Solid Gold FX Supa Funk & Seamoon Funk Machine review

[Boodang]

 

Whilst deciding which pedal to purchase I seem to have ended up owning both! Not a problem though as they are both keepers. 

The Seamoon has a more specialist remit but if you like it, and I do, there's no substitute. The SGFX is more what you would expect from a filter pedal with some classic funk settings which has found a permanent spot on my pedal board.

Seamoon Funk Machine;

This basically has two sounds, the classic Brecker Brothers 'sponge' envelope filter and a 'sub-dub' deep filter tone. 

The Funk Machine is a 'down' sweep only filter. The 'sponge' setting is very funky with that pronounced down sweep 'talk- box' sound and an almost pop, vowel like opening to the filter. So much so that if you slap a note the pop will almost take your speakers out! Great for finger style and more extreme than any other filter, but there is a blend control so you can get the right mix.

The sub-dub setting is with the depth control off, letting the filter act almost as an eq control to emphasise a part of the bass frequencies. At it's extreme the emphasis is so low that it gave me a headache! But at less extreme settings it really gave a punch to my bass sound. Blended with the original signal it really shines. This was the surprise setting and I'm using this as my straight tone as it adds depth, punch and clarity.

I thought this pedal would be for specialist use but the sub sounds make it far more versatile.

There are a couple of internal trim pots you have to set to get the sensitivity of the pedal right for your bass, but once done getting the right sound is easy. The build quality is top notch and this has to be the quietest pedal I own in terms of noise.

SGFX Supa Funk; 

Forward and reverse sweeps, and some classic funk sounds. At first you think the sounds are good but you want them to go further, but when I recorded the bass through the pedal I realised on listening back that they were about right and any more would be too much (judge for yourself on the clips I've posted).

The pedal doesn't have a blend control but does have a 'color' knob which adds a second low pass filter to bolster the bass frequencies of the original signal and this I really like. 

The 'classic funk' setting is a great forward sweep filter sound and having the color control means you can easily beef it up.

The reverse sweep 'talky-box' sound I wasn't so keen on at first until I recorded with it and realised how well it fitted in the mix, especially with the fretless. 

Talking of which this pedal is very responsive to playing dynamics and fretless playing. You really feel as if you can be very expressive with the way you play and how it responds.

No internal trim pots on this pedal and I know some people have mentioned clipping issues with hot active outputs but with my passive jazz I've had zero issues (going straight into the pedal caused no clipping). Also, I use all my pedals with an EHX parallel mixer so I can control the send and return levels, if you do have a hot output on your bass this is a good solution and means you won't be put off using what is a great sounding pedal. As with the Seamoon the build quality is excellent and has a great old school feel to it as it's quite chunky. Not as quiet as the Funk Machine but nothing to worry about even in the studio. Overall this pedal really lives up to it's name of supa funk.

 

The combination of both pedals feels like a funky ball of teats from outer space! And they are now both permanently on my board. More versatile than I thought they'd be, the Seamoon for it's sub punch and the SGFX for the reverse talky, and when you put them in funk mode they really make you want to walk like a chicken! As it says in one of the manuals, but applies to both, prepare yourself for the path to funk enlightenment. 

And to top it off the paint jobs on both do look great. I've posted some clips on another thread if you want to have a listen... for out and out funk, and maximum value for money, I'm particularly in love with using both pedals in parallel for total funkulation!

Edited November 21, 2021 by Boodang

[stewblack]

Missed this review first time around. Two pedals at the top of my wanted list. Your excellent write up has only turned up the GAS - so thank you 🤦

[Boodang]

5 hours ago, stewblack said:

Missed this review first time around. Two pedals at the top of my wanted list. Your excellent write up has only turned up the GAS - so thank you 🤦

Glad it's inspired some GAS!! If you like envelope filters you'll like these. I was trying out envelope pedals to see which I liked best but each one did something different so now I have these two and the Fwonkbeta on my board!

[stewblack]

Ah, yes a bassist I can relate to! I seldom go out with less than three envelope filter pedals.

[bassfan]

Nice review @Boodang 👍🏻 I now nearly own both pedals (it took a while), where have you posted your sound clips? 
 

what songs are you using them for in a live context? 

[Boodang]

Thanks. The sound clips for the supa funk, funk machine and Fwonkbeta are in the review section, but I see you already you already found these ones.

As for songs, I play almost exclusively jazz groove from the 70s...  things like Headhunters, Billy Cobham Spectrum, Lenny White, Bennie Maupin, Herbie Hancock, Brecker Brothers etc plus some tv theme/film tunes from the era.

Red Baron and the Get Carter theme work well with the Seamoon in dub mode. Maupin's It remains to be Seen is great with the Supa Funk in classic mode, Herbie's Swamp Rat for the Fwonkbeta and of course Brecker Brothers Sponge for the Funk Machine in full on mode.

Edited April 5, 2022 by Boodang

[Boodang]

PS I use the Fwonkbeta when I want a really fat sound. It takes over where the supa funk stops, so mostly using it when I don't want subtle!