Greek pedal maker Crazy Tube Circuits has unveiled the Heatseeker – a threefold amp-in-a-box pedal that promises to nail Angus Young’s guitar tone.
But, to go one step further, it also boasts a preamp and an additional dynamic enhancer circuit inspired by the Schaffer Vega Diversity wireless system – a cult piece of vintage gear that was championed by the likes of AC/DC, Kiss, Pink Floyd, and more throughout the mid-1970s.
In fact, Metallica’s Kirk Hammett would later use a replica on 72 Seasons, calling it the “secret weapon” of the band's Grammy-nominated LP.
So, expect a pedal that “features the most important sonic elements to match the tone of the short-pants-rock-God”, but one that looks to throw extra versatility into the mix.
CTC adds that, while the pedal’s blueprint was all about capturing the tonal magic of early AC/DC, the pedal can go far beyond it, too, with the Schaffer/Marshall-inspired circuitry supposedly also capable of producing Van Halen, Kiss, and Peter Frampton-flavored tones.
As the mastermind behind the new stompbox explains, the Schaffer system went beyond simply freeing guitarists from cables. Instead, its preamp helped tighten up low-end frequencies with a slight accentuation for the mids, while its in-built Dynamic Expansion circuit “enhances the dynamic response and harmonics of the signal”.
That, as a result, “gives punch and attack to ensure that it will cut through the mix”.
Going one step beyond simply integrating that circuit into Heatseeker’s innards, CTC has linked it to an Enhance knob to give players “more control over the guitar tone’s dynamic response”.
Setting it at 10 o’clock promises “extra sparkle” and maxing it out brings “even the most dull and colorless sounds” to life.
A smart switching circuit is said to follow the signal path and respective gain stages tuned for each amp, with a Marshall-style EQ – that’s Bass, Middle, and Treble augmented by Master, Presence, and Volume controls – giving tone-tweakers plenty to experiment with.
Elsewhere, the Master Volume packs enough output to double as a preamp, and it can be plugged into a clean power amp, or direct into DAWs to make demos pop.
CTC does, however, note that the pedal does not offer any speaker emulation circuitry, so when going into a DAW, you’ll still want some kind of cab emulation.
A further new addition to CTC electronics is the Heatseeker’s Wall of Sound circuit, which creates “thundering lows and thickening high mid frequencies” by tuning the amp section of the pedal.
As such, the firm talks up a level of projection that is akin to standing in front of a wall of 4x12 cabinets. It is a very bold claim, but it’s one that CTC is distinguished enough to make. After all, this is the firm behind Joe Bonamassa's favorite pedal of 2024, having already delivered the sound of Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here in pedal form.
“In combination with the tube power amp simulation and the enhance circuit of the right section we’ve made sure that the pick attack will be as dynamic as it gets,” says CTC. “The softer picking will produce clean and slightly crunchy sounds, hard picking will give explosive distorted sounds.”
The Heatseeker is rounded out with a passive effects loop for pedalboard integration, while the two different amp/preamp sides can be run independently.
The Heatseeker is available now for $279.
Visit Crazy Tube Circuits for more details.
The firm's stock has been on a meteoric rise in recent years, with founder and tube amp obsessive Christos Ntaifotis telling Guitarist how his love for collecting amps has inspired one of the most exciting stompbox brands in the world.
