zonks!!!! zoinks!!!!!

[jerms]

here's the recently acquired zonk in action in the first vid..... daveys VPW zonk with bug eyes in the second...... we couldn't get them to behave whilst plugged together so we did separate vids..... the old zonk was loud, and very open sounding in the room, the old girl had quite a bit of backgound hiss tho!

he test rig was: SG > zonk machine > AC-30 top boost > MD421 > UA 2-610 > pro tools.... yup, more squashed audio

[dazed and confused]

Nice Jim! Is that Zonk yours? Sounds like a very nice one, great score man

[imguitardan]

OG Zonk sounds killer!

[jerms]

Nice Jim! Is that Zonk yours? Sounds like a very nice one, great score man

yeah steve, got it off gino recently...... 'tis a great sounding pedal..... who ever tuned this was a master, you can roll the fuzz knob all the way back and no gating whatsoever, just smooooooth!!

[johndammit]

sweeeeet. does this mean we can look forward to a Jerms Zonk in the near future. if so, sign me up.

[psycho*daisies]

I have to say, Steve Giles did a fine job with the new one. Other than that extra something ( 'presence' ) that yours has, Jim...
- i think Steve's is pretty close; definitely holds it's own. And just to be clear, it in no way has a low volume or volume drop or anything. It's plenty loud, no problem with volume.

(Jim, wasn't the pronounced volume difference only an issue when we had them hooked up New One -->into Old One?)

When we did that initially, the old one sounded head-and-shoulders way better, clearer, louder (in the #2 position)
but then i suggested we flip-flop the order (remembering how that happened when we linked a bunch of Mk1 replicas up with your old one and we figured out that you can't accurately or objectively test things like with the Mk1 circuit.

Ding Ding Ding! Well, the same thing happened here, because when I flip-flopped the order, then the Steve Giles built one suddenly had better presence (not muffled as it had just sounded) and the volume was more equal. There's something about the "Last" position in the chain....the pedal in that spot (at least with Mk1 types) kind of tonally (and with volume) dominates or controls/rules all the rest that lay before it in the chain.

Anyway, Jim's Zonk is definitely a sweet sounding one. Not doubt about that. But imho, the new Steve Giles built VPW Zonk definitely holds it's own as a fine Zonk Machine. Using the correct NOS parts and with a very clean clean build style, it's a very respectable Zonk Machine - and for a fraction of the cost of what originals are now apparently garnering.

btw, apparently VPW now hold the copyright to the name Zonk Machine® - and they do a fine job on the enclosure, paint job, silk-screen lettering and other details. Mine is an early 'prototype' model with a slightly different hue of blue paint.
I like it, it's a handsome shade of blue (Mediterranean blue, i'd say) but new ones have the correct lighter shade of hammered (sky-type) blue. And if you're curious - i put those bug eye knobs on just for fun - i have the original style black knobs too (they're very similar to bug eyes).

[redeyeflight]

That original zonk is absolutely one of the nicest sounding fuzzboxes for rhythm guitar I've ever heard. Obviously it doesnt hurt to also have it running through a 60's SG and AC-30 but it really is a wonderful pedal. Totally useable in every setting (not the case IMO with the MK I) and man is it dynamic in regards to pick attack and guitar volume changes. Hell of a pedal!! The VPW was really good too...harsher and the fuzz knob was not as finely tuned but all in all a great replica especially listening back to them both now. They got the case spot on...theyre both aluminum and light as a feather!

[Graham]

Steve Giles and his biz partner of the time Rich Henry both came across to visit me and try out some of the pedals - they also took away a B&M Shatterbox - a particularly cool sounding little black square thing (I have a matching single knob treble booster) Steve did a run of those - he still has my original and eventually I'll get to try a clone.

On the Zonks I did have a proto of the early type from him (think they brought me one over) as well as another clone I got from a competitor - Steve's early Zonk sounded absolutely fantastic - I know that they managed to improve the colour/finish - not that it was that far off - and hope one day to see the newer finish version.

I know that VPW went through a few ups and downs and Steves earlier business associations made people a little wary but I have to say he has always struck me as the most genuine and committed of guys - he takes as long as it takes (often too long from a biz perspective) to actually build them and get them totally right, but his motivation isn't cash - he has a great ear - you should see his amps - AC30's that are to die for!!

I am fortunate in having a decent number of his pedals and can say (when stacked alongside decent sounding originals) that they all stand up exceptionally well.

Apart from the odd phone call we have been out of touch this last 18 months with my family obligations but I would unreservedly recommend him to anyone considering one of his pedals - and I DON'T have any interest in the business beyond a few early discussions hopefully setting them on the right path!!

Also I don't say this to compare to anybody else - certainly not David (who's pedals are simply the best you can get as we all know here)

But I was in an old friends guitar store in Southampton two days ago while my good lady was "doing the John Lewis Sale" (I rather unexpectedly came home with a near minty 1892 Martin I-21 complete with coffin box and provenance letter!! not something I was expecting - I'd gone in to catch up with a good old friend and look over a '59 Strat and '59 Esquire he'd gotten in for me to try) and after testing the Fenders and having worked my way through Jamies best custom shop toys - I spotted a bunch of VPW pedals in their display cases and mentioned I knew their builders [while Jamie was hitting on me to try to get him anything from DAM - they had all heard of Dave's stuff but - like everybody else!]

Anyway Jamie said that he was surprised that pedals of Steve's quality were not being pushed a little more - as they were great sounding and well priced - ALSO EASILY AVAILABLE! - I said that I understood there were changes underway and that eventually they would get better recognition.. I didn't try some of their more recent line but did try the early stuff including Steve's Zonk Machine (I even had a silicon mk1 specially built ) and with two originals can unreservedly recommend them as GOOD pedals and a nice honest guy who really ought to be getting better recognition for the effort he makes to get things right!

To anybody on the south coast - Jamie's shop is called M&M Music and I recommend them whole heartedly - (I have known Jamie Goately for over twenty years!!) he will always go that extra mile for his customers - with a regular "guitar store" and a separate acoustic shop they also deal online and as they aren't in my eyes competing with David, I'll drop their site here:
http://www.theguitarstoreonline.co.uk/
(if anyone thinks I should remove that link then PM me and it will be done)

Anyway - the clips are cool - I was particularly pleased to see them as Jim and I chatted a bit before he got that Zonk and I'm really pleased it's ended up with his stash - they are such nice pedals but as rare as mk1's - I know of only a handful and could probably point out two mk1's for every original ZM I know of!! (saying that we'll probably see a couple turn up in short order!!) - I would personally love to know where that "ex Toronto" one with the missing battery cover and Si + trimmer stage ended up

Cheers - and may that Zonk find its way onto something I can buy from your band Jim!! - Happy New Year all
Graham

EDIT - PLEASE NOTE - I neither mentioned TB's OR put up a link to the VPW site - ALSO I didn't so much as notice whether there was any use of the TB name in the stock Jamie had however I did spot that the "Marshall" was missing from their supafuzz so would conjecture (STRESS CONJECTURE!) that they are doing whatever they consider is right re names - doubt that they have sought to be heavy handed or "any-handed" come to that re their own trademarks - I can categorically assure everyone here that there is ZERO involvement between Steve and his previous "employer" (he was actually a sub contractor and when I made certain suggestions as to that position AND his best way forward he promptly took them onboard). Regarding the mk2 or whatever AND PLEASE TAKE MY WORD I HAVE HAD NO CONTACT FOR VERY MANY MONTHS! - I can say that the quantity of pedals they were selling last time we spoke was minimal - my guess would be that he had a small number of cases made up and uses them as he gets an order - My friend Jamie told me that when he asked for some stock he was told he needed to prepay and that it would take him a week or so for him to build them.

I do not see this as being in any way derogatory or overly supportive of VPW - my only reason in posting at al was to assure people that the VPW Zonks were an extremely nice item - as it seems others have said. I am more than aware of the sensitivities at play - NOBODY has ever read anything from me over my opinions on that one!! HOWEVER considering what I do know of earlier agreements - particularly when bearing in mind the very small number of these pedals being sold - and the usage of the offending word by other similarly sized builders - The two words "mountain" and "molehill" come to mind .

Happy Holidays - All G

[Philip]

http://www.theguitarstoreonline.co.uk/P ... /p-73-1685

Authorised use of Tone Bender?

They have been saying on their site for ages that they will stop using it, but yet these pedals keep appearing.

Groovy clips jim! Usual thing of the old one having that something extra eh!?

[jetofuj]

I bet it's one from the old stock?