Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

[Moonsorrow]

Just picked up the HBE Germanium Treble Booster and i have to say this is one of the best if not the best i`ve ever heard! This is a great company with excellent customer service as well! All their pedals are hand built one at a time in the USA (boutique if you will) but their prices are some of the best! Anyone in here like HBE?

 

[B Bent]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

I think they are some of the coolest most modestly priced (considering the quality and handmade factor) pedals out there. I have a Power Screamer covered in Tweed that smokes.

Check out this LINK to see the production process of a HBE pedal. (warning: it's 194 MB)

Brow has a lot of their pedals too.

I want a UFO next!

 

[millsart]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

Like anything, it again depends on the pedal. They've got some very cool ones and some others that didn't quite do it for me.

Just because you like one particular effect a company makes in no means requires you to therefore outfit your entire pedalboard with the rest of their lineup.

Inversely, just because as a whole you may dislike a given brand, that doesn't mean they can't have one stellar pedal.


Like the conversaton last week as well (about Barber perhaps ?) being handbuilt in the USA is honestly not that big of deal. Same goes with true bypass yada yada

My KR Musical, Sweetsound, Retro Sonic, Analogman, Keeley, Teese, Euthymia, Barber etc etc are all handmade, true bypass, great customer service, fair prices etc.

Again, not to knock HBE, but they are just one of a dime a dozen effects builders right now.

Thats not a bad thing by any means, but its important to remember that no one has any real "magic dust" going into their pedals.

I saw a KR Musical vibe pedal sell for nearly $600 last week for example. Why ? Forum hype. Its a great pedal, I've got one but its not that much different than any other vibe on the market.


As guitarist and consumers, we've got to keep our heads and remember we are living in a time with MORE options than ever.

Way too many people are trying to charge crazy money for their "boo-teek" pedals simply because they can. They aren't using special parts or a unique design, they are doing the same thing the other guy is.

Only difference is a fancy name and some forum hype makes one pedal sell for hundreds more than another.


I really do admire Barber, HBE etc though for striving to maintain some fair and honest prices.

 

[cvansickle]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

Nobody is making better pedals than HBE right now, IMHO....

I use the UFO, Big D, Power Screamer and Germacide on my main pedalboard, and another UFO, Germania and wah on my smaller board.

 

[Moonsorrow]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

Nobody is making better pedals than HBE right now, IMHO....

I use the UFO, Big D, Power Screamer and Germacide on my main pedalboard, and another UFO, Germania and wah on my smaller board.

I`m very interested in the UFO as well!!!!!

 

[Sludgenutz]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

I love my UFO. It has a freakin great range, is amazingly quiet, and is rather "foward"/modern in tone.

It is not so good at taking the matching the dry signal, and dialing in vintage godly-tones, but I didn't buy it for that purpose either. I wanted a nasty/aggressive silicon fuzz, and $150 was my limit. The added octaver is nice.

 

[Brow]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

As Vibrolux mentioned above, I'm a big fan of HBE pedals.

On my main pedalboard I have:

Medicine Bawl Wah
CPR Compressor
Power Screamer Overdrive (with Fat Boost mod)
UFO Fuzz/Octave
Psilocybe Phase Shifter (in a switched loop)
Dos Mos 2 channel boost

My 2nd, smaller practise/'Jam' pedalboard has an Uno Mos on it.

I also have a Big D OD/Distortion which I keep purely for use during recording as it's extremely versatile, so I wouldn't want to just leave it in 1 setting for use on my main pedalboard

I also plan at some point to replace the Ibanez DE7 Delay/Echo on my main board with a Mimic Mock II, and the BOSS CE5 Chorus with a THC Three Hound Chorus.

I'm also having a custom Power Screamer made up in a smaller enclosure (that of an Uno Mos), without the 2nd footswitchable Boost, for use on my 'Rack' pedalboard. A fullsize HBE OD pedal won't fit on the board due to a large MIDI switcher I also have on there. So I've spoken to Joel Weaver @ HBE and we've come up with that suggestion

I really can't fault their customer service 1 bit. I've always had very prompt replies to my emails, and Joel has always been very helpful and imformative.

 

[martin6string]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

I'm a big fan of HBE stuff. Well built and priced reasonably.

 

[cvansickle]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

I`m very interested in the UFO as well!!!!!

The UFO would be my desert island pedal, for sure.

 

[B Bent]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

The UFO would be my desert island pedal, for sure.

You guys have to quit talking about the UFO. I am starting to believe in aliens!

I really want one bad. Its at the top of my GAS list.

 

[Sludgenutz]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

You guys have to quit talking about the UFO. I am starting to believe in aliens!

I really want one bad. Its at the top of my GAS list.

They retail for $150 or so, but I commonly see them sell on ebay for $90-$100-ish, used. Most are in great shape.

 

[Moonsorrow]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

You guys have to quit talking about the UFO. I am starting to believe in aliens!

I really want one bad. Its at the top of my GAS list.

:lmao:

 

[B Bent]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

HA!! I just found the only UFO on eBay and the guy was local. I emailed him and we worked out a deal. looks like I'll have one this week.

SWEET!!!

 

[Moonsorrow]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

HA!! I just found the only UFO on eBay and the guy was local. I emailed him and we worked out a deal. looks like I'll have one this week.

SWEET!!!

Way to go!!!!! :bigok:

Give us a review after also!!!

 

[Brow]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

HA!! I just found the only UFO on eBay and the guy was local. I emailed him and we worked out a deal. looks like I'll have one this week.

SWEET!!!

That's great

I love mine, especially with a Strat or a Telecaster.

I find it doesn't cut through a band so well with a humbucker equipped guitar, but sounds good on recordings for thickening sounds up.

 

[Moonsorrow]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

Anyone have the HBE Full Metal Jacket Distortion pedal??

 

[Moonsorrow]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

I don`t think HBE makes a bad pedal! Tried out a few different ones yesterday and they all sounded excellent. Now the only dilemma is trying to figure out which one i want next! *lol*

 

[cvansickle]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

Just one?!?

It may be called a PEDALboard, but you're allowed to put more than ONE pedal on it!

 

[Moonsorrow]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

Just one?!?

It may be called a PEDALboard, but you're allowed to put more than ONE pedal on it!

*lol* I have more than one pedal....but only one HBE right now!!!

 

[Brow]

Re: Anyone like HBE (Homebrew Electronics) effects pedals?

Just thought I'd show some HBE love

The Uno Mos and Roger Mayer Fuzz have been replaced with an MI Audio Boost N' Buff (the Uno Mos is on my smaller board) and the Phase 90 is now replaced with an HBE Psilocybe Phase Shifter.

Other than that, it's an upto date pic