The ZenZero Electronics 2KP is a boutique preamp and boost pedal from ZenZero Electronics, sitting in the boost and preamp territory of a pedalboard. The effect is MOSFET based, and gearnews.com's reviewer, Jef, described it as "a versatile preamp and boost pedal" when he looked at it in November 20161.
It is a deliberately simple pedal. The control layout is two knobs, and the pedal is designed to integrate well with your guitar's volume control and your amp, so rolling back on the guitar becomes part of how you use it1.
Controls and use
The two-knob layout is the pedal's whole interface. Jef's review made a point of it: "its simple control layout of - yes, you've guessed it - two knobs"1. For a player, that means setting a boost level and leaving the pedal alone, using the guitar's volume knob and the amp's front end for the rest of the shaping, which is exactly what the design intends1.
Sound
ZenZero's pedal is aimed at clean boosting, but the review found it does more than one trick. As Jef put it, "the clean boost is also good at dirty, high-gain fuzz in the higher gain stages"1. That puts it in the same conversation as pushing an amp into overdrive or stacking into distortion and fuzz pedals, with the 2KP acting as the gain stage in front.
"The pedal does sound pretty good judging by the demos."
Where it comes from
The 2KP is handmade in Japan by an Italian builder, which is where the boutique label in the review comes from1. The review ran on 30 November 2016, and the price given at the time was an RRP of $139 plus shipping and taxes1.
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Questions
Where is the ZenZero Electronics 2KP made?
The 2KP is handmade in Japan by an Italian builder, according to gearnews.com's review of the pedal. ZenZero Electronics is the maker behind it, and the hand-built approach is part of the pedal's boutique character.
How many knobs does the ZenZero 2KP have?
Two. The review notes the pedal's simple control layout of two knobs, which keeps the preamp and boost functions quick to set and easy to use on a pedalboard.
Does the ZenZero 2KP work with a guitar's volume knob?
Yes. The pedal is designed to integrate well with your guitar's volume control and your amp, so you can clean up or push the boost from the guitar itself rather than bending over the pedal.
How much does the ZenZero 2KP cost?
The review lists an RRP of $139 plus shipping and taxes, as of the pedal's November 2016 review.
Sources (1)
- ZenZero 2KP Pre-amp and booster pedal: More than a one trick pony?, gearnews.com, 2016-11-30