PURETONE BUFFER: Formerly
VisualSound, the TrueTone Pure Tone Buffer
is the smallest on the list, and is an ICbased flavor of buffer. The sound here is
very mid-forward, and the highs are a little
subdued as opposed to the Analogman.
Let’s have a listen:
JHS LITTLE BLACK BUFFER: In the vast
line of effects available from JHS, usually
unsuspecting at the very bottom of those
lists, lies the unsuspecting Little Black
Buffer. It’s got a nice design, and a bright
orange LED to show you it’s ready for
action. It’s an IC-based model, and the
sound is quite well balanced. The highs
aren’t spiky or overbearing and the mids
are natural and clear. Have a listen:
26
TONE TALK //
SATURNWORKS BUFFER: For those who
have ever been on Reverb.com, the name
Saturnworks pops up more than once when
shopping for a reamp box, an A/B box,
a buffer, or any other matter of “utility”
pedals. Bryan Wallis of Saturnworks does a
whole bunch of cool stuff for a great price,
and one would be hard pressed not to
check it out. The character of his buffer is
a bit similar to the PureTone, with a more
midforward characteristic and softer highs.
Have a listen here:
Following the shootout, one question still
remains: Who is the victor in this test of
tones? Like I always say, sound and tone
is an incredibly objective thing, and what
sounds good to me may not sound very
good to you. So I encourage you to listen
carefully, analyze, and most of all, enjoy.
Until next time!
Battle of the Buffers: 4 Tone-Suck Stoppers