{"id":8696,"date":"2026-08-22T10:30:51","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T08:30:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pasqualerobustini.com\/?p=8696"},"modified":"2026-08-25T11:18:51","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T09:18:51","slug":"ossessione-compulsiva","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pasqualerobustini.com\/en\/ossessione-compulsiva\/","title":{"rendered":"Compulsive Obsession"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Then I happened to play on stage with the friend who\u2019d introduced me to it, and so I saw his OCD sitting in its place on his pedalboard. That made me want one again; I felt a pang of nostalgia for the pedal I used to own and even for the way I\u2019d bought it. I set about looking for one, but in my enthusiasm I made a mistake and ended up buying the latest version, the 2.0. And I didn\u2019t like it at all. So I set about looking for the one I\u2019d had before, the 1.7. For a while, I had two Fulltone OCDs. I could compare them side by side, and I clearly preferred the earlier version. So I sold the 2.0 and carried on for quite a while with my new OCD 1.7.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>

I\u2019m afraid I didn\u2019t like version 2.0 of the Fulltone OCD (which I bought by mistake, thinking I was buying a 1.7 again) when I compared it directly with a 1.7 that I bought later: I had the impression that, in LP mode, it sounded almost like the 1.7 in HP mode…<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

After a very brief foray into modern digital effects and amp simulators (it lasted just a week \u2013 I sold the unit in question), I began to appreciate the more affordable pedals. Fulltone was among the first to introduce high-quality pedals that were labelled \u2018boutique\u2019. Although I greatly admire the expertise of small Italian companies in this sector \u2013 where they are renowned and hugely successful \u2013 I\u2019m somewhat opposed to the idea of \u2018boutique\u2019 pedals, because there are some very affordable ones that sound just as good. At one point, I sold this Fulltone OCD as well.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

And this is where something happened that got me thinking. I didn\u2019t last very long without an ACD, even though I\u2019m not actually using it at the moment. I often watch videos and read articles about guitar tone, effects and amplifiers, and every time I happened to see an OCD, I felt a pang of nostalgia. When I decided to get a digital multi-effects unit, part of the reason was that I had a few pedals I wasn\u2019t even using \u2013 just for the pleasure of owning some classic effects. After all, I play guitar in my spare time and it\u2019s very important to me, so it\u2019s only natural that I have some spare or extra kit. I don\u2019t have many guitars or amps, but I had accumulated a few pedals. At the time, it almost bothered me and I thought it was a huge waste, so I sold almost everything to buy the digital multi-effects unit; as I said, this multi-effects unit only lasted a week.<\/p>\r\n

I only bought back a few of the pedals I used to have \u2013 the cheapest ones. I carried on playing with just a few of them without any problems. But then I started craving classic pedals again, and in particular the OCD, which represents a special time in my life: losing my job yet starting a new musical chapter. So I made a decision and told myself: I still want a small, affordable collection of essential pedals. The Fulltone OCD may well be a more expensive boutique pedal than simpler ones that can give you the same satisfaction (which I get, for example, from the Boss Blues Driver), but I just can\u2019t do without it. It reminds me of the emotions I felt when I picked up the guitar again; like a tsunami, the passion swept over me once more, because it was something I\u2019d started when I was very young and, for various reasons, had given up for a long time. Now it had all come flooding back with a vengeance, and the night I bought that pedal, the marvellous sound I managed to get out of it has, in some way, remained etched in my mind; in my memories, it is indelible, and I realised that I simply cannot part with it, not just because it represents that pivotal moment.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>

My third (or perhaps fourth?) OCD: a v1.4 from 2011<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

So I bought another one. This time it\u2019s a 1.4 version. It\u2019s supposed to be more refined than the 1.7 I had, but very similar in terms of sound. As I write, I\u2019m waiting for it to arrive. I don\u2019t even need it straight away. I\u2019ve got a very important gig coming up soon, and as the sounds I need weren\u2019t covered by any of the pedals I had \u2013 I could have used it instead of the Blues Driver if I\u2019d wanted to \u2013 but I wouldn\u2019t have done so even if it had arrived in time. And yet I\u2019m eagerly awaiting its arrival because I think I made a mistake in selling it, though I only realised this after my third purchase\u2026<\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

E qui \u00e8 accaduta la cosa che mi fa pensare. Ho resistito pochissimo senza un OCD anche se al momento non lo sto usando. Guardo spesso video e leggo articoli sul suono della chitarra, sugli effetti, sugli amplificatori e ogni volta che mi capitava di vedere un OCD, mi tornava la nostalgia. Quando avevo deciso di prendere un multieffetti digitale, lo avevo fatto anche perch\u00e9 avevo un po\u2019 di pedali che neanche usavo, cos\u00ec solo per il piacere di avere degli effetti storici. Dopotutto sono la chitarra nel tempo libero ed \u00e8 una cosa molto importante per me, ci sta che abbia della strumentazione anche di riserva o in eccesso. Non ho molte chitarre e amplificatori ma qualche pedale lo avevo accumulato. In quel periodo la cosa mi ha dato quasi fastidio ed ho pensato che fosse un grosso spreco, quindi ho venduto quasi tutto per comprare il multieffetti digitale, come dicevo questo multieffetti \u00e8 durato solo una settimana.<\/p>\r\n

Ho ricomprato solo alcuni dei pedali che avevo, tra i pi\u00f9 economici. Ho continuato a suonare con pochi senza alcun problema. Per\u00f2 poi mi \u00e8 tornata la voglia di pedali classici e in particolar modo dell\u2019OCD che rappresenta un periodo particolare: la perdita del lavoro ma l\u2019inizio di una nuova vita musicale. Quindi ho preso una decisione e mi sono detto: voglio ancora una collezione piccole ed economica di pedali fondamentali il Fulltone OCD sar\u00e0 anche un pedale boutique pi\u00f9 costoso di pedali pi\u00f9 semplici che possono darti la stessa soddisfazione (cosa che ad esempio ottengo con il blues driver della Boss), per\u00f2 non riesco a stare senza. Mi ricorda le emozioni di quando ho ripreso la chitarra in mano e come uno tsunami, la passione mi ha travolto di nuovo perch\u00e9 era una cosa che aveva iniziato da giovanissimo e per diversi motivi avevo abbandonato per un lungo periodo. Ora era tutto tornato con forza e la notte in cui comprai quel pedale, il suono meraviglioso che riuscivo ad ottenerne sono in qualche motivo rimasti stampati nella mia mente, nei miei ricordi sono indelebili e ho capito che non posso separarmi da un furto non si semplicemente perch\u00e9 rappresenta quel momento fondamentale.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>

Il mio terzo (forse quarto?) OCD: un v1.4 del 2011<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

Cosi ne ho comprato un altro. Stavolta \u00e8 una versione 1.4. Dovrebbe essere pi\u00f9 ricercata della 1.7 che ho avuto ma molto simile come suono. Mentre scrivo sono in attesa del suo arrivo. Neanche mi serve immediatamente. A breve una serata molto importante e per i suoni che mi servono non era un pedale incluso volendo potrei utilizzarlo al posto del blues driver, ma non lo avrei fatto anche se fosse arrivato in tempo. Eppure lo sto attendendo con ansia perch\u00e9 penso di aver fatto un errore a venderlo, ma l\u2019ho capito soltanto al terzo acquisto\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\r\n

When you\u2019re going through a particularly tough time in life, even simple objects can take on symbolic significance, serving as reminders of intense moments from the past. In my case, the hardest time was undoubtedly when I lost my job as a geologist. It coincided with my return to playing in a band. So, for me, getting back into playing, that very band I played with, and even the instruments I used are all symbols of that memory. Playing kept me afloat, it stopped me from losing my mind and, incidentally, it was also the means by which I found a new job later on, so there are certain things from that period that in some way symbolise my clinging on to hope and, ultimately, my recovery. Yes, even if it\u2019s just a simple guitar effects pedal\u2026<\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

When I started playing in a band again, I knew nothing about effects pedals. I\u2019d only ever had one \u2013 a Boss distortion pedal \u2013 before switching to a Zoom digital multi-effects unit. A brilliant guitarist who lived next door showed me one of his favourite pedals: the Fultone OCD, a hand-built overdrive from California. He raved about its dynamics and touch sensitivity, as well as its obvious tonal qualities. Although I was rather out of practice and inexperienced with effects pedals, I was able to appreciate the pedal’s sonic qualities. And that sparked a desire to own it. I\u2019d only just started again; I had a small digital multi-effects unit with which I hoped to learn more about individual analogue effects pedals, but the same friend urged me to use the real thing rather than an inferior digital simulation. So, one night, whilst the rest of the family were asleep, I was browsing eBay and found a bargain Fulltone OCD pedal from the US; so, in complete secrecy, I clicked the \u2018buy\u2019 button and waited for the arrival of the coveted pedal from the States.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Needless to say, it was love at first sight. I absolutely loved the sound this effect produced; it reminded me so much of my beloved Stevie Ray Vaughan. I\u2019m talking about the sound, of course\u2026 Not the way I manage to play it\u2026 \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

That\u2019s where my journey with guitar effects pedals began. And today I can say I know a fair bit more about them, yet at one point I sold my beloved OCD. It was a time when I\u2019d become obsessed with Italian effects pedals \u2013 I\u2019d bought a Masotti and then a Cornerstone too; I loved them both immensely, and in some respects you could even say they were on a par with, if not better than, the OCD.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Then I happened to play on stage with the friend who\u2019d introduced me to it, and so I saw his OCD sitting in its place on his pedalboard. That made me want one again; I felt a pang of nostalgia for the pedal I used to own and even for the way I\u2019d bought it. I set about looking for one, but in my enthusiasm I made a mistake and ended up buying the latest version, the 2.0. And I didn\u2019t like it at all. So I set about looking for the one I\u2019d had before, the 1.7. For a while, I had two Fulltone OCDs. I could compare them side by side, and I clearly preferred the earlier version. So I sold the 2.0 and carried on for quite a while with my new OCD 1.7.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>

I\u2019m afraid I didn\u2019t like version 2.0 of the Fulltone OCD (which I bought by mistake, thinking I was buying a 1.7 again) when I compared it directly with a 1.7 that I bought later: I had the impression that, in LP mode, it sounded almost like the 1.7 in HP mode…<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

After a very brief foray into modern digital effects and amp simulators (it lasted just a week \u2013 I sold the unit in question), I began to appreciate the more affordable pedals. Fulltone was among the first to introduce high-quality pedals that were labelled \u2018boutique\u2019. Although I greatly admire the expertise of small Italian companies in this sector \u2013 where they are renowned and hugely successful \u2013 I\u2019m somewhat opposed to the idea of \u2018boutique\u2019 pedals, because there are some very affordable ones that sound just as good. At one point, I sold this Fulltone OCD as well.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n

And this is where something happened that got me thinking. I didn\u2019t last very long without an ACD, even though I\u2019m not actually using it at the moment. I often watch videos and read articles about guitar tone, effects and amplifiers, and every time I happened to see an OCD, I felt a pang of nostalgia. When I decided to get a digital multi-effects unit, part of the reason was that I had a few pedals I wasn\u2019t even using \u2013 just for the pleasure of owning some classic effects. After all, I play guitar in my spare time and it\u2019s very important to me, so it\u2019s only natural that I have some spare or extra kit. I don\u2019t have many guitars or amps, but I had accumulated a few pedals. At the time, it almost bothered me and I thought it was a huge waste, so I sold almost everything to buy the digital multi-effects unit; as I said, this multi-effects unit only lasted a week.<\/p>\r\n

I only bought back a few of the pedals I used to have \u2013 the cheapest ones. I carried on playing with just a few of them without any problems. But then I started craving classic pedals again, and in particular the OCD, which represents a special time in my life: losing my job yet starting a new musical chapter. So I made a decision and told myself: I still want a small, affordable collection of essential pedals. The Fulltone OCD may well be a more expensive boutique pedal than simpler ones that can give you the same satisfaction (which I get, for example, from the Boss Blues Driver), but I just can\u2019t do without it. It reminds me of the emotions I felt when I picked up the guitar again; like a tsunami, the passion swept over me once more, because it was something I\u2019d started when I was very young and, for various reasons, had given up for a long time. Now it had all come flooding back with a vengeance, and the night I bought that pedal, the marvellous sound I managed to get out of it has, in some way, remained etched in my mind; in my memories, it is indelible, and I realised that I simply cannot part with it, not just because it represents that pivotal moment.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>

My third (or perhaps fourth?) OCD: a v1.4 from 2011<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

So I bought another one. This time it\u2019s a 1.4 version. It\u2019s supposed to be more refined than the 1.7 I had, but very similar in terms of sound. As I write, I\u2019m waiting for it to arrive. I don\u2019t even need it straight away. I\u2019ve got a very important gig coming up soon, and as the sounds I need weren\u2019t covered by any of the pedals I had \u2013 I could have used it instead of the Blues Driver if I\u2019d wanted to \u2013 but I wouldn\u2019t have done so even if it had arrived in time. And yet I\u2019m eagerly awaiting its arrival because I think I made a mistake in selling it, though I only realised this after my third purchase\u2026<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sorry, this entry is only available in Italian.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[48],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pasqualerobustini.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8696"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pasqualerobustini.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pasqualerobustini.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pasqualerobustini.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pasqualerobustini.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8696"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.pasqualerobustini.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8696\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8702,"href":"https:\/\/www.pasqualerobustini.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8696\/revisions\/8702"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pasqualerobustini.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8696"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pasqualerobustini.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8696"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pasqualerobustini.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8696"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}