u/x_belxxx

This is the MXR Blue Box, which is most notable for being useless and gimmicky. But I just think this thing is crazy, and I love it. I've seen the Blue Box get a lot of dislike for being uncontrollable but I think that really just shows a lack of creativity and how a lot of people in pedal forums mostly just want to replicate old sounds instead of experimenting.

I think the appeal of the Blue Box is that it's unpredictable and quite literally untamable, hence it's love by more alternative noise rock musicians like Rowland S Howard (listen: "Dim Locator" by The Birthday Party, and Sleep Alone by RSH) or Sonic Youth, plus others.

Oftentimes, many are already turned off by the Blue Box before they even think to pair it with other pedal types to make some really cool sounds. Stacking with a really bright overdrive or distortion after it helps boost the volume drop and helps with the octave tracking. It creates an aggressively gnarly sound for angular leads. Putting a shimmer reverb or other weird reverb types and delays after the Blue Box can be really interesting in shoegaze and drone styles and adds some interesting textures to the sound, blending between the octave / fuzz mix knob during playing.

Not to mention she's a beast for playing bass in heavy bands.

I'm convinced the my Blue Box will never leave my board and I'll always find a fun way to play it and have fun.

finally set up my first pedalboard! most were procured secondhand. so happy with my sound at the moment and found my own niche with it. still finding more favourite settings and interesting sounds, though the settings shown are my favourite at the moment. i play post-punk, goth, shoegaze & post-rock :]

signal chain (from guitar to amp): Epiphone Les Paul Custom > MXR Blue Box > Jekyll & Hyde V1 > MXR Carbon Copy > BOSS DD5 > EQD Ghost Echo > Big Muff Pi > Eventide Space Reverb > Twin Reverb Amp or an Interface

the jekyll & hyde was the most recent acquisition and i've found that post-punk revival era sound i've always envied (interpol, iceage, etc). the hyde side sounds so nasty with the blue box stacked (in a Rowland S Howard kinda way). gives it more sustain and helps with the volume drop too. i like how uncontrollable it can sound in certain contexts.

the ghost echo and the carbon copy are set subtly. ghost echo is almost always on and really adds some colour to the tone. and with the carbon copy i always keep the modulation on, and it sounds so subtly spooky. have fun with the self-oscillation for shoegazy noise. the dd5 is also amazing for creating all kinds of interesting sounds but i love having it in reverse mode the most. all three of these at the same time is heavenly.

the eventide space reverb is so otherworldly I can hardly put into words. it pretty much fulfils every atmospheric and textural niche for the mix of styles i like. the sounds it makes are out of this world and could just spiral forever into the abyss.

so happy!

:]