TAFM thoughts and musings - opinions wanted

[Jwar]

I honestly don't think the TAFM needs to be changed at all Brian. When I've had one, I love and use all the options. Each switch and knob is important. A Deluxe TAFM would be fucking KILLER though. One with two TAFM circuits or maybe one with an added filter with expression control. Makes for the moar synth. MOAR.

At any rate, change is good, but not for the TAFM IMO.

[oldangelmidnight]

I think short experimental runs would go over well with the crowd here.
Maybe build 4-6 of each and see how people use them?

[goroth]

As long as there is enough product differentiation I don't see why you can't have three versions. Subdecay is a good example of this - the Quantum Starlight or whatever the little flanger is called offers a really practical, grab and go flanger. The 1790 DLX version is a fucking beast. If they chose the feature set carefully they could definitely squeeze in another product there, giving more control over the basic sounds, in a relatively small package, but not going all gonzo. I think why it didn't work with their proteus/prometheus/prometheus DLX was partially a marketing thing, and partially that the differentiation wasn't all that clear between the versions, both price wise and feature wise.

I think you've done a super job with the Fuck - there are plenty of dudes who rock both, and I think you'd need to take a similar approach to the TAFM. Work out the key features that have to be there for it to be a TAFM, then give each version it's own personality so that theoretically you'd want to own all three.

TAFM is already pretty versatile in what it can do, so while I don't doubt that the tweaks offer a substantial increase in the amount of cool stuff you can do with a TAFM, I think it might need an extra feature to make it an obvious purchase - like jwarious says, a filter with expression would do it. I dunno how easy it is to sell the idea "hey, this fuzz is super versatile. But the deluxe version is even more versatile. In case super versatile like, wasn't enough". But "more versatile, more sounds, MOAR FILTERZ" = must buy.

That way the feature set for each TAFM would be really quite varied, and it'd be logical to own all three.

[smallsnd/bigsnd]

As long as there is enough product differentiation I don't see why you can't have three versions. Subdecay is a good example of this - the Quantum Starlight or whatever the little flanger is called offers a really practical, grab and go flanger. The 1790 DLX version is a fucking beast. If they chose the feature set carefully they could definitely squeeze in another product there, giving more control over the basic sounds, in a relatively small package, but not going all gonzo. I think why it didn't work with their proteus/prometheus/prometheus DLX was partially a marketing thing, and partially that the differentiation wasn't all that clear between the versions, both price wise and feature wise.

I think you've done a super job with the Fuck - there are plenty of dudes who rock both, and I think you'd need to take a similar approach to the TAFM. Work out the key features that have to be there for it to be a TAFM, then give each version it's own personality so that theoretically you'd want to own all three.

TAFM is already pretty versatile in what it can do, so while I don't doubt that the tweaks offer a substantial increase in the amount of cool stuff you can do with a TAFM, I think it might need an extra feature to make it an obvious purchase - like jwarious says, a filter with expression would do it. I dunno how easy it is to sell the idea "hey, this fuzz is super versatile. But the deluxe version is even more versatile. In case super versatile like, wasn't enough". But "more versatile, more sounds, MOAR FILTERZ" = must buy.

That way the feature set for each TAFM would be really quite varied, and it'd be logical to own all three.

sure. the path i took with the fuck is pretty similar to what i'm thinking and what i plan on doing with the delay i've got coming and probably most of my releases. as for the TAFM, i think in my mind the idea was to just can the current version and make the smaller one cheaper (maybe around $150-ish) and the larger one a little more expensive (maybe around $200-ish) and with those price points i feel like a $175 version would be kind of unnecessary. therefore i wouldn't really need to "sell" people on the bigger version since they wouldn't have the option to get the current edition except on the used market.

all good thoughts and things to think about though, which is why i wanted to have a discourse with you folks.

I honestly don't think the TAFM needs to be changed at all Brian. When I've had one, I love and use all the options. Each switch and knob is important.

[goroth]

Gotcha dude. Hope you don't take "sell" wrong, but I like the idea of selling a concept, selling an idea - not in monetary terms but in terms of "yep, I get what you're up to". Dunno, maybe it works better in Swedish. I love the dialogue that you and Ryan (Dr Sci) have via your forums - it's cool to follow an idea and see how someone you respect goes from idea to this little box that's on my pedal board. Although there's always the risk at ILF that you're preaching to the choir...

SSBS: Hay guyz, would you like more switches?
ILF: YEAH YEAH; FUCKEN SWITCHES, YEAH!
SSBS: Ok, but if I made a fuzz that was a little bit more
(interrupts) ILF: SHUT UP, MORE IS GOOD. YEAH, MORE!
SSBS: Ok cool. What about a smal..
(interrupting again): WE DON'T GIVE A SHIT. SMALLER STUFF MEANS MORE ROOM TO PUT MORE FUZZ ON PEDALBOARD
SSBS: But I was actually talking about a del..
ILF: FUZZY REPEATS!

Meanwhile over at TWOILF (the world outside of ILF)

Um... Brian just released 12 new pedals, and I don't understand shit? Are they delays? All of them? But they fuzz*... ?
Let's go to TGP and by a Klon
Ok.

*Fuzz: Verb. The act of making something fuzzy. OED

[smallsnd/bigsnd]

Gotcha dude. Hope you don't take "sell" wrong, but I like the idea of selling a concept, selling an idea - not in monetary terms but in terms of "yep, I get what you're up to". Dunno, maybe it works better in Swedish. I love the dialogue that you and Ryan (Dr Sci) have via your forums - it's cool to follow an idea and see how someone you respect goes from idea to this little box that's on my pedal board. Although there's always the risk at ILF that you're preaching to the choir...

SSBS: Hay guyz, would you like more switches?
ILF: YEAH YEAH; FUCKEN SWITCHES, YEAH!
SSBS: Ok, but if I made a fuzz that was a little bit more
(interrupts) ILF: SHUT UP, MORE IS GOOD. YEAH, MORE!
SSBS: Ok cool. What about a smal..
(interrupting again): WE DON'T GIVE A SHIT. SMALLER STUFF MEANS MORE ROOM TO PUT MORE FUZZ ON PEDALBOARD
SSBS: But I was actually talking about a del..
ILF: FUZZY REPEATS!

nah i didn't take it the wrong way.
Meanwhile over at TWOILF (the world outside of ILF)

Um... Brian just released 12 new pedals, and I don't understand shit? Are they delays? All of them? But they fuzz*... ?
Let's go to TGP and by a Klon
Ok.

*Fuzz: Verb. The act of making something fuzzy. OED

[Tristan]

[Eric!]

I am of the mind that this is a silly process.

TAFM IS BADASS. HAS ALWAYS BEEN BADASS. NEXT PROJECT PLZ.

[sylnau]

Bias should be on the smaller one too.
A Fuzz Face circuit without a bias knob is less interesting.

[goosekevin]

i think the tafm is perfect as it is and energy would be better spent on filters and delays!
but i would definitely not be opposed to getting a second smaller tafm either

[smallsnd/bigsnd]

i think the tafm is perfect as it is and energy would be better spent on filters and delays!
but i would definitely not be opposed to getting a second smaller tafm either

yeah i feel like my energy is better spent on other stuff too, at least for the moment!
i've got this idea on the backburner though.

[julius_deane]

Hmm what do you know. I always though the TAFM was a muff. Oh well.
But yes, I agree that new stuff is the way to go. It excites me to see the ILF builders that are usually just doing dirt branch out into other things: Tom's trem, BOE's reverb, DC's ARF, SS/BS doing a delay, etc.
Keep it up ILF!

[elevenstrings]

brian - please do the gate toggle on the 125b version.

[01010111]

I thought there was always going to be a mini version? My two cents: a mini version's a good idea, and I'd prefer to have the controls: volume, input gain, fuzz, shape, mids toggle. I'm indifferent about the gate toggle. Are internal switches an option?

[Bellyheart]

I liked the format of hawk. Switches for two settings which is usually the amount of setting per knobs for my preference. Two or three knobs and some three or two way switches. It also looks clean. The hawk and the Fairfield unpleasant surprise are two of the sexiest pedals I've encountered.

Do like the model of deluxe/small. Please make it happen.