Strymon La Brea Analog Tape Drive

Sometimes, Inspiration Comes From Within.

It’s not often that your own gear inspires something completely different, but that’s just what happened with our new La Brea Analog Tape Drive.

An all-analog drive pedal that uses multi-stage tape saturation techniques to create driven tones ranging from mild breakup all the way to full fuzz, La Brea also features high frequency filtering and a fully variable dry output that always stays in phase with the original signal.

 

Your New Favorite Drive        

Twelve years ago, our analog engineer Josh read the original white paper that Pete Celi wrote on the development of our popular Deco pedal. The paper inspired him to begin experimenting with some of the tape-centric techniques used in Deco in a full analog drive pedal design, and over ten years of tinkering later La Brea is the result.

La Brea feels completely natural to play, as the tape techniques create some pleasing natural compression along with the saturation and gain. Whether you’re looking to punch up some crispy open-string arpeggios or throw up a full wall of unique fuzz, La Brea can achieve it.

   

Killer code only sounds killer when it’s hosted inside of an ideal analog environment, and even though we’re primarily known for our DSP prowess, our stuff wouldn’t sound the way that it does without our strong analog team.

The analog guys are always coming up with interesting designs, so we’ve launched the ‘Series A’ line of pure analog pedals to give them an outlet, with Fairfax being the first in the line. 

The designs you’ll be seeing in ‘Series A’ are intended to offer something different from traditional Strymon offerings, with no MIDI, USB, firmware or digital processing. These will be pedals that are unabashedly analog, which means it could get really interesting! Keep an eye out for more ‘Series A’ pedals as we go forward.

Videos   La Brea Videos            

A maxed-out Dry signal is paired with a highly saturated tape drive for an almost fuzz-like tone that retains its clarity.

    Sound Design     Tape Warmth & Feel

Because it uses pre-emphasis and de-emphasis techniques similar to a magnetic tape deck, La Brea imparts a warm smoothness to anything you run through it (much like our beloved Deco pedal). Notes in plucked chords are glued together nicely, and lead lines poke through the mix with authority that feels great under your fingers.

Tape Saturation

This is the main drive control for the pedal, and determines how much tape saturation gain is applied to the input signal. With the Gain switch set to “high” and Tape Sat set to max, La Brea morphs into saturated fuzz territory – notes get smoother the harder you push them, NOT harsh or abrasive.

    Controls and Connections

Use the interactive dots (+) to learn more about La Brea’s knobs, switches, and inputs/outputs.

   

SHIFT
Accentuates the high frequency content on both the saturation and clean signal paths.

high: increases the high-end for added sparkle.

flat: provides flat full-frequency response.

mid: increases the high midrange for added bite.

 

TAPE SAT
Adds soft-clipping, tape-style saturation. Lower settings add light overdrive and mild taming of transients. Higher levels provide heavy distortion, sustain, and fuzz textures. Use the GAIN switch to select the knob’s range.

 

LEVEL
Adjusts the output level of the Tape Saturation circuit.

 

GAIN
Sets the TAPE SAT gain range.

high: enables higher gain.

norm: provides low to medium gain levels.

 

DRY
Independently adjusts the clean signal path level from off to +6dB of boost.

Blend clean signal into a saturated tone for added dynamics. Or, decrease LEVEL to minimum to use the DRY on its own for a cut or clean boost.

 

FOOTSWITCH
Engages and bypasses the pedal. A lit amber LED indicates the pedal is engaged. Bypass is true bypass.

 

INPUT
High impedance JFET buffered mono instrument input.

 

OUTPUT
Low impedance mono output.

 

9VDC
Use a power supply or an adapter with the following ratings: 9VDC, center negative, 500mA minimum (sold separately).

  Features

• All-analog tape saturation drive initially inspired by our classic Deco pedal’s Saturation voices.
• Full analog design – nothing digital in the signal path.
• Gain switch to set the range of the Tape Saturation control.
• Shift switch to enable a dedicated high frequency boost or a high frequency boost with added midrange frequencies for fatness and clarity.
• Variable clean Dry path that is always in phase with the pedal’s saturated audio for adding clarity and fatness even with high saturation levels.
• Runs at 24V internally to facilitate high headroom, a wide gain range and quiet operation.

Specs

• Fully analog circuit.
• True bypass.
• Mono in/out.
• Dimensions: 4.53″ deep x 2.83″ wide x 2.33″ tall (11.51 cm x 7.19 cm x 5.92 cm)
• Power requirements — maximum 9 volts DC center-negative, with a minimum of 500mA (power supply not included).