It’s always fun to check out pedals that have a little bit of hype around them, and I’ve seeing today’s effect pop up in discussions for a while now. The Aspen Overdrive from Case Study Effects definitely lives up to the hype, combining four kinds of dirt into one gleaming white enclosure. Don’t let the outside of this one fool you – there’s more dirt going on under the hood than you can...
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Today’s pedal is kind of a special one – last fall, I donated money to a raffle that Waterslide Guitars was having to benefit the World Central Kitchen, who have helped feed people in and around Asheville, NC, where I happen to live, in the wake of Hurricane Helene. To my surprise, my name was chose as the winner of the Greer Amps Black Mountain Crunch Drive, and I couldn’t have been happier. It’s been a while...
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Since its release 7 years ago, the DRV Overdrive Distortion from 1981 Inventions has been at the top of many “best of” dirt pedals’ lists, and for good reason. The circuit trapped inside these beautiful enclosures has a wide range of tonal bliss to explore, even with just three knobs present. Today, we’re looking at a slightly different version of this effect, one that uses some different diodes for a sound...
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The Microcosm Granular Delay Looper from Hologram Electronics has been one of the most talked-about and used pedals over the course of the last 5 years, and for good reason. The crew at Hologram have a way of coming up with combinations of effects you never knew you needed, and that’s the case once again with today’s piece of gear. The Chroma Console packs a TON of effects into one pretty pedalboard-friendly enclosure,...
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If you’ve ever found your tone lacking that special something that it needs to really shine and sparkle, you’re not alone. Sometimes, it can be hard to figure out exactly what it is you need, but today’s pedal is a definite step in the right direction. The Carl Martin Tone Tweaker 12dB Boost & 3-Band EQ enhances both your volume and your tone, pushing any amp you’ve got into the sweetest of spots with...
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Ever get the feeling that *something* is missing in your signal chain? Something that will add *that thing* you need to complete the sound in your head? Today’s pedal, the OC-2 Octave from Boss, has been one of those pedals for over 4 decades, adding depth and beefy low frequencies to thin rigs and signal paths. One of my favorite pedals of all time, come along as we dive in and see what it can do… The OC-2 Octave pedal...
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It’s time for everyone’s (well, mine, anyway) favorite effect pedal genre once again: DELAY. Two knobs, sixteen switches, MIDI, analog – it doesn’t matter, bring ’em all to the table and let the experimentation begin. Today’s pedal, the Berserker Electronics Aquanaut Delay/Echo, falls somewhere in the middle when it comes to delay pedals, boasting just three knobs, but easily able to fill any kind...
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The majority of the pedals we’ve had the pleasure of checking out from Summer School Electronics have been in the boost/drive/distortion realm, but today, they’re switching gears into our favorite sonic dimension. I’m excited to help with the release their newest creation, the Spring Break Reverb. Combining a glorious reverb tone with some tasty delay/echo morsels, this pedal is perfect for beginners and seasoned...
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Today’s pedal has been on my radar for quite some time, and I’m soooo glad I finally got a chance to see what it’s all about. The LEM Lysergic Emotions Module Delay from Mastro Valvola packs a boatload of delay options into an extremely pedalboard-friendly enclosure, along with many ways to tweak and manipulate these tones. Secret parameters, tap tempo, external controls and more – this little delay packs a...
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Ever since I heard the opening notes of “Cowboys From Hell” as an early ’90s teenager, I’ve been a fan of Pantera, especially the musicianship created by Dimebag, Rex and Vinnie. Today’s pedal is a collaboration with one of these fellas, showcasing and updating an effect he’s been using for decades. The Morley Rex Brown Old Blue Wah simplifies everything you know about this type of pedal, while...
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Sometimes, a really special pedal comes along that completely blows me away, and today’s effect unit is up there at the top of the all-time list for me, as a basically life-long Deadhead. From 1974 to 1979, bassist Phil Lesh used a heavily-modified Alembic bass, known as Osiris, aka Mission Control. The new Osiris PHILter takes the filters and electronics from that bass, which was thought lost for years, and reverse engineers...
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Flangers can be a bit tricky, can’t they? Some are too extreme, some are too mild, some won’t do jet engine sounds, some are a bit uncontrollable…when you get a flanger pedal, you better be up for some experimenting, ’cause they can be vastly different from one to the next. Today’s effect, the Korg FLG-1 Flanger, is an under-the-radar sort of rarity, one that doesn’t pop up on a lot of lists, but...
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I’m excited today to venture, for the first time, into the world of effects from Carl Martin. We’ve been chatting for a while, and I’m honored to be a part of the release for their newest pedal today, the HeadRoom Mini Dual Channel Digital Spring Reverb. Building on the amazing sounds from the original HeadRoom units released in 2011, this one has been both shrunk down in size and updated in tone and functionality,...
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I couldn’t wait to dive into today’s pedal after checking out the Ozymandias Dual Overdrive Distortion last month from Animal Factory Amplification. Swapping guitar for bass today, come along as we take a look at the Godeater+ Dynamic Bass Distortion, an effects unit full of tonal and routing options, big, bold sounds and a unique look and feel. This second pedal in the new Animal Factory lineup is just as impressive as...
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Having recently been privy to a test of the Nobels ODR-mini2 Natural Overdrive, I was excited to see what today’s pedal had to offer in comparison. The latter’s older brother on steroids, this ODR-1X Natural Overdrive takes all that we know and love about the vintage sound these pedals produce, and takes it all to the next level. Here, you get that signature Nashville-esque sound, along with some added parameter controls...
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We’re excited as always to bring you the latest creation from our friends at Strymon to you all today, and this one features my all-time favorite effect genre: Delay/Echo. The EC-1 Single Head dTape Echo is based on a classic, vintage tape machine we all know and love, but with modern options, a smaller package size and ZERO expensive maintenance, rebuilding or upkeep costs. Sounding glorious in Stereo as usual, this little gem...
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Each new creation I see from our friends at Whimsy Machines (The Great Fantabulizing Whatsitdo, The Short Stack) brings a big smile to my face, and I just knew today’s piece of gear would do the same. Come along as we investigate the Sweet Tooth Waveshaping Fuzz Overdrive, an effects unit that defies logic and opens the doorways to brand new sonic possibilities. Innovative and creative as always, this one sounds just about as...
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Ever since we got to check out the Harby Wasabi Overdrive a few weeks back, I couldn’t wait to dig into another pedal they set over, the Mizu Chorus. Their take on the classic 1979 Boss CE-2 silver screw chorus pedal, the original has been used by the likes of David Gilmour, John Mayer, Johnny Marr, and practically everyone else. They’ve kept its lush, smooth tones, plus added a Volume knob for precise output control, and a Mix...
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The first pedal we checked out from Anode Effects, the MOS Fuzz Full Frequency Fuzz Machine, was a revelation in what could be accomplished with a 2-knob pedal. These guys are back again today with a different but equally impressive effects unit, the Dragon Drive V2. If the killer graphics don’t immediately grab you, the sound once the pedal is engaged certainly will. There’s a lot going on with this one, let’s take...
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We’re continuing out look at the Rockready lineup of pedals today, with another mini effect that produces BIG sounds. The OC-1 Octaver gives you three different octave modes to use, which you can blend together at will, creating unique and intriguing sounds with ease. Plug it in, twist some knobs, and you’ve got some wicked good tones at your fingertips in mere seconds… The Octave OC-1, produces 3 octaves AND blends...
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Who doesn’t love a great-sounding portable/practice amp, especially one with built-in FX, a tuner, Bluetooth connectivity and more? Well, if you do, you’re gonna love today’s piece of gear, the Katana-Mini X 10W Battery Powered Guitar Amp from our friends at BOSS. This little guy packs a LOT into a small package, changing the way you might think about small amplifiers, and perhaps changing the way you write and...
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We love the devotion to classic Beatles’ tones that our friends at Aclam work so hard towards on each of their releases, bringing impossibly-hard-to-achieve tones back into the mainstream. Today’s pedal is their latest release, the Go Rocky Go, which seeks to replicate the Magical Mystery Tour and White Album vibes, along with some modern upgrades for an options-laden effects unit. The range of sounds here is INSANE,...
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Although I only had the privilege to check out two pedals from Zero G IOD (the Honey Coma Fuzz and Echo Cooler Reverb), I was thoroughly impressed by both. Zack from Zero G IOD is back with his new partner Greg, and they have formed a new company, Other* Pedals – today, we’re bringing you their flagship effects unit, the Bokonon Fuzz. A time-honored and classic sound emanates from this sea green beauty – let’s...
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Many moons ago, Joe from Hello Sailor Effects sent us a wonderful, personalized pedal, the Anchor Drive, which not only incorporated our logo into the design, but it sounded phenomenal. Fast forward to today, and I’m happy to brings you all another one of Joe’s marvelous creations: the SeaWolf Dual Delay. Let’s face it, 2 Delays are better than 1, especially when they sound this good…let’s take a sonic...
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Although it’s been a few years since we saw a pedal from Sunnaudio, their previous creations were always intriguing, and I couldn’t wait to check out what they’d been working on since 2021. The answer is the incredible Helion R2D3 Guitar & Bass Preamp, an options-laden powerhouse pedal that gives you ALL the options you could want in a preamp, for either instrument. With specific settings, dipswitches, pots and...
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It’s been a looooong time since we had any effects from Animal Factory Amplification in the shop (like 9 years!), but based on today’s pedal, they have complete stepped up their game over the last near-decade. The Ozymandias Dual Overdrive Distortion looks like it’s fairly complicated pon first glance, but as you sit down with it and dig in, it’s extremely user-friendly, while providing more drive and crunch...
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Tube Screamers are certainly not for everyone, but I happen to LOVE the sound they make. And while there are many different iterations and models, one of the most highly sought-after versions is the mid-80s TS10. This one has grown in lore over the last couple of years, making it difficult to snag one unless you’re making 7 figures a year (not really, but close). Fortunately, our pals at Harby Pedals have created a wonderful...
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After checking out the DEL-mini Digital Delay a couple weeks ago, I was stoked to see another overdrive from Nobels was next on their new release list. Having loved their ODR-1 and ODR-mini drive pedals, I knew the ODR-mini2 was going to be a special piece of gear. This little green monster brings all that you know and love about the original, squishes it down into a compact enclosure, and adds in some new modern developments, all...
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Although I’ve never had the pleasure of playing a real, vintage Harmonic Percolator, we’ve had our share of clones come through the office here at Pedal of the Day, each one trying to capture the magic that the original units somehow created. Today’s pedal, the DS Custom Audio Electronics Harmonious Perc continues that tradition, but with its own special twist on this rare and unique sound. Lots of knobs and switches...
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Today, we’re diving into the wild world of synth pedals – the Console 84 Dual Oscillator Guitar Synth is unlike ANY I’ve come across, however, which makes it that much more compelling. Conceived and tested over the course of a 5-year journey, this creation comes to us via Parasit Studio in the northern part of Sweden. Based around the features and the limitations of the AVR32DB48 microcontroller, the main inspiration...
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Hey Hey!! Excited to be back again today with another unique piece of gear from our friends at Animals Pedal. This one is a little different than our usual effects forte, but I love when a rad bass pedal comes through the shop, and this is a good one. The Surfing Polar Bear Bass Overdrive features just three knobs, but trapped inside is an angry low-end beast waiting to be unleashed on the world…oh, and it has an adorable bear...
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I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing and demoing a LOT of Delay pedals over the years, and the folks at BOSS have always pushed the boundaries of what the genre is all about. Whether it’s their commitment to pushing the sonic boundaries of echoes, or reviving long-gone units from decades past, there’s always something in the mix for every type of player or instrumentalist out in the world. Today, we’re looking at...
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I recently had the immense pleasure of reviewing the Decoherence Drive from my new friends at Whitman Audio, and, I’ve got to say, it is one of the best overdrive pedals I’ve played…EVER. Coming off of that sonic high, I was eager to dive into their next release today – the Wave Collapse Fuzz. Not only does the name instantly intrigue you, but the pedal’s layout of knobs and switches lets you know...
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I love it when our friends over at Osiamo Music Gear send some pedals they distribute my way to review and demo, and in the last year, I’ve become fairly familiar with the effects lineup from Rockready. These folks are making affordable pedals, but they actually sound really good, and have a price point that will fit any budget. They’ve just released a couple of new units, and we’re gonna take a look at the first one...
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The first Boston album is a masterpiece, let’s all be completely honest with ourselves. It’s loaded with catchy hooks, ’70s-tinged riffs and that signature Tom Scholz sound. Speaking of which, he’s kind of the main focus of today’s pedal, the brand new Rockman X100 Analog Tone Processor from MXR. If you’ve been looking for that particular arena rock tone, with a bunch of different options to...
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After checking out the Final Cut Preamp Booster EQ from FTelettronica Pedals last month, I was excited to see what was next from this Italian company. Moving in a slightly different direction, today we have for you their Dystopian Fuzz, a remake of a classic pedal in a smaller, more modern footprint. With three different fuzz/drive modes, and EQ section and a whole lotta output volume, this gray beast seeks to destroy everything in...
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I’m excited to bring you all yet another collaboration pedal today, this time it’s Eventide and Third Man that are teaming up on a wild and crazy sonic adventure. With guitar god Jack White on board as well, they’ve all created the Knife Drop Sub-Octave Fuzz & Analog Synth, a completely over-the-top-awesome sonic noise machine that channels your favorite fuzzy synthesizer sounds, along with some new ones...
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I love a good collaboration pedal – I mean, who doesn’t, really? Today’s team-up sees Walrus Audio and guitar phenom Yvette Young come together to create the simply stunning Qi Etherealizer, an options-laden ambient powerhouse that seeks to rewrite the history books on what modulation, delay and reverb are capable of. With Stereo Ins and Out, MIDI control, Tap Tempo and much more, there’s a LOT to explore here,...
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Luis over at Lefa Pedals makes some of the most unique, noisy, innovative and often downright scary pedals on the market today (see the I DEEP THFUZZ and Destroy The Day for past examples), and I love ’em all. Today, they’ve sent over their Retardante MKII, an updated version of one of their popular units, one that combines distortion, delay, drones and more into one raucous effect. This pedal is loud, is obnoxious and it...
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We love a good mini pedal around the shop here at Pedal of the Day, and when they actually sound amazing, we love ’em even more. Today, we’re looking at the Nobels DEL-mini Digital Delay, which combines aspects of digital, analog and tape delays into one teeny tiny enclosure. Don’t let the size of this blue beast fool you – there are a TON of amazing sounds just waiting to be coaxed out of this mini effects...
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The color of today’s pedal is an instant clue as to what it might be – a Chorus of some type, to be sure. It just so happens to be the BOSS CE-2W Waza Craft Stereo Chorus, which combines sounds from the CE-1 and CE-2 into one marvelous pedal. With a couple of modern amenities and tones, this baby blue gem brings vintage and today together in one glorious sonic stew, for all to enjoy… Grab a CE-2W from Sweetwater...
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We’re back again today with another wonderful effects unit from our friends at Animals Pedal! This one teams up AP with the crew at Skreddy Pedals, and though it has just 2 knobs and one 2-position toggle switch, the Angel Bear Face Fuzz brings the THUNDER in more ways than you might think. From classic fuzz sounds to modern, squealing, screaming tones, there’s a lot to unpack with this little blue beauty, so let’s...
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There have been a lot of novelty effects pedals created, some purely for aesthetic reason, that may or may not have actually sounded good. Today’s pedal, the Fender x Hello Kitty Pink Fuzz, brings together a beloved and iconic character with one of the most famous music gear companies in the world. Don’t let the cartoon and kid-like demeanor of this pedal fool you – this beauty packs a big, distorted and fuzzy punch,...
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First impressions of pedals have always been a big thing for me – as a graphic designer, I love seeing the myriad of different patterns and aesthetic layouts that different companies come up with. Today’s pedal, at first glance, looks sophisticated, classy and like it is hiding some real sonic secrets. Turns out, my initial thoughts were pretty spot on, as the Whitman Audio Decoherence Drive brings gorgeous sonic power to...
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It’s been a couple of years since any pedals from ADAG Audio have appeared in the shop, but I’m happy to bring yet another of their creations to you all today. The Clamour Mark II Distortion brings familiarity and exploration to the forefront of your sound, conjuring up powerful, amp-crushing tone to any rig you can throw at it. And with three different modes of destruction on tap, there’s plenty of delicious audio...
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Intriguing knob placement and original graphics are two things that can instantly draw you to a pedal, and today’s piece of gear has both. At first glance, The Bomber Overdrive from M2 Labs somehow feels both modern and vintage, and that sentiment continues once the effect is engaged. Bringing a wide range of sounds to the table, this pedal is the result of two people united by a common dream and a relentless pursuit of...
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Each time we get new pedals from the folks at Spürr Audio, it’s both an aesthetic and sonic adventure. With extremely unique ways of going about both the look and the sound of their effects, this company is constantly taking big risks and creating some amazing gear. That is never more evident then with today’s pedal, the Orbit-2 Op-Amp Powered Fuzz Unit. Looking like an outer space computer module, this one sounds like it...
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In the past, the pedals we’ve reviewed and demoed from our friends at FTelettronica Pedals have been pretty complex, with lots of buttons and switches and knobs and exploration involved. Today’s pedal from them, the Final Cut Preamp Booster EQ, dials things back just a bit, with 4 simple knobs and a no-frills approach to a very specific sound. Sometimes, you just need a simple setup to get amazing tone, and that’s...
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Let’s get 2025 off to a proper rockin’ start, shall we? The lineage of Boss Distortion pedals goes back decades, and I’m excited to bring you one today that seems to be somewhat overlooked in general conversation. The DS-2 TURBO Distortion is just that – a blistering, amp-crushing powerhouse meant to destroy eardrums and amp speakers simultaneously. This one isn’t for the faint of heart, kiddos, so...
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I’ve always loved the innovative designs and unique pedal creations that have come from the Gamechanger Audio camp, but today’s pedal might be one of the greatest effects out there right now. Part of a new series of three recently released pedals, the AUTO Series REVERB boasts a TON of features and options that take you on an entirely new sonic and musical journey. I promise you’ve never seen anything like this…and it’s only ONE of...
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