OT- Whats the worst effect you ever bought? Play with?

[CodeMonk]

Danelectro FAB Flange.
I would rather have zits on my wang that to use that POS again.

[Paul Marossy]

The shock and outrage at America's failing hegemony seems to me to be a product of lethargy, arrogance and stupidity.

We certainly have all three of those things going on here. 

I think I can honestly say that I have never bought anything that I knew I wouldn't really like, always was too much of a tightwad to do that. But... I've have built several things in that category, though. 

[Steben]

I think US hegemony crumbles because of short term policy from household to large firms..
Cost-cutting thinking cuts in own independence.
Even the guns of the tanks are German, even the machine guns are Belgian.

[DougH]

The shock and outrage at America's failing hegemony seems to me to be a product of lethargy, arrogance and stupidity.

I couldn't agree more. Mass-produced is mass-produced, and whatever issues come from that are pretty common across the board,  no matter where it's from.

The "made in the U.S." hyperbole seen in amp/pedal/bowtweak ads is just marketing-speak- nothing more or less. It's basically the same emotional appeal made by the big 3 auto makers when they were getting their asses kicked. Nothing new about commercial entities preying on mass-ignorance to sell products.

I don't know what the future "successful economic path" is for industrialized Europe and U.S. But it doesn't look like manufacturing is going to be a viable option any time soon, if at all. So it's time to quit lamenting the past and start working on the future, IMO. If we don't see a clear path into the future, then let's figure it out. And quit whining for God's sake...

[MoltenVoltage]

There have been a number of threads bemoaning the globalisation of manufacturing over the last couple of years.  In most of them, there's an undercurrent of "I can't believe those funny ltlle yellow men have STOLEN our power by making slaves of little children". 

I worked on my first 'offshoring' project about fourteen years ago in Nasik, India.  Subsequently, I've helped setup electronic and electrical manufacturing infrastructures in China, India, Sri Lanka and Cambodia.  But mostly China, been there about eight times.

I'm here to tell you that these are sophisticated, well funded, well equipped, well managed facilities.  The operatives in the facilities are no less happy than factory workers in the UK (or the States , I guess).  No-one is being expoited, no-one is having their civil liberties crushed (not at work, anyway).  I'm tired of uninformed rednecks bleating about "working for a bowl of rice a day".  Most of the operatives I met have a relatively good lifestyle.  They have MTV on satellite, if they want it, it's just that they don't often want it.  Maybe their expectations are less, but who are we to say we're right and they're wrong in that regard?

The reject and rework statistics for the goods produced are no worse (and usually significantly better) than similar mass/batch production facilities in Europe - their "quality" is just as good as ours.  If you make ten million widgets ANYWHERE, there will be some dodgy widgets amongst them, fact of life.  No, these factories are not good at innovation, or industrial artisanary (booteek), or incredibly tight tolerance work......but neither is anybody else, in those kind of volumes.  Get real.

The shock and outrage at America's failing hegemony seems to me to be a product of lethargy, arrogance and stupidity.

Let the off-topic sh*tstorm of hate begin.....

What they frequently steal is technology.

This kind of anti-American rant is usually just annoying, but when it comes from someone who makes a living enabling the offshoring of manufacturing, it sounds like you are trying to justify your actions, which I personally disagree with.  The source of the problem is not simply lower wages or corporate greed.  It also happens because thousands of individuals make the decision to prostitute their talents to the highest bidder.

Based on your post, you clearly you know the long-term effect of your actions.  I think you might want to take a look in the mirror and "get real".

[DougH]

Sorry for going off-topic. Ain't worth arguing about...

Not the worst, but worst bypass was probably on my DOD Octoplus where you could hear the lower octave "leaking" in the background.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

OK KIDS.... ONCE AGAIN, CAN WE STAY ON TOPIC??!!

Re: OT- Whats the worst effect you ever bought? Play with?

[Paul Marossy]

It doesn't matter about all this off-shore manufacturing, I'm looking at the bigger picture right now. When our economy implodes soon, the "Great Recession" that started in 2008 will pale in comparison to what will happen. I will be out of a job again and we will have a lot of civil unrest, looting, rioting, killing and there likely will be in another Great Depression. Imagine what happened in Greece, but on a much larger scale. There is no more good will like there was in the 1930s. All the trigger happy gun owners here will be going crazy and then they will have to declare Martial Law, and the U.S. as we knew it will cease to exist.

I know, I sound like a doomsdayer, but I personally don't see a good ending to this gigantic mess the country is in economically. One day, Uncle Sam's credit card will be maxxed out and then the lender(s) will call the loan due. What will we do then? I guess we'll all be working for China making stuff for THEM instead. And probably not many of us will be able to do DIY anything anymore because we won't be able to afford it.

[askwho69]

HAHAHAHA! Ok heres mine! when i was 16 i want to play guitar and ask my father to buy electric and a distortion! well my first distortion was CENTURY Ds1 Copy! i bought it very cheap haahaa due to ignorance and excitement i plug it to a DVD player and burn our DVD player hahahah i can tell it was worst because i imagine that if this sound like the one i hated distortion FIZZY! one well i was right its all about fizz and ugly distortion i ever had! today still in my workstation and i dissected it and boom 2 jrc4558D hahaha

[thedefog]

And let's be totally clear about one thing:  99.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of companies exist solely to make money for their shareholders.  They're not charities, providing jobs for the feckless.

Blimey.  I am generally a lefty, by the way.  I must be cross about something.....

I am a righty for the most part, but I agree with you completely.

[Steben]

It doesn't matter about all this off-shore manufacturing, I'm looking at the bigger picture right now. When our economy implodes soon, the "Great Recession" that started in 2008 will pale in comparison to what will happen. I will be out of a job again and we will have a lot of civil unrest, looting, rioting, killing and there likely will be in another Great Depression. Imagine what happened in Greece, but on a much larger scale. There is no more good will like there was in the 1930s. All the trigger happy gun owners here will be going crazy and then they will have to declare Martial Law, and the U.S. as we knew it will cease to exist.

I know, I sound like a doomsdayer, but I personally don't see a good ending to this gigantic mess the country is in economically. One day, Uncle Sam's credit card will be maxxed out and then the lender(s) will call the loan due. What will we do then? I guess we'll all be working for China making stuff for THEM instead. And probably not many of us will be able to do DIY anything anymore because we won't be able to afford it.

One day, Europa will have to give a Marshall plan to the states.

[markeebee]

Sorry for the derail.

Offshoring.  If anyone wants to have a piece of me, I'll be over here:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=91287.0

Bring yer lunch.

[nomorebetts]

Livingstone "Heavy Metal" which appeared to be a Boss Metal Zone clone.
I was doing the grocery shop at Aldi when I had a rush of blood to the head and threw it in the trolley.
It now resides in the back of the cupboard. All SMT components too

[mistahead]

I passed on spending $30AUD on one of those last weekend... the puple OD they did is also all SMT but not the worst thing I've ever bought - especially given it was cheaper than a CD/Album it does well at filling a gap in my rig until I get around to building a bluesey OD of some desciption. Now if only I'd planned ahead and also bought the cheap-o delay lol.

[rousejeremy]

Danelectro FAB Flange.
I would rather have zits on my wang that to use that POS again.

well said sir

[LucifersTrip]

A Morely Wah I got in a trade... It had absolutely no balls/ooomph compared to a Cry Baby

I got rid of it within the month.

[Projectile]

Wow, the Morley Wah seems to be the most mentioned pedal in this thread. It just keeps coming up over and over again.

Mine would be an old zoom bass multi-effect pedal I got back in the late 90s. I asked my parents for a boss bass overdrive pedal for Christmas and they instead got me that zoom POS. They said that the guy at the guitar store told them not to buy a boss overdrive because it only did one effect, and instead buy the zoom becasue it only cost a little bit more and had tons of different effects. (facepalm) They were so proud of their gift, I didn't have the heart to tell them that the guy at the guitar store was a @#$%ing moron.

It made my bass guitar sound like shit by just plugging into it. All of the overdrive and distortions sounded like a bit-crushed fart. The compressor didn't even work. The chorus effect was the only thing even moderately usable. The only part of it I ever got any use out of was its 9v power supply, and I can't even use that with many other pedals because it actually puts out 14volts!

[Hides-His-Eyes]

Wow, the Morley Wah seems to be the most mentioned pedal in this thread. It just keeps coming up over and over again.

Mine would be an old zoom bass multi-effect pedal I got back in the late 90s. I asked my parents for a boss bass overdrive pedal for Christmas and they instead got me that zoom POS. They said that the guy at the guitar store told them not to buy a boss overdrive because it only did one effect, and instead buy the zoom becasue it only cost a little bit more and had tons of different effects. (facepalm) They were so proud of their gift, I didn't have the heart to tell them that the guy at the guitar store was a @#$%ing moron.

It made my bass guitar sound like sh*t by just plugging into it. All of the overdrive and distortions sounded like a bit-crushed fart. The compressor didn't even work. The chorus effect was the only thing even moderately usable. The only part of it I ever got any use out of was its 9v power supply, and I can't even use that with many other pedals because it actually puts out 14volts!

This story made me sad

I hate my local guitar shop workers so much. I'm proud to buy everything online until they stop treating clueless customers like utter garbage.

[Crowella]

I passed on spending $30AUD on one of those last weekend... the puple OD they did is also all SMT but not the worst thing I've ever bought - especially given it was cheaper than a CD/Album it does well at filling a gap in my rig until I get around to building a bluesey OD of some desciption. Now if only I'd planned ahead and also bought the cheap-o delay lol.

Well I got three pedals from Aldi at 2 separate times and one of them deserves mention here... My opinions on them:

Livingstone E10 AD (Analog Delay) Black
Cost $30. You know, if it wasn't for the tone sucking when it's being bypassed and the small volume drop when it is on, it might actually be useful. The cases don't appear to look like they can take a beating but whatever, you don't really throw your pedals around. I do kind of like it in a strange way but it doesn't make it on to my pedalboard.

Livingstone E10 OD (Overdrive) Purple
Cost $30. Little bit more tone sucking with this when bypassed. Same scenario with the case but aside that, I could actually use it with guitar. Might be worth modding to true bypass. Couldn't figure out what OD it was copying though. I did think the Tubescreamer at first but I noticed a few out of the ordinary parts so I'm curious. Strangely enough, I've seen two guitarists use these live in bands, right next to a stack of boutique and higher end pedals so who knows.

But my worst pedal award goes to:
Livingstone E20 DS (Distortion) Orange
Cost $0. This just wound up with me from a friend. Don't even ask how, they don't want it back either. The pedal looks ugly in comparison to the others (older model). It sounds dreadful. Sucks tone both when bypassed and on and the battery clip has snapped, referring back to cheap and nasty battery clips. The case on this one feels and looks more flimsy than the newer models.

So to summarise. You get what you pay for, maybe more so with the OD than the others but who knows. I like the fact I found a cheap OD and Delay that I can use for testing musical ideas and slide it back into the box when its done but when you can't use them live or even at practice without confidence it's another story entirely.

This story made me sad

I hate my local guitar shop workers so much. I'm proud to buy everything online until they stop treating clueless customers like utter garbage.

+1 on the story sadness. I see it happen way too often when I go into my local shop.

[deadastronaut]

+1 too... guitar shop workers suck...