Catalinbread Formula 5F6 Classic Tweed Bassman Foundation Overdrive Pedal

The Catalinbread Formula 5F6 Classic Tweed Bassman Foundation Overdrive Pedal is a take on the classic tweed Bassman-style amplifier from the late 1950s. The Formula 5F6 adds vintage tweed Bassman response to the brand's range of Foundation Overdrives, giving you the awesome characteristics of this classic amp into any clean amp. Adding Formula 5F6 to your rig will solve all these problems and will become the foundation of your pedalboard, the pedal that will enhance the response of all your other pedals.

Gain Knob

The Gain knob controls the gain, but circuit-wise, it is identical to the Bright Volume control on the tweed Bassman. So, turned down low, you will get those great sparkly cleans, turned up midway or so, and you will get that elusive touch-sensitive response where you can play clean or dirty just by varying your picking attack. And cranked up, you will get the gain structure of a Bassman on 12, thick and overdriven, but still sounding very California. Unlike the amp, turning the Gain down does not turn off the sound.

Volume

This is the master volume that controls the output of the pedal. The lower you set the Gain knob, the higher you would want to run the Volume. For the best clean and on edge-of-breakup response, turn the Volume up and start with the Gain control at a minimum and then slowly bring up the Gain control to the desired response. This will give you the most authentic Bassman experience! For best results, the pedal should be set to be slightly louder when on compared to bypass.

Presence Trimpot

There is a trimpot (accessible by removing the bottom plate) that allows you to fine-tune the amount of presence or high treble frequencies that the pedal produces. It is factory set to provide the best tone in most circumstances. However, everyone has different guitars, amps, and tastes, so we have given you control over the final brightness of the pedal. We recommend that you don't adjust the presence trimpot until you've spent a good amount of time with the Formula 5F6 in your rig.

Mode Switch

It is time to talk about the Secret Lead mode! There is a switch inside that switches between Stock Bassman and Secret Lead mode. It will transform Formula 5F6 from vintage low-gain goodness into a fire-breathing monster from California. The gain gets pushed up, and the tone stack is reconfigured to a new voice that has a bright edge with plenty of fullness. The mode switch can be accessed by removing the four screws of the bottom plate. It is located at the top corner of the pedal. It's a tight fit to get fingers in there, so a small flat-blade screwdriver can be used to access the switch.

Guitars

Like the actual amp, the Formula 5F6 is responsive to the type of guitar you’re playing into it. If you are playing vintage-style Fender guitars, you will get the classic Fender into Fender tone, and the tone will stay cleaner longer as you turn up the Gain knob. If you’re playing a humbucker or other higher-output style of pickup, the F5F6 will break up sooner on the Gain knob. But you’ll always be able to get cleans by turning your guitar’s volume down! 

Amplifiers

The Formula 5F6 works best in a tube guitar amp set relatively clean and neutral. However, it can work great to further overdrive an amp that is already overdriven as well, although this was not its design intention. If you are running a Fender-style amp, try setting the tone controls as follows Treble 6, Middle (if your amp has it) 6, Bass 3, and Volume between 2-4. This is generally the best response from a Fender amp and the basic settings used in the development lab when voicing the pedals.

Power Supply

You can power your Formula 5F6 with any quality power supply designed for use with effects pedals. The output should be a negative tip DC from 9 to 18 volts. If you want more volume, headroom, and percussive attack, try running an 18-volt power supply. A 9-volt power supply will have a slightly softer sound that saturates more easily. It is like the difference between a 50-watt and a 100-watt amp. You can also try a battery that is drained down to as little as 3-4 volts to get an even softer sound that is great for late-night jam sessions when you don't want to wake anyone up.