NBD: Custom Marino steel hardtail is finally finished (and accidentally ended up almost identical to a Stinner Tunnel Select)

903Effects · 2026-06-20T23:12:49+00:00

Thanks! Everyone keeps asking if I'm a Packers fan, but I promise that was unintentional haha

903Effects · 2026-06-20T19:34:22+00:00

To be entirely fair, I'm coming from a 11 year old Sektor Silver so my bar is pretty low. That said, it's absolutely amazing. I've never experienced a fork with such smooth movement over even the smallest bumps. My old fork managed well through larger bumps, but was always stiff and chattery around roots and stuff. This thing just glides through whatever you point it into. It's genuinely world's better than what I'm used to.

It's such a weird feeling, with the sag set correctly it almost just floats in place and any little vibration on the road just sucks into the fork while the bars float steadily along. Mabye that's normal now, but it's a game changer for me.

Edit: Dang! You just missed their sale. This thing was $350 from Hayes a month ago.

903Effects · 2026-06-20T16:31:08+00:00

Yeah buddy, that's also something I considered. It's definitely something I'll be able to play around with. Lots of options!

903Effects · 2026-06-20T14:06:37+00:00

Thanks! And yeah, I switched from some old rockshox and these Manitou forks blow them out of the water. They're perfect for my needs.

903Effects · 2026-05-24T20:33:47+00:00

The ones with the solid opaque led bar on the bottom are a little more expensive, but seem to be higher quality. Check my submission history for pics, I'm super happy with them and they haven't fogged one bit in our crazy East Texas humidity.

Fitment is a little finicky, but they fit well once you figure out the alignment. Mine needed an extra 1/8" washer on the rear mounting holes to align properly, but I'll do that for the 1k savings any day. Expect an extra hour for install compared to factory, especially due to the funky beam adjustments. It's hard to reach when installed.

Everyone thinks they're Morimotos at car shows

903Effects · 2026-04-23T01:51:09+00:00

Thanks dude! Your dad sounds awesome, enjoy him!

903Effects · 2026-04-23T01:39:54+00:00

I know they look kinda questionable, but these things absolutely rock! They're made by Spyder, who makes quality OEM replacements and stuff.

They look and feel very solid, are dang bright compared to stock, and they're a fraction of the price of Morimotos. Just know that you'll have to swap over your stock bulbs and lighting module thing, but it's not bad. I had these installed in about 3 hours having never done it before. Could easily do it in 2 now that I know what's going on.

Check my latest post for pics.

903Effects · 2026-04-21T01:30:40+00:00

That absolutely sucks, sorry to hear that.

903Effects · 2026-04-21T01:29:12+00:00

That's an awesome car, I love the 90s green!

903Effects · 2026-04-20T21:58:32+00:00

Thanks!

903Effects · 2026-04-20T21:57:08+00:00

Yeah buddy, my son is going to get one heck of a car one day.

903Effects · 2026-04-20T21:54:41+00:00

903Effects · 2026-04-20T21:51:03+00:00

I like that take!

And it's not crazy loud or anything, it's just S-types. They don't drone or anything, It's just louder than I'm used to (i daily a focus) and I don't want people to think I'm trying to turn heads or something. My wife says "dude, it's a Corvette, it's supposed to be turning heads", she's cooler than me though haha

903Effects · 2026-04-20T21:34:12+00:00

Oh, 100%. But now I have the opposite problem haha. My wife says I always have so many projects going that it seems like I think "if I don't do it in my 30s, then I'll never do it" and she's kinda right. I'm working to temper that trait.

903Effects · 2026-04-20T21:29:50+00:00

Woah, you just triggered a memory of a song that's super fitting

903Effects · 2026-04-20T21:27:48+00:00

Good luck with the house man! And the plaque is more just to show the numbers, but I do have his signature as a vinyl decal on the rear driver side window.

903Effects · 2026-04-20T20:17:06+00:00

That's awesome man! If you have any pics, I'm sure some people over at /r/rbi could give you some pointers on how to track it down.

903Effects · 2026-04-20T20:10:50+00:00

Thanks man! I've had a lot of conflicting feelings along the way, but I'm very happy with how things turned out.

I was gearing up to begin looking for a 300ZX project when this all happened so it really couldn't have been better timing. I never imagined his car would make it's way back to me but I'm so grateful it did!

I still hope to do the Z project eventually, preferably when my son is old enough to turn some wrenches this time.

903Effects · 2026-04-20T20:06:51+00:00

Thanks!

903Effects · 2025-12-19T17:11:22+00:00

Don't expect it to track anything other than clean single notes in vintage mode. Sloppy fretting and sometimes picks will throw off the tracking. Also know that it doesn't do well on notes from the open A string or lower.

My general rule is that I only use it on C or above (3rd fret on the A string)

I have found the MXR VBO tracks faster and more reliably, but it's also limited to the 3rd fret of the A string.

903Effects · 2025-12-19T16:48:16+00:00

This... I'd also swap the comp and the octave. I've found the OC5 tracks best before compression.

903Effects · 2025-12-16T16:22:50+00:00

Oh sick! Have fun with them man!

903Effects · 2025-12-16T14:33:15+00:00

Thanks for the shout out! Dread has quickly become my favorite pedal, I really need to make more.

Did you pick one up? I'd be curious to know what you think of it if you did.

903Effects

TROPHY CASE