The Nunomo Limbo Overdrive is an overdrive pedal that takes an unusual approach to clipping. Instead of offering a switch between symmetrical and asymmetrical clipping, the Limbo lets you adjust the amount of clipping voltage itself, which the maker says enables a very wide range of overdrive sounds1. It was the second pedal from Nunomo, a newcomer to the pedal game at the time, following the S-AMP Cabinet Simulator/Headphone Amp2.
How the clipping controls work
Most overdrive pedals feature Volume, Tone and Gain controls, and the Limbo keeps that standard three-control lineup2. What sets it apart are the two extra knobs, Positive and Negative, which adjust the clipping voltage on each side of the waveform1.
The knobs work over a continuous range rather than as a toggle, changing the clipping voltage seamlessly2. What that means in practice, according to Pedal of the Day's reviewer:
- Set high: sharper sounds, more headroom, and symmetrical and asymmetrical clipping options2
- Set low: a more rounded and mid-focused sound, with less volume output and a smoother tonal range2
"with the Limbo you can actually adjust the amount of voltage, not just the type of clipping"
Delicious Audio called the ability to tailor the clipping voltage the pedal's coolest feature, since it enables a very wide range of overdrive sounds1. The reviewer at Pedal of the Day found that the unconventional control approach yields different types of gain sounds, writing that "the possibilities of sonic exploration immediately become vast and powerful"2.
How it sounds
Pedal of the Day described the Limbo as a well-balanced overdrive effect with a wide range of sounds available, but not pushing into high-gain or distortion territory, calling it a more transparent-type drive2. Players after heavier textures would look at distortion pedals or fuzz pedals instead; the Limbo sits in the transparent end of the overdrive range.
Background
Nunomo was a newcomer to the pedal business when the Limbo appeared in 20161. The company's earlier S-AMP Cabinet Simulator/Headphone Amp had been reviewed by Pedal of the Day as a pedal like none it had seen before, and the Limbo followed it as the maker's second pedal2. The pedal was hand-painted and assembled in California, and a reviewer named Ryan of Nunomo LLC sent the unit for that review2.
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Questions
What do the Positive and Negative knobs do on the Nunomo Limbo?
They adjust the clipping voltage on the positive and negative sides of the waveform. Set high, the clipping voltage gives sharper sounds, more headroom, and symmetrical or asymmetrical clipping options. Set low, the pedal produces a more rounded, mid-focused sound with less volume output and a smoother tonal range. The knobs work over a continuous range rather than as a toggle switch.
Is the Nunomo Limbo a high-gain pedal?
No. Pedal of the Day's reviewer described it as a well-balanced overdrive with a wide range of sounds available, but not pushing into high-gain or distortion territory, calling it a more transparent-type drive. Players looking for heavy distortion would look at a dedicated distortion pedal instead.
Where is the Nunomo Limbo made?
The Limbo Overdrive is hand-painted and assembled in California, according to Pedal of the Day's 2016 review of the pedal.
What was Nunomo's first pedal?
Before the Limbo, Pedal of the Day reviewed the Nunomo S-AMP Cabinet Simulator/Headphone Amp, which the site called a pedal like none it had seen before. The Limbo Overdrive followed it as the maker's second pedal.
Sources (2)
- New Pedals: Nunomo Limbo Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2016-11-10
- Nunomo Limbo Overdrive, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2016-06-29