Over the years, the effects units we’ve examined from the mad scientists at Discomfort Designs have wowed, excited and perplexed me, in all the greatest of ways. We’ve got their latest creation for you today, and this one takes off into outer space the minute you plug it in. The Phantom Limb Delay Looper combiners two of our favorite effects, while adding a bunch of sonic manipulation into the fold… Phantom Limb is a...
Read More
We recently had the privilege of testing out our first effects pedal from PRS Guitars, the Horsemeat Transparent Overdrive, and it was an absolute hit. Today, we’re looking at a 2nd pedal from Paul and crew, moving in a different direction sonically, but keeping that PRS quality and tone intact. The Mary Cries Optical Compressor is everything you want in a compressor pedal, if you use them, and everything you never knew you...
Read More
A couple of days ago, we unleashed the power of the Dual Phase Jr Double Phaser from Artisanal Effects. Today, we’re looking at another one of their creations, but in a entirely different effects genre. The Magic Delay is a brand new, hand-built clone of a rare and somewhat obscure digital delay from the late ’90s. Just three knobs on this one, but great sounds and amazing tones just come pouring out here… The Magic...
Read More
Well, it’s time for another sonic adventure as we journey down the wonderful rabbit hole that is Chase Bliss. Their latest offering is the Onward Dynamic Sampler, and it may be one of the most impressive and experimental pedals they’ve done – and that’s saying something. Sampling your input signal and then twisting it, wrenching it, looping it, destroying it and more, this pedal is full of excitement, wonder...
Read More
Last month, we checked out our first pedal from Shnobel Tone in quite a while, and the Ratatouille Distortion definitely didn’t disappoint. Today, we’re looking at a newer version of their flagship pedal, the Daily Driver, the first incarnation of which we saw way back in 2020. This new version, the Daily Driver Boost, combines the original with a boost circuit, enabling you to push any amp you’d like into the sweet...
Read More
I’ve been playing PRS Guitars in some form for about 20 years now, and they remain, hands-down, the favorite guitars I’ve ever had the pleasure of owning. From my first early 2000s Santana SE all the way up to my gorgeous Special 22 Semi-Hollowbody, each one creates its own unique tone, and they have all played as smoothly as can be. Today, we’re venturing into another section of the PRS world – PEDALS, and...
Read More
There’s not a lot that’s better than plugging in your favorite Overdrive pedal, cranking up a good amplifier and hitting an E, G or D chord of your choice and letting it ring out, is there? Well, the short answer is YES, if you have a pedal like the AmpMojo Sol Drive Responsive Tube Overdrive. This one has an ACTUAL TUBE inside, bringing warm and inviting drive sounds anywhere and everywhere you need them to be… The...
Read More
Not being an engineer, or particularly skilled in the ways of electronics creation, I have never built an effects pedal. I love how they sound and what they can do, but their innerworkings completely baffle me, and I’m not alone. For all of us who want to tinker and experiment a little, without having to do too much actual work, Josh and the JHS Pedals crew have created the NOTAKLÖN, an effects unit based on that certain...
Read More
I love a good phaser effect, don’t you? It can add subtlety, or depth, or get into out-of-this-world modulation territory, letting you express yourself and experiment with your music in so many different ways. Today, we’re taking a look at a reimagining of a vintage classic, with the Warm Audio Mutation Phasor II. This nod to one of the most recognized phaser units in history looks and sounds amazing, so let’s dive...
Read More
There are Boost pedals, and then there are BOOST PEDALS. Some give you more volume, some help shape your tone, some push your amp into breakup territory, and some, like today’s TWO pedals, are modern takes on a classic, world-renowned circuit. The Type 14 and Type 32 Custom Shop PNP Boost pedals from MMK Electrics are just that, taking a vintage circuit and turning it upside down and inside out… These Boost pedals are...
Read More
Ring modulators are either really loved or really disliked, I’ve come to find out. I’m up for anything experimental that pushes the boundaries of what music can do, but some folks seem to think these pedals just make noise. The Dr. Scientist Phreak Ring Modulator aims to squash that theory, giving us a fun, playful effects unit that, while it CAN make weird noises, can also sound musical and add a spin onto any track or...
Read More
The crew at Vongon has always release wildly innovative musical effects units, like the Ultrasheer Pitch Vibrato & Reverb and the Polyphrase Stereo Echo. Today, we’ve got another marvelous creation from these sonic wizards: the Paragraphs Resonant Low Pass Filter. This is a low pass filter the likes of which you’ve never seen, or heard, and we’re gonna do our best to explain this crazy machine to you all…...
Read More
The pedals we’ve reviewed from Studio Daydream Handmade Pedals have continually gotten better and better, providing different, unique overdrive and compression effects around every corner. Today, we’re bringing you their FETBOX Custom V8 Preamp, a compact pedal that simulates the pre-amp of a boutique 30W tube amp. With 2 channels of gorgeous tone available at a moment’s notice, you’ll easily find a sound to...
Read More
When the crew at Lerxst Amps sent us the two pedals they designed with Alex Lifeson of Rush, we were, needless to say, stoked. The By-Tor Overdrive Boost was the first one, and it turned out to be an incredible amp-driving powerhouse. Today’s effect is the complimentary (if you know your Rush songs) Snow Dog Octave Fuzz. A completely different pedal and sound from the first one, the Snow Dog gets really dirty, adding elements to...
Read More
Today we’re checking out the fourth Adam Adventure Series pedal from ALABS Audio, after already having been impressed by their Orbital Stereo Pitch Shifter, NovaDrift Stereo Modulation and TimeSlip Stereo Delay effects. The CETUS Stereo Reverb features nine modes of glorious reverberation, along with some fun built-in options that will shape and sculpt your tone like never before… Grab a CETUS Reverb from Amazon –...
Read More
Well, well, it’s Keeley Electronics time once again! We’ve been checking out a bunch of their gear recently, and today we’re going back a little ways to check out the Dyno My Roto. Aside from the awesome name, this pedal is a 3-in-1 modulation machine offering some classic sounds in a pedalboard-friendly little package. From tone-shaping chorus to vintage rotary speaker emulations to out-of-this-world flanging, this...
Read More
Roman Belonozhko over at Shnobel Tone has been making great demos for a long time now, and in the past couple of years, has also taken the plunge into the world of effects pedal building. His first pedal, the Daily Driver, was an original and unique drive circuit that gives you a rich sound full of harmonics and an amp-like response. Today, we’re gonna take a look at the Ratatouille Distortion, a rodent-inspired black box with a...
Read More
When musical gear companies collaborate on a project, it usually ends up being something pretty special. When THREE companies team up with one of the most iconic bands in history, something REALLY special is gonna happen. Today, we’re looking at an effects pedal from the Sweetwater Exclusive Beach Boys Limited Edition collection, which teams up JHS, Keeley Electronics and Benson Amps to celebrate the release of “The Beach...
Read More
We’re continuing our “Asheville Week” here at Pedal of the Day today, with the last of three effects from a company focused on 100% analog sounds. The Asheville Music Tools ADG-1 Analog Delay utilizes a pair of Xvive™ high voltage BBDs, this delay features up to 700ms of harmonically rich, perfectly floating echoes with an extensive and fully analog control set unprecedented for a pedal of its size. From a bright...
Read More
We’re continuing our “Asheville Week” here at Pedal of the Day today, with the second of three effects from a company focused on 100% analog sounds. The Asheville Music Tools ACV-1 Analog Chorus Vibrato is a time warp modulator, featuring a reissue Bucket Brigade Delay line to deliver classic Chorus and Vibrato sounds with the most natural modulation possible. The onboard Low Frequency Oscillator and sophisticated...
Read More
We’re continuing our “Asheville Week” here at Pedal of the Day today, with the first of three effects from a company focused on 100% analog sounds. The Asheville Music Tools AFG-1 Analog Dynamic Flanger is a Whooshless Resonant Comb Modulator, featuring a reissue Bucket Brigade Delay line to deliver classic Flanger and Chorus sounds with the most natural modulation possible. The synthesizer-inspired control voltage...
Read More
Over the course of the next week, we have FIVE pedals that all come from right where we live: beautiful Asheville, North Carolina. Some new companies, some old, all local and all amazing. We’re starting this little run with a unit that isn’t an effect, but an extremely useful piece of gear for any FX Loop-equipped tube amplifier. The Master Volume Box Attenuator from Asheville Guitar Pedals allows you to crank your...
Read More
It’s always exciting diving into pedals from a company you’ve never worked with before, but when those pedals are a collaboration with one of your guitar heroes, that makes it just a bit more special. Today, we’re looking at the By-Tor Overdrive Boost from Lerxst Amplification, which pairs MojoTone with Mr. Alex Lifeson of the prog-rock band Rush. Seeking to exact his specific sounds on amps, cabs and now pedals,...
Read More
There’s just something about the reverberated sounds coming from old recordings, that’s not only iconic, but a lot of times hard to modernly replicate. That’s all changed with today’s pedal, the Keeley Electronics Memphis Sun Lo-Fi Echo Reverb Double Tracker. Using three different modes to celebrate a wide range of reverb tones, this pedal instantly transports you back more than a half century, to a simpler...
Read More
Although we’ve never had the pleasure of playing through an actual amp from Science Amplification, today’s pedal is as close as we can get right now to the real thing. Based on the circuitry from the amplifier of the same name, The Mother Preamp Pedal is a recreation of its dual channel tube-powered namesake, but refined into pedal format. Just like the full-fledged amp, it’s a modern take on the vintage high-wattage...
Read More
If you know even the slightest bit about effects pedals, and you know what reverb is, there’s a 99% chance you’ve heard of the Strymon BigSky Reverberator. One of the most popular reverb pedals ever created, it set a new bar across the board for how reverb could sound. Today, we’re so stoked to bring you Strymon’s brand new take on this pedal, the BigSky MX – the new pinnacle of what a reverb pedal can be...
Read More
After being pretty blown away by the Orbital Pitch Shifter and NovaDrift Modulation pedals from ALABS Audio, we were excited to check out the next pedal in their Adam Adventure Series, which happens to come from our favorite effect genre. The TimeSlip Stereo Delay features loads of echo modes, options and exploration into all things delay, with a wide stereo field to engulf your audience. Lots of knobs and switches here, let’s...
Read More
It’s been a little while since we’ve heard anything from the folks over at Danelectro, but today’s pedal suddenly appeared in the mail a couple weeks ago, and what a wonderful surprise it was. The Nichols 1966 Distortion Fuzz brings back the very first circuit created by fOXX pedals founder and current Danelectro owner Steve Ridinger, which has been elusive since the 1960s. This unique sound is gonna be loved by...
Read More
On this lovely 4/20 morning, we’re continuing our journey exploring the lineup of effects from our local buds Asheville Guitar Pedals. Today, we’re looking at their Echo Machine Delay, a little mini pedal with simple controls and the perfect amount of delay for those just getting into the genre, or seasoned echo vets who want to enhance their sound. You can dial in a great tone is literally seconds, let’s see what...
Read More
It’s always a thrill to get gear from a pedal company for the first time, and today’s effects unit is sure to get the commenters talking. Combining a mythical circuit with a familiar-looking enclosure, the Attic Audio Transparent Overdrive brings you the best of both worlds. Designed to be a little tongue-in-cheek, this drive/boost provides incredible tonal punch, along with being an excellent conversation starter…...
Read More
The folks at Stone Deaf have never shied away from intriguing, boundary-busting effects creations, and today might be their most ambitious yet. The Rise & Shine Fuzz Octave Tremolo not only combines those three effects into one box, it changes the way you will forever hear them moving forward (in the best of ways). Big tones, bold sonic creations, unusual pairings – this pedal has go it all… Elevate your musical...
Read More
We’ve been reviewing and demoing effects units from NUX for over six years now, and they just keep getting better and better. Today, we’re continuing our exploration into their Core Series of pedals (the Tape Core Deluxe was amazing, BTW) as we check out the Verb Core Deluxe, a vast-reaching, wide-ranging ambient powerhouse that brings your favorite reverb sounds up from the depths…let’s dive right in, shall...
Read More
After checking out the newest pedals in the Keeley Electronics’ lineup recently, we’re going to head back a little ways to review a classic 2-in-1 effect from our friends in OKC. Combining two popular Keeley circuits into one pedal, the Parallax Spatial Generator Delay Reverb brings ambience and shoegazing right to your feet. Lots of control parameters and a wide range of tonal options here make sure you can create the...
Read More
After going 3-for-3 on heavy dirt pedals so far from our friends at Asheville Guitar Pedals, we’re moving into our favorite genre for today’s creation: Delay. The Follower Delay is a digital delay with a barebones control system, but one that provides big, bold repeats and beautiful echoes for days. It looks good, it sounds good – what more do you need? The Follower Delay Pedal is the ultimate tool for musicians...
Read More
It’s always exciting when we get to check out new pedals from companies for the first time, and we’re stoked to welcome Artisanal Effects into the mix today. Their Toneshaper Drive EQ Overdrive pedal combines the oomph of an overdrive with the frequency-sculpting of a 6-band EQ, for a well-rounded sound that can fit with ANY setup. There’s a lot of history on this one, so lets hear from the builder about how it came...
Read More
We’ve always loved the effects pedals that Ryan and the Dr. Scientist crew have sent our way over the years, and we’re happy to have another wonderful creation from them for you today. The Sunny Day Delay provides oodles of choices, blending vintage and modern delay tones together in one glorious machine. If this pedal doesn’t brighten up your day and put a smile on your face, you might want to get some help…...
Read More
We’re continuing to dive into the world of Tone City pedals today, with a 2-in-1 that will quench even the most snobbish shoegazer’s thirst for the ultimate ambient effect. The Heavenly Lake Delay Reverb brings two of our favorite effects into the mix, smashes them into one beautifully aqua enclosure and adds a bunch of knobs to twist and turn as we see fit. If you like either of these genres of effects a LITTLE BIT,...
Read More
A good pedal with distortion mixed into some fuzz is always a welcome treat here at Pedal of the Day, and we’ve got a real wicked scorcher for you all today. The Cosmodio Instruments Pet Yeti Distortion Fuzz has elements of both of these musical genres, but with some additional tweakability and sonic prowess. If you like to turn knobs, flip switches and make a beautiful racket, this pedal is just what you’re after…...
Read More
We’ve had the pleasure of demoing a couple of great effects from Supercool Pedals, the ’77 Fuzz Blender and The Thneed Overdrive. Today, we’ve got their latest release, which moves away from the dirt units and gets into something we really love: Modulation. The Zig-Zag Analog Chorus-Vibrato is a classic mod circuit with some modern amenities and gorgeous tone for days…let’s dive into this brand new gem...
Read More
We recently had the wonderful chance to check out two new pedals from our friends at Keeley Electronics, the Muse Driver & Noble Screamer, a couple of excellent drives and the first foray into Keeley’s new-look series. Today, we’ve got not one, not two, but THREE more new pedals from Robert and the crew, designed in the same layout and format as the previous two. Ladies and gents, help us welcome to the world the...
Read More
Last month, we had a look at the Konstante Overdrive from Twilight Pulse Audioworks, and we’ve got their next creation for you all today. The Proxima Overdrive Fuzz has simpler controls than its sibling, but features a wide range of dirt tones to explore. Ranging from slightly dirty to a scorching, amp-pushing heater, this seemingly simplistic effect has some surprises in store… The Proxima Overdrive Fuzz is a Mosfet...
Read More
Combining two effects into one box is almost never a bad idea, and that is certainly the case with today’s 2-in-1 masterpiece of a pedal. The Kuro Custom Audio 19 42 Fuzz and Filter takes, well, a fuzz and a filter, and smashes them together, complete with a ton of control options. This big beast is an absolute blast to experiment with – let’s see what it’s all about!! 19 42 is the union of two distinct effects...
Read More
Today’s pedal is both brand new and not…if that can make any sense. The now-resurrected and much-revered Octave Clang from Death By Audio is BACK, bringing its unique sound along with some new improvements and sonic options to the table. As usual, this DBA unit isn’t for everyone, but it should be, ’cause it is WICKED AWESOME… In the decade since it disappeared, Death By Audio revisited the original Clang...
Read More
Throughout the years, I’ve been fortunate to get my hands on nearly every pedal that Chase Bliss has put out, except one…until today. Much like its rare and elusive namesake, the Condor HiFi Analog Tone Bird has eluded our grasp, but the long wait has finally come to and end. Building on the original version released in 2018, this updated unit has some new features, new design aspects and the “must-have” sound...
Read More
The Ampero line of multi effects processors and modelers has always been a joy to review and demo, and we’re stoked to be back at it again today. The latest creation from our friends at Hotone comes in the form of the Ampero II Stage Amp Modeler / Effects Processor, the newest in this series, and I’m pretty sure the most powerful yet. It’s a true wonder how they pack all of the amps, cabs, effects, routing, parameter...
Read More
Well, we did it – today marks the official TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY of Pedal of the Day!! It’s been quite a ride, and we’ve seen an unbelievable amount of effects over the years…but today, I thought we’d head back to the very beginning, and revisit the one that started it all, one of our favorite pedals ever: the Boss DM-3 Analog Delay. The last analog delay pedal produced by Boss in the ’80s, it has a...
Read More
It has been a hot minute since we’ve had any gear from our friends at Anasounds in the shop, and we’re excited to jump back in today with an amazing pedal creation from them. The Utopia Deluxe Echo Delay features loads of echo tones, some warm vintage preamp oomph and exploration beyond your wildest dreams. Come along as we check out this amazing machine, won’t you?? The Anasounds Utopia Deluxe was designed for the...
Read More
We love a good-sounding overdrive here at Pedal of the Day, and if it has the aesthetics to match, we’ve in pedal heaven. Today’s piece of gear meets both of these requirements with ease, providing a wonderfully warm and inviting drive tone while looking sharp as can be on the finest of pedalboards. Come along on a journey as we explore the gorgeous, tone-shaping, amp-driving Twilight Pulse Audioworks Konstante Overdrive,...
Read More
As many of you may know, the 3 Series of affordable effects from JHS Pedals has been out for a while now…what you might NOT realize is that today we’re taking a look at our FIRST ONE!! The Octave Reverb from this series is based on a well-known and well-loved effect, created by a well-known and well-loved musician and producer (any guesses?), and it sounds amazing. With a minimal design aesthetic and minimal controls,...
Read More
We’re taking a glance at our second effects unit from ALABS Audio today, and are really excited about all that this brand is capable of. The Orbital Pitch Shifter is a stereo digital pedal, offering 9 high-quality modulation effects. These include vibe, chorus, multi-chorus, phaser, filter, rotary, flanger, tremolo, and ring. Lots to get into here, let’s jump right in and see what this green gem is all about… Grab a...
Read More
