VOL: More makes pedal loud. Less makes pedal quiet.

TONE: This simple knob is modeled after the single-knob tone control found in these old amps, such as the Harvard 5F10. Tied directly to the “volume” knob (the Gain control in this pedal as the originals featured no master volume), the Tone control affects the adjustment of a gentle low-pass filter with a subtle mid scoop. This allows you to push these frequencies harder with the Gain control, in stark contrast to the typical tone control which is normally purely subtractive.

GAIN: Just like the real amp, this control never really makes the sound “clean” even when rolled all the way back. Instead, it saturates the second stage at a varying level that emphasizes the frequency dialed in with the Tone knob. This approach makes the second stage heave and bloom in tandem with the Tone knob and your guitar’s volume and tone controls as well.

The Formula 5 accepts anything between 9V and 18V with a center-negative DC power supply. Plugging in anything other than this (center-positive, AC, higher voltage, etc.) there’s a good chance that the Formula 5 will be damaged. It’s not ideal! Save yourself some time and headache and plug the correct adapter into the pedal the first time, otherwise you run the risk of voiding your warranty, and that’s just not rock ‘n’ roll.