The Astronomer Compressor / Drive

Scope one of the most underrated effects of all time! The Astronomer is based on the vintage Carlin Compressor, a favorite of psych rockers from around the world.

This circuit allows you to blend between a clean envelope detector and a broken one, introducing distortion that doesn't involve clipping! Wild, right? This unconventional approach provides beautiful, smooth harmonic content and amazing sustain. This is also one of the few pedals that sounds just as good on bass as it does on guitar.

The most significant difference between this pedal and the one it's based on is the JFET selection. Multiple JFETs were auditioned, and a variation of the original 2N5457 with a lower cutoff voltage was chosen. This changes the sound quite a lot; the compression is more intense and there is now even more distortion on tap, increasing the range of sounds that can be achieved with the blend control.

Each enclosure is manually acid etched and one of a kind! Some early units are branded "HÄXANHALT", a nod to the album that inspired a fascination with this circuit. 

Artwork by @sean.oth

Specifications

- 9V DC power input (standard negative center)

- True bypass switching, latching foot switch

- Right in, left out

- 125B size enclosure