A Well-tweaked Take on the Horse/Man Hybrid
Fueled by premium germanium diodes, the Keeley Manis takes the half-equine star of the overdrive pedal pantheon to new tonal heights. Whether you’re juicing the front end of your amplifier or cranking up the Drive knob into high-gain horseplay, the Manis supercharges your sound without compromising your core tone’s character. Moreover, the Keeley Manis goes well beyond the standard take on the legendary ’90s-era overdrive — Robert Keeley augmented the original pedal’s circuit with the ability to swap from its treasured germanium diodes to a set of Cold War-era germanium transistors. This appealing addition unlocks a stampede of thick saturation, powerful sustain, and lively tube-amp-like responsiveness. On top of that, Keeley upgraded the Manis with a Bass+ switch that kicks up your signal by 3dB and lowers the frequency response by one octave for fuller, fatter drive sounds across the board. Complete with a switchable true bypass/buffered bypass silent switch and the ability to run at 18V for enhanced hi-fi headroom, the Keeley Manis enables you to take the reins of the most mythologized tones in guitar history.
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Premium germanium diodes and transistors
Germanium clipping diodes represent a crucial element of the K-style sound, so much so that specific iterations of the original had the note “these are essential” printed next to the diodes on the PCB! To fulfill the formula, the Keeley Manis boasts premium germanium diodes to capture the clear and organic vibe of the original. Moreover, the Keeley Manis hides another germanium secret under its hood — a set of Cold War-era germanium transistors. The Manis gives you the power to swap between these two setups, further elevating this pedal from others in the paddock. Most importantly, what do these transistors sound like? By flipping into germanium transistor mode, the Manis’s sound soars with enhanced sustain, thick saturation, and a response that recalls the dynamic feel of playing through a fine tube amplifier.
Boost your bass response
The Keeley Manis further deviates from the mythologized horse/man formula with the addition of a hard-hitting Bass+ function. Flip this switch, and your signal will sing with 3dB of additional heat. Furthermore, the Bass+ switch drops your frequency response by one octave — Sweetwater’s recording and performing guitarists find this feature perfect for thickening the sound of single-coils, especially if they’re of the vintage-inspired variety.
Keeley Manis Features:
- A highly modified K-style pedal — upgraded with versatile enhancements
- Utilizes the same voltage-doubled hard-clipping design of the original pedal
- Driven by traditional germanium diodes to capture the original pedal’s clear, natural, and slightly mid-boosted sonics
- Packs an additional mode that replaces the germanium diodes with Cold War-era germanium transistors, thickening sustain and saturation
- Bass+ mode heats up your sound by 3dB and drops frequency response by 1 octave, filling out your signal’s heft
- Switchable true bypass/buffered bypass operation allows the pedal to seamlessly slot into a variety of setups
- Boasts the ability to run on 18V power for enhanced headroom
