Greek hand-built pedal specialists Crazy Tube Circuits are ending the year with the launch of an amp-in-a-box overdrive pedal that promises a “true to the last detail” replication of the tones of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here.
Building on the momentum garnered from the September release of its delay/reverb Sidekick JR pedal, Hi Power is a dual-pronged overdrive pedal. It’s a double act being described as "the almighty power boost meets the blistering high-headroom tube amp" in what is sure to get many classic prog fans excited.
The pedal’s right-hand side offers what they’re calling a “faithful recreation” of David Gilmour’s beloved Colorsound Power Boost overdrive, whilst the left features an all-analog circuit close to that of the Hiwatt amp the guitarist tracked much of the record with.
In what’s becoming a quirky, Christmas-primed tradition, Hi-Power’s release follows the December ’21 and ’22 releases of two of its other dual overdrive/amp-in-a-box offerings, the Crossfire and Unobtanium.
Like those pedals, the Hi Power also offers a passive effects loop, meaning its firepower can be treated as two separate pedals within your pedalboard chain.
So, what’s under the hood? Well, the Colorsound side features BC184 transistors at 18V DC, an internal voltage booster, and a two-band Baxandall EQ for detailed tone sculpting. It also offers a bypassable master volume, a reverse-log gain control for smoother transitions between on/off, and a toggle to engage its higher gain/lower headroom mode called the Overdriver.
The Hiwatt’s side is all about mirroring what the classic British tube amp can do, from the high-headroom cleans that Gilmour is synonymous with, to crunchy sounds for when you want to get a little more gnarly.
Its headroom offering can be toggled between 100W or a more compressed 50W setting to mirror the Hiwatt-proper’s design. This comes alongside a master volume for even more gain at higher settings, a full EQ section and presence control knob.
It’s powered by your standard 9V power supply, so there’s no need for those dastardly extra plugs and offers two footswitches and two status LEDs to further accentuate the two pedals' independence from one another.
The Athens-based manufacturers have seen its pedals used by the likes of Doug Alrich, Billy Gibbons, Peter Frampton, Testament's Alex Skolnick and Brad Whitford. Hi Power, then, has a lofty reputation to live up to, especially after its Dumble and Klon-inspired predecessor, the Unobtanium, saw Guitar World give it a glowing five-star review.
The Hi Power is available now for €279 (approx $300). For more info, head to Crazy Tube Circuits.
