tone Makers

In this issue’s ‘Pedalboard’ interview, we’ve recruited Major Adrian Thorpe from the wilds of Wiltshire and top dog at ThorpyFX

1 What was the first pedal you built and how did the design come about? “The first pedal that I sold under the ThorpyFX brand was the Gunshot Overdrive. The design came about because I wanted to give a true representation of the saturation you get from a cooking tube amp. I also wanted to solve a few engineering faults present with the standard enclosures that everyone else uses – it gave us a distinct military look that’s become a part of the brand design. The holes in the sides take inspiration from a type of anti-RPG armour.” 2 What makes ThorpyFX unique? “I think customers appreciate our ethos. We aim to deliver exemplary quality with everything that we do. This goes all the way from our custom-made packaging through to our component choices. Even the wire is specifically chosen for its premium quality and is coloured violet to match the ThorpyFX brand! Many people may not realise, but despite our growing size, our team of just three pedal addicts still hand-builds each and every pedal in the UK. It’s an obsession.” 3 Which notable players/bands use ThorpyFX pedals? “Just to name a few, we have Ed O’Brien (Radiohead), Graham Coxon (Blur), J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr), Oli Brown (RavenEye), Ariel Posen & Joey Landreth (The Bros Landreth), Matt White (The Temperance Movement), Dave Gregory (XTC) and Chris Robertson (Black Stone Cherry) using our pedals.” 4 What’s new on the horizon with ThorpyFX? “I’ve been working closely with a genius in this game, Dan Coggins of 90s pedal brand Lovetone. The biggest choices I have to make at the moment are which to release first, as there are so many that I’m excited about. Included in this will be a Silicon variant of our Germanium Veteran pedal, with some modulation to follow. We’re also looking to branch out into amps – it’s an itch I have to scratch!” 5 What’s your best tone tip? “Buy a decent power supply! Please, I beg you. In all seriousness, power is at the heart of a pedalboard. It may not seem important, but without good-quality, clean, consistent power you aren’t getting the best from your pedals. A cheap power supply can make even the best designed pedals noisy. Why spend hundreds of pounds on pedals only to have them operate poorly because of a cheap wall wart’s design flaws?” 6 What new pedal triggers your GAS most now? “Delay pedals – all of them! I just can’t get enough: analogue, digital, tape-based… All of them are so addictive to play and I find myself losing hours playing around with the settings. There have been some monumental pedals released lately. The Boss DM-2W is a particularly incredible pedal for me. That being said, my all-time favourite is the Moog MF-104M Super Delay – an astonishing 1.2 seconds of pure analogue modulated goodness.” 7 Name some common mistakes that guitarists make with effects… “Guitarists seem reluctant to experiment. There’s a perceived wisdom as to pedal order. I have my own ideas as to what I like and others may disagree. However, it’s fun to break the rules and try it all out for yourself. Effects are supposed to be inspirational musical tools – use them as such and don’t hamstring yourselves with perceived wisdom!” 8 What are your favourite effects pedal moments to be heard on record and why? “At number one, it has to be the solo from Time by Pink Floyd. It’s a masterpiece of stacked effects and is astounding to listen to – a piece of music that really stirs the soul. Also, Rage Against the Machine, Wake Up. The Whammy, wah and flanger are so distinctive and really make the song what it is. Really gets the blood pumping.” 9 What’s your favourite vintage pedal and why? “It has to be the original Dallas Rangemaster. I’ve been lucky enough to use an original Mullard OC44-loaded example and it genuinely gave me the biggest grin I’ve ever had from a pedal. It’s such a simple circuit that takes your tone to another level when cranked into a cooking valve amp. It connects your playing to the sound in a way that very few effects can.” 10 Are there any long-lost gems out there that you think would be worth reissuing? “I am desperate for a clone of the original Binson Echorec to be released. Ideally, it would be a mini variant complete with tiny spinning drum, pulsing green light and incredible lush repeats. If this was ever made, my credit card would break the sound barrier as it leaves my wallet!” [RB] https://thorpyfx.com