Description
From Jackson Audio:
The Mateus Asato Signature Pedal, the ASABI, is a distortion and overdrive pedal that contains a HUGE array of tones and is also the world’s first pedal to feature analog distortion plug-ins!
To keep things interesting on your pedalboard, we developed the technology to create replaceable distortion plug-ins so you can swap the distortion circuit in the ASABI without having to buy a completely new pedal! Because we all like to try out new pedals, these affordable plug-ins allow you to buy the pedal once and update it with new plug-ins all the time!
The name ASABI, which means, “of unusual birth” was chosen by Mateus because it speaks to the unique nature of this pedal, as well as his own family heritage. Keep reading below to learn more about how the ASABI can bring your tone to life in new and creative ways!
STOCK DISTORTION OVERVIEW
The stock distortion plug-in of the ASABI is called the MODERN HIGH GAIN and is a high-gain, hard-clipping circuit that is based on the Marshall JCM800. Because of this, the resulting tone is very open, crisp and addictingly fun to play! Everything from 80’s hard rock to more modern high gain tones can easily be found in the ASABI!
TRUE ANALOG PLUG-INS
The most groundbreaking feature of the ASABI, is that we developed the technology to create true analog distortion plug-ins! These plug-ins allow you to completely change the distortion circuit in the ASABI without having to buy a completely new pedal! These are not software updates that load a different preset; they are completely analog circuit boards that contain all the opamps, transistors, diodes, resistors and capacitors that make up a distortion pedal!
The ASABI comes preloaded with the MODERN HIGH GAIN plug-in. This plug-in harnesses the power and gain of the legandary JCM800 amplifier and puts it into pedal form! Depending on where the GAIN knob is set, the MODERN HIGH GAIN plug-in will do everything from classic rock to the heaviest rock known to man!
Because we all like to try out new pedals, these affordable plug-ins allow you to buy the pedal once and update it with new modules all the time!
DISTORTION PRESETS
The ASABI allows for 4 different presets of clipping diodes which themselves drastically alter the tone and feel of the way the distortion clips.
To select a clipping preset, press and hold the DIST footswitch for more than 1 second and the clipping program mode will become active. When in this mode, the DIST led will flash to indicate that you are in programming mode. A quick tap on the DIST footswitch will cycle the clipping presets and you’ll be able to hear these presets change as you cycle through them, assuming that the drive circuit was active when the clipping program mode was entered. Once you arrive at a distortion preset that you want to use, press and hold the DIST footswitch for more than 1 second and clipping program mode will exit.
Preset 1 – AMBER: Guv’nor Style. Two LED’s are used to symmetrically clip the top and bottom portions of your guitars waveform evenly. The LED’s allow MUCH higher headroom so your tone will stay more open and less compressed much like a vintage Marshall.
Preset 2 – GREEN: 808 Style. Two symmetrical silicon diodes give the classic drive and compression that the 808 is known for.
Preset 3 – BLUE: ASYMMETRIC HIGH GAIN. Three asymmetric diodes (two silicon and one LED) will clip the top and bottom portions of your guitars waveform differently resulting in a more complex and interesting tone. This sounds great when laying down aggressive rhythm parts!
Preset 4 – MAGENTA: SYMMETRICAL HIGH GAIN. Four symmetric silicon diodes will clip the top and bottom portions of your guitars waveform evenly which gives a more focused and direct tone.
Changing clipping diodes are a great way to radically change how a distortion pedal sounds and feels but oftentimes the change that you perceive has more to do with a change in volume than an actual change in tone….until now!
When we were designing the ASABI we knew we wanted to give the distortion section a lot of tonal flexibility and most importantly make that flexibility useful on stage. So when changing clipping presets we included circuitry that level matches the output of the pedal as various clipping diodes are selected. So now you can select between all four clipping options, your volume level will remain constant. More importantly, the difference that you hear between the clipping presets will be because of the difference in how those clipping diodes sound and not because your volume is jumping all over the place as it does with other designs.
GAIN CYCLE
GAIN CYCLE takes the GAIN knob setting, which selects your maximum gain, and divides that level of gain into 4 equal parts. Say for instance you have your GAIN knob set at the maximum setting or in other words, 100% gain. Every time you press both footswitches simultaneously, the gain of the pedal will jump up 25% until you get to 100%. The following press after 100% will cause the gain cycle to start again at 25%.
TIP: Set the GAIN control to around 3:00+ to have 4 distinct distortion settings as you cycle through the gain!
My goal with the GAIN CYCLE feature is to allow guitarists to easily ramp their gain up without having to bend down and change it or try to adjust it with the edge of their foot while playing live. Here’s a perfect use case!
Let’s assume the GAIN control is set to 100%
Verse 1 – Gain cycle set at 25% – Lightly distorted tone.
Press GAIN CYCLE
Chorus – Gain cycle set at 50% – Distinct distorted tone.
Press GAIN CYCLE
Bridge – Gain cycle set at 75% – Heavy distorted tone.
Press GAIN CYCLE
Solo – Gain cycle set at 100% – Heavily saturated distorted tone!
TIP: Add the DRIVE to push the overdrive even harder for endless sustain!
It’s important to remember that GAIN CYCLE setting #4 (100%) will be as much gain as you have the GAIN knob set for. Think of the GAIN knob on the ASABI as your maximum gain with each GAIN CYCLE setting being a percentage of that maximum value.
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