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Menatone Kar Krash Overdrive Pedal

 
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alexkhan



Joined: 10 Sep 2004
Posts: 2783
Location: Chino, CA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 5:05 am    Post subject: Menatone Kar Krash Overdrive Pedal Reply with quote

The Menatone Kar Krash - based on Ken Fisher's Trainwreck/Komet 60 amp circuit designs - has started building a buzz and I had not gotten around to really trying it out. Well, I finally spent some quality time with the Kar Krash today with some of the amps (Suhr/CAA OD-100, Cornford Hellcat, Tone King Meteor II 20w 1x12, Victoria 35310) and everything that's been said about this amazing pedal is true! Wow! Shocked

This is, by far, the most amp-like pedal I've ever heard or tried. It really feels like you're plugged directly into the amp. It feels like the pedal has been inserted into the amp and you're getting an extra channel or two because it completely keeps the character of both the guitar and the amp intact. It really becomes an integral part of the chain and virtually becomes "invisible" because the tone is so transparent and the feel is so alive. It enhances the character of the amp without any coloration. The EQ's work in a very transparent manner as well.

I absolutely loved it through the custom OD-100 SH/SE. It worked extremely well on both channels. It is as though the pedal works as a transparent clean boost and a very clear overdrive/distortion simultaneously and in a seamless manner. If you wanted varying degrees of overdrive from your favorite amp(s), this pedal is the ticket. It feels like the pedal is not there and a mod has been dropped into the amp. Also, the way this pedal works with the amp to get sweet harmonic feedback without gobs of gain and at a reasonable volume level is truly something to behold. Just awesome!

I haven't tried the Komet or the Trainwreck, but I've tried the Two-Rock Ruby (which has circuits based on the Ken Fisher design) and I know how responsive, clear, touch-sensitive, and punchy it is. It's a real pure sort of overdrive/distortion which feels like you're plugged directly into the power section of the amp. I'd have to say that the Kar Krash does more than an admirable job of emulating that sound and feel. It is by far the best new pedal of any sort to come along in a long, long while. Kudos to Brian Mena for this fabulous pedal!
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alexkhan



Joined: 10 Sep 2004
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Location: Chino, CA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 5:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Handsome little thing as well...



Gonna make sure Guthrie gives it a run. I think this will be right up his alley. He's not a fan of the honky Tube Screamer type of overdrive and compression. This pedal is very open and big sounding with little noticeable compression.
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shredrulez
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ed, i WANT that pedal! Very Happy
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GuitarSdmn



Joined: 23 Apr 2005
Posts: 6
Location: Los Angeles, CA

PostPosted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 12:08 am    Post subject: Kar Krash testimonial Reply with quote

Hi All, I'm new to the forum, my name is Matt Baldoni. I'm an LA-based guitarist and GIT instructor.

I was at Tone Merchants yesterday and Ed kindly put me through the paces of the Kar Krash in some different settings, and I must say I'm completely blown away, maybe the most transparent OD box I've ever used. I'm going into MI Monday and telling Henderson, Allen Hinds, and the rest of 'em all about it. I think SCott in particular would really love it.

Ed, thanks for letting me hang man, the Tonebone sounds awesome, just used it on a gig today.
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alexkhan



Joined: 10 Sep 2004
Posts: 2783
Location: Chino, CA

PostPosted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 1:21 am    Post subject: Re: Kar Krash testimonial Reply with quote

GuitarSdmn wrote:
Hi All, I'm new to the forum, my name is Matt Baldoni. I'm an LA-based guitarist and GIT instructor.

I was at Tone Merchants yesterday and Ed kindly put me through the paces of the Kar Krash in some different settings, and I must say I'm completely blown away, maybe the most transparent OD box I've ever used. I'm going into MI Monday and telling Henderson, Allen Hinds, and the rest of 'em all about it. I think SCott in particular would really love it.

Ed, thanks for letting me hang man, the Tonebone sounds awesome, just used it on a gig today.


Hi Matt, great to have you here. Guys, Matt is a killer player with a great combination of chops, taste, feel, and musicality. Glad you agreed about the Kar Krash but I knew you'd like it before taking you through the paces. It's for the experienced player who knows how to work the guitar and the amp. The better the player and the gear hooked up to it, the better this thing sounds.

Glad to know that you're digging the Tonebone Classic Distortion as well. That's a great distortion pedal with a very wide range of sounds.
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GuitarSdmn



Joined: 23 Apr 2005
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Location: Los Angeles, CA

PostPosted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 1:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ed, you're too kind buddy. I am a humble student of the instrument just like anyone else and I appreciate the compliments. Like I said when we were hanging, it's great for us blue-collar pickers to have a source for great gear and advice. Thanks Ed
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M@



Joined: 12 Mar 2005
Posts: 214
Location: Hong Kong

PostPosted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 7:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cool... I see that Allen Hinds use the RC and AC Booster. Any comments/comparisons on these with the Kar Krash. The reason I ask is that I've seen the RC Booster pedal in my local music shop here in Hong Kong and, when the time is right (i.e next pay check and when I get a small valve combo), may consider buying. Haven't got around to actually demoing it yet though.

Thanks and Cheers
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alexkhan



Joined: 10 Sep 2004
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 7:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

M@ wrote:
Cool... I see that Allen Hinds use the RC and AC Booster. Any comments/comparisons on these with the Kar Krash. The reason I ask is that I've seen the RC Booster pedal in my local music shop here in Hong Kong and, when the time is right (i.e next pay check and when I get a small valve combo), may consider buying. Haven't got around to actually demoing it yet though.

Thanks and Cheers


The RC Booster is a great clean boost pedal with a hint of overdrive when you crank the gain. With the amp somewhat overdriven, the RC will really kick it into high gear. The AC Booster is an overdrive/distortion pedal - more towards overdrive. It's a clear overdrive (doesn't lose the lows or the highs like Tube Screamer type pedals) which adds nice sustain and keeps the character of the guitar. They're both very nice, but I don't think either are in the league of the Kar Krash. But then, the Kar Krash costs twice as much...

To my ears, the RC is best as a clear clean volume boost. I don't favor it for kicking an amp into overdrive although it does that fairly well. It's almost too clean and doesn't have the character that I'd want when kicking an amp hard on the front end. I actually think the Fulltone Fat Boost does that kind of a thing better. I think the RC works best at the end of a pedal chain with another overdrive in front of it and that's where the tone comes from and the RC is used at the very end to boost the overall sound.

Here is a new demo rig I just set up at the shop around the CAA OD100:

http://community.webshots.com/album/98465948AqNOCa/1

I have the RC right next to the Kar Krash and I was able to A/B it and also use the RC to kick the front end of the Kar Krash as well. They're different kinds of pedals and the RC Boost is still the pedal to beat when it comes to clean volume boost, but for using it with an overdriven amp and taking it into next gear, the Kar Krash ate it alive: much smoother and musical all the way around and bigger sounding. No contest there. AC Booster is cool, but it's not in the league of the Kar Krash in terms of musicality, transparency, and tonal range.
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alexkhan



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PostPosted: Fri May 13, 2005 1:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, Dweezil Zappa just advised me that this pedal is working out great in his monster rig. Now that Guthrie should be back in the UK after the short Latin America tour, he'll be getting a unit to try out soon as well. Cool
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WhereAmI



Joined: 22 May 2005
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 6:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ed, I bought the Kar Krash pedal after reading reading your reviews about it. I have to say what you said was spot on. This pedal is sick. How did you tweak it? I eventually want to add an RC booster at the end of it when I can scrape up some cash. You described it as having sweet harmonic feedback. What is harmonic feedback?
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GuitarSdmn



Joined: 23 Apr 2005
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 8:26 pm    Post subject: RC Booster Reply with quote

Hey man, I would advise running the RC booster BEFORE the Kar Krash, it will work much better that way. This way you will "overdrive" your overdrive, it's a much more efficient way to line up the pedals. I do the same thing myself.

As far as settings go, when I played the pedal with Ed we tried all sorts of different settings, so for you and to find your own tastes I would start with everything at 12 o'clock and slowly add or take away EQ and gain and level until you're happy. Just some thoughts that may help.
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WhereAmI



Joined: 22 May 2005
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 6:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, not a bad idea. Whats your favorite booster pedal out there? I haven't tried the Fulltone Fat Boost or anything else.
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GuitarSdmn



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PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 5:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have two favorites, the RC booster first and the ZVex super hard on 2nd. But the RC is my favorite of the two.
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alexkhan



Joined: 10 Sep 2004
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 5:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

WhereAmI wrote:
Ed, I bought the Kar Krash pedal after reading reading your reviews about it. I have to say what you said was spot on. This pedal is sick. How did you tweak it? I eventually want to add an RC booster at the end of it when I can scrape up some cash. You described it as having sweet harmonic feedback. What is harmonic feedback?


Hey, glad that you're digging that pedal. It's not for everyone and it sounds best with a cranked amp, but when you've got it working right, it really sings. I generally keep the knobs at noon, perhaps the gain at 2 o'clock with fast engaged depending on how much gain the amp has going. I'll roll back the bass a bit to 10 or 11 o'clock as the unit has so much of it.

If you want the option of adding more gain to the KK, having it at the front would be the way to go. Having it at the end will just boost it louder. It depends on how you want to use it.

Harmonic feedback is when the sound coming out of the speaker interacts with the note you're holding and you're able to sustain a harmonic overtone almost indefinitely. It's hard to explain. I'm sure you yourself use it a lot without knowing what it's called. Jimi was the master of feedback control although others before him had "discovered" it using cranked amps. Jimi just took it to a whole new level of sonic control.

Now, all self-respecting rock guitarists must learn to play with feedback or they're not rockers. Wink
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