California-based amp builder Mesa/Boogie announced the release of three new overdrive pedals, built by the team who worked on their Mark Five and Dual and Triple Rectifier amps. Here’s the info about each one of them:
- Cleo: transparent, responsive, low to medium gain boost/overdrive with vintage amp-like voicing.
- Dynaplex: as the name implies, this is a Plexy-style (i.e. Marshall JCM-inspired) drive that produces a British style tone and a punch in the mid frequencies.
- Gold Mine: a mid to high gain drive, it can deliver harmonically complex tones that are perfect for heavy chunk, soaring solos, and the fat character produced by MESA amps.
Here’s the first video of these new pedals, more info about each pedal at the bottom of the page.
Cleo™ commands the lower end of the gain scale anchoring Blues, Roots, Indie Rock and even doubles as a hearty Boost, while it enhances, not covers up, the sound of your instrument. With sweet, open top end clarity and not too much saturation, it allows you to craft anything from a subtle boost up through urgent mid gain drive to harmonically-rich overdrive, all in the spirit of Tradition.
DynaPlex™ goes straight to the heart of mid gain Brit, beyond Classic Crunch and ‘70s Rock sounds with a tactile feel and truly versatile, broad gain range. Whether feeding on Single Coils or Humbuckers, the personality shines through in the most classic of ways with a ripping harmonic edge and cracking attack filled with attitude. A treasure trove of crunch rhythm awaits at the lower end of the Gain control, fatness and liquidity creep in just where you’d expect when gain is cranked for single note work, both keeping dynamic excitement front and center.
Gold Mine™ tops the gain spectrum with soaring, smooth high gain that tips the hat to Boogie, but also includes a harmonic edge that’s borderline Brit in character. Not that you can’t dial gain back for sweet, subtle overdrive, you can, but the true character emerges as gain goes up and heavier saturation begins. Up there, a violin-like quality infuses single notes with saturation that blends attack and sustain with near perfection in pedal form, while keeping the emotion in your playing at the forefront of the mix.
