PEDAL: Chk Chk Boom

CHK CHK BOOM : Momentary Feedback Effects Pedal

Crazy feedback, glitch, self oscillation, infinity delay insanity … plus some subtle stuff too!

DEMO VIDJA:

The cold hard facts on the CHK CHK BOOM:

• Momentary Feedback looper
• True Bypass
• Passive Electronics (no DC power/battery needed)
• Optional Joy Button: provides same function as footswitch but far more tactile sensitivity for fast fingers.
• Optional Loop Mute: FX loop can be muted when the CCB is not activated.
• note: Joy Button and Loop Mute CAN NOT be combined in the same pedal.

The CHK CHK BOOM works by feeding your effects input to it’s output.

The CHK CHK BOOM has a momentary switch so it’s only on when your foot is on it. This is a good thing because its perfect for short blasts of crazy noise mixed into other melodic content. It’s also great when you’re playing through a delay and you want the delay to swell and feedback with out bending down to twist a knob.

Every other feedback pedal out there has a latched switch which in my opinion doesn’t work as well for the kind of sound this pedal produces.

THE JOY BUTTON:

OK so here’s the deal: THE JOY BUTTON is a light and responsive, springy pushbutton. It mimics the same action you get from the foot switch. Except it’s meant for your fingers.

Like you’ll see in the video below (the lower right corner to be specific) the way you flick it can really change the response. In the vid I went from high blip, to kick drum to fat bass shoop just by altering my caress. THE JOY BUTTON is meant for ass-crack showing musicians that like to bend down and tweak their pedals when performing. Oh yeah beatmakers, MPC nerds and table-top tweakers, you have not been forgotten. You guys are awesome at playing really tight stuff with your nose picker. This is indeed for you too!

RESPECT:

Use your fingers! But not your feet for THE JOY BUTTON. It’s sensitive and needs to be treated as such. RESPECT THE JOY BUTTON.

HERE’S THE VIDJA:
(watch full screen)

Loop Mute:

When engaged: what’s on the send and return (fx loop) jacks WILL NOT BE HEARD. Hit the footswitch and POW! What’s in the fx loop is heard and is fed back. Turn the feedback all the way down and you’ve got basically a momentary a/b switch (depending on what’s plugged in).

When the toggle is in the other position it’s your standard CCB. You’ll always hear what’s in the fx loop and the momentary switch will just turn on the feedback circuit.

Examples and sound samples

Watch a Video of the CHK CHK BOOM in action: http://vimeo.com/4953303

Fan Submitted Videos:

Note: The pedal artwork in the videos is different but the circuit is identical.

Construction and Art Design

There’s no battery or power source to worry about so it won’t take up a much needed power cord on your pedal board.

The CHK CHK BOOM was born from a hand crafted litter in Brooklyn, NY. Each pedal is hand painted with slight variations in finish. Designs are never repeated. You’ve got yourself a collectible, champ.

Connectivity:

I usually don’t label the jacks or knobs. I feel they get in the way of the inherent beauty of the design. Plus it makes it way harder for that pedal geek at your show to figure what the hell it is you have on your pedal board; Thus upping your rep.

Counter Clockwise:

IN: Your instrument

FX SEND: Connects to the input of your FX chain.

INTENSITY: Amount of feedback blast when pedal is depressed

FX RETURN: Output from your FX chain

OUT: output.

FAQ:

Will my effects function normally when the CHK CHK BOOM is bypassed?

Yes. The switch activates just the feedback portion of the circuit. It will not mute the output of the pedals plugged into it when bypassed. They function as normal.

I connected this to my analog delay and all that happened was the wet signal disappeared. What’s the deal?

There are several things you can do to remedy this. Try putting a buffered pedal in the loop. Like a boss tuner. Make sure it’s in the effects loop i.e. connected from the snd or rtn and not the in.

Also, set your delay mix to 100% wet, the feedback knob on the CHK CHK BOOM to 100% (all the way clockwise). Now experiment to get a setting you like and bring your feedback blend over slowly to the left and find the sweet spot to where you loose your signal. If your analog delay has a volume knob this could effect it too. As can the kind of instrument or guitar you use.

I couldn’t get any of the sounds you got in your video and I’m using the same exact pedals!

Feedback loops are inherently slippery little circuits. You must exercise diligent experimentation. Try everything and anything that makes or processes a sound thru it. Try different pick ups, tone knob adjustments, cables, the order of your pedals makes a difference too.

What does this sound like by itself?

nothing. It will only modify the sounds your existing pedals make. If you’re not familiar with feedback loops, a Google search will enlighten you. Do not be afraid. They are super cool.

Version History:

Batches  1-8: 4 jacks, one intensity knob. one momentary foot switch.

Batch 9-?: added the joy button (finger operated momentary push button switch) wired in series with the foot switch. same circuit completion: much different feel.

Batch 11: added loop mute feature