ARION
In 1985 I was 16 and I didn't play guitar but after I saw Queen on Live Aid
it was a different story. I just had to have an electric guitar! Now, I hadn't a
clue where to start, but I started sawing away on the family Yamaha acoustic and
as they say, my fingers bled. All through '86 and '87 I practiced hard on that guitar
it was a different story. I just had to have an electric guitar! Now, I hadn't a
clue where to start, but I started sawing away on the family Yamaha acoustic and
as they say, my fingers bled. All through '86 and '87 I practiced hard on that guitar
until I bought a cheap Rockson Strat copy, a solid state Jennings amp and my first stomp box, the Arion SOD 1 Over Drive. I plugged it in, crancked it up and blasted
the riff from 'Tie Your Mother Down' out into the void. I was hooked and even though
I liked clean guitar, I loved it more when distorted!
I liked clean guitar, I loved it more when distorted!
ARION SOD-1 OVER DRIVE
This was the first ever pedal I bought on that fateful day in '87. It was second hand, cheap, had a nice warm sound and was made in Japan. It even boasted stereo outputs and a 'direct' or 'soft' mode. It was my main distortion until I bought a Boss DS-1 in 1990 and I also sold the SOD-1 to a relative that year. Shame on me! I had forgotten all about it until early 2010 when I saw it in a photo. I phoned my relative and asked him did he know what became of it. He said he was unsure but would search his attic. Unbelievably he phoned me back and said he found it and I could take it away. I jumped in the car and sped out to his house
and brought it on back home!
and brought it on back home!
Today Arion pedals are sought after by collectors who appreciate their high
quality sound. The one thing that I always wasn't to fond of is that fact that they
are made of plastic. Plastic equals cheap in the stomp box world, especially
when the likes of Boss, DOD, MXR, Ibanez were metal. Metal seems to suggest toughness I'm afraid, but in saying that you could get a metal casing and
re-house an Arion if wished.
Arion SOD-1 My First Love and Made In Japan
The original knobs were pretty poor and I replaced
them with these which are from an old Hi-Fi amplifier!
Stereo Outputs
Sitting on the fence with the Rockson 1988
My gear in early 1990
Laney Linebacker Amp, Wem Cab,
Boss CE-3, Arion SOD-1, Frontline Flanger,
Boss DS-1, Rockson guitar and dodgy jumper!
Arion SOD-1 on You Tube
ARION SDI-1 DISTORTION
The SDI-1 is a nosier big brother to the SOD-1. As I have matured
I find I am more into overdrive than hard ass distortion. I'm not saying
I'm not into Metal anymore but distortion is distortion even at low
settings on the dial. When you crank this pedal in 'Direct' mode you will
notice the bottom end rolls away. The distortion is clean, clear but always
warm. There are two modes here again 'Direct' and 'Soft' and I definitely
prefer the latter. It is more bluesy in tone and great on the bottom strings
of a Les Paul type axe. The stereo mode is great fun with a pair
of headphones while mucking about with Garage Band.
The amount that I paid for this pedal was laughable
so it's rock n roll for peanuts!
It may be made of plastic but it rocks!
The knobs!
Arion SDI-1 on You Tube
ARION SMM-1 METAL MASTER
I bought this pedal only because the seller offered it to
me for the price of a twelve inch pizza with two extra toppings!
I was buying another pedal and he more or less threw it in as he
couldn't sell it. It's not one I'd be drawn too myself but it really
sounds great when you blast some heavy riffs through it. It has
a loud, boomy sound and there is an almost stuttering
vibrato when it is driven to hard. It is made in Japan,
stereo, warm, so what the hell, I'm keeping it!
The menacing Metal Master!
The four control knobs! The bass is boomy!
Arion SMM-1 on You Tube
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