In the mid-70s, rock 'n roll was changing. Guitars became central elements of the sound, and the tones were getting more and more aggressive. While overdriving an amplifier was once avoided, the harmonic distortion generated by cranking up an amp was quickly becoming a coveted and intentional goal, but there were still limits: the amps just didn't get nasty enough, and by the time they did get mean, their output would often be utterly punishing to the ears and audience. (Now of course, we absolutely LOVE crushing volume.)
In a basement in Kalamazoo MI, two engineers were working to reliably create that aggressive, raunchy sound on demand, at any volume level, and soon, the distortion pedal was born.
Jump forward a decade, and this little black box had earned its way onto countless records, cementing its place in history, defining itself as a classic. There were however downsides to this ingenious creation...
The heart of the issue was the limit in volume available, because the design's harmonic distortion circuit placed a hard limit on the output. Years passed and the circuit was modified, tuned and redesigned countless times over, and while the tone and response of the circuit changed, the physics hadn't.
As we often do, we look to the past to see towards the future and after nearly two decades of requests (and even the occasional demand), our engineer set out to capture the iconic snarl and aggression the original mastered. He insisted on fully re-designing the circuit as there were elements present which simply didn't fit into today's modern rigs.
Side by side, the two circuits look radically different, so much so that it is very difficult to imagine the CAT creating such an iconic tone. From the pre-amp, to the harmonic distortion circuit itself, and all the way to the filter circuit and final output amplifier, there are very few similarities between the two, yet the tone is just as raunchy, with all the aggression and attitude that birthed a classic; this feline even cleans-up via the guitar's volume knob.
The CAT Distortion is now alive. An all-new take on a classic, fully re-engineered to tackle the limits which constrained the original.
All the aggression, WAY more output (and sexy looks to match), and stable, super-low output impedance perfect for driving long cables and effects chains with authority.
The CAT has fangs, claws and an appetite (for destruction).
Jack Deville original design.
Special run of 48 units.
Basic Features:
- 100% pure-analog high-gain distortion
- Classic vintage-tone with all-new, unique circuit
- LOADS of output and volume available
- Super-low output-z to drive long cables and push amps hard
- CNC-milled genuine Hammond enclosure
- EZ-2-C LED indicator with diffusion lens
- Proudly made in the U.S.A.
Basic Tech Specs:
- Input Impedance: 470KΩ
- Output Impedance: 1KΩ
- True-Bypass
- Compact footprint: 2.65" x 4.45" x 1.85"
(67.3MM x 113MM x 47MM) - 9VDC 2.1mm negative center-pin power
(>100mA regulated supply recommended)
-or- internal 9V battery (not included) - 9mA Current Draw @ 9VDC