Looking at grabbing an Analogman Sunface and was wondering if any of the SD forum members own one of these pedals and have any feedback to offer. I was looking more specifically at the NKT 275 Red Dot or High Gain models (unfortunately they stopped selling the White Dot model). The ballpark tone I am looking for is more along the lines of early Hendrix. Thanks everyone!
Experience with Analogman Sunface
- Thread starter J.C.R.W
- Start date
Lazarus1140
New member
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
TGWIF should chime in very soon.
TGWIF should chime in very soon.
Andrew Lamprecht
Minion of One
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
I have a red dot sunface and it's a great pedal. It definitely nails that early hendrix tone to a tee.
I have a red dot sunface and it's a great pedal. It definitely nails that early hendrix tone to a tee.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
The red dot NKT is the old Hendrix sound however if you are new to fuzz in general know going in that germanium Fuzz Faces are a lot of work...they are EQ'ed heavy in the low end, the lack sustain they don't work well with vintage wah pedals, they hate bufferes in general, they pick up radio stations, and they depend a lot on your overall playing technique but if want that sound it's in there and I haven't found another pedal yet that really nails it.
Also worth mentioning that the red dots are the most sensitive to temp changes in my experience so if you gig a lot outside you'll be in for a lot of extra variables but the bias knob can help with that.
I have a red dot, white dot, high gain all form AnalogMan as well as a few others from other builders so if you dig around on the forum you'll find lots of posts from me on the various pedals and their differences.
If you have any specific questions shoot and I'll do my best to help any way I can.
The red dot NKT is the old Hendrix sound however if you are new to fuzz in general know going in that germanium Fuzz Faces are a lot of work...they are EQ'ed heavy in the low end, the lack sustain they don't work well with vintage wah pedals, they hate bufferes in general, they pick up radio stations, and they depend a lot on your overall playing technique but if want that sound it's in there and I haven't found another pedal yet that really nails it.
Also worth mentioning that the red dots are the most sensitive to temp changes in my experience so if you gig a lot outside you'll be in for a lot of extra variables but the bias knob can help with that.
I have a red dot, white dot, high gain all form AnalogMan as well as a few others from other builders so if you dig around on the forum you'll find lots of posts from me on the various pedals and their differences.
If you have any specific questions shoot and I'll do my best to help any way I can.
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
Thanks guys, lots of great info!
TGWIF - The Red Dot is looking like the option that I will take. Do you think it will work well paired with a Fulltone Clyde Deluxe? I have borrowed a Fulltone '69 in the past and that worked quite well. It is also a pedal that I was considering but I have heard a lot of great things about the Analogman products.
Thanks guys, lots of great info!
TGWIF - The Red Dot is looking like the option that I will take. Do you think it will work well paired with a Fulltone Clyde Deluxe? I have borrowed a Fulltone '69 in the past and that worked quite well. It is also a pedal that I was considering but I have heard a lot of great things about the Analogman products.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
New Fulltone wahs have a buffer built in to "correct" the impedence so you can run them before a vintage fuzz pedal with good results older ones do not have this buffer.
Keep in mind, this buffer and the buffer lik you'd find in the bypass circiut of a Boss or Ibanez pedal are not the same, in terms of dealing with fuzz boxes one is good and one is not.
Also keep in mind that if you put your fuzz first the buffer is not needed as the impedence is only an issue if you put the wah first.
New Fulltone wahs have a buffer built in to "correct" the impedence so you can run them before a vintage fuzz pedal with good results older ones do not have this buffer.
Keep in mind, this buffer and the buffer lik you'd find in the bypass circiut of a Boss or Ibanez pedal are not the same, in terms of dealing with fuzz boxes one is good and one is not.
Also keep in mind that if you put your fuzz first the buffer is not needed as the impedence is only an issue if you put the wah first.
Edgecrusher
New member
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
I have one of the white dot ones and its a great pedal. But it is really finicky I laughed when TGWIF said they pick up radio stations cause they really do. Mine has an affinity for KZBQ which was my local AM country station. I had to stop and sit down and take the time to learn the pedal to really get it to work. I still really struggle to get it to play nice with a humbucker equipped guitar. For that matter my best sounding guitar through it i think is my charvel surfcaster with lipstick tube pickups.
Though ill be honest and say that I like my Analogman Peppermint fuzz better. But that might be just it fits my immediate expectation of fuzz easier. Where the Sunface is soft and dynamic the peppermint is more off the wall.
I have one of the white dot ones and its a great pedal. But it is really finicky I laughed when TGWIF said they pick up radio stations cause they really do. Mine has an affinity for KZBQ which was my local AM country station. I had to stop and sit down and take the time to learn the pedal to really get it to work. I still really struggle to get it to play nice with a humbucker equipped guitar. For that matter my best sounding guitar through it i think is my charvel surfcaster with lipstick tube pickups.
Though ill be honest and say that I like my Analogman Peppermint fuzz better. But that might be just it fits my immediate expectation of fuzz easier. Where the Sunface is soft and dynamic the peppermint is more off the wall.
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
http://www.hartmanelectronicstore.com/Hartman-Vintage-Germanium-Fuzz-Pedal-VGF.htm
i know it not a sunface, but i got theo to build an NKT275 model. I emailed him later and he also sent me the parts for the hindrix/mayer mods and instructions on how to do it. Good guy to work with. Dunno if he has any NKT trannies left, but he might be worth sending an email to also, you can get a pretty rad sounding fuzz with various transistors - you can tell him exactly what you are after.
http://www.hartmanelectronicstore.com/Hartman-Vintage-Germanium-Fuzz-Pedal-VGF.htm
i know it not a sunface, but i got theo to build an NKT275 model. I emailed him later and he also sent me the parts for the hindrix/mayer mods and instructions on how to do it. Good guy to work with. Dunno if he has any NKT trannies left, but he might be worth sending an email to also, you can get a pretty rad sounding fuzz with various transistors - you can tell him exactly what you are after.
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
To be real frank, The Hendrix sound ,great as it is, is such a one trick pony that I'm building a whole seprate pedalboard for it. A Russiana Muff, a Fuzzface ( whiich i don't have yet) and a wah. Myabe an Octave divider.
I really dont expect to barely ever even use it except when I want to sound like Jimi.
I dont get people using them in every day scenarios, except as low level distortions? IDK..
To be real frank, The Hendrix sound ,great as it is, is such a one trick pony that I'm building a whole seprate pedalboard for it. A Russiana Muff, a Fuzzface ( whiich i don't have yet) and a wah. Myabe an Octave divider.
I really dont expect to barely ever even use it except when I want to sound like Jimi.
I dont get people using them in every day scenarios, except as low level distortions? IDK..
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
jerry - you need a univibe too! no muff. just an octavia, a fuzzface, a wah and a vibe. - and the secret ingredient.....
drum roll......
NOT A MARSHALL!
unless its a jtm non master type thing.....
he recorded 'are you experienced' with a fender dual showman.....and his marshalls were all kinda big headroom non master kinda things. MOst marshall built in the last 30 years are the wrong amp for the job (unless its a jtm reissue).....fwiw...so a fender amp blackface style is the way to go.
jerry - you need a univibe too! no muff. just an octavia, a fuzzface, a wah and a vibe. - and the secret ingredient.....
drum roll......
NOT A MARSHALL!
unless its a jtm non master type thing.....
he recorded 'are you experienced' with a fender dual showman.....and his marshalls were all kinda big headroom non master kinda things. MOst marshall built in the last 30 years are the wrong amp for the job (unless its a jtm reissue).....fwiw...so a fender amp blackface style is the way to go.
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
wow..dual showman is a Twin head? Yeah..Im hip to that, although lots of James Marshalls live stuff showcases the Marshall Plexis with the Fuzzface, ocatver, and vibe...and a lot of that sound is the sound we've come to know.
Im thinking a good chorus that can do leslie simulations, a Fuzzface into the muff ( try it!) and just a OC-2, along with a wah of course, will get me ito the ballpark, and into the infield.
Also, a Master Volume Marshall can act like a NMV- just turn the Master 1/2 way down and thew Power half way up.
wow..dual showman is a Twin head? Yeah..Im hip to that, although lots of James Marshalls live stuff showcases the Marshall Plexis with the Fuzzface, ocatver, and vibe...and a lot of that sound is the sound we've come to know.
Im thinking a good chorus that can do leslie simulations, a Fuzzface into the muff ( try it!) and just a OC-2, along with a wah of course, will get me ito the ballpark, and into the infield.
Also, a Master Volume Marshall can act like a NMV- just turn the Master 1/2 way down and thew Power half way up.
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Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
Thanks again for all of your input, this is exactly what I need to know. One final question I would have is would I be missing anything from the White Dot version in comparison to the Red Dot? The White Dots are going for crazy prices now that they are OOP.
Thanks again for all of your input, this is exactly what I need to know. One final question I would have is would I be missing anything from the White Dot version in comparison to the Red Dot? The White Dots are going for crazy prices now that they are OOP.
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
LOL, that really shows the sensitivity of these pedals. Luckily I will be keeping it in the same area (jam space) for now so I should be fine. Good luck with the show tonight and thanks for your input!
LOL, that really shows the sensitivity of these pedals. Luckily I will be keeping it in the same area (jam space) for now so I should be fine. Good luck with the show tonight and thanks for your input!
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
The white dot NKT's are a British Military version of the red dot NKT's...it's more or less the same part, think of it like a 12AX7 vs a 7025...same basic job, same basic tone but there are differences.
The in depth deal is this...
For starters white dots were NEVER used in vintage Fuzz Faces, DA always used red dot NKT
The difference sonically speaking is the white dots are a little brighter, slightly more stable at temp changes (but not by much!) and most of the time will get CMPLETELY clean, even with a PAF output bucker where the red dots seem to have a little more grit when clean unless you're rocking all single coils. Also worth mentioning the white dots have a bit or sparkle going on when you roll back for cleans where the reds stay a little darker and fatter.
The deal with the price on the white dot NKT is that Mike no longer has them so at least for right now they are unobtainium...if Mike lands a stash tomorrow the prices will go back down. However on the other hand when (not if but when) he is out of stock on the high gains and the red dots those prices will be goig up too...I have seen all Mikes MKT's go up a few times in recent years)
Also of note the high gain NKT are THE SAME part as the white dot NKT just higher gain...now, they will not get 100% the white dot tone (and the high gains will not clean all the way up due to the extra gain) because being higher gain does change the tone a bit but if you tweak the internal trimmer (not the bias) back a bit and work with it you can get very close to the regular white dot sound with the high gain sound that said I still prefer the red dot.
The white dot NKT's are a British Military version of the red dot NKT's...it's more or less the same part, think of it like a 12AX7 vs a 7025...same basic job, same basic tone but there are differences.
The in depth deal is this...
For starters white dots were NEVER used in vintage Fuzz Faces, DA always used red dot NKT
The difference sonically speaking is the white dots are a little brighter, slightly more stable at temp changes (but not by much!) and most of the time will get CMPLETELY clean, even with a PAF output bucker where the red dots seem to have a little more grit when clean unless you're rocking all single coils. Also worth mentioning the white dots have a bit or sparkle going on when you roll back for cleans where the reds stay a little darker and fatter.
The deal with the price on the white dot NKT is that Mike no longer has them so at least for right now they are unobtainium...if Mike lands a stash tomorrow the prices will go back down. However on the other hand when (not if but when) he is out of stock on the high gains and the red dots those prices will be goig up too...I have seen all Mikes MKT's go up a few times in recent years)
Also of note the high gain NKT are THE SAME part as the white dot NKT just higher gain...now, they will not get 100% the white dot tone (and the high gains will not clean all the way up due to the extra gain) because being higher gain does change the tone a bit but if you tweak the internal trimmer (not the bias) back a bit and work with it you can get very close to the regular white dot sound with the high gain sound that said I still prefer the red dot.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
Not nit pickin at all just curious where you heard about a Fender on Are You Experienced...
I mean come on, were talking England 1966...no one had Fender amps!!!
I have heard various stories about the amps used on Are You Experienced but the one I've heard most often and by people that might really know say that there were a few small Brit amps used...Burns amps and what not...
I'm not at all saying I know for sure, just asking where you got that info...
Not nit pickin at all just curious where you heard about a Fender on Are You Experienced...
I mean come on, were talking England 1966...no one had Fender amps!!!
I have heard various stories about the amps used on Are You Experienced but the one I've heard most often and by people that might really know say that there were a few small Brit amps used...Burns amps and what not...
I'm not at all saying I know for sure, just asking where you got that info...
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
Thank you again for all of your help and information with this. I think I am going to place an order for a Red Dot Sunface. Sounds like it is just what I am looking for.
Thank you again for all of your help and information with this. I think I am going to place an order for a Red Dot Sunface. Sounds like it is just what I am looking for.
astrozombie
KatyPerryologist
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
I don't want to be the dumbass who says this, but here goes: why dont you try the dunlop hendrix fuzz face? I thought it was close.
I don't want to be the dumbass who says this, but here goes: why dont you try the dunlop hendrix fuzz face? I thought it was close.
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
noone had fender amps?
--we are talkign about jimi hendrix!- he was imported too! lol - hes not british made!
...but ill see if i can dig up the info for ya....
http://www.jimihendrix.dk/index.php?lang=en&page=gear
this video is from 1969 and hes switched back to a dual showman for this concert (dunno why hes not using a marshall here)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LXNitTF_C8&feature=related
to be honest i cant find anything that definitively states he used a dual showman (same goes for any othet type of amp- marshalls included) on "are you experienced" - it may have been twins as well....apparently he took his first delivery of a marshall in october 1966.
however....you have a twin....plug in with your fuzz faces and a strat and youll see how scarily similar the sound is to his "are you experienced" sounds. I know everyone equates hendrix to jtm marshalls, but that is all post 1966. "are you experienced" A dual showman is just a twin in a head cabinet anyway.
http://books.google.com.au/books?id...&resnum=7&ved=0CFUQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q&f=false
i dunno - i could be wrong about the dual showmans in the studio....but for a convincing hendrix tone, i reckon if its a marshall it needs to be an old non-master type model...or a fender twin/showman. Not a later marshall with preamp gain etc.
noone had fender amps?
--we are talkign about jimi hendrix!- he was imported too! lol - hes not british made!
...but ill see if i can dig up the info for ya....
http://www.jimihendrix.dk/index.php?lang=en&page=gear
this video is from 1969 and hes switched back to a dual showman for this concert (dunno why hes not using a marshall here)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LXNitTF_C8&feature=related
to be honest i cant find anything that definitively states he used a dual showman (same goes for any othet type of amp- marshalls included) on "are you experienced" - it may have been twins as well....apparently he took his first delivery of a marshall in october 1966.
however....you have a twin....plug in with your fuzz faces and a strat and youll see how scarily similar the sound is to his "are you experienced" sounds. I know everyone equates hendrix to jtm marshalls, but that is all post 1966. "are you experienced" A dual showman is just a twin in a head cabinet anyway.
http://books.google.com.au/books?id...&resnum=7&ved=0CFUQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q&f=false
i dunno - i could be wrong about the dual showmans in the studio....but for a convincing hendrix tone, i reckon if its a marshall it needs to be an old non-master type model...or a fender twin/showman. Not a later marshall with preamp gain etc.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Experience with Analogman Sunface
He asked for early Hendrix, Jimi started usign a Fuzz Face in 1966, DA didn;t go to Silicon until late 1969...the Dunlop Hendrix Fuzz Face is based on Jimi's 1970 BC-108 Fuzz Face...it nails later Hendrix but not the early Hendrix.
He asked for early Hendrix, Jimi started usign a Fuzz Face in 1966, DA didn;t go to Silicon until late 1969...the Dunlop Hendrix Fuzz Face is based on Jimi's 1970 BC-108 Fuzz Face...it nails later Hendrix but not the early Hendrix.
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