The EarthQuaker Devices The Depths vibe pedal is a vibrato guitar effects pedal with a very unique swirl effect. The Depths. Utilizing a classic optical vibe circuit, this guitar pedal adds a three-dimensional swirling sound to your audio output, providing your six-string with a unique voice and a memorable character.
The pedal can be adjusted in terms of subtlety, power and intensity, but will definitely make the instrument “sing” in a different way.
The device comes from EarthQuaker, one of the renowned manufacturers of similar niche pedal. It’s not a standard or widespread pedal, making it a perfect tool for you to acquire a more unique and distinctive tone to stand out above the crowd. Sonically, you can expect your tone to become wider and more spacious, but more on that in the Tone section.
Controls, Features, Specs
The pedal comes with a set of five control knobs, plus an on/off switch. It is powered by a standard 9 volt DC power supply. A list of control functions reads as follows.
Intensity – Used to control the subtlety of the effect. Go counterclockwise for a more subtle approach, or crank it up all the way to the right if you want to put The Depths effect at the very forefront of your sonic signature.
Voice – Essentially a Tone knob. Full tone with a rich low end is acquired by going clockwise, while the counterclockwise direction strips the sound of bass and focuses it on midrange punch.
Rate – Controls the speed of the sonic swirl, the more clockwise you go, the more swirl you get, simple as that.
Throb – This one is used for adding an extra dose of low-end grittiness to the tone. Once turned clockwise, the sound becomes dirtier, crunchier and more appropriate for heavier music.
Level – Finally, the one to control it all. This knob adjusts the total volume of the effect. Unity is reached around the noon or 1 o’clock position, anything above is a boost, while anything below is toning it down.
You can get more info from Earthquaker Devices or check it out for yourself.
Tones and Sounds
This pedal will give your guitar a spacey feel. It is especially suitable if you are into the good ole “less is more” kind of approach. Depending on where you place the Intensity and Throb control knobs, you can go from mellow spaced out vibe to a grittier riffing style. But in order to fully experience the swirl, you need to give it time to run a little bit, meaning that if super fast shredding is your thing, this pedal isn’t exactly a choice you should opt for.
Although it offers a different sound than standard guitar pedals, The Depths still isn’t something to be associated only with experimental folks only. It can easily be implemented into your standard playing, even to such extent that you’ll be wondering how you’ve ever jammed without it.
Musical realms in which the pedal feels like home most definitely include various subgenres of rock, plus different forms of jazz music. It can be used both for riffing if you need a slight dose of singing and wah-like groove, but without going full-on wah-wah. In the solo department, The Depth shines like a crazy diamond by allowing every note to reach its full potential.
Road-Worthiness & Durability
Much like every EarthQuaker pedal, this model is hand-crafted one at a time in Akron, Ohio. It has a sturdy metal casing, and the components are tucked it very tightly, securing great durability and reliability.
The pedal can take a solid stomping, and is more than capable of sustaining just about any amount of minor punches during transport.
Overall Rating
Pedal Rating:
We can’t help but having a very positive impression of this product. The sound it provides is very expressive, organic, warm and natural. It’s not your typical pedal, but it’s also very easy to get into. It doesn’t go overboard in attempting to grab the listener’s attention with shiny plastic things, but delivers a feel you can genuinely appreciate as a musician and an artist.
You can jam on it for hours without getting even slightly bored. As long as you have the chops, this pedal will bring the best guitarist in you. It’s a hidden gem more than worthy of your attention. All we can say is thumbs up and highly recommended.