Wampler unveils the Pantheon Deluxe Dual Overdrive, doubling the drive circuits for 200 combinations of gain settings
One of Brian Wampler's most-loved designs is souped up with MIDI channel switching, dual I/Os, and two versions of his Blues Breaker-inspired overdrive circuit
Effects pedal R&D is not easy, particularly in the age when we are blessed with such a glut of pedalboard options. When presented with such a challenge, sometimes it’s best to simply go bigger and all in on a pedal that’s already served you well. That’s what Brian Wampler has done with his Pantheon overdrive pedal.
The Pantheon Deluxe Dual Overdrive sees Wampler double the fun with two independent Blues Breaker-inspired circuits and a suite of features to make it a practical and versatile source of sweet drive.
You can combine the channels, stack ‘em and swap the order around, and with dual inputs and outputs, there is the option to split the channels in a loop switcher, insert external effects or a whole pedalboard between them, or run a stereo signal to two different amps. The two channels are MIDI switchable, too.
Channel One is voiced as a classic Blues Breaker overdrive circuit, while Channel Two is a variation on the theme, giving it a whiff of the contemporary boutique drive. As ever with Wampler’s designs, you have got a lot of control over both channels, with the pedal’s amp-like controls setup complemented by features such as side-mounted Voicing and Gain Level switches.
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Each channel has controls for Volume, Gain, Treble and Bass, and there is a global Presence control – just like you might find on a guitar amp for adding a magic dusting of top-end magic. The Bass control is an active, Baxandall-style affair that is neutral at noon and offers huge control over the low-end response.
All in, Wampler says there are 200 combinations of gain settings here, with tones ranging from “organic creamy gain” to “gritty overdrive” and full-on saturation.
The Pantheon Deluxe is built in the US, takes a 9-18V DC power supply and draws 55mA, and it is available to order now, priced £269.
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See Wampler Pedals for more details.
Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars and guitar culture since 2005, playing them since 1990, and regularly contributes to MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitar World. He uses Jazz III nylon picks, 10s during the week, 9s at the weekend, and shamefully still struggles with rhythm figure one of Van Halen’s Panama.
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