ELEVEN RACK AMPS
'59 Tweed Lux Based on a 1959 Fender® Deluxe With a single 12-inch Jensen speaker and a pair of 6V6 tubes delivering 15 watts, Fender’s “tweed” Deluxe became a recording studio favorite for everyone from ZZ Top’s Top’s Billy Gibbons to jazz/fusion legend Larry Carlton. In fact, Carlton’s acclaimed solo on Steely Dan’s “Kid Charlemagne” is a Gibson ES-335 (with the guitar’s guitar ’s tone control rolled back) straight into a cranked Fender Deluxe. With just a simple tone control, ’50s-era Deluxe amps deliver crunchy clean sounds when used with single-coil pickups, and fat leads when driven with humbucking pickups. Even with that dynamic range, its low wattage keeps it totally under control for recording. While not exactly loud enough to cut a gig, Neil Young Young toured for decades with his beloved ’59 tweed Deluxe, but he had to t o drag around a personal PA system just so he could hear it over the actual house monitors and PA. For our model, the knobs range from 0–10 (instead of 1–12 on the original) to better match the other amps in Eleven, and for consistency with automation and control surface controls. Our ’59 Tweed Tweed Lux is also “jumped” so you can feed both the Instrument and Mic inputs in parallel. Turning either the Instrument or Mic channel volume to zero will un-jump the channels (though the patch cord will remain onscreen).
’59 Tweed Bass Based on a 1959 Fender® Bassman® Originally designed by Leo Fender in 1952 to go along with his new “electric” Precision Bass, the world’s first bass amp, the Fender Bassman, supplied less than 40-watts through a single 15-inch speaker. speaker. It was also covered in the same tweed suitcase cloth used on the Fender Deluxe. Always willing to make a design better, Fender eventually felt that using four 10-inch Jensen speakers had a tighter bass response while still keeping the high-end intact. By 1959, the Bassman had closer to 50 watts of power, using two 5881 (military spec 6L6) power tubes, and four inputs (high and low for each channel). Along with controls for Bass, Middle (midrange), and Treble, a negative feedback Presence control also allowed for more tweaking of the high-end frequencies.
Even though the ’59 Bassman was originally designed with bass guitar in mind, it became the holy grail of tone for nearly all of the pioneering country, country, rock, and blues guitarists of the ’50s and ’60s. Even blues harmonica players consider the Fender Bassman the industry standard when used with a “Green Bullet” microphone. It’s this classic amp’s layout and circuit design that became the blueprint for many others to follow, including amps made in a small shop in England owned by a drummer named Jim Marshall. Just like Avid’s ’59 Tweed Lux, the ’59 Tweed Bass’ knobs range from 0–10 (instead of 1– 12 on the original) to better match the other amp models in i n Eleven, and for consistency with automation and control surface controls. The Tweed Bass is also “jumped” so you can feed both the Bright and Normal inputs. Though no patch cord is present on screen, turning either the Instrument or Mic channel volume to zero will un-jump the channels.
'64 Black Panel Lux Vibrato Based on a 1964 Fender® Deluxe Reverb®, Vibrato Channel ’64 Black Panel Lux Normal Based on a 1964 Fender® Deluxe Reverb®, Normal Channel For nearly the entire time Leo Fender was designing amps, he always made sure to have a version of the Fender Deluxe. With a single 12-inch Oxford speaker and a pair of 6V6s putting out just over 20 watts, Fender’s Deluxe Reverb became the ultimate small club amp. In the studio, it’s been used to record countless #1 hits in i n Nashville thanks to “first call” session players such as Brent Mason. At low volumes its crisp, clean high-end has been favored by Fender Telecaster® Telecaster® country rockers such as Pete Anderson (Dwight Yoakam). But push the amp past 7 with a humbucking pickup, and you’ve got an amazingly dynamic lead tone that’s been used by blues/jazz great Robben Ford and ’80s LA session king Steve Lukather. With his goldtop ’58 Les Paul, Lukather used his Fender Deluxe Reverb to cut the solo on Toto’s Toto’s hit “Hold The Line.” Fender made both a Deluxe and a Deluxe Reverb at the same time. However, However, with its bigger cabinet and extra gain stage (which was used to isolate the reverb tank from the preamp), most players preferred the sound of the Deluxe Reverb. After Leo Fender sold his company in 1965 to CBS, the black front panel was eventually phased out and replaced by “silverface” panels. The more desirable early and mid ’60s Fender amplifiers picked up the nickname “blackface” due to their black control panels. For Eleven, we’ve modeled both channels of this classic blackface-era amp. While both versions of our ’64 Black Panel Lux model include Tremolo Tremolo (which Fender mislabeled as Vibrato), Normal is a single gain version, while Vibrato adds the additional gain stage like the original.
’66 AC Hi Boost Based on a 1966 VOX® AC30 Top Boost Originally released in 1958, Vox’s AC30 went through a few design changes that would eventually define the sound of British pop/rock in the ’60s. First available by Vox as a modification mounted in the rear of the amp, the “Top Boost” circuit added an extra tube and controls for Treble and Bass. It became so popular that Vox eventually redesigned the control panel and officially added the circuit to the AC30 in 1963. It’s this version of amp with two 12-inch Celestions (also known as 15-watt Blue or Bulldog speakers due to their color and labeling) and a quartet of EL84 tubes delivering 30 watts that helped change the sound of popular music. While the Beatles are forever linked to the AC30 Top Boost, many other great bands built their sound with it, including Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, REM, Radiohead, and U2. Armed with a Stratocaster that fed into a digital delay, the Edge’s percussive rhythm on tracks such as “Pride (In The Name of Love)” and “Where The Streets Have No Name” showcase the amp’s distinctive high-end chime and glassiness. For lead work, Brian May’s singing solo tones on such Queen classics as “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Killer Queen” have helped make the Vox AC30 one of the most sought-after amps of all time. For our model, we’ve “jumped” the Normal and Brilliant channels. Tremolo and Cut (presence) are active on both channels. However, just like the original, the Treble and Bass controls are only part of the Brilliant channel, and have no effect on the Normal channel.
'67 Black Duo Based on a 1967 Fender® Twin Reverb® Without a doubt, Fender’s blackface-era Twin Reverb is considered one of the greatest combo amps ever made. With two 12-inch Jensen speakers and a quartet of 6L6 tubes pushing 80 watts, no concert stage was complete without one. During the ’60s and ’70s, nearly every pro guitar player in every genre of music used a Fender Twin Reverb, from BB King and the Beatles (used on The White Album) to John Fogerty, David Gilmour, and Carlos Santana. It was during the recording of Santana’s 1970 Abraxas record that he used his ’61 Gibson SG and Fender Twin Reverb to track his classic instrumental ballad “Samba Pa Ti."
One of the main reasons for the amp’s popularity is that it can maintain the classic Fender clean sound even at high volume levels. For some players, such as Eric Johnson who uses two amps in stereo, a Twin Reverb is the only amp that can really keep up with a driven Marshall half stack. Another special feature of the blackface-era Twin Reverb is the inclusion of a Bright switch. For our model, just like the original, as you turn the Volume knob up, the Bright switch has less of an effect. Dial the Volume knob around 3 or 4 with the Bright switch on, and you’ll get that ultra-clean snap that it’s famous for.
’69 Plexiglas – 100W Based on a 1969 Marshall® 1959 100-Watt Super Lead Head In 1963, Fender amps were expensive and hard to find in England. But there was one small store named Marshall’s Music in a London suburb that stocked a few. The shop was owned by drum teacher Jim Marshall, whose students included Mitch Mitchell (The Jimi Hendrix Experience) and Keith Moon (The Who). The shop’s amp repairman, Ken Bran, thought they could build the same kind of amps as Fender, but using domestic part supplies. Within two years, Marshall needed a bigger factory, and his amps were gaining favor among a new crop of local guitar players. A young Eric Clapton bought his first Marshall combo for his new gig with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. It was a volume-hungry Pete Townsend who eventually asked Jim to make a 100-watt head and 8x12 cabinet. It didn’t take long before The Who’s roadies protested, and the cabinet was split in half. Now with two 4x12 cabinets loaded with “greenback” Celestions, and a 100-watt head, the Marshall stack was born and ready to usher in the era of the Guitar God. When James Marshall Hendrix landed in England, he thought it was fate having the same name as Marshall’s owner, and left the store with a brand new 100-watt Super Lead stack. This era of Marshall’s amps had a plastic gold front panel. By the end of 1969, they switched to metal, thus making the “Plexi” heads highly collectable. Some of the greatest rock riffs and solos got their tone from the Plexi, including “Sunshine of Your Love,” “Voodoo Child,” “Cliffs of Dover,” and every single guitar sound on the first two Van Halen records, including “Eruption.” For our model, we’ve based it on the legendary 100-watt 1968/69 version, which also has the “lay down” transformers favored by Eddie Van Halen. We’ve also “jumped” both channels like Eric Johnson’s setup.
’82 Lead 800 – 100W Based on a 1982 Marshall JCM800 2203 100-Watt Head By 1982, Jim Charles Marshall finally ended a bad distribution deal, which kept the company financially strapped for over a decade. He decided to trim the amp line down and focus on his new flagship amp, the JCM800. Named after the license plate on his car (which was just his initials and a plate number), the JCM800 delivered massive distorted rhythm sounds thanks to its cascaded preamp design, a quartet of EL34 tubes, and the addition of a master volume. Unlike the Marshall heads of the ’60s, which needed to be on 10 to achieve an overdrive sound, a JCM800 could conjure up real distortion at any volume level, and that made it very popular in the burgeoning heavy metal scene. From Judas Priest to Iron Maiden and Slayer, no metal band would go on onstage without a wall of JCM800 stacks. It absolutely dominated the ’80s rock and metal scene. In later years, Jane’s Addiction’s Dave Navarro and Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello used JCM800 series amps to redefine the sound of metal-inspired rock.
’85 M-2 Lead Based on a 1985 Mesa/Boogie® Mark IIc+, Drive Channel Mesa Engineering was originally started by amp repairman Randall Smith so he could buy supplies for his other job, rebuilding Mercedes engines. It was this “hot rod” mentality that lead Smith to take a small Fender Princeton and turn it into a 50-watt monster, complete with a JBL 12-inch speaker. In 1970, while repairing amps in his shop at Prune Music in Berkeley, CA, Smith left what he thought of as a practical joke in the storefront. When local guitar hotshot Carlos Santana heard it, he was blown away and said, “Man, this thing really boogies!” At that moment, the Mesa/Boogie amplifier was born. Over the years, Smith continued to improve his designs to include features such as switchable channels, effects loops, a slave out, 5-band EQ, and a power tube mode called Simul-Class. Different output power levels could be achieved by tweaking the Simul-Class rear switches to run the amp in Class A with a pair of EL34s, or in conjunction with a pair of
Class A/B 6L6s. All of those features helped make the final design of the Mark IIc+ one of the most desired amps Mesa/Boogie ever made. The Mark IIc+ can be heard on everything from the progressive rock solos of Dream Theater’s John Petrucci to the super chunky rhythm sounds of Metallica’s James Hetfield. Used during the sessions for And Justice For All and Master of Puppets, Hetfield always had the amp’s graphic EQ set up in a “V” curve to maintain a tight bass sound, while getting rid of any unnecessary midrange boominess. We’ve based our model on the Lead channel with the Fat, Bright, and Gain Boost options on. We even modeled the classic “V” EQ curve!
'92 Treadplate Modern Based on a 1992 Mesa/Boogie® Dual Rectifier® Head, Channel 3: Modern High Gain ’92 Treadplate Vintage Based on a 1992 Mesa/Boogie® DualRectifier® Head, Channel 2: Vintage High Gain Released in 1989, Mesa/Boogie’s Dual Rectifier seemed cooler than a high-performance racecar. With more tone-tweaking options and distortion than any Boogie before it, the amp became the industry standard for players looking to achieve a massive sound. It first gained exposure at the end of the grunge period with bands like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden. But the Dual Rectifier would find its greatest fame in the Nu Metal scene with Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Linkin Park. The Dual Rectifier has also become a favorite of bands such as Creed, and more recently the Foo Fighters. With the ability to run on either 6L6 or EL34 tubes, the Dual Rectifier was named for its ability to select between either tube or silicon diode rectifier circuits. On top of that, an AC power selection switch offered a Bold or a Spongy option, which would drop the voltage like a Variac for a more “brown” sound. For our ’92 Treadplate, we modeled two different channels and selected the appropriate rectifier and AC power switch setting. For Treadplate Modern, we set it on the Red channel using 6L6s, a silicon rectifier, and the Bold power setting for a tight, aggressive tone. For Treadplate Vintage, we modeled the Orange channel with 6L6s, a tube rectifier, and the Spongy power setting for a more fluid lead tone.
'89 SL-100 Drive Based on a 1989 Soldano SLO-100 Super Lead Overdrive Head, Overdrive Channel ’89 SL-100 Crunch Based on a 1989 Soldano SLO-100 Super Lead Overdrive Head, Crunch Channel ’89 SL-100 Clean Originally from Seattle, Michael Soldano moved to Los Angeles and officially founded Soldano Custom Amplification in 1987 on April Fool’s Day. Soldano quickly got a reputation for doing high-gain mods to old Marshall heads. His goal was to add lots of gain without losing definition or clarity. This led to the creation of his own 100-watt amp called the Super Lead Overdrive. Built like a tank, and sporting a chromed chassis and transformers, some of the first SLO-100 heads were quickly purchased by Mark Knopfler, Steve Lukather, Lou Reed, Steve Stevens, and Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford. Known for its singing sustain and clear articulation, the SLO-100 also became Eric Clapton’s favorite stage and studio amp through most of the ’90s. For our ’89 SL-100, we modeled three different channels. Clean and Crunch both have the Bright/Normal switch of a stock SLO-100. For Drive, we modeled Warren Haynes’ (The Allman Brothers) Soldano’s bright switch mod. Set to Normal, the amp is stock. With Mod engaged, the treble boost that would normally happen at lower gain settings is removed, which leads to a rounder, thicker sound. The Mod circuit has progressively less effect as the gain is raised, and no effect when the preamp is set to 10.
DC Modern Overdrive Custom Modern Overdrive If you’re looking for a unique tone that blends the classic growl of a 100-watt Marshall with more low-end girth, give our DC Modern Overdrive a try. Based on the JCM800, we added loads of extra gain and a carefully tweaked tone stack for a little extra thump! Plus, there’s a Bright switch and a Fender*-style Tremolo. Use a humbucker in the bridge position and you’ll have a tone that can shred with the best of them.
DC Vintage Crunch Custom Vintage Crunch For our DC Vintage Crunch model, we blended the two most popular versions of the Fender Deluxe* into one killer amp. Based on the tweed-era Deluxe, we added more gain and a Bright switch. To make it even more versatile, we added the blackface-era tone stack and tremolo. Using single-coil pickups, you can achieve glassy clean sounds and punchy leads with ease.
ELEVEN RACK EXPANSION PACK AMPS
’64 Black Vib—based on the 1964 Fender Vibroverb combo amp Produced for a short time in the mid-’60s, the Fender Vibroverb amp was one of the alltime great US-made smaller club amps. With an easy-to-overdrive but still not over-loud 40-watt 6L6GC-based power section and a single 15-inch speaker in an open-back cabinet, the amp strikes a great compromise between the crunch of smaller models in the line and the hall-filling clean tones of the larger models. Our amp offers a range of volume and tone controls, plus four Tremolo settings. We also added a midrange control (not found on the original) for more tonal versatility. Set it to ~7 to match the flat response of the original amp.
’65 Black Mini—based on the 1965 Fender Champ combo amp Outputting a mere 5 watts of power through a single 6-inch speaker when it first arrived in ’55, the Fender Champ boasted just one power tube. Though small in stature and volume, the amp offers sweet, gently driven tones and straight-ahead spank in droves. Its ability to produce classic tube amp sounds at low volumes made it a studio standard for decades. Our ‘65 Black Mini amp model is based on the ’60s-era 6-watt tube combo amp, with a single 8-inch speaker in an open-back configuration. Our version offers Volume, Treble, and Bass controls, and four Tremolo settings—Speed, Sync, Intensity, and Vibrato.
’65 Black SR—based on the 1965 Fender Super Reverb combo amp Known for its chiming clean tones at comparatively high volumes, the ’65 Fender Super Reverb "blackface" 40-watt combo amp featured an all-tube design, tremolo and spring reverb effects, and four 10-inch speakers in an open-back configuration. The amp became a legend among country pickers, blues players, and other guitarists who favored highvolume clean tones. Our version offers Volume, Treble, Mid, and Bass controls, along with a Bright switch (which can be toggled on and off using the SW2 button) and four Tremolo settings—Speed, Sync, Intensity, and Vibrato—to capture the full tone profile of the original.
’65 J45—based on the 1965 Marshall JTM45 head Originally released in 1962, the JTM45 was the first guitar amp made by Marshall and was based on the Fender Bassman. Designed as a cheaper alternative to Fender amps, the JTM45 became known for its warm, clean Fender Tweed-like sound, giving way to a dirtier bluesy sound when cranked—unlike later Marshall amps, which are known for their signature "crunch".
’67 Plexiglas Vari—based on the 1967 Marshall Super Lead "Plexi" head with Variac modification When guitarists want it loud, they turn to Marshall, and the Super Lead "Plexi" was among the loudest when it arrived. Known for its warm, bluesy tone, the amp is embraced by many revered blues and rock guitarists, including Pete Townsend, Eric Clapton, and Angus Young. Our amp model is based on the 1967 100-watt tube head, similar to the amp we used as the basis for our ’69 Plexiglas 100w model. This amp simulates that amp having its voltage reduced by a variable transformer called a Variac—a custom mod made famous by Eddie Van Halen, producing the much-loved "Brown" tone. The amp’s two channels, which can be blended together using the two volume controls, offer different tones— Channel 1 has a fairly flat tonal response, while Channel 2 is somewhat darker-sounding.
’68 Plexiglas 50w—based on the 1968 Marshall Super Lead 50w head In 1968, Marshall changed up the circuitry in its Super Lead Plexi series of amps, giving them more brightness, which brought out even more crunch... Our Plexiglas model is based on the legendary 1968 50-watt head, which was designed with a lower power tube plate voltage, and is known to break up at lower levels than its 100-watt counterpart. We also "jumped" both channels for even more gain.
’69 Blue Line Bass—based on the 1969 Ampeg SVT head When it comes to getting that big, ballsy, blow-’em-away tone, guitarists have their Marshalls. Bassists bow to the great Ampeg SVT bass amplifier. And now you can get that thunderous, sought-after sound of rock legends worldwide with our emulation of the vintage 300-watt 1969 Ampeg SVT bass amp head. Pair it with the 8x10 Blue Line speaker to recreate that massive legendary sound. On the original amp, the U-Lo and U-Hi controls are on-off switches. In our version, they’re continuously variable, so you can use them to add low or high harmonics to your tone. In addition, the Mid Frequency control setting is continuously variable, unlike the original’s set three-way switch.
’97 RB-01b Red, Blue, and Green—based on the Bogner Ecstasy 101B head With three distinct channels—Red (lead), Blue (rhythm), and Green (clean)—and a discrete preamp circuit for each channel, the 100-watt Bogner Ecstasy boutique amp enabled variety-hungry guitarists to achieve a huge range of vintage amp tones, without the tonal and ergonomic issues of modular amp setups. The Red channel excels at highgain lead tones, the Blue is suited to chunky rhythm playing, and the Green focuses on clean tones. Our model offers a variety of volume, tone, gain, presence, and boost controls, plus a Bright switch.
MS-30 - based on the 1993 Matchless D/C-30 combo amp
The MS-30 amp model is based on a US-made, early-90s boutique combo amp, the first design by its manufacturer. Featuring a 30-watt EL84 - based power section and two twelve-inch speakers in an open-back configuration, it excels at a range of sounds, from squeaky-clean all the way to beautifully-overdrive high-gain tones. Known for finely-tuned, interactive tone controls, and a fresh take on classic “Class-A” amp topologies, this amp claims a long list of celebrity fans.
DC Modern 800—Avid custom amp A variant of our Lead 800 model, DC Modern 800 is based on an 80s-era Marshall JCM800* high-gain tube head. We made a couple of simple component swaps to change the tone significantly, and added a Bright switch to provide additional tonal range "
DC Modern Clean—Avid custom amp This custom amp is loosely based on a 60s-era Fender* 85-watt tube combo amp. We tweaked our version to provide shimmering clean tones.
DC Modern SOD—Avid custom amp This amp is loosely based on a US-made late- 80s 100-watt "super overdrive" tube head. It features a tight, extended low-end and high-gain capability—perfect for players of extended-range guitars. "
DC Vintage Clean—Avid custom amp This amp is loosely based on the same 66 VOX AC30 Top Boost* tube amp we used as the basis for our AC Hi Boost model. We further refined it to offer a range of tones—from super clean (it’s actually cleaner than the original amp) to a slight amount of breakup. "
DC Vintage OD—Avid custom amp This unique “overdrive” amp is loosely based on a combination of Marshall* and VOX* tube amps. It takes the preamp section from our Plexiglas model and marries it to the power section of our AC Hi Boost model, with further tonal enhancements.
DC Bass—Avid custom amp For bassists, this amp is based on the same 300-watt 69 Ampeg SVT* bass head we used as the basis for the Blue Line Bass model. We designed this custom bass amp with a scooped lower-midrange response, enabling you to achieve more thundering lows with a tighter response than the original amp. And—unconventionally for a bass amp—ours offers a tremolo circuit. "
ELEVEN RACK CABS
4x12 Classic 30—based
on an ’06 Marshall 1960AV 4x12” with Celestion Vintage 30s
4x12 Green 25W—based
on a ’68 Marshall 1960A with Celestion G12H “Greenbacks”
4x10 Tweed Bass—based
2x12 AC Blue—based
on a ’59 Fender Bassman 4x10” with Jensen P10Qs
on a ’66 VOX AC30 2x12” with Celestion Alnico Blues
2x12 Black Duo—based
on a ’67 Fender Black Face Twin Reverb 2x12” with Jensen
C12Ns
1x12 Black Lux—based
on a ’64 Fender Black Face Deluxe Reverb 1x12” with Jensen
P12N
1x12 Tweed Lux—based
on a ’59 Fender Tweed Deluxe 1x12” with Jensen P12Q
ELEVEN RACK EXPANSION PACK CABS
8x10 Blue Line—based
on an Ampeg SVT 8x10 with "towel bar"
4x12 Green 20W—based
4x12 65W—based
on a Marshall 4x12 with original issue Celestion G12-65 speakers
4x10 Black SR—based
2x12 B30—based
on a Marshall 4x12 with Celestion Heritage G12M speakers
on a Fender Super Reverb 4x10 with CTS Alnico speakers
on a Bogner 2x12 with Celestion Vintage 30 speakers
2x12 Silver Cone—based
on a Roland JC-120 2x12
1x15 Open Back—based on an Ampeg Reverberocket 1x15 with Jensen C15N speaker
1x8 Custom—based on a Fender Champ combo amp speaker
ELEVEN RACK EFFECTS
BBD Delay—based on the Electro - Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man Favored by guitarists such as U2’s The Edge and Eric Johnson, the original ElectroHarmonix Memory Man could produce analog delay and colorful chorus/vibrato effects without requiring tape. The 5-knob Deluxe Memory Man version does the same, but is also capable of producing eerie and unusual pitch-shift and flying saucer effects. Our BBD Delay effect, named after the bucket-brigade delay technology used in the Deluxe Memory Man, emulates virtually every aspect and all controls of the original, adding a switchable noise control to enhance the realism. For pristine delay tones, set the control to “OFF.” For realistic Feedback control behavior, leave the noise set to "ON." BBD Delay also offers up to 1.6 seconds of delay time—well beyond the capability of the original When “bucket brigade” analog delays arrived in the mid-70s, their relatively small size and solidstate reliability made them a godsend to tape loop-addled guitarists. It went on to become a classic of its own, with a smooth, round delay sound and a Chorus-Vibrato mode that let it double as a modulation effect. Input Sets the input level to the delay effect. Cranked up, it can push the signal into useful distortion. Mod Switches the modulation effect between Vibrato (only the delayed signal is passed) and Chorus (both the dry and delayed signal are passed.) Depth Controls the level of modulation of the delayed signal. Noise Toggles modeled analog hiss in or out of the signal. *When Hiss or Noise is turned on in one of the delay effects and the feedback level is sufficiently high, the delay will self-oscillate and make sound of its own, even when bypassed. If this effect is not desired, turn down the feedback control.
Black Op Distortion—based on the Pro Co Rat
During the mid-1970s, Pro Co Sound engineers Scott Burnham and Steve Kiraly repaired and hot-rodded existing overdrive and distortion pedals before deciding to design a superior model from scratch. Thus was born the Pro Co Rat, which became one of the most popular effects boxes ever. We based our Black Op Distortion effect on a stock second edition Pro Co Rat pedal, and even powered the unit using old-school carbon zinc batteries during the measuring and analyzing process. The Black Op Distortion features three controls: Distortion controls the amount of overdrive in the opamp, Filter attenuates the highs, and Volume controls the output gain. The Black Op Distortion works great as part of a cascading chain of gain. Set it to a moderate level and put it in front of a slightly distorted amp and listen for rich, distorted tones. Inspired by an 80s-era op-amp-based distortion pedal, BlackOp Distortion offers massive crunch and power. Its hard-clipping drive can squeeze aggressive rhythm and lead tones out of softsounding vintage amps, and create surprisingly hard-edged tones when paired with more modern amps.
Black Wah—based on the Thomas Organ CB-95 Cry Baby The history of the wah-wah pedal is rather convoluted. The pedal was first introduced by VOX in 1966, but soon after, VOX’s former parent company, Thomas Organ, began releasing wah-wahs on its own... While VOX insisted on sticking to an alphanumeric naming scheme (hence the name V846), Thomas Organ decided to give the effect a snazzy new one—the Cry Baby—a fitting moniker that accurately described the pedal’s unique sound. To create our Black Wah effect, we emulated an original Thomas Organ CB-95 Cry Baby pedal. The True-Z input on Eleven Rack is an especially important part of re-creating this particular wah tone.
C1 Chorus/Vibrato—based on the Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble The Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble is a landmark in vintage effects history. It was the first chorus effect to be produced in pedal form, and was the first product to be released under the Boss name. Virtually every chorus pedal released since owes its heritage to this pedal, which delivers an unmistakable sound quickly made famous by guitarists like Andy Summers (The Police) and Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (The Doobie Brothers). We created our C1 Chorus/Vibrato effect by emulating a vintage Boss CE-1 unit, capturing both the chorus and vibrato modes, and enabling you to synchronize the modulation rate to an adjustable tempo setting. Based on a heavyweight late-70s analog chorus/ vibrato pedal, CI Chorus/Vibrato offers warm, liquid modulation effects. In Chorus mode, the signal is routed through a modulated short delay, which is mixed with the dry signal, creating a washy, doubled sound. In Vibrato mode, the dry signal is absent and there is more control over the depth of pitch modulation, allowing for everything from an understated “wobble” to wacky, synth-like pitch modulation. Chorus Sets the intensity and speed of the Chorus effect, only when the Chorus/Vibrato switch is set to Chorus. Depth Sets the depth of the Vibrato effect, only when the Chorus/Vibrato switch is set to Vibrato. Rate Controls the Vibrato rate, only when the Chorus/Vibrato switch is set to on. Chorus/Vibrato Toggles the effect between Chorus and Vibrato. *When set to CHORUS, the Vibrato’s Rate and Depth controls are inactive. Inversely, when set to VIBRATO, the Chorus control will not function.
Eleven SR (Stereo Reverb)—based on the Avid Reverb One plug-in Eleven Rack features the most pristine, high-quality stereo reverb ever available in a rackmount guitar-recording device. We converted our acclaimed Reverb One TDM plug-in —which is used in countless professional studios to create award-winning albums, movies, and TV shows—to work in Eleven Rack. Our design team optimized the Reverb One
technology for Eleven Rack, resulting in an incredible high-fidelity reverb effect. Up until now, you needed a Pro Tools| HD rig to enjoy the spacious tones of Reverb One—now you can experience the same great sounds right inside Eleven Rack. A smooth, clean digital reverb, Eleven SR is based on the popular Reverb One Pro Tools plug-in from Avid. Pre-Dly Sets the amount of pre-delay, which changes the time relationship between the dry signal and the reverbed signal. As this setting is turned higher, the apparent size of the synthesized reverb “room” grows larger. Type Selects from a variety of different reverb types.
EP Tape Echo—based on the Maestro Echoplex EP-3
The Maestro Echoplex was one of the earliest analog delay devices, with the Echoplex EP-3 making use of solid-state "transistorized" technology instead of vacuum tubes. It also offered a “sound on sound” feature that allowed players to loop record almost three minutes of audio. For our EP Tape Echo effect, we obtained an original Echoplex EP-3 in pristine condition and painstakingly emulated virtually every aspect of the unit. It features all of the controls present on the original, with one significant improvement—while the original model offered a maximum 600 milliseconds of delay, our Tape Echo effect has an expanded delay mode that provides an unreal 2.4 seconds of delay time. Inspired by the ultimate vintage solid state tape echo unit, Tape Echo supplies supple, crunchy echoes, and can, with a flick of the wrist, can be pushed into swells of wild selfoscillation, each repeat more murky, dusty, and gritty than the next. A classic. Rec Lev Controls the signal level running to the tape circuitry. Higher settings create a more distorted tone color. Head Simulates the alignment (or misalignment) of the tape head with the tape, which affects the tone of the delay. Wow Controls the amount of wow and flutter in the tape mechanism. Lower settings minimize fluctuations of pitch and tone color, and higher settings accentuate it. Hiss For some serious authenticity in your tape echo tone, this switch Toggles modeled analog tape hiss in or out of the signal. With high feedback settings, the tape hiss can push the echo into self-oscillating mayhem.
Flanger—Avid custom flange effect The flanger effect was originally created by depressing the flange of tape reels. This effect was later re-created using modulated analog delay circuits in pedals. To design our custom Eleven Rack Flanger effect, we listened to a variety of vintage and modern flange pedals, including models from manufacturers MXR, Electro Harmonix, and A/DA, and finally came up with our own customized design. It works great in front of, or after, the amp in the signal chain—and you won’t get the noise or limited frequency response of typical flanger pedals. Originating from the act of pressing on the flanges of tape reels, and becoming even more popular with the advent of analog pedals, the Flanger effect can be coaxed into bell-like resonant sweeps, or add a silky, shimmering sheen. This effect works well when positioned before or after the amplifier in the signal chain. Pre-Dl Sets the amount of pre-delay, which changes the phase relationship between the dry signal and the delayed signal, with timbral results. Depth Sets the amount of delay. The higher the setting, the more “jet-engine” artifacts will be introduced. Fdback Sets the amount of signal fed back into the modulated delay. Higher settings introduce more ringing, whistling artifacts
Graphic EQ—Avid custom 5-band graphic EQ The Eleven Rack Graphic EQ gives you full control over five bands of EQ—100 Hz, 370 Hz, 800 Hz, 2 kHz, and 3.25 kHz—ideal for cutting out troublesome frequencies or dialingin just the right tone. To design our custom Eleven Rack Flanger effect, we listened to a variety of vintage and modern flange pedals, including models from manufacturers MXR, Electro Harmonix, and A/DA, and finally came up with our own customized design. It works great in front of, or after, the amp in the signal chain—and you won’t get the noise or limited frequency response of typical flanger pedals. Useful for simple frequency sculpting, a good Graphic EQ can find a place in almost any pedalboard. Graphic EQ can wring a variety of tones out of other pedals (such as when placed before Distortion effects). The EQ can also be used as a signal booster when positioned in front of amps.
Green JRC Overdrive—based on the Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer Considered by many to be the quintessential overdrive pedal, the Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer pedal has become one of the most highly sought-after classic effects. To create our version, we scoured vintage shops and found a completely stock TS-808 with the original JRC 4558D dual op-amp... When measuring and analyzing the unit (as we did with all the vintage pedals that operate on a 9V battery), we used old-school carbon zinc batteries to re-create the voltage discharge of the batteries commonly available when the pedal was introduced. The result is an amazingly realistic emulation of the original, providing a warm moderate overdrive to amps with clean settings, and pushing distorted amps to even higher levels of saturation by slamming the input of the amp with a high output setting on the pedal. Green JRC Overdrive was inspired by a low-gain 70s overdrive pedal, loved by blues and bluesrock players the world over for its sweet, singing sting. It can be used to simply drive an amp’s input section into gentle clipping, or supply some dirty glow of its own.
Gray Compressor—based on the Ross Compressor During the mid- to late-’70s, Kustom Electronics produced a line of guitar effects pedals under the Ross brand. Unfortunately, sales were sluggish, and the Ross family of pedals disappeared by the ’80s. In recent years, guitarists have re-discovered the lineup—in particular, the gray-colored Ross Compressor. From a schematics standpoint, the Ross Compressor and the MXR Dynacomp are surprisingly similar, though the Ross has a slightly warmer tone. For our version, we faithfully emulated a completely stock original circuit. The Sustain knob controls the amount of compression, while the Level knob controls the amount of post-compression gain. It’s a straightforward effect that sounds great for clean country lead guitar tones or for further overdriving distorted amps. Inspired by a well-loved solid-state 70s compressor pedal, Gray Comp can add singing sustain to leads or lend power and girth to chunky rhythm guitar parts. Sustain Sets the threshold, and thus, the amount of compression, in the Compressor effect. Level Sets the overall output volume of the effect.
Orange Phaser—based on the MXR Phase 90 Since its debut in 1974, the MXR Phase 90 has arguably been the most popular phaseshift pedal on the market, favored by countless guitarists, including Eddie Van Halen, Andy Summers (The Police), Steve Vai, Matt Bellamy (Muse), and Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine). We faithfully emulated the original "script logo" MXR Phase 90, making some minor tweaks to ensure the effect sounds equally great at any point in your Eleven Rack signal chain. Like the original, ours features only a single speed control, yet you can dial in many interesting sounds. Turn down the speed for a lush, sweeping tone. Crank up the knob for a fast rotary speaker-like effect. Or experiment by inserting Orange Phaser into different places in your signal chain. Don’t let that single knob fool you. Inspired by a ubiquitous 70s analog phaser pedal, Orange Phaser offers a deep, warm phasing effect that ranges from a slow harmonic sweep to out-of-control wobbles. Speed Controls the Phaser effect’s rate of modulation. Sync Synchronizes the modulation rate to the Rig tempo by a specific rhythmic subdivision.
Roto Speaker—Avid custom rotary speaker effect The Eleven Rack Roto Speaker effect emulates the unique spinning sound of a Leslie rotary speaker cabinet. There are several interesting ways you can use Roto Speaker, each providing a different type of sound. Insert it before your amp, just like using a foot pedal. Or place it after your amp and turn off cabinet simulation in Eleven Rack to get a faithful rotary speaker cabinet emulation. Since a real rotary speaker uses two horns that spin in opposite directions, we gave our Roto Speaker a balance control, enabling you to control the level between the upper and lower rotors. Inspired by the rotating speaker cabinets that made classic tonewheel organs roar, Roto Speaker offers added motion and vintage grit. Speed Sets the speed of the rotating speaker effect in three increments: Slow, Fast, and Brake. Balance Sets the blend between the upper and lower rotors of the rotating speaker. Type Chooses between various types of rotary speakers.
Shine Wah—based on the VOX V846 In 1966, VOX engineer Brad Plunkett accidentally discovered the wah-wah effect while experimenting with the tone circuit on a guitar amp. The VOX executives immediately saw the commercial potential of a wah-wah pedal, but originally wanted to market it to braIss and woodwind players. In the late ’60s, the VOX V846 wah-wah pedal was introduced, designed specifically for guitar players. We emulated our Shine Wah after a completely stock, vintage VOX V846. Our version gives you the flexibility to place the effect in your signal chain after the amplifier—a setup that would be difficult using the original. You can control the effect with an expression pedal, MIDI CC data, or even Pro Tools automation.
Spring Reverb—based on blackface-era Fender Spring Reverb units According to author Tom Hughes’ book, "Analog Man’s Guide to Vintage Effects," surf guitar legend Dick Dale asked Leo Fender to build a compact reverb unit that he could run his voice through. Fender responded by licensing Hammond Organ’s analog reverb technology, and the rest is history. Nearly every guitar amp produced since has included some time of reverb. To create our effect, we analyzed actual reverb units from several classic blackface-era Fender amps, resulting in a completely convincing emulation of the Fender reverb tone. In addition to the mix control on the original amps, we added extra Decay and Tone controls. Decay adjusts the length of the reverb tail, while Tone balances between treble and bass. To capture the original Fender reverb sound, set the Decay and Tone knobs to the middle position. Blackpanel Spring Reverb was inspired by a classic outboard tube-driven spring reverb. It can add a surfy twang and dark, warm ambience to your signal. Mix Controls the blend between dry and reverbed signal. Decay Controls the length of the reverb’s decay. Tone Applies a high-cut EQ, making the reverb tone darker
Tri Knob Fuzz—based on the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi
In the late ’60s, Electro-Harmonix was a small, relatively unknown boutique pedal manufacturer in New York City run by owner Mike Matthews. Thanks to the growing popularity of distorted guitar tones, the company found a niche market selling small fuzzboxes and booster circuits to guitarists. After being inspired by time spent in the studio discussing tone with Jimi Hendrix, Matthews designed the pedal that would launch ElectroHarmonix into history and become one of the best-selling distortion effects of all time: the Big Muff Pi. Just like the original, our Tri Knob Fuzz effect employs a straightforward threeknob configuration. When you plug into Eleven Rack, the True-Z input automatically sets the input impedance, which is notoriously low on this one, to the correct value, resulting in an extremely accurate emulation. The pedal that inspired Tri-Knob Fuzz was a transistor-based unit, originally popular with lead guitarists searching for ever-higher gain in the 70s. It shone again in the 90s grunge rock scene, probably pushed further into woolly grind than its makers would have ever anticipated. Volume Sets the overall output volume of the effect. Sustain Sets the gain of the fuzz circuit. Tone Changes the tonal balance of the effect, from deep and full of sub-bass to high and shrill.
Vibe Phaser—based on the Univox Uni-Vibe
Released in the mid-’60s, the Uni-Vibe was originally designed to mimic the sound of a rotating speaker cabinet. While it didn’t quite nail the Leslie cabinet sound, it did deliver a distinctive phase-shift, sweeping effect that became a favorite of guitar legends Jimi Hendrix, Robin Trower, and David Gilmour. For our effect, we added a tempo-lock function, which enables you to synchronize the speed to the tempo of your Pro Tools session. We also emulated the chorus and vibrato modes so you can switch between the two. While the original didn’t have a dial to control the rate, ours enables you to control the speed through the Eleven Rack control panel, or connect an expression pedal to adjust speed on the fly.
The psychedelic-era phaser that inspired our Vibe Phaser effect was traditionally paired with an expression pedal that could be used to vary the rate of pitch modulation over time. Like the C1, you can choose to run it as a Chorus, with the modulated and dry signals mixed together, or in Vibrato mode, which leaves the pitch modulated signal alone, with rippling, disorienting effects. Chorus/Vibrato Toggles the dry signal on (Chorus) and off (Vibrato).
ELEVEN RACK EXPANSION PACK EFFECTS
DC Distortion—Avid custom distortion effect DC Distortion is a custom effect model built just for Eleven Rack, offering a range of overdriven tones, aided by its built-in Bass and Treble EQ controls, which help shape the response of the clipping circuit. The effect includes controls to adjust the amount of distortion (clipping level), boost treble and/or bass frequencies, and control the final output volume.
Dyn Delay—based on the Avid AIR Dynamic Delay plug-in This stereo delay effect is based on the AIR Dynamic Delay plug-in that comes with Pro Tools software. A powerful effect, Dyn Delay can be synchronized to your Rig or Session tempo to create time-based delay effects, and offers an envelope follower that enables you to modulate various parameters, based on the amplitude envelope of the incoming signal. Our effect includes a variety of controls that enable you to set the delay length and feedback, sync the delay to a tempo, balance the wet/dry mix, shape the tone, and more. Delay - Sets the length of the delay, in milliseconds. Sync - Controls synchronization of the delay time to Rig or Session tempo. Ranges from OFF (no sync, set delay time with the Delay control) to a variety of rhythmic note values. Feedback - Sets the amount of delay feedback. Ranges from just one repeat, to a longlasting cascade of repeats. Mix - Sets the wet/dry balance of the effect. Fine - Toggles finer control of delay time in or out. Toggled by SW2 in page one of the controls.
Dyn III Compressor—based on the Avid Dynamics III Compressor plug-in This effect is based on the Compressor plug-in from the Dynamics III plug-in set that comes with Pro Tools. With it, you can control the dynamics of your guitar signal, much like Gray Compressor. However, while Gray Compressor emulates a classic guitar-specific compressor pedal with a smooth liquid tone, Dyn III Compressor is more versatile, acting more like an outboard compressor you’d use in recording situations. The effect includes a number of controls that enable you to set the threshold, attack, and release, as well as the gain, compression ratio, and knee sharpness.
Multi-Chorus—based on the Avid AIR Multi-Chorus plug-in This modulation effect is based on the AIR Multi-Chorus plug-in that comes with Pro Tools software. With it, you can stack multiple layers of chorusing to create a thick, swirling sound. The effect includes a number of controls to set the rate, width, depth, pre-delay, number of voices, and more, plus sync control to your Rig or Pro Tools Session tempo. Rate Controls the rate of the internal modulating LFO. Sync Controls synchronization of the internal LFO to Rig or Pro Tools Session tempo. Ranges from OFF (no sync, set rate with Rate control) to a variety of rhythmic note values. Depth Controls the amount of delay time modulation caused by the internal LFO. Pre-Delay Sets the amount of time between an incoming transient signal and the start of modulation. Mix Sets the wet/dry balance of the effect. Tri/Sine Switch Sets the waveform of the internal LFO to either a triangle or sine wave. Voices Sets the number of layered chorus voices in the effect. Width Controls the stereo width of the effect
Para EQ—Avid custom parametric EQ
This EQ provides a high-quality, 4-band parametric equalizer, with adjustable gain, frequency, Q (bandwidth), and output for each band... With the Low and High bands, you can switch between four EQ types—Shelf, Peak, Low-Pass (high band), High-Pass (low band), and Notch. The EQ also includes a variety of controls, enabling you to set the frequency gain, center frequency, bandwidth, and volume output of each band.
White Boost—based on the Xotic RC Booster
The much-loved clean RC Booster pedal provides guitarists with 20 dB of gain boost, without coloring the tone, plus a built-in EQ to help shape it. It’s great for driving the preamp section of any amp model into a gentle (or not so gentle) overdrive. Our effect emulates that same crystal-clear boost and tonal shaping control. You can use the EQ controls to boost and cut frequencies as normal, which will help shape the overdrive response as well.
