The Gaia Preamp Drive Mk. I is a pedal that emulates the iconic Vox AC30 amplifier, known for its signature guitar tones from the 60s and 70s. It is an adaptation of the Catalinbread CB30, which was originally released in 2011.

Interestingly, there were two different versions of the CB30, although there is no official record from Catalinbread distinguishing them as V1 and V2. Aion FX, a pedal tracing community, discovered a version with eight JFETs in 2021, indicating it was an early unit. On the other hand, the Freestompboxes.org community traced a version during the first month of its release in June 2011, which had a different PCB layout and only five JFETs.

Based on archived Reverb listing photos, the eight-JFET version seems to be more common. The five-JFET version was likely a short-lived initial run that was quickly redesigned within a few months of release, without any official announcement or cosmetic changes. Since the CB30 was not a flagship pedal for Catalinbread, the gear community never noticed the existence of two versions, and Catalinbread was never asked for clarification.

In 2012, the CB30 was incorporated into the Galileo, a dual pedal that also included a Rangemaster-derived Naga Viper treble booster. This combination aimed to emulate Brian May’s treble-boosted AC30 guitar tone. In 2014, the second version of the Galileo was released as a single pedal, internally containing the Naga Viper and a redesigned CB30 using MPF4393 JFETs. This version had three knobs and one footswitch. Aion FX offers this version as the Gaia Mk. II.

In fall 2020, the standalone CB30 was reissued as a Sweetwater exclusive. It is unclear if this version incorporates any redesigned circuitry from the original 2011 version or if it only features different artwork.

The CB30 originally used 2N5457 JFETs, which are no longer available in through-hole format. However, extra pads have been provided on the PCB for surface-mount JFETs (MMBF5457), which are still in production and perform identically. Aion FX also offers pre-soldered MMBF5457s on adapter boards for those who find surface-mount parts intimidating.

The Gaia Mk. I can be powered at 18V for increased volume and clarity. However, it is not compatible with the 18V Voltage Doubler / Bypass module due to the larger size of the PCB.

Summary created by AI from the original source.