Performing with multiple pedals
can be a tricky dance. You may
find yourself doing things like turning
off a compressor and a flanger
while turning on a fuzz and delay,
all before a verse turns into the
chorus—a move that can make
you look as if you’re desperately
stomping out a fire and fending
off a swarm of bees. If that weren’t
bad enough, a whole board full of
pedals can also suck the life out of
your tone. The Cusack Pedal Board
Tamer, which helps you program a
series of presets from your effects,
helps bring these beastly problems
under control.
Row of Options
Housed in a 24" x 4 1/4" x 1 3/4" metal casing, the Tamer fits neatly on a Pedaltrain 2 or Pro pedalboard. It has switches for nine presets and effect loops—the last three loops are stereo—a switchable, mutable tuner output, and a tap-tempo switch that sends information to RCA outputs on three of the presets.
Both input and outputs can be buffered or set for true bypass. There is only a single input and main output, but you can play into two amps by using stereo cables. Switching amps involves running a mono cable out of the amp output to one amp, while routing Effect Loop 9’s send to the other. When you choose Loop 9, the Tamer sends your signal to its designated amp, effectively shutting off signal to the regular output amplifier.
In Mech Mode, each loop brings any effect (or effects) in that loop into the signal path, while in “Preset Mode,” each of the nine switches is assigned to a combination of loops. Setting up presets was super simple: I stepped on and held the Tuner switch and the All Off switch simultaneously, then chose a numbered switch and the loops I wanted that number to engage. (Dipswitches inside the board let you program any of the loops to remain in Mech mode even when you are using presets.)
Preset Simplicity
I plugged a Moolon Lotus Octa Fuzz, an Electro-Harmonix Ring Thing, a Maxon OD-9, and a Guyatone Micro Delay into their respective loops. I kept the Tamer’s output buffer on and turned off the input buffer, as the Moolon doesn’t like a buffered signal. The Tamer worked beautifully, first engaging and disengaging individual effects, then, in Preset mode, combining them in my chosen combinations.
With the effects off, I checked the tone through the Tamer against a straight-into-the-amp signal. With the input buffer off, I detected a slight loss of low end and a harder feel to the playing response. With the buffer on, the difference was negligible—but what to do about the fuzz? The solution was to put a Fuchs Plush Pure Gain pedal in Loop 4 and leave it on. Then I could shut off the input buffer, making the fuzz happy, yet regain my full bandwidth and playing feel—a simple solution facilitated by the flexibility of the Tamer.
The Verdict
The Cusack Pedal Board Tamer is an affordable and effective solution to the issue of pedal-switching acrobatics, as well as a way to maintain your guitar and amp tone. Of course, it won’t to anything to curb your stompbox habit, if you have one. But for players who can’t get enough pedal power in their chain, the Pedal Tamer is the cure for a hundred headaches.
Row of Options
Housed in a 24" x 4 1/4" x 1 3/4" metal casing, the Tamer fits neatly on a Pedaltrain 2 or Pro pedalboard. It has switches for nine presets and effect loops—the last three loops are stereo—a switchable, mutable tuner output, and a tap-tempo switch that sends information to RCA outputs on three of the presets.
Both input and outputs can be buffered or set for true bypass. There is only a single input and main output, but you can play into two amps by using stereo cables. Switching amps involves running a mono cable out of the amp output to one amp, while routing Effect Loop 9’s send to the other. When you choose Loop 9, the Tamer sends your signal to its designated amp, effectively shutting off signal to the regular output amplifier.
In Mech Mode, each loop brings any effect (or effects) in that loop into the signal path, while in “Preset Mode,” each of the nine switches is assigned to a combination of loops. Setting up presets was super simple: I stepped on and held the Tuner switch and the All Off switch simultaneously, then chose a numbered switch and the loops I wanted that number to engage. (Dipswitches inside the board let you program any of the loops to remain in Mech mode even when you are using presets.)
Preset Simplicity
I plugged a Moolon Lotus Octa Fuzz, an Electro-Harmonix Ring Thing, a Maxon OD-9, and a Guyatone Micro Delay into their respective loops. I kept the Tamer’s output buffer on and turned off the input buffer, as the Moolon doesn’t like a buffered signal. The Tamer worked beautifully, first engaging and disengaging individual effects, then, in Preset mode, combining them in my chosen combinations.
With the effects off, I checked the tone through the Tamer against a straight-into-the-amp signal. With the input buffer off, I detected a slight loss of low end and a harder feel to the playing response. With the buffer on, the difference was negligible—but what to do about the fuzz? The solution was to put a Fuchs Plush Pure Gain pedal in Loop 4 and leave it on. Then I could shut off the input buffer, making the fuzz happy, yet regain my full bandwidth and playing feel—a simple solution facilitated by the flexibility of the Tamer.
The Verdict
The Cusack Pedal Board Tamer is an affordable and effective solution to the issue of pedal-switching acrobatics, as well as a way to maintain your guitar and amp tone. Of course, it won’t to anything to curb your stompbox habit, if you have one. But for players who can’t get enough pedal power in their chain, the Pedal Tamer is the cure for a hundred headaches.
Buy if...
you need a collection of multi-pedal sonic concoctions at the stomp of a single switch.
Skip if...
you don't mind a little tap dancing to get your multi-pedal recipes.
Rating...
Street $500 - Cusack Effects - cusackeffects.com |
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