The Miesnieks is an overdrive/distortion pedal from Janis lv Effect Pedals, a small maker based in Birzgale, Latvia. Pedal of the Day, which tested one of the first models in September 2018, described it as "a powerful overdrive/distortion that seeks to crush everything in its sonic path," sitting between the worlds of overdrive pedals and distortion pedals.1
The name is Latvian: "Miesnieks translates to 'butcher,' and is fitting as this pedal is both beefy and heavy, while still staying smooth and not too harsh, as some distortion pedals tend to do," the review noted.1
Built by hand in Latvia
Janis lv Effect Pedals is a one-man operation. According to Pedal of the Day, the pedals "are soldered, wired, assembled and finished by hand by Janis Altmanis," working out of Birzgale, Latvia. The Miesnieks was among the first models the company released; the review's writer said "we couldn't be happier to get to test one of the first models out here at Pedal of the Day."1
Controls
The Miesnieks keeps things simple with three knobs and a toggle switch, labeled in Latvian. Skalums controls your Volume, Tonis is a tone control with a huge range of sounds, and Jauda sets the amount of overdrive the Miesnieks produces. There's also a Low Gain / High Gain toggle switch that sends the overdrive into distortion territory1.
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| Skalums | Volume control1 |
| Tonis | Tone control with a huge range of sounds1 |
| Jauda | Sets the amount of overdrive the Miesnieks produces1 |
| Low Gain / High Gain toggle | Sends the overdrive into distortion territory1 |
The Low Gain / High Gain switch is the pedal's defining feature. As Pedal of the Day put it, "there's a Low Gain / High Gain toggle switch that sends this seemingly nice overdrive into ear-shattering distortion territory."1
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's September 2018 review is the published account of this pedal. The reviewer found the tone in high gain mode crisp but impactful, and summed up the pedal's build and sound overall favorably: "If this is any indication of what's to come from this company, we're pretty damn stoked."1
Videos
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Questions
What does Miesnieks mean?
Miesnieks is Latvian for "butcher." Pedal of the Day noted the name fits the pedal's character, describing it as beefy and heavy while still staying smooth and not too harsh, as some distortion pedals tend to do.
What do the Skalums, Tonis and Jauda knobs do?
The knobs carry Latvian names. Skalums is the volume control. Tonis is the tone control, which Pedal of the Day described as having a huge range of sounds. Jauda sets the amount of overdrive the Miesnieks produces.
What does the Low Gain / High Gain switch do?
It is a toggle switch that changes the pedal's character. According to Pedal of the Day, it sends what seems like a nice overdrive into what they called ear-shattering distortion territory, with crisp but impactful tone in high gain mode.
Who builds the Janis lv Effect Pedals Miesnieks?
The Miesnieks is built by Janis lv Effect Pedals, based in Birzgale, Latvia. Pedal of the Day reported that the pedals are soldered, wired, assembled and finished by hand by Janis Altmanis.
Is the Miesnieks an overdrive or a distortion?
It is both. Pedal of the Day described it as a powerful overdrive/distortion, with a Low Gain / High Gain toggle switch that takes it from overdrive into distortion territory.
Sources (1)
- Jānis.lv Effect Pedals Miesnieks Overdrive Distortion, Pedal of the Day, 2018-09-26