The Keeley Rotary is a stereo rotary speaker simulator stompbox from Keeley's own line, built to recreate the sound of a Leslie-style rotary cabinet without the cabinet. Premier Guitar's reviewer put it plainly: it "specializes in emulating the ineffable, Doppler-y, delicious tones of a Leslie"1. Guitar World described it as faithfully recreating "the swirling textures and vintage warmth of those rotary cabinets," and it does so with a chorus-like modulation plus a tube-voiced drive section, in stereo2.
It launched in December 2024 at $229, designed and manufactured in the USA, housed in a proprietary angled aluminum enclosure2. Delicious Audio reported it as a stereo, limited edition Leslie emulation sold exclusively through the manufacturer's website3.
What it does: a stereo rotary speaker sound with drive
A rotary speaker cabinet imparts a one-of-a-kind type of chorus effect, and the Rotary is built around that idea: a whirling, Doppler-style modulation that Premier Guitar's First Look video called a "deep-and-watery chorus and Leslie-like modulator"4. Pedal of the Day framed it as achieving "that classic rotary sound with a rich, 'chorus-y' effect and a tube-like overdrive"5.
The stereo output is central to the effect. Premier Guitar's reviewer found the modulations particularly appealing in stereo1, and Pedal of the Day wrote that "the spatial stereo field makes it sound absolutely phenomenal"5. On That Pedal Show, the Keeley Rotary was tested alongside the Boss RT-2, Strymon Lex V2, Neo Instruments Mini Vent II and Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere MkII, in mono, stereo and wet-dry modes6.
The drive side is voiced like a pushed tube amp. Delicious Audio reported the pedal is based on a new circuit "particularly effective in delivering the classic 'syrupy swirl & tube breakup'"3.
The controls
The Rotary keeps its top panel simple, with three knobs plus a mid boost switch and the speed system316:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Blend | Mixes dry and wet signals, "for a subtle warble or a full-on sonic whirlpool"5 |
| Drive | Tube-like harmonic saturation that adds depth and character5 |
| Speed | Sets the rotation rate7 |
| Mid Boost | Three EQ curves to fatten up the stereo chorus effect5 |
Premier Guitar's reviewer found the drive control "a tasty thickening agent that adds color, equalization nuance, and significant push at more pronounced modulation levels," and praised the blend control for enabling "many subtle, subdued, and just-barely-there modulation washes"1. The 3-position mid boost can also serve as a dedicated tone control with the drive, and the reviewer suggested it was added "presumably to help overcome perceived volume loss inherent to modulation effects"1.
Footswitches: speed, brake and ramp
The pedal has two footswitches. The first turns the effect on and off, and also selects between true and buffered bypass on the fly2. The second footswitch does three things3:
- Chooses between two distinct rotation speeds, for a classic slow warble or a more dramatic, fast chorus effect53
- Brake: instantly slows the rotation for a "stopping" effect, adding a dynamic touch53
- Adjustable Ramp: controls the speed transition between slow and fast, for smooth or dramatic soundscapes5
A new LED speed indicator shows where the rotation is at, which Premier Guitar's First Look summed up as "Become one with the sound"4. For comparison, the compact Boss RT-2 Rotary Ensemble manages with a single footswitch shared between bypass and speed ramping8, while the KJams Rotary 2 uses a dedicated Spd1/Spd2 footswitch that can jump between speeds or simulate ramp-up and ramp-down inertia depending on its control settings.
History: from I Get Around to the Rotary
The Rotary is a reissue and upgrade of an earlier Keeley pedal. In summer 2024, Keeley released the I Get Around Rotary Simulator as part of a five-pedal limited-edition Beach Boys tribute collaboration with JHS Pedals and Benson Amps, sold exclusively through the US retailer Sweetwater and timed to coincide with The Beach Boys documentary on Disney+79. It listed at $2997.
Premier Guitar's reviewer found the I Get Around "commands all the essential sounds you'd want from an actual Leslie," from dreamscapes to psychedelic blues, and considered its stereo outs essential, with deep functionality that added Leslie-like realism and made it competitive with costlier examples7. Its drive control simulated a pushed 6550 and 12UA7 tube, adding grit from about 9 o'clock and rolling off top end past 2 o'clock, and its ramp rate could be customized7.
In December 2024 Keeley reissued the pedal as the all-black Rotary on general release at $22972. The maker describes it as a brand new set of circuit boards tucked inside a laser cut aluminum case, with the three-way Mid Boost offering three different EQ curves to fatten up the stereo chorus effect5.
Keeley had been in rotary territory before both pedals with the DCR Drive + Chorus + Rotary. Reviewers of that pedal found the build held up over time: as one put it, "the build quality coming from the Keeley Electronics folks is second-to-none, which also means that your DCR" will most likely outlast its owner10.
What reviewers said
Reactions to the Rotary have centered on its sound and construction. The maker says the pedal faithfully recreates the swirling textures and vintage warmth of rotary cabinets, and one reviewer found that "the spatial stereo field makes it sound absolutely phenomenal"5. The maker also says the Rotary is based on a new circuit particularly effective in delivering the classic "syrupy swirl & tube breakup"3.
"Keeley's new I Get Around Rotary Simulator commands all the essential sounds you'd want from an actual Leslie."
On That Pedal Show's five-pedal rotary comparison, the Keeley's Mid Boost came up in the mono portion of the test6, giving players a side-by-side listen against the Boss RT-2, Strymon Lex V2, Mini Vent II and Rotosphere MkII.
Videos
Premier Guitar
Keeley Electronics
Mike Hermans
Questions
Is the Keeley Rotary analog or digital?
It is digital. Premier Guitar's reviewer described it as running on a digital engine, housed in Keeley's aluminum enclosure with a new set of circuit boards. The drive control is voiced to simulate a pushed tube, but the rotary simulation itself is digital.
Is the Keeley Rotary true bypass?
It offers both. True and buffered bypassing are switchable on the fly, according to Guitar World and Premier Guitar, so a player can choose whichever suits their place in the signal chain without opening the pedal up.
Does the Keeley Rotary have a volume drop?
Reviewers have reported one. Guitar Pedal X called the pedal flawed with a massive volume drop when engaged, and noted it lacks a separate level control to counter it. Keeley added a 3-position mid boost, which Premier Guitar suggested helps overcome perceived volume loss from modulation effects.
Where can you buy the Keeley Rotary?
Delicious Audio reported it as sold exclusively through the manufacturer's website. It launched in December 2024 at $229, designed and manufactured in the USA, with the first batch selling out and a second batch following later that month.
Is the Keeley Rotary a limited edition?
Yes. Delicious Audio described it in December 2024 as a stereo, limited edition emulation of a Leslie cabinet sold exclusively through Keeley's own site. It grew out of the I Get Around, itself part of a five-pedal limited-edition Beach Boys tribute collaboration.
Sources (10)
- Keeley Rotary Pedal Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2025-03-13
- Keeley's Rotary pedal promises to knock industry titans off 'boards, Guitar World, 2024-12-09
- New Pedal: Keeley Rotary (Stereo), Delicious Audio, 2024-12-17
- Keeley Rotary Stereo, Premier Guitar, 2025-01-16
- Keeley Electronics Rotary Pedal, Pedal of the Day, 2025-10-01
- Best Of The Rotary Speaker Pedals, That Pedal Show, 2025-10-03
- Keeley I Get Around Review, Premier Guitar, 2024-09-03
- Boss RT-2 Rotary Ensemble review: doesn’t compromise on features, Guitar.com, 2025-10-01
- Keeley Rotary, gearnews.com, 2024-12-08
- Keeley Electronics DCR Drive Chorus Rotary, Pedal of the Day, 2020-04-25
