TranZformer GTR EQ/Boost Pedal Review

Guitar and Bass and Snare and What Else?

This is an EQ and overdrive guitar effects pedal that in my use is not limited to this only. It seems to marketed to pro and home users and is not in any way an answer to the recent UA pedal offerings.It is all analogue design distinctly transformer crunchy when driven as opposed to tube drive.... more fuzzy fizzy in overdrive mode than fat. This is not software or DSP. But it… read more gets fat through the eq section where it shines and which there is no bad setting allowing a good bit of latitude and interplay with tone options on the guitar/bass used with it. it is heavy duty built and easy to use with trademark finger delicious api knobs,,, so spin away and play it like the instrument it is. It will bring life to whatever passes through it. The 3 bands and curves are righteous for guitar and anything you can route through it tracking or mixing. I ran an sm 57 through a under $500 1073 clone treated with a clean boost about 3/4 in the 1.5Khz range and about 50% in the low and high for tracking a snare that just was just simply in my face. So many uses. beat the crap out of this thing. It s a tank. Without a guitar amp, this with a an active DI or preamp hi z is the tone section and the distortion section of my guitar and bass. I use it for tracking only but It sounds great through PA's with a DI or through amps inserted in an effect chain. Maybe a tiny bit pricey for what is actually inside but it sounds awesome and just the api knobs are worth the price of admission. There is no doubt much thought and intentional choices were made for EQ curves and areas treated with transformer saturation. Its just good clean and dirty fun. only small issue...the sticky oval shaped gel material api logo applied to the rear of the unit feels as if it may become a softened mushy mess in the humid climates; it cheapens the feel of the very solid unit and serves no functional purpose like the other graphics and control indications which are screen printed on the powder coated surface. I doubt it covers anything and I am tempted to just scrape it off before it becomes a goo gone thing which will take off paint. Also, serial numbers applied to the unit with a sticker don't count. It would be cool to see this unit produced in the (RED) color with proceeds for what I imagine would be humanitarian relief somewhere in need right now. A war torn country perhaps.

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Amazing EQ

I am a self confessed tweed amp guy. I own a 5E3 Deluxe Clone, a 5C1 Champ Clone, and a Pro Junior. These amps famously have little in the way of EQ and the API Transformer gives me all the EQ I will ever need. I primarily play a Jazzmaster and a Telecaster and they work well with the dark, smokey and brown tweed amp tones. I recently bought a used Godin LG P90 because I had a… read more P90 craving. I love the Godin but should have bought this pedal first. The EQ is so good that I can EQ the Jazzmaster to sound like P90s. I can bump the bass, crank the mids, and dim the treble and it's uncanny how close it sounds...and add the needed clean boost to match the P90 output. Also, the overdrive is perfectly acceptable too.

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A.P.I.

This is interesting by utilizing the EQ on the api pedal I'm able to enhance the tonal carecterisec of the singal pickup guiter so I use the equipment to cut out the harsh tones just living me with pure sonic goodness so the signal rout is guiter in bufer bost than eq I'm not using the over drive so perty good thanks

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Buy this pedal

I'll be honest, my board hand't changed in about 3 years and when I fell victim to an instagram add. I'm sure my FBI agent cross referenced producer with a few guitar hash tags. That being said, I'm honestly glad he did. This pedal was everything I hoped for in an EQ and more. There's no "bad" setting, just a wildly musical EQ that makes whatever guitar you play fall completely… read more in line with whatever tone shaping you can imagine. The preamp is basically like a good coach for your guitar signal. It helps you get the most out of whatever your doing and only colors your tone with awesome. I call the preamp section "Ted Lasso" because it has both brought me to tears and taught me things I never knew were possible. Bottom line: Buy this pedal. And watch Ted Lasso.

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