Fly Drive

A new approach to clipping circuits from Kernom aims to offer all the overdrive sounds you need in a single pedal

- Trevor Curwen

There is a type of pedal that delivers variations on its overdrive voice via a switchable selection of clipping options – and this certainly offers versatility. But the Kernom Ridge goes further by delivering its clipping options via a rotary Mood knob, the actual overdrive voice being determined by the knob’s position. The new technology behind this, ‘analog morphing core’, is said to control the non-linear elements of the clipping stage, changing their threshold in real-time. Kernom says the Mood knob is roughly divided into five segments, running from a clean and open sound through transparent overdrive, a more coloured overdrive and high gain, to ‘almost fuzz’. We found that those descriptions are accurate, but it’s not a totally seamless shift through them as there’s a distinct jump from the first to the second segment. Generally, though, it’s a smooth gradation along the knob’s travel, allowing extensive nuance in choosing your overdrive’s character.