The Cornerstone FlameXS is a clean boost pedal: its aim, in the maker's words, is "to push up the signal volume without altering the original tone or adding any unwanted distortion"1. Cornerstone, which builds its pedals handmade in Italy, designed it "out of a need for a stand-alone totally clean boost" and describes it as a "clean booster to warm up the tone"1. Where a drive pedal shapes the signal, a boost like this one simply raises level, which makes it a companion to overdrive pedals, distortion pedals and fuzz pedals rather than a replacement for them. It belongs to the wider family of boost pedals.
Controls and how it works
The FlameXS keeps things simple with a single control:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | At 0% there is unity of volume while the pedal warms up the sound; turning clockwise increases volume up to 20dB of clean boost without saturation or overdrive1 |
That single-knob layout means the pedal does one job: set how much level you want to add. At its minimum setting the volume stays at unity, so the pedal can be left on purely for the tonal warming the maker describes, and pushed clockwise when a solo or a section needs more level1.
Power and mounting
The FlameXS requires a standard 9V DC negative power supply only1.
Cornerstone specifies a 9V DC negative power supply only, so it runs from a standard pedalboard supply. The pedal's micro-size enclosure is described as able to fit onto every pedalboard1.
Price and availability
Cornerstone lists the FlameXS at 119,00€ EUR on its product page, as of 25 October 20261.
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Questions
How much boost does the Cornerstone FlameXS give?
The FlameXS offers up to 20dB of clean boost. Its single Gain knob sits at unity volume at 0%, and turning it clockwise raises the output level up to that 20dB maximum. Cornerstone says the boost stays clean throughout, without becoming saturated or overdriven, and without altering the original tone or adding unwanted distortion.
Can the Cornerstone FlameXS run on a 9V battery?
Cornerstone specifies a standard 9V DC negative power supply only for the FlameXS. The maker's product page does not list battery operation, so plan to run it from a pedalboard power supply that provides 9V DC with a center-negative connection.
Where is the Cornerstone FlameXS made?
The FlameXS is handmade in Italy by Cornerstone, a maker of music gear. The company describes the pedal as a clean booster designed to warm up the tone, built in a micro-size enclosure that fits onto any pedalboard.
Does the Cornerstone FlameXS add distortion?
No. Cornerstone designed the FlameXS as a stand-alone, totally clean boost, and says its aim is to push up the signal volume without altering the original tone or adding any unwanted distortion. Even at its full 20dB of boost, the maker says the pedal never becomes saturated or overdriven.
Sources (1)
- FlameXS | Cornerstone | Handmade in Italy Music Gear, Cornerstone