CopperSound Kingpin Germanium Overdrive Clipper

Introducing Kingpin! A mini, two-stage FET overdrive pedal full of warm characteristics and Germanium sweetness. 

Discover Germanium sweetness!

Although typically associated with fuzz pedals, Kingpin’s Germanium aspect takes the form of clipping diodes as opposed to transistors. These Ukrainian diodes are set up as a hard clipper and are placed directly between the two FET stages. These two FET stages are comprised of a blend of both MOSFET and JFET. The MOSFET delivers a great, first gain stage with high headroom. This does a great job of driving the symmetrical pair of diodes. Kingpin doubles down on the warmth by implementing a JFET as the second gain stage. This mini gain monster is capable of overdriving your signal with bell-like clarity and an artful touch of grit, making it the very definition of an “always on” pedal!

Germanium warmth without the price tag.

Kingpin also carries a tremendous amount of gain on tap via the Volume knob. Thus allowing players to use it as a dirty boost should the circumstances call for it. Go from a touch of grit to full on garage rock with a flip of the CLIP toggle switch. Kingpin also features a variable voltage input. As a result, the user can safely power-up this germanium clipper with any center negative power ranging from 9v to 18v. Higher voltage will yield greater headroom. Give it a try! You know you want to.

The CLIP toggle makes this mini monster even more versatile, giving the user access to more aggressive levels of the same satisfying Germanium clipping. Ranging from subtle to saturated, whilst retaining depth and definition. Making it a nice, low-gain first stage. Subsequently, it can be a standalone overdrive. Try it stacked with other drives, too. Affordable Germanium can sound like an oxymoron. Kingpin makes this a reality. Germanium warmth without the price tag. 

Specs

• Three levels of overdrive
• Mechanical true-bypass switching
• 9-18V | 2.1mm x 5.5mm Center Negative
• Consumption: 10mA @ 9V or 18V
• In/Out: ¼” Instrument Cable
• Lifetime warranty

When we started expanding our Mini Series line-up, we wanted to be sure to create and offer a versatile catalog. The idea of a Mini Series pedal that featured a Germanium element was very attractive and intriguing to us. Especially in this world of ever-shrinking Germanium supplies. For some years now, we had been sourcing Germanium diodes from Ukraine. So when we started working on a Mini Series Germanium overdrive pedal, these were the diodes to utilize. Furthermore, we wanted to offer them in an affordable model. Thus, Kingpin was born!