Yeehaw!
There's a certain frame of mind you enter whenever an Old Blood Noise pedal drops. "Expect the unexpected" is probably the most concise descriptor for this frame of mind, although sometimes it's a "just when you thought you'd seen it all," or a "you gotta be kidding me." In any case, Oklahoma's Old Blood Noise Endeavors is a crafty bunch of effect slingers always subscribed to a mind-expanding school of pedal design.
Old Blood, never timid about their next, new, wild idea, frequently drops in with brand new angles on traditional effect voices, functions, and connectivity. Take a look at their dual-filtering pedal Float, or their tripling distortion, Beam Splitter, if you don't believe us. Old Blood Noise has been on a pretty creative kick as of late, and we're totally here for it.
This latest entry to the Old Blood Noise lineup wrangles, tangles, and mangles its way through an off-the-wall effect experience. Let's talk about it, why don't we? This is the Old Blood Noise Endeavors Pardner.
Shop the Old Blood Noise Pardner
No Country for Old BN
Sometimes Old Blood Noise truly seems like an institution unto themselves in effect pedals. With a wild mix of effects to their name well versed in the experimental, the inventive, the nontraditional, Old Blood has carved out their own sector of the effect pedal world in which to explore, invent, and innovate. Old Blood Noise balances outside-the-box thinking with high-quality design to reach strikingly musical conclusions. Their latest effect, Pardner, does an excellent job in communicating such a sentiment.
You may have seen or heard about Pardner before, though it was likely in a dream of some sort. "A pedal with an effects loop," you might have woken up in a cold sweat, muttering. "A parallel-routing synth fuzz," you may have exclaimed by the rooster's crow, but make no mistake. The Pardner is no premonition, it's as real as you or me. Or at least, as real as your inner monologue dictating the words you read here to your subconscious. This isn't getting too meta, is it? Alright, let's talk specifics.
The Control Layout
True Grit
The Old Blood Noise Pardner's primary effect is a fuzz – this is not your traditional fuzz, however. Pardner's fuzz plays with a distinctly synthetic (as in, a synthesizer) voice, creating an interesting output of sound right off the bat. This fuzz effect voice is outwardly bubbly and effervescent, reminiscent of thick, warbly synthesizer leads. It doesn't take long for this effect to ramp up into truly buzzy and crackling fuzz with the articulation of a six-shooter and the sustain of a thunder crack off a canyon wall.
These wild west similes aren't getting away from us too much, yet, right?
Pardner's fuzz effect can be swapped between two voices via two-way switch – "Synthy" and "Fuzzy". On one side, Pardner produces the synthetic, bubbling lead sound we just talked about. On the other, Pardner reels in its synth-like qualities to make the distortion sound a little more traditional. The "Fuzzy" side of this switch is still pretty far outside the bounds of your usual fuzz circuit, but this variety in voicing allows for some added customization of sounds in the event you're feeling one fuzz voice over another.
Synth Effects and EQ
Alongside Pardner's two-way fuzz voice switch, the Pardner comes outfitted with five dedicated dials for shaping the fuzziness to taste. Fuzz Volume, Bass, and Treble controls all clock in to adjust their advertised parameters. These three parameters work intuitively with lower settings to the left of the dial and higher settings to the right. Assisting in shaping the fuzz effect as it fits best in your mix, these controls thicken the lower end, spike the highs, and can turn the fuzz from a rumbling undulation of sound to a beautifully sputtering mess of noise.
In addition to the basic EQ and Volume controls, Pardner moseys up to plate with controls for Filter and Intensity. Since the fuzz is, in essence, more synth-like in nature, these controls for filtering and intensifying its voice fit in splendidly. The Pardner's Filter control can work to accentuate or subdue its overall output. Filtering the fuzz also works in tandem with its Intensity knob to find interesting sweet spots throughout the dials' full ranges. Push the Intensity knob to its max on Pardner's "Synthy" setting and have fun hearing the outrageous bubbles of synth fuzz overflow.
Pardner Up
Pardner Controls & Features
With all that out of the way, let's get effect wranglin'.
Lasso Effect Looping
The other half of Pardner is an onboard effects loop. Where you'd probably normally see an effects loop on your favorite overdriven amp, Pardner packs a similar experience into its mix seamlessly. As a refresher, you commonly see effects loops on tube amps alongside time-based effects like modulations and delays as a way to work in effects that you wouldn't want to be colored by an amp's natural distortion.
Essentially, an effects loop allows for effects like a wavy chorus or a murky analog delay to be worked into an overall mix without getting muddied by your amp's distorted output. It's a matter of preference, really, but effects loops, like the one onboard Pardner, offer up new angles to play with and hear effect mixes. Think back on that bubbling fuzz and Pardner's effects loop starts to make a lot of sense.
With the Lasso section of Pardner, players have the option of looping in whatever effect they'd like to play alongside Pardner's crackling fuzz.
Side NoteWire in Old Blood Noise's very own Procession Reverb and hear the effects looping really shine. As a reverb, the Procession already has its own stranger characteristics with its own flanging, filtering, and tremolo-ing capabilities, but in Pardner's effects loop, the clarity with which one can hear the synth fuzz and Procession's reverb is striking. A match of reverb and fuzz can really show off Pardner's abilities in segmenting effects and cooking up distinct, unique mixes between different pedals.
Further Functions
Pardner does quite a bit to highlight new angles and directions on effect pedal combinations. Through Lasso, Pardner works incredibly well as a studio tool when working with segmenting effect units and mono routing. Instead of needing to run a line of pedals directly into one another alongside the fuzziness of Pardner's fuzz and risk missing out on individual character, its effects loop separation offers up interesting balances of effect voices quickly. In short, it's a treat and a breeze to loop in different pedals and let the ideas flow.
The Lasso section of Pardner also comes equipped with dedicated Volume and Gain controls in addition to an independent footswitch for quick effect engaging. With these additions, Volume and Gain can be used to offer added customization on your looped pedal's parameters. Another plus behind these controls is, when the effects loop is empty, Lasso can be used as a clean blend section or a driven boost. All of these great functions are ready at the drop of a ten-gallon hat, so getting along your way to new effect mixes is quick and simple.
"Rip a solo or some massive chords or heck, run your drums through it - we’re not here to tell you how to Pardner." - Old Blood Noise Endeavors
Old Blood Noise Endeavors Pardner Final Thoughts
When we talk about Old Blood Noise and how intriguing their views and designs on effect pedals are, we do really mean it. Pardner wraps up this sentiment pretty neatly as a fairly straightforward idea – a unique synth fuzz effect – with an off-the-wall element that turns the experience on its head – an effects loop.
With Pardner, you might already have some thoughts brewing for new, musical ideas. Run your guitars, synths, drums, and anything in between through it and let the inspiration fly. Retaining that Old Blood element of "perfect studio tool" with "I gotta try this live", we think Pardner has plenty of places to go along its dusty, lonesome trail. Take this pedal for a spin and see where it takes you.
Old Blood Noise flexes their creative effect pedal muscle once again on Pardner and it's no tall tale. Wrangle some pedals of your own and drum up your own hoedown, just watch for snakes in your boots.
