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| $260.00 USD incl. adapter |
First this pedal is so new on this side of the pond that the paint is wet! The Pete Thorn video just came out today!!!
(Nov.11/2017)
The CTC in house video is dated September so if you did not visit the site itself (and I haven't since March damn it)
you missed the scoop.
Not a lot to explain. Just a basic standard set of OD knobs.
So what is the big deal. It sounds like a tube amp?
Not many really do but this one wins the prize.
By cheating. LOL
IT HAS A 12AY7 TUBE IN IT!!!
It takes a 350 milliamps to run it and it has a...
voltage modifier in it to up the power to the tube.It comes with an adapter.
Your average 9 volt jobbie is too weak to power it.
In short this is the REAL DEAL!
Not a new idea but I haven't heard anyone do it better.
It is a remarkable achievement for it's size
Tube pre's usually need to be large and have a
...weighty transformer and need to be hard wired to get the punch this has.
It has all the dynamics and touch sensitivity of a very good tube amp. It also has one of the best range of OD sounds I have heard all from one pedal. It covers all the bases from a very usable low gain that has a tone that I can not but think of any other word then melancholy to describe it. The medium gain has a bit if chunk to it. The high gain has a classic 80's vibe to it.
You can change the tube to a any standard dual triode tube/valve like a 12AX7, 12AT7,12AU7 or 5851 to get different distortion characteristics. I would have loved to have heard the differences.
CTC feels that the 12AY7 shows it at it's best.
It is not like a Fender, Hiwatt or Laney etc. with a very defined attack. It is more like a Marshall Plexi in the attack. Great for huge fat leads and smooth Jazz Fusion tones.
FIRST IMPRESSION
My first impression was that the overall effort on video was that of a very good but average sound.
Fender type sounds are generally agreed as bullet proof for clean distortion. It does not have those
and a real Marshall has an overly aggressive thump
that gives it an very empowering sound.
It is not quite there either. It does have more then a bountiful amount sumptuous and very rich real tube harmonics that saves it from even the cynic.
A FET transistor at its best can not touch the real thing. This is definitely the real thing.
.
Still transistors will accept a lot of manipulation
to get a good sound whereas tubes are fragile in that department.
Especially as you are using a lot of brute power.
Some high wattage transformers in a tube amp weigh in like a barbell!!!
COMPROMISE ?
So the bottom line is I have several pedals I prefer for my dirt sounds
some cost as much as this. You can get a passable dirt box for $30.00
so $300.00 plus pedals have a lot of tech and refinement. Refinement you can hear!!!
My first impression was that the overall effort on video was that of a very good but average sound.
Fender type sounds are generally agreed as bullet proof for clean distortion. It does not have those
and a real Marshall has an overly aggressive thump
that gives it an very empowering sound.
It is not quite there either. It does have more then a bountiful amount sumptuous and very rich real tube harmonics that saves it from even the cynic.
A FET transistor at its best can not touch the real thing. This is definitely the real thing.
.
Still transistors will accept a lot of manipulation
to get a good sound whereas tubes are fragile in that department.
Especially as you are using a lot of brute power.
Some high wattage transformers in a tube amp weigh in like a barbell!!!
COMPROMISE ?
So the bottom line is I have several pedals I prefer for my dirt sounds
some cost as much as this. You can get a passable dirt box for $30.00
so $300.00 plus pedals have a lot of tech and refinement. Refinement you can hear!!!
I am sure that it would be really a blast to play.
perhaps stacked with a favorite transistor pedal it could be really amazing.
Perhaps ?
CRITICISM ASIDE...
GO TO THE SECOND VIDEO AND CLICK IT ON AT 1:40 then at 4.20
It shows the pedal's tone with a very transparent low gain. Pete is taking a rhythm guitar role first on the Tele after the les Paul stops ...then on the second spot first the Strat & then on the Tele.
THIS IS INDEED INTERESTING!
The content of this chord work is going thru the pedal with the gain so low it enriches the clean tone. It does not blur or make the cords mushy or indistinct.
This kind of sound was the wish of transistor pedals like the Timmy the Klon and many others but the results were abysmal. I bought and sold them all.
As an 'always on' pedal with the gain set very low this may be the perfect clean sound preamp to push my other OD's thru???
With this setup you could use any amp and get a great sound ...even a cheap transistor amp may make the grade
if you can get a faux Fender sound from it.
My Bluguitar Amp 1 is very good ...the amplifier driver is tube ...but the pre is solid state. It is good but no way near tubes. It cranks out 100 watts RMS like any tube amp likes to be pushed. Anything less than 30 watts of it coming into the speaker and it ain't happening...so this could put the icing on an otherwise good cake.
.
I wrote to Pete Thorn ..hopefully I will get some feedback.
AT $260.00 USD plus shipping etc.....OUCH!!!
THINK $300.00 USD
Still ...this pedal just jumped onto my shortlist!!!!
BUT ...AT THE END OF IT FOR KNOW!!!
.............at the moment I am depending on Pete.
I have the same problem as all of you... I think that is the key reason some 47,000 of you come here.
I can not try the pedal until I buy it. Just like you!
With my experience 5 minutes tells me when a pedal has hit somewhere on the target.
VIDEO DOES NOT EXPOSE THE BIG PROBLEM$
FIRST they feature what is the most exciting sound the pedal makes. Often not the most useful sound.
SECONDLY a great 'feel' and some drama in the 'dynamic range' does not come thru.
THIRD ...artifacts and really annoying clicks buzzes and non musical noises can pass the smell test
FOURTH ...the best reviewers have a lot of integrity ...but they too have to pay the rent or even worse they have a family counting on them.
I DO NOT ENJOY THE LUXURY OF CASH OR FREE PEDALS FROM THE INDUSTRY
I PAY FULL POP JUST LIKE YOU... I HAVE OVER $10,000.00 IN PEDALS ON MY BOARD. I HAVE PROBABLY LOST A COUPLE OF THOUSAND SELLING THE LOSERS!
I WILL NOT WHINE ABOUT IT ...I DO HAVE CHOICE. BUT I CHOOSE TO GO WITHOUT
ANYTHING NON MUSICAL. I CAN LIVE WITHOUT THE LUXURY OF A SMART PHONE
HOOKED TO THE WEB. I DO NOT SPEND ANY MONEY ON ENTERTAINMENT ...I EAT OUT AT A CHEAP RESTAURANT AT $10.00 A MEAL ABOUT TWICE A MONTH. ETC!
Bricks & Mortar stores can only afford to carry a limited amount of gourmet pedals.
You can't blame them.
Hell...Venezuela alone has 96 brands of them. That blew my mind!!!
ONE THING WORTH REMEMBERING.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY PEDALS. YOUR GUITAR IS ONE HALF YOUR SOUND. YOUR AMP IS ONE HALF OF YOUR SOUND. ADD ONE PEDAL AND THE PEDAL BECOMES ONE THIRD OF YOUR SOUND. THE PIE IS THEN CUT IN TWO>
NO MATER WHAT YOU PAY FOR A PEDAL ...IT IS NEARLY ALWAYS NOT ONE THIRD OF THE COST OF YOUR AMP & GUITAR. HENCE A PEDAL AT $500.00 CAN SOMETIMES BE A BARGAIN.
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