The Hagerman Boost EF86 Tube Pedal is a boost pedal built around an EF86 pentode vacuum tube. It is an analog design from Hagerman Amplification intended, in MusicRadar's words, to deliver "warm, transparent gain that's ideal for overdriving amplifier inputs or other pedals in your signal chain"1. It sits in the wider family of boost pedals, and was announced alongside its sibling, the Hagerman Overdrive 12AX7 Tube Pedal, which uses a 12AX7 tube instead1.
What it does to your sound
The EF86 is a pentode tube, a type prized in boost and preamp circuits for how it responds when pushed. MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley described the pedal's aim as warm, transparent gain suited to driving an amp's input or another pedal harder, and noted that the Boost EF86 has a low signal to noise performance1. On a January 2026 episode of That Pedal Show, Dan and Mick used the pedal to push a driven amp and called the result "really classy," adding, "It's about pushing the amp. It's definitely about pushing the amp"2.
Controls and power
MusicRadar describes two controls, for level and tone1. In the That Pedal Show demo, the presenters listed the knobs as "level, tone, and drive"2, so the two accounts differ on whether there is a third control.
The pedal is powered by a 9V DC power supply, which is included in the box1. Because it carries a vacuum tube, it is not a pedal that runs without that supply.
Price and availability
At the November 2019 announcement, MusicRadar listed the Boost at $269 USD, which it also gave as £209 and approximately €245, available direct from Hagerman1. Each pedal is hand-built in the USA in a custom metal enclosure1.
How it compares
The Boost EF86 was announced alongside the Overdrive 12AX7, which uses a 12AX7 tube1. Elsewhere, other builders take the EF86 tube in different directions: DPE Pedals' DC-30 is a tube preamp pedal built around an EF86 (6267) pentode running at high voltage, which Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio described as delivering "glassy cleans at lower gain"3, and de Lisle's Eighty-Sixed is an EF86 tube preamp-overdrive whose Gain knob, cranked, the maker says makes "a fantastic tube overdrive pedal" at $379.00 USD4.
Review video
On That Pedal Show, Dan and Mick demoed the Hagerman EF86 booster, describing it as a booster designed to push the amp, working through its level, tone and drive knobs and trying it in front of a driven amp, where they judged the effect "really classy"2.
Videos
Pete Thorn
TL Toneworks
TL Toneworks
Questions
Is the Hagerman Boost EF86 true bypass?
Yes. MusicRadar reports that the Boost EF86 Tube Pedal is true-bypass, so when it is switched off your guitar's signal passes through without the pedal's circuitry loading it. That matters on a pedalboard where a boost often stays on all the time or sits in front of other pedals.
Does the Hagerman Boost EF86 come with a power supply?
Yes. The pedal is powered by a 9V DC power supply, and MusicRadar notes that the supply is included with the pedal. As a vacuum tube pedal it needs that external supply rather than running from a battery.
What controls does the Hagerman Boost EF86 have?
MusicRadar describes two controls, for level and tone. In a That Pedal Show demo video, the presenters listed the Hagerman EF86 booster's knobs as level, tone and drive, so accounts of the control layout differ between the two sources.
Where is the Hagerman Boost EF86 made?
MusicRadar reports that each of Hagerman's pedals is hand-built in the USA and comes in a custom metal enclosure. The pedals are available direct from Hagerman.
How much does the Hagerman Boost EF86 cost?
At its November 2019 announcement, MusicRadar listed the Boost at $269 USD, which it also gave as £209 and approximately €245. It was announced alongside the Hagerman Overdrive 12AX7 Tube Pedal at $279.
Sources (4)
- Hagerman Amplification unveils boutique valve-driven overdrive and boost pedals, MusicRadar, 2019-11-04
- New Pedals! Keeley Nocturne, Jam Retrovibe 4, Caroline Kilo 2K, DevTech Soft Drive, Hagerman EF86, That Pedal Show (YouTube), 2026-01-30
- New Pedal: DPE Pedals DC-30 EF86 Tube Preeamp, Delicious Audio, 2025-07-24
- de Lisle Mosfet Overdrive Pedal, de Lisle Guitar Co.
