NPD ISP Theta preamp pedal

Bob411

thrumming with potential
Cobbled together a power supply for it before work. Was hopeful, barrel that plugs in to pedal was too big, started looking for something to sacrifice. Turns out a Boss style is too big too. That means the idiots at GC Boston couldn't have hooked it up to DC.

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Pluged it in and the lights worked. Too early/ nobody else is up so, had to wait till after work to hear it.

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It's incredible. As great as this is at raging metal distortion, the clean is that sweet.
sunvalleylaw
A special thanks to sunvalleylaw. His thread, mentioning the Sabra Cadabra, reminded me, I was gassing for that, and more recently, the Keely Filaments and before either of them, the ISP Theta. I had been Looking at the local GC's used inventory since thanksgiving. A neighbor bought 2 Peavey 2x10 columns at a garage sale for next to nothing, tried to sell them on craigslist and failed, gave up, gave them to me. Over the summer, they didn't take up much room in the garage, then I had to move them in to the utility room to make room for the cars. Than, thanksgiving happened. Wife didn't want to put the folding metal chairs back in the shed because they are rusty, we had to put towels on them so people don't get their fancy duds dirty. Nevermind the rust isn't going to go away, just by putting them in the utility room. So, my mission was, get rid of the cabs and get myself a Christmas present. Kept looking for something to trade the cabs in on. I don't know why but SVL's post made me look for something I actually wanted.
 
Which reminds me of my GAS for this:

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I gassed for this for a long time,so long I forgot. :grin:

Instantsteve here, shared this on facebook yesterday:

https://touch.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154806086832396&id=709077395&ref=content_filter

...a very metal guitar, sign up to win. Reminds me of getting this pedal. Just don't want to spend lots of money on something that isn't going to get used everyday. ...but, when the mood very occasionally strikes, you want something great so, just buying something cheap isn't the answer/ You really need to win something free or, find a really great deal on something.
 
It's wrapped up, under the tree. Looking forward to tomorrow, can play with it some more. So far only herd it through a Yamaha JX50. That amp doesn't have an FX loop. Theta can be a dirt pedal through the front of the amp or, a pre amp into the power section. Yamaha has a decent Fenderish clean. Theta trough it clean was magic. Similar to what the Yamaha sounds like on it's own but, with some special sauce. Want to hear it on it's own, see how much the Yamaha was contributing to the sound.

On top of having no room in the utility room, son is home from college, house is decorated for Christmas so, more shit gets piled into the utility room.

The Waller head, what got me interested in the ISP pedal. Has an FX loop. Sure would be easy to get to. Needs to get worked on. Has a hiss if you turn up the master volume. Left a private message on facebook for one amp guy I know, left a voice mail for another amp guy. That was two month ago, never herd back from either. need to try again, after funds are replenished after Christmas. Crate-no FX loop. Ampeg-no FX loop. Sears-no FX loop.

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The folding chairs in front of the closet

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Hard to seee,under the pink zebra amp, the back of the Peavey VTM 60 I want to dig out.

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Winter break is over and oldest child is back at EIU. A little less cramped in the utility room. Possible to move this, so I can move that, to get to stuff.

Tried the Theta into the Peavey VTM60's FX return first. Clean is still awesome. What I remember from two weeks ago through the front of the JX50. ISP suggests settings for different things. First time we tried it, had so much fun with the gain dimed, never tried gain at 8:embarrassed:0 o'clock for classic rock. Tried that yesterday, not impressed. Still sounds spectacular with his KOT into the Theta pre for that.

Also buried in the closet, another Yamaha. Thought I remembered it has an FX loop, I remembered wrong.

Last he tried through the front of the Ampeg. The Ampeg's clean is hard to explain. Before I got it, I thought of amps with a good clean, sound like a Fender, or a Vox. They are glassy, sparkly or, they are a bad clean. Ampeg has no chime, but it's so rich, so creamy, that it's great in a different way. Theta's clean into Ampeg sounded like shit.
 
Thursday, started a job in a basement. Put down the tackstrip, pad, seamed the carpet up. Couldn't stretch it in, floor has heat in it. Can't drill to nail the tackstrip, have to glue it, wait a day. Guy's music room is off of the big room I'm doing. Talked guitars with him, when I left Thursday, asked him if he has enough Strats. He said no. :grin: Friday I brought the deluxe players strat I tried to sell to Barry but his granddaughter fell in love with the tele. Brought the Theta pedal too, not for sale, just my latest toy that I think is really cool. Long story short, the Theta loves strats. Even sounded good with the gain at 10 o'clock for some classic rock. The LP was useless for that.
 
Winter break is over and oldest child is back at EIU. A little less cramped in the utility room. Possible to move this, so I can move that, to get to stuff.

Tried the Theta into the Peavey VTM60's FX return first. Clean is still awesome. What I remember from two weeks ago through the front of the JX50. ISP suggests settings for different things. First time we tried it, had so much fun with the gain dimed, never tried gain at 8:embarrassed:0 o'clock for classic rock. Tried that yesterday, not impressed. Still sounds spectacular with his KOT into the Theta pre for that.

Also buried in the closet, another Yamaha. Thought I remembered it has an FX loop, I remembered wrong.

Last he tried through the front of the Ampeg. The Ampeg's clean is hard to explain. Before I got it, I thought of amps with a good clean, sound like a Fender, or a Vox. They are glassy, sparkly or, they are a bad clean. Ampeg has no chime, but it's so rich, so creamy, that it's great in a different way. Theta's clean into Ampeg sounded like shit.

EIU — I went there! What dorm? I still visit every so often (my best bro lives in Chucktavia).
 
EIU — I went there! What dorm? I still visit every so often (my best bro lives in Chucktavia).

Ravenclaw? Don't remember. He went to community college the first two years, graduated with his accounting degree last spring. Now he is going for an MBA, with a focus on accounting. His classes are at night, during the day he is a GA. They pay for school and he gets a stipend. He lives in an apartment about two blocks straight North of the castle. With a girl, non-romantic situation, with a shit-ton of cats. , and one very hyper dog.

p.s. All the cool kids call it Chuckganistan now.
 
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I always ask because at least three times someone’s kid has been in my same dorm room ...checking for a glitch in the matrix.
 
He also went there for boy's state.

, daughter went there for some week long art thing in highschool too.
 
, and his roommate prefers to be refereed to as they. Not she. I'm all for accommodating people but it's very confusing.

Me: Oh. Did you get another roommate?
Samuel: No.
Me: Are you including all the cats and the psycho dog as roommates Now?
 
Ravenclaw? Don't remember. He went to community college the first two years, graduated with his accounting degree last spring. Now he is going for an MBA, with a focus on accounting. His classes are at night, during the day he is a GA. They pay for school and he gets a stipend. He lives in an apartment about two blocks straight North of the castle. With a girl, non-romantic situation, with a shit-ton of cats. , and one very hyper dog.

p.s. All the cool kids call it Chuckganistan now.

Also, no one calls it Chucktavia but me and one other old weirdo who used to live in an apt on the square that had a serious bat investation and some how “the bat cave” became “Batavia, IL” became Chucktavia.

I usually call it “Bad Decision Junction” because after all these years there’s a learned response that will instantly get me all too comfortable with doing $1 woo woo shots or some shit at Uncle Marty’s or the Towner or some other craphole.

I’m still a little dissapoint that the bar Stix changed its name to The Panther Paw...because the Stix/Styx river in classical hell thing made for a fitting metaphor.
 
Also, no one calls it Chucktavia but me and one other old weirdo who used to live in an apt on the square that had a serious bat investation and some how “the bat cave” became “Batavia, IL” became Chucktavia.

I usually call it “Bad Decision Junction” because after all these years there’s a learned response that will instantly get me all too comfortable with doing $1 woo woo shots or some shit at Uncle Marty’s or the Towner or some other craphole.

I’m still a little dissapoint that the bar Stix changed its name to The Panther Paw...because the Stix/Styx river in classical hell thing made for a fitting metaphor.


If I lived 10 miles North, Dish network would give me the Chicago local stations. Instead, I get Champain, Decatur, and Springfield. WEIU is one of the PBS stations I get. I watched this with son over summer vacation, winter break or something last year. I remember they touch on past bars, music venues. Thought you might enjoy.

http://www.weiu.net/ourstory/charleston_stream.php
 
Daughter is home now. She was in Stevenson. Doesn't remember the number. If she was there, she could find it. Second or third floor in a suite thing, her's was at the end of the hall, in the suite.

Messaged son, have not heard back.
 
First year was Andrews hall, he doesn't remember the number.
Last year, Lawson, room 420. That number stuck in his head for some reason. :grin:
 
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