MATRIXSYNTH

Update: be sure to check out the comments of this post for more, including some comments and links to more info from Chris Carter.

In case you missed the update to this post, BugBrand dropped by the comments with the following:

"I'm just about to meet up with Roy Gwinn (literally in a couple of hours time) who wrote the original article back in the 70s for Practical Electronics magazine (he was 16 when he published it!) from which the Gristleizer came.

If you're interested, Clone Analog Gear have a pdf of the article::

http://rubidium.dyndns.org/cag/pdf/gep.pdf

It was published as the Guitar Effects Pedal."

You can see a video of the Gristleizer here.

Update via kapnkrunk23 in the comments:
"Sorry to everyone for the delay. I know everyone is excited about this. We at the shop are super stoked to be doing this. We have had a pretty awesome response from minimal advertisement. So due to the over whelming emails, We are going to start an email newsletter dedicated to replying to your questions. A few of which are about the CV mods. We are still up in the air, but leaning towards adding them. And as you all were wondering about prices, here it is….

PCB $30
Kit without box $100 (PCB and parts)
Kit with box $220 (PCB, parts, box drilled, no powder coating)
Kit with box and powder coating $250 (same as above with finish, and control labeling)
Pedal version $325 (complete. Will be similar to the PE version only with cool graphics)
Table top version $350(A modern reproduction of the original TG black box)

Kits will not come with instructions. Sorry. But will come with the parts list and layout.
The completed versions will come with a limited lifetime warranty against parts and workman ship. Owner will be responsible for shipping.

Please inquire about custom powder coating or using you own artwork. We will have a website up for the shop as well as a dedicated page with a secure checkout. We will be taking pay pal. We will also take check or money order. Pay Pal order will add 3%. Debit and credit cards can be taken over the phone. Pictures and sounds will be up as soon as we complete the first one. Which will be soon!!!!!

If you have more questions feel free to email us. I hope everyone is as excited about these as we are!!!!! I personally have wanted one for a loooong time. THEE return is soon.

Charles Howes
Smashing Guitars

P.S. I would like to thank Both Chris Carter and Roy Gwinn for supporting, and allowing me to do this."

Updates via Chris Carter:
"My original Gristleizers were based around the PE kit (PCB & components) produced by Phonosonics in the UK in 1977. I've never made any secret of this, and in fact for a while had the PE schematic on my site. However, I added some mods of my own and designed a completely new case and made units for myself, the band and friends, probably about 10 in total. Cosey's still works to this day but mine was unfortunately 'lost' shortly after appearing in a exhibition in London a couple of years ago. I'm going to upload some photos of an original Gristleizer to my site soon and I'm currently in the process of building myself a replacement. See here: http://www.myspace.com/ChemistryLessons"

"OK original Gristelizer photos and additional info now available here: www.throbbing-gristle.com/gristleizer and/or here: myspace.com/chemistrylessons"

Update via kapnkrunk23 in the comments:
"Here is a link to our myspace www.myspace.com/theegristleizer . This weekend I will be driving to Chicago to deliver the first of The Gristleizers to Throbbing Gristle. Which will be the official release. Our website will be up VERY VERY soon. I have to say. This has been a very intense project. Which has been a team effort of Endangered Audio a division of Smashing Guitars in Asheville, NC. The passed month and a half Todd Kelley(owner) has been working super late nights removing quirks, looking at waveshapes, turning things, and adjusting them. Truly the brains of it all.

Everyone will be super pleased. We will be publishing mods for it on the EA/SG website. CV in and out pads are included on the boards. We ran tests using Moogerfoogers, and man was it sweet. Keep an eye out on our myspace, TG's website, and as soon as it is up, The EA/SG website where orders will be taken, through a secure checkout. In the meantime, feel free to email us at smashingguitarsasheville@hotmail.com. Thank you all for waiting. It is now time for THEE GRISTLEIZER!!!"

Update: some pics and notes on the new Gristleizer from vav: "Smashing Guitars/Endangered Audio are indeed making a fully authorized Gristleizer available. At the TG show last night in Chicago at the Logan Square Auditorium , 7 were made available for sale. I picked one up, and TG was kind enough to sign it. I even requested Gen sign it next to the AC input, as it's kind of male but kind of female :P She seemed pleased. Here are the photos, and i'll try and get some demos up soon."

Update: audio via vavmusic:

Gristleizer by vavmusic

"Easy-peasy: Korg ER1 left/mono out to Gristleizer in. Gristleizer out to interface in. Recorded straight into Tracktion with no effects applied. Apologies for any digital clipping, Gristleizer is quite unruly. TG fans will recognize the drum pattern. Start of clip effect is bypassed, then put into VCF mode, manual tweaking of Speed, Depth, waveform type, Bias, Level. Switch is thrown from VCF mode to VCA at 1:08, manual tweaking of all controls again." Update via kapnkrunk23 in the comments: "For Immediate Release Smashing Guitars/Endangered Audio Releases The Gristleizer ASHEVILLE, NC APRIL 27, 2009ó Smashing Guitars has announced the release of the first of their new product line, the Gristleizer. The flagship of the newly formed Endangered Audio (a subsidiary of Smashing Guitars), the Gristleizer is an extremely rare and unique unit. Originally designed by Roy Gwinn in 1976, the Gristleizer is based on a design published in Practical Electronics and sold in kit form by Phonosonics. Chris Carter of the British industrial music and visual arts group Throbbing Gristle modified the kit in 1977, unleashing what is known as the Gristleizer. Lost to time, the unit has been re-designed and produced by Smashing Guitars Owner/Engineer Todd Kelley, with assistance from Charlie Howes. After months of research and consultation with Gwinn and Carter, the audio path has been kept original-- "we've taken what people love about the sounds of the original Gristleizer, and given them much more" says Kelley. The Gristleizer had its initial release at the sold out Throbbing Gristle performance at Logan Square Auditorium in Chicago on April 25, 2009, one of their first performances in the USA in 28 years. Features of the Gristleizer include: table top design; 18VAC power supply with dual 9-volt battery operation option; professionally etched PCB board; LFO controlled VCA and VCF filters with four wave forms; chassis mounted bias control; bypass switch; and LED for speed. Pads have been left on the PCB board for mods, with on-line releases of these mods to be made available by Endangered Audio. The Gristleizer will be available from www.smashingguitarsasheville.com, and from the retail store of Smashing Guitars located at 103 Broadway St. in downtown Asheville, NC. The unit will be made available in small batches and will be announced from both the website and www.myspace.com/thegristleizer. The table top version retails for $374.95, PCB circuit board available for $49.95, with a stomp version available soon. Owned and operated by local musicians and engineers, Smashing Guitars is a full service music shop, repair and building facility servicing Asheville, NC and vicinity since 2002. Endangered Audio is their handmade, in house product line. EA is recreating obscure classics as well as interesting original designs of a number of effects, instrument tube amps, tube hi-fi and pro audio projects. All of this occurs by their own staff on the second floor of their facility, "the lab." Any outsourcing is kept local or within the USA. For more information, press only: Dave Harris, smashingguitarsasheville@hotmail.com General Inquiries: Smashing Guitars 103 Broadway St., Asheville, NC 28801 www.smashingguitarssheville.com www.myspace.com/smashingguitarsasheville www.myspace.com/thegristleizer" flickr group shot by Chris_Carter_