Description
The Benson 424MKII Channel Strip is a preamp pedal inspired by the crunchy, lo-fi magic of vintage 4-track cassette recorders. Built for players chasing character over clarity, this one's ideal for experimental guitarists, home recording heads, and anyone who wants their tone to feel a little busted-in the best way. It's based on the original 424 channel strip circuit, a design never before adapted into a pedal format, and it nails the imperfect, noisy charm of old-school tape saturation while adding a modern twist.
You get a switchable buffer circuit, increased gain, and a surprisingly flexible EQ section. The low input impedance setting delivers a heavy load on your pickups, giving you that raw, mid-heavy feel you'd get straight into a cassette deck. Flip the buffer on and you've got a more conventional preamp that plays nice anywhere in your signal chain. Internally it runs at 18 volts, so it's got plenty of headroom to push an amp hard, and the gain range stretches from subtle boost to fuzzy meltdown territory.
The controls are quirky by design-Benson stuck to the strange tapers and trim behavior of the original unit to preserve the feel. But once you dial it in, it's a highly musical and expressive piece of gear. The 424MKII is a tone-shaper for players who want something off the beaten path. We're big fans of this one; it's unpredictable in the best way and totally worth experimenting with.
Specifications:
- Power: 9V DC center-negative (battery or adapter)
- Current Draw: ~30mA
- Internal Voltage: 18V
- Controls: Bass, Treble, Gain, Trim
Sku: BA-424
