Markus Reeves' new LEO Triple Tweed Overdrive + Boost and ZO Silicon Zonk II style Fuzz go up for pre-orders tomorrow February 9th
Readers of this blog will know I’m a significant fan of Markus Reeves’ : Reeves Electro Pedals - where I already have two of his best - the BlackHatSound (TB MKI) and RedDotSound Jr (TB MKII) in my reference collection - both with super appealing copper-coloured insides.
Markus is very much focusing on semi-neon shades currently, with both of his new pedals coming stock with Neon Green interiors. As I started down the road of Copper Insides - I will have to follow suit with another to fit that family look - and to create my very own Reeves Electro Copper Trifecta - with the ZO Zonk as my 3rd acquisition. While I’m still considering whether the LEO should be my 4th.
The ZO is very much in the same topological format as the BlackHat and RedDot - with two knobs and a toggle-switch, while the LEO goes full Overdrive + Boost - with dual footswitches and 3 toggle-switches - including one which sets the gain structure of 3 different Tweed reference amps - at 5W, 12W and 40W.
As always it’s as much about the beautifully assembled point-to-point handwired circuits as it is the external acid etched graphics and superior tones, timbres and textures.
Here below follow the individual details per usual :
ZO Silicon Zonk II style Fuzz - £295
Controls - Swell (Volume), Texture (2-way Bias / Starve), Drift (Fuzz Gain + Bias).
Swell is very much the output level / volume, while the Drift control is a mix of Gain and Bias - where it is full and rich when cranked CW, while thinner and more broken up in reverse or CCW. The central 'Texture' toggle-switch sort of mimics the Drift to a degree with Left being more broken-up, and Right being fuller and more open.
Jackson Brooksby does a decent job of highlighting some of the heights of this pedal - and the great core tones and textures to be found onboard - while it would be nice to see demos os this from David Thorn and Matt Bradford too.
I'm convinced in any case that this one's another worthy addition to the collection!
Would be good to know who else is thinking of putting in a pre-order fo the ZO?
LEO Triple Tweed Overdrive + Boost - £425
Controls - Volume, Input : Hi / Lo, Channel / Tone : Bright / Normal, Tweed Type : 5W / 40W / 12W, Gain, Boost, Standby / On Footswitch, Boost Footswitch.
While Fuzz is my main thing really, I also very much have a liking for Fender Tweed Amp Tones - where my BearfootFX Sparkling Yellow OD3, Mad Professor Little Tweedy Drive, and True North Tweed Drive in particular - have been in regular rotation in my pedal-chain.
The LEO obviously mines a very successful furrow as such - this time around with significant gain-shaping courtesy of the 3-way 5W / 40W / 12W Amp Type switch in particular - but also Hi / Low Input and Bright / Normal Channel options and of course the pre-gain Boost. I'm not always a fan of the horizontal BB-enclosure format (preferring a vertical pedalboard-friendly orientation). While I suppose this one's particular circuit flow suggests the landscape orientation - so it's not too big a deal really.
I wonder if there is sufficient tone-shaping here - as most of these controls are about gain structure or output level. There's no disputing the output textures here - while I personally typically like having some way to easily adapt the tonality to my preferences.
Flipping the Tweed Types significantly impacts on the compression, sag and headroom of the output - which requires similar adjustment of Volume and Gain dials. And up to +25dB of Boost really allows you to juice the overdrive and push those harmonics.
I am already considering the acquisition of the Kitchen Audio Fake Plastic Trees Preamp - so for now the LEO will need to get behind that in the queue. I'm making a concerted effort this year to balance the finances, and need to regulate my acquisitions of some of the pricier pedals. Life is all about striking a balance after all. More than likely I will be in the market for this one too the next time it comes around - while for this round I'm set on the ZO!
Final Thoughts
Both easily match Markus's typical high-level output and both sound great - while as a mainly fuzz-head, it's the ZO that draws me in on this occasion. Markus's fuzzes are for sure particularly great - while the LEO is right up there too - it's high price point and orientation doesn't make it an immediate shoe-in for me - but there is for sure much to like - and I'm rather leaning on the likelihood that I will get that too - while not in this order window.
I think Markus does his open order days or 24-hour order book thing around every 3 or 4 months nowadays. My priorities don't always sync with those announcements as I'm often committed somewhere else at the time. And as I keep saying - you can't have everything you like the look of - there's just way too much good stuff out there!
I've also talked to Markus about his doing the 2N2Face in similar 2-knobs plus toggle-switch topology - and he says he is for sure considering that among a number of other forthcoming projects. For me the Zonk has always been aligned with Tone Benders - closest to MKI really - while it has it's own zing and particular flavour - slightly more cutting and tighter than the typical Tone Bender.
Would be cool to hear your opinions here too - I know I've introduced a lot of you to Reeves Electro - where I in turn was one of the many that Brian Wampler turned onto Reeves in the first place - with that famous Instagram post.
As mentioned the order book will be going live at midnight GMT and right up to 23:59 on the Order Book Day - Wednesday February 9th! You can read more about the pedals on the Reeves Electro Webstore - while they won't be open for ordering until the clock strikes midnight here in the UK!
12 Degrees of Saturation 2023 Compact Edition
