FAQ's
Here we will attempt to answer some of the Frequently Asked Questions we often hear, and try and clear up any concerns, questions or general queries you may have prior to purchasing a Van Diemens Analogue Audio Disruptor.
​
​
Q: How are Van Diemens Effects Made?
A: Our pedals are hand crafted in the traditions of the 1960's. Hand made, point to point, on hand crafted turret, eyelet and perf boards, using vintage electronic components from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. These are assembled and fitted to modern enclosures and utilize the best of modern mechanical elements to produce pedals of outstanding quality. They are hand finished currently with Hammered Paint.
​
Q: Can I power my Van Diemens Effect pedal with a Daisy Chain?
A: NO. We recommend avoiding daisy chains at all costs as these pedals are created as they were in the 60s and 70s, using PNP transistors. As a result, the chassis are positive ground and using a daisy chain could cause irreparable damage, Use only Isolated power supplies, 9V batteries, Battery Emulators or External Battery power supplies with our range of pedals.
​
Q: Do Van Diemens Effects use 9 Volt batteries?
A: YES. An internal 9 volt battery snap is provided with every Van Diemens Effect unless requested otherwise. Some folk just like all the mod cons. The battery is engaged when the guitar cable is plugged into the pedal. We recommend removing the cable when the pedal is not in use as the battery will flatten if the cable is left plugged in. NOTE: Batteries are NOT shipped with pedals.
​
Q: Can Van Diemens Effects be powered with an External Power Supply?
A: YES. An external power socket is included with every Van Diemens Effect unless requested otherwise. Some people do prefer to keep it 'old school'. The plug accepts a standard Boss type 2.1mm power plug that is Negative Center. Please check your cables prior to plugging in and turning on. And remember, NO DAISY CHAINS, only recommended power suppliers please. It is worth noting that when the external power plug is connected, the battery is disconnected from the circuit. This saves the battery if used on a pedal board. And as an alternative, should you wish to run the pedal off a battery, simply unplug the external 9v plug. Easy. Remember though, plug it back in though when you are finished playing for the day to ensure you disconnect the battery again.
NOTE: Batteries also leak and you need to keep that in mind. Leaving a battery unused in a pedal for an extended length of time can be bad. So please, keep that in mind.
We recommend the following power supplies (we have no affiliation with these companies. This is just our opinion)
Strymon Zuma
Strymon Ojai
Voodoo Labs Pedal Power
Truetone I Spot Pro CS7
Or you can chose any power supply with Isolated outputs, that works for your required voltage and ampere needs.
Q: How will my Van Diemens Analogue Audio Disruptors play with other pedals?
A: It's always fun to try new pedals and to see what sounds can be created, especially when pairing them with other pedals. Who doesn't love to add a bit of delay to their fuzz after all. Whilst there are no hard and fast rules about where to put your pedal in a signal chain, we do have a few recommendations.
​
-
It's always best to run fuzz and trebleboosters at the beginning of the chain. The only thing that may go before them are volume pedals and wha wha's.
-
Don't put your fuzz or treblebooster after a Buffer, even a tuner with a buffer can cause issues. Always run them before any buffer or buffered pedals.
-
If you are running a fuzz and a treblebooster together, we recommend fuzz into treblebooster, not the other way around.
These are our recommendations of course, you don't have to follow them, but we find they are a safe place to start. At the end of the day though, it's all up to you.
​
Q: Are Van Diemens Effects noisy?
A: All fuzz are, well fuzz. They are aggressive, loud and very distorted. Having said that, we at Van Diemens Analogue Audio Disruptors work very hard to make our pedals as free from extraneous noise as possible. This is achieved by choosing the very best transistors and electronic components we can find. We pride ourselves on this and have received many favorable comments on just how quiet our pedals are.
​
Q: Can I alter or request changes to a standard pedal build?
A: YES. If it's possible, we'll do it. Whatever it is you would like to try, we are more than happy to have a go at it. Custom pedals are a great way to voice the individual expression of the player, They also come with a custom booklet that reflects the build if the layout has been altered.
​
Q: Are Van Diemens Effects environmentally friendly?
A: YES. Van Diemens Analogue Audio Disruptors are created using reclaimed or NOS electronic components. Electronics today are one of the great polluters of our planet and using what we can from the past not only helps in the re purposing process, but also adds some of that magic mojo we are all seeking to recreate. Added to that, we use environmentally safe inks in our printing, and our boxes, bags and booklets are all made from recycled papers, as is the majority of our packaging. We are trying to create the smallest footprint we can.
​
Q: Is there anything else I should know before buying a Van Diemens Effects pedal?
A: You can head over the our Terms and Conditions page where you will find out more about buying a pedal from Van Diemens Analogue Audio Disruptors.
​
​