The Free The Tone PA-1QG is a programmable analog 10-band EQ pedal for guitar. It looks like a digital rack-style equalizer shrunk into a stompbox, but the signal path is fully analog: every EQ circuit the guitar signal passes through, including the input and output sections, handles it as an analog signal. The digital part of the pedal only controls parameters, stores settings and recalls them, so a player gets preset flexibility without the signal being converted1.
Free The Tone announced the PA-1QG, alongside the bass-voiced PA-1QB, in December 2017, describing it as a device built by pursuing the integration of digital and analog technology. It carried a suggested retail price of $380.00 and reached North American dealers after January 22, 20181. The designer behind Free The Tone is Yuki Hayashi2.
What it does to your sound
The PA-1QG gives a player 10 bands of graphic EQ, each offering plus or minus 12 dB of boost or cut, and the 10 frequency bands were chosen specifically for optimal use with electric guitar rather than being a generic audio spread24. MusicRadar's reviewer Jamie Dickson summed up the concept:
"It's a 10-band EQ that combines the programmable memory of a digital device with the top-notch sonics of fully analogue EQ circuits."2
Because the EQ circuits are analog end to end, the pedal shapes the tone without the signal passing through any digital conversion. Pedal of the Day put it this way: "Your signal remains untouched by any digital fingers, which lets the full sound of your rig come through"3. The pedal also uses Free The Tone's HTS (Holistic Tonal Solution) circuit, which manages high-quality guitar and bass signals from input to output3.
Controls and how you program it
Instead of a row of 10 sliders, the PA-1QG uses a small control set with a display. Editing works like this23:
- Move between the 10 frequency bands with the arrow (cursor) keys; the bands appear on the backlit display.
- Turn the rotary Parameter knob to adjust the level of the selected band.
- Push the knob down to engage edit mode; the knob also routes presets to internal storage or maps them to an external MIDI controller.
- Hit the Save button to store the setting.
The large LED shows boost amount and overall volume, and a simple number display tells you where you are, which Pedal of the Day found made it easy to set EQ bands and swap presets on the fly3. The unit also carries an INST/LINE level switch for its input5.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Arrow (cursor) keys | Move between the 10 frequency bands shown on the backlit display2 |
| Parameter rotary knob | Adjusts the range of each frequency; pushed down it engages edit mode and routes presets to storage or MIDI23 |
| Save button | Stores the current EQ setting as a preset3 |
| LED display | Shows boost amount and overall volume3 |
| INST/LINE switch | Sets input level between instrument and line level5 |
Presets and MIDI
The pedal stores up to 99 EQ settings. Used standalone, you can keep four presets loaded and cycle through them in real time from the pedal itself23. Any of the 99 presets can be recalled instantly via MIDI1, and MusicRadar found the pedal is at its best when used with MIDI-capable switching units, such as TheGigRig G22. For players building a rig around a switching system, the MIDI pedals category covers this approach.
Instrument or line level
The input is switchable between instrument and line level, which opens up uses beyond a standard pedalboard6. Free The Tone specifies a maximum input of +4 dBm in INST mode and +14 dBm in LINE mode with the EQ set flat5, so the pedal can sit in line-level studio or effects-loop contexts as well as in front of an amp.
Guitar and bass versions
The PA-1QG is the guitar model of the pair; the PA-1QB is the bass model, with the same programmable analog 10-band design1. RockBoard's PedalPedia notes the PA-1QG's frequencies are tailored to guitar7. Both models share the same $380.00 suggested retail price announced in December 20171.
The Custom Shop version
Free The Tone's Custom Shop offers the PA-1QG-CS, a modified version of the PA-1QG with customized power supply and HTS circuit sections, sold as a special modification through the Custom Shop with footswitch and MIDI5. The maker describes the PA-1QG line as a product fusing digital and analog technology, and one of the most popular Free The Tone products5.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's review was positive on sound and control, with reservations about the interface and price2:
"Sonically, the quality and level of control offered by the PA-1QG was superb"2
The same review found the cursor-and-dial interface "a trifle pernickety to operate, making it harder to find an EQ sweet spot in a swift and intuitive manner," and called the price "quite a salty pricetag"2. Pedal of the Day was more enthusiastic about the workflow, concluding that "if you're looking to truly fine-tune your sound without sacrificing any tone to the evils of digital processing," the pedal is worth a look3. Delicious Audio's EQ buying guide highlighted its analog circuit/digital control philosophy and switchable instrument-to-line input6.
Videos
The Guitar Show
Pedal of the Day
BUZZBEE TV
Questions
Does the PA-1QG process the signal digitally?
No. The equalizer circuits, including the input and output sections, are fully analog and the guitar signal passes through them as an analog signal. Only the parameter control section is digital, which is what stores and recalls the presets. Reviewers noted that the signal remains untouched by digital processing, letting the full sound of the rig come through.
What is the difference between the PA-1QG and the PA-1QB?
They are the same programmable analog 10-band EQ design, but the PA-1QG is voiced for guitar and the PA-1QB for bass. The PA-1QG's 10 frequency bands were chosen specifically for optimal use with electric guitar, running from 50 Hz up to 10 kHz. Both were announced together in December 2017 at the same suggested retail price.
How many presets does the Free The Tone PA-1QG hold?
It stores up to 99 EQ settings. Used standalone as a pedal, you can keep four presets selectable and cycle through them in real time from the unit itself. With MIDI, any of the 99 presets can be recalled instantly, and MusicRadar found the pedal works best with MIDI-capable switching units such as TheGigRig G2.
Can the PA-1QG be used at line level?
Yes. It has an INST/LINE level switch, so the input can be set for instrument level or line level. Free The Tone lists a maximum input of +4 dBm in INST mode and +14 dBm in LINE mode with the EQ set flat, which suits it to studio and line-level rigs as well as a pedalboard.
What is the HTS circuit in Free The Tone pedals?
HTS stands for Holistic Tonal Solution. In the PA-1QG it is the circuit that manages high-quality guitar and bass signals from input to output, part of how the pedal preserves the rig's sound while the analog EQ sections shape it. The Custom Shop PA-1QG-CS version carries a customized HTS circuit section.
Is the Free The Tone PA-1QG analog or digital?
It is an analog equalizer with a digital parameter control section. At first glance it looks like a digital EQ unit, but the signal path, including the I/O sections, is fully analog. The digital part only handles control, storage and MIDI recall of settings, a design Free The Tone describes as fusing digital and analog technology.
Sources (7)
- Free the Tone Unveils Programmable Analog 10-Band EQ, Premier Guitar, 2017-12-01
- Free The Tone Programmable Analog EQ review, MusicRadar, 2018-08-22
- Free The Tone PA-1QG Programmable Analog 10 Band EQ, Pedal of the Day, 2018-02-09
- PA-1Q SERIES｜Products 商品紹介｜Free The Tone, Free The Tone
- PA-1QG-CS / PA-1QB-CS｜CUSTOM SHOP カスタムショップ｜Free The Tone, Free The Tone
- 2023 UPDATE! Best EQ Pedals For Guitar: Graphic & Parametric, Delicious Audio, 2023-12-13
- PA-1QA by Free The Tone, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
