In order to achieve our concept of ideal sound, we began by restructuring all of the components in an effects unit based on our expertise and extensive experience cultivated and accumulated over the years, and our innate sense of tone, and ultimately arrived at our Integrated Series which was started as FREE THE TONE’s 15th anniversary project. The first release in this series is a pair of overdrive pedals.
We sought extended dynamic range, brilliant overtones, long sustain, quick but fat tone, and of course, the most important thing, pure and clean overdrive sound. In order to realize all of these things, we thoroughly investigated various electronic circuits and parts and all of the factors related to sound such as materials and weight of the case and knobs, magnetic fields, etc. After a few years and many prototypes, we finally completed the STRING SLINGER and FIRE MIST.
In our quest for ideal overdrive sounds, we usually recall the American Blues sound symbolized by the classic Black Face period and the British Rock sound as represented by the golden “Plexi” panel.
The STRING SLINGER revives that ideal American Blues sound. Its viscous, clean-to-crunch tone with moderate compression feel can generate the best Blues sound.
The instant you play through our STRING SLINGER, you will understand the true meaning of “Amp-like.”
FEATURE
New HTS (Holistic Tonal Solution) Circuit: The Integrated Series device implements our renewed HTS (Holistic Tonal Solution) circuit. Unlike conventional buffer circuits, this newly designed circuit brings out individual sound characteristics of your guitar and amplifier to the utmost while providing impedance conversion and establishing both the ideal sound and low noise.
FREE THE TONE Custom Knobs: We developed a custom turned brass knob to reduce vibrations in the shaft and wiper of the semi-fixed resistor used for each control and to suppress harmonic components that adversely affect sound. Its diameter and weight were chosen after many repeated listening tests to obtain our ideal sound, “distorted but clean” overdrive.
Sound Casing Design: All of the parameters of a case – width, depth, and height, and plate thickness of the case – affect overdrive sound. When deciding the case size for our Integrated Series, we calculated all of the dimensions to provide the ideal sound. Its weight has also been optimized to deliver the best sound.
FREE THE TONE’s Unique IC Tone Plate: This metal plate for damping and shielding covers the top of an IC chip to make the most of the characteristics of the IC and to prevent noise contamination to the utmost.
Passive Tone Circuit: We adopted a passive tone circuit that minimizes the phase shift in guitar signals.
SPECIFICATIONS
Input impedance: min. 500 kΩ
Output load impedance: min. 10kΩ
Controls: LEVEL, TONE, DRIVE
Terminals: 2× 1/4" phone jacks (for input and output), 1× DC9V input jack (for AC adapter)
Power supply: 9-volt battery (PP3/006P), AC adapter
Current consumption: approx. 8 mA
Dimensions: 98W × 120D × 51H mm (incl. protuberances such as footswitches, jacks, etc.)
