Owner’s Manual
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:
• Read these instructions.
• Keep these instructions.
• Heed all warnings.
• Follow all instructions.
• Do not use this apparatus near water.
• Clean only with dry cloth.
• Be sure to use only properly rated power adaptors or universal power supplies (pedal board power supplies) with appropriate attention paid to proper voltage, amperage and ground schemes. Improper voltage/amperage being provided to the pedal may cause poor tone, inconsistent performance, damage to the unit or all of the above. Proper voltage, amperage and grounding specs are supplied at the end of this manual.
• REPLACE THE BOTTOM LID after battery replacement before the unit is used. Some electronic parts inside are static sensitive and can be damaged from even a small static charge from contact with carpet or other conductive surfaces. DO NOT SET A POWERED
UNIT “CONTROLS UP” ON A METAL (or any) SUR-
FACE WITH THE BOTTOM REMOVED!
Congratulations on your choice of MESA/Boogie and welcome to the MESA Family! The same passion for excellence, commitment to quality and dedication to customer satisfaction is present in each and every product we make in our one- and-only shop in Petaluma, California, U.S.A.
Rest assured that the very same people that hand-build the finest amplifiers in the world built your pedal and you have access to the same resources for help that all our customers do. Call on us anytime and enjoy!
TONE BURST™
The TONE BURST offers a virtually transparent gain range usually associated with devices in the Clean Boost category. There is enough additional gain here to boost the signal of your guitar to the threshold of clip and beyond. If you are searching for an Overdrive device that can substantially boost your instrument’s gain, audition our GRID
SLAMMER™ or the more fully featured FLUX-DRIVE™ and THROTTLE BOX™ pedals.
The range of the GAIN control on the TONE BURST shines for helping single-note lines pop out of a dense mix or for adding edge and attitude to rhythm parts. You can also use the LEVEL control to introduce additional gain and push the first stage in your amplifier for a vintage-inspired clip.
This device features separate Tone controls for TREBLE and BASS regions and these can be used to color the boosted signal and further accentuate your boosted or showcased parts. If you don’t want additional frequency enhancement, simply set the Tone controls to 12:00 and the instrument’s signal will remain virtually unchanged and provide a nearly transparent boost.
FEATURES & CONTROLS
IN:
This ¼” phono jack is the Instrument Input for the device. Plug the Output of your guitar - or an upstream pedal’s Output - into this jack with a shielded cable of good quality. The input jack is a switching type jack and the circuit is activated by inserting a cable (even with the footswitch off). Once plugged in, the internal battery is being used to power it – so be sure to unplug the cable from the INPUT when it’s not in use.
NOTE: The internal battery is switched to an “ON” state
(drawing voltage) by a switching element in the INPUT jack.
To prolong battery life, disconnect the cable from the ¼”
INPUT jack whenever the unit is not in use.
NOTE: If you wish to leave the INPUT connected permanently – as in a pedal board scenario – it is advisable to power the unit with an external 9V power supply. When an external (plug-in) AC 9-volt power supply is used to power the unit, the DC jack on the pedal automatically disconnects the battery to avoid battery wear and preserve its useful life. If you are going to use external AC power either for long periods or permanently in a pedal board set-up, remove the internal battery to prevent (forgotten) battery corrosion.
OUT:
This 1/4” phono jack is the OUTPUT for the device.
Connect the OUTPUT to the Input of your amplifier - or the
INPUT of the next device in line in your pedalboard.
NOTE: A Word on Cables… Always use shielded instrument cables of the best quality and shortest length possible when connecting these types of devices. This will minimize degradation of your sound, particularly high frequency roll-off, due to the added capacitance in longer lengths of cable. We recommend no more than 18-20 feet total (Input and Output combined) between your instrument and the termination at the INPUT of the amplifier. If you must use longer cable lengths, you might consider the use of a Buffer or Line Driver to keep the tonal integrity intact. While these change the sound slightly, it will usually be preferable to top end roll-off. And yes – those little 4” interconnects count too, so count them in your cable length.
The high range of the GAIN control (1:30 – 5:30) offers the most useful and varied boost and drive options. For chording, this region adds bite, attack and punch. For single notes, higher GAIN settings add cut and help solos stand out in a mix. For any style, this range pushes the amplifier’s input past the threshold of clip.
LEVEL:
This is the master output level and it controls the amount of signal provided to the host amplifier. It can be used either to balance levels to compensate for high GAIN settings - so that no jump in level occurs when switched out of BYPASS. Another application is higher LEVEL settings to purposefully send a hotter signal to the host amp and “slam” the input stage for increased clip, drive or gain.
BASS:
This control works in tandem with the TREBLE control to adjust low frequencies. Set low (7:30 – 12:00) the sound will be skinny, tight and percussive. The higher range (12:00 – 5:30) introduces rich, full low end that rounds out the sound and adds low-end thump. Heavier pick attack with higher BASS settings may produce a slower, less articulate feel as you “drag around” the extra lows.
GAIN:
This control determines the amount of gain (overdrive) in the signal path.
Set low (8:00 – 11:00) is the least useful of the GAIN control’s range. Low GAIN settings will require the LEVEL control be increased dramatically to achieve unity gain compared to the pedal bypassed.
The middle range (11:00 – 1:30) offers subtle and tasteful increases of boost and gain. GAIN settings in this range can add a dynamic punch that keeps notes expressive and tight. This works well for both Rhythm and Solo work across many styles of music.
TREBLE:
This control adjusts the amount of high frequencies present in the mix and – unlike devices with just a
TONE control - allows you to fine tune the high frequencies separately from the low frequencies. The TREBLE control makes up half of a more comprehensive tone control circuit that offers greater flexibility over the entire frequency spectrum. Set low (7:30 – 12:00) the sound will be darker, more rounded and seemingly compressed. The upper range of the TREBLE (12:00 – 5:30) brings in the cut, bite and more open top-end to create a sound that is bright, tight and aggressive.
AC POWER:
This standard female DC Receptacle on the pedal is the External Power Supply Jack and it accepts the male plug from a standard 9-Volt “wall-wart” AC power supply. When installing your unit into a pedal board utilizing a universal power supply (multi-output pedal board power
supplies), connect the external power source here. The internal battery is automatically disconnected by a switching element in the External DC Receptacle on the pedal.
However, if you know you will not be using battery power for an extended period – for example, if you are mounting the unit to your pedal board permanently - it is wise to remove the battery to avoid possible damage from long-term battery corrosion.
INTERNAL BATTERY: ment.
This unit can operate on either a
9-Volt battery or a standard 9-Volt “wall-wart” power supply. The unit is shipped from the Factory with a long-life 9-Volt Battery to facilitate easier trial demonstration in a music store environ-
NOTE: The internal battery is switched to an “ON” state (drawing voltage) by a switching element in the INPUT jack. Disconnect the cable from the ¼” INPUT jack whenever the unit is not in use to prolong battery life.
SPECIFICATIONS:
• Dimensions (W/D/H): 2.87” x 4.77” x 2.28” (73mm x
122mm x 58mm)
• Weight: 0.802lbs (364g) with battery, 0.702lbs (319g) without battery
• True Bypass Switching
• Battery Type: 9VDC (one)
• Power Consumption (Current Draw): 9VDC/15mA
• AC Adapter (Optional): Power Jack 2.1mm x 5.5mm,
9VDC with Negative Center (Regulated Recommended)
• Input Impedance: 2M Ohm (500k Ohm minimum)
• Output Impedance: 10k Ohm
SAMPLE SETTINGS:
TRANSPARENT BOOST
SMOOTH SOLO
BATTERY REPLACEMENT:
To access the 9-Volt battery for inspection, replacement or removal; make sure the External Power Jack is disconnected, remove the four Phillips-head screws from the four corners of the bottom lid and remove it.
Note the orientation/direction of the battery and terminals and replace it in the same position.
NOTE: Any type of 9-Volt battery will work in this device if it is fully charged and functional. Carbon Zinc, Alkaline or even
Nickel Cadmium Rechargeable type batteries are all acceptable replacements. Some pedal aficionados prefer the “sweetness” they claim to hear from standard Carbon Zinc type batteries, but you will have to decide what type best serves your needs.
SAMPLE SETTINGS:
PUSHED RHYTHM
OLD SCHOOL
USER SETTINGS:
®
®
