Creme de la Creme

The Crème de la Crème by Tone Bakery is a Klone circuit pedal with two foot- switchable channels. It is constructed using full-sized components with through-hole construction and features NOS Tungsram OA1160 germanium diodes, which have a high clipping threshold and very amp-like breakup. The pedal also includes a built-in voltage doubler, providing extended headroom equivalent to that of an 18V powered pedal.

The pedal has a foot-switch that engages the gain knob, allowing users to switch between a clean boost (using only the level and treble controls) and distortion (using all three knobs). An LED indicator switches from green to red to indicate which mode is active. Additionally, there is an internal dip- switch to bypass the clipping diodes in circuit, enabling the gain knob to function as a second clean boost, effectively offering two Klone boosts in one pedal.

The Crème de la Crème is known for its warm, full-sounding clean boost with lots of headroom and without any harsh or spiky highs. In gain mode, it adds a subtle amount of grit that blends well with amp distortion or higher-gain drives. Users have praised its solid construction and its versatility as a boost, overdrive, or a combination of both, even when mixed with high gain on the amp.

Notable users of the Crème de la Crème include Matt Beck (Gwen Stefani, Rob Thomas, Andy Grammer), Brian Layson (Dierks Bentley), Aaron Andersen (One Republic, Christina Aguilera), Dwayne Larring (Kelly Clarkson, Nick Carter, Audio Adrenaline, Sonicflood, Matt Redman, Tim Hughes), Stu G (Delirious, Paul Baloche, Steven Curtis Chapman), and Christopher James (Zella Day).