Boss Metalizer.

[Norbert Brunhuber <brun@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Harpers,

  The list does seem extremely slow, since the holidays.  Is everyone's
fingers frozen to their harps?

  I mentioned the Boss Metalizer in my last post and figured I talk about
that a bit.  I encountered this effects box at a friend's place where a
bunch of guitarists were playing around and sharing their effects.  I know
it's not very traditional, but I figured why should just guitarists have
effects?  Many guitar sounds today are through creative uses of these boxes.

  A lot of the boxes I tried sounded terrible with harp (I'm using a
Shaker mic).  The distortion box I used for example sounded choppy and
just plain messy.  The Metalizer though gave a unique sound that was very
powerful (similar as I've said, to the beginning of "Got No Shame.")

  The box has an input level knob, an overdrive knob, a tone knob, and then
a setting knob.  The input level is self-explainatory, the overdrive level
controls the amount of effect.  The tone knob I leave right in the middle
because on the bass side, the sound is too flat and higher makes the harp
sound shrill.

  The settings are diverse on this box, which combines distortion and
chorus effects.  You have a "single" channel which just distorts and that
is a good one.  The next three settings are successive higher levels of
doubling.  These and the next setting "chorus I" don't do much more for
the harp than the single channel.  The fun begins with the last setting
"chorus II" which really blasts you with a full chorus sound.

  With chorus II you get a great fat sound.  Fun aspects that I found
were that chords sound extremely full and distorted, giving you a messy
overdriven blast through your amp.  Also, throat vibratos are made
extremely easy due to the chorus function of the box.  I've filled up my
lungs too much and still was able to pull off a vibrato with only a slight
quivering of my diaphram.

  Two caveats are in order with this box.  First, experiment alot with the
level and overdrive knobs within your amplification system.  Feedback can
come easy if the overdrive is too high.  I found though that you need only
a little bit to get the full benefits of the box.  The other caveat is
that the box costs about $150.00. 

  I've tried other boxes on the rack while I was at the store.  None of
them really did much for me except the Metalizer.  I wonder if anyone else
has found some cool effects to use?

--Norbert