Introducing the
MYSTIQUE overdrive and Fuzz
! ..
A distortion
pedal with enhanced dynamics and tone, due to a special
"clarifier" circuit that brings forward
mid-level detail from the midrange and treble of a guitar
signal. Clear, less compressed, responsive, crunchy yet
pleasant tones are produced that let you "just
play" and make ordinary overdrives seem
"flat" by comparison (even when they mess with
the tone more). Mystique achieves this not through
special components, but by new and innovative design
techniques.
It's not just the ability to "clean up with the
guitar volume control" that makes an overdrive as
dynamic as an overdriven amplifier ... Mystique can, but,
concentrates more on producing a wide and smooth progression
of distortive characters from subtle to savage. More
significantly, it responds to tonal character as
well as drive level, aggressive playing gets an
extra attack even at low drive, while softer playing
smooths out even at high gain. The gain range is wide, and the tone control
can bring out some solid bass or provide a useful
not-too-harsh mid/treble boost. Mystique was designed for
a clean amp but also makes a great attack and gain
booster.
... But
that's not all ...
The FUZZ mode of the optional
X-mode switch "breaks" the circuit,
producing a wretched, disgusting, signal-destroying fuzz
that also can be musical ... it seems the clarifier
circuit still has a partial effect. It has chunky bass
and the creamy-yet-ragged bite of classic transistor
fuzzes, and yet is completely stable and consistent, with
a new blend of characteristics. It cleans up nicely at
low drive levels, but doesn't need a lot more kick to
reach towards into the sickness levels of
"noise" fuzzes. It also has an odd feature of
sort of cleaning up also at the highest drive, letting
through a bit of clean signal or light distortion -- this
limits the chaos, but when set suitably adds an extra
dynamic to the effect and clarity on chords, and can even
make it seem more broken in a sense.
The switch also adds the eXaggerated
Overdrive mode. While the Normal mode
produces a balanced, yet distinct, Clarifier-overdrive
effect, this takes it to the extreme, distorting easily
yet with an even clearer high end. Twangy yet furry at
low gain, distortion with extra clang when cranked, this
might even sometimes seem like a clean mix effect, but it
is not, and responds more coherently.
Reviews
"By the time I was done playing with this
pedal I was dizzy with excitement, like being tone
buzzed... if there is a such thing." -- Alf
Cruz, Analog War Cry, 8/21/2010 read more
Audio samples
"Solid State Amp" (RP-155 into power amp,
2xV30s, Ibanez):
Twin Reverb model using humbucking single coil
With clean Tube amp, 2xV30s, Ibanez:
mid-low gain OD mp3
higain OD brightbridge humbucking single coil
(somewhat thin)
Fuzz hi-gain includes guitar volume and
tone knob; with some chorus, reverb
direct recordings using RP155 amp
sim:
myst_dc-dv_withfuzz_1.mp3 .. fuzz near end (Digitech
Clean amp into Digitech Vintage cab, Reverb; Bridge
Humbucker).
myst_rp-superlead_withfuzz_1 a more midrangey, slightly
crunchy amp sound
Fuzz Only ... clean amp, some recording
clipping
The standard
SE-5 is $129 and the SE-5X with switch option is $139,
S/H US East $9 West $12. Ordering Information
LEGAL
End User License Agreement:
Mystique may include an obvious protective device or
Security Seal ("goop") over a portion of its
circuitry. Use, possesion of, or publication of
information about this device indicates agreement to not
remove this seal or inspect its contents. (Note: this
seal is only partial and should not affect typical
maintenance.)
Copyright 2010 Bill Spencer/Spencer
Amps [tm]
"Mystique" guitar effect is trademark Bill
Spencer
Digitech and RP155 are trademark Digitech
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