Placeholder for a future demo, 5 Wampler pedals. Read the OP for details.

[Agreed]

I've taken advantage of TGP's freedom to change thread titles since the original goal of the thread was to gauge interest in the concept, and I got all I wanted to know pretty quickly. Now it's just a matter of time.

Details: I've got 5 Wampler amp-in-a-box pedals: Black '65, Plexidrive, Plextortion, Super Plextortion, and Triple Recstortion (precursor to the Triple Wreck, same circuit but the Triple Wreck has some add-ons). I'll be doing a demo side-by-side into the same setup, in the style of a recording that switches musical genres as appropriate to demo all of the pedals. Should be neat, I hope!

If it ends up working and I like it, I'll be doing the same for some Barber pedals, and some Digitech pedals - three makers, three price points, should be fun.

Thanks to everyone who contributed, had a lot of useful posts both on-topic and off. Very much appreciate the feedback.

It will probably be a bit before I can get around to it as I have a fairly packed schedule at the moment, but I will update this thread when I get it done and give it a bump. Until then

 

[Agreed]

Am I going to bump this? Yes, I'm going to bump this. Right now, HCFX is actually more willing to read and reply to a really long thread than TGP is. Granted, at least two people have more or less said "I ain't reading that long of a post" but there are others, and those blessed others are on topic! So do it for the children, TGP, I believe in you.

 

[Matlock]

So you want to demo a bunch of wampler pedals through Amplitude using your schecter with the same settings to show the differences in the pedads.
Alright, go for it.

 

[Agreed]

So you want to demo a bunch of wampler pedals through Amplitude using your schecter with the same settings to show the differences in the pedads.
Alright, go for it.

Oh, I even posted a good summary now. No, that's not quite it. I want to know if people would be interested in a pedal demo of that nature because it is, frankly, a lot of work if it would just be a waste of time that no one would care to listen to.

Demoing pedads is hard, man.

 

[Peeb]

Wamplers= good.
Demos= fun.

How could this miss?

 

[Agreed]

Wamplers= good.
Demos= fun.

How could this miss?

That's my hope, anyway, just trying to feel out the interest before I undertake something like that. Demoing a single pedal in or out of a song context is easy, demoing a bunch of pedals and writing a song for them is a lot more involved. But I think it would be cool - if it would actually help anyone and/or be interesting for others. Don't really want to do it if it's just basically me wanking on some neato pedals for my own benefit, I could spend all that time recording something non-demo if it turns out no one really cares about that format.

 

[Don Rusk]

...Dont get what the problem is ... as was said - 'go for it' !!.. its done all the time .... fill up your pedal board with pedals and stomp between them... Ive done many of them as have many others.......

the basic problem is once digitized a distortion pedal sounds like a distortion pedal and you never really get a feel for the differences since the actual 'feel' is so altered by the recording process and replaying on computer speakers...


I still prefer a well articulated description to a clip of drive pedals and thats why I stopped doing them

but have at it !!!

 

[Agreed]

It'd be a supplement to a great deal I've already written on them and an addition to more that I intend to write. As previously mentioned I've already reviewed the Plextortion and Super Plextortion in a dual review that even Brian Wampler felt really got to the distinctions between them (which is a question a lot of people have asked, from searches and my own experience). I will be reviewing for publication the Black '65 and the Plexidrive as well. So it's not going to just be a drive-by pedal demo reel, but I think cutting out the other variables and keeping the pedals to within one product line from one maker will be helpful since it gives people a real idea of what the line is capable of, what the maker is up to with each.

I agree that your best bet if you can't physically try the pedal out yourself is to listen to what a reviewer actually has to say about the products if you trust the reviewer to be thorough and fair with his analysis. If words are used efficiently (and in reviews I try to do that much more so than in a post here ) the reviewer can hopefully convey information that will inform your perspective and help you make a good decision as a buyer. But I also like to mix things up every once in awhile.

As far as "digitized, a distortion pedal sounds like a distortion pedal" I really strongly disagree. Digital is the medium today for the vast majority of recorded content. Jimi's tone and Harrison/Lennon sound extremely distinct on modern CD releases (even on Revolution, which is definitely dirt to the board). I don't think there's anything about digital that somehow masks how things actually sound. I will grant you that having recorded some demos for youtube the process that youtube does to prepare videos for display is particularly troublesome because of the level of compression and distortion that it introduces, but even so a cursory listen to various good youtube pedal demos shows that it's still a useful medium. I've learned to mix specifically for youtube (which basically involves a lot of compression since I can do it intelligently and in such a way that doesn't totally kill the sound of the product I'm demoing, whereas youtube does it horribly and just kind of takes an ax to the sound). I don't do youtube demos unless I absolutely have to, I prefer my audio host Tindeck which allows a lot more freedom in what I can upload and doesn't alter the files. Anyway... that's not a discussion to have here, in my opinion, if you want to start a thread on that in an appropriate forum section here I'd be glad to join in and discuss it It is a fruitful topic, but I don't think that disagreement belongs here, if you understand what I mean.

 

[retro]

It's all relative....depending on what it sounds like...some people will like it some won't. It may be a somewhat accurate representation of a pedal in one system it may not be. No one can tell if it will sound the same with their rig in their room.

Experience has taught me the only way to evaluate a pedal is to use it. So I agree with DonneR. A demo is far too removed from what I hear in using the same pedal.

The best a demo can do imo, is create enough interest to want to try it or pass. 99% of them are in the pass category. And therefore can be detrimental or at least unfair to the pedal.

Using an amp sim would only distance my interest further.

 

[Agreed]

What would make it an inaccurate representation of a pedal in one setting? Surely you're not suggesting I'd just lie about the pedals I'm using?

 

[retro]

Please note for your consideration I said somewhat accurate. Not inaccurate.


There are many things that can color the sound of a demo. Rig, tubes, room, recording technique, etc. etc...the list goes on and on.

Because of that the best one can hope for is a somewhat accurate representation. Which as I previously mentioned is typically woefully short of that mark, ime.

 

[Agreed]

Alright, but the whole goal here is to keep all that stuff the same (to a degree that isn't often possible, thanks to using a different set of tools than a lot of conventional demos) and then show a bunch of pedals one after the other, so that you have the context that you're complaining is too often an unaccountable factor. If anyone would see this particular style as worthwhile for demoing, I'd think it would be someone like you who is skeptical of one-off demos because of things you don't or can't know. So long as you trust that I'm leaving everything else exactly the same, doesn't this get past the problem of a lack of context by forcing those variables to remain static?

It's still not you playing it with your rig, obviously, but I've got quite a lot said already about some of the pedals and also yet to say about others that should help flesh out whatever the clip could show you.

If you're just skeptical of the usefulness of demos in general because you don't feel like anything is useful but trying it yourself, then that's different than being skeptical about this demo in particular, but I'd nonetheless like to get a sense of what it is you think is wrong with this format compared to the traditional "listen to this clip of me playing this one pedal."

 

[retro]

So long as you trust that I'm leaving everything else exactly the same, doesn't this get past the problem of a lack of context by forcing those variables to remain static?

The variables exist outside the realm of your control.

So I don't see the difference in your system comparatively.

But I am not saying don't do it.

The gist as I understood it, is do 'we', do 'I', think it is a worthwhile endeavor?

My opinion is simply that, (and I apologize if I am not being concise), it will be worthwhile to some, it won't be to other's. So therefore my opinion is meaningless.

And perhaps, if you agree, then you may see that doing it without opinion or consent is a valid option for you.

 

[gatordoc]

Seeing that I only own a Triple Wreck, I'd certainly be interested in hearing clips using the same identical rig to show the tonal differences between Brian's pedals. I think the TW is exceptional because of it's versatile EQ section and interaction between the controls. I know people say this about his other pedals as well so demo away!

 

[Don Rusk]

... before I stopped doing them one thing I started doing was to add a 'reference pedal' ~ something appropriate that everyone would likely have heard for 'reference' .....
usually either a Tube Screamer for drives or a Silicon Fuzz Face for Fuzzes - heres a few examples.....


http://www.youtube.com/DonnerBox#p/u/65/1dJAA6XI-pM

http://www.youtube.com/DonnerBox#p/u/61/aJfJmcv9Vuw

http://www.youtube.com/DonnerBox#p/u/64/CaF-MLeIaYY


might be worth adding to your demos to make them more useful......

 

[Agreed]

I rely more on text to communicate in my reviews than clips, clips are primarily to emphasize something I've found particularly noteworthy in the text. This is something I'm trying that's apart from my usual idiom. But I do agree that a "reference" pedal is a good idea, to help people connect with the setup itself.

There was a recent demo by Plan-X of the Barber u-LTD where he did a lot of switching between the clean sound and then making adjustments and kicking on the pedal, and I found it very helpful in deciding whether to buy it or not (in the mail ) because it helped me keep the reference point in mind when listening to for the tone of the pedal itself. I think I might start doing that in my review clips, too.

Interpretation is a tough thing. It's up to people whether they trust a reviewer and whether they trust the idea of a clip. I dig it, I think the hermeneutic enterprise in phenomenology of sound is a fun concept to think about, play around with, etc.; hence my interest in doing some stuff I haven't done before, but getting a sense of what others think about it first because I don't have all that much time between other things to "waste" if it turns out to be an unpopular notion. So far though I've had a lot more interest than disinterest here and elsewhere, I figure I'll go ahead with it and see how it turns out. Should be fun!

 

[jdel77]

F_ck me man, this a shitload of writing. You could have done the demo by now, bro! What the bloody freaking hell is Hermaneutic phenomenology? Sounds like something you'd study in the 5th year of a Maths degree...
I'd like to hear your demo. Wampler pedals have some good sounds.
Here is my favourite side by side demo of pedals from the same builder...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDIFZNWQJTQ

 

[Agreed]

It's all about interpretation

As far as "you could have done the demos by now," I'll present content as I can. Hopefully this will be helpful to people. It's looking like people want it, so I'll probably end up doing it.

Remember though that I'm a guy, I've got a life going on apart from providing demos and writing stuff that makes a demo cool (which in this case will require some thinking since I've got a low gain Fender inspired pedal but it can also get a lot of crunch; a crunch Marshall inspired pedal; two medium-high Marshall inspired dirts with different voicings from each other and from the preceding one; and a high-gain Mesa inspired distortion box). I get that you're just exaggerating for effect there but this is a free-time thing that I'm doing, and it's going to take some time to get it together.

I am really surprised at the people who seem to take so much interest in how I express myself in posts. I have to tell you, there's a 100% chance I'm not going to change based on a few guys telling me I talk too much. Just let me be me and we'll get along fine, I don't step on your posting style so tread gently on mine, please

Edit: So we're clear, not attacking anyone, just stating categorically that I'm going to go on making verbose posts sometimes and that's preeetty much just how I roll so it's not really worth commenting on, at least it's not relevant to the topic at hand.

 

[DemoColorScheme]

Honestly, I don't see the 'issue' here. You want to do a demo (or demo's) if enough people have the interest in seeing one/them? Right? Well, there are plenty of people interested in Wampler and I'd sure love to see some demo's. So, just go for it. Even if just one guy liked it, it would've been worth it, right?

 

[Agreed]

Honestly, I don't see the 'issue' here. You want to do a demo (or demo's) if enough people have the interest in seeing one/them? Right? Well, there are plenty of people interested in Wampler and I'd sure love to see some demo's. So, just go for it. Even if just one guy liked it, it would've been worth it, right?

Well, I've never done the kind of demo I'm envisioning, but I can anticipate from previous full instrumental demo recordings that it will be a lot of work recording it... especially since I've got several characteristic sounds to work with. I'll need to program drums for all of it, make a cool bass-line, and then play something interesting and demonstrative through the pedals, with several tracks each to demo with the kind of context I want. So that's a lot of effort.

While the overall reaction has been positive (which definitely makes me happy) there's been some hesitance regarding the concept. I'm kind of putting it to a vote to just feel out the communities most likely to be interested in it and see whether they think it's a cool idea or a needless extravagance.

As far as "would it be worth it if just one person liked it?" No, I don't think so, because if I'm going to dedicate X hours to recording, I'd like it to be useful to as many people as possible. I know that individual pedal demos draw traffic because I can see the stats on that. I don't have ads or anything on my blog, it's hosted for free apart from Tindeck which I'm a full member of for basically unlimited audio hosting; the point is to try to have a useful resource, you know? If one person likes it, that's great for that one guy, but if 500 people like something then that's, er, 500 times as good, give or take.