KMA Audio Machines Queequeg

The KMA Audio Machines Queequeg is an analog, monophonic sub octave pedal with exactly one knob. KMA describes it as its "take on a simple, yet massive analog monophonic suboctave generating device," built to be easy to use and to track quickly in a small enclosure¹. The pedal generates a note one octave below what you play and lets you blend it with your clean signal, from a subtle thickening of your tone to a full faux bass synth sound.

The Queequeg is no longer in production. KMA lists it as a discontinued legacy product and points players to its successor, the Queequeg 2¹.

Where the Queequeg came from

The Queequeg was not designed from scratch. It was extracted from the sub octave channel of KMA's larger Moai Maea octaver and released as a stand alone pedal, in two editions². KMA released the original Queequeg in 2016³.

KMA's stated aim for the pedal was simplicity and speed: "Our aim was to provide a super easy to use and ultra-fast tracking suboctaver in a small footprint"¹.

One knob: the SUB control

The pedal's entire control surface is a single SUB knob that blends the generated sub octave with the clean signal. KMA explains: "With its one knob SUB control, you are able to dial in the right blend of the generated suboctave and your clean signal"¹.

Delicious Audio described the same sweep: "The SUB control goes from completely clean on the left, to 100% suboctave action on the right side"⁴. Pedal of the Day's reviewer put it in player terms, writing that the knob "adjusts the overall amount of Sub mixed in with your dry signal, blending the two for a thick tone"⁵.

Monophonic tracking, analog circuit

The Queequeg is monophonic, meaning it tracks a single note at a time rather than chords. Its quick tracking comes from an all analog circuit design, which KMA says gives "a very organic and smooth suboctave sound"¹. Delicious Audio echoed that description of the circuit's character⁴.

Because it is monophonic, the pedal is best understood as a sub octave generator for single note lines rather than a polyphonic pitch shifter⁵¹⁶.

Guitar, bass and synths

KMA and reviewers agree the pedal handles more than guitar. Pedal of the Day found it "working well on guitar, bass and synths"⁵, and Delicious Audio said it "works equally well on guitar, bass and synth"⁴.

KMA frames its uses broadly:

• Subtly thickening your tone
• Blasting out faux bass synth resonances
• Filling in for a missing bass sound¹

Pedal of the Day's reviewer summed up the effect's appeal: "Queequeg brings the whole suboctave experience to the forefront of your rig, creating classic, earth-shattering bombs that will rock your audience and inspire your playing as well"⁵.

Queequeg and Queequeg 2

In April 2022 KMA released the Queequeg 2, which the maker calls "the new and improved successor device"¹⁷. Gearnews described it as "version two of the analogue octave effect," one that "has been tweaked, made smaller and refined for 2022"⁸.

The main differences reported at launch:

• Version two of the analog octave effect, tweaked, made smaller and refined for 2022⁸
• The same analog, monophonic suboctave generating design as the original⁶
• A successor to the original Queequeg, which KMA Machines describes as the "new and improved device"¹
• Made by KMA Machines⁶¹⁴

The Queequeg 2 keeps the original's one knob philosophy. KMA describes it as an "easy-to-use one knob MIX design" that "controls clean/sub-octave blend"³, and MusicRadar noted that the sub octave divisions "are dialled-in via the single-knob mix control"⁷. Like the original, it is an all analog circuit, which Delicious Audio said gives "very organic and smooth suboctave tones"⁶.

What reviewers said

Published reviews of both versions were positive, with one recurring caveat.

Pedal of the Day's 2019 review of the original called it "high quality and ultra clean, as all of KMA's effects are known to be," and praised it as "an incredibly articulate and useful octaver" that "shows you don't need a lot of fancy controls to conjure up an incredible sound"⁵.

That trade off, one knob and nothing else, is the whole story of the Queequeg line. Players who want level control over dry and wet signals independently, or multiple octave voicings, will find it limiting; players who want a fast tracking analog sub octave with nothing to set up get exactly that¹³⁷.

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