Plumes with a Capital “B”
EarthQuaker Devices’ remarkably versatile Plumes overdrive has proven to be an absolute favorite among Sweetwater guitarists. That said, while the Plumes can be used in tandem with bass guitars, some of our bassists clamored for a pedal explicitly designed for low-frequency mischief. Thankfully, EarthQuaker Devices has answered the call with Blumes. This bass overdrive pedal is essentially a highly modified Plumes that preserves the screamer-style bite of the original while dramatically enhancing low-end response. Like the Plumes, this pedal comes equipped with three clipping options and a straightforward 3-knob setup, allowing the Blumes to excel as a clean boost, transparent-sounding overdrive, gritty distortion box, and countless other tonal applications. And while both the Plumes and the Blumes wear their lofty title as a “signal shredder” with pride, the Blumes pedal takes it to an entirely new level with nearly double the gain of the original!
Related Videos: Blumes Low Signal Shredder Overdrive Pedal
Optimized for low-end pursuits
From the outside, the Blumes looks almost identical to the standard Plumes overdrive, sporting the same 3-knob Level/Tone/Gain control scheme and trio of clipping options. However, a peek under the hood reveals a dramatically modified circuit that delivers roughly twice the gain of the Plumes — perfect for rock and metal bass players seeking quintessential low-end grind. Moreover, EarthQuaker Devices outfit the Blumes with a far superior bass response to the Plumes to grant you all the grit of the original without cutting out your signal’s sonic depth.
A trio of clipping options on tap
Just like the original Plumes overdrive pedal, the Blumes boasts three distinctive clipping modes for versatility. The first mode supplies you with symmetrical LED clipping for a crunchy and compressed tone that’s perfect for dirt-laden rock ’n’ roll firepower. Players who prefer to let their amp’s breakup do the talking will be sure to appreciate Mode 2’s relatively clean-sounding op-amp boost, making it a breeze to achieve everything from edge-of-breakup bite to full-blown saturation. Finally, Mode 3 gives you asymmetrical silicon diode clipping in the style of the classic screamer, only with a far more transparent and open-sounding response. Whether you’re running into a hot tube amp or going direct, Blumes is a superb choice for bassists looking to inject their rig with a rich, versatile, and aggressive dirty tone.
EarthQuaker Devices Blumes Features:
- EarthQuaker Devices’ Plumes overdrive pedal, optimized for bass players or any other musician seeking a bass-heavy overdrive pedal
- Twice as much gain on tap as the Plumes, along with a deeper, fuller low-end voicing
- Simple, straightforward 3-knob control setup
- A trio of clipping options covers everything from clean boost applications to all-out screamer-style bite
- Internal bipolar power supplies massive headroom and pristine signal integrity
- All-analog signal path with true bypass switching
- Relay-based switching with Flexi-Switch design for silent switching with no pops or artifacts
