Collision Devices' raison d'être is right there in its name: What kind of magic can one create through combination?
The company's first release, the Black Hole Symmetry, was an inspired mix of delay, reverb, and fuzz. Today, they're back with a brand-new mashup called The Ranch, a dynamo of drive, tremolo, and boost.
The drive controls are straightforward enough. On the pedal, there are three knobs: Dust, which controls the amount of drive; Bright, which can be used to add high-mids and treble without cutting any bass frequencies; and Strength, which controls the drive circuit's volume.
The drive effect is rich on its own and highly sensitive to your playing, but what makes The Ranch unique is its Dynamic Tremolo circuit, which you can adjust inside the pedal with a screwdriver.
The tremolo changes based on how light or hard you play: "The more you attack your strings, the faster it oscillates," the company says. The circuit's Sensitivity setting lets you tweak this characteristic to your own taste, while the Depth setting controls the presence.
Inside the pedal, there is also an adjustable Boost, which can be used on its own or in combination with the drive and tremolo circuits. Color jewels on the pedal's face let you coordinate between the various settings.
All of this is housed in a beautiful, environmentally-friendly enclosure and packaging: a sturdy walnut chassis with Piñatex synthetic leather face, all polished with natural linseed oil.
Click here to order The Ranch, available exclusively on Reverb.