EarthQuaker Devices Plumes | Small Signal Shredder

Plumes is an overdrive based around that classically overdone tube-like circuit you all know, and amps crave. While this particular circuit has been done to death, at EarthQuaker Devices brand of special effects pedals they think the Plumes offers an original take on the old, tired dead horse everyone loves to beat on. You can't get enough of it, so they are giving you some more. Doctor's orders and what not...

For starters, they've done away with the sacred 4558 IC and the classic BJT transistor buffers and replaced them with JFET operational amplifiers and raised the input impedance to nearly 10 megaohms! This offers lower noise, better signal integrity and more chime in the high end. They power this OpAmp by taking the 9v input and internally converting it to +/- 9v to give it more headroom. The end result is a more three-dimensional tone with added clarity that really pushes a nice valve amp over the edge. You might notice how those badass leads you're always ripping will blast over those awful, no good cymbals your drummer is constantly bashing around on. It sounds like diamonds... a million diamonds!

They've also added three different clipping options for your consideration. Mode 1 is symmetrical clipping utilizing a pair of light emitting diodes. This is the crunchiest setting the Plumes has to offer. When played through a clean amp, it'll deliver a reasonable facsimile of that classic black and gold British valve amp tone. If you already set your amp dirty, using this mode will make it filthy. Mode 2 is clean boost mode. This eliminates the soft clipping diodes altogether and leaves you with straight OpAmp drive. This is perfect for pushing your clean tone out in front or driving the preamp of an already overdriven amp into tasteful breakup territory. Mode 3 is an asymmetrical silicon diode arrangement similar to the stock screamer but with more output and clean clarity; the tone some people describe as transparent. It's almost as if your clean tone is blended in with a slightly less clean tone, ya know? Using this mode gives a warmer low-end response and lower output. It's less hard on your amp and your ears. It's a classic pleasant tone the whole band can enjoy.

Not enough for you? They've also improved the way the classic tone control operates while still leaving it familiar enough to keep you warm and comfortable. It's still a safe space, no worries in here. It's now useful through the whole range. The low end is big and clear, and the high end is bright and cutting without killing the mids. Just the right amount of tonal tickling to excite those ear drums yet still give that familiar mid-heavy drive.

Each and every Plumes is built one-at-a-time by delightful little hands in Akron, Ohio; the charred, black heart in the heart of it all...