GEAR REVIEW
MR. BLACK MOD. ONE PEDAL | Steve Sattler
KEY FEATURES
• Creative Analog Modulation Instrument
• Rich textures create immersive movement and atmosphere
• Seamlessly morphs between modulation styles
• Allows players to sculpt evolving sweeps and cinematic soundscapes
• Six waveform options( ambient motion to rhythmic sequences)
• Inspires hands-on interaction instead of preset scrolling
• Adds warmth, width, and emotional depth to clean tones
• Pairs beautifully with delays and reverbs
Designed by Jack Deville and hand-built in Portland, Oregon, the Mod. One is a fully analog bucket brigade( BBD) modulation pedal focused around three core voices: chorus, flange, and high-band flange.
The Mod. One’ s story begins with the legendary Jack Deville Mod Zero, a rare analog modulation pedal originally released in 2010. According to the company’ s documentation, only about 250 units of the Mod Zero were ever produced, and the Mod. One represents the culmination of fifteen years of refinement and engineering development.
From the very first chord the Mod. One delivers rich, swirling movement with warmth and dimensionality that immediately separates it from cleaner digital modulation units. Clean chords bloom beautifully through the pedal, while single-note lines take on a vocal-like quality that works great in ambient worship contexts.
At the center of the pedal are the unique Upper Limit and Lower Limit controls, which shape the modulation sweep by defining the shortest and longest delay times within the analog signal path. Rather than relying on traditional“ manual” and“ width” controls found on most flangers, Mr. Black designed the Mod. One to give players far more precise control over the movement and texture of the effect. This layout allows modulation sounds to flow naturally between lush chorus, classic flange, and more experimental high-band flange tones, making the pedal feel less like a standard modulation unit and more like a creative sound-design instrument.
Rather than locking players into separate effect modes, the Mod. One allows modulation textures to morph continuously between chorus, flange, and high-band flange regions. This creates evolving sounds that feel fluid
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