Stomp? Whomp!

This effects everyone.

Concluding the series on my gear, let’s do a quick review of the guitar effects that overlapped between Cobra, my cover band, and Nihilistics.

Electro-Harmonix LPB-1

Electro-Harmonix was one of the earliest companies to focus on building effects for guitarists and its first, circa 1968, was the LPB-1. The “LPB” stood for “Linear Power Booster and the “1” for “Our first product.” A simple overdrive, the LPB-1–unlike a traditional stomp box–plugged directly into your amp (or,–later, when they switched the jack around,–guitar) and managed to boost your volume incredibly. It made my dinky little Univox amp sound like FIVE dinky little Univox amps. Electro-Harmonix still sells a ton of them to this day, but in the traditional “put it on the floor” configuration. I still have my LPB-1.

Electro-Harmonix Fuzz Wah

I moved up from the LPB-1 to a combo unit, the Electro Harmonix Fuzz Wah. In my memory, it was like one of those Amphicars (not a great car, not a great boat): not a great wah, not a great fuzz. I threw it over for my next effect, the one that carried me through most of my time in Nihilistics.

Boss DS-1

Released in 1978 by Boss (parent company: Roland), the DS-1 distortion pedal was EVERYWHERE in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. I don’t think mine was ever switched off and–until I got a tuner pedal–was the only effect I used. It’s all over the EP and kept its place in my arsenal until a Rat crawled along.

Arion HU-8500 Stage Tuner

The Arion HU-8500 is the first stomp box tuner I remember seeing and I went out and bought one as soon as I could. It was a lifesaver for tuning up during gigs. I still have mine but haven’t used since the advent of clip-on tuners.

Pro-Co “The RAT”

The Rat distortion pedal supposedly got its name from the rat-infested basement where it was birthed. I bought mine in 1983, when the smaller enclosure unit came out, and the thing is indestructible (I know: I once threw it at the wall of the CBGB “Green Room” (the space behind the stage) and it barely made a dent. I still own my Rat and still use it.

Okay, so I didn’t use a lot of pedals. I still don’t.