Vintage Effects: Discussion + Database

[Godspeed64]

I don't know why, but whenever I see a vintage effect on sale, I see it as a preference over their newer (if any) counterparts. More often than not, this has proven to be beneficial as I believe (or perceive) there is a difference in tone, to my liking.

Hence this thread is meant for fellow Softies to share their input on vintage effect pedals.

Questions you may choose to answer:
Is there a preference for vintage effects? Why and why not?
Are there any vintage pedals you'd recommend? If you've done an A/B test, please, where possible, state the difference in tone between the two.
Do you think vintage effects are worth the time and money?

Next, others may choose to contribute some links, videos, etc. on some vintage pedals. I'd start the ball rolling.


Pro Co RAT
Through its lifetime, there have been significant changes in its circuitry (or maybe insignificant to some) in terms of the op-amp used. From the revered LM308N chip, to the more recent OD07DP, I've had the privilege of testing them out. I've come to notice that the LM308N sounds more smooth, while the OD07DP has more bite in the top end. Whichever is better depends largely on the player.
For more information, refer to:
http://webpages.charter.net/daosmun/
http://www.legendarytones.com/fuzz feast1.html
For videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57JZzVkdTjM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2SqSFYkwvE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adXYhYU5FKE

BOSS DS-1
Another pedal that has been loved and hated all too often. I've done a more comprehensive review here:
http://soft.com.sg/forum/guitar-fx-reviews/70396-boss-ds-1-detailed-take.html
http://www.bossarea.com/loadpage.asp?file=boxes/ds1.xml
I could not find a video, so I made one last time. You can check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGTsZ492oRs

Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face
Nobody can dispute the popularity of the fuzz back in the days. Unfortunately, they were plagued with inconsistent parts that can make 2 units sound drastically different.
Reference here:
http://www.legendarytones.com/fuzz feast1.html
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx7wGcA91Hk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSyG9mlWjZ4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niviHbOrpzA

A/DA Flanger
Highly sought after simply because the flanger sounds good, and it is dynamics driven. Meaning, pick harder, and the flanger swells more. A/DA has recently started again, BUT, their flanger has undergone a slight overhaul simply because the older components cannot be found anymore
Reference here:
http://www.legendarytones.com/ada.html
Couldn't find a good video..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz3F6N6hPdU

Electro-Harmonix Big Muff
Still exists. Unlike the others mentioned here, not much disparities over the newer and older ones to make people crave for the vintage ones.
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LiLg-C52bI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPVAIFt5_sM

BOSS OD-1
The effect that introduced asymmetrical clipping. Was introduced when the TS was raging among guitarists.
Reference:
http://www.bossarea.com/loadpage.asp?file=boxes/od1.xml
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yydpu1RbQQI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6VCn4lZo-E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iF35lvdAqo

BOSS CE-1 Chorus Ensemble
Its the chorus pedal with identical circuitry to the older jazz chorus. Highly sought after for good reason. The retro-sonic chorus is said to emulate it perfectly. You decide?
Reference:
http://www.bossarea.com/other/ce1.asp
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0WrFGol_z4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx5OAbbVV9E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeKon5JC13g

Hagstrom Patch 2000
I'm guessing this is a pitch shifter of some sort.
Contributed by PatheinRaindropMoe.
Reference:
http://www.hagstrom.org.uk/Patch2000SS.htm
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNLhhK2Otyg

DeArmond Tremolo
One of the earliest effect, tremolo, which uses mercury.
Contributed by PatheinRaindropMoe.
Reference:
http://www.danformosa.com/dearmond.html
Clip:
http://www.danformosa.com/DeArmond_sound_files/DeArmond TremTrol sample.mp3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0j1MFGMI4w

Tel-Ray Oil Can Delay (Morley)
Used in the 60s as an alternative to tape delays/echos.
Tel-Ray eventually became Morley.
Contributed by PatheinRaindropMoe.
Reference:
http://www.geocities.com/Tel_ray/home.html
http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/oil_can_delays.htm
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSKF2KN67U0 (Morley video used here)

Ibanez OD850
This came before the famous tubescreamers, a predecessor so to say.
Contributed by Ciki.
Reference:
http://www.thetonefiles.com/Effects/Ibanez/OD-850_Overdrive_(Ver_1).php
http://members.chello.nl/~t.heertjes/The First Series 1972.html

I'm trying to build a database here.. Do contribute! :mrgreen:
Others to look into:
MXR Phase 90
MXR Flanger
MXR Chorus
Maestro Fuzz Tone
Vox Wah
Roland RE-201 Space Echo
Maestro Echoplex
Marshall BB-1 Bluesbreaker
Marshall Shredmaster
Morley Power Wah (vintage)
I will slowly add links, etc.. But others can contribute please! I will just keep editing the first post..

 

[dudelove]

sorry i have not heard any demos of these wahs but i do know they're really really vintage:

vox king wah
vox grey wah
mxr distortion plus (the one randy rhoads uses)
Binson Echorec (a tube driven delay pedal)
Vox CO2 "Long Tom" Echo
Thomas Organ Crybaby

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

1) What we have now, are the vintage of tomrrow. Instead of working on things of yesterday, let focus of what will be the classic of tomorrow and go about collecting those

2) For most(at least in the forum here) the focus on vintage gear seem tobe about boss, ibanez or some of the mxr thingy. Those are the common of the common "vintage" and the only reason why they are vintage coz they are more old then some of the people here. But for anyone who live thru the period when those mass produced pedals are so common, its hard to visualise the vintage factors of those

3) Vintage is useless for people making music and have no used for the lousy sound it might be known for when its new and only people from another era suddenlty discovering it and pushing it up in resale market. Duhhhh

4) Vintage is good word to put on sale thread and feeling good that "hey, i actually have this", but not using it

5) For anyone who is born in the 90s, 80/90ss stuff already vintage??? Man, i feel old

6) Internet forums brought about a total change in effect perspective that some useless vintage gear prolly worthless electronically/electrically can suddenly be on the alter

7) lotsa people are clueless about effect, but well versed in vintage, coz its older then them

8 ) I have lotsa pedals which will be the vintage of tomorrow.

9) vintage pedals technology can be frowned upon by real engineers, and that include some of the way pedals are made in early years. Its not mean to be right, but wrong for a start and having its own life in the hand of guitareres.

10 ) Vintage effect? Nah, dont waste time, go grab the classic of today and get ready for the vintage of tomorrow instead of following what people say about vintage of yesteryears..

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

http://www.brink.com/content/3231

http://www.formusiciansonly.com/analog.html

http://books.google.com.sg/books?id...unter+effect+pedal&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0

theres one site from discofrequency which is one of the largest online archive for effects(be it vintage, rare or unknown) Its hard to top that.

heh, if not, the dvd and the 2 books will be good enough to spend sometime on words and looking at pics of pedals and get suckle into the world of made believe..

 

[ciki]

my little contribution on ibanez pedals...
http://members.chello.nl/~t.heertjes/The First Series 1972.html

and here's my ibanez od 850 its way older than me haha, so call mother of all the "screamers" cos after this od850, all the latter series are all model after it..from infor.that i can google on it(don flame me for this)

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

vintage or not, theses are the quirky effect from yesteryears thats interesting, not so much of those fuzz or overdrive..

part 1

http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~si6k-inue/other4.html

http://www.ems-synthi.demon.co.uk/emsprods.html#hifli

http://filters.muziq.be/ (for pics of effect, info etc, this site is one of the best, online)

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

part II

hagstrom patch 2000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNLhhK2Otyg
http://www.hagstrom.org.uk/Patch2000SS.htm

one of the earliest effect, tremolo, using mercury..
http://www.danformosa.com/dearmond.html

oil can delay
http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/oil_can_delays.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Tel_ray/home.html

got too many many many more and i have too little time. Chasing after vintage, waste time only, lets go back to music instead. hahaha

 

[Godspeed64]

Nice stuff.. Some people find it worthwhile to chase after vintage effects..

Btw, to speculate the vintage effects of tmrw would be great.. But in that future, the already vintage products will further appreciate in value.. Some of us may seek the opportunity to get some quick cash too.. Lol.

And ciki.. Don't just say google lah.. The point of the thread is to provide links.. I will edit my first post to include Path's contributions soon.. :mrgreen:

 

[ciki]

Nice stuff..
And ciki.. Don't just say google lah.. The point of the thread is to provide links.. I will edit my first post to include Path's contributions soon.. :mrgreen:

no.. what i meant is the only infor. for my pedal, i gt it by googling arnd... i provide a link on 70s ibanez pedals up there??.. haha..

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

try googling Ikutaro Kakehashi

without him, there wont be generations of guitarers and their gadgets!

Heh, effect pedals, in the early 90s or 80s, are not really refer to as pedals, people called them gadgets...

by today standard, when you say gadget, people will look at you and thinking yo might be from the last decade or earlier, in a local context

 

[ninelives]

i personally collect vintage effects and have sold some to locals here in Kuala Lumpur - the sounds are pure analog and super thick compared to those units these days (but to each their own).

have sold and also own - maestro PS-1A Phaser, Roland Phase II, Thomas Organ Crybaby Wah (which my student can't stop playing with it lol)

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

With the advancement of the technology and which ever components that are being utilised in modern day electronic gadget, it will somewhat move in a hi fidelity progress compared to parts from yesteryears(where technology cant be compared to now) that can be found in those effect pedals

Taking into consideration, prolly the deterioration of the caps, resistors and discrete components found in those circuit of the effect pedals from back then, the imperfection of the different parts prolly gave us the sound we like so much.

 

[ShredAddict]

There is always the cool factor of vintage effects that we can't ignore.

 

[dorngo]

Well I have a set of vintage boss pedals... Ge7-od1-od2-ce2-dd3 it my not be alot but it's the pedals I will keep. For eg, comparing od2 with ur od3 now, I find the od2 thicker, and crunchier. The od3 sound digital... Just that feeling... And also, od1, holy grail of pedals man... Haha anyone interested in buying od1, od2, and other vintge? I have a friend who is selling. Ok that's besides the point. Not all vintage pedals sound better in my opinion, only certain ones like od1. Some boss pedals may sound similar to their MIT friends, but mij ones are built to last, my pedals are now 25 yrs old... Plus minus, and they handle me better than my previous ones... Haha... Just saying... Vintage pedals, it's something which either you like it or not. There is no certain ans like vintage pedals are not worth it etc... To each his own. I love my vintage pedals. And I might get some more. But one thing is for sure, those boss mij I have, they form the backbone of my pedal board. And I'm not gonna change them anytime soon.

 

[kernelspy]

Well said man. Especially the part mentioned:

dont waste time, go grab the classic of today and get ready for the vintage of tomorrow instead of following what people say about vintage of yesteryears..

1)

10 ) Vintage effect? Nah, dont waste time, go grab the classic of today and get ready for the vintage of tomorrow instead of following what people say about vintage of yesteryears..