OMG! I've been Wamplerized!

I will share with you a dream I have all the time: Would I ever find a Pedal Maker that can bring me a consistent line of outstanding pedals?.

During the '80s I was close with MXR gear.
Currently I was even closer with Mad Professor' stuff.
Now, I am closer than ever with Wampler pedals.

Since the first time I've heard the first Wampler pedal, I new my ears were in tune with Wampler's ears.
I have no other way to describe it, how Wampler understands the sound is how I understand it.
I already had the Ecstasy Overdrive, the Pinnacle Distortion and the SLOstortion (this one, I like it less) and, was in love with the Plexy Drive from the very first time I heard it.
I revisited several Youtube videos, one and other time, carefully hearing the nuances and, I've took a decision: I want those pedals.

Well, credit card is now exhaust and, I will finish to pay everthing in a couple of years but, what the hell!, I haven't every Wampler's pedal but, I have the ones that I wanted more, except for one that I have to buy a bit later (the Sovereign!).

This afternoon, I've removed the whole pedalboard, except the Wah and, started to chain my new wamplerized pedal board. This is more or less the current chain:

1. Real McCoy RMC4 Picture Wah
2. Wampler Clean Buffer
3. Wampler EGO Compressor
4. Mad Professor Tiny Orange Phaser (until Wampler makes one!).
5. Wampler Ecstasy Overdrive
6. Wampler Paisley Overdrive
7. Wampler Plexy Drive
8. Wampler Pinnacle
9. Wampler SLOstortion
10. Wampler Nirvana Chorus
11. Xotic EP Booster
12. Wampler Tape Echo Delay

Even that I would love to have all Wampler's line of pedals, there is just one that I really miss: the Sovereign. This one is only available in an specific music store, because an agreement between Wampler and such a store so, I have to wait for a while.

I made a short test of every pedal, testing the chain for issues and, I loved what I've heard.
Mad Professor's Forest Green Compressor was the best I've ever tried before the EGO. The EGO sounds even better. It's really versatile, from tones closer to Dyna Comp and Ross to a really transparent compression, it has outstanding control over the attack and compression and a tone that helps to get exactly the tone you are looking for.

About the Ecstasy, I've already talked and, even demoed it. Same for the Pinnacle and SLOstortion so, I will omit those for now.

Well, the Paisley has gratefully surprised me. I was expecting something not so interesting. It has three different voices but just one cursed me. Some kind of mix between a TS and a Dumble sound, really nice, warm and organic. Sweetly bluesy.

The Plexy Drive has that British voice that we loved from mythical bands as Led Zeppelin. Crunchy but sweet, pure Rock. How I love this unit, man!.

I wasn't very sure on to buy that Nirvana Chorus but, I hadn't such an effect so, I thought: why not!.
Well, Youtube videos sounded to me a bit thin and digital but, not in my rig!!!!.
This Chorus is incrediblely well sounding!. Tone control can give you that warm lush tones of analog chorus and, I just loved the sound, during this short test.

Ah, Ah, Ah. The Tape Echo Delay, ah, ah, ah!.
Mad Professor Deep Blue Delay, is without any doubt the best Delay of that kind I ever heard but, man, it's Wampler's time!. The Tape Echo Delay is an outstanding delay unit that sounds as heaven.

Well. This was a very short test. I am surprised that most of pedals sounded way better live than in Youtube's, even if those were played by professional guitar players and, professionaly recorded.
It's incredible the work that the Buffer does after the Wah, it's day and night.
I am planning to review those new pedals in a near future but, this will be after I am more done to each pedal and, after I check that the current pedals order is the best for my needs.

I will come back to you all soon... or not... er... not, not... I have to play... I love that sound... I need to play... I will write at some time in the future... I guess... don't stop this... switch on this one... hummm... and this one... oh my god... lovely... lovely... er... good bye!.


Video (updated 10/07/2012)

Well, I did a short test of the pedalboard to check the goodness of the chain and, I think everything is on its place. I hope this is the last Pedal Maker that I ever try and, last set of pedals of each kind. As I said, I am missing the Soverign and when, possible, I would like to have the complete Wampler's offer but, this will take some long time.

I am proud of a couple ideas I have when planing pedal's order. First one was to use the Buffer just after the Wah and, before the rest of pedals. This works incredible well. Just take a look to the first part of the video and you will hear the difference. The second idea was to move the Xotic EP Booster just before the Tape Delay. The idea was simple: isn't the EP Booster based on the pre-amp section of an EchoPlex?. Is the Faux Tape Echo an emulation of a Tape Delay like the EchoPlex?. What about if I put the pre-amp with the tape delay together, will it work like a good EchoPlex emulation?. Well, I dunno but, I love the results, in any case.

After building the clean tone, I am just playing a bit every pedal, to check how they work and... it works for me, I love every pedal (not so much the SLOstortion but, it does its job).