Electro-Harmonix Hell Melter Advanced Metal Distortion Pedal with Level and Distortion Knob

Summon cult-classic, high-gain heavy metal tones. With its take on the cult-classic, chainsaw distortion pedal, the EHX Hell Melter takes distortion to its extremes. The Electro-Harmonix Hell Melter Advanced Metal Distortion Pedal features expanded controls and tonal capabilities, allowing the already in-your-face sound of the pedal to broaden by switching to more open clipping options and boosting the internal voltage for increased headroom, less compression, and more attack. Originally designed as the ultimate in high-gain tone, this world-famous distortion circuit is known for the death metal sounds of Sweden’s Entombed and the shoegaze wash of My Bloody Valentine. It’s even found a home in the rig of David Gilmour. The EHX Hell Melter’s expanded control set includes Gain and Level controls, and a powerful active EQ featuring with parametric mids for improved versatility. The Dry level control allows for blending your input signal for improved low-end when used with a bass or even blending in other distorted tones. Boost Footswitch engages an input gain boost and volume boost which is internally adjustable. The Normal and Burn switch toggles between the classic chainsaw sound and the more open clipping option. The output jack serves as the audio output for the Hell Melter while the input jack is the audio input to the Hell Melter. The level knob adjusts the overall output level of the Hell Melter. Turn clockwise for more output. More output is available than on the original chainsaw circuit. Switches between normal and burn modes, normal mode is the famous vintage chainsaw distortion sound. The burn mode is a custom modernized distortion sound, utilizing higher voltage rails and alternative clipping options. This results in a less compressed and more open distortion sound with a more pronounced attack. The distortion knob adjusts the amount of distortion and saturation, from a light grind to a roaring chainsaw. Turn clockwise for more distortion. The mid-level knob provides active boost or cut to the mid frequency with the frequency set by Mid Frequency knob. The middle position leaves mid frequencies flat. The high knob provides active boost or cut to high frequencies. The middle position leaves high frequencies flat. Tip the frequencies controlled by the high knob are slightly lower than a typical treble control allowing you to produce searing highs without a lot of treble harshness. To emphasize even higher treble frequencies turn the high knob below the middle position and increase the level knob to re-emphasize treble. The mid frequency knob adjusts the frequency boosted or cut by the mid-level knob. Turn the knob clockwise to increase the frequency. The low knob provides active boost or cut to the bass frequency range. The middle position leaves bass frequencies flat. Dry level mini knob adds clean, undistorted input signal to the output. As the knob is turned clockwise, the amount of dry signal increases. At the minimum position, no dry signal is mixed into the output. Tip, this is especially useful to maintain note clarity when stacking the Hell Melter with a dirty amp or another gain pedal. The gate mini knob removes unwanted hum by adjusting the noise floor threshold. The gate mutes the output jack when the signal at the input jack is below the threshold setting of the gate knob. As gate is turned clockwise, a louder guitar signal at the input jack is required to unmute the output jack. Set gate fully counter clockwise to disable. The boost level internal trimmer controls the additional volume added when boost mode is active. To access it, remove the 4 screws on the back plate of the Hell Melter and locate the trimmer next to the boost footswitch. Taking care not to touch the rest of the circuitry of the board, turn this trimmer clockwise using a small flat head screwdriver to increase the volume boost. At the minimum position boost mode provides no volume boost. In the boost footswitch and yellow led mode the footswitch engages boost mode adding extra gain at the input of the circuit and adjustable volume boost. In the Effect Footswitch and Red LED mode the footswitch engages or bypassed the effect. The LED lights when the effect is active the Hell Melter employs high quality buffered bypass. It comes with 9V power supply.