Great Eastern FX Small Speaker Overdrive Pedal

Description

Some of the biggest guitar tones of all time were created using surprisingly small amps such as the Fender Champ.
That’s the inspiration behind the Small Speaker Overdrive, which promises organic, amp-likebreakup, outstanding volume knob clean-up and a unique sonic signature that will help the guitar really cut through the mix.
The Small Speaker Overdrive is the first pedal from newcomers Great Eastern FX Co. Featuring an all-original discrete transistor circuit, this unique overdrive sets its sights on Fender’s iconic student-model valve combo or, more specifically, that magical thing that happens when you put a microphone in front of its eight-inch speaker.
Bolstered by a mic and mixing desk, these little amps sound anything but small, delivering sweet, dynamic drive at lower volumes. Most importantly, the small speaker naturally rolls offlow end and emphasises upper-mids, putting the guitar exactly where it wants to be in the mix. It’s a technique that’s been used on countless recordings, by the likes of Duane Allman,Eric Clapton, Joe Walsh, Billy Gibbons and Mike Campbell, to name just a few.
The stated aim of the Small Speaker Overdrive is to capture the sound and feel of plugging into a small, Class-A combo in the studio, imparting the same flattering frequency response and expressive, dynamic overdrive to whatever amp you’re plugged into, big or small.
The pedal, which is built by hand in the UK, features standard Gain and Level knobs, plus a pair of unconventional EQ controls – a High boost/cut and a Low boost.
Designed to sit at the start of the signal chain, it promises a response to picking dynamics and volume knob adjustment more akin to a vintage fuzz pedal than a conventional overdrive.
Described as low- to medium-gain, it ranges from an almost-clean boost with added grit when you dig in, to the kind of honky, saturated drive most often associated with an overdriven Champ.