TWA releases SH9 Scott Henderson signature distortion pedal
January 30, 2023 · 2 sources
TWA has released the SH9, a signature distortion pedal designed with Susumu Tamura and voiced to the specifications of Scott Henderson, the maker announced. Delicious Audio reported the release on January 30, 2023.
The pedal is a reworking of the Maxon SD-9 circuit, which TWA says Tamura invented in 1981. TWA describes the SH9 as its first signature model and its first collaboration with Tamura, who created the Tube Screamer. The maker says Tamura shifted the center frequency of the Tone control toward the lows and lower-mids, raised the output level, and added optional 18-volt operation for more headroom and less compression. The pedal uses a JRC4558 op-amp and true bypass switching, and is made in the USA.
TWA lists the SD-9's shortcomings, as players including Henderson found them, as a loss of low-end on high notes and a Tone control "that was basically unusable past the 9 o'clock setting." The SH9 is housed in a die-cast zinc chassis with a metallic purple powder coating chosen by Henderson. It comes with one of two faceplate screens: the SH9 logo in the lime-green color of the original SD-9, or an all-white screen with a replication of Henderson's signature.
"The SH9 is the best distortion pedal I've heard for live playing, and sounds equally great on the bridge and neck pickups."
TWA's product pages mark the SH9 as sold out. Godlyke states that, like all TWA pedals, the SH9 is made in a limited batch of 50 to 100 units, and that the company cannot predict when or if another batch will be made2. TWA also notes a 20 percent restocking fee on canceled orders, citing the pedal's limited nature and long lead times1.