Pigtronix Attack Sustain Pedal Review

	Download example 1 The Attack Sustainer on its "Slow Gear" setting. Recorded with a Fender SSH Strat
	Download example 2 A few bars of "Say It Ain't So" in bypass mode, before clicking on the Attack Sustainer in its base compression mode.
	Download example 3 Some slow chords played through the Attack Sustainer's "Tube Tremolo" setting.
Recorded with an Ampeg AMG100 and a modified Epiphone Valve Junior stack featuring an Eminence Red Coat 12”, through a Shure SM57 and into a ProSonus Audiobox interface.

Introducing the Attack Sustain, a pedal that takes up a fair amount of real estate—about the size of three MXR pedals side-by-side—but features an airy layout, with three knobs on the upper left side (Attack, Decay, Sensitivity) and three more (Blend, Volume, Harmonics) on the right side, plus a tiny High Boost switch. Three footswitches—attack, Engage and Decay—line the bottom of the pedal and ultimately dictate how it is used. At this pedal’s simplest moments (only the Engage switch clicked) it acts as a compressor/ sustainer, with the Harmonics control adding a sweetening amount of harmonic distortion to your signal and the High Boost adding clarity and palpable punch. While the compressor alone would make this a good buy, it’s only scratching the surface of what the Attack Sustain is capable of.

Playing with the Attack knob will provide you with a variety of reversed, swelling sounds (vintage BOSS Slow Gear fans will have a blast here); tweaking the Decay knob opens up the possibility for stuttering, tremelo-esque effects. The manual lists 12 sample settings that should keep you busy, but this pedal has obviously been designed for experimentation. Because the attack/decay effects are directly triggered by the incoming signal strength, the Attack Sustain is extremely sensitive to your playing style—it may take a while to learn how to set the Sensitivity knob accordingly, but once you crack the code, it’s all golden.

In true Pigtronix style, the Attack Sustain is loaded with goodies, from the side-chain input that can be used to externally trigger the effect to true bypass construction. Oh, and it comes with its own power supply—a definite plus. If you’re a nut for envelope effects, or you’re looking to pick up a transparent compressor with a few extra tricks up its sleeve, you need this. – AM

Buy If...
you want a great compressor and a bevy of cool envelope effects
Skip If...
you don’t have the patience to tweak.
Rating...

MSRP $399 - Pigtronix - pigtronix.com