The famous "tone knob" of our overdrive pedal... A knob full of promises that assures us of transitioning from a "warm and smooth" sound to a "piercing and aggressive" one ! Unfortunately, sometimes this isn't enough and the range of this knob doesn't suffice to achieve the desired sound. What if a way to avoid this and finely tune your sound has finally arrived ? Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the POST TONE of the RIDGE overdrive !
Shape your sound with the POST TONE
After discussing the PRE TONE, we'll delve into the POST TONE knob of your overdrive pedal. Although its function leads to a similar result, it differs from its counterpart. So, let’s see how it works !
The idea of an analog overdrive pedal being hyper-flexible and inspiring for the musician had to involve the presence of fine, precise, and flexible parameters. The POST TONE perfectly fits this description. It's an active EQ circuit, controllable by the musician, allowing for a wide range of adjustments. The POST TONE is an "augmented" version of the traditional tone. It's placed after the saturation stage of the RIDGE and has a larger action range to really adjust the sound at the pedal's output. When in the center position, it has no effect on your sound. Turn it left, your sound will swell with bass. Conversely, turn the POST TONE to the right and the sound will become brighter. The treble will become more pronounced.
Most traditional pedals have fixed filters and EQs placed before the saturation stage. It's this fixed parameter that gives each pedal its color, its sonic signature. However, because of this, the musician doesn't have the ability to modify how the pedal behaves and sounds. The only way to do this would be to have a specialist desoldering and changing certain components. The POST TONE is an original feature of KERNOM pedals making this possible. The RIDGE overdrive being a MIDI overdrive pedal, the user also has the possibility to save settings. This way, you have access to a wide variety of sounds thanks to this parameter. In the end, it is like having an infinity of different electronic circuits at your feet.
The POST TONE is made to sculpt your tone
As with its counterpart, the PRE TONE, there's no "right position" for the POST TONE. It's a very versatile parameter that has been developed to meet the needs and desires of musicians. Transforming your tone and giving it the desired aspect has never been easier. Here are a few examples to convince you if you're not already :
Each of the examples starts with a neutral POST TONE. It then oscillates from left to right to give you a clear idea of its action.
In my case, I tend to push the POST TONE to the right most of the time to bring out more treble and make my sound more defined. Playing through amps with prominent bass, this allows me to tame them and have a more biting sound. Needless to say, for crafting a rock sound and playing riffs, it's a huge help ! Of course, that's not the only use of the POST TONE. It will help you sculpt your sound and adjust the response with your amp. Take the time to experiment, to adjust this parameter on your overdrive pedal. Its impact on the final outcome is significant !
The POST TONE, a fully controllable feature
Once again, we'll talk about the expression pedal ! (If you don't see what I mean, you can find it here). Like all the other parameters of the RIDGE overdrive, you can control the POST TONE with an expression pedal. Thanks to MIDI functionalities, combine POST TONE and expression pedal to be able to manage your sound in real-time and adjust it as needed. With a simple foot movement, you can boost the bass or bring back the lost treble to your sound. Again, let yourself be guided by your ideas and your creativity ! Who knows what new sounds and ways of using your instrument you might discover ?
Now, tweak the POST TONE and create
In conclusion, the POST TONE is an important parameter of your overdrive pedal. It allows you to precisely adjust your sound thanks to its wide action range. You'll soon realize that there's not just one "sweet spot" but dozens waiting to be discovered ! Turn the knobs, explore new sounds, and don't hesitate to share your impressions with us.
I hope this post, like the previous ones, has inspired you to plug in your RIDGE or maybe to own one if it’s not already the case ! Subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss the next articles. Next time, we’ll tackle the features of the MOHO fuzz. See you soon!
by Anthony Barbier
Anthony is the person behind Kernom social media. If you’re searching for him, he will probably with a guitar in his hands, trying to find new sounds or behind his keyboard writing posts about our pedals.