Free The Tone String Slingers SS-1V - Overdrive

A Masterpiece of the Integrated Series

The String Slinger SS-1V introduces the spirit of Free The Tone's Integrated Series: an approach where the goal is not simply to "build a pedal", but to integrate every choice (circuit, components, layout, enclosure, shielding, vibration control) in service of a specific sonic objective. The project also served as a showcase for the brand's expertise, with meticulous design and premium finishing, right down to the enclosure format unique to this series. The result: an overdrive designed as a true additional channel for your amp, rather than just another effect to stack.

Who It's For, and What It's For: From "Big Clean" to Blues-Rock Lead

The SS-1V is aimed at guitarists looking for a pedal capable of replacing a drive channel while preserving an open, lively sound. It excels with an amp featuring a clean channel with generous headroom: you start with a clean foundation, and the pedal adds the density, compression and attack that create the feel of a "pushed amp".
In terms of styles, it is a dream playground for blues, blues-rock, vintage rock and any approach where gain is controlled with the pick and the guitar's volume knob. With a Strat-style guitar or single-coil pickups, you get that bite and responsiveness associated with great American tones, from a thick clean to a lively crunch with a singing lead character, while the low end remains tight and the high end never becomes harsh.

Controls and Design: Minimalist on the Surface, Sophisticated Inside

Free The Tone gets straight to the point: Level to place the pedal in the mix (and push the amp's input), Drive to move from boost to crunch, and Tone to adjust the brightness without compromising the signal's natural character. This trio of "classic" controls conceals a more unusual design, featuring an HTS circuit (Holistic Tonal Solution) designed to preserve the characteristics of your guitar and amp, while providing impedance conversion and low-noise operation, even when the pedal is in bypass.
Following the same philosophy, the SS-1V uses a passive tone control to limit unwanted effects on the signal phase, along with a construction designed down to the smallest detail (enclosure, shielding, damping) to maintain a stable, rich and coherent sound, both on stage and in the studio.

The Sound

The personality of the String Slinger SS-1V can be summed up in a few words: dense, fast, organic. At low Drive settings, you get a "cleanish" boost that does more than simply add volume: it provides moderate compression, a "glued" feel in the mids and a firmer low end. It is ideal for transforming a clean channel into a big clean full of character, with just the right amount of break-up when you dig in harder.
As you increase the Drive (and adjust the Level to keep things musical), the pedal delivers an overdrive that retains excellent note definition in chords, while offering the "thick" and singing character typical of a pushed amp. It responds beautifully to playing dynamics and cleans up effectively with the guitar's volume knob: perfect for moving from crunchy rhythm to a more pronounced lead without changing settings. All this comes with an impressive signal-to-noise ratio for such a highly expressive overdrive.

Technical specifications

Effects	Overdrive	Type	sector
Technology	Analog	Use	electric guitar
Format	Pedal	Color	Grey
EQ	Tone

Circuit	HTS (Holistic Tonal Solution) to preserve the signal and minimize noise, including in bypass	Dimensions (W x D x H)	98 x 120 x 51 mm (including protruding elements: footswitch, jacks, etc.)
Controls	LEVEL, TONE, DRIVE	Weight	approximately 640 g (excluding battery)
Input	6.35 mm jack	Included accessories	9V battery (PP3/006P), warranty card, web access card, documentation, 4 rubber feet
Output	6.35 mm jack	Power supply	9V battery (PP3/006P) or DC 9V adapter
Power input	DC 9V	Polarity	center negative
Input impedance	minimum 500 kOhm	Current consumption	approximately 8 mA
Output load impedance	minimum 10 kOhm