The Mythos Herculean Deluxe is a two-channel overdrive pedal from Nashville maker Mythos Pedals, previewed at NAMM 2024 and launched on February 21, 2024 through Mythos dealers1. It combines updated versions of two of the company's earlier pedals in one enclosure: the Herculean, a "D"-style amp-like overdrive based on Dumble amplifiers, and the Runestone, a heavily tweaked Blues Breaker circuit23. Mythos describes the result as covering everything "from clean boost to thick amp like gain"2.
Each channel has its own footswitch, and an ORDER switch flips which drive hits the signal first, so the pedal can serve as a boost into a drive, a drive into a boost, or two stacked gain stages3. Mythos calls it "the most useful dirt box we've ever created"2.
Two drives in one box
The left side of the pedal holds the Herculean circuit, which press coverage describes as a Swiss army knife among drives, covering a wide range from clean boost to Dumble-like sounds5. The right side holds the Runestone, a Blues Breaker-style circuit that Mythos characterizes as heavily tweaked21. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson noted that while Dumble-style pedals and Blues Breaker-style pedals each have plenty of representatives on the market, "the Dumble - Blues Breaker combination is very rare indeed!"3
The pedal sits in a metallic cola-colored enclosure with a sparkle finish, a look MusicRadar highlighted when covering the launch43.
The controls
Each channel is served by dials for Level and Drive, with mini-dials for fine-tuning4. The full control set, as listed by Guitar Pedal X:
| Control | Channel | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Level | Herculean | Adjusts the output of the Herculean side2 |
| Drive | Herculean | Sets gain on the Herculean side3 |
| Clarity | Herculean | Adjusts the treble4 |
| Bass | Herculean | Boosts or cuts the low end, and interacts with the Drive control4 |
| Level, Drive | Runestone | Output and gain for the Blues Breaker side4 |
| Voice | Runestone | Shapes the top end of the drive4 |
| ORDER | Both | Selects Herculean <> Runestone signal order3 |
| Footswitches | Both | Independent switching for each channel43 |
The Clarity and Bass mini-dials on the Herculean side are a signature feature of the original circuit, letting you dial in highs and lows independently. MusicRadar reported that paring both back brings the mids forward for a tone designer Zach Broyles describes as "smoky"4.
Clipping options and internal trims
Both channels hide extra voicing options inside the box:
- Herculean side: a choice of classic silicon soft clipping or a "Zen" mode using MOSFET and NOS germanium diodes, selected via internal DIP switches45
- Runestone side: soft and hard clipping options24
- Both sides: internal adjustment controls for level and drive1
- Runestone side: an internal trim that acts as a presence control4
The clipping choices matter for how the pedal feels at a given gain setting: silicon soft clipping is the more conventional overdrive character, while the Zen mode's MOSFET/germanium diodes give the Herculean side a different texture45.
Power and connections
The Herculean Deluxe runs on 9V DC from a pedalboard power supply and draws approximately 40 mA24. It is true bypass, with mono input and output jacks2. For comparison, the single-channel D-Style Herculean draws approximately 10 mA, so the dual-circuit version needs a bit more headroom on a power supply6.
The pedal is mono in and out, not stereo2. If your board is set up for stereo effects, plan the Herculean Deluxe's position accordingly.
Where it came from
The Herculean Deluxe is the latest step in a line that began with the original Herculean, a Dumble-inspired overdrive designed to capture the best personalities of Zach's favorite overdrive circuits6. The Herculean V2 followed in 2018 as an update to the standard model, retailing at $199 and built with full size through-hole components78. The Deluxe then took updated versions of the Herculean and Runestone and put both in a single unit, marking the duo's return to the market after the individual pedals left the lineup1.
What reviewers said
Press coverage around the launch was positive. Guitar Pedal X called the pedal a Deluxe combination of the Herculean and Runestone with an order switch, and noted the rarity of the Dumble/Blues Breaker pairing3. Gearnews' Jef wrote that combining the two drive sides "potentially offers overdrive nirvana and will put a huge smile on your face," adding:
"I suspect like all Mythos Pedals, that the new Herculean Dual Overdrive will be a winner."5
Guitar World reported Mythos's own framing, that the pedal delivers flexibility "from clean boosts to thick, amp-emulating gain"1.
Pricing
At launch in February 2024, MusicRadar and Guitar Pedal X both listed the Herculean Deluxe at $29943. Guitar World reported it at £243, approximately $305, and Gearnews gave a European MSRP of EUR 34915. The earlier Herculean V2 retailed for $199, which frames the Deluxe as the premium, two-channel option in the lineup8.
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Questions
Is the Mythos Herculean Deluxe true bypass?
Yes. Mythos Pedals lists true bypass switching for the Herculean Deluxe on its product page. The pedal is mono, with a single input and a single output, so it slots into a standard pedalboard signal chain without stereo routing.
Can you change the order of the two drives on the Herculean Deluxe?
Yes. An ORDER switch on the pedal selects whether the Herculean (Dumble-style) side or the Runestone (Blues Breaker-style) side comes first in the signal path. Each channel also has its own footswitch, so you can run one, the other, or both together.
What is Zen mode on the Mythos Herculean?
The Herculean side offers a choice of clipping characters: a classic silicon soft clipping feel, or a Zen mode that uses MOSFET and NOS germanium diodes. Zen mode changes how the drive clips the signal, giving a different texture to the overdrive.
What do the internal trim pots on the Herculean Deluxe do?
Both halves of the pedal have internal adjustment controls for level and drive. The Runestone side also has an internal trim that acts as a presence control. These let you fine tune the gain staging and top end beyond what the external knobs offer.
Is the Herculean Deluxe stereo?
No. The pedal is mono in and mono out, with one input and one output jack. It is a standard mono overdrive for a pedalboard, not a stereo effects unit.
How much does the Mythos Herculean Deluxe cost?
At launch in February 2024 the Herculean Deluxe was priced at $299, with MusicRadar and Guitar Pedal X both listing that figure. Guitar World reported it at £243, approximately $305, so early UK and US pricing varied slightly by outlet.
Sources (8)
- “The most sounds we've ever shoved in a single pedal enclosure”: With its upgraded Herculean Deluxe dual overdrive, has Mythos cracked the code for packaging Dumble and BluesBreaker tones in a pedal?, Guitar World, 2024-02-05
- Herculean Deluxe Overdrive, Mythos Pedals
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-02-12
- “This is your drive section”: Mythos unveils the heroic Herculean Deluxe Overdrive, offering Dumble-style and modded Blues Breaker drive sounds in one pedal, MusicRadar, 2024-02-23
- Mythos Pedals Herculean Dual Overdrive, gearnews.com, 2024-02-02
- D-Style Herculean Overdrive, Mythos Pedals
- Mythos Pedals Launches Herculean V2 & Cestus Booster, Premier Guitar, 2018-06-29
- Mythos drops new boost and overdrive pedals, Guitar.com, 2018-07-04
