The Butter Machine is the culmination of a two-year R&D collaboration between VEMURAM and legendary guitarist Michael Landau. To capture Landau's ideal distortion, Vemuram cycled through dozens of prototypes, testing them extensively during his high-profile recording sessions in Los Angeles and on global tours. The goal was to create a "new species" of distortion, one that remains touch-sensitive and highly dynamic, transitioning seamlessly from a transparent overdrive to a rich, full-bore distortion.

Michael Landau's tonal journey began with a desire to improve upon the classic Ibanez SD9. While he valued its gain structure, he sought to eliminate the "love-hate" relationship caused by its inherent harshness and over-compression.

Taking the SD9 as a sonic foundation, Vemuram engineered a higher-grade circuit that retains that iconic punch while offering a more open, natural feel. The result is a pedal with endless sustain and gain that remarkably maintains its clarity and "weight" even when the guitar's volume is rolled back.

In addition to the standard Level, Gain, and Tone knobs, the Butter Machine features two specialised internal trimmers for surgical tonal shaping:

• Sparkle (High-End Peaking): A specialised boost centred around 6kHz, allowing users to dial in the perfect amount of "crunch" and top-end definition.
• Low-Mid: Provides precise control over the lower-frequency body, ensuring the bottom end is tight and supportive without becoming muddy.

In Michael's Own Words

"Vemuram has designed the best distortion pedal that I have ever played through. It has a perfectly open, natural feeling... yet it stays clear, punchy, and solid. We named it the 'Butter Machine,' and if you play through one, you'll know why. It's a very satisfying sonic experience."