Ever watched Cream’s 1968 Royal Albert Hall concert film? As vintage rock documents go, it’s pretty piping hot. The performance is largely without showbiz artifice, and the band absolutely smokes. In addition to these thrills, you see Eric Clapton, psychedelic SG in hand, explain his sound—including the “woman tone” (allegedly named after the song "Outside Woman Blues") that was a Cream-era Clapton trademark.
On the surface, it seems curious that the always creative Aclam would build a pedal to approximate this sound. It’s largely the product of really dark guitar tone—an easy-enough trick for guitarists that bother. But what’s cool about Aclam’s Woman Tone pedal is how it simulates the SG’s tone control properties, the EQ make up of PAF humbuckers, and the bossy megatonnage of a Marshall.
I extracted “SWLABR” sounds from a Telecaster with ease.
Plexi-in-a-box pedals are common, but Aclam’s take on the sound is excellent. At many comparable settings I preferred the Aclam to my Zvex Box of Rock, a plexi pedal I love. As for the rest of the Aclam equation? It works! I extracted “SWLABR” sounds from a Telecaster with ease. But also killer Jimmy Page sounds when I removed the Woman Tone footswitch (which introduces the “SG” elements) from the equation. An ES-335-style Epiphone Noel Gallagher Riviera sounded even more extra-authentically Cream-like. Using this pedal is a blast. It’s also fun to watch Aclam continuously deliver gems that replicate such specific tones and deliver so many other unexpected pleasures in the process.
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