The Mr. Black High-Five is what the maker calls an Instant Power Chord Generator: a compact pitch-shifting pedal that adds a fifth and an octave to the note you play, so a single root note comes out as a full power chord1. Play one note and the pedal generates the harmony voices around it, which Mr. Black describes as especially effective with distortion or for lead lines2.
Rather than a clean, static transposition, Mr. Black says the pedal produces "subtle and gentle flutter recreating the natural resonance and intermodulation of a strong power-chord"3. In other words, the generated voices move slightly against each other the way real strings do when you strike a chord, instead of sitting perfectly still alongside the dry note.
An instant power chord from one note
The core idea is simple: you play the root note and the High-Five generates the rest of the chord. As Guitar World's Jonathan Horsley put it when the pedal launched, "Just play the root note and this compact pitch-shifter will add the fifth and octave as if by magic"1.
For a player, that means single-note riffs and lead lines can carry the weight of a full chord without changing what your hands are doing. Mr. Black pitches it as a tool for leads and for use with distortion, where the stacked root, fifth and octave fill out the sound the way a real power chord would through a driven amp2. The generated fifth can sit five notes above the root or four notes below it, and the octave can be high or low, so the voicing is yours to choose3.
The controls: Dry, Oct and 5th
The High-Five keeps it to a simple three-knob control setup1. Each knob sets the output level of one voice, and the Oct and 5th knobs also set the direction of the transposition: counter-clockwise for below the root, clockwise for above3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Dry | Sets the output level of your unprocessed signal3 |
| Oct | Sets the level of the octave voice, either high or low (CCW for below, CW for above)3 |
| 5th | Sets the level of the natural fifth, either 5 notes above or 4 notes below the root (CCW for below, CW for above)3 |
Guitar World describes the middle position as a Mix knob controlling how much dry signal sits with the processed voices1. Output level for each voice runs from -∞dB, meaning that voice is fully off, up to +3dB3.
Power and connections
The pedal takes either an internal 9V battery, not included, or what Mr. Black calls "industry standard" 9VDC pedal power3. The input and output jacks are on the side of the enclosure, along with the 9V DC input for a pedalboard supply1. Current draw is approximately 59mA at 9VDC3, so it is easy to power but not free on a tight daisy chain.
Mr. Black lists the High-Five with all sales final: no returns, exchanges or refunds3.
Origin: the limited Black LTD. High-Five
The High-Five did not start as a standard product. It first appeared as the Black LTD. High-Five, a Jack Deville original design in a limited run of 53 pieces, finished in Mr. Black's "tough-as-nails" Black LTD. powder-coat2. Guitar World called it "a ridiculously limited edition run of 53 units" when covering the launch1.
The standard Mr. Black High-Five employs the exact same circuit as that limited version3. What changed is the finish: the current pedal features an updated high-gloss graphic and a shining chrome powder-coat with a shop-exclusive "Deep Black" print3. If you missed the Black LTD. run, the circuit is the same; only the cosmetics differ.
The Black LTD. High-Five was limited to 53 pieces2, so the standard High-Five is the version to look for now.
Who makes it
The High-Five is built by Mr. Black3. It is a limited edition, produced in a run of 53 units2. It launched at a regular price of $229.95 and is listed at $179.953. It is currently on sale, with all sales final and no returns, exchanges or refunds3.
Videos
The Tone Mob
Questions
Does the Mr. Black High-Five take a battery?
Yes. It runs on an internal 9V battery, which is not included, or on a standard 9VDC pedalboard power supply through its DC input. The input and output jacks sit on the side of the enclosure alongside the power input.
Is the Mr. Black High-Five true bypass?
Yes. Mr. Black specifies true-bypass switching for the High-Five, so with the pedal off your dry signal passes without processing. The same true-bypass switching is specified for the limited Black LTD. version it is based on.
How much current does the High-Five draw?
Mr. Black lists a current draw of approximately 59mA at 9VDC. That is modest by digital pitch-shifter standards but more than a simple analog pedal, so it is worth accounting for on a crowded pedalboard power supply.
Is the Mr. Black High-Five the same circuit as the Black LTD. version?
Yes. Mr. Black states the High-Five employs the exact circuit used in the super limited Black LTD. High-Five, a run of 53 pieces. The differences are cosmetic: the standard version has an updated high-gloss graphic and chrome powder-coat instead of the Black LTD. powder-coat.
Who designed the Mr. Black High-Five?
The High-Five is a Jack Deville original design, the same designer credited on the limited Black LTD. High-Five it came from. Like all Mr. Black pedals, it is hand-built one at a time using premium components.
Sources (3)
- Tired of playing power chords? Mr. Black has the pedal for you: the High-Five Instant Power Chord Generator, Guitar World, 2023-02-23
- Black LTD. High-Five, Mr. Black
- High-Five, Mr. Black
