Multi-effects pedals can be tricky to write reviews about, as there is so much going on, and so many different options to choose from that it makes it hard to narrow the writing down and focus on a few things to discuss in detail. Such is the case with today’s featured pedal, the M5 Stompbox Modeler from Line 6 – and if the regular functionality of this pedal wasn’t overwhelming enough, this model has been modded by...
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Where to even begin with a pedal like this? While Moog is known for their incredible synths and revolutionary sonic invention, we here at Pedal of the Day are much more familiar with their line of Moogerfooger® effects pedals. Having checked out the 12-Stage Phaser, Ring Modulator, MuRF and Analog Delay so far, the next logical step was the MF-107 FreqBox®…for which we were overwhelmingly unprepared. The FreqBox® is a little...
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When you think about the wackiest, most innovative and sometimes difficult to control pedals on the market today, an overwhelming majority of musicians’ thoughts go to one company: EarthQuaker Devices. Now, they make some semi-straightforward pedals: overdrives, fuzzes, delays, etc., but even most of those have some element of magic to them. Today’s featured pedal, the Rainbow Machine, falls into a category where it may be...
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Continuing with their unpredictable, innovative and original lineup of pedals, EarthQuaker Devices has done it again with today’s pedal, the Bit Commander. Billed as an analog synthesizer, this gray beast is that, for sure, but much more as well. With four octaves of square wave synth tones, the Bit Commander will leave you speechless at first, but once you tame it, it’ll be your audience that will be in for the real...
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Multi-effects units tend to be hit or miss, in my experience, while some can be the most fantastic thing you’ve ever experienced. Today’s pedal, the Holy Stain from Electro-Harmonix, falls somewhere in the middle. Not the best at some functions, but really good at others, the Holy Stain is definitely a pedal worth checking out, even if you might not be using all of its functions all the time. Mix, Amount, Volume and Tone...
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Although a lot of older pedals from past decades have been reissued or reworked in some way, there’s just something awesome about holding a piece of history in your hand, and then turning that piece of history on and making some rad music with it. Such is the case with today’s pedal, the SCF Stereo Chorus Flanger (and Pitch Modulator) from TC Electronic. A great tool to use in multiple sonic settings, the SCF can be...
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Having recently reviewed the Micro POG, and being impressed with all it could do with such limited controls, I was sure the POG2 was going to really give off some crazy sounds. Guess what? It does! I understand the space-saving and simplicity aspects of the Micro POG, but when it comes to my new favorite POG model, this one takes the cake. Working with numerous options and roughly a bajillion different sounds, the POG2 features a...
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Have you always been kind of jealous of the keyboardist or bass player in your band? The ones who get to make a ton of funky, low-end, synthesizer sounds that harken back to the 70s, that you just can’t seem to reproduce just using a guitar and amp? Well, now you can be the funk master, thanks to the Octasynth Octave Synthesizer pedal from SubDecay. This little box produces buzzy, funk-filled sub-octave notes and glitches,...
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When it comes to pedals, I love a good overdrive, a sweet analog delay and a big, fat wah, for sure, but when a company comes up with something that makes new, exciting and not-often-heard-before sound effects, those kinds of pedals make my ears start to smile. While octave pedals are not a NEW genre, per se, the Micro POG from Electro-Harmonix is a beast unto itself, a fresh and new take on a classic sound, with a couple of great...
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In this awesome world of pedals, it can sometimes seem like it’s all been done before: sure, there might be a couple of different toggles on this pedal and a new knob or two, but really unique, new and innovative stuff can elude the masses at times, until you stumble across a pedal that truly makes you stop in your tracks. Today’s piece of hardware did exactly that me, as I had never come across a...
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All-in-one pedals can be great, and they can be terrible, as anyone who has ever tried a few out can attest to. The good ones, though, when they’re good, they are GOOOOD. Where to begin with a pedal like this, with so many options, tones, squeaks, sound and delights? With a long-standing reputation of making some of the finest musical gear around, the folks at Eventide have one-upped even themselves at this point, and released...
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The Mobius super-modulation pedal from Strymon is yet another example of some of the finest gear offerings available on the market today, and doesn’t really leave much to chance as far as options and tones are concerned. Created in the same realm and structure as the TimeLine Delay and BigSky Reverberator, the Mobius is a true all-in-one modulation box, supplying just about any kind of phaser, flanger, chorus and vibrato sound...
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Chances are, you’ve heard of the infamous Whammy WH-1 Pitch Shifter pedal if you play guitar. Made popular by such guitar gurus as Tom Morello, The Edge, Steve Vai and more, it’s a staple of many famous guitar rigs, and capable of creating some of the most unique tones ever played, live or in the studio. The Whammy II was next generation pedal that followed the WH-1, and although it boasts the same internal chip and...
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Where to start with this pedal? There are so many options as far as sounds are concerned when using the Harmonic Decoder from Sunsine Audio, it’s a little daunting to know where to begin. A true single oscillating analog synthesizer, this beast can be a fuzz, an octave, a filter, a wah and much, much more. I’ll do my best to describe to you the power that is held within this little black box. The controls are easy to read,...
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With all of the awesome Boss delay pedals out there, finding the right one can be a bit tricky…but what if it was a delay PLUS something else? That’s where the PS-2 Digital Pitch Shifter / Delay pedal comes in. Made between October 1987 and March 1994, this little blue beast has stood the test of time, and remains a popular pick of old school digital delays. Mine is nice and beat up, the 9V power section doesn’t work...
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From chorus, slap-back delay, pitch shifting, to oscillation, the Rainbow Machine from EarthQuaker Devices delivers! For explorers and mad scientists, rays of sounds instantly fill their little hearts with 100% pure joy. With tons of knobs to turn, one could spend hours playing around with the Rainbow Machine. Great, subtle sounds to crazy, crazy noises, and yet, so musical and useful. Also, girls like how pretty it looks…...
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ARPANOID. Even the name sounds like something from outer space, and this pedal will create those types of sounds and more. Coming to us from the great folks at EarthQuaker Devices, the Arpanoid is “the first dedicated compact polyphonic pitch arpeggiator effect pedal for electric guitar.” Basically, it takes the signal from your guitar, tweaks it and spits it out in the form of ascending or descending notes, which you can...
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Who here is a regular user of Granular Synthesis? Exactly. No one. Well, the Particle Granular Delay/Pitch Shifter pedal from Red Panda wants you to know all about it, and (try) to use it to your advantage in your guitar playing. This is one of those pedals that is a bit tricky to describe on paper, as the sounds that come out of it are very rarely repeated, leading to a vast amount of random sonic gooeyness. Let’s start at the...
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BOSS PS-3 Pitch Shifter / Delay Made from 1994-1999 Three Delay modes Seven Pitch modes One Expression mode There’s A LOT in this lil one-stomp pedal. Various options for pitch shifting – from slight chorus-y shifts to drastic intervals! And classic spot-on BOSS digital delay settings. My personal favorite is ‘Mode 7’, which is a pitch-shifting reversing delay. Depending on where you place the settings it will...
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The legendary Whammy pedal is the premier pitch-shifting pedal for any guitarist’s board, and it only gets better with time. In addition to the classic Whammy sound, we’ve added chordal Whammy pitch-shifting and true bypass. The Whammy can bring new depth to your artistry. Turn your solo into raging, rebellious screams of tone or tame your crowd with highly expressive, ambient chordal bends. Energize your audience with a scratchy note...
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We’ve got another VIDEO review for you today, and this PAIR of pedals comes to us from Russia, courtesy of Barkin Effects. Their featured pedals are the extremly unique Vibrofon and the wicked-heavy Nitro Fuzz. Look out for these two pedals, they are DIRTY and AWESOME. The video features demos for both… Click ‘PLAY’ and enjoy the show! Submitted by the guys from Barkin Effect,...
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