An Absolutely AMAZING Kmise Pedal

duceditor

Squier-Axpert
May 29, 2014
16,485
The Monadnocks, NH USA
As I'd mentioned earlier I was offered two new Kmise pedals to test and review. Their "Crunch Distortion" (which I expected to really like) and their "US Dream" (which I thought might at best be "interesting.")

Turned out I was wrong about both.

The "Crunch Distortion" was to me nothing but "buzzy." At the lowest settings (1 or 2) it might be usable to me, but even there was nothing to sing about. Turned up any higher and it was for me basically unusable. Not at all what I think of when I think "crunch."

That one I suspect I will not officially review and will explain to the folks at Kmise why.

But oh, that other one! The "US Dream." It is simply the nicest, most "real" sounding overdriven Fender amp sound I ever heard come out of a pedal. Way better to my ears even than the far more complex Joyo "American Sound."


Screen Shot 2020-01-24 at 1.49.21 PM.png

I had a long session playing with them. I played the Supro Black Holiday guitar and fed it through the Supro Blues King amp.

I generally use the Supro when I want what I'd describe as "in your face clean." Not clean in a Fender Twin sense, but in the sense of its harmonics being real and touch sensitive -- more smooth to growly and a bit "rowdy" for want of another word. (Actually I think that one is about perfect!) :)

The Supro amp has been my go-to amp for fifties type rock and the sort of blues I'd otherwise play on an acoustic. If I want heavy Fender distortion I've long leaned to my Joyo Sweet Baby amp with its classic `50s Champ circuit.

(True clean for things like Surf I'll with use the Twin Reverb or one of my modeling amps with a Twin simulation.)

But this "US Dream" does "Fender" so well that with the Supro at tonal neutral with no boost or drive added I can get seriously into Champ territory. So natural. So smooth. Or, if I turn up its distortion knob a bit, really over the top in a totally believable Fender way.

The tone trims the highs for smoothness or boosts them to make the sound more jagged. Again, very Fendery.

How do they do it? A complex miniature circuit, or a really simple one that is simply brilliant?

I have no idea.


I won't actually write the review until I make a video to go with it (The companies love that!), but I wanted you guys here to know. I am very excited by this pedal. And if I was gigging it and the Blues King would be all that I need for club date.

Oh, did I mention the cost? This freakingly good distortion pedal (well, to me. Do know that I am not a metal player! ) :D is Twenty bucks delivered! What a wowza!!!


Kmise Distortion Pedal for Electric Guitar Mini Single Type DC 9V True Bypass (US Dream)


-don
 
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backporchmusic

Squier-Nut
Sep 6, 2014
960
Va
Well, mine came in and I had a chance to take it to band practice. Plugged in, turned knobs for about 40 seconds, and it is good to go! Easy to dial in a good tone. It stays.

Pedals I tried in the same set up that didn't stay: Soul Food, Peavey Hotfoot, vintage Rat, Joyo American Sound...

Not saying this little guy is better than all the above, but works well for my slightly overdriven needs.
 

DougMen

Squier-Axpert
Jun 8, 2017
10,640
Honolulu, HI
Interesting, 'cause I would assume from the name and the purple case, that it's a Joyo US Dream copy, which itself is supposedly a Suhr Riot copy. I liked the Joyo, and the Mosky one called Crazy Tone, but I couldn't compare them directly, 'cause I didn't have them at the same time. Even though they're marketed as distortion rather than overdrive pedals, they both sounded pretty good for a bluesy overdrive at low gain settings, but I sold them 'cause I liked my Klon and Timmy clones more. I guess I'll have to try this one now too. Thanks Don! Just when I thought my pedal gas was satisfied, lol.
 

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duceditor

Squier-Axpert
May 29, 2014
16,485
The Monadnocks, NH USA
Just as a followup...

I earlier mentioned that while this pedal greatly pleased me, another Kmise sent did not and I explained to them that I would not be reviewing it because I could not find a pleasing or usable tone for my guitar style.

Their response was that that was fine and they'd be sending my comments to the product development team. They also told me that what they, as with readers, most value in my reviews was their being honest.

Kmise is a good company from all I can see.

-don
 

SquierTap

Squier-holic
Jul 14, 2018
3,802
Nashville, Tn
Great work, as usual, Don... I LOVE 50's style rock n' roll, but I gravitate more towards the "Rockabilly with a Tele"/Bill Kirchen kinda deal... The demo sounded great... I'm in the Donner program myself and just finished up a couple reviews for their new pop filter that's completely different than the "norm" and a great, sturdy, inexpensive mic stand...

I was wondering, if you're not gonna be using the Crunch Distortion, could I give it a shot and see if it works for me? Of course, I'll cover shipping... And if not, not a big deal, I was just wondering if I could find something that it did work for... I'm thinkin maybe some "low-fi" sounds, or even bass... Yeah, I'm a mad man, lol... But from one mad scientist to another, great job, hoss...
 

duceditor

Squier-Axpert
May 29, 2014
16,485
The Monadnocks, NH USA
Great work, as usual, Don... I LOVE 50's style rock n' roll, but I gravitate more towards the "Rockabilly with a Tele"/Bill Kirchen kinda deal... The demo sounded great... I'm in the Donner program myself and just finished up a couple reviews for their new pop filter that's completely different than the "norm" and a great, sturdy, inexpensive mic stand...

I was wondering, if you're not gonna be using the Crunch Distortion, could I give it a shot and see if it works for me? Of course, I'll cover shipping... And if not, not a big deal, I was just wondering if I could find something that it did work for... I'm thinkin maybe some "low-fi" sounds, or even bass... Yeah, I'm a mad man, lol... But from one mad scientist to another, great job, hoss...

Absolutely!

PM me your address and I'll be happy to send it along! :)

-don
 

Ralph124C41

Dr. Squier
Feb 10, 2016
6,503
I'd also like to try a similar pedal listed on Amazon. It's the "Kmsie" US Dream ... which I'm certain is something completely different than the Kmise unit.

All LOL aside, thanks for the link because I just tried to input "Kmise" and I got hundreds of listings ... but no pedals so somebody trying to buy that on Amazon may be confused.
 

duceditor

Squier-Axpert
May 29, 2014
16,485
The Monadnocks, NH USA
I'd also like to try a similar pedal listed on Amazon. It's the "Kmsie" US Dream ... which I'm certain is something completely different than the Kmise unit.

Yup! As well written as the various instruction sheets you get with most of these Chinese made and sold products.

Here's how they spell it on the box...

Screen Shot 2020-02-04 at 10.57.49 AM.png


:)

-don
 

Ralph124C41

Dr. Squier
Feb 10, 2016
6,503
Don, have you seen/heard the longer Youtube review about that pedal? It was done by one of the guys at one of the Firefly Facebook forums. I didn't think he was overall as positive about his pedal although he did say that it certainly was worth $20. Again, just my thought.

I'm looking for something to pair with my Caline Pure Sky which is to me a little "too" transparent and so I thought stacking it with another pedal may help a bit. Or I may try a Klon clone such as the Mosky Gold Horse or something like that as the Blue Sky is supposed to be somewhat of a Timmy clone.
 

SquierTap

Squier-holic
Jul 14, 2018
3,802
Nashville, Tn
Absolutely!

PM me your address and I'll be happy to send it along! :)

-don
You're a gentleman, and a heckuva guitar scholar, sir, lol... And by the way, program or not, I'm gonna buy one of those US Dreams, myself... I've got a sneaky suspicion that you sold quite a few of 'em with your solid review... Now, if I can just get them to send me one of those electronic drum kits, lol... I'll PM ya, hoss...
 


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