Wren and Cuff Creations USED Hangman 2D

The BOSS HM-2 is a high-gain distortion pedal released in 1983. It was marketed as a compact pedal capable of creating a Marshall sound, but production of the pedal ceased in 1991 after its successor, the MT-2, was released.

The BOSS HM-2 was popular at the time as BOSS's pride and joy, a high-gain distortion pedal. However, its harsh, buzz-saw sound wasn't well-received by many players. The change from the HM-2 to the MT-2 was generally well-received, with few voices expressing regret for the loss of the HM-2.

However, there are some players who are devout fans of the BOSS HM-2, and they were saddened by the discontinuation of the HM-2.

And even though production of the HM-2 has ended, it will remain on their pedalboards forever.

Swedish death metal legends like Entombed and Dismember are known to have kept the HM-2 on all the time for years, and shoegaze bands like My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus and Mary Chain are also known to use the HM-2 to create their wall-of-sound guitar noise chaos sounds.
The '90s saw the historic grunge wave, with the HM-2 at the feet of many bands.

The Wren and Cuff Hangman 2D is a meticulous reproduction of the legendary HM-2 Heavy Metal pedal!
The circuitry of this pedal is complex enough to make most digital delays dread it. That said, the original Boss HM-2 isn't a particularly premium pedal, and is readily available on the used market.
You may be wondering why we need to recreate the HM-2.

Above all, it was something we wanted to do as Wren and Cuff. As with all Wren and Cuff products, recreating the sound of this pedal was extremely challenging. However, finding the circuit diagram wasn't enough. As always with Wren and Cuff, it involved days of intense tuning by ear.
And all the wiring and assembly is done by hand. Hand-wired, hand-loaded. The circuit uses 1/4 watt metal film resistors instead of the original 1/8 watt carbon film resistors. This dramatically reduces the noise floor and results in clearer, more colorful harmonic content.
In addition, like other Wren and Cuff pedals, it features 100% mechanical true bypass switching and a luxurious design with a large, all-metal Alpha pot directly mounted to the chassis.
A Modern/Vintage switch has been added, and gorgeous artwork has been added to the metal casing.
While we may be in the minority, we are confident that there are players who will find value in Hangman 2D beyond the original model.

*The following text applies to both Hangman 2D and HM-2.

This pedal produces a very tight, smooth distortion with very heavy compression.
It's a buzz-saw monster that brings out the string attack from every pick.
Unlike many pedals claiming to be heavy metal, the Hangman 2D and HM-2 don't aggressively cut the midrange, and this mysterious tone can be adjusted in the Hangman 2D's Color Mix section.
The Low knob is your typical low frequency control, and the High knob lets you shape your tone, but this control is a bit of an oddball.
Because the midrange and high ranges interfere with each other, the High knob controls the upper midrange and treble together. It creates a great sound, but it's a little tricky. But that's also its charm point.
This pedal is not one that produces a great sound no matter what setting you turn it on; rather, it is a pedal that finds its sweet spot by exploring the distortion of the pedal itself and the characteristics of the amplifier.

Death metal players often start by tweaking the front end of their amp, then move on to EQ pedals. However, many pedals push the amp and create natural distortion. The High knob on the Hangman 2D or HM-2 jacks up the frequencies, perfect for creating a buzz-saw grind sound.
In short, by repeatedly making fine adjustments to suit your amplifier, you will find the sweet spot.

If you search for the HM-2's sound on video sites, you'll see that it can produce a sound so thick and brutal you'd never guess it was a pedal.
It also creates that bee-trapped-in-a-jar sound that'll make anyone wince.

So why did I decide to remake a pedal that takes so much time to create sounds and is so difficult to use? The answer is because I love creating sounds in the first place, like digging up gold nuggets buried inside a pedal.
No other brand would even consider replicating the HM-2, but the "D" in Hangman 2D stands for Deluxe, not just functional, but also the quality of the pedal's enjoyment.
The Hangman 2D has a Vintage/Modern switch, which switches between clipping diodes, giving you the same clipping as the original stock model, but with less compression, a more overdrive-meets-distortion sound, and an added mode that's great for boosting.
If you dare, pick up Hangman 2D and experience its charm and fragility.

Condition: No problems with use. Parts requiring acknowledgment: None. Accessories: Box, instruction manual with QR code. Warranty: 3 months.