David Gilmour pedals- diy equivalents- a bet!

[DiamondDog]

I was having a chat with a few people concerning the lack of brand lables on my pedalboard. Following discussions, a challenge was laid whether there were DIY models or equivalents of something like a Famous Guitarist would use. Mr David Gilmour's basic mid-90s rig was nominated.

Please, no "he used this pedal not that" or "he used this as well" or whether one can totally sound like Mr Gilmour, because only he can. It's more about whether the DIY community can fill a list that was given to me- being- (with my equivs)

Boss CS-2 compressor (tonepad)
ProCo RAT II (the rat is everywhere...)
Pete Cornish P-2 (labeled "Big Muff") (legend has it a Rams Head reproduction) (and again everywhere...)
Boss GE-7 graphic EQ (for RAT) (ETI circuit- GGG)
MXR Dynacomp (script logo) (lotsa places)
Ibanez CP-9 compressor (tonepad)
Boss MZ-2 Digital Metalizer
Chandler Tube Driver (Real McTube, Tube Driver, Hotbox, a few others)
Pete Cornish Soft Sustain
Sovtek Big Muff ("Civil War") (refer Big Muff)
Chandler Tube Driver (yes, two) (as above)
Boss GE-7 graphic EQ (treble & bass boost) (see above)
Boss GE-7 graphic EQ (bass boost)
Boss GE-7 graphic EQ (mid boost)
Boss DD2 with a cornish tape echo mod; maybe the rebote or PT80.

OK, help me win a bet here. I can see two chinks in the DIY armory-

the MZ-2
the Cornish Soft Sustain (although there are arguments Mr Cornish is the ultimate DIY...

If you had to build a pedal to substitute for these two, what would they be? I don't have a lot of experience with 'scooped' pedals, so the MZ2 leaves me scratching my head.

The DIY community pride rides on this!

Thanks!

[Steve Newton]

The whole point of the MZ-2 isn't really a scopped tone thing, it's the stereo chorus/doubler. The distortion sound is pretty generic.

And in MONO the pedal is pretty crappy really, bland generic distortion without the FX and too chorus-y and too slapback-y with the FX. But actually utilising the stereo capabilities via 2 amps etc it spreads your sound very nicely and the pedal comes alive.

Here's 8 pages of service manual in a zip boss_mz_2_digital_metalizer_.zip.

[gigimarga]

I had a Boss MZ-2 Metalizer and i have a lot of luck to sell it after i spent over 150$ on it (i bought it from ebay and i am from Romania and the shipping was enough too)...anyway, it sounds no good, no bad...a Boss-style analog distortion and 5 or 6 predefined digital doubling/phaser/chorus...nice, but unuseful...it's good for a beginner if he wants a relative cheap all-in-one Gilmour-like sound...

anyway, your post contains some lacks...the effect which gives the unique Gilmour-sound is EHX Electric Mistress...look at www.gilmourish.com...is the best site for that!!!

[Derringer]

just as a side note ... Gilmour is a DIY'er ... or at least was


I'm paraphrasing here but I, I think it was in the Royal Albert Hall show/interview, he said something like "I always liked fiddling with my guitars, a soldering iron, wire, and you change things up. Sometimes it sounds better, sometimes it sounds no different, but you're happy with it because you did it."

He also mentioned when building a strat, he had stopped over at Pete Townshend's place and Pete apparently has a huge box full of smashed guitars and their parts. Pete let Dave have a go at scrounging through the mess to find some pickups and a neck.

[slacker]

Looks like you've got most things covered, you've missed the Uni-Vibe though which is a pretty important part of his arsenal. You can diy that with the neovibe or easyvibe depending on how much authenticity you're after.

[gigimarga]

I have only a russian Small Stone and it's enough good to play a Breath

[DougH]

For the Chandler Tube Driver go with Aron's Shaka Tube instead. The ST is basically an updated, improved, easier to build Tube Driver. The Real McTube is really a different kind of deal.

[jakehop]

Doug Hammond's excellent Highway 89 is brilliant for fattening up that strat to get into Gilmour territory. Add a DMM, and you can easily do a good impression of "Comfortably Numb".... IF you've practiced enough! 

[any]

As I remember correctly, either the HM-2 or the MZ-2 is a bit of a misconception in Gilmour's rig as it was once explained
by Pete Cornish to be just the pedal's shell that actually housed a different effect alltogether.
Can't seem to find the article now though...

[DiamondDog]

Thanks, everyone! We seem to have covered the supplied list (to my satisfaction anyway.  )

I'll pass the list on. Now, if there is a pedal that makes us play like Mr Gilmour...

[mac]

I'll pass the list on. Now, if there is a pedal that makes us play like Mr Gilmour...

Yes, the "Heart", very rare in today's music.
They are not available at Ebay or music stores.
But you may get one in India or Paraguay human organs black market for just about E 50.000

mac

[sfx1999]

No Boss CE-2?

[The French connection]

You should add Phase 45 for ''shine on'' and ''breathe''...
http://www.gilmourish.com/

[DiamondDog]

Thanks for the input, everyone!!! They have begrudgingly admitted that we could do it.

Please remember, it's wasn't about me recreating the Gilmour sound, it's whether we can make replacements for some the pedals "A Class Act" used- and I didn't write up the list! .  As I said-

Please, no "he used this pedal not that" or "he used this as well" or whether one can totally sound like Mr Gilmour, because only he can. It's more about whether the DIY community can fill a list that was given to me

so the absence of the CE2, vibe etc was unusual. Nevertheless... Should I say the Dogs Of War have been satisfied? ahhhh. No... I shouldn't.

Cheers all!