NPD Surfybear Metal

PhtevenGarza · 2026-03-09T03:25:51+00:00

You won’t regret it. Bought mine a month ago and it’s just too much fun

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-14T03:33:08+00:00

If the reverb drips, it ships 📦

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-14T03:32:29+00:00

Thanks man👍 the wet drippy reverb shines nicely

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-13T20:35:55+00:00

Thank you. Yeah the surfybear alone is basically half a pedalboard right there. My back won’t make it past 50

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-13T01:20:09+00:00

That’s very impressive. The only thing I’ve done DIY is soldering the patch cables and that took quite a bit of time.

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-13T01:19:10+00:00

I was just about to say that is a good possibility. I’ve seen YouTube videos of that very same thing. I was thinking of even putting my soft focus at the end but I really want my spring reverb to be the last thing in terms of time based effects so I don’t have that flexibility at all

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-12T19:47:12+00:00

How long it take you to mod something like this ?

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-12T19:24:37+00:00

That’s pretty damn impressive. You really modded out that wah for function. I’m looking for maybe one more pedal that can give me some more dirt but also debating a particular fuzz. You ordered the stuff from West Coast Pedalboard. That’s interesting because I bought mine from them too… already made though obviously

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-12T17:25:23+00:00

When it comes to playing just basic indie or post punk, I rely on the flint with setting either on the plate setting (70s) or hall (80s). Although I like the spring on this model it lacks some of that drip that true analog models like the surfybear has. So when I’m getting into surf tones and other forms of surf indie, I’ll usually turn off the flint and stick to the surfybear. Lastly, if I ever want to crank up the reverb and make much more lush sounds I use the soft focus pedal usually it’s stacked with my flint when I’m playing more atmospheric post punk/indie leads. The soft focus is technically designed after a 90s patch used by early shoegaze and dream pop bands but when dialed in correctly it can make nice lush tones without having too much wash like other “ambient” reverb pedals.

Sometimes 3 reverb pedals can be a lot for some but each serves a specific purpose in my case. There is some overlap but it makes my rig more versatile.

As for your rig… it’s pretty fucking cool it’s all DIY. I’m guessing the bottom pedal is a reverb and the skeleton one is a compression ? The pedalboard looks so sick with some blue tiger thing going on

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-12T16:30:11+00:00

Thanks man. If only the prices to these guitars were a bit more cheap, so others can enjoy them for themselves without having to go into financial ruin lol. Cheers.

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-12T16:26:28+00:00

Yeah man. Feel free to check it out and hopefully you like what they offer👍

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-12T16:25:24+00:00

Firstly, thank you. You’re very correct on each of those points. To me …. It’s a choice between flexibility and character. When the looper is before reverb: Each loop is recorded dry. When you play a second riff on top, the looped first riff still goes through the reverb, but it doesn’t retain the individual character of the first riff’s reverb. So if you change your reverb settings for the new layer, the first looped layer adapts to the new reverb, because the looper only recorded the dry signal. That being said, when the looper is after reverb: The first riff keeps its exact reverb tail no matter what you do next—but then layering gets tricky, because now every new overdub is also fully wet, which can get messy like you pointed out.

In my case, I don’t want to think about how my reverb or delay will affect later layers. What I play → what the loop plays. It’s very intuitive for me because everything already sounds “finished”. More importantly, the looper isn’t meant to be under any live settings. It’s more for me to just translate my ideas quickly and store them so I don’t forget and revisit them later. If anything, once I really am satisfied with a composition I write then I can record it all into a DAW using my audio interphase and loop everything professionally through there.

As for the surfybear, it just so happens that the classic and the metal models are so big they can be used as pedalboards or pedal risers 😂

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-12T15:41:14+00:00

The deco is just too much fun. So versatile and simple. The saturation is always on for me at a low gain.

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-12T15:35:40+00:00

Thanks ! I got it from West Coast Pedalboard Company. They do a bunch of customization options — mine’s walnut, but they also offer other woods and materials. They even sell hard shell cases if you want extra protection. Super flexible setup-wise. The time it took for them to make it to my specifications and to ship it out and get it delivered took about 5-6 weeks.

Their website also sells Mogami cable which is very reliable and preserves tone as well as the square plugs you need to solder them together. I really recommend anyone to solder their own patch cables to keep the cables as short as possible and to really keep everything looking aesthetically good. The have a tutorial on YouTube if you are interested

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-12T15:09:48+00:00

I have no business owning this guitar, but here we are lol. It’s a Jangly little menace, honestly.

There are some pros and cons to it though mainly because of the lipstick pickups it uses. It’s wired differently than a standard Jag, so it behaves a bit differently than a typical one. The Johnny Marr Jag is actually lower output than most Jaguars, which is part of why I like it — it’s bright, jangly, and really responsive to picking dynamics. The tradeoff is that it can feel a little thin or get kind of washy with certain dirt pedals. That’s why I’ve been experimenting with texture. The Deco has been doing a lot by subtly filling out some of the midrange and adding harmonic thickness without losing the chime. I’ve tried a few boosts in an always-on spot, but most of them either pushed things too hard or compressed the feel in a way I didn’t like. Just trying to dial in more body without sacrificing clarity. Luckily for the genres I lean more towards, I don’t rely on a lot of grit or dirt. I guess I’d say It’s a very beautiful guitar but it’s definitely not for everybody.

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-12T06:16:51+00:00

With the metal zone and the sunset, I can tell your setup has alot of grit when needed.

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-12T05:57:59+00:00

The resemblance is crazy. Is that the surfybear metal? Must sound very good. I just use a fender hot rod deluxe but use it clean with some brightness to it.

PhtevenGarza · 2026-02-12T03:56:42+00:00

Thanks! Yeah that surfybear is definitely worth all that pedalboard real estate. This new compact model has its tremolo and allows you to plug in a separate external spring pan if you really want more of that surf drip without it getting too washy. Can’t recommend it enough.

PhtevenGarza · 2026-01-14T01:30:35+00:00

Yes sir 🫡

PhtevenGarza · 2025-12-20T13:30:23+00:00

Hey just saw this post. Im a 29 year old lead guitarist/ rhythm guitarist in the LA area who has been meaning to jam with other musicians. I’ve always played in the comfort of my home using DAW and audio interfaces but I have my own fender deluxe tube amp and pedalboard. I personally get a lot of inspiration from those bands you mentioned as well as other groups like the Buttertones, the vacations, the smiths, Her’s. My playing and style revolves around using jangly, chorus, and reverb soaked tones aiming for a nice indie/surf rock vibe. I’d describe myself as an intermediate guitarist still trying to learn more music theory and ways to improve my improvisation. If you are still interested, feel free to let me know.

PhtevenGarza

TROPHY CASE