Ratings
Pros:
Simple control set makes for a user-friendly pedal. Subtle, smooth effects.
Cons:
A 15V power supply is less convenient to find if you forget one. If you’re looking for more extreme flanger sounds, you might keep looking.
Tones:
Ease of Use:
Build/Design:
Value:
Street:
$149
Eden AstroFlange
edenamps.com
I experimented with the Eden pedal in my home studio by placing it between a Fender American Professional Precision and a Bergantino B|Amp paired with a Bergantino HD112 cab. Setting the velocity and altitude dials in their lower ranges (around 9 o’clock) delivered smooth, subtle modulations that gave the P Bass a Darth Vader-esque quality. Maxing the dials completely clockwise produced predictably warbling sounds, but not as throbbing or nauseating as some other pedals in this category. Players who experiment with organ-style chording and bebop lines will likely appreciate how the AstroFlange produces this fun effect.
As a bassist, seeing a control labeled “low cut” could be a bit concerning. The dial, however, actually became my favorite feature of the pedal. Instead of diminishing lows, it focuses the effect by delivering fullness and emphasis relative to the positioning of the velocity and altitude knobs.
Using the same P Bass and Bergantino rig (along with an additional Bergantino HD210 cab), I put the pedal to work at a rock jam to test it in a mix. When I tried dialing in a Duff McKagen-esque tone for a take on Guns N’ Roses’ “You Could Be Mine,” I found the effect was a bit too subtle to be heard over the aggressive ensemble. However, employing the AstroFlange for moodier music made for a cool, tonal complement. During a performance of the Police’s “Walking on the Moon,” I maxed the velocity control, set the altitude at 9 o’clock, and dialed the low-cut knob to around 11 o’clock. This provided a spacy vibe for Sting’s well-known bass line that served the song nicely.
The Verdict
The AstroFlange represents another solid addition to Eden’s growing family of pedals. While it doesn’t exactly perform as its name might indicate, the stompbox produces smooth, modulated sounds that are easy to shape. At $150, its price puts it in about the middle of the pack, so it won’t bust the bank by adding it to your pedalboard. If you’re an Eden disciple, a player seeking a controlled chorus-like pedal, or both, a look at the AstroFlange is worth your time.
Ratings
Pros:
Captures the classic bass-filter spirit. Many usable filter effects.
Cons:
Knob positions are difficult to read. No battery option.
Tones:
Ease of Use:
Build/Design:
Value:
Street:
$149
Eden CaliforniWAH
edenamps.com
Gettin’ Deep
The CaliforniWAH’s controls are fairly intuitive: The effect-level knob adjusts, well, just that. The low-point knob sets the frequency where the effect kicks in. Resonance regulates the amount of feedback at the cutoff frequency, while sensitivity determines the pedal’s response relative to the player’s dynamics. A red “voice” push button toggles between two tonal contours. (More on those in a bit.)
The CaliforniWAH is reassuringly sturdy, with an industrial steel chassis, knurled metal knobs, and durable pots. The pedal gets its juice from an included 15V power supply, and can’t run on battery power. While I like the pedal’s overall fit and feel, I found knob settings difficult to read while the pedal is in use because the side-positioned value indicators are best viewed from the side.
Up for the Down Strokes
Few effects are as fun as an envelope filter. I auditioned the CaliforniWAH between a Fender Jazz and an Ashdown Drophead C115H combo. With the sensitivity knob at maximum and low-point and resonance set low, the pedal goes pyow with every pluck. Lower the sensitivity, and the pedal engages its filter more selectively. Gently plucked or picked notes burble beneath the surface, while a well-placed smack yields a juicy bwap.
With the voice knob pressed in, the CaliforniWAH produces a deep throb. Toggling out elicits a quicker quack with more midrange bite. The low-point and resonance controls work together to determine the effect’s depth and height, so to speak. With low point at minimum, notes take on considerable sub-bass heft. With the knob rolled past noon, the splat factor diminishes, but the tone remains rotund. Similarly, the resonance knob governs the amount of squawk. Fully off, notes can sound a bit murky, but clarity increases as you raise the resonance setting.
Bass filters can be a tricky in practice. If you set the sensitivity wrong relative to your attack, you get garbled mumbles where there should be authoritative thwaps. Fortunately, the CaliforniWAH makes light work of finding the right settings for fingerstyle, pickstyle, or thumbstyle play.
The Verdict
Anyone who thinks they can clone Bootzilla by kicking on a stompbox is crazy. But with its quality build and wide range of voices—at the right price–Eden’s CaliforniWAH can be a valuable tool for any would-be Funkateer looking to get out and “do that stuff.”
Watch the Review Demo: