The Free The Tone String Slinger SS-1V is an overdrive pedal and the first drive pedal in the company's Integrated Series, a range the maker notes was launched with a drive pedal as its opening entry1. It carries the familiar three-knob layout of Level, Tone and Drive, and it builds in Free The Tone's HTS circuit, the company's own approach to buffering the signal12. Pedal of the Day featured it on Wednesday, July 11, 20182.
The controls
The SS-1V keeps things to three knobs1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| LEVEL | Sets the pedal's output level1 |
| TONE | Shapes the treble response1 |
| DRIVE | Sets the amount of overdrive1 |
Pedal of the Day's reviewers found plenty of travel in them:
"There's a broad spectrum in the Volume, Tone and Drive controls, giving you extended dynamic range, brilliant overtones"
Their verdict on the pedal as a whole was warm: "Painstakingly researched and restructured, the String Slinger SS-1V Overdrive is a modern masterpiece and marvel in the" effects world overall2.
Two details from the maker's page speak to how the pedal is built:
- The knobs are Free The Tone custom parts machined from brass1.
- The company says the brass knobs suppress vibration of the potentiometer shaft and wiper to reduce harmonic components that harm the sound1.
- The knob diameter and weight were decided through repeated sound tests1.
As for voicing, Pedal of the Day later characterized the String Slinger as having "focused on more Fender-type tone," in a review of Free The Tone's Fire Mist FM-1V overdrive4.
The Integrated Series and the HTS buffer
The SS-1V belongs to Free The Tone's Integrated Series, and the maker presents it as the commemorative first release of that range, chosen to be a drive pedal1. On That Pedal Show, Dan and Mick noted that "The Free The Tone pedals are from FTT's Integrated Series, celebrating their 15th Anniversary," and that "They also feature FTT's latest evolution of the HTS Circuit, which is a unique take on a buffer"5. The same pair observed that Free The Tone explains how the pedal casing and materials have been chosen with sound in mind, giving the pedal physical heft5.
For a player, the built-in HTS buffer means the pedal is designed to sit in a chain without the signal loss a long cable run or a chain of true-bypass pedals can bring, rather than treating buffering as an add-on. Free The Tone covers similar ground across its drive range, including pedals such as the Red Jasper and OVERDRIVELAND, and the SS-1V sits among them as the overdrive entry that opened the Integrated Series1.
Power and specifications
The SS-1V runs on a 9V battery of the 006P type or on an AC adapter; the adapters Free The Tone names, the FA-W0905D-JA and FA-0905D-JA, are sold separately13.
The AC adapters Free The Tone names for the SS-1V, the FA-W0905D-JA and FA-0905D-JA, are sold separately from the pedal13.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Current draw | approx. 8mA1 |
| Input impedance | 500kΩ or more1 |
| Output load impedance | 10kΩ or more1 |
| Dimensions | 98(W) x 120(D) x 51(H)mm, including protrusions such as the footswitch and jacks1 |
Current draw is approximately 8mA, which is light enough for nearly any pedalboard supply1.
Videos
FreeTheToneMovie
FreeTheToneMovie
FreeTheToneMovie
Questions
Can the Free The Tone String Slinger run on a 9V battery?
Yes. Free The Tone lists a 9V battery of the 006P type as a supported power option, alongside an AC adapter. The adapters named on the maker's product page, the FA-W0905D-JA and FA-0905D-JA, are sold separately. With a current draw of around 8mA, the pedal is light on power either way.
How much current does the String Slinger draw?
Free The Tone's product page gives the current draw as approximately 8mA. That is low by pedal standards, so the SS-1V is easy on a battery and on a pedalboard power supply.
What is the input impedance of the SS-1V?
The maker specifies an input impedance of 500kΩ or more, with an output load impedance of 10kΩ or more. A high input impedance like that is typical of a drive pedal designed to take a guitar's signal directly without dulling the top end.
What is the HTS circuit in Free The Tone pedals?
HTS is Free The Tone's own take on a buffer. On That Pedal Show, Dan and Mick described the version in the Integrated Series pedals as FTT's latest evolution of the HTS Circuit, a unique take on a buffer, built into the pedal rather than sold separately.
Is the String Slinger voiced for Fender-style amps?
Pedal of the Day, reviewing Free The Tone's later Fire Mist overdrive, described the String Slinger as having focused on more Fender-type tone. That is the reviewer's characterization of the pedal's voicing rather than a maker's specification.
Sources (5)
- STRING SLINGER / SS-1V｜Products 商品紹介｜Free The Tone, Free The Tone
- Free The Tone String Slinger SS-1V Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2018-07-11
- STRING SLINGER / SS-1V｜Products 商品紹介｜Free The Tone, Free The Tone
- Free The Tone Fire Mist FM-1V Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2018-09-01
- Six Cool Overdrives From Terry, Keeley, Free The Tone, Greuter & Greer, That Pedal Show, 2018-07-06
