Overview:
The Amptweaker™ name points toward the design goal of making products that allow the user to tweak their own amp tone.
- The AMPTWEAKER TIGHTDRIVE™ overdrive pedal is the first Amptweaker product, a gain pedal that features the TIGHT control.
- This tweaks the amp's attack, and when combined with the Gain, Tone, and Volume controls, a lot of different distortion sounds are possible.
- It has the ability to dial in varying amounts of crunch, from barely clean singing blues tones, to crunchy rhythm sounds, all the way up to seriously overdriving your tube amp for tight chunky lead solos.
- Whether you're using it with a clean amp or to beat up your heavy amp, this pedal has the range to handle the job....it can even reduce the gain and tighten the attack to easily convert your heavy lead tone to a chunky rhythm sound.
- The biggest number of Product Idea submissions received were from people looking for overdrive and/or boost pedals that could provide tight low end. This led to the Tight Control, which allows you to adjust the amp's attack, varying it from smooth and singing to chunky and aggressive attack.
- The Tone, Gain and Volume controls work pretty much like most other overdrive pedals.
Another repeating theme heard over and over was multiple pedals....so this led to the idea of adding an effects loop to the back so you can add whatever you want to this pedal. And there's a Pre/Post button underneath the pedal so you can move that outboard effect to in front of or behind the TightDrive. When you bypass the TightDrive pedal, the other effect or effects will be bypassed as well. This feature is great if you want to further tweak the distortion tone with an EQ in front of or behind it, or to add compression, or a delay.
Features:
- True Bypass switch
- Tight Attack Control
- Gain, Tone, & Volume Controls
- Effects Loop with Pre/Post switch..tracks On/Off Footswitch
- LED lit knobs when using a power supply
- Battery disconnect switch with red indicator
- DC Adapter jack, standard 2.1mm X 5.5mm, center ground(-)
- Magnetic Battery access door opens w/o tools
- 14Ga. Steel chassis
- Handmade in the USA
- 11mA current consumption(battery)
- 26mA current consumption(9V power supply)
- Dimensions 3.75"W X 5"D X 2"H
Front Panel Features:
Rear Panel Features:
Other Tips & Tricks:
- Effects like compressors, treble boosters, wah pedals, and octavers tend to work best with the Effects Loop set to Pre.
- Effects like delay, reverb, EQ, chorus, vibe/tremolo, and most others tend to sound best with the Loop set to Post.
- Try putting an EQ in the Pre/Loop, to experiment with varying distortion feel, similar to the Tight controlʼs affect.
- To REALLY tighten up the attack, put a noise gate in the Effects Loop of the TightDrive, and set the threshold high.
- By using very low gain/volume settings, the TightDrive can convert your lead amp tone to a crunch rhythm.
- For a really dark singing clean tone, turn the Tone and Tight fully down, Volume up and Gain about halfway.
- Select Pre/Effects Send to use it as a switchable ʻcleanʼ send to another effects chain, tuner input or amp.
- Select Post/Effects Send to use it as an auxiliary send to some other effects or amp AFTER the TightDrive distortion.
- When using extremely high settings on the Tight control, you might need to increase your ampʼs bass control.
- Try putting a parked wah in the Pre Effects Loop for a cool mid-boosted tone.
Specifications:
- Input impedance: 250K Ohm (effect on)
- Output Impedance: 1K Ohm (effect on)
- Current: 11mA with 9V battery, 20mA with 9V adapter(adds knob LEDs)
- Housing: 14 Gauge galvanized steel
- Weight: 2 pounds
- Dimensions: 3.75”W X 5”D X 2”H
- Adapter: 9VDC adapter w/ 5.5mm X 2.1mm positive barrel center ground