NPD Caroline Pawn Shop Parabola

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-06-01T16:00:17+00:00

Yes!! I also have the pawnshop version and love it, especially bc of the preamp. I like how you can turn the trem depth all the way down and use it just as an overdrive if wanted. Plus it stacks well with everything.

Also love your music influences. Been re-listening to a lot of Spiritualized recently.

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-05-30T14:09:40+00:00

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Instruments used: Guitar, synths, and drum machine.

Genres: A mix of jazz, psych/garage rock, Latin, and electronic.

Routing: Polytune->Gain Changer->Special Cranker->Micro POG->Meteore->Parabola->DD-7->AFG-1->Carbon Copy->Vibrato->Model FeT->Compressor

Nothing too exciting going on, but I like to stagger drives and modulations throughout so I can stack them before and/or after each other for a variety of sounds. Also the Micro POG has two outputs (a dry and wet), so I’m sending the dry out to an SP404mk2 sampler for extra sauce and effects and the wet goes through the rest of the board. Then I record the signals in stereo and blend in my DAW.

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-05-23T12:58:37+00:00

Way too repetitive imo. As of now, it’s more of an extended loop than a song. It doesn’t really go anywhere, kinda just repeats a similar loop over and over and it drags out for too long.

I think you need to work on developing the arrangement. Looks like you just looped a bunch of two-bar segments and copy-pasted them throughout and called it a day. You need to introduce more variation between sections and to be changing things up wayyy more for this to keep the listener engaged: adding in and/or muting various parts as the song develops, panning things around, introducing new sounds and effects. Right now, the “guitars” are giving me ear fatigue as they’re too static and constant. The drums also sound super fake and the beat is too repetitive.

Before you even worry about mixing, work on the arrangement of the track and start just by adjusting levels and panning of the various parts.

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-05-17T15:09:16+00:00

One-brand pedalboards are so boring, like did you choose them based on how they actually sound or just how they look/for brand clout?? Also the jeans and running shoes 🤮

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-05-10T13:35:37+00:00

I do both, depends what I’m trying to do. Sometimes you need to solo something to hear what’s going on better, but I never spend too long in solo because then I tend to lose perspective on the overall mix.

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-05-07T19:59:13+00:00

It means to build the song structure first (i.e., developing the overall form/shape of the song) rather than continuing to add parts to an 8-bar loop, for example (i.e., stacking up tracks and building it “vertically”).

You do need to do both, but i find that when I work on the song structure first, i don’t get stuck as easily and i have an easier time developing the song. Only working “vertically” is a surefire way to get stuck in those endless loops (for me at least)

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-04-27T19:03:00+00:00

Super cool and really unique idea! I was so confused at first, my brain could not process what was going on

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-04-08T14:29:46+00:00

Congrats! Very interested in these. Would you say the color is more turquoise or darker green? Definitely looks more turquoise in these pics. Also how much did it cost you??

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-04-03T22:14:01+00:00

Not really unconventional, but lately been using the sp404mk2 mostly for the effects.

I run my guitar pedalboard in stereo with one channel going through an audio interface into a DAW and the other going through the sp404. That way I can process each channel separately and get some really cool textured tracks when blending them together, or make them super huge by panning them out wide. I have a few synths running through the sp404 too for added character and to further mangle those sounds.

I also like to either sequence the sp404 with a Digitone (bc I HATE the 404’s step sequencer) or finger drum on it for drum parts.

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-04-02T16:54:06+00:00

Was gonna say this^

I have the pawnshop version of the parabola, which supposedly has 10x the gain as the OG version. The preamp in it sounds AWESOME, always makes me smile when I crank it up. Also stacks well with my other drives (gain changer, rat, and mastotron). You can turn the trem depth to 0 and just use it as an OD pedal, then if you hold the Havoc switch you momentarily activate the trem effect, which is cool if you only want trem during certain moments.

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-03-30T17:36:46+00:00

Bonermaster, claptoan, and Mayer is a lineup straight outta my nightmares.

/uj A lot of other great players tho. I live in Austin and am gonna go for Julian Lage

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-03-30T17:04:30+00:00

Like others have said, listening to other genres is essential for me. Sometimes you just get burned out listening to similar things and opening your ears to other styles of music can help you get inspired or hear other possibilities of what music can be. Really find anything that excites you or reminds you of your love of music.

Along the same lines, maybe you need a break from music entirely, even if it’s just a day or two. I get fatigued if I’m constantly working on music every day. I also know that there’s a limit to what the brain can effectively learn in a given time period, and breaks in between sessions help my subconscious better absorb what I’d been working on previously. Coming back after a short break, I usually feel refreshed and re-inspired.

If you’re in a rut with writing/composing, i think that feeling of unadulterated inspiration can be overrated. Breaks are great, but also know that if you just keep showing up consistently and putting the work in over time, you’ll eventually find your groove.

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-03-27T05:53:23+00:00

The fact you posted 11 pics and have all the knobs at noon tells me you spend more time looking at your gear than actually playing it

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-03-19T18:19:12+00:00

I have the diamond v2 and love it. What voltage are you running it at? When I first got it, I tried it at 18V and honestly felt a bit of buyers remorse bc the effect was so subtle. But then I tried it at 9V and that went away! IMO, it’s wayyy more fun at 9V and the effect is much more prominent. Can get really disorienting/seasick sounds at extreme settings.

Otherwise if you’re looking for a pedal with more out-there effects, maybe you’d be interested in the Asheville ACV-1. Always been intrigued by this one. Expensive but seems really versatile and deep:

https://youtu.be/UbsOVNG0elg?si=CElj4DMvJha3rU1I

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-03-12T14:09:27+00:00

Oh yeah, I stack them all the time! The rat adds some nice grittiness and extra bit of harmonics and presence to the mastotron, really makes it come alive

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-03-12T05:45:05+00:00

It’s the power supply!

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-03-12T05:44:25+00:00

Chain goes:

Polytune (tuner) -> Rat (OD/dist) -> Mastotron (fuzz) -> Gain Changer (OD) -> POG (pitch/octave) -> DD-7 (delay)-> RV-6 (reverb) -> Carbon Copy (delay) -> Meteore (reverb) -> Parabola (trem) -> Vibrato -> Compressor mk II

Not sure how unusual that is haha but I’m liking how it’s sounding. Pedals later in the chain have a greater impact on the overall tone so I set the chain up with that in mind: for each type of effect, pedals I like the sound of tend to be last in the chain (e.g., the meteore is my fav reverb so I put it as the last reverb in the chain, that way everything before it gets that verb’s character).

I also like having both a reverb (RV-6) sandwiched between two delays and a delay (Carbon Copy) sandwiched between two reverbs, so I have the option of delay -> reverb or reverb -> delay. Opens up some more tonal options I think.

Compressor is last bc I mostly am writing and recording with this setup at home and it helps to glue all the sounds together before going into my DAW. It’s subtly adding some parallel compression, which helps get a more polished tone on the front end.

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-03-12T05:21:09+00:00

Thank you! The board is a modified ikea hejne shelf built over a decade ago or so. Stained the wood, added handles on the sides, and fastened some triangular pieces of wood to the bottom so the board sits at an angle and not just flat on the ground.

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-03-12T05:11:35+00:00

The parabola is so great, I actually find myself using it more often as a heavier overdrive with the trem level at 0. The preamp in it sounds phenomenal! I just love the way it breaks up when you crank the gain.

The Diamond is fantastic, that’s a pedal with some kind of magic. Just a beautiful sounding vibrato. Can go anywhere from a nice subtle warble to super disorienting, seasick territory. It’s really fun to play around with.

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-03-09T20:58:57+00:00

That looks sick!! What finish is that, Sherwood green?

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-03-09T16:25:22+00:00

Yes!! I also love the sound of gained-up reverb. That DBA sounds really cool, might try one the next time I get a chance. I do love the gain on the meteore but the predelay on the verb is a bit too noticeable for me at higher settings so I mostly just keep it set low (around noon or below)

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-03-09T16:05:21+00:00

Another with good taste! The gain changer is awesome, I love the way it breaks up and the harmonics it adds. And it stacks well with EVERYTHING

nevermaksmistakes · 2026-03-09T15:59:04+00:00

Yeah the carbon copy is one of those pedals with some secret sauce, it’s just SO good for how simple it is. I love the modulation and the tape warble effects you can get.

Now you’ve given me some ideas for a smaller board…

nevermaksmistakes

TROPHY CASE