What it does
The Doomsaw strips the HM-2 formula down to a single Gain knob controlling the distortion. As De Gregorio puts it, the three knobs found on the HM-2 were, figuratively speaking, set to 10 and removed1. There is no tone shaping to do: the pedal is voiced the way HM-2 players historically ran it, with everything dimed.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the gain of the distortion; the only control on the pedal1 |
What reviewers said
Guitar.com's Cillian Breathnach reviewed the pedal in January 2023 and found the chainsaw promise held up: "hitting a power chord does indeed give us a grainy, ripping grind evocative of horror cinema's favourite piece of logging equipment"2.
He also noted the build quality: "the tall enclosure, the soft relay-based true-bypass switching and the large Orange/Matamp style knob all lend it an extremely boutique feel, as does the high-relief UV-printed artwork"2.
Where it sits
For players who want the HM-2 sound without the four-knob interface, the Doomsaw is a fixed-voice take on that circuit, aimed at bass and low-tuned guitars where the original's thinner low end can fall short1. It belongs to the broader family of distortion pedals, and sits apart from overdrive pedals and fuzz pedals in both circuit and intent.
Videos
Does It Doom?
Andrew Baena
Witchpit
Sources (2)
- Does It Doom? Doomsaw Distortion, Delicious Audio, 2024-07-08
- Does It Doom Doomsaw review, Guitar.com, 2023-01-23
