The KHDK Digital Bath is a filter-delay modulation pedal from KHDK Electronics, designed with Deftones frontman Chino Moreno and named after the Deftones song "Digital Bath"12. KHDK describes it as a pedal "designed to dissolve your guitar signal into waves of dreamy textures," pairing a distinctive take on step filter modulation with a built-in delay that produces tape-style echoes up to 400ms13.
The pedal took nearly two years to develop with Moreno himself, and KHDK calls it "the most complex pedal we have ever developed"13. Chino Moreno tested it live at the Deftones' Coachella set and has used it on the band's latest tour14.
What the Digital Bath does
Guitar World's reviewer, Mike Astley-Brown, characterized the core sound as "a distinctive take on step filter modulation"3. A step filter moves your tone through a sequence of fixed filter positions rather than sweeping smoothly like a wah or phaser, which gives the signal a moving, animated character. KHDK's own framing is atmospheric: the pedal "captures the signature blend of dreamlike depth and raw emotion," with dreamy textures and hypnotic echoes1.
The delay side is deliberately simple. KHDK describes it as tape-style echoes with up to 400ms of repeats1, and Guitar World found it "as simple as can be, with up to 400ms of repeats adjusted via self-explanatory Mix and Time knobs"3. An internal trimmer adjusts the delay feedback, ranging from what MusicRadar called "brief whispers to cascading loops"4.
Two internal slide switches can take the dry signal out of the equation completely, which KHDK says is "perfect for parallel FX loops or experimental routing"4. That makes the pedal usable as a wet-only effects send for players who blend their effects in parallel rather than in series.
The Digital Bath is a true bypass pedal with no option of buffered bypass, so repeats do not ring out when the unit is bypassed3. There is also no second footswitch or remote switch option for selecting the filter and delay individually3.
The controls
The front panel keeps things straightforward. MusicRadar called it "a relatively straightforward control setup"4.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Rate | Sets the speed of the filter movement4 |
| Mix | Sets the filter level; also sets the delay level alongside Time4 |
| Depth (toggle) | Adjusts the depth of the modulation4 |
| Time | Sets the delay time, up to 400ms34 |
The depth control increases the intensity of the effect2. Beyond the external knobs, the pedal hides its deeper options inside: the feedback trimmer and the dry-signal slide switches are internal, set-and-forget adjustments4. Guitar World's reviewer found those internal controls "a drag" to work with, even while praising the build itself3.
Where it came from
KHDK developed the Digital Bath with Chino Moreno over nearly two years, with Moreno involved in the development himself3. The first 150 units shipped with a certificate of authenticity signed by Moreno, and that run sold out4. At launch the pedal was priced at $249, or €2593. As of October 2026, KHDK lists it at $259.991.
The pedal is a neatly hand-assembled build with top-mounted jacks, which Guitar World noted is good for maximizing pedalboard space3. It is made in the EU1.
What reviewers said
Guitar World's review gave the pedal four stars for build quality, calling it "meticulously assembled" while faulting the internal controls3. The reviewer also noted the absence of buffered bypass and of any way to switch the two effects independently3.
MusicRadar's coverage positioned the Digital Bath as an ambient texture tool rather than a gain pedal, writing that "Digital Bath is a much more gentle pedalboard proposition. Look elsewhere for your gain source"4. The site suggested it suits soft-focus repeats adjacent to or overlapping with shoegaze4. Players wanting dirt would look to overdrive, distortion or fuzz pedals instead.
Guitar Pedal X named it among the best new delay and reverb pedals of 2025, describing it as a "Bubbly Aquatic Filter and Delay"26.
"Meticulously assembled, but internal controls are a drag."
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Questions
Is the KHDK Digital Bath analog or digital?
Despite the name, the Digital Bath is listed as an analog circuit. The name comes from the Deftones song "Digital Bath", not from the circuit design. The pedal combines a step filter modulation effect with an analog-style delay in one enclosure.
How long is the delay on the KHDK Digital Bath?
The built-in delay offers tape-style echoes with up to 400ms of repeats. Delay time is set with the Time knob, and the Mix knob sets the level of the repeats. An internal trimmer adjusts the delay feedback, from brief whispers to cascading loops.
Do the Digital Bath repeats trail when bypassed?
No. The Digital Bath uses true bypass with no option of buffered bypass, so repeats do not ring out when the pedal is bypassed. Players who want trails on bypass would need a pedal with buffered or trails bypass instead.
Is the Digital Bath named after the Deftones song?
Yes. The pedal is a Deftones signature model based on the song "Digital Bath" from the band's catalog. It was designed with Deftones frontman Chino Moreno over nearly two years, and Moreno used it live at Coachella and on the band's recent tour.
How much current does the KHDK Digital Bath draw?
The Digital Bath draws 75mA. It runs on 9V DC with a center negative plug, so it works with a standard pedalboard power supply. That draw is modest, though higher than simple analog boosts and overdrives.
Sources (6)
- ultra limited: digital bath (multiple colors), KHDK Electronics
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-07-14
- KHDK Digital Bath review, Guitar World, 2025-07-26
- “Digital Bath is the most complex pedal we have ever developed. It took us nearly two years to get it absolutely perfect”: KHDK teams up with Chino Moreno for a delay that promises “immersive, melancholic textures” and an iconic Deftones tone, MusicRadar, 2025-06-24
- digital bath by KHDK, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-12-10