The pedal includes EQ and Gain Boost switches, and has a built-in noise gate that automatically tracks the gain control. The Tight control, a mainstay of Amptweaker pedals, varies the pick attack from smooth and thick to tight and aggressive so you get the attack that works with your guitar and picking style. The EQ switch converts the tone from the TightDrive EQ to a new PlexEQ which gives the pedal the classic vintage stack tones....more edge, a little less mids, and the classic 412 bottom. The Gain Boost switch modifies the gain from a classic distortion sound to a very modern amount of gain, but doesn't color the sound of your amp as much as the TightMetal. With the Gain Boost and EQ turned off the pedal can be used to overdrive an already distorted amp or pedal, without changing the character very much. The TightMetal noise gate has also been retweaked to make it smoother, to allow it to work better for solos. A new cool Amptweaker feature is the SideTrak effects loop. Several consumer requests led to this extra effects loop that turns OFF when the pedal is ON. Since the TightRock makes such a good ‘solo' pedal, it's the perfect pedal to introduce this unique idea. It can be used to add a compressor, chorus or chain of effects that only works when you play clean, or to switch to another distortion pedal to use for the rhythm sound...all without having to hit more than one switch....it's like having a built-in A/B box. A green LED alternates with the normal red one to indicate that the loop is active when the pedal is bypassed. Another cool SideTrak trick is that if you only plug in the SideTrak Send, and don't plug in the Return, then that Sent dry signal can be sent to another amp.....meaning you could have the TightRock going through a 412 halfstack while sending the clean tone to a Twin or some other clean amp. All this ability comes from two simple jacks on the side of the pedal! All other features from the TightDrive remain intact, including the Effects Loop with its Pre/Post switch, the LED illumination of the controls, and the Battery On/Off switch and magnetic battery access door.