NAMM 2020: Reversing the received wisdom that says you never ever want to spill a drink on your pedalboard, the Rainger FX Minibar is a stompbox that has an onboard liquid analyser into which you pour a liquid and, depending on what you pour in, the pedal will dial in some gain and bass or treble.
Now, it can be any liquid. The operative phrase here is to "get creative" but do please keep it hygienic and consider the bind you'll find yourself should the Minibar deliver the sweetest gain pedal tone you've ever heard only if filled with your favourite beer. Yup, a lifetime of buying your pedal a beer every night.
How does it work? The Minibar has a plastic water-tight container into which you pour a liquid. The liquid analyser determines the properties of the liquid and accordingly dials in the level of distortion, bass and treble from the effect.
There are few controls to get a hang of, just a volume controls and the liquid container. The science does the rest.
As to that science, Rainger FX says the conductivity of the guitar's AC signal "generally" decides on the amount and the quality of gain, while the opacity of the liquid determines the amount of treble or bass. Rainger FX promises "satisfying ‘band-pass’ tones – nicely uncompressed, and with plenty of satisfying harmonics and plectrum ‘cluck’."
The pedal needs some liquid to run; that's what is carrying the signal, so when the container runs dry the signal cuts out. And if you don't want to share your beer with the Minibar, well, that's OK, it's just a mini-pedal, so it won't take much.
The Minibar Liquid Analyzer is priced £119 ($159).
See Rainger FX for more details.
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