Anyone who knows Lone Wolf Audio and its proprietor, Joe Anastasio, knows that they don’t mess around when it comes to effects pedals geared (pun intended) towards the heavier side of music. Today’s featured pedal, the Outer Heaven Fuzz, continues that staunch tradition by bringing a fury of fuzzy and distorted tones to the forefront, while taking your average fuzz pedal and flipping it upside down and around, as Joe has...
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We loved both the Battering Ram and Echo Drive pedals we reviewed from Wounded Paw Audio, so we were stoked to be able to try another one of their creations for today’s featured pedal. The Black Wolf is a monster of a distortion pedal, with a tone of options for dialing in the perfect tone, and plenty of volume and gain on tap as well. If you’re looking for a clean boost or light overdrive pedal, you’d better get...
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We’ve had a blast over the years reviewing effects pedals from Ninevolt Pedals/Animals Pedal, and today we’re venturing for the first time into acoustic territory from these guys. The Firewood Acoustic D.I. is an active D.I. that fits in both live stages and recording studios alike, using analog and discrete circuits and able to output to a mixer or an amplifier without missing delicate expressions. This simple pedal...
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For some reason, the “Power Series” of pedals made by Ibanez/Maxon in the mid-to-late 80’s don’t get the respect they truly deserve, and we’re bringing you another one of those pedals today to prove it. The DL10 Digital Delay is a simply-controlled, excellent-sounding and now extremely affordable delay effect, one that should definitely be popping up on more boards across the globe. Famed for its crystal...
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This is the Number 23 Fuzz from our friends at Vaux Flores. Small, purple, full of tone and killer in any setup, this fuzz-based beauty features a splash of upper octave cream and heterodyned, atonal artifacts with a sound few compare to. Not overly complex, but with enough gusto and tonal range to get the job done, and done well, let’s put this guy through the ringer and see what comes out on the other side, shall we? Upon...
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With a long-standing tradition of being anything but traditional, Dwarfcraft Devices have been pushing, reshaping and demolishing the sonic envelopes that we are all used to, and show no signs of stopping that in the near future. A perfect example of the inventive and creative products they’re producing is today’s pedal, the Grazer, a bright orange behemoth that acts as a granular repeater, delay, sampler, and all out wack...
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Today’s piece of gear isn’t a pedal, but something that every player should have as the first bit of equipment they buy along with their instrument: a tuner. No ordinary tuner, either, mind you: this thing is in a class all its own, untouched so far by imitators or copycats. Now completely wireless with no phone necessary (although you can still use the app in many beneficial ways), this is some next level tuning right...
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Ahhh, delay….our favorite effect. It comes in so many different shapes and colors and flavors and options, and we love ’em all – not equally, though. Once in a while, an effects pedal makes its way to our shop and we are absolutely blown away, and today’s pedal did exactly that as soon as we plugged it in. The Echoczar Analog Delay from Toneczar Effects is a BBD-infused, vintage-inspired, modulated black beauty...
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Happy Valentine’s Day!….or whatever. Now, here’s something important: If you’re a fan of Andy Summers’ guitar work, there’s a good chance you’ve always tried to figure out just what created those classic sounds that he and The Police became famous for 40 years ago. Today’s pedals is a fantastic recreation of one of the most important pieces to that puzzle, the Electro-Harmonix Electric...
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The folks at Pigtronix have always put out wildly innovative, sonically-pleasing and sometimes futuristic effects, that are always surrounded by questions like, “Who makes that pedal?” or “How did you get that sound?” The purple piece of gear we’ve got today for you to check out and listen to is their newest creation, one that works wonders in both the guitar and bass worlds (and other, too, we’re...
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Today’s guest review comes to us from Jimi Dymond – you can find him on Instagram and with his band Rotten Foxes on Facebook and Bandcamp. Thanks again, Jimi! What can I say? I’m not a fancy man. Technology eludes me, I’m 28 and write on my smartphone with one index finger like a banged up old mum. But there’s one thing I do know about certain types of technology, bass pedals for example. I’ve gone through a lot of...
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Equalization effects pedals tend to get lost in the chatter, what with so many interesting noisemakers available today. They are, however, an important piece to many rigs, and today’s pedal takes it up to a new level in terms of usability and EQ options for your tone. The PA-1QG (there’s also the PA-1QB for bass) from pedal innovators Free The Tone has been specifically designed for your guitar setup, integrating the combo...
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It’s been a little while since we’ve anything in the shop for our friends at Anasounds, but today we’ve got the first of three pedals from their stellar lineup to chat about and demo. A good phaser can add that special something that maybe you didn’t know you needed in your rig, or can be take you on a beautiful, space-infused journey, depending on what you need it for. The Phase Lag is an organic, analog...
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We’ve been getting down and dirty the last few weeks with some incredible distortion pedals, and we’re gonna keep that trend going again today, if you don’t mind. “Good-sounding distortion” and “affordable” don’t always go well together, but today’s pedal just might change your opinion about that. The Flextortion from ModTone Effects is a supreme distortion, featuring enough range...
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Who doesn’t love a good bit of ambience in their music? Well, lots of folks, probably, but for those of us that dig it, today’s pedal is going to blow your mind. The Astronaut V.2 from Shift Line is a multiverb space reverb unit, with numerous program algorithms to choose from and tones that stretch beyond the far reaches of outer space. A space-saver without a large manual to try and decipher, this plug and play beauty is...
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Today’s featured effect not only showcases some incredible sonic prowess from the designers, it also gives a nod to one of our favorite television shows EVER. For those of you who marveled in ‘Stranger Things’ like most of the rest of the world, you’ll surely recognize the name Demogorgon, the moniker given to this insane pedal. Blending in elements of fuzz, tremolo and reverb, this beastly monster sounds...
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You all have fun at NAMM last week(end)? Well, we’ve got one of the premiere effects from the show for you RIGHT NOW! Continually pushing the musical envelope is what it’s all about these days, especially in the crowded effects pedal market. Colt and the squad at Walrus Audio seem to be keeping themselves up near the lead in this crazy race, and with today’s pedal, they just might take the lead. The Fathom is a...
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Although we’re not the fastest or most technical of players around here, we sure can appreciate a good heavy metal tune, and the pedal we’re going to look at today is capable of providing the tones needed for speed, thrash, glam, black, death and other metal genres with ease. Robert and the kids at Keeley Electronics have covered just about all the bases when it comes to effects, and the Filaments High Gain Distortion is...
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After being able to check out the revered White Pedal from Jext Telez, we were excited to see what dirty effect they had for us this go-round – color us impressed again. The Buzz Tone is a germanium fuzz that also has trace elements of overdrive packed right in, for an all-encompassing tonal spectrum of sounds. The easy controls hide a wide dimension of tones, and the secret weapon here really pushes the envelope on what a...
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While everyone is always out to find a great deal, there don’t seem to be a ton of decent options for low-priced gear that sounds great in the world of effects pedals. That all changed when we plugged in today’s featured pedal and went for a funky, delay-filled ride down the rabbit hole. The Time Force from NUX is a multi modulation digital delay, with a ton of different echo modes and fun around every delay-infused...
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We’ve all had a pedal, effects or vintage sound-making machine that has peaked our curiosity for years, but have never had the ways or means to acquire said piece of gear. One of the most famous of these is undoubtedly the Echoplex EP-3 from Maestro, a warm echo machine full of tasty modulated delays, and one responsible for many of the classic and iconic recorded tones ever put down on tape. These units, however, are...
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After getting the chance to review and demo the M-1 Ram’s Head Fuzz from Buffalo FX, we were looking forward to something a little milder from them, as the M-1 was a real powerhouse (in only the best of ways, mind you). They responded with the Carrera Overdrive, a low-to-mid gain boostable dirt pedal that was designed for clean and edge-of-breakup types of tones. Combining an easy-to-use control layout with impressive circuitry...
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As it turns out, our first foray into the world of effects pedals from Bogner Amplification is a good one. The Burnley Distortion features a simple control setup, transformer design by one of the most famous audio pioneers in the business and an LED that reacts to your playing. What else could you possibly need from a slick, purple, monster of a dirt pedal? You’re correct: nothing. Assembled with a 100% analog circuit, the...
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2-in-1 pedals are fairly badass, and always welcome into the musical fold around here. Every once in a while, however, we get to check out the rare and even more fun THREE-in-1 pedal, one of which has graced us with its presence today. The High Tide from M.D. Effects is a chorus, reverb and delay all mixed together, with a boatload of options for tweaking this sonic beauty to fit literally any musical situation you may come across...
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The Earth Drive from Sarno Music Solutions was one of the best drives we had the pleasure of reviewing lately, so we were equally stoked to check out its big brother, the Solar Flare Distortion. Featuring another user-friendly control section and a whole slew of killer tones to drive your amp, this second offering from Sarno lived up to expectations, and then some. Get ready to blast some eardrums and rock some faces, this is the...
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After checking out the new Getaway Driver from our friends at Orange Amps a couple months ago, we were excited to plug in the Fur Coat, another new effect in their lineup. This monster is a vintage fuzz loosely based on the Foxx Tone Machine, with an added octave option, for full tonal control and all the dirt you can handle. User-friendly controls and aesthetically intriguing artwork make this one fuzz that’s sure to...
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Ambient reverb pedals have been all the rage over the last few years, and today’s featured pedal stands right up there with the best of them. The Mercury Seven were the first group of American astronauts to be chosen to go to space, way back in 1959, and the Mercury7 Reverb pays homage to their journey into the unknown. An options-laden reverb pedal that sends you high into the atmosphere, with no real knowledge of if...
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Overdrive effects are, let’s face it, everywhere, and in order to stand out from the crowd, you’ve got to do something pretty special. The crew over at Bomes Electric has done just that with today’s featured pedal, the Sir-Gains-A-Lot, a dual preset boost overdrive that sings with amp-pushing flash and gorgeous sustain. Extremely user-friendly and a cinch to program, this pedal is perfect for the beginning of any...
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Delay is pretty much our favorite effect around here, from a slight slap back to an endless echo through space and time, and today’s function-filled pedal takes us on a journey that covers just about all the bases you need in the delay world. The Andromeda from Seymour Duncan is labeled as a dynamic digital delay, but there are wonderful analog aspects present here, too, plus some modulation, MIDI stuff and more. A real...
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We love a good dual effect pedal around these parts, and the pedal we’re taking a gander at today features two beloved tones in spades. The FuzzBubble 45 from Analog Alien is an overdrive and fuzz in one, combining a couple of classic sounds into one pretty purple box, and giving you all the dirt you can handle. Giving you multiple tonal options ranging through a lot of years past, this beast is sure to have you sounding like...
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While we don’t often do many bass pedal reviews (sorry, guys), we’ve got a pedal today that guitarists AND fans of the low end will appreciate and marvel in. Based on the famed Akai Deep Impact SB-1 Bass Synth, the Future Impact I is also a bass synthesizer pedal, offering more options and parameter controls than the the Akai, but all the while staying true to the sounds it has become famous for creating. Ready to take a...
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We’ve been wanting to get our grubby mitts on a pedal from Wilson Effects for a couple of years now, and that day has finally arrived. Today’s featured pedal, the Stoned Grasshopper, not only has one of the best monikers we’ve come across so far, but also houses three independent effects that can be used by themselves or in conjunction with each other. While Boost, Overdrive and Fuzz are three fairly popular effects...
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The last couple of pedals we’ve checked out from ZVEX Effects have been pretty wild, untamed and crazy, to say the least. Today’s pedal brings us back into reality, if just a hair, for a truly powerful and rocking overdrive/distortion effect, via the Box of Rock. A classic in its own right, this little silver gem appears on pedalboards and in rigs throughout the world, and we were lucky enough to get our hands on one to...
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Combining delay and reverb into one effect should absolutely be done more often, especially if the result is anything like today’s featured piece of gear. Improving a bit on the first version of this pedal, the Caverns Delay Reverb V2 takes everything we loved from the initial go-round and fine tunes it all into a still-compact enclosure with amazing sonic prowess. With three reverb modes and an analog, tape-style delay,...
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There’s a decent chance you’ve heard of the famous Echoplex EP-3 Tape Delay from Maestro, made popular in the 70’s and 80’s by Andy Summers, Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, and Brian May, among others. You may also know that these older units are finicky, tricky to repair, costly at times and not always the most road-worthy for the touring musician. That’s where today’s pedal comes in: the Belle Epoch...
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Having recently reviewed and demoed a couple of pedals from our pals down under at Midnight Amplification, the Sentinel Reverb Overdrive and the Giant Sound Preamp Boost Fuzz, we were wicked excited to delve into yet another one of these Aussie-created effects. The Mynd Driver, in addition to having an awesome name, also conjured up some incredible overdrive sounds, from slight to heavy, with a lot of variation between the extremes....
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There are a ton of great reverb pedals on the market right now, so you’ve got to do something to stand out from the pack to succeed. The crew at JHS Pedals is pretty good at that in general, and today’s pedal is no exception. The Spring Tank Reverb not only provides lush, amp-type spring reverb tones, but gives you a second channel from which to select for a different reverb depth at any given moment. The two independent...
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If you haven’t noticed by now, we like delay pedals here…a lot. Needless to say, we were pretty stoked to hear about the release of the Rubberneck Analog Delay from DOD / DigiTech, and were finally able to get our hands on one to review and demo for you. Let’s just say this machine has a cool retro vibe, with echo sounds spanning decades, and more options in an analog delay pedal than we may have ever seen. Buckle...
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Instrument crossovers are fairly rare in this business, but we’re super-excited about the one we’re bringing you today. The PLUS is a piano-style sustain pedal from Gamechanger Audio, and while that may seem like a not-too-flashy effect, it is. All the ambience and swells you’ve been searching for in countless reverb pedals presents itself here in a unique and unexplored fashion, giving you a ton of layers and audio...
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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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One of the new key ingredients to our demo video sound is the marvelous Black Box from Sarno Music Solutions, a true audiophile quality, vacuum tube pickup driver that brings your tone to life. In addition to this marvel, they also make some effects pedals, and today we’re going to look at the Earth Drive Overdrive Boost. An easy control section makes this one a cinch to set and go, but there’s a lot to be discovered...
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Every now and again, we get an effect coming through our shop that defies all reason, logic and musicality, and those pedals usually come straight from Akron, Ohio. If you don’t know by now (all 3 of you), EarthQuaker Devices has been not just pushing, but destroying the sonic envelope for the last decade or so, crushing everyone and everything in its path to total oddity domination in the effects pedal world. Today’s...
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What can you say about the crop of pedals coming out of Portland, Oregon from Spaceman Effects? They have taken on a life all their own, with limited edition runs, outside-the-box designs and sonic explorations and a design, both inside and outside the pedals, that is rivaled by none. We try to get our hands on each pedal they release, just to see what they’ve come up with now, and are proud to bring you their latest today: the...
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The Big Muff Pi “Ram’s Head” fuzz circuit is one of the most well-known, coveted and revered sounds in the history of guitar effects, heard on countless classic albums and in live shows over the past 4+ decades. While the original pedals are expensive and difficult to obtain, there are a number of companies who make tasty recreations of this type of sound, emulating that specific fuzz tone to a T. The M-1 Ram’s...
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Happy Thanksgiving Weekend, American readers – hope you had a good one! We’ve got a killer overdrive boost pedal for y’all today, coming straight outta Indianapolis, Indiana. The Dream Drive features a simple enclosure, basic controls and not a lot of frills, but when a drive sounds like this one does, who needs anything else? Taking its inspiration from classic, overdriven tube amps, the Dream Drive is a uniquely...
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Sometimes, you see a pedal and, for purely aesthetic reasons, say to yourself, “I gotta check this thing out.” Well, that’s how we’ve felt about the Bloody Finger Distortion from the Guitar Tone Company (GTC) for some time now, and were super-stoked to finally get our grubby mitts on one. No disappointment here, folks, this guy is the real deal, with a simple control section, and enough power and gusto to bring...
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Having been fans of Ryan Adams’ music for years, we were pretty stoked about his collaboration with JHS Pedals and PaxAm Records in the form of today’s featured effect, the VCR (Volume-Chorus-Reverb). Inspired by 80’s guitar heroes and Ryan’s signature sound, this pedal takes three effects, crams them into one box and gives you a ton of combination options for adding slight nuances of sound or bold, fat tonal...
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Over the years, we’ve reviewed some awesome pedals from our Canadian friends Fairfield Circuitry, and today we get to do it once more. The Shallow Water is a K-Field Modulator pedal, one that mixes in elements of chorus, flanger, vibrato and more, to form a distinctly exclusive new type of effect. Built using simulation mathematics and old tape echo flavors, this hard-to-classify pedal is right up our alley. A Rate control...
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After the success of the DD-500 Delay pedal they put out late in 2015, Boss decided to ride the wave and issue two more similarily-shaped but vastly different effects machines, one of which we’ll take a look at today. The MD-500 focuses on modulation effects, and we have a review coming up for that one, but let’s check out the RV-500 right now, a mega-powerful reverb with more ambient options than you can shake a Fender...
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In the land of 2-in-1 effects pedals, there are a ton of fairly familiar combinations we’ve encountered over the years – Boost/Overdrive, Delay/Reverb, Chorus/Vibrato, etc. Today’s pedal takes a bit of a left turn from the norm, combining Overdrive and Reverb, for a marvelous new sonic equation. The Sentinel from Australia’s own Midnight Amplification mixes these two effects in a unique yet extremely useable...
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