EarthQuaker Devices Rainbow Machine
Behold, the majestic EarthQuaker Devices Rainbow Machine.
This pedal is a polyphonic harmoniser and modulator and oscillator. It does harmonies from a 4th down to a 3rd up, and every atonal pitch between. I do not know what that last sentence means. The Rainbow Machine is true bypass, which is of course the most important factor it offers. Controls include primary and secondary knobs, which control the volume of the pitch shifted signals, tracking, which is the delay time between dry and pitch shifted signals, and magic, which controls the amount of magic in conjunction with the magic footswitch. The magic footswitch switches the magic on and off. The pink paint contains a special polymer to enhance tonal delivery, while segregating any tremular vibrations that may contaminate the signal. I certainly couldn’t hear any colouration, which proves this clever addition works. The footswitches are chrome in colour, an industry standard that I feel won’t be changing any time soon. And nor should it.
To test this pedal I used my Gretsch G6120SSC Brian Setzer Tribute (upgraded with a Seymour Duncan Invader in the neck and DiMarzio X2N in the bridge, coil splittable naturally) and Dumble Overdrive Special. The Dumble is of course plugged in with a Music Cord Pro, which is wound with oxygen free high conductivity copper to provide the higher quality power that the beast of an amp’s crystal lattice requires for preservation of fragile harmonics. To plug in the Rainbow Machine, I used Pete Cornish Silver Signature cables, which are sleeved overall with a tough Polyamide 6-6 woven braid which has excellent abrasion and cut through resistance and are continuously rated at 170C. Non-directional wiring is the icing on the cake with these puppies, perfect transparency without the fuss of having to ensure they’re not plugged in backwards. Rather than using the Dumble’s overdrive to test the pedal’s predilection for dirt, I used a Boss Metal Zone.
Kicking in the Rainbow Machine really gets the Dumble’s 6L6 NOS Mullards humming, with the pitch shifted harmonies wafting from the Altec 817 alnicos like so much unicorn ejaculate. The cromulence was astounding, an transcendant tone to make angels weep as they realise their harps sound crappy in comparison. More effector effervescence can be added by judicious use of the tracking control, whereas turning the tone knob adjusts the tone. This is a handy feature indeed, especially if one wants to adjust the tone. The magic knob only functions when the magic footswitch is depressed (with your foot or other preferred appendage). The magic effect is, for want of a better word, magic. It adds a sparkling, modulated oscillation (or “magic”) to the signal, which can be adjusted to your preferred level with, no surprises here, the afore mentioned magic knob. The smooth, transparent crunch imparted by the effect is truly mind-boggling, your mind will simply boggle at the tonal tone proper. Creamy, and yet bubbly. The tracking knob tweaks the delay time, allowing the pitch shifts to overlap the dry signal like a…. With the Metal Zone kicked in, vertical integration of the clipping adds a dimensionally pleasant auditory artifact, gleaning pleasing results with and/or without the magic effect engaged and/or not engaged as the case may be. Jangle.
All in all, I can safely say this the best pedal in existence. Every home should have one, and I daresay probably even two – one for in front of your amp and one in the loop. Break out your platinum Diner’s Card today and take the plunge going forward!
