FritzCat wrote:

So what's it like to run the SurfyMan into an actual brownface Showman?

Malkovich, Malkovich Malkovich, Malkovich! And then you end up dropped by the side of the New Jersey turnpike.

FritzCat wrote:

So what's it like to run the SurfyMan into an actual brownface Showman?

Will probably sound cool.

I have a SurfyMan unit incoming...very much looking forward to it.

Lorne
The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers
Vancouver BC Canada

My initial findings are based on directly connecting to the UA Volt on my desktop with Kali 6 monitors, with and without the use of the Two Notes Torpedo CAB as the cabinet simulator. I think both options are absolutely workable, but using the CAB unit definitely is better.
As with anything, it is just my initial opinion and YMMV, etc.
Now to try it as a preamp in front of my Fender Vibrolux Reverb and Princeton Reverb...

Lorne
The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers
Vancouver BC Canada

SixStringSurfer wrote:

It made a huge difference with my ‘76 Princeton amp. Really got into brown Showman territory.

That’s great.

Some years ago, I considered buying a Showman, and more recently, I turned down the opportunity to buy a mint ‘62 Bandmaster, but didn’t pull the trigger, beczuse I doubted that I could ever bring either of these amps up to full song, with the exception of an outdoor gig. Then I got a Blossom Point and was able to get that Brown Showman sound at volumes which are small venue friendly. The Surfy Man only builds upon the Blossom Point, adding some great features, but gives that same capability. This is really an innovation and a gift to Surf players, or for that matter, any player who wants that classic sound of a Brown Showman.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Last edited: Mar 27, 2025 11:15:10

Just picked it up yesterday. Sounds awesome. Am using it as described above with Surfybear Metal Reverb and Quilter Superbolck US. Totally recommended. It's much smaller than I expected.

DrippyReverbTremolo wrote:

60 Cycle Hum review:

https://youtu.be/vPU_4GsqVZA?si=MGdNZptQLKLAHqU7

Ryan did a good job in this demo. I came away feeling that I now had a good handle on the features and capabilities of the Surfy Man. This comes back to back with Ryan’s excellent video of the Surfy Bear Compact Deluxe. Between just these two, you could build a very impressive Surf pedalboard.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

SixStringSurfer wrote:

I used the SurfyMan line out into my Quilter Return tonight, and it was a lot louder than using the normal “out” input jack. It really does get close to that brown Showman tone!

Good news.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

RockabillyDoc wrote:

Just put this together today. Consists of all Surfy Industries pedals. 1)SurfyFuzz(Fuzzrite-style fuzz) 2)Surfybear Compact Reveb in limited edition Hot Dog color 3)Surfy Man (Showman Pre-Amp. These all go from the LINE-OUT of the Surfy Man into the FX loop of the Quilted Superblock US, and into a Suhr 1x12 60 Watt Cab. Awesome sounds. Will post a video of some tones soon. Very, very happy today.

You put the Surfy Man on the right end of the board.

I gotta say, these Surfy guys have knocked it outta the park. I’d be tempted, but with two major, non discretionary purchases going on, combined with the propensity for my pedalboard builds to get quite expensive, it may be a while.

If I was going to build the ultimate Surf pedalboard, today, it would be, in order:

Fulltone 2B clean boost.
Adds versatility and the following pedal needs a buffer.

Wampler Triumph overdrive.
Bad Monkey meets the Boss Super Overdrive and somehow produces offspring with the ability to switch between Bad Monkey and SD-1 clipping diodes. It’s a great sounding light OD but with an input impedance of 333 kilohms, it needs a buffer in order to work with my preferred 15’ patch cable.

I use mine in SD-1 mode most of the time and it doesn’t sound much like the venerable Super Overdrive. Maybe the three band EQ is the reason. You can take out the midrange hump so typical of soft clippers.

Optional
True Spring Mercury Flanger.
Space permitting, these are very cool with Flanging, Chorus and Phase Shifting available at the flick of a switch. It also has a jack for a tap tempo, which comes in quite handy. I occasionally use light Flanging to “thicken the gravy” on short notice, and with the tap tempo, it’s easy to setup on the fly.

Besides that, about the time Surf Music was at its peak, Wally Shirra was prepping for Mercury VI, so the name is an homage to the era of Surf Music’s first wave. There’s even a cool drawing of a Mercury capsule on the pedal.

Surfy Bear Compact Deluxe
If this thing doesn’t win the Nobel Prize, we’ll all know that the contest was rigged. Two foot-switchable reverb setting and the ability to add a second pan, which is also foot-switchable. This solves a lot of reverb problems and avoids having to bend down to change settings on the fly.

My concept would be to mount a Surfy Pan under the board and have the ultimate in selections. Maybe use Danny’s styrofoam trick to make the under board pan into an Astronaut’s style drip factory, and use the built in pan, which offers reasonable drip, for non Astronaut’s sounds.

Surfy Man
If the Compact Deluxe is Nobel Prize material, this should be too. I’ve been an advocate, make that evangelist, for the Blossom Point almost since they first hit the market. ‘A car in every garage, a chicken in every pot and a Blossom Point on every pedalboard’ is my motto. I have three, and rarely play a note that doesn’t pass through a Blossom Point.

Surfy Man is the spiritual successor to the Blossom Point, adding so much function. With the ability to boost gain and a master volume, this could obviate the need for an overdrive, or work nicely in conjunction with one. It has tremolo, so that’s one less pedal needed and the graphics are über kewl.

What’s missing? I’m not much of a fuzz guy, so I’ll forego a Surfy Fuzz, but that a matter of taste. The same holds true for vibrato, which makes me a bit seasick, so I avoid it. Both matters of taste and preference. But I think that my dream Surfboard would probably fit on a Temple Audio Duo 17 which is my preferred board. With a nice Cioks Hi5 Mod for power distribution, it would be a very clean setup, and meet my Surf needs perfectly.

Doc: Didja know that there’s some dude over at Gretsch-Talk pretending to be you? I’m a Mod’ over there, so just give me the word and I’ll fix his wagon.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

archimedes wrote:

I’m still as in love with my SurfyMan as I was when I first got it and put it through its paces. I was able to go see Surfer Joe last night in Nashville at The Basement, grab a copy of the Blonde edition of the first volume of his greatest hits, and get my SurfyMan signed by Lorenzo. Even had some time to talk gear for a bit. The whole band sounded incredible and played so beautifully. Being in Tennessee, I haven’t been able to see what I might call a “genuine” surf show so this was a real special time for me. Lorenzo was playing his SurfyMan into his Quilter 202 and it was easily one of the finest live guitar sounds I’ve ever heard. I’m looking forward to playing mine more at appropriate loud volumes in the near future.

What all was he using for effects. I assume a Surfy Bear; but was there anything else.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.