Blog

We took a trip to Bristol for the Effects pedals show at Rough Trade, find out what we did, who we saw, and why we were still there hours after the show finished.

Unveiling the EmmergyFX Slowdriver Fuzzdistortion Pedal: A Sonic Journey with Slowdive In the realm of musical effects pedals, there are those that merely shape sound and those that redefine it. At EmmergyFX, a haven for connoisseurs of hand-built, limited-run guitar and synth effects pedals, we take immense pride in crafting sonic tools that elevate musicians' artistry. Today, we're excited to introduce you to the mesmerizing world of the Slowdriver Fuzzdistortion Pedal —a masterpiece that emerged from a collaboration with Christian Savill of Slowdive fame, and now graces the pedalboards of both Christian and Neil Halstead. Unveiling the Slowdriver: A Sonic Sculpture The Slowdriver FuzzDistortion Pedal isn't just an effect; it's a testament to the intricate dance between musicians and their gear. Inspired by the distinctive soundscapes of Slowdive, a legendary shoegaze band that's shaped the sonic landscape since the early '90s, the Slowdriver was born out of a desire to complement the iconic RAT distortion—integral to the Slowdive sound.

Pedal Construction at Emmergy FX Pedals have moved on a lot in the last few years, with amp modellers, multi-effects, DAW plug-ins, and amp/effects combos, so you have a lot to choose from. At Emmergy FX we like to take things back to the old skool way of doing things. Tirelessly testing circuits with different parts to make sure every design achieves the best possible sound with the perfect control to push your playing into new territory. Once the circuit is finely tuned to satisfaction it can become a working pedal. This, we believe, is where our products shine over mass produced units. Every single one of our pedals is hand crafted, one at a time so that each one gets the same level of attention and detail, using a method rarely used these days. Most independent and boutique pedal builders will turn their circuit into a printed circuit board design and get pcb’s manufactured. This is a totally acceptable and modern solution that cuts down the build time of each unit and means the cost of building the pedals can be reduced. At Emmergy we take a different approach though. By deciding to not use pcb’s we are not relying on a third party manufacturing process where mistakes can be made in the tiny traces in the board that connect the components. Instead, we solder our circuits point to point. Basically taking two components that are directly touching each other and soldering that to a terminal strip so the parts remain firmly connected for life and are securely held in place within the pedal. This takes time. Care must be taken adding every component as they cross and overlap each other but it means there is nowhere to hide. Every connection remains true and solid forever with no hidden connections. We also choose to use terminal strip architecture rather than ‘spider-leg’ construction as the latter can be a little vulnerable to abuse, whereas the terminal strips ensure a rigid circuit that is separated from the footswitch and jack sockets with wires. This means we can guarantee your pedal will be ready to use and sound amazing every time you use it for life. In fact we do guarantee all our pedals with a ‘repair or replace’ policy for life so if anything at all goes wrong with your pedal we will fix it or send you a new one.

Feedback - wrestling the screeching banshee in your amplifier If you've plugged a guitar into an amp and played at volume, you'll have experienced feedback, and most of the time it's best avoided, especially if you want to keep your hearing and keep the soundman on your side ... however, when used with skill it can be an effective part of your sound, as many guitarists have discovered.