- Published: 28 March 2021 28 March 2021
![]() |
![]() |
Hello, Effects Fans!
Today we announce our new Nachos module. It compares to the EHX Hot Tubes. The EHX Hot Tubes pedal was released in the mid to late 70's. There are two very different versions of the pedal. One used two 12AX7 tubes. The other used CMOS chips instead of tubes. Both are good pedals, but for this module, we're focused on the CMOS chip version, which should maybe have been named Hot Chips instead of Hot Tubes. Our Nachos module compares to the CMOS chip version of the Hot Tubes. Fans of Sonic Youth were driving up the price of the original old pedals, but EHX has recently re-issued a new version in their Nano line of pedals. The original may have also been used occasionally by SRV, although he probably never recorded with it.
The circuit uses an inverter chip to produce its distortion. That makes it a "tone cousin" to our BuzzDrive module, which has configurations that compare to the Way Huge Red Llama, Mad Professor Stone Grey Distortion, and Way Huge Fat Sandwich, among others. All these circuits get their flavor of distortion from inverter chips. Somehow, inverter distortion can remain articulate with good note definition, even when it is cranked up. It can also handle more bass than usual without getting muddy, making inverter-based circuits a good choice for bass players. While these circuits are usually labelled as "distortion", they often top out and run best in the overdrive range. At low drive settings, the circuit is pretty clean. And at max drive, it is still more overdrive than distortion. The Volume will let you drive things pretty hard further along in your chain, which causes it to seem to contribute to the module's distortion, but it doesn't. It's just abusing whatever comes next in your chain. Your guitar volume helps provide some control on both the volume and the level of overdrive.
The Nachos module stays true to the simple original. There are the basic controls for the level of drive and volume. There is also a Tone control, but it can be bypassed with the Tone Bypass switch. We left off the direct output of the original.
You can see the details about our Nachos module at: Nachos. Or look for it in the Overdrive Modules section under Products -> Modules -> Modules By Type.