Can someone help me ID some pedals? Brian Case from FACS

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Marc
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Can someone help me ID some pedals? Brian Case from FACS

Post by Marc » Fri Oct 01, 2021 2:51 am

Hi I am trying to figure out how Brian Case from FACS gets the weird dischordant/reverby/pitch shifted sound he uses on the Present Tense album.

If you go to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPch5VGPPDE

at 15.02 if you hit pause you can see his pedal board. I can see:

Boss Tuner (easy)
The white double button pedal I think is a Meris Polymoon
Boss Pitch Shifter .... not sure if it's the old Pitch shifter delay from late 80's, a more recent pitch shifter like a PS-5. I don't think it's the new Harmonizer as they sound more mainstream and perfect
Not sure what the other two are (black pedal and silver Zvex shaped case with blue knobs)

Any ideas peeps?

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Re: Can someone help me ID some pedals? Brian Case from FACS

Post by parry » Fri Oct 01, 2021 4:23 am

First off - YES! 8)

I have been obsessed with this video since it came out. I think there's something about the way this is mixed more bass-forward, that I prefer a bit more than on the proper recording.

With regard to your pedal question... I gleaned (from elsewhere) that the white pedal is a Red Panda Particle. And I believe the black pedal is a Red Panda Context (v1). If I were to guess on the ZVex pedal, I'd say Wooly Mammoth.
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Re: Can someone help me ID some pedals? Brian Case from FACS

Post by Marc » Fri Oct 01, 2021 8:31 am

parry wrote:
Fri Oct 01, 2021 4:23 am
First off - YES! 8)

I have been obsessed with this video since it came out. I think there's something about the way this is mixed more bass-forward, that I prefer a bit more than on the proper recording.

With regard to your pedal question... I gleaned (from elsewhere) that the white pedal is a Red Panda Particle. And I believe the black pedal is a Red Panda Context (v1). If I were to guess on the ZVex pedal, I'd say Wooly Mammoth.
It's great isn't it? Thanks for the IDs! The bass sound - that Traynor amp head can be recreated using the Tronographic Rusty Box which is a clone of the preamp.

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Re: Can someone help me ID some pedals? Brian Case from FACS

Post by parry » Fri Oct 01, 2021 9:30 am

Well sure... I mean... if you're one of those people who doesn't already have a TS-50b...
or two... :whistle:

:D :ph34r:
Marc wrote:
Fri Oct 01, 2021 8:31 am
It's great isn't it? Thanks for the IDs! The bass sound - that Traynor amp head can be recreated using the Tronographic Rusty Box which is a clone of the preamp.
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Re: Can someone help me ID some pedals? Brian Case from FACS

Post by Marc » Fri Oct 01, 2021 8:33 pm

parry wrote:
Fri Oct 01, 2021 9:30 am
Well sure... I mean... if you're one of those people who doesn't already have a TS-50b...
or two... :whistle:
I do have a nice Traynor valve amp sitting I in the garage that needs fixing! Sounds nothing like a TS-50b though!

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Re: Can someone help me ID some pedals? Brian Case from FACS

Post by Braunzo » Mon Oct 04, 2021 8:05 pm

I can't be of much help but I caught FACS at Riot Fest and they just killed. I can't wait to catch them in a proper club some time. Brian is definitely doing cool things. Love that band.

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Re: Can someone help me ID some pedals? Brian Case from FACS

Post by fever606 » Tue Oct 05, 2021 12:38 pm

Well there went my Bandcamp allowance... how did I miss out on this band before now?

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Re: Can someone help me ID some pedals? Brian Case from FACS

Post by Braunzo » Fri Oct 08, 2021 8:24 am

fever606 wrote:
Tue Oct 05, 2021 12:38 pm
Well there went my Bandcamp allowance... how did I miss out on this band before now?
You just weren't meant to hear them until now. Enjoy the ride. It's awesome.

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Re: Can someone help me ID some pedals? Brian Case from FACS

Post by andy_tchp » Fri Oct 08, 2021 7:02 pm

fever606 wrote:
Tue Oct 05, 2021 12:38 pm
Well there went my Bandcamp allowance... how did I miss out on this band before now?
Haha, THIS!

Had never once heard of them before, even in passing. Wow.
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Re: Can someone help me ID some pedals? Brian Case from FACS

Post by tune_link » Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:48 am

I'm gonna agree with whoever said it above but first pedal looks to be a Red Panda Context version 1 and the white pedal a Red Panda Particle version 2. I'm guessing the blue one is a Boss PS2. I would disagree with Wooly Mammoth and say that I'd bet on a box of Rock by Zvex based on FACs being more post punk and not using a ton of fuzz. Tried to find more board images for Brian Case but could not, even tried searching by his old band Disappears. If y'all dig FACS as much as I do, go listen to the last Disappears LP, Irreal. It's basically FACS before FACS. The earlier Disappears albums sound nothing like it and after that they broke up and Brian pretty much immediately formed FACS which sounds identical to Irreal era Disappears. Massively great band. New album fucking rules too but I think Negative Houses is gonna stay my fav.

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Re: Can someone help me ID some pedals? Brian Case from FACS

Post by fortytwo » Wed Oct 13, 2021 11:31 am

tune_link wrote:
Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:48 am
I'm gonna agree with whoever said it above but first pedal looks to be a Red Panda Context version 1 and the white pedal a Red Panda Particle version 2. I'm guessing the blue one is a Boss PS2. I would disagree with Wooly Mammoth and say that I'd bet on a box of Rock by Zvex based on FACs being more post punk and not using a ton of fuzz.
It's a Context v1, and Particle v2, diffinately a Boss Harmonizer of some sort, but the "Zvex" is not a BoR, since the BoR has two switches, and four knobs, and this one only has one switch and four knobs, so the Wooly Mammoth is the only choice, if it's a Zvex pedal.

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Re: Can someone help me ID some pedals? Brian Case from FACS

Post by tune_link » Wed Oct 13, 2021 5:07 pm

True but I just realized that if it’s a Zvex the more likely pedal would be the Lo Fi Loop Junky it has the correct number of knobs and switches too. That’s far more likely to be used by FACS than the Wooly Mammoth considering that I don’t think Brian uses any fuzz at all and any textures like that in the band tend to come from the bass BUT he def seems like the kind of guitarist that would use that wild looper.

I’m racking my brain to think of any other pedals that come in this type of enclosure and drawing a blank. Fairfield has a parametric EQ that looks similar but has one too many knobs.

**I sent them an Instagram message just to see if we can find out. Will report back if I get an answer.

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Re: Can someone help me ID some pedals? Brian Case from FACS

Post by fortytwo » Thu Oct 14, 2021 12:03 am

tune_link wrote:
Wed Oct 13, 2021 5:07 pm
True but I just realized that if it’s a Zvex the more likely pedal would be the Lo Fi Loop Junky it has the correct number of knobs and switches too. That’s far more likely to be used by FACS than the Wooly Mammoth considering that I don’t think Brian uses any fuzz at all and any textures like that in the band tend to come from the bass BUT he def seems like the kind of guitarist that would use that wild looper.

I’m racking my brain to think of any other pedals that come in this type of enclosure and drawing a blank. Fairfield has a parametric EQ that looks similar but has one too many knobs.

**I sent them an Instagram message just to see if we can find out. Will report back if I get an answer.
I can't think of anybody else either, that makes pedals in that size/orientation.

Both the Lo-Fi Loop Junky, and the Instant Lo-Fi Junky has five knobs. Only Zvex pedal that has four knobs, and a single switch is the Mammoth.

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Re: Can someone help me ID some pedals? Brian Case from FACS

Post by parry » Thu Oct 14, 2021 4:48 am

I'm curious to hear what it is, if it's not a Wooly Mammoth.

Pulling back from the minutiae of pedal specifics... the thing I love most about the guitar sound is the way Brian (very tastefully, imo) chooses to use those pedals to help frame the guitar not as a primary driver - but rather has it seated as a textural and nearly secondary element, next to the incredibly strong pulsing, throbbing rhythm section. But I'll always be a fan of sonically large, bass and drum-driven trios, so
:D
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Re: Can someone help me ID some pedals? Brian Case from FACS

Post by Steadyriot. » Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:11 am

fortytwo wrote:
Thu Oct 14, 2021 12:03 am
tune_link wrote:
Wed Oct 13, 2021 5:07 pm
True but I just realized that if it’s a Zvex the more likely pedal would be the Lo Fi Loop Junky it has the correct number of knobs and switches too. That’s far more likely to be used by FACS than the Wooly Mammoth considering that I don’t think Brian uses any fuzz at all and any textures like that in the band tend to come from the bass BUT he def seems like the kind of guitarist that would use that wild looper.

I’m racking my brain to think of any other pedals that come in this type of enclosure and drawing a blank. Fairfield has a parametric EQ that looks similar but has one too many knobs.

**I sent them an Instagram message just to see if we can find out. Will report back if I get an answer.
I can't think of anybody else either, that makes pedals in that size/orientation.

Both the Lo-Fi Loop Junky, and the Instant Lo-Fi Junky has five knobs. Only Zvex pedal that has four knobs, and a single switch is the Mammoth.
I'm 99% sure it's a Wooly Mammoth. Knobs seem to be green/blue-ish so my bet is on the Germanium one.
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