Two Pedals in One
Krunch Monkey is really two pedals in one, as you can toggle between two modes via a mini switch. In silicon mode (referring to diode clipping via a pair of 1N914 silicon diodes) you will get a smooth yet fat crunch with plenty of rich gain. In zener mode (referring to the use of a pair of zener diodes) you will get a more "tube like' tone that is a deeper and darker.
Top Quality Components
Inside the Krunch Monkey you will find nothing but the finest top-quality full-sized components that have been hand wired by Rothstein Guitars. During the extensive R&D for this pedal, we experimented with many different types of capaictors, resistors, diodes, and transistors and selected only components that sounded the absolute best, regardless of cost.
True Bypass
Krunch Monkey is a true bypass pedal. When bypassed, the signal goes directly from the input jack through the switch to the output jack with no connection to the circuitry in the pedal whatsoever.
Transparent Tuneable Buffer
Krunch Monkey includes our very high quality Tuneable Buffer stage before the overdrive, which is only active when the pedal is on. As far as we an tell, Krunch Monkey is the only pedal we have seen with an internal trimpot to adjust the frequency response of the buffer stage. Unlike some other buffers, our buffer is very transparent and will not negatively affect the tone of the overdrive. The main benefit of the buffer is that it will allow you to retain your high end, even over long cable runs. The buffer provides the pedal with a nice high input impedance (1M) and low output impedance (10K) so it will interact nicely with any of your other pedals. This will be particularly useful for players who like to place a wah-wah before the overdrive, as the buffer wil enable you to hear the full range of the wah.
NOT a "Faithful Reproduction" of Anything
As a veteran guitarist, I have noticed that many guitarists (as surprising as this may sound) tend to play it safe with tone. Instead of searching for their own unique voice, thery are in search of a "faithful reproduction" of something done a thousand times before. For example, think of the countless array of Fuzz Face clones on the market today? Why is that we have so many clones of the Fuzz Face? Well, could it be because an army of guitarists want to sound just like Hendrix, and well....Hendrix used a Fuzz Face so there you go. However, ask yourself this: back in the day, was Hendrix on a mission to cop someone elses tone? Was Hendrix in the market for some device that might make him sound like somebody else? Of course not!! In that regard, the modern day guitarist who wants to express his or her own distinctive voice, needs to find gear that will compliment his or her unique style, and help them stand out among the pack. That being said, we did record some sound clips in the style fo Hendrix, just to demonstrate the pedal can do that sound if you want it to!!
