Skreddy Pedals Skunk Drive

Maker: Skreddy Pedals

Model: Cosmos

Condition: New

Description:

When Page needed an aggressive sound for his new band, he reached for one of 2 small Supro combos. The smaller of these was lovingly nicknamed "the skunk" because of the prominent white stripe running over the top of its cabinet.

No stranger to fuzz boxes and boosters, for sure Jimmy made this small amp "weep as though struck with malice" by driving its front end.

But it was not the sound of Hendrix with a raging stack of Marshall plexis and 4x12 cabinets. Page being a wizard in the recording studio knew that sometimes a smaller guitar tone sits better in the mix. His iconic early "heavy metal" sound came from a diminutive Supro model 1606 branded "Super" by its creators. This sound is best recognized by the song "Communication Breakdown," but legend has it that he also used it on the solo to Stairway to Heaven after not finding a suitable sound from any of the larger amps available to him.

The Skreddy Skunk Drive masterfully emulates the effect of a certain model of low-Wattage amp being hit hard by a 1960's fuzzy booster. Cleans up with the guitar volume like you would want it to, serves as a fantastic base tone, and can be used to kick up a solo way out front in the mix.

One little box to nail such an enigmatic tonal holy grail?

You'll find that sound, and you'll be very pleased with the guitar volume cleanup, which yields colors and textures you've heard before but never thought you could achieve.

It seems to respond better, actually, to the guitar volume than by setting its drive knob lower. You'll get livelier top end with the drive knob cranked or darker tones with it backed down, so keep this in mind when considering its lack of a "tone" knob.

Excellent midrange cut but without any of the "nasally" tone associated with modern overdrive designs

Controls: Level and Drive.

• Level of course is output volume, which will be very intuitive and provide tons of extra if you like it loud.
  
  
• Drive is the gain control, which emulates both effects of driving a small amp with a booster and of cranking its volume past its ability to remain clean, at the same time. Will crackle or momentarily cut your sound while you adjust it, because it is actually re-setting the transistor's bias point.