Great Eastern FX has unveiled the D312A Distortion Filter, a limited pedal that reimagines classic hard-clipping circuits through the lens of rare, obsolete components. At its core are three NOS Soviet-era germanium diodes, configured for asymmetrical clipping to produce a distortion rich in harmonic complexity and dynamic response, a significant departure from the symmetrical silicon pairs found in its predecessors.
The circuit’s unique “vocal” mid-range character is further sculpted by an integrated band-pass filter. This isn’t just a simple tone control; it offers dedicated Frequency and Depth knobs, enabling players to dial in anything from a subtle mid-emphasis to extreme, “cocked-wah” textures reminiscent of stoner rock. Founder David Greeves explains the design was driven by the diodes themselves, aiming to make these vintage pulse-detector components “sing.”
Limited to just 165 units due to the scarcity of its core components, the D312A is more than a distortion pedal: it’s a playable artifact of electronic history based on a classic gain structure while offering the modern player unprecedented tonal shaping, from expressive, singing sustain to aggressively filtered sonic destruction.
