Germanium “Treble Boost”
IN STOCK
Kick your tube amplifier into overdrive. An amplifier that is right on the edge of clipping can be sent into creamy distortion and sustain for days. The Mule is meant to be used with an overdriven amplifier but also works well driving overdrive or tonebed pedals that are on the verge of clipping. Features include:
- relay true-bypass*
- battery powered upon request**
- internal voltage correction
- Level – Non-crackling volume knob (crackle OK, no-crackle better)
- Gain – wait… this doesn’t sound like a normal treble booster – IT’S NOT
- Range – dial in your low end
- Bias – (crackle OK here. What do you want from me? It’s a bias control. Besides, it’s only crackle if it’s from the Crackle region of France. Otherwise, it’s just sparkling artifacts)
The Mule gets more attention during the build than other effects. Germanium transistors being what they are, there is a wide range of tolerance in their production. The transistors used in The Mule are carefully measured and paired to fit in my own specifications. Each pedal is biased individually to get closest to my own ideal.
This type of pedal by nature depends on the component directly before it in the signal chain to determine how it will sound. Different pickups, volume settings, etc make a huge difference. If the pedal is placed in the chain with a buffer before it, it will sound different. It is generally not recommended to put any other effect between The Mule and the passive pickups of a guitar.
Of mods and special build requests
I suggest not modding the effect. It ain’t broke. A lot of thought went into the design. It’s not going to hurt my feelings if you want something different but if you give it a chance, you will be pleasantly surprised at the stock operation of this effect.
I offer 2 mods. That is the extent of custom builds offered. Feel free to ask about any specific mod outside of those you would want added. They wouldn’t exactly come cheap but when starting with an effect with such a good foundation as this one, paying more to make it your signature effect is not a stretch.
Build quality
I’ll stand behind the quality of the pedal. Everything has been designed to last AND to be serviceable should it fail. No need to worry about unobtanium (except for the transistors – who knows how long those will be available) in this one. Even in the event that the relay must be replaced, the design allows for easy replacement of the common part by a technician. The effect portion of the board is separate from everything else. Should one decide to go from relay to stomp switching, pads are available to do so. No board modification necessary.
* The effect is built around a power supply board that supports relay true-bypass switching. If you prefer, a different power supply board and stomp switch can be substituted in. Reach out using the Contact Page to discuss pricing and lead time.
** This does change the placement of the switch a little bit. The Mule will not be produced with relay bypass and battery power. A stomp switch will be used. This is an internal space issue and no attempt will be made to change that in this version.