Rare pedal I found ...

markv

I bet there aren't many of these around any more:

http://i.imgur.com/asDt5Gw.jpg

It's a Ken Multi MCP-7 Compressor. If I recall through the hazy university memories, I bought this in 1990, at Maplins in Manchester, for the princely sum of £29.95 (actually the amount is written on the box. Yes, it's still boxed!)

I can't remember the last time I used this, but about 20 years ago I bought a BOSS CS-3 and this got put back in its box and never used again, so it's at least that long ago.

Amazingly, it still works - and doesn't sound terrible either. My guess is that it's a CS-2 copy - certainly the enclosure is pretty much the same as the BOSS, albeit entirely made of grey plastic - and so although it's always in circuit, it's pretty transparent when it's not on (unlike the Ken Multi MPH-7 Phaser, which had a significant effect on the sound even when off). It goes pretty squashy and pretty loud and all-in-all is entirely usable.

If only "rare" (which I'm sure it is) was equal to valuable. As it is, I might as well keep it. (Unless there's any Ken Multi completists out there who care to offer me a vast sum for this unique opportunity to own an original, boxed in excellent condition ...)

Anyone else remember Ken Multi effects?

professorben

Yeah I remember those, didn't they pair up with the Barbie Malibu recording studio and pedalboard?

professorben

https://imgur.com/gallery/YQhqF

markv

professorben said:

Yeah I remember those, didn't they pair up with the Barbie Malibu recording studio and pedalboard?

LOL, yeah, always thought it was particularly rubbish name for a range of pedals! It's certainly plasticy enough for Barbie & Ken.

Interesting thing though: £30 in 1990 is the equivalent of £60 today, according to the Bank of England. Now think what pedals you could get for £60 today that are better than this. Lots, right?

57Deluxe

I ended up with the broken wired Ken Multi Metal that was in the Goodie Bag  that went round! Was going to give it to a young student to help them get on their way until I tried it...Staggeringly, it makes the most exquisite sound with my Tweed Deluxe and PRS P90! No not dialed as a Metal setting(!) but edge of Fuzz/drive... Is a keeper now!

professorben

markv said:

professorben said:

Yeah I remember those, didn't they pair up with the Barbie Malibu recording studio and pedalboard?

LOL, yeah, always thought it was particularly rubbish name for a range of pedals! It's certainly plasticy enough for Barbie & Ken.

Interesting thing though: £30 in 1990 is the equivalent of £60 today, according to the Bank of England. Now think what pedals you could get for £60 today that are better than this. Lots, right?

It's not a fair comparison really, Chinese clones of classic circuits can be had for peanuts these days..

Voxman

I have a similarly rare pedal from the 70's that you won't often come across - its a "clone" of an Aria RE-90 Super Phaser / Arbiter Soundhouse Super Phaser / Hi-Max Phase Shifter. Still sounds very good & built like a tank (this is a pic off the net, - mine is immaculate):

english_bob

57Deluxe said:

I ended up with the broken wired Ken Multi Metal that was in the Goodie Bag  that went round! Was going to give it to a young student to help them get on their way until I tried it...Staggeringly, it makes the most exquisite sound with my Tweed Deluxe and PRS P90! No not dialed as a Metal setting(!) but edge of Fuzz/drive... Is a keeper now!

I had a Ken Multi "Ultra Metal" way back when. I recall that I could get a fairly convincing "Flying In A Blue Dream" lead sound. Not that I could play "Flying In A Blue Dream".

I gave mine to my then-girlfriend's little brother. He was heavily in to Nine Inch Nails, and managed to get a pretty decent approximation of their guitar tones by plugging the pedal in to a pair of laptop speakers