Finally, sometime in May got my NHS audiologist’s appointment. The audiologist was super cool, her evaluation was that due to a sudden hearing loss I developed “recruitment” (not hyperacusis). Recruitment basically is a condition that was telling my brain to amplify the sound in order to make up for the hearing loss, my brain did that but also was sending pain signals to my ears because it conceived normal sounds as “threatening” for my ears- or at least this is what I understood. The audiologist gave me a hearing device. The device plays repeatedly a sound in order to reprogram my brain to accept the reality of having hearing loss and stop instructing my brain to send pain signals to my left ear. The device surprisingly worked. I used it in the beginning for 6-8 hours a day and progressively reduced that to a couple of hours every two days. I have no incidents since then, and the tinnitus is now balanced in both my ears. The sound she put in the device was pink noise…
My techniques were improving, my circuits became nicer looking so I started experimenting with the decoration of the side “windows”. I was happy again, could test my work – under controlled conditions. Decided to make some pedals for friends.
#19: One for the old times
I have been blaming myself too much for the loss of communication with my childhood friends. I was judged by just one moment of foolishness when we were 19 and everything instantly fell apart between me and them. I was considered the black sheep and for a couple of years I was lost and alone. Was thinking a lot about these times when I was building this one.
I made #19 - Furiozza for Kostis, have not given him the pedal yet though. Lots of things just live in my head. Made it for him as compensation for his bass and amp I borrowed 15 years ago and never returned them.
Fun fact his bass is quite popular in some Athenian neighbourhoods as it has been used by a few bands as their first bass.
#20: Reference point
It’s been almost 8 years since I moved to Scotland, first four in Aberdeen and since 2018 in Edinburgh. I consider my Aberdeen years as my student years, since my student life was in my hometown- Athens. For the first time in my life at 31 (…), I had a proper wage not the occasional freelance I used to have back home, had my own flat, (sharing actually) and thought the sky was the limit. Once a group of friends was formed, we had the most amazing years of our lives, exploring the amazing countryside of Scotland and travelling around the world like crazy. Feel that these experiences are my most “possessions”.
Good things come to an end though, and my fourth year there though was quite depressing, the guys started fleeing Aberdeen and I thought I would be stuck there for eternity. An opportunity came up and found my current job in Edinburgh. I had also friends in Edinburgh so the transition was buttery smooth.
During all these years Ersi and Agamemnon were my reference points, as they were the only people I knew when I came to Scotland and regularly visited them in Edinburgh while I was still in Aberdeen. But their time had come and decided to move back to Greece. So #20 is a Skertsoza made for Aga, who’s playing the keyboards and bass. Also from #20 and onwards the bottom of the enclosures is removable.
Fun fact: On the pedal is written Skortseza instead of Skertsoza, I thought it would be a funny mixture of Skortseze and Scottish (?) since Ersi is into acting. No one understood that apart from me. Once again living in my head.
Back in 2009 I met Sifis. We worked together on a Christmas project for a couple of months and we became friends. He “taught” me the blues, actually taught me to appreciate them – I am not a good guitar player btw…- and gave me a push to buy my Tele. He has been playing with his blues band “The Rosewood Brothers” since forever so #21 Furiozza is made for him. Have not given him his pedal either…I will give it to him one day.
#22: Getting there
Once in a while I want to go back and experiment a bit with the circuits either, I can’t overdo it though as my ear reminds me not to… Usually I chase my tail and do not get something vastly different from what I already have. But once in a blue moon stars align. So when they did, I built Gazoza.
Gazoza is great! On the bridge pick up with the volume and tone knobs of the guitar all the way up it sounds like a nice chunky distortion from the 70’s, mid and neck pickups might add some light fuzzy sparkles (depends on the pickups), the volume knob cleans up the signal beautifully and gives a nice warm overdrive.
From #22 and onwards I added an extra hole on top of the box, so that the light is also visible from the top when the pedal is on.
Summer holidays were almost here, classes were over, I had finished marking so I had plenty of time in my hands before I go back to Greece for the holidays. Time to build pedals! #20-21-22-23 were built in 2 weeks, I was testing my limits.
