When you think about overdrive pedals these days, the word “clone” springs” to mind almost naturally: “Is that based on a Tube Screamer, a Klon or a Dumble?” Seafoam Pedals, with their Lowtide Overdrive, is instead offering a unique sounding transistor-based overdrive with some very peculiar characteristics – check out the manufacturer’s intro and Shawn Tubbs’ video under it:
The Lowtide overdrive from Seafoam Pedals is a unique transistor-based overdrive (not opamp-based like TS, KL, and BB pedals) and a perfect fit for someone looking for something new and different.
The difference in sound is heard as transparent but fuller by increasing frequency range (extending lows and highs), all while keeping your original tone intact. The Lowtide’s smooth breakup is paired with a unique gain “focus” control for customizable tone shaping. At 12:00, you’ll hear the even and open gain from the transistors, turning the knob left or right introduces clipping with two distinct circuit paths and types of diodes; left is the clipping style of a certain legendary horse-man pedal, right is the classic green box clipping style.
The controls are intuitive, with the exception of the Focus knob, here’s what it does:
Focus – 12:00 is even and open, left is horse-man and right is green box clipping styles. There are 2 completely different circuit paths and diode types on either side of this control, you will hear the different levels of “softening” as you turn away from extremes towards the middle. This sounds like a “midrange gain control” – each side really colors the midrange in a special way as it’s adding gain. The left side sounds like it focuses the gain to the low-mids and the right side sounds like the high-mids get gained up to slight compression.
