Exciter
The Tele-Star Exciter is a true rarity among vintage guitar effects - a wild and wonderfully eccentric multi-effect pedal that blurs the line between musical instrument and sound effects machine. Hailing from the experimental heyday of the 1970s, this unique device was originally OEM-manufactured in Japan by the legendary Shin-Ei company, and later sold under various brand names like Companion, Jax, and National. At its core, the Exciter combines several distinct analog effects, including a reverse-sweep wah, a swell volume control, and two types of modulated white noise - the "Surf" mode's gentle, wave-like textures, and the more intense, swirling "Hurricane" effect. But the real showstopper is the pedal's siren-like oscillator, which can summon dramatic, rising-and-falling tones that sound like an air-raid siren. Operated via an expressive, treadle-style foot control, the Exciter's various effects are selected using a mechanical mode switch. The reverse-wah circuit in particular offers a wonderfully vocal, growling midrange that's distinctly different from modern wah pedals. And the surf/hurricane noise modes can conjure everything from crashing ocean waves to howling winds, making this a truly versatile and unpredictable sound-sculpting tool. It's no wonder the Tele-Star Exciter became a favorite among experimental players, noise artists, and vintage collectors - its ability to blur the line between guitar and sound effects was truly ahead of its time. In fact, the siren-like tone from this pedal was even used by glam-rock icons The Sweet on their hit "Blockbuster!" A true cult classic from the golden age of analog effects.
