The Free The Tone CRUNCHY CHIME CC-1B is a boost pedal with a built-in two-band equalizer, made by Free The Tone. The BOOST control covers a wide range, from -16 dB to a maximum of +17 dB, so it can pull volume down as well as push it up1. The TREBLE and BASS knobs shape the top and bottom end, and a MODE switch changes which frequency band the BASS control works on1.
Free The Tone describes the pedal as a booster that generates rich, abundant higher harmonics, the result of the company's research into the harmonic components of vintage guitars and amplifiers23. It became available worldwide on November 15, 2021, alongside the Silky Groove compressor32.
The controls: BOOST, TREBLE, BASS and MODE
The BOOST knob is the heart of the pedal. Free The Tone's product page states that the boost circuit adjusts volume from -16 dB to a maximum of +17 dB1. That is a wide range in both directions: at the low end it acts as an attenuator for taming a hot signal, and at the top end it gives a substantial push into an overdriven amp.
The TREBLE and BASS knobs are boost/cut EQ controls, one for each end of the spectrum2. The EQ is designed so that adjustments sound natural, and the characteristics are flat when both knobs sit at the 12 o'clock position1. That gives a clear starting point: set both knobs straight up and the pedal passes your tone through unchanged, then turn from there to taste.
The MODE switch selects the boost and cut frequency band for the BASS control1. Pedal of the Day notes that one setting works well for the lower register of a 7-string guitar or bass guitar, so players with extended-range instruments can aim the bass control at the frequencies their instrument actually produces3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| BOOST | Adjusts volume from -16 dB to a maximum of +17 dB1 |
| TREBLE | Boosts or cuts the high end; flat at 12 o'clock23 |
| BASS | Boosts or cuts the low end; flat at 12 o'clock23 |
| MODE switch | Selects the boost/cut frequency band for BASS1 |
Because the BOOST control cuts as well as boosts, and the EQ knobs cut as well as boost, the pedal can be dialed into shapes beyond a simple volume lift. Premier Guitar reported that the Crunchy Chime can be used as a MID booster by setting both the treble and bass knobs to the cut position4. With the highs and lows pulled back, the midrange stands out, which is a common trick for cutting through a band or pushing an amp harder in the middle frequencies.
Power and connections
The CC-1B runs on a 9V 006P-type battery or a DC9V center negative AC adapter, drawing 7mA1. At that draw, the pedal is light on a power supply, and several could share a multi-output brick without strain. Connections are simple: one 1/4-inch standard phone jack for input, one for output, and a DC9V input jack for the adapter1. Input impedance is 500kΩ or higher, and output load impedance is 10kΩ or higher1.
One detail worth knowing for complex rigs: the output signal is in the same phase as the input signal, so there is no need to worry about phase reversal3.
The HTS circuit and the Custom Shop edition
The pedal carries Free The Tone's original HTS (Holistic Tonal Solution) circuit1. According to the maker, it differs from conventional buffer circuits: it performs impedance conversion while preserving the sound of the guitar or bass, combines high sound quality with low noise, and prevents sound quality degradation when the effect is off1. Premier Guitar confirmed the HTS circuit is implemented in the pedal4. For players interested in the broader category, our page on buffer pedals covers what impedance conversion does for a signal chain.
There is also a Custom Shop edition, the CRUNCHY CHIME CC-1B-CS. It was built to commemorate the release of the standard-series Crunchy Chime and is limited to 150 units5. The CS edition carries the same BOOST, BASS and TREBLE controls, runs on a 9V 006P-type battery or AC adapter, and matches the standard version's input impedance of 500kΩ or higher and output load impedance of 10kΩ or higher51.
What reviewers said
Delicious Audio described the Crunchy Chime as a versatile clean boost pedal with separate Bass and Treble knobs, noting the circuit provides an adjustable range from -16 dB to +17 dB of boost, "or no boost!"2. Pedal of the Day reviewed it alongside the Silky Groove compressor and summed up its appeal:
"The Crunchy Chime greatly widens the range of sounds from your guitar or bass and increases the pleasure of playing and sound making."
The same review highlighted the harmonic character, noting the boost circuit that generates rich higher harmonics is the result of Free The Tone's research on the harmonic components of vintage guitars and amplifiers3.
Videos
Brett Kingman
Simon Gotthelf Music
Pedal of the Day
Questions
Can the Crunchy Chime run on a battery?
Yes. Free The Tone specifies a 9V 006P-type battery or a DC9V center negative AC adapter. Current draw is 7mA, so a battery lasts a long time at that draw. The pedal also has a DC9V input jack for adapter use.
Can the CC-1B be used as a mid boost?
Yes. Premier Guitar reported that the Crunchy Chime can be used as a MID booster by setting both the treble and bass knobs to the cut position. Cutting the highs and lows leaves the midrange standing out relative to the rest of the signal.
Does the Crunchy Chime CC-1B cut volume as well as boost it?
Yes. The BOOST control adjusts volume from -16 dB up to a maximum of +17 dB, so it works as an attenuator as well as a booster. That range comes from Free The Tone's own product page.
What does the MODE switch on the CC-1B do?
The MODE switch selects the boost and cut frequency band for the BASS control. According to Pedal of the Day, one position works well for the lower register of a 7-string guitar or bass guitar, so extended-range players can target the frequencies their instrument actually produces.
Where are the EQ knobs flat on the Crunchy Chime?
The characteristics become flat when both the TREBLE and BASS knobs are set to the 12 o'clock position. Free The Tone designed the EQ so adjustments sound natural from that flat starting point.
Sources (5)
- CRUNCHY CHIME / CC-1B｜Products 商品紹介｜Free The Tone, Free The Tone
- Free The Tone Crunchy Chime CC-1B Booster, Delicious Audio, 2021-11-15
- Free The Tone SG-1C Silky Groove Compressor + CC-1B Crunchy Chime Booster, Pedal of the Day, 2021-10-30
- Free The Tone Launches Crunchy Chime & Silky Groove, Premier Guitar, 2021-11-03
- CRUNCHY CHIME CC-1B-CS｜CUSTOM SHOP カスタムショップ｜Free The Tone, Free The Tone
