Owner’s Manual
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:
• Read these instructions.
• Keep these instructions.
• Heed all warnings.
• Follow all instructions.
• Do not use this apparatus near water.
• Clean only with dry cloth.
• Be sure to use only properly rated power adapters or universal power supplies (pedal board power supplies) with appropriate attention paid to
proper voltage, amperage and ground schemes. Improper voltage/amperage being provided to the pedal may cause poor tone, inconsistent
performance, damage to the unit or all of the above. Proper voltage, amperage and grounding specs are supplied at the end of this manual.
• REPLACE THE BOTTOM LID before the unit is used after battery replacement. Some electronic parts inside are static sensitive and can be
damaged from even a small static charge from contact with carpet or other conductive surfaces. DO NOT SET A POWERED UNIT “CONTROLS UP” ON A METAL (or any) SURFACE WITH THE BOTTOM REMOVED!
Congratulations on your choice of MESA/Boogie® and welcome to the MESA® Family! The same passion for excellence, commitment to quality
and dedication to customer satisfaction is present in each and every product we make in our one-and-only shop in Petaluma, California, U.S.A.
Rest assured that the very same people that hand-build the finest amplifiers in the world built your pedal and you have access to the same
resources for help that all our customers do. Call on us anytime and enjoy!
THROTTLE BOX EQ™
With the worldwide success of the THROTTLE BOX™ overdrive, we saw potential for an even more powerful version that included our classic
Five-Band Graphic Equalizer. With the added shaping power the on-board Five Band Graphic EQ creates, the THROTTLE BOX EQ™ can go
anywhere you want to take it stylistically. The middle range of the GAIN control delivers tight, stinging overdrive that–depending on whether you
choose LO or HI GAIN Modes–can cover everything from Blues to Modern Metal with plenty of attitude and an urgent percussive nature. Cranking
things up into the upper one-third of the GAIN control in HI unleashes a hot-rod that’s blistering with searing top-end harmonics. For Hard Rock
and Metal our Graphic EQ set to the popular mid-scooped “V-Curve” has a 40-year track record of creating the heaviest sounds around. Yet with
limitless curve possibilities, the Graphic expands the potential for sonic diversity across all styles as well as being able to unleash Mayhem. Like
the original, this expanded THROTTLE BOX includes two Modes but here they are controlled by a HI/LO footswitch that enables you to
have two gain regions to choose from during live performance. There are also dedicated HI LEVEL and LO LEVEL Output controls, allowing
you to set the desired volume level for each Gain Mode individually. The EQ can be assigned to either or both of these Gain Mode choices so
that it becomes active with the desired Gain Mode selection. And of course it wouldn’t be a Throttle Box without the powerful MID CUT control
from the original that allows global scooping of the mids in addition to whatever you might do with the Graphic sliders. And finally, the internally
selectable BOOST switch hidden under the Bottom Plate on the original THROTTLE BOX appears on this EQ version as an easily accessible
Top Panel BOOST switch for extra girth and a bit of gain enhancement. We’re confident this pedal will exceed your expectations and provide an
inspiring tool for expression.
FEATURES & CONTROLS
OUT
This 1/4” phono jack is the OUTPUT for the device. Connect the OUTPUT to the Input of your amplifier - or the INPUT of the next device
in line on your pedal board.
IN
This ¼” phono jack is the Instrument Input for the device. Plug the Output of your guitar into this jack with a shielded cable of good quality.
The jack is a switching type jack and the circuit is turned on when a cable is inserted. When the circuit is activated by inserting a cable, the
internal battery is being used to power it—so be sure to unplug the cable from the INPUT when it’s not in use.
NOTE: The internal battery is switched to an “ON” state (drawing current and supplying voltage) by a switching element in the INPUT jack. To
prolong battery life, disconnect the cable from the ¼” INPUT jack whenever the unit is not in use
NOTE: If you wish to leave the INPUT connected permanently—as in a pedal board scenario—it is advisable to power the unit with an external
DC 9V power supply. When an external (plug-in) DC 9-volt power supply is used to power the unit the DC Receptacle on the pedal automatically
disconnects the battery to avoid battery wear and preserve its useful life. If you are going to use external DC power either for long periods or
permanently in a pedal board set-up, remove the internal battery to prevent (forgotten) battery corrosion.
NOTE: A Word on Cables… Always use shielded instrument cables of the best quality and shortest length possible when connecting these types
of devices. This will minimize degradation of your sound, particularly high frequency roll-off, due to the added capacitance in longer lengths of
cable. We recommend no more than 18-20 feet total (Input and Output combined) between your instrument and the termination at the INPUT of
the amplifier. If you must use longer cable lengths, you might consider the use of a Buffer or Line Driver to keep the tonal integrity intact. While
these change the sound slightly, it will usually be preferable to top end roll-off. And yes—those little 4” interconnects count too, so include them
in your cable length.
HI LEVEL
This is the master output (volume) level for the HI Mode and it controls the amount of signal provided to the host amplifier when the
HI Mode is active. It enables you to set the level of the HI Mode relative to that of the LO Mode. Use it to jump out for a featured part or solo or
set it at an equivalent volume to that of the LO Mode. HI LEVEL allows for an OUTPUT volume setting above or below that of the BYPASS Mode.
Another application is higher HI LEVEL settings to purposefully send a hotter signal to the host amp and “slam” the input stage for increased
clip, drive or gain.
LO LEVEL
This control determines the output (volume) level for the LO Mode when it is active. Like HI LEVEL, it allows for relative volume
levels of the LO Mode above or below that of the HI Mode. Use LO LEVEL to set the signal strength of the LO Mode in relation to the BYPASS
Mode. Like the HI LEVEL, LO LEVEL may also be used to “slam” the Input stage of the host amplifier for more overdrive.
NOTE: Separate HI LEVEL and LO LEVEL controls were included to allow for compensation of volume levels between the two Modes (HI/LO)
when one Mode is being used with the Five Band Graphic EQ and the other Mode is not. This allows for maximum flexibility and permits a
radically EQ’d sound in one Mode (HI for example) to be matched level-wise to a sound without the Graphic EQ active in the other Mode (LO).
TONE
This all-in-one EQ control is common on devices that do not incorporate individual TREBLE and BASS controls. It provides simple,
global adjustment of the entire range of frequencies with one control, but your ear may perceive it as most active on the amount of high frequencies present in the mix. A setting of 12:00 represents a “flat” setting with highs neither boosted nor cut. Increasing the TONE control past 12:00
boosts a broad band of high frequencies. Decreasing the TONE below 12:00 cuts (rolls off) the same spectrum of high frequencies.
GAIN
This control determines the amount of gain (overdrive) in the signal path for both LO and HI Modes.
Set low (8:00 – 10:30) it produces a range of subtle overdrive that’s soft and furry, yet featuring the classic mid-punch associated with these
types of circuits. In the LO Mode this range is great for pushed and clip-threshold rhythm sounds and to add a slight bump for Blues solo sounds.
The middle range (10:30 – 1:30) offers the most useful region of gain that begins to saturate but still retains a dynamic punch that keeps notes
expressive and tight. This works well for both Rhythm and Solo work across many styles of music where medium levels of saturation are appropriate in both Modes.
The high range of the GAIN control (1:30 – 5:30) is all about thick saturation. This region will be the obvious choice for extreme Rock, Metal and
Heavy styles yet should not be overlooked for searing sustain in single-note soloing. Don’t forget to experiment with this region for some great
Rock Solo sounds in the LO Mode as well.
MID CUT
In addition to the standard “blend-type” TONE control, the THROTTLE BOX EQ incorporates a global (works in LO and HI Modes)
MID CUT control (located just below the HI LEVEL) that scoops out the midrange for a wider, bigger sound. It can also be used to mimic the
classic Boogie “V” GRAPHIC EQ curve. This has been an essential ingredient for the many Artists that have employed this powerful tool on
our amplifiers for decades to get some of the heaviest sounds around. This control works backwards from what you might be used to with Tone
controls. As you increase the control you are increasing the “cut” and scooping out more midrange frequencies—until at the maximum setting
(5:30) there is hardly any midrange left in the signal path.
FIVE BAND GRAPHIC EQ
These two mini toggle switches, two LEDs and the five Sliders comprise the GRAPHIC EQ section of the THROTTLE BOX EQ™. The two mini toggles control whether or not the GRAPHIC EQ is active in HI, LO or both. The Red LED is illuminated when the
EQ is active in the corresponding Mode. The curved bar just below the Sliders is fitted to help protect the Sliders and prevent accidental bumping
of them by the stray shoe in performance situations.
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