CROWTHER HOT CAKE - Lo-Fi Soul Demo

The next instalment of my electric guitar pedal series features a real favourite of mine - the Crowther Hot Cake. I have owned several of these over the years and just keep coming back to this great sound.
I paired it here with my 2005 Fender USA Deluxe Player Telecaster and had some. I hope you enjoy it!
Like what I do? Tip me here michaelwattsgu...
Until next time, stay tuned
Michael

[@adrianr2312]

This demo was insane! Amazing playing, demonstrates how the pedal sounds in a clear and accurate manner, and good presentation. I wish all pedal demos were in this format!

[@MichaelWatts]

Glad you liked it! The Cake is one of my favourite things!

[@sdbanotts]

Came here as I have one of these...Stayed for the great playing. Lovely.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you very much! Glad you stayed!

[@justinodean5481]

Great demo thanks!

[@ruger9two]

I've been playing (and buying overdrives) almost 40 years now. And somehow, I never got around to trying the famous Hot Cake. Your video remedied that. It is indeed one of the GREAT ones! Fat, juicy, yet retains clarity... sounds incredible with my tele, and darned good with my PRS (2 humbuckers). It sounds like a cranked amp- not a pedal. Thanks for this video!!!

[@MichaelWatts]

You’re very welcome! Glad to have helped you have some cake in your life. I love them!

[@francisgori5631]

Lovely tones, and superlative playing as usual!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you Frank!

[@ghostface_grilla1155]

Beautiful! You don't overplay. Just perfect brother!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you so much!

[@cognoscenticycles4351]

I was an early adopter of the Hot Cake and I think it's undoubtedly the best overdrive ever. I prefer it on the cleanest setting serving to just push the first preamp tube into subtle saturation. You wrenched some great tones out of that Tele Michael!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you so much! I’ve had a cake on my board since 2004 and I do love them

[@IDD_MK0a]

Geeez! Very tasteful playing plus lovely dynamics! But: Man, a Hotcake into a Cornford... two brands thjat are MUCH more versatile than most folks think (well, thought as far as Cornford is concerned). I had a Hellcat-combo years ago - and stupidly sold it (still regret that!). Thank you @MichaelWatts for this vid!

[@MichaelWatts]

My pleasure and thank you for watching - I first tried a hot cake into a Cornford in around 2006 and just love that sound!

[@justinlouismusic]

Lovely playing and sounds!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you Justin!

[@alastair6356]

Great sounding tones from this nifty pedal , some ace blues playing going to , simply Smoking. 🤩👍

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you very much! Love the hot cake

[@andrewbowen6875]

Sounds really beautiful MW. I’ve been learning to play that beautiful thing you been doing in standard tuning with the hammer on of two strings over barring the five strings as you did on the Taylor guitar video. I’m sure I’ve heard it before

[@MichaelWatts]

Glad you’re getting some mileage out of it!

[@adamdagosto570]

If I buy the pedal, can you teach me how to play that solo? You killed that! I loved every note and phrase. Something tells me you'd make a tissue box with rubber bands sound great!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you Adam, glad you like it. I may do a tutorial on this track at some point

[@chrisdrake447]

Very tangy! Don’t have a Hotcake but I do have a Prunes and Custard - runner up in the “weirdest pedal I’ve ever owned” category. Still not really sure what it is or what one’s meant to do with it ... but that’s all part of the fun.

[@MichaelWatts]

Ah the prunes! Yes, totally bonkers but really loveable too…

[@spaceman0351]

I dig it

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you Spaceman!

[@ryanlynch7188]

What Amp were you plugged into?

[@MichaelWatts]

@@ryanlynch7188 it’s a Cornford Hurricane

[@brucebyrnes125]

Well done Michael. One question, what did you use for the drum track?

[@MichaelWatts]

Drums are by my friend Dan Western - an exotic human who plays the drums.

[@LittleHandsConcrete]

Smoking hot cake playing Michael, but do you prefer this or the JanRay with a tele?

[@MichaelWatts]

I keep them both on my board - Jan Ray for low gain and cake for when I unleash the hounds of hell

[@LittleHandsConcrete]

Michael Watts & The Hounds of Hell - I'd love to see that show live!@@MichaelWatts

[@GShockWatchFan.]

Sounds great with VOX, Marshal JTM45 and this famous Cornford amp. Not so much with certain Fender amps

[@MichaelWatts]

Thanks for watching! Yeah, I agree - it’s not the perfect match with a Princeton but a Bassman works well!

[@JoshuaC923]

Now we just need some maple syrup!

[@MichaelWatts]

Oh delicious!

[@JoshuaC923]

@@MichaelWatts just like your playing bro👏🏻👏🏻😆😆

[@telee19]

@Michael Watts - please don’t smack your teeth shaking that guitar near your face! I nearly did that once doing what you did! Great playing!

[@jaialaiwarrior]

Nothing beats the cake. NOTHING. Is there even a style of music that doesn't benefit from it?

[@MichaelWatts]

Damn right

[@mooseymoose]

Cool sounds good! Only issue is the accursed side jacks. It never ceases to amaze me that anyone still makes pedals that way. Side jacks I rebuke thee!

[@MichaelWatts]

Well it’s an older design Moosey, back in 1976 we didn’t have huge pedal boards creaking with gear. Unless you knew Pete Cornish. Still, I’m prepared to forgive the cake its foibles - it does sound great!

[@mooseymoose]

@@MichaelWatts TBF it would take very little to update the enclosure to rear jacks. Also were you even alive in 1976? lol! I was three and I'm pretty sure I have some years on ya :) My pedals were all on my tricycle back then.

[@MichaelWatts]

@@mooseymoose I arrived a little later admittedly…

[@thos1618]

Aion Anomoly is a current production Hotcake that you can build with top mounted jacks. I've got mine near the end of my chain for edge-of-breakup sound.

[@mortonwilson795]

Great to see Paul getting some love! I bought one of his first Hot Cakes back in NZ when he launched them - all I ever needed with the band. Currently have a new Double Hot Cake in the studio - nice having 3 individual settings on hand.

[@MichaelWatts]

Oh wow! That’s so cool Morton! I do like the look of the double cake I must admit…