If you are looking for that warm 1970s garage sound but tube amps and effect pedals are out of the budget, then meet the award-winning Electro-Harmonix Hot Tubes overdrive pedal. A reissue of the 1978 Hot Tubes effect box, this pedal has been brought back to life due to high demand from guitar players who fell in love with the hard-to-get vintage stompbox. Containing the same CMOS, or Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor circuit as the original 1978, this version is nicknamed “Nano” as it features the same vintage sonic quality in a sturdier enclosure of about a third of the original size. Recognizing its great classic sound and outstanding construction, Guitar World bestowed it with their “Gold Award for Performance.”The overdrive knob goes from a slight increase in picking attack to a bright, raspy crunch and all the way up to in-your-face distortion. This kind of distortion is very sensitive to your fingers and to pitch changes, allowing for a wide range of sonic textures using different techniques and equipment. Find the right amount of gain and immerse in music full of rich tones with vibrant treble and bass. For further customization, the tone knob balances your sound between deeper warmth and sparkly brightness, bringing out the true potential of your Fender. The volume knob works flawlessly with no hissing or crackling when used live. This pedal has more of a warm and raspy voice that contrasts with the bright and harsh personality of a quintessential fuzz effect.The CMOS at the heart of the effects pedal remains unchanged since the 1970s, conferring the unit with its characteristic warmth, high gain, and low noise. The Hot Tubes Nano features circuitry with true bypass; that is, unlike many other guitar effects, the instrument’s signal goes in and out completely unmodified when the unit is turned off without adding unwanted noise nor coloring the signal. Furthermore, flicking the tone switch turns the tone control off or on, so your guitar shines through with plenty of overdrive but no tonal changes. This is a killer combination of versatility and drive in a single gear unit. The EHX Hot Tubes pedal is incredibly easy to use. It has a heavy-duty input jack on the right side, output to the amp on the right side, and both standard .25-inch jacks as well. Stomp on the footswitch to activate or deactivate the overdrive. A red LED next to the footswitch indicates whether it is on or not. All three knobs are sturdy and precise, and they are also large enough for great visibility in low-light environments. Hook it up to a wall or power supply via an optional 9V DC adaptor, or enjoy the cordless freedom that the included 9V battery, which is extra long-lasting and has a funny image of EHX’s founder, provides. Made in the USA, the EHX Hot Tubes overdrive pedal is true to its rock-n-roll roots, bringing durability and plenty of old-school drive to the guitars of the most demanding players.
