sprucebringsteen's Activity

Sometimes you don’t know where a circuit will take you, such is the story with the Hephaestus. This fuzz box started life as the now legendary Jordan Bosstone, but as Zach attempted to make the pedal more useful he stumbled upon something he didn’t expect. The Bosstone circuit is a relatively simple circuit combining a NPN and PNP transistor pair to get some pretty great classic fuzz tones. However the variety of tones in the original units are fairly limited. Zach was bound and determined to find something more interesting and after poking and prodding we landed on something we think people may not expect. Enter the WARNING knob.

The WARNING knob on the face of the pedal does not control volume, it doesn’t control gain, it controls voltage feeding the circuit! When maxed out the circuit sounds like the best of the classic circuit, but as you turn the knob down and adjust the overall voltage entering the circuit. Once the knob hits 1 o’clock something magical happens, a sub octave begins to be introduced! When and where it appears will be very dependent on your guitar and amp setup but it creates a sub octave synth effect that is unlike anything we’ve ever tried from a simple analog device. Further reducing the voltage or WARNING knob will cause even more octave things to happen while reducing the overall gain of the circuit. Internally there is a master volume so you can adjust the overall output of the pedal. Be warned, this circuit is loud! From us the master will be set at 50% so as to not worry friends and family around you who may bear witness to the first riffs heard from this little red fuzz box. It’s weird, wacky, but most importantly it’s incredibly fun to play. We cannot seem to stop writing riffs on these pedals as we test them and we cannot wait to see what players come up with

The ThorpyFX Hanami Fuzz is built for players who want a fuzz that goes beyond vintage clones and carves out its own sonic identity. It's a great fit for intermediate and pro players looking for rich, textured fuzz with a lot of tonal flexibility. Sitting right between the BONEYARD and FALLOUT CLOUD in the Thorpy lineup, Hanami draws on the spirit of classic fuzz but doesn't try to imitate; instead, it delivers a sound that's full of character and responds well to just about any playing style.

With four NOS germanium transistors and a NOS germanium diode at its core, Hanami offers saturated fuzz tones that feel smooth and musical-never harsh. Controls are straightforward: Volume, Boost, Treble, and Bass. The Boost knob lets you sweep from low-gain wooliness to a more aggressive, full-bodied fuzz, while the interactive Treble and Bass EQ section helps you fine-tune the pedal to your guitar and amp setup. Everything is housed on a high-quality, through-hole PCB and built with premium components like WIMA and Panasonic caps for long-term durability.

The feel underfoot is just as good as the sound-robust and road-ready, and it runs on standard 9V DC power with center-negative polarity. The layout makes it easy to dial in, whether you're stacking it with other drives or running it standalone. We've had a great experience with Hanami; it delivers consistently and lets you shape fuzz in a way that feels rewarding rather than finicky.

Controls:

• VOLUME: Balances the output level of the pedal. Unity gain (input matches output) is typically around the 10 o'clock position depending on your guitar's pickups.
• BOOST: Adjusts the character of the fuzz, from smooth lower-gain fuzz to a saturated and aggressive fuzz tone.
• TREBLE: Adds or cuts high frequencies. Counterclockwise removes treble; clockwise boosts treble. Highly interactive with the Bass control.
• BASS: Adds or cuts low frequencies. Counterclockwise removes bass; clockwise boosts bass. Works interactively with the Treble control to shape the fuzz's overall tone.

Specifications:

• Power: 9V DC, center-negative (use a quality supply such as Gigrig Generator or Voodoo Lab Pedalpower Plus 2; incorrect voltages or polarities will damage the pedal)
• Components: Built with high-quality parts including 1% metal film resistors, WIMA and Panasonic capacitors, and robust through-hole plated PCBs for reliability and consistent tonal performance.

A Modded Version of Mayer’s Signature Axe The PRS “Dead Spec” Silver Sky was designed for John Mayer’s prominent work with Dead & Company’s last tour. Paying homage to Jerry Garcia’s iconic “Alligator” guitar tones, the Dead Spec Silver Sky is a modded version of Mayer’s signature axe with significant spec changes.

The foundation of the “Dead Spec” Silver Sky is a lightweight Swamp Ash body (rather than alder) finished in Moc Sand satin nitro that is thin and strikingly sinks into the ash wood grain. The bridge is a modified PRS patented Gen III Tremolo that has been screwed to the body, effectively rendering it a string-through hardtail bridge. Keeping the tremolo’s brass block in the equation adds a musical warmth to the guitar. At the other end of the strings are a brass nut and string retainer bar, which also contribute to the guitar’s resonance and tone.

Perhaps most notably, the Dead Spec Silver Sky’s jack plate has been swapped out for a brass-plate Alembic Blaster preamp. This preamp can be used as a straight boost but has an internal pot that allows players to add between 3-14 dB of gain to the guitar when turned on. This not only gives the Dead Spec Silver Sky added punch while maintaining crisp note separation, but it compensates for the capacitance that comes with long stage cables as well.

The circuit is bypassed when in the off position. Only 1,000 PRS “Dead Spec” Silver Skys will be made. Shipping November 2023 – March 2024.

“After playing the Silver Sky designed for the 2023 Dead & Company summer tour, I realized the guitar was special. It quickly became apparent this wasn’t just a tool for one particular job but could be extremely versatile in other players’ hands. I’m excited to hear the music that’s made on these guitars.” – John Mayer