Xotic

A West Coast boutique maker

Xotic's own history pages trace the company to its first distortion pedals: "The 'AC-Booster' and 'RC-Booster' were the first distortion pedals for Xotic"¹. The AC Booster is an overdrive in a yellow case, while the RC Booster is a clean boost, and both remain the circuits the company is identified with. The same history, republished from Japan's The Effect Book, notes that Xotic "celebrated the 20th anniversary of one of their origins, the 'RC-Booster,' in 2022"⁴.

The range has since grown across several effect families:

• Boost and overdrive pedals: the RC Booster, AC Booster, EP Booster and Soul Driven¹⁵⁶
• Bass-specific versions such as the Bass RC Booster³
• Wah pedals: the XW-1 and XW-2⁷⁸
• Volume and expression pedals: the XVP series and the XXP-1⁹
• Envelope filtering: the Robotalk RI¹⁰

Known for the RC Booster and EP Booster

The RC Booster, on sale since December 2002, is a clean boost with EQ. Xotic's manual describes it as "a super transparent 20db+ clean boost with an adjustable ±15dB two band active EQ," with a gain control knob and two-band EQ among its controls¹¹. In 2016 the original was discontinued and replaced by the RC Booster V2, whose active Treble, Bass, Gain and Volume controls allow for what Xotic Online Shop calls "limitless tone shaping"¹²¹. The AC Booster shares the two-band EQ approach¹³.

In 2022, for the pedal's 20th anniversary, Xotic brought the original design back as the RC Booster Classic, "a versatile clean boost with active boost, treble, gain and volume controls"¹⁴.

The EP Booster takes a different approach: rather than an EQ-based boost, it is modeled on a tape echo. Xotic's product page explains the lineage⁵¹⁵:

Xotic product page for the EP Booster⁵

It is positioned as "a simple pure boost," and its influence is wide enough that other makers openly build on it: Mosky's XP and BP Boosters are each listed as "Based on Xotic EP booster Pedal," and Jed's Pedals sells an Eee Peee kit that "compares to the EP Boost by Xotic"⁵¹⁶¹⁷. The EP Booster also grew into the EP-Pro, which combines the boost with a volume pedal mechanism¹⁸.

Wahs, volume and expression pedals

Xotic's wah line began with the XW-1, whose custom wound inductor, pot and circuit "captures the pure essence of vintage Clyde McCoy" wahs¹⁹. Xotic calls it one of the most versatile wahs available, with "unlimited sounds with unique controls" including a bias control: a warmer bias gives slightly more output and a firmer low end, while a cold bias gives the clearer, smoother voice common to vintage wahs²⁰. Both the XW-1 and XW-2 use a footprint 20% smaller than conventional wah pedals⁷²¹.

The XW-2, announced in 2024, is a streamlined version. Xotic describes it as "a refined wah pedal design with an emphasis on 'Maximum Tone with Minimal Fiddling'," and like the XW-1 it carries a relay-based true bypass switch and adjustable rocker tension⁸. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes the XW-2 as a limited edition producing "a warm, expressive, and versatile wah-wah tone that is equally suitable for playing throaty rock solos or funky muted rhythms"²².

Alongside the wahs, Xotic makes volume pedals in high-impedance (250K) and low-impedance (25K) versions, with a Tuner Out on the XVP line²³, and the XXP-1 expression pedal, billed as "ONE PEDAL. THREE EXPRESSIONS" for its three expression functions in one unit⁹. The EP-Pro borrows its nylon pivot design, which Xotic says "ensures smooth pedal operation and adjustable torque," from the XV volume pedal mechanism¹⁸.

Support and repairs

Xotic handles support and repairs from its Van Nuys office. The company's manuals direct owners to email support@xotic.us or use the online contact form before returning a unit for repair².

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