New Spaceman Effects release May 3

[pup tentacle]

If the NOS transistor is the same one that's in my white Merc IV, I should still buy this one for its 3 tone stacks, right? If it's the same NOS transistor that's in the regular Merc IV, well, I sold that one because I didn't like it as much as the white one, so I guess I'd probably skip this one... yet, if it's a different NOS transistor, I should buy it for the slightly altered tonal palette as well... but, does the gain knob do everything the harmonics knob does on the Merc IV? Oh, I'm so confused.

 

[billbfoot]

I like the demos, sounds good and a germanium preamp with 3 band tone stack seems useful. Giving one a try, though I can definitely see why Spaceman fans would be underwhelmed but yet another preamp/boost pedal.

Same. Silver one ordered and confirmed. My only other Spaceman pedal is the Saturn VI (which is an absolute favorite of mine), so I’m pretty stoked abt this one.

 

[Meriphew]

If the NOS transistor is the same one that's in my white Merc IV, I should still buy this one for its 3 tone stacks, right? If it's the same NOS transistor that's in the regular Merc IV, well, I sold that one because I didn't like it as much as the white one, so I guess I'd probably skip this one... yet, if it's a different NOS transistor, I should buy it for the slightly altered tonal palette as well... but, does the gain knob do everything the harmonics knob does on the Merc IV? Oh, I'm so confused.

I’m sure it won’t be the same NOS transistors used in the original.

 

[Slevin]

I’m sure it won’t be the same NOS transistors used in the original.

Yeah pretty sure those are long gone

 

[Danny58]

Are spaceman done with all the fancy moonrock, copper, sparkle etc limited releases? This and the past few releases all came in standard editions.

 

[Slevin]

Are spaceman done with all the fancy moonrock, copper, sparkle etc limited releases? This and the past few releases all came in standard editions.

They made a really poor excuse (imo) for why they stopped doing it, but said they’d start again. I don’t foresee them going back to limited.

 

[Meriphew]

I understand why they do standard editions. They need a sustainable product. If all of their pedals are limited editions they would always be scrambling to release a new pedal. They also make them a bit more affordable. Having said all of that, I’d love to see limited editions of all of their pedals offered.

 

[Danny58]

They made a really poor excuse (imo) for why they stopped doing it, but said they’d start again. I don’t foresee them going back to limited.

Oh really, what was the excuse? Also, weren’t the limited versions and collectability a cash cow of sorts?

Would really like to see a shootout between the Redstone, Benson GE boost and the DBA Germanium Filter!

 

[seiko]

Unfortunate for them they launched this after the DBA Germanium Filter!

 

[PhuzzphayzZ]

If the NOS transistor is the same one that's in my white Merc IV, I should still buy this one for its 3 tone stacks, right? If it's the same NOS transistor that's in the regular Merc IV, well, I sold that one because I didn't like it as much as the white one, so I guess I'd probably skip this one... yet, if it's a different NOS transistor, I should buy it for the slightly altered tonal palette as well... but, does the gain knob do everything the harmonics knob does on the Merc IV? Oh, I'm so confused.

 

[Blanket Jackson]

Unfortunate for them they launched this after the DBA Germanium Filter!

They sound like drastically different animals

 

[Slevin]

Oh really, what was the excuse? Also, weren’t the limited versions and collectability a cash cow of sorts?

Would really like to see a shootout between the Redstone, Benson GE boost and the DBA Germanium Filter!

They said they couldn’t get parts. I have an engineering friend who said it didn’t add up at all. Either way, im not trying to knock them, i would say spaceman is still my favorite pedal company. Just a bummer overall as it was special to get all amped for these releases. But i get why they’ve taken the road they have.

 

[Reyybarra]

I liked it, but didn't think i needed it so i passed, but i do miss the days of excitement for days, only to hyperventalate while you had something in the cart and paypal wouldn't load or the site would crash... lol good times good times.

 

[HH1978]

Pretty funny that the Deadendfx clone of the Mercury IV, released a couple of years ago, was already called "redstone".

 

[Tabor]

I don't miss the days of the rare, limited edition, stress induced fomo purchasing, or the inflated used pricing that grew up alongside. I'm happy to be able to purchase standard editions at used prices or sale prices below the listed new price and I also appreciate that readily available standard editions help bring down the used prices for the limited editions that do exist.

While it's true they've mostly been re-releasing updated versions of their older designs I appreciate this because the older designs had become expensive and difficult to obtain and because the newer versions offer meaningful improvements in control, performance possibilities, and space savings. For example the Sputnik III has that footswitch option that was unavailable on the previous iterations, the Saturn VI adds a tone control, and this new Redstone offers a full 3 band EQ compared to the tone toggles on the Mercury IV (which I thought were very narrow in their target frequencies and I struggled to find an agreeable setting in any combination) and is also in a smaller enclosure than the Mercury IV.

They have, however, also released a few legitimately new effects in recent years. The Mission Control is probably top among those as far as the level of uniqueness and creativity.

With regard to this Redstone I was interested because I did like some of the lower gain and edge of breakup sounds from the Mercury IV (despite my own difficulty with the tone toggle situation) but in listening to demos the Redstone seems to have way more grit available and I think it sounds rather harsh with the gain knob above 9:00 so there might be a pretty narrow sweep for me as far as what I consider the sweet spot... (unless this is because the people in demos are all using the volume control to push their amps a lot too). Maybe I'll try it someday but for now I'm well set with my existing preamp, overdrive, and fuzz options and I don't see this offering a meaningful improvement or much of any variety from what I already have so I'm going to pass.

 

[Spider Mark]

Much as I adore Spaceman dirt, I have a Saturn VI, Atlas III, Mercury IV and Polaris as well as an Artemis with EQ options. Not much reason for this one, for me.

 

[sickboy79]

This look pretty cool to me. I'm tempted to order one! I'll look forward to hearing more about this one (unless I order first).

 

[indeedido]

Balhae Training Center under Director Song seems like a reference to the Korean sci-fi series The Silent Sea. In that show there is the Balhae Lunar Research Station where they research (and die from) lunar water. Lunar Water crazily expands when if comes into contact with organic substances. The researchers there die from drowning.

A pedal that drowns you in watery-ness?

Nerd alert

 

[Flatscan]

It sounds like a fine utility pedal.

Spaceman had better step up their game.

Edit: and most all of the demos seem very anti-Spaceman to me brand-wise - bunch of tan pants/pentatonic blooz licks into a clean Victory amp type stuff. C'mon man. Spaceman would do well not to try and go head to head with JHS/Keeley/Wampler/Joyo etc.

 

[Blanket Jackson]

I liked it, but didn't think i needed it so i passed, but i do miss the days of excitement for days, only to hyperventalate while you had something in the cart and paypal wouldn't load or the site would crash... lol good times good times.

.... but we'll always have those "KTRs are now in stock" emails (or Tim V3s for that matter)