Since this will be our last review and demo of the year, we wanted to go out with a BANG!, and boy, does today’s pedal deliver on all fronts. The Camper Fuzz is a creation developed by CroyTone Audio, based in St. Louis, Missouri, and produces gain, volume and tone that will shake your walls and mystify your very soul. With enough settings and options to make it almost four different fuzzes in one, this seemingly simple beauty...
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Patrick Garland Houston, Texas GARLAND FX garlandfx.bigcartel.com How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I’m 33 years old, and started playing guitar at age 10 – so about 23 years. 20 on electric guitar. The first guitar I ever played was my mom’s Guild Madiera from 1970. My mom uses it for playing music to pre-schoolers – she’s quite talented and can play and sing. I also still...
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Whenever a crazy, noise-laden, free form piece of musical equipment comes into the office, we tend to get fairly excited. When the Erratic Clutch Deluxe arrived, we had no idea what we were in for, as it doesn’t really tell you what it is on the outside. However, once we plugged it in, we were treated to a sonic explosion, the likes of which we don’t witness very often around here. You’re all in for a treat today,...
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If you’re a fuzz lover, when you hear the words “Tone Bender,” an instant smile creeps over your face. Used on countless classic rock recordings and live shows by everyone from Pete Townshend to Jeff Beck to Paul McCartney and more, these gray boxes from Sola Sound defined the latter half of the 1960’s. The MkII Professional version of the Tone Bender was made popular by Jimmy Page, having used it on the first...
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We’ve always been intrigued and interested in pedals that have lots of knobs, dipswitches and In/Out jacks, so when today’s pedal came along, we were super stoked to test it out. The Spectravibe from Endangered Audio Research (makers of the now-famous AD4096 Analog Delay) is a tremolo and vibrato pedal, but it’s also much, much more than just that. With elements of compression, overdrive, distortion, auto wah and...
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We love fuzz pedals around here, and the only thing better than a killer fuzz effect is….that’s right, TWO fuzzes in one pedal. The Bitoun is a Doubled Octave Fuzz from our friends in France Anasounds, and while looking seemingly simple from the bare bones control section, this guy is anything but. Based around the Shin-Ei Superfuzz pedal from the 60’s, the Bitoun Fuzz also incorporates aspects of Anasounds’...
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Do you need a little funk in your music, or your life, but don’t like things super-clean or proper? Have you always wanted to venture into the world of auto-wahs and filters, but never found just the right pedal to make the leap? The Cock Fight from Electro-Harmonix incorporates elements of wah, fuzz, and filters to create a uniquely-voiced effects pedal, one that’s certain to make your head turn and your body bust into a...
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Today’s guest review comes to us from Liam Stevens – you can find him on Instagram, and with his band Tainted on Facebook. Thanks again, Liam! Had Tony Pepers, of Pepers’ Pedals fame, knock me together this custom pedal a few years back. At its core, it’s a clone of a Big Muff, but he’s done a few neat little tricks to it to make it more versatile. On the front of it there is a switch that shifts the mid range. You...
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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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Today’s featured pedal is kind of a 2-in-1, which you know we dig here at Pedal of the Day. Part fuzz, part distortion and all-powerful, the Boar Fuzz from Ohmless Pedals produces a broad spectrum of dirt tones, waiting to be unleashed from inside a smaller-than-usual enclosure, perfect for adding to any pedal setup. With simple controls and one fun additional knob, this effect will have affect on your tone, effectively and...
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Ben Bloom Seattle, WA Polyrhythmics www.polyrhythmics.com We had the honor of chatting with Ben in person when the Polyrythmics played here in Boise during Treefort Music Fest last month – here’s our conversation: [Pedal of the Day] Where are you guys from? [Ben Bloom] Seattle. I grew up in New York, but we all met and live in Seattle. I’ve been there since 2001. [POTD] What got you into music in the first place?...
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We are suckers for aesthetics here at Pedal of the Day, and today’s pedal just jumps right out at you (plus it look sweet in a group of pedal, too). A collaboration between the crews at SolidGoldFX and The Tone Mob, the Model 001 Fuzz Generator is an aluminum fuzz masterpiece, a pedal that is expressive both visually and sonically, and one that’s sure to make you take a step back in wonder the moment it’s engaged....
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Today’s pedal is a fantastic example of everything a 2-in-1 pedal should be, especially when it combines two great genres of effects together. The Vader (as we assume is its proper name) is a one-off custom pedal built by VFE Pedals, and it joins together their Blueprint Delay and Choral Reef Chorus effects. While these have both been discontinued, having them together in one pedal is a real marvel, and the rarity of it and the...
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There aren’t many companies who deliver the goods consistently with each and every pedal they release, but one that just about has that market cornered is EarthQuaker Devices. From the most complex and innovative pieces of gear to a simple, two-knob fuzz effect (like maybe today’s featured pedal?), the musical inspiration their stuff brings out when you play it is almost unmatched. The Bellows Fuzz Driver is a two-knob...
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Another fuzz pedal this week, you say? Excellent!! Today’s pedal is different from the Fuzz-Stang MkII we reviewed earlier, but still boats some great tones of its own, and can hang with any fuzz around. The Jelly Fuzz from Depth Pedals offers a simple control section, a wide array of sounds to discover, one special option to switch your tone and, from a designer’s standpoint, a really rad and pleasing aesthetic as well....
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We’ve been checking out the lineup from Cathouse Pedals over the past couple months, and today we bring you the last one in their current lineup. The Fuzzy Tongue is a brilliant take on the classic Fuzz Face, complete with old germanium transistors for authentic 60’s-style fuzz tones and more. With a simple control section and loads of sounds on tap, this little pink mystery will have you rocking and rolling in seconds...
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Well, we’ve got some more Strymon for all you pedal lovers out there, and this is absolutely one of our favorites that they produce. The El Capistan is a dTape Echo Delay, emulating the sounds and tones of classic tape echo machines of decades gone by, and doing a phenomenal job at it. Giving you a plethora of sonic options to choose from, you’re going to spend days, maybe weeks even, immersing yourself in all of...
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Joel Korte Anoka, MN Chase Bliss Audio chaseblissaudio.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 15 or so (17 years ago). I’d like think I have been a musician for much longer. I’m biased of course, but I remember composing some pretty cool music on “Mario Paint” for Super Nintendo (they had a cool little music making tool on that). I think I’ve pretty much...
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One of our favorite things here at Pedal of the Day is when someone sends us a custom pedal with our logo on it – since we have no clue how to actually BUILD these pedals, seeing our design embossed on an effect is a pretty rare and cool thing that we appreciate a lot. The guys over at PuzzleSounds not only didn’t make us build the Deep Blue Delay they sent us, but they emblazoned it with our signature circle as well,...
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Recently, we had the chance to review and demo a great pedal from a company who has been a supporter of our since practically the beginning: Stacks FX. Their Native Lung Reverb was one of the coolest pedals we’d checked out in a minute, and today we’re honored to be able to present to you guys another one of their fine creations, the Fuzz Gazer. This purple beast is a Silicon fuzz with a ton of tone on tap. Volume controls...
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We see a lot of fuzz pedals come through the shop, and today’s pedal is another representation of how we live in a marvelous and fuzzy age. Having recently reviewed their Rat Fink Distortion, we were excited to check out another pedal from Cathouse Pedals, especially since this time around it was gonna be a fuzz. The Bender Fuzz is a seemingly simple three-knob effect, but has some internal secrets and bold tones abound. Fuzz,...
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Let’s face it: we all love delay. Sure, you can tell your friends or your buddies in the local death metal band that delay is weak and has no place in music, but as soon as you get home, you bust out your favorite delay and noodle for hours. You can admit it. Speaking of killer delays, today’s featured “pedal” just might top the list for modern analog echo recreations, and certainly holds a spot near the top of...
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Fuzz pedals just put a big smile on your face, don’t they? If not, you need to work on that, but for the rest of us, there are fuzzy gems like today’s featured pedal, the Supamodel MkIII Fuzz from DAG Pedals on the Island of Mallorca. Tall and slender, but beefy and tough just the same, this pedal exudes a tremendous amount of fuzz with ease, and will slip onto any pedalboard with ease as well. Three controls make up this...
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John Snyder Electronic Audio Experiments Boston, MA http://www.electronicaudioexperiments.com How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? My first instrument was actually the violin, which I began playing at age six. I took private lessons for about twelve years, firmly establishing classical music as a big part of my musical DNA. I listened to all types of music growing up, but I only started...
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Fuzz. There are a ton of killer fuzz pedals out in the world, and we are all privy enough to be around to witness them in all their glory. That said, there are many, many different types of fuzz to experiment with, but sometimes you just want a ton of options in one pedal that you can easily access and use to your advantage, right? If that’s the case, the Clusterfuzz from Function f(x) might be just the pedal you’ve been...
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Seeing their pedals here and there floating around the old Interwebs, the effects from Dreadbox always seemed very interesting to us here at Pedal of the Day, so when we finally got our grubby paws on one of them, it was quite a celebration. Not only do their effects have a similar look and theme to them, they all apparently sound great, according to the masses, and we got to witness this phenomenon first hand. The Taff 2 Scientific...
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There seem to be a lot of compressors coming out lately that are really complex and intriguing, and while that can be fun, sometimes you just want a simple compressor pedal with easy controls and great sound to throw into your rig, set to taste and forget about. However, you might not necessarily want to same circuit that’s been redone a million times over the last couple decades, but something newer, edgier and a bit more...
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Having just reviewed the Mercury Flanger from Source Audio’s lineup of One Series pedals, we couldn’t wait to dive in and check another of their offerings, the Vertigo Tremolo. Again loaded with a ton of options to create a multitude of sounds, this tremolo boasts a huge range of tones, and will most certainly add a little hint of what’s been missing to your pedalboard. With 3 completely different tremolo voicings to...
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Once again, a highly sought-after delay is on today’s featured pedal menu, because delays are awesome, as you should well know by now. In a world full of overpriced “vintage” gear, there are still a few delay pedals who can boast that they are classics, they sound incredible and their prices are not even close to wiping out your bank account, as some others can be. The one we’re discussing today is that big,...
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Design and individuality are keys in today’s oversaturated guitar pedal market, and the folks at Amptweaker have certainly utilized both of those concepts, crafting unique and innovative pedals around every turn. Today’s pedal is just another in their lineup of great-sounding and option-packed pedals, and can add so much depth and dimension to your tone, you’ll be blown away by the TightFuzz Distortion. As with other...
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The first version of the Silver Rose Mega-Fuzz from Devi Ever garnered much attention from fuzzheads everywhere, and has been a sought-after pedal for some time, especially due to its ties to Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins. With a couple tweaks and an updated design/layout, the new version of the Silver Rose is a mammoth of a fuzz, and is able to create basically any fuzz sound you could want, plus some you haven’t even...
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Have you ever heard of the Jordan Bosstone Fuzz? Me neither, until I started doing a little research for today’s pedal review. Turns out, it was this cool little black box that plugged directly into your guitar’s output jack (unless you had a Strat, then it wouldn’t work) and made some incredible fuzz tones. Well, the genius builders at KMA Machines built a take on the Bosstone, aiming to get that classic sound with...
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Rarely am I at an immediate loss for words when plugging in a new pedal for a review, but that was absolutely the case with the Grizzly Fuzz from Stonefly Effects. This is one of the fuzziest, quirkiest, glitchiest fuzz pedals I have ever come across, and getting it to play nice was an awesome challenge. First off, there’s no power input: battery only. That should give you a hint as to how this pedal was conceived, and what it...
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It’s no secret that Analog.man chief Mike Piera has an ear for tone. His famous King of Tone overdrive can be found on a laundry list of star guitarist pedalboards, and his company builds top-quality offerings in most categories of effect types. I have been particularly drawn to his fuzz pedals; in fact, all of the fuzz on my board bears the Analog.man brand (Astrotone, Dark Peppermint, and Sunbender). Each of the pedals excels at a...
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Where to begin… Lets start with washy, wobble, and crinkle. So much tape goodness in one awesome pedal. Ive owned the El cap for about 7 months, and it still keeps me guessing what corner of the unknown universe i will be carried to next. But I digress, lest my rambling be in vain. The El Capistan can really make a huge array of sounds. Ambient, ethereal, nostalgic are obvious and easily attainable, but I really just love it for...
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Based on the 1960’s classic Dan Armstrong Orange Squeeze Compressor, the Analogman Juicer has built a reputation as one of the best compressors on the market today. This little orange box features one knob for overall volume and a bias trim pot inside to adjust the compression. About 8db of gain is available with the factory bias setting. This pedal comes with NOS N25457 transistors, germanium diodes, and JRC45582 On-Amp Chip....
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The Firefly from JHS Pedals caught my eye well before it’s release, and I was just itching to give it a spin in the old home studio. Low and behold, it finally appeared on my doorstep, and I was anxious and excited as I tore the package open. Looking sleek and sophisticated from the get-go, I knew the Firefly was gonna win me over about 3 seconds after I plugged it in. This is JHS’ take on the Tonebender MKIII, a classic...
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Fuzzzzzzzzz. One of my favorite effects, by far, and so many different offerings in one category of pedals. The Arbiter Fuzz Face has been a staple sound in rock guitar music since it’s introduction way back in 1966, and the Pollinator from JHS Pedals aims to capture that same sound, but modernize it just a little bit. Simple, 3-knob pedal with loads of tone and a wide range of fuzz make for a perfect afternoon review. From the...
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The Pedal Projects Growly overdrive/boost left me speechless as soon as I opened up the box. Ásgeir of Pedal Projects is known for the outstanding work he puts into his pedals, and now I have experienced it first-hand. The build quality of the Growly is just awesome. The Growly also has an amazing and very unique sound that I have never gotten out of any other overdrive pedals I’ve tried. The drive circuit features a volume knob...
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The Happy Valley Analog Clean Boost is an extremely well built hand painted and hand wired boutique clean boost effect pedal. Happy Valley Analog is a relatively new boutique effect company with fantastic customer service. They use nothing but the highest quality parts and it really shows in the sound quality of their effects. The HVA clean boost is a very straight forward pedal with great sound designed to be used with a tube amp....
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Eventide makes some pretty rad pedals. Complicated, but rad. Along the same general design lines as the incredible TimeFactor Delay and the Space Reverb comes the ModFactor Modulation pedal. This beast is capable of doing phaser, flanger, chorus, tremolo, vibrato, auto-wah, modfilter, rotary, undulator and ring mod sounds…and it does them well. Whew! Let’s get started, shall we? The main modes for the ModFactor are as...
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The Analogman Sun Face Fuzz is my first foray into a custom made to order effects pedal. I went for the kitchen sink on this one and got every extra I could (only partial regret was getting a power supply jack as this type of pedal does best with a cheap battery). Can come with a on/off pot switch so you don’t have to unplug the pedal to save battery life (awesome), optional L.E.D. (can drain battery faster). I did not get an...
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Today we’ve got a great, unique little fuzz box from Vaux Flores in Baltimore, Maryland: the Gold Standard Fuzz. Now, it should be noted that this is a thick, mean, buzz saw, in-your-face fuzz box. Not for the tame. Not for the meek. Get ready for a true adventure in fuzzdom. The Gold Standard is a 3-transistor fuzz adapted from VauxFlores’ Number 24, but with a different set of transistors and set bias controls for a...
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I had heard that the Hartman Analog Flanger was one of the best flangers on the market today, so I decided to check it out for myself, and see what the hubbub was all about. Needless to say, this pedal is all it claims to be (I think: I’ve never played through an original Electric Mistress, so I’m not 100% sure!). First off, the color of this pedal is rich and stunning, and it is built like a tank. Super sturdy, heavy...
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