Re: RMA TOURBOX : First Review On Page 4
Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2018 2:44 pm
As the last host for the tourbox, I should have already posted here. It's been like month since the apparatuses arrived at home base, so it is now safe.
The Tetanus booster, however, stayed behind! I really love its brutality, but also it's very musical. Seems to draw every molecule of sound from my SG's P90 and WRHB. I just keep it always on, trying to get adept at adjusting it on the fly.
The Stone Splitter is the best octave/noise thing ever. Playing bass through it into a 100 watt Marshall Artist and 2x15 cab the subs almost pushed me across the floor and the guitarist was put in a fugue state, unable to move. The screeching feedback rising up between those viscous notes negated even the need for guitar. With only this setup a better player than me could convincingly pull off a solo bass/vocals act, I feel.
The Crustacean could be the other member of that act, though. Why even bother with humans when you have an eternal bonfire, a broken radio and a V8 engine in a tiny box? Something like that. I got permission to open this up to adjust the trimmer inside, the knob wasn't initially able to bring the crackle output down to that dying bonfire level, all three channels were drones. I don't know how that happened, but it was exciting to get a look inside this well-engineered piece. One I would love to have permanently as well, some day. I imagine if you do noise/ambient, with tabletop setups and a mixer, you would gladly give up three channels to a Crustacean. You could even use it as a fireplace simulator at home, that crackle n' pop at a minimum is seriously soothing as background noise.
The Monobius, holy shit. Once I found how to stabilize its operation (on account of the broken switch) this offered many beautiful tones. Just the overdrive on its own sounded sooo good, but the ring mod/drone capabilites are really something else. You might think that such a pedal would sound cold and clangy, but like the others the tone is expertly dialled in to be wide-ranging and always natural. It's like extreme and toan-snob friendly at the same time. Again very inspiring to play, and one that plays with you symbiotically, but I would need more time to fully master it.
I have recordings of all except the Tetanus (which I will do soon) but they are not hi-fi and my editing skills suck, so they might take a while still to get out there.
Much has already been said about these amazing pedals, so you know what they do. But really, they are stellar in every way. My words can't really do justice to something that will take you to such un-anticipated places musically. Places that are dark and menacing and also make you feel complete musical joy. I've never been as fully immersed in a pedal before as any of these. Totally worth it, if you ever consider buying one. Curtis is also a gentleman and a scholar and has been very helpful in explaining things I did not understand, generally giving me valuable electronic insight. Thank you!
The Tetanus booster, however, stayed behind! I really love its brutality, but also it's very musical. Seems to draw every molecule of sound from my SG's P90 and WRHB. I just keep it always on, trying to get adept at adjusting it on the fly.
The Stone Splitter is the best octave/noise thing ever. Playing bass through it into a 100 watt Marshall Artist and 2x15 cab the subs almost pushed me across the floor and the guitarist was put in a fugue state, unable to move. The screeching feedback rising up between those viscous notes negated even the need for guitar. With only this setup a better player than me could convincingly pull off a solo bass/vocals act, I feel.
The Crustacean could be the other member of that act, though. Why even bother with humans when you have an eternal bonfire, a broken radio and a V8 engine in a tiny box? Something like that. I got permission to open this up to adjust the trimmer inside, the knob wasn't initially able to bring the crackle output down to that dying bonfire level, all three channels were drones. I don't know how that happened, but it was exciting to get a look inside this well-engineered piece. One I would love to have permanently as well, some day. I imagine if you do noise/ambient, with tabletop setups and a mixer, you would gladly give up three channels to a Crustacean. You could even use it as a fireplace simulator at home, that crackle n' pop at a minimum is seriously soothing as background noise.
The Monobius, holy shit. Once I found how to stabilize its operation (on account of the broken switch) this offered many beautiful tones. Just the overdrive on its own sounded sooo good, but the ring mod/drone capabilites are really something else. You might think that such a pedal would sound cold and clangy, but like the others the tone is expertly dialled in to be wide-ranging and always natural. It's like extreme and toan-snob friendly at the same time. Again very inspiring to play, and one that plays with you symbiotically, but I would need more time to fully master it.
I have recordings of all except the Tetanus (which I will do soon) but they are not hi-fi and my editing skills suck, so they might take a while still to get out there.
Much has already been said about these amazing pedals, so you know what they do. But really, they are stellar in every way. My words can't really do justice to something that will take you to such un-anticipated places musically. Places that are dark and menacing and also make you feel complete musical joy. I've never been as fully immersed in a pedal before as any of these. Totally worth it, if you ever consider buying one. Curtis is also a gentleman and a scholar and has been very helpful in explaining things I did not understand, generally giving me valuable electronic insight. Thank you!
Thanks again for doing this! 
I think when it started I didn't have enough posts 
I'd love to get in on this--pm sent, Curtis....