Randolf Arriola (embryo) Guitar Gear 101

I've got a couple of Boss made in Taiwan pedals: a DS-2 Turbo Distortion and an OS-2 Overdrive / Distortion. Both are in very good cosmetic and working condition, just a bit old and dusty. I honestly can't stand the tone of the DS-2 and while I gigged once with the OS-2 I was left feeling very dissatisfied with it too. I've since acquired a modded Ibanez TS7 (generic TS808 and brown mod), a stock Kimjawbetta Rutt and a Barber Direct Drive that I love and will probably not let go in the meantime. My taste in tone is now more towards the overdrive side than the distortion.

So my enquiry is, what mods could you do on the DS-2 and OS-2 that would
1) make their tones more usable
2) allow me to have tones that complement the pedals I currently have (i.e. in the same tonal region, but not all that similar)
Click to expand...

The DS2 is a variant in design of the DS1 so there are others who have that love/hate thing for the classic orange dist pedal. Basically most of the mods for the DS1 are apllicable for the DS2. This also includes crippling the drive circuit and tweaking the tone circuit to make it more of an overdrive.

THe OS2 is actually one of my personal fav pedals. It combines the stock circuitry and sound of a SD1 and DS1. Like the rest of most Boss and Ibanez drive pedals the OS2 and DS2 also share the same characteristic of losing the Bass and lower mids.

The mods applicable in distortion type, amount and tonal band control of the bass, mids and highs for each player differs. So it's best to fix an appointment to come by with your setup to test run the stock pedals against the various mods to find what's most suitable for your needs.

Email me for further enquiries.
:)
 
Here's one about Loopers as in Sound on Sound looping (not to be confused with patch looping)

Hi Randolf,

I've been looking at delays and loop devices. Not sure which would be the most practical, I thought of the RC-50 and working myself down, as it is probably more than I would need.

Well, not "need" really, but might want without compromising too much on features. There's the RC-2, the RC-20XL, DD-20, and I'm sure there's more.

Any opinions for a bass player?
Click to expand...

The RC2 would've been a cool idea if only there was a way to rid of the weird way it deletes an existing loop.

The RC20XL is pretty cool with 16mins of looping time it's got alot of space for creative ideas. However others have mentioned about the output sound quality. The Digitech JamMan is a preety simlar design to the RC20XL except it's got a built in storage memory card slot that can store some of your creaive loops of up to 2 hrs. Great for a compositional too I feel. Maybe when Digitech releases a Pro version of the JamMAn. Now that's gonna be really something i think. Digitech, I hope you guys hear me! :)

The DD20 is quite a Delay pedal. A little dream come true for me and it's mainly because it's got a storage for 4 presets, 23 seconds of Delay time and most important for me the digital time readout!. It's got the built in emulation of analog and tape based delays with the treble roll off and also the capability to loop up to 23 secs. However serious looping is not it's forte but you can still create some interesting stuff with it.

So.... I'd highly recommend that you begin with the Line6 DL4 which has a 28sec looper. It's got the ability to mix in the delay running at the same time. It's non savable and also has no undo which did alot to help me as it's the looper I initially woodshed on. Wendy my bass player in my project group "The Embryo" also uses one.

Except for the RC50 the rest of the RC family of single or twin pedal stomp loopers are not exactly ergonimical for starting out on looping. There's also the Boomerang III which is yet to be out but the specs seem exciting. The most powerful looper device next to the Echoplex Digital Pro by Oberheim Gibson is the Looperlative.

As I'll be performing my original Live Looping pieces at the upcoming International Loopfest event called Y2K7 in Santa Cruz California this coming Oct. I'd be very interested to network with others here who are exploring creative ideas in sound on sound live looping. Anybody? :)
 
Nic, I feel that the Custom Shop 54 pups are pretty good and they're Fender's way of responding to the growing demand for vintage sounding pups...hum and all for full flavour! :)
 
Snuff,

I really found the custom 54's on the 50th to be very sweet-sounding, they work v well with the maple neck/fingerboard and ash body config.

I had them switched out for DiMarzio Virtual Vintago Solo (Bridge), Virtual 2 Middle, and Area 61(Neck). These are all stacked humbuckers. Reason was that I needed a higher output config for distorted rhythm playing in church. This config yielded pretty authentic fender single coil quack at positions 2 n 4, but in no other positions could it match the sweetness of the custom 54's, on the 50th.

I've heard many gd things abt Suhr V60's..might wanna check them out.
 
Randolf, hope you can help me with this;

I just fully retubed my 5150 combo with electroharmonix tubes (5 12ax6, 2 6l6GC)

Right now , the preamp section works fine, i can hear gain changes when i tweak the pre-gain knobs and stuff, but the problem is the power amp section. Im stuck at this low volume, and the post gain control is not working at all, hence i cant control the volume.

Any idea whats wrong?
 
Try by putting back the original power tubes to see if the problem persists.
If the problemis still there you'll likely need some servcing of the amp. I do not recommend EH tubes for the 5150 based on my experience with certain batches. The 5150 is a lovely amp btw. :)

Hope this helps.
 
the original power tubes have already blown. If i were to plug em in and turn it on, it'll blow out the fuse (which i just changed)
 
Based on your description you may have a failing heating element which is necessary for supplying power to the power tubes. You may want to consult Swee Lee about the repairs if it'still under warranty. Let me know if you have further enquiries.

Regards
 
I had them switched out for DiMarzio Virtual Vintago Solo (Bridge), Virtual 2 Middle, and Area 61(Neck). These are all stacked humbuckers. Reason was that I needed a higher output config for distorted rhythm playing in church. This config yielded pretty authentic fender single coil quack at positions 2 n 4, but in no other positions could it match the sweetness of the custom 54's, on the 50th.
Click to expand...

Such r the compromises you have to be prepared for when you replace the oriiginal Strat pups. The thing to note is pups with higher outputs inevitably will compromise the clarity and original tone inherent from the wood in the neck and the body. The use of Ceramic magnets for high output pickups helps to revive some of the highs but it also has it's own tonal strenghts and quirks. Basically it's lijke this; You can pick the highest output pickup avalable and you'll no longer see the differene whether the the body and neck and body is wood or concrete. :)
 
Tanx for your enquiry.

There are many ways around mods for Boss pedals. Among many variants of mods out there Keeley's Mods are also commendable but like most mods and boutique pedals out there and even stock pedals you do have to try them out to see what fits you best.

I've included for you here a client's impression of the BD2 mod called the Custom Ghost Driver BD2 which I also use for my own 3 drive setup;

Back from Randolf's Place with my BD2 Ghost Driver Mod. Basically two switches have been added. One is the Phat switch to give you added bass and the other is the GERM/LED My take on the BD2 would be that it is UNIQUE. It has the unique bite/grit factor and BEST thing is that it responses well when you roll off your volume knob, the sound cleans up while retaining the dynamics.. it wouldn't become rubbery in the case of other pedals. After the mod, the sound doesn't mud up when gain is past 12oclock. You still can get that nice edgy tone and crunch. And with the LED, it has a higher threshold for the gain so you can push the limits with the LED. Haven't really managed to find my sweet spot for this pedal yet but I'm sure there's ALOT which you can coax out of this thing. One thing to note, I find that the Phat switch may not be applicable in home situations, since you do not need that bass boost. I do roll off the bass in my amp settings a bit to balance bass sometimes.
Click to expand...

Do email me if you have further detailed enquiries on modding your BD2.

:)

Regards
 
A recent question riased on another thread abt Active versus Passive pickups. Though I'd like to share my opinions abt it here too.

Hi Guys,
I need some opinions on this. I'm planning to install active pickups on my lp standard plus. The reason why I want to get some active is that I haven't try any of them before. I've been trying a few duncan and dimarzios. So far I like SD Full Shred the most. So, the question is:

1. What is the strength of active pups compare to those passive?
2. is it necessary to make an extra hole in the guitar body?
3. Any specific pups to recommend? Initially wanted to try those tesla active pups
4. Any down point of an active pups beside the hazzle of changing the battery?
Click to expand...

This is a very good topic.

The biggest important difference isn't so much about gain difference between active and passive pickups. Let me try and explain...hopefully simply ya Hehehe.

Ok so let's say for instance you can have the mildest passive pickup on your guitar and couple that output signal into the wide variety of gobs of gain from overdrives, distortion, fuzz and clean boost pedals. Gain wise in this sense you have all the choice to add and pull back at will by merely stomping on/off the different stages of gain stacking...rite? Hmmm...

Active pickups although tend to be marketed for seemingly gainier than most passives were not solely designd for gain superiority. Active pickups because it incorporates a built in pre amp and buffered output can drive longer cables with less loss in tone comapared to passives. It's almost lke having your passive pickup signal sent into a buffered pedal down the chain.
David Gilmour uses the EMG system when playing live. Just one look at his multiple parellel pedal chain for each song and one quickly undersatnds the choice for active pup system.

Another important tonal difference between actives and passives is also the way passive pickups' signals change in tone with rolling down the guitar's volume knob whereas with active pups the tone is retained as you roll down the guitar's volume knob. Good or bad really depends on the intended player's feel and musical application.

Most classic styled blues rock players would prefer the passive pickups for the unique manner that the guitar's volume knob is almost like a combined gain and tone control in one knob eg. Eddie Van Halen. EMG active pickup users like Kirk Hammet, Zakk Wylde and Steve Lukather among others may have a specific intended reason where they want to be able to affect gain control but not the tone with their guitar's vol. knob.
 
Lee, that gif of yours is making ppl throw up from luffing so hard! That's crazee funny man! My wife who's a writer was luffin with tears in her eyes. It's now sent to her writer network Hahahahaahahaha :)
 
thanks randolf for the insight of ur mod. i will contact u when i've decided i need the mod, havent really owned the bd2 also, thought of getting it soon as i'm in need of a overdrive pedal. i've personally tried the stock bd2 and it sounds fantastic to me just that it wasnt as clean as it might be. too much tone suck in my opinion.
 
The thing that makes this thread always on top so that it doesn't fade into obscurity.

I don't think there's a need to though - so much demand for your expertise here. :)
 
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