Totally Wycked Audio's Hot Saké Pedal is another superior extended range take on the SD-9 Sonic Distortion

As soon as you engage this Hot Saké you immediately notice that rich, dense distortion character which is so associated with the SD-9 Sonic Distortion.

This is the 3rd SD-9 derivative I feature within fairly short succession - following on from TWA’s Scott Henderson Signature SH9, and Vemuram’s Mark Landau Signature Butter Machine. The Hot Saké came long before those two, but somehow still remains a little under the radar.

I’ve long said that the SH9 and Butter Machine were rather more suited to Single Coil Pickups, where this Hot Saké is much more compatible with Humbuckers - on account of those additions tone controls. Of course Single Coils naturally sound good with SD-9 style circuits - but that density and low-end gravity have typically not always sat well for Humbuckers.

Note that there is quite a lot of distortion on tap here, and my good friend Trevor Shaikin typically has his HS set with Drive fully CCW! I feel that’s a great place to start off from. Where all other knobs should really start from the middle position, and Low Boost Off of course! My optimal Drive setting seems to be @ 9 o’c!

Controls - Drive, Level, Tone, Low Boost : On/Off, Mids, Low Boost Frequency : L1 100Hz / L2 60Hz.

I tried both Low Boost Frequencies - L1 100Hz and L2 60Hz, and the latter doesn’t really sound right for guitars, I presume that’s more intended for bass, or possibly baritone guitar tunings. For most guitars 100Hz is the appropriate option!

I think I ended up with Level @ around 3 o’c, Tone @ Max, and Mids @ around 2 o’c, and mostly with the 100Hz Low Boost engaged - those seemed to be the optimal settings for me - which open up the pedal in the best way. The Drive / Gain piles on very rapidly, and has a lot of compression and density in tow - which as mentioned, does not always suit Humbucker style pickups. You’re better off with the Drive set relatively low, and Tone and Mids dialled in to open up the signature texture a little.

With the right settings this is a really great sounding distortion really, I know it’s advertised as an Overdrive / Distortion, while it definitely sounds like a Distortion to me, and starts at its lowest ebb, with quite a significant distortion texture already!

The nature of this circuit means that it’s not necessarily the most versatile - as it has a very distinctive character right throughout its range. While the SD-9 circuit has always traditionally been favoured more by Single Coil Pickups - which are more complementary to it.

While the Hot Saké is one of the few SD-9 derived circuits that truly works well with Humbuckers, at least that’s my experience of this genre.

I typically prefer more open-pored texture overdrives and distortions - versus those super dense ones. But the TWA Hot Saké is a genuine surprise, and one of those SD-9 types that really bucks that trend.

You can order the Hot Saké from both Totally Wycked Audio and Godlyke Webstores - for $189, and it’s also available from select International Dealers. It’s a very distinctive smooth and dense distortion with some proper extended versatility here.