MARCH 2018 | www.bassgearmag.com
Manufacturer: Wampler
Website: www.wamplerpedals.com
Model: Low Blow
Made In: Martinsville, IN
Enclosure: Aluminum, 0.10” thick
Inputs: ¼” input, 9v-18v power
Outputs: ¼” output Other Features: Notch filter, Smooth or Jagged gain structure
Controls: Bass, Mid, Treble, Blend, Volume, Gain, bypass switch Battery Operation: Yes
Price: $209.97 Dimensions: 3.5” x 4.5” x 1.5” (88.9mm x 114.3mm x 38.1mm) – height excludes knobs and switches Warranty: Five-year warranty (original purchaser), and 30-day, “no questions asked” return policy
midrange and low-mids to create a familiar kind of complete rig, sans-amplifier, tonality. Favoring a lead-type distorted tone, I arrived at my favorite settings on the Low Blow with the Gain control at or below 2 o’clock in general, as venturing beyond this territory yielded more fuzz-like qualities than I am usually in the market for. I preferred to keep the notch filter bypassed, as I used the pedal through a full rig, although I can see it coming in very handy if recording direct without a mic’d cabinet in the mix. I favored the Smooth clipping mode for its perceived greater presence and upper harmonic content, with the Gain set at 1:30, Bass at 1:00, Mids at 9:30, Treble at 1:00, and Blend at noon.
A Challenger Appears Wampler’s got a real contender in the Low Blow (come on, with that name, you knew that was coming!). Not only does it deftly do what many other bass dirt devils do well, but it offers some additional functionality in its notch filter and dual Smooth and Jagged clipping modes that usually aren’t seen on pedals in this arena, allowing it to fill more than one need or niche in your pedal lineup and offering some added value. It may lean more towards the fuzz side of the spectrum than other challengers, but that could be just the tone you’ve been searching for. It’s certainly worth putting up against other bruisers in your local music stores’ stable. A domestically designed and built, versatile and malleable bass distortion pedal, the Low Blow offers some exception value for the underdog who’s ready to step into the ring get a little (or a lot) dirty.
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