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I was able to retrieve my Customeffects Harmonic Percolator from the post office earlier today. The builder is based out of Poland, does quality work, and peddles his wares through Reverb.

Customeffects opted for a DC only variation on the original, no-frills vintage perc schem that crunches, blarts, and responds to playing dynamics as expected. It also has the characteristic slight HP hiss, which remains at a constant level regardless of the harmonics setting and will probably be a non-issue when using a real amp capable of generating feedback.

The Customeffects take on this circuit seems darker and smoother than the Fredric Effects Perky Harlot, but equally crisp with crunchier settings and able to maintain better definition at higher gain levels. The Zander Cafetiere is probably has more focused upper mids, while the JDM Little Steamer is more muted and compressed.

I now have 3 Harmonic Percolator variants on hand again and am eyeing at least 2 more. Much like the Big Muff, there's something magical about the circuit that compels me to collect multiple versions.

Good info, ck3. I like "darker", but not necessarily "smoother".

I'm still interested in this one:

Land Devices happens to be one of the two brands that caught my eye. There is currently an HP-2 with a red switch available on Reverb.

I should clarify that the Customeffects perc is only slightly smoother than the old school Fredric Effects version.

Chankgeez wrote:Good info, ck3. I like "darker", but not necessarily "smoother".

I'm still interested in this one:

Has anyone here tried this one yet? Any clips? I’ve seen the datachoir video, but would like to know how it interacts with other dirt and effects.

This is interesting, as fuzz recommendations on a different thread.. I think it was Octave fuzzes.. got me interested in building a HP finally, so I got some Ge trannies coming and I'm going to breadboard that ho and see what it's all about. I got too many damn projects.. They all get finished eventually. I printed every schematic I could find of all the version throughout the years, I'm curious to see which I like.

Chankgeez wrote:

Just ordered one of these (with a red switch) and can post impressions once it arrives.

Cool cool! I'm excited to hear back on it too. I matched some Diodes for the green ringer portion of my HP/GR duo box last night, and I think I have a few Germanium transistors to try in the HP section. The original Interfax HP-1 apparently used a 2N404 Ge (PNP) and a 2N3565 Si (NPN) but that has a gain range of like 150-600 so I'll try the usual suspects like 3904 and 5088 etc. I also got a 4PDT stomp switch so I can do order switching separate of on/off for each effect... Though I have a 4PDT toggle I may use instead because the more I think about it I'm not really interested in switching order while I'm playing and it would save a ton of room. I bought a BB box for it, which is huge considering it only has 2 knobs and I can probably stack the boards.. so maybe I should stuff something else in there with it that's toggle operated as well. Maybe something like an AMZ boost to "Pre-boost" the HP? Ideas anyone?

Harmonic Percolators tend to behave as though they're at higher harmonics settings when boosted, so a pre boost could be useful for rapidly adjusting its gain and overall texture.

The Land Devices HP-2 arrived earlier this afternoon, and I had an hour or so to twang and tweak away. The paramilitaristic aesthetic is even more striking in person, and the build quality seems solid. It sounds slightly less hissy compared to other percs I've tried, oscillates when both knobs are dimed in classic percolator mode, and delivers the usual textures one would expect from this type of gain circuit. The diode bypass mode is similar to that of other variants in my current collection, though the overall tonality is a tinge darker, and the harmonics taper seems to allow for more fine tuning. Unity gain in classic mode is around 2:30 and is much lower with the diodes bypassed. I have its three clone counterparts currently wired up on the same board for a direct A/B/C/D test and plan to report back with more findings later this week.

F yeah I want to hear all about it man. I have been trying to put the finishing touches on my Skyripper and it's been such a bastard that I think I need a 2 knobber break to get me back on top

I got a 128 hFe AC125 in the mail today I'm stoked to try in my clone, I got the boards cut for both parts and I think I'm going with the Majik boost up front with a toggle so it can be removed completely.

ck3 wrote:I have its three clone counterparts currently wired up on the same board for a direct A/B/C/D test and plan to report back with more findings later this week.

I can't wait. I've been look at the Land Devices. I have a silicone perc clone but I like to try one closer to the original.

I have been tempted by the sexy, sexy land devices perc and preordered one. Maybe I'll build a ringer before it comes and join that club.

MechaGodzilla wrote:I have been tempted by the sexy, sexy land devices perc and preordered one. Maybe I'll build a ringer before it comes and join that club.

I've never played a ringer with Ge diodes .. but I got a matched pair of 1N34A's I may toss on a toggle so I see if they are worth it.

Anyone know what trannys the land device is using?

Here is what my unkempt board looked like during A/B/C/D testing (before all my gear had to be packed and hidden from duct work contractors):



Final impressions:

JDM Pedals Little Steamer: Probably the most versatile of the lot and my favorite at the moment. It can chime and grind equally well depending upon guitar pickup configurations and/or settings and gain levels. JDM created a variant that can sound both musical and mean, but the DC polarity requirements may differ from the norm (based on labeling). I use batteries, so this is a non-issue.

Customeffects Harmonic Percolator: A killee deal for only 78 USD new/shipped from Poland to the US. It has the most limited features of the bunch, but totally nails the classic HP vibe. There's no battery clip, but it has standard polarity requirements.

Zander Circuitry Cafetiere: A wacky, silicon take on the perc circuit with extra compression and heft. Its response to playing dynamics and different guitar-related nuances seems more limited than the other options, though all sorts of oddball artifacts like octave down harmonics are possible. Silicon transistors also means more saturation on tap, which allows for even gnarlier textures at max gain with chords.

Land Devices HP-2: I'm not sure what transistors are in the mix, but they almost sound silicon compared to other options on hand. The HP-2 isn't quite as compressed as the Cafetiere, but definitely sounds fuzzier overall than my germanium perc variants. There may also be a slight lowpass filter at play, as its slight smoothness reminds me of my former Fredric Effects Utility Perkolator. This pedal can nudge my Way Huge Russian Pickle into uber doom territory when in diode bypass mode.

Results of cascading more than one pedal together in classic HP mode were flatulently grotesque, while they were nice and chunky with diodes removed.