Cool Cat! CHORUS CC-1 User manual

Instructions
EFFECTS
CHORUS CC-1
TRANSPARENT
OVERDRIVE CTO-1
METAL CM-1
TREMOLO CT-1
DRIVE CO-1
FUZZ CF-1
DISTORTION CD-1
METALII CM-2
VIBE CV-1
© Cool Cat 2008
Printed in China
EEC Agent:
John Hornby Skewes & Co., Ltd.
Salem House, Parkinson Approach,
Garforth, Leeds LS25 2HR UK

CONGRATULATIONS!
You now own THE VERY COOLEST
gear ever made. Enjoy!
FOOT SWITCH
Activates the effect.
LED
Indicates that
effect is ON.
IN
Insert guitar
cable here.
EFFECT KNOBS
See features for each
model.
DC 9V
Insert AC adaptor here. Make sure the adaptor is
9 Volts, Center Negative + -(•
– - and at least 300mA.
Danelectro adaptor is recommended.
Note: You can use battery or 9 Volt adaptor to power
your “Cat”. For CV-1 model, we recommend using adaptor
power only due to the high current draw of this circuit.
OUT
Insert amp
cable here.
STACKED KNOB
Available on some
models.
A QUICK LOOK AT YOUR NEW COOL CAT!:
HERE IS AN OVERVIEW OF FEATURES COMMON TO ALL COOL CAT MODELS:
SETTING THE CONTROLS::
Some Cool Cat models have “stacked” controls. To set those
controls, move the entire control set (top and bottom knobs)
together, until you have set the lower knob to desired position,
then adjust the top knob to where you want it.
NOTE: The terms “Clockwise” and “Counterclockwise” mean
the movement of the controls from this view:
Now turn to the “Features” pages for your model of Cool Cat!
Clockwise Counter-
clockwise

The Cool Cat Chorus gives you all of the classic chorus sounds,
and more - with more control than you’ve had before.
CONTROLS:
DEPTH: Controls the intensity of the Chorus, from minimum
(fully counter-clockwise) to maximum (fully clockwise). The
Depth control interacts with the Speed control in this fashion:
slower speed settings can take higher depth settings. As Speed
increases, Depth may need to be reduced.
Higher settings may cause light-headedness!
SPEED: Controls the speed of the Chorus, from
minimum (fully counter-clockwise) to maximum (fully
clockwise). This control will have no effect unless the
Depth control is set higher than minimum (off).
MIX / EQ: These controls are stacked, the inner control adjusts
mix and the outer control adjusts chorus eq. (These controls have
no effect unless the pedal is on.) Turning the Eq knob can be
tricky, here’s how to do it: turn both knobs at the same time until
the Eq is where you want it, then adjust the Mix control.
When the Mix control is fully counter-clockwise, there is no
chorus effect – it’s 100% dry. When the Mix control is set to
maximum, all you’ll hear is the effected signal – 100% wet. By
setting this control in-between minimum and maximum you can
choose the perfect dry to wet ratio. A normal setting would be at
12:00 (50% dry, 50% wet). Lowering the Mix control makes
the Chorus more subtle; raising the Mix takes the sound towards
vibrato.
The Eq control adjusts to tone of the chorus only, leaving your
dry signal unaffected. Think of it as a high frequency roll-off for
the wet signal. If the Chorus sounds too “sparkle-y”, try turning
down the Eq control.
BYPASS: The true bypass footswitch engages and disengages
the pedal.
SAMPLE SETTINGS: (Remember, these are just starting points.)
For a Classic Chorus sound, simply set all controls to 12:00.
This may cause complaints from your band, as the Classic Chorus
sound has been used to extremes. Let’s be a bit more creative:
“Sky Blue Sky” (Great for rhythm players, so subtle the band
might let you leave it on all night…)
Depth – 9:30
Speed – 10:30
Mix / Eq – 9:30 / Min. (7:00)
“Spin-Cycle”
(Like a rotating speaker on “fast”, 227 pounds lighter.)
Depth – 9:00, may need to be reduced at highest speed setting
Speed – 4:30 to Maximum (5:00)
Mix / Eq – 12:00 / Wide open (Bonus:
change the Mix setting to maximum
and you get Vibrato, otherwise known
as the difference between a trombone and a lawn mower.)
CHORUS
CC-1
Features
CHORUS FEATURES CONTINUED:

The Transparent Overdrive lets more of your guitar’s voice shine
through, even at high overdrive settings. Very useful for
everything from modern Country to American and British Rock.
CONTROLS:
GAIN: Sets the amount of overdrive
applied to the signal, counter-clockwise
is minimum overdrive, turn clockwise to
increase overdrive. As overdrive increases,
low frequencies will “bloom” slightly.
TREBLE / BASS: Adjusts the tone of the overdrive
sound. The two controls are stacked; the inner control is for
Treble, the outer for Bass. These controls cut and boost – they are
flat (no effect) at 12 o’clock. Tuning the Treble control counter-
clockwise from 12:00 cuts the treble, advancing the Treble control
beyond 12:00 boosts the Treble. The Bass control operates in the
same fashion. Turning the Bass knob can be tricky, here’s how to
do it: turn both knobs at the same time until the Bass is where
you want it, then adjust the Treble control. Don’t be surprised if
you leave these controls set nearly flat.
VOLUME: This control adjusts overall volume when the
Transparent Overdrive is turned on. Usually, the Volume control is
set to be a little louder than the bypassed signal, or loud enough
to serve as a solo setting. There is lots of volume boost available,
so you can get even low gain settings loud enough. With high
gain settings, the Volume control adds another dimension of gain
that will generate even more overdrive. Be careful – this pedal
goes way beyond eleven!
BYPASS: The true bypass footswitch engages and disengages
the pedal. HINT: Don’t forget to try setting your guitar’s volume
and tone controls lower than their maximum: the Transparent
Overdrive won’t “collapse” on you like other pedals.
SAMPLE SETTINGS: (Remember, these are just starting points.)
“Country ’Tude” (single coil pickups; add three chords and the
truth, goes well with fried chicken – and chicken pickin’)
Gain: 9:30
Treble / Bass: 12:00 (flat) / 12:00 (flat)
Volume: 1:30
“Leeds Crunch” (use with bridge pickup and play some big
windmill chords - how high can you leap?)
Gain – 1:30
Treble / Bass – 12:00 (flat) / 12:00 (flat)
Volume – 11:30
“Woman Tone” (use with your neck pickup, roll off your guitar’s
tone control and follow your soul; great with humbuckers)
Gain – Wide open!
Treble / Bass – Wide open! / wide open!
Volume – Wide open! (or as much as
your amp can handle – WARNING: Start with your amp turned
down, this setting is LOUD!)
TRANSPARENT
OVERDRIVE
CTO-1
Features
TRANS. OVERDRIVE FEATURES CONTINUED:

This Metal pedal is different: it’s almost like having an amp at
your feet. Back in the 1960’s, players ran one amp into another
(DANGEROUS!!! - don’t try this yourself without help from a
qualified technician) to get over-the top-distortion. One famous
guitarist used a factory public address amp in front of his guitar
amp for his blistering tones. That’s the idea of the Metal pedal,
but BE CAREFUL – this thing is LOUD!
CONTROLS:
GAIN: Adjusts the amount of distortion. As this
control is increased, the pedal gets louder – MUCH louder.
Higher settings will also increase noise - it’s the price you pay for
this much fun - so learn the secret: don’t stop playing!
TREBLE / MID: Adjusts the tone of the overdrive sound. The
two controls are stacked; the inner control is for Treble, the outer
for Mid. Like the Bass control, these controls cut and boost – they
are flat (no effect) at 12 o’clock. Turning the Mid knob can be
tricky, here’s how to do it: turn both knobs at the same time until
the Mid is where you want it, then adjust the Treble control.
VOLUME / BASS: These are stacked controls, the
inner control is Volume and the outer control is Bass. Turning
the Bass knob can be tricky, here’s how to do it: turn both knobs
at the same time until the Bass is where you want it, then adjust
the Treble control.
The volume control operates in the standard fashion: from
minimum (fully counter-clockwise) to maximum (fully
clockwise). The Bass control is a cut and boost control – it is flat
(no effect) at 12 o’clock. Tuning it lower than 12 o’clock cuts the
bass, turning it past 12 o’clock boosts it.
The amount of volume available is HUGE, so BE CAREFUL!
Start with your amp and the Volume control turned down. At high
settings, the Metal pedal will pulverize the front end of your amp.
BYPASS: The true bypass footswitch engages and disengages
the pedal.
SAMPLE SETTINGS: (Remember, these are just starting points.
Also,the Metal pedal may not behave quite the way you expect
it to, so experimentation is a must.)
“Scoop O’ Licorice” (Sweet & strong, modern & tight, dark &
gritty - like heavy metal ice cream – try with a dropped “D” tuning)
Gain – 11:00
Treble / Mid – 11:30 / Min. (7:00)
Volume / Bass – 12:00 / 11:30
“Meat Pie” (Like the famous pastry from The Land Down Under;
hot, goo-ey and satisfying. Sustain for days. Add ketchup and a lager.)
Gain – 1:30
Treble / Mid – Min. (7:00) / 10:00
Volume / Bass – 9:30 / 9:30
“Chonk” (Insert fave punk anthem here and wail away…)
Gain – 9:00
Treble / Mid – 9:30 / 12:00
Volume / Bass – 9:15 / 11:30
METAL
CM-1
Features
METAL FEATURES CONTINUED:

Cool
Cat
The Cool Cat Tremolo is a classic reborn, recreating one of the first
electric guitar effects from the 50’s with a modern twist.
CONTROLS:
DEPTH: Controls the intensity of the Tremolo in Soft mode,
from minimum (fully counter-clockwise) to maximum (fully
clockwise). When the Hard /Soft control is set to Hard, the Depth
control is disabled.
HARD / SOFT: This rotary switch has two positions, Hard and
Soft, and it effects the shape of the tremolo’s modulation. Soft is
the sound of a traditional tube amp tremolo, characterized by a
gentle, rounded rise and fall of your guitar’s volume. Hard is more
abrupt – the rise and fall is replaced by more of an on / off motion.
Selecting Hard disables the Depth control.
SPEED: This controls the speed of the Tremolo, from minimum
(fully counter-clockwise) to maximum (fully clockwise). The
Speed control will have no effect unless the Depth control is set
higher than minimum (off), or the Hard / Soft control is set to
Hard.
BYPASS: The true bypass footswitch engages and disengages
the pedal.
SAMPLE SETTINGS: (Remember, these are only starting
points.)
“St-St-Stutter” (Angst and tension. And drama. Kind of like
being a teenager.)
Depth – (no effect when set to Hard)
Hard
Speed – 3:30 – 4:00
“Cali Contemplation” (Ok, here’s the scene: Zuma Beach in late
August, the sun has set, everyone’s sitting around a bonfire, you
fire up your Tremolo, add a little reverb…. You do have ac power
at your beaches, don’t you??)
Depth – 12:00
Soft
Speed – 12:30 – 1:00
“Spy Movie” (May require a baritone guitar, reverb, and a flat 5
Major 7th chord…)
Depth – 2:30
Soft
Speed – 2:00
TREMOLO
CT-1
Features
TREMOLO FEATURES CONTINUED:

The Cool Cat Drive pedal adds a healthy dollop of color to your
guitar tone with plenty of crunch and bloom. It’s very responsive
to touch as well as your guitar’s volume and tone controls; while
it’s thicker than the Transparent Overdrive, your guitar’s voice still
comes through.
CONTROLS:
DRIVE: Sets the amount of overdrive from minimum (fully
counter-clockwise) to maximum (fully clockwise). Higher settings
have higher distortion, volume and low end bloom.
TONE: Adjusts the tone of the Drive, use this to find your
tonal “sweet spot.” Turn clockwise for brighter tones and counter-
clockwise for darker tones.
VOLUME: Controls the overall volume of the pedal from
minimum (fully counter-clockwise) to maximum (fully
clockwise), with plenty of range to allow even low drive settings.
WARNING: this pedal has lots of volume, so start with your amp
and the Volume control turned down.
BYPASS: The true bypass footswitch engages and disengages
the pedal.
SAMPLE SETTINGS: (Remember, these are only starting
points.)
“Main Street Breakup” (Just enough grit to make things
interesting; musical and fat, a great rhythm tone for those songs
about the Heartland.)
Drive – Minimum (7:00)
Tone – 9:15
Volume – 2:00
“Backyard Bar-B-Q” (Smoky and sweet, this one will take you
from Chi-town to St. Louis, Kansas City to Memphis, from
Louisiana to Texas. So good!)
Drive – 10:00
Tone – 9:45
Volume – 12:00
“Grunge Patrol” (Thick and dark, even with your bridge pickup.)
Drive – 2:00
Tone – 9:30
Volume – 11:00
DRIVE
CO-1
Features
DRIVE FEATURES CONTINUED:

The Cool Cat Fuzz brings plenty of touch sensitive fuzzy
goodness to your guitar; with liquid sustain and a full bottom end.
Depending on your guitar, you may get better results if the Fuzz
is the first effect you plug into (rather than being second or third,
etc…). Try reducing your guitar’s volume and / or tone control for
even more variation.
CONTROLS:
FUZZ: Controls the amount of fuzz from minimum
(fully counter-clockwise) to maximum (fully clockwise).
Higher settings increase fuzz distortion and volume as well as
thickening the tone. Fully clockwise is maximum fuzz, fully
counter-clockwise is minimum fuzz.
TONE: Rolls off the high frequencies of the Fuzz. Fully
clockwise is maximum treble, fully counter-clockwise is minimum
treble.
VOLUME: Controls the overall volume of the pedal from
minimum (fully counter-clockwise) to maximum (fully
clockwise). The Volume control has plenty of range to allow even
low Fuzz settings. WARNING: this pedal has lots of volume, so
start with your amp and the Volume control turned down.
BYPASS: The true bypass footswitch engages and disengages
the pedal.
SAMPLE SETTINGS: (Remember, these are only starting
points.)
“Light & Fizzy” (A cool and ugly sound, still has plenty of beef
along with the “broken transistor radio” vibe.)
Fuzz – 9:30
Tone – Wide open!
Volume – 1:00
“Wooly Mammoth” (Huge and primitive, turns a sensitive soulful
ballad into a beast.)
Volume – 11:00
Tone – 2:00
Fuzz – Wide open!
“Birmingham Smithy” (From swords and armour to music,
Birmingham delivers the heavy goods. Use your guitar’s volume
control to find a huge range of tones.)
Volume – 11:30
Tone – 2:00
Fuzz – 12:30
FUZZ
CF-1
Features
FUZZ FEATURES CONTINUED:

The Cool Cat Distortion brings all the rage of a cranked British
tube amp to your tone. Since the 60’s, the definitive sound of
Rock from London to Tokyo. An extremely versatile pedal.
CONTROLS:
GAIN: Sets the amount of distortion applied to the
signal, counter-clockwise is minimum distortion, turn
clockwise to increase distortion. For the first third of this control’s
range, the Distortion is almost an overdrive; the next third takes
you into Classic Rock and County tones; the final third gets more
extreme, moving into Metal territory. As distortion increases, low
frequencies will “bloom” and the pedal will get louder.
TREBLE / BASS: Adjusts the tone of the distortion sound. The
two controls are stacked; the inner control is for Treble, the outer
for Bass. These controls cut and boost – they are flat (no effect)
at 12 o’clock. Tuning the Treble control counter-clockwise from
12:00 cuts the treble, advancing the Treble control beyond 12:00
boosts the Treble. The Bass control operates in the same fashion.
Turning the Bass knob can be tricky, here’s how to do it: turn both
knobs at the same time until the Bass is where you want it, then
adjust the Treble control. Don’t be surprised if you leave these
controls set nearly flat.
LEVEL: Controls the overall volume of the pedal from
minimum (fully counter-clockwise) to maximum (fully
clockwise), with plenty of range to allow even low drive settings.
WARNING: this pedal has lots of volume, so start with your amp
and the Level control turned down.
BYPASS: The true bypass footswitch engages and disengages
the pedal.
SAMPLE SETTINGS: (Remember, these are only starting points.)
“Classic Rock Grind” (You know it, you love it – makes an open
“E” chord sound “right”. Try lowering your guitar’s volume control to
clean your tone up a little - the Cool Cat Distortion won’t
collapse on you.)
Gain – 9:30
Treble / Bass – 12:00 / 12:00
Level – 2:00
“Southern Rock Slide Zone” (Tune your guitar to an open chord,
put a small pill bottle on your pinky and start slidin’ – works great
with your neck pickup.)
Gain – 2:00
Treble / Bass – 11:15 / 11:30
Level – 12:30
“Chips & Salsa” (Great solo
tone, liquid and soulful.)
Gain – 4:00
Treble / Bass – 11:30 / 2:00
Level – 1:00
DISTORTION
CD-1
Features
DISTORTION FEATURES CONTINUED:

A deceptively simple pedal - lots of chunk and harmonics with a
hair-trigger response.
CONTROLS:
DISTORTION: Adjusts the amount of distortion from
minimum (fully counter-clockwise) to maximum (fully
clockwise). As this control is increased, the pedal gets louder and
thicker as well as more distorted.
SWITCH (OFF LO HI): This three position switch activates a
midrange scoop filter. Off is no filtering, Lo is a moderate scoop,
and Hi is an extreme scoop. Because the switch cuts midrange
frequencies, you may need to adjust the Volume control upwards
to compensate for a slight loss in volume when the Switch is set
to Lo or Hi.
VOLUME: Controls the overall volume of the pedal from
minimum (fully counter-clockwise) to maximum (fully
clockwise), with plenty of range to allow even low Distortion
settings. WARNING: this pedal has lots of volume, so start with
your amp and the Volume control turned down.
BYPASS: The true bypass footswitch engages and disengages
the pedal.
SAMPLE SETTINGS: (Remember, these are only starting points.)
“Modern Metal” (A massive wall of distortion that leaps from
your fingers. Rewards a light touch – a shredder’s delight.)
Distortion – 3:00
Switch – Hi
Volume – 12:00
“Eighties Hollywood Metal” (Big hair rawk. The beginnings of
scooping.)
Distortion – 12:00
Switch – Lo
Volume – 12:00
“Old School Metal” (Metal tone before scooping became the
norm. It’s almost a fuzz – try it with your neck pickup.)
Distortion – Minimum (7:00)
Switch – Off
Volume – 1:30
METAL II
CM-2
Features
METAL II FEATURES CONTINUED:

The Cool Cat “Vibe” is like a prehistoric chorus that has emerged
from a swamp. Funky, inspiring, and addictive.
CONTROLS:
INTENSITY: Controls the intensity (or depth) of the Vibe,
from minimum (fully counter-clockwise) to maximum (fully
clockwise). When the Intensity control is set to minimum, the Vibe
sound will remain static, regardless of the Speed control.
SPEED: This controls the speed of the Vibe, from minimum
(fully counter-clockwise) to maximum (fully clockwise). The
Speed control will have no effect unless the Intensity control is set
higher than minimum (off).
MIX: When the Mix control is fully counter-clockwise, there is
no Vibe effect – it’s 100% dry. When the Mix control is set to
maximum, all you’ll hear is the effected signal – 100% wet. By
setting this control in-between minimum and maximum you can
choose the perfect dry to wet ratio. Notice that adjusting the
Mix control subtly alters your tonal balance.
NOTE: The Cool Cat Vibe adds a touch of saturation to your
sound – this is normal. It’s also possible to make it break up by
using super hot pickups or clanging your guitar. If this happens, try
a lighter touch, or turn down your guitar’s volume control.
BYPASS: The true bypass footswitch engages and disengages
the pedal.
SAMPLE SETTINGS: (Remember, these are only starting points.)
“Daydreamer” (Perfect for woolgathering with your favorite
guitar.)
Intensity – 2:00
Speed – 8:00
Mix – 12:00
“Shimmer” (A fast rotating speaker sound with a 60’s attitude.)
Intensity – 1:00
Speed – 3:45
Mix – 12:30
“The Wobbler” (Much like the effect on some very rare tube
amps from the 50’s – the pitch wobbles slightly like a 45 rpm.
turntable with an off-center spindle.)
Intensity – 2:00
Speed – 1:00
Mix – 4:30
VIBE
CV-1
Features
VIBE FEATURES CONTINUED: