From the big box Cali76 Compressor/Limiter to the smaller Compact Cali76 to the Compact RevivalDRIVE, we’ve had the pleasure to check out some wonderful machines from Origin Effects. However, everything became completely surreal and eye-opening when we plugged today’s pedal, the MAGMA57 Amp Vibrato & Drive, into an amplifier here in the shop. Suddenly, our hearts and minds were awoken, our brain was flooded instantly...
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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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If you’re a fan of compression on your pedalboard, there’s good chance you’ve heard about the wonderful compressors being made over at Origin Effects. With a new lineup of smaller effects in their current arsenal, they have become a giant in the world of studio-quality compression for players throughout the world. Today, however, we’re going back to where it all started, with their Cali76 Standard Big Box...
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We here at Pedal of the Day have been hearing about and seeing the big, rad-looking and apparently amazing-sounding line of compressors from Origin Effects for a while now, but the price tag was just a bit out of our reach, and the opportunity to acquire one just hadn’t yet presented itself. So, you can imagine our joy when the new line of Compact pedals was announced recently, featuring both a smaller size AND a smaller, more...
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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...
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The folks at Line 6 are no strangers to crafting gorgeous effects, especially when it comes to multi-effects units. Today, we’re going to find out what’s going on with their latest release, the HX ONE, a compact but extremely powerful stereo effect processor that fits right in with any setup or rig. Grab your headphones and put on those reading glasses – we’ve got a lot to get into with this wonderful...
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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...
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(This article comes from our friends at GuitarTricks.com – check out their site for tons of guitar-related tips and tricks!!) Guitar Tricks presents The Benefits of Multi-Effects Pedals By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. Years ago stand-alone guitar pedals were the gold standard and the way to go if you wanted the right sound. In the past decade though...
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Every version of the Ampero family of Amp Modelers and Effects Processors from our friends at Hotone Audio has come our way, and we’re exctied as always to bring you the latest version today. The Ampero MINI takes everything you know and love about these units and squishes them into a small, compact enclosure, perfect for any pedalboard or tabletop rig. And since there’s no compromise in sound quality or endless IRs,...
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(This article comes from our friends at GuitarTricks.com – check out their site for tons of guitar-related tips and tricks!!) Top Ten Iconic Guitar Pedal Effects Moments By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. There are so many guitar pedal moments to choose in songs, especially in hits starting in the 1980’s. Once pedals increased in popularity they became mixed...
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(This article comes from our friends at GuitarTricks.com – check out their site for tons of guitar-related tips and tricks!!) Delay and Time-Based Effects Pedals By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. Whether it uses analog or digital technology, time-based effects units allow us to add more space, an echo, or even loop entire measures. Reverb, delay, and looping...
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Hope everyone had a safe and wonderful holiday season, and that your 2023 is already off to a great start. We’re going to get off to a great start here at Pedal of the Day as well, bringing you some dynamic effects units to start off the year. Recently released, the Moog Moogerfooger Effects Plug-ins are faithful recreations of the classic, big box Moogerfooger effect lineup, which has been discontinued for...
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(This article comes from our friends at GuitarTricks.com – check out their site for tons of guitar-related tips and tricks!!) Effects Pedals for the Guitarist Who Has It All By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. If you’re a guitarist who has moved beyond beginner guitar lessons, you might have all the standard guitar effects pedals you’d need. Now you may be...
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2-in-1 effects are always a treat – just having more than one option of sound in a single pedal can instantly open up ideas and get the creative train a’rollin’. Two switchable Boost/Distortion circuits are what awaits us in today’s pedal, the ZVEX Effects Double Rock Vexter Distortion, which squeezes elements from THREE other ZVEX effects into one enclosure. This one is loud, crisp and amp-thumping, to say the...
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We have had the pleasure of reviewing every iteration of the Ampero Series of effects units from Hotone Audio thus far, and we’re going to keep that streak alive today. Presenting the new Ampero II Stomp, and amp modeler and effects processor that takes everything from the previous versions and pushes them to their limits. Ampero II Stomp implements brand new tri-core digital platform and independent AD/DA from ESS® Sabre®...
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The MTHRFCKR=RPTR Cassette Tape Delay Preamp was one of our favorite pedals in 2020, and we’re excited to dive back into the world of Mile End Effects once again today. The Ronald PreAmp 150 takes one of the sections of a beloved tone-enhancing unit from the 70’s, pulls it out and gives it to you in a solo pedal presentation. Let’s see if we can discover the rich, full bodied and sparkling tone that this pre-amp...
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The legacy of ZVEX Effects now stretches back over a quarter of a century. Beginning in 1995, Zachary Vex has become known for his innovative and genre-bending pedals, gracing the boards of folks like Billy Corgan, Trent Reznor, J Mascis, Billy Gibbons, Jack White and many more. Today, we’ve got one of their classic pedals for ya – the Box of Rock Distortion 25th Anniversary Vexter Series. The Box of Rock is a staple in...
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We’ve all heard the classic Tone Bender Fuzz so many times, on so many timeless songs, whether we knew what it was or not. Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Mick Ronson, Pete Townshend…the list goes on of great guitarists who utilized this fuzzy effect. However, they are now rare and extremely expensive to obtain if you can find one, so many pedal companies have taken it upon themselves to re-create affordable (and updated) versions...
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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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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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Star Wars. Han Solo. Taun-Tauns. The Klon. Normally, only three of these things have something in common, but the guys at IdiotBox Effects decided enough was enough. Combining some catchy graphics with even catchier tones, the Han-Taun Boost Overdrive smashed these fantastic things together to form a magnificent klone pedal, one that was apparently created in a galaxy far, far away…. The Han-Taun is set up just like the famous...
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We love a good delay around here, analog OR digital, and there’s only one thing better than having a pedal with one delay, right….? One that has TWO delays! The Deep Space is a dual digital delay from Homenoise Effects, and it features not only two separate echo circuits, but a couple of tasty options that will make it a must-have for anyone who loves clean, crisp and sometimes out-of-this-world delay tones. Lots to...
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Continuing with a streak of impressive effects pedal creations, the crew at M.D. Effects brings us another tasty morsel to devour. Today’s featured pedal is The Timber, a versatile low-mid gain overdrive boost that is derived from a completely original circuit, and features a couple surprises thrown into the mix. A completely new approach to the traditional “gain stage,” this green monster offers up a wide range of...
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Although not the flashiest or most exciting of all the effects genres, the Boost pedal still has an important role to play in the overall tone shaping we all like to do with our rigs. While some boosts are just one knob and others more complicated and experimental, today’s featured pedal presents two parameters for you to dial in a perfect clean enhancement of your tone. The MT-SB Signal Booster from ModTone Effects helps...
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Today’s guest review comes to us from Monique Hernandez-Fuentes – you can find her with Guitar Tricks on Facebook, Twitter and on the Guitar Tricks website. Thanks again, Monique! In my quest for the ultimate high gain, I stumbled across the awesome Heavy by Canadian heavy weights, Empress Effects. Originally, I was looking for something super versatile and was referred to Empress by a guitar buddy of mine on Instagram. One thing I...
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We’ve been wanting to get our grubby mitts on a pedal from Wilson Effects for a couple of years now, and that day has finally arrived. Today’s featured pedal, the Stoned Grasshopper, not only has one of the best monikers we’ve come across so far, but also houses three independent effects that can be used by themselves or in conjunction with each other. While Boost, Overdrive and Fuzz are three fairly popular effects...
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With all the powerful delays that have been coming out over that last couple of years, we were still REALLY excited about today’s featured pedal. After checking out the Reverb pedal from Empress Effects last year, we couldn’t wait to get our hands on the all new Echosystem, a Dual Engine Delay with the same look and feel of its predecessor. Needless to say, it was quite impressive right out of the box, and even more so...
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Getting pedals that come through the shop without a distinct label as to what they are or what they can do is always intriguing, and our featured pedal for today baffled us until we had the chance to plug it in. The Instant Lo-Fi Junky from ZVEX Effects is a compressor, chorus, vibrato and more, an sound experimenter’s dream in a small, pedalboard-friendly enclosure, with controls that are basic, but create a wide palette of...
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Are you a sucker for aesthetics when it comes to your pedal collection? Not that it makes or breaks a purchase, but we love a good graphic and layout, and today’s pedal takes us on an exciting journey of sight and sound. The Aqua Lung Overdrive from Rockfabrik Effects is an overdrive with a few common controls and a couple of added options for a wide range of sonic flavors to behold. Like most in the overdrive world, the Aqua...
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Last month when we reviewed and demoed our first pedal from Frana Effects, the White Wave Fuzz, the impression that it left was one of amazement (as well as a shattered eardrum or two). So, we were stoked to be able to try another one of their pedals, but go in a completely different direction from the aforementioned fuzz genre. The Moon Land is a tremolo with extra oomph, based on some classic circuitry, but with its own flare and...
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If you are looking for a fuzz pedal that not only sounds great, but also has more output volume available than just about any pedal that’s come through our office, today’s effect creation is for you. The White Wave from Frana Effects is a Fuzz and a Boost, and has enough power trapped inside to take down a small building, if your amp’s speakers don’t blow first. Inspired by some classic fuzz tones from some...
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What can we say about the pedals that Spaceman Effects puts out? They’re pricy, they’re hard to find and they all sound incredible. Well, that’s a start, anyway. Their latest masterpiece, the Sputnik II Deluxe Germanium Fuzz, takes the already brilliant circuit from the original Sputnik Fuzz, and beefs it up even more, if you can believe it. With a new second mode and a couple more tasty additions, this is a fuzz...
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Our first encounter with New Zealanders Flux Effects was with their Liquid Ambience pedal, a super-reverb drenched in ambient awesomeness that has had very few competitors to this point. So…we were pretty excited when Michael said he was going to send us a Liquid Tremolo to review and demo – needless to say, we were extremely happy with our second encounter as well. This tremolo has a boatload of options, too many sounds...
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Matt Johnson Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Tortuga Effects www.tortugaeffects.com How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I’ve been playing guitar and bass for 26 years, but started as a musician on cello, three years before that. I remember wanting to play cello because being in the school band meant you had to blow into things. I didn’t want to do that. I also didn’t want to sit in my classroom during...
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We have had the pleasure of reviewing and demoing a whole bunch of pedals from our friends at Celestial Effects over the years, and we get to do it again today! The Virgo Rock Overdrive conjures up feelings and sounds of all your favorite classic rock tunes and guitarists from the ’60’s and ’70’s with ease, while adding in some modern functionality and enough options to fill Madison Square Garden. Deceptively...
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Every pedal company strives to have their pedals be easily recognizable – whether it’s colors, shapes, design, graphics…the list goes on, but you want to make your mark. The guys at StoneFly Effects have most definitely accomplished that feat, with their crazy array of graphics, enclosure sizes, control knob placement and more, and today’s pedal continues in that realm. The Two Headed Werewolf is a fuzzy,...
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2-In-1 effects pedals are always an adventure, and today’s featured pedal takes us on yet another glorious sonic journey. Having previously reviewed the Battering Ram from Wounded Paw Effects, another 2-In-1, we were pretty stoked to be able to check out another one of their marvelous creations. The Echo Drive is a delay and reverb pedal, with additional overdrive on just the delay signal. Basically, your original tone still...
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Continuing our streak of evaluations from the great pedal lineup over at Celestial Effects, today’s featured gem is a big green monster in a little green box. The Taurus Blues Overdrive features some unique controls and excellent overdrive tones, giving you all the blues sounds you can handle in one well-sized and expertly-priced package. Volume, Tone and Gain start off the controls, and will give a nice mix of boost, low-gain...
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Apparently, there are still guitar players in existence that don’t like fuzz. Finding that fact difficult to imagine, today’s pedal gears specifically towards fuzz-haters, and has been affectionately dubbed “the fuzz for guitarists that hate fuzz.” Celestial Effects has been putting out some interesting and powerful pedals over that last few years, and the Aquarius Fuzz just might help to convert some...
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In today’s crazy world of delay pedals, with all the tricks and secrets and incredible things they can now do, it’s sometimes nice to have a simple, laid-back delay pedal, capable of subtle tones and monstrous adventure at the same time. Today’s featured pedal is just that, as are most of the pedals from Mantic Effects. The Isaiah Delay is a three-knob echo beast, producing an over-the-top amount of noise and fun,...
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Celestial Effects 22 Kane Industrial Drive Hudson, MA 01749 800-343-4492 sales@celestialeffects.com www.celestialeffects.com How long have you guys been musicians? How did you each get into it in the first place? Dom: Thanks to my dad, who loved music but never played an instrument, my formal musical education came from playing trumpet and coronet from 3rd grade through high school. In high school I played in the concert band, wind...
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Sometimes in this line of work, you come across a pedal that was produced by a now-defunct company, and there’s very little information available about it for you to really dig into a review. Today’s featured pedal is one of these rarities, although I’m going to try to do my best (plus, there’s a video at the end!). The Cedar Drive from Cedar Custom Effects is the overdrive on display today, There’s not a...
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Sometimes, a pedal comes through the office here that is hard to describe, or put into one specific category, as it makes so many different sounds that it almost seems an injustice to limit its description to one lone genre of effects. Such is the case with the Liquid Ambience from Flux Effects. Labeled as an “Atmospheric Reverb”, this blue beauty is capable of a wide array of sonic textures and gorgeous soundscapes, thus...
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Delays that have some kind of modulation incorporated with them have been my favorites for a long time, and I’m always intrigued with each new one, to see what differences and similarities they might share will others I’ve played in the past. The first version of the Reptile Delay is the one we’re gonna check out today, and although there’s a newer model, the Reptile 2, the original is still highly regarded on...
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Have you ever seen LOST? Were you on the edge of your seat, week after week, on Thursday nights for way too many years? If you didn’t watch this miraculous television phenomenon, well, you missed out, plain and simple. Plus, you won’t really understand the clever name, sweet graphics and subtle show inclusions that are present in today’s review pedal: the Dharma Drive from WychElm Effects. Graphically, the Dharma...
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We here at Pedal of the Day had been hearing about this incredible overdrive pedal from Australia that was all that rage, and had apparently been sold out and hard to find. Luckily, the maker of this pedal, Teletronix, decided they were going to answer the high demand for this pedal, and release a new batch, featuring two new graphic designs. We were able to get a hold of one of these pedals and put it through the ringer, and boy, the...
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The pedals being made by Graig over at Recovery Effects look rad. Plain and simple. That said, today’s reviewed pedal also sounds pretty rad, too, which usually makes for an excellent combination. The Grizzled Mighty Fuzz was originally created for the band of the same name, and is now available for us all to enjoy. This fuzz has some relatively simple controls, but a ton of differing tones, and a big, fat low end, which makes...
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We recently reviewed the 24K Reverb pedal from our friends at Outlaw Effects,and today we have the pleasure of testing out another of their rad little creations, the Quick Draw Delay. This thing is little, but as usual with these types of space-savers, don’t let the size fool you. This delay packs a wallop and will destroy everything in its path…well, not really, but it’s a great delay nonetheless. The Quick Draw...
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Any dirt pedal that adds in a Mid control to the EQ section is a plus and a winner in my book, and when it’s on a fuzz pedal, that just makes my day. The addition of this control seems to really open up the sonic possibilities immensely, and make for a much broader range of tones to play around with. Add to that some nice clipping options and a warm, fuzzy sound, and I’m in fuzzerated heaven. These words describe...
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There have been lots of really nice reverb pedals coming out recently, and one of the most notable I’ve seen has been the Wet Reverb from Neunaber Audio Effects. This pedal is popping up all over the place, on boards around the world, and from what I’ve heard of it, there’s a good reason why. Well, Neunaber decided to crank it up a notch and add a little extra sauce onto the Wet Reverb and call it the Seraphim...
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