Positive Grid has introduced the Spark PEDAL, a compact amp and effects pedal that also adds a built-in looper and smart tone creation. This gig-ready rig makes it easy to bring the tone and power of Spark amps to live performances, rehearsals, home practice and recording sessions. Designed for electric, bass and acoustic players, it incorporates into any setup for fast, intuitive tone building with no learning curve.
The all-in-one amp and effects pedal can adapt to a wide range of playing scenarios: add it to an existing pedalboard to bring a full amp and effects rig into a current setup; connect directly to a PA system for a streamlined full rig setup; or use it as an audio interface for desktop recording.
Players who have a preferred amp can bypass Spark PEDAL’s amp modeling to use it as an effects processor in front of their existing rig. Guitarists can also play or practice silently using the stereo headphone out or jam along with their favorite music via a mobile Bluetooth™ connection.
Compact and lightweight, Spark PEDAL is also powered by rechargeable battery (up to seven hours per charge) and can be slipped into a gig bag to use anywhere, even at a moment’s notice.
Spark PEDAL runs on Positive Grid's HD Tone Engine, the same high-definition DSP architecture found in the flagship Spark 2 smart guitar practice amp. It delivers 33 amp models and 43 effects, plus access to more than 100,000 tones through Positive Grid’s online ToneCloud community. Players can easily load or use any of their previously saved presets from other Spark family products.
Multifunction knobs and heavy-duty footswitches offer easy amp and effects control. In Amp Mode, the knobs adjust Gain, Bass, Mid, and Treble. In FX Mode, they offer control over Drive, Modulation, Delay, and Reverb depth. Holding down the center multifunction knob will activate the built-in tuner. Users can also store six presets across two banks via the footswitches. Bright, color-coded LEDs indicate mode, preset and looper status plus battery level.
The footswitches also let musicians use Spark PEDAL’s 60-second built-in looper to record, overdub and undo loops without having to navigate menus during a looping session.
The free Spark app extends Spark PEDAL's capabilities. Text to Tone allows the user to describe a phrase, song, artist or feeling and receive matching tone suggestions to tweak or save. The Build Your Rig feature lets players construct a signal chain from a library of amps, cabinets, and effects and fine tune them. Auto Chords displays guitar chords in real time as a song plays through the app, and ToneCloud provides access to tones shared by musicians worldwide. If desired, users can also control the built-in looper using the app.
Spark PEDAL is available for a street price of $199 at www.positivegrid.com/pages/spark-pedal, authorized music retailers and Amazon.
