Re: Interesting Gear Developments Thread

802
skoz wrote: Fri Feb 06, 2026 8:03 pm A purchaseable Neil Young style whizzer box.

https://www.addacsystem.com/en/products ... controller
That’s pretty cool. They don’t make it clear, but I bet there’s an Arduino or Raspberry inside the box. Judging by the connectors, the servos look like hobby grade servos housed in a custom enclosure.

It seems a little sketchy the way the servos mount directly to a pot. I’d prefer to see them on a rail that can mount more securely and maybe have a flexible coupler.

I made a midi controlled bell carrilon for my group using servos like that and the reliability was questionable. Those little 3 wire connectors are ok for permanent installations but for practical musical use they should use a more robust cable.

Still a super cool idea.
he/him/his

www.bostontypewriterorchestra.com

Re: Interesting Gear Developments Thread

803
twelvepoint wrote: Sat Feb 07, 2026 8:15 am
skoz wrote: Fri Feb 06, 2026 8:03 pm A purchaseable Neil Young style whizzer box.

https://www.addacsystem.com/en/products ... controller
That’s pretty cool. They don’t make it clear, but I bet there’s an Arduino or Raspberry inside the box. Judging by the connectors, the servos look like hobby grade servos housed in a custom enclosure.

It seems a little sketchy the way the servos mount directly to a pot. I’d prefer to see them on a rail that can mount more securely and maybe have a flexible coupler.

I made a midi controlled bell carrilon for my group using servos like that and the reliability was questionable. Those little 3 wire connectors are ok for permanent installations but for practical musical use they should use a more robust cable.

Still a super cool idea.
I've worked in industrial automation my whole professional life and set to build a whizzer many times but the cost of decent servos/steppers made it implausible. There's often been a big cost gap - maybe we're getting to where Temu has better options. I'm still glad whoever made this did it.

Re: Interesting Gear Developments Thread

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TylerDeadPine wrote: Sat Feb 07, 2026 8:27 am
I've worked in industrial automation my whole professional life and set to build a whizzer many times but the cost of decent servos/steppers made it implausible. There's often been a big cost gap - maybe we're getting to where Temu has better options. I'm still glad whoever made this did it.
I needed 13, and I think I got a couple 12 packs from Amazon and they came out to a couple bucks per unit. But a few died! It’s been stable since then. Looks like the “good” hobby servos that people use for their RC airplanes are $20 a pop or so.
he/him/his

www.bostontypewriterorchestra.com

Re: Interesting Gear Developments Thread

805
twelvepoint wrote: Sat Feb 07, 2026 8:43 am
TylerDeadPine wrote: Sat Feb 07, 2026 8:27 am
I've worked in industrial automation my whole professional life and set to build a whizzer many times but the cost of decent servos/steppers made it implausible. There's often been a big cost gap - maybe we're getting to where Temu has better options. I'm still glad whoever made this did it.
I needed 13, and I think I got a couple 12 packs from Amazon and they came out to a couple bucks per unit. But a few died! It’s been stable since then. Looks like the “good” hobby servos that people use for their RC airplanes are $20 a pop or so.
Nice, yeah I think lowest I got to was $50 and I needed 8 + the arduino and peripherals. Author and Punisher setup isn’t much more complicated and he does full tours, but he’s doing all the motion.

Re: Interesting Gear Developments Thread

806
Thinking about it and tweed amps are perfect for those. A lot of amps if you barely bump the volume with the wrong pedal on or off then the effect could be unpleasant. Thinking about a Twin or Super Reverb spiking out.

Tweed amps run out of headroom so quickly that the effect out be way more forgiving. With Neil I guess he always has the same basic thing happening with his Deluxe(s) - and rather than just a PA he just adds bigger amps via a speaker driven line out from his Deluxe depending on what’s going on. So while recording a post-2000s Crazy Horse record he might just use his tweed and a Magnatone, then for a show add in that Baldwin Exterminator, tweed Twin, etc.

Re: Interesting Gear Developments Thread

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jirbling rake wrote: Fri Feb 06, 2026 9:15 am Some of you may have already known this was on its way, but is this Sunn Beta Mini 200w Compact Bass Amp Head interesting gear?

the price seems more reasonable, although you are paying for the name. You've mentioned the ~$200 pedals that do this as well. It looks cool, from a design standpoint, and as mentioned the price may be better, but what do you think about the specs?
I think this is pretty rad? The dip switch thing is a nice feature and yeah, there are pedals that do a similar thing, but if you can have an all-in-one contained unit that's the size of a Quilter (with arguably a better/less sterile tone), I think it's a win.

I wish they'd have like...an actual demo video and not just the one with a bunch of tracks of guitar and bass being played over each other, but I'm sure we'll have that in due time.
Jazz Titan/Ruthie Cohen

Current -
Future Living / Daddy's Boy / Blank Banker / Solo

Fomer -
Hungry Man / No Trust / Retreaters

Re: Interesting Gear Developments Thread

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TylerDeadPine wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 9:28 pm Updated KSM32, "This time it's black and pretty"

https://www.shure.com/en-US/products/mi ... SM32C%2FHM

If they indeed extended the low end performance a bit, and didn't mess anything else up, might be a worthy successor
The new KSM mics are great! EA had a few around when we tracked the Daddy's Boy record in November and it sounded fantastic. Definitely planning to grab the KSM44MP within the next year.
Jazz Titan/Ruthie Cohen

Current -
Future Living / Daddy's Boy / Blank Banker / Solo

Fomer -
Hungry Man / No Trust / Retreaters

Re: Interesting Gear Developments Thread

810
four_oclocker_2.2 wrote: Fri Feb 13, 2026 8:56 am
TylerDeadPine wrote: Thu Feb 12, 2026 9:28 pm Updated KSM32, "This time it's black and pretty"

https://www.shure.com/en-US/products/mi ... SM32C%2FHM

If they indeed extended the low end performance a bit, and didn't mess anything else up, might be a worthy successor
The new KSM mics are great! EA had a few around when we tracked the Daddy's Boy record in November and it sounded fantastic. Definitely planning to grab the KSM44MP within the next year.
Awesome! I think I'll sell some things and grab one as well - I have a KSM32 that I love and wanted a 44. These new ones certainly look like they sound good.

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