Crunchy Chime CC-1B - Booster

An evolved and updated version of the Final Booster, the Free The Tone Crunchy Chime CC-1B is a clean boost with an EQ section that will allow you to add dynamics and complexity to your sound.

Externally, the pedal adopts the same type of casing as the rest of the range, namely a very light and pleasant to the touch casing, with an anodized finish and a bronze-orange color. It does it! It is also manufactured, exceptionally, in Iwate prefecture and not in Yokohama, in order to support the local economy which suffered greatly following the events of 2011. We will appreciate the gesture!
On the front, there is a Boost button to adjust the level of the effect, a 2-band EQ (Bass, Treble) and a Mode mini-switch which allows you to extend the frequency spectrum by including very low frequencies for those who would like to use the Crunchy Chime with a 7-string guitar or bass.
Finally, let's remember, it's a Free The Tone, which means a completely original circuit developed from A to Z by the brand. No, it's not yet another lambda clone, but an original creation, as always with the Japanese brand.

You can use the Crunchy Chime before your drive pedals, to attack your pedalboard if you want to add a "breakup" to your audio chain. But we rather recommend that you use it at the end of the chain to gain clarity and to be able to correct your entire chain if necessary via the very effective on-board EQ.

Concretely, what does this booster bring you? It brings you a gain in volume, greater complexity in the sound by adding harmonic content, mainly at the top of the spectrum. It improves your dynamics and gives you faster response with clearer, more articulate notes. The majority of boosters on the market have a tendency to bring treble, tighten the low end and add too much shine to your sound. This is not the case with the Crunchy Chime, which is totally transparent and brings you harmonics, without that "bright" and dry side that other models of the genre can have. it doesn't distort your sound, it doesn't change it. It retains its original character while extending the frequency spectrum.
Some amps, including vintage amps, don't have enough headroom to allow for a wider frequency range and more harmonic content. This results in less compatibility with some pedals. That's why Free The Tone added 2-band EQ and 1/2 mode. With these additional controls, you can act on frequencies while maintaining a natural sound, as if you were not using EQ to make tonal adjustments or to boost/cut a specific part of the spectrum. Everything is “flat” at 12:00 p.m. You are free to adjust as you see fit depending on how your amp reacts.
Also, the Crunchy Chime embeds a premium buffer to maintain and consolidate your signal in complete transparency.

As always with the Japanese brand, the quality is impressive. Transparency, dynamics, musicality, our friends from Yokohama are cautious and focus on the little details that make all the difference.