If you read my glowing review of the Danelectro French Toast pedal, you'll know that I suggested that Dano erred by not doing "this pedal up right" (I can be so eloquent). And if you didn't read my review, you can rectify YOUR error by clicking here. Go ahead - I'll be here when you get back.
The French Toast was based on the Foxx Tone Machine, a classic distortion pedal from the 1970s which included a cool octave up effect as part of its sonic assault.
In order to do this pedal "up right", I suggested Dano provide a metal casing, some LEDs, and a second footswitch in order to activate the octave up effect.
What I did not know was that someone had already beaten Danelectro to the punch.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, gearheads and tonehounds, presenting:
Piercing Moose Octifuzz
I stumbled across this puppy when eBay sent me an auction update. This pedal was made by Way Huge, a company which seems to specialize in eye-catching names (Purple Platypus Octidrive, anyone?). I went to their web page (http://www.wayhuge.com/product.html ), and here's a direct quote: "We use the same transistors as the original Tone Machine, but as a bonus we did a few modifications that make the Piercing Moose even better than its illustrious forefather." Way Huge quotes a September 1996 review in Guitar Player which said, "The Moose does an impressive imitation of the Foxx Tone Machine, a perennial favorite...The octave effect is extraordinary, one of the clearest and most consistent we've heard... The non-octave fuzz tone is huge and grunting with a lively resonant hum..."
Of course, the only way to verify claims of tonal quality would be to play a Piercing Moose. However, the starting bid on the Moose was an eye-popping $399 U.S. So as much as I would love to describe this pedal to my loyal readers out there, I don't see a Moose joining my pedal herd any time soon.
But check the image above: nice metal case, separate (and easily accessible) footswitch for the octave up effect, and a nice LED to let you know when the effect is activated.
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Hold on. Just the ONE LED? How about an LED for the octave effect, too? Then the Moose would be perfect. Except for the price tag, of course. |
If you own a Moose, 
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