The Cog Effects Knightfall 66 is a bass overdrive pedal built around two separate overdrive or distortion settings and a filtered clean blend. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as "capable of providing fat cleans, old school mid-heavy growl, all the way through to high gain overdrive"1. It was released alongside a smaller sibling, the Cog Effects Mini 66, which shares the same basic concept in a compact enclosure2.
Two overdrive settings with a filtered clean blend
The Knightfall 66's core idea is that you get two independent drive voices in one box. MusicRadar described it as offering "two different overdrive/distortion settings," and placed the pedal among clean-blend-enabled drives that "span overdrive to distortion"3. The A/B footswitch switches between the two separate Gain controls, and each Gain control also has a Level control so the two settings can be balanced against each other1.
The clean side is not a straight dry blend. RockBoard's PedalPedia states that the clean channel is filtered in a similar way to the Grand Tarkin's clean channel and is designed to properly blend with the drive channel1. Premier Guitar's press coverage of the release put the same point this way:
"the Knightfall 66 also features a filtered clean channel designed to blend with the overdrive channel in a more natural-sounding way"
For a bass player, that filtered clean blend is the practical heart of the pedal: it keeps low-end definition under the drive, which is what a straight clean blend on a generic overdrive often fails to do21.
The controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain (x2) | Two separate Gain controls, switched with the A/B footswitch1 |
| Level (x2) | A Level knob for each Gain setting, so the two drive settings can be balanced2 |
| Clean | Dials in the clean signal, giving the sound more definition5 |
| Voice | Adjusts pre-gain low end, altering the low end content prior to the clipping circuit12 |
| Tone | Cuts high end after the clipping circuit, with a broad sweep from dark through to very bright1 |
The Voice knob is the tone-shaping control that sets the Knightfall 66 apart from a simple gain-and-level drive: because it works before the clipping circuit, changing it reshapes the character of the overdrive itself rather than just the tone after the fact2.
Power, bypass and construction
The Knightfall 66 runs on a 9V DC, center negative supply, and RockBoard's PedalPedia states it can be powered up to 18 volts for increased headroom and dynamic feel1. Guitar Interactive Magazine likewise reported a 9 to 18 volt standard DC input on the Knightfall 664.
Because the pedal accepts up to 18V, an 18V supply changes its feel and headroom compared with running it at 9V. Use an isolated DC supply at either voltage; the pedal's standard rating is 9V DC center negative1.
The pedal uses true bypass switching23. Internally, gearnews.com noted that Cog Effects use jack plugs which are not mounted on the PCB, "which should make them very robust"5. The enclosure is a CNC-engraved Hammond 1590BB aluminum enclosure4.
Where it came from and what reviewers said
The Knightfall 66 was announced in May 2016 together with the Mini 66, described by Premier Guitar as two new overdrive pedals derived from Cog Effects' earlier Knightfall design2. Both pedals are hand-built and designed in the UK5, and MusicRadar reported them as available now as of 31 May 20163.
Reviewers' verdicts at release were positive on build and value. gearnews.com's Jef wrote that "the pricing given this type of production value seems very reasonable value for money"5. The UK retail price at release was £1602.
For context on where the Knightfall 66 sits, see the site's pages on Overdrive Pedals and Distortion Pedals, since the pedal's two settings span both territories3.
Videos
MrExcane
hamfistUK
SonnyBassPlayer
Questions
Is the Cog Effects Knightfall 66 true bypass?
Yes. Premier Guitar's press coverage of the Knightfall 66 lists True Bypass Switching, and MusicRadar reported that both Knightfall pedals offer true bypass switching when they became available in May 2016. With true bypass, the pedal's circuit is removed from the signal path entirely when it is switched off.
Can the Knightfall 66 run at 18 volts?
Yes. The pedal's standard power input is 9V DC, center negative, and the maker states the Knightfall 66 can be powered up to 18 volts for increased headroom and dynamic feel. Guitar Interactive Magazine likewise described a 9 to 18 volt standard DC input on the Knightfall 66.
Where is the Cog Effects Knightfall 66 made?
The Knightfall 66 is hand-built and designed in the UK, according to gearnews.com's coverage of the release. Guitar Interactive Magazine also noted its CNC-engraved Hammond aluminium enclosure.
What does the A/B footswitch on the Knightfall 66 do?
The A/B footswitch toggles between the pedal's two separate Gain controls, each of which has its own Level control so the two drive settings can be balanced against each other. It lets you set one lower-gain sound and one higher-gain sound and switch between them on the fly.
Sources (5)
- Knightfall 66 Bass Overdrive by Cog Effects, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- New Knightfall 66 & Mini 66 Overdrives by Cog Effects, Premier Guitar, 2016-05-27
- Cog Effects unveils Knightfall 66 and Mini 66 bass overdrive pedals, MusicRadar, 2016-05-31
- Knightfall 66 and Mini 66 Overdrives Released by Cog Effects, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2016-06-01
- Cog Effects Knightfall 66 and Mini 66 Overdrives: Double the dirt, gearnews.com, 2016-05-30
