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EarthQuaker Devices Plumes Small Signal Shredder Overdrive Pedal

JFET Op-amp Overdrive Guitar Effect Pedal with 3 Modes, Fine-tuned Tone Control, and Flexi-Switch
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EarthQuaker Devices Plumes Small Signal Shredder Overdrive Pedal
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Inject Your Amp with Tube-like Overdrive

Ready to cook some tubes? Then put the EarthQuaker Devices (EQD) Plumes between your guitar and amp. Armed with JFET op-amps, this high-headroom OD is chock-full of chime and clarity. Three different modes enable you to inject grind into your playing with symmetrical LED clipping, goose your amp with a wide-open op-amp clean boost, or give yourself a transparent dirty boost with asymmetrical silicon diode clipping. And once you dial in your clipping voice, you can mold it to perfection with a fine-tuned Tone control. What’s more, EQD Plumes Flexi-Switch enables you to use momentary- and latching-style switching simultaneously. If you want your amp to sing with well-sculpted lows, focused mids, and ultra-clear highs, Plumes is your one-way ticket to tonal nirvana.

This ain’t your father’s green overdrive pedal

Plumes is green. It’s an overdrive. But it’s not another direct clone of the oft-duplicated pedal guitarists far and wide are familiar with — for many reasons. First of all, Plumes eschews the typical JRC4558 circuit and bipolar transistor buffers for JFET op-amps. It also raises the input impedance to nearly 10 megaohms. Plumes is powered by internally converting its 9-volt input to +/- 9 volts. All in all, Plumes offers lower noise and improved signal integrity over its predecessor, along with increased headroom, extra dimensionality, and added clarity. It also imparts a healthy dose of compression with truckloads of sustain.

One of the most versatile overdrives out there

Many overdrives are a one-trick pony, but not Plumes — its three clipping modes make it one of the most versatile OD stompboxes out there. Mode 1 offers symmetrical LED clipping, supplying you with loads of crunch and compression. This is a great setting for down-and-dirty rock ‘n’ roll tones. Mode 2 is a wide-open op-amp clean boost. This setting dispenses with the soft-clipping diodes altogether, leaving you with a straight op-amp drive that’s perfect for pushing your clean amp into restrained breakup. Mode 3 is an asymmetrical silicon diode arrangement that produces a familiar-sounding drive, but with more clarity and transparency. EQD Plumes covers a lot of ground in a lot of situations; but when we ran it through its paces here at Sweetwater, we found that it works its best magic in front of a dirty amp.

A Tone knob that sounds great at any setting

On many overdrive pedals, only about 25% of the Tone knob’s range is useable. The rest produces either mud or ear-piercing high mids. Plumes takes this into account. Its fine-tuned Tone control is useful throughout its entire range. It’s like EarthQuaker Devices took the useable portion of the Tone knob on a typical overdrive and spread it over Plumes’ entire range. All the way counterclockwise, Plumes’ Tone control delivers clear, punchy lows without becoming boomy or muddy. All the way clockwise, the Tone knob adds brightness and clarity without shredding your ears.

EarthQuaker Devices Plumes Features:

  • JFET op-amp-based overdrive with loads of headroom, chime, and clarity
  • Makes a dirty amp sing with well-sculpted lows, focused mids, and ultra-clear highs
  • Symmetrical LED clipping mode injects grind into your playing
  • Wide-open op-amp clean boost pushes a clean amp into restrained breakup
  • Asymmetrical silicon diode clipping produces a familiar yet transparent dirty boost
  • Fine-tuned Tone knob is useful throughout its entire range
  • Flexi-Switch enables the use of momentary- and latching-style switching simultaneously

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Tech Specs

  • Pedal Type: Medium Gain Overdrive
  • Analog/Digital: Analog
  • Inputs: 1 x 1/4" (instrument)
  • Outputs: 1 x 1/4"
  • True Bypass: Yes
  • EQ: Tone Control
  • Controls: 3-way Mode Switch
  • Power Source: 9V DC power supply (sold separately)
  • Power Usage: 25mA
  • Height: 2.25"
  • Width: 2.5"
  • Depth: 4.75"
  • Weight: 0.8 lbs.
  • Manufacturer Part Number: EQDPLUMV1USA

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5/5

Wanted a tubescreamer, but got so much more!

This pedal is one of the greatest pedals I have ever played, if there was one pedal to own it would be this one. Now I know some don't like it for the brightness, but you can alter the tone knob to help keep lows nice and present. This is very musical and always on in my signal chain. It even offers borderline fuzz/dist if you really push the gain, but at low settings on the third mode, it's the lovechild of a Klon and an 808. GET IT NOW!
Rated 5/5

Killer overdrive

My experience with this overdrive was amazing: I use to boost (in boost mode) my Revv G20 into mesa 2x12 and this little green box transform my OD channel (any of the aggression modes) into a very responsive, heavy and tight distortion channel with extra low end.
Music background: Guitar player of Death Metal / Sludge / Stoner
Rated 5/5

Fantastic

I had been using a Way Huge Green Rhino mk. II to push my Peavey 6505+ head and while I did think it was a good overdrive, it didn't have enough high end sizzle. I have tons of respect for Earthquaker, I've owned several of their other pedals, so I knew the Plumes would be good. Maybe it wouldn't be what I needed, but it would be good.

It's fantastic. Position 2, gain at 0, volume at max, tone between 1 and 2 o'clock. Searing, tight, colorful chugs. I'm so happy with the results. This is going to become an always on pedal. Throw some moderate fuzz before it, into a clean(ish) channel. *chef's kiss*
Rated 5/5

Mean Green!

I've been an active guitarist for 20+ years with gear that has come and gone due to bills that needed to be paid. I am at the point in my life where I've leveled out and I have more bills paid off than I have left to pay. I thought I could live with a processor for all my musical needs but I can flat out tell you my PodGo sounds great through a PA but I've yet to get a good tone going through my Fender Bassbreaker 45. So this year I have accepted pedals are the better choice for playing through tube amps for me.
I've slowly regrown my collection this year with some higher gain overdrives such as a Fulltone OCD, and a ProCo Rat but unfortunately this leaves a huge gap in my gain stage.
The Plumes is exactly what I was looking for! I run my Bassbreaker 45 somewhat clean and this baby has the low gain grit I was looking for! I prefer the first gain stage on the plumes symmetrical diode clipping. This covers all the classic rock sounds that I want that isn't a Marshall sounding amp. For the Marshall sounds I go with the Fulltone OCD. These two pedals stack really well for a lead tone! I could run them either way and be satisfied with the lead tone I get from them stacked together. Both the OCD and the Plumes has a lot of mids, with the OCD having loads more bottom end. The Plumes has a more honky mid range but it's still very smooth sounding.plumes could pass as an always on pedal in my book! I love the tone of this pedal, it's my favorite pedal on my board!
I love the build quality and the soft switching true bypass is wonderful! This pedal feels more expensive than it actually is!
Music background: Professional amateur
Rated 5/5

Wicked!!!!!!

This pedal has the smoothest 808ish sounding gain on toggle 3 and the tone knob on this setting actually lets you dial a little mids back if it's too bright, most just stay bright and nothing else happens. Aside from that, this pedal has more boost power and headroom than most boost pedals. I have it at 9oclock on option 3 and it it way louder than my other pedals at 12 o'clock . But don't let this 808ish toggle 3 scare you off if you don't like that sort of thing. 1 and 2 have very nice clean overdrive (I'm my opinion similar to a morning glory) with different tone options on both. ...I would swear it cost 200-250. It's so awesome and the look of it is just so groovy!
Music background: 16 years in worship music
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