Longsword

The Electronic Audio Experiments Longsword is yet another contender in the endless void of op-amp based drive pedals, but it is one that takes the topology in a novel direction. Cascaded gain stages allow for the full range from clean boost to massive distortion, all without sacrificing tonal flexibility. The equalizer combines bass and treble shelving filters with an active, frequency-selectable midrange boost/cut control. This lets the user sculpt a diverse array of tones and carve out a niche in even the most dense of mixes. The Longsword has a broad frequency response which makes it work equally well with guitar, baritone, and bass.

Controls:

• Level: output volume

• Drive: go from light grit to heavy overdrive

• Low/High: James/Baxandall tone stack (shelving filters)

• Mid: active midrange boost/cut

• Shift: selects frequency controlled by Mid pot

• Diode: selects between clipping diodes, to alter dynamics and headroom

  • Up: MOSFET clipping, medium compression

  • Center: no diodes, minimal compression

  • Down: Silicon diode clipping, maximum compression

• Boost (Footswitch): engages a front end mid boost

• Boost (Knob): adds up to 20dB of gain when the Boost is engaged

• V4.5 (current as of January 2021)
  - New mechanical format (changed enclosure shape, knob spacing, jacks, etc)
  - Added power supply over-voltage shutdown circuit and ESD protection
  - Increased Low/High control crossover frequency by approximately 500Hz to reduce interactivity of High and Mid controls.