RE: 16 second delay reissue a reality

[Travis Hartnett <tiktok@sprintmail.com>]

 >my 1990-built mxr distortion+ doesn't sound as good as my guitarist's, 
which was made in 1977. quite apart from the inevitable feeling that 
his is >cooler just because it's older.... >mine just doesn't sound as 
good. I'm sure that some of this is psychological, but some of it is 
the quality or otherwise >of the parts.

You know, in 1977 that same distortion+ was considered to sound like 
shit.  "Doesn't sound like tubes..." or  "Doesn't sound like my Fuzz 
Face..." would have been the applicable criticisms.  And anything you 
think sounds bad now will be highly sought after in twenty years.  I 
remember when "germanium fuzztone" was the worst quality for any 
circuit to possess, and now it's highly sought after.

Keith Costin, the aerodynamicist once said "Save me, oh Lord, from the 
statement: 'What looks right is right.'" He was always being faced with 
designs for aeroplanes and cars which looked "aerodynamic", but proved 
not to be so in the wind tunnel and on the track.  I'd have to say 
"Lord save me from the statement : "What's old, sounds better.'"  It's 
just nuts--this endless romanticizing of a time just past when great 
tone dripped from every cheap-ass EH box that was lucky to survive 
three battery swaps.

 >are EH going to be /able/ to make the things the same as the 
originals? where will they get all those BBD chips from?

I believe the EH-15 used digital memory, not BBD.  However, I think the 
regeneration circuit was "analog"--every repeat was re-D/A/D'ed, which 
was part of its unique charm, but I've never used one myself.

In related news, I saw that Visual Sound has started production of BBD 
chips for those old-style circuits.  No doubt all the vintage dudes 
will declare them to be inferior to the original.


TravisH