The Dr. No Effects Blameshifter is a buffered routing and switching pedal, built as a signature collaboration between Dr. No Effects and Troy Van Leeuwen of Queens of the Stone Age. Dr. No describes it as "a pedal that shifts the blame for your mistake to the other guy's amp"1. In practice it is a multi-tool switching station: one buffered high-Z input feeds a main buffered output plus three selectable buffered outputs, with two return inputs for effects loops1.
The core idea is simple. When the pedal is off, your signal goes from the input through the buffer to the main output. When you engage it, a rotary switch sends the buffered signal to whichever of the three outputs the pedal's severed-finger pointer is aimed at23. Dr. No calls the buffer "high-end, ultra-transparent," engaged immediately at the input so no tone is lost downstream2.
What the Blameshifter does
The pedal has one guitar input and four outputs2. The signal hits the buffer right at the input, and from there the routing depends on the switch position2.
- Off: signal goes input, buffer, main OUT. Pure, buffered2.
- On: signal routes to wherever the severed finger points, meaning one of the three selectable outputs21.
The three output indicator labels on top of the pedal are left blank, so you can name each favorite routing with an erasable marker2.
The outputs, toggle and micro-switch
Each of the three selectable outputs does a different job, and a mini toggle switch on the left side changes how Output 2 behaves12.
| Output | Location | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Output 1 | Top left | Buffered send to another amp, or a full effects loop using the return input on the right side; the looped, buffered signal comes back out of the main OUT when engaged21 |
| Output 2 | Middle top | Dedicated buffered A/B switch to another amp; micro-switch chooses A only or A plus the main OUT21 |
| Output 3 | Top right | Identical to Output 1, with its own return, giving a second switchable effects loop or another amp send21 |
Output 2's side micro-switch has two positions2:
- Position A: Output 2 only when engaged, a classic A/B setup2.
- Position B: Output 2 together with the original OUT, to add an amp, run wet/dry, or, in Dr. No's words, "create chaos"2.
The same mini toggle can also activate Output 2 alongside the original out when engaging effects loop 1 or 31. The rotary switch itself is a 3P3T break-before-make type, which means there is a brief moment of silence between positions rather than an overlap1.
Is it an A/B box, or something more?
Dr. No lists the pedal's type as a "Buffered 3-way rotary switcher / A/B / ABY / Dual Effects Loop Switcher"1, which covers the main ways a player would use it. Compared with a simple two-way buffer pedal or a basic A/B box, the Blameshifter's distinction is the pair of return inputs: Output 1 and Output 3 each work as a full effects loop, not just an amp send21. That means you can run two separate switchable loops, or one loop plus a second amp, all from one box with a buffered signal throughout.
Built with Troy Van Leeuwen, in series of 50
The Blameshifter is Troy Van Leeuwen's third creation in the TvL series with Dr. No, ten years after the pair's Raven and Octavia pedals1. The original concept series was described as "TVL and Dr. No trying to bring boutique effects building to it's highest level with this concept series"4. The Blameshifter resurrects an idea left in the drawer since that series3.
On the division of labor, Dr. No says Troy Van Leeuwen brought the technical concept and the idea, while Dr. No handled the technical translation, concept and execution2. Each Blameshifter is fully handmade from A to Z by Dr. No himself in his lab, not mass-produced21.
The Blameshifter is made in a limited series of 50 copies per series, with the first series released October 25, 20262. Pre-sale started that same day3.
Each pedal comes with a hand screen-printed box, a custom foam inlay, and a goodie box containing TvL guitar picks, TvL stickers, Dr. No picks, stickers and buttons1.
Questions
What does the Dr. No Blameshifter do?
It is a buffered switching and routing pedal. When off, your signal passes through a buffer to the main output. When engaged, a rotary switch routes the buffered signal to one of three selectable outputs, which can be amp sends or effects loops with returns.
Is the Blameshifter an A/B box?
It can work as one. Output 2 is a dedicated buffered A/B switch, and a side micro-switch chooses between A/B mode, where only Output 2 is active, and A+B mode, where Output 2 runs together with the main output for wet/dry or two-amp setups.
Can the Blameshifter run two effects loops?
Yes. Output 1 and Output 3 each have a dedicated return input, so both can be set up as switchable buffered effects loops. Engaging an output activates its loop, and switching off deactivates it.
Is the Blameshifter buffered when it is off?
Yes. In the off position the signal goes from the input through the buffer to the main output, so the pedal always presents a buffered signal. Dr. No describes the buffer as high-end and ultra-transparent.
Who designed the Dr. No Blameshifter?
It is a collaboration between Dr. No Effects and Troy Van Leeuwen of Queens of the Stone Age. Troy Van Leeuwen brought the technical concept and the idea, while Dr. No handled the technical translation and execution. Each unit is handmade by Dr. No.
Does the Blameshifter price include shipping?
The Labshop price of 335.00 EUR includes worldwide shipping. Possible customs charges are not included and are the responsibility of the buyer, which matters for US customers ordering from the maker directly.
Sources (4)
- TvL Blameshifter, Dr. No effects webshop
- TvL Blameshiter Troy van Leeuwen-Dr. No Effects, Dr. No Effects, 2026-10-24
- BLAMESHIFTER RELEASE OCT 25th 2026, Dr. No effects webshop, 2026-10-18
- Dr. No & Troy Van Leeuwen Unveil The Raven Guitar, Premier Guitar, 2017-03-21
