Pigtronix has brought back its Philosopher’s Tone series of custom shop compressor/sustainer/distortion effects pedals in micro form, as the Philosopher’s Tone Germanium Gold Micro. Distributed ub the UK by JHS, the pedal takes the original PT optical sustain engine and mixes in a layer of germanium-enhanced distortion. The diode arrangement found in the pedal delivers a smooth top end and rich midrange response, tailored to match the characteristics of the optical sustainer driving it. The clean side of the Philosopher’s Tone’s retains its classic design and character; simply dial in the BLEND and VOLUME knobs to set the signal, then dial in the SUSTAIN knob to enjoy a noiseless, clean, everlasting sustain, previous unobtainable in compression pedals.
The GRIT control acts as a blend for the on-board germanium-enhanced distortion. Clean and overdriven tones can be blended with a single turn of the dial.
The stompbox features true-bypass switching for protecting the integrity of the tone when the effect is disengaged, and is powered by a standard 9VDC input.
Features:
- Noiseless clean sustain
- BLEND control for parallel compression
- GRIT control mixes in germanium distortion
- Standard 9VDC power input
- Internal 18V power for maximum headroom
- True-bypass switching
- Dimensions 3.75” x 1.5” x 1.75”
Looking Back on 2025: A Year of Controlled Chaos (Emphasis on “Controlled”)