It’s been a couple years since we last saw a pedal from This Heavy Earth (or is it thisheavyearth – ??), but today’s effects unit really brings the sonic goodies. The Hesher v3 Preamp brings several famous amplifier circuits from across the pond together into one beautiful sonic stew, ranging from slightly dirty and broken up to amp-pushing, eardrum-crushing glory. A true amp-in-a-pedal production, this one brings...
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Sometimes, it’s nice to just get downright HEAVY with your effects, and today’s pedal and company both have the answers for all your sonic queries. This Heavy Earth makes heavy effects. PERIOD. Today, we’re taking a look at their Widower High-Gain Distortion, a blistering yet sophisticated unit that will literally take your head off with its high-gain, high-sustain, amp-like distortion. Sporting an active boost/cut 2...
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If you couldn’t tell from the name of the company, This Heavy Earth doesn’t make effects pedals for the timid. Focusing on the heavier side of things, names like Grim, Flesh Rot and Crustifixion let you know these pedals mean business. Today, we’re checking out the CHVRCHBVRNER, an Overdrive Distortion with a ton of controls to sculpt and shape genres from blues to death metal…and everything in between, Right...
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Our first dive into the effects pedal pool over at Siren Pedals was a couple months back, with their incredible Midnight Train Fuzz. Since then, we’ve been itching to see what else they’ve got in their lineup, and that day is upon us at last. Introducing the Siren Pedals Eligos Heavy Metal Distortion, a simple but extremely potent dirt pedal that seeks to unleash hell on amps and eardrums everywhere. Nothing neat or nice...
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We love spreading the word about affordable but good quality pedals around here, and no one does it better than Caline. From the Ghost Rain and Rangnarok Reverb/Delays to the Pegasus and Wolfpack Overdrives to the Big Dipper Pitch Shifter and more, there’s always coming up with new ways to get great sounds into the hands of any player out there. We’re gonna get a little heavy today, if you don’t mind, thanks to the...
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One of our favorite pedals ever here at Pedal of the Day has got to be the Goatkeeper Analog Tap Tremolo/Sequencer from Lightfoot Labs. An intriguing blend of trem pulses and sequencing, this no-longer manufactured effect has become highly sought-after, and if you can find one, they have the price tag to prove it. Although we are fortunate enough to own an original, we were stoked to hear the news that the creative minds at Malekko...
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If you’re looking for a clean boost, or something light to give your rig a bit of “sparkle” or “transparency”, you should probably look somewhere else besides Earthbound Audio. Now, if you want to get heavy, doomy, stonery or just filthy and nasty with your tone, you’ve come to the right place. Today we’re going to take a look at their Throat Locust, a wicked heavy distortion pedal based on...
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Are you looking to get nuts with your sound? Tired of having 8 drive pedals that all sound fairly similar, and want to spice it up? Looking for a compact and easy way to create walls of noise and freak out your audience? Then the Downer from Malekko Heavy Industry is just what the doctor ordered. Part wavefolder, part saturator, part octave and part filter, these words vaguely describe what this grey monster is able to unleash. The...
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The crew at Malekko Heavy Industry have always been up near the forefront of companies creating effects pedals that defy logic, expand minds and throw all caution to the wind. Today’s achievement holds nothing back, either, producing a slew of unorthodox and unusual sounds, twisting and warping your brain as you step into another dimension of time and space. The Thicken does thicken your tone, it’s true, but it does so...
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Today’s guest review comes to us from Monique Hernandez-Fuentes – you can find her with Guitar Tricks on Facebook, Twitter and on the Guitar Tricks website. Thanks again, Monique! In my quest for the ultimate high gain, I stumbled across the awesome Heavy by Canadian heavy weights, Empress Effects. Originally, I was looking for something super versatile and was referred to Empress by a guitar buddy of mine on Instagram. One thing I...
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Wacky, crazy, outside the box effects really get our pulses racing here at Pedal of the Day, and today’s pedal delivered the goods in spades. Effects that are hard to categorize or identify are usually our favorites, as they represent a new style of thinking and showcase the builders’ innovative technique and auditory prowess, which we simply cannot get enough of. The Sneak Attack VCA Tremolo, accompanied by the Lil’...
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We did a written review for today’s delay pedal a couple years back, but wanted to add a video demo to the words as well, so the following review contains portions of our previous review, but the demo is ALL NEW. Enjoy! When you’re jumping into into the “dark” delay territory, the 616 MkII Ekko Dark Delay from Malekko Heavy Industry is an awesome way to start. There are a lot of option in this really nicely-sized pedal,...
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We love it when a pedal works equally for both guitar and bass, and today’s pedal is exactly one of those rare beasts. The El Oso Bass Distortion from Heavy Electronics adds some great dirt and crunch to both instruments, but somehow manages to walk the fine line between the two without overpowering either one. This doesn’t happen very often in the pedal world, and we’re excited to see what it can do for us. Aside...
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Let’s face it: sometimes mini pedals can leave something to be desired. Trying to cram a bunch of sounds into a super-tiny enclosure has proven to be a somewhat difficult task, but apparently not for the folks over at Malekko Heavy Industry. Their Vibrato pedal, part of the Omicron Series, packs a wallop of tone and flexibility into a itty-bitty pedal, perfect for saving space but not sacrificing any sound in your rig. Built...
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The Spring Chicken Reverb pedal from Malekko Heavy Industry looks like a normal, simple, one-knob pedal. Nothing too fancy, easy to use, and it can probably only create one or two useable sounds, right? WRONG. This deceiving little gem packs a reverberated wallop, especially when utilizing the “secret” knob on the side that you may have already overlooked…you did, didn’t you? Told ya. This pedal is no one-hit...
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The Ekko 616 Dark Delay from Malekko Heavy Industry is my first real foray into the “dark” delay territory, and this is a cool way to start. There are a lot of option in this really nicely-sized pedal, and it looks sinister as hell, too. It even took me a minute to figure out which controls were which, as I couldn’t really see their labels on the deep, glossy black background. The first main control is Time, which...
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The Malekko Heavy Industries Diabolik Fuzz is one of the most adaptive fuzzes on the market. I’m usually not one for signature pedals, but bassist/producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen knows quality, and is a phenomenal musician. After playing far too many fuzzes, the Diabolik quickly became my go-to fuzz. There are a ton of tonal possibilities, and better yet, it doesn’t take up much room on the board. My favorite feature,...
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Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Malekko Heavy Industries has been making effects pedals and synth modules since 2006, and have put out some fantastic gear along the way. The Sloika MkII is another fine example of a great guitar effect: designed by Todd Wolfgram, it’s an Analog Multi-Band Distortion pedal. Don’t let that word DISTORTION fool you, though, this little gold beauty has an array of sounds and functions for any...
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The Malekko Omicron “TREM” Analog Tremolo is part of their new miniature line of pedals with big sounds in small housings. The Omicron Trem is as simple as it gets: 2 knobs for Speed and Depth in a pedal that is True bypass and analog. Current draw is 50mA. Enclosure size approx. 3.6″x 1.5″x 1.2″. But it sounds huge! It fits nearly anywhere on any pedalboard. Prior to getting this pedal, my tremolo was offboard, on the...
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The Red Eyes Overdrive from Heavy Electronics is a vey dirty, gritty medium gain overdrive. It has massive amounts of headroom and is very sensitive to pick attack and playing style. I always have the gain between twelve and three o’clock. I love how gritty this pedal is even at low gain. It is also a plus that the eyes flash as you play. Specs: Power Supply: 9 Volt DC 200 mA Center – 2.1mm Power Consumption: 7.60 mA I/O...
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Distortion pedals can be a tricky business – some players can get turned off even by the mention of the word, as they automatically assume these types of pedals can only be used to play loud, aggressive music. While that can be true, the good ones can also be used in many different musical situations, as is the case with today’s featured pedal. The Solid Drive from Mouse Electronics is, yes, a distortion, but can also be...
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The first two pedals we checked out from SviSound (several years ago), the SiMosFuzz and the Germanium Mini, both leaned towards the Fuzz side of things. Today’s pedal, the DistoZoid-3EQ Distortion, brings a different sort of sonic palette to the table. Five simple knobs create a recipe for amp and eardrum destruction – come along as we explore this beastly, sci-fi-looking, pedalboard-friendly creation… The DistoZoid...
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We love checking out new companies here at Pedal of the Day, and we love a good distortion pedal, too. Today’s effect checks both of these boxes, as we explore the Tavysh Effects HARM Distortion. Coming to you all the way from Serbia, this dark machine features more switches and knobs than you could ever need, which allows for a multitude of sonic options to experiment and create with… HARM is the essence of all the...
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We’re always excited for a new Death By Audio release, and today’s latest sonic creation from them focuses on the Low End of all things muscial. The Bass War Bass Fuzz Distortion builds on a classic DBA circuit, gearing it in a different direction and for a different set of players. This silver fox is a louder, wider-ranging, earth-shaking bass fuzz that can get more oomph than any other pedal we’ve ever heard… Grab...
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We love it when a new UAFX creation gets released from our friends at Universal Audio, and we’re stoked to help release their latest one today. The UAFX ANTI 1992 High Gain Amp is a Stereo amp and cab emulation pedal with six famous mic/speaker pairs, built-in boosts, live and preset modes, and customization with the UAFX mobile app. This crimson gem gives you ALL the heavy tones you’re after, in one place, with tons of...
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It’s NEW JHS PEDALS DAY here at Pedal of the Day once again, and we’re checking out their latest original circuit offering. 8 years in development, the Hard Drive Modern Distortion instantly transforms your sound into the heavy, amp-crushing tone you’ve probably been searching for years for. A simple but effective control section lets you dial in the perfect sound for any rig…let’s jump right in and see...
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Whenever we get a device sent in by ezhi&aka, we know it’s time to get crazy and indulge in our wildest musical explorations. Today’s pedal from them is the Polarized Flutter + Echo, a newly revamped version of the original Polarized Flutter we checked out a couple years back. With a couple of new control parameters and a wide range of wackiness on tap, this was a fun one to dive into, for sure… The Polarized...
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After checking out the Big Rumble Overdrive Boost and the Heavenly Lake Delay Reverb from Tone City, we were excited to see what was coming next from the TC camp. Enter today’s pedal, the Holy Aura Distortion Boost, a powerful, space-saving beast of a distortion with a little extra push if you need it. Simple and user-friendly, this unit is made to get the most out of your tone… The Tone City Holy Aura Distortion pedal...
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After checking out the newest pedals in the Keeley Electronics’ lineup recently, we’re going to head back a little ways to review a classic 2-in-1 effect from our friends in OKC. Combining two popular Keeley circuits into one pedal, the Parallax Spatial Generator Delay Reverb brings ambience and shoegazing right to your feet. Lots of control parameters and a wide range of tonal options here make sure you can create the...
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After going 3-for-3 on heavy dirt pedals so far from our friends at Asheville Guitar Pedals, we’re moving into our favorite genre for today’s creation: Delay. The Follower Delay is a digital delay with a barebones control system, but one that provides big, bold repeats and beautiful echoes for days. It looks good, it sounds good – what more do you need? The Follower Delay Pedal is the ultimate tool for musicians...
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We’re back in the AVL once again today, keeping it close to home with our buddies down the road, Asheville Guitar Pedals. We checked out their mini 308 Distortion a couple weeks ago, and today we’re looking at the equally powerful Fuzz Driver Distortion. This one has just two control knobs, but the range and gusto trapped in this pedal is unleashed with a serious fury, all while maintaining gorgeous, amp-driving tone. Get...
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Although today’s gear is not a pedal, it is a very useful piece of equipment here at PotD headquarters. The String Swing SW5RL-K Multi-Guitar Wall Rack has been an instant gamechanger, organizing my guitars in a neat, orderly and aesthetically pleasing way. If your collection of instruments is starting to grow and grow, this might be just the thing you’re looking for… The most convenient guitar display package on the...
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(This article comes from our friends at GuitarTricks.com – check out their site for tons of guitar-related tips and tricks!!) Guitar Tricks presents The Benefits of Multi-Effects Pedals By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. Years ago stand-alone guitar pedals were the gold standard and the way to go if you wanted the right sound. In the past decade though...
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We’re sooooooo excited to be a part of today’s pedal release, the latest and greatest from our friends at Eventide! This aqua blue beauty, the RipTide Uni-Vibe Overdrive, combines 2 classic effects into one very easy to use and incredible-sounding pedal. With no hidden features or a huge manual to decipher, this one lets you jump right into creating beautiful sounds…let’s see what it’s all about! RipTide...
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(This article comes from our friends at GuitarTricks.com – check out their site for tons of guitar-related tips and tricks!!) The History of the Flanger By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. The Flanger guitar pedal has an interesting background that involves both science and a lot of luck! Like many guitar and music effects it stems from early experiments with...
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(This article comes from our friends at GuitarTricks.com – check out their site for tons of guitar-related tips and tricks!!) Favorite Pedal Brands for Specific Pedal Types By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. Of course many guitar effects unit builders create pedals that provide a variety of methods to change the signal. If you like sticking to one brand, that...
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Mixing different kinds of effects together usually pays off pretty damn well, and today’s pedal keeps that fine tradition going strong. The Humanoid Pedals Psychosis Tremolo Overdrive combines two of our favorites into one wild enclosure, complete with nutty graphics and thick, heavy driven and modulated sounds. This isn’t a light one, folks, so buckle up and let’s see what its all about… The Psychosis is the...
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After the Dream ’65, Ruby ’63, Woodrow ’55, Starlight, Golden and Astra effects units from Universal Audio were released, everyone was wondering what creations they’d come up with next for their stompbox lineup. Today, we’re proud to present the first of the next three pedals: the Galaxy ’74 Tape Echo & Reverb. Built upon award-winning UAFX dual‑engine processing and an unquenchable thirst for...
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(This article comes from our friends at GuitarTricks.com – check out their site for tons of guitar-related tips and tricks!!) Top Ten Iconic Guitar Pedal Effects Moments By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. There are so many guitar pedal moments to choose in songs, especially in hits starting in the 1980’s. Once pedals increased in popularity they became mixed...
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We love today’s fuzz pedal, plain and simple. The Bun Runner from JHS Pedals is a sonic marvel, and one of the most versatile and useful fuzzes we have ever had the privilege of playing. With two quite different sides to this 2-in-1 pedal, many fuzzy tones are easily accessible, ranging from slightly overdriven to all-out crazy, gooey, fuzzy goodness. Let’s check out this rare, discontinued beauty, shall we? The left side...
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Hi, I’m Josh Gardziel, I’m from Halifax West Yorkshire (UK) and I play guitar in L.O.E (Last Of Eden) Facebook: https://facebook.com/weareloemusic Instagram: https://instagram.com/weareloemusic Twitter: https://twitter.com/weareloemusic Bandcamp: https://weareloemusic.bandcamp.com How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I have been playing guitar for 21 years. I started when I was 14 which...
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Getting in on the ground floor to help promote a company’s first flagship pedal is always something special here at Pedal of the Day, and we’ve got an absolute banger on the bench today. The Hog Overdrive from Tallon Electric is the only overdrive ever created that enables you to dabble with the untamed guitar stylings of the band Bilmuri, whose sound incorporates pop-punk, electro-laced emo, experimental post hardcore and...
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(This article comes from our friends at GuitarTricks.com – check out their site for tons of guitar-related tips and tricks!!) Delay and Time-Based Effects Pedals By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. Whether it uses analog or digital technology, time-based effects units allow us to add more space, an echo, or even loop entire measures. Reverb, delay, and looping...
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One of the perks of getting to know so many pedal companies in this business is the ability to have unique, one-of-a-kind pedals built for us, and we’ve got another great one today. Spindrift Audio approached me about doing a special effect just for Pedal of the Day, and we decided that it should probably be something Star Wars-related, ’cause why not? The result is the Mandalore Germanium Drive, a pedal that not only...
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We love the way the folks at VVco Pedals incorporate great effects with nostalgic merch from past movies, TV shows and more, and we’re especially stoked about today’s featured pedal. The Dark Father Preamp is clearly representative of a certain Jedi-turned-Sith, and it sounds just as evil. Melding elements of overdrive, fuzz, distortion, EQ, boost and preamp, this multi-faceted effect is not only fun to look at, it sounds...
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We’ve had a blast checking out the lineup of pedals from the newly-revamped Maestro brand, and have a BIG surprise for you all today. They’ve just released FIVE new units, and we have got them all in one place for you. Today, we’re looking at the Orbit Phaser, Mariner Tremolo, Titan Boost, Arcas Compressor Sustainer and Agena Envelope Filter – 5 effects building on the first 5 pedals they initially released...
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The fine folks at Flamma Innovation are back at it, releasing FIVE new pedals, all of which we’re going to take a look at here at Pedal of the Day. This week, we continue with the FC20 British Distortion, a simple but powerful amp-driving effect that takes your tone to the next level. Whether you’re on a budget, or just looking for a new heavy sound, this little one has got you covered… Need rich, British amp breakup...
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It’s been a little while since we had a pedal from EarthQuaker Devices come through here, but apparently it was worth the wait. The Hizumitas Fuzz Sustainar is based on a rare fuzzy distortion from Japan, and was designed for the one and only guitar sorceress Wata from the band Boris. This effect is full of dirt, warmth and character, and is an instant eye-opener as you as it is engaged… The ELK Sustainar is a Japanese...
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We love it when a new pedal company emerges, especially when we’re one of the first to help unleash their products on the world. Fox River Devices has created a new Drive Series that changes with the seasons (much like guitar tones tend to do), the first of which is called Autumn. This versatile overdrive has its own unique sound and vibe, providing a wide array of tonal ‘colors’ for the season… Inspired by the...
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Last year, we were able to demo FOUR new pedals from Dreadbox, a synth-heavy company we had first worked with back in 2016, that had released a new lineup of effects. The Kinematic, Lethargy, Komorebi and Darkness were all unique and amazing-sounding, so we couldn’t wait to see what they had in store next. Today, we get to explore 2 more new creations from Dreadbox – the Treminator Smashing Tremolo and the Raindrops Stereo...
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