The Ground Control Audio Amaterasu Bright Pre-amp is a pre-amp, boost and tone-enhancer in one pedal, built around a single Gain knob and a Bright toggle. Pedal of the Day reviewed it on its release in December 2016, describing up to +18dB of boost available, enough in the reviewer's words to crush anything in its path1. By 2018, Premier Guitar was describing it as the maker's best-selling pedal2.
Controls and modes
The layout is deliberately simple. The lone knob is labeled Gain, and Pedal of the Day described it as the way to add volume into your signal path, from a slight boost in your tone to a balls-out pre-amp tone1. A second toggle switch selects between the pedal's two voicings:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of boost, from a slight lift to full pre-amp level1 |
| Bright toggle (Bright mode) | Lets the higher frequencies through while providing a clearer tone1 |
| Bright toggle (un-Bright mode) | A darker voicing, described as brooding and dark1 |
| Footswitch | Engages and bypasses the pedal1 |
On the Bright side, the reviewer wrote that it just adds in that certain sparkle that we all look for in pedals of this nature, and really brings your amp to life1.
"The un-Bright mode gives off more of a brooding, dark, angry-at-the-world-in-a-good-way type of feel."
Where it fits on a board
As a boost, the Amaterasu sits in the same family as other pedals on the Boost Pedals page, and its pre-amp gain range also puts it among Preamp Pedals. Pedal of the Day noted it can bring low-output single coil or filtertron-style pickups to life, adding extra juice and oomph for a fuller tone, which makes it a candidate for guitars with quieter pickups as well as for pushing an already-driven amp1. The same review called the pedal responsive at heart and praised its Eastern-inspired, slick-looking enclosure1.
Related pedals
The Amaterasu Bright Pre-amp is the pedal Ground Control Audio is known for, and the company has built other pedals on it since. Guitar.com described one of these as "modelled after the brand's popular Amaterasu Bright Pre-amp"3.
Videos
Eirik Stordrange
Pedalboard of the Day
Pedal of the Day
Questions
How much boost does the Amaterasu Bright Pre-amp give?
Pedal of the Day's review puts the maximum at up to +18dB, which the reviewer described as enough to crush anything in its path. The single Gain knob covers the whole range, from a slight lift in volume and tone to what the review called a balls-out pre-amp tone, so the pedal can sit quietly at the end of a board or push an amp hard.
What does the Bright toggle do on the Amaterasu?
The toggle selects between Bright mode and un-Bright mode. Bright mode lets the higher frequencies through while providing a clearer tone, which the Pedal of the Day reviewer said adds a certain sparkle and really brings your amp to life. Un-Bright mode gives off more of a brooding, dark feel, in the reviewer's words.
Can the Amaterasu work with low-output single coil pickups?
Yes. According to Pedal of the Day, the pedal can bring low-output single coil or filtertron-style pickups to life, adding extra juice and oomph for a fuller tone. Players with quieter pickups can use it as a clean lift ahead of the rest of the chain.
Is the Amaterasu a boost or a pre-amp?
Both, by the maker's and reviewers' description. Pedal of the Day called it a pre-amp, boost and tone-enhancer rolled into one easy-to-use pedal, and also a simple, down-to-earth boost. In practice it behaves as a volume and tone lift that can run at pre-amp levels when the Gain knob is turned up.
Sources (3)
- Ground Control Audio Amaterasu Bright Pre-Amp, Pedal of the Day, 2016-12-22
- Ground Control Unleashes Tsukuyomi Midrange Booster, Premier Guitar, 2018-11-21
- Ground Control Audio announces the Tsukuyomi Midrange Booster, Guitar.com, 2018-11-22
