Underrated Pedals!

[Blood_mountain]

The Midfi Electronics Magick "i" is fricking underrated. I was playing it last night and I don't know why this pedal, and others from Doug, are not more highly appreciated/coveted.

I know social media/marketing/scarcity contributes to a lot of pedals being over-hyped/overrated, and I think it's just too bad when a pedal like the Magick "i" is out there, readily available and cool as fuck, and yet doesn't seem to get as much love as others.

What are some other super-deserving, yet underrated pedals/builders out there?

[The Eristic]

I need one, I feel like it's the linchpin to an all Mid-fi gigging board (...if I ever get back to gigging again). Doug's stuff is definitely underrated, things like the Pitch Pirate/DPP/Clarinot/Demo Tape/Glitch Computer are all foundational in the context of the non-TS/Klon cloner/weird pedal side of the boutique world imo.

Cusack stuff is broadly underrated, too. It's all super well-engineered-&-built, think he was the first guy to implement the relay-based true bypass for guitar pedals that is everywhere now, and the first one to work out tap tempo for analog stuff? He just doesn't seem to push his stuff super hard, guess they sell enough already on top of designing and building for other brands. Tap-a-Whirl is probably my favorite trem ever, Screamer Fuzz has been on every live board I've built for like 15 years, SubFuzz is the most stable analog suboctave fuzz I've played and I think I paid like $75 for it after watching it sit on ebay for 6 months or more.

[Dandolin]

great start to this thread!

i don't know whether things are cyclical when company's maintain for the long haul, or there are just these "discovery waves" that a brand can only really ride once, but any number of brands that seemed to have an "it" phase are now afaict under-rated - Subdecay for instance - the last several new pedals i've seen from them have been outstanding, which is what i'd expect from them, but i never sensed much buzz about them - the hive has moved on

[Blood_mountain]

I need one, I feel like it's the linchpin to an all Mid-fi gigging board (...if I ever get back to gigging again). Doug's stuff is definitely underrated, things like the Pitch Pirate/DPP/Clarinot/Demo Tape/Glitch Computer are all foundational in the context of the non-TS/Klon cloner/weird pedal side of the boutique world imo.

Cusack stuff is broadly underrated, too. It's all super well-engineered-&-built, think he was the first guy to implement the relay-based true bypass for guitar pedals that is everywhere now, and the first one to work out tap tempo for analog stuff? He just doesn't seem to push his stuff super hard, guess they sell enough already on top of designing and building for other brands. Tap-a-Whirl is probably my favorite trem ever, Screamer Fuzz has been on every live board I've built for like 15 years, SubFuzz is the most stable analog suboctave fuzz I've played and I think I paid like $75 for it after watching it sit on ebay for 6 months or more.

Seriously, the Magick "i" is so good. It just feels right, if that makes any sense.

And yea, I dig the Cusack stuff too! I've had the Tap-a-Whirl and the Tap-a-Delay Deluxe - both awesome pedals.

I do think a bit part of these pedals/companies going under the radar is the "influencer" culture of the pedal biz now.

[Blood_mountain]

great start to this thread!

i don't know whether things are cyclical when company's maintain for the long haul, or there are just these "discovery waves" that a brand can only really ride once, but any number of brands that seemed to have an "it" phase are now afaict under-rated - Subdecay for instance - the last several new pedals i've seen from them have been outstanding, which is what i'd expect from them, but i never sensed much buzz about them - the hive has moved on

Yeah, I can see that. It seems like some companies have a succession of "waves" with each new release, and others not so much (I think mostly due to limited social media and influencer support).

[Chankgeez]

under-rated - Subdecay for instance -

I think, unfortunately, marketing's not Brian's strong suit. (I also think we need a card playin' smiley. )

[ibarakishi]

I would vote RMA. the stuff curtis makes is so creative and utterly left field in every step of his process. he has a focus and attention to detail with his work that is mindblowing at times. my tetanus booster is one of my few 'never selling' pedals i own. if i had my way and money wasn't an object, i would own every pedal he has ever done. I wish people showed him more love publicly. If i was ever going to hope to be represented by a brand for pedals for recording albums, etc., RMA would be the ultimate dream come true

[MaxMaps]

If you don't know the unruly power that comes from a Slowly Melting by Dirge then I pitty the fool.

[chuckjaywalk]

Walrus Audio 385. It is my happy place, tonally. It feels unique but doesn't demo well. It is almost always on, giving me a bit of sizzle at the extremes. It's like a Fuck that you can actually buy.

[Gone Fission]

Dropping Acid #rip. This is the way.

[Dandolin]

yass - #rip is sheer #rad

[Blood_mountain]

Dropping Acid #rip. This is the way.

I’ve never played one, but the demos I’ve seen sound great.