The Shotmaker The Heroine Deluxe is a high gain distortion pedal from Shotmaker Industries, a Canadian/Polish builder. It is built around three gain stages, which the maker's press coverage says deliver a wide range of dirty tones: the Sustain control adds an extra gain stage, driving the circuit to anything from overdrive to distortion to even fuzzy extremes1. That puts its range across overdrive and into fuzz territory from a single box.
The controls
The Heroine Deluxe gives you five controls and a footswitch, each working on a different part of the circuit:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Pre | Controls the input gain going into the circuit1 |
| Sustain | Adds an extra gain stage, driving it to anything from overdrive to distortion to even fuzzy extremes1 |
| Master | The overall volume, and it introduces some overdrive at high levels1 |
| High Cut | Lets you tailor the high frequencies to your amp1 |
| Bright switch | Pushes the high end for a more present sound1 |
| 2nd Sustain (knob and footswitch) | Creates a separate setting for that gain stage, allowing dynamic shifts during solos or heavier parts1 |
The Pre knob sets how hard the input stage is driven, while the Sustain knob is the main gain control, adding a stage on top. The Master sets overall level, and Delicious Audio notes it introduces some overdrive of its own at high levels, so it is part of the gain structure rather than just a volume control1.
The 2nd Sustain stage and the Deluxe difference
The feature that sets the Deluxe apart is the 2nd Sustain knob and its footswitch. Together they let you create a separate setting for that gain stage, so you can switch between two amounts of drive on the fly for dynamic shifts during solos or heavier parts1. Delicious Audio notes that this knob and footswitch are missing in the non-deluxe version of the Heroine1.
The 2nd Sustain knob and footswitch are found only on the Deluxe. The non-deluxe Heroine leaves them out1.
Videos
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Shotmaker Instruments
Questions
What is the difference between the Heroine and the Heroine Deluxe?
The Deluxe adds a 2nd Sustain knob and a footswitch that the non-deluxe Heroine does not have. Those let you create a separate setting for the second gain stage, so you can make dynamic shifts during solos or heavier parts without re-twiddling knobs mid-song. Otherwise the two versions share the same three-stage high gain distortion circuit.
How many gain stages does the Shotmaker Heroine Deluxe have?
Three. The pedal is a high gain distortion built around three gain stages, and the Sustain knob adds an extra stage on top of the input gain, driving the circuit from overdrive through distortion to even fuzzy extremes.
What does the Bright switch do on the Heroine Deluxe?
The Bright switch pushes the high end for a more present sound. Together with the High Cut knob, it lets you tailor the pedal's high frequencies to your amp, either trimming them back or lifting them forward.
Can the Heroine Deluxe go into fuzz territory?
Yes. According to Delicious Audio, the Sustain control adds an extra gain stage that drives the pedal to anything from overdrive to distortion to even fuzzy extremes, so the circuit reaches into fuzz-like territory at its highest settings.
Sources (1)
- New Pedals: Shotmaker The Heroine Deluxe, Delicious Audio, 2020-12-15
