Received some pedals in the mail the other day:
The UtterStutter (Egg Head version) and Chk Chk Boom (Stepmom’s tattoo version) by OhNoHo
These are built by Lawrence Scaduto under the brand name of OhNoHo. The pedals are both feedback loopers, which means they take some of the output signal and feed it back into the input stream, such that any pedals in the loop will be getting a continuously changing signal path and re-effecting it. Crazy things can happen, unpredictable things that stem from the combination of pedals in the loop (and turned on). The Utter Stutter is the more complex of the two, functioning as a time-based feedback loop that alters the signal by turning the feedback function on and off according to settings dialed in with the knobs; the Chk Chk Boom is a momentary feedback looper, in that it’s only on as long as the footswitch is depressed (it’s a non-latching switch, so the effect turns off as soon as you lift your foot…). Below are some video demos, as it’s easier to watch the things in action than read about what they do:
Click here to view the embedded video.
The Chk Chk Boom, as demoed by Lawrence.
Click here to view the embedded video.
This demo is by me, and features an Utter Stutter along with many other gadgets/devices. You’ll see that the light on the Utter Stutter flashes on and off; this indicates when the feedback function is active (or not).
Rather than a technical discussion of these pedals, I want this post to be about their artistic elements. Lawrence builds pedals in small batches, as he notes on his blog, so that he can come up with new graphics often. Not content to keep the same graphic alive over a long run of pedals, thinks of each batch as a limited edition—albeit one in which each item is moderately priced.
Art in/on a box…
In this photo of my pedals, the unique art of each pedal becomes more apparent. This batch of Utter Stutters (known as the Egg Head edition) each featured a stencil of the ‘Cone Head,’ and because of the nature of stencil art, each pedal in the batch is unique. The Chk Chk Boom came from a recent batch that I’m calling the “Stepmom’s tattoo” batch because of a comment Lawrence made on his blog when he released them: “Looks just like your step mom’s tattoo!”. Each pedal in the batch has a different “tattoo” design, as well as a different knob (culled from purchases on eBay). Here is a picture of the whole litter:
What I’m interested in with these pedals is that dynamic between individuality and sameness at work. Every Chk Chk Boom, for example, does the same thing, but each looks different. The aesthetic choices of the builder (and any collaborator he has on the artwork) stand out on the surface—the packaging of the circuit—so as to differentiate each unit as a distinct artistic object. The unique packaging marks each OhNoHo pedal externally, while the vagaries of circuit construction in conjunction with their respective specialized circuit designs (and the concepts behind them) mark them internally. Most people do not open the boxes up (I imagine) to see how unique the inside is, but folks can discuss & demo in order to hear how unique these pedals are. However, the external artwork immediately distinguishes them—from each other, as well as from other boutique builders. This last observation is important, as the packaging of boutique pedals in general follows few rules; builders work hard to generate eye-catching and engaging artwork, not so much to differentiate in a highly competitive market so as to sell more units. I’d say that the outside of the boxes is as important as the inside in most cases, as the surface serves as a canvas for further expressing a builder’s identity and aesthetics. I’d like to pursue this idea in some more writing/research, so will leave it aside now as a prompt…
I cannot forget to take a look at the back of the pedals, which are “signed” or at least stamped with identifying info. Not all pedal builders put graphic material on the back, probably for a range of reasons: no one sees it, players like to put velcro on their pedals to hold them in place on boards, it’s too much work…But Lawrence does mark the backs of his pedals, and the back can be as engaging as the front. Here is an image from his blog of the backs of the latest batch of Chk Chk Booms:
Special thanks to Lawrence for turning around the mod on my Utter Stutter so quickly, and for the DVD/swag he included in the box! I’m hoping to interview him soon for this project, and am quite looking forward to his insights into the boutique pedal building world/culture/process.