In order to achieve their concept of ideal sound, the team at Free the Tone began by restructuring all of the components in an effects unit based on their expertise and extensive experience cultivated and accumulated over the years andtheir innate sense of tone, ultimately arriving at their Integrated Series, started as FREE THE TONE’s 15th anniversary project. The first release in this series is a pair of overdrive pedals, the String Slinger and Fire Mist.
They sought extended dynamic range, brilliant overtones, long sustain, quick but fat tone, and of course, the most important thing, pure and clean overdrive sound. In order to realize all of these things, they thoroughly investigated various electronic circuits and parts and all of the factors related to sound such as materials and weight of the case and knobs, magnetic fields, etc. After a few years and many prototypes, they finally completed the String Slinger and Fire Mist.
In the quest for ideal overdrive sounds, most usually recall the American Blues sound symbolized by the classic Blackface period and the British Rock sound as represented by the golden “Plexi” panel. The String Slinger revives that ideal American Blues sound. Its viscous, clean-to-crunch tone with moderate compression feel can generate the best Blues sound. The instant you play through the String Slinger, you will understand the true meaning of “Amp-like.”
- New HTS (Holistic Tonal Solution) Circuit: The Integrated Series device implements our renewed HTS (Holistic Tonal Solution) circuit. Unlike conventional buffer circuits, this newly designed circuit brings out individual sound characteristics of your guitar and amplifier to the utmost while providing impedance conversion and establishing both the ideal sound and low noise.
- FREE THE TONE Custom Knobs: We developed a custom turned brass knob to reduce vibrations in the shaft and wiper of the semi-fixed resistor used for each control and to suppress harmonic components that adversely affect sound. Its diameter and weight were chosen after many repeated listening tests to obtain our ideal sound, “distorted but clean” overdrive.
- Sound Casing Design: All of the parameters of a case – width, depth, and height, and plate thickness of the case – affect overdrive sound. When deciding the case size for our Integrated Series, we calculated all of the dimensions to provide the ideal sound. Its weight has also been optimized to deliver the best sound.
- FREE THE TONE’s Unique IC Tone Plate: This metal plate for damping and shielding covers the top of an IC chip to make the most of the characteristics of the IC and to prevent noise contamination to the utmost.
- Passive Tone Circuit: We adopted a passive tone circuit that minimizes the phase shift in guitar signals.
We are open Tuesday-Saturday from 10am until 6pm CDT.
Any order placed before 3pm CDT Tuesday through Saturday is processed for shipment the same day. Orders placed Sunday-Monday will be processed for shipment the following Tuesday.
For Free Shipping items, Effects pedals and small goods items are generally shipped via USPS Priority Mail, and Guitars and Amplifiers are generally shipped via UPS Ground.
Due to our central location in the middle of the US, most orders will be delivered within 1-3 days delivery time.
Other shipping methods are available (at an additional cost), including next day air.
Please call us directly at (972)540-6420 if you have any questions regarding shipping for your order.