This Reader’s Pedalboard Is A Work Of Art!
This ‘board, which we spotted on Instagram, stood out because of it’s array of graphics-laden pedals from Walrus Audio and Creation Music Company, as well as some DIY labels on his switch-looper. Adam, who owns this fab ‘board, has given us a rundown of his rig as well as a description of how he uses his Cali76-CD.I live just outside Chicago, IL, and I’m the electric guitarist in a small band called Sombra, doing indie/post-rock type stuff. I play with a few friends and bands around the area as they need a fill in, bar gigs, worship events, nothing crazy. My style is some hybrid of blues, new folk, and ambient post-rock, influences like the Black Keys, Citizens and Saints, Gungor, Jimmy Eat World, William Fitzsimmons, John Mark McMillan, to name a few. I play frequently at church as well, a mixed bag of styles there. Former bands include Call Me Anadarko, Hope College Worship Team (a few CDs actually floating about) and the oh-so-awesome garage band Everchaned from high school.
My own projects have lead me to want a very solid, clean platform to work off of in terms of gear and tone, so it’s an evolving board. I’ve settled on the Cali76-CD for the transparent tone that doesn’t mask my instrument, coupled with amazing build quality and richness added to everything I play. I’m not a heavy compression guy, so the parallel clean blend is a huge win for me, retaining attack and dynamics while allowing the beautiful compression to even out and refine my tone. It is always on, and the first true pedal in my chain. I’ve found it really clarifies the tone of drives after it, allowing for less muddiness and more clarity string-to-string and note-to-note.
Next, let’s take a look at his pedalboard…MIM Fender 72′ Telecaster Reissue, Emerson Custom Wiring, Vintage 1974 WRHB pickups, Mastery Bridge, Gear Supply Co. 10-46 Strings
Lava Cable Tweed Instrument Cable
Foxpedals K Buffer (under the board)
Origin Effects Cali76-CD
Looper (modded by me from American Looper parts).
Loop 1: Klon Centaur
Loop 2: Walrus Audio 385
Loop 3: Arc Effects Big Green Special Edition
Passive loop to my Ernie Ball VP modded by This1smyne for buffer and expression pedal option topper by Creation Music Company… back to looper
Loop 4: EHX Deluxe Memory Man modded by Analogman for 4xMN3005 chips modded by Howard Davis for headroom Modded by FX Doctor for tap tempo and rate/depth control over modulation
Out of looper to: Boss DM-2W
Out to my amp, a Fender Bassman 70, recapped, to a 1×12 home-made cab loaded with a Celestion Alnico Gold
Whole thing is powered by the Walrus Audio Phoenix, and wired with Lava Ultramafic Tightrope cable. The 5th switch in the looper is a tap tempo for the DMM, and the stickers are just printable vinyl sticker sheets and images I’ve edited to be black and white.Finally, Adam said: Thanks for supporting music happening and making such amazing quality products! Loving my Compact Deluxe.
