CATALINBREAD / SIDEARM 70

The SIDEARM 70 is a reworking of the “green” style overdrive that debuted in 1979. A typical green overdrive combines a variety of filters to create a distinctive sound. All of these are carefully tuned by Catalinbread, and the tone is controlled by a newly added mids control and a tone knob that adjusts the overall tone.

The “hump” frequency of the SIDEARM 70 is 1 kHz, but the mids control can be adjusted to 720 Hz, the same as a typical green overdrive, and this band can be boosted or cut to customize the tone. control boosts low frequencies and cuts high frequencies when turned down. When turned up, it does the opposite: it cuts the low frequencies and boosts the high frequencies. The center of this control is at 1 kHz, allowing you to adjust the overall frequency response.

■ Controls
volume: Adjusts the volume.

mids: Midrange control centered at 720Hz. 720Hz is the mid-hump frequency of the original “green” overdrive. The original model's circuitry attenuates frequencies above 720Hz by -3dB/oct to create a distinctive tone; the SIDEARM 70 cuts down to 1kHz to extend the mid-high range, but the mids control is a cut-boost control at 720Hz. Higher setting boosts the 720Hz band and lower setting scoops it.

Tone: Tilt EQ centered at 1kHz. Lowering the tone position has the opposite effect. At the maximum up/down position, the high frequency boost is adjusted to be slightly less than the low frequency boost.

drive: Adjusts the gain. It can be adjusted over a wider gain range than the original model.

■Power supply
SIDEARM 70 is powered by a standard center-minus DC 9-18V adapter. Batteries are not available.