The Expandora Squared is an overdrive, distortion and fuzz pedal in one box, a fresh recreation of the vintage round Expandora that the Japanese builder Bixonic released in the mid-1990s. The reissued version is hosted in a compact orange enclosure and is made with pride in the USA1.
What it does
The original Expandora was, as Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio put it, "a round, sonically multifaceted dirt box"1. The Squared keeps that idea: one pedal that moves between Crunch, Overdrive, Distortion and Fuzz modes, so a player can cover several drive flavors without giving up pedalboard space1.
Mode selection is handled by two toggle switches offering four combinations that select the modes. On this version the mode switches sit right on the face of the pedal for easy access, a change from the original's hidden settings1.
Circuit and build
The circuit is faithful to the original design, employing two vintage NOS LM308 Single Op-Amp Chips and a RC4558 Dual Op-Amp, along with original spec silicon Clipping Diodes1. The pedal is custom made in batches with all of the standard specs2.
"The Expandora is made with pride in the USA."
Where it came from
The Expandora Squared is a fresh recreation of the vintage round Expandora pedal from decades ago1. This version keeps the original's approach in a compact orange enclosure, with a circuit faithful to the original design that employs two vintage NOS LM308 Single Op-Amp Chips and a RC4558 Dual Op-Amp1.
Videos
Expandora Pedals
Expandora Pedals
Ryan Kiesshauer
Questions
What is the difference between the Expandora Squared and the original Expandora?
The Squared is a fresh recreation of the vintage round Expandora from the mid-1990s, built to the original specifications with original spec silicon clipping diodes. The main practical difference is the layout: the mode switches on the Squared sit right on the face of the pedal for easy access, rather than being hidden away. It is custom made in batches with all of the standard specs.
What modes does the Expandora Squared have?
The pedal produces Crunch, Overdrive, Distortion and Fuzz modes. Two toggle switches on the face of the pedal give a total of four combinations, which select between the modes. That makes it a single dirt box that can stand in for several drive types on a pedalboard.
Sources (2)
- Expandora Squared Overdrive/Distortion/Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2021-09-07
- Expandora Squared by Bixonic, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
