NAMM:2018: Fender Level Set Buffer Pedal

Buffer pedal tend to be small little boxes that get little attention on your board if you even have one on your board. However, Fender decided that their Buffer, in the recently release line of effects pedals, needed a couple of knobs and a footswitch. This feature make it much more of utility player than plain-Jane buffer, but I guess you could make a case that its main job is to buff. Clean looks and useful features put this buffer in strong contention for the best buffer on the market. So far, we've only been able to hear it on a loud NAMM Show floor so we may have to wait to really know how this little all-arounder really stacks up.

More Information

Buffer and Level Matching

The Fender Level Set Buffer Pedal does not create any 'sound' as such, but it does solve two important problems with guitarists' rigs:

1. When using long cable runs or multiple pedals, signal can be sapped, and the upper frequencies can be lost along with the natural dynamic playing response.
2. When switching guitars, levels can become miss-matched and the gain levels that you have set up on your pedals and amplifiers may be suddenly incorrect.

The Level Set Buffer solves both problems.

Professional Buffer

The Level Set Buffer creates a buffered signal and features a high-frequency control to bring back those missing treble frequencies in your tone. It also has a 'load' control to match your signal perfectly.

Level Set

The Level Set Buffer also has a level control to match the signal difference when switching guitars; one example is when switching from humbuckers to single coils. This level control lets you maintain your gain levels without having to make adjustments after changing guitars; ideal for musicians playing live or for guitarists who like to maintain a predictable setup.

Tuner Out

The Level Set Buffer has a tuner out for an independent tuner signal. The main footswitch acts as a mute and is a very handy tool for live players, letting them tune silently or switch guitars on-the-go.

Professional Features

The Level Set Buffer has a rugged and lightweight aluminum chassis with a brushed metal finish. This gives it both read-ready durability and a classy-aesthetic that can take pride-of-place on your pedalboard. The pedal is built by Fender who have a multitude of experience in amplifier design and you can be sure that this pedal will last a lifetime of gigging, rehearsing and recording.

Magnetic Battery Door & Jewel Light

The jewel LED light not only looks great, it also adds a handy on-stage visual indicator of the pedal's operation. The pedal has a clever battery compartment door; it has a magnetic latch which means you can easily change the battery with no fiddly screws to worry about.
This is a thoroughly professional pedal - both in tone and appearance - and would make a welcome addition to your pedalboard.

Features

• Provides a balanced tone for pedalboards, long cable runs, and solves the problem of changing guitars
• Low and hi-frequency adjustment to match your instrument and overall tone
• Load switch to adjust signal
• Main footswitch acts as a mute
• Tuner output for independent tuning
• Enables you to switch guitars and balance your settings
• Rugged anodized aluminum construction
• Classy brushed finish and jewel light
• Battery door with magnetic latching opening (no screws needed)
• Powered by 9V battery or DC

Specifications

• Effect Type: Buffer
• Controls: Output Level, Hi-Freq Trim, Load Toggle (On/Off), Mute Footswitch
• Inputs: 1 x 1/4'' Instrument
• Outputs: 1 x 1/4'' Instrument, 1 x 1/4'' Tuner Output
• Power Requirements: 9-Volt Battery or DC Negative AC Adaptor
• Power Consumption: 14mA
• Input Impedance: 1M ohm
• Output Impedance: 1k ohm
• Material: Anodized Aluminum
• Colour: Silver

Did I Cause Wampler To Make A Deluxe Tumnus

Today, I am a proud papa, metaphorically, I've been a father for several years now... But what I am talking today is the Wampler Tumnus Deluxe. You see, All the way back in October of 2015 I predicted this day will come. Yes, it was a stab in the dark, but it makes it no less true. Check it out if you don't believe me. The date of that post is from over two years ago. The Deluxe Tumnus features a three-band EQ, bypassable buffer, and switchable gain boost. This is a humble blog, so I don't think that I really influenced Brian Wampler to develop a new Tumnus pedal, but then again...

He Has Read My Blog

No really, He has even commented on posts before. Brian is very engaged with his audience. He is active on YouTube, social media, and forums. This is the formula that has made Wampler the brand that we know and love. Either he is a builder that wants connect to the users of his product, or he is an egomaniac that can't help Googling his own name. Given his demeanor on his YouTube channel, I believe it's the former.

He Basically Told Us He'd Do It

Back when the Tumnus was released, Brian told us that if he had put the Tumnus in a larger enclosure, then he would have been too tempted to mess with the circuit. So many people asked him to make a faithful reproduction of the Klon Centar that he didn't want to go modding the original just yet. Now that the Tumnus has become a respected pedal in its own right, a deluxe version is more sensible.

It's Still Pretty Risky

Sure, it sounds good in theory. First, give a Klon, then give us a Klon Deluxe. Deluxe must be better right? Well, we have to look at why we like the Klon in the first place. It's a simple transparent overdrive. Personally, I use my Klone to hit the front end of my amp (or another dirt pedal) to get it a little bit of crunch. I use the Treble knob to make everything just pokey enough. Season to taste using the Gain and you're done. However, a three band EQ on a Klon circuit might just be too much for some people. I know what you might be thinking, "More knobs = more better". The original only asked us how much treble we wanted. Too much? Turn it down. Not Enough? Turn it up. Now we can boost or cut Bass and Mids. In doing this, Wampler has given us the freedom to find a wide range of tones. Some of those tones are going to be crap. Now we have more rope, we can find a way to hang ourselves.

Conclusion

I'm excited about this. I mean, I did call it. Totally called it. Other than that, this is the first kind of progression. We've seen Klon circuit paired with other circuits. We've also seen transparent overdrives with fun little mods. But, to my knowledge, this is the first direct clone to get an update like this. I look forward to posting a full review soon. I wonder if other builders will follow suit. Will there be a Soul Food Deluxe, or an Archer Deluxe?

More Ugly Truth About JHS Pedals

Love them, or hate them, JHS Pedals have made quite a name for themselves. JHS has been designing and building effects for a few years now and there is a long list of high profile names that have endorsed them. They claim to be played by Andy Timmons, Ryan Adams, and John Mayer. So they must be doing something right. However, they are also doing something wrong and that's what I want to talk about.

Shame


JHS has a fair sized collection of effects that bare there name. Overdrives, distortions, Delay, Reverb, Boosts and more. All of them pedals demand a price that fans of boutique pedal are accustom to. $250 for an overdrive and boost is middle of the road for the market, but I've notice a few new faces in the line up that seem not to fit in the typical 'JHS' mold.  There are half a dozen or so utilitarian type pedals that seem affordable next to the other offering by JHS. So if they are a fraction of the cost of the others, then what's the problem?

Shame


These pedal include a Remote (Tap), Stutter (kill switch), Amp Box, Mute Switch, A/B, Buffer, and Splitter. "Great!" You say. Cheap boxes that do little jobs. That's not an ugly truth, that's just a good heads up. I'm sure that's what any JHS fanboy would think, but let look a little hard at the little boxes. When we do, we discover that there is little in these boxes that make it worth what they want for them. I know that the 'cost of materials' debate is not a new one (ie it only cost $40 for all the parts that go into a pedal. why do I have to pay $200 for it). Lets take the Red Remote for example. It is literally a footswitch wired to a 1/4" jack. A few dollars of materials and an equally few minute of work, but put JHS on it and it's a $35 pedal. The Stutter is no different. It is just the same switch between two jacks. The Mute switch adds an LED to the formula and charges an extra $10 for it. Wire that up slightly differently and you get the JHS A/B Box. The buffer does add some actual signal processing, but for the few part that it cobbles together you pay another $25 for it. Sad. Just Sad.

Shame


I know what JHS is thinking. Not everyone can afford their pedals, but they want everyone to own a piece of their gear and represent JHS on their board. Make something for the little guy or the beginner. Simple tools of the trade that everyone needs. Or they might just feel like they can charge a premium for simple boxes filled with mostly air. It kills me that I know you can get the same pedal for half of what they want for the JHS version. Maybe I'm missing something here. Maybe there is more to it. But from what I can see, this is just a case of taking advantage of you customer. I wish there was something redeemable about this 'pedals', but I just don't see it.

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Ugly Truth: Jet City Buffered Line Driver

I picked up a pedal a while back because I was temped by the price. For less than $40 I picked up a Jet City Buffered Line Driver. I've always been interest by Jet City's offerings. The designs are pretty impressive and the costs are rather low, so of coarse they are interesting. Jet City doesn't seem to design very much. What they seem to do is take a licensed circuit and lower the manufacturing costs by taking to the far east. This seems like a rock solid plan to sell gear to cash strapped musicians. However, few guitarist are using their stuff. Why is that?

The Line Driver Is Designed By Non-Other Than JHS

Yes, no matter how you feel about them, there are tons of people pay top dollar for JHS pedals. The average price of any pedal is about $200, some go for more than $300 and yet a $40 pedal design by the same minds that brought you the Color Box (one of the most heralded pedals of the recent past) gets overlooked. The JHS buffer sells for over $70. Considering that the Jet City pedal is a buffer, boost, and A/B, it seemed to be a whole lot more pedal for your money. JHS designed both of them. They may even share the same buffer circuit.

The Boost Is Clean...ish

Yes, it is a very simple boost. One knob is all it takes. No tone control, which puts you at the mercy of the circuit. This one is voiced a little fat. It's very transparent but it tames the highs. When using pedals like the Klon and other treble heavy pedals, a boost can send your tone into 'ice pick' territory very quickly. A single knob makes it foot-friendly. I paired this pedal with an AC15 with a Top Boost channel. It was practically the only thing you'd needed to have a load tones at your disposal. The A/B switches channels and the boost hit the pre-amp to add some overdrive. The fact that it's buffered lets you travel far from the amp without worry about your cable's impedance

Conclusion:

This pedal plays nice with a pedal board and all by it's self. It's a useful tool and one that has found a steady place on my board. With the popularity of true bypass pedals, buffers are becoming something people are starting to consider. Before, Boss and Ibanez pedals provided the buffers. Now, people get very particular about where and what kind of buffer they use. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact,. it's good that people are taking control over their tone. It's important to under just what happens to your signal as it passes through all those feet of cable. I can't speak for everything that Jet City makes, but this pedal is solid choice.

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