Strymon, the renowned audio equipment manufacturer, has recently unveiled a new line of pedals that marks a significant shift in their product lineup. The Series A pedals, Fairfax and Canoga, are a departure from Strymon's signature DSP-heavy reverbs, delays, and modulation pedals, as they embrace pure analogue technology. This move is intriguing, as it showcases Strymon's willingness to experiment and explore new sonic territories.
A Journey Back to Analogue
Strymon's analogue team embarked on a mission to recreate a complete tube amp circuit within a pedal enclosure, drawing inspiration from the iconic Garnet Herzog tube drive unit used in a 1965 guitar amp. The Fairfax pedal is the culmination of this endeavor. It features a miniaturized preamp, a Class A power amp, and a custom circuit that emulates output transformer saturation, a key element in tube amp compression. An internal transformer boosts the 9V input to 40V, providing the necessary headroom for realistic amp behavior. The controls include Drive, Level, and a variable Sag circuit, offering a range of compression effects from mild to fuzz-style gating and sputtering.
The Canoga pedal, on the other hand, has a more casual origin story. Strymon designer Gregg built a handful of custom fuzz circuits in an afternoon, which later became essential when pairing with the UltraViolet vibe pedal. One of these designs evolved into the Canoga, a silicon FuzzFace-style pedal with just Drive and Level controls. The Canoga's character is heavily influenced by the guitar's volume knob, allowing users to transition from blues and rock to full fuzz tones.
A New Direction for Strymon
Strymon's decision to venture into pure analogue pedals is a bold move, as it challenges the company's established reputation for digital signal processing (DSP) in their reverbs, delays, and modulation pedals. The absence of MIDI, USB, or digital processing in the Series A pedals indicates a focus on capturing the essence of analogue circuitry and its unique sonic qualities. This shift may appeal to musicians seeking a more organic and vintage sound, offering a different sonic palette compared to Strymon's existing offerings.
Conclusion
The launch of the Fairfax and Canoga pedals in Strymon's Series A line is a fascinating development in the audio equipment industry. It demonstrates Strymon's willingness to innovate and explore new sonic territories, providing musicians with a fresh set of tools for their creative endeavors. As Strymon continues to push the boundaries of audio technology, it will be exciting to see how these analogue pedals contribute to the company's evolving product portfolio and the broader landscape of guitar effects.
