Vemuram Butter Machine Michael Landau Distortion

The Butter Machine is the result of over two years of collaboration between Michael Landau and Vemuram, a pedal built from the ground up to capture Landau’s ideal distortion tone. Starting with inspiration from the legendary Ibanez SD9 but improving on its shortcomings, this unique dual-trim distortion pedal offers a rich, organic voice that responds to nuance and dynamics like a fine-tuned tube amp.

The Butter Machine delivers smooth, singing sustain, punchy mids, and a beautifully balanced top end without the harsh compression or shrill overtones found in other high-gain pedals. From open, natural overdrive to harmonically rich distortion, the pedal maintains clarity even at high gain levels—and cleans up effortlessly with your guitar’s volume knob. In addition to the standard Volume, Gain, and Tone controls, the Butter Machine features two top face trim pots: Low-Mid for dialing in bottom-end thickness, and Sparkle, a peaking control centered around 6kHz for fine-tuning top-end presence.

Michael Landau used this exact circuit during tours and sessions throughout 2022–2023, fine-tuning its final voicing with Vemuram every step of the way.

Highlights

• Developed in close collaboration with Michael Landau

• Dynamic distortion pedal with amp-like feel and musical responsiveness

• Based loosely on the SD9 but refined with better touch sensitivity and tone control

• Clear, punchy overdrive with rich harmonics and sustain

• Top face Sparkle and Low-Mid trim pots for precision EQ shaping

• Maintains clarity when rolling back guitar volume

• Hand-built in Japan using premium components

Specifications

Controls: Volume, Gain, Tone
Trim Pots (Top face):

• Sparkle: Peaking boost around 6kHz

• Low-Mid: Adds adjustable low-mid thickness

Bypass: True Bypass
Power:

• 9V Battery or

• 9V DC (center-negative, 2.1mm)
  Current Draw: 12.5 mA
  Enclosure: Brass-finished, die-cast chassis
  Dimensions: 70 (W) × 113 (D) × 50 (H) mm
  Weight: 425g
  Compatibility: Not recommended for use with 18V