Evolution of the RangeMaster

Completed Nov. 2004 // Copyright (c) JC Maillet 2004, 2005

my 3clones: RangeMaster, RangeMaster+, RangeMistress

My first RangeMaster unit was built around mid 90's when I bought an AC-30 from a tech who told me the Pete Cornish boosters built for Brian May was some sort of modification of the Vox Treble booster ... something quite vague, like : "you change a cap in it somewhere" ... this first one was wired to go through the amp's top boost circuit when bypassed and the RM into the normal/dull channel when not - as advised by Mr. tech ...

Oddly enough it seems to work especially well with tube amps that are a little lame on their own, the Fender Ten with it's tiny output transformer is an example ... the next version (top right) had a Treble control and external Bias adjustment to precisely control overdrive sharpness and the drive level ...

My latest version - the RangeMistress (c)2004 - has Gain and Treble cut controls all augmented by a parallel Bass channel acting to fill up the low end filtered out by the Range Master side - and it does so without loading the RangeMaster side ... it's not your typical EQ/booster - it simply adds an unusual kind of spectrum reshaping with its dynamically edgy distortion ... it does interesting things to a Paul ... unfortunately it's not very friendly with other pedals - it prefers being last in line into the amp for sure, if not the only pedal in the whole rig ...

Photo : P.J. Mosrtad (c)2004

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