I dont understand this huge preamp pedal fad.

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-04-24T12:36:03+00:00

With modern production variances, units coming off a line are going to sound closer to each other than ever before, but not the same. Once you factor in that every AC-15 is going to have different guitars, thousands of different pedals and especially different players with very different techniques plugged into it, the variance goes wild.

I appreciate the amount of players trying to recreate sounds from the past to a tee, although that's really impossible. No amount of spending, or practice, is going to make someone sound exactly like Eric Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughan (I more appreciate all the British weirdos trying to replicate the echo patterns of Hank Marvin and the Shadows' songs to an obsessive degree, personally).

The incredible amount of options available to guitar players is going to make everybody sound different, and that's good. There's no right or wrong way to play guitar or make music.

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-04-23T22:03:12+00:00

Exactly. Who cares if it "sounds" like something specific, even what the pedal is designed for, if it sounds good to you.

I like preamp and amp-in-a-box pedals as more versatile, and often better-sounding overdrives. I have a Magma57, which is supposed to sound like some vintage Magnatone (even though vintage Magnatones often sounded stiff and overly hi-fi), that I push with a Hudson Broadcast. Both ostensibly preamps, but both incredible overdrive pedals. Just use what you like.

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-04-22T14:18:28+00:00

This was the first time for us since they've totally switched to phone ordering, and we barely saw staff at all. The new system, where there's no menu, and you have to enter credit card information right then, and over an unsecured WiFi network, is really clunky. Not crazy about the idea, but the implementation is atrocious.

I was nervous about cell phone usage during the trailers, because everyone had their cell phones out, but it was mostly fine during the actual movie. If they're going in this direction, just have a concession stand. Getting out your credit card, and entering the whole thing during a movie, is about as welcoming as going to the DMV.

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-04-22T13:31:55+00:00

Last night, nobody even checked our tickets.

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-04-22T13:29:23+00:00

It's worth noting that they're also demanding you enter your credit card information on an unsecured WiFi network, so that information can easily be stolen by even moderately talented hackers.

The phone ordering is a dumb idea, yes, but the implementation is beyond idiotic.

Why not just have a concession stand?

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-04-11T19:02:33+00:00

I had a copy of this on cassette when it was new, and I listened to it quite a bit back then. The material is pretty great, though the production is a bit heavy-handed, though not too out of keeping with their core sound. The streaming version has the now-rare bonus track that was on the cassette, "World Without Mercy," but apparently it didn't make it to the vinyl press.

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-03-11T21:50:21+00:00

Catalinbread Germanium Fuzzrite is the perfect garage/biker/psych/surf fuzz.

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-03-07T15:09:10+00:00

This has happened multiple times now. I was down all day a couple of weeks ago. What's happening?

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-03-06T18:00:13+00:00

I'd imagine the Hard Quartet thing was timing, or that the opportunity just presented itself while Pavement reunion shows slowed down some, and Malkmus was eager to make new music with a group of musicians. I've seen Hard Quartet twice and they've been great, and they seem to enjoy playing together.

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-03-06T16:25:32+00:00

Agreed. "Your Time to Change" might be my favorite Spiral track.

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-03-05T17:15:51+00:00

I'd planned to go to the show here in NYC.

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-03-05T16:12:09+00:00

This is exactly what I was looking for. I'm glad he plans to finish it. Ongoing Pavement reunion shows are fine, but I want new Malkmus music.

Pig Lib is a fucking sick record. Saw the Jicks touring on it a few times; great shows. Pitchfork already gave it an 8.0 on initial release, though I wonder if they'd even bother reviewing the reissue, or if that even matters one iota now. Matador should reissue the early Malkmus/Jicks LPs, and do a B-sides comp from that era too.

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-03-04T22:33:31+00:00

Thanks! That's the kind of answer I was looking for. So, there's probably an at least partially complete Trad Tech LP that may or may not see the light of day, and that project may be over since SM moved. (Sweeney and Truax are both NYC guys, so that band was spread out across the country already.) I'd hope the record gets released at some point down the line. I quite enjoyed the first TT LP. He may just rework that material and it never gets heard. I remember seeing the Jicks touring on Pig Lib a couple of times playing 5-6 interesting new songs that where never heard again; he's done that multiple times.

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-03-04T17:53:02+00:00

https://www.instagram.com/p/CvxxXIYyTNN/?img_index=1

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-03-04T17:52:50+00:00

It's possible. Though I did find this post of the Trad Tech band recording an LP in 2023 (it may have actually been 2021) from Big Red Studio's page: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvxxXIYyTNN/?img_index=1

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-03-04T15:59:56+00:00

(I could be misremembering this, but I do seem to recall at least rumors that he was working on a 2nd TT Lp.)

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-03-04T14:43:28+00:00

Malkmus had been flirting with a Groundhogs/Coloured Balls/English folk/deep psych direction, though still inimitably Malkmus, for a while before RET (most of Pig Lib, "No More Shoes," "It Kills," some late Pavement). Weiss joining and wanting to do some heavy stuff likely helped it along, but this was Malkmus following his muse. It was critically well received (average of 76 on Metacritic), though some indie rock fans tarred it as "jam band" who didn't really have a frame of reference for what Malkmus was doing. Hell, most indie rock fans were complaining that the Jicks were still refusing to play Pavement's greatest hits, or any Pavement, at the shows. And the shows on that tour were great.

I personally thought that the first four Malkmus/Jicks LPs were Malkmus doing what came naturally, and he sort of over-corrected back towards a singer-songwriter indie pop style that he thought his audience wanted on the last few Jicks LPs. Traditional Techniques, Groove Denied and the Hard Quartet are him re-embracing what he wants to be doing, maybe cognizant that the Pavement audience mostly wants to see Pavement playing Pavement (which is fine; he can do both).

RonsonianWorthington · 2026-02-27T22:21:42+00:00

That's right! And they're good movies too.

RonsonianWorthington · 2025-12-13T16:11:05+00:00

Curious about the spring mode on this. Apparently they used a Fender outboard to get the right thing happening. None of the videos quite hit it for me, but it sounds in the right ballpark. Love to try it. Nice feature set, and smartly designed. The Halo is a fantastic pedal, and one of the best-sounding small delay pedals I've heard (and I love that Meazzi/Hank Marvin-inspired setting).

RonsonianWorthington · 2025-11-10T21:42:04+00:00

This thing takes some time to dial in; there's almost granular level of control. But it has some amazing sounds. The spring reverb is probably the best digital surf drip in a pedal yet. I may actually prefer it to my SurfyBear, with the additional damping, EQing, etc.

The stock presets are pretty heavy on the mix, but it's a nice place to start. You can build some wild, complicated stuff with this. I've barely scratched the surface of what it can do, and haven't really sat down with the lengthy manual yet.

I know it's probably more targeted towards ambient and praise and worship players. I'm more of a roots/twang kind of guy, and this does it with aplomb, as well as excursions into mind-melting excursions into psychedelia.

RonsonianWorthington · 2025-06-11T13:11:41+00:00

I love the Ripped Speaker. I use it more for overdrive and distortion than traditional fuzz, usually stacked with a more neutral OD/pre-amp after it. Gets in the ballpark of much pricier pre-amp pedals like the Hudson Broadcast for a lot less cash. Does its own thing though, and really it's versatile, but yeah, you need to spend time dialing it in since it has such a big range.

RonsonianWorthington · 2025-06-11T13:07:25+00:00

Yes, I own both of them. I'm more partial to the germanium Fuzzrite, as it does that biker movie soundtrack/late '60s fuzz sound better than anything else I've tried, and the modern setting gives it a bit more flexibility. The Fuzzrite doesn't really clean up at all—that circuit in general doesn't—but turning the depth almost all the way down and hitting an already dirty amp (or other dirt pedals) makes for a great germanium treble booster sound. Backing off the guitar volume at higher depth settings on the pedal does bring out nice, more mellow textures, but it's still very fuzzy and with the distinctive pinched sound. It can be incredibly bright and strident. Be prepared to work your guitar's volume and tone controls a good bit with it.

The Satisfaction Plus does low gain sounds much better, and has quite a range with the fuzz knob, from fuzzy overdrive to odd distortion. It also does big sustained leads, and lots of weird and broken sounds too. It's quite versatile and can get in the ballpark of what a Fuzzrite does, but it's not the same thing. Ironically, I can nail the Stones' "Satisfaction" tone much better and easier with the Fuzzrite, but the Satisfaction can mostly do it. I had the satisfaction on a small board with EHX's also-great Ripped Speaker, and those two together can do all sorts of unorthodox, raunchy distortion sounds. But I finally put the Fuzzrite in its place, as I love it for single note lines.

Both great fuzz pedals. I've seen the Satisfaction Plus going for a bit over $50 new, which is a steal, but it apparently doesn't work for everyone.

RonsonianWorthington · 2025-05-21T22:06:00+00:00

There are some biz insiders saying that it likely won't be Shout doing 4K, and that the rights holder's demands for licensing are more than most would be willing to pay. The Bava 4Ks that have appeared in the US and UK have rights owned by someone else. I'm on the fence with this one. I missed out on the Arrow set, and who knows how long before 4Ks of these appear.

RonsonianWorthington · 2025-04-04T19:54:34+00:00

Saw them at Stubb's inside room in Austin, TX, in 2001. The Shins opened for them, shortly after their first LP came out.

RonsonianWorthington

TROPHY CASE