The KHDK Cate is a limited edition distortion pedal from KHDK Electronics, the company co-founded by Metallica's Kirk Hammett. KHDK describes it as "the highfalutin Cate Distortion is one for the metal ages", and as "a monster truck of a pedal", saying it is "basically a whole new amp channel for your existing amp, run it in front" of a clean amp or through the power section1.
Controls
The Cate keeps its control set to the four knobs a high-gain player needs1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of distortion |
| Bass | Low end |
| Mid | Midrange |
| Treble | High end |
KHDK lists the controls as "GAIN, BASS, MID and TREBLE"1. With a full three-band EQ plus gain on a distortion pedal, the Cate can be voiced to sit with an amp's own channel rather than only shaping the pedal in isolation, which fits the maker's amp-channel description.
Availability and build
KHDK's product page for the Cate describes it as a distortion pedal, "one for the metal ages," and as basically a whole new amp channel for your existing amp, run in front clean or through the power section1.
The Cate is a limited edition pedal. KHDK says: "Like all KHDK limited edition pedals, Cate is custom-built and guitar-tested in our workshop in Prague." Each pedal ships with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity signed by David Karon1. The listed price was $249.99 USD1.
KHDK has a history of limited edition signature builds, including the KHDK Dark Blood high-gain pedal associated with Kirk Hammett and the My Big Fatt Rawk distortion made with Joe Trohman and Brian Posehn. The Cate sits in that line as a metal-oriented distortion pedal1.
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Questions
Is the KHDK Cate still available?
It is a limited edition pedal, custom-built and guitar-tested in the company's Prague workshop, so availability depends on whether KHDK runs further builds. Check the maker's own product page for the current status.
Who is David Karon?
David Karon is the KHDK figure associated with the Cate: each pedal ships with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity signed by David Karon. KHDK is the effects company co-founded by Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett, and the Cate is one of its limited edition builds.
Where is the KHDK Cate made?
KHDK says the Cate is custom-built and guitar-tested in its workshop in Prague. Like all KHDK limited edition pedals, it is built there rather than as a standard production run.
Can the KHDK Cate go in front of a clean amp or into the power section?
Yes. KHDK describes the Cate as basically a whole new amp channel for your existing amp, and says you can run it in front of a clean amp or through the power section. That makes it usable as a preamp-style distortion rather than only as a boost into a driven amp.
How much did the KHDK Cate cost?
KHDK's product page listed the Cate at $249.99 USD as of 25 October 2026.
Sources (1)
- Cate-guitar-pedal-khdk, KHDK Electronics
