The Skreddy Pedals Rubber Soul is a five-knob pedal that works as both an overdrive and a preamp, voiced after a small British tube combo, the Vox AC30. Skreddy describes it as a "jangly, glassy, cleanish British combo sound"1, and the maker positions it as the perfect "always on" pedal1. It was introduced in April 2019 and remains available to order from the maker2.
What it does
Skreddy Pedals describes the Rubber Soul as a "Guitar preamp that emulates the sound and feel of a British tube combo (AC30)"1. The press has used both labels: Guitar.com reported the unveiling as "a guitar preamp pedal modelled after a small British tube combo"6, while Guitar World and MusicRadar covered it as an overdrive32. In practice the pedal is designed to sit on a board and take the place of an amp's front end.
According to the maker, the pedal can take a tone from "clean to hot and jangly to smoky, slightly ragged overdrive"6. Skreddy also says the Rubber Soul "responds very much like a tube amp would to your pickup volumes and to the impact of running other effect pedals in front of it"1, which matters if you roll your guitar's volume down for cleaner parts or stack it after a fuzz or boost.
The controls: Volume, Drive, Sag, Treble and Bass
The Rubber Soul carries five knobs, reported by Guitar World as "controls for Volume, Drive, Sag, Treble and Bass"3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets the pedal's output level3 |
| Drive | Sets the amount of gain3 |
| Sag | Shapes the amp-like feel of the response; Skreddy notes "the sag control is significant"1 |
| Treble | Treble control for tone sculpting2 |
| Bass | Bass control for tone sculpting2 |
Guitar.com adds that the two-band EQ "can be tweaked to achieve mid scoop, mid hump, bright, dark, thin and fat tones"6, so the Treble and Bass knobs go beyond a simple tilt and allow deliberate voicing changes.
Where it came from
Skreddy Pedals unveiled the Rubber Soul in April 2019. Guitar World reported it on 18 April 2019 as a "Beatles-inspired stompbox" offering "vintage British tube amp-style gain", designed "according to Skreddy head Marc Ahlfs"3. Guitar.com and MusicRadar followed on 24 April 2019, both listing the launch price at $23926.
Price and availability
The Rubber Soul is available to order2. Its price has moved since launch: it was $239 at introduction in April 201926, and the maker's own product pages as of October 2026 list it at $290, with a sale price of $261 shown on the site45. The maker's pages do not agree on a single current figure, so both are given here.
Where it sits in the Skreddy range
The Rubber Soul sits in Skreddy's amp-in-a-box territory: the company describes it as a "Beatles-inspired stompbox offers vintage British tube amp-style gain," meaning it is built to produce the character of a cranked British tube amplifier from a single pedal3. Players comparing British-voiced drives might also look at the wider field of overdrive pedals or the preamp pedals category, and for a classic overdrive pairing the Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer comparison covers two common alternatives.
Videos
Skreddy Pedals
Mike Hermans
Jim Marciano
Questions
What does the Sag knob do on the Skreddy Rubber Soul?
The Sag control is one of the Rubber Soul's five knobs, and Skreddy Pedals describes it as significant on the pedal's product page. It shapes the feel of the pedal's response, in the way a tube amp's supply sag affects how notes compress and give under picking attack, alongside the Volume, Drive, Treble and Bass controls.
Who designed the Skreddy Rubber Soul?
The Rubber Soul was designed by Marc Ahlfs, the head of Skreddy Pedals, according to Guitar World's report on the pedal's introduction in April 2019.
How much does the Skreddy Rubber Soul cost?
At its April 2019 introduction the Rubber Soul was priced at $239. As of October 2026, Skreddy Pedals' own product pages list it at $290, with a sale price of $261 shown on the maker's site.
Is the Rubber Soul an overdrive or a preamp?
Both descriptions come from the maker and the press. Skreddy Pedals calls it an overdrive on its site and also describes it as a guitar preamp that emulates the sound and feel of a British tube combo, the AC30. Guitar.com covered it as a preamp stompbox, while Guitar World and MusicRadar reported it as an overdrive.
Sources (6)
- Overdrive, Skreddy Pedals
- Skreddy seeks to give your tone some Rubber Soul with new overdrive pedal, MusicRadar, 2019-04-24
- Skreddy Pedals Introduces New Rubber Soul Overdrive, Guitar World, 2019-04-18
- Skreddy Pedals, Skreddy Pedals
- Overdrive, Skreddy Pedals
- Skreddy Pedals’ Rubber Soul is a Fab Four-inspired preamp stompbox, Guitar.com, 2019-04-24
