Origin Effects say that the Pultec EQP-1A, which this pedal is based on, makes the sound richer just by being in the signal chain, and I feel that this is the case with the EQ Deluxe as well. The guitar tone that you can model with this pedal is so "sweet" that the tone you get when you turn it off seems jarringly "hollow". You would need to experience it yourself to see what I mean. Is it possible to get the same tone with another EQ pedal? I can't say, as this is my first dedicated EQ pedal for guitar.
I use this pedal after the Deluxe55, while before the Deluxe55 I am using the DCX Boost. I find that the DCX Boost is not made "superfluous" by having the EQ Deluxe, because the bass you get with it is thicker and "silkier" than the one you would get only with the EQ Deluxe, even with bass boost turned to the max. The DCX Boost also has a dedicated high frequency boost, which the EQ Deluxe does not. So having the Deluxe55 sandwiched between these two pedals, I find I have ultimate tone control.
In summary: the tonal versatility and quality I get out of this pedal is for me all I think I will ever need.
Now to the disappointing part:
From Origin Effect, I have the DCX Boost, the Deluxe55, and the Revival Drive Compact. All 3 pedals have extremely qualitative pots: when you turn them they provide an exceptional sense of quality: perfect amount of resistance, no scraping sensation while turning, but uniform smooth turning, and no "play" in the pots.
However, the EQ Deluxe seems to no longer have the same quality pots installed as in these earlier releases. Almost all of the pots have a "scraping" feel when you turn them, and no, the knobs do not touch the pedal, the scraping feeling comes from the pots themselves.
The resistance of the pots is also slightly laxer.
But the worst thing about these low quality pots is this: they have a slight PLAY in them: whenever you start turning one, there is a slight movement in the pot before you are actually affecting it by turning... by taking the knobs off and checking, (1) I can confirm that this play does not come from loosely tighten knobs on the pots, it is in the pot unit itself, and (2) it is not a "faulty" pot, as almost all of the 7 turnable pots have a perceivable play in them (again, this alongside that scrapping sensation). What would be the chances my pedal would have 7 faulty knobs? No, instead it has to be the default quality of these pots.
Why insist so much on the pots? Because at the price of this unit, and the reputation of Origin Effects for creating solid, quality pedals, this is just not acceptable. You interact with these pedals by touch, and these supbar pots simply ruin the experience of owning such a pedal. They simply make the pedal feel CHEAP.
And since I actually often shape tone, I cannot console myself that I will set it once and forget about it...
Does this "play" in the pots signify a structural issue? Not sure. Will they last a lifetime? Not sure, but they don't inspire confidence. Is the pedal otherwise perfectly useable? Yes.
It is wild to me that Origin Effects thought their customers who expect high quality from their pedals, would not notice them replacing their quality pots with such cheap ones.
