The TWA Great Divide Mk. II is an analog synth octaver: a pedal that divides your guitar's pitch downward in octaves and shapes the result with synth-style waveforms, all in one box. TWA (Totally Wycked Audio) describes it as combining classic analog octave division with proprietary synth technology, with five independent voices that can be continuously blended, from straightforward stompbox octave division to multi-layered synth sounds1.
The five voices are the synth voice, an octave up, the dry signal, one octave down, and a sub voice, each with its own illuminated level slider2. What sets the Great Divide apart from most octave pedals is how far the sub voice can reach: its interval selector goes down a full two octaves and a sixth below the input, well beyond the one or two octaves most octave-down pedals offer.
The five voices and how you control them
The control surface is built around five illuminated sliders that set the relative mix of the five voices: synth, +1 octave, dry, -1 octave, and sub2. The dry level fader simply controls how much of your unprocessed guitar comes through, so you can anchor the synth voices with your original tone or remove it entirely for a fully synthesized sound1.
The sub voice has two primary controls: a level slider and a "sub clock" interval selector. The sub clock has five positions: off, -1 octave, -1.5 octave (an octave and a fifth), -2 octave, and -2.6 octave (two octaves and a sixth)2. The maker's page lists the same selectable voices for the synth level fader and clock: 0, -1, -1.5, -2, and -2.66.
The synth voice itself offers four selectable waveform modes: chopped saw + pulse, saw + pulse, square, and modulated square2. Four selectable waveforms for the synth voice were also part of the original GD-02's feature set at its 2013 launch3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Five illuminated sliders | Set the mix of the synth, +1 octave, dry, -1 octave, and sub voices2 |
| Dry Level Fader | Sets the level of the unprocessed guitar signal1 |
| Sub clock selector | Chooses the sub interval: off, -1, -1.5, -2, or -2.6 octave2 |
| Synth waveform selector | Chooses between chopped saw + pulse, saw + pulse, square, and modulated square2 |
The original GD-02 also included a TRS effects loop for patching in external effects5, and the Mk. I version had a custom TWA chassis and a preset toggle function, both of which were removed for the Mk. II4.
Analog circuit, relay bypass, power
TWA states plainly that the Great Divide is 100% analog1. That puts it in a small camp among synth pedals: most modern synth stompboxes, like the Boss SY-200 or Meris Enzo, are digital, while the Great Divide generates its voices with analog octave division and analog waveform circuitry. Players looking for that approach can compare it with other analog designs in the synth pedals category.
Bypass is TWA's proprietary S3 Shortest Send Switching, a form of relay-based true bypass that the maker says provides the shortest possible signal path when the pedal is off1. The pedal also reverts to bypass if power is lost4.
The Great Divide requires external 9 VDC power and has no battery option3. Plan for a spot on a powered pedalboard rather than a battery clip.
Where it came from
The Great Divide has a longer history than its small maker suggests. The Mk. II version of TWA's Great Divide was listed as B-stock at £288.00 GBP, and that listing is now marked sold out1. The earlier GD-02 version of the pedal predates it21.
The Mk. II itself was a long project. The maker describes its reconstruction in unusually candid terms1:
"Three years, two cease & desist letters, one trip to Buffalo, tens of thousands of dollars, two redesigns and a few nervous breakdowns later; the Great Divide is finally finished and ready to be unleashed on the world!"1
The Mk. II drops the custom chassis and preset toggle function of the Mk. I4. A separate page covers the TWA Great Divide 2.0 version of the pedal.
Availability and pricing
The maker's main product page for the Great Divide 2.0 allows up to 10 business days to build and test each unit before it ships4. A B-stock listing for the Mk. II shows a price of £288.00 GBP, with the maker noting that B-stock pedals may show signs of use and very minor cosmetic damage, and that the box may show some sign of wear1.
The Mk. II's B-stock price is stated in GBP on the maker's page, and that listing is marked sold out1. No US dollar price for the Mk. II is given.
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Questions
Is the TWA Great Divide Mk. II fully analog?
Yes. TWA describes the Great Divide as 100% analog. It combines classic analog octave division with the company's proprietary synth technology, and there is no digital processing in the signal path. The original GD-02 Great Divide was likewise described as an analog synth octaver when it launched in 2013.
Is the Great Divide true bypass?
Yes. The pedal uses TWA's proprietary S3 Shortest Send Switching, a form of relay-based true bypass. The maker also notes that the pedal reverts to bypass if power is lost, so your dry signal keeps passing through the pedal in a power failure.
Where is the Great Divide made?
The original TWA GD-02 Great Divide was made in the USA, as reported at its 2013 launch. The current Mk. II version is built and tested by Godlyke, TWA's distributor, which asks buyers to allow up to 10 business days for a unit to be built and tested before it ships.
How big is the Great Divide Mk. II?
The pedal measures 5.75 inches long by 4.75 inches wide by 2 inches tall, per the maker's product page. That is a fairly large enclosure by modern pedal standards, comparable to a double-width stompbox, so plan pedalboard space accordingly.
What does the dry level fader do?
The dry level fader sets the volume of your unprocessed guitar signal in the output mix. The Great Divide blends five voices, one of which is the dry sound, so you can keep your original tone audible under the synth and octave voices, or pull it out entirely for a fully synthesized sound.
Sources (6)
- TWA Great Divide Mk. II analog synth octaver (B-STOCK), Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
- TWA Great Divide 2.0 Analog Synth Octaver Review, Premier Guitar, 2013-11-17
- TWA GD-02 Great Divide Synth Octave Pedal Released, Premier Guitar, 2013-09-11
- TWA GREAT DIVIDE 2.0, Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
- Godlyke Unveils TWA GD-02 Great Divide Analog Synth Octave Pedal, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2013-09-16
- TWA Great Divide 2.0 analog synth octaver (B-STOCK), Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
