This being my first foray into the world of Mad Professor pedals, I was excited to see what their Simble Overdrive had to offer. Having seen their gear around for a long time, I knew they had a great reputation for making some killer pedals, and the Simble was an excellent way to delve into their huge catalog of effects. Not too heavy on the drive, great tones and some new controls to boot, this is one fun pedal. You should know what...
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Where to begin… Lets start with washy, wobble, and crinkle. So much tape goodness in one awesome pedal. Ive owned the El cap for about 7 months, and it still keeps me guessing what corner of the unknown universe i will be carried to next. But I digress, lest my rambling be in vain. The El Capistan can really make a huge array of sounds. Ambient, ethereal, nostalgic are obvious and easily attainable, but I really just love it for...
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Some effects pedals claim to be true “distortion” pedals, when all they really produce is a muddy, way too overdriven drive sound. The Mythical Sustainer from EC Pedals also claims it is a distortion pedal, but for a different reason: it IS one, and a mean mofo at that. The Level and Tone controls act exactly as they should, with a big amount of output volume and a nice EQ range as well. The Gain control can really be...
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I was born a synthesist. I didn’t know it until long after I had given up playing keyboards and spent years learning how to play bass and then guitar, but it’s true. My calling is not to be John Entwistle or Jimmy Page, but to be Suzanne Ciani or Edgar Froese. That probably explains why I’ve spent my entire musical life goofing around with funny little boxes on the floors of practice spaces. Being a huge fan of...
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I randomly stumbled onto the folks over at Yellowcake Pedals, and was able to check out their flagship pedal, a wicked cool Overdrive/Fuzz called the Furry Burrito. Awesome name aside, this little teal monster produces some scorching drive tones, and will get you to that nice, middle ground fuzz area where it’s still safe to play, yet not too safe to rock it out. Lots of options on this puppy, let’s take it for a spin,...
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Just take a look at this thing…recognize it? Then you’re probably not under 20 years old, as it seems these things have become somewhat of an underground legend. The Tube Driver, in this particular case from Chandler Industries in San Francisco, has been a staple on many famous and influential guitarists, even if you might not know where their killer overdrive tone was coming from. Granted, these all don’t sound the...
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This is a magnificent reverb pedal. There, I said what you all were thinking, so now that that’s out of the way, we can discuss the pedal in a calm and rational manner, ok? Strymon continues their absolute assault on the effects pedal world with one of the sweetest reverb pedals you’ll ever play: the blueSky Reverberator (I even dig the spelling, don’t you?). There are a boatload of options to this pedal, so...
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Reverb. Most people love it, though there are a few haters out there. I, personally, think it’s a fantastic effect, and love how it works in so many settings. Just a touch adds that little glimmer to your sound, barely noticeable to the common ear, while a full-on cranked spring reverb will elicit some wildly imaginative and out-of-this-world and crazy tones. The good reverb pedals can do both, as is the case here with the Surf...
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Moog has been putting out incredible gear for decades, and their line of pedals is second to none. The newest additions to their line are the Minifooger pedals, which are basically compact versions of the big Moogerfoogers, but they still retain a lot of the characteristics and features of their big brothers. Being a huge delay fan, I decided the MF Analog Delay would be a good place to begin my journey in the Minifoogers, and I was...
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I have played many, many different types of overdrive pedals in my day, and I still get a little giddy and excited when I find one that really rocks my world right from the get-go. The Warmer Drive from Andy Green Pedals did exactly that as soon as I plugged it in, and after about 15 minutes of jamming, I was hooked. Onboard EQ. That’s the stuff, right there. Especially here, where the Treble, Mids and Bass controls have a HUGE...
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Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Malekko Heavy Industries has been making effects pedals and synth modules since 2006, and have put out some fantastic gear along the way. The Sloika MkII is another fine example of a great guitar effect: designed by Todd Wolfgram, it’s an Analog Multi-Band Distortion pedal. Don’t let that word DISTORTION fool you, though, this little gold beauty has an array of sounds and functions for any...
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The Cloud 9 Reverb is the flagship pedal from Sky Pedals, and it has grown in popularity immensely over a relatively short period of time. Highly sought after online, the Cloud 9 has become an industry standard reverb, and with good reason. A seemingly simple layout leads to an actually complex but easy to manage effect, and it produces some gorgeous reverb as well. What’s nice about the Cloud 9 right off the bat is the layout....
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Based on the ’73 Ram’s Head circuit, the Billy Goat Fuzz from PB&J Pedals is a huge beast trapped in a small enclosure. Great goat graphic, solid, sparkling and shiny enclosure and the wiring looks really nice on the inside. Simple setup and design, but this little monster can really drive your guitar’s signal – let’s check it out! Like I said, a simple layout is just what the doctor ordered: 3...
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I have been a fan of Walrus Audio’s gear for a while now, and this one just keeps that wonderful tradition going strong. The Iron Horse is exactly that: a true distortion beast, caged in a metal enclosure, waiting to be unleashed on the Earth in all it’s fiery glory…alright, maybe that’s a bit much, but this pedal is a serious piece of sonically distorted goodness. Dirty, dirty, dirty. This is a distortion not...
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Just opening the box containing the Sputnik Germanium Fuzz pedal from Spaceman Effects was quite a thrill. I love how they make everything so shiny and sparkly, making you feel just a wee bit better about how much you just spent on an effects pedal. The silver bag makes it seem like you’re opening a window into space, about to be launched into the sonic atmosphere at breakneck speeds, and leaving all other guitarists’...
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The Echo Machine+ from Greyscale Devices is truly a one-of-a-kind echo/delay pedal, with a couple of unexpected and awesome additions that aren’t found very often on delay pedals, as far as I have seen, anyway. A nice, big, silver metal box houses an array of wires and circuits, all working in conjunction to form a unique, spacey, trippy, echo/delay sound that sure to add a whole new dimension of depth to your overall sound. TWO...
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I was intrigued by the label of the Snapperhead, I’ve gotta tell you. The weird little monster with big eyes and British teeth really peaked my interest, and I knew I had to take this pedal for a ride. Not to mention I had heard about it via articles from Richard Fortus (Guns N’ Roses) and Nick Perri (who is an incredible guitar player if you haven’t checked him out yet!), who were a couple of great endorsers, so I...
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I should start by saying if you’re looking for a “Pajama Party Barbie Overdrive”, you my friend should keep looking. You’re not dealing with any ordinary cookie cutter Zendrive here. Don’t let her name fool you. This thing was forged in the fires of Mordor and doesn’t give a damn about noise ordinances. This baby’s pulse is pumping 1.21 jigawatts of pure uncensored sonic destruction through...
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I have played a tremolo pedal or two in my days as a guitarist, and the optical Tremolo from Diamond Pedals is right up there at the top of the list. With so many variables, the sonic possibilities are vast, but getting to them is the real fun part with this pedal. The Speed knob controls the rate of the modulation, moving from a slow, pulsing wave to a extreme, almost whirly sound close to a ring modulator. There’s also a Tap...
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ARPANOID. Even the name sounds like something from outer space, and this pedal will create those types of sounds and more. Coming to us from the great folks at EarthQuaker Devices, the Arpanoid is “the first dedicated compact polyphonic pitch arpeggiator effect pedal for electric guitar.” Basically, it takes the signal from your guitar, tweaks it and spits it out in the form of ascending or descending notes, which you can...
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The Echophonic Jr Delay from Lovepedal is like no delay I’ve come across yet. The control knobs are simple enough: Delay, Time, Volume, Repeats and Modulation. However, they work together in such a way that the sonic possibilities seem, well, endless. The ‘Delay’ knob allows the signal to go from All Wet to All Dry, which provides a huge range of tones right off the bat. You can adjust the amount of delay you want...
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This was VERY exciting when it first arrived on my doorstep, and hasn’t gotten one bit dull since then. The EP2 Envelope Phaser from Pigtronix will take you clear to outer space, and then a bit further, before pulling you back slowly into sublime reality. You can switch between the envelope filter and the phaser with a tap of your foot, or use them both in conjunction to set the controls for the heart of the sun. Use the Depth...
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For musicians who love their guitar and amp’s tone. The Pharaoh pedal, while its roots and DNA are classic fuzz, has a few twists. The Black Arts Toneworks Pharaoh has a wide range of clipping and tonal options. From a cleanish boost, to a light OD, all the way to saturated fuzz. It sounds clear and natural, strong and bold. Your guitar sound isn’t high jacked, and your amp’s tone is not destroyed. The Pharaoh utilizes a dual tone...
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