Addrock Hism Scism

3 knobs and a hi-cut toggle switsh. The controls are easy to use and getting a great sound is easy.

It can add some serious bottom to the signal...if needed. My Sabre has a luxurious bottom so I'm running the input at nearly zero when plugged into the clean channel.

OK, I've never been a "fan" of Si fuzz' but things have changed, literally overnight.

The Addrock Hism Scism delivers oodles of warm, sinewy tone. Emphasis on warm. It has a perfect bottom end and I would think, using the hi-cut and the input volume (just like with my beloved Geranium) you have a tremedously versatile Si fuzz that could work with virtually any amp.

Having a great channel switcher like the Aiken Sabre really affords me a broad range of tones with which to test any FX because I have 3 distinct tones to work with.

Here's a great surprize my friends;

The Hism Scism sounds utterly, wonderfully, drop dead gorgeous through my Sabre's clean channel... The clarity, string-to-string definition and pick attack are super sweet. Good God this is great stuff!

My Geranium sounds very good through the clean channel but really excels with a little overdrive behind it.

My Sabre's clean channel is, imho, very much Fender flavored. Kinda inbetween a Super and a Twin to my ears with just a smidge of gain available. The Hism Scism has BC107 trannies and not the typical BC108. The 107s are less gainy and sweeter...purer and less colored to my ears , as well.

Now, I hate to admit it but when I got this box I was hoping to cop some of Bramhall's beautiful Si fuzz tones so I immediately set out to do this....with very good results. I am getting some amazing tones. Closer to lower gain Bramhall stuff than say, Ernie Isley tones (although, those Isley type tones are easily had when goosing the Hism Scism through the milder overdrive section of the Sabre).

There is not the amount of gain available with this box as there is with traditional Si fuzz', but to me, those Si fuzz can sound muddy, boomy and don't clean up well with your guitar's volume knob. The Hism Scism is refined and sweet with more than enough gain for rock and roll, it's just not a Big Muff dimed.

This box cleans up nicely like all Addrocks and is very touch sensitive although I'll give the Geranium a slight edge in the clean up dept.

I didn't have to alter any of my amps controls for the Hism Scism to sound fantastic. As I said before, the box is versatile enough to tune it to the amp and not lose an atom of tone.

Now, I am testing here at a low volume. Even at moderate volume settings I am getting a great amount of sustain from the Hism Scism. Even some feedback. There doesn't seem to be a great deal of compression or gain but it is still sustaining and feeding back ( a natural cranked tube amp type of breathing sustain and feedback ) and it is coaxing me to keep playing, discovering.

I can't wait to test this box at gig volumes this weekend....it should be no less than amazing.

I have othe Addrocks and they are built well and have lasted years. I have over 1000 gigs with my Boostmaster, Geranium Fuzz and Electric Smile.

HL Wilson (the man behind Addrock) had to repair a broken on/off switch on my Geranjium Fuzz recently because some big roadie guy stepped on it and messed it up. HL turned it around in one day. He's as knowledgeable and friendly as they come.

I play blues, rock and even a little jazz. The Hism Scism delivers the goods and then some for the tones I need and love. I wouldn't change a thing. It just has clarity, dynamics and versatility that puts other Si fuzz' I've owned/tried to shame.