[Online Voting Begins!] Introducing the 20 entries that passed the first round of judging in the 3rd Modified Effector Pedal Contest!

Here are the 20 unique entries that passed the first round of judging in the 3rd Custom Effector Pedal Contest!

And now, online voting for the second round has begun!
Please take a look at the entries and vote for the ones you think are “cool” or “great”! We’ll use your votes as a reference for the second round!

 

The final results will be announced in the November 13 issue of Guitar Magazine, on our store’s website, and on BARKS. Stay tuned! You can also watch the videos below for details on each entry.

 

[We’re waiting for your vote!] Introducing the entries that passed the first round of the 3rd Custom Effector Pedal Contest!

 

Voting closes on Sunday, October 5, at 11:59 PM. Please be sure to vote for your favorite entry!!

Voting has closed.
Thank you to everyone who voted.

*Please limit comments on the voting page to content related to the entries only. Any other comments will be deleted.

 

[Entry Introductions]

*Some comments have been excerpted.

 

<1> Horiei’s entry: “The Charm of Carbon ~SD-1~”

I’m completely captivated by the charm of carbon (fabric), so I applied it to my favorite Effector, the BOSS SD-1, to give it a new look. 

 

<2> “Wind Vibe” by Ikisugita DIY

This is a rotary speaker built using a fan. The sound is a raw, analog phaser—more vivid than I expected—with a Uni-Vibe-like quality. The main reason I used a fan is that the motor is inexpensive, and I can adjust the speed with my foot. I can switch between low, medium, and high, and the on/off transitions are also quite effective.

 

<3> JC893’s creation: “KANIFACE”

A fuzz pedal made from a real snow crab shell—aptly named “KANIFACE.” Key design details: The real crab shell was painted with brass powder. To fit the circuit board and battery into the shell’s limited space, the case had to be adjusted down to the millimeter. After countless prototypes and using a 3D printer, it was finally completed. 

 

<4> matsu_log’s creation: “(Probably) the World’s Smallest Effector: Bottle Cap FuzzFaceNano”

I tried fitting the FuzzFace circuit into a plastic bottle cap. As far as I can tell, there doesn’t seem to be an Effector smaller than this. It comes equipped with a standard DC connector, a 3.5mm jack, and an ON/OFF switch so it can be used as a regular Effector. Toggling the ON/OFF switch switches between red “Fuzz” mode and green “Bypass” mode, changing both the sound and the LED.

 

<5> Kazuo’s Creation: “Disco”

I wanted to try building my own Effector. Since I wanted to combine the Effectors I use most often, and I really liked the name “Disco” (Distortion and Chorus), I integrated a Boss CE-3 into a DIY distortion kit and used just this one unit to create my own sound!

 

<6> Itarian’s Creation: “GAS ECHORUS”

I used spatial effects to recreate the flickering of flames. The Effector features a housing made from a modified empty camping gas cartridge; I used one that a friend gave me after they’d finished using it.

 

<7> lenheyvan’s creation: “Ice Wall CLEAN”

This is a dedicated clean-tone Effector—something that seems like it should exist but didn’t until now. Turning up the “Body” knob adds a resonant cabinet sound, while turning up the “Bright” knob produces a bell-like ring similar to what you get when you turn down the volume on a fuzz pedal. It produces a crystal-clear clean tone that makes it feel as if you’re playing guitar in front of an ice wall in Antarctica.

 

<8> Eleven’s creation: “Bikkuri Muff!”

I was thinking about what I could do with my beloved Big Muff when I discovered an unused toy in my child’s toy box. In keeping with the theme of “making Effectors even more fun,” I turned it into a playful Effector. Since sticking a sword into Mike Matthews would be dangerous, I opted for his trademark cigar instead.

 

<9> “Combustible Trash Can”’s Creation: “Dist+ Remote Flash”

I modified the MXR Distortion+ so it can be controlled via a remote with a level meter. The remote has a clip, allowing it to be attached to a strap or similar item. The level meter on the remote moves in response to your playing, letting you enjoy the visual action.

 

<10> Robotta’s creation: “WHAT IF?”

Based on the concept of “What if electric guitars had been sold 20 years earlier?”, this germanium booster was meticulously crafted using parts salvaged from a 1940s vacuum tube radio, with great attention paid to materials and construction methods.

 

<11> Forestman’s Work: “Muff Console & Booster Cassette”

I drew inspiration from my impression when I first saw a BIG MUFF: “It looks like a Famicom…” The underlying concept was simply the desire to “make a Muff with a ridiculously huge sound.” I designed it so that a booster—resembling a “cassette”—can be plugged directly into the main unit using a straight plug.

 

<12> Sushitation’s creation: “BOSS Enclosure Mongoose”

This is Roger Mayer’s Mongoose Fuzz housed in a BOSS enclosure. The enclosure is colored and decorated with stickers inspired by the cover art for Supercar’s first album, *Three Out Change*.

 

<13> Work by Nakaro Bonmin A~ru: “Wearable Fuzz for Pickup on Pick”

I modified this to be wearable for use with a handheld pickup.

 

<14> Angus Nakano’s creation: “Sun-Craft Diversity System: The Schaffer Replica”

For this modification, I integrated the Solodallas “Storm” and the Love Pedal “JTM” into a single enclosure, crafting it to resemble the Schaffer-Vega Diversity System. I wanted to achieve Angus Young’s signature sound, and while searching for a way to do so, I arrived at the Schaffer-Vega—which is essentially the heart of the system. As a high school student and Angus fan, I believe the result is something I can be proud of.

 

<15> Goodsontoys’ creation: “V8 Fuzz / Time Machine Ver. 3”

I’ve built a 1/24-scale DeLorean equipped with a blasting fuzz. The fuzz uses a custom-built circuit board. The theme is a cool, blasting sound—it’s a fuzz that leaves no room for complaints about volume.

 

<16> Kenji Fujiwara’s creation: “MyRAT”

This is a modified RAT. When you first turn it on, you choose one of two characters. The tone changes depending on the character you select. On the normal screen, the character walks around. If you don’t play it for three days, the character gets weak. If you don’t play it for a week, the character dies. If you play it (or turn it on) every day for seven days, the character can equip sunglasses. Equipping the sunglasses changes the sound.

 

<17> “Pencil BIG MUFF” by Sapporo Strobe Lights

The solid carbon resistors used in the old BIG MUFF apparently have a structure similar to a pencil lead. Come to think of it, I remember from elementary school science class passing electricity through a pencil lead to light up a small light bulb. With that in mind, I created this “Pencil BIG MUFF.” I incorporated a pencil as an electronic component into part of the current BIG MUFF’s circuit. 

 

<18> Akira Akai’s creation: “Da San Yuan Booster”

Since I love mahjong, I built my own Effectors modeled after mahjong tiles. The White Dragon, Green Dragon, and Red Dragon each feature a different type of booster.

 

<19> Kenta Claus (YSXL)’s creation: “Echo of Memories: Get Off the Bus”

A gadget-style Effector that incorporates the mechanism of a “bus stop button” into a delay. When you press the button, an announcement saying “Next stop” plays, and the delay is applied along with the guitar sound. If you turn the Time knob while it’s playing, the playback speed changes, letting you enjoy a sound full of trippy vibes.

 

<20> Gen McGuinness’s creation: “Black Cat Overdrive”

It’s just a clone of the Black Cat OD. The laid-back illustration, hand-drawn by my wife, has been surprisingly well-received.

 

 

That brings the total to 20 entries!!!

Voting closes on Sunday, October 5. Please be sure to vote for your favorite entry!!

Voting has ended.
Thank you all for your votes.

*Please limit comments on the voting page to content related to the works only. Any other comments will be deleted.