The Ananashead GT73 V2 is a handmade overdrive and preamp pedal based on the 1973 Matamp GT120 preamp, the British boutique tube amp, built with solid state components rather than tubes and with a master volume control1. Ananashead, a pedal builder operating out of Barcelona, first released the GT73 as a large enclosure pedal and later brought out the GT73 V2 as a compact update of that design2. RockBoard's PedalPedia classifies it as a preamp booster1, and it sits in the same territory as other preamp pedals that put an amp's front end on a board.
What it does
The idea behind the GT73 is to put the preamp of the Matamp GT120, a 1973 British boutique tube amp, into a pedal1. Ananashead does this without tubes: the pedal uses solid state components and a master volume control, and the amp's tube circuit is emulated electronically. In the V2 that emulation runs through an SMD circuit that Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio describes as equivalent to the old version's JFET diodes2.
Because it is a preamp-style design with six knobs, it offers more tone shaping than a typical overdrive with three controls, and players who want amp-like gain in a pedal often compare this category against distortion pedals as well13.
The controls
The GT73 carries six knobs. Premier Guitar's news item on the original listed them as Volume, Master, Presence, Treble, Bass and Bass-Boost3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Output level3 |
| Master | Master volume, part of the preamp design1 |
| Presence | Part of the four-control EQ section23 |
| Treble | Part of the four-control EQ section23 |
| Bass | Part of the four-control EQ section23 |
| Bass-Boost | Part of the four-control EQ section23 |
Delicious Audio describes the four EQ controls, Treble, Bass, Presence and Bass-Boost, as allowing "a wide palette of tone-sculpting possibilities"2.
The footswitch is an Alpha type, which De Gregorio describes as "reliable and robust"2.
Power and bypass
The GT73 V2 runs on a filtered and protected 9VDC input2, with RockBoard's listing specifying 9V DC, center negative1. Current draw is 10mA according to both Delicious Audio2 and RockBoard1, and Premier Guitar reported the same 10mA figure for the original GT733. Premier Guitar also noted the original was daisy-chain friendly3, which at a 10mA draw makes the pedal an easy fit on a shared supply.
The pedal has no battery option mentioned in its specifications: it runs from a 9V DC center negative supply1.
History and versions
Ananashead announced the original GT73 in April 20213. It was a large enclosure pedal, and the GT73 V2 followed as "an updated version of the previous big box GT73," in De Gregorio's words, in a compact housing2.
The main change between versions is in the parts: the through hole JFETs used in the original became scarce, so Ananashead changed them for their SMD equivalents2. Delicious Audio describes the resulting SMD circuit as equivalent to the old version's JFET diodes2. The bypass switching, described as Popless True Bypass in both versions23, and the 10mA current draw23 carried over.
Ananashead also builds other pedals, including the Ananashead Blend Bass Drive, a bass overdrive with a clean blend4.
Questions
Is the Ananashead GT73 V2 true bypass?
Yes. Delicious Audio describes the GT73 V2 as having Popless True Bypass switching, so the pedal is out of the signal path when off and does not pop when switched. Premier Guitar reported the same bypass arrangement for the original big box GT73, so the switching carried over to the compact version.
How much current does the GT73 V2 draw?
The GT73 V2 draws 10mA, according to both Delicious Audio and the RockBoard PedalPedia listing. That is a light load by pedal standards, and Premier Guitar also noted the original GT73 was daisy-chain friendly, so it can share a supply with other pedals rather than needing its own outlet.
What changed between the big box GT73 and the GT73 V2?
The GT73 V2 is a compact update of the previous big box GT73. The main circuit change is that the through hole JFETs used in the original became scarce, so Ananashead replaced them with their SMD equivalents. Delicious Audio describes the new SMD circuit as equivalent to the old version's JFET diodes.
Does the GT73 V2 use tubes?
No. The pedal is based on the 1973 Matamp GT120 preamp but is built with solid state components rather than tubes. The amp's tube circuit is emulated through a circuit that, in the V2, uses SMD parts equivalent to the original version's JFET diodes.
Sources (4)
- GT73 on RockBoard PedalPedia, RockBoard, 2026
- Ananashead GT73 Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2021-04-27
- Ananashead Effects Releases the GT73, Premier Guitar, 2021-04-26
- Ananashead Blend Bass Drive, Tonebox
