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For/Against The Elements
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 3:09 pm
by O Drones
Ok I'm standing at the edge of a Dr Scientist The Elements shaped fuzzy cliff and I'm ready to jump. I just need some of you to kick me off the cliff into a fuzzy life of delight or pull me back from the brink and into the realisation that I don't need that shit no more brother.
So what's good/not so good etc etc? I play full on fuzzgaze shiz and I have on the board right now a Fuck, Demo Tape and Pharaoh and off the board I gotz a Musket. What can dat Elemental shit do that these can't, or what would it add to the pack?
Help me out ILFers, I know this is the right place to come when I'm trying to make a reasoned decision on whether I need another pedlol and that everyone isn't just gonna scream "MOAR FUZZ", right?

Re: For/Against The Elements
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 3:16 pm
by D.o.S.
I've never heard a bad thing about The Elements on here, and allegedly it covers a stupid amount of ground as far as gain and tone are concerned.
But it's Canadian. So it might be too polite.
Re: For/Against The Elements
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 3:26 pm
by AxAxSxS
Sounds like you have fuzz tones covered, so that leaves using it for distortion or clean/semi clean boost tones. It does fuzz also but I think that's where you will find new sounds.
Re: For/Against The Elements
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 3:31 pm
by sonidero
The Elements would be a great addition to the pedals you already have... The Fuck and Pharaoh both benefit from the Ele. either before or after them... The Eles. mix knob lets you dial in just the right amount of whatever is before it and you can get some super sweet combos that aren't possible without it... With the EQ you can beef up wimpy pedals or add some serious sizzle to heavy pedals... I mostly use it in low gain and it fits right in with the Fuck, Pharaoh, Muff, Algal, or anything really plus the high gain will tear new holes in shit if you need it to... The Ele. is definitely a great FuzzGaze pedal and is a great overall box of awesome...
Re: For/Against The Elements
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 3:37 pm
by wdinc01
D.o.S. wrote:But it's Canadian. So it might be too polite.
Sig'd
Re: For/Against The Elements
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 5:58 pm
by goroth
The Elements is so good I have two on my gigging board. I think people get the idea that because it has a lot of knobs and shit that it must be some sort of great thing for getting a lot of different sounds, but not be particularly good at any one sound.
Which is poo.
Like everyone has said, I don't think there is a lot of overlap with your other pedals, and Soni's post is 100% correct.
Re: For/Against The Elements
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 6:07 pm
by DarkAxel
For me, it's not a thing i'd get as a fuzz, but it does a great distortion

you know... the amp-like sound etc etc, i have mine even though i can get similar sounds...
mine is set for that twangy and agressive thing, not high gain, reminds me of Dillinger Escape Plan's distortion sound, very cutting and twangy, but good for chugging as well... it's gooooood
takes overdrives very well from my experience, very amp-like in that... great with a Mini

Re: For/Against The Elements
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 6:13 pm
by bigchiefbc
DarkAxel wrote:For me, it's not a thing i'd get as a fuzz, but it does a great distortion

you know... the amp-like sound etc etc, i have mine even though i can get similar sounds...
Ditto on that, I've only had my Elements for a month or so, but I've got two main sounds I use it for. A low-gain overdrive that I use to push my amp, and a higher-gain cranked-to-10 Marshall-y sound.
Re: For/Against The Elements
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 6:16 pm
by DarkAxel
Yeah, it does actually remind me of a JCM800 at times... just not as BIG and real, you know - it's still "just" a pedal, but it's absolutely great
and the EQ lets you sculpt the sound very thoroughly
Re: For/Against The Elements
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 6:37 pm
by Deltaphoenix
For
Re: For/Against The Elements
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 8:21 pm
by chillerthanmost
I'm one that couldn't get into the elements. I had it for about two months or so and always felt it sounded a little too digital, a little too modern. I was trying to use it as a low gain boost but couldn't really make it fit well at low gain settings. Felt he clipping just wasn't too natural sounding. It did do really well at higher gain. Lots of gain available and a good amount of volume. Again, couldn't vibe with the gain too much though. On any of the clipping settings, though I mainly used the center position (no diodes?). The EQ was neat at times but I felt it was too easy to dial in generic to bad tones because there were so many options and features. I might had liked it if there was less stuff to fiddle with to dial in something faster and easier. Again, I had it for a couple months and really tried to like it and used it with several amps, several other pedals, and several guitars, even on bass, and my main complaint was that it was just too modern/digital sounding. Idk. I'm lame. I like my Rat Tail, Mini, and Fuck more. Hell, I even like the Middleman Boost I have more and I kinda don't like that too much. But it does a Marshall sound much better than the Elements. And the Mini and Fuck sound better to me as low gain stuff. And the Rat Tail sounds like a rat, so, yeah. Idk, I just didn't vibe with the elements as much as everyone else. Greatly built and quality stuff. Just subjective in tone, I suppose. I mean no offense to Dr. Sci.
Re: For/Against The Elements
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 10:11 pm
by ChetMagongalo
chillerthanmost wrote:I'm one that couldn't get into the elements. I had it for about two months or so and always felt it sounded a little too digital, a little too modern. I was trying to use it as a low gain boost but couldn't really make it fit well at low gain settings. Felt he clipping just wasn't too natural sounding. It did do really well at higher gain. Lots of gain available and a good amount of volume. Again, couldn't vibe with the gain too much though. On any of the clipping settings, though I mainly used the center position (no diodes?). The EQ was neat at times but I felt it was too easy to dial in generic to bad tones because there were so many options and features. I might had liked it if there was less stuff to fiddle with to dial in something faster and easier. Again, I had it for a couple months and really tried to like it and used it with several amps, several other pedals, and several guitars, even on bass, and my main complaint was that it was just too modern/digital sounding. Idk. I'm lame. I like my Rat Tail, Mini, and Fuck more. Hell, I even like the Middleman Boost I have more and I kinda don't like that too much. But it does a Marshall sound much better than the Elements. And the Mini and Fuck sound better to me as low gain stuff. And the Rat Tail sounds like a rat, so, yeah. Idk, I just didn't vibe with the elements as much as everyone else. Greatly built and quality stuff. Just subjective in tone, I suppose. I mean no offense to Dr. Sci.
Backed hard. I think the Elements sounds great but it's not really a sound I wanted. I also liked the Mini and fuck more on low gain. I think the Elements really shines with high gain. The Elements was a little too colored and modern sounding on my setup..
Re: For/Against The Elements
Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2014 12:04 am
by Jero
For it.
It doesn't make bad sounds.
Re: For/Against The Elements
Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2014 3:45 am
by KaosCill8r
D.o.S. wrote:I've never heard a bad thing about The Elements on here, and allegedly it covers a stupid amount of ground as far as gain and tone are concerned.
But it's Canadian. So it might be too polite.
I own a Fairfield Circuitry Unpleasant Surprise. Its Canadian and very far from polite!!
Re: For/Against The Elements
Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2014 5:20 am
by Doctor X
the answer is that you have to try it for yourself, otherwise you will never know and will always be wondering 'what if'