Cornerstone Nero: The Integrated Fuzz-Preamp System

Vintage Explosion. Modern Control.

The Cornerstone Music Gear Nero is the first "Phase 3" pedal from Cornerstone, designed to bridge the gap between chaotic vintage fuzz and polished studio-grade overdrive. It doesn’t just give you a fuzz sound; it gives you the sound of a fuzz pushed into a world-class D-style amp, all in a single footprint.

Unlike standard fuzzes that can sound thin or "fizzy" when plugged into a clean amp, the Nero features a built-in Gladio SC stage.

• The Fuzz Stage: A unique, original circuit that provides everything from "Velcro" grit to massive, sustaining walls of sound.

• The Preamp Stage: The integrated Gladio SC circuit acts as a "buffer" and "shaper," smoothing out the aggressive transients of the fuzz to ensure it always sounds musical and rounded.

• The "Comp" Control (The Parallel Mix): This is the Nero’s secret weapon. It controls the clean blend of the Gladio SC section. Because it’s a parallel mix, it manages the overall compression of the pedal. You can maintain the "attack" of a clean signal while the fuzz "blooms" underneath it.

• Dual Independent Voices: The Nero features two identical Bias controls (Voice 1 & Voice 2).

  • Counter-clockwise: Gritty, gated, and "spitting" fuzz tones.

  • Clockwise: Huge, open, saturated overdrive/fuzz hybrid.

  • Switching: Toggle between these two presets instantly via the dedicated Voice footswitch (or an external switcher).

• Input Impedance: 1 Mega Ohm (Crucial: Unlike vintage fuzzes, you can place the Nero anywhere in your signal chain without tone loss).

• Controls: Volume, Gain, Tone, Comp, Voice 1, Voice 2.

• Remote Integration: 6.3mm Jack for external footswitch control of the Voice toggle.

• Switching: True Bypass (Relay).

• Power: 9V DC, ~100mA.

• Dimensions: 122 x 67 x 39 mm.