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In the late 1970's the overdrive pedal was arguably perfected when Japanese engineers designed the sound that we now know as the heart and soul of so many of our favorite artists, recordings and sounds. Players ranging from The Edge, Trey Anastasio, Buddy Guy, Kirk Hammett, John Mayer, SRV, Carlos Santana and thousands more from every possible genre have utilized and depended on this classic iconic green box. If a single effect pedal was chosen to board a Voyager 3 mission and be solely responsible for showing the universe the sound of overdrive, it would undoubtably be Tube Screamer. It is probably the most produced and sold pedal in the history of guitar pedals! The Bonsai is our tribute to one of the greatest pedals ever created.
Following in the steps of our Muffuletta (released 2015), the Bonsai utilizes a simple rotary knob to switch through nine classic, vintage, rare, or hard to find variations of the Screamer. Creating the Bonsai became an archeological dig of sorts that sent us deep into the history of this circuit by examining dozens of versions, variations and replications. At the end of it all, Josh chose nine of his personal and favorite units and we painstakingly replicated every nuance and aspect of each pedal. One of the most challenging parts of this project was accounting for component drift as many of these pedals were decades old and the internal components had strayed from their original values. Each pedal was individually replicated using our Audio Precision analyzer and various other methods that allowed us to perfectly replicate every aspect of the sound and feel of the unit. It's important to know that the Bonsai is not a "box of mods," it is exact replications of these nine units all housed in one box! The Bonsai is exact replication, not emulation. When you choose a mode on the Bonsai rotary, you are actually activating components specific to each mode and playing the unit that Josh chose along with all the quirks, drift, vintage mojo, and individuality that a vintage pedal has.
Here at Sound Pure we hand-select used and vintage pieces of gear for our inventory. Our used selection always reflects the high standards of quality and craftsmanship that we expect from all of our manufacturers. We are a small team of dedicated experts, located in Durham, NC. We buy, trade, and consign instruments that we truly believe in. Because of this, we have developed a reputation of quality and trust with our customers, located all over the world. Our best customers are the ones that truly understand our personal touch and commitment to everything we sell, and range from hobbyists and enthusiasts to some of the biggest names in the business. Our passion bridges the products we love with the real relationships we develop with our customer - whether they are a lifelong musician, or they are just getting started on their musical journey but care about value, quality, and being treated right.
We vigorously test everything we take in to ensure authenticity, functionality, and reliability. We are supported by one of the most well-respected luthiers in the Southeast, guaranteeing products that come in are thoroughly vetted, and that products that go out our in premium, performance- ready shape. We are so confident in our ability to provide the highest quality music equipment in the industry, we even invented our “Try Before You Buy” program where we can ship out a product before collecting actual payment.
Sound Pure's inventory is constantly changing, ever-evolving, with some items sold before reaching the website. Looking for something specific? Have questions about this product's condition or history? Want more photos, or to simply chat with an expert who's had his hands on this actual piece of gear? It is truly our pleasure to talk with our customers, please do contact us now.
CONTROLS
VOLUME - Controls the output volume. Left is less volume, right is more.
TONE - Controls the tone of the pedal. Right is brighter, left is darker. The Tone control is disengaged on the OD-1 setting.
DRIVE - Controls the amount of overdrive. Right is more, left is less.
VERSION SELECTOR - This knob selects between the 9 different versions.
VERSIONS
OD1 - Overall, a brighter and slightly higher gain mode that does not utilize the Tone knob. This mode inverts signal just like the original, and it has asymmetrical clipping. The OD-1 is magical at boosting other drives or amps into singing saturation.
808 - The classic low gain with that signature pronounced midrange.
TS9 - Nearly identical to the TS-808, but with a midrange pushed slightly lower.
MSL - Though metal is in the name, this doesn’t quite inspire the modern metal/djent sound you may be expecting. Still, it has a higher gain sound with more low end, and an overall gooier feel.
TS10 - Made famous by John Mayer, this model from the late ’80s is a slight upgrade from the TS9. Bluesy and crisp, it has more low end roll off and low gain.
XR - The EXAR is a Polish made TS-style pedal that has a slightly different drive character with a little more gain than the classic Screamers, as well as a slightly more transparent feel.
TS7 - The hot mode on this version gives you the highest gain sound in the Bonsai. More low end and dirt fill out the tone. You’re now free to shred away.
KEELEY MOD PLUS - Robert Keeley’s classic mod tightens up the tone on the original, giving you smoother mid range, high frequencies, and increased bass response.
JHS STRONG MOD - Our own mod we’ve been doing since 2008, it is much cleaner and, overall, more powerful. The mode has more pronounced high and low end drop offs.
POWER - Uses 9V DC Negative Center. Do not use more than 9V DC. Your warranty will be voided. 100mA max consumption.