Vintage Guitar - September 2017 - open - 132

VG APPROVED GEAR

CIRCUIT CITY

The TWA Hot Sakè and Dynamorph

T

otally Wycked Audio (TWA) builds a
line of cool stompboxes that consistently
push the envelope in the right direction. Two
recent installments are perfect cases in point.
TWA's Hot Sakè is based on revered oldschool Japanese circuits, notably the SD-9
overdrive, kicked up with some special sauce.
Roughly MXR-size, the box works as two
pedals in one: an overdrive and a distortion.
The controls will be familiar to most: a Drive
knob to dial in the amount of gain, and a Level
knob for overall output. The Tone control is a
passive lo/hi boost, but the Hot Sakè also has a
Mids knob, which is an independent EQ that
can boost the midrange spectrum. Accessed
through an opening in the housing, an L1/L2
switch lets you choose between two filter caps
for different tone choices.
But the secret weapon is the LB switch, a
magic button that takes the Hot Sakè
from overdrive to raging distortion box.
But let's be clear: both circuits are cool
and interesting. With the LB switch
off, the Hot Sakè is a superb overdrive;

running the box through a 1x10 tube combo
led to a great range of off-clean to dirty
tones. Particularly thrilling are the vintage
Jimmy Page- and Ritchie Blackmore-styled
settings, especially good with single-coil
pickups and a cranked amp. From "Good
Times, Bad Times" to "Burn," these vibrant
overdrive flavors are just killer.
With the LB switch flipped on for a lowend boost, the Hot Sakè delivers fat fuzz
and distortion with reams of sustain. Frank
Zappa would dig this setting, which recalls
his classic mid-'70s SG tone. Paired with the
right tube amp, the Hot Sakè really is two
dirty boxes in one that will deliver tons of
vintage overdrive.
Speaking of Zappa, he likewise would have
dug the TWA Dynamorph, an "envelopecontrolled harmonic generator." If you have
Price: $189, Hot Sakè; $299, Dynamorph (both list)
Info: www.godlyke.com

VINTAGE GUITAR

132

September 2017

no idea what that means, don't fret. In simple
terms, this box produces all kinds of gnarly
eight-bit fuzz and twisted envelope sounds
that will make your guitar sound out of
this world. There are knobs with names like
Chrysalis, Ametaboly, and Gestation, and
believe it or not, they all have real-world jobs.
(You can even plug in an expression pedal
to control some functions in real time.)
The Dynamorph has two high-gain preamps and a bunch of rectifiers to torture your
guitar tone into submission. Besides all the
insane, synth-like fuzztone and envelopeswelling effects, it's interesting to see how
interactive the pedal is with pick attack and
volume. Unlike many stompboxes that are
simply "on," the Dynamorph reacts to your
playing. Some of its fuzz is so intense that it
sounds even better if you roll off the volume
knob. Those dynamics are reflected in the
glowing butterfly-shaped LED.
Sure, the Dynamorph isn't for everyone,
but for those who want a pedal that stands out
from the pack, it's a keeper. Record producers
and studio players might consider it a "secret
weapon" - think of that fuzzy, farty guitar tone
in Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the
Sky" or Jeff Beck's early fusion work. The
Dynamorph is cool enough to deliver just
that sort of unique, wonderfully weird
tone and countless others. - Pete Prown
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