The GUPtech Le Chiou EQ-Boost is a boost pedal with a complete EQ section built in. GUPtech describes it as "a full EQ-ed Boost with almost infinite dB and a complete EQ to shape your tone," and positions it as more than a volume lift: the maker suggests using it as a preamp or "to tighten a High Gain machine"1. Where a plain clean boost such as the GUPtech Peeps Clean Boost only pushes level, the Le Chiou lets you shape the boosted signal at the same time.
All GUPtech pedals, the Le Chiou included, are built by the company itself in Saguenay, Québec, Canada1. The pedal lists at £77.00 GBP on the maker's own store1.
What it does to your sound
The Le Chiou combines a boost with what GUPtech calls "infinite volume" and a 3-band EQ1. In practice that means one pedal can both drive the front of your amp harder and reshape the frequency balance of the boosted signal: cut lows to tighten things up, or push the bands you want to hear when you step on it. The maker rates the gain at 23dBu at 0.1Vpp and 1kHz1, which is the figure behind the "almost infinite dB" claim.
Because it carries a full EQ, the pedal also works as a preamp, either in front of an amp or shaping a clean signal on its own1.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Boost level, described by the maker as "infinite volume"2 |
| 3-band EQ | Shapes the tone of the boosted signal1 |
| Tight knob | Cuts lower frequency "to let you cut the mix"1 |
| Toggle switch | Bypasses the EQ in the upper position1 |
The Tight knob is the player-facing detail worth knowing: it trims low end so the boosted sound stays defined rather than flubby, and helps a boosted guitar sit clearly in a mix1. The toggle gives you a quick A/B between your EQ curve and a flat boost without redoing the knobs1.
Power
The Le Chiou runs on 9V DC only, center negative, drawing 22mA1. GUPtech's warning is blunt: "Anything higher will blow some stuff"1. Use a standard 9V center negative output and do not feed it more voltage.
Versions and the Le Gros Chiou
The Le Chiou comes in more than one form. The Douche Edition carries the same circuit and specs, including the 22mA draw, the 23dBu gain figure and the same 9V DC center negative power requirement3. There is also a Steve Ricardo Artist edition, again an EQ-ed boost usable as a preamp with the same toggle behavior and power draw4.
The stereo version is a separate product: GUPtech calls the Le Gros Chiou the "Stereo edition" of the Le Chiou and sells it through its custom shop3. So the difference between the two is stereo versus mono operation, with the Le Gros Chiou as the custom-shop item.
Where it came from and the name
GUPtech is a small Canadian builder: every pedal it sells is made by the company in Saguenay, Québec1. The Le Chiou's name has a personal origin. It comes from a plush in the designer's life, a mix between a dog, chien in French, and a bear, ours in French, giving the combined name "Chi-Ou"1. The name runs through the family of products, including the Mad Chiou and the Angel Chiou, a boost/overdrive whose right side GUPtech describes as "our classic Le Chiou boost, infinite volume with 3-band EQ control"2.
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Questions
Where is the GUPtech Le Chiou EQ-Boost made?
GUPtech builds all of its pedals itself in Saguenay, Québec, Canada, including the Le Chiou EQ-Boost. The company also runs a shop there at 6182 Boulevard Talbot where local customers can pick up orders, usually within 24 hours.
What polarity does the GUPtech Le Chiou need?
It runs on 9V DC only, with a center negative plug. GUPtech warns that anything higher than 9V will damage the pedal, so it should be fed from a standard 9V center negative supply.
What does the toggle switch on the Le Chiou do?
The toggle switch bypasses the EQ when it is in the upper position. That lets you flip between your EQ-shaped boost and a flat boost without touching the knobs.
What is the difference between the Le Chiou and the Le Gros Chiou?
The Le Gros Chiou is the stereo edition of the same boost, sold through GUPtech's custom shop, while the standard Le Chiou EQ-Boost is a mono pedal. Both carry the same EQ-boost concept.
Why is it called Le Chiou?
The name comes from a plush toy in the designer's life. It is a mix between a dog, chien in French, and a bear, ours in French, and the mixed name is then Chi-Ou.
Sources (4)
- Le Chiou EQ-Boost, GUPtech (guptech.ca)
- Angel Chiou Boost-Overdrive, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
- Le Chiou EQ-Boost, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
- Le Chiou, GUPtech (guptech.ca)
