The Dr. No Effects Troy van Leeuwen "TVL" Raven Filter and Boost is a handmade analog pedal that combines a filter and a clean boost in one enclosure. It was developed by Dr. No Effects in collaboration with Troy van Leeuwen, guitarist with Queens of the Stone Age, and both the Raven and its companion TVL Octavia were used on the Queens of the Stone Age album Villains and the tour that followed12.
The two effects inside can work separately as well as together, so a player can use the filter on its own, the booster on its own, or run the filter into the boost for extra level1.
What it is and who it is for
The Raven is a signature pedal, the second in the TVL series that Dr. No Effects created with Troy van Leeuwen12. Dr. No describes the series as a range of unique signature tone guitar effects3, and the collaboration grew out of a plan the two began developing in 2016 for a set of exclusive, custom-made effects that would feature, in the maker's words, "more art, new sounds, great analog tone"4.
Van Leeuwen's wish list of unorthodox tones turned out to be too much for a single box, so the idea became two enclosures and two different concepts: the fuzz-based TVL Octavia and the filter-and-boost Raven1.
The controls
The Raven keeps its control set small. Dr. No Effects lists three main controls12:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| RAVEN Skull knob | Capacitor switch selecting three different filter ranges1 |
| "Q" range potentiometer | Sets the filter's resonance or bandwidth12 |
| Booster Volume | Volume boost knob, dialing in clean gain12 |
The capacitor switch is the heart of the filter side: three positions give three frequency ranges to sweep, and the Q control then shapes how narrow or wide the resonant peak is. The booster section is a straightforward volume boost control that lets you dial in clean gain, useful for pushing an amp harder or simply making a filtered passage cut through2.
The second pedal in the TVL series
Dr. No positions the two as a pair: the Raven complements the Octavia in a shared tonal vision, with the Octavia covering fuzz duties and the Raven covering filtering and clean level2. Where the Octavia carries an overall volume knob alongside its fuzz controls3, the Raven's booster is its own separate effect that can be engaged independently of the filter1.
Used on Queens of the Stone Age's Villains
Both the Raven and the Octavia were used on Queens of the Stone Age's Villains album and the accompanying tour12. For a player chasing the filtered, textured guitar sounds on that record, that is the pedal's clearest credential: it was not a signature model built around an artist's name after the fact, but a tool van Leeuwen developed with the maker over roughly nine months and then took on the road1.
Power and build
The Raven runs on 9V DC with a center negative plug, matching the standard output of most pedalboard power supplies2. It is handmade, and the design includes custom cosmetic touches tied to the TVL series, including the skull-shaped capacitor switch knob12. Dr. No lists its weight at 250 g1.
Dr. No lists the Raven's price in euros (€336.00 on its webshop)1. No US dollar price has been published for this pedal, so US buyers should expect the final cost to depend on shipping, import fees, and exchange rates at the time of purchase.
Videos
jessy chancerel
Forest Hall
Questions
Is the TVL Raven analog or digital?
It is an analog pedal. Dr. No Effects lists the circuit type as analog, and the wider TVL collaboration range was described by the maker as delivering great analog tone. The Raven is also handmade, with custom cosmetic touches tied to the TVL series.
What power supply does the TVL Raven need?
The TVL Raven runs on 9V DC with a center negative plug, the same standard used by most modern effects pedals. That means it works with a typical pedalboard power supply. No battery or current draw figures have been published for it.
Can you use the filter without the booster?
Yes. Dr. No Effects describes the Raven as containing a filter and booster effect that can work separately as well as together. The booster is a volume boost control that lets you dial in clean gain, so you can run the filter alone, the boost alone, or both combined.
What is the difference between the TVL Raven and the TVL Octavia?
The Octavia, the first pedal in the series, is a signature fuzz pedal with an overall volume knob. The Raven is the second pedal, a filter and booster. Dr. No says the two were split into separate enclosures because Troy van Leeuwen's wish list of unorthodox tones did not fit in one pedal.
Who is Troy van Leeuwen?
Troy van Leeuwen is a member of Queens of the Stone Age. He collaborated with Dr. No Effects over roughly nine months to develop the TVL signature series, and both the Raven and the Octavia were used on the Queens of the Stone Age album Villains and its tour.
Sources (4)
- Troy van Leeuwen "TVL" RAVEN FILTER and BOOST -, Dr. No Effects, 2026-04-10
- Troy van Leeuwen “TVL” Raven Filter and Boost by Dr. No Effects, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- TROY VAN LEEUWEN "TVL" OCTAVIA, Dr. No effects webshop, 2026-04-10
- Troy van Leeuwen and Dr.No started a collaboration!!!, Dr. No effects webshop, 2016-07-17
