Give this Doggie a Bone!

From a purely cosmetic point of view, the Very-Tone Dog (by Snarling Dogs) is the most wicked pedal I've ever owned. You wouldn't know it from the photo, because the Dog is a relatively non-descript grass green box. However, plug into one and step on the footswitch. There are red LEDs in each of the "eyes" of the dog pictured on the pedal, and they shine so brightly that I swear they go into the back of my skull. Bow wow, baby!

The Dog is another eBay purchase, and like some of my other buys, I've never tried out the pedal before. In this case, it's because I've never seen the Dog in any Toronto shops. I've read some positive comments on the pedal, so when the chance came to snap one up, I had to bite.

The Very-Tone Dog caught my attention because it's not a standard kind of pedal. It's not an overdrive/distortion, nor is it an EQ. And yet, one can argue it falls neatly between the two.

Essentially, this Dog's trick is to offer up ten pre-set tones to modify the sound of your guitar. This is accomplished through some simple controls. There are two "chicken head" controls. "Volume Compensator" is on the left, and lets you control the volume. If you crank it up, it will overdrive your sound. "Tone Selector" allows you to choose between the pedal's pre-sets, going from A to E. The more mathematically astute among you will realize that's only 5 positions. There's a switch near the top of the pedal labeled "Attack Control" which gives you a choice between "Snarl" and "Bite". This is simply a fancy way of picking between two sets of five presets.

Each setting has a name, but rather than list all ten here (you can see them at the Snarling Dog site via my LINKS), I'll say that the tones you get will depend on your amp and instrument.

I've used the Dog with a few guitars. Some of the settings give a Telecaster-type treble kick to whatever guitar you use. It's one thing to get a Tele bite with a guitar boasting Gibson pickups, but try it with a Strat and prepare to have your ears pierced!

My favorite setting is the "Semi-Hollow". When I use it with my Strat, it really fattens out the sound. I'm not going to say it makes my Strat sound like a Gibson 335, but it does add a noticeable amount of warmth and depth to the sound. It sure beats having to plug in another guitar, especially if you don't have a semi-hollow in your arsenal. My bottom line is that this is a pedal that will appeal to anyone who loves having tonal options. The Very-Tone Dog gives you ten ways to change your sound. Not all of the presets will appeal to every one or every guitar, but chances are that you'll find a few that will catch your fancy. It's a good pedal to have around for those times when you're not quite happy with your tone.