I just read this piece from the New York Sun about John Schumann, who builds boutique effects pedals in the back room of Main Drag Music in Williamsburg, NYC, selling them to Radiohead and Portishead. His most interesting sounding invention is the Schumann PLL, an analog harmonizer, which costs $500 but does look fantastically cool. I liked this description of John at work: "Empty coffee cups sit neatly stacked next to an oscilloscope that Mr. Schumann uses to test the signals of his pedals. Thin ribbons of hot steam float from the white-hot tip of a soldering iron. In his cable knit cranberry sweater, faded black jeans, work boots, and signature brown hat, Mr. Schumann looks like a veteran musician." Update: You can use login: nysun@nobsys.net pass: password to read the piece.