Never as extroverted as say, the Fuzz
Face, the Dallas Rangemaster has
always been the retiring and modest wallflower
of classic pedals. But that doesn’t
mean its impact—or voice—has been
anything less than huge. Its contribution
to the cutting tones of players like Brian
May and Rory Gallagher is undeniable.
And Catalinbread uses the Rangemaster
as square one for the design of the Naga
Viper—a treble boost with a little something
extra.
Deceptively Simple
A tube amp on the verge of overdriving
itself is the ideal setting for any boost pedal.
In this environment, clean boosts can do a
great job of bumping an amp into overdrive
territory for a solo or heavy rhythm part,
though they can also muddy the low end. A
Rangemaster-style treble
boost produces a less
spongy, muddy overdrive
in the amplifier, making
it a great tool for creating
cutting tones and pushing
your signal to the
front of the mix.
Like the Dallas
Rangemaster (and most
boost pedals, for that
matter), the Catalinbread
Naga Viper is dead
simple. There’s a bypass
footswitch and Boost,
Range, and Heat controls, all in a bright, custard-yellow
stompbox that’s
tough to miss on your
pedalboard.
Treble Rebel
With my Gibson SG
connected to the Naga
Viper and a Fender
Bassman, and all the
pedal’s controls at noon,
my first impression was
a significant decrease in
low end. By lowering the
Range control, however,
I was able to open up the
low end without changing
the high-frequency
response. Even with the
Range at its lowest setting,
the Naga Viper still
cuts some of the low frequencies, evoking
the sound of a clean JCM800 Marshall.
With the Boost control dimed, the
Naga Viper delivers roughly 10 dB of
gain—plenty for sending a Bassman into a
biting, articulate overdrive. But using the
Heat control, you can shape the boosted
signal even further. The Heat control is
essentially an internal gain circuit, and
while it produces no additional dB increase
in the output, it creates the perception of
a much louder, hotter signal. As the Heat
control is increased, the signal becomes
noisier and more compressed (which is
pretty common for this type of effect), but
it also adds presence and articulation to
note attacks. And at its highest settings,
it introduces a pleasing, hissy distortion.
Like the Range control, the Heat function
has a way of making a 6L6 or 6V6 amp
sound a lot like a Marshall—that’s pretty
cool for such a simple pedal.
The Verdict
With most boosters, you’re not going to
get a lot of additional tonal versatility
from the unit itself. Yet with the Naga
Viper, Catalinbread gives treble-boost fans
a few extra shades of color to work with.
If you’re a veteran treble-boost user, it’s a
great way to expand on the sonic territory
you already know. But for first-time treble-boost
users in particular, the Naga Viper
offers a rewarding introduction to the
immense possibilities of boost.
Buy if...
you’re looking for a versatile boost that evokes the seminal Rangemaster, but adds a little more color and grit.
Skip if...
you’re already sufficiently boosted.
Rating...
