Do not adjust your computer because Bill Ruppert has put together a nice set of sound effects using only EHX pedals and some creativity. I love how he makes a clock sound with just the pick-up switch and then adds in some bells for spooky effect.

You can see all of Bill’s gear here but I doubt we’ll be able to recreate his sweet tones without years of practice and fifty full listens to the Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House, an album that I used to own.

Sorry for the clipping but this sucker was loud. This is Electro-Harmonix’s local tester running the brand new POG2 pedal through its paces. The pedal makes a standard guitar sound like a harpsichord and an organ or even an 18-string guitar.

The POG2 will take you even higher. Use the new attack control to fade in lush, smooth swells. Tune in the new second sub-octave to reach deeper than ever before. The 2-pole resonant low-pass filter now includes two additional Q modes. Slide in the newly enhanced detune to further refine your sound.

The POG2 delivers unrivaled tonal variations — and now you can save your favorite settings, and recall them with a click. The POG2 just plain sounds better, thanks to an enhanced algorithm that delivers a more focused and in-the-pocket harmonic performance. And all this is now packed into our rugged and pedalboard-friendly diecast chassis.

You can up the octave automatically and add extra octaves to each sound that comes out of the guitar. It is very lovely.

I just took a tour of the Electro-Harmonix factory in Queens, New York and came away with an interesting bit of information. Their lead web guy, Scott Matthews, has created a number of systems to connect musicians and EHX products in ways that I’ve never seen on other conventional music supply sites.

EHX is famous. They’ve been making pedals and effects since 1968 and the sounds their pedals produce have been heard in countless recordings in the last few decades. But how is the average Joe supposed to share his experiences with the pedals? Or, more importantly, how does the professional or amateur guitarist supposed to know how to use the pedals and which pedals to buy?

To tackle this problem, Scott created a media sharing system that allows folks to submit videos of their own performances using the devices. More importantly, he has also introduced Effectology, an abundantly cool series created with musician Bill Ruppert who recreates classics sounds – synths, harmonicas, harpsichords – just with the pedals.

Scott even built up a forum for the series complete with feedback from Bill himself. The are also reaching out to web-savvy artists like Jack Conte who creates amazing mixes using EHX pedals and acoustic instruments.

So why is this so special? Pop over to any other music equipment site and you get a picture and a description. Some folks like Diamond are trying this tact as well, with mixed results. But for a small company like EHX to embrace the techniques of e-marketing with a passion adds value for everyone. EHX gets sales from folks who might want to try to make their guitars sound like a chorus of angels while folks get to hear – and understand – the vague and murky world of pedal acoustics. Win-win, people. Win-win. Instead of trying to create buzz with Twitter and Facebooking their board meetings, EHX is creating content to share with the world and, because of their niche audience, they can be appreciated and see real return.

Electro-Harmonix, pedal designers since 1968, have added a little of their effects magic to Rock Band 2 in the form of this cool new Overdrive pedal. Instead of shaking your guitar like a madman you calmly and professionally tap the main button on this effect, sending your riffs into the heavens with extra overdrive.

The company originally wanted the accessory to work like a real effects pedal when plugged into a guitar but the complexity got a little high. Instead, Harmonix and EHX designed the pedal to look like the Little Big Muff Pi and its built like a tank, just like the rest of EHX’s gear.

The box will be available soon for $29.99. This thing is so well built you’ll be able to stomp on it for years without an issue and it might even turn you Rock Band whippersnappers in to real guitarists one day.

More EHX goodies…

Joel at BBG got some great footage of the Electro-Harmonix factory, makers of the Voice Box that we showed you a few days ago.

Apparently this little Mom and Pop in Long Island City makes most of the vacuum tubes for the world; an amazing feat in today’s transistorized world. Great stuff from a great company.