The Awestruck Amplification Highland Discrete Overdrive is a single-transistor overdrive pedal that also works as a boost, reaching mild fuzz at its top end. It was released in October 2026 at a list price of $169, and Pedal of the Day reviewed it in August 2025 as one of three pedals in the builder's current lineup12.
What "discrete" means here
Most modern overdrives use an op-amp chip at their core. The Highland instead uses a single-stage, silicon transistor to drive the guitar's signal, which is what the "discrete" in its name refers to2. That puts it in a lineage of single-transistor gain stage circuits. Guitar Pedal X lists its inspirations as follows1:
| Circuit | Role in the Highland's design |
|---|---|
| Electra Distortion | Single-transistor gain stage precedent |
| Emerson EM-Drive | Discrete drive voicing |
| EarthQuaker Devices Arrows | Boost-to-drive range |
| Mythos Golden Fleece | Fuzz-adjacent top end |
What it does to your sound
Pedal of the Day's reviewer describes the Highland as producing "a natural breakup with warm, transparent tone and a great dynamic feel"2.
"Moving easily from boost to drive to borderline fuzz territory"
At the low end it can serve alongside other boost pedals, while at higher settings it edges toward what players get from fuzz pedals. It sits in the broader family of overdrive pedals, with the distortion pedals category covering its harder-clipping relatives.
Controls
Pedal of the Day describes the Highland as "a three-knob, two-toggle beauty"2. Guitar Pedal X adds that the single-transistor Highland is "a little more expansive in having 3-way clipping, and 3-way Body EQ"1, which accounts for the two toggle switches:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Three knobs | Level, gain and tone shaping for the single-transistor stage2 |
| Clipping toggle | Selects between three clipping options1 |
| Body EQ toggle | Selects between three Body EQ voicings1 |
Build and availability
The reviewer found the pedals well built, using top quality components2:
- Alpha potentiometers
- WIMA capacitors
- Royal Ohm resistors
The Highland is available now from the Awestruck Amplification Webstore, where it sits alongside the builder's other current pedals1.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's verdict was that the pedal's range suits a wide set of uses: "the range of tones makes it a perfect pedal for live sound, band practice and the recording studio alike, with no shortage of musical applications overall"2.
Videos
Awestruck Amplification
Boring Gear Reviews
Pedal of the Day
Questions
What does discrete mean in the Highland Discrete Overdrive?
Discrete means the circuit uses individual transistors rather than an op-amp chip. Pedal of the Day's reviewer notes that the Highland uses a single-stage, silicon transistor to drive the guitar's signal, which is the same approach behind circuits like the Electra Distortion. It is the reason the pedal sits closer to old-school transistor drive designs than to modern op-amp overdrives.
Can the Awestruck Highland be used as a boost?
Yes. Pedal of the Day describes the Highland as moving easily from boost to drive to borderline fuzz territory, so it works at the low end of its range as a boost that pushes an amp or another pedal, and at the top end it reaches mild fuzz.
How much does the Awestruck Highland cost?
Guitar Pedal X lists the Highland Single Transistor Discrete Overdrive at $169 in the United States, or £128 in the UK, as of its October 2026 release coverage.
What are the three clipping options on the Highland?
Guitar Pedal X reports that the Highland has 3-way clipping and 3-way Body EQ, set by its two toggle switches. The toggles give the single-transistor circuit three distinct clipping characters and three Body EQ voicings, which is how one small circuit covers boost, drive and mild fuzz.
Sources (2)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-10-15
- Awestruck Amplification Highland Discrete Overdrive, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2025-08-21
