Stompbox collectors lately have increasingly become the object of attention of pedal builders, who realized that releasing special, limited-edition versions of existing models represents an easy way to integrate their income in between original new releases. But a special edition doesn’t necessarily have to involve already released circuits… Catalinbread‘s Dreamcoat/Skewer Box Set includes two brand new pedals inspired by the sound of a legend, and by the signature graphics of his band’s record covers.
This Ritchie Blackmore-inspired release is bound to stoke the interest of the many fans of Deep Purple’s lead guitarist, which, when boxed, looks like this:
The two pedals are the Skewer, a three-knob replica of the Hornby-Skewes Treble Booster, and the Dreamcoat, an overdrive/fuzz based on Blackmore’s Aiwa TP-1011 reel-to-reel microphone preamp with additional features like controls for saturation and frequency boost. The latter can be tweaked to sound unruly, velcro-y, and sputtery but at low levels behaves more predictably for a perfect classic rock tone.
Immediately after the release, the two pedals are only available as a set at a discount price, but starting July 23 they will be available separately.
Check out the videos of them!
We have recreated the tools that inspired Ritchie Blackmore so they can inspire you.
This box set is not meant to nail Blackmore’s tone, but rather be a toolkit to help you make your own sonic footprint. The DREAMCOAT has the exact specs of the Aiwa TP-1011 reel-to-reel preamp that Blackmore used; with some extra features. It can be an unruly, velcro-y, and sputtery beast, but one that can be tamed at low levels for a more classic rock approach. Think of it like a console being blown out but completely under your control. The SKEWER operates similarly to our Naga Viper pedal, but rather than being based on the Dallas Rangemaster, it is based on the Hornby-Skewes Treble Booster—another iconic piece of Blackmore’s gear. All the pedal geekdom about what is in these pedals can be found below.
The DREAMCOAT and SKEWER will be sold exclusively as a box set for one month and at a discounted rate. After the first month, people can get each pedal à la carte but at full retail price. The pedals were designed to be used individually, but they really come to life when used together. The artwork of the two pedals flow into each other as one cohesive piece.
