The Chrysalis is an overdrive pedal from EarthQuaker Devices, described by Premier Guitar as the company's "amp-on-a-record-in-a-box" overdrive: a pedal that captures the sound of a vintage amp as you'd hear it on a record1. It is a simple three-knob design, handmade in a light-green metal case with a discrete transistor design and true bypass switching1.
Controls and power
The control layout is deliberately minimal: Level, Tone, and Drive, plus a handy on/off switch1. Premier Guitar's reviewer found the very versatile and useful Tone knob has a wide range that lets you make the overdrive as warm or biting as you want1.
On power, the pedal works from a standard 9V DC supply, but Premier Guitar notes that running the Chrysalis from an 18V DC power supply yields increased headroom with a wider gain range and more focused tone1. Players with an 18V output on their supply can use that as a way to open up the pedal's gain range.
The name and the theme
The Chrysalis' name and logo script suggest an homage to the '70s record label that was home to such rockers as Jethro Tull, according to Premier Guitar1. That record-label theme lines up with the pedal's stated purpose: putting the sound of a vintage amp on a record into a box on your board1.
The circuit, from the DIY community
An independent layout of the Chrysalis circuit published on Guitar FX Layouts gives builders a look at what is inside. The build uses schottky diodes (BAT48) for clipping at positions D1-3, with the site noting that any schottky should be close enough2. Builders commenting on that layout reported substitutions that worked:
- Germanium diodes instead of schottkys for D1-3, with very similar forward voltage2
- BAT46, 1N4148, 1N34, 1N4002, and 1N5817 all confirmed working2
One builder, Gainiac, described the layout's output as putting out a nice saturated 70's-ish buzzy OD tone2. The same builder's overall verdict was more measured: "Although not anything overly exceptional, it does what it's supposed to"2.
Where it sits in the EarthQuaker overdrive range
EarthQuaker Devices has built a wide overdrive lineup, and the Chrysalis' three-knob, vintage-amp approach is one of the simpler entries in it. Players comparing it within the maker's range may also look at the Dunes V2, the Plumes, the Westwood, the Talons, or the Palisades V2, each of which takes a different approach to the overdrive format. For a broader look at the category, see Overdrive Pedals1.
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Questions
Is the EarthQuaker Chrysalis true bypass?
Yes. Premier Guitar describes the Chrysalis as a handmade, true bypass pedal, so when it is switched off your guitar's signal passes straight through to the output without any buffering from the pedal itself.
What does the Chrysalis name and logo refer to?
Premier Guitar notes that the Chrysalis name and logo script suggest an homage to the 1970s record label that was home to rockers such as Jethro Tull. The theme fits the pedal's stated aim of capturing the sound of a vintage amp as you would hear it on a record.
What diodes does the Chrysalis Overdrive build use?
The DIY layout published on Guitar FX Layouts calls for schottky diodes at positions D1-3, specifically BAT48, with the site noting that any schottky should be close enough. Builders there confirmed germanium diodes work as a substitute because of their very similar forward voltage, and also confirmed BAT46, 1N4148, 1N34, 1N4002 and 1N5817 all work.
Is the Chrysalis handmade?
Yes. According to Premier Guitar's review, the Chrysalis is a handmade pedal, built by EarthQuaker Devices in a light-green metal case with a discrete transistor design.
How much does the EarthQuaker Chrysalis cost?
Premier Guitar lists the Chrysalis at a street price of $145 in the US.
Sources (2)
- Earthquaker Devices Chrysalis Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2010-10-20
- Guitar FX Layouts: Earthquaker Devices Chrysalis Overdrive, Guitar FX Layouts (tagboardeffects.blogspot.com), 2017-07-09
