On its own, the CE-2 from Boss has a smooth, natural-sounding chorus effect, which is what has made it one of the most beloved chorus pedals since it’s introduction in 1979. Not trying to be fancy, not trying to do too much, just doing its job (and doing it well). You can set the Rate and Depth knobs fairly deep to get more of a tremolo-y effect, but where it really shines is backing off the dials until you get just the right...
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The Twin Pedal Collection from Boss has produced some interesting and quite useful pedals – one of my favorites (and, a bunch of other guitarists, apparently) is the DD-20 Giga Delay. Flush with options, tones, sounds and surprises, the DD-20 takes some getting used to, like any pedal of this magnitude, but once you get it down, it’s a ton of fun to play with, and can really be utilized on stage and in the studio to meet a...
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There are a lot of tremolo pedals floating around these days, and honestly, each of the ones I’ve played have sounded great, in one way or another. So, I suppose (like most pedals) it comes down to personal preference, and what fits with your other gear, as well as your style of playing. I gotta admit, I’m a bit of a sucker for pedal mods – I think they’re fun and exciting ways to make a so-so pedal into...
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The Boss NS-2 is your basic noise reduction system, it does exactly what it says and takes the unwanted noise and feedback you get from playing at high volumes or with a lot of gain. Specially when your not playing and just standing by your amp. This pedal comes with 3 different knobs on the top THRESHOLD, DECAY, REDUCTION/MUTE MODE the Threshold knob adjust how much or how little feedback you would like to reach your amp, The Decay...
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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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Playing synthesizer sounds through your guitar is always a blast, and the (now discontinued) Boss SYB-3 Bass Synthesizer makes it even more so. 11 different modes allow for literally ENDLESS possibilities; you could play this this every day for a year straight and probably never hear the exact sound twice, it’s that versatile. And if you mix and match it with other fun pedals in your arsenal (delays, reverb, ring mods, etc.),...
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The Boss RV-3 is a really fun pedal, and the combinations and settings of reverb and delay are pretty much endless. There are 3 Delay modes offering times up to 2,000ms, plus 4 Reverb modes with simultaneous delay, ranging from 32 to 1,000ms and using Room, Hall and Plate reverb types. Time and Mode knobs let you select how much of each effect you want in the mix, while the Balance and Tone knobs let you customize the sound coming...
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The Boss DS-1 has been a staple pedal on many boards since its release in 1978. Now, the stock pedal sounds good, and will give you some nice distortion tones, but the Ultra Mod from Robert Keeley Electronics makes it sound like an absolute dream. Described as “Marshall-Amp Tone-In-A-Box”, this mod includes the special “Seeing Eye LED” and switch, to go from Ultra to Seeing Eye mode with just a flick. Lower...
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The BD-2 Blues Driver delivers the creamy, yet crunchy sound associated with great blues guitar. This popular pedal provides instant access to the kind of warm overdrive and emotive distortion usually reserved for 30-year-old tube amps. With the JHS Blu-Drive mod, however, the BD-2 becomes very transparent and extremely amp-like in its response and character. You will notice a huge range of gain that reaches from clean boost to all...
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The DM-3 was the last analog delay pedal produced by Boss, and it is one of my favorite delays EVER. The circuitry is similar to the DM-2’s but it isn’t identical. The DM-3 has a built-in high speed noise reduction circuit and an additional filter, which make the delayed tones sound smooth and oh-so-analog-warm. You can mix-and-match settings between the Repeats and the Echoes, which can do a killer slap back (what this...
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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 A Look at the Vintage Pedal Market By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. Vintage pedals are so popular that many modern manufacturers attempt to replicate them so there are more to go around! Not only do some pedals...
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We’ve been powering effects pedals in our shop with help from Voodoo Lab for many, many years, as they’ve become a go-to staple in the power game. But what about the actual pedals themselves? Thankfully, they make those, too, and the first one we’re looking at today is the awesome, vintage-tinged Superfuzz. The rare Jordan Electronics Bosstone (circa 1968) is considered by many to be the ultimate vintage fuzz. The...
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We’re super excited for today’s complete PEDAL LINEUP: that’s right, we’re taking a look at ALL 5 newly released ROSS Electronics effects! In collaboration with Josh Scott and JHS Pedals, these five units bring back the flagship pedals (and one brand new creation) from a company responsible for some of the best vintage effects out there. Coming full circle and releasing this new group of effects, ROSS brings...
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Recently, we had the privilege of reviewing the gorgeous PAC-9 Pure Analog Chorus from Maxon, and were super-impressed. Today, we dive right back into the Maxon modulation pool, this time with big brother CS-550 Stereo Chorus, a spin on a classic big box from the 1970’s. Grab your headphones and get ready for a ride, this pedal is gonna blow your mind… With a circuit based around the Panasonic MN3207 Bucket Brigade IC, 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!!) The History of the Flanger By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. The Flanger guitar pedal has an interesting background that involves both science and a lot of luck! Like many guitar and music effects it stems from early experiments with...
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Another weird, noisy, off-the-wall sonic monster comes to us today from our good friends at Industrialectric, in the form of the RM-1N Ambient Chaotic Reverb. Much more than your typical ‘verb, this one is packed with knobs, switches and chaos abound. Flipping the effects pedal world on its ass once again, Industrialectric prove that they are a sonic force to be reckoned with… To best explain the RM-1N, let’s hear...
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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!!) Favorite Pedal Brands for Specific Pedal Types By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. Of course many guitar effects unit builders create pedals that provide a variety of methods to change the signal. If you like sticking to one brand, that...
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After checking out the Berkeley 1973 a few weeks ago, we were excited to dig further into more new Legends of Fuzz pedals from JHS. Today, we’re taking a look at the Plugin 1973 California, which again features just two simple controls and a Mode switch. Don’t be fooled, however: there are a TON of sounds just waiting to be unleashed here… Grab a Plugin 1967 California at Sweetwater: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/3ej7ey...
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Hi, I’m Josh Gardziel, I’m from Halifax West Yorkshire (UK) and I play guitar in L.O.E (Last Of Eden) Facebook: https://facebook.com/weareloemusic Instagram: https://instagram.com/weareloemusic Twitter: https://twitter.com/weareloemusic Bandcamp: https://weareloemusic.bandcamp.com How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I have been playing guitar for 21 years. I started when I was 14 which...
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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!!) The History of the Space Echo Echo Echo… By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. History of the Space Echo Echo Echo… Before the electric guitar was invented, guitarists were limited on using reverb and delay in their music. 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!!) 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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(This article comes from our friends at GuitarTricks.com – check out their site for tons of guitar-related tips and tricks!!) Message in a Pedal: How to Get Andy Summers’ Signature Sound By Steven Kendzorski for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. Andy Summers joined The Police in 1977, and quickly catapulted the group to international superstardom. With hits like “Every Breath You...
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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!!) The Buzz on Distortion Pedals By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer Ever since the electric guitar was invented guitarists and sound engineers have attempted to manipulate its signal. When you pluck the strings, the pickup changes sound waves into electrical energy, which can then be...
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Richard Fortus St. Louis Guns N’ Roses https://www.4tus.com/ https://www.gunsnroses.com/ Past bands – Pale Divine, Psychedelic Furs, Love Spit Love, Thin Lizzy, Honky Toast, Rihanna How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? Started on violin when I was 5 and studied the Suzuki method. Also started playing drums around the same time. Started on guitar around 12. My father was an accountant,...
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Thick, heavy, doom-y fuzz is a blast to create with, and today’s pedal provides those qualities in spades. The Minotaur Sonic Terrors Saturnine Fuzz features three control knobs and one 3-way mode switch, providing a myriad of sonic flavors from which to explore and sculpt your sound. This one was an instant classic as soon as we plugged it in – let’s run through what it can do… Inspired by the classic Boss...
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THE RAT. Few distortion pedals have as much instant recognizability, despite (usually) just bearing the colors Black & White. There are many iterations of this classic effect, but how could you possibly collect them all without breaking the bank? Well, as usual, JHS Pedals comes to the rescue, in the form of the PackRat Distortion. Taking different RAT circuits from the last 4 decades, from different manufacturers, this pedal...
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Greg Loiacono & Tim Bluhm Marin County, CA / Fairfax, CA The Mother Hips motherhips.com Greg Loiacono Band gregloiacono.com Green Leaf Rustlers Tim Bluhm w/ The Coffis Brothers timbluhm.com How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? Greg Loiacono: I started playing guitar at age 11. I wanted to learn as soon as I heard “Purple Haze” for the first time. I stopped for a bit and got back...
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Ethan Miller Humboldt County Howlin’ Rain, Heron Oblivion, Feral Ohms howlinrain.com How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I’ve been playing music since about 7 years old when I started piano lessons. I took up acoustic guitar at around age 12. Electric guitar at age 14. I first got into playing non-classical music at a California State Summer School for the Arts that they used to...
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We first encountered KMA Machines way back in 2014, and we’ve really enjoyed watching them grow to be the powerhouse effects company they are today. They’ve been supportive of us as well, and we love every time they release a new pedal for us to check out. Today, we’ve got possibly the end-all be-all dirt pedal for you – the Guardian of the Wurm Distortion / Noise Gate. Combining on of KMA’s best pieces...
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Since the inception of Pedal of the Day, Josh Scott and JHS Pedals have been on board, sending us pedals to review and demo over the last 7+ years. Somehow, their most famous pedal, the Morning Glory Overdrive, has never passed through our shop, for whatever reason….until today. Unleashed in collaboration with The Pedal Movie (which is fantastic, if you haven’t seen it), this Morning Glory 2009 Limited Edition Throwback is...
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Three knobs, a toggle and a footswitch. That’s all you need to flat out rock and roll, as today’s pedal will prove. The Lake Effects FVD Overdrive is a mow-mid gainer, based loosely on the Rat distortion philosophy, with an extra option. If you’re looking for an excellent first/second stage drive for your rig, you’re in the right place. A visually clean and sonically dirty pedal, the FVD Overdrive boasts the...
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The Simplifier Zero Watt Amp + CABSIM is a preamp, EQ, boost, overdrive, cabinet simulator and more wrapped into one tidy little package. The crews at DSM Noisemaker and Humboldt Electronics have created a machine which allows you to integrate your pedalboard adding full stereo routing directly to a PA System, Amps, Audio Interfaces or anything you need with its 4 simultaneous outputs (2 x XLR, 2 x 1/4 bypass-able outs), stereo...
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Today’s featured effects pedal has been garnering a lot of attention as of late, and once we got our hands on it, we understood why. The Horrothia FX Type One Stereo Analog Chorus Ensemble is a one-knob modulation machine, but don’t let the unassuming simplicity fool you. There’s a ton of range in this lone dial, and the unique LFO waveform makes it unlike any other chorus or vibrato pedal you’ve ever...
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Hey Sef – it’s been a couple years since we spoke, what have you been up to? Hi Mike! First of all, I’m happy and grateful to chat with you! Yes, it’s been a while. The last interview we did was in 2017! A lot of things happened since then! My bandmates and I went to Tangier, Morocco to work on Alex (Your Favorite Enemies’ frontman) solo project, we went all across Europe to perform his album “Windows in the Sky”, I started my...
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Today, we’ve got an ancient piece of gear that we ran through a bunch of different effects, and it was one of the funnest experiences we’ve had here in the office. The Library of Congress started building their own cassette players for handicapped people from the 1960’s until the late 2000’s. These cassette players are known for their complete control of cassette tapes that other cassette players just...
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Hey everyone! I’m Evan Miller, the guitar player from the band Funk You. www.funkyoumusic.com www.facebook.com/funkyoumusic www.youtube.com/funkyouaugusta Instagram – @funkyoumusic How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? Ive been playing in bands for the past 15 years but I started on the piano around the age of 10 years old. My grandma played the piano for our church, so I was drawn...
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Friends….today’s pedal is like no other we’ve experienced, or that you have, either. The crew at Analog Music Company took a nice, pretty, normal Boss DS-1 Distortion, threw it on Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory table and created, well, a new kind of monster. The Evil Pumpkin is really, really difficult to describe, as we’re not quite sure what most of the switches its littered with actually do. Therefore,...
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Hello all! My name is Sam Ralbovsky and I play guitar in the Adirondack jam band The Hasbens (The band that has Bens. We have two) Instagram: @thehasbensband Facebook: The Hasbens How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I first picked up the guitar when I was in the fifth grade. The guitar, at that time, was an escape from the monotony of trudging through each Suzuki piano book I was assigned...
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My name is Luis Aznarez, I am from Barcelona, Spain and I have a pedal company called Lefa Pedals located in Seattle, Washington www.lefapedals.com How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I started playing bass more than 25 years ago. A friend from school told me to join his band. My musical knowledge at that time was practically non-existent, I thought that a bass was a 4-string guitar that did...
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Peter Anspach Connecticut Goose goosetheband.com How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? My mom would say I’ve always been a musician. She’s a music teacher, so before I could walk, I was being taught to play rhythms on drums and dance. I started playing cello when I was 9, then graduated to the electric guitar when I was 12, which I have been playing seriously ever since. I picked up keyboards...
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Our first dive into the effects pedal pool over at Siren Pedals was a couple months back, with their incredible Midnight Train Fuzz. Since then, we’ve been itching to see what else they’ve got in their lineup, and that day is upon us at last. Introducing the Siren Pedals Eligos Heavy Metal Distortion, a simple but extremely potent dirt pedal that seeks to unleash hell on amps and eardrums everywhere. Nothing neat or nice...
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Ever since the ‘Sick As’ Overdrive pedal was released from Bondi Effects and took the world by storm, they’ve continued to create and release excellent pedal after pedal. One that we were certainly interested in is the subject of today’s review and demo, and has to have the greatest name of any pedal ever – the Art Van Delay. Not only does it specifically reference the best comedy series of all time, but...
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With the vast amount of effects pedals we have coming through the office, there are bound to be some pretty incredible collaborations of sound. We recently started a new series of demo videos under the name ‘The Noisemaker Series’ and are offering them EXCLUSIVELY through our Patreon page. All of the work we do here at Pedal of the Day requires a ton of time and effort, as you may imagine. But, for just a couple bucks a...
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Clean tones are great, sure. Even Overdrives have their place in the world, and we love ’em. But there is something special about engaging a really good Distortion pedal, strumming your chord of choice and having the sound rip through your speakers and come blazing out with fury and vengeance…right? Today’s pedal gave us all the feels when we cranked it up, and will continue to do so for years to come. The Wurm...
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With access to a seemingly endless supply of incredible vintage pedals, our friends at JHS have revamped yet another long-lost, obscure and intriguing effect, all while putting their own unique spin on it, as usual. Based on the strange and rarely talked-about Boss FA-1 FET Preamp, the Clover is a Preamp EQ Boost, a true tone-shaper / always on / can’t-live-without-it pedal that will really sculpt and mold your sound. Top...
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Ori Naftaly Southern Avenue www.southernavenuemusic.com https://facebook.com/SouthernAvenueMusic/ https://www.instagram.com/southernavenuemusic/ How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I started playing guitar when I was 5 years old. I remember listening to my dads record collection that was full of Jazz, Blues, Funk and British rock from the 60s and 70s. I had an amazing mentor called Tony...
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In The Whale Denver, CO Eric Riley – drums/vocals Nate Valdez – guitar/lead vocals inthewhale.com instagram.com/in_the_whale twitter.com/inthewhale facebook.com/inthewhale How long have you been musicians? How did you get into it in the first place? ERIC: I started playing percussion in the school band in junior high. I got a drum kit for Christmas when I was 13 and never looked back. I continued to play in school band throughout high...
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Loophole Pedals thrives on their ability to navigate the unique tones these delay produce and add useful, thoughtful and exciting mods to them, turning an already great pedal into an exquisite one. Today we’re going to check out the Electro-Harmonix POG2 Polyphonic Octave Generator, and see what a few simple mods can do to really open up this marvelous effect. Here’s what Loophole Pedals did to our lovely POG2: Footswitch Upgrade Mod:...
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Phil Tessis Toronto, Ontario, Canada After Funk www.afterfunk.ca How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I’ve been playing guitar for around 20 years now. I first became interested in playing by watching my cousin play and thinking that it looked like a lot of fun. I bugged my parents for a guitar until they finally gave in and bought me one and signed me up for lessons. I loved it right away and...
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We love a good synthesizer pedal when they come through the shop, and we love the effects that Robert and the crew at Keeley Electronics put out, so the combination of both of these was a welcome announcement. The goal was to create a synth sound that took you from unnatural fuzz noises to pseudo-harmonic, random glitchy counterpoint, and boy, did they ever succeed. The Synth-1 Reverse Attack Fuzz Wave Generator lets you create...
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