The Flattley Joker is a boutique UK-made analog pedal that covers boost, overdrive and distortion in one box12. Flattley built the pedal around a FET-based 12AX7 valve simulation, with the aim of sounding similar to an overdriven single valve combo32. A second range, Filth mode, was added to allow gain and distortion for rock fans2, and the pedal is designed for use from jazz and blues to rock1.
The result is a pedal that works several ways at once. With the Gain control down it delivers a transparent, sparkling boost that enhances pick attack and adds musical overtones3. Turn the Gain up, or flip into its second mode, and it becomes a full overdrive and distortion pedal. It can also sit in front of a conventional amp as a boost, adding harmonic content and tone shaping before the signal hits the amp's front end2.
The controls
The Joker carries Volume, Gain and Tone controls, plus a mode toggle switch1. A green halo LED and an aluminum foot topper aid visibility on stage, and Guitar World's review notes the Halo light ring as a feature41. The pedal is designed for use from jazz and blues to rock1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets output level; in Dirt mode with Gain at minimum, it reaches unity gain at around 11 o'clock4 |
| Gain | Sets the amount of drive; at minimum the pedal works as a transparent boost3 |
| Tone | Most neutral at minimum; advancing it rolls off bottom-end, and from the midpoint adds increasing top-end emphasis into treble-boost territory4 |
| Toggle | Selects the Dirt or Filth mode4 |
Guitar World's reviewer, Trevor Curwen, found the Tone control notably versatile, observing that "that knob is at its most neutral at minimum position, but advancing it starts rolling off bottom-end, and from the midpo[int] adds increasing top-end emphasis into treble-boost territory"4.
Dirt and Filth modes
The two toggle-switched modes are the heart of the pedal4. Dirt is the boost and overdrive side: RockBoard describes it as a warm boost that can reach classic tweed style crunch, and Pedal of the Day characterizes it as anything from a "warm boost" to a "flat out tweed"12. Filth is the distortion side, which Pedal of the Day says was added to allow gain and distortion for rock fans2.
Guitar World found the two modes overlap rather than sit in separate worlds: "Switching to Filth mode, the starting point is somewhere towards the upper end of Dirt mode, so there's some crossover b[etween them]"4. Filth moves from crunch into a more compressed, gainier, but not overly saturated version of the Dirt sound4. Delicious Audio describes the toggle as progressively adding saturation and compression for heavier, more saturated leads without muddying the core tone3.
Pedal of the Day's reviewer liked how distinct each mode feels:
"I love how they each offer their own certain sparkle and crunch to your sound, and the range within the control knobs is phenomenal"2
How it compares in the Flattley range
The Joker sits in Flattley's Overdrive Platinum Range3. Within that range it covers unusually wide ground: a second range, Filth mode, was added to the Dirt mode to allow gain and distortion for rock fans2. Reviewing the pedal, Pedal of the Day found that the two modes each bring something distinct, saying "I love how they each offer their own certain sparkle and crunch to your sound, and the range within the control knobs is phenomenal"2.
What reviewers made of it
Reviews across the press agree the Joker is more than a one-trick drive. Delicious Audio found it "excels as a foundational drive for blues and rock, a responsive lead boost pushing a clean or edge-of-breakup amp, and a transparent tone-shaper that stacks well with other pedals"3. The same review notes its design philosophy prioritizes touch sensitivity and tonal transparency, functioning as much as an expressive clean boost as a versatile drive3. Pedal of Day's reviewer summed up the two modes similarly: "I love how they each offer their own certain sparkle and crunch to your sound, and the range within the control knobs is phenomenal"2.
Videos
Premier Guitar
Tone Nerds
Philip Czarnecki and Flattley Guitar Pedals
Questions
How much does the Flattley Joker cost?
The Joker Valve Tone was priced at $319 USD, or £259, on the Flattley webstore when it launched at the January 2026 NAMM show. Guitar World's review lists the same £259 price. Flattley's other Platinum Range anniversary pedals share that price point.
Is the Flattley Joker true bypass?
Yes. Guitar World's review lists true bypass among the pedal's features, so with the pedal switched off your signal passes through without active circuitry in the way.
Does the Joker come with a power supply?
No. The pedal runs on a 9V DC adaptor that is not supplied, drawing 50mA. You will need your own power supply or pedalboard power outlet to run it.
Is the Joker a tube pedal?
No, it contains no tubes. It is an analog pedal that uses a FET-based 12AX7 valve simulation, a circuit approach designed to emulate the dynamic response and harmonic richness of a 12AX7 tube gain stage.
Where is the Flattley Joker made?
The Joker is made in the UK. Flattley is a boutique UK builder, and Guitar World's review lists the pedal's origin as UK.
Is the Flattley Joker analog?
Yes. RockBoard's PedalPedia lists the Joker's circuit type as analog, built around FETs configured to simulate a 12AX7 valve stage rather than digital modeling.
Sources (4)
- Joker by Flattley, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Flattley Pedals The Joker Boost Overdrive Distortion, Pedal of the Day, 2026-05-17
- Flatley The Joker Overdrive/Distortion, Delicious Audio, 2026-01-20
- Flattley The Joker review, Guitar World, 2026-06-21