NPD - JuanSolo "Hot Sholicon"

[Twinfan]

This arrived on Friday, but I've not had much chance to play with it until today as I've been gigging all weekend.

I'm loving it  :D




Some of you may remember a thread I started about a Fuzz/Boost pedal (http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=19561), and our very own JuanSolo offered to build me one.  Here's the blurb on it, taken from his website:  http://www.juansolo.demon.co.uk/geetah/stompage.html

What it does: Fuzz with Boost
What it is: Hot Silicon & SHO

"As this is the first pedal that's being let out into the wild, I've gone about making it more bit more robust than our usual cheap and cheerful, stuff. Hence the posh pots, battery provision and switch back to proper stomps for this one. It's not painted either, as the paint we use chips quite easily and it'd start looking rough pretty quickly. So it's just lacquered. Plus I really like the finish we get when we do that with certain decals. This one is Afro Samurai. The only thing about it that annoys me is that I should have replaced the hilt of his sword with the head of a guitar and that I didn't have a white LED for the glinting of the sword.

To the pedal itself. He wanted a thickish fuzz, one that was not too ill defined, and that could be boosted sharp and thick. Having a fair old collection of pedals, we came to the conclusion the Hot Silicon just about met that brief, which boosts really well with a SHO on the end of it."

Basically it's a fuzzy distortion, that can be set really thick and fuzz-like or thinner and sharper.  Great for 70s blues/rock tones, which is my main tone, or anything else really!  The boost side is superb too, doing just what you'd expect.

Very, very happy with it.  One of my favourite pedals ever!

[Keven]

wow. very nice looking. clips incoming?

[juansolo]

I was actually quite nervous to find out what someone completely unbiased thought of it. I'm really glad you like it.

[Matt77]

That looks great.
Fuzz and an SHO will give you enough boost to launch your Orion to the moon

[Twinfan]

It's fantastic.  Sounds incredible into my M45.

I'll try and get some clips done tomorrow, maybe with "Francine"  ;)

[horsehead]

Juan is this going to be available to other peeps?

[Ian Price]

Juan is this going to be available to other peeps?

Good question!

[juansolo]

This was mainly a one off just because it piqued my interest. I'm still making pedals for me and Marauder (who paints, lacquers and in the case of one that we're doing at the moment, designs them). The problem is that it's very much a hobby for me and a secondary one at that (if you visit my site you'll get an idea what the primary one is!). I certainly haven't the time to do this as any sort of money making enterprise. Indeed, the stuff we make is generally quite complex so I don't even think it's possible to make any money out of it realistically given how long it takes us to make a single pedal.

Luckily I enjoy doing it so while it's unlikely that I'll have a chance to make anything soon, it's not implausible for us to eventually get to the stage where we might knock a few out for people for shiteees and giggles. It'll be a while though and certainly the build times can be quite protracted depending on work commitments and wotnot.

Plus I'll have to be careful about what I put in anything that I do for members (I'd been looking at the Sholicon as a one off)... I wouldn't want to step on anyone's toes and where things like the Hot Silicon are out there for anyone to build, the SHO really isn't, so that'd have to be something else. Luckily there's plenty of stuff out there like it that isn't a current commercial pedal.

Hmmm, I seem to be talking myself into this. Maybe... Possibly... Got a few to get out of the way first. Gimmie a month or so. I need to build myself a Hot Sholicon for a start!

[Frank Z]

If you ever decide to do something based on the MI Audio Crunchbox, I'd be interested, your stuff looks awesome haha.  :lol:

[sgmypod]

been waiting to see/hear this one

[juansolo]

If you ever decide to do something based on the MI Audio Crunchbox, I'd be interested, your stuff looks awesome haha.  :lol:

If I do go down that route it'd have to be a non-production pedal. Maybe BSIAB or a Marshall Shredmaster would get similar Marshall-like tones without treading on anyone's toes. I particularly rate the Shredmaster. With a couple of choice mods it's a storming pedal.

[marauder]

I've got a feeling that the ROG Thor is gonna be the Marshall in a box of choice, we've just got to get round to building one.
Glad you like the pedal Twinfan. 

[shobet]

I really do like the graphics you have on your builds.

[38thBeatle]

I really do like the graphics you have on your builds.

Me too. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[juansolo]

I've got a feeling that the ROG Thor is gonna be the Marshall in a box of choice, we've just got to get round to building one.
Glad you like the pedal Twinfan. 

Forgot about that :)

One day we'll catch up...