NPD!!...Analogman Sunlion

[2009LPGT]

Well I have spent a little time with my Sunlion Limited Edition and I love it so far! Here is the preliminary review:

The Sunlion is a combo pedal by analogman. It has a Sunface Fuzz on the right side and a Beano Boost on the left side. The original Sunlion was discontinued due to a shortage of NKT 275 “white Dot” transistors and the difficulty in making the pedal apparently. Since these transistors are now “unobtainium,” the original Sunlions go used for $700-800! This one is part of a limited run that analogman is making with different transistors (this unit has NOS, USA made, GE 2N units.) This Sunlion costs $360 as optioned, I got mine in a trade deal.

The Sunface: this is a really sweet fuzz! It is a faithful recreation of an early Fuzzface. It is equipped with NOS geranium transistors, as I stated above. It has a volume, fuzz and sundial controls. The first two are self explanatory but the latter is a bias voltage adjuster to compensate for the quirkiness of geranium transistors. The values drift as temperature changes and this knob adjusts for those variances. I think more important than what transistors are used is the ability of the builder to match the transistors to each other and the circuit. This is where analogman earns his money!

The sound of the fuzz is of course what is important. I am not after specific Jimi tones or anything, it just has to inspire me through my stuff and it does! While the full on fuzz setting is pretty impressive, it is a predictable wall of dark, fuzzy sustain. The sweet stuff happens pretty much anywhere less than full fuzz. I set the fuzz knob at about 3 o’clock and work the volume on my guitar. It cleans up very well. The texture of drive it brings is mesmerizing. I get lost in the harmonic content of the notes, the way they blend and blossom around each other. It is like getting lost in the repeats of a Deluxe Memory Man or El Capistan delay unit. Just sound that is full of complex, vintage goodness!

The Beano Boost: Well, I have to admit, I am not a big clean boost fan. I will say this is the best one that I have tried to date. It is far better than the King of Tone in clean boost mode and just a bit better than my MLP project clean boost. It is a faithful recreation of the Dallas Rangemaster Boost as reportedly used by Eric Clapton on the Beano album with the Bluesbreakers. It will absolutely SLAM the front end of your amp and give you great natural tube overdrive! Since I never play at blasting volumes, even with a drummer, I probably won’t use it for its intended purpose. However, it does do an excellent job in providing a nice bump in volume and it enhances certain frequencies that make it sound pretty dang good. It uses a single transistor to do the job. The boost knob is also an “on/off” switch for the pedal. Since geranium fuzz pedals tend to sound better with non-alkaline dollar store batteries and really lose luster when plugged into a power supply, this is a great feature as I can leave the pedal plugged in on my board without draining the battery. It also has a 3 way switch that allows you to control which frequencies it emphasizes most: mid, treble and low. I have not explored this pedal as much so I have more work to do here.

Together: Here is where the Boost plays a role for me. Geranium fuzz pedals are notorious for getting “lost in the mix.” By setting the boost side to match the volume of the fuzz and running them at the same time, this allows the fuzz to come sailing through! Nice option to have. You can play rhythm with just the fuzz and kick on the boost for a solo and really be heard well.

So there are literally hundreds of subtle textures and tones to explore on this thing. It is a completely different mindset than most fuzz pedals I have tried. This pedal is a “sit back and smile while you jam” pedal!

I will try and get a youtube of it soon. Here are some pics:

[Mayo5]

Congrats man! I love these pedals, I could just never find the original for the right price.

Gotta love NKT275's.

[A string bounce]

Very nice! Congratz.

[Hector Arcadius]

Congrats Ken! It sounds like you're very happy with your decision after all. I can't wait for the video upload!

[gibsonguitar1988]

Glad to hear you got it and like it! Can't go wrong with Analogman! Some time next year after I get some other pedals I'll be a KOT owner for sure.

HNPD!!!!

[2009LPGT]

Originally Posted by Mayo5

Congrats man! I love these pedals, I could just never find the original for the right price.

Gotta love NKT275's.

Thanks! Those NKTs would be nice but the cost...

This new one sound pretty kick a$$ so it was a worthwhile endeavor.

Originally Posted by A string bounce

Very nice! Congratz.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Hector Arcadius

Congrats Ken! It sounds like you're very happy with your decision after all. I can't wait for the video upload!

Hard part will be figuring out what to play to put its best foot forward!

Originally Posted by gibsonguitar1988

Glad to hear you got it and like it! Can't go wrong with Analogman! Some time next year after I get some other pedals I'll be a KOT owner for sure.

HNPD!!!!

Thanks man, A-man is awesome. My name should be popping up anytime for the Large Bi-Comp. 1 year, 2months on that list so far! Oh well, no hurry. I have spent more than enough $$ on pedals lately. Time to recover and wait for them to roll in. Dr Scientist reverb this week!!!

[jimmyq]

Congrats, sounds like a sweet pedal!

And KOT4's are worth the wait and $$$!

[GrouchyDog]

Nice! I'd love to check out some of AM's fuzz pedals - the SunLion is a really cool pedal.

[2009LPGT]

Originally Posted by jimmyq

Congrats, sounds like a sweet pedal!

And KOT4's are worth the wait and $$$!

Thanks and yes, the KOT is totally worth the wait!

Originally Posted by GrouchyDog

Nice! I'd love to check out some of AM's fuzz pedals - the SunLion is a really cool pedal.

Thanks man, I like it more today than I did yesterday. I love it when that happens!!

[st.bede]

sweet

[lilkuku]

Nice, congrats.

[2009LPGT]

Originally Posted by st.bede

sweet

Thanks!

Originally Posted by lilkuku

Nice, congrats.

Again thanks!

This may not only be a keeper but may even earn velcro and a permanent space on my board! I am still learning how to use fuzz effectively but I am liking the results so far!!

[Guitar Freak]

How does it sound with a les paul? What amp are you using? I've heard Fuzz Face circuits don't like humbuckers as much as single coils. I ask this because I might hunt one down once I have the money (and the Tube Amp ), or just buy each pedal individually.

Happy NPD! A sweet one at that.

[2009LPGT]

Originally Posted by Guitar Freak

How does it sound with a les paul? What amp are you using? I've heard Fuzz Face circuits don't like humbuckers as much as single coils. I ask this because I might hunt one down once I have the money (and the Tube Amp ), or just buy each pedal individually.

Happy NPD! A sweet one at that.

Well, last night I spent my first real time with the Les Paul and the Sunlion. Up until then it had mostly been on the Strat. I like it about equally on both. I was playing along with some blues jam tracks and it sat very nicely with most of them.

I play a Valvetrain Trenton amp, which is a tweed deluxe variant with a switchable tone stack to give some access to BF tones. I never use the tone stack. Not that is sounds bad or anything, just don't use it.

Geranium fuzz is kind of a beast that needs time to master, but I am now sure there were loads of guys in the 60's with nothing but an LP, germanium Fuzz Face and a Fender Bassman and felt they had died and gone to heaven!!

Short answer: seems to work good with the HB! I think the clarity of the Sheptone PAFs help a lot.

[Hector Arcadius]

Killer rig you got yourself there man! I'm sure that every part of it is a parameter of the tone equation.

[Guitar Freak]

Originally Posted by 2009LPGT

Well, last night I spent my first real time with the Les Paul and the Sunlion. Up until then it had mostly been on the Strat. I like it about equally on both. I was playing along with some blues jam tracks and it sat very nicely with most of them.

I play a Valvetrain Trenton amp, which is a tweed deluxe variant with a switchable tone stack to give some access to BF tones. I never use the tone stack. Not that is sounds bad or anything, just don't use it.

Geranium fuzz is kind of a beast that needs time to master, but I am now sure there were loads of guys in the 60's with nothing but an LP, germanium Fuzz Face and a Fender Bassman and felt they had died and gone to heaven!!

Short answer: seems to work good with the HB! I think the clarity of the Sheptone PAFs help a lot.

To my list it goes! In the end, you save around $30, yet gain a ton of bragging rights. Congrats!

[2009LPGT]

Originally Posted by Hector Arcadius

Killer rig you got yourself there man! I'm sure that every part of it is a parameter of the tone equation.

Thanks man, I really love my guitar and amp. Pedals are the only thing I mess with much anymore. I love to play though inspiring gear!

Originally Posted by Guitar Freak

To my list it goes! In the end, you save around $30, yet gain a ton of bragging rights. Congrats!

I am loving it and I find myself using the boost side more and more, so very cool! Maybe I can get a clip up this weekend.