The NRG Effects Purrer is a hand-made dual-channel overdrive pedal, built around a TLO72CP op amp and described by Guitar Pedal X as "nearest in profile to a BluesBreaker, while very much its own thing"1. Its two channels are not stacked: each has its own gain setting, and you alternate between them with an A/B footswitch, which makes it a natural fit for a player who wants one low-gain rhythm sound and one pushed lead sound on a single box2. Delicious Audio describes its range as "dynamic and transparent low gain tones, to full, open and smooth medium gain drive," with tone and EQ staying consistent at all gain settings2.
A second footswitch engages the Plus Boost, which Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson found "elevates Gain, Volume and EQ / Character," calling the whole pedal "very roughly in BluesBreaker territory - but far more expansive"3.
The controls: Purr, Leap, Bite, Loud, and the Claw and Soft switches
MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen breaks the control set down by channel. The Orange and Red channels "have exactly the same sound and gain range but feature their own 'Purr' knob to set different amounts of gain/drive"4. One overall level knob sets the output, while the Leap knob allows "extra adjustment and fine tuning" of the Red channel's output level, sitting at unity around the 10 o'clock position4.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Purr (one per channel) | Sets the gain/drive amount for that channel4 |
| Loud (Volume) | Overall output level14 |
| Leap | Fine tuning of the Red channel's output level, unity around 10 o'clock4 |
| Milk knobs | Adjust top-end presence and bottom end, also influencing the mids; both up full gives a scooped vibe4 |
| Soft switch | Subtly tames the high-mid peak that drives the gain, helping match the pedal to pickup types4 |
| CLAW toggle | Three voicings: Standard, softened and brighter2 |
| Channel footswitch | Alternates between the Orange and Red channels4 |
| Plus Boost footswitch | Engages the boost, raising gain, volume and EQ character13 |
Guitar Pedal X lists the control complement on the Plus edition as Loud (Volume), Gain, Treble, Plus Boost Level, Bass, and the bypass and Plus Boost footswitches13. The Soft switch is worth a note for anyone matching the pedal to a bright single-coil or a darker humbucker: because it trims the high-mid peak feeding the gain stage, it changes how the drive responds, not just the treble4.
Editions, colorways and custom options
The Purrer comes in four-knob and five-knob formats, priced at £259 and £299 respectively as of October 20241. Black and Silver colorways are now priced the same; Black used to carry a £10 premium, but the extra satin buffing process on the Silver edition brought the two level1. MusicRadar's reviewed sample added internal battery power and external channel changing, showing that NRG builds custom options on request; that sample started at £2604.
The pedals carry hand-painted "Happy Cat / Angry Cat" graphics, with LED eyes indicating which gain channel is active2.
Each Purrer is made by hand to order. Guitar Pedal X reports the usual wait is around 4 weeks from payment, extending to about 6 weeks at busy times1.
Where it came from and what reviewers said
The Purrer is designed, handmade, hand-wired and hand-painted by Neil R. Grimes in Eastbourne, England2. Delicious Audio noted in 2021 that it was "getting some rave reviews from selected YouTube overdrive connoisseurs"2. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson reviewed it in October 2024 and named it in the site's best boost and overdrive pedals of 2024, calling it "a beautifully engineered organic overdrive" whose Plus Boost "elevates Gain, Volume and EQ / Character"13. In NRG's Universal Series it is listed as the "Natural-toned Overdrive with Boost"5.
Videos
NRG EFFECTS
NRG EFFECTS
NRG EFFECTS
Questions
Can the NRG Purrer run on a battery?
The standard Purrer runs on a 9V DC center negative power supply drawing less than 30mA. MusicRadar's reviewed sample added internal battery power as a custom option, so battery operation is possible on a build specified that way, but it is not part of the stock specification.
Is the NRG Purrer true bypass?
Yes. It uses mechanical true bypass switching, with an NRG quiet switching circuit designed to significantly reduce the pops and thumps that mechanical bypass switching can otherwise produce when engaging the pedal.
Do the two channels on the Purrer sound different?
No. MusicRadar describes the Orange and Red channels as having exactly the same sound and gain range. Each channel has its own Purr knob, so you set a different gain amount on each and alternate between them with a footswitch, rather than stacking them.
Where is the NRG Purrer made?
It is designed, handmade, hand-wired and hand-painted by Neil R. Grimes in Eastbourne, England. Each pedal is made to order rather than mass produced, which is part of why delivery takes several weeks.
How long does it take to get an NRG Purrer?
The pedals are made by hand to order on the NRG Effects webstore. Guitar Pedal X reports the usual wait is around 4 weeks from payment, extending to about 6 weeks at busy times.
Sources (5)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-10-23
- NRG Effects Purrer Dual Channel Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2021-02-16
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-12-16
- NRG Effects Purrer review, MusicRadar, 2018-06-03
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-09-25
