Catalinbread Formula No.55 Tweed Foundation Overdrive Pedal

The Catalinbread Formula No.55 Tweed Foundation Overdrive Pedal is the next generation 5E3 Tweed Deluxe-inspired foundation overdrive. The brand has painstakingly reproduced the preamp section of the classic tweed 5E3 amplifier in exacting detail, with the volume and tone circuit replicated part for part like a vintage 1950s Deluxe. All of the tonal characteristics of a small tweed combo but tuned to have the dynamic response of a big amp - woody and resonant. In place of tubes, the Formula No.55 utilizes JFETs configured for the most tube-like dynamic response and harmonic content. And just like a vintage 5E3, the volume and tone controls are interactive, giving you a wide palette of tones and pick responses to choose from. 

Master Volume Control

The Master volume control has a heaping helping of output on tap, allowing you to dial in a woody clean tone or to push your amplifier into overdrive all on its own.

Presence Control

The Presence control governs frequencies in the 5khz range allowing you to tune the top-end response to your particular pickups and amplifier.

Tone Control

The Tone control sounds and behaves just like it does on the actual Deluxe amplifiers. You will notice that as you wind up the Volume control that the Tone control’s influence becomes more subtle when the Volume is maxed out.

Volume Control

At lower Volume settings, you can set it at noon for the flattest response; to the left of noon for those smoky jazz cleans; or crank it up for more barking, greasy upper midrange tones that slice through the mix. The Volume control is essentially your gain control.

Modes

The Hi/Red mode is the raging, hot-rodded 12AX7 mode with more gain and saturation. You will notice that your pick essentially turns into a throttle of sorts. Lay off the attack, and it cleans up, but there’s always that potential for acceleration when you lay into it! The Lo/Green mode is lower gain overall - as if your amp were now sporting 12AY7 preamp tubes. It is cleaner and more immediate in the pick attack with more bounce when you are chord comping, but has that harmonic response.

Power Supply

You can power your Formula No.55 with a 9v battery or any good quality filtered and regulated 9-18vDC power supply with a center-negative tipped plug designed for use with effects pedals.