We get to meet a lot of great people doing this pedal review thing, and today’s up-and-coming company are no exception. Starting with their flagship pedal, the Lion Drive, the folks at Monarch Musical Devices are right up our alley, being as kind and communicative as can be. Not to mention this blue beast they sent us to check out adds some sparkle and shimmy to any amp or guitar tone, so let’s check it out… The Lion...
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Unless you’ve been living under a musical rock for the past couple years, you know about the pedal being produced by Strymon, and how they have come on full-force to bring some innovative and unique sonic designs to the table. While they had previously focused on modulation-types of effects, today’s pedal brings us their first foray into the world of overdrive, and, as expected, they brought their A-game. The Riverside is...
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There was a period of time in the early-mid ’90’s where DOD was putting out some really experimental effects, and we were able to track one of them down for today’s featured pedal. The DFX94 is a digital delay, but it’s also a sampler as well, and boasts a full FOUR SECONDS of delay time, which was pretty unheard of at the time it was introduced, and is still pretty lengthy even by today’s modern...
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There are pedalboard-friendly pedals, and then there are pedals from Henretta Engineering. These guys take it to a whole new level, throwing all the controls (via trimpots) into enclosures that only measure 2-1/8″ x 2-5/16″, making them the ultimate small sized pedal. Today’s feature pedal of theirs is no different from others we’ve reviewed in the past, except that its a bad-ass delay, and it’s bright...
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Old school, vintage, classic delays really just can’t be beat. Plain and simple. You plug it in, get that little background hum going, and then hit that first note, and the smile just washes over your face. Today’s pedal is one of the more rare and coveted analog delay from the ’70’s, from Ross, a company probably best known for creating the (in many opinions) greatest compressor of all time. We are, however,...
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Let’s face it: an octave effect can really add another dimension to your sound, period. Whether it’s up or down (or both, in the case of today’s pedal), this one effect has produced some classic tones over the decades, and continues to be a powerful, if underrated, piece of gear to use on both guitar and bass alike. The Octron Octave Divider from Foxrox Electronics brings you the best of both worlds in the octave...
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Sometimes, you just know an effect is going to be rad based solely on its name, and today’s pedal proves that once again. The Dirty Robot from DigiTech is a mini-synth pedal, turning your guitar or bass into a close-to-full-blown synthesizer, without having to worry about a second pickup or interface to haul around. A powerful effect indeed, there’s lots to learn about it, so let’s dive right in! There are a bunch of...
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We dig a good reverb pedal, and we figured this new line of MXR pedals would have a pretty good one when they finally released it. In short, we were right. The M300 Reverb features SIX selectable reverb types, along with 3 basic control knobs, to give you more reverberated sounds than you’ll know how to use, but will have a blast figuring out just how to do so. For the control section, Decay, Tone and Mix are all you need to...
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Ever the innovators, Robert and his crew at Keeley Electronics never cease to amaze us with the creations they continue to re-invent and release every year, and while today’s pedal is a little bit of an older model for them, it’s pretty damn brilliant nonetheless. The Caverns is a dual-function Delay and Reverb pedal in one, trapped in a super pedalboard-friendly enclosure and just oozing with tonal options. If...
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We have had the pleasure of reviewing and demoing a whole bunch of pedals from our friends at Celestial Effects over the years, and we get to do it again today! The Virgo Rock Overdrive conjures up feelings and sounds of all your favorite classic rock tunes and guitarists from the ’60’s and ’70’s with ease, while adding in some modern functionality and enough options to fill Madison Square Garden. Deceptively...
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At first glance, one could easily mistake today’s featured pedal for a run-of-the-mill pseudo-copy of one of the most famous (and now expensive) effects pedals ever created. However, once you plug the Pelitaur into your amp and crank up the volume knob on your guitar or bass, you quickly realize that you were sorely mistaken, and apologize to no one in particular almost immediately. This pedal is a fuzz, but not a normal one,...
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Tremolo has always been one of our favorite effects, and in recent years, pedal builders seem to be embracing them more and more as well. Today’s pedal from our friends over at EarthQuaker Devices is a tremolo on steroids, with a ton of options to choose from, and a million-and-one sounds to be created. The Night Wire™ is a harmonic tremolo (more on that in a minute), and one that really adds an entirely new level of sonic...
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The hits just keep on coming from our friends across the sea at Ninevolt Pedals, and we’ve got another simple yet bold piece of gear for you from them today. The Surfing Bear Overdrive is loosely based on a classic green overdrive that may contain the numbers “808” in it, but with a bit more range and a couple differences. Let’s just see what this bright blue beast has in store for us… The Volume, Tone...
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Today’s featured pedal is one we’ve had our eye on for some time, and were super-stoked when the opportunity to review it came along (we even managed to get the Vintage King Special Edition). The Kilobyte™ is a Lo-Fi Delay pedal, one with a bunch of options, and some of the smoothest and craziest echoes you’ll find on a pedal, anywhere. Deep, dark, analog delay tones are easy to come by, as well as crystal-clear...
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If you’ve ever had the opportunity to play one, you know that the Boss DM-2 is one of the finest analog delay pedals ever created. While there have been many attempts to recreate the vintage tones of this sought-after piece of equipment, most have fallen short in some way or another…until now. Not sure how they did it, but the folks at Retro-Sonic have managed to create a pedal that has everything we love about the DM-2,...
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We sure love to experiment with anything that comes our way from Mantic Effects near Denver, CO, and that certainly didn’t change when today’s pedal arrived on our doorstep. The Vitriol (which means a sulfate of any of various metals, such as copper, iron, or zinc) Distortion is a simple yet complex dirt box, excellent for both bass and guitar, and one that leaves you hungry for more sonic experimentation. Plus, you can...
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Today’s featured piece of gear is a step away from our usual reviews, but this pedal is one that can really add a lot to any musical rig. The MixingLink from Eventide is labeled as a high-quality mic preamp with FX loop in a compact form, and while it is that, is can also do so much more. Plus, you can use it with instruments, microphones, as a mixer and a ton of other options – let’s check it out! As far as vocals...
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The folks at Free The Tone are making some absolutely phenomenal effects pedals, and have been for some time. Today, we’re going to take a look at their latest offering, an effect genre that is as popular now as it’s ever been, and one that continues to gain traction moving forward. The Ambi Space AS-1R is a digital reverb that has a warm and analog-ish feel, while supporting digital interfacing and harnessing modern...
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Today, we look at a pedal that has absolutely taken the guitar-playing, effects-using world by storm since its inception and release in the mid-2000s. The Obsessive Compulsive Drive (or OCD) is an overdrive that features a ton of dynamics, open-sounding tones and singing tube-like distortion raging through your amplifier. One of the best-selling pedals of all time, we’ll explore what makes this little cream-colored box a go-to...
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We recently reviewed and demoed the Plush® Cream II™ Overdrive pedal from our friends at Fuchs Audio Technology, and today we get to see what that pedal is like on steroids. The Extreme Cream II™ takes everything that we love about the smaller version, and then doubles it, giving you two separate pedals in one, and a whole lot of gain to tame (if you’re up to it). The Extreme Cream II™ gives you not one, but two different...
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We’re sure that, like us, you were intrigued and a bit awestruck the first time you saw the Canaglia Overdrive from Lollygagger FX (if this is your first time seeing one, please react accordingly). A big, fat wooden box with three simple knobs looked beautifully clean and adventurous simultaneously, and we wanted to not only hold it in our hands, but hear what magical tones it would release once plugged in. Well, we finally got...
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Many, many moons ago, when we were first getting started here at Pedal of the Day, one of the first companies that took a chance on us and helped us get going was Vaux Flores, a small company from Baltimore, Maryland, who continue to create some super-unique pedals at super-affordable prices (check out their Gold Standard Fuzz we reviewed). Today we look at the Pejibaye Overdrive, a simple but powerful pedal that unleashes beautiful,...
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We’ve had some great experiences reviewing and demoing pedals from our friends at Big Joe Stomp Box Company, and we get to do it again today! The R-409 is an all-analog, vactrol-based optical tremolo, one with a bunch of controls that allow you to create almost any tremolo sound your brain can come up with, and some that have yet to be discovered. Join us on a funky and modulated journey through space and time, won’t you?...
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There are some pedals that come along and really make you think about sound; how it works, how you can manipulate it and how, sometimes, you just need to let go and throw out everything you thought you knew about effects. Today’s pedal embodies all of these things, and more, by being a true original in a time of klones and copies, but in a way that almost transforms the delay genre, flipping it upside down and inside out, taking...
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Another fuzz pedal this week, you say? Excellent!! Today’s pedal is different from the Fuzz-Stang MkII we reviewed earlier, but still boats some great tones of its own, and can hang with any fuzz around. The Jelly Fuzz from Depth Pedals offers a simple control section, a wide array of sounds to discover, one special option to switch your tone and, from a designer’s standpoint, a really rad and pleasing aesthetic as well....
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Fuzz pedals are everywhere these days, right? But so what?!?! They’re awesome, and we love checking out new ones in any way, shape or form. Today’s featured beauty comes to us from Wright Sounds in Portland, OR, and is a take on a rare and not-well-known classic fuzz from the past. The Fuzz-Stang MkII adds in an extra control knob from the original, and features more fuzz than you’ll know what to do with. The Sam Ash...
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Hailing from the Endangered Audio Research family, today’s featured piece of gear comes to us under the moniker of Moxtronix, and is entitled the TransTone Fuzz. This small grey beauty has a TON of options and sounds just waiting to be dialed in, explored, abused and left for dead, all of which you’ll have no problem doing as your ears bask in the glow of a magnificent, fuzzy wonderland. But, first things first,...
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We’ve been checking out the lineup from Cathouse Pedals over the past couple months, and today we bring you the last one in their current lineup. The Fuzzy Tongue is a brilliant take on the classic Fuzz Face, complete with old germanium transistors for authentic 60’s-style fuzz tones and more. With a simple control section and loads of sounds on tap, this little pink mystery will have you rocking and rolling in seconds...
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First of all, Welcome to 2017, everybody! Hope you all had an excellent and safe holiday season – now let’s get back into some pedal reviews! Today’s “pedal” is really a power supply, but one that is new, unique and innovative, and will surely become a standard use supply in the years to come. The Power Box Lithium from our friends at Big Joe Stomp Box Company is small, powerful, easy to use and essential...
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Today’s guest review comes to us from Sean G. – find him on Instagram (@TheNoiseReel), Twitter (@TheNoiseReel) and Facebook (The Noise Reel).Sometimes I find myself not wanting to share a special piece of gear that I use only because it feels like I found something so in tune with what I hear in my head that it would somehow become less special. Like the more people that know about this the less special it somehow becomes....
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*This is our last review before a much-needed (and we think deserved) break for the holidays here in the States. Thanks everyone for another killer year of support and helping Pedal of the Day continue to grow and thrive – and if you haven’t already, head over to Our Online Store and pick up some shirts, stickers and pedals for the musician in your life, or as a little treat to yourself. See you in 2017 – Cheers!*...
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We’ve partnered up with our friends Ground Control Audio a couple times over the last few months to check out their rad lineup of pedals, and today it looks like we’re gonna do it again! Their latest offering is the aesthetically pleasing and excellent sounding (and hard to pronounce at first) Amaterasu Bright Pre-Amp, a simple, down-to-earth boost that offers a couple different options, and will send your amp into the...
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The enclosures that Classic Audio Effects are known for are some of the coolest around, and we’re super-stoked to be bringing you guys our review of their new gem, the Stumphouse Drive. This inventive brown stompbox defies all pedal building logic, and introduces a rad new way to adjust the gain in your drive, building on the technology they started with their popular line of Volume Roller pedals. A new innovation to add to your...
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When it comes to delay in general, one of the names that instantly pops into your head is TC Electronic. From the famed 2290 rack units of the 80’s, to all of their newer models, most of which we’ve had the pleasure to review: Flashback, Triple Delay, Alter Ego, Nova Delay and Repeater and so on. Today’s featured pedal is also a delay, and a massive one at that. The Alter Ego x4 Vintage Echo boasts sounds from...
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Tube Screamers are one of the most popular effects pedal models of all time, whether you dig ’em or not. There have been many, many recreations of these fine machines as well, some with excellent tones that nearly match the originals, some that don’t get as close or fall a bit short in overall sound. Today’s pedal absolutely falls into the former category, in the fine tradition of well-defined craftsmanship and tone...
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*SURPRISE SATURDAY REVIEW* We sure have had a fun time reviewing and demoing the lineup of pedals from our friends across the sea in Japan, Ninevolt Pedals, and today we’re going to take a look at another one of their classic effects. Now, if the name Fishing Is As Fun As Fuzz doesn’t make you smile a little bit, maybe you should rethink your life and how you can be happier. Inspired (apparently) by the completion of the...
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Take a look at today’s pedal, and there’s a good chance a wave of nostalgia is going to wash over you…unless you were born after 2000, and then you won’t know what this is or why it’s awesome (sucks for you). The crew at RayGun FX have taken a little piece of our childhood and turned it into a rad fuzz pedal, because, let’s face it, it was never the best handheld video game system created, but it...
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Well, we’ve got some more Strymon for all you pedal lovers out there, and this is absolutely one of our favorites that they produce. The El Capistan is a dTape Echo Delay, emulating the sounds and tones of classic tape echo machines of decades gone by, and doing a phenomenal job at it. Giving you a plethora of sonic options to choose from, you’re going to spend days, maybe weeks even, immersing yourself in all of...
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Before the name Devi Ever was recently issued back to the original owner, they were making pedals under the moniker Fuzz Goddess, and we’ve got a look at one of these pedals for you today. The Atomizer is a fairly stripped-down fuzz, with only two controls, but the amount of the effect here is close to overwhelming, that’s how much fuzz is available. Let’s see how this guy fares against some of the other fuzzes...
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Pedals like the one we’ve got for you today are always a blast to review, as they seem so futuristic and uncommon, even though they were first released decades ago. With a ton of knobs, footswitches and jacks, the UE 305 is a multi effect for the ages, combining three excellent pedals from Ibanez’s golden age of effects into one HUGE enclosure (no joke, this thing is massive). Let’s just dive right in and see what...
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The crew over at Hungry Robot Pedals has been known for creating new, unique and innovative effects since their inception in 2012, quickly garnering a reputation for the obscure and awesome. Today’s featured pedal might just be the most unique yet, and is one hell of a fun pedal to play around with. The Kármán Line is a delay and oscillation device that uses a modulating joystick with a heavily filtered delay line that...
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Speaking of crazy pedals….no, for real, today’s featured pedal is a real nut, and one we attempted to fully embrace. The Heliotrope is a harmonic pixelator from Catalinbread, and if you’re not sure what that is, neither are we. Still. However, it is a must-have box for all musical experimenters, and one that we had an absolute blast trying to decipher. Basically, a Harmonic Pixelator is Catalinbread’s way of...
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Some effects pedals are created to strictly do one thing: make noise. Today’s pedal is not just a fuzz, not just a distorter of sound, not just an eardrum blaster, but a little box of noise-infused noise, with a light dusting of noise on top. Loud Loud Loud is the best way to describe the Fūzwami Fuzz from Friday Club Pedals, although that is not all it can do, as we shall find out. The controls on the Fūzwami are labeled...
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Usability is an absolute KEY to creating a successful pedal these days, especially when you start adding more buttons and features and options for the consumer to explore and create with. The Mineshaft Reverb from our friends at Swindler Effects looks fairly basic at first glance, but when you dig in a little bit, you’ll find this pristine-looking pedal has plenty going for it, and is, in all actuality, a tricky 2-in-1 pedal. We...
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We had a great time when we reviewed the original version of the Clockwork Delay from GFI System last year, so we were more than stoked to check out the newest model, v2. Building on the incredible first go-round, this next generation pedal takes us into the delay stratosphere, with a ton of presets, tap tempo, stereo input and output, and a whole lot more. Here we go… The Clockwork v2 offers one standard digital delay mode, as...
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A couple months ago, we reviewed today’s featured pedal’s little brother, the 550-TT Analog Delay, and were quite impressed. The Deluxe Memory Man 1100-TT Analog Delay is very similar to it’s younger incarnation, but with one solid difference: Time. Since the control layout, Input and Output jacks, Tap Tempo capabilities and the FX Loop are all the same, head over here to get the skinny on all the controls and quirks...
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Pedals that can perform more than one function or contain more than one effect are always welcome with open arms (and ears) here at Pedal of the Day. Today’s featured pedal, the Martini™ Dual Analog Chorus Vibrato from Tortuga Effects, features two incredible-sounding effects rolled into one smooth box, with differing sounds and tones for days. If you love a good vibrato sound or adding some chorus to your tone, this might just...
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For those of you who don’t already know, we’re crazy Star Wars fans here at Pedal of the Day, so when the chance arose to check out a pedal with an semi-iconic robot plastered on its enclosure, we knew we’d be in for a treat, regardless of how it sounded. Fortunately, it didn’t disappoint in the sonic category, either, making it a definite Win-Win for us, and really for anyone who plays this pedal, if they like...
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What’s better than a killer delay pedal? Well, not much, but they’re even better when there are TWO of them in one box! The Multi Tap 2 Delay sees a collaboration between Hermida Audio and Lovepedal, two excellent pedal builders in their own rights, and proof that sometimes two heads can be better than one. This golden creation was inspired by both the wavering tape delay sounds of the 70’s and the crisp, digital,...
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Let’s face it: there are a LOT of overdrive pedals on the market right now. A LOT. For us, as pedal reviewers, we love it when something new and exciting in the world of overdrives comes along, and today’s featured pedal gave us that very feeling as soon as we plugged it in. It’s not so much the outer controls that make the Aerostat Overdrive from Killer Otter Electric stand out amongst a sea of screamers and klones,...
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