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,...
Read MoreWho wants to get FUNKY? Today’s pedal is just about all you’ll need to do so, and with mind-blowing results, too. The Maxon AF-9 Auto Filter Envelope Wah Super-Machine easily creates down and dirty grooves, popping chords and all the Parliament/Funkadelic sounds you can imagine. Let’s check it out… The AF-9 is an optical analog envelope filter, reminiscent of the classic Musitronics Mu-Tron III, made famous by...
Read MoreEarlier this year, we finally got around to checking out the original Octron Octave Divider from Foxrox Electronics, and we thought it was just an incredible piece of gear. Fast-forward to today, and we’ve got the next iteration of this steel gray beauty for you, complete with upgrades, more options and that same killer circuitry and tone. The Octron3 features a smaller enclosure, two additional toggle switches and an analog...
Read MoreWe love the simplicity of the line of effects pedals coming out of Pittsburgh, PA, from our pal Clayton and American Wizard Toneworks. That said, it was nice to see today’s pedal step up the game a little bit, and add some much-appreciated controls into the mix, making the Blk Fuzz Plus a true powerhouse in the world of fuzz pedals. Containing an extra channel and some tone-shaping capabilities, this black beauty gives you all...
Read MoreWhat can we say about the pedals that Spaceman Effects puts out? They’re pricy, they’re hard to find and they all sound incredible. Well, that’s a start, anyway. Their latest masterpiece, the Sputnik II Deluxe Germanium Fuzz, takes the already brilliant circuit from the original Sputnik Fuzz, and beefs it up even more, if you can believe it. With a new second mode and a couple more tasty additions, this is a fuzz...
Read MoreWhenever a package arrives carrying ANYTHING from our friends at EarthQuaker Devices, the whole shop seems to light up instantly. Continually reinventing the sonic wheel, Jamie, Julie and the crew keep dazzling our eyes and ears with each new creation, and one of their newest is what we’re going to explore today. The Space Spiral™ is a delay with all the modulation you could want, as well as out-of-control repeats, outer space...
Read MoreLet’s face it: there are a LOT of Big Muff-types of fuzz pedals floating around today, along with the true originals, for a whole lotta muff (hehe). So, when we get a pedal in that bucks convention and tries to forage a musical path of its own, we get pretty damn excited. Today’s featured pedal, the [fz] Fuzz from Hungry Robot Pedals, does just that, utilizing a totally unique fuzz circuit that isn’t based on...
Read MoreSince most of the pedals that come through the shop here are geared towards guitar, today’s pedal was a breath of fresh air, and hopefully an asset to all you bass players out there who think your instrument doesn’t get represented enough (which you’re absolutely right about). The B Station from Hotone Audio is a powerful Preamp + D.I., featuring multiple connections, an FX loop, on-board compressor and more. Since...
Read MoreFor those of us in the know, the pedals from Main.Ace.FX are pretty easy to spot, as they hold a consistent look and feel throughout the lineup created by James Granuzzo. As for their sound, that too is consistent, quality-wise, if not always surprising and creative. Today’s pedal, the Shell Shock Fuzz/Tremolo, is yet another in this impressive group of effects, a 2-in-1 that is chalk-full of sonic exploration and enhancement,...
Read MoreOur first foray into the world of AC Noises effects came about a couple weeks ago, when we had the opportunity to check out their Vola Preamp/Overdrive. Well, we’re back at it today, bringing you a review and demo for the next pedal in their lineup, the Esplora Fuzz. Meaning “explore,” this baby blue beauty is a timeless fuzz effect, offering a ton of tonal variety within a complex yet easy-to-use control section,...
Read MoreUnleashing a fury of new and much-anticipated effects over the course of the last couple of years, the crew at Way Huge continues to excite and defy convention with their effects. Today we’re going to take a gander at one of the newest, the Russian-Pickle Fuzz, a dirt pedal that harkens back to the sweet distorted sounds of the mid-nineties’ BC183C Russian Big Muff, for all the grunge and angst you can handle. Easy to use...
Read MoreAs if Joel Korte and the crew at Chase Bliss Audio hadn’t done enough over the last couple of years to enhance and electrify the effects pedal world, here they come again with another sick auditory creation. The Brothers™ is a Boost, Drive and Fuzz pedal, but, as they say, not necessarily in that order. Full of the patented control layout we’re all used to, plus the classic dipswitch array found on the top of all CBA...
Read MoreThere are a group of pedals from DOD, manufactured decades ago that have been making a resurgence as of late, and we’ve got one of ’em for you today. The 490 Phasor doesn’t have a ton of information on it, but we have narrowed the production date down to around 1978 (we think), making it a vintage classic that features some wild tones that ooze out of this effect. Can’t get much simpler than two knobs, but...
Read MoreAfter we brought you our review of the first pedal in the Animals Pedal lineup, the Rust Rod Fuzz, we now bring you the second out of five total pedals. The Car Crush is a Chorus and Vibrato pedal, an excellent modulation device that gives you the ability to span different musical eras and decades with ease. Tap into your inner Jimi with the click of a button, create sounds from the Summer of Love and even morph your sound to fit...
Read MoreSometimes we here at Pedal of the Day stumble across a relatively unknown, hard-to-find-info-on pedal that really rocks our world, and we’re going to check one of them out today. The Dynamic Delay from Tone Monster is an excellent delay that we acquired for less than $50, and it can hold its own with some of the big boys in the delay world, make no mistake. Simple and elegant, with a couple fun functions, this white wizard looks...
Read MoreWe recently had the privilege to review the first of two pedals from Life Is Unfair, the Dream Left Behind Fuzz, which we were quite impressed with, especially for it being just a one-knobber. Today we’re going to take a look at the only other pedal in their current lineup, the Awkward Breed Fuzz. While boasting one more control knob and some different sounds, this pedal takes fuzz to the next level, as you’ll soon read...
Read MoreIf you guys have ever had the pleasure to play an effects pedal from the warped mind of Joe Anastasio from Lone Wolf Audio, you know what kind of crazy gear that dude creates. Today we’re going to look at one of the wackiest, awesomest pieces of musical equipment we’ve seen, a pedal that really can’t fit into just one category, but will revive your interest in how music and sound are created. The Acetylene Nirvana is...
Read MoreThere are a LOT of effects pedals that claim they are an “amp in a box,” but when a company who actually has been building amps for decades creates a pedal, you know it’s legit. The 1305 Drive from Supro takes everything that has always sparkled about their lineup of amps and condenses it into an extremely pedalboard-friendly package. Using an actual output transformer and re-creating the real circuitry of a Supro...
Read MoreFrom the twisted, brilliant mind of Jack Deville comes another pedal in his line of effects with the Friday Club moniker, the PD100. This simple-looking overdrive is anything but, producing a good bit of crunch when dimed, and a wonderfully clean boost when set at lower levels. A perfect front-end effect for your board, it will drive an amp into sweet sonic glory and work with other pedals to enhance your all-around tone. The Master...
Read MoreToday’s featured pedal will not only enhance your tone and drive either a tube or solid state amp, but proceeds from its sales help to fund a family farm in Maine as well. The Casco Logger is the first pedal from our new friends at Farm Pedals that we’ve had the privilege to demo and review, and this simple orange box made quite an impression on us. A simple overdrive, it can be used as a great clean boost as well, and...
Read MoreThe effects pedals coming out of the SiB Electronics camp are all fairly unique in design and sound, and we’re excited to look at another one of their musical concoctions today. If you’re a fan of the Phaser genre, you’ll really dig the Mr. Fazeadelic. This dual channel phaser gives off tones that will send your sound back to the psychedelic era with a quickness, or add a slight bit of shimmer and pizazz to your...
Read MoreContinuing in the tradition of reviewing and demoing the Roller series from Classic Audio Effects, today we bring you our third pedal featuring this unique design. We loved how the Stumphouse Drive and Transponder Delay worked with this particular innovation, so of course we were excited to see how it worked with a reverb effect. The result is the Yukon Reverb Roller, a reworking of Classic Audio’s Amethyst Reverb, with a great...
Read MoreDiscovering new companies, especially ones that are overseas, is always a thrill for us here at Pedal of the Day. Today’s featured pedal comes to us from Italy, where a couple comprised of a music composer and a photographer/illustrator have combined their talents to produce a new and exciting collection of effects pedals. The Vola is a Preamp/Overdrive, with simple controls and a lot of sounds packed into its enclosure, so...
Read MoreWe have been fortunate enough over the last few years to have reviewed the entire lineup of effects from Ninevolt Pedals, and the crew behind those affordable and excellent-sounding pedals are back with another lineup and a different name. The Rust Rod Fuzz from Animals Pedal is the first of 5 pedals from this company that we will be reviewing and demoing, and this one started off the tour with a bang! Designed by Skreddy Pedals, this...
Read MoreOver the last few years, Jeorge Tripps and Way Huge Electronics® have been re-releasing some of their classic pedals, most with some sort of update, to the delight of many who enjoyed the originals. Those had become incredibly rare and expensive, but the new reissues are well-priced and easy to obtain, thus rejuvenating the brand once again. Today’ we’re going to check out the newer version of one of the rarest originals...
Read MoreIf for some reason, you still don’t know about or haven’t experienced any of the sonic marvels that Walrus Audio continually puts out into the effects community, you need to get on that quick (after you read this and watch the demo, of course). For the rest of us, it comes as no surprise that Colt and the crew have come up with an incredible new tremolo to unleash on the world: the Monument Harmonic Tap Tremolo. Featuring...
Read MoreIt seems like we’ve had a fairly steady stream of compressors coming through the shop lately, but nothing had prepared us for today’s mammoth of a pedal that arrived from Retrospec Audio’s shop in Weehawken, NJ. The Squeeze Box is a studio-quality optical compressor/limiter that has been sized down into pedal form, albeit a pretty big pedal. Every compression and limiting sound and tone you could really want or need...
Read MoreToday, we’re checking out something a little different from our normal pedal reviews: a wireless guitar system. From Xvive Audio comes the U2 Rechargeable 2.4GHz Wireless Guitar System, a pair of wireless adapters that let you run all the stage laps and crowd-pleasing jaunts you want, without losing your signal quality or strength. This is a completely different design than we’ve seen before, so let’s check it out!...
Read MoreThe Chaosmic Fuzz pedal that we reviewed and demoed last year was the first offering from Rabbit Hole FX, and since that initial effect, they’ve added a couple more to their lineup, one of which we are going to check out today. The ‘Merkin Fuzz is totally different from its big brother, but features some fun options and separate volume controls, which can be super-useful in the world of fuzz. Let’s see what this...
Read MoreA good chorus pedal can really add depth and dimension to your tone, while a not-so-good one can make you sound a bit cheesy and thin. Today’s featured pedal falls squarely into the former description, providing a warm, lush effect for both emulating guitar heroes of past decades and creating new and exciting modern sounds. The Anadime ADC-4 Chorus is the latest version of this pedal from our pals at Providence, and brings a...
Read MoreAlthough we have already once reviewed this pedal in its ORIGINAL form, the RV-3 Digital Reverb/Delay we’re looking at today has had a key modification added to it, making it even more impressive and useful than before. Josh and the kids at JHS Pedals came up with the Dual Mode Mod for the RV-3, RV-5 or RV-6 pedals, essentially turning it into a 2-in-1 pedal, allowing you to switch between two chosen modes on-the-fly....
Read MoreFor a number of years now, the folks at Pigtronix have been pushing, pulling and re-working the Delay genre with their lineup of echo devices, and we’re going to take a gander at one of the newest ones today. The Echolution 2 Filter Pro is an extremely flexible, option-filled, preset-ridden, multi-tap stereo modulation delay, that’s capable of more than you could care to imagine. However, if you DO think big, and want your...
Read MoreIn an effects world full of clones and “borrowed” circuits, there’s a want, maybe even a NEED, for fresh pedals, new ideas and incredible music-making machines. A company that absolutely adheres to this mantra in Dr. Scientist, who continually reinvests the proverbial sonic wheel, creating unique design after design, some of which we’ve had the pleasure to review. Today’s pedal, the Frazz Dazzler Fuzz,...
Read MoreMost of us have played some version of the famous Tube Screamer pedal before, no matter what model number or differing shade of green it might be, with varying levels of likability. Some players swear by them, others want to toss them in the trash, but one thing remains constant: they’re well-known and not going anywhere soon. Today’s pedal, the TS-777 Ultra from DC Pedals, focuses on the TS-808, possibly the most...
Read MoreWe recently got our first taste of what the crew at Stomp Audio Labs are capable of putting out, at least pedal-wise, so we sure were stoked to give another one of their products a go. While different in genre and appearance, the AMP Treble Booster is a high-quality pedal through and through, and though it looks simple…well, it is, but in a good way. Let’s check out this one-dial wonder, shall we? The Treble Booster effect...
Read MoreIt’s been a little while since we checked out an acoustic effect here at Pedal of the Day, but we’re coming back in strong fashion, for sure. Today’s option-filled piece of gear comes to us from Hotone Audio, and is an acoustic player’s dream pedal. The A Station is an acoustic guitar preamp with D.I. AND a microphone preamp, with a ton of connectivity to multiple audio sources, and easy-to-use layout and some...
Read MoreWe’ve had our eyes on the effects being produced by SviSound in Bulgaria since we started Pedal of the Day, and are really excited to bring you guys our first review of one of their pedals today. The SiMosFuzz is a basic fuzz pedal, with some nice goings-on inside, and a signature futuristic design on the outside. THe small controls ensure that once you find your settings, you’ll have plenty of room to turn it on and off...
Read MoreDistortion 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...
Read MoreA couple months back, we had the pleasure to review and demo a new sort of pedal, one that featured a roller wheel that allowed you to set the intensity of the overdrive. That pedal was the Stumphouse Drive Roller from Classic Audio Effects. Well, they’re taken that concept and applied it to probably our favorite genre of pedals: Delay. The Transponder Delay Roller takes this unique concept and rolls (pun intended) it into an...
Read MoreSometimes, in our wonderful world of effects pedals, one knob is all you need to produce spectacular sounds. Such is the case with today’s featured piece of gear, the Dream Left Behind Fuzz from our new friends at Life Is Unfair. Coming to us all the way from the city of Cardiff in southern Wales, this bright orange tone machine has fuzz sounds you might not expect from such a simple pedal. Much Muff-y research was done to...
Read MoreWe love a good compressor to smooth out our tone a little bit, and using not too much or not too little is the real key. Today’s featured pedal gives you the flexibility you need in a compressor/limiter, with the functionality and tone of studio-grade sounding gear. The Velvet Comp VLC-1 is a perfect example of how a compressor should work and sound, providing smooth and lustrous compression to your entire rig. A simple...
Read MoreIn our experience with Vick Audio, we have had the pleasure of testing, reviewing and demoing some of the greatest fuzz pedals we’ve come across. That said, we were pretty excited to venture into a new genre of effects from Mike Vickery and the crew, especially since it was a new and shiny delay pedal! The Hypocenter Delay harkens back to tasty analog delay and echo sounds from the ’60s and ’70s, with a wide range of...
Read MoreWe are suckers for aesthetics here at Pedal of the Day, and today’s pedal just jumps right out at you (plus it look sweet in a group of pedal, too). A collaboration between the crews at SolidGoldFX and The Tone Mob, the Model 001 Fuzz Generator is an aluminum fuzz masterpiece, a pedal that is expressive both visually and sonically, and one that’s sure to make you take a step back in wonder the moment it’s engaged....
Read MoreBoost pedals not only make you sound louder in the mix, they are capable of pumping up the tone in a great amp as well, not to mention adding in a little bit of dirt to your sound when set right. Today’s pedal takes the boost concept even further, by giving you not one but TWO boost options in one pedal. Why would you need two boosts, you ask? Well, you obviously haven’t played through the Pierce Street Double Boost from...
Read MoreToday’s guest review comes to us from Coe S. – find him on Instagram (@coeschneider) and say Hi! You could say I have a problem. Maybe even an addiction. But at least I’m smart about it. Sometimes the urge, the need, the compulsion to buy another fuzz pedal comes on strong. What would you do? If you’re thinking the ELECA EFZ-3 Fuzz could scratch that itch, you’d be right. I was hoping to pick up something crazy and cool on...
Read MoreMmmmmm…..Fuzzzzzzz….. We’re hooked here at POTD, which is why we were once again super-excited for today’s featured pedal to show up on our doorstep. The Primary Fuzz is Plasma Pedals’ take on the classic Fuzz Face circuit. With a broad range of sounds available, both vintage and modern, this thing slices and dices any mix that stands in its way, and makes your amp come alive as well. Let’s check...
Read MoreCheck out this quick video from our friends at Roadie Tuner, showcasing their new and improved Roadie 2 guitar tuner, with accolades from some very special guests! There’s even one for you Bass players out there – check it out: GET EXCLUSIVE UPDATES, CONTEST INFO, SEE OUR LATEST DEMO VIDEOS AND MORE:
Read MoreA lot of times, you can tell if you and a pedal are going to gel from the first minute or so of playing it. Today’s featured pedal took us about 8 seconds before we knew it was a keeper. The White Widow Silicon Fuzz comes to us all the way from Brazil, and it was well worth the wait. Based on a special version of the Big Muff Pi from the late ’70s, this one has a couple more options and tones than its classic predecessor....
Read MoreThe first time we ever heard about the Black Cat Vibe, it was doing research on the rig of Trey Anastasio, who used to keep the original half unit in his on-stage rack (known then as the Custom Audio Electronics Black Cat Vibe). Since those particular units were pretty rare and pretty expensive, we never got to fully appreciate and play with the sound we came to know and love. Recently, however, we acquired the newer pedal version of...
Read MoreThere are many, many pedals you see on all the forums and discussion boards, and what everyone wants to trade their garbage for. Sometimes, though, you discover a gem that, while it may have been around for a while, isn’t necessarily on anyone’s super-radar. Today’s pedal, the Double Deca Delay from VOX, is exactly one of those. We first ran across it while watching a Rig Rundown of Chris Robinson’s gear, and...
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