The Acorn Amps Solid State is a preamp pedal that recreates the full circuit of the Peavey Decade, the 10W solid-state practice combo introduced in 1980. Acorn describes it as "a full circuit recreation of that newly sought after amp packed into a pedal enclosure and loaded with features," and unlike most preamp pedals it includes the Decade's output stage, so it can drive a speaker cabinet on its own12. It shipped in April 2022 at $2993.
The Decade it recreates started life as a basic home practice amp in the 1980s and later became a studio favorite. Acorn's own framing is that "a relatively overlooked low-wattage practice amp was revealed to be a studio secret weapon," and the maker pitches the pedal at "wiry and aggressive tones for guitar, bass, and even drums and vocals"412. Gearnews found it "does a convincing job of recreating the tones of this classic solid-state practice amp"5.
A Peavey Decade recreation in a pedal
The Peavey Decade was a small solid-state 10W combo that debuted in 198027. Guitar.com's Richard Purvis calls it "a crappy little 1980 Peavey Decade practice combo" that became a studio secret weapon, and Guitar Pedal X describes the Acorn pedal as "based on Josh Homme's favourite Peavey Decade Combo"26. The amp's reputation for wiry, aggressive riff tones made it newly sought after, and Acorn's answer was to put the whole thing on a pedalboard.
The pedal is not just the Decade's preamp. It incorporates "the TDA series class-AB power amp device that was utilized in the original amp design," which is what lets it function as a complete 10 watt amp rather than a tone-shaping front end1. Gearnews notes the same point: "the Solid State incorporates the same TDA series Class-AB power amp device" as the original5.
Acorn also makes a compact version, the Acorn Amplifiers Solid State Preamplifier, which Guitar.com describes as "a compact version" of this pedal. The full-size Solid State is "a bigger pedal that includes a recreation of the Decade's output stage and can be plugged straight into a speaker cab"2. Guitar Pedal X rated the compact preamp among 2023's best new boost and overdrive pedals, calling it "Fantastic punchy compact preamp pedal based on Josh Homme's favourite Peavey Decade Combo" and adding that "Everything about it is quality - beautifully made - and sounds as good as it looks!"6
Peavey itself has since joined the Decade pedal market: MusicRadar reviewed the Peavey Decade pedal, part of the Peavey Legacy Preamp Series, as "a faithful recreation of the original Decade circuit"7. That gives players two routes to the same amp, one from the original maker and one from Acorn.
The controls
The control set mirrors the original amp plus a few studio-minded additions13:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Pre Gain | Sets the input gain level5 |
| Post Gain | Sets the output level5 |
| Low, Mid, High | Three-band EQ to dial in your tonal frequency13 |
| Normal/Saturation footswitch | Toggles between the two tone modes; LED glows green in Normal, red in Saturation3 |
| Output select toggle | Sends the signal out from two different points on the circuit path, before or after the power amp circuit1 |
| Mute switch | Mutes the signal for quick studio tracking1 |
There are two footswitches in total: one turns the pedal on and off, the other toggles between Normal and Saturation modes3. The output select toggle is the key to the pedal's dual personality, since taking the signal before the power amp circuit treats it as a preamp, while taking it after engages the full amp chain1.
Outputs and power
The Solid State has two separate output jacks, so it can serve as a preamp in your pedal chain, as a standalone amp into a speaker cab, or both at once1. MusicRadar described the arrangement at launch: "The Solid State has a pair of output jacks, allowing you to use it as a preamp pedal" or to power a speaker3.
Power requirements depend heavily on how you use it1:
| Configuration | Current draw at 9V | Current draw at 18V |
|---|---|---|
| Output jack only (preamp use) | 50mA | <50mA |
| Speaker jack, 8 or 16 ohm cab | ~250mA | ~500mA |
| Speaker jack, 4 ohm cab | ~400mA | ~900mA |
Driving a 4 ohm cabinet at 18V pulls around 900mA, far more than a standard 9V/100mA pedal supply delivers. Check your power supply's per-output current rating before running the speaker jack.
The pedal is true bypass and powered by 18V DC pedal power, though it also runs on a 9V supply41. Acorn's page for the compact preamplifier version lists a 9 to 18VDC range and notes it "consumes less than 100mA of current" in that preamp-only role4.
What reviewers said
"Practical issues might limit its appeal for live work, but maybe it’s fitting that the SSP’s real strength should lie behind the scenes as a recording tool"2
Richard Purvis, Guitar.com2
MusicRadar's review of the Peavey-branded Decade pedal, rating it four stars out of five, noted that "It certainly does recreate the sound of the original Decade and is ideal for QOTSA riffage," which speaks to the shared appeal of the circuit both makers are chasing7.
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Questions
Can the Acorn Solid State drive a speaker directly?
Yes. It carries full 10 watt solid-state guitar amp circuitry, including a recreation of the Decade's output stage, and has a dedicated speaker output jack. Plug it into an 8, 16, or 4 ohm speaker cabinet and it works as a standalone amp, while the other output jack can feed your pedal chain at the same time.
Is the Acorn Solid State true bypass?
Yes, Acorn Amps specifies true bypass for the Solid State. When the pedal is off, your dry signal passes through without buffering, so it behaves like a standard true bypass pedal on your board.
How many watts is the Acorn Solid State?
It contains full 10 watt solid-state guitar amp circuitry, covering both the preamp and the power amp. The power amp uses the same TDA series class-AB device as the original Peavey Decade design, so it can drive a speaker cabinet on its own.
What does Saturation mode do on the Acorn Solid State?
Saturation is one of two footswitchable tone modes, alongside Normal. A second footswitch toggles between them, with the LED glowing green in Normal and red in Saturation. Reviewers describe the saturated channel's thin mode as beautifully abrasive, while the normal channel runs from clean to medium-scuzzy.
What power supply does the Acorn Solid State need?
It runs on 18V DC pedal power, and also works on a 9V supply. Current draw depends on how you use it: at 18V it draws under 50mA as a preamp only, around 500mA into an 8 or 16 ohm cab, and around 900mA into a 4 ohm cab, so plan your power supply accordingly.
What amp is the Acorn Solid State based on?
It is a full circuit recreation of the Peavey Decade, the 10W solid-state practice combo from 1980. The Decade became a studio secret weapon, famously associated with Josh Homme's tones, and Acorn's pedal packs the preamp and power amp into a standard 1590BB enclosure.
Sources (7)
- Solid State Amp/Preamp Pedal, Acorn Amplifiers
- Acorn Amplifiers Solid State Preamplifier review, Guitar.com, 2026-03-17
- Put Josh Homme's QOTSA guitar tone on your pedalboard with Acorn Amps' Solid State practice-amp-in-a-box, MusicRadar, 2022-04-05
- Solid State Preamplifier, Acorn Amplifiers
- QOTSA secret studio weapon in a pedal? Acorn Amps Solid State, gearnews.com, 2022-04-05
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-12-16
- "If you're seeking a polished, smooth, modern distortion, this is most definitely not the stomp box for you": Peavey Decade preamp pedal review, MusicRadar, 2025-07-29
