ToneFreak Severe

[studiojig]

I was recently a participant in a "tourbox" that Dereck started up and sent around to folks who signed up. I'm extremely happy to have been so lucky as I got to experience both the Abunai OD as well as the Severe distortion pedals. Both are terrific but the Severe is just another league altogether. The only other pedal out there that I think can compare is John Suhr's Riot but I don't have experience with it so that's just an educated guess. Anyway, long story short I ordered one for use with a practice amp, quick and dirty recording, as well as for a different kind of tonal flavor with my main amp (boost, od, or otherwise).

Oh. My. God. It is ASTOUNDINGLY good. Even better than the tourbox version of it. This is one of those "can't stop playing" pedals. I'm eventually going to put together a clip to post but suffice it to say this is the singular most impressive distortion box I've ever encountered. The tubey response and wide variety of eq possibilities within the pedal itself makes for a very useful tool indeed. Want Diezel-ish brutal in a pedal for those impromptu gigs with a Fender champ as the house amp? You got it and then some. Want <insert high gain amp of choice here>?? You got it. With ease.

Highly recommended to be sure. Mark Day has done one of his amazing vids of it. Look it up and check it out. You'll be astonished. Then buy one and be even more amazed.

p.s. - No, I have no relationship of any kind to ToneFreak Effects. I normally avoid pedals like the plague so when something like this impresses me that much, it's rare and compelling enough to comment.

 

[JTyson]

 

[studiojig]

Umm... I think I should add one thing... this pedal shines and gives me the funny feeling in my crotch when used with a tube amp (clean channel). If you think using it direct or through a SS amp will be as killer as I described, you'll be unpleasantly surprised. Isn't that true of any pedal of this type though? Sorry, just thought that was worth clarifying.

 

[MARK1970]

The Severe is honestly a real good pedal. I have met Derek a few times. A really cool guy. I heard his prototype, but I really was impressed when I caught a show of one being used on an Uberschall clean. I thought it was the amp, very impressive pedal indeed. Another cool pedal is the Naked OD. This pedal works magic with a stock Marshall .

 

[glassjaw7]

Just listened to Mark's Severe and Riot demos back to back and I must say, I like the Severe better. (At least how he had them dialed in)

It sounds very amp like: open, warm, but with punch and sizzle. I want one.

 

[studiojig]

Just listened to Mark's Severe and Riot demos back to back and I must say, I like the Severe better. (At least how he had them dialed in)

It sounds very amp like: open, warm, but with punch and sizzle. I want one.

Yep... that's the thing that really surprised me most about this was just how amp-like it sounded/reacted. It'll actually go into a nice musical feedback at certain settings without the amp volume being above low bedroom levels.

 

[ToneFreak]

Thanks for all the kind words!

 

[fearhk213]

I loved that pedal when I had from the tour. I boosted my Cameron with it and HOLY SMOKES was it killer! More open, dynamic, and clear than some other pedals I had. I was surprised because the Severe was definitely the highest gain of them.