Way back when we first started Pedal of the Day, one of our first pedal donators was Happy Valley Analog out of Chattanooga, Tennessee. I loved the simplicity of the first incarnation of their Jurassic Fuzz pedal: simple controls, a great space-saver for your pedalboard, but it didn’t lack the balls that you want a good fuzz to have. Well, they took that schematic and beefed it up a bit, adding another control for more sonic...
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Well, it’s Benson Amps time again, folks!! It’s always a pleasure when their effects make it to our office, and this latest gem is sure to get everyone talking. The Germanium Preamp builds on the first pedal that Benson ever released, the aptly-titled Preamp Pedal, but with some tweaks and new circuitry options along the way. The result is a slightly lower gain, but richer sounding and feeling...
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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...
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Pedal with lots of knobs and switches are fun, plain and simple. Today’s effect has that in droves, bringing usually hidden or unaccessible features right to your fingertips. The CFH Pedals Sculptor+ Fuzz is no ordinary dirt machine, and once we run through what it can do, and you hear how it sounds, you’ll understand just what we mean… The CFH Pedals Sculptor+ Fuzz combines elements of the Fuzz Face and the Muff...
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Happy New Year, everybody!! Here’s to a safe, healthy and prosperous go ’round the sun – cheers! Our first pedal review and demo for 2024 comes to us from our friends at Aclam: presenting The Mocker UL730 Fuzz Circuit, a seemingly simple three-knob fuzz distortion that comes from a very specific and rare amplifier, used famously by The Beatles, Joy Division and Led Zeppelin. If you need to freshen up your sound with...
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We’re always stoked when a mysterious new pedal from our friends at Strymon shows up at the door, and we’re excited to help launch their latest creation today. The Ultraviolet Vintage Vibe provides three wonderful modes, three bias levels, stereo and MIDI connectivity and much, much more. Grab your headphones and get ready for a wild, modulated and unpredictable musical journey, kiddos… Grab an Ultraviolet from...
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After the wild success of their Germanium Fuzz pedal a few years ago, Chris and the crew at Benson Amps decided to take the genre one more step further. Building off of the classic Tone Bender MkI circuit, the Stonk Box attempts to take a classic 1960’s fuzz design, and bring the sound into the modern world, without bringing any along the flaws and inconsistencies of the original. This one’s a beast, let’s get right to it!...
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Fuzz pedals can sometimes be finicky, sputtery and strange, and that’s not always what you need…but when it’s EXACTLY what you want, look no further than the ZVEX Effects Fuzz Factory Vexter. One of their most beloved pedals, this classically un-classic fuzz takes you to the breaking point of musical sanity, and then shoves you right over. We’re excited to check this one out, as I’m sure you are,...
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A good tube amp is hard to beat, but what if you could harness that sound and put it right into an effect-sized enclosure, complete with actual tubes? That’s what happened with today’s pedal, the Electron Brothers Brass Knuckle High-Voltage All-Tube Overdrive. This big yellow beast uses an all-tube signal path to create the harmonically rich overdrive tones only tubes can…let’s dive right in! Although based on...
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We’re back with yet another new pedal from our pals at Poison Noises! Today’s effect is the Gluttonous Maximus Fuzz, a ballsy beast who joins the ranks of the Glutnik, Glut Cheeks and Gluttonous Fuzz pedals from the PN lineup. Here to save the day, this red menace will spark your creativity and blow out your eardrums…in the best of ways imaginable. With the Gluttonous Maximus Fuzz, the Clipping control pulls diodes...
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Recently, we had the wonderful opportunity to jump into the effects world of Fuzz Imp, from beautiful Portland, Oregon. The Shroot II (Deluxe) Overdrive not only looks rad and features a beloved TV character, but has some real meat to it when you turn it on. Today’s pedal, the Creature Fuzz, gets into a bit more dirty sonic territory, gloriously, and we’re completely here for it… The 5 controls are very interactive...
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Our friends over at Poison Noises are releasing new versions of their entire lineup of effects pedals, and have asked us to help showcase these overhauled creations. We’ve been checking out 2 pedals a week for the last couple months, continuing today with the Glutnik Fuzz V2. Suit up, space out and prepare to experience the full gravity of this one…. This new addition to the Poison Noises universe is our take on a Russian...
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Our friends over at Poison Noises are releasing new versions of their entire lineup of effects pedals, and have asked us to help showcase these overhauled creations. We’re looking at 2 pedals a week for the next couple months, continuing today with The Postman Envelope Filter V2. Get ready to send it into the land of funk with this powerful blue machine…. The Postman V2 is a versatile and easy to dial in envelope filter....
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For their ridiculously low price points, it’s hard to beat the lineup of effects pedals from Flamma Innovation. We’ve covered nearly every one in their lineup so far, and are excited to help introduce their newest offerings, with the FC16 Optical Tremolo being today’s focus. This fire engine red machine has an easy-to-use control set and a small footprint, to easily slide into any rig, big or small. The FC16 Optical Tremolo...
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From the first glance at today’s pedal, the Silktone Amps Germanium Fuzz, you can see that it just looks different. And modern. And sophisticated. And exciting. Anytime there’s a meter of any type on any pedal, that’s usually an indicator of something special, and this one is no exception to that rule. Utilizing two germanium transistors at its heart, in the classic FF/TB1.5 topology, this circuit is tweaked to roll...
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A good one-knob pedal can surprise the best of us, and when it looks like today’s pedal, the Ground King FX Halo Fuzz, chances are it’s gonna rock your world. Utilizing a main knob and one lone switch, this distorted monster is LOUD, but has wonderful tonal qualities as well. This one comes to us all the way from Lappeenranta, Finland – let’s jump right in and see what’s under the hood here, shall we?...
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Like a lot of you out there, we can’t get enough of a good fuzz tone, especially one that’s based around the classic Tone Bender circuit. Today’s pedal, the Minotaur Sonic Terrors Evil Eye MKIII Tone Aggravator, is based on the Sola Sound Professional MKII Tone Bender, but with some modern tweaking done under the hood. Instant amp-crushing is in the very near future – prepare for total annihilation. The Evil...
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Our 15W Monarch from Benson Amps has been a staple in our demo rig rotation for years, and the Preamp and Germanium Fuzz pedals they put out left us floored as well. Today, we bring you their latest effect creation, a seemingly simple but under-the-hood complex piece of gear: the Germanium Boost. Don’t let the lone knob fool you – a LOT of research and time went into this tone-enhancing machine; here’s what Chris and...
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The Teeth Overdrive and Type One Chorus from Horrothia FX were two of our favorite pedals of last year, so when they announced the release of the Berkeley Vibe, we were super stoked. Turns out, they know how to make an incredible vibrato pedal, too, and we’ve got it here for you today. Bringing all the vintage glory of the vibe machines from decades past into a smaller enclosure with some modern options, this little black box...
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Fuzz pedals come in many different shapes, sizes and configurations, each one producing its own brand of gnarly, amp-crushing distortion (to all of our delight). Today’s pedal, the Handy FX Whiteout Fuzz, is no different, utilizing a 4-knob control section to blast off through the fuzziest realms in all the land. And at an extremely affordable price point, there’s nothing not to love with this pristine-looking gem…...
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Rich Good Twentynine Palms, CA The Psychedelic Furs: https://thepsychedelicfurs.com/ Older projects: Kings & Queens: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1V0NT9YLzxd2oXAgwJUS9P?si=rbbgggGWSwKbWOsWFsJGug Mirrors: https://mirrors1974.bandcamp.com/ The Pleased: https://thepleased.com How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? It feels like most of my life that I’ve been messing around with...
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As their name suggests, the makers of fine pedals at Fjord Fuzz are relatively obsessed with, well, FUZZ. Having had the privilege of reviewing their gear over the last 2 years, it’s safe to say we’re fairly obsessed with it as well. Today’s fuzzy gem comes to us as the EMBLA Overdrive Fuzz, a mix of circuits that present a wide range of dirt to experiment with, and we’ll probably be obsessed with this one,...
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The effects coming from our Norwegian friends at Fjord Fuzz focus on, well, FUZZ, of course, but each unit has its own unique set of skills. After the BJØRN, BIFROST and ODIN V2, we didn’t know what to expect from today’s fuzz-filled pedal. Well, the BERSERK Fuzz (unsurprisingly) delivers once again, combining two vintage fuzz circuits with some modern updates, for a powerful and wide-ranging wall of fuzz… Taking...
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Our Benson Amps Monarch has been a staple of our studio for years now, and one of our favorite amplifiers we’ve ever played. The Benson crew occasionally dives into the effects pedal pool as well, and we’ve got their latest for you today. The Germanium Fuzz is, well, a germanium fuzz, but one like no other you’ve seen. This pedal is set up in the ubiquitous 60’s circular fuzz topology, tuned for good sound, and...
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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! Well, almost, but it’s close enough, right? Today’s spooky, end-of-October-themed pedal comes in the form of a vintage circuit, modernized for today’s differing climates. The Vaderin Pedals HP-X Harmonic Percolator takes after the original unit from Interfax, but with a couple differences to ensure years, maybe decades, of wonderful, fuzzy playability… The HP-X has been designed to capture the...
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When a dirt pedal can do more than one thing, that’s never a bad option. Today’s pedal, Berch Audio’s The Golden Axe, combines aspects of Fuzz, Overdrive and Boost into one medieval enclosure, sparking ancient imagery and conjuring up vintage tones with a quickness. The wide-ranging control panel ensures you’ll be able to get virtually any dirty sounds you want out of this beauty… The Golden Axe features...
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Phasers are absolutely in our top tier of favorite effects on this planet, and we love a good tremolo, too. Today’s pedal mashes both of these effects into the tiniest of enclosures, while still bringing unprecedented quality and tonal bliss to the table. The Pigtronix Moon Pool Tremvelope Phaser is part of their newly released lineup of small, pedalboard-friendly pedals, and this is a hell of a way to start it off. Bringing all...
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We all love a good vintage distortion or fuzz tone, right? While there are some sought-after sounds from the past, there are a ton of excellent modern dirt sounds available as well – but which ones to choose? With today’s effect, the VVco Pedals AfterLife Distortion Fuzz, you don’t have to… Inspired by both new and old, the AfterLife has FOUR different internal analog circuits that provide 2 distortions and 2...
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Last year, we got our hands on a BloodBuzz Fuzz Overdrive from Eastwood Guitars and Valco FX. It was a BIG, mammoth of a pedal, with killer tones and a ton of options. The second offering from Valco FX comes your way today, in the form of the KGB Fuzz. This smaller (but still bigger than most) effects unit is a multi-function, tone-sculpting machine, with all the switches, knobs and sliders you’ll need to produce some incredible...
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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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The innovators at Source Audio are constantly pushing the sonic envelope, in terms of both sound effects and forward-thinking technology. We’ve got another wonderful pedal to check out from them today, a take on some classic, vintage tones with (as usual) some tricks up its auditory sleeves. The True Spring Reverb combines natural spring reverb sounds with a pulsing tremolo, making it a 2-in-1 effect that’s sure to conjure...
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We’ve always dug the simplicity and straightforwardness of the one-stomp pedals from Henretta Engineering, and are excited to bring you another one today. The Black Hole is an all-analog chorus effect pedal that will add shimmer, dimension, fullness and character to your sound. Chorus has been an extremely popular effect since its introduction to the guitar effect pedal market in the late 70’s. A wide range of sounds, from...
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Ahh, the Tonebender. A classic fuzz heard on countless records, and one that’s been replicated and duplicated to varying degrees of success by numerous companies around the world. We’ve got another one for you today, and it’s a good one: the PedalFarm F-2 Professional Fuzz is based on the MKII Tonebender circuit, and has been re-imagined with silicon transistors and a bias control, for a wide range of fuzzy textures....
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The first pedal that came through our shop from Interchange Noise Works, the Element 119 Distortion, was an absolute powerhouse of a dirt pedal. Therefore, we’re pretty stoked to be back with them again today to bring you their next creation, the “On Air” Fuzz. This wooden-topped beauty is a fuzz pedal for players of all genres, with some extra options that will make it an easy addition to your rig. You’ll...
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Happy Thanksgiving Week, all! Today’s pedal is not only a badass fuzz, but we’re also giving it away as a part of our MOVEMBER campaign. If you don’t know, Movember raises money and awareness for Men’s Health, suicide prevention and prostate cancer. The Pedal of the Day Team has been growing moustaches and raising money all month long – there’s still time to donate and enter to win this great...
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The Fuzz Face is one of the most iconic fuzz, if not all-time, pedals in existence. Utilized smartly by the likes of Hendrix, Gilmour, SRV, Duane Allman and many more, it has a defining quality that has been heard on countless recordings. While the originals are not the easiest to find, or keep in perfect working order, we have pedals like today’s that allow us peasant-folk to experience the sonic sounds of the masters. The...
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One knob pedals: let’s face it, they’re not usually the new releases everyone is clamoring for on the Interwebs. Not to say that they don’t serve a very important purpose – who doesn’t love a great boost to push their amp, or a killer phaser to add in some modulation to their sound? Just sayin’ that these days, the machines with all the lights and bells and whistles and bleeps and bloops seem to...
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After recently taking a crack at the Element Analog Spring Reverb tank bundle, we were excited to toss another pedal from our favorite French gear maker onto our demo table. The Anasounds Ages Harmonic Tremolo is a monster of a pedal, in compact form, with hidden options, HUGE waves of sound and a fantastic quality build. We’ve had the privilege to review a lot of Anasounds pedals, and we’re stoked to bring you another one...
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We’ve been checking out effects pedals from our friend Pat Garland down in Houston, Texas since 2014 (HTX Active Drive, Pink Drive, Dos Armas Combo, etc), and we’re excited to bring you another one of his concoctions today. The Garland FX Zero Distortion combines all your favorite dirt sounds in one aesthetically-pleasing, bright enclosure. With hints of Tone Bender, Big Muff and wild, fuzzy abandon, there’s a lot to...
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We’ve have a couple of really nice pedals here at Pedal of the Day from both Pine-Box Customs and Farm Pedals, so we were pretty stoked to hear they had collaborated on today’s monster effect. The Bloodline is a Dual Dirt pedal, with independent circuits housed in one enclosure and offering a wide array of down-n-dirty tones. Ranging from crunchy drive to balls-to-the-wall fuzz, this black beauty has got something for...
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We were recently fortunate to acquire a tasty little morsel of a guitar from our new friends at Eastwood Guitars, the Classic AC, and knew immediately that it should be paired up with today’s pedal. The Eastwood VALCO BloodBuzz Fuzz Overdrive takes two of our (and probably your) favorite effects, houses them into a monster enclosure, gives you a bunch of bells and whistles and lets the games begin. A tribute to the now legendary...
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You gotta make your mark in this industry, right? With so many companies and so many pedals on the market, if you don’t stand out, you’re not gonna last. Well, today’s pedal is the first in a lineup of not only aesthetically-pleasing effects, but ones that have the power, grit and usability to make them contenders for years to come. We always love to discover new(er) companies, or ones that might not have a...
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Anyone who knows the band Fu Manchu knows they have a pretty signature sound, and the bass is a big part of it. What you might not know is that the bass player, Brad Davis, is also the mastermind behind Creepy Fingers Effects, and he was kind enough to send us a pedal to check out today. The Fuzz Nugget is just that: a tasty little morsel of fuzz wrapped in a big old gold box, Eatin’ Dust and just waiting to be unleashed on the...
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Last month, we were privileged to review and demo the B-312 Freakshow Fuzz, a Silicon-based fuzz effect from our friends at Big Joe Stomp Box Company. Today, we’re going to check out its counterpart, the B-313, which is a Germanium version of the pedal. With this one being a bit warmer, without quite as much gain and bite, both pedals offer distinctly fuzzy flavors and sounds for any fuzz enthusiast to enjoy. The B-313 Germanium...
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The world of Strymon is a fascinating, intriguing and exciting place to be – anyone who’s ever used one of their pedals can certainly attest to that. For their latest release, they’ve gone in a bit of a different direction, but one that is most welcome, and will flip the way pedalboards are arranged and used from this point forward. Iridium is an amplifier and Impulse Response cabinet simulator, one that connects...
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We always love it when new gear arrives from our friends at Big Joe Stomp Box Company, and they have provided a killer pedal for you today. One of two different models, the Freakshow Fuzz (Silicon) puts a totally whacked-out, freaky fuzz right at your fingertips, offering up ample fuzz sounds with that signature bite only silicon transistors can provide. We’re excited about this one, let’s check it out… The B-312...
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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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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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Sometimes, pedals come through our office that are fairly loud. Sometimes, we get pedals that are REALLY loud. Today’s pedal might just be the loudest one we’ve ever encountered, and let us tell you, loud doesn’t even really begin to describe it. The Black Drone Wasp from Jext Telez is an absolute monster of a fuzz, and, while it can get extremely high in the volume department, it never gets shrill or too...
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Today’s Guest reviewer is Brian Johnston – you can find him and more demo videos he’s done on his YouTube channel, CoolGuitarGear – click now! Thanks again, Brian, looking forward to more! SOUND: The 2 SA 202 model (named after the type of transistors used) of Vintage Fuzz II replicates the famous Fuzz Face sound of Jimi Hendrix. However, unlike older models of fuzz (and even some current ones), this fuzz is...
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