The Land Devices Moonbow is a resonant filter overdrive: a voltage-controlled, dual-mode filter with an overdrive circuit placed after it. The filter can run as a high pass or low pass design, sweeping a cutoff from 20Hz to 5kHz, and the overdrive behind it can either gently compress the signal or boldly saturate the filter's resonant peaks1. It grew out of another Land Devices product: the maker found that pushing a channel of its Compact Mixer hard turned it into a pleasing overdrive, and that channel forms the Moonbow's drive stage1.
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson described the pairing as "dual hi-fidelity resonant filters across a cutoff frequency range of 20Hz to 5kHz" with "an Overdrive circuit based on the Land Devices control strip with a 33dB Gain Range, running from -13dB to +20dB"2. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio noted the appeal of the format more generally: filter pedals followed by saturation or distortion "can become extremely effective 'tone sculptors'"3.
A resonant filter in front of an overdrive
The Moonbow's signal path puts the filter first and the overdrive second, which is the reverse of the more common arrangement of driving a filter with a distortion in front of it. Land Devices describes the result as "gentle signal compression or bold saturation of its resonant peaks," depending on how the GAIN control is set1. Delicious Audio framed the design as "elegantly placing an overdrive after a classic voltage-controlled dual-mode filter"3.
The overdrive itself is not a new circuit. Land Devices says the drive stage comes from the channel of its Compact Mixer, pushed hard into overdrive1. Karlsson called the overdrive "particularly appealingly textured" and noted that with the pedal's five key controls "you can generate a variety of harmonic outputs"2.
The HP/LP toggle selects between high pass and low pass filter modes13. High pass thins the signal by removing low frequencies below the cutoff; low pass rolls off everything above it, from full-range warmth down to a muffled telephone-like tone at the low end of the sweep.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| CUTOFF | Adjusts the frequency range of the filter from 20Hz to 5kHz1 |
| RES | Controls the resonance of the filter; caution past seventy percent, as strong oscillations will occur1 |
| GAIN | Adjustable from -13dB to +20dB; turn clockwise to increase gain1 |
| LVL | Output volume level1 |
| HP/LP toggle | Switch between high pass filter and low pass filter1 |
| CV IN | Control voltage input for CUTOFF; accepts 0 to 5V1 |
The RES control deserves attention. Land Devices itself cautions that pushing the resonance past seventy percent produces strong oscillations, meaning the filter begins self-oscillating and generating its own tone1. Delicious Audio repeated the warning, noting the maker "invites to caution when turning the resonance above 70%, due to strong oscillating tendencies"3. Players who want a sine-like drone or a vocal, squelchy peak can use that deliberately; players who just want a focused filter sweep should stay below it.
The GAIN range is wide for a pedal: -13dB to +20dB, a 33dB span12. At the negative end the overdrive stage acts as an attenuator, letting you balance the level after the filter has boosted a narrow band; at the top end it saturates the resonant peaks hard.
Power and connections
The Moonbow runs on +9VDC through a 2.1mm center negative barrel jack, drawing 50mA1. That is a standard pedalboard supply, though the 50mA draw is higher than a simple analog boost, so a shared daisy chain should have headroom. Audio connections are 1/4" mono jacks, with an input impedance of 500kΩ and an output impedance of 1kΩ1.
The CV input is a 3.5mm mono jack that accepts 0 to 5V and maps directly to the CUTOFF parameter1. Delicious Audio highlighted this as a key feature: "The 0-5V CV Input sets the Control voltage input for 'CUTOFF'"3. That voltage range is the common standard for synthesizers and modular gear, so the Moonbow can be swept from a sequencer, LFO or other control source rather than only by hand. An expression pedal or controller that outputs 0 to 5V can also drive the cutoff through the same jack.
Where it came from and what reviewers said
Land Devices opened pre-orders for the Moonbow in November 2024 at $249, and Guitar Pedal X reported the first batch sold out quickly2. Delicious Audio covered the pedal in February 2025 as a pairing of a voltage-controlled dual-mode filter with an overdrive3. As of late 2026 the maker's store lists the pedal as sold out at a regular price of £230.00 GBP, taxes included1.
Karlsson's verdict on Guitar Pedal X focused on the texture of the drive stage, calling the overdrive "particularly appealingly textured"2. He also made a broader point about where the Moonbow fits, writing that "filter pedals, when followed by saturation or distortion, can become extremely effective 'tone sculptors'"3.
The Moonbow is listed as sold out on the Land Devices store as of October 20261. The $249 figure is the November 2024 pre-order price2; the current listed price is £230.00 GBP1.
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Questions
Is the Land Devices Moonbow true bypass?
Yes. Land Devices specifies true bypass with relay switching, so the pedal passes your signal untouched when it is off, and the relay handles the switching rather than a mechanical footswitch contact alone.
What happens if you turn the Moonbow resonance past 70 percent?
The maker warns that strong oscillations will occur. The RES control sets the filter's resonance, and pushing it past seventy percent sends the circuit into self-oscillation, which can be used deliberately but should be approached with care.
What control voltage does the Moonbow CV input accept?
The CV input accepts 0 to 5 volts and controls the CUTOFF parameter, through a 3.5mm mono jack. That range matches common synth and modular gear, so you can sweep the filter from an external source.
Can the Moonbow be controlled with an expression pedal?
The pedal has a 3.5mm mono CV jack that accepts 0 to 5V control voltage for the cutoff. Any expression pedal or controller that outputs that voltage range can sweep the filter externally.
Sources (3)
- Moonbow - Resonant Filter Overdrive - Land Devices, Land Devices
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-11-22
- New Pedal: Land Devices Moonbow Filter + Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2025-02-10