Korg announces Nu:Tekt HS-2 Harmonic Distortion DIY kit pedal

May 12, 2023 · 3 sources

Korg announced the Nu:Tekt HS-2 Harmonic Distortion, a build-it-yourself pedal kit, in January 2023, according to Guitar World¹. Delicious Audio reported on the pedal on May 12, 2023². The pedal was developed by Fumio Mieda, described by Delicious Audio as "the original designer of many legendary KORG pedals and synths like the Univibe and the MS-20 Mini"².

The HS-2 combines three separate distortion circuits, adjusted with three trim pots labeled "Harmonic" that are accessible from the top of the case². Four main knobs on the top control other aspects of the tone². Guitar World lists those external controls as Volume, Tone, Gate and Gain¹. Delicious Audio says the trim pots let players produce "a wide range of tones from the classic to the atypical, ranging from distortion to fuzz and beyond"². Korg says the pedal is usable with guitar, bass guitar, synths and other instruments².

The kit is semi-assembled and does not require soldering, and it comes with the tools needed for assembly². It is part of the Nu:Tekt series, which Delicious Audio says launched with the OD-S overdrive². Guitar World reported that the HD-S was announced alongside the TR-S Power Tube Reactor, and that the Nutube mini-tube is found in the TR-S only¹. Delicious Audio, by contrast, reported that all pedals in the kit series feature Nutube, visible through a glass opening on the bottom left of the pedal².

On price, the accounts differ. Guitar World reported in January 2023 that there was no official US price¹. Guitar.com reported in May 2023 that the HD-S is available for purchase for around $250³.

Korg also cautions that turning the trim knobs forcefully beyond their designed range might damage them².