The brand introduced itself to the gear community in 2014 with its first collaboration, the Bumble Buzz6. Since then it has become known for limited runs, unusual formats and a design process in which White himself is directly involved.
The story: from Third Man Records to pedals
Third Man Hardware grew out of the Third Man Records store, which already sold exclusive pedals, including one by Union Tube & Transistor, before the Hardware line took shape8. Jack White has regularly collaborated with several pedal companies to manufacture a variety of rigorously black and yellow stompboxes sold exclusively through the label's store4.
The turning point came in 2020 with the CopperSound Triplegraph, a retro-futurist effects pedal with three Morse-code-style telegraph keys and an integrated auxiliary loop, based on CopperSound's Telegraph stutter/kill switch pedal910. According to Delicious Audio's history of the pedal, it was the first Third Man pedal designed and engineered from the ground up with Jack White9. Both iterations shipped with a 130+ page book documenting the pedal's origin story10.
The releases since then trace the brand's arc:
- 2014: Bumble Buzz, the first collaboration6
- 2019: Plasma Coil with Gamechanger Audio, a special version of the Plasma distortion and octave pedal11
- 2020: Triplegraph with CopperSound, the first pedal built from the ground up with White9
- 2022: Double Down with MXR, an effects pedal with two outputs for connecting to two separate amps5
- 2024: Fuzz-a-Tron DIY kit, Triple Threat with Donner, Knife Drop with Eventide, La Grotte with Anasounds21213
- 2025: Roto-Echo with Black Mountain, Troika Delay with JHS1415
- 2026: Old Zoo-Lion Meat with Beetronics16
Known for collaborations with other pedal makers
Nearly every Third Man Hardware release is a joint project. The brand's partners and their pedals include46:
| Partner | Pedal | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Gamechanger Audio | Plasma Coil | Distortion and octave pedal, a special version of the Plasma pedal (2019)11 |
| CopperSound | Triplegraph | Telegraph-key effects pedal (2020)10 |
| MXR | Double Down | Effects pedal with two outputs for connecting to two separate amps (2022)5 |
| Donner | Triple Threat | 3-in-1 analog multi-effects pedal: distortion, phaser and echo (2024)117 |
| Eventide | Knife Drop | Monophonic analog synth pedal with overdrive and octave up and down (2024)18 |
| Black Mountain | Roto-Echo | Analog-style delay pedal with Freewheel Technology (2025)19 |
| JHS Pedals | Troika Delay | Delay pedal, a limited release (2025)1520 |
| Beetronics | Old Zoo-Lion Meat | Limited-edition one-knob fuzz, 333 units (2026)316 |
| Anasounds | La Grotte | Spring reverb21 |
The pattern is consistent: White brings the idea, the partner designs and builds, and the result is sold in limited quantities through Third Man's own channels. Pedal of the Day described the working relationship behind the Troika Delay this way20:
"when Jack brought this idea to Josh, he and JHS immediately gave it the same care and attention"
JHS lists the pedal as available for purchase exclusively at Third Man Hardware22.
Two releases show the range of the approach:
- The Fuzz-a-Tron, debuted at NAMM 2024, is a build-it-at-home fuzz pedal kit priced at $75, designed for beginners with little or no soldering experience212.
- The Knife Drop, made with Eventide, is described by Guitar.com's reviewer as White's most technologically advanced signature pedal yet, blending the incoming guitar signal with a monophonic analog-style synth, with Jack White-created presets indicated by an LED ladder and settings cards that slot over the knobs13.
Jack White, founder
Jack White, the founder of Third Man Hardware and the lead singer of the White Stripes, is the creative force behind the brand1. His involvement goes beyond endorsement:
- He worked with Donner to design and manufacture the Triple Threat1.
- With the Roto-Echo, MusicRadar reported that White had already used the pedal when recording No Name and that it was on his touring pedalboard23.
- The Anasounds collaboration began when White, after playing the company's Element pedal, got in touch to design a spring reverb for Third Man Hardware24.
Availability and limited runs
Third Man Hardware pedals are sold exclusively through Third Man's store and the brand's official Reverb shop, and many releases are limited runs that sell out. Prices as announced25227:
| Pedal | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fuzz-a-Tron kit | $75 | DIY fuzz kit2 |
| Old Zoo-Lion Meat | $150 | 333 units, sold out316 |
| Roto-Echo | $279 street price | 14 |
| Troika Delay (black) | $349 | Standard version15 |
| Troika Delay (yellow) | $369 | Reverb-exclusive limited edition6 |
The Old Zoo-Lion Meat fuzz shipped in a blister pack designed to look like a vintage meat label and sold out at launch316.
Because most Third Man Hardware releases are limited and sold only through Third Man's own channels, several pedals, including the Old Zoo-Lion Meat, are sold out. Second-hand units have tended to appear on Reverb, where the limited editions were originally sold3.
The range (12)
News
Questions
Who owns Third Man Hardware?
Third Man Hardware is the music gear offshoot of Jack White's Third Man Records universe. White, the founder of the brand and lead singer of the White Stripes, drives its collaborations with other pedal makers, and the pedals are sold through Third Man's own store and Reverb shop.
What was the first Third Man Hardware pedal?
Third Man Hardware introduced itself to the gear community in 2014 with its first collaboration, the Bumble Buzz. Its first pedal designed and engineered from the ground up with Jack White was the CopperSound Triplegraph in 2020, a telegraph-key octave effects pedal.
Who made the Third Man Hardware Roto-Echo?
The Roto-Echo was made by Third Man Hardware in collaboration with Black Mountain Designs. It is an analog-style delay with Freewheel Technology for foot control, and Jack White reportedly used it when recording No Name and on his touring pedalboard.
Is the Old Zoo-Lion Meat fuzz still available?
No. The Old Zoo-Lion Meat, a one-knob fuzz made with Beetronics in a limited run of 333 units at $150 each, sold out after its July 2026 release. Second-hand units may appear on Reverb, where the pedal was originally sold.
What is the Third Man Hardware Knife Drop?
The Knife Drop is a collaboration with Eventide, a monophonic analog synth pedal with an overdrive circuit and octave up and down functionality. It blends the guitar signal with an analog-style synth and includes Jack White-created presets shown on an LED ladder.
Where can I buy Third Man Hardware pedals?
Third Man Hardware pedals are sold exclusively through Third Man's own channels: the Third Man store and the brand's official Reverb shop. Limited editions, such as the yellow Troika Delay variant, have been Reverb exclusives, and runs often sell out.
Is the Donner Triple Threat based on other Donner pedals?
Yes. The Triple Threat shares its basic chassis with Donner's now-discontinued Alpha series pedals. Its phaser is based on Donner's Pearl Tremor with an extended modulation range, and its echo comes from Donner's first-ever pedal, the 2013 Yellow Fall Delay.
Sources (25)
- New At NAMM: Third Man Hardware Donner Triple Threat, Delicious Audio, 2024-02-05
- NAMM 2024: “The chance to succeed at building a classic sounding fuzz pedal”: Jack White's Third Man Hardware just hopped on the DIY pedal train with the Fuzz-a-Tron, Guitar World, 2024-01-25
- Jack White and Beetronics launch Old Zoo Lion Meat fuzz, Guitar World, 2026-07-27
- New Pedal: Anasound + Third Man La Grotte Mechanical Reverb, Delicious Audio, 2024-08-29
- Jack White delivers a pedal demo for the ages as Third Man Hardware partners with MXR for the Double Down, Guitar World, 2022-12-09
- Third Man and JHS Pedals Debut Troika Delay, Premier Guitar, 2025-11-14
- New Pedal: MXR/Third Man Records Double Down, Delicious Audio, 2022-12-09
- Gamechanger Audio Plasma Coil (with Third Man Records), Delicious Audio, 2022-06-03
- The Story Of The Coppersound/Third Man Triplegraph, Delicious Audio, 2020-10-09
- Jack White and CopperSound Pedals' Third Man Triplegraph Digital Octave is a retro-futurist's dream, MusicRadar, 2020-09-28
- Third Man Hardware and Gamechanger Audio Introduce the Plasma Coil Distortion/Octave Pedal, Guitar World, 2019-07-25
- NAMM 2024: Jack White says build your own fuzzbox as Third Man launches new $75 Fuzz-a-tron, “a basic no-fail DIY guitar pedal kit” for players of all abilities, MusicRadar, 2024-01-25
- Eventide Third Man Hardware Knife Drop review: outrageously fun, Guitar.com, 2025-02-28
- Third Man, Black Mountain Intro Roto-Echo, Premier Guitar, 2025-08-26
- Third Man Hardware and JHS Pedals release Troika Delay, Guitar World, 2025-11-12
- Jack White cans up some fuzz for the Old Zoo-Lion Meat tin-can pedal, Guitar.com, 2026-07-28
- Triple Threat 3-in-1 Analog Multi-Effects Pedal Donner X Third Man Hardware, donnerdeal.com
- Eventide x Third Man Hardware Knife Drop review, Guitar World, 2025-01-23
- New Pedal: Black Mountain-Third Man Roto Echo, Delicious Audio, 2025-09-10
- Third Man Hardware / JHS Pedals Troika Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2025-11-13
- “It's been a lifetime of searching for a small spring reverb effect unit that could be used as a stompbox onstage or in the studio”: Third Man Hardware and Anasounds unveil La Grotte, a Jack White reverb pedal with real springs in the tank, MusicRadar, 2024-08-30
- TROIKA - JHS Pedals, JHS Pedals
- “With practice, players can perform swells, shifts, or rhythmic changes in their delay sound as they play”: Jack White's Third Man Hardware teams up with Black Mountain for the Roto-Echo, the delay pedal you can control with your foot, MusicRadar, 2025-08-27
- La Grotte, Anasounds, 2026-09-16
- Jack White & MXR Unveil Double Down Preamp - Premier Guitar, Premier Guitar, 2022-12-09