LastGasp first impressions (now with 100% more thunder box)

[bob the r0bot]

Yo guys,
I posted in the GAS thread a few days ago that I was getting few new pedals from LAL and there was enough of a reaction that I thought a thread would be appropriate (also LAL is 'spensive as fug and the more info and clips there is/are the better). The thread is currently labeled first impressions I just got my hands on the boxes today, but I wanted to go ahead and get some thoughts down as well as open the floor for questions. I also plan on getting some sound clips prepared in the coming days, so I also wanted to ask what you guys were looking for from those too.

Before we actually get to the pedals themselves, I wanted to give a quick shout out to the place I bought them from, Perfect Circuit Audio, for giving me six patch-cables with my order because, fuck, that's a lot of patch cables.

Now to what you actually care about

peds.jpg (137.98 KiB) Viewed 4307 times

First MISTY CAVE
For the uninitiated, this pedal is a "resonance echo" meaning that it uses delay to replicated the sound of a resonating room--it does this very well. It's got three controls: a blend, delay time (tunes the resonance), and rate(sort of like an intensity). The sound that its really built for is the resonating room: 50/50 blend and you tune the resonance to the key so that when you hit the tonic you get a nice "fwooooosh" and volume bump. The other immediately obvious use for it is a sort of ring-mod light: tune it to some out of key note and you get some weird clanks and gurgles. There's a cool gaze use for it too that I'm enjoying: tune it to resonate at a note and glide into it from a half-step above--mbv to the extreme.

Thing to note: there is a bit of a bass cut when you turn it on and the "rate" led will flash as long as the pedal has power


Second THUNDER BOX
This guy is a frequency booster of sorts; you set the level to unity and the "Donshari" knob gives you a simultaneous bass and treble boost. Its intended purpose, I think, is to be placed after fuzzes and distortions as sort of a heavy-izer, but I've been using it today a pre-amp of sorts. I play Jaguar and a 4001, which can both be sort of anemic sounding sometimes, but the Thunder Box is working really well

Thing to note: it doesn't have all that much overall volume boost too it, so it may actually top out at lower than unity for all you active and over-wound dudes


So there's the initial run-down on the goods, let me know what questions you have and I'll try my best to get them answered for you. I plan to try to record the clips on Sunday or Monday, so let me know what you guys are looking for from those before then.


BTW, I also have a Super-Oscillo-Fuzz (the one with all the switches)in my possession, so feel free to ask about that guy too.

[Chankgeez]

Nice first impressions. Thank you.

[rustywire]

I traded for a Misty Cave about 6 months ago. It sounds killer but frustrates me.
First off, the jack spacing is way too cramped, even before connecting an expression pedal.
The LFO is square-type only: ON, OFF, ON, OFF...and the led blinks with choppiness as a result...whereas a sine or triangle with smoother transitions would be of great use (like a Tremolessence or Cosmichorus).
If only there were a waveshape control...and master volume.

But the sounds I get from it are ridiculous and distinct; metallic type of resonance, especially used with fuzz.
And synths, samplers and drum machines.

It sounds like scary beast.





























very resonate
omg much industrial
so excite

[Chankgeez]

This thread just keeps getting better.

[Tristan]

Thanks for the nice first impressions review.
I have always been curious about the Misty Cave.
That Donsharizer seems to be a bit similar to the Kill Kill Filter maybe?
The Kill Kill Filter with the volume maxed and the gain up to unity can also boost the low end of a bass or guitar in all the right places to make it sound really fat.

[coldbrightsunlight]

Nice write-up, they're definitely interesting pedals, sound fun!

[bob the r0bot]

That Donsharizer seems to be a bit similar to the Kill Kill Filter maybe?
The Kill Kill Filter with the volume maxed and the gain up to unity can also boost the low end of a bass or guitar in all the right places to make it sound really fat.

I can see where your coming from there but, I think the Thunder Box is a bit different. Full disclosure, I've never actually been able to sit down with a Kill Kill, but from the demos I've seen it's more about extreme bass or treble boost as an effect. The Thunder Box seems like a more subdued, instant-excelent-eq in a box type deal.

It's a little hard to describe, but I feel like the Kill Kill is a sound and the Thunder Box is a sound enhancer.

[xGAMBLERx]

where does dat cave sit best in your chain>?

does any1 forsee goodness wit dat cave jnside a superego pre dirt?

[rustywire]

where does dat cave sit best in your chain>?

does any1 forsee goodness wit dat cave jnside a superego pre dirt?

This is, in part why I want a Superego. It's been on my trade want list for like 6 months but I never buy one when I have the cash...

[bob the r0bot]

where does dat cave sit best in your chain>?

does any1 forsee goodness wit dat cave jnside a superego pre dirt?

I personally like it to be the first in the chain, but it's got applications pre-dirt. Seriously, I had my amp at bedroom level and the Misty Cave into a Fuzz Factory was a harsh noise show; I was getting feedback from the strings behind the bridge and every time the vibrato-arm moved in the socket or I moved the bridge under the strings, I got the most sickening clanks and screeches.

I honestly have no idea what it would in the superego, but I'm confidant it would be nuts.

[Tristan]

That Donsharizer seems to be a bit similar to the Kill Kill Filter maybe?
The Kill Kill Filter with the volume maxed and the gain up to unity can also boost the low end of a bass or guitar in all the right places to make it sound really fat.

I can see where your coming from there but, I think the Thunder Box is a bit different. Full disclosure, I've never actually been able to sit down with a Kill Kill, but from the demos I've seen it's more about extreme bass or treble boost as an effect. The Thunder Box seems like a more subdued, instant-excelent-eq in a box type deal.

It's a little hard to describe, but I feel like the Kill Kill is a sound and the Thunder Box is a sound enhancer.

Could be so indeed, the Kill Kill Filter does change your sound, it mostly gives you more heavier or more aggression or even both, of the few video's I saw I thought the Thunder Box kinda did the same but I see what you mean.

[theavondon]

My genitals are getting pretty misty for that cave.

[GlitteryChunks]

Bass/Baritone clips would be very appreciated.

How do the owners feel about the price to feature/sound/whatever? Is this getting enough use that the price is justified for you?

The demos out there make me want it but more in a "if I won the lottery and could buy all the gear I wanted..." kind of way.

Even if I had just enough money to get it now I would still be hesitant. I feel like this would be a pedal I would get when I really start pushing my personal envelope of sound creation with what I have/want now. Eh, one day.....

[D.o.S.]

My genitals are getting pretty misty for that cave.

Take two of these and call me at midnight.

[bob the r0bot]

Bass/Baritone clips would be very appreciated.

Consider it done

How do the owners feel about the price to feature/sound/whatever? Is this getting enough use that the price is justified for you?

LAL stuff is really in line with my particular brand of weird and I'm a bit of a fanboy but, for what it's worth, I think they are worth the money. From a quality standpoint, they're all extremely well built and use really nice parts. From a sonic standpoint, they're not the most flexible things out there, but they all have their own unique sound that they do really well and you can't always get from somewhere else.

Thankfully, Mr. Lastgasp has seems to be trying to bring prices down a bit and three of his most recent offers (the Gomorrah, Octavella, and LLuna) go for >$200 USD at the current exchange rate. They also hold there value pretty well on the used market, so if you decide to try one and don't like it, you can probably get out of the deal with deficit around $20-40.