Right out of the box (and, actually, including the box itself), today’s pedal and company are bringing something unique to the table. The Whimsy Machines Short Stack JFET Booster Preamp looks modern and vintage simultaneously, and once you turn it on, it feels that way somehow as well. A single stage, ultra high gain JFET machine, this throwback features nostalgic graphics, killer tones and a wide range of options to blend into...
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After the success of their Dr. Robert Overdrive Preamp, we were wondering what would be next for the crew at Aclam. Well, their latest invention is here, and it harkens back to another band from the 60’s, and a particularly well-known guitarist. The Windmiller Preamp is based on a secret weapon that Pete Townshend of The Who used as a boost, and gave him his signature tone during the latter portion of that decade. Let’s...
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Coming out of the gates with the exquisite Type One Chorus Ensemble, we had the feeling that the crew at Horrothia FX were going to bring the heat for their next pedal release. They did, in the form of the Teeth Discrete Low-Gain Overdrive. This subtle but powerful machine gives you gorgeous boost, tasty crunch and delicious tonal enhancement around every corner, to be certain… Wanting to add a little flavor to the old...
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The Simplifier Zero Watt Amp + CABSIM is a preamp, EQ, boost, overdrive, cabinet simulator and more wrapped into one tidy little package. The crews at DSM Noisemaker and Humboldt Electronics have created a machine which allows you to integrate your pedalboard adding full stereo routing directly to a PA System, Amps, Audio Interfaces or anything you need with its 4 simultaneous outputs (2 x XLR, 2 x 1/4 bypass-able outs), stereo...
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In today’s brave new world, filled with digital amp emulators and effects processors, sometimes it’s nice to take it back old school and analog. Today’s “pedal” is actually an amp that fits right onto your pedalboard, and is full of tonal and routing options. The Thermion Zero Dynamic Hybrid Amplifier lets you play live, rehearse or practice at home with just your pedals. Lots to explore, let’s get...
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The NU-1 Nucleus Preamp from Sunnaudio was our first foray into their lineup of effects a couple months ago, and we were quite impressed by the design and sounds that pedal was capable of. Well, they’re back again with another creation that’s more powerful, has more options and sounds just as incredible as its little sibling. The RH-1 Rabbithead Preamp is a versatile integrative preamp and overdrive that offers multiple...
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When we received a big shipment of pedals all the way from Australia from our friends at Mozztronics, we had no idea that each pedal would be on par with or better than its predecessor. Well, it’s happened once again with today’s pedal, the OR-1 ORANG-e, which emulates precisely the gain and tone found on the classic amplifier from a company named after both a fruit and a color. A real bump-n-grinder, this amp / preamp /...
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We recently received a big shipment of pedals all the way from Australia, from our friends at Mozztronics, and we’re going to check out Pedal #1 today. The HW-1 wHo WATT is based on a British amp from the 60’s used by The Who guitarist Pete Townshend, making it not a dirt pedal as such, but more of an emulation of this classic amp. Big and loud and awesome, this is one incredible Amp-In-A-Box… To do full justice to the...
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We’ve had lots of preamp pedals coming through the shop lately, and we honestly couldn’t be happier. Preamps take everything you love about your rig and amplify it, pushing it to whatever the sweet spot is that you find, as sort of a final piece to the puzzle for any pedalboard or setup. Today’s pedal is useful on both guitar and bass, so we decided to make demos with each instrument, and show what the Sunnaudio NU-1...
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Tape echo delay units have been heard on classic recordings for decades, on albums from artists like Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, Led Zeppelin, Neil Young, Hawkwind, Chet Atkins, Eric Johnson, the late great Eddie Van Halen and many, many more. The old units, while possessing some secret ingredients and mojo, lend themselves to malfunctions, upkeep, unavailable replacement parts and general unreliability…but no more. Today...
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Y’all know the band Red Fang? Well, if ya don’t, ya should. A mix of punk, metal, thrash and sludge, they’ve been tearing up venues around the world since their inception in 2005 (we used to love seeing them at the Neurolux in Boise). As this Covid-19 pandemic has hit us all, musical acts are one of the most affected, and today’s pedal gives a little back to one of our favorites. The Hilbish Design Red Fang...
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We recently had the privilege to review and demo the Unit67 Boost EQ Compressor from DryBell, a wonderfully versatile addition to any rig or recording setup. As if knowing that an equally intelligent and option-filled dirt pedal would be the perfect effect to pair with the Unit67, they decided to release The Engine Foundation Preamp. A highly versatile and fully analog pedal, it features distinct voicing that has been inspired by...
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A good boost can add sparkle, shine, nuance and gusto to any tone, and we’re thrilled to have yet another one in the house today. The Teisco Boost looks like another simple boost, but once you realize all the options, bells and whistles its got, you’ll need to add it to your sonic arsenal instantly. Whether you need a tone-enhancing buffer or extra ‘oomph’ for your drives and amps, this one covers it all. Just like the...
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Preamps, in our mind, are an essential piece of gear for any really great-sounding rig. Usually placed fairly early in your signal chain, it drives the front end of your amp into blissful breakup territory….but what if it was placed at the END of your signal chain? Introducing the Night Owl Industries Monolith, a Post-Amp. This custom-voiced clean boost features very high headroom and a powerful tone control. The increased...
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We’ve got another delay pedal for you guys today, but this one is a wee bit different. The Tonetuga FX Delphine Delay features two independent delay circuits with mirrored parameters, letting you mix and match and overlap the echo sounds to your heart’s content. With a whole lot of vintage going on, and all the warm delay (with a bit of grit) you can handle, this one is gonna be fun… Delphine is a dual modulated tape...
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Many times throughout the course of a year, there are certain pedals that have a TON of hype around them, that just about everyone in the industry is waiting for their release to the public. Today’s pedal might just top the list for 2020, even though we’re only halfway through (really, only halfway?). The Chase Bliss Audio Automatone Preamp MKII is not only a collaborative effort with Benson Amps, but a surge forward in...
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We’ve all been trying to find THAT amp-in-a-box sound forever, it seems, right? A lot of good pedals have come out that have achieved this goal pretty well, but to really make it convincing, you’ve got to have real tubes, and that just isn’t always possible. Fortunately, we have a unit today for you that utilizes TWO real preamp tubes to bring you a faithful recreation of the 1987 Marshall Plexi amp. Ladies and...
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The Sunn Model T Amp. A classic in the heavy/stoner genre of music, they are known for being loud, having thick, killer overdrive, taking pedals well and putting out bass tones that are warm, natural and organic. Today’s pedal comes to us from Electronic Audio Experiments, and is based off of this legendary amplifier. The Model feT is a Preamp pedal, and while capable of doing the doom-y tones, it works for just about any other...
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With access to a seemingly endless supply of incredible vintage pedals, our friends at JHS have revamped yet another long-lost, obscure and intriguing effect, all while putting their own unique spin on it, as usual. Based on the strange and rarely talked-about Boss FA-1 FET Preamp, the Clover is a Preamp EQ Boost, a true tone-shaper / always on / can’t-live-without-it pedal that will really sculpt and mold your sound. Top...
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About a year ago, we reviewed and demoed a new and exciting pedal from our friends at Walrus Audio, the DEFCON4 Preamp/EQ/Boost. Vintage-looking and killer-sounding, this pedal was an excellent tone-shaper, one that we thought would surely be around for many years. Unfortunately, due to some unforeseen circumstances, the DEFCON4 had to be abruptly discontinued, but it’s come roaring back as the EB-10 Preamp/EQ/Boost, complete...
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Who doesn’t love some AC/DC? Really? Well, you’re wrong, and you need to go download their whole catalog immediately. Speaking of folks who really dig that band, our featured pedal today is basically the accumulation of facts, tones and info regarding Mr. Angus Young (of said band) and his instantly-recognizable tone, compiled over a lifetime and finally brought to life in the form of the TSR Schaffer Replica Compander...
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AC/DC. Even if you’re not a fan (not sure why that would be, but whatever), there’s still a good chance you know the words to at least 10 of their songs, if not more. Part of the appeal they’ve had since their inception in 1973 is, hands down, the guitar sound that seemingly has stayed exactly the same over the last 4+ decades. Angus Young’s signature schoolboy uniforms, love of SGs and the tone he produces are...
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Preamp and buffer pedals seem to get swept under the rug these days a bit, in part due to the incredible modulation, delay and drive pedals seemingly coming out every other week. However, these pedals are an absolutely essential part of any rig, and today’s pedal harkens back to a classic circuit and tone that has yet to be almost exactly replicated – until now. The Epoch Pre EP3 Preamp Buffer from Catalinbread emulates...
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The Beatles. Whether you dig ’em or not, there’s no denying their influence on music since they came on the scene in the early 1960’s. Today we get to check out a pedal that captures their spirit and sound, complete with artwork by an iconic illustrator and sounds from one of the rarest amps of all time. The Dr. Robert from Aclam is an overdrive preamp that encapsulates the sounds from the Vox UL730 amplifier, a...
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Let’s face it: it can be difficult and expensive to find all the pieces you need to emulate some of your favorite rockers from the 1970s. Vintage amps and cabinets now fetch prices that most Joe Schmoe guitarists might not be able to afford, not to mention finding a place to unleash such robust and ear-smashing tones without getting a visit from your landlord or the friendly neighborhood police. That’s where the crew at...
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Today, we’re going to go to a place where we’ve only ventured a couple of times in Pedal of the Day’s history – AcousticTown. Now, while the acoustic guitar and its vast array of sonic weapons don’t get the spotlight all that often, that doesn’t mean we don’t love the sounds they all make, especially when the gear sounds like today’s machine. The ALiX from Grace Design is a...
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Today’s pedal features a revolutionary new design, aimed at giving you virtually ANY pickup sound you desire. The EXchanger from Keyztone is a pickup remodeler, which means you can instantly switch between 8 pickup flavored options, no matter what equipment you have installed on your guitar. Their patented analogic technology brings the ability to change your pickup tone just in seconds, transforming your single coil into a P90,...
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We’ve got another killer Guest Review today from Brian Johnston – you can find him and more demo videos he’s done on his YouTube channel, CoolGuitarGear – click now! Thanks once more, Brian! Victory Amps has won several awards through various guitar magazines/sites, and this preamp makes those reasons obvious, with its magnificent tone. The four valves running the Kraken V4 produces a rich tone and quality that I have not heard...
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The crew at Neunaber Audio have always had a reputation for coming up with engaging, progressive and somewhat futuristic pieces of gear, and their latest keeps that streak alive. The Neuron Gain Intelligence is a preamp, but with that name, you know it is capable of so much more. Boasting varying degrees of overdriven glory, along with MIDI capabilities, presets, speaker simulation and more, this is one tool that will heighten any rig...
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Sometimes, fantastic things come in small packages. Now, while it’s nearly impossible to get a smaller effects pedal than the Oscar All-Tube Preamp from Night Owl Industries, going just a little bit bigger can really “amp” things up a bit (see what we did there?). The newest offering from the Greenwood Lake, New York-based company is the Edison, an all-tube EF86 tube preamp pedal with a built-in voltage tripler, once...
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We love a gritty, dirty preamp boost overdrive pedal, because who doesn’t? The Dirty Boy from Massive Unity Ltd. is just that, a powerful, clean-looking but dirty-sounding effect that is powered by T.A.E. (proprietary tube amp emulation) technology. Based on the amp used by legendary guitarist Blues Saraceno, which was built by his dad, this pedal features two different modes, a bunch of options and a whole slew of sounds that...
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Today’s featured piece of gear is NOT an effects pedal, but something that is just as important to electrifying your guitar’s signal. Without an amplifier, your pickups would have nothing to send sound to, and your speaker cabinet would not be able to receive sound and project it to the world. That’s where something like the Cobblestone Micro Amp Head from Kartakou Amplification comes in, only this one happens to be...
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Everyone ready? HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! And what better way to celebrate than with a hauntingly excellent boost preamp pedal from our friends over at JHS Pedals, right? The Haunting Mids, in addition to featuring some ghoulish graphics, adjusts the Midrange of your sound to your specs, providing a perfect opportunity to tame or heighten anything you’re not 100% happy with about your tone. With a simple control section and a wide range...
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A couple times a year, the entire pedal community gets in an uproar about the latest and greatest effect that’s just been or is about to be released. Admit it, you’ve probably gotten caught up in the hype at least once or twice, no? One of the big fellas this year comes from 1981 Inventions, and is the focus of our review today. The DRV is an overdrive and distortion pedal, one with a look inspired by a certain...
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Collaborations between pedal companies and artists/players are always a good time, especially when said guitarist is one of your favorite songwriters around. Walrus Audio has teamed up with Mr. Ryan Adams for a special tone-shaping pedal, designed to work quickly and easily with both single coil and humbucking pickups, perfect for when your set requires multiple guitar changes and you don’t want to have to re-adjust your tone...
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If you’ve heard one or a hundred or more demos of ours over the last couple years, there’s a good chance the sound you’ve heard was coming from a Benson Amp. The Monarch has been part of our demo setup for a while now, and since we love its sound and tone so much, we were stoked to hear that Chris and the crew were finally putting out a pedal. Now, as far as effects go, “Preamp” isn’t always one...
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Sometimes, huge things arrive in extremely small packages. At just 3.5″ x 3.5″ x 3.5″, today’s featured pedal packs a big punch while taking up minimal real estate on your pedalboard. The Oscar from Night Owl Industries is an all-tube preamp, designed to boost your signal, overdrive a distortion pedal, bring out the best in your amplifier and more, fitting in to any rig around. The Oscar uses either an EF86...
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Are you looking to get nuts with your sound? Tired of having 8 drive pedals that all sound fairly similar, and want to spice it up? Looking for a compact and easy way to create walls of noise and freak out your audience? Then the Downer from Malekko Heavy Industry is just what the doctor ordered. Part wavefolder, part saturator, part octave and part filter, these words vaguely describe what this grey monster is able to unleash. The...
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Somehow, we hadn’t yet discovered the company building today’s featured pedal until now, and we’re sure excited that we did. Midnight Amplification Devices hail from Brisbane, Australia, and feature an eclectic lineup of effects over a variety of musical genres. We’re checking out the Giant Sound Boost Fuzz Preamp today, and have a couple more pedals from these guys in the queue for review as well…...
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It’s always a treat when we get a 2-in-1 pedal to check out here at Pedal of the Day, and even cooler when we get a 3-in-1 effect. Today’s pedal blows right past these and gives us a rare and unsurpassed FIVE-in-1 stompbox, something that sounds complicated, but in reality is just easy to use and produces great sounds. The PRISM from Jackson Audio is a buffer, boost, EQ, overdrive and preamp all rolled into one –...
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Since 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...
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Discovering 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...
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It’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...
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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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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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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 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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We get pretty excited about all the pedals we review here at Pedal of the Day, but when a box arrived from the UK with “Hudson Electronics” on the label, we knew we were in for a treat. Having already reviewed the awesome Buzzard and Fuzz pedals a while back, we were stoked to see what Michael and the crew had come up with this time around. In short, we were not even close to being disappointed – here is the...
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When you think about the best, most-used and highly-sought after amps ever produced, everyone’s list almost always includes a Blackface Fender of some sort, and for good reason. Those amps made in the 1960’s have a character and tone not easily reproduced, by amp or pedal, putting them truly in a class of their own. The Magic 6 Preamp from RST Custom Effects seeks to reproduce some of those coveted tones, but in solid...
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After recently reviewing a couple of new pedals from Backwoods Music, I came across an older version of one of their pedals for a price I couldn’t pass up, and was excited to see what it could do, after being thoroughly impressed by the Nightcap Reverb and Mockingbird Delay. I’m not a huge Boost guy in general, but I thought “what the hell”, and went for it anyway! Not knowing what to expect, I sat down and...
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