Tech 21 NYC Geddy Lee Signature SansAmp YYZ

The Tech 21 NYC Geddy Lee Signature SansAmp YYZ is a signature bass pedal developed with Rush bassist and vocalist Geddy Lee. It is a SansAmp, Tech 21's analog amp-and-speaker-simulation circuit family, in a standard pedal format, and it carries over the controls of Geddy's signature rack unit, the GED-2112¹². Tech 21 announced the YYZ pedal in February 2019, describing it as an active three-band EQ and master volume setup tweaked to Geddy's specs³.

The pedal is all analog. Tech 21 says the SansAmp technology inside it lets you record directly and enhance previously recorded tracks¹. MusicRadar, reviewing the pedal, frames it as the tech of the GED-2112 rack unit "shrunk into a standard-sized, all-analogue pedal"².

The controls: EQ, Mix and Tight

The YYZ's control set comes straight from Geddy's signature SansAmp, the GED-2112: as MusicRadar put it when the Shape-shifter version was announced, "it is as you were" with the rack unit⁵. The core controls are:

The Mix control is the heart of the pedal's flexibility. Tech 21 describes it as blending the ratio of high-end studio clean tone, labeled Deep, against dirty bass tube amp tones, labeled Drive¹. MusicRadar's review explains what that means in practice: at the Deep end the pedal is essentially Geddy's dry tone, and at the Drive end it is his sound with added dirt².

The Tight button works on both sides of that blend. Tech 21 says it adds definition to your notes in cleaner settings and makes distorted tones snappier¹. MusicRadar describes it as removing a chunk of bottom end and adding snap to the upper mids and top; with the toggle off, the tone is like Geddy's but with extra bass². The button carried forward into later Geddy Lee SansAmps: reviewing the DI-2112 desk-top unit, Kel Pilshaw at MusicPlayers.com noted that its Tight button "is an added feature that came from the YYZ pedal" and tweaks the EQ to deliver more definition⁶.

On the EQ, MusicRadar's advice is to treat it with respect: the three-band EQ is powerful on all levels, and the mid control in particular is the secret sauce of the pedal's character².

Does the YYZ come with settings for Geddy Lee's tone?

Yes. MusicRadar notes that the enclosed manual tells you exactly how to set the controls for Geddy's signature tone, and their review lists an "unearthly replica of Geddy's tone" among the reasons to buy². The pedal is not locked to that one sound, though: Premier Guitar reports that each Geddy Lee Signature SansAmp offers Geddy's core sound as well as the versatility for many different styles and tones⁴.

From the GED-2112 to the YYZ

The YYZ pedal is the pedal-format chapter of a signature line that began with a rack unit. After the R40 tour, Geddy wanted to streamline his gear for new projects and partnered with Tech 21 to design a signature SansAmp, the GED-2112⁷⁸. Bass Musician Magazine's Ty Campbell reviewed the rack unit, writing that "Tech 21 has done it yet again with the Geddy Lee Signature SansAmp GED-2112"⁹.

Tech 21 then announced the YYZ pedal in February 2019, shrinking that tech into a standard-sized pedal³². The line grew from there:

• GED-2112: the original rackmount signature SansAmp⁷
• YYZ: the single footswitch pedal version¹⁰
• DI-2112: the desk-top version, reviewed by MusicPlayers.com in October 2020⁶
• MP40: a limited edition SansAmp that Tech 21 says builds upon the original YYZ pedal, announced December 2021⁸¹¹

In October 2022 Tech 21 began offering the YYZ Shape-shifter Signature SansAmp, a limited edition with the same features and functionality as the MP40, and with its color scheme and graphics aligned with Geddy's other Signature SansAmps: the GED-2112 rackmount, the DI-2112 desk-top unit, and the YYZ single footswitch pedal¹⁴. Premier Guitar's announcement of the Shape-shifter also lists an optional DC power supply among its powering options⁴.

For players comparing the family, the practical difference is format: the GED-2112 is a rackmount unit, the DI-2112 sits on a desk, and the YYZ is the pedalboard-friendly option, with the MP40 and the Shape-shifter limited editions building on the original YYZ pedal⁸⁴. Related pages on this site cover the Tech 21 Geddy Lee DI-2112 Signature SansAmp, the Tech 21 Geddy Lee YYZ Shape-shifter Signature SansAmp and the Tech 21 Geddy Lee MP40 SansAmp, alongside the wider world of bass pedals.

Videos

Click to load

Click to load

Click to load

Questions