ZIM Applications / configurations.

The flexible design of ZIM offers endless possibilities for setting it up your own way. Here's a collection of tips, advice and examples to help you master your ZIM. It's good to return to this section once you've spent some time with ZIM.

Amp - clean or dirty? ZIM works equally well with a clean amp or an overdriven amp. With a clean amp you can treat one ZIM channel as your OD tone, and cascade the other for a lead boost. With an overdriven amp, you can use the two channels for different degrees of gain boost. In both situations you have the options of using Ch A alone, Ch B alone, and Ch A and B cascaded..and of course you can bypass both, resulting in four different sounds at your feet.

Two - mode overdrives
Most 2-mode overdrive pedals consist of a single overdrive with a default DRIVE knob and switch w/LED that allows you to select an alternate DRIVE setting, which is usually maxed out for a lead boost. ZIM is actually two independent overdrives. Instead of increasing gain to the same OD, ZIM creates a deeper, more detailed lead tone by cascading it's two stages. This works well for both light overdrive lovers and high-gain addicts. ZIM's drive range goes from just a hint of OD to almost unmanageable high gain with both channels on and drives set at max.

Cascade - B Drive, add A for boost.
When a clipping amp is hit by a boosted input signal, it reaches a point where it doesn't get any louder, it just becomes more distorted. Keep this in mind when cascading Ch A into Ch B. The higher you have the DRIVE on B, the less of a volume boost you'll notice when you cascade Ch A into it. Instead, you'll notice a huge increase in sustain and gain (which is what you might want). To get more of a volume boost when cascading this way, keep the second channel's (Ch B) drive at or below 12:00. In this configuration Ch B acts as a master volume.

Cascade - A Drive, add B for boost
Instead of pushing the last (Ch B) OD harder, this involves adding more OD after the one that's already on. If you add Ch B after A, you'll now be adding the voicing setting you selected. And you'll no longer have a master volume, Ch A will control the volume when you're not cascading, and Ch B will control the cascaded level.

Swap the order of Ch A and B.
You can change the order of ZIM's overdrives by plugging your guitar into the Input of Ch B, running the output of Ch B to the input of Ch A, and using Ch A's output as the main output. Changing the order will change how ZIM's voice selections sound when cascaded. If you take the voiced output of Ch B and then overdrive it more with Ch A, the added overdrive will serve to mask and smooth out the voicing. This is good for subtle tone and harmonic changes.

Ch B Rhythm crunch and voice, Ch A lead boost.
This is good for keeping a consistent tone between your rhythm and lead sounds. When you kick into lead mode, instead of a tone change you notice a massive increase in gain and sustain.
Turn on Ch B and set it up channel be for a good rhythm tone. Dial in the amount of drive you want - somewhere around 10:00 - 1:00 is usually good. Select a voice and dial in the desired amount of boost or cut. For your lead tone, leave Ch B on and turn on Ch A. Dial in the desired amount of Drive and Boost on Ch A.

Ch A Rhythm crunch, Ch B lead boost
This is good for making your leads jump out in comparison to your rhythm sound. The Voice feature can be used to give your leads a tone that will always cut through them mix .
Turn on Ch A and set it up for a good rhythm tone. Leave Ch A on and kick in Ch B. Set up the Voice for the sound you want, adjust Drive for the amount of added sustain, and adjust Vol for the amount of volume boost you want for your leads.