Strymon Sunset
Sunset gives you the best of the best classic overdrive circuits, custom voiced for instantly gratifying control over a huge range of sought-after tones. We studied six circuit types found in many truly timeless and iconic overdrive and boost pedals, and put our takes on all six of them into a single two-channel unit.
Sunset is really two customizable overdrive pedals, independently selectable and flexibly routable, designed and voiced for complementary tones when stacked. Six distinct circuits each feel and react differently in your hands, two at once, all in one convenient package. Push your amp any way you want, from transparent “more amp” to heavy saturated fuzz, and all the best places in between.
We are all familiar with the endless search for the ultimate overdrive pedal and the perfect tone. We did the critical listening and custom voicing to design each side of Sunset with just one tone knob, so you can quickly dial in the sound you want. The knob ranges for each circuit type are custom calibrated to provide maximal usable control. We applied the same design philosophy and care to the stacking options, ensuring each combination interacts optimally and sounds great, so a huge range of classic overdrive tones are instantly achievable.
The Ge overdrive combines the softer response of germanium diodes with a parallel path that blends in the dry signal as the Drive is lowered. At higher gains the lower-mid range frequencies are emphasized to create a tight, thick response. This overdrive really fattens up single coil pickups, and responds with a bold push when paired with humbuckers.
The Texas overdrive employs a single stage soft-clipper configuration that is filtered before and after the gain stage to create a smooth and dynamic overdrive. The original signal dynamics are retained as the gain is increased – perfect for playing the blues or just fattening up your sound with a signature mid range bump.The 2stage overdrive combines a soft-clipping stage followed by a hard-clipping stage, creating a complex overdrive with a wide range of gain. Its EQ structure preserves the low end while adding some muscle to push your amp. This overdrive can easily take you from lightly clipped to beefy saturation.
The Hard overdrive uses a single-stage hard-clipping circuit that has a ton of available gain, approaching fuzz territory with the Drive knob maxed. At lower gains, mildly clipped transparent tones are achieved with this versatile drive. The wide-ranging Tone knob lets you shape the top end from smooth to buzzy.The Treble type is a treble booster that removes the low frequencies as the Tone knob is turned up – great for tightening up an overdriven amp, or driving another gain pedal that’s a bit looser on the low end. Turning the Tone knob down brings in the low end, making for a versatile all-around boost.
The JFET type is a clean boost that subtly beefs up your signal with the dynamics and responsiveness created from the JFET front end. As you turn up the drive, the signal gets rounded and warmer. This is a great option when your amp just “needs a little extra.”