electro-harmonix Hell Melter Distortion Pedal Instruction Manual
- June 11, 2024
- electro-harmonix
Table of Contents
Hell Melter Distortion Pedal
Instruction Manual
Advanced Heavy Metal Distortion
Congratulations, you are now possessed by the Hell Melter. This device is built to produce the legendary ‘chainsaw’ distortion tone, but with added features that expand the threat of tonal destruction. Do you want the gruesome vintage grind found on classic death metal records? Do you seek added volume, distortion, clarity, or control? Sink deep into the Hell Melter and you shall find all the havoc you’ll ever need.
Operating Instructions
Connect your guitar to the INPUT jack of the Hell Melter and the OUTPUT jack
to your amp’s input. Plug in the included power supply and plug its output
plug into the Hell Melter’s power jack. Press the EFFECT footswitch to ensure
the red LED is lit, and the Hell Melter is ready.
A good starting point is to turn all the knobs (except for DRY LVL and GATE)
to their maximum positions and play the heaviest riffs you’ve got. Setting all
the EQ knobs to maximum, including MID FREQ, produces the uniquely punchy
“chainsaw” sound that has powered countless heavy bands.
Note: the original circuit that produced this sound used components with
wide tolerances, resulting in noticeable tone differences from unit to unit.
The Hell Melter can recreate many of these different tones with slight tweaks
near the maximum position of the MID FREQ knob.
POWER SUPPY REQUIREMENTS:
Voltage: 9VDC Current: 140mA Polarity: Center-Negative
This device comes equipped with an Electro Harmonic 9.6DC-200 power supply.
Use of the wrong adapt- er or a plug with the wrong polarity may damage the
device and void the warranty. Do not exceed 12VDC on the power plug. Power
supplies rated for less than 140mA can cause the device to act unreliably
Controls and Connections
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DISTORTION Knob A djusts the amount of distortion and saturation, from a light grind to a roaring chainsaw. Turn clockwise for more distortion.
-
LEVEL Knob Adjusts the overall output level of the Hell Melter. Turn clockwise
for more output. More output is available than on the original ‘chainsaw’ circuit. -
LOW Knob Provides active boost or cut to the bass frequency range. The middle position leaves bass frequencies flat.
-
MID LVL Knob Provides active boost or cut to the mid frequency, with the frequency set by the MID FREQ knob. The middle position leaves mid frequencies flat.
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MID FREQ Knob Adjusts the frequency boosted or cut by the MID LVL knob. Turn the knob clockwise to increase the frequency.
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HIGH Knob Provides active boost or cut to high frequencies. The middle position leaves high frequencies flat. Tip: the frequencies controlled by the HIGH Knob are slightly lower than a typical ‘treble’ control, allowing you to produce searing highs without a lot of treble harshness. To emphasize even higher ‘treble’ frequencies, turn the HIGH knob below the middle position, and increase the LEVEL knob to re-emphasize treble.
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NORM/BURN Switch Switches between “Normal” and “Burn” Modes: Normal Mode The famous vintage chainsaw distortion sound. Burn Mode A custom, modernized distortion sound, utilizing higher voltage rails and alternative clipping options. This results in a less compressed and more open distortion sound with a more pronounced attack.
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GATE Mini Knob Removes unwanted hum by adjusting the noise floor threshold. The gate mutes the OUTPUT jack when the signal at the INPUT jack is below the threshold setting of the GATE knob. As GATE is turned clockwise, a louder guitar signal at the INPUT jack is required to unmute the OUTPUT jack. Set GATE fully counter-clockwise to disable. Setting the GATE knob: Start with GATE fully counterclockwise, DIST above noon, and your guitar volume at max. You may want to hold the strings so they don’t ring out. Slowly turn GATE clockwise until the Hell Melter mutes. Now turn GATE a little further clockwise and then test it. If you have to play with too much force to unmute the gate, then turn GATE a little counter-clockwise. If you want the gate to act more quickly at the end of notes, then turn GATE further clockwise.
-
DRY LVL Mini Knob Adds clean, undistorted input signal to the output. As the knob is turned clockwise, the amount of dry signal increases. At the minimum position, no dry signal is mixed into the output.
Tip: this is especially useful to maintain note clarity when stacking the Hell Melter with a dirty amp or another gain pedal. -
EFFECT Footswitch and Red LED This footswitch engages or bypasses the effect. The LED lights when the effect is active. The Hell Melter employs high quality buffered bypass.
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BOOST Footswitch and Yellow LED This footswitch engages Boost Mode, adding extra gain at the input of the circuit, and adjustable volume boost.
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BOOST LEVEL Internal Trimmer This trimmer controls the additional volume added when Boost Mode is active. To access it, remove the 4 screws on the back plate of the Hell Melter, and locate the trimmer next to the BOOST Footswitch. Taking care not to touch the rest of the circuitry of the board, turn this trimmer clockwise using a small flat-head screwdriver to increase the volume boost. At the minimum position, Boost Mode provides no volume boost.
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INPUT Jack Audio input to the Hell Melter.
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OUTPUT Jack Audio output from the Hell Melter.
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9V Power Jack Attach the output plug from the included power supply to the 9V power jack. The Hell Melter draws 140mA at 9VDC on a center-negative plug. Do not exceed 12VDC on the power jack. The Hell Melter does not take batteries.
Notes and Specifications
- Audio input impedance at INPUT jack: 1MΩ
- Audio output impedance at OUTPUT jack: 1kΩ
- Current draw: 140mA at 9VDC
- Maximum input signal level: +9dBu
- Bypass: Buffered
WARRANTY INFORMATION
Please register online at www.ehx.com/product-
registration or complete and return
the enclosed warranty card within 10 days of purchase. Electro-Harmonix will
repair or replace, at its discretion, a product that fails to operate due to
defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one year from date of
purchase. This applies only to original purchasers who have bought their
product from an authorized Electro-Harmonix retailer. Repaired or replaced
units will then be warranted for the unexpired portion of the original
warranty term.
If you should need to return your unit for service within the warranty period,
please contact the appropriate office listed below. Customers outside the
regions listed below, please contact EHX Customer Service for information on
warranty repairs at info@ehx.com or
+1-718-937-8300. USA and Canadian
customers: please obtain a Return Authorization Number (RA#) from EHX Customer
Service before returning your product. With your returned unit, include a
written description of the problem as well as your name, address, telephone
number, e-mail address, RA# and a copy of your receipt clearly showing the
purchase date.
United States & Canada
EHX Customer Service
Electro-Harmonix
co New Sensor Corp.
47-50 33rd Street
Long Island City, NY 11101
Tel: 718-937-8300
Email: info@ehx.com| Europe
John Williams
Electro-Harmonix UK
13 Cwmdonkin Terrace
Swansea SA2 0RQ
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 179 247 3258
Email:
electroharmonixuk@virginmedia.com
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This warranty gives a purchaser specific legal rights. A purchaser may have
even greater rights depending upon the laws of the jurisdiction within which
the product was purchased.
The CE logo indicates that this product has been tested and shown to conform
with all applicable European Conformity directives.
The WEEE or “trashcan” logo indicates that this product is made up of
electronic components that should not be trashed alongside household waste but
instead should be recycled by a proper electrical waste facility.