So I know a cork-sniffer.

[movinginslomo]

Part of me wanted to totally make him a "spice box" and charge him $350 for it just to prove what a cork-sniffer he is. But instead I loaned him all my pedal books and I've been trying to de-mojo. He thinks I'm some sort of tone god now that I "make" (um it's build) pedals. Part of me still wants to encase some funky old wire in a cube of black goop, tell him it's my latest tone creation and see if he bites. But dammit I'm too nice.

[gordo]

Better a cork-sniffer than a cork-soaker I always say...

I like to think that it's our discipleship to educate the masses and spread the truth.  Ahhhh screw it, make a buck :-)

[movinginslomo]

"Proprietary NOS tone wire, and my secret spice circuit.. NOS resistors, tone-infused transistors, matched! You know the good ones...*whispers*.. Eric Johnson wants... SHH not so people can hear! You just cab't get this stuff anymore, but I have a secret cache just for the RIGHT person *wink wink* and you brah, are that person"

[pickdropper]

Make him two versions of the same pedal, one with normal parts and one with mojo parts.  Let him try both and see what he thinks.  It'll either convince him that he's totally right or change his mind.

[Muadzin]

In my experience trying to convince cork sniffers that there is no mojo is like trying to convert people from one faith to another, or to atheism, or away from atheism. It's terribly inefficient, more likely then not it will resort in name calling, anger and possibly violence. You might convert a few, but you'll piss off a LOT more. If cork sniffing is what they want to believe in, let them. People invest in their identity and don't take kindly to people who attack their identity. Just lead by example, build your own stuff and above all play with it. If it impresses people they will come to you and only  then will they be open for the idea.

[neve1272]

 hello my name is kip and im a cork sniffer

last night i changed the preamp in my (sunn studio pa head) to a 200s and it was only possible because of this forum and what ive learned here.

that said the more i learn (and i am still a novice ) the mojo stuff is snake oil marketing...i will pay more for quality,reliability .....stomp switches im looking at you

but i had to swallow a lot of pride and admit ive wasted a lot of money over the years/tone woods/fairy infused wire/caps made with unicorn farts...in oil

[EBRAddict]

If people want to spend $200 for an electra distortion I say sell it to them.

[Stomptown]

hello my name is kip and im a cork sniffer

last night i changed the preamp in my (sunn studio pa head) to a 200s and it was only possible because of this forum and what ive learned here.

that said the more i learn (and i am still a novice ) the mojo stuff is snake oil marketing...i will pay more for quality,reliability .....stomp switches im looking at you

but i had to swallow a lot of pride and admit ive wasted a lot of money over the years/tone woods/fairy infused wire/caps made with unicorn farts...in oil

For components I ask myself is this component quality/reliable/suitable for the application?  Other than that I believe the amplifier, guitar and most importantly, technique, are responsible for a players tone. It only takes one misguided internet post to become a cork sniffer but it takes 10,000 hours (at least) to become a guitar Jedi.  And my belief is that over that time one will find their own voice; not that "perfect tone" they initially aspired to achieve. At the end of the day, convincing others that mojo DNE is futile and may cause a great disturbance in the force!

[brucer]

hello my name is kip Bruce and im a cork sniffer

I put Faber bridges and tailpieces on my Epi Les Paul and Eastman T486.  Pretty sure it didn't make a difference.   

... it takes 10,000 hours (at least) to become a guitar Jedi

I hate this rule/guideline/mystical truth.  That likely has something to do with only being about 300 hrs in @ 50 yrs old.   

Any chance that MB can come up with a makes-you-play-better pedal!

[galaxiex]

Any chance that MB can come up with a makes-you-play-better pedal!

May not be a MB pedal but I think I've seen a Talent Booster.... somewhere... 

[brucer]

Any chance that MB can come up with a makes-you-play-better pedal!

May not be a MB pedal but I think I've seen a Talent Booster.... somewhere... 

Nice!  I especially like the Presence switch.  I lack that too!!   

[pickdropper]

hello my name is kip Bruce and im a cork sniffer

I put Faber bridges and tailpieces on my Epi Les Paul and Eastman T486.  Pretty sure it didn't make a difference.   

... it takes 10,000 hours (at least) to become a guitar Jedi

I hate this rule/guideline/mystical truth.  That likely has something to do with only being about 300 hrs in @ 50 yrs old.   

Any chance that MB can come up with a makes-you-play-better pedal!

I think in the case of tail pieces and bridges, the nicer hardware really is often made better in a way that can improve tuning stability and sometimes tone.

I often appreciate well machined, tight tolerance parts.  I'm wouldn't necessarily lump that in with mystical mojo.

[gordo]

Agreed. I installed a Babicz bridge on a buddy's strat and even if it doesn't change the tone the precision and attention to detail go way beyond mojo.

[midwayfair]

I often appreciate well machined, tight tolerance parts.  I'm wouldn't necessarily lump that in with mystical mojo.

Agreed. Better metals cost more money. Better quality control costs time and money. If you're buying components with tighter tolerances, it's because the manufacturer had to sort them. It doesn't mean that cost is quality, but the fact is quality usually does cost more when you're talking about most physical stuff, because the supply half comes into play regardless of the demand.

But there's a huge difference between objectively better-made parts and arguing that something objectively SOUNDS better, because things either sound right for the music or they don't. Even pitch is elastic despite the mathematical relationships between frequencies dictating whether something harmonizes.

Here's a song using a harp that was out of tune, written by an online friend from the PacNW while she was couch-surfing. Objectively an out-of-tune instrument ought to sound bad, but it is literally the most perfect sound imaginable for a song like this (and not just because the song itself is beautiful):

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/gardeningangel/2-2nds[/soundcloud]

Edit: forgot to say, there's no excuse for believing that big, old parts sound special. They look cool because they look ridiculous next to tiny modern parts. That's all.

[movinginslomo]

Edit: forgot to say, there's no excuse for believing that big, old parts sound special. They look cool because they look ridiculous next to tiny modern parts. That's all.

Hmm interesting theory, the "cool" factor