Inspired by the vintage Bell and Howell 385 Filmosound projector that guitarists have modified and used as guitar amps, Walrus has created a dynamic and responsive overdrive modeled after the projector's tone.
The 385 was developed to have the same simple but effective tone control as it’s older relative, but unlike the projector, the 385 breaks up the single tone control and integrates separate, boost and cut bass and treble, allowing the player to get more creative with mid-frequency scoops and bumps allowing for a much wider array of tones to be achieved.
The pedal is internally running at 18v, which helps us nail the same dynamic feel of the amp in a stomp box. This means it is extremely sensitive to how hard you dig in – just like the amp.
Updated for 2023, The 385 MKII has received the following features:
• An A/B switch has been added giving the pedal two separate sets of volume and gain. Use it like a preset to change the volume and/or gain for specific parts!
• The 385+ Switch adds an additional gain stage at the front of the pedal for thick, saturated overdrive with more sustain. • Soft touch, relay true-bypass switch.
• Top mount in/out jacks.
Controls:
Bypass:Soft touch, relay true-bypass. Press the switch to engage/disengage the pedal. LED indicates wether the circuit is engaged or not.
A/B:Soft touch switch. Press to swap between using either A (White) or B (Red) Volume and Gain controls. LED indicates which controls are being used - White for A, Red for B.
Volume A:Controls the overall volume in the A setting. Turn clockwise for more volume, counter-clockwise for less volume.Gain A:Controls the overall gain in the A setting. Turn clockwise for more gain, counterclockwise for less gain.
Volume B:Controls the overall volume in the B setting. Turn clockwise for more volume, counter-clockwise for less volume.Gain B:Controls the overall gain in the B setting. Turn clockwise for more gain, counterclockwise for less gain.
Treble:Used to adjust the level of the treble frequencies. Turn clockwise to increase the level of the treble frequencies. Turn counter-clockwise to reduce the level of the treble frequencies.
Bass:Used to adjust the level of the bass frequencies. Turn clockwise to increase the level of the bass frequencies. Turn counter-clockwise to reduce the level of the bass frequencies.
385+ Switch:When the switch is down, you are able to achieve classic 385 sounds. Flip the switch up to add an additional gain stage to the input of the pedal, achieving heavier gain sounds and driving the pedal harder.
Specifications:
The 385 comes in a matte black finish with yellow and red ink featuring original artwork of a vintage Belle and Howell 385 projector by David Hüttner
The die cast enclosure’s exact size is 4.77" x 2.6" x 1.39”.
Power requirements are 9VDC (100mA minimum). The use of an isolated power supply is recommended for powering all Walrus Audio Pedals. Daisy chain power supplies are not recommended. Power supply not included.
True Bypass
Input: 1/4” TS, Unbalanced, 1M impedance
Output: 1/4” TS, Unbalanced, 10k impedance