DOD FX56B Super American Metal

Introduced in 1990, the FX56-B Super American Metal was DOD's first distortion pedal to feature two-band (Low and Presence) e.q. controls. (In contrast, Boss had introduced the HM-2 Heavy Metal, with separate Low and High e.q. knobs, back in 1983.) While the FX56 American Metal sold well, at low Presence settings its distortion became somewhat muddy. With independent Low and Presence controls, the FX56-B could effectively provide a "scooped mids" sound even without a Mid e.q. control, and it was also better suited for drop-tuned guitars or bass. Although the FX56-B sounded great and was a worthy successor to the FX56, sales declined after Boss introduced the MT-2 Metal Zone (which offered three bands of e.q., including a parametric midrange control) in 1991, and the FX56-B was discontinued in 1994.

• Controls: Level, Bass, Presence ("dual EQ circuit for enhanced mid and treble response"), Distortion
• From DOD's FX Pedals Catalog (FXCat.91B): "The FX 56B delivers crisp highs and fat low end crunch for a fuller, more powerful metal distortion sound and sustain. With both Bass and Presence controls, guitarists have all the control they need to get that thick metal sound demanded by today's top metal guitar gods."
• Instruction manuals: At least two different covers/versions of the instruction manual exist: FX56B V1 3/91 (left) and 18-0028B (right), from the two pedals shown above. Both otherwise contain the same (minimal) information.
• List price (1992): $89.95
• Technical info:

• Specifications (1991): Input impedance = 1 M Ohms, Output impedance = 1 k Ohms; Gain = 1000 V/V; Maximum Output Level = 7 V P-P
• Notable IC chips: three LM1458N op-amps
• Component-side circuitboard image: December 1993

• FX heritage: FX56 FX56-B