The Cornerstone Antique is an overdrive pedal from Italian maker Cornerstone Music Gear, first released in 2016 and now in its third version. Cornerstone describes it as a member of the "screamer-like family of overdrives," with a well-defined midrange aimed at bluesy playing in the territory of John Mayer or Stevie Ray Vaughan, and calls it super touch sensitive and versatile1.
The maker is clear about where the circuit stands: "Don't worry, the Antique is not a clone, but it definitely belong to the screamer-like family overdrives"1. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson put the V3 more precisely, saying it "kind of straddles TS808. TS9 and TS10 flavours" of the Ibanez Tube Screamer format while adding its own controls and switches2.
What it does to your sound
The Antique is built around the midrange-forward character of the classic Tube Screamer family, but with more shaping on tap. Cornerstone says the Tone and Presence controls together with the mids switch "allow obtaining several different sounds and colors suiting different guitar/amps tone"1.
In his video review of the Antique Classic Drive, Pete Thorn found it more open than a typical screamer: less compression and more attack, cleaning up when playing lighter or rolling down the guitar volume3. Guitar Pedal X reported the same behavior on the V3, with "excellent guitar volume knob gain cleanup," so a player can stay on the Hot Mode channel and control the amount of drive from the guitar itself2.
The controls
The Antique has used the same four-knob topology since the original 2016 pedal: Tone, Presence, Volume and Gain, plus a mids toggle2. Here is what each control does, per Cornerstone and reviewers:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Determines the amplification factor of the pedal, and thus the overall saturation1 |
| Volume | Acts as a master output control1 |
| Tone | Manages the frequency content of the entire signal; Pete Thorn placed it around low mids through the midrange13 |
| Presence | Specifically shapes the high end content; Thorn described it as shaping upper mids through the super highs13 |
| Mids switch | Shapes the midrange; on the V2, UP was a classic TS tone rich in mids, DOWN milder mids for a more natural overdriven tone43 |
Pete Thorn on the mid switch: "these are all about shape in the mid-range so you can actually cut mids and get like a little bit more of a flat mid kin[d]"3.
"a terrific take on the classic screamer circuit but with way more versatility with the mid switch and the comp switch as"
Hot Mode and the second footswitch on the V3
The biggest change in the 2024 V3 is Hot Mode, engaged by a secondary footswitch. Delicious Audio describes it as "an extra (smaller) volume and Gain knobs that can be triggered via a dedica[ted footswitch]," boosting the signal and increasing distortion4. Guitar Pedal X frames it as a second channel: Hot Mode sets an alternative volume and additive gain on top of the main channel2.
A detail that matters for pedalboard planning: the Hot Mode's volume boost comes after the overdrive stage, so it controls overall output independently without affecting gain5. And for players who want switching away from the pedal itself, the V3 has an EXT. SWITCH remote socket on the right side, where a micro footswitch can engage Hot Mode remotely2.
The V3 also carries over the Comp switch introduced in 2021, with Less and More settings26.
From the original Antique to the V3
The Antique line has three versions:
| Version | Year | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| Antique (V1) | 2016 | The original 4-knob topology of Tone, Presence, Volume and Gain, with a Mids toggle to flatten the EQ profile2 |
| V2 | 2021 | Added the Mids toggle (in place of the later Hotmode knobs) and the Comp switch; Guitar Pedal X associated its voicing with John Mayer sounds, in Ibanez TS10 territory42 |
| V3 | 2024 | Added the Hot Mode second channel with its own volume and gain knobs, and the EXT. SWITCH remote socket42 |
The V3's look is a departure too. Gearnews reports the enclosure is inspired by the classic Vespa scooter, with a Greek key pattern engraved on the faceplates, and 61 different combinations of color, faceplate and knobs available5. MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley called the "Vespa inspired enclosure... very easy on the eye"7.
Cornerstone also makes the Royal Antique, built on the same main circuit as the Antique but with operation modes called Bypass, Standard, Boost and Flame, designed together with Osvaldo di Dio. The Antique circuit has also appeared inside other Cornerstone pedals: MusicRadar notes the Imperium V2 pairs a Dumble-inspired Gladio channel with a Tube Screamer-inspired Antique channel7.
What reviewers said
- Guitar Pedal X (August 2024): the V3 "sounds already magnificent with every knob dialled in at noon - and then things" improve from there, and the reviewer called it "one of the most attractive pedals to ever to hit the market"2.
- Guitar Pedal X (December 2024), naming it among the year's best new boost and overdrive pedals: "This is a next level tube screamer which sounds as good as it looks!"6
- Gearnews (July 2024): "The video demos all sound good, and Cornerstone does make some great overdrives, including the Colosseum, so it should b[e]" on a player's radar for TS-style drive tone5.
- Pete Thorn (2021), on the earlier Antique Classic Drive: "a terrific take on the classic screamer circuit but with way more versatility with the mid switch and the comp switch"3.
Pete Thorn's full video review covers the Classic Drive's controls and sounds:
Videos
Cornerstone Music Gear
Cornerstone Music Gear
News
Questions
Is the Cornerstone Antique a Tube Screamer clone?
No. Cornerstone says the Antique is not a clone, but it definitely belongs to the screamer-like family of overdrives. Guitar Pedal X described the V3 as Tube Screamer-style, straddling TS808, TS9 and TS10 flavors while being its own circuit with extra controls and switches.
Can the Antique V3 Hot Mode be switched remotely?
Yes. The V3 has an EXT. SWITCH remote socket on the right side of the pedal, so Hot Mode can be engaged with a remote micro footswitch instead of the onboard secondary footswitch. That suits players with larger boards who want switching within reach of their feet at the front of the stage.
How much does the Cornerstone Antique V3 cost?
Guitar Pedal X listed the Antique V3 at $299 when it launched in 2024, with UK stock at FX Pedal Planet for £299. Gearnews had earlier quoted the Antique Classic Drive V3 at $249.00, £228.00 or 265.00€. Cornerstone's own product page lists the Antique at 189,00€.
Does the Antique clean up with the guitar volume knob?
Yes. Guitar Pedal X found the V3 has excellent guitar volume knob gain cleanup, so a player can live on the Hot Mode channel and ride the guitar's volume control. Pete Thorn also noted the pedal stays more open than typical screamers, cleaning up when playing lighter or rolling down the guitar volume.
What is the Cornerstone Royal Antique?
The Royal Antique is a Cornerstone overdrive built on the same main circuit as the Antique, described by the maker as an all-in-one solution for overdrive needs. It adds operation modes called Bypass, Standard, Boost and Flame, and was designed together with Osvaldo di Dio.
Sources (7)
- Antique | Cornerstone | Handmade in Italy Music Gear, Cornerstone
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-08-23
- JOHN MAYER TONES, YouTube (Pete Thorn channel), 2021-06-23
- Updated Pedal: Cornerstone Antique Classic Drive V3, Delicious Audio, 2024-07-29
- Antique Classic Drive V3: Customisable Overdrive, gearnews.com, 2024-07-29
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-12-16
- “Use each side on its own or stack them for a wall of sound that's articulate and powerful”: Cornerstone's revamped Imperium V2 is a Dumble x TS-style stompbox that really is the definition of a 2-in-1 overdrive, MusicRadar, 2025-06-18
