The Rocktron Widowmaker is a high gain guitar preamp built to be mounted in a rack, made by Rocktron. Rocktron describes it as a "single rack space molten gain producing machine" aimed at the modern metal guitarist and players who "rock on the very heavy side," and the company frames it as a continuation of its long line of guitar preamps. It is a two channel, analog design, with a clean channel for contrast and a high gain channel carrying the metal gain, and it features a new design from LA Custom.1
What it does to your signal
The Widowmaker is a preamp rather than a full amplifier: a guitar or another effect feeds its 1/4" mono input jack, and its 1/4" output jack feeds an amplifier or other effects. With a 1M Ohm input impedance and an output impedance under 100 Ohms, it is set up to take a guitar signal directly and hand a low impedance signal onward down the chain.1
Rocktron's stated intent for the gain structure is unambiguous. In the company's words, the unit delivers "over-the-top metal gain," and the intended user is "the modern metal guitarist, and those who rock on the very heavy side."1 Players who want a preamp for other territory can look elsewhere in Rocktron's rack range, such as the tube driven Rocktron VooDu Valve, the programmable Rocktron Chameleon, or the all-tube Rocktron ValveSonic Plexi, which Rocktron developed with LA Custom, the same design partner credited on the Widowmaker. For pedal-format alternatives, see Preamp Pedals and the Rocktron Gainiac 2.
Controls and channels
The front panel carries the On and Off switch, with a Power LED showing when the preamp is on, and the CHANNEL switch, which switches in and out of the High Gain channel; when its LED is lit, the High Gain channel is active.1
Each channel has its own set of controls:
| Control | Channel | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Level | High Gain | Sets the output level independent of the Clean Channel |
| Bass | High Gain | Sets the amount of low frequency information, adjustable to +/-15dB |
| MID | High Gain | Sets the amount of high frequency cut; up to 30dB of mid range cut can be applied |
| Treble | High Gain | Treble control for the High Gain channel |
| Level, Bass, MID, Treble | Clean | Full EQ and level for clean tones |
Rocktron's product page describes the MID control as determining "the amount of high frequency cut," with up to 30dB of mid range cut available, which gives the High Gain channel a deep mid scoop when dialed in.1
Connections and switching
The back panel holds the footswitch jack, which accepts a 1/4" mono cable and connects to a single-function latching footswitch for channel switching. Rocktron specifies a 1/4" mono latching on/off type switch and lists its VFS1 footswitch as an optional accessory.1
The footswitch jack needs a latching, single-function switch on a 1/4" mono cable. A non-latching or stereo switch will not do the job, and the VFS1 is an optional extra rather than part of the unit itself.1
Power and mounting
The Widowmaker draws its power from a 9VAC supply at 1.5 amps through a 2.5mm barrel connector.1
The power requirement is 9VAC, not the 9V DC center negative standard used by most pedal power supplies. A standard pedalboard outlet or daisy chain will not run it; it needs an AC output adapter.1
Its dimensions are 19" x 1.75" x 4", and it weighs 4.9 lbs.1
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Questions
Is the Rocktron Widowmaker analog or digital?
The Widowmaker is an analog preamp. Rocktron describes it as a two channel analog preamp, so there is no digital modeling or DSP in the signal path. It sits alongside Rocktron's digital and tube-hybrid rack units, such as the VooDu Valve, but the Widowmaker itself is an analog design from LA Custom.
How many rack spaces does the Widowmaker take up?
The Widowmaker occupies a single rack space. Its dimensions are 19 inches wide by 1.75 inches high by 4 inches deep, and it weighs 4.9 pounds, so it fits a standard rack with room to spare.
What power supply does the Rocktron Widowmaker use?
The Widowmaker requires 9VAC at 1.5 amps through a 2.5mm barrel connector. Because it runs on AC rather than the 9V DC that most pedal supplies deliver, it needs its own power adapter rather than a standard pedalboard daisy chain.
Does the Widowmaker come with a footswitch for changing channels?
The back panel has a footswitch jack that accepts a 1/4 inch mono cable and connects to a single-function latching footswitch for channel switching. Rocktron lists its VFS1 footswitch as an optional accessory, so a compatible latching on/off switch is not necessarily included in the box.
Does the Widowmaker have a clean channel?
Yes. The Widowmaker is a two channel preamp, and its clean channel offers Level, Bass, MID and Treble controls for clean tones. The high gain channel has its own Level control that sets output level independently of the clean channel.
Sources (1)
- Widowmaker High Gain Guitar Preamp, Rocktron (www.rocktron.com), 2024-08-28
