The Sunfish Audio Tara is an analog overdrive pedal developed jointly by the Japanese boutique brand Sunfish Audio and guitarist Takashi Masuzaki1. It sits in the overdrive family, and RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as aiming to deliver "a drive sound like no other... helping your favourite guitar and amp reach their full potential"1.
Two switches set it apart from a straightforward drive pedal: one blends in clean signal, and the other changes the character of the distortion itself1.
What the Tara does
The Tara's "add C" switch blends in clean signal, and that clean signal is pre-filtered so it does not separate from the distortion1. In practice, that means the clean and distorted parts of your sound stay fused together rather than reading as two layers, which is the usual risk when a pedal mixes clean and driven signal.
The "Clipping" switch toggles between silicon-diode and LED clipping, offering either mid-range compression or wider, more aggressive distortion1. The volume levels are matched as much as possible between the clipping modes for easier setting1, so you can flip between the two while dialling in without chasing a level change.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| "add C" switch | Blends in clean signal, pre-filtered so it does not separate from the distortion1 |
| "Clipping" switch | Toggles between silicon-diode and LED clipping: mid-range compression or wider, more aggressive distortion1 |
Power
The Tara runs on 9V DC, center negative1, the standard arrangement for most pedalboard power supplies.
Use a 9V DC center negative supply. This is the common polarity for guitar pedals, so it will run from a standard isolated supply output.
Where it came from
The Tara is a collaboration: it was developed jointly by Sunfish Audio and guitarist Takashi Masuzaki1. Sunfish Audio is described as a Japanese boutique brand1, and the pedal carries both the maker's build approach and the input of the player it was designed with.
Videos
Sunfish Audio
Blue Guitars
増崎孝司
Questions
Who designed the Sunfish Audio Tara?
The Tara was developed jointly by the Japanese boutique brand Sunfish Audio and guitarist Takashi Masuzaki. It is a collaboration between the maker and the player, with Masuzaki's input shaping a drive intended to help a favourite guitar and amp reach their full potential.
What power supply does the Sunfish Audio Tara need?
The Tara runs on 9V DC with a center negative plug, the standard arrangement for most pedalboard power supplies. Use a dedicated 9V DC center negative output rather than a higher voltage, and check that your supply can feed it alongside the rest of your board.
Is the Sunfish Audio Tara analog or digital?
The Tara is an analog circuit. Its circuit type is listed as analog, meaning the guitar signal is processed as a continuous electrical signal rather than converted to digital data.
What is the difference between the silicon and LED clipping settings on the Tara?
The Clipping switch toggles between silicon-diode and LED clipping. Silicon diodes give mid-range compression, while LED clipping gives wider, more aggressive distortion. The volume levels are matched as much as possible between the two modes, so switching does not upset your level while setting the pedal.
Sources (1)
- Tara by Sunfish Audio, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026