The Caline DCP-09 Tigershark Distortion Gate is a distortion and noise gate combo pedal: a high-gain distortion and a gate sharing one enclosure. The distortion side is Caline's CP-77 Bounty Hunter Heavy Metal Distortion circuit, the same one found in the Caline CP-77 Bounty Hunter Heavy Metal Distortion, paired with a noise gate to keep the quiet parts quiet1. Pedal of the Day described it as a pedal that "combines all the crunch you need with the precision abilities to tame those tones"1.
What it does
The Tigershark produces what Pedal of the Day called "sweet and crushing distorted sounds"1. Because the gate is built in, it suits players who run high gain and need the noise between notes and during stops cleaned up without adding a separate noise gate pedal to the board. The reviewer's overall verdict was that "we come across a must-have combo for anyone that plays heavy music"1, placing it squarely in metal, stoner and doom territory.
The controls
The pedal keeps things simple: three knobs on the distortion side, one knob for the gate, and a single toggle switch1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Output level of the distortion side1 |
| Mid | Middle frequencies of the distortion side1 |
| Distortion | Amount of distortion on the distortion side1 |
| Noise | Sets the noise gate threshold; turn slowly until the buzz disappears1 |
| Toggle switch | Selects Classic or Extreme mode1 |
Classic and Extreme modes
The lone toggle switch changes the character of the distortion. As Pedal of the Day put it: "The Extreme setting here gives you a more open, modern and extreme sound, while Classic is a more compressed, vintage sound"1. In practice, Extreme is the tighter, more aggressive voice for modern heavy styles, and Classic leans softer and older-fashioned, which can suit stoner and doom playing.
Setting the Noise knob
The Noise dial sets the threshold of the gate. Pedal of the Day's advice is to "simply turn the Noise dial slowly until that buzz disappears"1. Raise it just far enough to silence the hum and hiss when you stop playing, without cutting off the natural decay of sustained notes.
Where it came from
Caline has a habit of combining two of its own effects into one enclosure, and the Tigershark follows that pattern: it takes the CP-77 Bounty Hunter Heavy Metal Distortion and adds a noise gate beside it1. Players who already know the CP-77's high-gain voice can think of the DCP-09 as that circuit with gating built in. Caline's wider range includes other distortion and overdrive pedals such as the Caline DCP-02 Brutus Distortion Overdrive, the Caline CP-515 Carmilla Distortion and the Caline G-001 Tiger Eye Distortion, alongside the Caline American Sound and Caline English Man preamp-style drives.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Jo Bass
Another Guitar Channel
Questions
Does the Caline Tigershark have a built-in noise gate?
Yes. The DCP-09 Tigershark is a distortion and noise gate combo pedal: the distortion side is built from Caline's CP-77 Bounty Hunter Heavy Metal Distortion circuit, and the gate is set with its own Noise knob. Pedal of the Day described it as combining all the crunch you need with the precision to tame those tones, and suggested turning the Noise dial slowly until the buzz disappears.
Is the Caline DCP-09 the same circuit as the CP-77 Bounty Hunter?
The distortion portion of the DCP-09 is Caline's CP-77 Bounty Hunter Heavy Metal Distortion, put into the same enclosure as a noise gate. So the distortion side follows the CP-77 circuit, while the pedal as a whole adds the gating function that the standalone CP-77 does not have.
What is the difference between Extreme and Classic mode on the Tigershark?
A lone toggle switch selects between the two modes. According to Pedal of the Day, the Extreme setting gives a more open, modern and extreme sound, while Classic is a more compressed, vintage sound. Players after a tighter, more aggressive voice will lean on Extreme; those wanting a softer, older-style response can use Classic.
How do I set the Noise knob on the Caline DCP-09?
The Noise dial sets the threshold of the built-in noise gate. Pedal of the Day's advice is to simply turn the Noise dial slowly until the buzz disappears. Set it just high enough to silence the hum and hiss between notes without choking the decay of your sustained notes.
Is the Caline Tigershark good for metal, stoner and doom tones?
Pedal of the Day called it a must-have combo for anyone that plays heavy music, and its high-gain distortion with a noise gate alongside suits metal, stoner and doom rigs, where sustained distortion and quiet stops both matter. The Classic mode's compressed, vintage voice can also suit stoner and doom styles.
Sources (1)
- Caline DCP-09 Tigershark Distortion Gate, Pedal of the Day, 2021-03-10
