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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There are certain pedals that carry with them an elusive aura, a majestic, impossible-to-achieve-anywhere-else type of hype and fuss. The Big Cheese from Lovetone, produced for a short period in the mid-to-late 1990’s, is one of these pedals: hard to find, crazy expensive when you do and is used by some of the most recognizable names in the biz, thus enshrining it in the Effects Pedal Hall of Fame. But wait! If you’ve been...
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Coming from such a compression-based pedal lineup for so many years, we were excited when the folks at Origin Effects announced they were releasing an overdrive pedal. After all, their studio-quality gear is second to none, and we knew they would put that expertise and high-quality craftsmanship into their new effect as well. With a $650 price tag, however, the first RevivalDRIVE was just a bit out of our range, so we were once again...
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We’re not exactly sure why is happens or what the circumstances have to do with the outcome, but every time an amplifier company gets into the pedal game, chances are it’s going to be something pretty rad. Taking all of that electrical prowess and harnessing it into a smaller form is a tricky thing to pull off, or so one would think. Milkman Sound becomes the latest to attempt such a feat, and their solo flagship pedal is...
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We have always had a bit of an affinity for the exquisite pedals produced by our friends at Spaceman Effects, and are always excited to check out their creations. One of our favorites was the Saturn V Harmonic Boost, a pedal that just adds that extra little bit of POW! and WOW! that your tone sometimes is lacking. Today’s pedal, the Mercury IV, is also rooted firmly in the Boost department, but with a couple more options and a...
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Happy Saturday, everyone! Today, we’re looking at the newest offering from our pals at Walrus Audio, which just happens to be a collaboration with one of our former interviewees as well. The Kangra is a filter fuzz pedal, giving you two independent effects side-by-side, with sonic options and combos that will last forever. You might even get to hear this one in action tonight, if you happen to watch a certain late-night comedy...
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The Mu-Tron / Musitronics Phasor was one of our favorite phasers (and favorite pedals, really) to ever come through the shop here at Pedal of the Day. Big, bulky and badass, it helped define the phaser effect in the 70s and beyond, creating giant soundscapes of whooshing pulses and out-of-this-world types of sonic embellishments for all to enjoy. Fast forward to the present day, and we’re lucky enough to have the Mu-Tron company...
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The Big Muff. You’ve heard it, you know it, you love it….but, can you afford an original, 1970’s-era model? Probably not, plus there’s the maintenance, reliability, etc. that goes along with owning any piece of vintage gear. Thankfully, we’re super-spoiled in the effects pedal community, and have companies like D-Sound Effects, all the way from Russia, to help us with these bumps in the road. Today...
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John Lee Shannon (www.johnleeshannon.com) Brooklyn, NY In addition to my own solo project, I regularly work in collaboration with: Zephaniah Ohora Cliff Westfall Bonehart Flannigan Brother Roy How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I started playing guitar when I was 15 or 16. My mom is a huge music lover, we were always listening to the radio in the car and going to concerts growing up. My dad...
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From BB King to SRV to Hendrix to the Smashing Pumpkins to Paul Kossoff and more, the Vibrato effect has been employed throughout the decades, through both effects and playing technique. The results have been a mixed bag of emotional, soaring leads, unforgettable licks and drawn-out chordal arrangements for some of the most memorable music around. We’re going to explore this genre a bit more today, with the VIB1 Vibrato pedal...
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A couple of months ago, we were honored and privileged to review and demo a pedal that was very near and dear to our hearts: the DeLorean Analog Delay from VVco Pedals. Not only was it a nice-sounding delay, it brought back memories from 30+ years ago via one of our favorite movies, Back to the Future. Today, the VVco folks are at it again, this time taking on the superhero genre with their latest, the Dark Knight Distortion. Housed...
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Let’s face it: we all know about Chase Bliss Audio and their contribution to the effects pedal world by now, right? From their classic Warped Vinyl and Wombtone flagship effects to the uber-popular Tonal Recall and Thermae delays, as well as the most recent M O O D Granular Looper and a bunch of others in their lineup, the innovation and advancement they’ve brought to the table is quite stellar. In keeping with this slew...
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There’s no shortage of amazing effects coming out of the Keeley Electronics camp, as they have been for close to 2 decades now, and we always love it when something new comes through the office. While the past couple of years have seen bigger, more option-filled pedals like the Dark Side, Aria, Super Mod Workstation and more, sometimes you just need a killer overdrive pedal to get you in the right mood, and spark some creativity...
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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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If you happened to have seen our Klone Wars series on YouTube, you may very well be aware of an excellent Klon-inspired beast called the Pegasus Overdrive. Based on the original Golden Professional edition of the Klon, this beaut made by Caline produces some gorgeous vintage-style overdrive and boost sounds, it brings everything we all love about that famous mythical pedal and offers it in an affordable and still true-to-form effects...
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Peanut Butter and Jelly. Hall & Oates. Burgers and Beer. Delay and Reverb. Some things were just meant to be paired together, and the latter two on this list are featured in today’s pedal. The Atlantic from NuX is a combo delay/reverb effect, with each side featuring 3 classic takes on sounds from decades past. With tap tempo, shimmer and a few other options, this is a pedal that can take up just a little space on your...
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It’s a real treat to stumble across and discover new pedal companies that might not be in the major spotlight, as we love to review and demo effects from a wide spectrum. The little guys are making some incredible effects pedals, and we’ve got another builder today to showcase that flies under the radar, but has some great gear to offer. The Sunn Model T Overdrive from Kenny B Pedals in Winnipeg, Canada, is based on the...
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If you’ve had the chance to check out our series “The Klone Wars” on YouTube, you may have noticed a pedal called the Pegasus from a company called Caline. This overdrive not only holds its own against some of the more well-known klones out there, it also proves that you don’t have to be expensive to sound fantastic. Today, we’ve got another budget-friendly effect from Caline, this time in the form of a...
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At first glance, the JUNE-60 Chorus pedal from TC Electronic appears to be a piece of gear send back in time from the future. In fact, it represents the PAST, as it is a faithful recreation of the lush chorus circuit found in the legendary Roland Juno-60 Synthesizer. Upon seeing pictures of this vintage machine, you can easily see where the inspiration and aesthetics for the JUNE-60 came from. Paying homage to a classic polyphonic...
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My name is Anders Mouridsen, and I’m a Danish guitarist, living in Los Angeles and working all over the place. I currently perform, write and record with country artist Cam (www.camcountry.com). In the past, I’ve performed and recorded with artists like John Fogerty, Pink, Taylor Swift, Tim Timebomb, Meghan Trainor, Guy Sebastian and many others. You can hear some examples of my work as a writer, producer and musician on...
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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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If you’re looking for a clean boost, or something light to give your rig a bit of “sparkle” or “transparency”, you should probably look somewhere else besides Earthbound Audio. Now, if you want to get heavy, doomy, stonery or just filthy and nasty with your tone, you’ve come to the right place. Today we’re going to take a look at their Throat Locust, a wicked heavy distortion pedal based on...
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For all the pedals we’ve had the pleasure to peruse from our friends at Free The Tone, we’ve never come across a bad apple, and there’s no reason for that to change now. Their latest endeavor is a wonderfully exploratory delay unit, rivaling the Flight Time delays, but with a new, unique sound. The FF-1Y Future Factory RF Phase Modulation Delay “succeeds in creating a new modulation sound with a unique method,...
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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 Infamous Klon. Tons of debates about this one: some swear by it, some think it’s incredibly overpriced, some just want one to add to a collection of status symbol pedals and some just like the way it sounds, period. Since the majority of us don’t have roughly $2,000 to drop on one pedal, there are companies like Kink Guitar Pedals who make it easy for us to get the Klon sound affordably. Their Femtaur pedal is what...
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If you like fuzz and distortion, there’s a good chance you love the sound of a good Big Muff from Electro-Harmonix. With so many different iterations, it can be tricky to nail down the exact sound you may be looking for, and even more difficult if you’re trying to afford any kind of original Muff made before about 1999. Thankfully, there are companies who try and recreate these wonderful machines, and we’ve got a...
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There’s no shortage of incredible effects pouring out of the Keeley Electronics office, and with each one, we’re taken aback a bit by the sheer ingenuity and creativity they possess, especially the Workstation Series. Looking at another one of those today, we’re excited to bring you the Dark Side, a Fuzz Delay Phaser Vibe Flanger extravaganza, with tasty fuzz tones and all the modulation you can handle. Conjuring up...
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Brandon “Taz” Niederauer tazguitar.com @brandonniederauer @NiederauerMusic How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I have been playing guitar since I was eight years old. I became fascinated with my father’s album and video collection and was listening to The Allman Brothers and other guitar and jazz music. When I went to my first concert at eight, I knew I wanted to play. Who...
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Moog. You’ve heard the name for decades now, and, if you’re lucky, have had the pleasure of testing out or even owning some of their gear. One of the most sought-after and incredible effects they made was the Moogerfooger MF-104M, an analog delay considered by many to be the finest ever created. This delay delivers tone upon tone, echo options for days and will bring inspiration to anyone who gets a chance to plug one in....
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It’s honestly hard to believe there are still guitarists who don’t like fuzz effects – they’re loud, sometimes unpredictable, and add a certain pizazz to your tone that you just can’t get anywhere else. Who wouldn’t like that? To those folks, we say “More For Us!” and quickly find a fuzz to rock out with. Like today’s featured pedal, for example: the Fuzz-Arka from Veri-Tone is...
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Once again, Chris and the crew at JPTR FX have managed to outdo themselves with today’s featured pedal. The Silbermaschine Fuzz combines two gain stages in a parallel circuit, resulting in an unrefined and unbuffered vintage fuzz conquest. This LARGE pedal has the look and feel of a classic unit, but somehow brings a bit of modern touch along for the ride. Not for the weak or faint of heart, let’s check out this effect in...
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Another day, another delay….and why not? They’re only the most fun effects out there, and we’ll review and demo ’em as long as companies keep making ’em! Speaking of making exceptional pedals, today’s gem comes to us from Mr. Black, longtime maker of intriguing devices and inspiring tone machines, and this one is no exception. The SS-850 is a solid state echo chamber delay unit, featuring a retro...
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We want the funk. Give up the funk. We need the funk. We gotta have that funk. Truer words have never been spoken, both in general and especially when in relation to today’s magnificently funky featured pedal. The Analogue Filter 442 from Mojo Hand FX brings SOOOO much funk to the table, yet utilizes only two control knobs, making it easy to dial in, yet complex in the amount of range you have for such a simple configuration....
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There is nothing like the sound of a Marshall stack, particularly a vintage one, perhaps of the Plexi variety, with the classic 4 input configuration. Those in the know have discovered a special secret about these amps: using a patch cable to connect two of the inputs together. This results in the Volume controls from both channels becoming active, and able to be blended at will to produce gorgeous, soaring crunch tones. If...
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As our “Deadbeat Week” draws to a close here at Pedal of the Day, we’re excited to bring one final effect to you from the “Station” line of pedals from Deadbeat Sound. The Echolation Station is full of gooey delay goodness, boasting a ton of different modes and echoed tones up and down the line. The delay-filled gem gives you a multitude of echo effects, from modern to classic to vintage and everywhere...
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“Deadbeat Week” rolls on here at Pedal of the Day, and Day Three brings us a multi-dimensional effect unit that utters one simple but powerful word: REVERB. Whether it’s Plate, Mod, Church, Hall, Room, Spring, Lo-Fi, Gate, or Reverse reverb that you’re looking for, the Reverberation Station from Deadbeat Sound has you covered. Boasting a simple but effective control section for each of these 9 modes, this...
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It’s Day Two of our “Deadbeat Week” here at Pedal of the Day, and brings with it the first of three “Station” effects pedals we’re going to check out. Modulation is always a good time, no matter what type of rig you have or what music you play, so cramming 11 unique modulating effects into one pedal sounds like a pretty rad idea to us. The Modulation Station combines Tremolo, Vibrato, Chorus,...
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This week has been dubbed “Deadbeat Week” here at Pedal of the Day, having been taken over by the folks at Deadbeat Sound. Starting off our run of their pedals is The Visible Overdrive, a clear, see-through dirt pedal designed to emulate the tones of certain 1980’s, green, mid-focused overdrives, all at a ridiculously affordable price range. Working not only with guitars, but bass, keys, drum machines and more, this...
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Pink Floyd. I mean, c’mon, what else do you have to say? David Gilmour is well-known for one of the greatest all-around tones on the planet, especially in the fuzz/soloing department, and we’re going to take a look at a pedal that aims to recreate that today. The aptly-named Floyd Fuzz graces us with its presence, coming from Tru-Fi Pedals in Falmouth, Maine (the next fuzz capital of the world, apparently). With FIVE...
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Delay is one of our favorite effects – analog, digital, echo, modulated….it doesn’t matter. It always adds some mystique and mystery to any tone or setup, usually getting out into the sonic stratosphere to produce wild, unruly and unexpected tones, something we are huge fans of. Today’s delay pedal has a smooth balance of subtle and extreme, giving you a nice range of options and sounds to play with. The Dakota...
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If you’re a fuzz lover, when you hear the words “Tone Bender,” an instant smile creeps over your face. Used on countless classic rock recordings and live shows by everyone from Pete Townshend to Jeff Beck to Paul McCartney and more, these gray boxes from Sola Sound defined the latter half of the 1960’s. The MkII Professional version of the Tone Bender was made popular by Jimmy Page, having used it on the first...
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We here at Pedal of the Day have been fortunate to be able to review and demo many pedals from our friend Eric at Hungry Robot Pedals, which makes us even more excited about today’s featured effect. Having checked out the original Moby Dick Delay, we were excited to see what changes and improvements awaited us in V2 – well, let’s just say that our expectations were exceeded. Aside from the obvious smaller enclosure,...
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There’s just no substitute for a good analog delay, plain and simple. We love the classic, vintage models, the newer modern stuff and pretty much everything in between. Today’s featured pedal falls into the modern category, but boasts sounds and tones reminiscent of the units from decades gone by. The Warp Drive from RPS Effects gives you that tasty vintage delay warmth based on the noteworthy “bucket brigade’...
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TWENTY-FIVE VOLTS OF POWER? Welcome to today’s beast of an overdrive, folks: the Two Five 25V from classic noisemakers Wren and Cuff. It’s been a minute since we had a pedal of theirs pass through the shop, and what a way to return! This yellow monster reminds us of those striped, buzzing insects you hope don’t sting you on a picnic, full of terror, gusto, determination and oozing with grit and tone. Not only do the...
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Where do we begin with today’s featured pedal? Just when you thought Joel and the Chase Bliss Audio team couldn’t top themselves, here comes the Thermae, an analog delay and pitch shifter to top all analog delays and pitch shifters. Capable of more out-of-this-world sounds than you’d ever think possible, this blue marvel takes playing music to another echelon, vaulting your creativity and inspiration to entirely new...
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Not that they need any introduction, but the crew at EarthQuaker Devices just keeps on crushing it, and although today’s pedal might not be their newest release, it’s on par with everything else in their vast catalog of effects pedals. The Spires is a double fuzz inspired by a classic fuzz pedal AND a now-discontinued piece of EarthQuaker gear. Easy to use, fun to play and inspiring to hear, let’s check out this...
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Sometimes, you just need ONE knob to get some incredible tone out of your guitar and amp. Today’s featured pedal proves that in spades, bringing a wide range of tones and dBs to work with and apply to your sound, beefing it up with any coloration. The B1G 1 is a simple gain booster, but has been designed by and electronics guru, and brings true studio quality right onto your pedalboard. The B1G 1 is an all-analog gain boost with...
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The resurrection and resurgence of the new Shin-ei brand of pedals started off with the stellar Vibe-Bro (click here for our review and demo), and continues to build and build with more pedals from vintage eras. The Screaming Sister is an octave boost based on the Prescription Electronics’ Clean Octave Boost (COB), a now rare (and crazy expensive) effect used by Doyle Bramhall II, Jonny Lang and more. This simple three-knob box...
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Chris Traynor Topanga, California Bush bushofficial.com www.instagram.com/ct3guitar/ twitter.com/CT3GUITAR How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I feel like I’ve been a musician since birth. My parents took me to Suzuki method when I was a toddler, and although I don’t remember much from those days I feel like it really gave me an interest in communicating through music from a very young age. I...
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We dig a good Leslie cabinet emulating effects pedal around here, and one that is low-budget-friendly is always a welcome perk. The Big Spender Spinning Speaker, designed and distributed as Billionaire by Danelectro, covers both areas, while managing to create some incredibly useful and tone-enhancing sounds. Self-described as the “best ever spinning speaker tones,” the Big Spender does in fact utilize just a couple of...
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