Please note; This is a preamplifier, and not a distortion pedal. Read more about this below.
Based on the Peavey* Decade practice amp.
Provides fuzzy, warm and gritty distortion, perfect for grunge, stoner rock and everything in between. With the addition of a Boost switch, even more sounds are available on tap.
Controls
Pre - Gain control at the first gain stage.
Bass, Mid, Treble - Responsive 3-band tone control circuit.
Post - Control the output volume.
Boost - Adds additional gain after the tonestack, which drives the last set of diode clippers harder, for a brighter, more saturated sound.
Saturate Switch - Switches to the Saturate input path, which adds additional gain and changes the tonal character of the circuit.
Active Switch - Engages or bypasses the pedal with a relay (true bypass).
The original
The Peavey Decade is, objectively, a simple and cheaply made practice amplifier. Recognized as being great by absolutely nobody, it wasn't until an interview with Josh Homme in 2021 that he revealed his secret weapon as being the Peavey Decade.
Whether or not Josh was being honest or playing an elaborate joke on his friend and fellow musician Mark Ronson, who was conducting the interview, well… no one knows. What we do know is that, when we free the circuit from it's awful tiny combo speaker, and feed the signal into a decent speaker, the Decade's circuit really performs. It's the perfect blend between classic Marshall-esque crunch and the fuzzy stoner-rock vibes that Homme is known for. And it sounds just as good on bass (which is probably what QOTSA used it for, anyway).
About Preamplifiers
This is a preamplifier, and not a distortion pedal. We do not recommend connecting this device to the input of a normal guitar amplifier. Instead, it is best used in one of the following ways:
Connected to the Effects Return / Power Amp Input of a guitar amp
Connect your guitar to the pedal input, and connect the pedal output to the effects return. This bypasses your amplifier's built-in preamp, and the signal goes through the pedal instead.
Connected to a dedicated power amp
Some examples include the Seymour Duncan Powerstage, Harley Benton GPA-100, or the Mooer Baby Bomb.
Connect the pedal directly to an audio interface
For recording purposes, the pedal can be connected to either an instrument or line-level input on your audio interface. Using a speaker cabinet simulation plugin, such as an Impulse Response (IR) loader, to emulate the effect of a speaker cab is highly recommended.
Technical Specs
Power Requirement: 9V DC, 200mA
Power connector: 2.1mm center-negative barrel jack (powersupply not included)
Dimensions: 145mm (W) 108mm (D) 61mm (H)
Dimensions (with packaging): 185mm (W) 130mm (D) 70mm (H)
