SUNN O)))

Available for a limited time. Edition of 1000 Pedals.

We are honoured and pleased to announce the release of:

SUNN O))) Life Pedal

Sunn O))) and EarthQuaker Devices join forces to create Life Pedal. This is a limited, hand numbered, tube amp crushing octave fuzz and distortion with boost. Life Pedal empowers the operator to immerse themselves in the same full spectrum overdriven sonic palette as used on the “Life Metal” album.

In the writing sessions for “Life Metal” we worked extensively shearing our tones toward a broader energy spectrum over high powered saturation and across planes of sonic character, with the ambition to take full advantage of Steve Albini’s (the recording engineer for the album) exacting capture skills.

The results are astounding: there is breadth and luminosity of colour, vast sonic cosmoses, flashes of abstract colour (synthetic and objective) through resulting themes which emerged from the mastered depths of saturation and circuits between the two players and their mountains of gear.

The Life Pedal is designed to represent the core front end chain used in those sessions, to drive the tubes of the band’s multiple vintage Sunn O))) Model T amplifiers into overload ecstasy. This is a 100w tube amp full stack’s holy dream, or its apostate nightmare.

An octave fuzz inspired by the Shin-Ei FY2 & FY6 units leads the circuit into a LM308 chipped and brutal rodent big box distortion, recreated with the best components, and including a three-way clipping switch (op Amp, Asymmetric & Symmetric). Second stage is a purely clean boost to further overdrive the preamp tubes of your vintage system into -scaped harmonics, and feedback overtone bliss.

Chasms are cleared, mountains sheared, glaciers calved, novæ birthed. Transcend to complete saturation enlightenment.

Available for a limited time. Edition of 1000 Pedals.

LIFE PEDAL

Package includes deluxe box with numbered seal, SUNN O))) patch, rat sticker, and custom guitar pick

LIFE METAL [LP] + LIFE PEDAL

Bundle includes “Life Metal” 2xLP limited edition clear vinyl *, and full Life Pedal package

* Limited edition, now out-of-print clear vinyl, previously only been available on their North American tour. This double LP is bundled with the hand-numbered EarthQuaker Devices / SUNN O))) Life Pedal package.

Available for a limited time: https://reverb.com/lifepedal

What is it?

LifePedal is an octave distortion and booster built in a custom folded aluminum enclosure. It is faithfully modeled after the classic LM308 “White Face” distortion pedal, right down to the tantalum caps. The only modifications made to the original circuit are in the clipping section. The traditional circuit uses a single pair of silicon diodes for a tight, compressed crunch. The LifePedal introduces two additional clipping options to better adapt to different rigs. The first position is no diodes to allow for full, grinding Op Amp assault at maximum volume. The second position utilizes two silicon diodes and one LED in an asymmetrical clipping configuration. This delivers a slightly compressed and smooth crunch, similar to a valve amplifier. The last position is the stock double silicon diode configuration which provides that classic tone you know and love.

The Octave in LifePedal is an all-discrete, analog full-wave rectifier circuit built around a pair of Russian Germanium diodes. Located at the input of the circuit, the Octave control slowly blends in the octave effects as you turn it clockwise. Because this is an analog octave effect, it is monophonic and works best playing single notes above the twelfth fret while using the neck pickup. Playing chords with the analog octave will sound clanging and chaotic. Using the bridge pickup and playing below the twelfth fret will produce a very subtle octave effect. Going full Octave transforms LifePedal from a simple distortion device into a swelling, raging fuzz similar to the classic Super Fuzz!

The boost section of LifePedal is a simple all-discrete MOSFET booster designed to blast your preamp tubes and drive them wild. It is a 100% clean, no-nonsense, high impedance booster that adds very little color to your tone. It does not add distortion on its own but has plenty of output to push your amp into saturation.

The signal path goes Octave>Distortion>Boost. The octave distortion and booster can be used independently with their own respective foot switches. The Petrine Cross is the octave distortion and the Christian Cross is the booster.