Angus
"Something bad can be great!"
The Angus boost rack effect module is based on a portion of the Schaffer-Vega Diversity System, one of the first wireless systems to be widely used by large touring acts, including Van Halen, AC/DC, KISS, Styx, ZZ Top, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and others. The Angus also compares to other effects that are based on that same circuit, such as the Solo Dallas Storm. With the wireless functionality completely removed, a big boost remains. But it isn't just a boost. It also does some tone tweaking in the highs. Players find their tone sweetened when they use that wireless system. As part of a wireless system, it was an "always on" effect, similar to the pre-amp of the famous EchoPlex 3 that was in the signal path even when the effect was turned off. Normally, having an unexpected tone-changing side effect is a "bad thing". But this bad thing is pretty good.
Description
There aren't many effects that are prized for messing with your tone when they aren't supposed to. Normally, that is known as "tone suck", and for good reason. But there are a couple effects that apparently "tone suck" all the bad stuff out of your tone, leaving it better than it was. The preamp of the EchoPlex is famous for being one of those effects that make your tone better even when it is off. But there is at least one more...
The Angus boost compares to a portion of one of the earliest wireless systems to be adopted by some of the big stars, such as Van Halen, Pink Floyd, Kiss, Styx, The Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, and AC/DC among many others. That wireless system was the Schaffer-Vega Diversity System. Artists used it primarily because it was the first reliable wireless system that let them roam free on big stages.
One artist in particular, Angus Young, found that his studio sound was missing something that he liked in his live sound. Turns out it was his wireless system. It gave him a tone tweak that provided him that little extra "umph" in his live tone. Adding his wireless system to his studio sessions gave him what he wanted, and the sound we all love when he grabs his SG. It was used on AC/DC albums from '77 to '84, including, of course, Back In Black. If you have been using an SG and Marshall to get his famous AC/DC tone but haven't quite nailed it, this may be that missing ingredient.
The Schaffer-Vega Diversity System was introduced in 1976, but went out of production in 1981 due to changing FCC rules. Only a bit over 1000 units were ever produced. Many artists discovered the "magic" of the system and used them for a number of years, even after they were no longer available. SoloDallas began making duplicates of those vintage systems in 2014, as well as pedals that dropped all the wireless functionality, leaving only the tone-shaping portion that is left when the wireless is removed - that same circuit that Angus found necessary to get his live tone in the studio. Our Angus boost compares to the SoloDallas Storm pedal, and also compares directly to that portion of the original Schaffer-Vega Diversity System.
The controls are straightforward. There are simple input and output level controls to manage the signal boost and resulting volume. The Threshold knob controls an optical limiter. One direction gets you quick response, the other direction loosens things up a bit. Depending on your settings, you may get a little dirt from the module itself, but more likely you'll be driving something else pretty hard, like your amp, to get most of the drive and distortion.
It's a bit of a one-trick pony, but it's a pretty good trick. Similar in idea to effects that emulate the EchoPlex 3 pre-amp, such as our FBomb. Both are candidates for "always on" effects in your chain to sweeten up your tone regardless of what else you may have going on.
It would be a bit pointless to add options to something as specific as this piece of circuitry, but we do offer a couple of options of perhaps questionable utility. The original circuit has a couple of places for optional jumpers to be installed. They may or may not be installed on particular units. One of them is called "Input RF Filter". It simply routes very high frequencies to ground at the input of the circuit, probably needed only if you have a major RFI noise problem. You probably won't notice much, if any, difference. A second optional jumper on the originals is called "Isolator Threshold". It affects the range of the Threshold control. Again, its use is largely undetectable. By default these two options are not included in our Angus module. We offer them as switched options.
Configurations
- Angus - Compares to the pre-amp tone-shaping portion of the original Schaffer-Vega Diversity System and pedals such as the SoloDallas Storm that are also based on the same original circuit
Buffers
No buffers
Options
- Original Jumper Switches- The original system had an optional "Input RF Filter" jumper that seems to be intended to cut severe noise by routing incoming highs to ground. This seems to have very little effect, but if you have a severe noise problem it might be helpful. There was also an "Isolator Threshold" jumper that changed the range of the Threshold control. Again, this seems to have little audible effect. While these were jumper options in the original, it is unclear that they were actually used. This option gives you both switches.
Front Panel
- PreGain - input level boost
- Threshold - responsiveness
- Volume - output level control
- (Optional) Isolator switch
- (Optional) RF Filter switch
Rear Panel
- Audio In
- Audio Out
- On/Off Footswitch
- On/Off Override
- DC Power
- DC Power LED
Module Width
- 1.5"
- 2" left wing available
- 1.5" right wing available
Power Consumption (aprox)
14 - 20mA
Base Configurations
Part # | Description | List Price |
MOD-ANGUS | Angus module | $199 |
Options
Part # | Description | List Price |
MOPT-ANGUS-SWITCHES | Optional Isolator and RF Filter switches | $19 |
Parts
Part # | Description | List Price |
MPT-ANGUS-CA | Replacement pot, switch, jack, LED cable assembly | $19 |
MPT-ANGUS-KNB | Replacement control knob | $2 |
MPT-ANGUS-PB | Replacement power board | $29 |
MPT-ANGUS-SB | Replacement switching board | $29 |