The Platano Verde was a tropic-inspired fuzz that invokes vintage Latin psychedelia with a modern edge that I offered as a production build from 2012 until 2017. Originally intended to be a one-knob fuzz, a tone knob was eventually added for flexibility. Featuring a streamlined interface and artwork by Costa Rican artist Paulina Velazquez-Solis, the Platano Verde’s design was derived from schematics taken from Brazilian electronics magazines from the 1970’s, adapted to best reflect it’s psychedelic roots, yet also provide a unique voice that’s surprisingly versatile. Case in point; try using a slide with this guy – in the middle of an industrial metal jam. As a heads up, it also sounds amazing on violin, not to mention contemporary Latin psychedelia. It also managed to work well for Americana, bluegrass and roots, as reported by some players further down the stream.
The PV was retired in 2017 around the same time we moved from Baltimore to Ithaca, potentially the first victim of changing aesthetics and priorities as the demands of parenthood and occupation became a little too much to juggle – not to mention that input impedance and bias was becoming a bit of a concern – namely, this box was originally designed in upstate New York and Costa Rica – generally speaking, relatively quiet places in the radio spectrum. Once you transplant the circuit to a larger city such as Baltimore and run it through a tube amp, radio interference suddenly becomes an issue. In the case pf the Platano, it excelled at picking up WBAL on the AM dial, rendering it useless whenever the O’s played. Granted not many people are playing guitar when the Orioles are at bat, but for the three weirdos out there, I had to adapt – which I guess I did by moving to a different part of the country and transitioning from a commercial modal to a communal/DIY one. Either way, it was still a zesty box.
Schematic
Media
Alternate versions
Custom pedal 25. The prototype that eventually became the Platano Verde. The circuit’s essentially the same as a PV, but with a fixed tone control, which was added via feedback from a couple initial testers of the circuit. One day I’ll build an effective one-knob pedal, I swear. Not to say this isn’t effective, but the tone control on the PV really opens up an additional realm of sonic possibilities. At the moment, this particular artifact lives with Marielle Jakobsons in Oakland, Ca.
A Platano Bajo Bass Fuzz – real smooth, real creamy. A total Platano Basscicle. Currently under the employ of Hudson Valley bassist Mista Lew.
Another one-knobbed Platano, cobbled together as a custom build. Current working title: Platano Solo, for obvious reasons. Also, playing solos.
A Platano Maduro. Similar to the typical boost-drive 2 switch pedal configuration, but using two Platano Verde fuzz circuits – one standard and one with a fixed fuzz setting, a lowpass filter and a slight voltage sag to futz with the tone a bit.
A Platano Obscuro: based on the Platano Verde, but with an additional clipping stage, and in this case, fur. Very psychedelic. Very Metal. At the same time. Currently under the employ of Hey Exit from Brooklyn, NY.
The Platano Oro – a hybrid of a Platano Verde and a Gold Standard in Green Fur livery. Built in response to a brief stint of viral attention when one of my other fur-covered pedals was mentioned in a feature on guitar pedals on a regional NPR station.
Custom Pedal 56 – the Platano Peludo. It’s a Platano Verde covered in fur. What more can you ask for?
The premiere Tropicalia, which is what you get when you cross a Pejibaye with a Platano Verde. EMA got this one for Christmas in like 2015.
Number 69 – nearly identical to Number 25, but without the fur. Imagine a Platano Verde with only one control – because if you’d believe it, that’s how I originally imagined them as well.
Hypermetacontextual 