Google “Lida Machine” and you’ll find info on Yellowcake’s new filter stompbox—and the supposed Soviet-era gizmo that inspired its name. I say “supposed” because this information appears chiefly on sketchy conspiracy theory sites. They tell of a sound-generation machine used for psychological manipulation. One source says it emitted ultra-low frequencies that lulled the unwitting listener into a relaxed, pliable state. Another says it dispensed ultra-high frequencies that so agitated victims that they’d promptly spill their guts to the KGB. Maybe it performed both functions!
Its namesake pedal certainly does. The latter-day Lida Machine can produce slow, dreamy sweeps or nasty, distorted oscillation. Sometimes it sounds harsh, and sometimes it’s drop-dead beautiful.
Simpler Than It Seems
The Lida Machine has all the hallmarks of a mad scientist pedal: An oversized enclosure (approximately 5.5" x 4.5" x 1.5"). An imposing assortment of knobs and switches (eight and four each, respectively). Obscure graphics with small, hard-to-read labels. Cryptic extra input jacks. You get the idea.
But if a mad scientist created this dual-LFO filter pedal, it was a benevolent mad scientist—more like Dr. Emmett Brown in Back to the Future than Dr. Moreau. Once you find your bearings, Lida Machine is reasonably user-friendly, and far simpler than it seems at first glance. At heart, it’s a simple LFO filter, with the usual rate, depth, frequency, and feedback controls. But it’s not a MuTron-style envelope follower.
subtle sounds too.
It doesn’t react to your playing dynamics. The filter frequency simply sweeps back and forth according to the LFO rate setting. Nor are there multiple filter types: just your basic resonant low-pass filter with smooth, triangle-wave modulation. There’s also a master volume control, a wet/dry mix knob, and a switch that toggles between slow and fast rate ranges.
But this simple filter sounds terrific. The op amp’s sound quality is excellent. The ranges and tapers of the pots are wisely chosen. The sweet spots are never clumped together at one end of the knobs’ ranges, and every possible setting is usable. The sweeps teeter into self-oscillation with the feedback knob above 4 o’clock or so. Lida will shriek on command, but there are plenty of subtle sounds, too.
And that’s just the foundation.
Bicephalous Sweeps
The Lida Machine incorporates a second LFO with its own rate and depth controls. Mind you, it’s not a separate filter—just an extra LFO that modulates the single filter independently from LFO 1. Additionally, this second LFO has a 3-position waveform switch offering smooth triangle-wave modulation, like the first LFO, or choppier ramp and sawtooth options. Since LFO 2 has its own footswitch, you can potentially toggle between two high-contrast tones without readjusting the knobs.
Ratings
Pros:Countless cool filter tones. Good price. Excellent build. Real-time control options. Ridiculously fun.
Cons:
Hard-to-read labels.
Tones:
Ease of Use:
Build/Design:
Value:
Street:
$239
Yellowcake Lida Machine
yellowcakepedals.bigcartel.com
When you activate LFO2, things get very interesting—very fast. The two oscillators play against each other in complex and fascinating ways. You’re not hearing two independent filters, nor two oscillators dedicated to differing frequencies—but at times you’d swear you are. At slow modulation rates, you get narcotic, gradually shifting sweeps. Fast rates and high resonance yield watery burbles and splashes and whooping wobble board effects. The rhythms get complex and compelling and make conventional parts much more interesting. It’s difficult to not come up with cool new sounds after a few minutes of experimentation.
The Lida Machine wrings an impressive number of tones from this seemingly straightforward circuit. You can push the filter into distortion (as heard art 1:42 in the audio clip), or create near-subliminal animation by favoring the dry signal via the wet/dry blend knob. An expression input jack lets you control the frequency cutoff via expression pedal (not included). Another jack lets you drive the effect using controller voltage—a potentially powerful function for modular synth mavens. (Insane modular synth system also not included.)
Bi-level Build
While Lida Machine’s enclosure graphics are chaotic, the interior work is clean as can be. It’s a tidy, through-hole build, neatly organized and securely soldered. A second board in a contrasting color connects all the switches and jacks. It’s cut into a complex shape and connected to the primary board via ribbon cable. It’s a beautiful build that looks like … art.
Lida Machine runs on standard 9-volt power supplies, but can accept up to 12 volts. There’s no battery option.
The Verdict
Glance at the Lida Machine, and it seems complicated. Play with it for a few minutes, and it seems simple. Explore some more, and it gets complicated again—but in fun and musically useful ways. Depending on your perspective, the obscure graphics are a vibrant depiction of musical anarchy, or a bloody mess. (Both, I’d say.) On the inside, the pedal is superbly made, and it’s more than reasonably priced for a large-format, handmade pedal. Most important, it’s a fun and (eventually) fast way to conjure a vast number of unconventional but musically meaningful tones.
Gibson originally launched the EB-6 model with the intention of serving consumers looking for a “tic-tac” bass sound.
The Gibson EB-6 was announced in 1959 and came into the world in 1960, not with a dual-horn body but with that of an elegant ES-335. They looked stately, with a thin, semi-hollow body, f-holes, and a sunburst finish. Our pick for this Vintage Vault column is one such first-year model, in about as original condition as you’re able to find today. “Why?” you may be asking. Well, read on....
When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fender’s eye. The real competition were the Danelectro 6-string basses that seemed to have popped up out of nowhere and were suddenly being used on lots of hit records by the likes of Elvis, Patsy Cline, and other household names. Danos like the UB-2 (introduced in ’56), the Longhorn 4623 (’58), and the Shorthorn 3612 (’58) were the earliest attempts any company made at a 6-string bass in this style: not quite a standard electric bass, not quite a guitar, nor, for that matter, quite like a baritone guitar.
The only change this vintage EB-6 features is a replacement set of Kluson tuners.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
Gibson, Fender, and others during this era would in fact call these basses “baritone guitars,” to add to our confusion today. But these vintage “baritones” were all tuned one octave below a standard guitar, with scale lengths around 30", while most modern baritones are tuned B-to-B or A-to-A and have scale lengths between 26" and 30".)
At the time, those Danelectros were instrumental to what was called the “tic-tac” bass sound of Nashville records produced by Chet Atkins, or the “click-bass” tones made out west by producer Lee Hazlewood. Gibson wanted something for this market, and the EB-6 was born.
“When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fender’s eye.”
The 30.5" scale 1960 EB-6 has a single humbucking pickup, a volume knob, a tone knob, and a small, push-button “Tone Selector Switch” that engages a treble circuit for an instant tic-tac sound. (Without engaging that switch, you get a bass-heavy tone so deep that cowboy chords will sound like a muddy mess.)
The EB-6, for better or for worse, did not unseat the Danelectros, and a November 1959 price list from Gibson hints at why: The EB-6 retailed for $340, compared to Dano price tags that ranged from $85 to $150. Only a few dozen EB-6 basses were shipped in 1960, and only 67 total are known to have been built before Gibson changed the shape to the SG style in 1962.
Most players who come across an EB-6 today think it was a response to the Fender Bass VI, but the former actually beat the latter to the market by a full year.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
It’s sad that so few were built. Sure, it was a high-end model made to achieve the novelty tic-tac sound of cheaper instruments, but in its full-voiced glory, the EB-6 has a huge potential of tones. It would sound great in our contemporary guitar era where more players are exploring baritone ranges, and where so many people got back into the Bass VI after seeing the Beatles play one in the 2021 documentary, Get Back.
It’s sadder, still, how many original-era EB-6s have been parted out in the decades since. Remember earlier when I wrote that our Vintage Vaultpick was about as original as you could find? That’s because the model’s single humbucker is a PAF, its Kluson tuners are double-line, and its knobs are identical to those on Les Paul ’Bursts. So as people repaired broken ’Bursts, converted other LPs to ’Bursts, or otherwise sought to give other Gibsons a “Golden Era” sound and look ... they often stripped these forgotten EB-6 basses for parts.
This original EB-6 is up for sale now from Reverb seller Emerald City Guitars for a $16,950 asking price at the time of writing. The only thing that isn’t original about it is a replacement set of Kluson tuners, not because its originals were stolen but just to help preserve them. (They will be included in the case.)
With so few surviving 335-style EB-6 basses, Reverb doesn’t have a ton of sales data to compare prices to. Ten years ago, a lucky buyer found a nearly original 1960 EB-6 for about $7,000. But Emerald City’s $16,950 asking price is closer to more recent examples and asking prices.
Sources: Prices on Gibson Instruments, November 1, 1959, Tony Bacon’s “Danelectro’s UB-2 and the Early Days of 6-String Basses” Reverb News article, Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars, Tom Wheeler’s American Guitars: An Illustrated History, Reverb listings and Price Guide sales data.
Billy Gibbons is an undisputable guitar force whose feel, tone, and all-around vibe make him the highest level of hero. But that’s not to say he hasn’t made some odd choices in his career, like when ZZ Top re-recorded parts of their classic albums for CD release. And fans will argue which era of the band’s career is best. Some of us love drum machines and synths and others don’t, but we all love Billy.
This episode is sponsored by Magnatone
Originally released in the 1980s, the Victory has long been a cult favorite among guitarists for its distinctive double cutaway design and excellent upper-fret access. These new models feature flexible electronics, enhanced body contours, improved weight and balance, and an Explorer headstock shape.
A Cult Classic Made Modern
The new Victory features refined body contours, improved weight and balance, and an updated headstock shape based on the popular Gibson Explorer.
Effortless Playing
With a fast-playing SlimTaper neck profile and ebony fretboard with a compound radius, the Victory delivers low action without fret buzz everywhere on the fretboard.
Flexible Electronics
The two 80s Tribute humbucker pickups are wired to push/pull master volume and tone controls for coil splitting and inner/outer coil selection when the coils are split.
For more information, please visit gibson.com.
Gibson Victory Figured Top Electric Guitar - Iguana Burst
