Hamstead Soundworks Launch Limited Edition Subspace Intergalactic Driver with Rare Mullard GEX35 Germanium Clipping Diode

Jul 11, 202208:00 by

Stefan Karlsson

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The Hamstead Odyssey is one of my all-time favourite overdrives and which I’ve had ever since it was first introduced back in 2017. The Subspace was essentially a later 2019 evolution of the Odyssey - with added Parallel Dry Function / Control - and with specially enhanced Low End Response. So essentially a more bass-forward overdrive with a profile and control particularly well-suited to bass players, but also for guitarists who like the bassier side of things.

I had long intended to get the Subspace - which I saw very much as an enhancement of the Odyssey - but for whatever reason it never quite happened. Like the Odyssey, the Subspace has a cool 3-way Clipping selection, EQ Order / EQ Only switch, and 3-way Gain Multiplier switch - for unprecedented versatility and variation.

Controls - Tone, Bass, Treble, Gain, Parallel, Level, Clipping : C1 / C2 / C3, EQ : PR / EQ / PO, Gain Multiplier : x1 / x2 / x5, TheGigRig Optical Footswitch.

So the clever parts of the Subspace are the Parallel Dry Signal control - which is unity at noon, and is able to provide a 2x Boost at max. As well as the enhanced low-end register which gives that added fatness that so many of us like.

On top of these, the Limited Subspace GE Edition (25 units only) - has an incredibly rare additional Mullard GEX35 Germanium Clipping Diode which generates more warmth and dynamics - really giving the Subspace an incredible timbre and character.

As of writing this (Sunday morning), I’m still somewhat surprised that there seem to be some left to be claimed. I claimed mine immediately as it was announced on Thursday - and I’m really looking forward to getting my hands on it shortly after the 21st when it ships.

There must surely only be 1 or 2 left by now - and surely they will all be gone by the time this goes live on Monday morning - asking price £299 via the Hamstead Soundworks Webstore.

Standard Subspace Demos

Cusack Music Limited Edition Selenium Screamer Fuzz

Interestingly at around the same time, another limited edition pedal was announced which totally passed me by at the time - the Cusack Music Selenium Screamer Fuzz - a favourite Fuzzy Drive format combination of TS808 and Fuzz Face in one box - this time around with a super rare 60's Selenium Rectifier which delivers a totally unique tone and timbre. I have the original Limited Edition Germanium Screamer Fuzz - the one with the clipping options toggle-switch - so the Selenium is not quite as appealing to me although I would quite have wanted one of those two.

Asking price was $375 - where John Cusack / Cusack Music had only been able to source 26 of the Selenium Rectifiers - and only 20 of those were made available to the public - via individual colourway editions - where I really quite liked the vintage pink / coral colourway - while several of thel colourways were super appealing.

Cusack Music tell you to have notifications switched on for further updates - meaning they may have a beed on a further supply of these rare components - only time will tell! Pricing for the first batch of 20 was $375.

So as always the moral of the story is that you can never get them all - and for such rare limited editions your luck really needs to be in on the day for you to spot the notifications in time. It's really only the insiders or truly lucky types that usually manage to succeed here.

I'm very surprised that the Subspace GE's did not sell out quicker - possibly the lack of a demo was instrumental in that. For me it is the preferred choice versus the Selenium Screamer Fuzz as it has a little more about it - including greater tonal versatility.

Would be great to hear from any of you who managed to snag either of these - and what your opinions and insights are in that regard!

Note that there have been no demos of the Subspace GE - so I've referenced a few of the original ones. Note also that the Subspace GE colourway is different to the silver original - in fact following the original Odyssey colourway instead - which I prefer!