Summer School Electronics Trash Panda

Trash Panda

£149.00

Highlights

• High gain soft clipping overdrive/distortion delivering gritty, sustaining tones with excellent note clarity
• Versatile gain range covers everything from warm crunch to full on distorted drive
• Smooth, responsive tone control lets you roll off highs or tighten muddy low end
• Ideal for classic rock riffs, punk power chords, and thick, expressive lead lines
• Produces rich, harmonically textured drive that feels dynamic and touch sensitive under the fingers
• Intuitive three knob layout for quick, easy tone shaping on stage or in the studio
• Simple analogue circuit offers focused, responsive distortion that complements guitar or bass
• True bypass switching maintains your clean signal and preserves tone integrity when off
• Hand built in Syracuse, NY by working musicians using reliable, high quality components
• Rugged all metal enclosure designed for gigging durability and long term reliability
• Distinctive graphics add personality and make it easy to spot on your pedalboard
• Bright LED power indicator gives clear visual feedback during performance
• Standard 9 volt negative centre power input integrates effortlessly with modern pedalboards
• Top mounted jacks allow tidy cabling and efficient use of pedalboard space
• Lifetime warranty provides lasting confidence and dependable support for your sound

Description

The Summer School Electronics Trash Panda is a high gain soft clipping overdrive and distortion pedal designed for guitarists and bassists who want tone with grit, character and versatility. Sitting comfortably between an overdrive and a distortion, it delivers everything from warm country crunch to thick, aggressive rock tones. Born from a clever use of spare components during supply shortages, it’s built with the same care and precision as the rest of Summer School’s line, and serves as a flexible, durable workhorse for any rig.

Plug it in and you’re met with a sound that’s bold, sustaining and harmonically rich. It’s not far removed from a Big Muff in its depth and sustain, yet it keeps more clarity and definition than a traditional fuzz. Chords cut through with presence, while lead lines sing with a smooth, powerful distortion that doesn’t lose detail. The Summer School Electronics Trash Panda thrives when the Drive control is turned past noon, its distortion thickens, opens up and fills the mix. At lower gain levels it still behaves like a gritty drive, but its sweet spot is where it roars. Stack it with a cleaner overdrive or boost and it comes alive even further, offering huge, expressive tones that reward confident playing.

There’s a tactile connection to be found when playing through the Summer School Electronics Trash Panda. The response to touch and picking dynamics makes it feel alive under your fingers, letting you move naturally between subtle bite and full bodied saturation. The simplicity of its three knob layout keeps things instinctive, inviting quick adjustments on stage or in the studio. Musicians have noted that when cranked, it has a punch and energy that instantly inspires riffs and lead work.

The control layout is refreshingly straightforward. Volume sets your overall level, allowing for anything from balanced output to a solid boost. The Drive knob ranges from gentle breakup to thick distortion, covering an impressively broad palette of gain. The Tone control sweeps widely, capable of rolling off piercing highs or cutting through unwanted low end murk. Between the three, the Summer School Electronics Trash Panda adapts easily to different guitars, amps and styles without needing extra switches or complicated tweaking.

Its circuit is simple by design, a soft clipping configuration built from excess parts during a time of shortages. That pared back engineering gives it a focused voice and dependable reliability. The clipping style provides smoother, more musical saturation compared to harsh hard clipping circuits, allowing the distortion to sit naturally in a band mix. Players have compared it favourably to the likes of the Muff, RAT and DS-1, noting its unique ability to maintain definition while delivering high energy drive.

Hand built in Syracuse, New York by working musicians, the Summer School Electronics Trash Panda comes housed in a solid all metal enclosure tough enough for regular gigging. It runs on a standard 9 volt negative centre power supply and is designed for practical, everyday use. The clean layout makes it pedalboard friendly, while its compact size and sturdy casing ensure it can take a beating on the road or in the rehearsal room.

Its visual design reflects its no nonsense personality, with clear labelling and bold graphics that make it easy to use at a glance. A bright LED power indicator confirms when the effect is engaged, ideal for dark stages and quick changes mid set. When switched off, the true bypass circuit ensures your signal remains clean and transparent, preserving your tone and avoiding unwanted colouration. Input and output jacks are positioned for easy routing, making it simple to slot into your existing setup without cluttering your board.

Every Summer School Electronics Trash Panda pedal is backed by a lifetime warranty, giving players confidence that their gear will keep performing for years to come. That reliability, paired with its rugged construction and straightforward usability, means you can rely on it night after night.

The Summer School Electronics Trash Panda stands out as a pedal that balances grit and clarity, simplicity and versatility. It’s powerful, easy to dial in, and ready for whatever your playing demands, whether that’s warm drive, saturated distortion or a snarling stack of both. Built to last and made to inspire, it’s a distortion with real attitude, ready to become the reliable centrepiece of your pedalboard.

Controls

• FOOTSWITCH: Engages or disengages the pedal instantly, giving clear on/off feedback underfoot
• VOLUME: Sets your output level, allowing you to match or boost your signal effortlessly
• DRIVE: Adjusts gain from tight crunch to full blown distortion, making it versatile across styles
• TONE: Rolls off piercing highs or cuts low end mud, helping your guitar or bass sit clean in the mix

Components and Technical Specifications 

• Designed, assembled and tested by working musicians in the USA, assuring tone first component choice
• True bypass switching preserves your guitar or bass signal integrity when effect is off
• Simple signal path design means fewer components and strong fidelity under high gain
• Powered by standard 9V centre negative supply (not included)
• Battery operation not supported
• Current draw measured with Truetone 1Spot mA Meter:
• Bypass: Approximately 3 mA
• Engaged (maximum): Approximately 5 mA

Current draw may vary slightly depending on control settings, circuit behaviour, and active features such as gain stages, modulation, filtering, or reverb tails. For best performance, use a high quality isolated power supply that matches the pedal’s current requirements. Always refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations, as incorrect powering may cause damage.

Enclosure Dimensions

• Depth: 120 mm / 4.7 in
• Width: 65 mm / 2.5 in
• Height : 39 mm / 1.5 in

Weight

• 285 g
• 0.63 lbs

Official UK Dealers

FX Pedal Planet Limited and FX Pedal Planet Online Store proudly serve as official UK dealers for Summer School Electronics effects pedals. If we do not have the specific Summer School Electronics pedal you are looking for, please reach out to us via the contacts page, and will order it on our next stock order for you at the best price and customer service.

Buy Today and Pay Over Time

To give our customers flexibility and a pleasurable shopping experience, FX Pedal Planet Online Store accepts Klarna, Afterpay, Clearpay and Google Pay.

Klarna is a smooth and safe way to get what you want today, and pay over time. Afterpay allows customers to pay in four interest free instalments, budget your spending and earn rewards when you shop.

UK Deliveries

For our UK customers, we provide FREE 24 hour DHL tracked and signed delivery, ensuring your order arrives swiftly and securely.

International Deliveries

International deliveries are dispatched with DHL, ensuring fast shipping and efficient processing through customs.

For more information on deliveries and charges, please refer to our Deliveries and Charges.

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