Catalinbread Super Chile Picoso

One knob, LED, buffer out, true bypass out, in, and 9V jack.
Couldn't get much easier, but DAMN this thing has the most in depth manual than any other boutique pedal I've purchased so far! (And there's been too many!)

At first glance, the Super Chili Picoso (catchy name, huh?) looks like a one dimensional pedal. Boy is that misleading! With the 35 decibles of boost available, you can find a wealth of sounds from within! I mostly use the true bypass out as the last effect going into my Bogner Shiva (I also use humbucking super-strats), and I NEVER turn it off. The Shiva doesn't sound bad without it by far, but with it on I just get a more "in-your-face" sound but the same true TONE coming through. If you crank the knob all the way it will nicely overdrive any tube amp. I've got about a dozen true bypass pedals on my board and adding the SCP let me keep the pure sound from the guitar and the amp when all effects are off, but keep a nice volume level that's difficult with a long line of true bypass effects.

Solid Phase 90 sized housing with a beautiful deep red "leather" jacket applied on top. The best parts are used (true bypas, MOSFET static protection). Don't need to worry about it going belly up on me. I get lots of inquiries about this pedal for both looks and sound!

Nic replies to every email I've sent him. A true gentleman. He promptly shipped my pedal the next day after purchase and emailed me tracking information. The pedal's manual came hand signed and numbered and made out to me!! NICE TOUCH!

Before purchasing the SCP, I'd used quite a few boost pedals (Fulltone, Keeley) and they were good, but the Super Chili Picoso is GREAT! It just "breathes" out your tone. So natural in sound! I've been playing guitar for over 15 years and using Harmony Central for many years to obtain my gear. With the sound I've always heard in my head now coming from my amp, I needed to post about the effects that got me here. The SCP is certainly one of them.
At twice the cost it would be worth it. As more and more people find out about Catalinbread, this pedal will become a mainstay.

Just an update to the one below (starts 'Like all the best stomps, it's dead simple...').

Easy, one knob, plenty of variety of tone.

Guitars: Gibson SG and Squier Affinity Strat. Amp: Marshall '78 JMP 2204 w/1960a cab. Chain: Guitar -> Boss GT-5 (w/Boss DD-6 in the loop and two FS-5U footswitches) -> Amp. Dead simple setup with plenty of tonal variety for me.

Just to say I don't need anything but this and the Natural OD setting on my Boss GT-5 for my driven tones! I haven't found a set use for this yet, just combining it with various gain stages on the amp/multi FX.

It's only noisy if your gear is noisy - the GT-5 with my preferred OD settings on gets a little hissy but this is partly cos the amp is so bright. It seems to sound fantastic wherever you put the knob - from minimum for a subtle colouration of the tone right up to past three o'clock where it begins to behave like an overdrive. I run mine at about noon.

I can certainly get into that coveted Page/Hendrix tone territory with this pedal and the two guitars. Not saying I can play as good as they can, but I can get a very close sound!

I'm going to give it a 9 cos it's handmade and the workmanship is top quality. Battery life is ridiculously good too - several times I've left this pedal plugged in for days without knowing, and the battery is still going strong.

Nicholas is a great bloke, both polite and helpful. Obviously gets a kick out of doing this for a living, and rightly so!

If you want to get away from the brilliant but overused classics like the Tubescreamer without paying well over the odds, consider one of these. Less expensive than the Super Hard On, more expressive than the MXR Micro Amp, this is a boost pedal with a character all of it's own. It's going to be on my board for a very long time.

Like all the best stomps, it's dead simple. One control knob to set the level of boost, one switch to toggle on/off, one light to tell you if it's boosting or not. Powered by a standard 9v battery or power-adaptor - Boss/Ibanez size jack.

Smart paint job too (the big red chile one is my favourite).

A friend of mine bought one of these for use with his Bluesbreaker combo, and I tested the SCP with my Strat and it sounded awesome - accurately giving that 'power tube saturation' style sound at much lower amp volumes, while at higher volumes with the amp already pushed it just added to the sweetness and dare I say the dynamics.

On the strength of this I have purchased my own for use with my '78 Marshall JMP. Can't wait to hear it with my SG!

It's handmade from high quality parts so I doubt it'll ever fail. When I've had mine a few months I'll let you know - I'm notorious for not treating my equipment with due care and attention, on occasion.

You can get directly in contact with the man who makes them and turnaround on email has been a day so far - fast and polite. Try getting THAT with Boss or Dunlop products!

I play rock, blues and punk. I'm a big Jimmy Page/Angus Young devotee so I favour a well-overdriven tone with plenty of sustain/harmonics and subtle use of effects where needed. This is a great match for my equipment and tastes.

I've been playing nearly seven years now and I own a Gibson SG, Marshall JMP, red 1960a cab, Boss GT-5 and a few single stomps (Big Muff/Small Stone/Daddy O). If this were stolen or lost I'd be mortified - it's the best natural sounding boost/overdrive I've heard yet. I'd buy another without fail - heck, I like this one so much I might buy another anyway!

I love the simplicity, the paint-job and the transparency - doesn't kill or seriously alter your tone as some pedals in the 'overdrive/distortion' catagory do. What do I hate? Nothing.

The only serious alternative to this pedal is the Zvex Super Hard On. I never did like the idea of the retro 'knob crackling' effect - to me, crackly knobs mean it's time to pull out the contact cleaner. Also, what would you rather step on - something with a red, fiery paint job or a bee and flower? I stand by my choice.

Anything I wish it had? Nope, it's all there. It helps me make music because I can run guitar -> SCP -> amp and that'll get me most of the basic rock tones I love. Simplicity is the key - a big pedal chain will give you tonal variety, sure, but it always hindered my playing.

I'd like to say that the maker, Nick, is a top bloke and has made a boutique-quality pedal for working man prices - in the UK the SCP costs the same as your average Boss/MXR/Ibanez pedal, except it's handmade and handpainted!

You want a good booster without the frequency limitations of treblebooster, or without the cost of other boutique pieces, Catalinbread is the place to look.

It sounded great with my friends Bluesbreaker (straight up 10/10) so when I get my own SCP through the post and test it with my JMP/SG, I'll let you know. Can't imagine it'll score any less than top marks!

Plug it in and be ready to be blown away! Instantly solved a problem I've been having ever since starting my current band, leads not cutting through another very distorted guitar. One knob to set and forget and your off.

I'm running a Gibson Flying V, and a Les Paul Special Double Cutaway through a Boss tuner, and a Super Chile Picoso straight to a Marshall JMP 50 watt and 4x12 cab. Leads sail! Never again will I have to worry about leads not cutting through a busy mix. Actually warmed up my sound a bit. Super clean and also handles those long cable runs like a champ.

No problems after 6 months. The battery is still fine if I forget to unplug it after use.

Arrived in AZ 2 days after I ordered it with the paint still wet!
I asked to get one as soon as possible for an up coming tour, and Nicholas wasn't sure if he could get one done in time, but he came through with flying colors! Great service. Custom with my name inside.
I love that stuff.

This pedal has 3x's the boost of the MXR micro amp, and half the cost of other "botique" pedals. Outstanding value, and results. I love the vinly covering and hand paint job. The covering actually helps keep the knob where I set even kicking it around the stage night after night. In trying to find any fault with this pedal, I could find none. Well done Nicholas.

Very Easy indeed.

My setup is currently - GTR - Ernie Ball Vol pedal - SCP- '68 Vox Wah - Keeley Java Boost - Expandora - Analogman Clone Chorus - Fulltone Mini Deja Vibe - The Plex echo - Split to Dr.Z Rt 66 (or Orange AD30H) and Matchless Clubman. I bought thie pedal to use whilst gigging, to bring my Tele level up to the level of my Gibson Les Paul R9's. When I made the switch during gigs, My tele would normally sound super clean (I set my lesters to a medium tube grind, and boost this sometimes with the Java Boost or Expandora), but now I get the grind but with a tele tone.

It does not diminish the tonal range or richness of the Fralins in my tele one bit. Perfect!!!!
It sounds great as an amp booster, and in the studio I'll definitely favour it over say a Tubescreamer or an FD-2 with Fenders, but I like to add a bit more bite to the sound of a Les Paul when driving the amp (hence the Expandora or Java Boost), but even so it does sound great with humbuckers.

One added bonus with this pedal is that when it's ON, it acts as a buffered line driver, and as such removes tone loss when running long cables and though a lot of TRUE BYPASS effects. You can even use it in this way when it's off by using the second output.
This pedal sounds great - no noise except the hum that's already there with the pickups!!!

Looks and feels very well built, but I've only used it a handful of times......

Nicholas is SUPER friendly and helpful, and keen to help in any way.

This pedal does what it's meant to, and if you run a half decent tube amp, you owe it to yourself to see what it's capable of.....The SCP will let you do this (for a lot less than the Fat Boost, and with more gain). I'm of the opinion that the vast majority of players really should throw down their TS pedals or 808 clones, and just try a decent clean boost like this - you can actually hear the player, the guitar and amp and not just that (nice sounding though it is) mid rangey hump. THERE are too many of us sounding too similar!
People are currently going mad about True Bypass, but if you run a 20ft cable into FX into another 20ft cable - you NEED a pedal that works as a buffered line driver so you don't lose all your tone (just remember to use any such pedal after fuzz units). This will do that when it is on - or off (using the second output jack).
This pedal is simple, versatile, useful, great sounding, will add to the sound of any rig, made by a nice guy, which dosen't cost a lot at all.

very easy use!

I run it on max! I use it as a boost for my solos on an already
distorted channel on my mesa dual rect. (old two channel version).
It only worx nicely since I use a THD Hot Plate. So now I can take the gain on my red channel way down but still have an awesome rhythm sound with the master right up but at lower volume. the gain is on about 9 o'clock now..exactely where the picoso gives me a nice volume and gain increase!

oh yeah! worx fine!

Great guy! helps u out if u got questions/problems

I play rock music. guitar sound like "the darkness" or AC/DC..vintage, volume up gain down!

A retarded monkey could use this. Easy to get the best sound ever from your tube amp

BC RICH EAGLE - into - MXR MICRO AMP , Aphek Peanut Butter Overdrive (great!), Ibanez Phaser, Digitech X DElay, Boss V-WAH, Digitech X Synth WAH Bass, Holowan Tremolo , CaitlinBread Super Chili Picoso.

MY Fender Bassman 70 gtr. channel has never sounded this crisp and clear. I am using this pedal in it's overdrive tube boost mode, and let me say....Nothing compares to this, especially for the price. Perfect all around, Also, with my long pedal chain, this keeps the signal strong. My favorite pedal I own.

SO far so good!

Seems very friendly and supportive.

I play singer songwriter rock with some math rock influences and retro influences. (Elvis Costello, King Crimson, Buckley, Beatles...)
Thsi pedal is EXaclty what I have been looking for for my entire 13 years of playing, Thansk you!!!!!!!
I have had the Zvex SHO, the MXR Micro AMP...and others. This is still my favorite of all of them. Destined to be a classic.

One knob, one button, one light. Since I hate getting hung up on tweaking, this is the perfect configuration for me. The knob simply goes from less to more - no surprises anywhere on the dial.

A minor issue: the metal box has a leatherette skin that the knob tends to stick itself to. Not a big deal, and easy to correct. In a way, I kind of like it: the knob stays put.

Exactly what I was looking for. Pushes the fretboard way out front - adds life to every finger move, just like a good acoustic. No white noise, no wolf tones, and makes my Tele's volume and tone knobs much more functional - Sweetspot City! My main amp is a tastefully modded '90s Vibroverb RI with an extension cab and mammoth clean headroom, and it's sounding absolutely booteeky now - like I've added a presence knob to my amp.

I also tried it on my little Pro Junior, but that amp is all about distortion, and the sound turns into loud mud with SCP engaged - not why I bought it.

Bottom line, as I wrote to Nicholas, who makes 'em: the SCP fat on the fat - like buttered fried chicken!

Seems solid enough. Metal casing. We'll see...

Very friendly - Nicholas is a fanatic who seems to be getting a big kick out of selling these things. However, I haven't had to ask for customer support from him or the dealer.

My electrics are usually single coil, and my amps are usually american tube amps. I dig blues, country, and folk, and write a lot. I like natural overdrive (a.k.a the volume knob), and prefer gritty to smooth, shooting for a more emotional sound. Other pedals I've used have masked the guitar and amp, which just makes me wonder what the point is.

The SCP sound is open and textured - every finger move is broadcasted - and the distortion comes from from the amp, not the box, just like the good lord intended.

It's a simple unit, and I suspect it doesn't cost much to make, but with the sound it's giving me, it's well worth it. An added bonus: now I can sell off all my other stompers. I'm there!

One input, one knob, one input. Does it get easier?

I play a 74 Gibson SG w/ Burstbucker Pros > Ernie Ball 6166 Volume Pedal > VTP Citrus Squeezer > Aramat Green Machine > Bionix Expandora > 70s MXR 10-Band EQ > Boss CE-3 Stereo Chorus > Electro Harmonix Holy Grail > Super Chile Picoso > Trace Elliott Velocette

It doesn't matter where in the chain I have stuck the thing, it sounds great. Tried it first, tried it second to last, but I really like it where it sits now.

The SCP gives up to 35dB of volume and with the small amps I play through gives two qualities to my sound: more fullness without any tonal change and a sweet natural tube OD. I typically play with it at about 1 o'clock to 1:30

I have had easily 2-3 people at each of our gigs ask me what it is and to try it out as we were breaking down gear. I thought about contacting

Dependable? Hell yes.. solid metal.

Play without a backup? Well, I don't have a backup, so yes... but I wouldn't mind a second one! When I get a second amp to use the stereo on my stereo chorus I will buy another SCP, no question.

The only complaint is that the vinyl covering feels "tacky". Not in bad tasty, but.. i dunno, sticky I guess.

Nicholas is a very friendly guy. The night I ordered it he and I emailed a number of times. We have since as well. If I have a question, he has an answer.

I play rock. Country rock. And Rock Rock. If I lost this gem I'd buy two more. I thought about buying them to sell at gigs b/c I've had so many people ask me about it!

There is only one knob on this beauty - no instruction manual was needed. I tried it with both a 9 volt battery and my AC adapter - worked well with both.

I run a custom Strat with Dimarzio Virtual Vintage noiseless pickups through an array of effects - Teese wah > Proctavia > Micro Vibe > Superfuzz > Sparkle Drive > Jekyll & Hyde > H2O > Super Chile Picoso > Dean Markley 60 watt tube amp.

Cranked all the way up, there is no detectable noise. With the knob turned all the way off, there is still a slight effect, which is good, as it livens up the tone a bit. I have been chasing the SRV snappy neck pickup tone for a long time, and guess what? It has been found! The SCP is like taking a blanket off of your amp. You can get that grind from the bottom string, with all kinds of wonderful harmonic overtones. I found that I like having the SCP full up all the time, backing off with the volume of the Strat cleans it up acceptably. But, put the Sparkle drive or J&H overdrive in front of it, and it is incredible. Punchy, clear, articulate overdriven sound. It doesn't sound like distortion layered on top of distortion. It just sounds like your amp is fully cranked and naturally breaking up - with plenty of balls. I played along with an SRV CD and I have nailed "The Sky is Crying" tone - finally! The Superfuzz sounds like a whole new pedal in front of the SCP, too. Like the amp is ready to blow apart. Yeah!

I've only just had it for a few hours, but from what I've heard about Nicholas' products, they are well made. I will have to give a "No Opinion" here. An inspection of the interior revealed tidy, quality workmanship. I'll post another review in a few months.

I emailed Nicholas several times, and he was very helpful and responsive. I kept trying to pick one of these up used on Ebay, but they were selling for nearly what the cost is new. So I figured I'd just buy a new one. He sells them occasionally new on Ebay. It arrived within 24 hours of my order. Cannot complain about that. There is a sticker on the inside that has my name on it, and the date that it was made, and, that it was buit just for me. Talk about the personal touch! He even offered to hand deliver it (I live in the Seattle area). What a guy.

I play mainly blues/bluesy rock. When I get the itch to chunk out some metal, I have a Jackson loaded with EMG's to give me an outlet. But my Strat will always be my main love. I have good quality gear, but have never been satisfied with the sound until now. The SCP has really helped me dial in that wonderful organic overdriven sound that I've been chasing. I've been playing since 1975, and have had too much gear to list here, from old Fender amps to Marshall stacks to modern digital modeling amps loaded with built-in effects. I have come to the conclusion that nothing sounds better than a simple, clean tube amp with a few high quality analog stompers and a good wah pedal. My biggest overall influence is Ritchie Blackmore - he only had a Strat, a treble booster and his non-master volume amp. And I've never been able to replicate that sound, ha! Ear splitting volume is not practical at home. But, our tone is really in our fingers, now isn't it?

If my Super Chile Picoso were lost or stolen, I would initially be pretty bummed, but, knowing that Nicholas can build me a new one and have it to me in a day... well, that's pretty comforting. I have been researching clean boost type pedals for a while, and was leaning toward one based on the Germanium transistor design; however, from what I understand the MOSFET type transistors are more temperature tolerant and stable, which would naturally lead to more consistent sound quality. I wasn't looking for a clean boost, I can do that by putting a jumper across my effects loop and adjusting the mix accordingly. I wanted something that would push my amp into a blissful grind. Listen to Rory Gallagher live if you want to hear that tone - whoa! Or Deep Purple's Made in Japan. Just a Strat, booster, and tube amp. There is just something so pure about it, the way the various harmonics dance around your notes and chords; one has to experience it first hand to know. You cannot get this sound from a Tube Screamer or other overdrive pedal - it is not the same as actually punishing your tubes into submission. I encourage anyone who is looking to beef up there sound to check out the SCP. If you don't like it, you can sell it on Ebay for close to, if not what, you paid for it.

Also, the paint/graphics on these are way too cool. It looks like it's covered in some kind of vinyl, like an old table cloth or something. I've seen pictures of some of the older ones with fringe hanging around the edge, like a low rider car. Makes me smile just looking at it, really.