Rehousing a Thorpy pedal

Sporky · April 2023

Sorry!

dangriffiths · April 2023

Thanks @ThorpyFX ;Will measure again and then use my Time Machine to delete this thread

guitargeek62 · April 2023

Yorkie said:

guitargeek62 said:

ThorpyFX said:

mrkb said:

ThorpyFX said:

this is a depressing thread.

It shouldn't be taken that way. Ive got eight of your drive pedals, love the sounds, but struggle to see what each knob does - so am looking for a solution.

i might have to come up with an option..... at least for the short term. maybe a printable magnet?

Depending how deep the etching is, you/OP could use blackening solutions brushed over them, then buff off the surronding areas again. You'd have to do this with the pedal disassembled to reduce the risk of damaging anything else, and to get good access to the top plate, but it should be pretty straightforwards and be pretty permanent. I've just done the same at the weekend on a ring-making course on some stamped initials on the inside of the ring, it's a bloody easy process!

This is exactly what I was going to suggest. I've done it with some inscriptions I had etched by hand with a battery (under)powered drill – you don't need the etching to be particularly deep.

One other thing I've used in the past is to fit colour-coded knobs, e.g. red for gain, yellow for tone, blue for volume, orange/green/purple for EQ, etc.

I like the colour-coding idea - you can also do this with chickenheads etc where they have an indent on them by simply filling that with nail varnish / acrylic paint-pen or similar for a more subtle effect.

roberty · April 2023

EricTheWeary said:

Apparently the Bad Monkey can sound just like the Fat General.

But you can get a Fat General for just a fraction of the price

roberty · April 2023

I use pink dots to mark my settings. I am in the set-and-forget camp (too busy singing) but I will use two dots to indicate a range. There's some spare dots in the Altoids tin

Musicman20 · April 2023

I see the OP's reason for the thread, but I must say I've never had issue with reading @ThorpyFX pedals, probably because in the heat of a gig I try not to fiddle with anything, and if it's a dark stage I can't see any pedal labels and just hope for the best hahahhaha.

RocknRollDave · April 2023

roberty said:

I use pink dots to mark my settings. I am in the set-and-forget camp (too busy singing) but I will use two dots to indicate a range. There's some spare dots in the Altoids tin

I tend to be set and forget, as the only other option my brain will accept is to be constantly fiddling with every setting, all the time.

ewal · April 2023

I don't own any ThorpyFX pedals and I don't mean to derail the thread, however on being able to read control labels - once I've familiarised myself with a pedal, I know what each control does and therefore don't need to read the label. In fact I'll qualify that slightly, the only pedal I currently use that I struggle with in this regard is my Neunaber Immerse, because several of the controls are used for different things depending on what reverb effect is being used.

In live and practice settings, it's much more important that the knob is clearly marked, so I can see at a glance how the pedal is set up. From the images above, Thorpy knobs look nice and clear.

fretmeister · April 2023

ewal said:

I don't own any ThorpyFX pedals and I don't mean to derail the thread, however on being able to read control labels - once I've familiarised myself with a pedal, I know what each control does and therefore don't need to read the label. In fact I'll qualify that slightly, the only pedal I currently use that I struggle with in this regard is my Neunaber Immerse, because several of the controls are used for different things depending on what reverb effect is being used.

In live and practice settings, it's much more important that the knob is clearly marked, so I can see at a glance how the pedal is set up. From the images above, Thorpy knobs look nice and clear.

Unfortunately if you change viewing angle they disappear.

It's a bit like the knobs on a Dual Rec. The knob "pointer" is a little indent in an otherwise shiny surface. Have to be at the perfect angle to see it, otherwise it's invisible.

Yorkie · April 2023

fretmeister said:
Unfortunately if you change viewing angle they disappear.

The pictures of the Team Medic posted above are very good and show the pedal in a near-ideal situation. This one is, I think, more representative of an everyday situation:

Image: https://andertons-productimages.imgix.net/SH-241-1957-SH-241-1957-(5).JPG?auto=compress&bg=ffffff

For the record, I am not complaining. My homemade pedals are not even labelled – I completely agree with Thorpy on this.

digitalkettle · April 2023

I don't care what it sounds like...the knobs have to be at 'o'clock' positions!

Jonathangus · April 2023

Set the controls to their 'normal' positions. Take the knobs off and replace them so they're all at 12 o'clock. Easy to see if any of them have been knocked.

EricTheWeary · April 2023

I suppose, roughly speaking, using a pedal at home or in a studio allows plenty of tweaking and having it on regularly gigged board is more set and forget. Tweaking 'on the fly' more of a product of intermittent gigging and ever changing pedalboards. Tweaking my DOD Looking Glass on a gig was like a Krypton Factor test with fifty drunks jeering at you. Stacked pots and a reflective surface, joy.
The difficulty in reading Thorpy pedals has been pointed out from day one but he seems to be doing okay so none of us should lose sleep over it.

Jonathanthomas83 · April 2023

Deleted

soma1975 · April 2023

Dibs on the old enclosure to rehouse a bad monkey and make a YouTube video of it leading to my own signature Thorpy Terrible Orangutan pedal

fretmeister · April 2023

digitalkettle said:

I don't care what it sounds like...the knobs have to be at 'o'clock' positions!

3.15 o clock.

Lebarque · April 2023

I like the Jam Pedals approach of a large font, which can be seen when standing up. Although the full word, rather than a single letter, would be handy! How about luminous paint, so the labels can be seen on a dark stage? #Customerexperience

digitalkettle · April 2023

fretmeister said:

digitalkettle said:

I don't care what it sounds like...the knobs have to be at 'o'clock' positions!

3.15 o clock.

Aaaargh!

BlackbirdCabs · April 2023

Looking forward to the @ThorpyFX 'Old Duffer' range of pedals with bright red lettering in Comic Sans font and a giant magnifying glass fixed 8 inches above the pedal.

Lebarque · April 2023

BlackbirdCabs said:

Looking forward to the @ThorpyFX 'Old Duffer' range of pedals with bright red lettering in Comic Sans font and a giant magnifying glass fixed 8 inches above the pedal.

Given the demographic on here, there's a market for it!

ElectricXII · April 2023

BlackbirdCabs said:

Looking forward to the @ThorpyFX 'Old Duffer' range of pedals with bright red lettering in Comic Sans font and a giant magnifying glass fixed 8 inches above the pedal.

He'd sell loads of those one here!

robinbowes · April 2023

I have to say, as much as I like the sounds of the early ThorpyFX pedals that I tried (Muffroom Cloud, Peacekeeper) I moved them on for two reasons:

1. too big and heavy
2. difficult to use in low viz situations (without my glasses, in low light, etc.)

Obvs. this is just my personal perspective - many people love the form factor, esp. since they shrunk a little.

R.

Supportact · April 2023

This post has (albeit unintentionally - and sorry to the OP I don't actually have any advice about rehousing pedals! ) sparked an interesting discussion. My view is that Thorpy pedals are really well designed and cool to look at, to the extent that I don't mind the extra size (and although they look bulky, when you put them next to a standard Boss pedal, they're not exactly huge anyway are they?).

Even though I do gig - so I can appreciate that practicality sometimes comes first - i wouldn't want the aesthetic to be compromised, because I like things to have their own style.

Too many things are designed by computers and focus groups and are just boring. It's nice when something is made according to one person's vision, for good or bad. (I also love mass produced utilitarian stuff like an SD-1 so I think there's room for both.)

Also on a more prosaic note about the visibility thing, I use glow-in-the-dark dots (from ebay) to mark my settings on pedals for gigging purposes. That said I favour pedals with only a few knobs, for live purposes.

StuartMac290 · April 2023

Supportact said:

This post has (albeit unintentionally - and sorry to the OP I don't actually have any advice about rehousing pedals! ) sparked an interesting discussion. My view is that Thorpy pedals are really well designed and cool to look at, to the extent that I don't mind the extra size (and although they look bulky, when you put them next to a standard Boss pedal, they're not exactly huge anyway are they?).

Even though I do gig - so I can appreciate that practicality sometimes comes first - i wouldn't want the aesthetic to be compromised, because I like things to have their own style.

Too many things are designed by computers and focus groups and are just boring. It's nice when something is made according to one person's vision, for good or bad. (I also love mass produced utilitarian stuff like an SD-1 so I think there's room for both.)

Also on a more prosaic note about the visibility thing, I use glow-in-the-dark dots (from ebay) to mark my settings on pedals for gigging purposes. That said I favour pedals with only a few knobs, for live purposes.

Totally agree. All of the Thorpy pedals I've heard (I own 5 or 6) sound outstanding and the housings are really practical. I also think they look really beautiful and love the etched finishes. At worst I occasionally have to cover a bright blue led (or switch the pedal off) to read the legending but it's no big deal. Hope they stay looking the way they do!

Magnetic legending might be the best solution, I suppose, but I've never really considered it an issue

DefaultM · April 2023

mrkb said:

ThorpyFX said:

this is a depressing thread.

It shouldn't be taken that way. Ive got eight of your drive pedals, love the sounds, but struggle to see what each knob does - so am looking for a solution.

Same. If it was one or 2 pedals I could memorise what each control was and it wouldn’t matter, but most of my live board is thorpy pedals and I’ve often needed to change something, looked down and thought “ooooh dear where is it?”

Alvin · April 2023

I have no issues using Thorpy's pedals myself but a can see why some might struggle (at first , you soon get used to them) . I have given this a lot of thought and put months of extensive research into this issue . I believe i have found a solution , it does require the investment of a fine tip marker , or perhaps @ThorpyFX might consider supplying an official one to match the knob colours.

Yorkie · April 2023

Alvin said:

I have no issues using Thorpy's pedals myself but a can see why some might struggle (at first , you soon get used to them) . I have given this a lot of thought and put months of extensive research into this issue . I believe i have found a solution , it does require the investment of a fine tip marker , or perhaps @ThorpyFX might consider supplying an official one to match the knob colours.

Been there, done that, got my fingertips dirty.

FelineGuitars · April 2023

Mad ideas that might help from a practical viewpoint

Buy a couple of different coloured knobs so you know what knob is the one you usually want to tweak

Lots of real estate above the switch button - put a sticker on there with knob orientation if it helps you - heck you could even mark favourite positions .

You could use a labelmaker if you have one or a sharpie on a label

Jonathanthomas83 · April 2023

These photos of Gunshot's are making seriously want to buy a set of Sharpies.

...Kidding, of course, but the GAS for another Gunshot is strong, and a Fallout, and an FG, and a Camo! Oh dear.

Lebarque · April 2023

Alvin said:

I have no issues using Thorpy's pedals myself but a can see why some might struggle (at first , you soon get used to them) . I have given this a lot of thought and put months of extensive research into this issue . I believe i have found a solution , it does require the investment of a fine tip marker , or perhaps @ThorpyFX might consider supplying an official one to match the knob colours.

The best part of this is that the labelling has been colour-coordinated. Brilliant.

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Rehousing a Thorpy pedal

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