The GUP Tech Ti-Q is a presence and depth guitar EQ pedal, designed to emulate an amplifier's presence and resonance/depth controls in a small enclosure. GUP Tech describes it as a solid state amp enhancement pedal aimed at guitarists whose amps lack presence and resonance controls, and says it delivers "the extra OOOMMMPHHH and push needed to cut through the mix"1. It is a smaller version of the company's PdeQ, made after repeated requests to shrink the original: "Being our most popular pedal, we've been asked quite a lot to reduce the size"2.
Presence and depth in a small pedal
Many amplifiers carry their presence and resonance (or depth) controls on the faceplate; many others, and most amp-less rigs, do not. The Ti-Q puts those two shapes into a pedal, so a player can add high-frequency bite and low-end body either at the front of a rig or after drive pedals. GUP Tech positions it for players whose amps lack those controls, and it sits in the company's EQ line alongside the PdeQ and related designs2.
The name is a Quebec in-joke about its size. GUP Tech says Ti-Q is derived from the Québécois expression "Ti-cul", slang for "little boy, little kid or brat", literally "little butt"1.
The controls
The Ti-Q keeps the PdeQ's two-knob layout, dropping only the toggle switches found on the larger pedal1.
Power, bypass and practicalities
The pedal runs on 9V DC center negative and draws 13mA, which GUP Tech highlights as low power consumption1. True bypass switching is fitted, which the maker says preserves signal integrity when the pedal is out of the circuit1. The 1590A enclosure measures 3.6 x 1.5 in (92 x 38 mm), small enough to fill a tight spot on a pedalboard1.
The Ti-Q is handmade in Saguenay, Quebec, Canada; GUP Tech states that all of its pedals are made by the company there1.
Using it without an amp
Because the Ti-Q emulates amp-style presence and depth shaping, it also has a place in amp-less setups. Kevin Plante of GUP Tech says on the product page: "I am using Impulse Responses instead of an amp. This pedal is always ON for me"2. For players running modelers or IR-based rigs, the pedal offers the same kind of top-end and low-end shaping an amp's rear-panel controls would provide.
Questions
Is the GUP Tech Ti-Q true bypass?
Yes. GUP Tech states the Ti-Q uses true bypass switching, which the maker says preserves signal integrity when the pedal is off. That means your guitar's signal passes straight through to the rest of the chain unaltered until you engage the pedal.
What power supply does the GUP Tech Ti-Q need?
The Ti-Q runs on a 9V DC center negative supply and draws 13mA. That is a low draw by pedal standards, so it sits comfortably on a shared daisy-chain or isolated supply alongside most standard 9V pedals.
What does the name Ti-Q mean?
GUP Tech says Ti-Q is derived from the Québécois expression "Ti-cul", slang for a little boy, little kid or brat, literally "little butt". The name fits the pedal's role as a smaller version of the company's PdeQ.
How is the Ti-Q different from the PdeQ?
According to GUP Tech, the Ti-Q offers the same exact features as the PdeQ except for the toggle switches. It was made after many requests to reduce the size of the PdeQ, which the maker describes as its most popular pedal.
Where is the GUP Tech Ti-Q made?
GUP Tech builds the Ti-Q by hand in Saguenay, Quebec, Canada. The maker states that all of its pedals are made in-house there, describing the construction as boutique and handmade.
Can the Ti-Q be used with impulse responses instead of an amp?
Yes. Kevin Plante of GUP Tech says on the product page that he uses impulse responses instead of an amp and keeps the Ti-Q always on. The pedal is designed to add the presence and depth shaping that amp-in-a-box and IR-based rigs can lack.
Sources (2)
- Ti-Q Presence Depth Guitar EQ Pedal, GUP Tech
- Ti-Q Presence Depth Guitar EQ Pedal, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
