Introducing This Amazing Brand from Shiga - Effects Pedals Edition

This is the sequel to the article I previously wrote about guitars and bass bodies.
Related article: “Introducing This Amazing Brand from Shiga - Rods Edition” (in Japanese)

As some of you may have already guessed, the effect pedal brand introduced here is KarDiaN.
Some volume pedals are for basses, but others are sold for guitars, so bassists may not be familiar with them. However, all of them are very versatile and can be used on bass as well, and they’re so attractive that bass players will also want to use them. This article is (or will be) intended for those who are new to KarDiaN.

I’m just getting down to business, but take a look at this page. Here’s one of my favorite pedals...

Yes, that is rust on the finish! And yes, it’s so freaking cool! Just looking at this makes me want to open up a good sake! It looks like a “I'm sorry, I'm sorry” kind of thing. I’m totally losing it right now. And, I don’t even drink alcohol and I don’t handle it well. I feel so caught up in the moment right now. (lol)
Of course, the pedal is not really rusty. Except for Leda's signature titania, all the other models have this distinctive coating, which varies in color depending on the model. The texture is also rough and quite realistic.

I will introduce six models in order, starting with the top two that I personally like using on my bass guitar. However, I don't have the knowledge or the ears to review them in detail, so this will be more of a first impression review, so please don't be offended... I will cite reviews from professionals as necessary.

① Vitamin C C6H8O6

First of all, here is a fuzz. I bought this fuzz in the 4th anniversary army green ver. and it is based on the Russian muff. This effect pedal is what got me hooked on the KarDiaN swamp. 　I had tried several fuzz pedals before I bought this one, but I didn't use them because I just didn't like the loud noise. This pedal, however, has almost no unpleasant noise, which surprised me first of all. The sound is definitely clearer than the fuzz pedals I have used in the past, and it is very pleasant to play. It's like it's alive, or maybe the previous one was inorganic and this one is organic. The EQ gives me a wide range of possibilities for sound creation.
I guess the low noise makes the sound very clear and easy to listen to.
I thought so, but Hiroshi Takamatsu of THE NOVEMBERS explained so in his review video.

There are several models that have been reviewed in this way in detail, in which case I will refer you to (and end with) Mr. Takamatsu's video.

② Serotonin C10H12N2O

Next is the TS-type overdrive. Some of you may be thinking, “A TS for bass guitar?” I did too.
I had tried TS distortion on my bass before, and just by passing it through, the low end was cut off and the sound became thick and hollow. I was not so sure about this pedal based on my impression at that time, but this pedal has a very pleasant sound with the lows remaining and distortion on the attack, adding a roughness to the sound.
I found out that there are some professional bassists who use TS-type pedals. I have a video review of the TS pedal by Mr. Takamatsu, so please refer to that for details.

To summarize, there is a model called ③ Chloroform CHCL3 as a transparent distortion pedal. The photo at the beginning is this model and it has been modified to low gain.

③ Chloroform CHCL3

Until only a few days ago, I kept wondering which of these two models would be my main choice, but with bass (to my ears), I think the difference in tone is very slight. They match each other so well that I think they are both for bass, so if you are looking for a low-gain overdrive, I recommend this effects pedal. As usual, here is a video of Takamatsu...

④ Nitroglycerin C3H5N3O9

This overdrive has a round and warm sound when connected. The distortion texture is buzzy and grainy. There are two major preamps, sansamp and m80, and I think this one is more like sansamp distortion. It is a bit distorted even at Drive 0, but it can be used to add a bit of color when you want a rounder sound. I couldn't find a review video of this one, so I've included my own video.

As for the various KarDiaN pedals, Asagi-san has written a review of each pedal, which is also a good reference.
https://www.asagi-bass.com/entry/c3h5n3o9

⑤ Adrenaline C9H13NO3

This is distortion. See you later.

⑥ titania

This is Leda's signature distortion pedal. As it claims to be a high-gain distortion pedal, it is an intense distortion pedal. The lows become slightly thinner when played through a bass. The character switch can be set to “H” and the equalizer can be adjusted, but to be honest, I have the impression that it does not fully demonstrate its functionality on bass. The distortion feel is a guitar-like distortion like the m80, so I think it can show its power as a jumping off point for bass solos.
Here is my video.

That's all for now. The price for all of these effects pedals is quite expensive, but the quality is worth the price. They are for guitars, but they can be used on basses as well.
Altero Custom Guitars, which appeared in the last issue, has also released an effect pedal co-created with KarDiaN.
https://altero.jp/pedals/

• Wal (overdrive)
• Mag (distortion)
• KAEDE (Kida Motifo Signature)

I own the above two models, but I had no money for KAEDE since I was hooked on horse racing for a while.... I am hoping that there is a move to re-release these models.
In contrast to the KarDiaN products, these models are anodized aluminum pedals with a fresh look. Both Wal and Mag are very versatile and can be used to create a wide range of sounds, so you can take them to the studio with you and play with them forever.
For reference, I made a video comparing the Mag with the Adrenaline.

The Adrenaline is a dry distortion pedal, while the Mag is a juicy distortion pedal, and I got the impression that the two pedals have distinct characters. I can make a thick sound on bass as well by using the tone and presence knobs. I have it on my board now and play with it all the time for no reason at all.

Some bassists may avoid effects pedals because they think that they’re only for guitar, but I hope you will give it a try.
So long, and thank you very much for your contributions to this column.

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