The Cicognani Engineering SIMPLY MANIAC is a high-gain overdrive pedal the maker describes as offering "classic hard distortion" suited to rock guitar and soloing. Cicognani says it is inspired by the legendary "brown sound" of a hot-rodded vintage Plexi, and it is built around a twin parallel input buffer and a 3-band active tone stack running at 24 VDC internally. The pedal has been discontinued by Cicognani Engineering.1
What it does
Cicognani positions the Simply Maniac as a high-gain drive pedal designed to offer "classic hard distortion" ideal for rock guitar and soloing. The maker says it offers a seamless transition between low and high gain levels while retaining dynamics and touch responsiveness, so cleaning up or digging in at the guitar changes the amount of drive rather than only the volume.1
The circuit is inspired, according to the maker, by the "brown sound" of a hot-rodded vintage Plexi, the pushed, saturated character players associate with cranked late-1960s British amplifiers. Players comparing overdrives of this general character may also find the Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer comparison useful, and the pedal sits in the wider family of overdrive pedals.1
Input buffer and bypass
Two design choices shape how the Simply Maniac behaves on a board:
- Twin parallel input buffer. The maker says the pedal features a unique twin parallel input buffer that accepts high or low impedance signals with equal aplomb, meaning it can take either kind of signal at its input without ill effect.1
- Mechanical true bypass. The maker states that mechanical true bypass switching makes sure the bypassed signal remains clean and unaltered when the effect is off.1
The Simply Maniac has been discontinued by Cicognani Engineering, so it is no longer in current production.1
Tone controls
The pedal carries a 3-band active tone stack. Cicognani says it runs at 24 VDC internally, which the maker describes as providing maximum headroom and dynamic response while keeping the pedal low-noise even at high gain settings. An active tone stack, unlike a passive one, can cut and boost each band, giving more range over bass, mid and treble than a simple tone knob.1
For other pedals from the same maker, see the Cicognani WEMBLEY and the Cicognani SPECIALE DD1959.
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Cicognani engineering
Luca Birocco
Questions
Is the Cicognani Simply Maniac true bypass?
Yes. According to the maker's product page, the Simply Maniac uses mechanical true bypass switching, which the maker says keeps the bypassed signal clean and unaltered when the effect is off. The pedal also has a twin parallel input buffer on its input stage, which handles high or low impedance signals while the effect is engaged.
Is the Simply Maniac still in production?
No. The maker's product page states that the Simply Maniac has been discontinued by Cicognani Engineering. It was a compact pedal format overdrive, and used examples may still circulate among players, but the maker no longer produces it.
What sound is the Simply Maniac modeled on?
Cicognani Engineering describes the Simply Maniac as inspired by the legendary brown sound of a hot-rodded vintage Plexi amplifier. The maker positions it as a high-gain drive pedal offering classic hard distortion suited to rock guitar and soloing.
Does the Simply Maniac work with both high and low impedance signals?
Yes. The maker says the pedal features a unique twin parallel input buffer that accepts high or low impedance signals with equal aplomb, so it can sit early in a signal chain after instruments or pedals of either type.
Sources (1)
- SIMPLY MANIAC (super drive overdrive) *discontinued*, Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
