Red Witch has unveiled its latest stompbox, the Euphemia – a sample hold filter pedal that can also deliver the 'notched' guitar tones of Carlos Santana and Brian May.
For the uninitiated, a sample and hold pedal takes a series of snapshots of an input signal, with the signal ‘frozen in time’ until the next snapshot. What that creates is a warbling, synthy effect that throws bubbling, randomized frequencies out through your amp.
Frank Zappa's Ship Ahoy will give you an idea of the kind of effect the pedal is going for as it draws from the sonic tamperings of two '70s pedals, the Maestro FSH-1 and Oberheim VCF-200.
Both those pedals fetch a tall price on the second-hand market, and while the Euphemia isn't exactly a budget alternative, it still comes out cheaper and vies to seduce players with its modernized magic and improved functionality.
Typically, sample hold filters offer control the speed of the effect's shift, which here comes from the Velocity control. However, the Euphemia bolsters its scope with via three additional controls.
The Mix control is self-explanatory, detailing the balance between wet and dry, but elsewhere things get a little kookier. Its Frequency dial lets players point the effect towards lows, mids, or highs specifically, while an Aggression control cranks up its psychedelic weirdness from mellow and maniacal.
Turning the Aggression fully clockwise engages a bandpass filter mode, with which the guitar's tone can be tethered to a particular frequency for the notched EQ sound.
Red Witch founder and designer Ben Fulton says it's a unique sound that Carlos and Santana have both enjoyed, adding that it's “a fantastic tone to have at your disposal.”
“I've always loved the sound of sample hold filters,” he adds. “The only issue is that they're a bit of a tone trick pony. A fantastic trick, for sure, but there's never been much to experiment with other than adjusting the speed.”
As such, he believes the Euphemia’s “unique, controllable parameters open the doors to a lot more versatility, creativity, and otherworldly sounds.”
A mere 59 Euphemia pedals will be made, with each unit numbered, and hand-signed by Fulton. They’re priced at $349 each.
Its release follows on from another limited edition run, with the Falcor chorus pedal created as a tribute to Fulton's late father.
Head over to Red Witch for more information.
