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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Today we’re continuing down the path of Dual Enlightenment, thanks to the wonderful DCP Dual Series from our friends at Caline. The DCP-08 Nightwolf Overdrive Fuzz combines two of our favorite effects into one box, perfect for adding a bit of tone-shaping or completely annihilating your clean sound. These two classic effects make for a great team, let’s check out some more details! The Left side of the Nightwolf is a...
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After the wild recent successes that were the NU-33 Vinyl Engine and Imperial Fuzz MKII, we couldn’t wait to check out some more pedals from our friends at SolidGoldFX. Today, we’re gonna gaze lovingly into the eyes of the EM-III Multi-Head Octave Echo, which are a bunch of words not commonly heard mashed together. This delay takes us on a crazy sonic adventure, with new and exciting twists and turns around every...
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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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Pedal of the Day here! After the wonderful echoes of the Delay Llama Xtreme and the vintage glory of the Ripply Fall, we’re bringing you our third piece of gear from JAM Pedals in as many months – the Harmonious Monk Tremolo. A collaboration with Mick and Dan from That Pedal Show, this modulated beauty combines 2 types of tremolo into one space-saving box, complete with 2 tremolo speeds, internal adjustments, selectable...
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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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Ever since Night Owl Industries sent us their first pedal three years ago, we’ve had the pleasure of reviewing and demoing their entire lineup. That wonderful streak continues today with the Parabellum Preamp Drive Distortion, a collaboration between Night Owl and Dunwich Amps. A mix of three distinct voices, each being processed independently then mixed back together, this one creates a dense, complex distortion not attainable...
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A little over three years ago, we got our hands on the first model of today’s pedal, and we loved it. The TA-1H from Free The Tone was one of the first stereo choruses we had come across, and the wide spectrum of sounds it covered put a big old smile on our face. Today, we’ve got the next generation for you: the Tri Avatar TA-2H Multi-Dimensional Chorus, which takes the building blocks from its older sibling and just makes...
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If you couldn’t tell from the name of the company, This Heavy Earth doesn’t make effects pedals for the timid. Focusing on the heavier side of things, names like Grim, Flesh Rot and Crustifixion let you know these pedals mean business. Today, we’re checking out the CHVRCHBVRNER, an Overdrive Distortion with a ton of controls to sculpt and shape genres from blues to death metal…and everything in between, Right...
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After having the opportunity to review and demo a couple of pedals recently from Hilibish Design, the Pessimiser and Night Destroyer, we were stoked when they sent over their latest creation. These guys don’t mess around, and today’s Deathimizer Octave Fuzz is no joke. Another collaboration with King Buzzo from The Melvins, this destructive machine is a fuzz with ear drum wrecking highs stacked with an analog two octave...
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We certainly love three-knob overdrives and one-knob phasers and non-too-complex delay pedals here, but what really peaks our interest are the bizarre, the weird, the unique, the intriguing. Today’s pedal encompasses all of these qualities, taking your instrument’s signal and completely annihilating it, to points beyond recognition. The TMA-1 Jupiter: and Beyond the Infinite from Discomfort Designs is a ring...
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We’ve been fortunate to have our share of limited edition pedals come through here at Pedal of the Day, and we have another rare gem for you once again. The Sub Fuzz Pop Drive is a collaboration between Sub Pop Records and Verellen Amps, packing 2 monster dirt effects into one fairly large enclosure. Not a lot of info on these pedals out there, so we’ll do our best to explain this one… On the left, you’ve got...
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There’s no denying the effect (see what we did there) that Boss Pedals have had on the music industry over the last 4+ decades, and today we’re going to acknowledge two of their most coveted stompboxes. The MT-2 Metal Zone and SD-1 SUPER OverDrive have been staples on pedalboards across the world, since their releases in 1991 and 1981, respectively. Wanting to celebrate 40 and 30 years of continuous production of these two...
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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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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 got a chance to check out the Sunnmanor Preamp from Calico Effects recently, and were seriously impressed by its range and diversity. Today, we’ve got another effect from these guys, the MFT Overdrive, a more straightforward but just as rockin’ a pedal as the first. This one’s a classic plug and play, but with a bit of a twist from the norm… A lot of overdrive pedals feature the classic lineup of Volume,...
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The DCP Dual Pedal Series from Caline has been a blast so far, and today we’re bringing you the EIGHTH effect in this lineup. A true tone-shaping machine, the DCP-10 Steller EQ Compressor combines 2 front end effects to start your tone out on a high note. Using these two to sculpt and dial in the exact sounds you’re after, this is an invaluable addition to any rig. The left EQ side features 5 frequency band sliders and one...
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Our pal Pat down in Houston, Texas, has been building guitar pedals since 2008 as Garland FX, continuing to churn out inventive and unique designs and circuits for every type of music. Today, we’re going to revisit the first pedal we ever came across of his, the Cosmo Delay. This is an updated version from our 2014 review (and we have a demo this time, too!), so let’s jump right in and see what space-laden adventures...
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Roman Belonozhko Ridgefield, WA Shnobel Tone www.shnobeltone.com How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I started playing guitar when I was 14 years old so Ive been at it for over 20 years. I was born in Ukraine, which is a small Eastern European country, and at that time it was still part of the Soviet Union. Growing up I had uncles from both my mom’s and dad’s side that are...
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Last month, we were introduced to Weird Noise Pedals, an up-and-coming effects company out of Astoria, OR. Their Fuzz It was a wonderful one-knob buzz machine, and we couldn’t wait to dive into today’s more complex pedal. What The Fuzz is a 2 silicon transistor fuzz pedal capable of everything from touch sensitive overdrive to a thick fuzz. Very responsive to your guitar’s volume and tone controls, this one really makes...
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Modulation is a key ingredient to any rig, whether it’s coming from a phaser, a chorus or a vibrato….but what if you could have ALL THREE in one enclosure? That’s where today’s effect, the JAM Pedals Ripply Fall Chorus Vibrato Phaser, comes into play. Combining a couple other JAM Pedals into one, these side-by-side effects will launch your sound and creativity into the musical stratosphere. The Ripple side...
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There are, apparently, still musicians out there who dislike the Phaser effect. Now, while we can’t necessarily understand why, it doesn’t stop us from bringing you all the best phaser pedals we can find, and we’ve got another new one today. The Mojo Hand FX Mister-O Phase Shifter is a modern recreation of a classic, the Maestro Phase Shifter, first released in the early 1970’s. With vintage tones and some...
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Modulated Delay is one of the greatest effects on the planet, and we’ve got a pretty incredible example for you today. The Red Witch Pedals Binary Star Time Modulator provides a huge range of analog-flavored sounds, from classic slap back to vibrato-infused modulation to insane pitch-shifting and more. Buckle up, kids, we’re going on an outer space journey… The controls section, while not seemingly too complex,...
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Many moons ago, we had the pleasure of sitting down and exploring the wonderful Gurus Amps Echosex2 Echo Delay. Reimagining the famous Binson Echorec, and with a real 12AX7B tube inside, this delay was quite a stellar piece of gear. Then, a while back, Gurus teamed up with FoxGear and began creating a line of smaller, more affordable pedals. The first of these that we’re going to check out is the EchoSex Baby, a small version of...
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It seems that Flanger is quickly becoming the effect of 2021, with a lot of new and interesting releases coming about over the last few months. We have a wonderful one today for you, too – the Hochstrasser Electronics Chemtrail Analog Flanger. This unassuming and powerful modulation device utilizes bucket brigade chips to create and modulate a short delay line, and can function as a flanger, chorus or vibrato effect....
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We’ve always had an affinity for the simplistic look and complex sound surrounding the gear from Jānis.lv Effect Pedals, and we’re stoked to bring you their latest creation once more today. The Laika Plūsma Reverb is a subtle effect, but one that can climb into ambient oscillation territory with ease. Just four knobs and one toggle switch, but sometimes, that’s all you need… The Laika Plūsma’s controls...
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Let’s head back in TI:ME today, into the land of warm delays and vintage echoes. With a nod to classic echo units of the past, the Crazy Tube Circuits TI:ME Echo Delay is a retro-inspired machine, capable of instantly warming your tone. With separate analog and digital paths, tap tempo, modulation and more, this little pedal has a LOT going on. The all analog signal path in the TI:ME Echo Delay features a high-quality opamp,...
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We’ve had a couple of pedals from Discomfort Designs come through the shop recently, and they just keep getting better. Today’s machine, the Black Tooth Doom Octave Distorter, sounds as mean as its name might suggest…and then some. Not for the weak, faint-of-heart or tender-eared, this crushing black beauty is all geared up to rip some speakers and melt some faces… The Black Tooth is a high gain, hard-clipping...
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We’ve got a real treat for you all today, one of the most anticipated and highly-hyped effects pedals of the year…maybe the decade. A collaboration between Boss and Sola Sound, the TB-2W Waza Craft Tone Bender is a fuzz pedal that brings vintage tone into the modern world. Based on the classic Tone Bender MKII, the TB-2W has been painstakingly scrutinized and researched, to bring you possibly the finest Tone Bender...
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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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Much like the Boost pedals we were talking about in the other day’s review, there are certain pedals that you sometimes don’t even know you need. Today’s pedal is one of those, hands down, and it’s hard to even describe why. When a piece of gear works, sometimes it just works, without explanation. However, we’ll try our best to tell you about the 29 Pedals EUNA Elite UNity Amplifier…just be patient,...
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The preamps pedals coming through the shop lately have been nothing short of phenomenal, and we’ve got yet another one for you today. The Calico Effects Sunnmanor Preamp is based on the classic Sunn Beta Bass amp’s Single Channel, providing a wide range from tone-shaping preamp to full bore distortion. Simple controls make it easy to use, and the sounds you’ll discover will blow you away… The control section on...
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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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Our limited experience with Toneczar Effects has got us pretty excited for today’s pedal. We previously had the chance to check out the Echoczar, one of the best delays we’ve ever had our hands on, and now we’re delving into modulation territory. The Halophze Two-Speed Stereo Phaser, is a phase shifter and vibrato in one, with two dedicated speed settings and a ton of tonal options. Here we go, let’s see what...
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Analog Delay with Modulation – quite possibly the best four words in the effects pedal world. You know how we love our delays here, and today we are fortunate enough to bring you one of the best ever. The Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man Echo Chorus Vibrato is the fifth incarnation of the Memory Man Delay, which was first released in 1976. This version is from 1980, and boasts some features not available on previous models....
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Today, we’re continuing our look at the Dual Series pedals from Caline, and we’ve got another gem for you. The DCP-05 Key West Compressor Overdrive gives you one of the best pedal combinations to ever exist. With each side running either independently or in tandem, there are a ton of tones waiting to be explored here… The Compressor side is Caline’s Pressure Tank pedal, which is inspired by the famous Diamond...
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Sometimes, the easier a pedal is to operate, the better. Today’s effect is just about as simple as it gets, while still offering up a nice range of sounds. The Weird Noise Pedals Fuzz It features one big knob and one little toggle switch….and it sounds HUGE. The Fuzz It is a hybrid fuzz pedal that’s actually two circuits in one. With the toggle set to the left, you’ve got a germanium fuzz that has a thick, warm...
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We were first introduced to KHDK Electronics, the brainchild of Metallica’s Kirk Hammett and industry pro David Karon, when they first started releasing pedals in 2016. The Ghoul Screamer is their take on the classic Tube Screamer, on steroids, and we really dug it. So we were pretty excited to dive into the Unicorn Blood II Octave Fuzz, a mammoth of a dirt pedal not for the tame or timid – this thing crushes eardrums and...
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We love it when a new creation arrives here at the shop, something totally unexpected and adventurous. Today’s piece of gear isn’t a pedal, but a wireless switch to CONTROL your pedals. What’s that now, you might ask? Well, we’ll try to explain it the best we can, but you’ll have to watch the demo video below to really get the gist of this one. Here is the Aviate Audio Airpatch Wireless Effects Pedal...
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Normally, you don’t think of overdrive pedals as being laden with options. Volume. Tone. Gain. Done. Today’s pedal, however, takes things up a notch, building on an original circuit to create a powerful amp-driving machine. The LPD Pedals Sixty8 Deluxe Overdrive brings boost, overdrive and distortion elements to the table – all with smooth and sweet tonal bliss. Taking the LPD Pedals’ original Sixty8, the...
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Today marks our first foray into the world of JAM Pedals, and we couldn’t be happier about the way we’re getting started. The Delay Llama XTREME introduces new functionality and exciting features to their Delay Llama series, challenging preconceived notions of what an analog delay pedal can do. Featuring 3 x 3205 BBD chips and a thoughtful layout, the Delay Llama XTREME appeals to traditional delay users and sound...
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Vintage Fuzz. Plug in, turn it up and rock. Done and Done. Today’s pedal achieves exactly these checkpoints, bringing a warm and classic sound into the fold. The Bad Penny FX Wireless Germanium Fuzz has a simple control section, but adds in a couple of tasty options to really dial in and solidify your favorite fuzz tones. Let’s see what this one brings to the table, shall we? A classic unit that follows the Tone Bender...
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We love a good looper pedal, and who doesn’t? It opens up your creativity, takes you down practicing and songwriting paths you may never have explored, and turn repetition into just plain FUN. When said looper pedal also features a slew of useable drum tracks as well, it’s pretty hard to beat. Such is the case with the Boss RC-10R Rhythm Loop Station, a powerful, options-laden device combining song-based looping and...
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The designs and sounds contained in the first two pedals we saw from Aclam were impressive and extremely specific. The Dr. Robert had a major Beatles influence on its sound, while the Windmiller was focused on The Who and Pete Townshend’s rig. Today, we’ve got the third pedal in their current lineup, the Cinnamon Drive, which recreates the essence of vintage tube amps pushed to the max volume. Great for any musical genre,...
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Hitting a chord with an amazing overdrive pedal plugged into your amp is one of the best feelings there is. Period. Luckily, we get to experience this feeling time and time again here at Pedal of the Day, and today’s little box of joy absolutely delivered in this department. The MusicBoxPedals Lyla Drive is a classic styled pedal that covers everything from clean boost to preamp to low/mid gain overdrive – lets see what...
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After checking out the Rooms Stereo Reverberator last month from Death By Audio, we couldn’t wait to get our grubby paws on some more of their gear. Alas, salvation hath arrived in the form of the down and dirty Apocalypse Overdriver Fuzz, a powerhouse of a beast that boosts, crushes and annihilates anything and everything in its path – ARE YOU READY??? The Apocalypse is a jack-of-all trades fuzz pedal. After being...
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What is a Rotophaser, exactly? Part rotary speaker, part phaser, all modulation and a ton of fun, that’s what it is. Classically, you’d look to units like a Fender Vibratone, the MTI Rotophaser and, of course, the Leslie rotating speaker cabinets to get some of these sounds. Today, however, we’ve got a modern machine that combines all that you love about this sound and those vintage units into a pedalboard-friendly...
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Having had the opportunity to test out the majority of the lineup from Spaceman Effects, we’re always curious and excited when they release a new pedal, and today’s effect follows suit. The Aurora Analog Flanger represents Spaceman’s unique dive into this type of modulation, producing shades of flange, vibatro, chorus, phase, and filtery spatial effects with the lush sound of an analog signal path. Lots of knobs and...
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There have been some incredible modulation pedals coming out recently, and we are excited to bring you another wonderful effect from that list today. The CopperSound Pedals Polaris Analog Chorus Vibrato gives you two independent depth levels for the Chorus and Vibrato sides it contains. Along with a couple of other tricks up its sleeves, this purple beauty has all your wobbling, warbling needs covered. Based loosely on the classic...
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