Scrolls is a powerful, modern tool capable of shaping any bass signal to match virtually any bass/amp combination imaginable. It’s a sonic pilgrimage through the entire universe of electric bass tone. From Motown to Metal and everywhere between and beyond.
Welcome to the Scrolls® Bass Odyssey from the EarthQuaker Devices® family of sonic solutions! Scrolls was designed in partnership with Japan’s one and only master of bass tone—Kentaro Nakao! Scrolls is a powerful, modern tool capable of shaping the organic input signal of any bass to match the sonic profile of virtually any bass/amp combination you can think of. Want the precise sound of a California-born bass rocketing through a flip top amp with a 15" speaker? Scrolls has got you covered. Want the sting of an active bass punching its way through a solid state full-stack? Scrolls has got you covered. Want the sound of…you get the idea.
On the right side of Scrolls, you’ll find a Drive section featuring a versatile, tube amp-like distortion. Key amongst the Drive section features are the Blend knob, which enables you to adjust the amount of clean signal present in the overdriven signal, and the position of the Bandwidth knob determines where the clipping is most prevalent—lower frequencies counterclockwise and higher frequencies clockwise. Together, the Blend and Bandwidth knob can be adjusted to ensure the low-end response remains wide, deep, and full when using the Drive section.
The left side of Scrolls features a full suite of active EQ controls including audiophile-quality Bass, Middle, and Treble controls. The secret weapon of Scrolls' EQ section is the Variable Frequency control with the ability to cut/boost frequencies from around 20 Hz to 10 kHz—making it the perfect tool for cutting out the mud and boosting the high-end. Within the EQ section, you’ll find three push button switches that serve as potent assets for one-click tone sculpting.
The buffered Parallel Out enables you to send a clean signal out to an external destination. Internally, the Drive signal comes first in the chain and runs into the EQ. Between the Drive and EQ lives an Effects Loop, which enables you to keep your modulation effects positioned after the Drive section in your chain, while retaining the ability to apply all the tone-shaping capabilities of the EQ section at the end of your chain.
Scrolls can be routed directly to your bass amp via the ¼" output, or you can use the balanced XLR out to run Scrolls directly to the front of house for an ampless show or straight into your recording interface for ampless recording. The XLR out features just a splash of analog filtering to make it sound more like a speaker cabinet in amp-free scenarios.
Each and every Scrolls is all-analog, true bypass, and built one-at-a-time by credentialed professionals at the EarthQuaker Devices Tone Wellness Clinic under the malt gray skies of Akron, Ohio.
Controls:
Drive Footswitch: Activates the Drive channel
EQ Footswitch: Activates the EQ channel
Drive Controls:
Level: Output volume control for the Drive channel.
Blend: Blends between your clean signal with the Drive signal. Turn the knob fully clockwise for maximum crunchiness.
Drive: Controls the intensity of the overdrive.
Bandwidth: Determines where the clipping is most active. Turn the control counterclockwise to activate low-end clipping for a warmer, softer, rounded, and overall more subdued tone. Turn the control clockwise and activate High-end clipping for a present, focused crunch with a tighter low-end.
Tone: Low pass filter enabling you to shape the frequency of the Drive channel. Turn counterclockwise to reduce highs.
EQ Controls:
Level: Output volume control when the EQ controls are active. Set the knob at noon for unity, turn clockwise to boost the output signal, turn counterclockwise to cut the output signal.
Vari: Boosts or cuts the Variable Frequency control. Position this control at noon for unity (marked with a center detent in the potentiometer.) Turn clockwise from noon to boost the Vari-Freq, or counterclockwise to cut.
Vari-Freq: Variable frequency control for fine-tuning your tone. Adjustable from approximately 20 Hz to 10 kHz.
Treble: The center position is flat and marked with a center detent in the potentiometer. All settings above this point boost the treble and all settings below cut treble.
Bass: The center position is flat and marked with a center detent in the potentiometer. All settings above this point boost the bass and all settings below cut bass.
Middle: The center position is flat and marked with a center detent in the potentiometer. All settings above this point boost the middle and all settings below cut middle.
Deep: 80 Hz Boost.
Process: Low-mid scoop for a more modern sound.
Bright: 5 kHz Boost
Parallel Out: Buffered output carrying your clean signal that is always active. This allows you to route your clean signal to external destinations (amp, DI, separate pedal chain, tuner, etc.)
Direct Out (On Side): Balanced XLR out with a subtle amount of analog filtering added to the signal path to simulate the tonal characteristics of a bass speaker cabinet.
Ground Lift (On Side): Press for ground lift on the XLR output.
Effects Loop: Situated between the Drive and EQ stages. Hard-wired into the signal path and remains active at all times.
Power: This device requires a standard 9-volt DC power supply with a 2.1mm negative center barrel.
Switching:
The Drive side of Scrolls uses relay-based, true bypass switching.
The EQ side of Scrolls uses standard on/off switching.
Drive Input Impedance: 500 kO
Drive Output Impedance: 100 O
EQ Input Impedance: 10 MO
EQ Output Impedance: <1 kO
Parallel Input Impedance: 10 MO
Parallel Output Impedance: 100 O
Direct Out Impedance: 100 O
Current Draw: 70 mA