why not.
especially if big discussions start, plus maybe mark can blog a little about what he is doing there.
I read they may finalize a new midi protocol at this show. that will be interesting how that finally ends up when it is finished.
Black Arts has 2 new pedals and a pedal colab with DOD!
Good news for Mark. I'm mildly interested in a couple of things mentioned to be unveiled but nothing I'm duper stoked about. I'm heading down the modular path. There's a couple analog drum machines and sequencers I'm researching to buy in the near future for my modular.
The Korg SQ 1 is one of the things being premiered at NAMM
akai released the 2 matching pieces to your drum machine. a 4 voice synth with 4 sequencers(that caught my attention) and a ..ummm..shit I forgotr. but we have until july to figure it out as that is when they ship
roland is showing that JP-vzi w/e hybrid. 2 digital oscillators+pcm banks and digital processing path. also an analog osc and analog filter, then digital effects. this would be a sweet first keyboard. but it looks like it does a bit of everything but not a lot of anything. it even has a 16 step sequencer and separate drum section..like the roland casio series heh.
if the price is cheap enough it will be nice in a casio sort of way.
dave smith is supposed to have something awesome cooking.
PRS made a dragon super special guitar. let's guess the MSRP(heh) i'm guessing $17,990
looks like everyone is following taylor with their different series of guitars and shapes and materials. cool.
I need to finally attend NAMM
If only so I could then sit alone at a bar, and if someone comes up to strike a random conversation, I can begin a horrific war story in a gravelly voice: "This one time in NAMM...."
ha! good one.
I guess I'm looking forward to the Beatstep Pro now too. Fuck the SQ 1.
what is this beatstep pro? beatstep needs some beefing up. they aere starting to show up used by the ton, like $69.
i'll google the beatstep pro to see what we have..
wow. yeah just leapfrogged the sq-1 shit.
Looks like it wants to look like the OP-1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=M9oJkRqbAJ0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=M9oJkRqbAJ0)
Fender "sandblasted" finishes look pretty good to me. ???
(http://www.thebassplace.com/wp-content/uploads/Fender-Limited-Edition-Sandblast-Sapphire-P-Bass-500x500.jpg)
(http://cdn3.volusion.com/nvcpd.gmazx/v/vspfiles/photos/FELTDSBJAZZRED-2.jpg)
Ooh, I do like that sandblast!
Dee Dee Ramone signature bass
http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/namm-2015-fenders-dee-dee-ramone-precision-bass-reaches-stores-614069
It looks cool, probably sounds great - it just seems so not punk to have a signature model - feeling slightly conflicted. :-\
how did they get him to sign it?
this is getting confusing. the sq-1 with that modular kit is pretty nice.
roland has a master mixer thibngy. I would call it sort of an "ableton in the can" but it seems like it interfaces with ableton too. whole master clock deal, sequenced effects, interesting.
I am becoming aware of a new type of device, this master controller idea.
when I fist watched an op-1 demo, they used that little tape deck thing on the lcd and it caught my attention. that is actually quite the powerful little toy looking deal. my initial mpression on seeing it was that this was something apple could have made. it just looks like an apple product.
Holy shit my Moog just got waaaaaay better.
Dee Dee just used a white CBS-era Precision as I recall, I think he duct-taped the strap to it as a "mod", haha. I wonder who gets any sheckles from any licensing at this point, Monte? He certainly earned it, haha...
I guess I'm finally gettin' old and cranky, but I can't even imagine anything at the NAMM thing appealing to me. All the good stuff was made decades ago, by cracky !
Well I'm not really interested in new technology as far as guitars and amps as my dusty ol' toobs and les Paul's do me just fine. But I do like the much of the new blinky lights toys based off the old technology ever synth I turned into a synth nerd.
those sandblasted fenders are sweet looking. heavy..
they have the original dime "dean from hell" on display
then they made sig models that actually have the dean from hell sticker duplicates
I thought they said list 1099. so those will probably be in sweetwater for $799 heh.
the art is exact, the lightning etc..that was nice.
taylor guitar making totally homegrown guitars and only ebony from their Cameroon ebony farm. maple, Sitka spruce, yeah.
Gibson is into the powered monitor business now heh.
shit..mark is in with a huge company. dod is part of the Harman group. they have quietly sucked up like 20 common music gear names that we all know and love.
lexicon is part of Harman, so I saw their brand splash sheet in that lit or wtf.. go mark. I bet he took his pharaoh concept and let DOD use their eq circuits.
mark can't develop parametric eqs alone quickly and they probably had those circuits developed already or an entire department able to knock shit out fast. sounds like a good team up.
everyone in the fucking world will now know who mark is too.
the modular stuff is off the hook. I think the waldorf waveform module is a winner. I have heard nothing else like that.
the sensei. I would like that thing as a complete modular in a case setup. that thing was making weird sounds. also it was a collaboration between this guy and the Pittsburgh modular guy.
I have to admit, I am constantly liking the doepfer stuff which actually seems to be quite popular now that I am aware of it.
at the end of the day, I still truly believe, if you are going to drop a g and a half, the sub37 kicks all ass.
you know that patch is going to be killer squared. why? the geek firmware engineer doing it is why. his fucking glasses were driving me nuts sliding down his nose as he geeked out over his patch. what a fucking geek. no question, he is a god.
btw, while I meditate on owning one, I will meditate until the patch is available, debugged and then buy it from sweetwater. one of their service features is that they get all updates loaded and set up before they ship to you. you bet I would only buy novation synths from them too for that reason.
after further pondering, I wouldn't just jump to a super beatstep or korg sq-1 or that roland mx-1. they are hardwarizing the control from like ableton and cutting the pc out as the core of the whole music system(as in MASTER CLOCK unit)
I think the NEXT gen of these is where they hit the home run. but in the meantime, used beatsteps are $69. also you can clock a beatstep, but from usb control daw, so maybe one of these new master modules can send usb timing shit and slave that now almost useless beatstep back into usefullness
NAMM..just returned. First stop, SR.com :)
If you've never been, and can go as a spectator or loosely affiliated w a company, its a cool spectacle and worth a day or two walking around..Take in the enormous complexity of the whole thing and witness how deep the music industry really is.
If you're there working..fuck its a drag on nearly every level..except meeting some cool people, staying very drunk/hi..and well, thats about it.
Quote from: jibberish on January 24, 2015, 07:13:12 AM
they have the original dime "dean from hell" on display
shit..mark is in with a huge company. dod is part of the Harman group. they have quietly sucked up like 20 common music gear names that we all know and love.
lexicon is part of Harman, so I saw their brand splash sheet in that lit or wtf.. go mark. I bet he took his pharaoh concept and let DOD use their eq circuits.
mark can't develop parametric eqs alone quickly and they probably had those circuits developed already or an entire department able to knock shit out fast. sounds like a good team up.
everyone in the fucking world will now know who mark is too.
The #1 DFH was a heavy sight. Not a dime fan at all, and that one moved me.
Related story : I was taken up to Dean Z.'s private lair and he gave me a personal tour of his new line of guitars. Impressed by both the guitars and Dean personally. He's bigger than most rock stars there and was genuinely interested in my story and offered sage advice. Very cool guy.
I'll clear up the DOD connection.
Harman does own a shitload of companies. Black Arts is not one of them.
I licensed a design to DOD/Digitech. DOD is the analog leg, Digitech is the digital leg. Two brands that will co exist and each have its own thing. DOD is reissuing some of the good ole staple pedals we all grew up on. My pedal is under the DOD banner.
The DOD Boneshaker is a completely new circuit, not based on anything of mine or theirs. I wont bore anyone with tech Bshit, but am happy to if there is a need or interest in it. Its a neat circuit, and as far as I know, unlike anything else out there, although its not reinventing the wheel by any stretch.
Parametric eqs are pretty simple in theory but the difficult part (for me) is the execution in getting it all to fit in the enclosure. I do hand stuffed hand soldered pcbs and hand wired components. DOD does the mass produced stuff with SMD components, can do a mother board and two daughter boards and all board mounted pots/jacks. Saving TONS of real estate making the thing the small size which everyone seems to want now.
If youre not familiar with SMD tech by name, this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface-mount_technology
When approached with the idea of designing a new pedal for DOD, I was open to it based on the boutique feel of the reissues and the history of DOD being what I grew up using. After a very informal dinner/drinking session w them, it was a no brainer, and in my mind the risk to reward factor was sufficient to tell myself "I'd rather regret doing this than regret not doing it". They liked my ideas and were willing to let me do something that neither of us had done in the past. Contrary to what you may expect, DOD is 6 people, but with the corporate machine of Harman behind them. They are long haired rockers who get what we do, have done it , and are attempting to resurrect DOD. Im all for that.
I have no idea what it may mean for Black Arts, because I certainly will get alot more eyes on what I do. We did alot of press over the weekend with some major players in the corporate world. I'll put it this way..I'm not out looking for anything.I'll keep my head down and keep doing what I do. But if opportunity knocks at my door, I'm gonna answer it and assess.
Sounds pretty damn sweet mang.
Good on ya Mark. I think it's great that a bigger company like DOD is working with smaller, maybe lesser known makers of awesome stuff, then that's great for all parties involved.
Quote from: Lumpy on January 22, 2015, 05:34:25 PM
Fender "sandblasted" finishes look pretty good to me. ???
(http://www.thebassplace.com/wp-content/uploads/Fender-Limited-Edition-Sandblast-Sapphire-P-Bass-500x500.jpg)
(http://cdn3.volusion.com/nvcpd.gmazx/v/vspfiles/photos/FELTDSBJAZZRED-2.jpg)
good god man, it looks like something you sit on at dairy queen!
Quote from: Beta Cloud on January 27, 2015, 06:10:36 PM
good god man, it looks like something you sit on at dairy queen!
An 8yr old?
Hey Riffer Mark, would you mind maybe recounting how this whole relationship started and what the process was and how you protected yourself and your design. Lawyers involved? Patents? Third party holding of intellectual properties? Things like that. It would most interesting to me and others I would think.
heh mark, ponder working the IMTS show in Chicago FOR 10 DAYS STRAIGHT. total bullshit.
the last 2 days are like zombieville. none of the exhibitors has anything left and anyone who wanted to go, went already. redefines boring and your ankles and knees are smoking.
this giant fucking showhall like a morgue. like right before opening...all carpeted and no one around.
the best one ever was this sort of fail local industrial show in Indianapolis at the old hoserdome.
3/4 of the exhibitors started packing up after they:
a)didn't do well the entire show
b)virtually no one showed up last day
c)mgmt. were a pack of tards
except the packing started about 4 hrs before the show closed. mgmt was going apeshit trying to stop everyone from packing up and just getting tacky on the pa system.
I was helping the local rep/distributor with our product line in his booth because it was pretty huge. we were laughing so hard I was sore the next day. I wish I would have filmed those couple hours.
best thing about McCormack is watching the collection of people they scraped up to bring the crates into the hall. like every bum and junky in Chicago heh.
waiting for your crates is like the lotto. do you get yours early? or do you get fucked and get yours near the end so you are still there packing way late.
glad I don't do that anymore.
Quote from: RAGER on January 27, 2015, 07:22:59 PM
Hey Riffer Mark, would you mind maybe recounting how this whole relationship started and what the process was and how you protected yourself and your design. Lawyers involved? Patents? Third party holding of intellectual properties? Things like that. It would most interesting to me and others I would think.
This, because I'd hate to see a Big company taking advantage of the smaller guy.
Quote from: Jake on January 27, 2015, 06:55:07 PM
Quote from: Beta Cloud on January 27, 2015, 06:10:36 PM
good god man, it looks like something you sit on at dairy queen!
An 8yr old?
(http://www.recycledplasticbuildingmaterials.co.uk/user/products/Derwent%20Picnic%20Table%20red%202%20wb%5B2%5D.jpg)
or an eight year old.
heh
-------------------------------
mark, that really sounds great. I think BAT's level of ass kicking will increase significantly.
I think your agreement was very smart.
would you ever let like sweetwater sell your pedals if they asked?
Quote from: The Shocker on January 27, 2015, 10:17:09 AM
Sounds pretty damn sweet mang.
Thanks!
Quote from: James1214 on January 27, 2015, 05:17:04 PM
Good on ya Mark. I think it's great that a bigger company like DOD is working with smaller, maybe lesser known makers of awesome stuff, then that's great for all parties involved.
Thanks man, I agree. I really hope it works out for both of us. If its a successful w/o alot of backlash, then they may be willing to license from other small builders and we can start the dominoes falling towards the plethora of other small builders who deserve a look by the mainstream.
Quote from: RAGER on January 27, 2015, 07:22:59 PM
Hey Riffer Mark, would you mind maybe recounting how this whole relationship started and what the process was and how you protected yourself and your design. Lawyers involved? Patents? Third party holding of intellectual properties? Things like that. It would most interesting to me and others I would think.
The whole thing started in a very cool way. Tom Cram who is the main guy @ DOD is a true pedal guy. Tom was buying pedals from me, and using them but never tried to use any sway from being a huge guy in the business. He in fact did not tell me. He just bought pedals like any public person. He had bought a few and at some point emailed me and told me that my LSTR pedal was his favorite fuzz pedal of all time and he used it for everything. As we emailed a bit back and forth, talking about various stuff, I mentioned to him that Im not really a "pedal guy", and I don't use all of the schmancy new devices. I'm very simple, wah/Pharaoh/delay. Which at that time was my old standby Blue DODfx90 analog delay, and I went on to tell him that I really liked alot of the old DOD pedals. At that time he told me that he was the guy @ DOD/Digitech. I think at that point we were both for real and kept in touch every once in awhile. A few years go by and I was going to NAMM'14. Tom saw that and came by my booth, we met , talked and hit it off pretty quickly. We went out that Sat night for dinner/beers and out of mutual admiration just brainstormed some " what if" scenarios. So we pretty much by the end of dinner had roughed out what was acceptable to us both, he was very receptive to my ideas for the pedal. It was pretty much all hashed out right there and a handshake happened. It took awhile for him to convince his corporate people that it was a good idea, they did accept it and we slowly moved through the phases of getting this thing done. They have Lawyers, accountants and such who went through everything, I dont have that. I think I am able to read a contract well enough, they protect themselves and I believe I am protected to my satisfaction also. Its a license agreement, so I still own everything. At the end of each production cycle, I have the right to renegotiate the next production run.
Quote from: jibberish on January 27, 2015, 08:44:12 PM
heh mark, ponder working the IMTS show in Chicago FOR 10 DAYS STRAIGHT. total bullshit.
the last 2 days are like zombieville. none of the exhibitors has anything left and anyone who wanted to go, went already. redefines boring and your ankles and knees are smoking.
this giant fucking showhall like a morgue. like right before opening...all carpeted and no one around.
the best one ever was this sort of fail local industrial show in Indianapolis at the old hoserdome.
3/4 of the exhibitors started packing up after they:
a)didn't do well the entire show
b)virtually no one showed up last day
c)mgmt. were a pack of tards
except the packing started about 4 hrs before the show closed. mgmt was going apeshit trying to stop everyone from packing up and just getting tacky on the pa system.
I was helping the local rep/distributor with our product line in his booth because it was pretty huge. we were laughing so hard I was sore the next day. I wish I would have filmed those couple hours.
best thing about McCormack is watching the collection of people they scraped up to bring the crates into the hall. like every bum and junky in Chicago heh.
waiting for your crates is like the lotto. do you get yours early? or do you get fucked and get yours near the end so you are still there packing way late.
glad I don't do that anymore.
10 days? fuck. NAMM is 4, I go for 3. Thats still too much, yeah I struggle w being on my feet drinking for 3 days.
With DOD, the display was handled by corporate, so I walked in and out with no work. My own display is just a pedal board, so that requires very little work also, just carry in and out. Being in control of my own destiny means I come and go as I see fit. Arrive late, leave early, walk around and drink.
Quote from: johnny problem on January 27, 2015, 09:20:03 PM
This, because I'd hate to see a Big company taking advantage of the smaller guy.
In the end it's probably a mutual use. We are both getting an advantage out of it. If in the end I get fucked, well then I get fucked. Im out nothing at all except maybe a reputation hit. Again, I thinks its a calculated risk and Id rather fail than not try at all.
Quote from: jibberish on January 28, 2015, 05:37:46 AM
heh
-------------------------------
mark, that really sounds great. I think BAT's level of ass kicking will increase significantly.
I think your agreement was very smart.
would you ever let like sweetwater sell your pedals if they asked?
Thanks man. Ive definitely been asked by all of the major online retailers. My production is too small, they want large amounts and also large margins. My stuff is too labor intensive to allow large margins. I enjoy working with smaller shops who cater to the boutique industry. They get it, and know what they are selling. I think their expertise in suggesting a certain pedal to their customer is invaluable. Last thing I want is a guy to want a boutique tubescreamer and the dolt sales guy sells him a Pharaoh, kid then posts online that the Pharaoh sucks.Right tool for the job... I am in a few larger online retailers, but they play fair and stick to my parameters. I have pulled dealers who do shady shit, I dont need it. That said, I am in quite a few Sam Ash stores in larger markets. They agreed to do small quantities in real stores, no online. They don't get enough units or enough of a margin to discount or do blow-out sales.
Mark, I know you are way too busy, but I would subscribe in a second if you ever started a blog.
Dang, R-Mark. Congrats on all of that! So very cool, and it couldn't happen to a more solid and deserving man. Proud to know you and Rock the Pharaoh.
Everyday!
Great story! Thanks for sharing.
Quote from: The Shocker on January 29, 2015, 09:59:22 AM
Mark, I know you are way too busy, but I would subscribe in a second if you ever started a blog.
Thanks man, I appreciate that, but...I'm not a big fan of putting myself out there unless its answering a specific question. I bore myself and couldn't imagine that everyone else wouldn't be bored also.
Quote from: black on January 29, 2015, 12:39:37 PM
Dang, R-Mark. Congrats on all of that! So very cool, and it couldn't happen to a more solid and deserving man. Proud to know you and Rock the Pharaoh.
Everyday!
Thanks You! Too kind. Stoked that you dig the Pharaoh. I never get tired of hearing that.
Quote from: Lumpy on January 29, 2015, 12:56:53 PM
Great story! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Lumps, Its all true, and I'm lucky for that.
Quote from: The Riffer on January 27, 2015, 10:06:59 AM
NAMM..just returned. First stop, SR.com :)
Riffer, it's amazing that you just do what you do because you love your craft, and a corporate recognizes you because they love your craft, and you get to do pedals for the masses, (unintentionally. as it should be). your pedals and business ethic are both equal in integrity and badass factor.
KUDOS!
This looks pretty crazy, and I don't even fully understand what it means:
http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2015/01/29/korg-noritake-introduce-futuristic-nutube-vacuum-tubes/ (http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2015/01/29/korg-noritake-introduce-futuristic-nutube-vacuum-tubes/)
Does this mean that in the future, tube amps will weigh 4 pounds, and all fuzz pedals will have real tubes inside?
Now there's something interesting, for sure!
Oh shit, I was gonna post that too. I've been waiting for someone to come up with something like a tube that isn't a tube. There's them yellowjacket things been around for a while but...
now THAT is awesome. they got rid of the 1930 tech, but kept the function.
Damn, that is pretty cool.
Its all theory.
let's see if any one turns in a 12ax7 for that .. that......that thing.
The blue Pbass gives me a raging GAS hardon. That is all.
Quote from: The Riffer on February 01, 2015, 03:10:25 AM
Its all theory.
let's see if any one turns in a 12ax7 for that .. that......that thing.
Pretty cool, problem is we need power tubes too. Also Russians were making subminiture tubes decades ago not much bigger than these, why not just go with them? but any company looking into tubes for the future is a good thing no matter how they go about it, it will get a lot of people talking and building their own tubes.
Follow up on the DOD/B. A. T. project.
If youre so inclined, here is a video I shot of Joe from Randall Amps meeting the Boneshaker.
p.s. The new Randall Amps are legit. Typecasting in the gear kingdom is strong and hard to overcome.
The new Randall EOD88 seems interesting, but I'm not super impressed with the built in fuzz circuit. Cool that they went "there" though.
Still have my RG200ES with matching cab from 1989.
Quote from: bitter on February 20, 2015, 12:20:39 AM
The new Randall EOD88 seems interesting, but I'm not super impressed with the built in fuzz circuit. Cool that they went "there" though.
I thought it was pretty good. Ive forever been against the idea of putting a transistor fuzz or diode clipping distortion in the front of an amp, hardwired in. I was approached by a small startup company to license the Black Forest in the front of one of their amps, basically the same concept as the EOD88. For various reason I turned it down. I guess I am too old school and my eye to the future and what kids want may be off. We shall see if it gets any traction out in the marketplace.That said, that amp sounds pretty good at lower (NAMM floor) volumes, and sounded really good with a bass.
Quote from: RAGER on February 20, 2015, 10:28:19 AM
Still have my RG200ES with matching cab from 1989.
The RG series they had in their booth was impressive for the midschool metal tones. With a boost, they were 100% nailing the "dime" tones. For DIRT cheap. Very affordable for a kid in his bedroom to sound like a rockstah.
Quote from: The Riffer on February 22, 2015, 10:00:42 AM
Quote from: bitter on February 20, 2015, 12:20:39 AM
The new Randall EOD88 seems interesting, but I'm not super impressed with the built in fuzz circuit. Cool that they went "there" though.
I thought it was pretty good. Ive forever been against the idea of putting a transistor fuzz or diode clipping distortion in the front of an amp, hardwired in. I was approached by a small startup company to license the Black Forest in the front of one of their amps, basically the same concept as the EOD88. For various reason I turned it down. I guess I am too old school and my eye to the future and what kids want may be off. We shall see if it gets any traction out in the marketplace.That said, that amp sounds pretty good at lower (NAMM floor) volumes, and sounded really good with a bass.
The gain structures of the amp sound good to me from the few vids on youtube, albeit a little disappointing there isn't much control over the amount. Not having an ability to reduce the preamp gain, to me, just makes the already highly compressed tones too saturated for any fuzz (built in or external) to layer/boost correctly. That's why their fuzz sounded undefined and swamped out. An amp like that might be improved with some lower gain preamp tubes and passive pickups.
/allaboutfindingthesweetspot
Damn, Ibanez is going to release a limited edition reissue of the very cool 2609B bass known as the "Black Eagle", plus Danelectro is now selling their classic Longhorn bass in black.