Plugging into a really loud, dirty effects pedal that just rocks your amplifier is one of the purest joys in life. When you get to it with a pedal that is a distortion AND a fuzz, that makes it even better. The Distorter from MidValleyFX says it all in its name, as it unleashes distortion fury, destroying everything in its path, and has a couple of different sonic options for days, weeks and years of fun. The simple control section on...
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We love a good delay around here, analog OR digital, and there’s only one thing better than having a pedal with one delay, right….? One that has TWO delays! The Deep Space is a dual digital delay from Homenoise Effects, and it features not only two separate echo circuits, but a couple of tasty options that will make it a must-have for anyone who loves clean, crisp and sometimes out-of-this-world delay tones. Lots to...
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We’ve got something a little different for you today, something that’s a brand-new design, and just may totally change the MIDI landscape in the effects world. POLY Expressive is a MIDI foot controller, but one like you’ve never seen before. Using specific direction, position and pressure commands, all executed hands-free with your feet, this genius invention allows you to really open up the MIDI capabilities locked...
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TWENTY-FIVE VOLTS OF POWER? Welcome to today’s beast of an overdrive, folks: the Two Five 25V from classic noisemakers Wren and Cuff. It’s been a minute since we had a pedal of theirs pass through the shop, and what a way to return! This yellow monster reminds us of those striped, buzzing insects you hope don’t sting you on a picnic, full of terror, gusto, determination and oozing with grit and tone. Not only do the...
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If you’re on the lookout for nice, simple, run-of-the-mill overdrive/distortion effect, today’s featured pedal is definitely NOT for you. The Kismet from Ramble FX houses everything you love about dirt pedals, from clean boost to almost heavy metal, into one enclosure, but adds a ton of options and features as well. Four presets, toggling/cycling, expression pedal control, even MIDI and more, this blue tank can easily...
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Sometimes, huge things arrive in extremely small packages. At just 3.5″ x 3.5″ x 3.5″, today’s featured pedal packs a big punch while taking up minimal real estate on your pedalboard. The Oscar from Night Owl Industries is an all-tube preamp, designed to boost your signal, overdrive a distortion pedal, bring out the best in your amplifier and more, fitting in to any rig around. The Oscar uses either an EF86...
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Right away, today’s featured pedal jumps out at you: big box, crazy, futuristic graphics and knobs the size of small cars…well, not really, but it’s a bold-looking effect, for sure. Once you plug in the Spitfire Overdrive Distortion from Lauren Audio, you realize all of your excitement and fear was not for nothing, as gorgeous dirt tones drip and ooze from your amplifier. Created by Lauren Audio in sunny Southern...
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We have been fortunate enough to review and demo the entire lineup of effects pedals from the crew at Animals Pedal, and are once again more than happy to bring you their latest offering today. Designed in conjunction with another well-known and respected pedal builder, the Tioga Road Cycling Distortion is nice and compact in physicality, but huge in tone and presence. Re-creating all your favorite classic rock guitar sounds, along...
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A couple weeks back, we reviewed a pedal from do-it-yourselfers MOD Kits DIY, the Suspended Chime Chorus Delay, and were pleasantly surprised by how good an inexpensive pedal could sound. Well, we’re back with another one of theirs today, the Verb Deluxe, a reverb with a basic layout and controls, but with a lot of soul and character to share with the world. If you’re looking for an extra little sparkle to add to your...
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We are gonna get down and dirty today, folks, with a pedal that throws all caution and sonic civility to the wind, then steps on it and smashes it to pieces. The Bit Reactor is a hardware bit crusher and downsampler, creating vintage video game noises and producing real-world signals with a stream of 1s and 0s. Want a wild and wack effect that gets into octave and fuzz territory, all while conjuring up auditory memories of your youth...
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Where do we begin with today’s featured pedal? Just when you thought Joel and the Chase Bliss Audio team couldn’t top themselves, here comes the Thermae, an analog delay and pitch shifter to top all analog delays and pitch shifters. Capable of more out-of-this-world sounds than you’d ever think possible, this blue marvel takes playing music to another echelon, vaulting your creativity and inspiration to entirely new...
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The effects company Montreal Assembly is an elusive entity in today’s modern world, with little to no online presence, just a basic website and little social media activity. Somehow, they’ve managed to make an incredible name for themselves, and we get to check out one of their now-discontinued creations today. The Positive Overdrive Distortion is just that: a driving force of gritty tone and crunchy distortion that leaves...
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Remember when you first discovered how to add a little bit of funk into your playing? Those couple of chords that you could jam on forever, thinking you were going to form the next Parliament or be the next Stevie Wonder, but on guitar? The Blurst from Electro-Harmonix is a modulated filter pedal that brings the funk with authority, while adding in some fun twists and turns, and always keeping a smile on your face. Diverting slightly...
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Not that they need any introduction, but the crew at EarthQuaker Devices just keeps on crushing it, and although today’s pedal might not be their newest release, it’s on par with everything else in their vast catalog of effects pedals. The Spires is a double fuzz inspired by a classic fuzz pedal AND a now-discontinued piece of EarthQuaker gear. Easy to use, fun to play and inspiring to hear, let’s check out this...
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The folks at Free The Tone are known for their extravagant, options-laden effects pedals, many of which we’ve had the pleasure to review and demo. That said, when today’s pedal arrived in the mail, we were a bit shocked to discover that it had just THREE control knobs, and didn’t have any of the thrilling digital fun that usually accompanies their gear. In typical fashion, however, they have managed to surpass our...
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Continuing with a streak of impressive effects pedal creations, the crew at M.D. Effects brings us another tasty morsel to devour. Today’s featured pedal is The Timber, a versatile low-mid gain overdrive boost that is derived from a completely original circuit, and features a couple surprises thrown into the mix. A completely new approach to the traditional “gain stage,” this green monster offers up a wide range of...
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Sometimes, you just need ONE knob to get some incredible tone out of your guitar and amp. Today’s featured pedal proves that in spades, bringing a wide range of tones and dBs to work with and apply to your sound, beefing it up with any coloration. The B1G 1 is a simple gain booster, but has been designed by and electronics guru, and brings true studio quality right onto your pedalboard. The B1G 1 is an all-analog gain boost with...
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We love seeing effects arrive at the shop from smaller pedal companies who are up-and-coming in the game, and we are going to check out a scorcher of a fuzz today. Andrew and Tori from MidValleyFX have built the Go To Fuzz, and aptly-named distortion that could just be the one effect in your rig you rely on the most moving forward. Simple and powerful, this gated beauty can conjure up classic and distinguished tones, while...
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Cross-company collaborations are always a fun excursion in the effects pedal world, and today’s featured piece of gear is from two of the best. Robert Keeley and Keeley Electronics have partnered up with Dan and Mick, from the hugely popular YouTube series That Pedal Show, to create an overdrive/boost combo pedal that features a wide range of tones, spanning the full spectrum of overdriven glory throughout its many options and...
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Since the inception of Pedal of the Day, Mike and Vick Audio have been one of our biggest supporters, and we in turn have had the pleasure of checking out many of their pedals over the years. Consistently putting out beautiful, excellent-sounding machines, we’ve come to expect killer sound and fantastic build quality from them, and the pedals always live up to these high standards. The V-2 Overdrive Distortion is no different, a...
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We get pedals coming through the office here from time to time that are so fun and so insane that they’re difficult to write about. The Tesla Oscilador (Oscillating Tesla, for you English-speakers) from Lee de Forest is a synthesizer-fuzz-envelope-filter-harmonizer-laser-maker of a pedal – again, difficult to write about. While you’ll get the best idea of what this thing can do from the demo video below, we’ll...
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The Uni-Vibe is an iconic effect, whether coming from Hendrix and Band of Gypsy’s “Machine Gun,” Robin Trower’s “Bridge of Sighs” or multiple tracks from “Dark Side of the Moon” from Pink Floyd, you’ve heard it before many times, and chances are you dig it. Today’s pedal seeks to re-create those iconic effects units of the past, with a couple new enhancements as well. The...
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Roadie Bass has finally arrived and it will change the way you tune bass guitars. This tuner has all the features of Roadie 2 and a powerful motor which turns even those rusty pegs. Twice as powerful as Roadie 2, Roadie Bass does not require a mobile phone to work, allowing you to tune wherever you are, and lets you tune up to 150 strings on a single charge. Automatically tunes all string instruments including bass, acoustic,...
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Straight-up, no-frills, to-the-point effects pedals are becoming somewhat of a rarity in today’s crazy market, so we were pretty excited about today’s featured piece of gear, a simple-to-use and extremely easy to dial in fuzz pedal from across the way in Slovenia. The MindFuzz from Surfadelic Soundwaves has a bare minimum control section, but is absolutely jam-packed with tone, power and, of course, FUZZ. The little...
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Doom. Sludge. Stoner. Down and dirty, low-tuned and mellowly aggressive music has been around for decades, and has taken on many shapes, forms and monikers. There are certain effects pedal out there that instantly remind you of these types of musical genres, and today’s pedal does just that and more. The Golem Distortion from Deep Space Devices delivers all the low end you could want or need, but also manages to keep things from...
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The Narwhal Distortion Fuzz from PLBR Effects is one of the funnest fuzzes we’ve seen come through as of late, so we were pretty stoked to try out its bug brother, the Maritimus Distortion Fuzz as well. Taking similar controls from the Narwhal and expanding upon them, the Maritimus allows you to further shape your tone and create magnificent walls of distorted fuzz. There’s a lot to get to in this pedal, so let’s...
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As an online reviewer and demo-er of effects pedals, we really like stuff that’s a bit out of the ordinary. “Auditory Signal Disruptor” is one of those phrases that is immediately intriguing, and today’s pedal that happens to be attached to that tagline does not disappoint. The Mountain from our new pals at Frost Giant Electronics just ripped a hole (metaphorically) in our amp the first time we plugged it in,...
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A couple of years ago, a revolutionary delay pedal was unleashed on the market, changing the landscape of effects forever. The Nemesis from Source Audio remains one of the top delays around, even after a few years and a multitude of other have tried to top it. The crew at Source Audio, recognizing this accomplishment, decided to further their sonic adventure and crafted today’s featured pedal, one that’s sure to sit...
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Having reviewed the first and second versions of today’s wicked awesome delay pedal, we were intrigued to see what this latest V3 would bring, and what new and exciting features would be incorporated. Just when you think there are no more improvements to be made, the guys and gals at GFI System manage to top themselves once again, raining down a fury of tones and relatively easy-to-use and intuitive controls, for a well-rounded...
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The resurrection and resurgence of the new Shin-ei brand of pedals started off with the stellar Vibe-Bro (click here for our review and demo), and continues to build and build with more pedals from vintage eras. The Screaming Sister is an octave boost based on the Prescription Electronics’ Clean Octave Boost (COB), a now rare (and crazy expensive) effect used by Doyle Bramhall II, Jonny Lang and more. This simple three-knob box...
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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 Magic Pitched...
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Sometimes, you just need a damn good overdrive pedal to rock your amp with – nothing fancy, no more than three controls and tone that will put a smile on your face for days. Today’s pedal comes to us from new friends M.D. Effects, makers of some of the funnest gear we’ve had the pleasure to review recently, and a company who knows what it means to have a simple drive to just flat rock out. The Warlord started out as...
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Orange Amplification bring back their iconic 1970’s OMEC brand with an ingenious new product, the OMEC Teleport. The Teleport is a soundcard with a twist – in addition to being a studio-quality USB recording interface, it fits inside a guitar pedal – perfect for a gigging musician. The innovative, new OMEC Teleport is a universal connection device compatible with iOS, Android, MacOS or Windows devices without the need for...
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The crew at Big Joe Stomp Box Company has been making solid, great-sounding and easy-to-use effects for a while now, and we’ve had the pleasure to be able to review and demo many of them for you. Today’s is high up on our list of their pedals, for sure, as we are suckers for anything flanger-related, and the B-306 Analog Flange doesn’t disappoint. Boasting a HUGE range of flanger tones, and all the jet engine screech...
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In this current era of “space-saving pedalboard layouts,” isn’t it nice to see some oversized gear that feels no shame for its size and stature? Well, today’s pedal, When The Sun Explodes, from the masterminds down under at Beautiful Noise Effects, comes to you just ripping out of the gates, big and bold and rough all over, just waiting to get a chance to show what it can do. Which is a lot, now that you ask,...
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Jumping into the now-insane world of pedal creation is a daunting task: where to begin, how to solder, what makes a pedal function, etc… Luckily, for anyone who wants to take the plunge, there are companies like MOD Kits DIY, who offer pedal-building kits with different difficulty levels that come with easy to use instructions and use point to point wiring. We’re going to take a look at one of their kits today – The...
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Let’s face it: there’s not really a ‘Maybe’ vote when it comes to compression on your pedalboard – you either dig it or you don’t. Around here, we can’t get enough of it, and always look forward to another pedal sending us into the realm of sustain and tone-balancing, and we’ve got another one for you today. The R-Comp Compressor from Vick Audio recreates one of the most famous comps in...
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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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You know that feeling you get when you hear that first Dm chord and opening lick of ‘Shakedown Street,’ or the first few funked-up keys at the start of ‘Superstiton?’ Well, you might not, but if you do, today’s pedal is right in your wheelhouse. The Disco Terrapin from Hochstrasser Electronics is a super funk machine, an envelope filter and auto wah conceived with numerous options and a wide range of...
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We dig a good Leslie cabinet emulating effects pedal around here, and one that is low-budget-friendly is always a welcome perk. The Big Spender Spinning Speaker, designed and distributed as Billionaire by Danelectro, covers both areas, while managing to create some incredibly useful and tone-enhancing sounds. Self-described as the “best ever spinning speaker tones,” the Big Spender does in fact utilize just a couple of...
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When we recently had the opportunity to review the DB-CL Dual Band Compressor Limiter from FEA Labs, we were blown away by what a compressor could truly be, and were excited to check out some more of their gear. Luckily, the Photon Fuzz II arrived and we were able to scratch that itch rather quickly. This fuzz is extremely versatile, with options and tones specifically designed for BOTH guitar and bass, and makes each of them sound...
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The Klon. There might not be a more easily-recognizable, more debated-about effect on the planet. And since they are rare and pricy, there are a LOT of copycats out there, but how to choose the right one? Well, the quest for the perfect clone may have just ended – welcome in the Centura Professional Overdrive from Ceriatone Amplification. Aesthetics aside, this beast sounds spot on to its original counterpart, made with...
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Man, the little guys have just been KILLING it lately! Today’s fantastic piece of gear represents how the smaller companies around the world are creating amazing effects, not just the ones here in the States. The Narwhal Distortion Fuzz from PLBR Effects comes to us all the way from Croatia, and apparently, there’s something in the water there, because this pedal is just incredible. Distortion and Fuzz are not usually...
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The first pedal we had the pleasure of reviewing and demoing from M.D. Effects, the High Tide, was a gamechanger in the realms of chorus, reverb and delay. Today, we get to explore one of those genres in depth, via another M.D. pedal. The Moondust is a stereo reverb pedal that features wide soundscapes, gorgeous overtones and lush, inspired reverb sounds, all packed into a sparkled, space-themed enclosure, perfect for any musical...
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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 are starting off with the Cathedral Reverb. The...
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Today’s post, while not technically “pedal-related,” is still an exciting discovery on our part (maybe we’re just late to the party, who knows?). Though we don’t cover a TON of acoustic pedals here, we have had our fair share, and are, of course, always looking to improve the sound of ALL our instruments, not just the ones that are loud and ROCK. Coming across the website FU-Tone.com was a bit daunting,...
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Here at Pedal of the Day, we’ve always tried to support the little guy, the company consisting of one or two employees, working in a basement somewhere, trying to create an effect they think the masses will love. These qualities are most certainly represented here today with our featured pedal, the Ahab Overdrive from Pine-Box Customs. Their flagship overdrive is an all-analog, amp-like pedal, pushing your amp into glorious (but...
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The phaser is one of those effects that is excellent a being both subtle and super-nutso-crazy, so we’re always up for checking out any company’s take on one of our favorite effect genres. Today we’re going to look at the R-408 RAW Phaser from Big Joe Stomp Box Company, a vintage analog phase machine loaded with a ton of classic sounds, yet featuring an easy on-board control system. Parameter-wise, there’s...
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We love fuzz pedals around here, and the only thing better than a killer fuzz effect is….that’s right, TWO fuzzes in one pedal. The Bitoun is a Doubled Octave Fuzz from our friends in France Anasounds, and while looking seemingly simple from the bare bones control section, this guy is anything but. Based around the Shin-Ei Superfuzz pedal from the 60’s, the Bitoun Fuzz also incorporates aspects of Anasounds’...
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Today’s guest review comes to us from Dominick F. – you can find him here on Twitter. Thanks again, man! The Meris Polymoon is an incredible delay pedal based off of old Rack unit modules. With relative ease create lush reverb sounds or even syncopated rhythmic trails. With up to 1200ms of delay with or without tap tempo and premium analog JFET inputs, this beast offers crisp and clean high quality audio. Onto some of the controls:...
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