Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

[Artie]

I've been playing with this for about three hours now, and I gotta say I love it. The simple inclusion of high and low eq controls gives it a versatility that my single-tone-control units can't match. By placing the "low" control at about the 10-11 o'clock position, I can pretty much duplicate my Arion Tubulator. But the BM definitely has a richer, more defined tone than the Tubulator. I still like the Tubulator, but I like the BM more.

Let me say at this point, that my experience with distortion boxes is limited to a ProCo Rat, (late version), Boss DS-1, (pre and post Spina-fied), Arion Tubulator, Yamaha FX-500 and MagicStomp II, and that which is built in to my Johnson J-Station and Hughes & Kettner amp.

I run my test with the tone control rolled almost all the way down. Somewhere between 0 and 3. I do that because it seems to me that a distortion pedal, of any kind, generates it's own high-frequency harmonic content. By rolling back the tone control, I get a much cleaner, less piercing tone. As I play up and down the neck, there's almost a "wah" affect.

The High and Low tone controls allow you to dial in a fairly heavy grunge, or a subtle singing tone. Its hard to describe other than to say, its versatile. The pedal itself has very heavy construction. Seems fairly bullet-proof. Nice smooth controls too. You won't "bump" these out of position.

And one last little plus: the second mixer output, with "cabinet emulation" is like a second pedal built right in. By running this output direct to my board, I can mix it in, in whatever degree I want, to get a really cool balance between my J-Station and the Bad Monkey direct.

I love this pedal. Nice price too at around $40.

Artie

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

I've been playing with this for about three hours now, and I gotta say I love it. The simple inclusion of high and low eq controls gives it a versatility that my single-tone-control units can't match. By placing the "low" control at about the 10-11 o'clock position, I can pretty much duplicate my Arion Tubulator. But the BM definitely has a richer, more defined tone than the Tubulator. I still like the Tubulator, but I like the BM more.

Let me say at this point, that my experience with distortion boxes is limited to a ProCo Rat, (late version), Boss DS-1, (pre and post Spina-fied), Arion Tubulator, Yamaha FX-500 and MagicStomp II, and that which is built in to my Johnson J-Station and Hughes & Kettner amp.

I run my test with the tone control rolled almost all the way down. Somewhere between 0 and 3. I do that because it seems to me that a distortion pedal, of any kind, generates it's own high-frequency harmonic content. By rolling back the tone control, I get a much cleaner, less piercing tone. As I play up and down the neck, there's almost a "wah" affect.

The High and Low tone controls allow you to dial in a fairly heavy grunge, or a subtle singing tone. Its hard to describe other than to say, its versatile. The pedal itself has very heavy construction. Seems fairly bullet-proof. Nice smooth controls too. You won't "bump" these out of position.

And one last little plus: the second mixer output, with "cabinet emulation" is like a second pedal built right in. By running this output direct to my board, I can mix it in, in whatever degree I want, to get a really cool balance between my J-Station and the Bad Monkey direct.

I love this pedal. Nice price too at around $40.

Artie

Pretty hard to beat that pedal Artie at it's price and in it's stock version...

 

[Artie]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

Pretty hard to beat that pedal Artie at it's price and in it's stock version...

Are you implying that Spina-fied mods are available? :bowdown:

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

Are you implying that Spina-fied mods are available? :bowdown:

I haven't been inside of the Bad Monkey Artie,but something tells me it's all "micro technology" stuff on the board...More than likely anyway for the price.If it is,I wouldn't be able to mod it..

 

[Artie]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

Sometime this upcoming week, I'll open mine up, and post pics.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

Sometime this upcoming week, I'll open mine up, and post pics.

I Liked it pretty much right off upon trying one out at a local music store...Haven't been able to gander within one though?

 

[Artie]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

I could just loan you mine when I bring the SSL-3.

 

[Mephis]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

How would one be for smoothing out/warming up a high gain amp?

I'm considering grabbing a tube screamer just to have in my bag of tricks. I'm either going to get one of those or an echo/delay.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

I could just loan you mine when I bring the SSL-3.

Naah that's ok Artie...If you sent me an inside porn picture,that would be pretty cool.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

I checked the inside and the resistors were about the thickness of a nail if I remember right... Furthermore isn't the technology inside digital and not analogue? I don't know if you mod digital stuff John.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

I've been playing with this for about three hours now, and I gotta say I love it. The simple inclusion of high and low eq controls gives it a versatility that my single-tone-control units can't match. By placing the "low" control at about the 10-11 o'clock position, I can pretty much duplicate my Arion Tubulator. But the BM definitely has a richer, more defined tone than the Tubulator. I still like the Tubulator, but I like the BM more.

Let me say at this point, that my experience with distortion boxes is limited to a ProCo Rat, (late version), Boss DS-1, (pre and post Spina-fied), Arion Tubulator, Yamaha FX-500 and MagicStomp II, and that which is built in to my Johnson J-Station and Hughes & Kettner amp.

I run my test with the tone control rolled almost all the way down. Somewhere between 0 and 3. I do that because it seems to me that a distortion pedal, of any kind, generates it's own high-frequency harmonic content. By rolling back the tone control, I get a much cleaner, less piercing tone. As I play up and down the neck, there's almost a "wah" affect.

The High and Low tone controls allow you to dial in a fairly heavy grunge, or a subtle singing tone. Its hard to describe other than to say, its versatile. The pedal itself has very heavy construction. Seems fairly bullet-proof. Nice smooth controls too. You won't "bump" these out of position.

And one last little plus: the second mixer output, with "cabinet emulation" is like a second pedal built right in. By running this output direct to my board, I can mix it in, in whatever degree I want, to get a really cool balance between my J-Station and the Bad Monkey direct.

I love this pedal. Nice price too at around $40.

Artie

+10K Artie!

Got one a few weeks ago, and it really cannot be beat for the $. No it's not a Plexi-Tone, but for what it is, it stomps the competition (no pun intended) in its price range for sure, and pretty much everything else in the $100 range and under. Its a very versatile, but simple pedal. A cross of a SD-1 and a TS, without the bad qualities of either. The low control is pretty powerful and adds some serious chunk. It turned the dumble clean model on my Vox Valvetronix into a raging JTM45!

(OK exaggeration...it really didn't turn a modeller into a JTM45 .....nonetheless the diff was pretty dramatic).

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

I checked the inside and the resistors were about the thickness of a nail if I remember right... Furthermore isn't the technology inside digital and not analogue? I don't know if you mod digital stuff John.

It has more to do with the type of components the pedal has and how much room there is for the bigger components...Alot of new pedals use the tiny micro components and you can't really tweak that stuff..The MXR Double Shot Distortion was like that.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

How would one be for smoothing out/warming up a high gain amp?

I'm considering grabbing a tube screamer just to have in my bag of tricks. I'm either going to get one of those or an echo/delay.

Seriously, if I was in the market for another TS, I'd buy the Bad Monkey. You could buy a couple of backups and still have money left over. And unlike the Tubulator, the BM IS in a metal housing.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

It has more to do with the type of components the pedal has and how much room there is for the bigger components...Alot of new pedals use the tiny micro components and you can't really tweak that stuff..The MXR Double Shot Distortion was like that.

...And the MXR Double Sh*t Distortion pedal NEEDED to be severely tweaked to be actually usable. Atleast the Bad Monkey delivers TS type tones at a budget minded price, for the average person it doesn't sound like it needs anything done to it.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

...And the MXR Double Sh*t Distortion pedal NEEDED to be severely tweaked to be actually usable. Atleast the Bad Monkey delivers TS type tones at a budget minded price, for the average person it doesn't sound like it needs anything done to it.

LOL....The MXR Double Shot was an overall horrible sounding pedal and it was the reason for trying to mod it.It was probably made into a cool lookin paperweight though! :laugh2:

MXR should have called it the Double Sh-t pedal...:smack: :laugh2:

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

I can't wait to give my new BM a spin. Sounds like it will be a great compliment to the Tubulator and give some tonal options not available with the tubulator. The SD-1 is cool and all, but I tend to run my amps close to breakup if not flat out screaming in distortion anyway. Don't need lots of boost or dirt. Just need good tone.

 

[Artie]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

I can't wait to give my new BM a spin.

So far, my favorite setting is to put Level, High, and Gain all at the 3 o'clock position, and put Low at about 11 o'clock. Roll the tone control on the guitar close to zero. Sweet and "clean" distortion. You almost get a slight "wah" affect as you play the lower notes. Very nice.

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

Roger that. Everything at three oclock except the low setting at eleven oclock. Roll back tone on guitar. Will do when I get a chance. Will have to bring guitar to girlfriend's house and give her a serenade.

 

[JLagoon]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

The Bad Monkey is digital, isn't it?

 

[Artie]

Re: Initial Bad Monkey mini-review.

The Bad Monkey is digital, isn't it?

I just opened mine up and looked . . . analog all the way. It uses a 14007, which is basically 6 mosfets on a chip, and 3 4580 dual op-amps. Then some various discrete transitors, caps, and resistors.

The 14007 is used for the bypass switching.