Butt Probe TX-2
The Metasonix TX-2 "Butt Probe" is an extremely rare, hand-made, tube-based distortion and filter effects pedal, limited to just 100 units. True to Metasonix's ethos of creating unique, unconventional audio tools, it utilizes three 4BN6 beam modulator vacuum tubes originally intended for use as FM detectors in old TV sets—components the manufacturer famously states "SUCK... Really, really, badly" for audio. The circuitry's inherent instability and non-linearity produce a vast range of highly extreme, chaotic distortion effects, from a mild tube-ish warmth to "horrid screaming broken-amp ultra-distortion from HELL." Key controls include "FIST" and "REAM," which manipulate the gain and distortion of the first two tubes, and "SCREW," which controls a deliberately "bad bandpass filter" that can be continuously swept by an internal low-frequency oscillator or an external CV signal. The pedal is renowned for its shocking, irreverent aesthetic, often featuring smears of brown paint, epithets, and offensive comic art. It is best used as a line-level effects processor for drum machines or complete music tracks.
