Way Huge Red Llama?

[jimijames]

Hey, I just got an effects pedal kit from general guitar gadgets, it's supposed to be a clone of the way huge red Llama, and I was wondering, what does this pedal compare to? I've been looking for a blues driver to modify (and when my friend gets back from patagonia, I'll have one), and I figured from the reviews that this might be close - is it? I've also heard it's very similar to an mxr distortion+ with more clean headroom...

Does anybody have any experience with this pedal? If so, what was it like? Are there any pedals it reminds you of? Thanks again for feeding my curiosity.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Way Huge Red Llama?

The Red Llama is a pretty unique beast...for sure nothing like a Blues Driver or a Dist+

 

[Curly]

Re: Way Huge Red Llama?

here are JD's notes:
This Overdrive is an easy to build project that will produce a great "overdriven tube" sound to your guitar signal. The circuit originated from Craig Anderton's excellent book Electronic Projects for Musician. Named "Tube Sound Fuzz" (project 24). Some of the part values are slightly different.

Some on the gear page have recommended this as a "tweed Deluxe" type pedal.
I'll let you know if I agree after mine's built.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Way Huge Red Llama?

The Red Llama is a pretty unique beast...for sure nothing like a Blues Driver or a Dist+

Yeah, when I read the HC reviews, I was thinking to myself that the blues driver and distortion+ aren't exactly twins either, ya know? Well I already ordered the kit (or rather, my little brother ordered it as a belated christmas gift), so at any rate, we'll see. I just hope it vibes well with my analogman sd-1/808 silver.

I feel like all of this searching for the perfect OD pedal is probably going to end up with me getting the King of Tone, and then going "They told me this was it. This is it. Why didn't I listen?" Although, I personally believe 90% of the fun is getting there.

Thanks for the thoughts, I'll post a review if I can get it done before I head out to Prague.

 

[scottish]

Re: Way Huge Red Llama?

i had the KOT v4 and it was a great pedal. The clean side was out of this world good. I would almost buy the pedal again just for that.

However...i ended up trading it for a keeley modded ts808 and keeley katana and a little cash. The modded 808 is the darndest sweetest OD ive ever heard. plain and simple. i wasnt a fan of the katana but i already moved that on TGP if the guy comes through.

i loved the KOT but i felt the OD and dist sides didnt stand up to the clean side at all.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Way Huge Red Llama?

So, just curious, did you use the clean boost for clean sounds? Or for adding some dirt to an already breaking up tube amp? Honestly, I'm an od/clean boost guy, I generally don't like distortion pedals, so if the KOT has the best clean boost ever, then that alone may be worth the price to me... In a few years

Back to the red llama though, what would you guys compare it with? I like the jargon on the website, but without a pedal to compare it to, it's all kinda meaningless to me...

Thanks again for the replies, as always you guys rock!

 

[scottish]

Re: Way Huge Red Llama?

So, just curious, did you use the clean boost for clean sounds? Or for adding some dirt to an already breaking up tube amp? Honestly, I'm an od/clean boost guy, I generally don't like distortion pedals, so if the KOT has the best clean boost ever, then that alone may be worth the price to me... In a few years

Back to the red llama though, what would you guys compare it with? I like the jargon on the website, but without a pedal to compare it to, it's all kinda meaningless to me...

Thanks again for the replies, as always you guys rock!

I used it for a clean boost. Not so much to boost an already driven signal. But lemme tell you, you plug a strat into this thing and keep it pretty clean, almost breaking up, and its the best thing i ever heard. Ive never come across another clean boost that sounded that good.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Way Huge Red Llama?

Best thing you've ever heard? Really? The best thing I ever heard was... well every time Aretha Franklin opens her mouth basically. And the sizzle of a good steak on the grill.

But as far as guitar is concerned, that's mighty lofty praise indeed! I gotta check one of those out one of these days...

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Way Huge Red Llama?

I've never heard another pedal that sounds like a Red Llama much at all...I even tried a few Red Llama clones and even those didn't sound like a real deal RL to me...some were close. The RL doesn't have a tone of gain and it's not exactally a smooth OD...kind of raw and mean sounding and punchy as hell!

 

[Hoss]

Re: Way Huge Red Llama?

you guys let me know how you like the kit...i'm very interested in it as well!!

i love this demo of a Llama and a Hand Mule side by side...if they sound close to this...i GOTTA have one!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSTAmQIUJeE

i've got all the tools to start building these kits...but just haven't taken the time to order one!

i talked about with my wife the other day and asked her if she would want to paint the housings to give us something cool to do together and she thought that would be sweet!

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Way Huge Red Llama?

I've never played a real Red Llama, but the Flamingo Fuzz is supposedly a clone of it and I have one of them... I really like it a lot! At lower gain settings "punchy" is the best word for it, It almost sounds like 6V6's when they break up. Great roots rock and classic rock sound. At higher gain settings it smooths out into a fuzzier sustain, but still more natural sounding than a fuzz face or other fuzz pedal.

Paying a lot for an OOP pedal usually doesn't appeal to me (although I've done it) but I would love to have an original Red Llama and Swollen Pickle.

EDIT - I forgot to add, when I first plugged it in I immediately though "Tom Petty". Later I found out his touring rig has a Red Llama... go figure.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Way Huge Red Llama?

So I just finished soldering all the stuff together and here are some initial impressions:

This is definitely on the fuzz side of town. I wouldn't really call it an overdrive pedal though, it has enough gain on tap to qualify as a distortion. Really transparent though for a fuzz, it has a very subtle effect on tone - but it's more apparent an effect than my sd-1/808 silver. Compared with my silver, it has more output and gain, and it's much thicker in every frequency. Highs get really thick and really whine when you bend a note, think of the parts of voodoo child where hendrix is bending above the 12th fret, and you'll get a pretty good idea of how they sound. Lows are thick like molasses, and not nearly as defined as with the silver. It's not as chaotic as most fuzz pedals I've come across, but it's the most rude sounding of any OD i've tried. Its a pedal that's unique without being outlandish, and I like that it's very simple to operate - level and drive, and that's it. The only thing I don't like about it is if you turn down the guitar's volume to try and get a clean sound, it really really thins out the sound. So this isn't one of those pedals that you can leave on all the time, but it's a fantastic sounding boost nonetheless. I actually noticed that turning up the drive thickens up the sound, so for some reason the EQ changes as the output level does. Oh well, no matter, it's a great sounding pedal.

I could see it being used as a desert Island overdrive for someone who plays blues or classic rock - it'll really kick an amplifier straight in the nuts, but you still get your sound out of it - It doesn't commandeer an amp in the same way a fuzz face or distortion pedal does.

Honestly, I really like this pedal, and was pleasantly surprised at how good it sounded considering it cost $49 with shipping. I don't know if it actually sounds anything like a real-deal red llama, but for the price I'm more than satisfied.

 

[Curly]

Re: Way Huge Red Llama?

I tried a Mule and didn't care for it, so I sent it back -- something I don't often do with pedals. The distortion had a raggedness I didn't care for ... there is good distortion and bad distortion. Good distortion can be very musical and add sustain, and singing, second order harmonics. Bad distortion can sound like a radio that's not tuned in properly. I thought the Mule was more of the latter.

I especially don't buy some comparisons I've read that call these pedals a "small amp in a box". To me, the small amp tones I want are sustain, harmonics, and compression that adds touch sensitivity. I just don't hear that with these pedals, and actually that clip sounds accurate as far as the Mule I had.

that said, I don't doubt that some might find a great use for these

BTW, I've recently built the GGG 808 OD, and the 70s Fuzz kits, and both came out well.

 

[joelap]

Re: Way Huge Red Llama?

Output cap on the Red Llama must be 10uf Tantalum cap. MUST BE. Thats coming from Jeorge Tripps, not me. Tantalum. Not electrolytic. If your kit doesnt have a tant 10uf, get one.

Also, turn down the distortion and use it as a booster for a tube amp. Set the amp on the verge of breakup, turn the pregain all the way off, use the Level knob to overdrive the amp, and slowly blend in the internal distortion. I've spent an entire summer mucking with TSF/RL circuit variations, and I came up with my own concoction as a result, and I have found that as the best way to use these CMOS chips.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Way Huge Red Llama?

I just listened to the clip, and the setup I use is different, but on my kit the sound is a good deal warmer - IDK, it may be the marshall I'm playing through, but the bass frequencies aren't as defined and the high frequencies sing and whine more than in the demo. To be honest, the red llama in that demo video sounds more like the clean boost part of my BYOC tri-boost than it does my GGG red llama.

Still a great pedal though, definitely a keeper.

edit: joelap, what's the difference, and where can I get one?

 

[joelap]

Re: Way Huge Red Llama?

I just listened to the clip, and the setup I use is different, but on my kit the sound is a good deal warmer - IDK, it may be the marshall I'm playing through, but the bass frequencies aren't as defined and the high frequencies sing and whine more than in the demo. To be honest, the red llama in that demo video sounds more like the clean boost part of my BYOC tri-boost than it does my GGG red llama.

Still a great pedal though, definitely a keeper.

edit: joelap, what's the difference, and where can I get one?

If you built the kit, I'll just tell you the differences if you want to try it. I think it works better as a "booster with some juice", which is why I call mine the Roid Rage. PM Me, I'll tell you what to change. Give it a shot and tell me what you think.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Way Huge Red Llama?

I use the Flamingo Fuzz in the same way, gain at 25% driving the input of a lightly distorted amp (just past clean).

I'm not sure how the kit, Red Llama, Flamingo Fuzz and Mule all compare, I just assumed they were all clones.