Aclam's approach is unusual among pedal builders. Rather than copying a schematic from a book, the company buys original vintage amps, traces their circuits and measures every component, then recreates the sound in pedal form. Reviewers have noted that Aclam "had an original amp and measured all its components and recreated it in the pedal"5.
The story: from guitar accessories to boutique pedals
Aclam began as a pedalboard company. After a few years as what a trade publication called "an innovative pedalboard manufacturer," the company expanded into effects with its first pedal, the Cinnamon Drive, announced in mid-20181.
The pedalboard side of the business has its own history. Aclam premiered the Modular Track pedalboard at the NAMM Show in 2013, with a range of accessories that let players enlarge the board. That product was later withdrawn after what the company describes as "a surprising patent infringement in the US" concerning empty spaces on the board2.
Its replacement, the Smart Track system, appeared as prototypes at the NAMM Show in 2014, with the first production units made in the summer of 2015. By 2019 Aclam had completed a full custom pedalboard system2:
- Three different track types
- Many side lengths
- Two ways to attach pedals: patented mechanical Fasteners (no Velcro or adhesives) and the Velcro-based Evo Track
- A wide range of accessories
The Modular Track pedalboard no longer exists. It was discontinued after the US patent issue, and Smart Track and Evo Track are the current lines2.
What Aclam is known for: Cinnamon Drive, Dr. Robert and more
Aclam's pedal catalog grew quickly after 2018, and much of it shares one theme: The Beatles' gear8910.
| Pedal | Type | What it is based on |
|---|---|---|
| Cinnamon Drive | Overdrive | Aclam's first pedal, announced mid-20181 |
| Dr. Robert | Overdrive / preamp | Normal channel of Aclam's 1966 Vox UL730, S/N 304234 |
| The Mocker | Fuzz | Built-in fuzz circuit of the same Vox UL7301112 |
| Go Rocky Go | Overdrive | Third in the Beatles-inspired series5 |
| The Windmiller | Preamp | Pete Townshend's use of a Grampian 636131415 |
The Dr. Robert, released in April 2019, is the pedal that put Aclam on the map for many players. Premier Guitar's reviewer described it as "their fantastic Vox UL730-inspired pedal, the Dr. Robert"142. Guitar World's Trevor Curwen noted that "the pedal is designed to deliver an accurate emulation of a Vox UL 730 amp, the 30-watt version as opposed to the more powerful UL730"63. On That Pedal Show, Mick Taylor and Daniel Steinhardt demoed it as an overdrive/boost pedal built on the UL730, serial number 30424.
"The pedal is designed to deliver an accurate emulation of a Vox UL 730 amp, the 30-watt version as opposed to the more powerful UL 7120 The Beatles also used."
On That Pedal Show, the hosts walked through the pedal's origin in the UL730 and demoed its range as an overdrive and boost4.
Aclam builds its pedals with what the company calls high-end components3:
- Carbon comp resistors
- Nichicon Fine Gold and Wima capacitors
- Alpha pots and switches
All of its effect pedals use a custom light aluminum enclosure designed to fit Aclam Smart Track pedalboards, with side thumb screws for locking15.
The company has also shown its gear at trade events: its Dr. Robert and Cinnamon Drive pedals were exhibited at the Boutique Effects Pedal Showcase communal booth, No. 1359, at Summer NAMM 2019 in Nashville1617.
Support
Aclam handles support through two email addresses: support@aclam.cat for safety and installation queries, and guitars@aclam.cat for customer services7. Its pedals ship with mounting accessories for its own pedalboard system; the Cinnamon Drive, for example, is supplied with18:
- A self-adhesive anti-slip rubber pad
- A self-adhesive Velcro pad
The range (14)
News
Sources (18)
- Aclam Products for Guitars launches its first pedal: Cinnamon Drive!, MusicPlayers.com, 2018-07-02
- The evolution of Aclam’s custom pedalboards, Aclam Guitars, 2019-11-12
- AAFF-Intrucciones-Dr-Robert.indd, Aclam Guitars, 2023
- Cornerstone Gladio, Neunaber Inspire, Walrus Slö, Aclam Dr Robert TPS Pedal Jams, That Pedal Show (YouTube), 2020-02-26
- Aclam Go Rocky Go review, Guitar World, 2025-07-07
- Alcam Guitars Dr Robert amp-in-a-box overdrive review, Guitar World, 2020-02-13
- Dr-Robert-V3.pdf, Aclam Guitars, 2026
- Aclam Go Rocky Go pedal reviewed | GuitarPlayer, GuitarPlayer (www.guitarplayer.com), 2025-05-13
- “The Magical Mystery Tour and the White Album, this guy is the perfect tool to recreate those tones”: Aclam unveils Go Rocky Go, a Vox Conqueror in a pedal for nailing late '60s Beatles tones | MusicRadar, MusicRadar, 2025-03-07
- Go-Rocky-Go_v2.pdf, Aclam Guitars (GUITAR TRACKS S.L.)
- The Mocker Effect Pedal. Buy it at Aclam's Store, Aclam Guitars
- The-Mocker-Pedal_EN-v2.pdf, Aclam Guitars, 2024
- Aclam Unveils New, Pete Townshend-Inspired Windmiller Preamp Pedal, GuitarPlayer, 2021-02-17
- Pete Townshend’s Power-Pop Propulsion Secret, Premier Guitar, 2021-07-13
- AAFF-The WIndmiller Preamp_ALL.indd, Aclam Guitars (Llevinac S.L.), 2020
- Summer NAMM 2019: Aclam pedals exhibited at the Boutique effects pedal showcase booth!, Aclam Guitars, 2019-07-12
- Summer NAMM 2019: Aclam pedals exhibited at the Boutique effects pedal showcase booth!, Aclam Guitars, 2019-07-12
- AAFF-Instruciones-Cinnamon-Drive_fr.pdf, Aclam Guitars, 2019