The Strymon Riverside Multistage is a drive pedal that covers the whole ground between overdrive and distortion. Guitar World described it at launch as "an incredibly versatile drive pedal that is equally capable of providing sparking cleans, mild overdrives, high-gain leads, and heavy saturated distortions," running "from silky clean overdrive to colossal distortion and all points between"1. It was Strymon's first drive pedal: Delicious Audio noted that a company which built its name on clean, warm and lush tones had "finally entered the" dirty end of the market with it2.
What it does to your sound
Riverside uses cascading gain stages rather than a single clipping stage. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio wrote that "Riverside's cascading gain stages create harmonically rich tones that are immensely musical and natural," promising "a new world of harmonically rich, versatile, tube-inspired drive sounds"2. In Strymon's own demo video, Ethan Tufts described "its extremely wide range of harmonically complex drive sounds" and said that "because of Riverside's multistage topology, it goes well beyond simple overdrive pedal territory," covering "subtle overdrives... rich saturated distortions, and a full range of tones you'd find" on tube amplifiers3.
The hybrid circuit is central to that. Guitar World reported that Strymon "chosen to use both analog and digital gain stages," and that "the analog JFET gain stage ensures that Riverside responds to your guitar with uncompromised dynamics and feel"1. Delicious Audio put the design choice plainly: "Digital or analog? We chose both."2
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Drive | As it is turned, Riverside makes continuous adjustments, tuning the circuit for optimum tone12 |
| Gain | Low / High switch5 |
| Push | Norm / Mid switch5 |
| Level | Output level5 |
| Bass, Middle, Treble | EQ5 |
| Presence (three-position switch) | Tailors the highest frequencies so Riverside integrates with any amp or setup, no matter how dark or bright2 |
| Footswitches | On, plus a Favorite switch5 |
The Drive knob is the heart of the pedal. Rather than a simple gain control, "as you turn the Drive knob, Riverside makes continuous adjustments, tuning the circuit for optimum tone"2. The three-position Presence switch is aimed at players whose pedalboard has to work across different amps: it "tailors the highest frequencies, allowing Riverside to integrate perfectly with any a"mp, dark or bright2.
MIDI and where it sits in a rig
GuitarPlayer's buying guide, last updated 19 June 2025, lists "+ MIDI functionality" among the Riverside's features6. The same guide placed the pedal in a lead-oriented slot in its roundup of distortion pedals6. Guitar World describes the pedal as built around an analog JFET gain stage, saying it "ensures that Riverside responds to your guitar with uncompromised dynamics and feel," and housed in "a rugged anodized aluminum chassis"1.
Price, availability and history
MusicRadar reported in October 2016 that "Riverside is available from November for £299/$299/€349"4. Guitar World's December 2016 announcement listed it as "Available for $299," sold "directly through the Strymon online store and through select authorized Strymon dealers," and housed in "a rugged anodized aluminum chassis"1. Guitar Pedal X's 2024 overview of drive pedals recorded it as "Strymon Riverside Multistage Drive : 2017 - $299 | €329 | £299"5. The US price of $299 is consistent across both reports; the euro figure differs, with MusicRadar giving €349 in 2016 and Guitar Pedal X giving €329 in 2024.
Strymon has since moved into fully analog designs with its Series A line, beginning with the Fairfax drive in December 2025. The Riverside remains the company's hybrid analog and digital approach to drive.
Videos
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Questions
Who designed the Strymon Riverside?
The Riverside Multistage was designed by Gregg Stock, Strymon's analog engineer. Guitar World quoted Stock when Strymon introduced the pedal in December 2016, and the pedal is designed and built in the United States.
Is the Strymon Riverside analog or digital?
It is a hybrid. Guitar World reported that Strymon chose to use both analog and digital gain stages, and Delicious Audio summed the approach up as "Digital or analog? We chose both." The analog JFET gain stage is there, in Strymon's words, so the pedal responds to the guitar with uncompromised dynamics and feel.
Does the Riverside have MIDI?
Yes. GuitarPlayer's buying guide lists MIDI functionality among the Riverside's features, which is unusual for a drive pedal and lets it sit in a MIDI-switched rig.
How much does the Strymon Riverside cost?
The Riverside launched at $299 in the US, with UK and European prices of £299 and €349 at the time of its November 2016 release. Guitar Pedal X's 2024 overview still listed it at $299, €329 or £299.
Where is the Strymon Riverside made?
Guitar World reported that the Riverside is designed and built in the U.S. It is sold directly through the Strymon online store and through select authorized Strymon dealers.
Sources (6)
- Strymon Announces Riverside Multistage Drive Pedal, Guitar World, 2016-12-14
- Strymon Riverside Multistage Drive, Delicious Audio, 2023-05-08
- Riverside Drive and Deco Doubletracker, Strymon, 2016-12-29
- Strymon takes a new approach to overdrive with Riverside Multistage Drive pedal, MusicRadar, 2016-10-24
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-01-26
- Best distortion pedals: dirty up your tone, GuitarPlayer (www.guitarplayer.com), 2022-08-26
