Ace and VDL unleash the Hotbird

Skunk Anasie guitarist Ace has teamed up with Italian boutique pedal manufactur VDL Analogics to create the Hotbird distortion, drive and fuzz pedal.

The all-analog pedal covers a huge range of tones, from nasty retro fuzz all the way through to super aggressive modern distortions. Watch Ace explain all about the pedal below:

For more information visit the official Hotbird website.

Hotbird press release

After months of top secret experimentation in a workshop in Italy, VDL Analogics in conjunction with Ace from Skunk Anansie have created something really special to stomp on...

Now unveiled and available to the general public comes the 'Hot Bird' Distortion, Drive and Fuzz!

An all singing, all dancing powerhouse of infinite tones, the Hot Bird fulfils many desires of the tone hungry guitarist, from warm rich subtle drives to fat over the top filthy fuzz.

There are knobs galore and switches to create loads of really awesome custom and uniquely personal sounds with many variations of overdrive, distortion and retro fuzz.

The 'Hot Bird' boasts and all analogue circuitry and custom boutique etched housing which makes it a sound and design classic from the off.

After much research and experiment of drive and fuzz units, Ace honed in on what made the ultimate drive and tone, rich in harmonics to suit his acclaimed live and recording guitar sound.

At a chance meeting on tour he was introduced to Valerio Di Loreto of custom analogue studio gear makers VDL. Valerio also made pedals and the friendship was sealed. They worked together for months on the requirements of the sounds the 'Hot Bird' was to produce and the artwork of the casing that was to represent it.

Ace says, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. "Don't just let me rattle on like a spod telling you how much I love it and how it's going to change your life. Plug it in, on step on it and experience it for yourself. I'm sure you won't be disappointed."

“A fantastic feature of this pedal is that it still retains the original character of the guitar when it´s applied. A Strat still sounds like a Strat, a Tele still sounds like a Tele!”