Solar Guitars releases Chug Capo Pitch Shifter pedal
June 29, 2026 · 2 sources
Solar Guitars released the Chug Capo Pitch Shifter, the fifth pedal in its Chug line, priced at $249 and available from the Solar Guitars Webstore1. Guitar World reported the release on June 29, 2026, describing it as a "no-nonsense stompbox" billed as "a digital bi-directional capo"2.
The chrome pedal shifts up and down by one octave in semitone increments and has a bright display2. It has four onboard controls: Left and Right Arrows that set -12 to +12 semitones, a Mix control, and a single Fav / Favorite preset1. With Mix applied, the main LED changes to blue to signify 50% dry mixed in; the Fav button turns the LED green1. Guitar World describes Mix as offering a "very powerful fast-tracking octave divider," with the dial blending the pitched signal so the pedal can double as an octave, and says a saved preset can be recalled via Fav mode2. There is also the option of plugging in a non-latching switch, which is not included, and a USB-C port on the back for connecting to a computer2.
Solar gives no exact latency figure, but claims the pedal may match the roughly 8ms of the Klowra Dive1. For comparison, the same report lists the Klowra Vein at 10-12ms, the Boss XS-1 at 13-14ms, the DigiTech Drop at 12-17ms and the EHX Pitch Fork at 16 to 22ms1. Guitar World puts the latency at roughly half a rival's, so that "fast tempo right-hand picking and chugging won't give the feel of your playing dragging"2. It notes the Chug Capo is pricier than the $199 Boss XS-1, which it says has slightly more features and a wider octave range2. Previous Chug pedals range from $129 to $1991.
"This is the fastest and most transparent-sounding pitch shifter to date, especially when it comes to tight rhythm playing, chords, and pinch harmonics"
Solar says the "sonic integrity" of a player's tone will not be harmed when shifting the signal, and that its voicing has been "meticulously programmed" so affected notes sound the same as an unaltered chord2. Six demos are included1. More on pitch pedals is covered in our Octave & Pitch Pedals section.