#1
I've wanted a fuzz for quite some time. I was looking for a nice, thick fuzz, versatile enough to get me in the ballpark of different tones like the '90s Dinosaur Jr. and The Smashing Pumpkins' tones, but also The Black Keys', Jack White's and Silversun Pickups' tones, for example. So, what a difficult quest i had ahead of me!
But, after a long period of search, research, trying different fuzz pedals and, obviously, coming to UG for opinions, i decided to take the jump.
And i followed IsThereLoveInSp's advice. (If you're reading this, thanks mate
)
One day, i arrived home for lunch to find a package from across the ocean:
An USPS box! I wonder what's inside...
A Blakemore Effects Deus Ex Machina Fuzz! And mine's pedal #60!
Now, a smaller box to open...
Right out of the box, where it was tightly secured in bubble wrap and with an instruction sheet.
My first impression was about how cool the pedal looks. And it looks really cool.
It looks kinda fat, with 9 cm wide x 11,5 cm deep and 4 cm tall (not counting with knob height), which is a look that suits it perfectly.
The paint job is awesome, it makes the enclosure look like it's made of brushed copper.
Also, i'm very fond of the black graphics; the "Deus Ex Machina" logo (the center swirl with big wings), the "kamikaze-style" background... I like it very much.
I cannot stress enough how cool this pedal looks.
Now, let's talk features:
Using it for the first time, you quickly realize how easy it is to make this pedal sound amazing without any effort. And in time, you realize that's because you simply can't get a bad sound out of this thing.
Straight out of the box, it roars. It absolutely and literally ROARS.
I use it with a Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster and a Paul Reed Smith SE Singlecut through a Laney LV300H amp head, connected to a Crate G412ST cab.
So far, i also tested the pedal through an Orange Tiny Terror, a Marshall ValveState and a DSL, a Fender Frontman 212R and a Twin Reverb, and a Roland Cube.
Many fuzzes don't work well with solid-state and hybrid amps, but the Deus Ex Machina sounds incredible with any kind of amp.
Most of the time i have it set up for a classic kind of fuzz. Volume knob at 60%, Tone knob at 0%, Gain knob somewhere between 30 and 60%, Clean Blend knob at 100% (100% fuzz signal) and Mid Boost knob at 0%.
This gives you a rich tone, with tons of harmonic depth when playing chords, arpeggios, etc., and personally, i can play for hours without changing settings.
Pushing the Volume up while turning down the Gain really "opens up" your sound, giving you a lighter fuzz that is great for The Black Keys' stuff.
The Tone knob is very sensitive, turning it up brings lots and lots of treble. I prefer to keep it completely down at most times.
Now, about the Clean Blend knob: what a genious idea to add it to a fuzz pedal. It opens many interesting possibilities.
You can have some clean signal going through, along with a bit of fuzz in the background, for example.
Or you can use other effects BEFORE the Deus Ex Machina in the chain, and give them more emphasis while keeping some fuzz behind to add some texture to your sound.
My favourite use of the Clean Blend knob is to mix 50% overdrive (signal going in) with 50% fuzz. The result is a tight but vintage-sounding kind of distortion.
The Mid Boost knob is quite fun to play with, since you can get "parked wah" tones with it. Some sort of nasal-sounding fuzz, that is reminiscent of The White Stripes' octaved distortion tones.
Works great for soloing.
Obligatory artsy photo. "Whazzup? Nothin'. Just chillin'."
Also worth of note, the Deus Ex Machina handles other pedals perfectly well, even without using the Clean Blend.
I personally like to add some chorus to it, and it gets all "Allison's Halo" on me.
I won't post a gut shot of the insides since Blake might not like it (Blake has kindly given me permission to do so, check post #20 below!), but i've opened up the pedal and i can assure you the wiring is impeccable. Everything is clean and organized, clearly the work of a professional.
The enclosure lid is signed by Blake and numbered on the inside, which is a detail that i loved.
I've had the Deus Ex Machina for almost 2 months now, and i love this pedal so much that i didn't want to review it in a rush. I wanted to be certain of its capabilities.
And i've tested it through a couple of different rigs, i took my time to get to know it, i played a couple of gigs with it and... My first impressions stand.
Are there no negative things about this pedal?
Sure. The green LED is too bright. So bright that many times it obfuscates me and i can't see the pointers on the knobs. I have to adjust them relying solely on my ears. Big whoop.
But it's also nice because it creates a smooth green lighting in the darkest places, and is reflected on your guitar, clothes, etc.
Also, it doesn't have rubber feet, so you can easily scratch the paint job on the bottom. But i've already applied a set of rubber feet and will apply velcro too (to stick to the pedalboard), so problem solved.
This is "THE" fuzz i've been looking for, and is, IMHO, the best fuzz pedal on the market right now. If you want a fuzz, definitely send Blakemore Effects an e-mail and ask him about the Deus Ex Machina Fuzz.
Blake was a pleasure to deal with. Lots of patience and kindness, everything went smooth purchasing the pedal from him.
Check out Blakemore Effects' website at https://www.blakemoreeffects.com/.
The Deus Ex Machina between a couple of my other pedals during soundcheck at one of my last gigs.
But, after a long period of search, research, trying different fuzz pedals and, obviously, coming to UG for opinions, i decided to take the jump.
And i followed IsThereLoveInSp's advice. (If you're reading this, thanks mate
)One day, i arrived home for lunch to find a package from across the ocean:
An USPS box! I wonder what's inside...
A Blakemore Effects Deus Ex Machina Fuzz! And mine's pedal #60!
Now, a smaller box to open...
Right out of the box, where it was tightly secured in bubble wrap and with an instruction sheet.
My first impression was about how cool the pedal looks. And it looks really cool.
It looks kinda fat, with 9 cm wide x 11,5 cm deep and 4 cm tall (not counting with knob height), which is a look that suits it perfectly.
The paint job is awesome, it makes the enclosure look like it's made of brushed copper.
Also, i'm very fond of the black graphics; the "Deus Ex Machina" logo (the center swirl with big wings), the "kamikaze-style" background... I like it very much.
I cannot stress enough how cool this pedal looks.
Now, let's talk features:
- DC9V in, center negative, i'm using a Boss PSA-230P adapter, daisy-chained, to supply power. (No battery adapter inside, which i wouldn't use anyway.)
- Very secure input and output jacks, not easy to accidentally unplug cables from it.
- Your standard Volume, Tone and Gain knobs that you would find in most fuzz pedals.
- Clean Blend knob, that lets you mix your input signal with the fuzz (more about this ahead).
- Mid Boost knob, that is self-explanatory (more about this ahead).
Using it for the first time, you quickly realize how easy it is to make this pedal sound amazing without any effort. And in time, you realize that's because you simply can't get a bad sound out of this thing.
Straight out of the box, it roars. It absolutely and literally ROARS.
I use it with a Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster and a Paul Reed Smith SE Singlecut through a Laney LV300H amp head, connected to a Crate G412ST cab.
So far, i also tested the pedal through an Orange Tiny Terror, a Marshall ValveState and a DSL, a Fender Frontman 212R and a Twin Reverb, and a Roland Cube.
Many fuzzes don't work well with solid-state and hybrid amps, but the Deus Ex Machina sounds incredible with any kind of amp.
Most of the time i have it set up for a classic kind of fuzz. Volume knob at 60%, Tone knob at 0%, Gain knob somewhere between 30 and 60%, Clean Blend knob at 100% (100% fuzz signal) and Mid Boost knob at 0%.
This gives you a rich tone, with tons of harmonic depth when playing chords, arpeggios, etc., and personally, i can play for hours without changing settings.
Pushing the Volume up while turning down the Gain really "opens up" your sound, giving you a lighter fuzz that is great for The Black Keys' stuff.
The Tone knob is very sensitive, turning it up brings lots and lots of treble. I prefer to keep it completely down at most times.
Now, about the Clean Blend knob: what a genious idea to add it to a fuzz pedal. It opens many interesting possibilities.
You can have some clean signal going through, along with a bit of fuzz in the background, for example.
Or you can use other effects BEFORE the Deus Ex Machina in the chain, and give them more emphasis while keeping some fuzz behind to add some texture to your sound.
My favourite use of the Clean Blend knob is to mix 50% overdrive (signal going in) with 50% fuzz. The result is a tight but vintage-sounding kind of distortion.
The Mid Boost knob is quite fun to play with, since you can get "parked wah" tones with it. Some sort of nasal-sounding fuzz, that is reminiscent of The White Stripes' octaved distortion tones.
Works great for soloing.
Obligatory artsy photo. "Whazzup? Nothin'. Just chillin'."
Also worth of note, the Deus Ex Machina handles other pedals perfectly well, even without using the Clean Blend.
I personally like to add some chorus to it, and it gets all "Allison's Halo" on me.
The enclosure lid is signed by Blake and numbered on the inside, which is a detail that i loved.
I've had the Deus Ex Machina for almost 2 months now, and i love this pedal so much that i didn't want to review it in a rush. I wanted to be certain of its capabilities.
And i've tested it through a couple of different rigs, i took my time to get to know it, i played a couple of gigs with it and... My first impressions stand.
Are there no negative things about this pedal?
Sure. The green LED is too bright. So bright that many times it obfuscates me and i can't see the pointers on the knobs. I have to adjust them relying solely on my ears. Big whoop.
But it's also nice because it creates a smooth green lighting in the darkest places, and is reflected on your guitar, clothes, etc.
Also, it doesn't have rubber feet, so you can easily scratch the paint job on the bottom. But i've already applied a set of rubber feet and will apply velcro too (to stick to the pedalboard), so problem solved.
This is "THE" fuzz i've been looking for, and is, IMHO, the best fuzz pedal on the market right now. If you want a fuzz, definitely send Blakemore Effects an e-mail and ask him about the Deus Ex Machina Fuzz.
Blake was a pleasure to deal with. Lots of patience and kindness, everything went smooth purchasing the pedal from him.
Check out Blakemore Effects' website at https://www.blakemoreeffects.com/.
The Deus Ex Machina between a couple of my other pedals during soundcheck at one of my last gigs.
Last edited by Linkerman at Sep 5, 2012,
#2
HLNPD!!! I wish had more money. 
I wish had more money. 
#3
Nice! HNPD man!
#4
Very nice HNPD!
#5
Noice, HNPD
#6
Thanks, everyone!
#7
Sounds awesome, I have similiar fuzz tastes and use a blackout effectors musket which works for all the bands you listed, no clean mix though but has a pre-boost and a focus knob, gets some heavy crunchy tones
#8
Sounds awesome, I have similiar fuzz tastes and use a blackout effectors musket which works for all the bands you listed, no clean mix though but has a pre-boost and a focus knob, gets some heavy crunchy tones
I considered a Musket too, since i've heard lots of good things about it, but it sounded a bit too heavy for my needs.
#9
Pics of the inside? 
#10
Pics of the inside?
Sorry, but as i said on the review:
I won't post a gut shot of the insides since Blake might not like it, but i've opened up the pedal and i can assure you the wiring is impeccable. Everything is clean and organized, clearly the work of a professional.
The enclosure lid is signed by Blake and numbered on the inside, which is a detail that i loved.
I hope you understand
#11
Lol no gut shots. 
Hnpd
Hnpd
#12
That's all I ever go into NPD threads for..
#13
Lol no gut shots.
Hnpd
Hey, if it was my product, i confess i wouldn't like to find pictures of the insides posted on the internet so that anyone could copy it...
That's all I ever go into NPD threads for..
After the Freekish Blues fiasco, no one can be too sure about the pedals' quality, eh?
#14
Blake's stuff is absolutely wicked, really considering this as my next purchase.
#15
Hey, if it was my product, i confess i wouldn't like to find pictures of the insides posted on the internet so that anyone could copy it...
TBH, I find that most DIYers around the world don't really hurt pedal sales.
If you offer people a good product at a good price, the target consumer who would have bought will usually still buy your product.
After the Freekish Blues fiasco, no one can be too sure about the pedals' quality, eh?
Nope. Check your PMs, hahah.
#16
HNPD! Nice review.
True!
BTW, sending you a PM in a bit.
TBH, I find that most DIYers around the world don't really hurt pedal sales.
If you offer people a good product at a good price, the target consumer who would have bought will usually still buy your product.
True!
BTW, sending you a PM in a bit.
#17
Blake's stuff is absolutely wicked, really considering this as my next purchase.
If you have any questions in particular about it, feel free to ask!
TBH, I find that most DIYers around the world don't really hurt pedal sales.
If you offer people a good product at a good price, the target consumer who would have bought will usually still buy your product.
Hmmm... I don't know if it's really like that.
Most of the times with DIY stuff you can make a good quality copy of anything for a fraction of the price, as long as you know the original design in detail.
Nope. Check your PMs, hahah.
Replied!
Btw, as far as i can tell from their website, Freekish Blues is still working to this day...
True!
BTW, sending you a PM in a bit.
I haven't received anything yet. Or were you talking to forsaknazrael?
HNPD! Nice review.
awesomely written review mate, happy new pedal day!
Thank you very much, guys!
I did put effort in writing an honest and in-depth review so i could to make this incredible pedal justice.
#18
Hmmm... I don't know if it's really like that.
Most of the times with DIY stuff you can make a good quality copy of anything for a fraction of the price, as long as you know the original design in detail.
A lot of people think they can do clones for a quick buck, but many of those people just find a layout and suddenly think they're boutique pedal gods.
The Electro Harmonix Big Muff Pi is the pedal that this fuzz is based on, for sure, and the schematic has been out for many years, but I still find that the original sells quite well.
The Paul Cochrane Timmy is a good example of a great pedal at a great price. There have been clones, some even by "major" boutique companies. But yet, there remains a solid waitlist for the Timmy, IIRC.
#19
By popular demand, and since Blake kindly gave me permission to post gut shots of the Deus Ex Machina, here they are!
#20
see now there's a builder i can respect.
just because he allows gutshots tbh.
kudos for posting them.
just because he allows gutshots tbh.
kudos for posting them.
#21
see now there's a builder i can respect.
just because he allows gutshots tbh.
I respect him since i first started talking to him; Blake's a great guy to deal with and, as you can see, does excellent work.
kudos for posting them.
No problem!
#22
TBH, I find that most DIYers around the world don't really hurt pedal sales.
If you offer people a good product at a good price, the target consumer who would have bought will usually still buy your product.
Exactly. Look at Tim; he could probably make just about any pedal on the market, yet there are plenty that he'd rather have the real thing. The fact that people like him and Matt still buy pedals is proof of concept for your point.
#23
Very inteteresting! Clearly based on the opamp big muff, but it seems to have been embued with an added active mid circuit! I am impressed. I was expecting to see some passive mid circuit.
Good stuff! Thanks so much, Linkerman.
Good stuff! Thanks so much, Linkerman.
#24
Very inteteresting! Clearly based on the opamp big muff, but it seems to have been embued with an added active mid circuit! I am impressed. I was expecting to see some passive mid circuit.
Good stuff! Thanks so much, Linkerman.
I don't know much about the technical part of the circuit, all i know is that it sounds amazing!
My pleasure.
As i said, i just wouldn't post the pics without permission.
#25
Real quick, the opamp on the left side of the pedal, what does it say on it? I can't make it out in the pictures.
the opamps are the black rectangles with 8 legs.
Just wondering if it's a single or a dual opamp.
the opamps are the black rectangles with 8 legs.
Just wondering if it's a single or a dual opamp.
#26
Very inteteresting! Clearly based on the opamp big muff, but it seems to have been embued with an added active mid circuit! I am impressed. I was expecting to see some passive mid circuit.
Good stuff! Thanks so much, Linkerman.
+311
Muito bom. Obrigado!
#27
Real quick, the opamp on the left side of the pedal, what does it say on it? I can't make it out in the pictures.
the opamps are the black rectangles with 8 legs.
Just wondering if it's a single or a dual opamp.
Sorry about the delay, i've been at work and haven't had a chance to go home to check before.
It's really difficult to see without a magnifying glass, even with good lighting, but i think it reads:
LM833N
CPBU
10016Is it a correct reading?
I googled it, and one of the results mentioned "LM833 Dual Audio Operational Amplifier"... So i guess it's a dual opamp (whatever that means
).+311
Muito bom. Obrigado!
De nada, rapaz. Estás à vontade
Last edited by Linkerman at Sep 6, 2012,
#28
Cool, thanks man! That answers a thought I had.
#29
Cool, thanks man! That answers a thought I had.
May i ask what?
#30
Oh, I thought it was a dual opamp, because he would need one opamp to do the blend, and one for the mids circuit. But I just wanted to make sure.
Curious he didn't just use two 833s, instead of the 4558. I think it's lower noise, but I'm sure he had his reasons for the choice.
Curious he didn't just use two 833s, instead of the 4558. I think it's lower noise, but I'm sure he had his reasons for the choice.
Linkerman
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