The Fredric Effects Blue Monarch is an overdrive pedal from UK maker Fredric Effects, based on the Blues Breaker overdrive of the 90s and built with the mods offered by the KoT version of that circuit already in place1. For players, that is the point of the pedal: it aims at the same territory as the much sought after Blues Breaker-style drives, without the waiting list that comes with the original2.
Where the circuit comes from
Fredric Effects describes the Blue Monarch as "based on the popular Blues Breaker overdrive of the 90s", carrying "the mods offered by the KoT version of this circuit with the long waiting list!"1. Gearnews, covering the launch, called it "UK pedal company Frederic Effects's take on the much sought after Blues Breaker"2. In other words, it is a Bluesbreaker-style overdrive with the King of Tone modifications built in as standard, rather than a pedal the player has to modify themselves.
Gearnews's Jef commented on the pedal's availability at its 2020 release, writing: "Thankfully, the new Frederic Effects Blue Monarch pedal has no ridiculous waiting list"2.
The controls
The pedal keeps everything on the outside. Fredric Effects says "We've redesigned the layout so all four controls are external", and the maker also "added a toggle switch to replace the DIP switch functions"1. Guitar World's launch coverage described the same thing: "a redesigned layout with all four controls, gain, volume, tone and treble boost, presented as external knobs"3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of overdrive2 |
| Volume | Sets the output level2 |
| Tone | Shapes the treble response2 |
| Treble boost | Boost control on the front panel2 |
| Toggle switch | Chooses the clipping mode, replacing the DIP switch functions12 |
The toggle is the practical difference from pedals where those clipping options sit inside on DIP switches: on the Blue Monarch they are selected from the top panel1.
Price and availability
Fredric Effects currently lists the Blue Monarch at £140 on its product page1. At launch in August 2020, Gearnews reported an RRP of £1252, and GuitarPlayer reported on 31 August 2020 that the pedal was "available now for £125 (~ $165)"4. The maker's current figure of £140 is the price as of October 20261.
The pedal launched in August 2020 and remains listed on the maker's product page. Prices have moved since launch: £125 at debut, £140 as of October 2026124.
What reviewers said
Coverage at launch was consistent on the essentials. Gearnews framed it as Fredric Effects' answer to a pedal with a long waiting list, noting the four controls and the clipping mode toggle2. Guitar World highlighted the external layout and the toggle replacing DIP switches3, and GuitarPlayer confirmed availability at launch4. The maker's own page also points to an overview of the pedal by Dipswitch Demos1.
Videos
Jackson Brooksby
Joe Boden
Joe Boden
News
Questions
Is the Fredric Effects Blue Monarch a King of Tone clone?
Not exactly. Fredric Effects describes the Blue Monarch as being based on the popular Blues Breaker overdrive of the 90s, with the mods offered by the KoT version of that circuit built in. So it is a Bluesbreaker-style overdrive that carries the King of Tone modifications as standard, rather than a straight copy of the Marshall Blues Breaker pedal itself.
What does the toggle switch on the Blue Monarch do?
The toggle switch chooses the clipping mode. Fredric Effects added it to replace the DIP switch functions, so the clipping options that would normally be set with internal DIP switches are selected from outside the pedal instead. Gearnews' review describes it as a toggle switch that chooses the clipping mode, sitting alongside the four external controls.
How much does the Fredric Effects Blue Monarch cost?
Fredric Effects lists the Blue Monarch at £140 on its product page as of October 2026. At launch in August 2020 the reported price was £125, which GuitarPlayer gave as roughly $165 at the time. The current list price is the maker's own figure of £140.
Is the Blue Monarch still available?
Yes. Fredric Effects' product page currently offers the pedal to buy at £140, and the maker describes the layout as redesigned so all four controls are external. When the pedal launched in 2020, Gearnews noted that it had no waiting list, in contrast to the long waiting list associated with the KoT version of the circuit.
Sources (4)
- Blue Monarch Overdrive, fredric.co.uk
- Is the Frederic Effects Blue Monarch the best Blues Breaker pedal of the year?, gearnews.com, 2020-08-24
- Conjure '90s-era Blues Breaker drive tones with Fredric Effects' Blue Monarch, Guitar World, 2020-08-28
- Fredric Effects Debuts New Blue Monarch Overdrive Pedal, GuitarPlayer, 2020-08-31
