Launched prior to the event, the ReVolt Guitar arrived alongside its ReVolt Bass counterpart, both of which offer a trio of classic amp sounds conjured up via a high-voltage, all-analog signal path headed up by a real 12AX7 tube.
Specifically, the ReVolt Guitar comes packed with amp sims inspired by the Fender Bassman 100, Marshall JMP Superlead and Soldano SLO 100, which are controlled by a pair of two-band and three-band EQs, depending on the amp selected.
As such, the pedal was on our radar even before the doors opened at the Anaheim Convention Center last Friday, and we quickly sounded out the Two Notes booth to get up close and personal with the tones of the ReVolt Guitar, which was demoed by Justin Bryant.
First up is a demonstration of the Bassman-esque American Clean – with and without the additional Boost control engaged – which showcases the warm grit and subtle break-up that the 12AX7 helps provide. Running at a high 200V, the preamp tube is responsible for injecting a healthy level of genuine tube amp feel and response to the pedal.
The equally impressive British Crunch and Modern Lead follow suit, with the former’s Marshall-style sounds ranging from faithful Plexi to hot-rodded AC/DC-esque, and the latter tapping into even harder, more saturated gains. Check out its impressive tones in the video above.
(Image credit: Two Notes Audio Engineering)
All of the sims that were put into the ReVolt G were modeled after their physical counterparts, which were studied in the Two Notes lab in France. A range of additional features, such as an FX Loop, headphone jack and Cab Sim switch for using the preamp pedal alongside Two Notes and third party DynIRs, also make the cut.
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“There’s a lot of yin and yang between digital modeling – which is what we’re known for – versus analog, and which one is better and more real,” says Bryant when introducing the ReVolt G. “There’s a certain thing that analog does if the circuits are designed well that has a responsiveness and a feel to it.
“We’re not necessarily known for this [type of product],” he continues, “but we wanted to do something that had a lot of thought and a lot of output in a simple package, and it’s all analog.”
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
