After checking out the Big Rumble Overdrive Boost and the Heavenly Lake Delay Reverb from Tone City, we were excited to see what was coming next from the TC camp. Enter today’s pedal, the Holy Aura Distortion Boost, a powerful, space-saving beast of a distortion with a little extra push if you need it. Simple and user-friendly, this unit is made to get the most out of your tone… The Tone City Holy Aura Distortion pedal...
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Today, we’re excited to be teaming back up with an awesome pedal maker, and helping to introduce a new/old collaborative release. Frost Giant Electronics is excited to announce they have teamed up with Dave Davidson of Revocation to bring back his Eidolon pedal. A true “desert island” in modulation, bringing you a beautiful digital delay, reverb, and a clean boost to help clear up your board for solos and those looking to expand...
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We’re looking at another wonderful pedal from Boss today, kiddos, one that gives you access to a couple of classic circuits and some amp-pushing glory. The BP-1W Waza Craft Booster / Preamp gives you three different boost and preamp tonal options, each with its own characteristics and sounds. This pristine beauty is a boost, overdrive and preamp rolled into one, and we think it sounds pretty amazing… Grab a BP-1W...
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We’re back with a bit of a blast-from-the-past today, with an updated version of a classic circuit that’s been around for over 20 years. The Keeley Electronics Katana Clean Boost has one knob, a couple of functions and miles and miles of gorgeous sound. Want a mirror image of your tone, only louder? This is it. Grab a Katana Boost Exclusive from Sweetwater – https://sweetwater.sjv.io/DKg6db In addition to increasing...
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Our friends over at Osiamo Music Gear have introduced us to some great pedal companies over the years, and we’ve got another one for you all today! We’re taking a look at the Tone City Big Rumble Overdrive Boost, a 2-in-1 unit that has a bunch of options and some really killer tones, as well as a cool aesthetic that will have folks asking about “that purple pedal on your board.” Let’s jump in and see what...
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We’re stoked to continue to bring you the ENTIRE lineup of pedals from Rockready Mini Pedals, and we’re continuing with two more excellent mini creations today. The BO-1 Boost and RD-1 Retro Drive are small, yes, but they will instantly elevate your tone and push your favorite amps. With simple controls and mini enclosures, these pedals fit onto any pedalboard, and into ANY budget… The BO-1 boost creates a rich,...
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If you’ve never had the pleasure of playing a DRV Overdrive Distortion, you should make it a priority to do so. While that pedal has a lot of meat and potatoes to it, today’s pedal from 1981 Inventions is a bit calmer, but still brings beautiful tone to any rig. The LVL Full-Range Overdrive Preamp Boost has just 2 knobs, but inside this circuit there’s a huge range of sounds waiting to be discovered… LVL is a...
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Combining Preamp, Overdrive and Boost into one pedal might seem like a lot, but with the Westerlund Audio ONE, everything melds together in sonic perfection. This options-laden mammoth can give your signal a pop, shape your tone, add in some breakup or get downright crunchy – whatever you need, it can handle with ease. So many knobs and swithces, and we’re totally here for it – let’s check it out! The...
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The Dreivoost All-Tube High-Gain Boost was created when Will from EEIDI FX / Third Age Amplifiers saw Fluff (Ryan Bruce) and Ola Englund on YouTube using TS style pedals to boost their Dual Rectifiers, and realized the amplifier tone could be preserved 100% by using a tube boost. This provided the gain kick they wanted with the choice of full range or treble boost. 11 years later, this powerful pedal will do just that…and...
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It’s always amazed me how tone-shaping a one-knob effect can truly be – the simplicity seems like it might not have a lot to offer, but that’s usually not even close to the case. Which brings us to today’s pedal, the oddly-named beAst beWst Full Range Boost from EEIDI FX (Everyone Else Is Doing It), the brainchild of Will from Third Age Amplifiers. This hand-wired boost has a killer range, great tone and will...
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Taking inspiration from Analog Man’s Prince of Tone overdrive, the Harby Pedals Noble Tone is based on the same schematic to give you the same organic-sounding tube distortion. Built in the USA with high-quality components. And the best part? No waiting list. A faithful replication of the original circuit board and schematics, the Noble Tone shares the rich sound that makes both the King and Prince of Tone so desirable. Compatible...
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We recently had the chance to check out one of the latest offerings from Sentimental Bob Electronics, the Tephra Distortion, and it was gloriously dirty and loud. Today, we take things down just a little bit and move into overdrive and boost territory, via the Albert Overdrive. If you’re in the hunt for an OCD-style drive with a TON of sonic options, this might be exactly what you need… The Overdrive section of Albert is...
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Today, we’re continuing taking a look at a new lineup of small but great-sounding effects pedals from our friends at Caline, with the G-011 Eagle Eye Boost and G–002 Green Mamba Drive. These seemingly simple boxes offer excellent tone that’s easy to dial in, coming in a wide range of genres, to create an entire pedalboard without having to sell a kidney on the black market. Let’s see what these next couple of...
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I’ve known Brian from Porter Pickups since we met while I was still living in Boise, Idaho, back in 2016. He and his team put some wonderful pickups in a couple of guitars of mine, with the Classic/Smooth humbucking combo in my PRS CE24, which you’ve heard on the majority of my demos over the last 6+ years. Today, I’m excited to help spread the word about their first effects pedal offering, coming via their subset...
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The Ventura Overdrive from HTJ-WORKS was one of the best pedals we saw last month, and after putting it through the paces, we were excited for more gear from this Japanese company. Today, we’re bringing you another gorgeous-looking-and-sounding effect from them, the Bright Horse Boost Overdrive. Another take on a mysterious and mythical circuit, this 3-knob gem provides a wide range of amp-pushing and tone-shaping tones… A...
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Mario Marino has been creating products under the name Axess Electronics since 1998, crafting custom buffered splitters, routers, switchers MIDI foot controllers and more, for names like Alex Lifeson, Peter Frampton, Richie Sambora, John Petrucci, Dweezil Zappa and Eddie Van Halen. Bringing decades of expertise to the effects pedal world, he has released the AXSGTR OBViouS™ Boost/Overdrive, an option-filled beauty that dirties up your...
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The fine folks at Flamma Innovation are back at it, releasing FIVE new pedals, all of which we’re going to take a look at here at Pedal of the Day. This week, we’ve got the FC18 Clean Boost, a simple but wide-ranging volume boost and low-gain effect that takes your tone to the next level. Sometimes, it’s not the flashiest or weirdest noisemaking pedals that are truly what you need to create an amazing tone…...
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“Boosted” and “Delay” are not words you hear consecutively in the effects pedal world very often, but today’s gem shows us all why we should hear them more. Continuing with a long streak of unique, individualistic effects, our friends at Thermion have come up with the Outlaw Boosted Delay, a portable, analog-sounding, robust and versatile delay with an integrated volume booster, able to push your tone to...
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We love exploring new pedal companies, and we also love a good Klon-inspired piece of gear. Luckily, today’s pedal checks off both boxes, putting a delicious spin on a classic circuit and sound. The Harby Pedals Centauri Clean Boost/Overdrive brings a wide range of sounds to the table, ranging from simple volume boost to amp breakup to glorious tube-amp overdriven tone for days…let’s jump in and see what makes this...
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It’s been a minute since we had a pedal from Cusack Music in the shop, but today’s effect from their lineup comes absolutely roaring back into action. The Meta Plexi Distortion Boost, as the name might suggest, follows in the footsteps of a certain hallowed, classic amplifier preamp, instantly transforming your tone and sending you back to classic rock and metal heydays gone past. Plug in, crank up, annoy neighbors, melt...
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Over the last several months, we’ve had the opportunity to get to know a relatively new company, Summer School Electronics, and explore their impressive lineup of effects. Ranging from boost (Bootster) to overdrive (Gladys) to fuzz (Stone Thrower) and delay (Snow Day), their pedals span multiple musical genres, providing something for everyone across the board. Today, we’ve got another effect of theirs for you, the...
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Over the course of the last few months, we’ve become more and more familiar with the excellent line of effects pedals coming from Summer School Electronics. From overdrive (Gladys) to fuzz (Stone Thrower) to delay (Snow Day), these hand-built machines just keep getting better and better with each new release. Today, we switch it up yet again and bring you The Bootster Booster, a volume and treble boost in one… The Bootster...
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Every once in a while, I come across a rare piece of effects history, a pedal that has long since been out of production, or very few were made in the first place. Today, we’re going to take a look at the Roland AF-100 BeeBaa Fuzz and Treble Booster, a huge silver beast that houses 2 effects and a lot of vintage attitude. Let us travel back about 5 decades and see what kind of gear they were creating then, shall we? Built...
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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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We had the recent opportunity to check out our first effect from Handy FX, the Whiteout Fuzz, and it was an impressive piece of gear. We’re back again today to bring you the next gem in their lineup, the Muskrat Distortion Booster, a powerful 2-in-1 that oozes tone and grit, adding a much-needed punch to any rig. It doesn’t just look rad, folks, it sounds that way, too… The left side of the Muskrat is based on the...
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Our friends at Googly Eyes Pedals create some weird and exciting effects units – so far, we’ve had the pleasure of checking out their Synthfuzzier and Delayviator pedals, and we’ve got another one today. A more straightforward, easy-to-control effect, the Gary Boosty is a booster that pays homage to one of the finest actors of our time. Both the effect and the actor get a little wild when cranked up, let’s dive...
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The Mu-Tron Tremu-Tron is an optical tremolo effect which can be used as a “clean boost”, and features the famous Mu-Drive preamp from the original Mu-Tron III Envelope Filter. By utilizing an 18 volt dual-rail internal power supply, this effect provides a crisp, clean signal and high headroom. The Tremu-Tron utilizes Mu-Tron’s patented opto-mod technology to provide classic, hi-fidelity attenuation without extra noise...
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Continuing the New Year’s rocking start, we’ve got an excellent, versatile and robust pedal for you all today. The Bennett Custom Audio Weather Man Overdrive + Boost boasts a wonderful control section, 3 different mid-range voicings and a wide range of boost-to-drive settings. Combining a versatile, dynamic, light-to-medium gain overdrive with a powerful, totally independent JFET-based clean boost, these 2 effects would...
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There are certain tones that are highly sought-after in the guitar player world, one of them belonging to a Mr. Stevie Ray Vaughn. However, most of us cannot afford an original early ’80s Tube Screamer, much less a $50,000 Dumble Amp, so we rely on pedal companies to create those tones for us. Today’s effect, the Pedal Pawn Texan Twang Overdrive Boost, seeks to encapsulate SRV’s ‘Twang’ in a box,...
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A good boost pedal will bring your clean tone up in volume, a perhaps even add in a bit of grit when it’s really pushed, too. But what if there was a boost pedal that was specific to what one kind of TUBE sounded like? That’s today’s effect, the Rift Amplification EL34 EQ Boost, a powerful three-knob machine that aims to be the secret weapon in your rig… The EL34 EQ Boost helps emulate the tone and harmonics of...
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The fabulous crew at Free The Tone have been supporting Pedal of the Day for years, and we’re always excited when they send us new gear to review and demo. Today is no exception, except that there are TWO new effects we’re bringing to you, instead of just one. The SG-1C Silky Groove Compressor + CC-1B Crunchy Chime Booster are both excellent additions to the beginning of any pedalboard, providing enhanced, equalization and...
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Our friends at Blackstar Amplification recently released a group of three valve-powered effects known as the Dept. 10 Series. We’re bringing you in-depth coverage and demos over the next three days, starting with today’s pedal, the aptly-titled Boost. Referred to as the “ultimate high voltage valve boost pedal”, this one sports not only signal boosting abilities, but a wonderful EQ section as well. And...
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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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Boost pedals have slowly become an essential part of every pedalboard we build, and when they’re combined with an excellent Overdrive, it’s a hard combo to beat. The RFO Electronics Tone Star Custom Overdrive/Boost Combo is a dual workhorse, smashing a wicked drive circuit into an enclosure with a powerful, tasty boost, along with some fun switching options and overall tonal bliss. Fasten those seatbelts, here we go…...
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Single knob pedals aren’t always the flashiest, but usually bring something to the sonic table you didn’t know you needed. Today’s pedal follows that to a T, providing gorgeous boost and tone-shaping with ease. The Xtonebox Carbon Booster Signal Boost is an essential tool for guitarists and bass players alike, both raising your volume and improving your overall sound. The circuit inside the Carbon Booster consists of...
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Seemingly out of nowhere, Discomfort Designs has become one of our favorite pedal companies of late. Creating loud, weird and exciting effects, these guys are pushing the levels of noise creation to new heights. Their latest, the Neon Black Fuzz Booster, combines two odd circuits and makes them into one powerhouse of a pedal. In your face, bold, screechy and fantastic, let’s check it out… The left side of the Neon Black is...
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Only one knob on today’s pedal, you say? How boring… Well, sometimes, that’s all you need to make a bold and loud musical statement. We’re taking a look at the Animals Pedal Dawn Ocean Meditation Boost, a clean booster that reproduces numerous vintage tones and powerful, classic style boosting to your signal… A collaboration with Matthew Holl from Wren and Cuff, the Dawn Ocean raises your...
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We’ve got something special for you all today, a dual post featuring an effects pedal AND a guitar…from the same company. Sometimes, all you need is one good pedal with one good guitar (and an amp, of course), like the Dunable Guitars Eidolon Boost Delay Reverb and the Cyclops DE Series guitar. Both add key ingredients to a successful and tone-filled setup, each adding their own bits of flavor to compliment each other, and...
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We’ve been chatting a lot about Boost pedals recently, and are excited to present a new version of an instant classic. The Vertex Boost MKII picks up right where the original MKI left off, offering a smaller enclosure without sacrificing any tone or functionality. Not just a signal booster – this one enhances and drives any rig that needs it. At 33% slimmer than the Boost MKI, the MKII easily sneaks onto any pedalboard....
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The Boost Pedal. It doesn’t make crazy sounds, or usually have more than one knob, or stand out in the “cool crowd” of the effects pedal world. However, it’s a necessity to your sound that you just might be skipping, and today’s pedal shows you why. The Dophix Perseo Boost has one knob, and it has one job as well. The Perseo Boost is simple but, like a blade strike, is extremely sharp and cared for in...
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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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Equalization and Boost pedals are not always flashy, or the most talked-about, or the hottest new releases when they are debuted. Today’s pedal flips the script, though, providing plenty of eye-opening tonal brilliance and showing us all how these two pedal genres can be best utilized in any situation. The Ground Control Audio Noodles Tone Shaper EQ Boost gives you a whopping 64 different tone combinations from its 3 bands, each...
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Today, we continue our journey into the DCP Dual Series of pedals from our friends at Caline. So far, we’ve been delighted with all of the effects combinations they’ve come up with, and the DCP-01 Artemis Compressor Boost pairs two of our favorites together. Used independently or in tandem, these two sides exist to enhance your sound, and we think they do a damn good job of just that. The compressor side is Caline’s...
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We’ve seen a LOT of klone pedals come through here, as is evidenced by our Klone Wars series on YouTube. Each one, while wanting to get a certain base sound, has its own uniqueness and quirks, making them all special in their own right. Today’s pedal, the Noise Space Audio Klone, builds on the mythical tone, offering up a couple of not-usually-seen options, for a well-rounded and dialed in tone. If you want to build a good...
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What better way to start the weekend than with a classic effects pairing? Continuing down the road as we explore the DCP Series from Caline, today we bring you the DCP-11 Andes Boost Overdrive. Need some dirt? Need to push your amp? Just need more volume? This pedalboard gem has got you covered. The Boost side features just one knob, and is the circuit from Caline’s CP-97 Recluse Boost. Giving you up to +20dB of wicked boost,...
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The music of Dinosaur Jr is known throughout the world, and for guitar fanboys, so is lead singer and guitarist J Mascis. With one of the most recognizable fuzz tones in the business, he has become synonymous with the Big Muff family of pedals, both as a player and as a collector. Today’s pedal, the Garbage Face Fuzz Boost, is a collaboration between J and Matt from Wren and Cuff, featuring a uniquely Muff-inspired fuzz side, a...
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So, our friend James Bowman, who happens to be the guitarist for Against Me!, decided he wanted to build some guitar pedals (as Bowman Audio Endeavors). He sent them over to us to check out, and we’ve got the second one in the lineup today for you. After the wild and dirty Harmonic Percolator, the Fortune and Glory Boost might seem a little tame. However, this one-knob wonder can get down right DIRTY if you want it to…...
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The new DCP Series of pedals from our friends at Caline are all Dual Effects, featuring two of your favorite Caline pedals in one enclosure. With the effects ranging from overdrive to EQ to distortion to compression to fuzz and more, there’s something in this lineup for everyone. Today, we’re going to take a look at the DCP-06 Sundance Special Overdrive Boost, a powerful dual-dirt combo that packs a punch and adds to your tone. The...
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Our new friends at PedalFarm FX are cranking out some wonderful pedals, and we’ve got another gem for you today. The B-1 is a classic germanium treble booster, but one with some unusual options. Featuring 16 selectable frequency settings, via internal dipswitches, this pedal takes a usually run-of-the-mill effect into an entirely new dimension… Aside from the giant output Volume knob, the B-1 also boasts a single toggle...
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Continuing on this Boost-happy weekend (check out the Bad Penny FX Smoothflow from yeaterday), we’ve got a PAIR of pedals to show off today. Coming to us from R2R Electric, these One and Two Knob Treble Boosters each offer gorgeous components inside, as well as amp-driving bliss for your eardrums. Let’s check out the features for each of these sonic marvels: One-Knob Mullard AC107 Germanium Transistor NOS Piher 10K...
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