The Element 119 Distortion is a distortion pedal from Interchange Noise Works, built around a clipping approach the maker calls Asymmetric Pyramid Clipping. Pedal of the Day, reviewing the pedal in December 2020, described it as a distortion at heart, but one that carries many characteristics of a gated fuzz, able to run from light overdrive to doom-y fuzz1.
The circuit
Asymmetric Pyramid Clipping is the term for the clipping at the center of the pedal. According to Pedal of the Day, this new form of clipping was discovered during the creation of the Element 119 itself, so the circuit is not a rework of a familiar design1. For a player, that means the pedal's character comes from how that clipping is swept and voiced rather than from a known template.
The controls
The Element 119 keeps its panel to four knobs1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Decay | Sweeps the clipping circuit1 |
| Bass | Adjusts your EQ1 |
| Treble | Adjusts your EQ1 |
| Exposure | Sets your overall output level1 |
The Decay knob is the one that moves the pedal through its range, since it sweeps the clipping circuit that defines the pedal. Bass and Treble handle tone shaping, and Exposure sets how loud the effect sits in a rig1.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's review framed the pedal as versatile across the dirt spectrum, saying it runs from light overdrive to doom-y fuzz while remaining a distortion at its core1. A later Pedal of the Day post, covering a different Interchange Noise Works pedal, looked back at the Element 119 and called it "an absolute powerhouse of a dirt pedal"2.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Matt Dunn
Pedal Haven
Questions
What does the Decay knob do on the Element 119?
The Decay knob sweeps the pedal's clipping circuit. Because the Element 119 is built around Asymmetric Pyramid Clipping, a new form of clipping discovered during the pedal's creation, the Decay control is the main way to move through the range of textures the circuit produces, from lighter drive toward heavier, gated fuzz-like tones.
What is asymmetric pyramid clipping?
Asymmetric Pyramid Clipping is the name for the clipping approach at the heart of the Element 119 Distortion. According to Pedal of the Day, this new form of clipping was discovered during the creation of the Element 119 itself, rather than being borrowed from an existing circuit design.
Does the Element 119 sound like a fuzz?
Pedal of the Day describes the Element 119 as a distortion at heart, but one that carries many characteristics of a gated fuzz. The reviewer said it can run from light overdrive to doom-y fuzz, so players will hear fuzz-like qualities even though the pedal is a distortion.
What does the Exposure knob control?
The Exposure knob sets the pedal's overall output level. It works alongside the Decay knob, which sweeps the clipping circuit, and the Bass and Treble knobs, which adjust the EQ, giving players control over drive character, tone and volume.
Sources (2)
- Interchange Noise Works Element 119 Distortion, Pedal of the Day, 2020-12-02
- Interchange Noise Works "On Air" Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2021-01-09