The Summer School Science Fair is an overdrive-distortion pedal based on a simple but innovative idea: you’ve got a RAT-stile distortion (black knobs) and a TS-style overdrive (green knobs) in parallel, and two extra knobs to control for master volume and bland control.
Each gain channel has a knob for Gain and one for Tone.
While you can have a regular RAT or TS clone by turning the blend knob to its two extremes, the magic happens when you blend these two classic circuits together, with a tonal palette ranging from cleaner notes with a touch of dirt to aggressive but defined distortion.
The pedal made the JHS Show’s Best of 2022, and was therefore included in our aggregated year-end list as well!
Summer School Science Fair, Builder’s Notes
The Science Fair is a unique overdrive/distortion from Summer School Electronics that allows you to blend 2 classic overdrive flavors into a unique sound. The left side of the pedal, with black knobs, is referred to as the Lab Rat. A hard-clipping crispy distortion. The right side with the green knobs is called the Test Tube soft clipping mid-range overdrive with a mid-hump boost. The 2 sides are run in parallel with individual drive and tone knobs, and the center silver knob column features a master blend and volume.
By completely turning the blend to the left or right the user can use Summer School Electronics’ versions of these classic circuits. But the Science fair really comes alive by turning blending the 2 pedals and adjusting the individual drive and tone knobs. This allows the Science Fair to give aggressive distortion while maintaining the clarity of the notes, or a softer attack with a hint of grit to pop through the mix. The Science Fair allows the user to find their signature sound, while also being a unique pedal that can provide a variety of options in recording and live applications. The Science Fair runs on a standard 9-volt, neg. center power supply, and has a lifetime warranty. Hand built in Syracuse, NY by working musicians with attention to detail.
