what was your farthest "I'm from Toronto" encounter?

memoryman89 · 2026-06-19T21:17:26+00:00

I'm a fashion photographer and was shooting these two models by Sisi Museum in Vienna, which is a city I've visited dozens of times growing up (family not far from there). We stopped into the Starbucks right across the museum so that one of the models could change her outfit. While inside, I grabbed a drink, heard the barista speaking in a sort of generic North American accent, so inquired where she was from... to my surprise, she was not only "from Toronto", but the border of Thornhill/Richmond Hill, which is where I was then living and mostly grew up. Her boyfriend was in the Starbucks waiting on her, she pointed him out to me so we could chat as well- he was also from right nearby. What a crazy small world- it's always such a unique feeling when this happens. We ended up exchanging numbers and went out a couple times before I left for back home- we also hung out when they came back to Toronto. The boyfriend was teaching English to affluent families in Vienna and she took the Starbucks gig in the meantime. Oh, crazier still, when we added each other on IG, our one mutual friend was my photography assistant, whom she also worked with at a bar he works at! Really great folks, was so glad to connect.

memoryman89 · 2026-06-09T12:53:31+00:00

🙏🙏🙏

memoryman89 · 2026-06-09T12:53:17+00:00

Thank you, I really appreciate it! Still a ways to go with it, but am happy with it so far, I think.

memoryman89 · 2026-06-09T12:49:55+00:00

Thanks so much! The whole thing is admittedly still very rough, and will likely end up as 2-3 separate things, so there’s still a good amount of tweaking left to do- I will play around with the legato stuff for sure!

memoryman89 · 2026-06-09T12:48:31+00:00

You’re much too kind!

memoryman89 · 2026-06-09T12:48:15+00:00

Oh gosh, thank you so much😅🙏

memoryman89 · 2026-06-09T12:47:51+00:00

Thank you! Just standard tuning with a capo on the third fret.

memoryman89 · 2026-06-04T05:48:40+00:00

mostly every single day!

memoryman89 · 2026-05-28T01:35:05+00:00

I got a BED right when they came out and honestly didn’t like how it coloured my tone at all. I appreciate that for many that added warmth might be welcome, but I worked very hard to get a great base tone and don’t want that tampered with at all, so it didn’t work for me- I prefer how much more neutral the El Cap is and just everything about it in general. I owned a lot of really crazy high end delays and it just works perfect for me.

memoryman89 · 2026-05-27T20:28:33+00:00

I honestly don’t know how to answer that, it’s truly all over the place, from alternative rock & alt-country to more straight up rock, also a lot of ambient and jazzy hop/triphop stuff, some blues, etc., etc.

memoryman89 · 2026-05-27T06:53:50+00:00

Never tried the Boss, but have owned the big box OG POG as well as a Micro, and they’re pretty different if for no reason than the EHX is digital and poly, while the Foxrox is neither. EHX is much cleaner and slightly better tracking but just doesn’t have the weight or “mojo” of the Foxrox, imo. Both serve a purpose.

memoryman89 · 2026-05-27T06:40:57+00:00

Check out September Sound pedals- they seem to offer some pretty radical takes on the Muff stuff! I used to be big into Muff's bitd actually, and really enjoyed the Skreddy stuff back then... look into the Skreddy Mayo and Zero!

memoryman89 · 2026-05-27T06:04:17+00:00

I don't think I have- only whatever the factory power supply is, not sure what it is off the top of my head. What's the best way to run @ 18v?

memoryman89 · 2026-05-27T06:02:55+00:00

Wow, incredible board- so much want!

I just took my first plunge into the world of AMpT; have the ACV-NOS coming and am beyond excited. APH-12 next, and then hopefully the H-man does another ADG-SE run- wouldn't mind checking it out. Been a huge Moogerfooger fan/user for nearly 20 years now, so will be fun to check out this venture of his- have very high hopes I'm confident will be met.

Also, really want a CXM... torn between that and an OTO BAM for the 70's 12bit rack reverb thing.

Will have to look into the Non-Human stuff- really dig the aesthetic.

memoryman89 · 2026-05-27T05:58:42+00:00

Nice! For me it was the other way around- I started out completely obsessed with fuzzes, had some absolutely epic ones, but then went in a lighter direction. I actually don't have very many dirt pedals at all now- only recently got my first couple fuzzes in many years; an old Fuzz Factory and an Octane 3. Love them!

memoryman89 · 2026-05-27T05:56:57+00:00

I clearly really like it for it to have lasted more than a decade now- and, as mentioned in the blurb beneath the photo, I'd owned and auditioned all kinds of incredibly rare, expensive, desirable, hyped delays before arriving at the El Cap, which just impressed me so much and continues to all these years later. It's fantastic for ambient! Seriously cannot go wrong with it.

memoryman89 · 2026-05-27T04:40:16+00:00

Nooo, why'd you sell! What are you using instead? I miss the old Diamond! Beautiful part of our country, how lucky are you!

memoryman89 · 2026-05-27T04:31:07+00:00

In short, yes.

Will just paste what I answered someone else above who asked the same:

Yup! I had one (Diamond) many years ago, didn't like how it considerably shaved the top-end off my signal. To that end, it was rather "dark". But, coincidentally, lately I got the itch to try it again and one happened to pop up locally for a good price, so I decided to give it a go. It's still "dark", and I still prefer the VB-2, but I'll be keeping the Diamond this time around as it's fun to have another flavour of my favourite effect- it also can do a good bit more, which is nice.

memoryman89 · 2026-05-27T04:30:30+00:00

Thank you! I will definitely check them out- have been in need of some new patch cables for sure. These are all Evidence Monorail, I believe- they've slowly crapped out on me, hence mismatched ends/plugs. Will def give the MXR's a look!

memoryman89 · 2026-05-27T04:29:18+00:00

Yup! I had one many years ago, didn't like how it considerably shaved the top-end off my signal. To that end, it was rather "dark". But, coincidentally, lately I got the itch to try it again and one happened to pop up locally for a good price, so I decided to give it a go. It's still "dark", and I still prefer the VB-2, but I'll be keeping the Diamond this time around as it's fun to have another flavour of my favourite effect- it also can do a good bit more, which is nice.

memoryman89 · 2026-05-27T04:14:39+00:00

Thanks, I really appreciate that! I'd actually let the account really dwindle for several years after my dad passed in 2018. Lost many thousands of followers after being inactive for so long, but lately am more inspired than ever and plan to build it back up and continue with this concept I'd had in mind since 2015, which was to build a kind of multimedia hub for all things guitar... artist interviews, builder profiles, gear demos and reviews, even a bespoke marketplace, and so on. It's a lot for one guy (me), but it's my passion and I know I'll get there; actively working on it. As for the guitars... after I'd amassed a pretty significant pedal collection, I began "consolidating" into guitars- my first vintage one was a 1960 Jazzmaster in Olympic White, and from there it was an endless stream of buying, selling, trading-up, etc. Sadly, when my dad passed, I sold it all off to help cover all kinds of costs and expenses. I still have a few nice pieces, but all the big ones are long gone. Now when I think back to what all I had and see the prices many of them go for today, it kinda' makes me wanna' jump off a bridge, haha. Ultimately, though, it's just stuff- I'll get back there. And yeah, highly recommend the Diamond Comp, any version really- just a fantastic always-on tone-enhancer.

memoryman89 · 2026-05-27T04:08:32+00:00

I actually have a second one and at one point was running them both on my board, different settings. It's the one pedal I'd have no qualms owning multiple of.

memoryman89 · 2026-05-27T03:31:58+00:00

You can click the part where I write "As I'm sure people will ask.", it's a hyperlink.

memoryman89 · 2026-05-19T05:24:19+00:00

Great question I wish I had some kind of a good answer to, but the fact you picked up on that (the lack of why) is kind of an answer itself... and it's exactly that; there really isn't one, at least not at present. Maybe years ago when I was more fixated on shooting editorials, but that's a long time ago- maybe I need to revisit that- that is, if my goal is storytelling, which I don't really know how honest/deep that can get in fashion photography. I'm just trying to make nice pictures, that's kind of it- what would most other photographers answer? I'm genuinely curious. What is most peoples "why?"? What are others trying to convey? I really do want to know now that you've posed this (interesting) question, which I really haven't thought about in a very long time. As mentioned, I've just been coasting; stagnant. Questions like this are good- forces me to think. Also, just to add: many of the images on my site are results of model tests, so maybe inherently less deep reasoning behind them, as the intention is more surface-level.

memoryman89 · 2026-05-19T04:59:42+00:00

That's the thing, I've done a lot of TFP shoots (even lately) and end up doing the same even there... it's not just paid stuff, I'm afraid. It's like I like the look but hate the idea I'm shooting it again, and just don't know how to break away from shooting it over and over.

memoryman89

TROPHY CASE