McSpunkle Tourbox Findings

[one bad monkey]

So I figure it's easier to toss in a separate post about my findings with the two pedals.

Tonight, I only had some time to play one at a time at low volumes (just put the baby to bed, so it was time to pull out the instruments). The Gnometron is pretty intimidating initially, based on the sheer amount of knobs and switches available. However, the tone that it has is pretty incredible. I like the low end; it's deep and focused, all the way down to a low A (my 5 string has a Hipshot). The fuzz really works well with the low frequencies, and the diodes that you can switch on really bring in some heavy synthy sounds. So, while the pedal looks intimidating, once you figure out how everything works together, it starts getting really fun.

Used the And Aardvarks next. Took a little more time to get the feel of this (and probably since it was by itself too), but I think when paired with the Gnometron it's going to scream. I have some time tomorrow to try them together as well as pair a couple of pedals out of my collection with them to see how they play well with each other.

[MaxMaps]

fuck why do you have to say this.

now I want one.

gimmy.

[one bad monkey]

I'll have to fiddle with it more today, but while I don't think that for me the full Gnometron would get a lot of use, the synth Mini Gnome would definitely find a happy place on my board. I'm curious to see how it plays with envelope filters and other such pedals.

[Caesar]

The And Aardvarks is great by itself, and it can be used to make any other pedal better. It's the "go to eleven" pedal on my board.

[one bad monkey]

The And Aardvarks is great by itself, and it can be used to make any other pedal better. It's the "go to eleven" pedal on my board.

That's the one I'm going to have to see about. By itself, I wasn't really impressed per se, more of a "Okay, this is what this does" type of thing instead of "This is what it does, and here is where I could use it." We'll see what today brings.

[bronzetalon]

The AA really excels with stacking. After trying tons of different overdrive pedals for stacking AA is the best imo.

[one bad monkey]

Okay, finished up fiddling with both pedals for an hour or so, using them together and also with a Rocktron Heart Attack and VII Deadly Sins (both were handy and not currently affixed to any board yet). I did find out that the Gnometron works better with filters before the filter, where the And Aardvarks definitely belongs after.

With either filter, the Gnometron REALLY gets some great synthy tones. The fuzz that it puts out really opens up the filters, but yet still allows them to retain some character to them. Oftentimes, a fuzz before a filter just gets that filter to open and stay. Not the case with the Gnome. With the AA, it did exactly what you'd expect a boost/overdrive to do with a filter. I made a couple of good Bassballs clones. Again, nothing that really "wowed" me.

Together, they're okay. The AA opens up a couple of the Gnome sounds and "takes them to 11," but for me, with the extremely wide variety of tones that the Gnome can do on its own, I wouldn't use both pedals together. There isn't a need.

So for me, the Gnometron really takes the cake. That thing can do a ton of tones, retain the low end, but also keep the character of other pedals that are paired with it. The And Aardvarks is a solid boost/overdrive pedal, but nothing that made me take notice.

[Holy Schnikes]

The AA! is a great boost, that "go to eleven" comment is perfect. It gets along great with other pedals too. I'm not really a fan of the OD tones on it's own either, just so so, but luckily I bought it to boost.

The Fuck is the only OD I own that's superior. I love the sound of that one alone and it boosts equally well. Plus the momentary fuck switch is friggin' awesome! Plus it's called the Fuck, c'mon, genius because it's perfectly fitting. I'd get as much mileage out of that name as possible!