The Elk Sustainar is a Japanese variant of the Triangle Big Muff Pi circuit. Vintage examples vary widely, so the design follows the specific pedal Wata plays. The result pairs heavy saturation and a large low end with enough mids to cut through a band.

Sustain sets the amount of distortion, and small moves make a clear difference. The Tone knob works in reverse to most designs. Clockwise boosts bass and tames treble, while counterclockwise brings up highs and mid-range grind. Unity output sits around nine to ten o'clock on Volume.

Switching uses a relay-based true bypass, so the pedal needs power to pass any signal. Three knobs and one footswitch keep the layout simple.