TALKIN’ SYNCOPATOR

Video Showcase

Video 1

Assassin Series No. 004
Percussive Voice

percussive • vocal • syncopated • elastic • open • rhythmic • expressive

Talkin’ Syncopator is built around rhythmic wah articulation.

Its response lives in the same expressive territory as the opening of “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”: short treadle punches, muted scratches, syncopated chord fragments, and a wah that feels tied directly to the picking hand.

It has that familiar late-60s rhythmic language, but with its own distinct sweep and voice.

Sonic Character

• Fast, percussive response
• Strong vocal midrange
• Clear pick attack
• Elastic treadle movement
• Pronounced rhythmic articulation
• Open upper harmonics
• Dynamic, touch-sensitive response
• Strong usable middle positions
• Smooth but projecting upper range
• Excellent response to short treadle movements

Defining sweep:
Rounded heel → hollow vocal lower-mid → punchy “WAH” center → open upper-mid toe

Rhythmic Vocal Attack

This is the defining feature.

Talkin’ Syncopator does not require a full heel-to-toe sweep to make itself heard. Small foot movements create immediate changes in vowel and attack.

The sweep is progressive and highly usable through the middle, making it easy to sit on a specific vocal position or jump between short rhythmic accents.

The heel asks.
The middle answers.
The toe cuts in.

Muted attacks, scratches, chord punches, and syncopated riffs take on an almost spoken quality when the foot and picking hand lock together.

Best For

• Rhythmic wah chopping
• Muted chord punches
• Scratch rhythms
• Syncopated riffs
• Short treadle accents
• Late-60s-style wah phrasing
• Psychedelic rock
• Blues-rock
• Classic rock
• Funk-influenced guitar
• Expressive lead work
• Fixed-wah tones
• Feedback manipulation

Guitar & Pickup Pairing

This voicing works particularly well with guitars that have clear attack, open harmonics, and good dynamic response.

Strong pairings include:

• Vintage-style single coils
• S-style guitars
• HSS configurations
• P-90s
• Lower-output humbuckers
• Vintage-style PAFs
• Other articulate low-to-medium-output pickups

The clearer and more responsive the guitar is, the more obvious the pedal’s rhythmic articulation becomes.

Amplifiers & Gain

Strong pairings include:

• Clean tube amps
• Edge-of-breakup tones
• British-style crunch
• Vintage overdrive
• Medium-gain lead tones
• Fuzz-compatible setups

Cleaner tones expose the snap, vowel movement, and rhythmic detail.

More gain brings out bark, sustain, and vocal intensity without losing the pedal’s percussive response.

Its Personality

vocal without becoming nasal
percussive without becoming mechanical
open without becoming thin
bright without becoming harsh
fast without becoming clinical

Talkin’ Syncopator lives where rhythm and wah movement become the same gesture.

Construction & Modification History
This pedal is individually built from a vintage Thomas Organ wah platform. The original enclosure has been stripped/refinished and repurposed as the foundation for this custom build. The original bottom plate has been retained where applicable.

The internal circuit has been extensively evaluated, modified, and revoiced using a combination of original and replacement components. Component values and circuit configurations have been deliberately altered to create the specific response described above.

This is not being represented as an original, unmodified Thomas Organ wah. It is a custom-modified and refinished pedal built around a vintage Thomas Organ platform.