It’s been a minute since we had something from SviSound come through the shop, but their designs and enclosures are so unique, it’s always worth the wait. This go round they sent us the Germanium Fuzz Mini, a small, simple but boisterous effect that begs you not to judge by size, but by stature. Able to squeeze onto any pedalboard, as well as deliver blistering fuzz tones, this is a powerful little monster that is just...
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The DD series of delay pedals from Boss is arguably one of the most successful lines ever produced, and there’s a good chance you’ve had at least one of these digital wonders on your pedalboard at one time or another (or do currently). While they are certainly celebrated in their stock form, they also have been extremely adaptable to modifications, and that’s what we’re going to look at today. Loophole Pedals thrives on their ability...
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The last time an effects pedal from Beautiful Noise Effects came through our office, it was the large and exciting “When the Sun Explodes”, a marvelous Reverb and Distortion mixed together to form a powerful and inspiring pedal. When we heard they were sending us their newest creation, our interest and excitement went through the roof, and we couldn’t wait to get our hands on it. The Endless Sleeper arrived, and...
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We really dug the first iteration of the Panther Cub Analog Delay from JHS Pedals, as it took everything we knew and loved about the original Panther Delay and condensed it, along with adding in a couple more features. As is the hip thing these days, halving the size of the first model wasn’t taking it far enough, so JHS produced the Panther Cub V2, which is half the size of the half-sized Panther Cub 1/1.5… Got that?...
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The effects pedals coming out of Eau Claire, Wisconsin from Dwarfcraft Devices have been exquisite for years now, and their two newest endeavors keep that train a’rollin’. The first of these is the Treeverb, a multi-purpose reverb pedal with that classic Dwarfcraft spin, adding in some noise, some pitch-shifting, of course, and an intuitive control section that anyone can use with ease. Combining three separate reverb...
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The DD series of delay pedals from Boss is arguably one of the most successful lines ever produced, and there’s a good chance you’ve had at least one of these digital wonders on your pedalboard at one time or another (or do currently). While they are certainly celebrated in their stock form, they also have been extremely adaptable to modifications, and that’s what we’re going to look at today. Loophole Pedals...
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Not really sure where to begin with today’s featured pedal…. the crew at Meris has been crushing the effects game over the last couple years, and the Enzo was one highly anticipated pedal when it was released. A true multi-voice synthesizer in a box, this magnificent gold beauty takes everything you knew about synth pedals and flips it upside down, spins it around and jettisons it into the far reaches of space. The sonic...
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Moog. You’ve heard the name for decades now, and, if you’re lucky, have had the pleasure of testing out or even owning some of their gear. One of the most sought-after and incredible effects they made was the Moogerfooger MF-104M, an analog delay considered by many to be the finest ever created. This delay delivers tone upon tone, echo options for days and will bring inspiration to anyone who gets a chance to plug one in....
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It’s honestly hard to believe there are still guitarists who don’t like fuzz effects – they’re loud, sometimes unpredictable, and add a certain pizazz to your tone that you just can’t get anywhere else. Who wouldn’t like that? To those folks, we say “More For Us!” and quickly find a fuzz to rock out with. Like today’s featured pedal, for example: the Fuzz-Arka from Veri-Tone is...
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Once again, Chris and the crew at JPTR FX have managed to outdo themselves with today’s featured pedal. The Silbermaschine Fuzz combines two gain stages in a parallel circuit, resulting in an unrefined and unbuffered vintage fuzz conquest. This LARGE pedal has the look and feel of a classic unit, but somehow brings a bit of modern touch along for the ride. Not for the weak or faint of heart, let’s check out this effect in...
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The first incarnation of the Hall of Fame Reverb pedal from TC Electronic hit the market and took off like crazy, as it should have, delighting reverb fans around the world with its small size and huge stature. A couple years after that, a surprise release peaked everyone’s interests once again – the Hall of Fame 2 had arrived. Building on the awesome foundation established by its big brother, this new version took it up a...
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Loopers are just fun. Period. Getting an exact replicated signal for any chord progression, lead run or experimental phrase and repeating it over and over, endlessly, is a true thing of beauty. But, what if you wanted to mix it up a little bit, and make the looped section NOT exactly identical to your original signal? The Lo-Fi Looper from Analog Fox is an analog phrase sampler, meaning it works like a looper, but with that classic...
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Innovation, inspiration and next-level thinking have become key aspects of the effects pedal industry. With a HUGE wave of companies popping up over the last number of years, you really need to have your gear stand out from the rest to avoid being sucked into the abyss of oversaturation that can present itself. Today’s pedal is not just three different effects in one, it is a complete work of art. The Black Hole Symmetry from...
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We’ve got something a little different for you today, courtesy of our friends at NUX. The Mighty Lite BT is a mini-modeling, desktop, Bluetooth amplifier, that only takes up a small space but has some extremely powerful features. It’s lightweight, can run on a power supply, batteries or USB power, and it even has Bluetooth connectivity, for both playing music AND controlling different parameter settings. There are even...
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We’ve had the pleasure of checking out a couple of pedals from StoneFly Effects up in Canada, so we were pretty stoked when we heard that Marc-Eric was unleashing a new beast on the world. Even better, he was teaming up for this release with our friend Eric Calvert of Frost Giant Electronics and Switchblade Jesus fame, which peaked out interest that much more. The result is today’s complete monster of a fuzz, a RAT that...
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Another day, another delay….and why not? They’re only the most fun effects out there, and we’ll review and demo ’em as long as companies keep making ’em! Speaking of making exceptional pedals, today’s gem comes to us from Mr. Black, longtime maker of intriguing devices and inspiring tone machines, and this one is no exception. The SS-850 is a solid state echo chamber delay unit, featuring a retro...
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Sometimes, fantastic things come in small packages. Now, while it’s nearly impossible to get a smaller effects pedal than the Oscar All-Tube Preamp from Night Owl Industries, going just a little bit bigger can really “amp” things up a bit (see what we did there?). The newest offering from the Greenwood Lake, New York-based company is the Edison, an all-tube EF86 tube preamp pedal with a built-in voltage tripler, once...
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The Jupiter Fuzz has been a staple in the lineup of Walrus Audio’s effects lineup for years now, and today we’re going to take a look at the newest incarnation of this monster of a fuzz. This gritty, thick and loud beast comes roaring right out of the gates, with enough gruff and gusto to put fear into any amplifier, while also remaining adjustable and useable in many different musical scenarios. With new artwork and a...
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If you are in the market for a Tube Screamer-type of pedal, there are a good deal of choices out there. Some are basic replicas of the vintage three-knob machines, and some like to take it a step further. Today’s pedal completely engulfs the latter category, keeping those tasty-mid tones in tact, but adding a slew of options to really let you dial in your own unique sound. Let’s take a gander at the Direwolf Overdrive from...
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Trey Anastasio. For those of you who don’t know (or don’t care), Trey has been a HUGE guitar influence on us for almost 3 decades, and today’s pedal encompasses some of the best aspects of his tone. From his use of the famed grey Ross Compressor at various stages of Phish’s career, to his consistent use of different variations of Tube Screamers, his tonality and superb sustain give him an unmistakeable and...
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WE. LOVE. DELAY. PEDALS. There, we finally said it….again. Multi-delay effects are some of our favorites, as they can range and vary from mode to mode, opening up so many auditory possibilities, and truly expanding your palette to reveal new musical thoughts and ideas. The Time Warp from CNZ Audio is a delay with many modes, stereo connections and a price point that will blow your mind. Don’t have $400 to spend on the...
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We love a clean, tasty, tone-enhancing pedal around here, and compression, while not for everyone, has come to be one of our favorite effects. Today’s pedal is a classic sound from a classic series – the Ibanez CP10 Compressor Sustainer is a high tech, studio quality effect in a compact case, with a VCA circuit and clean compression and sustain. Keeping the control panel light and easy to use, this is one little funk...
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Today’s Guest reviewer is Brian Johnston – you can find him and more demo videos he’s done on his YouTube channel, CoolGuitarGear – click now! Thanks again, Brian, looking forward to more! SOUND: The 2 SA 202 model (named after the type of transistors used) of Vintage Fuzz II replicates the famous Fuzz Face sound of Jimi Hendrix. However, unlike older models of fuzz (and even some current ones), this fuzz is...
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Today’s pedal is an awesomely odd one to approach, as it is really 10 pedals in one. The Console from ELTA Music uses a series of interchangeable sound cartridges, each with its own set of three modes, to produce a wide array of tones and auditory revelations that will alter your approach to creating music. We are going to review and demo all 10 of these cartridges eventually, and the next one is our series is the String Ringer...
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With the weekend rapidly approaching, many of you will be exploring new gear and trying to figure out which new, tasty pedal to order while you relax on your off days. If you’re in the mood for something that will warp your mind, bend your soul and spark outrage in your neighbors, then you have definitely come to the right place. The Super Weirdo from our noise-happy German neighbors across the pond, JPTR FX, is the ultimate in...
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Chris and the crew at Haunted Labs are making some crazy pedals these days, if you haven’t had the chance to check them out. We were fortunate enough to get blistered with ambience by their Dark Aura Reverb a little while back, and thus were stoked for today’s featured gem. The Paranormal Fuzz V2 builds on the original version of this monster, with a cleaner, quieter circuit design, more gain and improved construction....
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We had the opportunity to check out a good chunk of the pedal lineup from Deadbeat Sound a couple months ago, and were more than impressed with their group of multi-functional, affordable pedals. Today’s featured effect is both of those things, with a simple control structure and more-than-affordable pricing. The Delay Lay Lay (great name) is an analog delay that doesn’t mess around with frills, but will give you plenty of...
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Unleashing a fury of dirty fuzz tones that cover a large range, today’s featured pedal comes to us all the way from New Zealand. Apparently, they know how to make a pretty decent pedal down there, as the Caustic Fuzz from Pepers’ Pedals is a true powerhouse in the world of effects. While we’ve had a couple of guest reviews for Tony Pepers and his lineup, this is the first one we’ve gotten our hands on, and...
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Last month, we checked out an extremely underrated pedal from the past, one that really deserves to be talked about more: the DigiTech HardWire DL-8 Stereo Delay Looper. Not being able to help ourselves, we found a counterpart pedal to that beauty, and have it for you today. The RV-7 Stereo Reverb fits in perfectly next to its delay brother, offering up reverberated tones featuring everything from jazz room to surf rock spring to...
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The Carbon Copy from MXR and Jim Dunlop has become a real leader in the way of modern analog delay pedals over the last decade, so it was a welcome sight to see that they decided to release another version of this gem. The Carbon Copy Bright gives you everything that you’ve come to know and love about the original, with a bit of a twist. Let’s see what this lime green gem has in store for us today…. As with the...
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Today’s featured pedal brings to the table a slew of delay modes to choose from, as well as a built-in looper function, external switching capabilities and more. The Canyon Delay Looper from Electro-Harmonix packs a TON of features into a less-than-normal sized enclosure, giving you a lot without sacrificing any space on your board. The Canyon gives you pretty much all the delay options you could ever want, via the 11 different...
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Altough we don’t do it as often as we should, a good bass demo is always a fun way to end a long week. And speaking of bass pedals, the crew at Mantic Effects have been building some low end-inspired pieces of gear for years now, several of which we’ve been fortunate enough to tackle here at Pedal of the Day. Today’s effect might not be as flashy as some of those others, but it’s an important piece to any bass...
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In addition to having a very 1980’s-like look to it, today’s featured pedal brings you the sounds and odd tones of that decade as well. Coming at’cha with a slew of pitch shifting, digital delays and arcade-inspired effects, the Radical Delay II Plus from Alexander Pedals takes you on a trip back to your childhood (depending when you were born, of course) in one of the crazier 10-year stretches we’ve ever seen....
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We want the funk. Give up the funk. We need the funk. We gotta have that funk. Truer words have never been spoken, both in general and especially when in relation to today’s magnificently funky featured pedal. The Analogue Filter 442 from Mojo Hand FX brings SOOOO much funk to the table, yet utilizes only two control knobs, making it easy to dial in, yet complex in the amount of range you have for such a simple configuration....
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When the crew at Pelican NoiseWorks released the Pelitaur Fuzz a couple years ago, it took the effects community by storm, and we were lucky enough to get our hands on one to check out (review and demo here). Since then, they’ve decided that one of the sides of that crazy creature needed to branch out on its own, in the form of the Half Horse Fuzz, which we’re going to take a look at today. A dynamic JFET fuzz circuit that...
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Newer effects pedals that are based on older effects, or electronic unit, or tape machines, or screen projectors, or whatever, always put a smile on our face. Taking something that might not have been geared towards our current effects world and utilizing the sounds it makes to enhance our musical world is a fascinating concept, so we’re stoked about today’s featured pedal. The Jive from our pals in Germany, JPTR FX, is a...
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HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY! We’re going to start off 2019 the same way we ended 2018: with POWER. While the Camper Fuzz from CroyTone Audio focused on the fuzzy side of things, today’s pedal takes a crack at the distortion market, and does so with blistering abandon. The Metal Shock’s name alone should give you a clue as to what it can do – this is a modern, high-gain distortion pedal that is just quivering with...
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Since this will be our last review and demo of the year, we wanted to go out with a BANG!, and boy, does today’s pedal deliver on all fronts. The Camper Fuzz is a creation developed by CroyTone Audio, based in St. Louis, Missouri, and produces gain, volume and tone that will shake your walls and mystify your very soul. With enough settings and options to make it almost four different fuzzes in one, this seemingly simple beauty...
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There are certain series of pedals that seem to really stand the test of time, and stand out themselves, as individuals and as a collective group. The 9 Series and Tone-Lok pedals from Ibanez. Mid-80’s Boss pedals. The late 70’s DOD bigboxes. And, the group we’re going to venture into today: the Hardwire Series from DigiTech. This 10 pedal series featured a wide range of genres to choose from, and today we want to...
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The Tremolo Effect. It’s been heard, loved and loathed by many on countless records throughout the decades, and, regardless of if you’re a fan of it or not, you can’t deny it’s place in musical history. Starting with circuits in amplifiers and moving gradually to our beloved effects pedalboards, it comes in many shapes, iterations and styles. Sometimes, though, simple is the best solution, and we’re going...
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Merry Christmas-Hanukkah-Kwanzaa-Boxing Day-Omisoka-Yule to you all, hope your celebrations were safe, festive and full of love and friendship! Now, back to business: today’s pedal is an absolute CRUSHER. Taking the world of distortion and completely throwing it for a loop, the PLASMA High Voltage Distortion Unit from Gamechanger Audio reinvents the way a high gain pedal should look, feel, sound and perform. Using updated and...
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Sometimes, in certain pedalboard real estate situations, the smaller the pedal the better. Today’s featured piece of gear will have no problem fitting into any musical tetris-type situation, as it is so small it can be placed virtually anywhere with a perfect fit. The Bluesy Overdrive is another gem from our friends at CNZ Audio, and, while tiny, packs a huge sound and excellent amp-enhancing tone. Let’s take a look at...
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We dig a good hard rocking, amp crushing, super clipping distortion pedal around here (who doesn’t?), and today’s featured piece of monster machinery scratches all of our high gain itches. A simple pedal built around a simple need, the Thallium 81 Hard Clipping Distortion pedal from Fat Foot Effects brings the thunder, but not in an overpowering kind of way. With a plug and play mentality, easy-to-use parameters and some...
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The Tube Screamer. Iconic. Classic. Overdrive. Green. All of these things it may be, and there have been many copies/recreations that have tried to capture that special tone as well. Today’s pedal uses the famous green monster as a base, then builds on it, adding switches and options to produce a more complete overall unit of sound. The Hangover Overdrive comes to us from Rocket Scientists Electronics, and, as you can clearly...
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There’s no mistaking the bright red glory that comes with every single effects pedal we see from Sioux Guitars, which should make it no surprise that the bright red beauty we’re checking out today comes straight from Sioux City, Iowa, as well. The Flood of ’53 is aptly named after a huge rainfall that hit and flooded the town those many decades ago, and just like the big waves and ripples through the city, this...
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We love a gritty, dirty preamp boost overdrive pedal, because who doesn’t? The Dirty Boy from Massive Unity Ltd. is just that, a powerful, clean-looking but dirty-sounding effect that is powered by T.A.E. (proprietary tube amp emulation) technology. Based on the amp used by legendary guitarist Blues Saraceno, which was built by his dad, this pedal features two different modes, a bunch of options and a whole slew of sounds that...
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We recently had the opportunity to check out the Distortion 1 from LunaStone Pedals, and were more than impressed with its build, layout and incredible sound quality. Following in those exact footsteps, today’s pedal from LunaStone is a different animal overall, but retains the quality that these guys are putting out in their effects. The Red Fuzz 1 gives you the feel and power of a true Marshall stack in a small box that will...
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There is nothing like the sound of a Marshall stack, particularly a vintage one, perhaps of the Plexi variety, with the classic 4 input configuration. Those in the know have discovered a special secret about these amps: using a patch cable to connect two of the inputs together. This results in the Volume controls from both channels becoming active, and able to be blended at will to produce gorgeous, soaring crunch tones. If...
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There are a lot of speculative stories surrounding the Umibōzu, a mythical sea creature hailing from lore in the Far East. Today’s pedal takes not only that beast’s name, but the mystery, terror and power that engulf it, and force it outwards, via your amplifier. The Umibōzu Fuzz from Rougarou Pedals has a simple setup, but the tones this monster puts out are far from easy, ordinary or even sometimes logical. BEWARE! The...
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After the powerhouse of a pedal we witnessed last month in the American Geek from Zander Circuitry, we couldn’t wait to delve into their next offering, a rare THREE-IN-ONE pedal that has more options than you’ll know what to do with. The Avalanche is described as a “Harmonic Clipping Trifecta,” and it certainly gives you three completely different sounds to concoct your next sonic meal with. Fuzz, Boost,...
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