Peasant
OverviewThe Peasant is a valve (tube) boost with a variable input impedance control. At higher input impedance settings it makes a relatively un-coloured and full range boost. If the Peasant is first in line, as the input impedance control is lowered the resonant peak of the guitar's pickups is lowered. The result is reduced low end and top end, effectively producing an upper midrange boost. This effect is similar to that produced by the well known Dallas Rangemaster treble booster circuit.
As well as providing an excellent means for pushing and focusing the frquency response of an overdriven valve amplifier, at lower input impedance settings the Peasant improves the guitar's ability to clean up as it's volume control is turned down.
If the Peasant is placed after a buffered bypass pedal or after any effect that is turned on, it then acts as a simple boost pedal. In this case it does not interact in the same way with the guitar's pickups. Rather, the variable input impedance control simply acts as a fatness control, allowing the user to dial in the exact amount of bass/fullness, from very thin to full bass response. The top end response is not changed. Note that in this scenario the Peasant does not change the guitar's clean-up ability, regardless of the variable input impedance setting.
FeaturesWith controls for Volume and Input Z (impedance), the Peasant is extremely simple to operate.
The Volume sets the amount of boost and the input Z sets the input impedance. As the Z control is rotated counter clockwise the impedance is lowered, from approximately 1M at max setting down to a minimum of 10K ohms.
Measurements: 3 1/4" wide x 4" deep x 2.56" tall
Power requirements: 9VDC @ 500mA, center negative, 2.1mm jack