Well, that was interesting! A guy called Neil comes in with a Mu-Tron BiPhaser, starts talking about how he worked with Lee Perry 40 years ago, how Scratch gave him the phaser as a gift. We establish Scratch called him Professor. Jay Blades cottons on, realises, says “you’re Mad Professor??” The guy demurs and says “ well, some of the time”. Lots of on-screen photos of him and Lee Perry.
The electronics whizz has to call in help as the circuit is so complex. Ends up with a short dub session when Mad Professor comes back to collect it, just to check it’s working…magic!
I must have missed the significance of 1984, Tiggs…whaddaya mean?
Also, why should the Professor have “bigged up” Scratch more? It was a time-limited segment on a tv programme about repairing old or broken things, not “Tales from The Black Ark”!
In my view, for large, mainstream telly, The Prof made Scratch sound like an ordinary producer, not the wild, visionary innovator he was. Just a couple of adjectives would have done the trick.
Fair enough. I think it’s the wrong audience, mind…the viewers that don’t know reggae won’t care; and the ones that do (eg, me or you) don’t need to be told. But fair enough.
As for the MuTron – it was built like a tank. The wiring and circuitry inside was a thing of beauty. I suspect a proper circuit diagram would have worked wonders for the fault-finding…
Jay could have made more a fuss. A couple of episodes back, someone brought their dad’s broken turntable he used to use to DJ Blues parties. Nah was really excited about that.
I’m surprised he didn’t ‘recap’ the power rails. The electrolyte in all those 40+ year-old electrolytic capacitors must have evaporated by now. I’m amazed it didn’t just buzz and hum when he plugged it in to the mixing desk.
I also don’t really understand the point of the LED and Light Dependent Resistor in circuit, as nothing seemed to be isolated and, I suspect, it just controlled a Voltage Controlled Amplifier (the VCA801 has been around for decades) or a discrete VCA circuit.
I also hope the Mad Professor has a better desk than a Midas DM16 back in the studio.
Yes, I’ve seen them used as a kind of low-budget Valve saturation simulation thing. The lump of goop covering the LED & LDR suggests they didn’t have an optocoupler to hand.
Sometimes, when I’m gadding about between sites I could almost forget where I am. Thankfully there are posts such as this to confirm that it’s definitely the Afterword I’ve settled on..
It’s probable there was more footage but the director chose what to put in for a more mainstream audience.
I watched Jay Blades’ Black Country programme because an ex pupil of the school I worked at was playing trombone for Neville Staple, it was a blink and miss the pupil’s part in the programme. There was of course much more filming done.
fitterstoke says
->
fitterstoke says
Well, that was interesting! A guy called Neil comes in with a Mu-Tron BiPhaser, starts talking about how he worked with Lee Perry 40 years ago, how Scratch gave him the phaser as a gift. We establish Scratch called him Professor. Jay Blades cottons on, realises, says “you’re Mad Professor??” The guy demurs and says “ well, some of the time”. Lots of on-screen photos of him and Lee Perry.
The electronics whizz has to call in help as the circuit is so complex. Ends up with a short dub session when Mad Professor comes back to collect it, just to check it’s working…magic!
mikethep says
Just watched it thanks to the magic of VPN. Brilliant – loved the way the two guys just figured it out. The rugby boots were good too.
Junior Wells says
I wonder how much of Scratch’s equipment was faulty or became faulty and he just went with the “ new sound”.
fitterstoke says
Well, I know where you’re coming from, Junior – but not in this case, no. The MuTron was completely dead, wouldn’t make a sound.
Junior Wells says
Dead dub
dai says
Were there tears? Obligatory on The Repair Shop I think.
fitterstoke says
You old cynic! But, yes…I was weeping openly while the dub went down…
Tiggerlion says
It was the dog that got me!
Vulpes Vulpes says
They could have called Big Clive, he’d have sorted the gizmo out, drawn a circuit diagram and suggested a few potential improvements in no time.
Tiggerlion says
1984 is ancient history.
I think the Professor could have bigged up Scratch more. Thankfully, I mentioned that exact piece of kit in my Feature on Super Ape. 😅
fitterstoke says
I must have missed the significance of 1984, Tiggs…whaddaya mean?
Also, why should the Professor have “bigged up” Scratch more? It was a time-limited segment on a tv programme about repairing old or broken things, not “Tales from The Black Ark”!
Tiggerlion says
The Mutron phaser last worked in 1984.
In my view, for large, mainstream telly, The Prof made Scratch sound like an ordinary producer, not the wild, visionary innovator he was. Just a couple of adjectives would have done the trick.
fitterstoke says
Fair enough. I think it’s the wrong audience, mind…the viewers that don’t know reggae won’t care; and the ones that do (eg, me or you) don’t need to be told. But fair enough.
As for the MuTron – it was built like a tank. The wiring and circuitry inside was a thing of beauty. I suspect a proper circuit diagram would have worked wonders for the fault-finding…
Tiggerlion says
Jay could have made more a fuss. A couple of episodes back, someone brought their dad’s broken turntable he used to use to DJ Blues parties. Nah was really excited about that.
I suspect he prefers Ska to spliffed out Dub.
Tiggerlion says
Nah = Jay
Cuh!
fitterstoke says
Non, non – pas du tout!
Nah = Poo – The Art of Bluff!
fentonsteve says
I’m surprised he didn’t ‘recap’ the power rails. The electrolyte in all those 40+ year-old electrolytic capacitors must have evaporated by now. I’m amazed it didn’t just buzz and hum when he plugged it in to the mixing desk.
I also don’t really understand the point of the LED and Light Dependent Resistor in circuit, as nothing seemed to be isolated and, I suspect, it just controlled a Voltage Controlled Amplifier (the VCA801 has been around for decades) or a discrete VCA circuit.
I also hope the Mad Professor has a better desk than a Midas DM16 back in the studio.
I might also be over-thinking this.
fitterstoke says
Seem to remember LEDs and LDRs being a feature of old MuTron pedals – envelope filters, etc.
fentonsteve says
Yes, I’ve seen them used as a kind of low-budget Valve saturation simulation thing. The lump of goop covering the LED & LDR suggests they didn’t have an optocoupler to hand.
Sewer Robot says
Sometimes, when I’m gadding about between sites I could almost forget where I am. Thankfully there are posts such as this to confirm that it’s definitely the Afterword I’ve settled on..
fentonsteve says
I’m sorry. I am very dull.
fitterstoke says
Just for you, Mr F…the MuTron III!
fentonsteve says
My word, some people have far too much time on their hands…
fitterstoke says
Took less than a minute!
But then, I didn’t have to build it – or indeed understand it! 🙂
hubert rawlinson says
It’s probable there was more footage but the director chose what to put in for a more mainstream audience.
I watched Jay Blades’ Black Country programme because an ex pupil of the school I worked at was playing trombone for Neville Staple, it was a blink and miss the pupil’s part in the programme. There was of course much more filming done.