HNPD - Rockman Ultimatum Distrortion Generator

Modern Saint

Starve your Fear, Feed your Dream!
A week ago I was cruzin through our local Craigslist listings and gave it a shot and put Rockman as the key word. Boom....lots of stuff but nothing I was interested until I saw that someone was selling a Rockman Ultimatium Distortion Generator. Wow it was being sold for only $50 so I contacted the seller and he sent me some pics. This thing looked new and I knew that I wanted it. Some would ask why? Just want certain pieces to complete the Rockman Gear that I own that's all. It is a one trick sound that I like sometimes and I want to use what Tom used (less his mods). So after a week of communications, I picked it up yesterday. Irony has it that the Acoustic Pedal that I bought was also owned by the same seller of the Distortion Generator.

I am considering a rebox of this baby for live use.

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very cool. My ex-uncle had one of the Rockmans back in the 80s. It was instant Boston tone.
 
very cool. My ex-uncle had one of the Rockmans back in the 80s. It was instant Boston tone.

Def Leppard used them, and even Rev. Willy G. too. I know a guy who has been collecting Rockman rack gear for some time. He never plays out with the stuff because of the theft potential. He's let me play through it a time or two at his house. That old analog sound is damn tough to beat. I'll say this though, a lot of what makes up Boston tone is EQ. He told me that there are 4 passes through EQ boxes at various places in the chain. First is after the guitar, then after the distortion section. It goes through a light preamp stage, then back out into the FX loop first into an EQ then another EQ before it hits the power amp. I asked why so much EQ and he said that once you start stacking multiple pedals in a chain, it's easier to make adjustments so everything blends a lot better.
 
Def Leppard used them, and even Rev. Willy G. too. I know a guy who has been collecting Rockman rack gear for some time. He never plays out with the stuff because of the theft potential. He's let me play through it a time or two at his house. That old analog sound is damn tough to beat. I'll say this though, a lot of what makes up Boston tone is EQ. He told me that there are 4 passes through EQ boxes at various places in the chain. First is after the guitar, then after the distortion section. It goes through a light preamp stage, then back out into the FX loop first into an EQ then another EQ before it hits the power amp. I asked why so much EQ and he said that once you start stacking multiple pedals in a chain, it's easier to make adjustments so everything blends a lot better.

My quest to acquire Rockman gear really is more personal. One is I like it and two, I do want the sound. What I do own from Rockman line is the Sustainer, 2 - 12 band EQ's, Midi Octopus, 2 - Racks for the Rock Modules, Three pedal switcher, The Acoustic Pedal and now the Distortion Generator. I use to own the chorus/delay unit but sold it a long time ago. While I miss it I really want only the chorus module and am on a quest for one. Once I get that I am pretty much done in my eyes. I first bought my modules back in the mid-80's and used to use when I played full-time running out of the last module and into the PA. This was during my 3-member midi band days. Hard to believe that today I could do this all with my POD if I did. Irony has it that I would run an MXR Distortion + or a White Faced RAT before the Sustainer for solos. It was an awesome setup too.

As for my future with the rig? Recording and/or maybe play in a Boston Tribute if I find one - :grin:!
 
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