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10 Pedals Featuring Artwork from Renowned Artists
Guitar effects come in the form of a stompbox with control knobs, switches, and buttons. They are usually installed on the floor for convenient access. Guitar effects pedals are organized on a personalized pedalboard and players kick or step on the pedals with one foot to activate or disable them during a show or song. They manipulate the instrument’s tone to craft custom sound effects and help enhance the overall sound by helping players adjust the volume, tune the guitar, or even eradicate pesky noises for a more polished sound. They all work well for bass, electric, and acoustic (with pickup) guitars. Every year introduces a new batch of hot releases that faithful gear enthusiasts look forward to. With the growing competition in the pedal arena, manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to innovate and launch impressive units. Several brands decided to team up with music icons such as Allan Holdsworth, Joe Bonamassa, Eddie Van Halen, and Buddy Guy, among many others, to build their signature pedals, while others collaborated with renowned artists and illustrators to design aesthetically beautiful pedals. Here are some pedals that are perfect for those looking for a unit that makes a statement both sonically and visually.
Animals Pedal Tioga Road Cycling Distortion
Like other pedals from Animals Pedal, the Tioga Road Cycling Distortion comes painted with playful artwork by Australian artist Jonas Claesson. Built in conjunction with master pedal builder and founder of California-based Wren and Cuff, Matthew Holl, this distortion pedal evokes classic late ’70s and early ’80s rodent-esque distortion tones updated with beefier lows. According to Holl, “If you’re a fan of the classic Rat pedals from the past, then you will be a fan of the Tioga Road Cycling distortion.” Created to exacting standards of durability and performance leveraging only the best quality parts and materials, the Tioga Road Cycling Distortion incorporates true-bypass switching and runs on 9V power. It consists of controls for Volume, Tone, and Dist. It also carries a three-position toggle switch that lets the player select between two different distortions (asymmetric and symmetric clipping), as well as a third setting yielding a cleaner overdriven sound. Holl claims that the ultra-versatile Tioga Road Cycling Distortion pedal can be utilized for just about any music style. Animals Pedal is a Japan-headquartered boutique guitar effects pedal manufacturer revered for its relatively inexpensive, accessible, and uniquely artful pedal designs. It entered the US market last year after gaining recognition among Japanese guitarists. Animals Pedal stompboxes help players achieve their ideal tone while also making their pedalboard look artsy.
Morley Steve Vai Mini Bad Horsie 2
Guitar legend Steve Vai’s iconic, signature wah now comes in a portable size. Embellished with Steve’s stunning original artwork, the Morley Steve Vai Mini Bad Horsie 2 not only conserves precious pedalboard real estate but also brightens it up. This beauty is limited to only 700 units worldwide.
The Steve Vai Mini Bad Horsie 2 features switchless operation. “Step on the treadle to engage the Wah and step off to bypass.” This eye candy wonder wah also incorporates Morley’s world-renowned Electro-Optical design, so no need to worry about wearing out any pot. The Steve Vai Mini Bad Horsie 2 lets users choose between two modes: Contour Wah and Bad Horsie Wah. The Contour Wah mode enables adjusting the output and frequency of the wah. To activate the Contour mode, merely press the switch. Use the Level knob to manage the output and the Contour knob to alter the frequency. Meanwhile, the Bad Horsie Wah mode is programmed to Steve’s favorite tone and sweep. Packaged in a sturdy cold-rolled steel chassis, the Steve Vai Mini Bad Horsie 2 includes Morley logo and glow-in-the-dark treadle rubber. It works with keys, bass, or guitar. Other features include a quick clip battery door and an LED indication.
MXR I Love Dust Phase 90
The holy grail classic Phase 90 sees a bold new makeover in the limited-edition I Love Dust Phase 90 pedal. It comes decked out in the bold, brazen limited-edition artwork of award-winning UK-based design collective, ILOVEDUST. Collaborating with the likes of Coca-Cola, Nike, and now MXR, ILOVEDUST crafts custom designs for some of the world’s leading brands. For well over 40 years, the MXR Phase 90 has been a staple on the pedalboards of numerous players across the world. From Eddie Van Halen to Nancy Wilson to Josh Homme to Dave Grohl, everybody loves it. This iconic tiny orange box has become the only “icon of its effect category,” and many epic riffs have enjoyed its sonic qualities. No matter the instrument or genre, the Phase 90 has been present to impart its unique lush voice to a player’s tone palette. True to the original Phase 90 design, the I Love Dust Phase 90 captures an extensive range of classic phasing effects with a roll of one knob. At 9 o’clock, the pedal delivers a smooth, mellow modulation that gives a subtle and beautiful accent to the sound. Bump it up to noon for something closer to a Leslie cab.
Walrus Audio Emissary
The Walrus Audio Emissary features an artwork by illustrator Adam Forster showing an x-ray of a patient’s skull and a person gazing at the emissary and other vital veins passing through the head. It comes in a silk satin black die-cast chassis with white and light blue ink. The word “Emissary” refers to a group of veins found within a person’s head. It connects the venous sinuses inside the cranium to the veins outside the cranium. Built from the ground up, the Emissary is a two in one boost that helps make slides sing, leads shine, finger picking come to life, and drives tube amps into natural breakup. Similar to the veins it is named after, the Emissary incorporates two separate boost circuits running in parallel to work in tandem to realize the user’s ideal sound. Walrus Audio promises an authentic “sinus clearing experience.” Use either circuit by itself or mix them by twisting each knob to the desired level. The Emissary boost pedal is destined to become the secret weapon of any pedalboard. It consists of Bright and Mid knobs. Bright manages a high-headroom JFET boost perfect for improving jangle and high-end attack, while Mid sets the midrange presence, which can be further customized using the selectable frequency switch.
JAM Pedals Custom Dyna-ssoR
Sporting an artwork by The Simpsons animator John Achenbach, the Custom Dyna-ssoR pedal from Jam Pedals is the realization of a dream to bring the best of the MXR DynaComp and Ross Compressor together (the reason why it is named as such). Both the Ross Compressor and the DynaComp are deemed legendary in the stompbox realm. Although original Ross Compressors were manufactured only for a couple of years in the late 1970s, it has established a cult following. These sought-after models are elusive and pricey, but players can achieve its excellent response with re-creations like the Vick Audio R-Comp. The JAM Pedals Custom Dyna-ssoR pedal is designed for use either as “a ‘squashing’ compressor for tight single-coil-fuelled funk grooves or as an infinite sustainer for soaring, overdriven humbucking tones.” This custom edition of Dyna-ssoR is fantastic and elusive. The JAM Pedals Custom Chill Sine Wave Tremolo and Custom Ripple Sine Phaser also feature a design by John Achenbach.
MXR** ****Slash Octave Fuzz **
Timeless and legendary rock music icons MXR and Slash have joined forces to develop the Slash Octave Fuzz, which comes in an enclosure with a distressed hot-rod finish and special Slash artwork. The Slash Octave Fuzz boasts a searing Fuzz tone paired with an individual Sub Octave voice as well as an Octave Up Fuzz, all for beefing up the tone with a sinister growl. It features an arsenal of internal and external controls for fine-tuning the user’s sinister sound. Users have several ways to mix the primary Fuzz effect’s thick ’70s shag and the Octave Up Fuzz’s chainsaw grind with the Sub Octave’s warm growl. Internal Tone and Gain pots sculpt the Octave Up Fuzz effect. The Slash Octave Fuzz is equipped with true hardwire bypass, pure analog circuitry, and is packaged within a sturdy chassis consists of high-quality switches and jacks.
Dunlop Jerry Cantrell Cry Baby
The famed Jerry Cantrell Cry Baby Wah got a cool makeover, and it is all about going back to the Seattle roots of riff master Jerry Cantrell. This limited-edition Jerry Cantrell Cry Baby Wah comes with a distressed black paint job, lyrics for the song Rainier Fog by Alice in Chains on the bottom plate, and a special treadle design inspired Jerry’s tribal orca tattoo, made by Coast Salish artist Joe Wilson. The Jerry Cantrell Cry Baby Wah boasts a dark, punchy voice and an extensive sweep that includes a knob on the side for fine-tuning the toe-down frequency. Jerry is among the most influential guitarists from the Seattle rock scene. His searing tone and legendary riffs served as the driving force behind Alice in Chains ever since the late 1980s. Jerry’s melancholy wah-drenched melodies in contemporary classics such as The Rooster and Man in the Box left a permanent mark on a generation of guitarists. Limited to only 500 units, the special edition of Jerry Cantrell Cry Baby Wah is a must-have for all Alice in Chains fanatics as well as players who fancy that distinctly vocal wah sound.
Old Blood Noise Endeavors Excess
The boutique distortion, delay, and chorus of the Excess by Old Blood Noise Endeavors are all combined within a dainty, well laid out pink stompbox, which features artwork from the illustrative brain of Atiya Jones. Old Blood Noise Endeavors claims that this pedal is “everything you need for your next ripping session in 1985 and beyond.” Lush chorus, slapback delay, and high gain distortion in a selectable series or parallel signal path. The Excess carries independent volume knobs for both the Modulation and Distortion effects. The modulation mode is adjusted using the secondary stomp switch that changes between delay and chorus. Users may alter the signal path via the Parallel/Series toggle switch. In Parallel mode, the Modulation and Distortion effects are summed to one output, yielding “a clear modulation with a distorted layer underneath, cleanly separated,” while in the Series mode, the Distortion effect will flow into the Modulation effect, stacking their volumes and sound.
MXR Brown Acid Fuzz
Here for a limited time only, the recently announced Brown Acid Fuzz pedal serves up classic psychedelic silicon saturation for bassists and guitarists who prefer it slow, heavy, and low. Spec’d from a vintage 1970s UK fuzz circuit, the pedal’s streamlined three-knob layout enables users to plug in and tune out instantly. This limited-edition offering from MXR comes adorned with the enigmatic renderings of renowned Bay Area artist Alan Forbes. To set the mood, simply dial in the Fuzz, Tone, and Output controls and then allow the heaviness to flow forth as the surroundings melt into a fuzzy, synesthetic blend of sounds and colors. As Jim Dunlop puts into words, “Whether you want to ride droning power chord currents across the universe or summon burly grooves at an ancient altar, this pedal has all you need for your musical invocations.” The Brown Acid Fuzz comes in a standard-sized chassis and works well with both bass and guitar. It also consists of side-mounted input and output jacks.
Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Gypsy Fuzz
The Jimi Hendrix Gypsy Fuzz by Dunlop loads Jimi’s distinctive and bitingly aggressive Band of Gypsys fuzz sound into a Phase 90-sized chassis that sports artwork from acclaimed rock artist Gered Mankowitz. Throughout 1969-70, Jimi performed at his most remarkable live appearances—Live at the Fillmore East, Live at Woodstock, and Live at Berkeley—employing a mysterious red Fuzz Face Distortion carrying white dials. As Jim Dunlop describes, that red box “sounded like a completely different animal from any of the other Fuzz Face pedals in Jimi’s arsenal, snarling with a far more aggressive, biting tone.” Although the pedal itself has been lost to history, its exceptional sound lives on in the three iconic shows’ recordings. Hendrix fanatics have also long attempted to cop that sound. Fortunately, the Jimi Hendrix Gypsy Fuzz pedal puts a glorious end to that tonal quest. It allows users to achieve the same Fuzz Face sound. It also incorporates a brand-new Tone knob for sonic fine-tuning.
