The Hangman fx Tyrannosaur Mega Driver is a multi-gain stage drive pedal: a single box with three gain stages, bass boost and a JFET gated boost1. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson described the gain as building up to high gain and fuzzy levels, with saggy, vintage inspired tones also possible, and called it a really handy multi-gain drive that covers most every drive tone right across the range1.
What it does to your sound
The Tyrannosaur stacks three gain stages, so you can ramp gain up gradually rather than jumping from clean to full fuzz in one move. Karlsson wrote that "you have all the choices you need to ramp up your gain - all the way to high gain and fuzzy levels"1. Alongside the gain stages there is a bass boost and a JFET gated boost, the latter a feature he called unique in his review headline1. For players comparing drive types, it sits between a conventional overdrive pedal and a distortion pedal, reaching into fuzz territory at the top of its range1.
Its features, as described in the review:
- Three stacked gain stages, ramping from overdrive up to high gain and fuzz levels1
- Bass boost, for keeping low end under high gain1
- A JFET gated boost, described as unique in the review's headline1
- Saggy, vintage inspired tones among the available sounds1
- A second footswitch for flipping the Growl setting on the fly1
Karlsson's verdict on the pedal:
"a really handy Multi-Gain Drive to have - as it's so versatile - and covers most every drive tone"
Controls, footswitches and jacks
The pedal carries two footswitches, each with its own job:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| On/Off footswitch | Turns the pedal on and off1 |
| Gain 1 / Growl Alt footswitch | Switches the Growl control to an alternative setting1 |
| Growl | The Gain Stage 1 control, described by Karlsson as the early gain stage master volume1 |
Growl is the Gain Stage 1 control, which Karlsson described as the early gain stage master volume1. The second footswitch lets you flip between two Growl settings on the fly, which is where much of the pedal's flexibility on stage comes from1.
For connections, the pedal carries these jacks:
- TS input1
- TS output1
- External Switch port, for controlling the pedal from a remote switch rather than stomping on it directly1
- 9V DC power jack1
The 80mA current draw is well above what a typical single drive pedal needs, so plan your power supply outputs accordingly1.
How it compares to the DAGG'R
Hangman fx also makes the DAGG'R, a 2-in-1 dynamic auto-gain/gate with separate overdrive and fuzz channels2. Karlsson described the two pedals as having some overlap, sitting "in a sort of similar category even though slightly different in their nature," while Paul of Hangman fx sees them as wholly individual and separate pedals1. The two side by side:
| Tyrannosaur Mega Driver | DAGG'R | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Multi-gain stage drive1 | 2-in-1 dynamic auto-gain/gate2 |
| Gain layout | Three stacked gain stages1 | Separate overdrive and fuzz channels2 |
| Extras | Bass boost and JFET gated boost1 | Auto-gain and gate behavior1 |
Where the DAGG'R splits its gain into two named channels with auto-gain and gate behavior, the Tyrannosaur works as a stacked multi-gain stage drive with its own boost stages12.
Videos
Hangman fx
TheSuperFunAwesomeHappyTimePedalShow
Questions
What does the Growl control do on the Tyrannosaur Mega Driver?
Growl is the Gain Stage 1 control, described by Guitar Pedal X's reviewer as the early gain stage master volume. The pedal's second footswitch can switch to an alternative Growl setting, so you can flip between two different amounts of first-stage gain mid-song without touching a knob.
What power does the Hangman fx Tyrannosaur Mega Driver need?
The Tyrannosaur Mega Driver runs on 9V DC with a negative center polarity and draws 80mA. That draw is higher than many simple drive pedals, so a low-output power supply output or a daisy chain shared with several pedals may not be enough on its own.
How is the Tyrannosaur Mega Driver different from the Hangman fx DAGG'R?
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson described the two as having some overlap, sitting in a similar category even though slightly different in their nature, while Hangman fx's Paul sees them as wholly individual and separate pedals. The DAGG'R is a 2-in-1 dynamic auto-gain/gate with distinct overdrive and fuzz channels, while the Tyrannosaur is a multi-gain stage drive.
Can you connect an external switch to the Tyrannosaur Mega Driver?
Yes. The pedal has an External Switch port among its jacks, alongside a TS input and TS output. The related DAGG'R also carries 1/8-inch ports for a trigger switch, expression pedal and external switch, so external control is a familiar idea across Hangman fx designs.
How much does the Hangman fx Tyrannosaur Mega Driver cost?
Guitar Pedal X's November 2025 review listed the Tyrannosaur Mega Driver at $220, sold direct from Hangman fx.
Sources (2)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-11-07
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-10-31
