The Solar Guitars CHUG is a high-gain preamp pedal and the first ever stompbox from Ola Englund's Solar Guitars, launched on 28 October 2022 and shipping at $1991. It is built to deliver the sound of a full high-gain amplifier in a pedal-sized box. As Englund put it when the pedal launched:
"I always wanted the sound of a raging amplifier in pedal format, and we got it right with the CHUG"
Solar spent two years developing the pedal, a process vice president and product developer Joe Delaney described as "totally intense"1. It is made in China and measures 4.72 x 2.75 inches (120mm x 70mm x 50mm)12.
What the CHUG does: a high-gain amp in a pedal
The CHUG is a preamp rather than a plain distortion box: it reproduces the character of a driven amplifier, with a three-band EQ, presence and depth shaping, and an onboard noise gate12. MusicRadar described it as "a unit that is built to chug," aimed squarely at high-gain rhythm playing1.
It is flexible about where it sits in a rig. MusicRadar reported that it can be used as a standalone distortion pedal in front of your guitar amp, with a power amplifier, through your amp's effects loop, or sent direct into a guitar audio interface1. Guitar World later noted that the original Chug was specifically designed to shine when plugged directly into a power amp3.
The controls and dual-function knobs
The CHUG packs a lot of shaping into a small enclosure by stacking two functions on several knobs. The full control set covers output level, gate threshold, overall gain, low- and high-frequency gain, three-band EQ, depth and presence2.
| Knob | Outer control | Inner/top control |
|---|---|---|
| Bass | Bass | Presence |
| Treble | Treble | Depth |
| Output | Output | Noise gate threshold |
| LF/HF Gain | Low Frequency Input Gain | High Frequency Input Gain |
Gain gets its own standalone dial1. The LF Gain and HF Gain control is the one that tailors how much of the low and high frequencies from your instrument enters the gain stage, which is a big part of how the pedal is tuned for tight, low-tuned rhythm work1. MusicRadar also noted that the gate threshold is affected by the gain controls on the pedal1.
The built-in noise gate
The CHUG includes an onboard noise gate "to tighten up those riffs and keep unwanted noise at bay"1. Its threshold is set from the inner half of the Output knob, and the gate interacts with the pedal's gain settings1.
A color-changing LED shows what the gate is doing at a glance: it illuminates red when the gate is stopping noise and green when it is passing signal1.
Ways to connect it
The CHUG runs on a standard 9V power supply with a 100mA minimum draw, so it fits a normal pedalboard supply12. It has a buffered bypass rather than true bypass1.
The CHUG's buffered bypass differs from the later Chug Lite, which is true bypass3. If bypass type matters to your rig, check which version you are buying.
The pedal has since been joined by other models in the Chug series, including the Chug EQ Boost, an EQ and boost pedal designed to feed distortion and fuzz pedals, and the Chug Capo, a digital pitch-shifting capo pedal45.
The Chug Lite and how it differs
Solar later released the Chug Lite, a simplified version with six controls: Bass, Middle ±, Treble, Output, Mid Frequency and Gain4. Guitar World noted it has been tweaked to work into the front end of your amp, unlike the original Chug which was designed to plug into a power amp3. It draws only 25mA on 9V DC and is true bypass3.
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson observed that the original 10-control pedal is actually more "on-rails" than the Lite, meaning its core character is more fixed, while the Lite's semi-parametric mids open up different voicings45.
What reviewers said
Guitar.com reviewed the Chug Pedal in February 2023 and rated it 8 out of 10, concluding that it "chugs and lives up to its name," while suggesting a parametric midrange control and onboard cabinet simulation might have sealed the deal2. The reviewer found the drive character high gain but not fuzzy in its saturation, with enough headroom for the initial attack to poke through2.
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, writing about the Ola Englund Signature Chug in a 2024 high-gain roundup, called it an incredibly high gain pedal that can veer toward squealing feedback if not tuned right, and noted that the core Ola Englund modern chug and djent tone cannot be dialed out5. In his Chug versus Chug Lite comparison he also found the original tricky to dial in, taking a while to reach satisfactory sounds, with the extra controls acting as fine-tuners of Englund's preferred Chug sound4.
Videos
Solar Guitars
Solar Guitars
Solar Guitars
Questions
Is the Solar CHUG true bypass or buffered?
The original CHUG uses a buffered bypass, not true bypass. The later Chug Lite, a simplified version of the pedal, is true bypass instead. So the answer depends on which version you are looking at.
Can the Solar CHUG be used with a power amp?
Yes. The original CHUG was designed to plug directly into a power amplifier, and it can also run as a standalone distortion pedal in front of your amp, through your amp's effects loop, or direct into a guitar audio interface.
Does Ola Englund use the CHUG pedal?
The CHUG is an Ola Englund signature pedal, released by his own company Solar Guitars. Englund described it as the sound of a raging amplifier in pedal format, saying the company got it right with the CHUG.
Where is the Solar Guitars CHUG made?
The Solar Guitars Chug Pedal is made in China, according to guitar.com's review of the pedal. Solar Guitars is Ola Englund's company, known for its guitars as well as its line of effects pedals.
How much current does the CHUG draw?
The original CHUG runs on a standard 9V power supply with a minimum of 100mA. The Chug Lite draws less, at 25mA on 9V DC, while the digital Chug Capo needs 180mA to 200mA.
Sources (5)
- Solar Guitars puts the pedal to the metal with its stompbox debut, CHUG, MusicRadar, 2022-10-28
- Solar Guitars Chug Pedal review: It does the thing, guitar.com, 2023-02-03
- Solar Chug Lite high-gain distortion pedal review, Guitar World, 2025-05-10
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-04-29
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-06-19
