Crazy Tubes Circuits offers up tweed-like drive and vibrato tones with the new Killer V
True pitch-shifting and a varied gain structure highlight dual-use pedal
NAMM 2020: Crazy Tube Circuits has unveiled the Killer V, an overdrive/vibrato effect pedal built to “emulate the tones produced by some very cool and unique amplifiers born in California in the '60s and '60s” – namely, classic Magnatones and Fenders.
With that in mind, Crazy Tubes says it “copied the behavior, sound and feel of the preamp, phase inverter, power amp and the compression/sag of tube rectification” found in these amps, as well as emulated the LFO and the dual phase shift modulation stages to create true pitch-shifting vibrato.
Furthermore, an internal gain mode switch reflects the changes in gain structure in these amps over the years, allowing users to choose between Normal and Modified (more) drive.
Otherwise, the Killer V boasts knobs for volume (gain), master (output), depth, speed, bass and treble.
There’s also a three way Bright/Normal/Mellow preamp voicing toggle, as well as a Wet – Dry/Wet switch that allows the user to place the unmodulated signal in parallel with the modulated for phaser/vibe sounds.
Footswitches include true bypass and vibrato on/off, and the pedal runs on external 9V DC power supply.
The Killer V is available for €185 (approx. $206.50). For more information, head over to Crazy Tubes Circuits.
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Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name.
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