A couple years back, we had the privilege to demo and review a couple of differently-flavored dirt pedals from the folks at Revv Amplification: the G2 Overdrive, G3 Overdrive Distortion and G4 High Gain Distortion. Taking their expertise in amplifiers and condensing it down into some effects pedals couldn’t have worked out better, and we were excited for what was coming next. Fast forward a year and a half, and today we’re...
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When a huge company like StewMac contacts you and asks if you’d like to demo some gear from them, there’s only one answer: an emphatic YES, PLEASE. Today, we’re going to check out a pedal, yes, but some other guitar-related gear as well, all of which is available on the StewMac website, and all of which can help you greatly improve your tone and unleash your creativity. Lots to get into, let’s do it!! First up,...
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We love the way the folks at VVco Pedals incorporate great effects with nostalgic merch from past movies, TV shows and more, and we’re especially stoked about today’s featured pedal. The Dark Father Preamp is clearly representative of a certain Jedi-turned-Sith, and it sounds just as evil. Melding elements of overdrive, fuzz, distortion, EQ, boost and preamp, this multi-faceted effect is not only fun to look at, it sounds...
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We always enjoy when a new type of device or way to add to your sound is unleashed on our community, and today’s effect(s) really take things up a notch. The crew over at Chaos Audio has designed the Stratus, a unit that allows to create an entire pedals board from one pedal and your phone. You control the effects in real-time from an app, chaining multiple pedals together in any way you choose. The app currently features over...
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We’ve had a blast checking out the lineup of pedals from the newly-revamped Maestro brand, and have a BIG surprise for you all today. They’ve just released FIVE new units, and we have got them all in one place for you. Today, we’re looking at the Orbit Phaser, Mariner Tremolo, Titan Boost, Arcas Compressor Sustainer and Agena Envelope Filter – 5 effects building on the first 5 pedals they initially released...
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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 over at Eventide have been big supporters of Pedal of the Day for years now – we’ve reviewed just about every one of their modern pedals, and have been lucky enough to be included in their last several new release days as well. Today, we’re doing it once again, and with possibly their biggest, most grandiose effects unit to date. The H90 Harmonizer® takes everything that we all love about the...
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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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Pedal of the Day has been fortunate to help with the promotion of each and every iteration of the wonderful Ampero series of multi-effects units from our friends at Hotone Audio, and we’ve got the newest one for you today. Following in the footsteps of the original Ampero, Ampero One and Ampero II, the Ampero Silver Edition Amp Modeler / Effects Processor somehow builds on the previous models’ functionality, options and...
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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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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 Knuckle Sandwich Overdrive V3. Get prepared to pummel some eardrums and grab a fistful of tone…. Designed to work as a low mid boost at lower drive levels, the Knuckle...
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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!!) How To Get The Most Out Of Your Pedals By Steven Kendzorski for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. I have GAS, and it’s bad. GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) is a common ailment among new guitar players, triggered by tone-envy, causing them to spend every...
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Andrew and the crew at Mozztronics just keep putting out incredible pedal after incredible pedal, and we’re so glad we get to keep on reviewing and demoing these wonderful creations. For the last pedal in the latest batch they sent us, we’re taking a look at the JD-2 Thunder Drive, an amp/drive/preamp/distortion all wrapped into one undefinable and glorious effect. Strap in and hold on, this one’s a crusher (as...
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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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The Klone. Since the majority of us think it’s absurd to spend $5,000 or more on a pedal, klones have become a musical godsend, offering a ton of different sonic flavors without the hefty price tags that go with the originals. We’re bringing you another lovely offering today, in the form of the My Little Klony from Daddy Daughter Pedal Works. This pink beauty is dialed in sonically to the mythical units, with a couple of...
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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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The Klon. There might not be a more easily-recognizable, more debated-about effect on the planet. And since they are rare and pricy, there are a LOT of copycats out there, but how to choose the right one? Well, the quest for the perfect clone may have just ended – welcome in the Centura Professional Overdrive from Ceriatone Amplification. Aesthetics aside, this beast sounds spot on to its original counterpart, made with...
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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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Recently, we had the privilege to check out the Acid Cat Fuzz Distortion from our friends at Stacks FX. Part of their Ohms Series, it had a nice sonic range, going from mild crunch to all-out sonic destruction. Today, we’ve got another pedal from that Ohms Series for you – the Distorter of Worlds, another fuzz distorter that packs a myriad of options into one perfectly-sized enclosure. Lots to explore here, let’s get...
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The infamous Klon has produced more clones than perhaps any other circuit (well, maybe the Tubescreamer has it beat). We love a good Klone here at Pedal of the Day – hell, we even have a series dedicated to them on our YouTube channel. Today’s pedal brings another mythical creation to the table, this time in the form of the Handy FX Minotaur Overdrive… With the familiar layout and classic oxblood knobs, you’ll feel...
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The Clubber Lang Harmonic Percolator Fuzz from Malaise Forever was one of our Top Pedals of 2021, and we were stoked to check out more gear from this fine company out of Columbus, OH. Luckily, we didn’t have to wait too long – today, we’re helping with the Brand New Release for their next creation, the Rage Monster Germanium Gain Stage. Packing some classic and modern boost sounds into one pedalboard-friendly...
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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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(This article comes from our friends at GuitarTricks.com – check out their site for tons of guitar-related tips and tricks!!) A Practical Look at Guitar Pedals By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer Guitar pedals are an incredible way to sculpt the final sound from your guitar, they provide amazing effects at just the push of a button. In some cases they are even necessary to get the right sound for a particular...
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We’ve got another Klon-inspired beauty to bring to you today, only this one takes everything up a couple notches. Recently, we had the pleasure of checking out the KCM-OD Silver V10 from Studio Daydream Handmade Pedals, and today we’re bringing you their next version, the KCM-OD Gold V9.0 Overdrive. Looking and sounding similar to a certain horsie-laden and ridiculously expensive pedal from the ’90s, this one has a...
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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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As evidenced by the “Klone Wars” series on our YouTube channel, we love a good recreation of that famous mythical pedal that we (and most others) can no longer afford. Luckily, there are many companies building their incredible versions of this circuit, and we have another one for you today. The Studio Daydream Handmade Pedals KCM-OD Silver V10 has the look and feel of this type of pedal, and the sounds to match. The...
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Somewhat recently, we were able to check out the Valeton GP-100VT, a nice multi-effects pedal that squished a lot of tones into a fairly small enclosure. Well, Valeton has had a quick turnaround beefing up this concept, and we’re proud to help release the GP-200 Multi-Effects Processor today. This new-gen HD modeling multi-effects processor declares an unprecedented upgrade in order to bring you a better sonic experience –...
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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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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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Turning the effects pedal world upside down, thinking outside the box and creating something brand new is harder and harder to do these days. Luckily, we’ve become pals with a company who is doing just that, with an effects unit that’s gonna be a game changer. The Modal Effects Disruption Modular Gain pedal utilizes individual effect modules, or “Mods”, that are easily swappable, to create an entire customized...
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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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Flashy graphics and newly-shaped enclosures have their place in the effects pedal world, for sure, but sometimes, simplicity can be welcome. That seems to be the goal with the lineup from our pals at Kenny B Pedals, and we’re taking a look at our 4th effect from them today. The Double Double has an easy-to-figure-out control section, complete with multiple sonic options, housed in an unassuming, minimalistic case. That’s...
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The final pedal in the Dept. 10 Series of valve pedals from Blackstar Amplification is the Dual Distortion, a bold, black beauty that takes high gain action up a notch. A formidable-sounding valve distortion and world-class recording preamp, this one features 3 Crunch/Overdrive voices alongside the clean channel, Blackstar’s patented ISF control, low latency USB, XLR out and Dept. 10’s proprietary Cab Rig simulator technology....
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Our journey through the Dept. 10 Series of valve pedals from Blackstar Amplification continues today, as we take a gander at the Dual Drive. This one is touted as “the best valve drive pedal you will ever own and a world-class valve recording preamp”, and they’re not too far off. Featuring 3 Crunch/Overdrive voices alongside the clean channel, Blackstar’s patented ISF control, low latency USB, XLR out and Dept....
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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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We reviewed a couple of effects from Kenny B Pedals a few years ago, and are excited to jump back in and check out some more of his gear today. The William Overdrive is a seemingly simple 3-knob, 1-toggle affair, but beneath the surface lies a powerhouse boost overdrive distortion that’s just waiting to unleash itself on the world. Let’s see what’s in store for us, shall we? Inspired by the Prince of Tone, the...
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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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We recently added a new amplifier into our demo mix, the wonderfully and versatile Revv Amplification D20, and we can’t get enough of it. Revv also makes effects pedals, and they sent a couple over for us to check out, starting with the G2 Overdrive. Based on the “Green Channel” from Revv’s Generator amps, this powerhouse provides clear, dynamic, amp-like tone to push your rig where you need it to go. The...
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We love to dive in and explore any sort of Multi-Effects units that come our way – they can hold so many effects and combinations, the possibilities to what you can create are endless. Today, we’re checking out the newest unit from Valeton, the GP-100VT Multi-Effects Processor. Crammed full of all your favorite effects, amps, cabs, presets, a looper and more, this little machine has got a lot to offer. The design and...
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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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