The All-Pedal Devil's Triad Essentials Edition is a boost and overdrive pedal from All-Pedal, designed in collaboration with Jeff Loomis, the guitarist best known for his work with Nevermore and Arch Enemy1. It packs three blocks into one box: a dual boost with Pre and Post controls, an active 3-band EQ, and a soft-clipping opamp drive section with a total output of 20dB1. All-Pedal calls it "one of the most versatile drive pedals ever created" and says it can serve as a pedalboard preamp or as an OD/boost for players chasing modern metal chug1.
The pedal is a stripped-down version of the original larger format Jeff Loomis Signature Devil's Triad, which combined Drive, Boost, Reverb and Delay sections in one unit2. The Essentials Edition keeps the Boost and Drive sections and drops the rest, in a smaller footprint2.
A boost, a 3-band EQ and a soft-clipping drive
The Essentials Edition is built on the original Drive section of the Devil's Triad1. That drive is an analog op-amp design with soft clipping, which All-Pedal says "provides depth and tightness to any amplifier while emphasizing your pick attack"3. Soft clipping means the opamp circuit rounds off the signal gradually rather than slicing it hard, the approach usually associated with overdrive rather than full-on distortion.
What separates the Essentials Edition from the original's drive section is the EQ. Where the original Devil's Triad drive had three knobs (Level, Tone, Gain), the Essentials Edition moves to a full active 3-band EQ with Treb, Mid and Bass knobs2. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson described the change when the pedal launched:
"takes the Overdrive from a 3-knob type - to a full 3-Band EQ format."
All-Pedal positions the pedal as more than a dirt box: the maker says the EQ lets you "tone shape your amp to perfection for that nice modern metal chug," and that it works as a pedalboard preamp or as an OD/boost1.
The controls: Boost, EQ and Drive sections
The pedal is organized into three sections, each with its own footswitch on the Boost and Drive blocks2.
| Section | Controls | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| Boost | Pre, Post, Boost footswitch | Pre and Post knobs boost the output signal or the gain of the Drive, each with a small area of cut at minimum12 |
| Active 3-band EQ | Treb, Mid, Bass | Active EQ; the Mid band gives 7.5dB boost or 7.5dB cut, centered at 1kHz12 |
| Soft-clipping opamp Drive | Fuel (Output), Gain, Drive footswitch | Fuel sets the output level; Gain increases signal to the clipping stage to increase distortion23 |
The Pre and Post boost knobs are the heart of the pedal's flexibility. All-Pedal describes them as giving "ultimate control on the front and back of the drive circuit"1: Pre feeds the drive section harder for more clipping, Post raises the level after it for a clean volume lift. Each knob also has a small area of cut at its minimum setting1.
The Fuel knob is the drive section's output control, and the Gain knob increases the signal sent to the clipping stage to increase distortion23. The drive section's total output is 20dB1.
How it differs from the original Devil's Triad
The original Devil's Triad was a four-section pedal: Drive, Boost, Reverb and Delay, a distortion/boost/delay/reverb unit created with Jeff Loomis32. Its drive section had Level, Tone and Gain knobs, its boost section a single Boost knob, and its reverb section Level, Tone and Decay, where Decay set the level of wet signal feedback32. Its delay section ran an analog signal path with digital repeats3.
The Essentials Edition strips that down to the Boost and Drive sections only, and Guitar Pedal X reported that All-Pedal improved both along the way: the drive gains the active 3-band EQ, and the single Boost knob becomes the Pre and Post pair2. The original was listed at £324.00 on All-Pedal's product page, against £249.00 for the Essentials Edition13.
If you want reverb and delay in the same box, the Essentials Edition does not have them. Those sections exist only on the original four-section Devil's Triad2.
What reviewers said
Guitar Pedal X covered the launch in May 2024, reporting the $250 price and availability for immediate order from the All-Pedal Webstore, with major international dealers expected to follow2. Karlsson's verdict tied the pedal to All-Pedal's earlier Slamurai overdrive:
"Seeing how much I love the Slamurai - means that this 'Essentials' one goes straight on the wishlist!"
Later in 2024, Guitar Pedal X included the pedal in its best new boost and overdrive pedals of the year, calling it a "beautiful sounding versatile pedal - great for liquid distortion, but not as high gain as you might think it would be!"4. That is worth noting for players comparing it against dedicated high-gain distortion pedals: the reviewer found it more of a liquid, versatile drive than a firebreather.
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Questions
How does the Devil's Triad Essentials Edition differ from the original Jeff Loomis Signature Devil's Triad?
The original Devil's Triad was a larger format pedal with four sections: Drive, Boost, Reverb and Delay. The Essentials Edition keeps only the Boost and Drive sections, and upgrades the overdrive from a 3-knob layout to a full active 3-band EQ. All-Pedal describes it as improving on those two sections in a smaller pedal.
How much does the All-Pedal Devil's Triad Essentials Edition cost?
Guitar Pedal X reported the Essentials Edition at $250 when All-Pedal released it in May 2024, sold through the All-Pedal Webstore. All-Pedal's own product page lists it at £249.00. The original four-section Devil's Triad was listed at £324.00.
Is the Devil's Triad Essentials Edition a Jeff Loomis signature pedal?
Yes. All-Pedal describes it as designed in collaboration with Jeff Loomis, the guitarist best known for his work with Nevermore and Arch Enemy. Guitar Pedal X covers it as the Jeff Loomis Signature Devil's Triad Essentials Edition, a trimmed-down version of the original signature pedal.
What does the Fuel knob do on the Devil's Triad?
Fuel is the output control of the soft-clipping opamp drive section. It sets the level leaving the drive circuit, alongside the Gain knob, which increases the signal sent to the clipping stage to increase distortion. The drive section has a total output of 20dB.
Where can you buy the All-Pedal Devil's Triad Essentials Edition?
At release in May 2024 it was available for immediate order from the All-Pedal Webstore, with major international dealers expected to carry it soon after.
Sources (4)
- Versatile Drive Pedal, AllPedal
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-05-24
- Jeff Loomis Signature Guitar Pedal, AllPedal
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-12-16
