The Mayday Discrete Boost is a boost pedal from Awestruck Amplification, a boutique builder out of Michigan1. It is a discrete boost, meaning the circuit works with transistors rather than an integrated circuit chip, and it is inspired by a classic 60's treble booster circuit1. Pedal of the Day describes the sound as "bold, punchy, and full of character"1.
Circuit and design
At the heart of the Mayday is a single silicon transistor, which the review says boosts the guitar's signal and provides additional texture1. The choice of silicon is deliberate: the pedal uses "a silicon transistor for consistent tone in all environments"1, which matters to players who gig in rooms of very different temperatures, where germanium-based circuits can shift in character.
The components are specified parts rather than generic ones: WIMA capacitors, Alpha potentiometers, and Royal Ohm resistors1. Pedal of the Day's reviewer describes the build as handmade: "Handmade by a builder with a soldering iron and a dream, these pedals are well-built, using top quality components"1.
The controls
The Mayday is a one-knob pedal, but the review argues there is more to it than the panel suggests: it can "look seemingly simple at first glance, but upon further review there's a LOT to delve into with this one-knob gem"1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level knob | Sets the boost amount, from a slight volume jump to edge-of-breakup territory1 |
| Voice toggle, up | Mid-range voicing1 |
| Voice toggle, center | Treble voicing1 |
| Voice toggle, down | Full range voicing1 |
The Voice toggle is what separates the Mayday from a plain volume boost: it "allows you to select between three different voicing options: treble (center), mid-range (up), & full range (down)"1. A player can use the treble setting for the classic cutting treble-booster role in front of a cranked amp, or switch to full range when a cleaner lift across the whole signal is what the board needs.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's verdict on the range of the pedal: "From slight volume jump to edge-of-breakup glory, this unit reminds us all that you can't always judge a pedal by its parameters"1. In other words, the reviewer found the Mayday covers more ground than a single-knob boost layout implies, from a clean level lift up to a light breakup at the edge of the circuit's headroom.
Where it sits in the Awestruck range
Guitar Pedal X, covering the builder's newer releases, describes the Mayday as "a very sombre all-black affair" and the third Awestruck pedal2. It sits alongside the Awestruck Highland Discrete Overdrive, a discrete transistor overdrive from the same builder that spans boost to mild fuzz, which belongs on the overdrive side of the fence rather than the pure boost side2.
The Mayday runs on standard center-negative power1.
Videos
Awestruck Amplification
Pedal of the Day
Questions
What does the Voice toggle do on the Awestruck Mayday?
The Voice toggle selects between three different voicing options: treble with the switch in the center position, mid-range with the switch up, and full range with the switch down. That gives the single-knob pedal three distinct characters, from a treble-boosted cut to a fuller response across the whole signal, all from a circuit built around one silicon transistor.
Does the Awestruck Mayday use a silicon or germanium transistor?
The Mayday uses a single silicon transistor. Pedal of the Day notes that the silicon transistor is chosen for consistent tone in all environments, which is the usual practical advantage silicon has over germanium in boost and treble booster circuits, since germanium parts can shift in character with temperature and vary unit to unit.
What is the Awestruck Mayday Discrete Boost based on?
According to Pedal of the Day, the Mayday is a discrete boost inspired by a classic 60's treble booster circuit. Treble boosters of that era used a simple single-transistor circuit to lift the signal, and the Mayday follows that approach while adding a Voice toggle with treble, mid-range, and full range settings.
What power polarity does the Awestruck Mayday use?
The Mayday runs on standard center-negative power, the same polarity used by the overwhelming majority of modern effect pedals, so it works with a typical pedalboard power supply.
Who makes the Mayday Discrete Boost?
The Mayday Discrete Boost is made by Awestruck Amplification, described by Pedal of the Day as a boutique builder out of Michigan. The pedals are handmade, and the review describes them as well-built, using top quality components.
Sources (2)
- Awestruck Amplification Mayday Discrete Boost, Pedal of the Day (pedal-of-the-day.com), 2025-09-11
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-10-15
