Philip Czarnecki is an exceptional guitarist and demo artist known for his skill in extracting the utmost potential from guitars, amplifiers, and effects pedals. His expertise shines through in his recent demonstration of the JAM Pedals RetroVibe, a remarkable pedal featuring photocells, a bulb, original NOS 2SC828 transistors, and carbon comp resistors. In his demo, Philip expertly showcases the JAM Pedals RetroVibe's exceptional performance in both chorus and vibrato modes, allowing listeners to experience the full range of its captivating soundscape. With his insightful playing and meticulous attention to detail, Philip reveals the true essence and capabilities of the JAM Pedals RetroVibe, providing a captivating glimpse into its sonic possibilities.

We caught up with Philip to get his thoughts on the JAM Pedals Retro Vibe and what his current projects.

Hi Philip, great demo of the JAM Pedals Retro Vibe.  What were your initial thoughts about the pedal when you plugged it in?  

Hi Steve!  Thanks and thanks for having me!  I got instantly inspired and came up with a riff that later became the intro tune to my demo.  This pedal, like all other JAM Pedals I own, makes it easy for me to create and get lost in the music!  I also love the vibrato mode on the JAM Pedals Retro Vibe, which I find inspiring as well and very different from its chorus mode, which is the classic Uni-Vibe mode.

How well did the Retro Vibe interact with the Eureka   and what was the signal chain?

I placed the JAM Pedals Retro Vibe after the JAM Pedals Eureka.  I also tried it the other way around as well and I think I even preferred it that way.  When placing the JAM Pedals Eureka first the effect of the JAM Pedals Retro Vibe is more present and dominant with more highs coming through.  I mixed up the order in my video, but both combinations sound great anyways!  The JAM Pedals Retro Vibe and the JAM Pedals Eureka interacted really well!   The JAM Pedals Eureka is really versatile - I had it dialled so that I could control the dirt level with my volume knob, which you can see me adjusting throughout that part of my demo.  With the Tele's single coils the JAM Pedals Eureka cleans up beautifully and teams up beautifully with the JAM Pedals Retro Vibe.

What other gear did you use in the demo?  

I played my Fender Tele and plugged into my Revv Amp D20 head.  I used the Revv's embedded Two Notes speaker simulation for the cab part and added some reverb in post production. 

Is there any other pedals within the JAM Pedals range   that you have played and like?  

Yes, I also love the JAM Pedals Harmonious Monk, specifically for its harmonic tremolo, which I find equally as inspiring to play as the JAM Pedals Retro Vibe.  I also own the JAM Pedals Wahcko for a while already but did not present it on my YouTube channel yet.  This will be my next demo video!

So, will the Retro Vibe be on your board and do you play   in any bands?  

It definitely will!  I am leading my own Jazz-Rock trio "PC Energetic", which I released two albums with, but ever since Covid we have not been active.  I hope to start working on new music with this trio soon!  During the last two years I have been working on a fun new project, which I call "Sonic Friday‘’.  I'll release an entire album with this new Fusion/World Music project very soon.  By the way, I mainly play an original 1968 Fender Jaguar on this album, which my colleague lent me!  I'm also part of a new musical collective called "Lind Froot", which will release music and videos very soon as well and I'm working closely with the singer Rakel Salazar.  With her we release monthly medley videos over at her YouTube channel, which I encourage everybody to check out!

How long have you been demo’ing gear?

I started to be active regularly on My YouTube channel shortly after Covid hit, in may 2020.  In February 2021, I uploaded my first pedal demo, the Jackson Audio Golden Boy, and realised that it's actually quite fun.  Ever since then I try to upload videos regularly and I got in touch with different brands to showcase their gear.  Although, it's quite a big workload and tough to reach the right audience.  I believe that I can offer something unique to the YouTube world and it actually became a way for me to be creative, as I try to keep my demos artistically interesting.

Where did you learn to play guitar and who are your musical influences? 

I started playing at the age of 8.  I studied jazz guitar during my last high school year already at the conservatory of my hometown Hamburg, Germany.  I then moved to Amsterdam, Netherlands, where I studied jazz guitar for six years.  So I am Jazz trained, but I love to incorporate elements of blues and rock in my playing.  So, my influences are quite broad and range   from Wes Montgomery to Jeff Beck for instance.   Recently, I've been very inspired by the guitar playing of Ariel Posen and Joey Landreth.

Thank you to Philip Czarnecki for giving time to put this feature together.  To see and hear more of Philip's work, please go to the following links.

YouTube

Monthly Medley Videos with Rakel Salazar

Instagram

Facebook

TikTok

Website

For more information on the JAM Pedals Retro Vibe and other JAM Pedals gear please click SHOW ME MORE.

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