The Solar Sound is an overdrive pedal from Mattoverse Electronics that takes its power from the sun. A solar panel mounted on the enclosure provides all the power the pedal needs, doing away with a pedalboard power supply connection entirely. Mattoverse announced it in March 2022, priced at $229 and available at that time1. As of October 2026, the maker's own product page lists it as sold out2.
What it does
Mattoverse designed the pedal to run on natural light, through a window or outdoors, and says it works best that way. In lower light environments it can also be powered by a bright light source directed at the solar panel2. MusicRadar's report puts it plainly: shine a bright light at the Solar Sound while playing and it should keep the drive flowing1.
The light level is part of the sound, not just the power source. At full power, the pedal produces a light overdrive or smooth distortion. In low-light conditions, Mattoverse promises gated and choked overdrive tones as the transistor is starved of the electricity it desires1. MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley noted the same behavior in a later piece on the maker's Warble Swell Echo MkII, writing that when its solar power is draining of its charge, the Solar Sound "spits out some choked sounds"3.
"Shine a bright light at the Solar Sound while playing and it should keep the drive flowing."
Because the pedal has no conventional power input in normal use, its position relative to a window or lamp matters on stage and in a dim rehearsal room. A bright light aimed at the panel is the maker's suggested fallback2.
For players weighing it against conventional drive circuits, the Solar Sound sits in the same family as other overdrive pedals, but the trade is different: instead of a jack fed by a pedalboard power supply, the supply is whatever light falls on the panel, and the drive character changes with it1.
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Questions
Does the Solar Sound work without sunlight?
Yes. Mattoverse designed it for natural light through a window or outdoors, but it also runs on a bright light source directed at the solar panel in lower light environments. MusicRadar notes that shining a bright light at the pedal while playing should keep the drive flowing, so it is not strictly limited to sunny days.
What happens when the solar power runs low?
As the solar power drains of its charge, the pedal spits out choked sounds. Mattoverse describes gated and choked overdrive tones when the transistor is starved of the electricity it desires. Some players treat this as a feature, since the light level becomes part of the sound.
Is the Solar Sound still available?
Mattoverse's product page listed the Solar Sound as sold out as of October 2026. It launched in March 2022 at a list price of $229, so any further availability depends on the maker producing more units.
Sources (3)
- The “beautiful and uniquely impractical” Solar Sound from Mattoverse is an overdrive pedal powered by the sun, MusicRadar, 2022-03-22
- Mattoverse Solar Sound, Mattoverse Electronics
- Mattoverse Electronics' Warble Swell Echo MkII makes “lo-fi echo exploration” easy with 8 selectable waveforms, MusicRadar, 2022-05-10
