We’re starting off this week with a type of pedal that tends to get overlooked all too often, but one that can be essential to your sound. The cats over at Agave Audio have come up with a boost pedal that’s simple, easy-to-use and adds a ton of sparkle to your tone – the Cumbre Preamp. One knob, 2 footswitches and a lot of power adds up to a wonderful boost that will drive your amp into sweet breakup. With only one...
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Today’s guest review comes to us from Rob H. – you can find him on Instagram (@studio.rh), Twitter (@Rob_Hildreth) or on his website (Studio RH). Magnetic Effects are a London (UK) based boutique pedal manufacturer. All of the effects are designed and built by Christian Livingstone, who also happens to be the riff monster from NZ garage rockers The Datsuns. You only need to listen to his guitar work to realise this guy...
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Personally, we love compressors on all our pedalboards, but not everyone feels the same way. Some players absolutely swear by them, other think they’re useless and won’t come within 5 miles of one. Today’s pedal happens to be a compressor, the Saffron Squeeze from the newly-revived Way Huge Electronics, and while it appears to be a simple stompbox at first glance, a closer look reveals more controls, more options and...
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So, today’s pedal takes us on an absolutely new adventure here at Pedal of the Day: MIDI. Not really knowing how it works or having ever really used it much (at least not a device this intense and powerful), we were a little intimidated when the MC6 MIDI Controller showed up on our doorstep. Luckily for us, the guys at Morningstar Engineering are super-nice, and over the course of several emails, we were able to dive in and do...
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A while back, we reviewed a pedal from a company whose pedal designs are as unique as the graphics on their enclosures – that pedal was the Blinding VOIP! Boost from Jellyfish Electronics. Today, we’re going to take a look at one of their overdrives, the Girthquake (great names, don’t you think?) and see what it has in store for us! The control section of the Girthquake features your basic overdrive controls: Volume,...
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At Pedal of the Day, we love discovering new companies that are putting out great gear, and today’s pedal and company are a prime example. Ground Control Audio comes to us via Montreal, Canada, and their flagship pedal is what we’ll be looking at today. The Blood Oath Overdrive is a nice, low to mid gain drive that has a great sound and a nice EQ section to dial in whatever dirty sounds you might be after. The Volume knob...
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Today’s guest review comes to us from Christian E. – you can find him on Instagram (@chriespiritu) or on his band’s Facebook page (Story Of April). The Tube Screamer is probably the most famous pedal of all time and it has its spot on pedalboards of players from all over the world. The pedal itself is built like a tank. The all metal construction makes a very solid stompbox and you’ll feel like you could gig...
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If you’ve ever had the opportunity to utilize a Dispatch Master Delay/Reverb combo pedal from EarthQuaker Devices, then you know how powerful it is, and what a useful tool it can be in your sonic arsenal. Somehow managing to improve upon this rad design, the EQD crew has created the Avalanche Run, taking the original design to the next level, without making it too complicated or busy. With new features and a ton of new options,...
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After hearing so much about and seeing the Caveman Overdrive all over the place over the last year, we were super-excited when the guys from Oddfellow Effects said they wanted to send us their newest pedal, The Bishop Overdrive, to check out and review. While the Caveman is a dual-channel drive, The Bishop is a more basic, stripped-down overdrive, but with a ton of punch and kick to get your amp sounding incredible. We’ve got...
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Here at Pedal of the Day, we’ve had the pleasure to review a number of pedals by the always-entertaining and a bit off-the-cuff Paradox Effects, and we’re happy to have another of their enclosures on hand for today’s review. If you want fuzz, you checked out our website on the right day, to say the least. The Fuzz-E Cat pushes the limits of sound (and your eardrums), but in only the best ways possible. Let’s...
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After the options-laden Aquarius Fuzz pedal we looked at last week, today’s featured piece of gear does a complete 180, and gets down and dirty with a stripped-down enclosure and bare minimum controls. Lone Wolf Audio is well-known for producing some of the most unique, complex noise machines in the industry, so it was both a shock and a welcome sight to see the Bulldozer Fuzz arrive in our mailbox. This one-knob pedal...
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Today’s guest review comes to us from Scott W. – find him on Instagram (@honey.power) and Facebook (Scott Willems). Electro-Harmonix’s Stereo Pulsar is a fantastic variable shape tremolo pedal. The setup is very basic, featuring only three parameters and a switch to choose between square and triangle wave types, but the sounds you can achieve are far from it. The Pulsar has three knobs: rate, shape, and depth. You...
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There are times in the effects pedal review world when a piece of gear comes along that you aren’t prepared for, and never even knew could exist. Take, for example, today’s featured pedal, the S-AMP Cabinet Simulator and Headphone Amplifier from Nunomo LLC. There are tons of practice tools on the market available for musicians, but this pedal takes that concept and turns it into something totally unique, and actually quite...
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Apparently, there are still guitar players in existence that don’t like fuzz. Finding that fact difficult to imagine, today’s pedal gears specifically towards fuzz-haters, and has been affectionately dubbed “the fuzz for guitarists that hate fuzz.” Celestial Effects has been putting out some interesting and powerful pedals over that last few years, and the Aquarius Fuzz just might help to convert some...
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We can get behind any good fuzz pedal around here, so we were pretty stoked when the cats over at Way Huge Electronics sent over their Havalina™ Germanium Fuzz for us to check out. Featuring a basic three-knob control configuration, this fuzz does what a good fuzz pedal should do: produce copious amounts of fuzz. With a hint of old-school Tone Bender fuzz sound found within it, this is a fun fuzz that will get you groovin’ with...
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Chorus is a great effect, when used in the right context. I suppose the same could be said about any other effect, but chorus really seems to have a special following of haters, while other players consider it a crucial part of their signature sound. As with most pedals from EarthQuaker Devices, the Sea Machine is not a traditional chorus effect, but instead another gorgeous re-imagining of a classic effect with those very special EQD...
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Today’s guest review comes to us from Jordan G. – find him on Instagram (@thebedroomguitarist), Twitter (@musicgearjunkie), Facebook (The Bedroom Guitarist) and on his website (The Bedroom Guitarist). Noise Gates are an often overlooked part of a guitarist’s pedal board, but their value cannot be overstated. There are many options out there, but the purpose of this review is to go over my personal favorite –...
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We review a lot of pedals around here, as you may have noticed, and a lot of them have quite a learning curve to figure out all the ins-and-outs, how they work, what they’re capable of, and how to use them to fit a particular style of music. Today’s pedal is pretty much the EXACT OPPOSITE of that: a one-knob gem that has one function and does it brilliantly, with no fuss, no muss and just some straight-up great tones to...
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Analog Delay. You love it, we love, almost anyone who listens to any music made in the last 3+ decades loves it (or they damn well should). Today’s featured pedal is one of the most recognizable and oft-used of these warm and modulated gems, due in part to its pronounced bright green solid enclosure. The M-118 Analog Delay from MXR is steeped in delay history, and with all the sounds you could want oozing out of every crack and...
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In this crazy world of effects pedals, Death By Audio has been coming out with rad pedal after rad pedal for some time, and we here at Pedal of the Day enjoy each and every one of their creations that comes our way. Today, we’re going to explore their take on Reverb, a much-loved and oft-used effect that can be beautiful, daring, unpredictable and soothing all at the same time. The Reverberation Machine features a some regular...
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Sometimes, pedals are labeled as one type of effect, when they maybe should have been labeled differently, with a title that suits what they do better. The PDF-1 from Stone Deaf FX is labeled as a distortion, but it really is so much more than just that. Dabbling in boost, overdrive, distortion and all-around sweet tone-shaper, today’s featured pedal is a true jack-of-all-trades in the effects department. Loosely based on the...
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Today’s guest review comes to us from Corey F. – find him on Instagram (@ScrambleTheFitz), Facebook (Cantharone) and on his band’s website (Cantharone). An extremely interesting and versatile take on bucket brigade type analog delay. The Lunar Echo from the now non-operational DMB Audio will keep you tweaking its knobs for hours on end. To start, it is a fairly normal analog delay with a max 500ms delay time. Within...
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If you’ve been to a concert, read a guitar magazine or had a jam session with anyone, there’s a good chance you’ve seen today’s featured pedal in one form or another. The DS-1 Distortion from Boss is one of the pedals that really made Boss famous, and has been used on more records and tours than any of us could ever count. Today’s model is a “vintage” one from the 80’s or 90’s,...
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The Memory Man. In all its various forms and models, it has always been regarded as one of the, if not the very, best delay ever produced. With famous guitarists such as The Edge of U2 and Ed O’Brien from Radiohead employing it in their rigs for years, this pedal is no slouch in the echo department, and although some may be more coveted than others, they all sound pretty amazing. Today, we’re going to focus on the Memory...
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The resurgence of Way Huge Electronics via Jim Dunlop over the last few years has been a treat for the effects-using world, and we’ve had the pleasure of checking out a bunch of these rad pedals (with more reviews to come!). Today’s reddish-pink enclosure brings us the Red Llama™, the first of the original Way Huge pedals, and one that is highly coveted for it’s great tone and response. Two knobs, one goal: to rock...
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The folks at Death By Audio somehow continue to amaze, surprise and delight us lovers of crazy effects, and our featured pedal today is one of their best yet. Combining three separate delay circuits into one incredible echo machine, the Ghost Delay takes every expectation or thought about delay you may have previously held and tosses it right into the river, tied to a cement block for good measure. Think we’re joking? Well, hop...
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Today’s guest review comes to us from Michael W. – find him on Instagram (@mwiegand77), Twitter (@mwiegand), Facebook (MichaelWiegand) and on his band’s Facebook page (A Greyscale). When you hear the name “Warped Vinyl,” you’re transported to a thrift store record bin. All the records you find in there are dusty, scratched, sunbaked; they’ve seen better days. But you buy one because it’s...
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Looking for a heavy, bone-crushing, fuzz-riffic distortion pedal? ARE YOU? Well, today’s scorcher might be right up your alley, then. The Headache Harmonic Percolator from Nine of Swords will give you a little bit of hurt, or a lot, depending on what you need or want. Actually sporting great range with just two controls, this is one dirt box that means serious business. A take on the classic circuit made popular by the rare and...
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With yet another 2-in-1 pedal review coming at’cha today, we’ve been fortunate to be able to check out some great multiple-use pedals recently, and today’s featured bit of gear keeps the hits coming. While the Overdrive/Boost combo isn’t too uncommon, there aren’t many with both the simplicity and options of today’s gem. Combining two already fantastic pedals from PB&J Pedals into one, the...
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There’s been a streak recently here at Pedal of the Day where we’ve been able to test and review some awesome old analog delay pedals, and today we bring you yet another gem in this prestigious list of warm and warbly delays of old. This 680 Analog Delay from DOD dates to late 1980, and has had a bunch of updates, upgrades and improvements done to it recently, making it sound like it did right off the shelf more than 35...
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Combining 2 pedals into one is always a fun and semi-rare treat, but when it combines 2 effects from completely different genres, that’s where the magic happens. Today’s featured pedal, the Science Friction Interplanetary Delay Drive mixes the grit of overdrive with the echoes of delay, in a most creative way, we might add. Not your normal pedal, or even your normal 2-in-1, this thing will really get the creative juices...
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Today’s guest review comes to us from Christian E. – you can find him on Instagram (@chriespiritu) or on his band’s Facebook page (Story Of April). The AMT Electronics P2 is a guitar preamp in a pedal sized stompbox designed to emulate the tone, gain structure and nuances of the Peavey 5150/6505 amp that we all love. Amazing, right? The pedal is built like a tank: it has a great solid steel chassis and I can assure...
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Around here, we get pretty excited whenever the crew over at Walrus Audio unleashes a new pedal release on the world, as we have reviewed just about all of their pedals, and they just keep getting better and better. This time around, they’ve gone to modulation town, with a wicked mash up of chorus and vibrato, but with some new options for ultimate tweakability and customization not seen too often in a pedal of this nature. From...
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Fuzz pedals just put a big smile on your face, don’t they? If not, you need to work on that, but for the rest of us, there are fuzzy gems like today’s featured pedal, the Supamodel MkIII Fuzz from DAG Pedals on the Island of Mallorca. Tall and slender, but beefy and tough just the same, this pedal exudes a tremendous amount of fuzz with ease, and will slip onto any pedalboard with ease as well. Three controls make up this...
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We have reviewed several effects from Red Witch Pedals here at Pedal of the Day, and each time, it’s an adventure for both the mind and the ears. Today’s featured pedal may top the list in regards to both those things, as the Synthotron Analog Synth is capable of producing an insane amount of noises, sounds and tones, some predictable, some outrageous and all Red Witch, for sure. Let’s dive right into this...
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In today’s crazy world of delay pedals, with all the tricks and secrets and incredible things they can now do, it’s sometimes nice to have a simple, laid-back delay pedal, capable of subtle tones and monstrous adventure at the same time. Today’s featured pedal is just that, as are most of the pedals from Mantic Effects. The Isaiah Delay is a three-knob echo beast, producing an over-the-top amount of noise and fun,...
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Welcome to our first installment of Guest Review Fridays! Each week we will feature a guest reviewer who will offer their unique and personal look at one of their favorite pedals – if you’d like to be semi-famous and get published here on Pedal of the Day, click here to submit your own pedal review, and join in the conversation! Our flagship Friday reviewer is Scott W. – catch him over on Instagram (@honey.power) or...
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Finding new ways to shape, twist and explore different genres of pedals is basically EarthQuaker Devices’ specialty, so it comes as no surprise that their latest take on the classic reverb sound is nothing short of brilliant. The Levitation Reverb is modeled after their own Ghost Echo pedal, which provides a vintage spring reverb sound and a ton of atmospheric tones, but with a new control panel and features. With more control...
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Sort of continuing a recent trend here at Pedal of the Day, we have yet another awesome envelope filter to check out today, and one that is based on a classic and sought-after effect. The WR-3™ from Guyatone has become a pedal of great legend, and since it’s discontinuation a few years ago, has also become rare and high-priced as well. Used by Guthrie Govan, Lenny Kravitz, Stevie Salas and more, there’s a good chance you...
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Seems that we have a bit of a theme starting off this week, as yesterday and today’s pedal builders (Dreadbox and Recovery Effects) both take a super-unique and creative approach to how they make their effects, and who both continue to amaze with each new creation. The Endless Summer MkII Hand-Wired Real Spring Reverb may SEEM to be a simple pedal, but there is so much going on in just two controls, we could hardly believe it....
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Apparently, Greece is where to be to experience and pontificate on the wonders of the world, and then harness those discoveries into some incredible effects pedals. Having somewhat recently reviewed the Taff 2 Scientific Tremolo, which was a brilliant way to be introduced to this company, we were wicked stoked to check today’s featured pedal, the Epsilon Distortion Envelope Filter. Right away, it just sounds cool, and once you...
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Multi-effects pedals can be tricky to write reviews about, as there is so much going on, and so many different options to choose from that it makes it hard to narrow the writing down and focus on a few things to discuss in detail. Such is the case with today’s featured pedal, the M5 Stompbox Modeler from Line 6 – and if the regular functionality of this pedal wasn’t overwhelming enough, this model has been modded by...
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Combining effects into one sweet box is always a welcome sight, don’t you think? Boost/Drive, Drive/Compressor, Fuzz/Tremolo (check out the Troctave) and the classic Delay/Reverb, which is the combo featured in today’s pedal. Lone Wolf Audio has been creating far-out, inventive and certainly unique pedals for some time now, and the Full Nelson Delay Reverb is yet another killer effect in a killer long list of their killer...
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Where to even begin with a pedal like this? While Moog is known for their incredible synths and revolutionary sonic invention, we here at Pedal of the Day are much more familiar with their line of Moogerfooger® effects pedals. Having checked out the 12-Stage Phaser, Ring Modulator, MuRF and Analog Delay so far, the next logical step was the MF-107 FreqBox®…for which we were overwhelmingly unprepared. The FreqBox® is a little...
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We’ve been checking out some pretty rad envelope filters recently, and were definitely enthusiastic about the Spatial Delivery from EarthQuaker Devices, as we are with anything of theirs that comes our way. As usual, this pedal doesn’t disappoint, and is EQD’s own take on what we thought was a standard pedal, which they have re-shaped and re-invented once more. Somehow part envelope filter, auto-wah, tremolo and...
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Sometimes you just need a simple, straight-to-the-point, matter-of-fact, 3-knob overdrive pedal for just a bit of grit and grime to add to your sound. While there are certainly many options to choose from with those descriptive points, today’s pedal has all of these features in spades, with a nod to the green classic a lot of us love. Here is the Malibu Drive from PB&J Pedals… Gain, Volume and Tone make up the classic...
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Another day, another delay, which is absolutely fine with us! Today’s featured echo machine comes to us from SiB Electronics, and it is the big brother version of one of their most popular pedals, the Mr. Echo Delay. The model we’re going to check out is the Mr. Echo PLUS, which adds control for one of the signature features of these pedals, but still retains that same awesome delay tone that we’re all constantly...
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While not technically an “effect” pedal, today’s featured piece of gear is essential to certain setups (ours included), especially when running your rig in stereo. The Anole from Red Eft Electronics is both a passive signal splitter and a summing box, allowing for one of the most discrete passive signal routing options in today’s market. Here at Pedal of the Day, we use the Anole for all of our demo videos (except...
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Fuzz. There are a ton of killer fuzz pedals out in the world, and we are all privy enough to be around to witness them in all their glory. That said, there are many, many different types of fuzz to experiment with, but sometimes you just want a ton of options in one pedal that you can easily access and use to your advantage, right? If that’s the case, the Clusterfuzz from Function f(x) might be just the pedal you’ve been...
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A pretty decent portion of my teenage years and beyond have been spent listening to the Grateful Dead, and the one and only Mr. Jerry Garcia. He had a signature sound unlike any other guitarists’, instantly recognizable and full of emotion and power, but one effect in particular produced what many call the “Jerry Sound”: a Mu-Tron III™ Envelope Filter from Musitronics, a classic effect used by numerous musicians, but...
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