The Pepers Pedals Dirty Tree Boost is a three-knob boost pedal from New Zealand that is, as Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio put it, more than its name suggests: the word "boost" is a little reductive for a pedal that is actually a preamp/overdrive. It offers two modes, DT and TC, selected with a toggle switch, and it is aimed squarely at players running high gain amps: "Use this into that big high gain tube rig to get those beloved modern metal tones."1
DT mode and TC mode
The pedal is built on two circuits. DT mode is based on the 1-knob Fortin 33 Boost, while TC mode gives you a clone of the old TC Integrated Preamp. The toggle switch controls the tone stack functionality, and that is what separates the two modes1:
| Mode | Based on | Tone stack |
|---|---|---|
| DT | 1-knob Fortin 33 Boost | External tone stack disabled, fixed internally with carefully selected capacitors and resistors |
| TC | Old TC Integrated Preamp | Tone stack enabled, so the Low and High knobs are active |
In practice, DT mode is the simpler, set-and-forget side of the pedal, while TC mode hands you the Low and High knobs to shape the tone yourself.1
Delicious Audio noted that it is the DT mode that gets the most flattering reviews, "because of the way it balances the tone and pushes the amp just right to achieve aggressive tones that are not too bassy or harsh."1
Power
The Dirty Tree Boost runs from a standard 9V supply, but the circuit works with more headroom than that: using an internal charge pump, it boosts the 9VDC up to about 33VDC.1
The pedal has internal non-sacrificial reverse polarity protection and power filtering, which means it can be used with any 9V power supply with a negative center jack (BOSS style).1
Versions
Delicious Audio's review notes two color options available for the pedal.1
Videos
Riffs, Beards & Gear
Ben Eller
Sonic Drive Studio
Questions
What is the difference between DT mode and TC mode?
DT mode is based on the 1-knob Fortin 33 Boost: the external tone stack is disabled and the tone stack is fixed using carefully selected capacitors and resistors. TC mode is a clone of the old TC Integrated Preamp, and in that mode the tone stack is enabled, so the Low and High knobs come into play.
What does the toggle switch do on the Dirty Tree Boost?
The toggle switch controls the tone stack functionality, switching between DT mode, where the tone stack is fixed internally, and TC mode, where the tone stack is enabled and the Low and High knobs are active.
What polarity does the Dirty Tree Boost use?
It uses any 9V power supply with a negative centre jack, in the BOSS style. Internally, a charge pump boosts that 9V up to about 33V for the circuit's headroom.
Does the Dirty Tree Boost have reverse polarity protection?
Yes. The pedal has internal non-sacrificial reverse polarity protection and power filtering, which Delicious Audio notes means it can be used with any 9V supply with a negative centre jack.
Where is the Dirty Tree Boost made?
The Dirty Tree Boost is made by Pepers Pedals and hails from New Zealand, according to Delicious Audio's review.
What circuits is the Dirty Tree Boost based on?
DT mode is based on the 1-knob Fortin 33 Boost, while TC mode is a clone of the old TC Integrated Preamp. The two modes are selected with the toggle switch, which controls the tone stack functionality.
Sources (1)
- Pepers Pedals Dirty Tree Boost, A Secret Metal Weapon, Delicious Audio, 2021-11-22
