Not For Sale
Model Description:
The Electro-Harmonix EH‑1005 Screaming Tree Treble Booster was made during the period from c.1976 to 1981. While the interior of the pedal remained largely unchanged, the screen printed design on the top of the pedal changed several times. The classic Screaming Tree was intended to build on the success of other treble boost circuits, for instance the 1966 Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster, used to compensate for the dark, muddy tones of British valve amps such as the VOX AC30 and Marshall JTM45. A treble boost was primarily intended to increase the signal and to emphasise the treble part of the frequency spectrum, helping a lead guitar tone to cut through a dense band mix. The circuit is effectively a simple, reliable solid state bass filter that removes the bass harmonics and leaves the treble intact. No digital tone tinkering here. The Rangemaster and its peers such as the EHX Screaming Tree also became popular by acting as a pre‑amp to overdrive the input stages of a valve amplifier pushing it into distortion. The Screaming Tree was based on the smaller plug in booster, the Screaming Bird. The Screaming Tree/Bird uses a circuit that shared many similarities with Electro‑Harmonix’s Linear Power Booster (LPB2). The latter provided a clean boost across the full frequency range, not just the upper‑mid and treble frequencies. The ‘Off’ switch allows the footswitch and circuit to be bypassed completely. By the 1980s, complex multi‑band EQ pedals from the big American and Japanese effect companies superseded the likes of a simple treble booster. However, there is still something to be said for the basic ‘less is more’ approach and pedals like the Screaming Tree still hang around. Despite its antiquated approach, the current Electro‑Harmonix range includes both the EHX Screaming Bird Treble Booster as well as the EHX Linear Power Booster (LPB2), both in ‘nano’ format. As far as vintage stomp pedals go, the later EHX Screaming Tree pedals are relatively common and remain relatively fair priced on the vintage effect market, while the early ones are becoming particularly sought after.
Pedal Description:
This Electro-Harmonix Screaming Tree Treble Booster was probably manufactured in the early period of the pedal’s reign, due to the features including the early black on silver typographic design and the unusual (for EHX) but original boost control knob. Later versions were designed to be more visually consistent with other EHX effects, although retaining the chrome steel enclosure. The CTS pot code is partly obscured with solder, so it is not possible to date the circuit definitively without compromising the pedal’s integrity. So… I’m going with first full year of manufacture (1977) as a best estimate. The battery connector was replaced when the pedal was checked over shortly before it was adopted by CRAVE Effects, so it is not quite 100% original. Overall condition of this example is good to very good with just a few marks to the black screen printing. Sonically, it is a little treasure, providing two key benefits. The first is a strong clean boost, which can help to drive the signal chain and at full whack can cause a lovely compressed overdrive without going too far. The second is the tonal effect clearly adding an unsubtle prominence to the treble frequencies (what it says on the box!). There is no tone control to moderate the edginess but most of the time, it isn’t necessary. It would have made the effect a bit more versatile – we’re not talking anything like a parametric EQ; even a standard tone control would have been cool but we are talking the mid‑1970s here. In any case, the Dallas Rangemaster didn’t have a tone control either. The tonal shift adds an incisive of bite and some great harmonics should you want to tease them out. Let’s face it, a treble boost is great for those looking for what it does but for others, it may seem superfluous or limited. The beauty of pedals like this is that it gives one choice about how each of us shapes our guitar and bass tones. Oh, and they look cool too.
Features:
- Made in New York, U.S.A. in c.1977
- The ‘Off’ switch engages the effect on or off, bypassing the footswitch
- The master knob controls the amount of treble boost applied to the signal
- Standard footswitch turns the effect on and off when the ‘Off’ switch is set to on
- Standard ¼” input and output mono jack sockets
- No LED status indicator or DC power supply input – 9V battery only
- No battery compartment in the base of the unit
- Philips screws (x4) on the top of the pedal
- Dimensions: 5 ½” x 3 3/8” x 3” – 140mm x 86mm x 76mm (L x W x D)
- Weight 1Lb – 454g
- No box or instruction manual
Detail Gallery:
