Empress Heavy Menace Distortion Pedal

£249.00

The Empress Heavy Menace Distortion Pedal is In stock available now for fast UK delivery online for GBP 249 + Delivery. The Heavy Menace is "the most versatile distortion pedal" Empress has ever created, in their own words. It's an evolution of their original Heavy pedal but with new features and a more compact enclosure.…

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Description

The Empress Heavy Menace Distortion Pedal is In stock available now for fast UK delivery online for GBP 249 + Delivery. This excellent piece of kit is manufactured by Empress Effects and in New condition and comes with a great warranty.

The Heavy Menace is "the most versatile distortion pedal" Empress has ever created, in their own words. It's an evolution of their original Heavy pedal but with new features and a more compact enclosure. In addition to the original 'Heavy' and 'Heavier' modes, the Heavy Menace adds a new 'Lite(ish)' mode — covering any high-gain sound from classic hard rock to searing modern metal.

Key Features

  • Three versatile distortion modes — Light(ish), Heavy, and Heavier.
  • Footswitchable noise gate.
  • 3-band EQ with sweepable mid frequency.
  • Weight control to sculpt low frequency response.
  • Linked or independent switching of the distortion and gate.
  • Gate key input (1/8" TS or TRS).
  • True bypass or buffered bypass.

Enhanced EQ

Empress are obsessed with EQ, and the 3-band circuit on the Heavy Menace is one of their best. The 'Weight' control adjusts a high-pass filter in the distortion circuit to shape low-end character. Turn it up for a thick, full sound, or turn counter-clockwise for a tight response that's perfect for palm muting and extended-range guitars.

Midrange is a key element of a great distorted sound, so the mid frequency is sweepable from 200 Hz to 2.5 kHz to dial in the sweet spot for your guitar and amp. Scoop for a tight, aggressive sound, or push to add definition and cut through a mix.

Adaptive Gate

Players loved the gate on the original Heavy. Envelope followers in the circuit respond to your playing, letting sustained notes decay naturally but clamping down quickly during fast stops.

On the Heavy Menace, this gate is now footswitchable, with two available modes of operation. In normal bypass mode, the gate doesn’t affect the signal if the distortion is off, while independent bypass mode is like having separate distortion and gate pedals.

We’ve also added a key input so you can optionally trigger the gate with an external signal. This is particularly useful if you have additional pedals before the Heavy Menace in your signal chain, such as a low-gain pedal for stacking. Split a clean signal with a pedal like our Buffer+ and connect it to the Gate Key Input, and the gate will behave consistently regardless of changes at the main input.

Specifications

  • Input Impedance: 1MΩ
  • Output Impedance: 100Ω
  • Frequency Response (-3dB): 35Hz – 17kHz
  • Input Voltage: 9-12V DC
  • Required Current: 250mA
  • Power Input Connector: 2.1mm Barrel Connector
  • Dimensions (H x L x W): 2.5" x 4.8" x 2.6"
  • Weight: 1 lb

. Please read more for images, details and to place an order.

Distortion

Distortion is a guitar effect that alters the signal’s waveform, creating a gritty, aggressive sound characterized by a high level of harmonic content and sustain. It’s achieved by amplifying the input signal to the point where the amplifier or pedal’s circuitry begins to clip, causing the waveform to become squared off and jagged. This clipping produces harmonics that weren’t present in the original signal, resulting in the characteristic “gritty” or “dirty” tone associated with distortion. Distortion pedals typically feature controls for adjusting the amount of gain or distortion applied, as well as tone-shaping knobs to tailor the sound’s frequency response. Distortion is widely used in rock, metal, and punk music to add power, aggression, and sustain to guitar solos, riffs, and rhythm parts, creating a bold and intense sonic impact in the mix. Popular distortion pedals include the Boss DS-1, Pro Co Rat, and Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi.

Guitar FX

Guitar FX (effects) refer to the wide range of pedals and processors that shape and manipulate a guitar’s signal to create different sounds. From classic distortion and overdrive to reverb, delay, modulation, and pitch-shifting, effects are at the heart of a guitarist’s creative toolkit. Whether analogue or digital, stompbox or multi-effects unit, Guitar FX allow players to express mood, texture, and dynamics in unique ways. Used thoughtfully, they can transform a simple riff into something atmospheric, aggressive, or entirely otherworldly.

Heavy

pedal

A pedal is a compact device that guitarists use to alter their instrument’s sound by shaping effects such as distortion, delay, reverb, and modulation. Typically housed in a rugged enclosure and controlled by footswitches, pedals are designed to be placed on the floor for hands-free operation during playing. They can be analogue or digital, true bypass or buffered, and come in countless varieties to suit different styles and preferences. Pedals are essential tools for creating signature tones and adding colour and texture to a guitarist’s sound.

About Empress Effects

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