Damage Control Womanizer

TThe Womanizer from Damage Control is a tube preamp in stompbox form for electric guitarists. The dual 12AX7 tubes provide distortion with dual-cascading gain stages and acts much like the front end of a quality tube amp.
It has 1/4" in put and output, as well as a direct recording output, which when used emulates an open-backed 4x12 cabinet, so it can serve as a direct box for studio or live use if you wish.
The controls include gain and volume, pre and post eq, and an on-board compressor. Very cool.

UTILIZATION

I'm not a tube amp expert so I can't explain how they do it, but with only 2 tubes in Class A setup, the Womanizer has 4 stages of gain that let you travel from ultra clean to a classic heavy disorted tone, very akin to a cranked early Marshall.

It takes some time twiddling knobs to coax the different tones available out of this box. The versatility creates a bit of a learning curve I'm afraid, but you can't complain because good sounds are still easy to dial in.

SOUNDS

This box is like a dream come true for guitarist that want classic tube crunch without paying a fortune for a dual-channel tube amp. I own a low-end tube combo but its only a single channel amp, and I still rely on stompboxes for even moderate gain sounds. Moving beyond just a distortion circuit that is sypical of most overdrives, this employs actual TUBES which means you achieve real tube amp sound, crunch, and dynamic response!

The cleaner end of the spectrum is fairly transparent gain wise, but it does impart a tubey-ness to your tone that it complimented my amp. As I cranked the gain and dialed in just a touch of compression the tone gets righter and raunchier, but in very gradual degrees. At full blast, this thing is like a cranked tube combo. Not Boogie high gain mind you, but a more early and classic British tube sound. I would imagine the Demonizer would give more aggressive high gain distortion if thats what you prefer. But this preamp is very musical and will retain the individual notes of a chord, very tube-amp like.

I found that I liked to keep the compression minnimal, as it sounds better and more "open" in my opinion the less you use. Being heavy handed with this compression kinda kills the natural tonal characteristics in my opinion.

But I was very pleased with a lot of the sonic possibilities and overall pallete of tone available. I played my Ibanez Ghostrider with PAF humbuckers through this, and into my Epiphone Valve Special set fairly clean. It brought a new dimension to even the clean sound of my amp, and its gain structure interacted nicely with the amp so I imagine others would find similar results.

OVERALL OPINION

Basically, I love this thing. It lets me take my 200 dollar tube amp, and add an entire new level of gain never before possible and compression, for less money than I could have bought a larger dual channel amp, which would have created volume problems. I think a lot of other guys out there like myself have been waiting for something like this. If you already have a high quality tube combo, like a Mesa, Carvin, or Bogner then you don't need this. But if you are a Fender guy looking for non-fender gain structure, or someone with an amp that doesn't deliver the gain and options you wish then this is for you.
Its 300 dollar price tag is a chunk, but it will replace many of your overdrive boxes you have been buying to find distortion you are happy with. Buy this, or perhaps the demonizer if you play more aggresive rock.

you have read it several times already, right?

UTILIZATION

use appears complex but there comes quickly, for cons I have managed to get the correct sounds for use in personal volume "retirement home". In concert here crying, feedback, lack of energy, basically all I want to avoid obviously!

SOUNDS

I used it on a Marshall JCM 2000 TSL 100 and HM strat sounds but I do not agree tout.C is highly crystalline and "fart eardrum."

OVERALL OPINION

It's expensive and not very effective (with my gear carefully!) And I separated without regrets.
I opted for a BB Preamp and Equalizer After several tests and it is another thing altogether ......

The most compelling is the power supply of the typical crazy preamp (2 9V amp!)

Caution: Do not put it in the effects loop, the sound is really horrible and head do not like at all, at all .....

Prampli analog lamps (2 12AX7): disto + pre / post EQ + Compressor

Strong case in mtal, including knobs, apparently built to last!

Between a guitar amp output and console output (speaker simulator Intgr apparently) ... simplissime

UTILIZATION

The rglages are simple while you turn the knobs and we SOUND

Only BMOL, from the "Magic Eye" which Ragit the attack of the guitarist, no visible or repre rglage possible with the foot switch on from the varying levels of distortion ("Calls" and " Nuclear ") or bypass the effect.

The manual ... is at the bottom of the box! More examples of srieusement rglages are indicated slight crunch from the big heavy distortion.

8 scne for use because of the limited visibility of the knobs on the back

SOUNDS

L is that the Damage Control was very trs ...

My Boss pedals will stay long in their bote I feel!

In clean because of the compression and equalizer is not working sounds clear Manir entirely satisfactory.

The distos: hallucinating, they compltent idalemen my amp Peavy Classic, which if extraordianaire in clear EHJV much I find in saturated channel.

The sounds that can be removed with the passing of Gilmour Womanizer Santana, Gary Moore, Van Halen, approaching Manir MODELS trs is satisfactory, with total respect for the attack of the guitarist (a low attack and an attack gives higher distortion levels DIFFERENT ... we are far from numrique or transistor). Most finds both his and with the Womanier was such a tone range that has become possible.

OVERALL OPINION

I've had two weeks

The sound is really the highlight of this effect / preamp, and happily!

Ergonomics is not idalie rglages live for, but in a home studio poses of course not the concern

Trs lev price (450 euros even if) a try before invstir, but hey I got the right offer specially so in my case the price t trs reasonable.

I look after their production forward, Damage Control will be ending for a name!

See description below

UTILIZATION

We must test all possible settings, "Eq" first and "your" post to get good sound.

Before posting, I went through the various opinions on the brand, and other models;

After listening moultes Boss pedals, a few "maverick" (sheep to 5 feet), and other muffin's, I passed the test of Damage Control:

1st test: the solid metal (red), easy to adjust, you immediately feel that they have something else in the pick, the rub comes from the feature scoop, oddly it is necessary to model because the frequency ranges, but it seems to block on a frequency of Wha wha so quickly unpleasant, "damage" because the grain happens right away, but then, compared to its two predecessors, one feels a lack of punch.

2nd test: demonize the (gray), no knob scoop, but a semi-parametric EQ 2 pots, I think it does, the more an opto compressor

Not satisfied and made many attempts to get at the end of a simulated sound of "Rock Fm" in solidarity, for cons in rhythm, I found very light acoustic rendering ...
Dire need of safe, the compressor "holds one together" sound, and it does not convince me, but as there are several models, one sound for each ... It's expensive duo! 299 + € 445 ...

Third test, after returning to the first test, more practical, but a little "duck", the owner of the shop tells me he has another, then see the Womanizer (Gold): lady or wha?
Even setting knob, but where the other two lack the "juice" that seems to have;
Oh I forgot, try a Fender Blues Junior 15 watt amp is not really for this type of Acrobatics (laughs);
There is a sense of transmitting the pick attack deeper into the effects pedal is more "Zizitopien" in rhythm, not bad at all;
In solidarity, it is different from the previous two, no effect wha wha duck, the compressor responds better, unless my ears get used to it (2 hours testing the toys 3).

The grain is vitamins, small snag, the notes are missing still sustain, unless the mount knob Fender, suddenly it hangs a bit, and it sings.

The "Nuclear" boost to the entire 14 dB is said, therefore caution when sending in an amp head, but it triggered, sustain expected, is still to go, for my taste. ..

Back to demonize all the same, and settings similar to the Womanizer "went all over the place" I confirm the tendency of the gray rock type lead to M. Schenker Fm (Scorpio), and still this lack of punch!
Then the red, the duck is still alive ... But easy to adjust!

So what to choose?

I have no distortion pedal, in principle I do not have the philosophy of the effects pedal, except Wha wha, I prefer the grain that delivers some of my pre amp or amps.

In all this batch is a dozen models tested, the Womanizer is distinguished easily, despite its lack of sustain;

An additional preamp or a combo, no, not yet.

So I carried under my arm, re test on several guitars and amps at home, well, compromise is interesting.

SOUNDS

My style, I would say the styles at the request ...

Appropriate for this model:
Yes, for the rhythmic hammer metal drumsticks;
Yes, for loose rock solid blues, and hardos;
No, for flights Schreder;

I tried a lot Kyphosis Ibanez, approaching the VBT700 acquired recently.
on a Fender Blues Junior, because: it is not made for that, so if it sounds above ....
This amp delivers a lot of harmonics and the pedal has it in spades!

The last two models have a DI output, but bypassed, no sound ... Ridiculous, right?
The simultaneous hp is correct without more;

As with any distortion, we must be vigilant about the "bees" frequencies, and that they are like any other, but offset by the pre settings (filters), it is very correct.

OVERALL OPINION

Bought it this afternoon ...

+ Grain supercharged!
+ The contour obtained with Eq
+ No breath, I gasped ...

- The output mute DI Bypass!
Yes, tested a dozen!

A bit expensive € 455, but it's nothing cheap peuchère ...

There is no absolute versatile weapon, so yes I do it again this type choice, ie, a slight compromise ...

In terms of overdrive, I have a park with the possibility of current stuff, too pure saturation, I had to complete its product range like this, and frankly, all I heard until to now has not convinced me:
In particular, the "bee" "clutter" the light of his "emulated" and especially "the breath" present on practically all pedals of this caliber on this one: breath = none, significant, right?

Curiously, the small Fender that sounded the best ... !
Harmonics ... hard!

Voila, a notice substantially complete, right?
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After one week of use:

The lack of sustain observed at first is due to the couple guitar / amp;
On a combo lamp with a guitar equipped with microphones to high levels of output, the rendering is much better, the note or chord lasts very well ...

I wanted to change course in testing,

Do not push the volume of the preamp of the amp because its host becomes rough, the Womanizer allows a very definite distortion, not the kind of porridge is very significant because the game is understandable, I spent this product a dozen guitars, and this is my feeling:

On a guitar like Flyng V, with powerful passive micro, we joined the club of "dragon's players"
Genre paf 90 335, ancient sound of the seventies, the "Chicago Tansit"
Genre Start, indeed the club "Jimi"
Genre RG, Mr "Pettrucci"
Genre "Lespaul" heavy rock

The particular side of the object, is the ability to go from clean to distorted sound, through steps that are not subject to purchase this type of product, ie, of the clean with the body, it certainly comes from the combination opto compressor and EQ, the quality of the thickness of the clean and crunch sound, enhance the well-connected amplifier.

Now it will come off the idea that this product is purely a niche in "Metal Zone", invest in a pedal specifically dedicated to this genre.

For the name Womanizer, it is the function Eq reminiscent wha wha!

This pedal really has character!

So I change my overall score and brings a 10 ...
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WARNING ************************************************* ********************************

After more than two years of use! :

1 / Also in this action "Preamp Pedal!"
It gives me satisfaction, especially in the clean sounds (weird for a distortion).

2 / Change last year the two lamps EH cons of Mesa (Mesa not only the name), the grain is less acute, more tight, it stabilizes the seat is sound, at the expense of saturation, but by forcing the gain is more pleasing to the ear.

3 / It's only the morons that will never change, therefore, I still gained there is a little over a year, the little red Solid Metal and demonize the big gray, tell me why you ?

They just sound different ... Not badly, just other sounds, and that the matter can only enrich the diversity!
And especially that the manufacturer has been hit hard by the subprime crisis US.

Small business in California. Sincere condolences to his lovers.
So I hastened to redeem the full range (6 items) ...

These are Jewelry Collectors ... More coast! just supply and demand.
The Nexus and Timeline are staggering opportunities, clarity and grain!
A real pleasure.

A / The Solid Metal, very tight grain, a little bee can deliver something else: A little more time to adjust, I also placed two tubes in her womb Mesa, on a good Amp lamp, it saturates "to sustain you want "on Garry Moore.

B / demonize, Fm is really rock and hair metal with Hard TungSol in V2 and boost nuclear Inrush, furiously singing it better than the womanizer!

I said well that Y = C. .. changing it!

Damage Control: it is strong in taste (lol)