The Effects Bakery Suguru Big Katsu Distortion is a high-gain distortion pedal built in a mini case with three knobs: Volume, Tone and Gain. The maker describes it as delivering "crunchy and thick tones reminiscent of post-rock or shoegaze styles", with a thick character and a slight low-end roll-off1. It is a collaboration: Effects Bakery has been partnering with companies in Japan, including the food maker Suguru Foods, and the pedal takes its name from Suguru Foods' BIG KATSU snack1.
Batteries cannot be used in the Big Katsu Distortion. It runs only from a standard center-minus DC9V adapter or a pedalboard power supply output. At 2mA, the draw is low enough that it will not strain any output on a shared supply1.
Controls
The pedal keeps things to the classic three-knob layout1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| VOLUME | Adjusts the overall volume. |
| TONE | Controls the tone. |
| GAIN | Adjusts the intensity of the distortion. |
Sound and character
Delicious Audio, quoting the manufacturer, describes the Big Katsu as "a high-gain distortion delivering... crunchy and thick tones reminiscent of post-rock or shoegaze styles", with a thick tone that has a slight low-end roll-off1. Players drawn to those styles, or comparing it against overdrive and fuzz options on their board, will find it sits firmly on the distortion side of the gain range.
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Questions
Does the Big Katsu Distortion take a battery?
No. Batteries cannot be used in the Big Katsu Distortion, so you will need a DC power adapter to run it. The upside is a very light power requirement: it draws only 2mA from a standard 9V center-negative supply, so almost any pedalboard power supply output can handle it.
What power supply does the Effects Bakery Big Katsu need?
A standard center-minus DC9V adapter. There is no battery option, so an adapter or a pedalboard power supply output is required. Because the pedal draws just 2mA, it places almost no load on a shared supply.
How much current does the Big Katsu Distortion draw?
The Big Katsu Distortion has a current consumption of 2mA, according to the product information published by Delicious Audio. That is low enough for any standard 9V pedalboard power supply output.
Why is it called Big Katsu?
Effects Bakery has been partnering with companies in Japan, including the food maker Suguru Foods. The pedal is named after Suguru Foods' BIG KATSU snack, a crispy cutlet-style product, and the pedal is sold as the Suguru Foods Big Katsu Distortion.
What is the input impedance of the Big Katsu Distortion?
The input impedance is 500K, with an output impedance of under 1K, as listed on the Delicious Audio product page.
How many knobs does the Big Katsu Distortion have?
Three: Volume, Tone and Gain, all fitted on a mini pedal case.
Sources (1)
- Suguru Big Katsu Distortion, Delicious Audio, 2022-04-12