The Emma Electronic OnoMATOpoeia is a boost and overdrive pedal, handmade in Denmark, that combines a clean level boost with a Gain control for tube-amp-style overdrive. Emma describes its range as "a wide range of tonal colors from clean level boost to seething, sagging saturation worthy of the grungiest garage band"1. At its simplest, it can raise an instrument's volume to a higher or "solo" level; with the Gain control engaged, it can also distort the signal the way a tube amplifier does when it first begins to overdrive1. Pedal of the Day summed it up as "a Boost and Overdrive in one"2.
What it does to your sound
The OnoMATOpoeia sits in the territory between boost and overdrive. As a boost, it lifts the instrument's level for solos or to push an amp harder. As an overdrive, the Gain control distorts the original signal "in the same manner as a tube amplifier when it first begins to overdrive," according to the maker's product page1. Emma's stated design goal, as reported on RockBoard's PedalPedia, was "to create a pedal that every player out there would benefit from having on their board"3.
The controls
The pedal has three main controls, each covering a different part of the boost-to-overdrive range:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Distorts the original signal the way a tube amplifier does when it first begins to overdrive1 |
| Saturation | Changes the gain structure from loose, old-school and slightly fuzzy to tight and modern3 |
| Tone ("seesaw") | A "seesaw" tone control, for well-balanced vintage tones to crisp and sparkly modern tones4 |
The Saturation knob is the pedal's signature control. Emma describes it as changing the gain structure "from loose, old-school and slightly fuzzy to tight and modern"4. The Godlyke product page explains the idea behind it: before overdrive pedals were common, some guitarists would remove one power tube from their amp to get a particular distortion. "This knob turned hard left mimics this same type of distortion - turned to the right the pedal amplifies as normal"1. Mike B, writing on Pedal of the Day, described the same behavior: turned hard to the left it emulates removing one power tube from an amp, and turned to the right it produces normal amplification and overdrive2.
The tone control works as a seesaw rather than a conventional treble roll-off. Emma describes it as covering "well-balanced vintage tones to crisp and sparkly modern tones"4.
Practical details
The Godlyke product page listed the pedal as sold out, with pre-orders open for early November shipment, as of 26 October 20261.
- Bypass: True-Bypass switching, so the circuit is out of the signal path when the pedal is off4
- Jacks: Top-mounted I/O, which keeps the pedal's footprint compact on a board4
- Build: Handmade in Denmark4
- Model designation: OM-1, which Emma says is "perfect for Bass as well as Guitar"1
The Godlyke page listed the price as £115.00 GBP (as of 26 October 2026)1.
Videos
gearmanndude
Pedal of the Day
Robert DeVito
Questions
Is the Emma Electronic OnoMATOpoeia true bypass?
Yes. Emma Electronic lists the OnoMATOpoeia with True-Bypass switching, so when the pedal is off, your guitar's signal passes straight through without passing through the circuit. That matters on a pedalboard where several pedals sit in the signal path, since buffers and non-true-bypass circuits can each color the tone slightly even when switched out.
Is the OnoMATOpoeia analog or digital?
The OnoMATOpoeia is an analog pedal. RockBoard's PedalPedia lists its circuit type as analog, which fits its role as a straightforward boost and overdrive: the signal is shaped by analog circuitry rather than converted to digital and back.
Where is the Emma OnoMATOpoeia made?
Emma Electronic states that the OnoMATOpoeia is handmade in Denmark. The company builds its pedals there, and the OnoMATOpoeia carries the model designation OM-1, which Emma says suits bass as well as guitar.
What does the Saturation knob do on the OnoMATOpoeia?
The Saturation knob changes the pedal's gain structure. Emma describes it as moving from loose, old-school and slightly fuzzy on one end to tight and modern on the other. Turned hard left, Pedal of the Day notes it mimics the distortion a guitarist once got by removing one power tube from an amp; turned to the right, the pedal amplifies as normal.
Where are the jacks on the OnoMATOpoeia?
The OnoMATOpoeia has top-mounted input and output jacks. Top-mounted I/O leaves room at the sides of the pedal, which helps when arranging pedals close together on a board.
Sources (4)
- ONOMOTOPOEIA Booster/Overdrive, Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
- Emma Electronic OMP-1 OnoMATOpoeia Boost Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2016-02-13
- OnoMATOpoeia by Emma Electronic, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- OnoMATOpoeia, emma electronic, 2017-03-01
