Strymon La Brea Analog Tape Drive Pedal

The Strymon La Brea Analog Tape Drive is an all-analog drive pedal that uses multi-stage tape saturation techniques to create driven tones ranging from mild breakup all the way to full fuzz, La Brea also features high frequency filtering and a fully variable dry output that always stays in phase with the original signal.

PLEASING TAPE SATURATION AND COMPRESSION

La Brea feels completely natural to play, as the tape techniques create some pleasing natural compression along with the saturation and gain. Whether you’re looking to punch up some crispy open-string arpeggios or throw up a full wall of unique fuzz, La Brea can achieve it. The inclusion of the phase-accurate dry path yields benefits that may not be immediately obvious, as it can help create an even bigger soundstage than saturation alone. The dry path can keep things clear and articulate if desired, and it can really help other drive pedals that are further down in the chain too, as some pedals need a strong transient to get the right sound. La Brea’s operating voltage is internally boosted to 24 volts using a custom internal power supply, providing ample clarity and headroom. As a result the pedal can operate as a vibey clean boost if you prefer, or an all-out fuzz depending on where your amp and the Tape Sat knob on La Brea are set to.

SOUND DESIGN

Because it uses pre-emphasis and de-emphasis techniques similar to a magnetic tape deck, La Brea imparts a warm smoothness to anything you run through it (much like the beloved Deco pedal). Notes in plucked chords are glued together nicely, and lead lines poke through the mix with authority that feels great under your fingers. Tape Saturation is is the main drive control for the pedal, and determines how much tape saturation gain is applied to the input signal. With the Gain switch set to “high” and Tape Sat set to max, La Brea morphs into saturated fuzz territory. The three-position Shift switch enables the use of two different high frequency contour filters. The “high” setting acts as a smooth high frequency boost to open up the top end a little bit, while the “mid” setting adds midrange to the high frequency boost to help notes poke through the mix more prominently. The Gain switch determines the gain range for the Tape Sat control. The “high” setting generates significantly more gain than “norm”.