From Greg Koch himself

Introducing...

The Diabolical Gristle Tone Manipulator

When my old college pal Tim Jauernig approached me a year ago with his pedal the "Luxury Drive," I took it, and gave it "what for" with the new Fender '59 Bassman and it sounded absolutely butane as it gave a clean boost that magnified the tone ten-fold from it's already succulent, sonic, starting point. When Tim told me he had an overdrive pedal that would want to make me melt my Tube Screamer into some kind of marital aid in comparison, I responded with a pathetic, contemporary maxim used by the legions of perplexed miscreants feigning emboldenment..... "bring it on."

I was tickled pink that Tim should dedicate a pedal to me and used my twisted speak to describe it's attributes and controls. The Diabolical Gristle Tone Manipulator leaves all other overdrives I have ever used in the dust! GIRTH, smooth girth, Phat City, if you will, is achieved even at lower volumes where other pedals sound like "ass".

It also functions like a Tube Screamer in terms of controls but is so much more creamy and non-abrasive sounding. The toggle switch on the pedal either gives you a standard vintage-type overdrive ala the Tube Screamer or a more higher gain overdrive (for the kids). This thing in front of any old Fender amp or vintage reissue will rule beyond words. Goodbye Tube Screamer, goodbye Fulldrive II, you were delish but now you're through — the DGTM is in town!

Review

Tim at T.C. Jauernig was kind enough to send us a DGTM to check out when we interviewed Greg Koch. I was half afraid to open the box fearing a water squirt or blast of baby powder to the face after interviewing Greg, the guy is a character. Sense of humor aside, Greg Koch knows tone. The guy is playing nonstop and heck I even use some of the Hal Leonard books he writes for my guitar students. The DGTM is his signature overdrive. Needless to say I was very happy to try one out.

First checking it out I noticed it has alot of visual things in common with David Barbers pedals. The size and layout are the same and extremely neat wiring and build quality. Tim does pro work for sure.True bypass switching and 9v power in are standard.

Overdrive to me is gain that is best suited on top of an already cooking or on the verge of cooking amp. Just like a tube screamer is meant to be played over a driving amp the DGTM shines in this situation. The DGTM also sounds great thru a sparkly clean amp. We used a 4x10 Deville and Peavey JSX clean channel and the DGTM is smooth and fat even at low volumes, something I could not get out of a tube screamer.So far this only with the lower gain side of the toggle. It pushes a tube amp very well and doubles as clean boost with the gain down. Work that volume control on the guitar and all your tones are there. A very dynamic pedal that works and responds at its best at gig volume and through a tube amp. The DGTM has more gain than a standard TS pedal at the lower gain selection on the toggle. The higher gain setting is not in Metallica territory but a nice heavy crunch that will peel paint at gig volumes. It is very nice to have both options in a convienent package.

It absolutely screams on the crunch channel of my JSX amp. Like i said before as with any TS type pedal it does its best when pushing a driving amp. It loves a strat and adds a little body to the tone as well as a smooth gain.

I like this one better than the TS mods I have tried, the toggle option is a huge plus and it just has a bigger cleaner sound, a little more open if you will compared to the ol mean greenie.

At 139.99 it is less than alot of popular TS mods, you get the toggle option, hand built quality, and not to mention Greg Kochs<and Tims> mojo.

I have been reading great things about a twin tremolo pedal that Tim is also building, check out the DGTM and Tims other pedals at www.TCJeffects.com

If you see Greg out on his Fender tours and you see the DGTM on the floor please tell him Tony said " I like The DGTMs Gristle fo shizzle"