oldguy
Lefty O'lman
2007 Zonkin' Yellow Screamer... If you're up to date on Duhvoodooman's work you already know what these are... if not, well, all I can say is you're missing out, check out the threads and get updated. While this review is somewhat tongue-in-cheek as to regarding "SCREAMING AMPH SOLOS!", the Zonker is the real deal. I'll try and get some clips posted ASAP, and in the meantime hopefully someone will enjoy this review...
This unit consists of a bright yellow sturdy metal box with four knobs...
"Level, Drive, Gain/Bass Boost, and Tone", plus a three position switch...
"Cool, Normal, and Hot", plus the footswitch button that switches it on/off, and a nice looking red led that indicates when the unit is engaged. It also has "IN' and "OUT" connection jacks and a 9v power supply jack. The overall look is very clean, professional, and just plain cool. With this baby at your feet, "screamin'" to be stepped on and put into service w/ your favorite amph, you can feel the mojo.
"With this pedal (and my amph), I know I get screaming solos!"
I tried this ZYS out w/ my Strat copy, and my Squier '51 through a Valve Jr. amph head running into a 2x12 Avatar cab w/ 2 Celestion speakers.
Although I can't verify it w/o opening this beauty up, I believe it is one of the very first production models made. No serial # I could find on the outside, and I don't dare open the case, for fear some of the magic might escape from this little monster!
First impressions...
Set on "cool", w/ the drive turned down and the gain/bass boost full up, and the tone set to taste, this baby gives me the nice fat, slightly warm boost I need to make my axe "jump out" and let me know it's due for the blues.
On both "normal" and "hot", though different voicings, I can crank the drive and let 'er rip out some OD sounds that remind me of the arena rock era, especially when I throw down some delay w/ my Danelecto PB, & J.
I really like the # 2 and 4 positions on my Strat copy w/ this pedal, it shines there the best, and like most Strats, there is some hum on the other settings, but when cranked to high gain, you can engage the ZYS while playing and it's no more noticeable than on my Danelectro Daddy-O or Bad Monkey OD. This pedal is no one-trick pony, but you absolutely have to tweak to find the best settings for your axe/amp combination, as w/ any other piece of gear. Turning the knobs on this pedal, esp. the "gain/bass boost" and the "tone", make a big difference in the sound you achieve.
Next I ran this puppy behind my Squier '51 to see what it would sound like w/ a humbucker and/or single coil setup.
The Squier's single coil sounded nice and warm, a bit of hum here also, but nothing out of the ordinary. Neck single coil plus bridge humbucker, nice fat warm tone, good for rhythm, some leads, pretty cool sound, I preferred the Zonker on the "cool" setting w/ just a hint of breakup here.
Finally, humbucker alone, first the "cool" setting w/ a little PB&J set to a hollow-like doubling echo. Good sound for blues, rhythm and lead, very nice.
Then I went straight to "hot" mode, cranked the gain/bass boost and drive full on, and put a little PB&J on for flavor... Wow! Nice high-gain sound, not exactly the metal scooped mids sound of some pedals, a nice full sound. With some palm muting, this Zonker can give the impression that you're ripping through a good ol' stack, even w/ my little low budget V. Jr. and Squier. I can't even imagine how it'd sound through a vintage Marshall and a Les Paul. Probably would tear down a couple of walls with the ol' girl cranked, just to keep the neighbors on their toes!
Overall, I'd have to say there are many boost/OD pedals to choose from, but many I've used color or muffle your sound. The ZYS can be set clear and clean, nearly transparent, tone-wise, you just have to do your homework and tweak it to taste. It can also be set to add a dash of bottom end, mids, or highs to your lead work, again, turn the knobs till you find them.
If this pedal were lost or stolen I'd wonder what the he!! happened to it and start searching for the money to replace it, because if I'm stupid enough to "lose" it I deserve to buy another one for my ignorance and if it's stolen I'll probably never see it again, and with my luck, if I hunted down the dirty rotten SOB that stole it and tortured him until he told what he did with it, I'd be the one that would get caught and end up doing time, not him.
Summary...
This is one pedal I'm glad I added to my arsenal of effects...I can't wait to get the EMG's cranking into my Traynor YCV-40 with the Zonkin' Yellow Screamer in-line to add to the tonal destruction, and hopefully I can get something recorded in the near future.
This unit consists of a bright yellow sturdy metal box with four knobs...
"Level, Drive, Gain/Bass Boost, and Tone", plus a three position switch...
"Cool, Normal, and Hot", plus the footswitch button that switches it on/off, and a nice looking red led that indicates when the unit is engaged. It also has "IN' and "OUT" connection jacks and a 9v power supply jack. The overall look is very clean, professional, and just plain cool. With this baby at your feet, "screamin'" to be stepped on and put into service w/ your favorite amph, you can feel the mojo.
"With this pedal (and my amph), I know I get screaming solos!"
I tried this ZYS out w/ my Strat copy, and my Squier '51 through a Valve Jr. amph head running into a 2x12 Avatar cab w/ 2 Celestion speakers.
Although I can't verify it w/o opening this beauty up, I believe it is one of the very first production models made. No serial # I could find on the outside, and I don't dare open the case, for fear some of the magic might escape from this little monster!
First impressions...
Set on "cool", w/ the drive turned down and the gain/bass boost full up, and the tone set to taste, this baby gives me the nice fat, slightly warm boost I need to make my axe "jump out" and let me know it's due for the blues.
On both "normal" and "hot", though different voicings, I can crank the drive and let 'er rip out some OD sounds that remind me of the arena rock era, especially when I throw down some delay w/ my Danelecto PB, & J.
I really like the # 2 and 4 positions on my Strat copy w/ this pedal, it shines there the best, and like most Strats, there is some hum on the other settings, but when cranked to high gain, you can engage the ZYS while playing and it's no more noticeable than on my Danelectro Daddy-O or Bad Monkey OD. This pedal is no one-trick pony, but you absolutely have to tweak to find the best settings for your axe/amp combination, as w/ any other piece of gear. Turning the knobs on this pedal, esp. the "gain/bass boost" and the "tone", make a big difference in the sound you achieve.
Next I ran this puppy behind my Squier '51 to see what it would sound like w/ a humbucker and/or single coil setup.
The Squier's single coil sounded nice and warm, a bit of hum here also, but nothing out of the ordinary. Neck single coil plus bridge humbucker, nice fat warm tone, good for rhythm, some leads, pretty cool sound, I preferred the Zonker on the "cool" setting w/ just a hint of breakup here.
Finally, humbucker alone, first the "cool" setting w/ a little PB&J set to a hollow-like doubling echo. Good sound for blues, rhythm and lead, very nice.
Then I went straight to "hot" mode, cranked the gain/bass boost and drive full on, and put a little PB&J on for flavor... Wow! Nice high-gain sound, not exactly the metal scooped mids sound of some pedals, a nice full sound. With some palm muting, this Zonker can give the impression that you're ripping through a good ol' stack, even w/ my little low budget V. Jr. and Squier. I can't even imagine how it'd sound through a vintage Marshall and a Les Paul. Probably would tear down a couple of walls with the ol' girl cranked, just to keep the neighbors on their toes!
Overall, I'd have to say there are many boost/OD pedals to choose from, but many I've used color or muffle your sound. The ZYS can be set clear and clean, nearly transparent, tone-wise, you just have to do your homework and tweak it to taste. It can also be set to add a dash of bottom end, mids, or highs to your lead work, again, turn the knobs till you find them.
If this pedal were lost or stolen I'd wonder what the he!! happened to it and start searching for the money to replace it, because if I'm stupid enough to "lose" it I deserve to buy another one for my ignorance and if it's stolen I'll probably never see it again, and with my luck, if I hunted down the dirty rotten SOB that stole it and tortured him until he told what he did with it, I'd be the one that would get caught and end up doing time, not him.
Summary...
This is one pedal I'm glad I added to my arsenal of effects...I can't wait to get the EMG's cranking into my Traynor YCV-40 with the Zonkin' Yellow Screamer in-line to add to the tonal destruction, and hopefully I can get something recorded in the near future.
you can't get them at work, can you??? 
