DVK TECHNOLOGIES
THE HAIR BALL
BY LYLE ZAEHRINGER
Most guitarists are familiar with the sound and concept of the famous
Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer. But while it
has become a must-have for blues-rock players and SRV fans, it’s easy to forget how versatile the TS-808 was in its original incarnation. The Tube Screamer could enhance technical metal riffage or lend a subtle boost to
jazz lines just as easily as it could add grit to
Texas blues. That range is part of what makes
the original TS-808 so valuable and why it
spawned so many clones and variations.
The Dallas Rangemaster treble booster is
a similarly misunderstood, or underutilized,
effect in many respects. And while it’s most
famous for adding a slashing quality to solos
by Rory Gallagher and Brian May, it can lend
presence and cut to rhythm parts as well.
Jam Packed
For all of its functionality, the Hairball
comes in a relatively compact enclosure. The
pedal’s wacky cartoon graphics (how can you
not love a pedal featuring a barfing feline?) are
applied to the face of the unit with a poly-
urethane-coated dome label that will certainly
stand out on your pedalboard.
Switchable Treble Boost
