An amp-in-the-box pedal designed to deliver tones reminiscent of 1950s Fender Tweed amps.
Designed as an all-in-one DI amp-in-a-box solution, the ZAMP eliminates the need to lug around a traditional amplifier. You’ll get the sounds of rock legends – everything from sweet cleans to exploding overdrive – for the same cost as a set of tubes.
The ZAMP’s versatility makes it an ideal tool for a variety of uses…
- As your main amp: Plug directly into a PA or DAW for full-bodied sound with Jensen speaker emulation.
- In front of your existing amp: Use it as an overdrive/distortion pedal to impart tweed grit and grind.
- Straight into your recording setup: Achieve studio-quality sound with ease—no need to mic an amp.
- 12dB clean boost: Enhance your tone with a powerful clean boost.
- Versatile instrument compatibility: Works beautifully with harmonica, violin, mandolin, keyboards, and even vocals.
- Tube preamp for recording: Use it as an insert or on your bus for added warmth.
- Clean DI box functionality: Can be used as a reliable direct input box for live or recording applications.
See the ZAMP demo video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJp0jE6zzS8
Key ZAMP features include:
- True analog circuitry: Faithfully emulates two 12AX7 preamp tubes, one 12AX7 driver tube, and two 6V6 output tubes.
- Simple gain and output controls make it easy to dial in the perfect tone.
- At home, on stage, or in the studio, the ZAMP delivers cranked tube amp tones at any volume.
- No need to mic your cab: Just plug in and play into a PA or your DAW.
- Operates on a standard external 9-volt power supply or up to 40 hours with a single 9-volt battery.
The ZAMP pedal is available for a street price of $199 USD and can be purchased at zashabuti.com.
Selenium, an alternative to silicon and germanium, helps make an overdrive of great nuance and delectable boost and low-gain overdrive tones.
Clever application of alternative materials that results in a simple, make-everything-sound-better boost and low-gain overdrive.
Might not have enough overdrive for some tastes (although that’s kind of the idea).
$240 street
Cusack Project 34 Selenium Rectifier Pre/Drive Pedal
cusackmusic.com
The term “selenium rectifier” might be Greek to most guitarists, but if it rings a bell with any vintage-amp enthusiasts that’s likely because you pulled one of these green, sugar-cube-sized components out of your amp’s tube-biasing network to replace it with a silicon diode.
That’s a long-winded way of saying that, just like silicon or germanium diodes—aka “rectifiers”—the lesser-seen selenium can also be used for gain stages in a preamp or drive pedal. Enter the new Project 34 Selenium Rectifier Pre/Drive from Michigan-based boutique maker Cusack, named after the element’s atomic number, of course.
An Ounce of Pre-Vention
As quirky as the Project 34 might seem, it’s not the first time that company founder Jon Cusack indulged his long-standing interest in the element. In 2021, he tested the waters with a small 20-unit run of the Screamer Fuzz Selenium pedal and has now tamed the stuff further to tap levels of gain running from pre-boost to light overdrive. Having used up his supply of selenium rectifiers on the fuzz run, however, Cusack had to search far and wide to find more before the Project 34 could launch.
“Today they are usually relegated to just a few larger industrial and military applications,” Cusack reports, “but after over a year of searching we finally located what we needed to make another pedal. While they are a very expensive component, they certainly do have a sound of their own.”
The control interface comprises gain, level, and a traditional bright-to-bassy tone knob, the range of which is increased exponentially by the 3-position contour switch: Up summons medium bass response, middle is flat response with no bass boost, and down is maximum bass boost. The soft-touch, non-latching footswitch taps a true-bypass on/off state, and power requires a standard center-negative 9V supply rated at for least 5 mA of current draw, but you can run the Project 34 on up to 18V DC.
Going Nuclear
Tested with a Telecaster and an ES-355 into a tweed Deluxe-style 1x12 combo and a 65 Amps London head and 2x12 cab, the Project 34 is a very natural-sounding low-gain overdrive with a dynamic response and just enough compression that it doesn’t flatten the touchy-feely pick attack. The key adjectives here are juicy, sweet, rich, and full. It’s never harsh or grating.
“The gain knob is pretty subtle from 10 o’clock up, which actually helps keep the Project 34 in character.”
There’s plenty of output available via the level control, but the gain knob is pretty subtle from 10 o’clock up, which actually helps keep the Project 34 in character. Settings below there remain relatively clean—amp-setting dependent, of course—and from that point on up the overdrive ramps up very gradually, which, in amp-like fashion, is heard as a slight increase in saturation and compression. The pedal was especially fantastic with the Telecaster and the tweed-style combo, but also interacted really well with humbuckers into EL84s, which certainly can’t be said for all overdrives.
The Verdict
Although I almost hate to use the term, the Project 34 is a very organic gain stage that just makes everything sound better, and does so with a selenium-driven voice that’s an interesting twist on the standard preamp/drive. For all the variations on boost and low/medium-gain overdrive out there it’s still a very welcome addition to the market, and definitely worth checking out—particularly if you’re looking for subtler shades of overdrive.
Another week, another 6 chances to win! You could grab pedals from Eventide, Xotic Effects, Walrus Audio, J. Rockett Audio, Neon Egg, or Maxon in this week's Pedalmania giveaway! Enter before September 30 for your chance to WIN!
Enter here:
Pedalmania 2024 Week #3Eventide Ultratap Delay/Reverb Multi-Tap Effects Pedal Silver
UltraTap is a unique multi-tap delay effects pedal offering rhythmic delays, reverb and modulation. It's perfect for staccato leads, swelling chords, and other evolving effects — everything from reversed reverbs to the sound of ripping it up in the Grand Canyon! UltraTap features the ability to add as many virtual tape heads as desired along with the ability to expressively control head position and output level enabling new and unprecedented effects.
Xotic XW-2 Wah Pedal - Limited-edition Blue
The wah tone and EQ are dialed in to perfection making accessing the perfect wah sound easier than ever. With plug-and-play simplicity, you can achieve the finest wah sound that will truly elevate your creative ingenuity. The pedal features custom wound inductor, pot and circuit which not only captures the pure essence of vintage Clyde McCoy (as XW1 did), but also breathes an evolved essence (of wah) that goes beyond vintage. As with the XW-1, the pedal has a relay-based true bypass switch and adjustable rocker tension to optimize your rocker pedal to your liking.
Walrus Audio Sloer Stereo Ambient Reverb Effects Pedal Blue
The Slöer Stereo Ambient Reverb builds on our popular Slö lineup but adds two additional reverb algorithms, stereo width control, two additional modulation wave shapes, and the ability to control the sample rate. Now you can create immersive, lush, modulated, sleepy, and ambient soundscapes with more width and depth than ever before.
J. Rockett Audio Designs Blue Note Select Boost/Overdrive Pedal
Transparent, organic, dynamic — J. Rockett’s Blue Note Select all but embodies these sought-after overdrive qualities, improving upon J. Rockett’s self-admitted “favorite circuit” with a fresh look and tone. Like previous Blue Note series pedals, it skillfully skirts the lines between dirty boost and overdrive to deliver the same lively feel of a hot tube amp. And just like a traditional amplifier, this pedal’s 4-knob setup — consisting of Volume, Gain, Tone, and Fat controls — provides a straightforward and intuitive tone-shaping experience. However, Sweetwater’s Blue Note aficionados find that this V2 variation’s most significant change is found in its harder-hitting low-end response, which impacts both standard mode and the screaming sound of Hot mode when you engage the middle switch. The Blue Note Select fits the bill for the guitarist who requires an uncompromisingly amp-like response from their gain pedal.
Neon Egg Planetarium 3
The Planetarium 3 is a stereo reverb and/or chorus, running into a delay with stereo modulation, running into a compressor with an external sidechain input. It lets you turn any sound into a sea of modulated ambience, then make it pump in time with the music (without the need for a computer or click track).
Maxon Od-9 Overdrive Effects Pedal
The Maxon OD-9 Overdrive Effects Pedal may look like your old favorite but that's where the similarity ends. Improved circuitry with a new chip yields the ultra-smooth dynamic overdrive guitarists crave. Drive and Level controls tweak the intensity and volume while the Hi-Boost/Hi-Cut tone controls adjust brightness. Features true bypass switching, a die-cast zinc case, and 3-year warranty. From subtle cries to shattering screams, the Maxon OD-9 delivers a huge range of tones.
Features
Improved circuitry with a new chip yields ultra-smooth dynamic overdrive
Drive and Level controls tweak the intensity and volume
Hi Boost/Hi Cut tone controls adjust brightness
True bypass switching
Die-cast zinc case
AC/DC operation (order optional Maxon AC210N adapter)
Product Specs
Input: 1/4" mono jack
Output: 1/4" mono jack
Power: 9V DC, 6 mA, center pin minus (not included)
Dimensions: (WxDxH) 74 mm x 124 mm x 54 mm
Weight: 580g