunog masarap sa tenga and yung bends nya tama yung sukat or nasa tono....yung naka baker ganda ng guitara bend lang sablay pa    maganda nga yung gamit crap naman yung tumutugtog what a waste ....

Don't get me wrong...  I also enjoy pedals but I want to say, if the Filipino is to first improve his tone -- pedals (stompboxes) are not the first things he should spend on.

bago bumili ng gamit invest nalang sa guitar lessons yan ata mas tama

[juan_portnoy]

Don't get me wrong...  I also enjoy pedals but I want to say, if the Filipino is to first improve his tone -- lessons are the first thing he should spend on.

Fixed.

[st_anger]

lol.....jim plays well kahit sabihin mong crap yung gamit nya o di highend maganda padin yung tunog masarap sa tenga and yung bends nya tama yung sukat or nasa tono....yung naka baker ganda ng guitara bend lang sablay pa    maganda nga yung gamit crap naman yung tumutugtog what a waste ....

bago bumili ng gamit invest nalang sa guitar lessons yan ata mas tama

^^^ This!!!!

[DyuN_whamMe]

kung pinanganak kaya si firemodel55 na isang mahirap,
makakapagsalita pa kaya siya ng mga ganyan?
nagtatanong lang po. ..   

[maxi_musikero]

of the 3 builders, i have only had the chance to try out Jim's pedals but also owned some by another builder.  i can say that Jim's pedals are very well built and the guy just puts too much dedication into building his pedals that you will be assured that it's top shelf.

Jim used a Fender Strat and a Fender Concert amp to test the pedals he made for me.  as far as i'm concerned, i can call that industry standard, at par with any other amp out there.