Caroline Guitar Company Wave Cannon MkII Superdistorter

I immediately noticed some funky graphics, odd switches and absolutely ZERO labeling of the controls on the Wave Cannon MkII Superdistorter when I pulled it out of the box, so I instantly knew I was onto something special. If nothing else, the hand doing the rock/devil/whatever sign as a label for one of the control knobs told me I was in for a treat, and this pedal did not disappoint.

The Volume, Gain and Tone controls were relatively easy to figure out, as they should be for anyone who’s ever played an overdrive or distortion pedal. The rest of the knobs and switches, however, were not as easy to identify, making the Wave Cannon MkII all the more interesting. After finding and consulting an online manual, I realized that these controls were not traditional in any way, shape or form, and that this pedal was going to require a little finesse and exploration.

The fourth knob here is called Focus, which is basically a mid-range only control. I like this aspect of the Wave Cannon, as there seem to be a lot of mid-range haters out there, and this knob lets YOU as the player decide how much or how little amount of mids you want present in your signal, rather than it being predetermined for you. The more options the better, in my opinion. There’s also a mysterious toggle switch, which I came to learn was called Rumble, and is simply a low end booster. This switch allows for a vast sonic conspiracy to unfold, even more so when dialed in with the other controls.

A lot of this pedal’s charm and wit is based on experimentation, which should be the basis of any good pedal, really. To further this experience, the Caroline Guitar Company has added yet another delicious option treat to this pedal: the Havoc footswitch. I’m not going to tell you I know exactly how it works, ’cause that would make me a giant liar – I just know that when you press it down in the midst of playing, it does some CRAZY tonal stuff, totally unpredictable and off-the-charts, which is just how I like it.

Wow. What a pedal! Crunchy, ballsy, distorted, warm, dynamic and luscious just scratch the surface to describe this powerhouse. Tons of options, thick tones and heavy, meaty leads come pouring out of this stylish and well-sized stompbox. If you come across one of these and you’re looking for a bit more power and bite, with a bunch of options and distortion for days, don’t hesitate to pick it up: you will NOT regret it!