Tonebox Recommended Pedals
Walrus Audio Slö
Walrus Audio’s Slö multi-texture reverb pedal is a boon for musicians who prefer to use reverb effects to add texture to their sound. This boutique guitar effects pedal ditches the ambient subtlety of most traditional reverbs and puts you in control of everything from lush auto swells to atmospheric octave effects. You can even throw in some modulation, of which the Slö has three wave shapes, to make the reverberation trails even more animated. Finally, the Slö has momentary switching capabilities so you can use the reverb effect to highlight specific notes.
Vox V846-HW
The famed V846 returns better than ever as the V846-HW hand-wired wah wah pedal. It is the ultimate wah wah pedal for tone enthusiasts, boasting top-grade components and hand-wired turret board construction. While its iconic tone is undeniable, the V846-HW was not built merely to repeat history, but to create new chapters. Each of its component, including the capacitors, resistors, potentiometer, and inductors, has been meticulously picked for supreme fidelity and tone. It also incorporates a tone-preserving true bypass.
Xotic SP Compressor
Boutique guitar effects pedal company Xotic shot for superb tonal quality with the SP Compressor pedal and they absolutely hit that target dead on. This extremely versatile and flexible compressor pedal based on the legendary Ross Compressor can deliver an amazingly wide array of compressor tones ranging from subtle to vintage and through to modern. A Blend knob lets you control the dry and wet signal mix. Inside, there’s an internal dip switch that lets you tinker with the compressor’s attack.
Vertex Boost
Expertly built to be a buffer, clean boost, and volume pedal in one, the Vertex Boost will leave your tone unchanged while raising the level of your signal. It boasts an ultra-linear buffer for conditioning your line without any tonal coloration, even with a multitude of pedals in your chain. You also get full volume control by connecting the Boost to any EXP/volume pedal and setting your volume like you would with a standard volume pedal.
Dunlop Germanium Fuzz Face Mini
Based on the mid-’60s Fuzz Faces, Dunlop’s FFM2 Germanium Fuzz Face Mini distortion pedal gives you warm vintage fuzz tones thanks to slightly mismatched germanium transistors. It features an AC power jack, battery door, and status LED. Unlike traditional Fuzz Face pedals that come in an unusually large housing, this pedal provides you with the convenience of a pedalboard-friendly enclosure. If you are craving for that vintage germanium fuzz tone, the FFM2 Germanium Fuzz Face Distortion Mini has got you covered.
Vemuram Jan Ray
The Jan Ray overdrive from boutique guitar effects pedal maker Vemuram delivers truly transparent overdrive, an ultra clean boost, and sweet singing sustain minus any stray sonic artifacts and unwanted compression. The Jan Ray lets you juice up your guitar signal with everything from subtle tube amp drive to Blackface-level breakup tones without changing its core tonal characteristics. Sculpt your tone with the dedicated Gain, Bass, and Treble pots and dial in the saturation via a small trimpot.
Drive Pedals
Joyo American Sound
Looking for that classic American amp sound but don’t want to waste money on a boutique pedal’s sky-high price? Joyo has your back. The aptly-named JF-14 American Sound guitar effects pedal perfectly simulates the sound of a Fender ‘57 Deluxe tube amp, from its trademark pristine clean sound to its smooth and creamy overdrive. Shape your tone to your exact taste using the JF-14 American Sound’s three-band EQ plus dedicated Level, Voice, and Drive knobs.
Ibanez OD850 Reissue
First launched in the mid-‘70s, the Ibanez OD850 Overdrive is interestingly not an overdrive. Built in the spirit of the iconic full, thick fuzz tones, this esoteric effect has established a firm reputation throughout the years and has become a valuable collector’s item. The 2016 Japanese-manufactured OD850 reissue faithfully emulates that vintage fuzz. It features a straightforward three-knob layout that provides you full control to produce a complete range of vintage fuzz voices. The OD850 features a very musical, earthy character, sans the over-the-top mid-range scoop usually seen in comparable effects of the era.
ammoon MOSKY MM Silver
The MM Silver from budget guitar effects manufacturer Ammoon is much like the Mosky Audio TM overdrive: a clone of the popular Timmy drive stomp by Paul Cochrane. Unlike the TM, however, Mosky put all of the control knobs on the face of the MM. You get easy access to dedicated Gain, Volume, Bass, and Treble control dials without having to open the MM’s enclosure. Tone-wise, the MM Silver serves up a transparent overdrive that doesn’t overwhelm your core tone.
Fulltone Full-Drive 3
Thanks to its highly-successful 20th Anniversary limited run, the black Full-Drive 3 is here to stay. This NOS JRC4558D-powered overdrive guitar effects pedal from Fulltone serves up huge dollops of juicy crunch like it’s going out of style. Three voicings allow you to dish out everything from the ‘90s FD2’s thick, vintage dirt to a wider, more modern transparent sparkle. The Full-Drive 3 also features a discrete JFET clean boost, a germanium diode-based Limiting function for leveling out your tone, and an Order switch that lets you chose whether the Boost channel goes before or after the Overdrive section.
Boss OS-2 Overdrive/Distortion
Can’t quite decide between an overdrive and a distortion pedal? Just get both! The Boss OS-2 Overdrive/Distortion guitar effects pedal combines the best of both worlds into one hard-charging stompbox. Use the Color knob to choose between over-the-top distortion sounds with bite and sustain and a lower overdrive gear for ballsy rhythm playing, or blend the two to crack open even more exciting soundscapes. The Boss OS-2 Overdrive/Distortion pedal also features Level, Tone, and Drive controls for more precise tone-sculpting.
Keeley Super Phat Mod
The Super Phat Mod Full Range Overdrive pedal takes Keeleys’s popular Super Phat Mod overdrive circuit to the next level. An updated JFET gain circuit gives your signal a layer of transparent overdrive tone powered by screaming hot tubes. You get a warm, classic overdrive that is extremely sensitive to your guitar volume picking dynamics. You also get a choice between two voicings: go Flat for a level EQ or switch to Phat to give your signal a low-frequency boost.
Fulltone OCD Version 2.0
The Fulltone OCD Obsessive Compulsive Drive guitar effects pedal has ignited the obsession of many an overdrive enthusiast since it was first released in 2004. There have been many small changes made to the OCD over the years, but the OCD V2 is the OCD’s true next evolution. It packs the same sweet, highly responsive tube-style overdrive of the original OCD and adds an output buffer, and enhanced JFET input section, and an internal switch that lets you choose between true bypass and Fulltone’s unique enhanced bypass mode.
Darkglass Microtubes B3K 2.0
The Darkglass Microtubes B3K V2 provides you with all the features of the original, plus the ability to restore the mid frequencies for natural character. The attack switch was replaced by the Tone knob, delivering further control of the higher harmonic content. The Microtubes B3K V2 also features the Grunt switch which allows you to set the amount of LF content to be saturated and a Mid Boost switch that gives a subtle 6dB boost to 300Hz. This pedal will surely bring a powerful and defined saturation in an intuitive format.
DOD Boneshaker
The DOD Boneshaker is a distortion pedal like no other. It is equipped with an ultra-versatile three-band parametric EQ which drives its gain to provide more of everything—more frequency-specific, bowel-churning lows, more responsive highs, and more bare-knuckle mids. Black Arts Toneworks created the Boneshaker’s circuit for extended-range guitars, bass, and baritone—anything low, loud, and heavy. Apart from Level, Distortion, and Depth controls, the Boneshaker also has separate High Frequency, High Level, Mid Frequency, Mid Level, Low Frequency, and Low Level controls.
Suhr Riot Mini
Featuring a compact, pedalboard-friendly design, the Suhr Riot Mini inherits all the classic hi-gain DNA of its big brother. Tiny yet mighty, the Riot Mini is armed with Tone, Distortion, and Level controls, true bypass, a two-way Voice switch, and an on/off effect status indicator. It comes in a roadworthy power coated die-cast chassis for durability. With this compact pedal, you no longer have to choose. You now have enough pedalboard space to add another one.
Koogo Holy War
Fully gaining and boosting the metal’s distortion degree. The Holy War pedal by Koogo possesses a distinct and powerful distortion effect. It consists of Dist, Tone, and Volume knobs, as well as a toggle switch that allows you to choose from Lo Boost, Boost Off, or Hi Boost mode. It boasts a well-built quality. Whole metal shell, durable and stable. The Holy War also includes an LED indicator that shows you the working state and true bypass that gives transparent tone.
Danelectro CM1 Cool Cat Metal
The Danelectro Cool Cat CM-1 Metal guitar effects pedal may have the word “Metal” in its name, but it serves up distortion tones that go beyond your typical metal fare. From crunch to scream, you can get a wide range of distortion effects from the CM-1 thanks to higher parametric settings and tighter mids. Volume/Bass, Treble/Mid, and Gain knobs give you a lot of flexibility and sound-shaping options, plus it comes with a true bypass feature.
Rowin S-FUZZ
The LEF-325 S-Fuzz is your golden ticket to vintage fuzz heaven. This guitar effects pedal from budget stomp maker Rowin punches way above its price tag, serving up a modern, grungy modern fuzz tone powered by a silicon transistor. Controls are dead simple; you dial in the overall volume with the Volume micro knob, set the amount of fuzz with the Gain pot, and let ‘er rip. Whether you want to add a subtle hairy dimension to your tone or go on a full-on fuzz freak out, the LEF-325 S-Fuzz has your back.
Skreddy Rust Rod
The Rust Rod pedal from Skreddy is a different take on the original rams head fuzz circuit. The tone is massive without an anemic mid scoop. Get thick fuzz with a mid-70s liquid response as well as an aggressive distortion. It sounds perfect on chords and riffs. It consists of Sustain, Tone and Volume knobs. Gooey and thick sustain and tone for days that sound incredible regardless of how you set the controls. The Rust Rod boasts a smooth vintage charm rather than a hot contemporary voice.
JHS Pedals Muffuletta
For years, the Big Muff fuzz has been heard on various classic recordings and been through multiple variations that virtually any guitarist has a favorite version of its legendary tone. The JHS Pedals team wanted to pay homage to such an undeniably classic fuzz pedal, but could not agree on which Muff was king. With the Muffuletta, the group’s indecision is your gain. The Muffuletta loads five pure analog recreations of beloved Big Muff tones along with a JHS-exclusive take on the iconic stomp.
Donner Stylish Fuzz
The Stylish Fuzz pedal from Donner boasts an impressive and abundant sound comparable to the violin tone. It is the perfect choice if you want sounds within that category. Regarding durability and look, this classic fuzz pedal does not disappoint. It comes in a sleek, compact aluminium-alloy enclosure carrying three simple knobs. The inclusion of a true bypass feature makes it stand out among other fuzz pedals. The Stylish Fuzz produces a sweet and full tone that would allow your emotion to outflow deeply while using this pedal.
Maxon Fuzz Elements Ether
The Maxon Fuzz Elements Ether takes the FA10 Air’s Fat channel and couples it with a parametric equalizer to give you infinite variations on the iconic Super Fuzz sound. It consists of Expander and Level knobs, as well as parametric tone circuit with Boost/Cut and Frequency controls. The Ether takes the legendary Super Fuzz sound and updates it with a revolutionary parametric EQ stage capable of creating an endless range of unique fuzz effects. It also includes mechanical true bypass switching.
EarthQuaker Devices Park
Rocking that vintage Germanium fuzz tone has never been easier with the new and improved Park Fuzz Sound guitar effects pedal. This collaboration between EarthQuaker Devices and Park Amplifiers faithfully recreates the original Fuzz Sound’s bright, almost distortion-like tone and features an increased fuzz range, a lower noise floor, a 9V DC power jack, and a smaller pedalboard footprint. Perhaps best of all, they’ve made it cost just a small fraction of the much sought-after original.
Mooer Pure Boost
If you’re looking for a boost pedal that doesn’t suck the soul out of your tone and just lets your pure, unadulterated sound shine through, then the Pure Boost guitar effects pedal is what you’re looking for. This boost favorite from the budget stomp maestros at Mooer is a truly transparent clean boost pedal that also helps you shape your tone’s bass and treble parameters even more precisely. The Pure Boost can boost your signal by up to 20db while the Bass and Treble knobs feature 15db worth of cut or boost.
JHS Pedals Milkman
The Milkman is a convenient two-in-one pedal with a tiny footprint that easily fits into your rig. It is a collaborative concept between JHS Pedals’ Josh Scott and Milkman Sound’s Tim Marcus, aiming to build a pedal that serves up an echo/slap delay and boost which can double as an always-on enhancer. If you play rockabilly, surf, country, swing, or just about any other style of good old American twang, then you need to get your hands on the Milkman.
T-Rex Shafter Wah
A sturdy, ultra-versatile wah-wah effect that lets you take control of your pedal not the other way around. The Shafter Wah is T-Rex Engineering’s best shot at an authentic next-generation wah-wah pedal. With plenty of adjustability, a more extensive frequency sweep, greater durability, quieter operation, and three entirely different wah characters, it addresses all the drawbacks of a classic wah. T-Rex Engineering believes it is the best wah-wah ever existed. The Shafter Wah is highly tuneable via Slope and Boost knobs.
Fender Engager Boost
Whether you are looking for a thicker tone or more volume, the Engager Boost from Fender is the perfect clean boost pedal. The onboard three-band EQ allows you to dial in your tone to cut through the mix, while the Frequency switch enables you to choose the middle frequency range, perfect for dead-on tone sculpting. The Engager Boost is suitable for boosting your signal into a tube amp’s preamp, beefing up your tone. Buffered and true bypass modes guarantee that this pedal works exceptionally in any rig.
J. Rockett Allan Holdsworth Signature OD/Boost
The J. Rockett Allan Holdsworth Signature OD/Boost is an ultra-versatile tool. Designed in cooperation with Allan himself, this signature pedal delivers a subtle OD and highly tweakable boost section which enables various EQ emphasis. You can achieve some pretty scorching gain by hitting the OD with the boost. Allan wanted a pedal that resists backlines but also obtains his distinctive sound and feel. The Allan Holdsworth pedal is better than expected and has become a staple on Rockett’s boards.
JHS Pedals Clover
Spec’d from an ‘80s preamp pedal used by the Edge from U2 and other prominent players, the Clover from JHS Pedals is designed to serve as your always-on tone-shaping device. It is also primed for electric, acoustic, and bass guitars. It consists of three EQ controls that deliver plenty of control to boost or cut Bass, Treble, and Mids. A rotary switch lets you choose between three settings: No EQ, No Mids, and Full EQ.
Xotic BB Preamp MB
Xotic’s BBP-MB Custom Shop BB Preamp MB boutique guitar effects pedal takes the original BB Preamp to new heights. The BB Preamp has already made a name for itself by being one of the most amazingly transparent boost and overdrive preamp stomps out there, but the BB Preamp MB ups the ante even further by throwing in a new mid-boost mini pot that can give your signal’s mid frequencies up to 12dB of extra juice.
Darkglass Microtubes B7K Ultra Gold
Whether you are going direct or plugging into a bass amp, the Microtubes B7K Ultra V2 bass preamp pedal from Darkglass is an excellent way to optimize your bass tone. It combines an independently switchable overdrive, powerful preamp, and four-band EQ to bring ample sonic options. The Microtubes B7K Ultra V2 carries Grunt and Attack switches that determine how the overdrive circuit affects your lows and highs. This pedal is great for bolstering your bass tone for recording or performance.
MOOER 012 US Gold 100
Mooer Audio’s Micro Preamp line of guitar effects pedals is all about giving shoestring budget shoegazers easy and affordable access to the legendary tones served up by classic and boutique amp models. The Mooer 012 US Gold serves up the tight low end and superior articulation of a Friedman Brown Eye 100. It comes with two switchable channels as well as volume, gain, bass, mid, and treble controls. It also features a cab sim on and off switch.
Darkglass Vintage Ultra
Enjoy broader sonic options for live and studio applications with the Darkglass Vintage Ultra V2 pedal. At the request of players, the Vintage Ultra V2 has an individual switch for the overdrive section, letting you toggle it without changing your other settings. Every mid control includes a three-way toggle switch for six distinct mid-emphasis settings in total. The Master volume control allows you to adjust your signal. Boasting a switchable impulse-response cabinet emulation for realistic direct tone, the Vintage Ultra V2 serves as a one-stop shop for an awesome bass tone.
JHS Pedals Clover
Spec’d from an ‘80s preamp pedal used by the Edge from U2 and other prominent players, the Clover from JHS Pedals is designed to serve as your always-on tone-shaping device. It is also primed for electric, acoustic, and bass guitars. It consists of three EQ controls that deliver plenty of control to boost or cut Bass, Treble, and Mids. A rotary switch lets you choose between three settings: No EQ, No Mids, and Full EQ.
EarthQuaker Devices Bows
Germanium transistors have long been the go-to transistors for guitar effects pedal makers who want to create truly vintage sounds. EarthQuaker Devices went one step further with the Bows preamp booster by basing it around the rare, low-noise NOS black glass OC139 germanium transistor. Using it is dead simple. Select Treble for a brighter tone or Full for a more bass-heavy sound using the two-way toggle switch and then dial in an output level with the Level knob.
J. Rockett Archer IKON
The Archer Ikon by J. Rockett is an exceptionally transparent overdrive that lends a special magic to anything you plug into it. It features a simple three-knob layout—Treble, Gain, and Output. It allows you to dial in gain without drastically changing your guitar’s tone. You may utilize it as a clean boost by turning down the Gain control or crank it for a beautiful, tube-like distortion. If you feel discontented with the overdrive pedals you have tried, plug into an Archer Ikon.
Mosky Dec Mini
The Dec Buffer Booster from budget guitar effects pedal brand takes its circuit design and tonal cues from the Wampler Decibel+ buffer and boost pedal. It packs two essential pedalboard problem solvers into one compact pedal: excellent, stable signal buffering and a pristine clean boost. Controls are dead simple; you get one knob that controls the gain level and one footswitch. THe Dec Buffer Booster knows what it’s supposed to do and does it well.
T-Rex Fat Shuga
So you captured the heart of vintage—a beautiful tubey sound with the perfect amount of overdrive cream. You now need some classic ambience to establish the proper setting. The Fat Shuga boost and reverb pedal by T-Rex gives you that in abundance with an awesome-sounding inbuilt reverb. Inject a touch of hall or room ambiance, and experience the magic kick in, recapturing the best of the pre-digital world. The Fat Shuga comes in a compact, solidly built enclosure capable of enduring virtually anything you throw at it.
Dophix Perseo
The Perseo boost pedal is part of Dophix’s Three Naked Men trilogy. The series draws inspiration from the three statues seen in Piazza della Signoria: the Neptune by Ammannati, David by Michelangelo, and Perseus by Benvenuto Cellini. The Perseus is known for its excessive attention to details and languid pose. The Perseo pedal is perfect for providing dynamics to the sound, exalting the harmonica produced by your guitar. It is convenient to use, carrying only one knob, and just like the Perseus, it is extremely powerful.
Morley Buffer Boost
The Morley Buffer Boost isn’t a guitar effects pedal, per se. Instead, it’s an essential weapon in the constant battle against tone suck. The Buffer Boost contains a buffer circuit that gives your guitar signal that extra push it needs to maintain its output level and tone, no matter how many pedals you may have in your pedal chain. You can place the Buffer Boost at the front or back of the signal chain and use it as a clean boost with up to 20dB of extra output.
Catalinbread Galileo
The Galileo Booster from Catalinbread puts the tone of legendary Queen guitarist Brian May within a box on your pedalboard. Its Gain, Tone, and Volume knobs, in concert with its Rangemaster/AC30 preamp section circuitry, gives you May’s distinctive throaty mid-range and jangly crunch. May still has a treble-booster in his rig to ensure that life is inserted into his tone from the outset. You can now do the same with the Catalinbread Galileo Booster—your go-to treble-boost overdrive.
Modulation Pedals
Electro-Harmonix Stereo Electric Mistress
All of the slithering, rippling modulation effects that made the original Electric Mistress a hit are once again being made easily available to flange-heads thanks to the Stereo Electric Mistress from Electro-Harmonix. This isn’t just a straight reissue of the classic analog pedal, though. The Stereo Electric Mistress still packs the same rich flange effects and the much-loved sound-freezing Filter Matrix mode but in a compact and pedalboard-friendly chassis that features truly independent stereo outputs.
Marshall Regenerator
Give your pedalboard an extra dose of ambiance with the RG-1 Regenerator, a two-in-one chorus and phaser guitar effects pedal from tone masters Marshall. Think of it as the ‘80s sound crammed into a sturdy, compact stompbox. You get six easily customizable modes: chorus, M chorus, flanger, phaser, step phaser, and V vibe, with the latter two being particular standouts. Separate speed and depth dials let you tailor the RG-1 Regenerator’s sound to your exact tonal tastes, plus there’s a dedicated knob for controlling the effect’s intensity.
TC Electronic Afterglow
Quench your thirst for a vintage-flavored chorus with the Afterglow Chorus pedal from TC Electronic. Specially designed with vintage aficionados in mind, it delivers an arsenal of classic modulation tones evocative of the glory days of rock ’n’ roll. Its pure analog circuit leverages a Bucket-Brigade Device (BBD) to produce an extensive range of handed-down modulation tones, from the slightest shudder to most extreme wobble. Designed and engineered in Denmark, the Afterglow Chorus comes in a durable metal chassis.
Boss CH-1 Stereo Super Chorus
The Boss CH-1 Super Chorus is arguably the best-selling chorus pedal on the entire planet. This guitar effects pedal offers up rich, clean, and shimmering chorus tones that can easily be sculpted to your exact tastes via its independent Effect Level, EQ, Rate, and Depth controls. From lush, spacious ambient tones to dizzying psychedelic swirls, you can get whatever chorus tone you’re looking for and more with the Boss CH-1 Super Chorus guitar effects pedal.
JOYO Vision
The R-09 Vision guitar effects pedal from Joyo is a modulation maniac’s dream pedal. It features two separate channels, each with its own set of highly tweakable modulation effects, that you can mix and match in parallel or series. Use a chorus on Channel A and an optical trem on Channel B. Phaser on A, Vibrato on B. It’s a giant sonic sandbox for you to play in. The R-09 Vision is an R Series pedal, meaning it also has cool ambient LED effects built into it.
Fairfield Circuitry Shallow Water
Fairfield Circuitry took simulation mathematics—or K-field math—theory and used it to create a stompbox capable of generating familiar but still unique tone modulation effects. The Shallow Water effects pedal creates a short time delay then randomly modulates the delayed signal to give it a sprinkling of unexpected pitch shifts. The Shallow Water might look like some simple aluminum box, but this versatile stomp gives you a wide range of chorus, vibrato, pitch-shifting, and other vintage tape-style effects with which to wash your signal.
Electro-Harmonix Doctor Q
Small size, big funk tones. That’s what the DR. Q Nano envelope filter guitar effects pedal from Electro-Harmonix is all about. Its intuitive control layout is dead simple. A single knob controls the range while a Bass toggle lets you give your signal a quick low-end boost for some added oomph. The Dr. Q Nano is very responsive to your picking dynamics and guitar volume; giving you different and unique sounds depending on how hard you attack the strings.
Source Audio Soundblox Pro Bass Envelope Filter
The Soundblox Pro Bass Envelope Filter by Source Audio is a revision of its famed predecessor, the Soundblox BEF. In this Pro variant, you can select from four distinct modulation sources, including a passive expression pedal, selectable LFO waveforms, the Hot Hand motion-sensing ring, and standard envelope filter sweeps. You may use the expression pedal input to control filter modulation similar in a standard wah pedal or various parameters including effect selection, sweep range, LFO speed, etc.
Eventide ModFactor
When it comes to modulation effects, Eventide’s ModFactor multi-effects pedal is the pinnacle. You get all the classics—Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Rotary, Tremolo, and Vibrato—plus a couple of unique Eventide effects. There’s the dreamy, pulsating Undulator, which combines two delays, two detuned voices, and a tremolo effect. Also included is a RIngMod effect that adds futuristic bell-like overtones to your sound. The ModFactor can hold up to 100 presets, has true analog bypass, and supports real-time control via MIDI or expression pedal.
Electro Harmonix Attack Decay
Electro-Harmonix’s original ‘80s-era Attack Decay Tape Reverse Simulator pedal has become a much sought-after stompbox due to the control it gave musicians over the notes they play. The new version of this classic guitar effects pedal faithfully recreates the tape reversing, volume swelling, and note-cutting capabilities of its predecessor, plus it introduces a new Poly mode that adds volume envelopes to each individual note you play. Also included are an expression pedal jack, three user presets, and more.
TWA Dynamorph
The DM-02 Dynamorph, an envelope controlled harmonic generator from Totally Wycked Audio, is a super versatile dirt stomp that morphs between distortion, fuzz, filter, and synth pedal with ease. You can dial in a wide range of distortion tones, from subtle drive to thick fuzz and even extreme synth filter sweeps. An envelope detection circuit makes it possible to control the distortion tone via picking dynamics, giving your tone more harmonic depth and dimension than any other distortion pedal can.
Electro-Harmonix Q-Tron Plus
Elevate your sound to the funkiest of heights. The Q-Tron Plus envelope filter guitar effects pedal from Electro-Harmonix uses an innovative internal envelope follower to analyze your unique playing style and sweep the center of the envelope filter. You get auto-wahs that change dynamically depending on your pick attack. Plus, you can choose whether the sweeps go up or down. The Q-Tron Plus also features an effects loop and a Fast/Slow Attack Response dial.
Blackstar HT-Modulation
The Blackstar HT-MODULATION delivers all the musicality of standard vintage effects, from mild tremolo to roaring jet engine flange. For the convenience of use, the SLOW/FAST control allows you to set the modulation time of the eight modulation effects as you play. You may add harmonics and real tube compression through the SATURATION control. The SLOW/FAST mode footswitch allows seamless control. The eight modulation effects include Phaser 1, Phaser 2, Multi Chorus, Vintage Chorus 1, Vintage Chorus 2, Flanger, Rotary, and Tremolo.
Donner Jet Convolution
Get an outstanding flanger at a bargain price with the Donner Jet Convolution. A lot is going on in such a compact pedal. The Jet Convolution features true bypass and a toggle switch for selecting between Filter and Normal modes. In the Normal mode, the pedal acts like a regular flanger, while the Filter mode is what your manual mode would be. The Jet Convolution consists of a giant Rate knob plus smaller Range and Color knobs that are pretty intuitive to use.
MOOER Mod Factory Pro
The award-winning Mod Factory Pro is a massive step up from the Mod Factory MKII. It comes loaded with 16 modulation effects ranging from essentials like a chorus and a phaser through to the more far-out effects such as ring modulators and lo-fi filters. Each of its two modulation engines has its own footswitch, letting you mix and match them to your liking. The Mod Factory Pro also features tap tempo, expression pedal support, and true stereo output.
Marshall Regenerator
Give your pedalboard an extra dose of ambiance with the RG-1 Regenerator, a two-in-one chorus and phaser guitar effects pedal from tone masters Marshall. Think of it as the ‘80s sound crammed into a sturdy, compact stompbox. You get six easily customizable modes: chorus, M chorus, flanger, phaser, step phaser, and V vibe, with the latter two being particular standouts. Separate speed and depth dials let you tailor the RG-1 Regenerator’s sound to your exact tonal tastes, plus there’s a dedicated knob for controlling the effect’s intensity.
Eventide H9 MAX
With 51 effect algorithms that include literally everything Eventide’s TimeFactor, ModFactor, PitchFactor, and Space pedals can do, the H9 MAX Harmonizer is basically an entire pedalboard in compact effects pedal form. It features reverb, chorus, delay, modulation, pitch-shifting, distortion effects, all of which can be tweaked and edited via an intuitive single-knob interface. The H9 MAX comes preloaded with 99 presets, plus you can get over 500 more for free via the H9 Control app.
Alexander Pedals Wavelength
The Wavelength is a massively versatile digital modulation machine in one small, stompable package. The Wavelength has six distinct modulation engines—textured tremolo, bright chorus, eight-stage phaser, flexible flanger, photocell- and lamp-style vibrato, and resonant low-pass filter—all controllable via a customizable LFO. As a NEO pedal, the Wavelength can store up to four presets and up to 16 presets via a MIDI controller. Plug a foot switch into the multi-jack, and you can seamlessly sweep through two different effects settings.
Electro-Harmonix Worm
All sorts of wriggling and writhing modulation madness have been packed into the sturdy, pedalboard-friendly chassis of Electro-Harmonix’s Worm pedal. This all-analog multi-effects stompbox features wah, phaser, tremolo, and vibrato effects. Pick a modulation effect with the four-way Mode dial then use the sweepable Range and Rate knobs to access a breadth of highly musical effect tones. The Worm also has a two-position toggle that lets you choose between auto modulation sweeping and manual or expression pedal control.
Dophix VITRUVIAN MAN
Vitruvian Man is a renowned representation of the ideal human body proportions. It shows how the body can be harmoniously inscribed in a square and circle. That is the Dophix effect which completes the Da Vinci sound experience. The project’s Chorus-Phaser sound has been mixed with the popular Leonardo design for the perfection and roundness of sounds, making it unique. The Vitruvian Man pedal consists of Speed and Depth knobs that let you set the modulation speed and modulation amount put to the input signal.
Mojo Hand FX Nebula
The Nebula Redux Phaser by Mojo Hand FX is a luscious, watery phaser spec’d from the classic dual-stage Nebula circuit. It is an incredibly classic sound that pairs beautifully with other Mojo Hand FX units such as the Iron Bell. The Nebula Redux Phaser has been handcrafted in the USA using only top-grade components. It is capable of enduring life on the road and sounds outstanding each time you step on it. It features true bypass switching and comes in a sturdy die-cast chassis.
Marshall Regenerator
Give your pedalboard an extra dose of ambiance with the RG-1 Regenerator, a two-in-one chorus and phaser guitar effects pedal from tone masters Marshall. Think of it as the ‘80s sound crammed into a sturdy, compact stompbox. You get six easily customizable modes: chorus, M chorus, flanger, phaser, step phaser, and V vibe, with the latter two being particular standouts. Separate speed and depth dials let you tailor the RG-1 Regenerator’s sound to your exact tonal tastes, plus there’s a dedicated knob for controlling the effect’s intensity.
Donner Pearl Tremor
The Pearl Tremor from Donner boasts a pure analog phase effect and produces a plump and warm sound. It carries a toggle switch that lets you choose between Vintage and Modern. It also features an LED indicator that shows you the working state and true bypass, which gives a transparent tone. The Pearl Tremor is packaged in a sturdy, aluminum-alloy chassis. It should not be used in direct sunlight, high humidity, high temperature, or subzero environments.
MXR Script Phase 90
Frequently copied yet never duplicated, the elusive vintage script Phase 90 lands at the top of the list for pedal collectors across the globe. The original version has virtually defined the classic phase shifter sound and was behind jazz fusion, hard rock, and funk hits. The MXR Custom Shop Script Phase 90 delivers the original’s clarity and headroom, together with its smooth and warm phasing and diminished midrange swell. It also features the original smooth orange finish and script logo plus an AC power jack and LED, straight from the MXR Custom Shop.
Joyo Molo-Trem
Yes, the Joyo Ironman JF-325 Molo-Trem guitar effects pedal is cheap, but that only applies to its price tag. The rich, highly musical tremolo effects this tiny pedal dishes out can compare to that produced by pedals twice its price and size. Tone shaping is a breeze thanks to its highly intuitive controls, plus there’s a Wave knob that lets you dial in everything from a smooth, undulating tremolo effect to a sharp, choppy wave.
J. Rockett Mr. Moto
A highly musical tremolo with very rich spring reverb, the J. Rockett Mr. Moto is all you wish your amp had built-in. It is an excellent multitasker for crowded pedalboards. You can run both the reverb and the tremolo individually or in tandem. Depth, Speed, and an adjustable waveshaper grant the tremolo effect an incredible range of tone-sculpting potential, from subtle and smooth to stuttering and clipped. Similar to your seminal standalone, Mr. Moto’s Verb control enables rapidly punching up the ambiance for solos.
Mooer MTR2
The MTR2 Varimolo guitar effects pedal from budget pedal company Mooer is a versatile tremolo stomp that features three different effect modes accessible via a three-position toggle switch. Normal mode gives you a classic tremolo sound, Filter is an auto wah-flavored tremolo effect, and Variable mixes things up with some extra rhythmic variations. The MTR2 Varimolo is part of Mooer’s Micro series, so all of its great sound and features are packed into a very small and pedalboard-friendly enclosure.
MOOER Mod Factory Pro
The award-winning Mod Factory Pro is a massive step up from the Mod Factory MKII. It comes loaded with 16 modulation effects ranging from essentials like a chorus and a phaser through to the more far-out effects such as ring modulators and lo-fi filters. Each of its two modulation engines has its own footswitch, letting you mix and match them to your liking. The Mod Factory Pro also features tap tempo, expression pedal support, and true stereo output.
Catalinbread Valcoder
The Catalinbread Valcoder takes ’60s Valco-style tremolo in a pedalboard-friendly package. Catalinbread has revamped its 2008 Valcoder pedal to include separate Output and Input knobs that provide greater creative flexibility and allow you to produce more sounds. The Valcoder features an all-discrete analog circuitry that reacts to your picking style. You can now enjoy the real-feel ’60s amp experience without needing to lug around a vintage heavy tube amp. All you need is some cables, your guitar, and the Valcoder!
JAM Pedals The Big Chill
The Big Chill is Jam Pedals’ flagship tremolo pedal boasting a slew of features that would bring you from the rich smooth tremolo sounds of old Fender amps to strobe-esque chop effects that can slice through just about any mix. Its thoughtful feature set and design are sure to inspire sonic adventurers across different music styles. You may also use the Big Chill as a clean boost. Simply roll the Depth knob to zero then set the Level to your liking. The Big Chill also pairs well with bass guitars.
Electro-Harmonix Good Vibes
The Good Vibes analog modulator guitar effects pedal from Electro-Harmonix combines selectable iconic chorus and vibrato effects ripped straight from the ‘60s with 21st-century conveniences. Taking a page from the original Uni-Vibe, the Good Vibes creates rippling, undulating chorus and vibrato effects by way of photocells. The Good Vibes also features boosted power rails for extra definition, an always-on speed indicator, and expression pedal support for more precise control over the Speed and Intensity settings.
JOYO Vision
The R-09 Vision guitar effects pedal from Joyo is a modulation maniac’s dream pedal. It features two separate channels, each with its own set of highly tweakable modulation effects, that you can mix and match in parallel or series. Use a chorus on Channel A and an optical trem on Channel B. Phaser on A, Vibrato on B. It’s a giant sonic sandbox for you to play in. The R-09 Vision is an R Series pedal, meaning it also has cool ambient LED effects built into it.
Marshall Vibratem
As its name suggests, the VT-1 Vibratrem guitar effects pedal from tone masters Marshall is a two-fer, packing selectable vibrato and tremolo effects in one sturdy and compact stompbox. Dedicated speed and depth controls let you flow smoothly from a gentle pitch variation to an aggressive tremolo effect. You also get a shape knob for further tweaking, letting you switch between a smoother triangle and a sharper square waveform. Slap a 9V battery into the VT-1 Vibratrem, hit that footswitch, and sail off on a wave of classic vibrato and tremolo sounds.
ZVex Vibrophase
The Vibrophase is actually based on a candle-powered vibrato / phaser machine called the Candela that Zvex mastermind Zachary Vex created a few years back. Fans loved the Candela’s swirling sounds, so Zvex created the Vibropahse. From classic analog phase to Uni-vibe textures and otherworldly pulses, the Vibrophase’s sonic palette is pure bliss. Zvex’s Vexter line of silk-screened pedals feature the exact same tone, features, and parts as their hand-painted counterparts. The only differences are the painting process and the price. The more “standard” vertical orientation of the Vibrophase Vertical also makes it easier to slot this pedal into your pedalboard.
Sabbadius Funky Vibe
The Sabbadius Custom Pedal Effects Funky Vibe pedal emulates a rotary Leslie-like rotary speaker and works with four photocells as well as an incandescent light. Used by several prominent musicians, it consists of four controls (Speed, Depth, Volume, and Bias) plus two footswitches (Vibrato/Chorus and On/Off Effect). The Bias control helps you craft your distinct sound. You can tweak it to achieve the best performance. The Funky Vibe pedal comes in a Colonia bronze chassis with custom handmade chicken knobs.
JAM Pedals RetroVibe
Made for Hendrix/Trower fanatics, the RetroVibe is Jam Pedals’ take on the most iconic Vibe pedal of all time. Jam Pedals originally wanted to emulate the sound of a vintage UniVibe. Upon getting there, however, they looked into leveling it up. The RetroVibe includes novel NOS 2SC828 transistors and carbon comp resistors for an authentic vintage sound. Jam Pedals also incorporated an additional internal trimmer which impacts the effect’s maximum intensity as well as manipulates the RetroVibe’s sound while keeping the pedal’s real vintage character.
Fuzzrocious Grey Stache with Octave Jawn Mod
The Fuzzrocious Grey Stache is built on the GGG-tuned and Civil War variants of a muff fuzz, building a flexible guitar and bass-friendly beast. It sports a CME exclusive orange and black polish. The tone stack boasts the capacity to flatten the mids for an even-keeled sound, scoop mids to enable a massive, deep sound, or boost the mids for a newer sound that lets one punch through in the mix as well as drive speakers. Dialing back the sustain can give more of an overdrive sound.
Aguilar Octamizer
All bassists crave a deep, organic tone. The Octamizer produces an extensive range of musical sounds one octave below your original note. It boasts independent volume controls for both the Octave and Clean sounds, making dialing in the perfect amount of each a breeze. Both discrete signal paths have their tone controls intended to improve and broaden their musical possibilities. The CLEAN TONE control allows for boosting of bass while cutting treble and vice versa, while the OCTAVE FILTER control allows you to shape the octave sound from deep and smooth to aggressive and edgy.
MXR Siete Santos Octavio Fuzz
The MXR Siete Santos Octavio Fuzz features a searing circuit spec’d from the Jimi Hendrix Octavio Fuzz, revamped for the Reverend Billy F. Gibbons featuring an AC power jack for modern convenience and seven-band EQ for tone shaping. It couples the Octavio Fuzz circuit with seven graphic EQ sliders so you can boost or cut a whole frequency spectrum, from 100Hz to 6.4kHz, by ±18dB. It retains the Fuzz and Level controls from the original unit. The Siete Santos Octavio Fuzz is perfect if you want to borrow some of Rev. Willie’s magic.
Eventide PitchFactor Harmonizer
Studio-quality pitch shifting laid right at your feet! Eventide’s PitchFactor effects pedal brings together 10 unique pitch and delay effects in one highly versatile and extremely tweakable stompbox: Diatonic, Quadravox, HarModulator, MicroPitch, H910/H949, PitchFlex, Octaver, Crystals, HarPeggiator, and Synthonizer. The PitchFactor also features 100 onboard presets (unlimited if you have a MIDI controller), MIDI controller support, MIDI clock sync, tap tempo, expression pedal support, true bypass, and more. Plug in any instrument or a mic and get pro-level pitch-shifting, anytime, anywhere.
Electro-Harmonix Octave Multiplexer
Go subterranean with the Octave Multiplexer analog sub-octave generator. This Electro-Harmonix stompbox lets you get deep bass tones one octave below the notes you’re actually playing. You can easily tailor the sub-octave signal to your exact tastes with two separate onboard smoothing filters. This isn’t just a bass pedal; plug in a guitar, a keyboard, or even a mic for some truly deep bass sounds. Being monophonic, the Octave Multiplier works only on single notes.
Dwarfcraft Devices Wizard of Pitch
Featuring the same lo-fi glitchy sound of the Pitchgrinder but pushed up to 32 bits, Dwarfcraft Devices’s Wizard of Pitch is an excellent traditional pitch shifter that gradually starts to go insane once you start fiddling with the knobs and toggles. Crank up the Speed control and it’ll start crossfading between your wet and dry signals. Engage the Bender toggle and the pitch gets lower as your signal decays. The Steps toggle makes the effect snap to pitches instead of sliding, giving you a near-random arpeggio effect.
Top Categories
Timing, Dynamics & EQ Pedals
Koogo Analog Delay
A natural sounding analog delay pedal combining the sounds of vintage echo and tape delay with advanced delay design to create an incredibly versatile sounding delay pedal. The Koogo Analog Delay pedal features a selectable delay time spanning from 20ms to 620ms, valuable for an extensive range of music genres. It is equipped with three function knobs—F.Back, Time, and Echo. Being a genuinely analog delay, with the feedback right up, it can give you a positive feedback loop perfect for closing a show.
EarthQuaker Devices Ghost Echo V3
The Ghost Echo vintage voiced reverb guitar effects pedal, a chimeric cross between analog and digital, is based on classic spring reverb units but is just as capable of dishing out cavernous hall-type reverb effects and rockabilly slapback delays. For its V3 update, EarthQuaker Devices kitted out the Ghost Echo with upgraded low-noise op-amps, twice the reverb signal output compared to the V2, and a recalibrated Dwell control knob that can trigger self-oscillations when cranked to the max.
JHS Pedals Lucky Cat (Black)
A straightforward digital delay/echo complete with everything you need and nothing unnecessary. The Lucky Cat Delay is equipped with standard controls, including Mix, Time, Darken (EQ), Repeats, and Ratio knobs as well as a Modulation toggle. Mod 1 is a mild modulation that adds the perfect amount of movement to the delay, while Mod 2 is a deeper modulation that provides a seasick sound for where you want drenched in modulation. The Lucky Cat also includes a dip switch for Digital Clean/Vintage Tape tones.
NUX Time Core Deluxe
The Time Core Deluxe by NUX gives you unique modes that you can’t find in most delay pedals. It boasts incredible versatility in delivering up to eight types of delays (Digital, Tap, Analog, Pan, P.Pong, Reverse, and Mod) to the utmost ambiance. The Tape mode will add a vintage flavor to your classic sound. You may also preserve your natural sound using the Digital delay mode. Whether modern or classic, the Analog mode constructed with bucket-brigade (BBD) device makes your sound more extraordinary and warmer.
Tom’sline APE3S Michael Angelo Batio
The versatile Digital Delay is another pedal in budget guitar effects pedal maker Tomsline’s series of Michael Angelo Batio signature stomps. Built to the exacting specifications of the man known as the fastest guitarist of all time, the Digital Delay comes with three distinct delay modes—Echo, Mod, and Normal—as well as a super long max delay time of 838ms. The Digital Delay features Tomsline’s patented stop bar design to keep your foot from messing up the pedal’s settings when you stomp on it.
Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man 550-TT
Electro-Harmonix just made the classic Deluxe Memory Man delay pedal even more versatile and powerful with the Deluxe Memory Man 550-TT. This organic delay and modulation stompbox comes with 550ms of maximum delay time and a Tap Tempo feature so you’re sure to always stay in sync with the music. Electro-Harmonix also bolstered the Deluxe Memory Man 550-TT’s already formidable tone-shaping prowess with support for an external expression pedal and an effects loop for freely injecting additional effects into the wet signal.
JHS Pedals Space Commander
The Space Commander by JHS Pedals captures the spacey sounds of classic chorus and reverb plus a powerful clean boost on board. It boasts straightforward controls and the ability to utilize each effect individually or engage all three with a single stomp. Every effect is separately engaged by a toggle under the knob, and the Space Commander’s master on/off is the footswitch. The Reverb is a Hall reverb suitable for adding 80s style decay, Chorus is a swirling 80s-esque chorus, and Boost gives more volume to your rig or drives your amp into natural breakup.
Eventide Space
Pierce the sky with Space, an effects pedal that packs Eventide’s industry-acclaimed rack-based reverb effects into a handy floor-based unit. Space dishes out a wide range of reverb effects, from the natural and the unnatural to the downright out-of-this-world. Standard reverbs like Room, Plate, Spring, and Hall are bolstered by Reverse and Shimmer effects along with unique Eventide offerings such as ModEchoVerb, DualVerb, Blackhole, MangledVerb, TremoloVerb, and DynaVerb. From classic tones to next-level weirdness, you won’t run out of options with the Space pedal.
Tom’sline Digital Reverb
Tomsline doesn’t seem to have put much thought into naming their Reverb pedal, but at least the same doesn’t hold true for its capabilities. The Reverb packs three very usable and versatile reverb modes into its tiny chassis: Room, Spring, and Shimmer. For tone sculpting, it features three highly sensitive and wide ranging control pots. Tone controls the reverb effect’s brightness, Mix adjusts the blend of the dry and wet signals, and Decay lets you set the length of the reverb’s decay.
Electro Harmonix Cathedral
Give your tone a divine, otherworldy shimmer with the Cathedral Stereo Reverb guitar effects pedal from the fine folks at Electro-Harmonix. This programmable stereo reverb stompbox gives you true stereo input/output, 24-bit AD/DA conversion, eight programmable reverb styles that you can load and save on the fly, and a Tap Tempo button that can initiate an infinite reverb. If you’re looking to bring your tone to a holy space, the Cathedral is your one true ticket.
Marshall Original Footswitch
Every good pedalboard setup needs an amp footswitch or two. If you’re gunning your signal through a Marshall amp, then there’s no better fit than a Marshall footswitch. The PEDL-10009 or P802 footswitch is a dual footswitch pedal; it’s basically the big brother of the P801. This musician must-have is built to work with both valvestate and tube amps and handles switching duties for your amp’s channels and reverb. It’s built to be road-tough, so you don’t have to worry about it conking out while you’re onstage.
Keeley Gold Star
The Gold Star is the classic “Wall of Sound” in compact stompbox form. This reverb guitar effects pedal from Keeley Electronics features three different reverb modes. The Compressed mode adds a layer of compression to make the reverb effect “duck out” when you play heavily. The Distorted mode layers on a thick, powerful distortion. Finally, the Flanged mode branches off into two options: a Flanger Reverb and a Sun-Drenched Vinyl Reverb that comes with a random pitch vibrato effect.
Fairfield Circuitry The Accountant
Simple, unassuming, and can crunch numbers like a pro—the Accountant is everything you need to keep you signal tight. This JFET feedback compressor-based pedal features a fixed threshold but you still get a a pair of three-position switches to cook up your own compression flavor. Its lone knob controls volume, and while the Accountant isn’t exactly built to ac as a boost pedal, you can still use the Volume knob to give your signal some extra oomph. Whether you’re looking for shallow, subtle compression or a foll-on squash, you turn to the Accountant.
MOSKY Compressor
Budget guitar effects pedal brand Mosky Audio’s Dynamic Compressor is a bit of an upgrade to its red-painted cousin, the Dyna Compressor. Instead of a single Comp knob, its control layout hews closer to the classic MXR Dyna Comp with the paired Output and Sensitivity knobs. The way it tightens up your guitar signal and enriches your sustain is also reminiscent of a classic Ross Compressor from the ‘70s. What all this means is the Dynamic Compressor is one hell of a workhorse compressor that’s not only small but also budget friendly.
Diamond Compressor
Recording studios usually employ rackmount vocal channels, a mic preamp, EQ, and compressor all within a single unit as the front end for vocal recording. The Diamond Compressor comes in a straightforward three-control package consists of Volume, Comp, and EQ knobs. It is Diamond’s take on a guitar channel, a tone and dynamics shaping tool for studio and live use with smooth opto-based compression, low-noise, ultra-linear signal buffering, and versatile tilt EQ.
Carl Martin ATCOMPLIM Compression
The Andy Timmons Signature Compressor/Limiter from Carl Martin shares the same quietness, performance, sonic clarity, and features as the most exceptional studio compressor/limiters. It was built in collaboration with Andy Timmons, a long-time fan and user of the Carl Martin Compressor/Limiter who requested for a version with two presets. The outcome of the cooperation is a two-preset option for Level and Compression Rate. To save knobs and make it as user-friendly as possible, the Response and Threshold settings are fixed for both presets.
Diamond Bass Comp
The Bass Comp is the first Diamond pedal specially designed for bassists. It was launched in response to the interest of bassists in its famed Compressor. With higher headroom and low-frequency response extending down to 20Hz, the Bass Compressor is perfect for active and passive 4/5/6 string basses. The Tilt EQ control has been revoiced, letting you select between the original 900Hz and new 250Hz setting using the mini toggle. The Bass Comp boasts premium audio components, smooth optical compression/limiting, and true bypass signal path.
Aguilar Tone Hammer
The Aguilar Tone Hammer preamp/direct box allows you to take full control of your tone. It is an invaluable addition to every bassist’s toolbox. Built on the OBP-3 preamp, the sturdy Tone Hammer boasts wholly sweepable midrange frequencies, treble, and bass controls. This powerful combination places multiple sculpting capabilities at your fingertips, and you may directly connect it to a live sound system or your recording rig. The Tone Hammer is rocking the Adaptive Gain Shaping circuitry, allowing you to dial in anything from serious overdrive to vintage tones.
MXR KFK1 10-Band EQ
If you are not contented with your MXR Ten Band EQ, check out its wicked twin—the Kerry King Ten Band EQ. This beastly, tattoo-covered unit gives you tone and level control identical to the M108, but the Kerry King is capable of punishing two amps simultaneously, credits to its dual outputs. Designed in collaboration with the iconic Slayer guitarist, you can use it to produce thrash approved, scooped-mid rhythm tones or as a boost for solos. Ten sliders allow for a cut or boost up to 12dB.
Maxon GE601 Graphic Equalizer
The Maxon Reissue Series Graphic Equalizer pedal is the ideal accessory for guitarists who need accurate control of the tone of their instrument. Providing +/- 12 dB of boost or cut and covering six meticulously picked frequency bands from 100 Hz to 3.2 kHz, you may utilize the GE601 EQ as a level booster, feedback eliminator, tone filter, or pickup simulator. Maxon’s Reissue Series gives you the classic sonic palette that defined the tones of guitarists over the last three decades. Every model’s circuit is pure analog and housed in a durable chassis.
Death by Audio Apocalypse
The Apocalypse is touted as Death by Audio’s jack-of-all-trades fuzz pedal. Once greatly overdriven, the signal is routed to your chosen post-amp. You may toggle through its five signal paths and select the apocalyptic sound you desire. To make it more refined, adjust the sweepable frequency equalizer and craft your tone to your liking. Utilize the Apocalypse as your main sound, an amp simulated recording DI, bass blitzer, boost for solos, or run into it anything you want to supercharge, beef up, or blast out.
Tech 21 Q-Strip
All the vintage warmth, grit, and punch you recognize from legendary ‘60s and ‘70s sounds, laid right at your feet in the form of the Q\Strip direct input (DI) preamp and EQ box from Tech 21. This compact, road-tough DI gives you all the studio-grade tone shaping power of a 100% analog MOSFET circuit and four bands of EQ inspired by the most highly regarded of console recording modules. Whether you use it onstage or in the studio, the Q\Strip will make you sound good.
Wampler EQuator
There are way too many cool guitar effects pedals available nowadays, so it’s easy to overlook one of the most essential ingredients in a good pedalboard: the EQ pedal. The EQuator from boutique guitar effects pedal maker Wampler, though, flat-out demands your attention with its ease of use and top-of-the-line feature set. Instead of the usual band sliders, the EQuator features fixed bass and treble pots plus two semi-parametric mid pots. Wampler even went ahead and marked the sweet spots for the latter two control knobs to make it even easier to dial in a great tone.
Utility Pedals
NUX PT-6 Pedal Tuner
The PT-6 Chromatic Pedal Tuner from NUX features a highly sensitive chromatic tuning mode with an extensive range. It boasts a true bypass design and comes in a sturdy metal chassis. The PT-6 Pedal Tuner is professional, high-quality, and easy to use. The bright LED screen delivers clear visibility outdoors as well as on stage. The true bypass circuit enables tuning sans signal loss or latency. When the signal is lost after five minutes, the power save feature will turn the device off automatically.
Koogo Magic Tuner
The Magic Tuner pedal by Koogo maintains high precision chromatic tuning. Perfect for broad range tuning, this chromatic tuner lets you experience fast tuning with one cent precision. It comes with a deluxe LED screen that displays clear, easy to read results of tuning. The Magic Tuner boasts an enhanced analog circuit, without loss of tune. You can use it with most electric instruments, including five-string bass or seven-string guitar. Enjoy your vibrant and fun life with the Magic Tuner.
TC Electronic PolyTune 3
The PolyTune 3 by TC Electronic is quicker, more intuitive, and more reliable than ever, featuring precision within 0.1 cents and a no-frills approach to the instrument and guitar tuning. Credits to its inbuilt BonaFide Buffer circuitry, the PolyTune 3 is now capable of enhancing your tone for lengthy cable runs. Meaning, you obtain the treble and transient response way closer to connecting straight to an amp. Alternate tuning modes enable you to explore different ways to create your art.
Digitech LUXE
If you want to beef up your tone without that weird warbling effect from a flanger or chorus, you need to see the DigiTech Luxe. The Luxe is an astounding unison/detuning pedal that sounds fantastic on your bass or guitar. It allows you to blend a slightly detuned input with the dry signal to produce a constant thickening sound identical to the studio technique of double tracking. Whether you are playing chords or single notes, the Luxe delivers a solid, rich, and true pitch-detuning effect.
BOSS TU-3W Tuner Waza Craft
Just when you thought there was no way to improve the Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner, Boss comes along with the new and enhanced TU-3W. This Waza Craft stompbox takes the TU-3’s benchmark functionality to the next level. The TU-2’s original circuitry has been redesigned from the ground up for the most transparent, pure, and uncolored audio signal pass-through currently possible–an essential feature for any and all tuner pedals. The Boss TU-3W also features selectable buffered and true-bypass operation modes.
Rowin Chromatic Tuner
What a good chromatic tuner lacks in glamour is offset by it being a must-have essential for any and all musicians. The high-precision LT-910 Chromatic Tuner from budget guitar effects pedal manufacturer Rowin is a workhorse pedal that not only takes up a tiny spot on your pedalboard, but also costs less than half of your average stompbox. The LT-910 CHromatic Tuner features a big bright LED display that’s perfect for tuning while on a dark stage, plus it works equally well with guitar or bass.
T-Rex Image Looper
The Image Looper by T-Rex delivers high-quality audio and simplicity, with 5.8 min. maximum loop length in true stereo or mono operation. A phrase looper has become an invaluable tool for bassists and guitarists. With all the handy commands spread out on two footswitches, each features an LED bar for indication, you are always updated on what the looper is doing. The LEDs will show you which mode is presently running: playback, recording, stopped recording, stopped playback, empty, and undo.
Rowin Beat Loop
The LBL-01 Beat Loop is a versatile and affordable combination drum machine and looper pedal from budget-priced guitar effects pedal manufacturer Rowin. The looper section can record for up to five minutes in each of 30 separate storage locations. The drum machine has two drum groups with 40 drum types, half of which are standard while the other half is electronic. The LBL-01 Beat Looper also has a separate dual footswitch controller that lets you control the drum section.
Joyo D-Seed II
Joyo’s D-Seed II is a ramped-up version of the D-Seed dual-channel digital delay. The original D-Seed’s 1s maximum delay time has been stretched out to 2s, and the four delay modes—Copy, Analog, Modulation, and Reverse—have been reinforced with an additional four modes: Space, Lo-Fi, Filter, and Tape. Rounding out the improvements is a looper function that has up to 3½ minutes of recording time and a tape simulation effect as well as a new ping-pong-style effect toggle.
Electro-Harmonix 95000
Sporting six mono tracks and one stereo mixdown track per loop plus two input jacks that can handle almost any type of signal source, the Electro-Harmonix 95000 Performance Loop Laboratory is a true sonic sandbox in which loop aficionados can play around. The included 16GB Micro SD card lets you record up to 100 different loops spanning a total length of up to 375 minutes. You can use the 95000 as either a tabletop unit or a floor-based pedal.
Koogo Loop Station
A beautiful and powerful pedal, the Loop Station by Koogo allows you ten minutes of looping, infinite overdubs, delete, redo, and undo functions. It lets you select between Normal, Reverse, and 1/2 Speed modes. The Normal mode gives you normal loop speed, Reverse offers reverse play, while 1/2 Speed delivers half-speed playback recording. The Loop Station comes in a mini, convenient, and sturdy aluminum alloy enclosure. It includes true bypass and an LED indicator that displays the looper status.
Electro-Harmonix Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai
Electro-Harmonix founder Mike Matthews says that “Hazarai” means “all the extra stuff.” That’s exactly what they crammed into the Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai. This guitar effects pedal is a multi-tap delay pedal, an echo with a reverse function, and a looper with up to 30 seconds of loop time. It also features tap tempo, vintage tape echo filtering, and you can store and load up to eight programmable presets. Definitely everything but the kitchen sink.
TC Electronic G-Natural
The G-Natural multi-effects processor by TC Electronic is specially created for your acoustic guitar. Packaged within a floor-based unit, the G-Natural comes loaded with ten premium TC effects, as well as an inbuilt tuner, boost function, microphone preamp for guitar or vocals, and 30 presets that will give a natural touch to your live acoustic sound. You can now capture amazing TC effects in a convenient, acoustic-friendly, and stage-ready package. The G-Natural carries eight durable footswitches.
Caline Pure Sky Overdrive
The Caline CP-12 Pure Sky Overdrive guitar effects pedal is a modded version of the Paul Cochrane Timmy Overdrive stompbox. Eschewing the toggle switch of the pedal it’s based on, the CP-12 provides great higher end with excellent tonal clarity. It can be used as a versatile four-knob overdrive or as an EQ pedal with surprising levels of precision in cutting and boosting your guitar signal. The Caline CP-12 Pure Sky Overdrive comes with a true bypass feature.
Mission Engineering SP25L Pro Aero Gold Carbon
The SP-25L-PRO has two expression outputs with separate polarity switches for every channel. That enables compatibility with an extensive range of devices. A third output connects the latching toe switch to compatible MIDI controllers as well as digital effects permitting effects like pitch and wah to be turned on/off from the expression pedal. This SP-25L-PRO unit comes in a classy gold carbon fiber graphic finish and features an illuminated base. When utilized with compatible digital devices and MIDI controllers, the illuminated base may indicate a remote effect’s status.
Alexander Pedals Syntax Error
Send your sound back in time to the 8-bit era and beyond with the Syntax Error, Alexander Pedals’ time and pitch modulating pedal that comes packed with a cubic distortion algorithm. As part of Alexander Pedals’ NEO line, the Syntax Error can hold up to four presets by itself and up to 16 with a compatible MIDI controller and lets you precisely sweep through two different effects settings with an expression pedal or a momentary foot switch.
Donner Ultimate Comp
Find your ideal sound with the Donner Ultimate Comp. It carries Level, Tone, and Comp (compression) knobs that allow you to adjust the output volume, tone of the sound, and intensity of the compression respectively. It also includes a toggle switch that lets you select between Treble and Normal modes. The compressed tone is smooth and round, filled with musicality, and keeps your original guitar tone. Donner’s circuit has been optimized based on the components of an electric guitar and works exceptionally over various playing styles.
Orange Amps FS1
Maximize your Orange amp with the FS-1 single-button footswitch. Similar to Orange’s dual button footswitch, the FS-1 comes in a durable metal enclosure. It also includes an LED indicator and a 1/4″ jack on the back which enables you to modify the length of the cable you utilize running from the footswitch to your amplifier. Compatible Orange amplifiers include TH Series (TH30C, TH30H, and TH100H), Terror Series (DT30-H), Custom Shop (AD50 RETRO 50), and Crush PiX Guitar Amps (CR20LDX).
BOSS FS6 DUAL FOOTSWITCH
As its name implies, the Boss FS-6 Dual Footswitch is two footswitches in one, combining a latch-type footswitch and an unlatched or momentary-type footswitch in one rugged unit. You can even choose which of the two pedals is latched and which is unlatched, and since both pedals are side by side, you can get even more precise control over the effects pedals you connect to the FS-6. Of course, the Boss FS-6 Dual Footswitch doesn’t just work with pedals; you can also connect it to keyboards, rhythm machines, amps, and more.
Electro-Harmonix Switchblade Plus
A convenient, versatile solution for all of your switching needs. With the Switchblade Plus channel selector from Electro-Harmonix, you can easily route your signal to an A or B channel, use the A and B channels simultaneously, or switch between pedalboards. Its audio path is completely passive for whisper-quiet operation, plus the tuner jack is hardwired to the input jack so you always have a direct output for a tuner or some other pedal regardless of whether or not the Switchblade Plus is active.
MOSKY DUAL SWITCH
The Dual Switch footswitch pedal from budget guitar effects pedal brand Mosky Audio has one job: act as a dual momentary footswitch controller for your other guitar effects pedals. In stompbox terms, momentary (also known as non-latching) means the pedal’s effect is only active for as long as you hold the footswitch down. This is different from the typical latching operation–stomp once to activate then stomp again to turn off–that regular stompboxes have. Note that the Dual Switch is not a channel selector or AB/Y controller.
Source Audio Tap Tempo Switch
The Tap Tempo Switch by Source Audio is a simple footswitch that adds significant functionality to any pedal from the One Series line. It gives you on-the-fly tap tempo control of delay times for the Nemesis Delay and modulation rates for the Mercury Flanger, Gemini Chorus, Lunar Phaser, and Vertigo Tremolo. The Tap Tempo lets you render virtual knob changes to each One Series pedal, toggle between distortion engines on the AfterShock Bass Distortion, Kingmaker Fuzz, and L.A. Lady Overdrive, or externally scroll through presets on the Nemesis Delay.
Lehle 3 at 1
When performing live, changing instruments can be a pain without the 3at1 instrument switcher from Lehle. Constantly switching cables is difficult, and no one wants to hear a hum, pops, and clicks while doing it. No matter if you play keyboards, acoustic-electric guitar, or bass, the 3at1 easily handles any instrument or line-level input, and allows you to move between them quietly. With the 3at1, you are allowed stereo switching of as much as three different instruments to one output. You can control it and synchronize with other Lehle pedals through MIDI.
Emerson Custom Concord
Get superb clarity and signal response with the Concord Utility Buffer from Emerson Custom. It will maintain a clear and strong signal for your board. It is equipped with premium audio-grade components to put back the sparkle and clarity, which can sometimes vanish when you utilize long cable runs or multiple effects pedals. You can place the Concord anywhere in your chain for optimal performance. It also includes a bright blue LED that tells you it is working to give you the best tone imaginable.
JHS Pedals Buffered Splitter
Add the JHS Pedals Buffered Splitter to your pedalboard for a simple yet efficient signal-splitting tool that keeps your tone pristine, clear, and powerful. It is capable of perfectly driving your pedalboard chains and long cable runs. It preserves your guitar’s natural tone without coloration from the other gears within your signal chain. The Buffered Splitter comes in a compact enclosure that makes it handy for any rig. It works well with keyboards, bass, guitar, and more.
MOSKY Clean Buffer Tone Saver
Buffer pedals play an important part in any musician’s ongoing battle against one suck. Budget guitar effects brand Mosky Audio gives you a compact and affordable alternative to boutique buffer models in the form of the Clean Buffer. It helps keep your guitar signal strong and steady even when you have over a dozen pedals daisy chained together on your pedalboard. The Clean Buffer has an input impedance of 1M Ω and an output impedance of 150 Ω.
Xotic Super Clean
In the battle against tone suck, a good buffer pedal is an indispensable weapon in your arsenal. And when it comes to high-end buffer pedals, the Super Clean from boutique guitar effects stompbox company Xotic is one of your best choices. This buffer stomp is powered by a legendary JRC4558 chip and delivers up to +12dB of clean boost. It features a convenient Gain mini-pot as well as four side-mounted dip switches that let you tweak the EQ settings to your liking.
Fender Level Set Buffer
Whether you utilize several guitars in a set or a single guitar through a large pedalboard, your signal strength can be negatively affected. That’s why the Level Set Buffer from Fender is a must-have for any pedalboard. It allows you to change guitars sans disrupting your tone. Fender consulted with several guitarists on the design, producing a stompbox equipped with stage-ready functionalities. The Level Set Buffer consists of a Mute footswitch, Load toggle switch, as well as Hi-Freq and Level knobs.
Morley Buffer Boost
The Morley Buffer Boost isn’t a guitar effects pedal, per se. Instead, it’s an essential weapon in the constant battle against tone suck. The Buffer Boost contains a buffer circuit that gives your guitar signal that extra push it needs to maintain its output level and tone, no matter how many pedals you may have in your pedal chain. You can place the Buffer Boost at the front or back of the signal chain and use it as a clean boost with up to 20dB of extra output.
TC Electronic Iron Curtain
Presenting the no-nonsense way to get rid of your sound gremlins, the Iron Curtain Noise Gate by TC Electronic. It is an ultra-fast and efficient noise gate that minimizes unwanted noise from your instrument signal. Its convenient two-knob interface controls decay and threshold. The toggle switch allows you to select between reducing unwanted noise or muting signal entirely. Designed and engineered in Denmark, the Iron Curtain Noise Gate comes in a durable metal chassis. It features a true bypass for supreme signal integrity.
Carl Martin Noise Terminator
The Carl Martin Noise Terminator is designed to maintain the original tonal characteristics while eliminating unwanted noise occurring from using multiple effects. It outperforms traditional noise gates by allowing you to switch between two threshold settings—Hard when more radical settings are necessary or Soft with less noisy equipment. Using the remote jack, you can connect the Noise Terminator to an external midi switching system that lets you go between Hard and Soft settings conveniently. The Noise Terminator is a 9V-battery-powered pedal featuring an AC adapter jack.
Alexander Pedals Defender
Don’t let the Defender Stargate Drive’s classic arcade game-inspired graphics fool you. This new stompbox from Alexander Pedals is a shapechanging beast that takes fuzz, distortion, and overdrive to intergalactic heights. The Defender allows you to create your quirky, clipped tones from various built-in modes. It offers several configurable options with preset storage and expression control. With simultaneously selectable “special effect” (PIT, SPC, FLT) and Distortion mode (OD, DST, FZ), it sets a course to marvelous guitar tone.
Rowin Noise Gate
Make unwanted signal noise a thing of the past with the LEF-319 Noise Gate from budget guitar effects pedal manufacturer Rowin. With this in your pedal chain, you can cut out all of the hisses, buzzes, and hums that dirty up your signal without sacrificing your core tonal characteristics. A dedicated threshold knob lets you dial in that sweet spot where you want the gating effects to kick in, while a two-position toggle lets you switch between hard gating and soft gating.
CNZ Audio Noise Gate
If you are looking to minimize the buzz in your signal when you are not playing, look no further. The Noise Gate from CNZ Audio successfully tames your overdrive pedals, guitar signal, and whole effects chains. The Toggle Switch includes two settings: the Soft setting relaxes on the release and lets it end less abruptly, while the Hard setting is ideal for removing undesired string noise and creating clean silence in between a heavy-metal riff’s notes.
MOSKY Noise Reduction
The Noise Gate is budget guitar effects pedal maker Mosky Audio’s offering to those musicians who are having headaches dealing with unwanted buzzes, hisses, and hums in their signal. It takes you guitar’s dry signal and eliminates the noise level by up to 26dB within your effects loop. You can set the minimum volume threshold where the pedal’s functions kick in via a dedicated Gate knob. Just dial in your preferred threshold, hit the footswitch, and enjoy noise-free playing.
Joyo JAM BUDDY (Orange)
With its pair of built-in 2” speakers packing 4W of output each, the Jam Buddy is Joyo’s solution for musicians looking for a quick way to practice without having to lug along a big and heavy amp. Bluetooth connectivity also lets you connect your phone or media player to the Jam Buddy so you can play along to a song or rhythm track. This floor-based multi-effects unit also features clean and overdrive channels,
JOYO O.M.B
Joyo’s OMB Looper and Drum Machine turns you into a one-man band with a single stomp. This single pedal can act as a looper, a drum machine, or a combo looper plus drum machine. The looper function lets you record up to 40 minutes of audio and features unlimited overdubs, auto-align, and count-in. You get seven drum patterns and seven drumbeats in drum machine mode, plus you can add fills to the patterns and use a tap tempo function. The OMB is an R Series pedal, meaning it has cool ambient LED effects built into it.
NUX MFX-10
The MFX-10 boasts 55 models overall (you may use as much as eight simultaneously), vintage three-band passive EQ for each amp model, 19 classic amp and pedal models with A/B channel switching, and parametric EQ with additional mid-frequency sweep control for pedals. Twelve cabinet models give you two distinct modes for a guitar amp or mixer/PA input. The MFX-10 also features an inbuilt drum machine with CD quality PCM sounds, and 72 presets: 36 user plus 36 factory presets. The A/B switch lets you utilize up to 144 presets.
Joyo JAM BUDDY (Black)
There are a lot of guitar multi-effects processor units that have headphone jacks now. The Jam Buddy from Joyo one-ups them all by having both a headphone jack and built-in speakers. The Jam Buddy’s two 2” 4W speakers have enough power for a quick practice session without bothering the neighbors, and its rechargeable battery will let you extend the jam session to up to three hours. The Jam Buddy also features footswitchable clean and OD channels, a built-in delay, and Bluetooth connectivity for playing along to an audio track.
MOOER Groove Loop
Budget pedal maker brings together the Micro Looper and the Micro Drummer into one affordable, pedalboard-friendly guitar effects pedal. The Groove Loop makes for the perfect portable jamming companion, letting you use its looper and drum machine features either independently or simultaneously. The looper features 20 minutes of recording time and can sync automatically with the drum track. The drum machine comes with eight groove styles, each of which has two variations for a total of 16 different grooves.
Joyo GEM BOX III
The Gem Box III is Joyo’s flagship entry in the guitar multi-effects processor arena, and it packs quite a punch. The Gem Box III features 61 preamp models, 157 effect types, and 300 preset tones. It also comes loaded with 26 impulse responses, to which you can add your own via Joyo’s Studio software. For playing solo, the Gem Box III’s drum machine with 40 presets and 10 metronome rhythms will come in handy along with the 52-second looper. And when it’s time to hit the stage, this sturdy unit will hold up to the rigors of the road.
Other Pedals
MOOER Free Step
The Free Step is an innovative little guitar effects pedal from budget stompbox masters Mooer that pulls double duty as a vintage analog wah and a versatile volume pedal while being less than half the size of a regular expression pedal. You can shape the wah tone to you liking via the side-mounted Q dial. In volume mode, you can set the minimum volume from 0% to 50% using the Min. Vol. dial located on the pedal’s side.
Dunlop 50th Anniversary Gold Cry Baby Wah
Celebrate five decades of the Cry Baby with Dunlop’s 50th Anniversary Gold Cry Baby Wah. The Cry Baby Wah is regarded as the most iconic guitar effect of all time. Guitar greats Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix employed the Cry Baby Wah to produce timeless rock sounds. This gold-plated Cry Baby is the modern definition of that sound, boasting the iconic red Fasel inductor’s rich, expressive character. It features 100-Kohm Hot Potz potentiometer and durable die-cast construction plated in 24-karat gold.
Vexter Wah Probe
The Vexter Wah Probe from boutique guitar effects pedal company Zvex is a wah pedal that replaces the standard-issue rocker pot with a proximity sensor that allows for insanely fast wah action. It also packs a built-in Super Hard On for extra volume drive. Zvex’s Vexter line of silk screened pedals feature the exact same tone, feature set, and internal parts and circuits as their hand-painted counterparts. The only differences are the painting process and the price.
Dunlop Dimebag
A powerhouse pedal designed alongside iconic guitarist Dimebag Darrell. From its CFH logo and camouflage paint job to its immense volume boost capacity, the Dimebag Signature Wah Cry Baby screams Dimebag. It features Dunlop’s Q control which allows you to tweak the bandwidth to taste, an extended sweep with a Fine Tube control for setting your desired sweep, and skateboard anti-slip tape. The Dimebag Cry Baby also includes a six-position knob for choosing the sweep’s frequency center.
Morley Mark Tremonti Wah
Cut through the mix like you mean it with the Morley Mark Tremonti Wah pedal, a wah pedal that packs the riff god’s signature wah tone as well as a boost button that gives you up to 20dB of extra muscle for truly killer solos and bridges. As with a lot of Morley’s modern wah offerings, the Mark Tremonti Wah is outfitted with an electro-optical, switchless structure that eliminates the danger of worn out pots.
Xotic Wah
For sheer versatility, few wah pedals can come close to the XW-1 Wah from boutique guitar effects pedal maker Xotic. Almost everything about this beautiful wah pedal can be adjusted to fit your exact tastes, from the rocker pedal tension to the Wah-Q and Bias settings. For tone sculpting, it comes with a two-band EQ stack you lets you cut or boost the treble and bass by 15dB each. It also features a fuzz-friendly buffer circuit and true bypass switching, plus it’s smaller than the average wah pedal.
Radial Tonebone PZ-Pre
The Tonebone PZ-Pre from Radial Engineering serves up amazingly natural-sounding acoustic preamplification. This feature-packed onstage must-have incorporates a three-band EQ, variable notch filter, and filter. It allows you to kill feedback easily and rapidly. Individual piezo boosters on each channel provide some kick to your pickup-equipped acoustic instrument. The Tonebone PZ-Pre gives you great connection options and foot-switchable functionality. It also features a tuner out with footswitch mute and individual post- and pre-EQ DI outs for checking and FOH connections.
Tom’sline AC Stage
Much like the slightly bigger Acoustic, Tomsline’s AC Stage budget guitar effects pedal is a workhorse acoustic simulator pedal that gets the job done, giving your electric guitar the full-bodied resonance and natural woody sound of an acoustic. The Acoustic also features a three-way toggle that lets you switch between three voicing modes: Piezo, Standard, and Jumbo. The AC Stage features Tomsline’s patented stop bar design to keep your foot from messing up the pedal’s settings when you stomp on it.
Tom’sline Acoustic
The aptly named Acoustic budget guitar effects pedal from Tomsline is a workhorse acoustic simulator pedal that gets the job done. Plug in an electric guitar and you can give it the body and natural woody sound of an acoustic. You can adjust the gain with the Top knob, the resonance of the simulated acoustic body with the Body dial, and the overall volume with the Volume pot. The Acoustic also features a three-way toggle that lets you switch between three voicing modes: Piezo, Standard, and Jumbo.
Mooer Baby Water
The Baby Water delay and chorus guitar effects pedal from budget stompbox maker Mooer provides acoustic guitar players a pair of must-have effects in a very tiny, very affordable package. Even if you don’t have a pedalboard, the Baby Water is so small you can literally put it in your pocket and take it to gigs. It comes packed with delay and chorus effects that can be used either individually or in conjunction with each other, all selectable via a dedicated rotary dial.
Joyo Wooden Sound
Despite its name, the simulated acoustic sounds served up by Joyo’s JF-323 Wooden Sound guitar effects pedal are far from stiff and flat. You can coax rich, natural acoustic tones from your electric guitar without any signal squish, especially when you’re strumming out a rhythm. As one of Joyo’s Ironman pedals, the JF-323 Wooden Sound is small enough to fit in your front pocket and features a flip cover for keeping your control dial settings safe from stray stomps. Way better than lugging around another guitar to a gig.
Rowin Octpus
Budget guitar effects pedal manufacturer Rowin serves up a wide range of polyphonic octave pitch shift effects in the tiny and economical LEF-3806 Octpus, a straightforward yet versatile octave stomp. The Oct 1 and Oct pots control the output of the upper and sub octaves, while the Dry knob controls the amount of dry signal that’s blended into the mix. It also features a three-way toggle that lets you choose to go an octave up, an octave down, or both at the same time.
Darkglass Microtubes B3K 2.0
The Darkglass Microtubes B3K V2 provides you with all the features of the original, plus the ability to restore the mid frequencies for natural character. The attack switch was replaced by the Tone knob, delivering further control of the higher harmonic content. The Microtubes B3K V2 also features the Grunt switch which allows you to set the amount of LF content to be saturated and a Mid Boost switch that gives a subtle 6dB boost to 300Hz. This pedal will surely bring a powerful and defined saturation in an intuitive format.
JAM Pedals Wahcko Bass
A wah pedal like no other. The Wahcko Bass by Jam Pedals is a product of lengthy and painful research. This real, vocal and vintage-sounding wah pedal features a retuned filter frequency spectrum to suit the register of the bass. The Wahcko Bass is equipped with carbon comp resistors, a RED Fasel inductor for a pure vintage sound, six-position rotary switch for various frequency sweep range, mini LED, and internal trimmer for setting the input gain.
MOOER Bass Ensemble Queen
The Ensemble Queen is an analog chorus effect pedal built specifically to handle the signature low frequencies of a bass guitar. This budget- and pedalboard-friendly compact stompbox from Mooer features a full complement of tone-shaping controls; you get dedicated micro knobs for Level, Tone, and Depth as well as a full-sized Rate dial. The Ensemble Queen also comes packed with a true bypass feature and can be powered by a standard Boss-style 9V DC adapter.
ZVEX Vexter Super Duper
With the Super Duper Concert Bass Mod, Zvex mastermind Zachary Vex has tweaked the popular Super Duper boost stomp to replicate the legendary sound of the solid state Sunn Concert Bass amp. Its distinct organic growl and rumbling low end make it ideal for both bassists and guitarists who often downtune their instruments. Zvex’s Vexter line of silk screened pedals feature the exact same tone, feature set, and internal parts and circuits as their hand-painted counterparts. The only differences are the painting process and the price.
Tech 21 SansAmp GT2
Tech 21’s SansAmp amp simulator technology has long been at the forefront of letting musicians dial in their favorite amp tone without needing to lug around that specific amp. The SansAmp GT2 doesn’t just give you a single amp’s signature tone, though; it packs a whole slew of the most sought-after vintage tube and modern amp sounds, from a clean tweed-flavored rhythm to a scream Mesa-style lead tone. Pair the GT2 with a DI box and you’ll forget your amp even existed.
Tom’sline Slow Hand
Create dramatic volume swells to make your sound more epic with budget guitar effects pedal maker Tomsline’s Slow Hand stompbox. It cuts off the attack of each note you play to produce a volume swell similar to rolling up your guitar’s volume knob from zero. You can even use it to make your guitar sound like a violin. The Slow Hand features Tomsline’s patented stop bar design to keep your foot from messing up the pedal’s settings when you stomp on it.
Mission Engineering VM-PRO
Not your dime a dozen volume pedal, the VM-PRO by Mission Engineering is a multi-output, buffered, adjustable volume pedal that is ready for action. Imagine it as an excellent starting point for your signal chain. Suitable for your acoustic-electric guitar, bass, and electric guitar, you can set the VM-PRO’s input jack for active or passive instruments. The buffered output guarantees proper frequency response via your pedals and lengthy cable runs. The VM-PRO volume pedal can handle whatever rig you are running.
Morley Power Wah Volume
The Morley PWO Power Wah cranked up to 11 by the addition of a new volume control circuit. The PWO Power Wah Volume comes equipped with a custom HQ2 inductor that brings the classic funk and a volume control section with a silky smooth audio taper. Morley’s innovative electro-optical circuit design makes worn out pots a thing of the distant past while True-Tone Bypass Buffer technology keeps your tone pure and pristine in both wah and volume mode.
MOOER Free Step
The Free Step is an innovative little guitar effects pedal from budget stompbox masters Mooer that pulls double duty as a vintage analog wah and a versatile volume pedal while being less than half the size of a regular expression pedal. You can shape the wah tone to you liking via the side-mounted Q dial. In volume mode, you can set the minimum volume from 0% to 50% using the Min. Vol. dial located on the pedal’s side.
Boss FV-30L
Built like a tank and small enough to save valuable real estate on your pedalboard, the Boss FV-30 series of foot volume pedals is the epitome of the workhorse volume pedal. These volume pedals built using 100-percent professional-grade, aluminum die-cast units with smooth pivot action that registers even the most subtle of volume changes. The Boss FV-30L foot Volume pedal is a low-impedance pedal with stereo input and output specially designed for other stompboxes and digital instruments.
Dunlop Volume X Mini
With the DVP4 Mini Volume (X) Pedal, conserving space does not mean sacrificing functionality or durability. It lets you manage volume and FX parameters without congesting your pedalboard. It is capable of anything the larger DVP3 does. For ultimate precision and convenience, the DVP4’s rocker tension is adjustable. The AUX output merges tuner and expression functionality into a single jack which can be toggled with a switch on the pedal. You no longer need to give up control of your volume level and FX pedals when employing a travel-sized board, thanks to the DVP4 Volume X Mini.
Ernie Ball Expression Tremolo
WIth its rocker-style pedal form, the Ernie Ball Expression Series Tremolo pedal gives you complete and precise control over its sweepable tremolo effects without requiring any extra expression pedal attachments. Choose from five different tremolo waveforms—Slow Rise, Slow Fall, Sine, Square, and Harmonic—and then use the treadle to control the tremolo depth and rate individually or both at the same time. Leave the treadle open in the zero position and you get an ultra-clear transparent signal that doesn’t color your core tone at all.
Mission Engineering EP-HR
The EP-HR by Mission Engineering is a secondary expression pedal specially built for your Headrush Guitar Amp/FX Modeler. You may connect to the Headrush’s EXPR2 port with a single TRS cable. The EP-HR works in conjunction with the onboard pedal in both Advanced and Classic mode. Utilize one pedal for wah and the other for volume, or configure advanced functions in real-time such as distortion level or delay repeats. The EP-HR comes in a sturdy, flat black chassis.
Mission Engineering EP-25-Pro Aero Gold Carbon
Donning a beautiful gold carbon fiber graphic finish, the EP-25-Pro Aero Gold Carbon expression pedal is perfect for guitar, acoustic instruments, keyboards, and both studio and live use. It incorporates individual polarity switches for every channel. That enables compatibility with a broad range of pedals, modeling amps, MIDI controllers, keyboards, rack effects, and other expression controlled devices. The EP-25-Pro features a fully sealed 25K Ohm linear taper potentiometer for durability and smooth action. The all-aluminum Aero is half the weight of a regular Mission pedal.
Line 6 EX-1
Designed for utilization with Line 6 stompbox modelers and other pedals, the EX-1 expression pedal lets you morph seamlessly between any two settings of a model. For the AX2, it can be employed for volume or wah. Boasting durable construction, the EX-1 features custom wahs, pitch control, and two preset variations. The EX-1 is compatible with stompbox modelers (M5, M9, M13, DL4, DM4, FM4, MM4), POD HD400, POD HD500, POD HD500X, POD XT Live, POD X3 Live, and others.
Mission Engineering EXP1-PRO
Boasting a sturdy, all-metal construction, the Mission Engineering EXP1-PRO is a professional quality expression pedal compatible with expression pedal inputs on keyboards, MIDI controllers, multi-effect units, and stompboxes. It carries an input level knob that enables adjustment of minimum level from zero to 80%. The EXP-1-PRO incorporates a custom made 10K Ohm linear, wholly sealed potentiometer that works nicely with various devices, and is rated at over a million operations for durability and excellent response.
Dunlop Volume X
Keep your effect pedal parameters in check or produce amazingly smooth volume swells with Dunlop’s DVP3 Volume (X) Pedal. This amazing pedal is compact, solidly-built, and ready for the road. The Volume (X) Pedal manages volume and FX parameters, boasting an adjustable rocker tension and Dunlop’s patent-pending Low Friction Band-Drive for supreme durability—all within a pedalboard-friendly enclosure. Together with FX, Volume, and Output jacks, the DVP3 also includes a handy Tuner output for quiet tuning onstage.
Strymon Lex Rotary
The Strymon Lex Rotary gives you a complete, faithfully recreated rotary system: the tube-driven amp, the rotating treble horn, finely tuned microphone placement, the low-frequency bass rotor, and all the intricate sonic interactions between such elements. Leveraging an incredibly powerful SHARC DSP, each bit of processing power is exploited to represent the details genuinely. With eight parameters to tweak, you get extensive control of the rotating speaker system’s mechanics and tonality. You may manipulate every element, from horn level, mic distance, rotor speed, tube drive and saturation, acceleration time, and volume level.
Joyo Golden Face
It’s tiny, it’s tuney, but the British-flavored crunch Joyo packed into the Ironman JF-308 Golden Face guitar effects pedal is anything but loony. This extremely small pedal that you can literally carry in your front pocket serves up massive Marshall stack sounds for rocking any audience to their knees. One issue that really small pedals usually face is the control knobs getting accidentally stepped on and mangled. The JF-308 Golden Face fixes that by using a flip cover to keep them safe.
JOYO CAB BOX
Calling the Joyo Cab Box an amp modeler and IR loader is technically accurate, but it does so much more that it stretches the definition. You get four different tube amp models, 20 cabinet models, and 11 classic mic models. Tweak the model parameters, load up to 30 impulse response (IR) files, and then save all your personal presets in up to 128 cab memory slots. The Cab Box also comes with a three configurable five-band post-EQs for guitar, bass & parametric.
MOOER Audiofile
The Audiofile guitar effects pedal from budget stomp maker Mooer is an all-analog hi-fi headphone amplifier for your pedalboard. It’s basically a tiny amp that you can use to practice in peace while having complete access to every single pedal on your chain. Put it as the last pedal on your pedalboard, plug in a pair of headphones, activate the analog cab sim, and you’re good to go. You can even leave it connected when you’re playing live; you can either bypass the Audiofile or turn the cab sim off and use it as an always-on signal buffer/booster.
Two Notes Torpedo C.A.B.
A lot of things may change between each gig, from your backline to the room quality, but with Two Notes’ Torpedo C.A.B. you can be sure your preferred tone will stay the same. The Torpedo C.A.B. is a high-end cabinet simulator in stompbox form that gives you a direct line from your guitar rig to a PA system, mixer, or recording interface. Use the Torpedo C.A.B.’s selection of 32 pre-loaded cabinets or load your own IR files to capture your perfect tone.
Danelectro BK-1 Big Spender Spinning Speaker
The Danelectro BK-1 Big Spender Spinning Speaker guitar effect pedal is the perfect rotary speaker stompbox for musicians working with a very tight budget. Separate Volume and Treble knobs keep the simulated rotary speaker effect from becoming just another mishmash of phaser, chorus, and vibrato effects. A dedicated Speed knob and a Ramp switch separate from the main Effect switch simulate the speeding up / slowing down sounds of a real Leslie speaker for a greasy, gritty, shimmering rotary speaker effect.
Emma Electronic OKTO-NOJS
The Okto-Nøjs from Emma Electronic gives you two pedals in one! It combines dead-on, fast-tracking Octave down (the Okto) with a dynamically sensitive, synth-like Octave-Fuzz (the Nøjs). Both circuit sides are all-analog and boast true bypass switching and high-quality buffers to give you the best sound quality possible. The Okto Nøjs transforms your signal into pure subsonic fire. It allows you to enter a world of never-heard-before tones. You may use the Octaver and Fuzz together or individually.
T-Rex Quint Machine
While standard octave doubling is nice, throwing in a fifth up and providing all three modulated sounds with a separate volume control unlocks a different world. The Quint Machine by T-Rex Engineering lets you emulate an organ, 12-string, or synth sound. Eliminate your dry signal and sound like a synth merely possessing that lonely heart. Designed to give you more, the Quint Machine will keep you discovering new sounds for years. It consists of +1 Fifth, +1 Octave, -1 Octave, and Mix knobs.
ZVex Super Ringtone II
The Super Ringtone II is boutique guitar effects company Zvex’s juiced up 16 step version of the original Ringtone sequencer. This insanely versatile ring modulator can deliver everything from subtle, hypnotic detunes through to otherworldly laser battle sounds and all points between. You can use it no matter the time signature you’re playing in by choosing between 16 steps in the sequence. The Super Ringtone II also features tap tempo control, MIDI sync, a hold feature, eight programmable memory banks, and delta speed control.
Empress Effects ZOIA
Empress Effects’ ZOIA is loaded with a massive collection of modules to realize virtually anything you can imagine. LFOs, oscillators, bit crushers, filters, envelope followers are only some of the available modules which may be connected in almost any way you desire. Essentially a modular synthesizer in pedal form, the ZOIA offers the modules required to build a tremolo or delay from the ground up. It allows you to craft your custom effects, midi controllers, synthesizers, and digital pedalboards. Empress Effects has also developed modules for all your common guitar effects.
Rowin Cursh Bit
Forget the typo in the name; the LEF-3810 Cursh Bit (or Crush Bit, in keeping with what it does) is a powerful bit crusher pedal from budget guitar effects pedal maker Rowin. Bit crushers reduce the sample quality of your guitar signal to make it sound all kinds of lo-fi. Blend your dry and wet signals with the Mix knob and control the reduction of the sample’s rate and depth using the Bit and Crush pots, respectively. It also comes with a three-way toggle that lets you switch between low-pass, high-pass, and normal modes.
EarthQuaker Devices Bit Commander V2
The Bit Commander is EarthQuaker Devices’ love letter to old-school 8-bit beeps and primitive synth sounds. It features four octaves of vintage square wave synth tones which you can sculpt to sonic perfection by adding or subtracting octaves. The Bit Commander lets you easily make your guitar sound like a whole squad of analog synths with a single stomp. The V2 release builds on the original by adding soft-touch relay-based switching for truly silent operation.
















































































































































































































