New Pedal: Formula B EIGHTY Master

Hailing from Italy, the Formula B EIGHTY Master is a tweakable amp-in-a-box distortion with a couple of interesting tricks up its sleeve.

The 3-band EQ section and knobs for Gain and Volume are the “expected” features you’ll find in this circuit. On the other hand, a unique set of controls make it stand apart from other designs:

• 2-way Power toggle
  This setting could be seen as two modes for your overdrive: the 50w mode delivers a dynamic and medium gain overdrive, while the 100w option offers more compressed and aggressive tones in the hi-gain realm.
• 3-way Comp(ressor) Toggle
  When engaged, it applies compression through an optical circuit that’s very responsive to touch, delivering a more pronounced attack when the Power toggle is set at 100W and the mids are in a medium-high setting. Off when in the center position, it offers light compression in the left setting and a stronger one in the right setting, which helps single coil guitar achieve a more distorted sound.
• Modeling knob
  This is a control similar to the Presence knob on your amp that helps tailor the pedal to any amp/guitar combo, affecting the tone’s upper harmonics.

Here are the first videos of this pedal

Formula B EIGHTY Master, Builder’s Notes

Our Eighty Master is an organic and dynamoc distortion that responds to both touch and knob
Guitar volume.

It is an amp in a box, in fact we find it on board the whole section of eq. activates a power selector and a compressor.

The Modeling Knob adjusts the voice output, to suit the pedal to any amp. With a Strat type guitar with single coil you can set the power on 50watt and get a bluesy breakup up to distortion hi-gain by just turning the Volume knob on the guitar.

Three knobs of Eq. actives that cut or boost frequencies:

Bass: adjust the Low frequencies
High: Adjust the High frequencies
Mids: adjusts the Mid frequencies

The Gain knob increases the amount of drive as you turn it clockwise. Just like in a tube amp at high volumes.

The Modeling knob acts like the Presence control of the amplifiers and then adjusts the tone of the distortion harmonics counterclockwise it darkens while clockwise the tone opens.

Volume: Adjust the amount of Volume output.

With the Power switch you can choose between 50 or 100 watts. This function allows you to choose between a very dynamic overdrive at the 50 watt setting or a hi-gain distortion at 100w.

The switch comp. adjust the dynamics of the effect:
• in the central position it is off so the pedal responds with maximum dynamics.
• By moving the lever to the left, a slight compression is obtained, in this way the sound passes through an automatic optical circuit that responds to the touch of your fingers.
• Moving the lever to the right the compression is maximum. this function is used to obtain
good distortion even with single coil guitars.

The compressor’s attack is most pronounced when the mid-frequency pot is set between 9 and 11 o’clock and the power lever is set to 100W

With this setting you should always compensate the output level with the Volume Knob.