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I am seriously geeked over two new acquisitions - first, an EHX Flanger Hoax (thanks Aen!). This thing is going to take some experimenting... there's a whole lotta modulation going on in there! At the moment, my only complaint is that there seems to be quite a bit of volume drop in many of the settings... but that seems to be a problem for most flange pedals that I've found.

The second find was in my bandmates closet - a Danelectro French Toast. I know those have been discussed elsewhere in the forums, but damn! - I wasn't expecting it to sound THIS good! This little sucker is frickin' awesome! It sounds stupendous on bass - you can get some really good, tight lows out of this thing. I think I'm going to look into getting it rehoused, with true bypass switches, and a footswitch for the octave.

Which brings me to my one complaint about the wee beastie - the octave setting totally picked up local AM radio like no-one's business! Does anyone know how to fix that? Is it a matter of shielding, or is it just endemic to certain circuits? If I can just fix the radio problem, this little monster is totally going on my board.

isn't the french toast the foxx tone machine clone? . . . i am a tone machine freak and they are just wonderful on bass.
if you're going to rehouse it anyway, it would seem that would be able to fix it's radio problem once it's shielded better and you already know to take extra precautions.

i've always meant to try the hoax but just have never gotten around to it.

elwd

Yep, the FT is totally the Tone Machine clone. I didn't know what to expect, and was blown away when I turned it on. So, so, soooooooo sweet. Yeah, I'm hoping the rehouse does the trick.

The Flanger Hoax is pretty damn cool, but I've only had a few minutes to play with it thus far. I definitely want to figure out how to coax some of the crazier noises out of it... gotta figure out how all of those knobs interact...

jrmy wrote:The Flanger Hoax is pretty damn cool, but I've only had a few minutes to play with it thus far. I definitely want to figure out how to coax some of the crazier noises out of it... gotta figure out how all of those knobs interact...

The blend knob is your friend for controlling the volume drop. Any modulation will drop the volume. Severe modulation even moreso.

Here's mine with a ShoeGazer:
HoaxGazer

edit: no problems with volume when a ShoeGazer's involved.

Ah - I shall play with that blend knob, then... thanks for the advice! And nice ShoeHoax action there... I'm pretty sure that a Shoegazer will fix volume drops in just about anything.

it's strange, the only time i've ever noticed a volume *drop* with a modulation pedal was the EVH flanger. all other mod pedals i've used seem to goose the volume, which has become one of the most important parts of my rig/style/sound, and ultimately the reason why i didn't keep the EVH flanger.

i've heard nothing but good things about the french toast. i've kicked around picking one up on and off for years but have never gotten around to it. i know i've seen threads, i believe at diystompboxes, about rehousing them. if you do it or have it done i'd love to hear your reports. those mini danos are really something else. i know the trem is another one with lots of glowing reviews. i used the flanger for a little while as well.

Yeh, the FT is shockingly good. I will definitely post updates on the rehouse... I'm not exactly "soldering iron ready," so I'll probably get my local punk rawk effects shop to do it (shameless plug! http://www.b-sharpmusic.com/!!!!). But I think it may be necessary.

I've also heard good things about the PB&J echo - I think Experimentalists Anonymous did some tweaks/bends/rehousing on that one to great effect (all pun intended).

Caesar wrote:

jrmy wrote:The Flanger Hoax is pretty damn cool, but I've only had a few minutes to play with it thus far. I definitely want to figure out how to coax some of the crazier noises out of it... gotta figure out how all of those knobs interact...

The blend knob is your friend for controlling the volume drop. Any modulation will drop the volume. Severe modulation even moreso.

Here's mine with a ShoeGazer:
HoaxGazer

edit: no problems with volume when a ShoeGazer's involved.

OMG, from 2:00 on is epic. It sounds like someone's final breakdown to insanity.

I have both of these fantastic pedals and concur with everything said thus far. I, too, have picked up radio stations with my FT, but look at it more as a feature than a bug.

The FH is the most incredible mod box ever invented. I have had it over a year, and still create a new sound every time I click it on. I actually think it's even better running a synth through it than guitar. I definitely recommend running a smooth moog-y patch through the FH when you get a chance

My friend claims the Woolly Mammoth is just a French Toast

It does sound awesome though. I love the colour too.

smile_man wrote:My friend claims the Woolly Mammoth is just a French Toast

absolutely not, they are completely different beasts. you're friend (bless his heart) is a little confused and prolly has mistaken woolly mammoth for the tone machine. maybe it was slip of the lip.

elwd

I recall one of the dano manuals listing a "wooly mammoth" setting for their pedal...may have been the french toast

. . . as an owner of both i just do not see it at all. (well i own several tone machines and we all know the french toast is a clone)
in the least fuzziest setting on the mammoth, it's still overblown, the octave is a bit jumpy, and the sound thick...not so defined.
on the most distorted setting on the tone machine, it's still defined with the upper octave perfectly in place.

dano is making brash claims on that one.

elwd

I completely agree that he is wrong about these claims, but whenever the subject is brought up he insists it although he's only heard the demo video sound clips. From what I've heard it sounds completely different in real life.

Eh, i wouldn't say listing a 'recommended settings' as 'wooly mammoth' is the same thing as them making a claim that it is the same pedal, just that it can make a similar sound.

jdavyd wrote:Eh, i wouldn't say listing a 'recommended settings' as 'wooly mammoth' is the same thing as them making a claim that it is the same pedal, just that it can make a similar sound.

Oh no, he didn't say anything about recommended settings, just an outright claim.