The story: a North Carolina builder
Asheville Music Tools is a North Carolina company through and through. Hawker has said of the ADG-1: "I am dedicated to Designed, Manufactured, Machined, and Assembled in North Carolina."2
"They are about 90 minutes drive from Asheville up in the foothills and so it was easy for me to drop in and go over any"
The production chain is local at every step2:
- PCB assembly by a women-owned assembly company in the mountains of Western North Carolina
- Enclosures machined, painted and printed about 90 minutes from Asheville
- Circuit boards from a PCB board house in West Jefferson, NC
Asheville Music Tools is a separate, independent builder, founded by Rick "Hawker" Shaich1. The company builds its pedals with extensive voltage control, expression pedal functionality, and under-the-hood options to expand their flexibility1.
The Analoger Series: ADG-1, AFG-1, APH-12 and ACV
The Analoger Series is the heart of the lineup, all-analog effects with an unusually deep control set for their size345.
| Pedal | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ADG-1 | Analog delay | "An extensive and fully analog control set unprecedented for a pedal of its size"5 |
| AFG-1 | Dynamic flanger | 100% analog, with a Drive knob derived from the ADG-1's drive circuit6 |
| APH-12 | Phaser | Continues the legacy of high stage count phasers, designed by Hawker7 |
| ACV-1 | Chorus/vibrato | Expression/CV control over Time, Feedback, Rate or Amount8 |
The Analoger Series includes the APH-12 Phaser, the AFG-1 Flanger and the ACV-NOS Chorus3. The ADG-1 is an analog Bucket Brigade Delay9. The AFG-1 is a Dynamic Analog Flanger and Whooshless Resonant Comb Modulator9. The APH-12 Plus is currently sold out10.
Beyond the Analoger Series, the company has also made an Analog Octave Up effects unit with no knobs or controls at all, which Pedal of the Day covered in June 2024 alongside the builder's wider lineup of pedals, guitars and amps11.
Availability is limited. The AFG-1 and APH-12 Plus are listed as Sold Out610, and the ADG-1 Special Edition is discontinued, with the maker stating "we do not currently have plans to build this special pedal again"12.
Voltage control and expression options
What sets the Analoger Series apart from many analog pedals is how much of the circuit can be driven from outside the box. Every pedal in the line carries a TRS expression/control voltage jack, and a rotary or slide switch chooses which parameter the external source controls175.
- ADG-1: a 4-position rotary switch assigns Time, Feedback, Rate or Amount to an external expression pedal (internal +5V supplied on ring) or a 0-5V CV input5
- AFG-1: the expression jack enables expression pedal or control voltage control over 4 knob parameters with expanded range; CV range is 0-5V, control input on Tip6
- APH-12: a 4-way switch assigns Sweep, Regeneration, Rate or Amount, additive to the front panel knob and extending its range; CV range 0-5V7
- APH-12 Plus: a bi-polar 4-way switch for Sweep, Resonance, Rate or Amount; the CV range widens to -5V to +5V10
- ACV-1: a 4-position rotary selects Time, Feedback, Rate or Amount, all additive to the front panel knob8
Because the external control is additive to the knob rather than replacing it, a player can set a base sweep speed on the panel and then use an expression pedal to push beyond it in real time71013.
The founder: Rick "Hawker" Shaich
Asheville Music Tools is founded by Rick "Hawker" Shaich1, who designs the pedals and speaks directly to customers in the company's build updates. The APH-12 and its Launch Edition are both credited as "Designed by Hawker"713, and the ADG-1 Special Edition's finish came out of Hawker and the team deliberating over dozens of paint samples12.
The PayPal suspension and ordering
The company asks customers to message orders at Asheville music tools dot com with any updates on shipping arrangements2.
For order and shipping questions, the company has asked customers to message orders at Asheville music tools dot com with any updates to their shipping arrangements2.
The range (12)
News
Questions
Where are Asheville Music Tools pedals made?
In North Carolina. The company describes its products as designed, manufactured, machined and assembled in the state: PCB assembly is done by a women-owned assembly company in the mountains of Western North Carolina, enclosures are machined, painted and printed about 90 minutes from Asheville, and the circuit boards come from a board house in West Jefferson, NC.
What happened with Asheville Music Tools and PayPal?
In October 2020, after the ADG-1 pre-order sold quickly, PayPal flagged and suspended the company's account, likely holding pre-order production funds until the following year. The company encouraged customers to pay by credit card through Stripe instead, and asked buyers to email the orders address with any shipping updates.
Is Asheville Music Tools connected to Moog?
No. They are separate companies that happen to share a city: Moog built a small batch of MF-104M Analog Delay pedals at its Asheville factory in 2019, sold only at The Moog Store in Asheville, while Asheville Music Tools is an independent builder founded by Rick "Hawker" Shaich.
How do I contact Asheville Music Tools about my order?
The company has asked customers with shipping questions to message orders at Asheville music tools dot com with any updates to their shipping arrangements. That address was given during the ADG-1 pre-order period when PayPal had suspended the account.
Sources (13)
- About - Asheville Music Tools, Asheville Music Tools
- ADG-1 Preorder Updates, Asheville Music Tools, 2020-12-04
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-06-23
- Asheville Music Tools ADG-1 Analog Delay - Pedal of the Day, Pedal of the Day, 2024-05-19
- ADG-1 Analog Delay, Asheville Music Tools
- AFG-1 Dynamic Analog Flanger, Asheville Music Tools
- Asheville Music Tools APH-12, 12 Stage Analog Phaser, Asheville Music Tools
- ACV-1 Chorus/Vibrato Time Warping Device, Asheville Music Tools
- Analoger AFG-1 by Asheville Music Tools, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Asheville Music Tools APH-12 Plus, Asheville Music Tools
- Asheville Guitar Pedals Analog Octave Up, Pedal of the Day, 2024-06-15
- ADG-1 Special Edition (Discontinued), Asheville Music Tools
- APH-12 12-Stage Phaser, Asheville Music Tools