The GUP Tech story
GUP Tech presents itself as a maker of hand-built pedals from Saguenay, with the recurring line on its product pages: "All of our pedals are made by us in Saguenay, Québec, Canada"1. The company's output is wide for a small builder. Its range includes the Pile O' RATs, its take on the classic Proco RAT distortion9; the Boo, a fuzz that adds monophonic 8-bit style sounds with its Sub, Down and UP controls10; the LoopR loop switcher for triggering more than one pedal with a single click910; the Lab Series #16 cab sim910; and the Lab #55 envelope filter910.
Not everything stays in production. The Garbage Drive sits in what the company calls its "Cemetery of old circuits" and will not be built again11. The Boo, the LoopR and the Cool Gate are among the pedals that are no longer available101213, while the DCD dual channel distortion remains in production14.
Known for: noise gates, Douche Editions and limited runs
Noise gates
Noise gates are a GUP Tech specialty, and the family is larger than most builders'. Alongside the current SUN gate, the line has included the TDS Sun, the MWAC, the Cool Gate, the Lab #57, and special editions such as the SUN Douche Neon151617131819. The SUN (Shut Up Noise) gate carries four jacks so it can be wired in 2, 3 or 4-wire method, with a detection input on the right side and the actual gate input on the top right15. The TDS Sun offers the same 2/3 or 4-wire wiring options16.
Douche Editions
A Douche Edition is a limited cosmetic variant of an existing GUP Tech circuit: same circuit, different enclosure finish. The Donut Douche Edition, for example, is described as "Same circuit, same boost-overdrive tone, but with a sparkling enclosure"1. Douche Editions cover many effect types:
| Pedal | Type |
|---|---|
| Donut Douche Edition | Boost-overdrive1 |
| Pumpky Douche Edition | Distortion, a tribute to the V2 OCD, with a clipping toggle (LED, no-clipping, Germanium-MOSFET)20 |
| MOKA Pot Douche Edition | Fuzz21 |
| Clowntaur Douche Edition | OD/Booster, a two-in-one pedal22 |
| Saguenay Drive Douche Edition | Overdrive for pushing an already crunchy amp23 |
| pPTSD Douche Edition | Parametric EQ with integrated clean boost24 |
| BOF Douche Edition | Multi-effects pedal combining the PHNX Overdrive, 1982 overdrive/distortion and KSTR digital delay4 |
| ASTR Douche Edition | Modulated delay25 |
| MWAC Noise Gate Douche Edition | Noise gate17 |
Surprise Pedal batches
The Surprise Pedal (or Mystery Pedal) batch is a recurring sale format. GUP Tech numbers a small batch of pedals, and the buyer does not know which one they will get. The rules are consistent across batches262728:
- You cannot choose the color or the effect, and no specific requests are taken.
- Pedals are brand new and the full warranty applies.
- Sales are final and non-refundable unless defective.
- No discount codes can be used, except for PPPC members.
- Pedals in a batch are all different from one another, but circuits may repeat from one surprise sale to another.
The Prof Pinotte Pedal Club
Repairs and support in Saguenay, Quebec
GUP Tech's shop is at 6182 Boulevard Talbot, Saguenay QC G7N 1W1, Canada, with phone contact at +141881742917296. In-store pickup is currently unavailable at the shop8. Players in the area can also look to the company's EQ pedals for amp problems: the PdeQ (Province DE Quebec) is a presence and depth EQ pedal designed to emulate an amplifier's presence and resonance controls, aimed at guitarists whose amps lack those controls30.
The range (182)
News
Questions
Where is GUP Tech located?
GUP Tech is based in Saguenay, Quebec, Canada, with its shop at 6182 Boulevard Talbot, Saguenay QC G7N 1W1. All of its pedals are made in Saguenay by the company itself. The shop can be reached by phone at +1 418 817 4291, though in-store pickup has been listed as currently unavailable.
What is a GUP Tech Douche Edition?
A Douche Edition is a limited cosmetic variant of an existing GUP Tech circuit. The company keeps the same circuit and tone but finishes the enclosure differently, often in a sparkle or special color. Examples include the Donut Douche Edition boost-overdrive, the MOKA Pot Douche Edition fuzz, and the Saguenay Drive Overdrive Douche Edition.
What replaced the GUP Tech GUUL noise gate?
The SUN (Shut Up Noise) gate replaced the GUUL in July 2021, with the same features and an updated DSP chip. GUP Tech stated the GUUL would never be offered again, and it is now listed as sold out. The SUN carries four jacks for 2, 3 or 4-wire wiring.
What is the GUP Tech Surprise Pedal Batch?
It is a mystery sale. GUP Tech numbers a small batch of pedals, and buyers cannot choose the color or the effect. The pedals are brand new with the full warranty, but sales are final and non-refundable unless defective. Batches have included phasing-out designs, Douche Editions, and unreleased designs.
How can I contact GUP Tech?
GUP Tech's shop is at 6182 Boulevard Talbot, Saguenay QC G7N 1W1, Canada, and the phone number listed on its product pages is +1 418 817 4291. In-store pickup has been listed as currently unavailable at the shop.
How many noise gate pedals does GUP Tech make?
GUP Tech's noise gate line has included the GUUL (now sold out and replaced), the SUN, the TDS Sun, the MWAC, the Cool Gate (sold out), the Lab #57, and the SUN Douche Neon special edition. Vault noise gates are also available through the Prof Pinotte Pedal Club.
Sources (30)
- Donut Douche Edition, guptech.ca
- Surprise Pedal, guptech.ca
- SUN Gate, guptech.ca (GUP Tech)
- BOF Douche Edition, guptech.ca
- Lab #54 Bass Fuzz, guptech.ca
- FrAG Boost Pedal, GUPtech (guptech.ca)
- FrAG Boost Pedal, GUPtech (guptech.ca)
- Lab Series #11 -Dual Distortion, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
- Pile O' RATs, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
- Douche Edition, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
- Garbage Drive, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
- LoopR - Loop Switcher, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
- Cool Gate (Noise Gate), GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
- DCD - Dual Channel Distortion Pedal, GUP Tech
- SUN Noise Gate Guitar Pedal, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
- TDS SUN Noise Gate, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
- MWAC Noise Gate Pedal Douche Edition, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
- Lab #57 - Noise Gate, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
- SUN - Douche Neon, GUPtech (guptech.ca)
- Douche Edition Pumpky, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
- MOKA Pot Douche Edition, guptech.ca
- The Clowntaur, GUPtech (guptech.ca)
- Saguenay Drive Overdrive, GUPtech
- pPTSD 3-Band Parametric EQ Guitar Pedal, guptech.ca
- ASTR - Douche Edition, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
- Surprise Pedal, guptech.ca
- Surprise Pedal, GUPtech
- Surprise Pedal, GUP Tech
- Fun Moth (FuzzFace, GUP Tech
- PdeQ Presence Depth Guitar EQ Pedal, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)