The SNK Pedals CMOSludge is an overdrive pedal voiced after the Sunn Beta Lead amplifiers, also described as a preamp pedal. It recreates the preamp channel of the Sunn Beta and embeds it in a pedalboard-friendly case, at a list price of $225 as of December 20211. It sits in the wider family of preamp pedals and overdrive pedals.
The controls
The CMOSludge carries five knobs: Level, Treble, Mid, Bass and Drive1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Output level |
| Treble | High EQ |
| Mid | Dials in mid-scooped or cutting midrange tones |
| Bass | Low EQ |
| Drive | Gain |
The Treble, Mid and Bass knobs form an interactive, 3-way EQ section that, in Delicious Audio's words, "broadens the tone palette even further," with the Mid control singled out as the key to scooped or cutting midrange sounds1.
Running it with an amp
The CMOSludge can be run one of three ways1:
- Into the front end of your amplifier, like a typical distortion pedal
- Into the series effects loop return, bypassing the amp's preamp
- Into a power amp or slave amp, such as a Sunn Concert slave
That third option makes it a candidate for players running a power amp or a slave setup rather than a conventional head, which is where its preamp pedigree matters most1.
Gain and tone
Delicious Audio's reviewer, Paolo De Gregorio, found the pedal packs a lot of gain, and although it shines when pushed hard, it delivers usable tones at all gain levels, both on guitar and bass1. Bass players looking at the pedal may also want to browse the site's bass pedals page for context on how preamp-style drives are used on bass.
Videos
Harsh Tones, Inc.
Dirty Demos
Questions
What amp is the SNK CMOSludge based on?
The CMOSludge recreates the preamp channel of the Sunn Beta Lead amplifier. Delicious Audio describes it as a stompbox that embeds that preamp in a pedalboard-friendly case, voiced after the Sunn Beta amps.
Does the CMOSludge work with bass?
Yes. Delicious Audio's reviewer found that although the pedal packs a lot of gain and shines when pushed hard, it delivers usable tones at all gain levels, both on guitar and bass.
Can the CMOSludge go in an amp's effects loop?
Yes. It can be run one of three ways: into the front end of your amplifier like a typical distortion pedal, into the series effects loop return bypassing the preamp, or into a power amp or slave amp, such as a Sunn Concert slave.
What power does the CMOSludge use?
The CMOSludge runs on a pedalboard-friendly 9v supply, according to Delicious Audio's coverage of the pedal.
What does the Mid control do on the CMOSludge?
The Mid knob lets you dial in mid-scooped tones or cutting midrange tones. Together with the Treble and Bass controls it forms an interactive, 3-way EQ section that broadens the pedal's tone palette.
Sources (1)
- SNK Pedals CMOSludge Sunn Beta-Style Preamp, Delicious Audio, 2021-12-13