Amptweaker Tight Metal ST Distortion Guitar Effects Pedal with SideTrak

Manufacturer's Description

The new TightMetal ST™ distortion pedal takes the popular TightMetal™ pedal with its over-the-top metal and hardcore crunch tones, and adds the popular SideTrak™ effects loop.  This loop is a secondary loop that only works when the TightMetal ST is OFF. There's also an added High/Low gain switch to select modern or vintage metal tones. 

The original TightMetal pedal was designed when discussing various ideas with Mark Kloeppel, guitarist from the deathgrind band Misery Index.  Like many other metal players, Mark was looking for a particular guitar tone, one with a lot of harmonics but with the ability to stop the notes really fast to work with their music.  As on the original TightDrive, the Tight control varies the low end from smooth and thick to tight and aggressive so you get the attack that works with your guitar and picking style. The pedal also includes a built-in noise gate with a 'Chomp' setting for extremely tight stops.

In the same way high gain tube amps are designed by cascading extra tube stages, the TightMetal was created by adding additional stages in front of a carefully modified TightDrive.  The resulting thicker and much heavier distortion is tweaked by a simple built-in output EQ curve, and can further be adjusted by the output Tone control, so it’s easy to get a stack sound even through a small combo amp’s clean channel. 

The propietary SideTrak™ effects loop is a secondary loop that turns ON when the pedal is OFF:  

It can be used to add a compressor, chorus or chain of effects that only works when you play clean, or to switch to another distortion pedal like the FatMetal or a 2nd TightMetal ST to use for the rhythm sound and the main TightMetal ST for the solos...all without having to hit more than one switch....it’s like having a built-in A/B box.  A green LED alternates with the normal red one to indicate that the loop is active when the pedal is bypassed.

Another cool SideTrak trick is that if you only plug in the SideTrak Send, and don't plug in the Return, then that Sent dry signal can be sent to another amp.....meaning you could have the TightMetal ST going through a 412 halfstack while sending the clean tone to a Twin or some other clean amp.  All this ability comes from two simple jacks on the side of the pedal!All other features from the original TightMetal remain intact, including the regular Effects Loop with its Pre/Post switch, the LED illumination of the controls, and the Battery On/Off switch and magnetic battery access door.  The effects loop send can be used as a clean guitar send for re-amping in the studio if switched to Pre.

Features:

• True Bypass switch

• Tight Attack Control

• Gain, Tone, & Volume Controls

• Gate switch with Chomp™ setting for quick stops

• Mid switch with Thrash setting

• Gain switch for modern or vintage metal

• Effects Loop with Pre/Post switch..tracks On/Off Footswitch

• SideTrak™ EFX loop that works when pedal is bypassed!

• LED lit knobs when using a power supply

• Battery disconnect switch with red indicator

• Current:  14mA with 9V battery, 20mA with 9V adapter

• Works with 9V-18V supplies–like 'variacing' your amp up and down

• DC Adapter jack, standard 2.1mm X 5.5mm, center ground(-)

• Magnetic Battery access door opens w/o tools

• Handmade in the USA

• 5 Year Limited Warranty