PedAL JUnkieS UniTe! BY KEVIN BOLEMBACH
In my previous column [“Raising the Bar of Wah Design,” May 2012], I quoted
some statistics about the vast amount of
effect brands that are currently on the market. While the numbers I listed have likely
changed since then, it’s worth noting that
someone is actually out there compiling this
type of data, not to mention a ton of other
useful and interesting factoids pertaining
to—and only to—guitar effect pedals and
the people who build them.
This oracle of all things stomp is effects-
database.com (formerly known as Discofreq).
Created by Bart Provoost, FXDB started 10
years ago as a website about envelope filters,
and since filter boxes are one of my obsessions, it was inevitable that I ran across the
site and bookmarked it for future reference.
Since then FXDB has grown into the go-to
source for info on pedals, be they vintage or
in current production. There are more effect
pedals listed on FXDB than any other place
that I can think of, and the listings cover
many extremely obscure brands and models
that most people don’t even know about.
Yet the best (or worst?) thing about
FXDB is that Provoost helps you find the
effects you’re looking for and buy them.
When searching for that hard-to-find vintage
pedal or even the low-profile custom builder,
FXDB is a great place to narrow your search
and zero in on the pedal of your desire (more
on how this actually works in a moment).
There are more effect pedals listed on FXDB than
any other place that I can
think of, and the listings
cover many extremely
obscure brands and models
that most people don’t even
know about.
I recently spoke with Provoost and asked
him to list a few of the things that set FXDB
apart from other pedal-related websites.
Here’s what he had to say about some of the
site’s unique features and his future plans to
make it even more useful and informative:
•;Complete;pedal;database:;No;other;site
lists;this;many;different;pedals—more
than;17,000;already!;There;are;quite;a
lot;of;pedals;you;can;only;find;here.;The
drawback;is;that;I;need;to;add;more;info
about;a;lot;of;them,;but;I’m;working;on
that;(and;all;input;is;very;welcome).
If you’re looking for info on stompboxes,
check out effectsdatabase.com. This free,
non-commercial site contains a wealth of
stompbox lore.
relevant;products;there;from;the;respec-tive;pages;on;FXDB.;This;takes;some
time;to;do;and;I;don’t;earn;any;referral
fees—I;simply;like;the;idea;of;buying
directly;from;the;builders.
•;Clever;search;features:;Recently;I;added
some;new;categories;(under;effectsda-
tabase.com/special);for;people;who;just
want;to;look;around;without;searching
for;anything;specific:;Classics,;Eye;Candy,
Funny,;Vaporware,;etc.;I;still;have;to;add
more;pedals;to;these;categories.
•;Future;growth:;I;have;many;more;ideas
for;features;and;want;to;add;much;more
media;(including;demos;from;my;own
pedal;collection;and;vintage;documentation
from;my;archives),;but;it;all;takes;time
to;do;that;on;my;own;and;in;my;spare
time;(I;have;a;full-time;job;and;family,
as;well).;There;will;be;a;great;new;feature
in;a;few;months,;which;I’m;working;on
now,;and;I;think;folks;will;appreciate;it.
Whether you’re looking for info on a
rare or vintage effect or hoping to actually
add one to your collection, I highly recommend effectsdatabase.com for its informative, voluminous content and clever, useful
search features. Few people have shown
such dedication and affection for effect pedals as Bart Provoost. Let’s help him make
FXDB a household name amongst pedal
junkies worldwide!
kevin BoLeMBAch is the president
and founder of Godlyke, the U.S.
distributor for many well-known
boutique effect brands, including Maxon, Guyatone, EMMA, and
