Have you guys ever looked inside a Landgraff?

[culturejam]

Guys, this was the general state of the "boutique industry" in the late 1990s into mid-2000s. People saw that kind of build and knew it was not the same as Boss, and obviously "hand made". Throw that it in with some spurious claims of "haunting mids" and other really questionable marketing tactics, and people made a lot of money on what was essentially hobbyist work. And at the time, hobby builds were pretty sloppy by our current standards, I should mention. Today's DIY quality level is stellar.

And frankly, this kind of terrible quality at high prices is what motivated to get very involved at FreeStompBoxes, because at the time it was rife (although there were still very high-quality brands, of course). I will admit I probably went a little overboard in the zealousness of the witch-hunts I participated in, but the underlying "mission" of exposing high-priced garbage is something I'm still proud of.

Gradually, the level of quality of boutique pedals began to rise. Now I'm not saying it was in large part because of the ruthless and relentless exposure of the guys who were heavily involved at FSB, but... it was in large part because of the ruthless and relentless exposure of the guys who were heavily involved at FSB.    Just between Brian and I, we traced something like 30 pedals. And there were another 15-20 guys who put up similar numbers.

I should write a book. 

How about:

BUILT BY ABDUL ALHAZRED (NECRONOMICON 3:1666)
DYNAMIC OVERDRIVE
#666666666666666666666666666 6-6-66
ELDER GODS AMPS & PEDALS
WHERE CTHULHU IS LORD!
MADE FOR ARKHAM ASYLUM
CTHULHU IS COMING SOON!!!
PHTAGN☭
PYONGYANG, NK
SHUB-NIGGURATH BLESS BEST KOREA!

I like you.

[matmosphere]

Wow, on so many levels.

Somebody should send a message to the guy on reverb offering to build one with 8% silver solder for super extra touch sensitivity.

Thanks for the perspective cj

[somnif]

Wow, on so many levels.

Somebody should send a message to the guy on reverb offering to build one with 8% silver solder for super extra touch sensitivity.

I have a couple feet of 70% silver solder, if you want to take the mojo to levels previously only attained by smoking the vapors of Hendrix's smoldering strat. Downside, it melts at ~1400F, so.... may want to watch out about that.

[Willybomb]

I wouldn't buy one based on all self-righteous religious rubbish on inside.

How about:

BUILT BY ABDUL ALHAZRED (NECRONOMICON 3:1666)
DYNAMIC OVERDRIVE
#666666666666666666666666666 6-6-66
ELDER GODS AMPS & PEDALS
WHERE CTHULHU IS LORD!
MADE FOR ARKHAM ASYLUM
CTHULHU IS COMING SOON!!!
PHTAGN☭
PYONGYANG, NK
SHUB-NIGGURATH BLESS BEST KOREA!

Meh.  Same same.  Zealotry in all it's forms is ridiculous, regardless of it's inspiration.

[Boba7]

Haha that's amazing.

A long time ago I ordered a T1M buffer/splitter. Later I saw gutshots of his pedals, and I was horrified. It's a shame I cant' find them now, but here's an exemple (only google preview as the pic was deleted) with poor wiring, vero and glue all over.

Sorry for derailing the thread but it was too tempting!

[mrclean77]

Guys, this was the general state of the "boutique industry" in the late 1990s into mid-2000s. ....

Hard to admit, but without the Landgraffs and BFs of the pedal world, there wouldn't have been those level witch hunts CJ mentioned, then there wouldn't of been mountains of info for us mortals to learn.

All one needs now is a time machine and a complete lack of any sort of morals, then you could go back and be one of "the" booteek guys. Those pedals were definitely "different" than same-day BOSS offerings, but that's about where the pro's end.....I can't remember the last time someone came here or BYOC and posted a "hey, it's my first build" that didn't blow that outta the water. I think with Landgraff, folks were mesmerized by the right angle wiring.

[EBK]

Joyo has better build quality than that!

I've happily, and without a trace of sarcasm, recommended Joyo to many guitarists short on cash and eager to expand their sound possibilities.

Besides, more than one Joyo has become a $400 pedal at the hands of unscrupulous "boutique" builders with nothing more than the addition of paint and goop. 

[raulduke]

I hope someone buys one and plays the darkest Black Metal with it.

It's what the Landgraff's would want...

[midwayfair]

How about:

BUILT BY ABDUL ALHAZRED (NECRONOMICON 3:1666)
DYNAMIC OVERDRIVE
#666666666666666666666666666 6-6-66
ELDER GODS AMPS & PEDALS
WHERE CTHULHU IS LORD!
MADE FOR ARKHAM ASYLUM
CTHULHU IS COMING SOON!!!
PHTAGN☭
PYONGYANG, NK
SHUB-NIGGURATH BLESS BEST KOREA!

Thanks, I went crazy reading that. Now I'm crazy. Happy?

Anyone who's never read The Story, enjoy: http://www.boutiquegeartalk.com/pedals-effects-multi-effects/1486.htm

[mremic01]

Thanks, I went crazy reading that. Now I'm crazy. Happy?

Anyone who's never read The Story, enjoy: http://www.boutiquegeartalk.com/pedals-effects-multi-effects/1486.htm

You haven't already gone crazy reading threads at TGP?

That story was what got me looking for LDO gutshuts. It's amazing how much I identify with Clay's experiences. I had a distributor for less than a year who was trying to turn me into his goose. It didn't work out, but he fed me the same kind of crap that Blues Angel was telling Clay. Apparently, my klones were more 3D and dynamic than the 'sterile' KTR. And apparently my parts were 'hand chosen, tested by ear, and only the best'... from Tayda and Mouser. This guy is now making his own pedals and getting tons of praise on TGP.

I wonder if, having started building in this construction style, he was effectively trapped in it by his audience. Most likely, he just kept doing whatever he was used to, but I bet if he had started making pedals with all modern board-mounted components on a nice green PCB, people would have said the old ones sounded better than the new.

That's definitely true. I'm afraid to make changes, or post a new one for sale on Reverb that has a single part that looks different, because I have customers who have more than one of my builds and insist they sound different, wanting to know what I did to make the special one so magical. They're built with the same parts, from the same little baggies. I tested them before they went out. They sounded the same. Once I changed the labeling slightly and got people asking me what I changed on the inside of the new version. Nothing? Is nothing an answer they can accept?

[strat68]

If only there were a commercially available PCB one could use!

http://www.rullywow.com/product/glasshammer/

I really like the Glass Hammer.  About 20 bucks in parts and 2 hours to build and box.

[Betty Wont]

If only there were a commercially available PCB one could use!

http://www.rullywow.com/product/glasshammer/

but then you won't get the advertised consistent performance....
"hand wired, point-to-point, socketed circuit boards, that permit her to voice each and every pedal, resulting in a consistency of performance impossible to achieve by most other "boutique" builders who use printed circuit boards."

[playpunk]

Thanks, I went crazy reading that. Now I'm crazy. Happy?

Anyone who's never read The Story, enjoy: http://www.boutiquegeartalk.com/pedals-effects-multi-effects/1486.htm

You haven't already gone crazy reading threads at TGP?

That story was what got me looking for LDO gutshuts. It's amazing how much I identify with Clay's experiences. I had a distributor for less than a year who was trying to turn me into his goose. It didn't work out, but he fed me the same kind of crap that Blues Angel was telling Clay. Apparently, my klones were more 3D and dynamic than the 'sterile' KTR. And apparently my parts were 'hand chosen, tested by ear, and only the best'... from Tayda and Mouser. This guy is now making his own pedals and getting tons of praise on TGP.

I wonder if, having started building in this construction style, he was effectively trapped in it by his audience. Most likely, he just kept doing whatever he was used to, but I bet if he had started making pedals with all modern board-mounted components on a nice green PCB, people would have said the old ones sounded better than the new.

That's definitely true. I'm afraid to make changes, or post a new one for sale on Reverb that has a single part that looks different, because I have customers who have more than one of my builds and insist they sound different, wanting to know what I did to make the special one so magical. They're built with the same parts, from the same little baggies. I tested them before they went out. They sounded the same. Once I changed the labeling slightly and got people asking me what I changed on the inside of the new version. Nothing? Is nothing an answer they can accept?

Every time I read that story I shake my head. BS is always BS.

[lars]

This is what should be written inside "boutique" pedals:

"Please update your
account to enable
3rd party hosting"

[pickdropper]

This is what should be written inside "boutique" pedals:

"Please update your
account to enable
3rd party hosting"

I'm totally using that graphic on the front a pedal