CopperSound Pedals founder Alex Guaraldi's debut "State of the Stomp" outing looks at how compounding Covid woes are making life trickier for stompbox manufacturers.
In the winter and spring of 2021, I found myself staring at a computer screen overloaded by tabs in my internet browser. Each of these tabs displayed the same processor (colloquially referred to as a “chip”) and the current stock quantities for each of a dozen suppliers. The lingering scarcity of this particular processor had been foreshadowed in other industries, and when I found myself noticing the depleting stock—with my curated lists of suppliers at the ready—I began ordering whatever I could get my hands on. Diligent or obsessive? You decide. Perhaps a bit of both, but the preparation certainly paid off when packages of the scarce processors started arriving at the workshop.
You do not need to be a manufacturer to have a grasp on supply shortages, as they happen quite frequently in our modern world, even outside of a global pandemic. Often it is simply caused by overwhelming demand. On my hunt for processors, I was reminded of the scene in Jingle All the Way when Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad are going to outlandish lengths to acquire the hottest holiday season toy, Turbo Man. Supply shortages can feel like that. (Remember, nobody wants Booster!)
Global economics is by no means a strength of mine. I am more adept at shipping logistics. This often unappreciated system is made up of processes like FOB, Ex Works, ISF bonds, HTS codes, and customs. Now, before you feel compelled to save yourself from these abbreviations, I would like to happily promise that I am not going to be elaborating on any of that.
The electronics industry has not gone unscathed by the shortages that are currently presenting themselves, most notably in the world of semiconductors, which are typically made with silicon or germanium. A substantial number of the world’s semiconductors are made by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), who are responsible for these tiny yet powerful components that OEM companies design their products around. Amongst these components lie some heavy hitters. Most notably for our industry are the SHARC and Blackfin processors made by Boston-area company Analog Devices. These, and other DSP chips, are at the core of many of our favorite pedals—pedals that simply could not exist as they do without them.
I’ve been wondering where this will lead our industry. We work amongst a brilliant, innovative group of artists, and, though our business cards may say “designer” or “engineer,” it can be easy to forget the art form behind the work. We may be tinkering with breadboards instead of shredding on stage, but in our wonderful little industry, we’re all musicians and/or music lovers. If you say engineer, it’s easy to invoke visions of a person going over blueprints for a building. If you just say artist, it may be equally easy to imagine a financially challenged person painting on a canvas in a studio apartment. Perhaps some of that stigma has dwindled over the years. I hope that is the case.
Like other artists, we pedal manufacturers create new products and bring them to market. Supplier shortages have caused delays in our manufacturing, and I wonder how we will see companies pivot. Whether you have noticed it or not, we have seen it before—and we’ve had to come up with creative solutions. Let us take a certain shortage scenario and play out what could possibly happen. Say a pedal company makes a model with a specific knob, and the knob manufacturer cannot produce it for an extended period for some unforeseen reason. The pedal company might see this potential speed bump and pivot so that they can keep manufacturing that model. Change the finish color, substitute different knobs and, voilà, a limited edition is born.
The semiconductor shortage has me wondering what we might see in the months to come. Maybe a bump in releases that are built around more commonly available components? Perhaps we will see companies institute waiting lists or batch releases that coincide with their ability to get ahold of the components they require? Regardless of outcome, my hat is off to the manufacturers traversing and adapting in this situation. A shortage of supplies is not a shortage of ideas.
Now let’s talk about shipping logistics!
A faithful recreation of the Germanium Mosrite Fuzzrite with a modern twist.
From the years of 1966 to 1968, Mosrite produced two distinct fuzz circuits---one outfitted with silicon transistors, the other with germanium parts. Of the two, the germanium version is by far the most rare, with original designer and Mosrite employee Ed Sanner estimating that around 250 ever made it out the door. In that final year of production, Mosrite shifted exclusively to silicon parts, making germanium components a thing of the past. However, by 1968 the public was hungry for fuzz, having heard it on a handful of recordings, most notably "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly and "Incense and Peppermints" by Strawberry Alarm Clock. These two buzzy, sinewy fuzz tones were part of a wave of psychedelic rock gaining traction in the mainstream, and both were recorded prior to the introduction of the silicon Fuzzrite.
Other purported users of this early Fuzzrite circuit include Ron Asheton of the Stooges, Norman Greenbaum on "Spirit in the Sky", Henry Vestine of Canned Heat, and many others. Catalinbread have a germanium version at their disposal, and we've used it as a benchmark to create an extremely faithful version with a modern twist. Just like the original, the Catalinbread Fuzzrite Germanium includes two NOS PNP germanium semiconductors with a polarity inverter IC so it plays nice with all forms of power. Unlike the original, Catalinbread added a toggle switch to shift into modern mode, significantly beefing up the low-end content to suit more contemporary rigs.
The Fuzzrite Germanium is out now and available for $179.99 at participating retailers and catalinbread.com.
The hot picker recalls receiving a mix CD of must-know guitarists and the Grammy-winning track was the one that "hit him like a ton of bricks."
The all-new HT series offers "heat treated" pickup technology along with the Cutlas HT, StringRay HT, and Sabre HT guitars.
The Ernie Ball Music Man Sabre HT guitar delivers an incredibly dynamic and responsive playing experience. The pickups are able to achieve an ultra-high-output, powerful low-end response while retaining a distinctively clean, clear tone and definition at lower volume control levels. The HT (Heat Treated) bridge pickup utilizes patent-pending heat-treated pole pieces with a large ceramic magnet and an overwound coil that gives the pickup higher frequency harmonics and excellent touch sensitivity. The Sabre's custom-wound neck humbucker also features a large ceramic magnet and has been wound specifically to pair with the Sabre's HT bridge pickup. In other respects, the Sabre HT shares many of the original Sabre guitar specifications such as a contoured Okoume body with a thick maple top, Schaller locking tuners, and 22 stainless steel frets. The Sabre HT is available in a Yucatan Blue, Raspberry Burst, Showtime, and Snowy Night finish.
The Ernie Ball Music Man Cutlass HT showcases new custom Music Man pickup technology delivering an incredibly dynamic and responsive playing experience. The pickups are able to achieve an ultra-high-output, powerful low-end response while retaining a distinctively clean, clear tone when rolling back the volume control. This set of three HT (Heat Treated) pickups uses patent-pending pole pieces and a large neodymium magnet which provides remarkable definition. The bridge pickup has been wound with plain enamel magnet wire providing a strong, powerful tone, while the neck and middle pickups have been underwound with heavy formvar magnet wire for a more traditional voice. All three pickups have been crafted for a complimentary tonal offering across all five switch positions. The Cutlass HT shares many of the standard specifications of the original Cutlass guitar, including a contoured Alder body, a roasted figured maple neck, 22 stainless frets, Schaller locking tuners, and Music Man vintage tremolo. The Cutlass HT is available in a Showtime, Brûlée, Midnight Rider, and Raspberry Burst finish.
The Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray HT showcases new custom Music Man pickup technology inspired by over a decade of guitar string research delivering an incredibly dynamic and responsive playing experience. The pickups are able to achieve an ultra-high-output, powerful low-end response while retaining a distinctively clean, clear tone and definition at lower volume control levels. The Stingray HT (Heat Treated) bridge pickup utilizes patent-pending heat-treated pole pieces with a large ceramic magnet and an overwound coil that gives the pickup higher frequency harmonics and excellent touch sensitivity. The custom-wound neck humbucker also features a large ceramic magnet and has been wound specifically to pair with the Stingray's HT bridge pickup. This Stingray HT is outfitted with a stop tail Tune-o-Matic bridge which sets it apart from the Stingray's vintage style tremolo but shares a number of the standard specifications, including a contoured body, a roasted figured maple neck, 22 stainless frets, and Schaller locking tuners. The StingRay HT is available in a Showtime, Brûlée, Midnight Rider, and Raspberry Burst finish. HT Series instruments are available now at authorized Ernie Ball Music Man dealers.
Visit them online at www.ernieball.com and www.music-man.com.