The Ogre Thunderclap Distortion is an analog distortion pedal from Ogre Guitar Pedals, and it is the first Special Edition model in the Ogre effect pedal line-up1. Its enclosure is the most eye-catching part: a demon head sculpted in die-cast aluminum, with four horns that are not decoration but working controls, functioning as level, bass, treble and gain knobs2.
Despite the "distortion" name, the pedal covers a wide tone spectrum, from a boost and crunch tone through overdrive to soft and heavy distortions1. That range means one box can serve as a volume lift, a light breakup, or a full high-gain voice.
Controls and enclosure
The four horns are the whole control set, and each one maps to a familiar function2:
| Horn | Function |
|---|---|
| Horn 1 | Level |
| Horn 2 | Bass |
| Horn 3 | Treble |
| Horn 4 | Gain |
Having separate bass and treble controls, rather than a single tone knob, gives a player more shaping over the low end and top end than a basic three-knob distortion. The die-cast aluminum demon head is the visual signature of the pedal2.
What it does to your sound
Ogre describes the pedal as having a wide tone spectrum, running from the boost, through crunch tone and overdrive, to soft and heavy distortions1. In practice that means the gain horn can be set low for a pushed, crunchy amp feel or high for saturated distortion, with the bass and treble horns balancing the voice.
Reviewer Barry Rudolph reported that his Fender Blues Junior never sounded as nasty as it did with this pedal in the circuit, and noted the pedal's low end character with high-gain amps2.
Power and setup
The Thunderclap runs on 9V DC with a center-negative plug and draws 13mA1. That current draw is low enough that it shares a power supply output easily with other small analog pedals.
Not to be confused with
There is another pedal called Thunderclap: the Bardic Audio Devices Thunderclap V3 Distortion, listed at $160 in a 2024 buying guide3. It is a separate product from a different maker, at a lower price point, and shares only the name.
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Questions
Is the Ogre Thunderclap Distortion analog?
Yes. The Thunderclap Distortion is an analog circuit, listed as such on the RockBoard PedalPedia product page. It is a distortion pedal that also covers boost and overdrive territory, so a player can use it for anything from a clean volume lift to heavy distortion.
How much current does the Ogre Thunderclap Distortion draw?
It draws 13mA, running on 9V DC with a center-negative plug. That is a modest draw, comparable to many analog distortion pedals, so it fits comfortably on most isolated power supplies.
What does each horn control on the Ogre Thunderclap?
The four horns on the demon-head enclosure function as the pedal's controls: level, bass, treble and gain. Reviewer Barry Rudolph describes the horns this way, so each sculpted horn is actually a knob you turn to shape volume, low end, high end and the amount of drive.
What is the list price of the Ogre Thunderclap Distortion?
$299.99 MSRP, as reported by reviewer Barry Rudolph in 2025, who noted that all three of the new Ogre pedals sold for that price each. It is not to be confused with the Bardic Audio Devices Thunderclap V3, a different pedal listed at $160 in 2024.
Sources (3)
- Thunderclap Distortion by Ogre Guitar Pedals, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Ogre Stomp Pedals, www.barryrudolph.com, 2025
- Guitar Pedal X, guitarpedalx.com, 2024-08-30
