The Hotone Chunk is a compact distortion pedal from Hotone, part of the maker's Skyline series of very small pedals1. It is aimed squarely at British-flavored rock distortion, the kind of gain associated with classic UK amplifier voicings, in a housing small enough to squeeze onto a crowded board.
Sound and controls
The Chunk keeps its control layout simple, with a gain dial as the central control. MusicRadar's reviewer, Mike Astley-Brown, found that it "delivers massive British rock tones from halfway on the gain dial", meaning the pedal reaches its full character well before maximum1. At lower settings, he noted that "lighter overdriven tones have a slightly fizzy decay", so the pedal's gentler settings sit closer to an overdrive character with a grainy edge as notes fall away1.
His overall verdict tied the pedal to a particular kind of playing: "For classic Maiden leads and sleazy Slash riffs, the Chunk is what you want."1
Build and power
The pedal is built around a zinc alloy enclosure, and Hotone has added a metal rod to protect the knobs from being kicked by a player's foot, which MusicRadar described as guarding them "from your size 10s"1. That is a practical detail given how small Skyline pedals are: on a tight board, knobs sit close to neighboring pedals and to feet.
The Chunk's small size means it needs a mains power supply. MusicRadar states plainly that "Size means mains power is a must," so it is not a pedal to plan around a battery or a casual daisy chain1.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's review is positive on the pedal's core purpose. Beyond the verdict quoted above, the reviewer summed up the Chunk as "this red-hot distortion", and the combination of a low gain threshold, true bypass switching and a tough little enclosure is what the review holds up as the package1.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Hotone Chunk true bypass?
Yes. MusicRadar's review notes that the Chunk has true bypass switching, so when the pedal is off, your guitar's signal passes through without the distortion circuit loading it. That matters on a pedalboard where several pedals in a row can dull the clean tone if each one buffers the signal.
Can the Hotone Chunk run on a battery?
No. MusicRadar's review states that the pedal's small size means mains power is a must, so plan on a power supply rather than a battery. That is worth factoring in when you budget space and current on a pedalboard power brick.
What is the Hotone Skyline series?
The Skyline series is Hotone's range of very small pedals, and the Chunk is part of it. MusicRadar describes the series as dinky, referring to the compact enclosures that let players fit a broad set of effects onto a small board.
What is the Hotone Chunk enclosure made of?
The Chunk is housed in a zinc alloy enclosure, according to MusicRadar's review. The reviewer also notes a metal rod that protects the knobs from being kicked, which is a practical touch for a pedal this small.
Sources (1)
- Hotone Chunk review, MusicRadar, 2014-01-08