Electronic Audio Experiments Longsword Overdrive Pedal

The Longsword is a versatile op-amp based drive that moves effortlessly from clean boost to massive distortion while keeping your tone flexible and full of character. Its cascaded gain stages deliver a huge range of textures, from light grit to thick, sparkly saturation, making it equally at home with guitar, baritone, or bass.

An advanced EQ section combines bass and treble shelving filters with an active, frequency-selectable midrange boost or cut. This lets you carve out space in dense mixes or push your instrument forward with authority. The Longsword’s broad frequency response and interactive controls make it a powerful tool for shaping your sound, whether you are chasing mid-2000s post-hardcore punch or modern clarity.

⚙️ Features and Specifications

• Type: Overdrive and distortion pedal

• Circuit: Op-amp based with cascaded gain stages

• Controls:

  • Level – Output volume

  • Drive – From light grit to heavy overdrive

  • Low / High – James/Baxandall tone stack (shelving filters)

  • Mid – Active midrange boost or cut

  • Shift – Selects frequency controlled by the Mid knob

  • Diode – Three clipping options:

    • Up: MOSFET clipping, medium compression

    • Center: No diodes, minimal compression

    • Down: Silicon diode clipping, maximum compression

  • Boost Footswitch – Engages a front-end mid boost

  • Boost Knob – Adds up to 20 dB of gain when Boost is engaged

• Bypass: Relay switching with true bypass

• Input Impedance: 500 kΩ at 1 kHz

• Output Impedance: 1 kΩ at 1 kHz

• Power: 9V DC center-negative, 75 mA current draw, regulated and isolated supply recommended (no battery operation)

• Finish: Black sparkle