The Witch Hammer is a medium-gain overdrive pedal made by Haunted Labs in Charlotte, North Carolina. Its circuit uses asymmetrical clipping, and Haunted Labs describes it as a transparent overdrive that "sounds otherworldly on its own and also performs brilliantly when stacked with other overdrive pedals"1. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio, who posted a demo of the pedal in July 2018, noted that it "can also clean up quite nicely, to function as a transparent clean boost pedal that will help you cut through the mix"2, which puts it in the same territory as a dedicated boost pedal when the drive is rolled back.
Controls
The Witch Hammer keeps to the standard three-knob overdrive layout. Guitar.com described the panel as "Three of the usual knobs, 'Volume,' 'Tone' and 'Drive,' offer the typical overdrive controls"3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets the pedal's output level1 |
| Tone | Shapes the treble response, as on a typical overdrive3 |
| Drive | Sets the amount of overdrive1 |
Power and practical details
The Witch Hammer has no battery compartment. It runs on standard 9V DC only, and a power supply is not included, so plan on a 9V adapter or a spot on your pedalboard power supply. Its ~10mA current draw is light enough for most supplies1.
The pedal's enclosure carries what Guitar.com called "beautifully ghoulish artwork"3, and Premier Guitar reported it is "Manufactured with the highest quality components"1.
Background and release
Haunted Labs unveiled the Witch Hammer in August 2018, priced at $169 plus $8 shipping and sold directly through the company's online store1. Guitar.com reported the pedal as officially released the following day, listing for $1693. The pedal later earned a mention in MusicRadar, where Jonathan Horsley referred to it as "last year's Witch Hammer" in a 2019 piece about the maker's Scorched Earth fuzz4.
Videos
Mike Hermans
Draven Noire
Truck Driver Shawn
Questions
Does the Haunted Labs Witch Hammer take a battery?
No. The Witch Hammer has no battery compartment, so it runs only on external power. It uses standard 9V DC operation, and a power supply is not included with the pedal, so you will need your own 9V supply to use it.
Is the Witch Hammer true bypass?
Yes. According to Premier Guitar's coverage of the release, the Witch Hammer uses true bypass switching, so when the pedal is off your guitar's signal passes through without going through the overdrive circuit.
Can the Witch Hammer be used as a clean boost?
Yes. Haunted Labs describes the Witch Hammer as cleaning up nicely to function as a transparent clean boost pedal that helps you cut through the mix, in addition to its main role as a medium-gain overdrive.
Where is the Witch Hammer made?
The Witch Hammer is engineered and manufactured in the USA by Haunted Labs, a pedal maker based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
How much does the Witch Hammer cost?
The Witch Hammer was priced at $169 when it was released in August 2018, sold directly through the Haunted Labs online store with $8 shipping added. Guitar.com also reported the list price as $169.
Sources (4)
- Haunted Labs Launches Witch Hammer Overdrive Pedal, Premier Guitar, 2018-08-23
- Haunted Labs Witch Hammer Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2018-07-13
- Haunted Labs releases Witch Hammer overdrive, Guitar.com, 2018-08-24
- Something wicked this way comes . . . It's Haunted Labs' Scorched Earth Fuzz, MusicRadar, 2019-10-31
