"Can I Touch Your Gear?" S1E1 Kurt Ballou on Guitar Pedal Building and Design

Donna sits down with Kurt Ballou (God City Studio, Converge) at Electrical Audio to talk about some of the guitar pedals he's designed for God City Instruments (GCI). Kurt demos a few builds and talks about how he got into pedal building. To get started building pedals, check out Kurt's DIY printed circuit boards (PCBs) at www.godcityinstruments.com/co...
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Guitar: God City Instruments Craftsman w/ Lollar dB humbuckers
Amp: Dean Costello Audio Heavy Metal Warfare through Marshall 4x12
00:11 Pitbeef Deluxe (Abominable Electronics, distortion - preamp out, direct into power amp) www.abominablepedals.com/prod...
Pitbeef Standard www.abominablepedals.com/prod...
03:10 Face (GCI, fuzz - PCB build) www.godcityinstruments.com/pr...
06:44 Hannibal (GCI, overdrive - PCB build) www.godcityinstruments.com/co...
08:05 BJR (GCI, distortion) www.godcityinstruments.com/co...
09:51 Brutalist (GCI, distortion) - Prototype build, not yet available
God City Studio www.godcitystudio.com
Converge www.convergecult.com
Thanks to Electrical Audio for letting us film at the studio www.electricalaudio.com/
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"Can I Touch Your Gear?" is a DIY music gear web TV series produced by women, made for everybody. Filmed by Sarah Smalkowski. Edited and hosted by Donna Diane of Djunah (djunah.bandcamp.com).
Follow "Can I Touch Your Gear?" on Instagram for episode outtakes and more at / canitouchyourgear

[@rayg3116]

Dude. Pit Beefs and "ripping paper"-sounding Crate amps. I am immediately transported to the Fireside in Chicago 1995-2005. That's a tearjerker lol.

[@HTRism]

Kurt actually playing converge riffs for demos. wow.

[@evanmichael3153]

Everything Kurt builds is never available

[@yomuthabyotch]

just buy an HM2 and an EQ pedal.

[@oggfuture]

Kurt has an infinite amount of Metz shirts.

[@2doobsmcjubes555]

As a person who is obsessed with mids it brings a tear to my eye seeing how usable and practical the EQ controls are. I figure he's recorded so many guitar tracks, and there so few pedals with mid contours, he just said fuck it and started making his own to make recording easier. XD

[@HTRism]

same here bro.

[@NONAMEACCESSIBLE]

In most audio engineering circles high mids between 800 and 1k Hertz are considered harsh and annoying on guitar, generally something to cut in favor of vocals (which also live in par of that spectrum). It's nice to see an engineer that seems to revel in those frequencies, it's like his signature on the records he does.

[@sn1ffy85]

Y’all sound like a bunch of readers. And not actually, “Shut up and Play yer guitar!”

[@BenLubin]

This guy is just too smart.

[@jasonlogan5622]

He really is. You know he was a biomedical engineer before life led him to focus on Converge and studio engineering?

[@jakeybball]

Jason Logan has that degree, then forms one of the most influential metal bands of all time, and then goes on to produce some of the best metal albums of all time. What a resume this guys got.

[@roy_for_real2674]

But he likes Metz.

[@danielhorton9929]

I love that all these pedals touch on his signature tone and it finds its way into most albums that he produces with different bands because they love it as well.

[@raymondsabolich2825]

Kurt Ballou is a genius. Converge is legendary, I had no clue he was doing this.

[@TheColebyArnett]

WHOA. I'm going to NEED a Brutalist, Kurt. Those filters are incredible. So fucking cool.

[@TheColebyArnett]

By the way, this show and Djunah fucking rip. So good. I'm a new fan of both!!!

[@RetroDoneRight]

Damn, it actually really nails the crate sound.

[@jamesprisciandaro3144]

And geez, you gals really nailed the 'episode 1' dealio!

[@denverrandy7143]

I love the look of his guitars.Omg that pitbeef is killer!!!

[@RobertoReyesChHC]

Damn man, really insightful thanks! I have a couple pedals that on my bucket list now

[@massttrshrdrharmonicminor2002]

I have a crate gfx-65, I run a behringer tubescreamer into a 7 band by behringer, and I love the shape knob on the crate

[@bertmclin]

Can’t wait for more vids

[@guitarofdestiny]

Nice looks and sounds

[@nuggetchan5428]

Uuu, new series from my favorite band? 💖

[@UglyArthurMatthews]

That sounds awesome

[@sergiorivera9650]

very interesting content, ill only add that i like to see you playing

[@chrisrinehart4008]

What's funny is you could probably get 4 Crate G1200h heads for the price of the PITBEEF

[@leevitalone]

What would it be like to do what you love and are passionate about it that is Kurt!

[@pskemster]

Always loved the blue voodoo series.

[@CatastrophicG]

Kurt's fantastic. Love the Hannibal most reckon...

[@thomasniehof6333]

Lovely tones \m/

[@BrofUJu]

This is hilarious. I have a G1200H head from high school and was half debating just giving it away, lol. Maybe there's more use or value than I realized.

[@binface9]

Great video. Any plans to do more series of these videos?

[@zhegwood]

This is so rad. Do Albini next!

[@goodgriefitssimon]

0:44 Turn your $200 Boss Katana or $100 solid state amp into a $50 Crate Amp 😊 … I’m loving ❤ it !

[@zachiswayposi1]

Browsing through Reverb last night and actually came across a Hannibal/Murdock pedal so I felt obligated to get it after I watched him suggest exactly that.

[@daved1981]

s1e1? looking forward to more =D

[@Tonskiislegit]

Yo these are sick pedals

[@thepaulramirezmusicchannel]

Cool!!

[@keithross7942]

OMG! That first clip was my old blue voodoo!!! 120 watts of usa made crate!!! I love this!!! Better than my swollen pickle!! K man the brutalist.... i just heard god cry

[@diabeticmonkey]

Maxed out hm2s with clean blends make me a happy man

[@nativeeats8719]

Kurt reminds me of the character Peter from DeadPool II 😂 awesome vid!

[@10000rambos]

I’ve heard ZERO Crates that sound this good.

[@jamesprisciandaro3144]

Kurt gets an automatic, pre-watch LIKE!

[@Tacopusher]

"You Wish your shit was that heavy" 😂 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@jmanitowabi]

Need that guitar.

[@DiminishingAugmentation]

What happened to DemoVids?

[@xangrycatmanx5104]

Touring

[@leomilani_gtr]

Hey, when are you going to do some.more of those?!

[@higler.]

that BJR sounds sick as hell

[@TLH9979]

I just bought one and I'm loving everything about it.

[@AmericanMe]

🤘👍

[@DanManThePurple]

Love the sunn o))) at 3:13

[@cloudedleopardeffects5010]

you mean high on fire?

[@DanManThePurple]

firstname lastname No

[@cloudedleopardeffects5010]

@@DanManThePurple sounds like madness of an architect by high on fire to me

[@2und2sind4]

Could you do a separate channel for your own music and videos like this one?

[@endezeichengrimm]

New Djunah album has been announced for 3 March 20223!

[@dallasprysiazny]

is that a First Act?!? it looks like a Delia but the neck 🤔

[@Bellyheart]

The Pitbeef cost more than the Crate amp it is based on

[@evanlundgren4799]

DSOM Pitbeef! Lol 😆🤘🏻

[@wychwoodmusic]

So Kurt plays guitar for an amazing band, produces, records, and masters albums AND makes pedals? When does he sleep?

[@TheManWithNoName686]

I think there’s a reason you don’t find many pedals with band bass filters.

[@jamesprisciandaro3144]

Which Crate amp is PITBEEF based on?! 90's HxC kids wanna know!

[@djunah]

G1200H!

[@jamesprisciandaro3144]

@@djunah Nice, I had the GX900H, EXCALIBUR! It got lost in a mix like no other!

[@kongvinter33]

shit when I first heard that "pitbeef" almost fell over. holy shit Im getting one

[@dukeplow]

Yo dude, Abominable is gonna have them available for pre order tomorrow 6/6/23. It might be for just one day.

[@kongvinter33]

@@dukeplow thanks dude

[@2und2sind4]

What's the amp he's playing? Did I miss it?

[@djunah]

2und2sind4 Dean Costello Audio Heavy Metal Warfare. It’s a rad head-I hope to do a separate episode with Dean sometime soon!

[@xangrycatmanx5104]

That laugh at the end kinda jumpscared me

[@falcon12]

These pedals are sick. However, I watch Anne Sulikowski demos as well. More ambient & drone. But, I want metal pedals.....Pit Beef is the business, but those Sunn 0))) pedals are 🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽))))))))))))))))))

[@d_walsh]

What's that tuning by the way

[@gutube4200]

Kurt plays alot drop c and standard D

[@Einherjer895]

I'd take you out for some vegan ice cream Kurt

[@d_walsh]

2:51 😆

[@burn5925]

C-RATE

[@regortex3364]

I wonder which Crate it’s based on?

[@djunah]

G1200H !

[@regortex3364]

Djunah - thanks! I have the G120C head which is a beast. Crate occupy a very niche corner of the amp world, it’s a love/hate thing I guess. That pedal sounds great!

[@XChristianNoirX]

Give me the FULL SIZE Brutalist. NOW.

[@dovepaige]

"In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them....maybe you can hire The A-Team”

[@IroquoisPlissken11]

Kurt literally looks like my uncle bob

[@richstiltner2246]

Ok im in love with her... Who is she?

[@Bravohalo]

What do you mean, it's a little late for ice cream?

[@No.0.o.0]

ALLPASS

[@iclipseco]

You know I thought I was straight, but then 10:43

[@yomuthabyotch]

i love you, kurt, but everything sounds like an HM2.

[@blendernoob64]

yomuthabyotch he LOVES hm2s. He’s the master of hm2 tones and I love him for that.

[@yomuthabyotch]

@@blendernoob64 i am painfully aware of that. and this pedal is supposed to sound like a crate amp, as he said, but it still sounds like an HM2.

[@marcopassos8834]

Why does Kurt sounds exactly like Will Ferrell

[@trevillyan5515]

The day you see me using a crate or line 6 amp it will be for fuggin target practice bud

[@ileutur6863]

Ugly solid state distortion is a staple of hardcore and 90s metal. Deal with it