Walrus Audio makes some pretty incredible effects, from straightforward rock boxes to off-the-wall Fuzz/Tremolo 2-In-1 units, and a bunch of cool stuff in between. Their first offering of a usually simple pedal is unorthodox and ballsy as well, as we’ve come to expect from Colt and Company. The Plainsman is a Clean Boost, but with a few twists and turns along the way. Here goes…
This gray little box is tiny, a perfect fit for any pedalboard that is lacking in free real estate space, and should be able to squeeze into an crevice or cranny you need it to. There’s a Volume control knob, which does what you hope it would do, but there’s an added bonus: a toggle switch where you can select the amount of decibels in the boosted signal. +8dB add just enough punch to get your signal working hard, and the +15dB sends it into orbit. A nice option to have depending on your current rig, as some players will need a lot of boost to get through a long signal chain, while others may just need a bit of a push to cut through the mix, or get their amp nice and warm.
There’s a Tone control knob as well, which is your basic EQ for the boosted signal, but yet again, there’s another option to behold. A second toggle allows you to either activate or kill the Tone function completely, and let your signal bypass the EQ. Again, not rocket science, but a nice option to have, and one not seen on too many boost pedals, at least that I’ve come across. And just for kicks, there’s a nice and bright Purple LED to let you know you’re in Boost mode, and the click-less On/Off footswitch makes for smooth and silent operation.
The Plainsman is a boost unlike any other I’ve seen, and it really does it’s job well. The added bonus options are a nice touch to an already great-sounding pedal, and it has a gnarly mountain goat graphic displayed on it’s cool, gray, matte finish. Perfect size-wise, sonically brilliant and not-tone-coloring at the same time, and pretty aesthetically pleasing, too. Thanks to Colt and Walrus Audio for sending us this great boost pedal to review, looking forward to seeing more great gear from you guys!
Submitted by Mike B, Website
