The Tech 21 Richie Kotzen Signature OMG is an all-analog distortion pedal, the result of what Tech 21 calls "an intense collaborative effort" between the company and Kotzen, the guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer formerly of Poison and Mr Big and currently of the Winery Dogs12. Tech 21 says the pedal's slightly asymmetrical distortion emulates the output of a single power tube Class A amplifier, but with a tighter, quicker and snappier response, designed to articulate the nuances of Kotzen's playing2. The same OMG overdrive also appears as a section in Kotzen's signature version of the Fly Rig 5 multi-effects unit13.
Tech 21 now lists the Richie Kotzen Signature OMG in the archive section of its site, so check current availability with retailers if you want a new one2.
What it does to your sound
The OMG is a dual-footswitch pedal: the left-hand switch operates the distortion, while the right one brings in the Boost1. Tech 21 says the Drive control behaves like pushing the output section of a tube amp, and that it is highly interactive with your guitar's volume knob, cleaning up when you roll the guitar back and getting more distorted when you push it2. MusicRadar's reviewer, Trevor Curwen, found that engaging the distortion yields natural valve-like overdrive at quite low Drive settings1.
The Boost kicks in up to 28dB of pre-amp gain when the OMG is engaged, set via its own knob21. Curwen also found the pedal works well used purely as a boost:
"the OMG yields great results as a pure boost pedal - there's plenty there from just minimal volume hikes to getting your valves really cooking"
The controls: Tone, Girth, Drive and Boost
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Sets the output level1 |
| Drive | Sets the overall amount of gain and overdrive; interactive with the guitar's volume, cleaning up as you roll it back12 |
| Tone | Specialized voicing for high end and midrange; flat at maximum, and reducing it cuts high end without losing mids or getting muddy12 |
| Girth | Custom active midrange control for compatibility with tube amp tone stacks; cut or boost from a null at 12 o'clock12 |
| Boost knob | Sets the amount of boost, up to 28dB of pre-amp gain12 |
Girth is the control that sets the OMG apart from a basic three-knob drive pedal. Because it is an active midrange control with both cut and boost, you can add midrange weight to sit in a mix or pull mids back for a scooped sound. Curwen found the EQ knobs do a great job of matching the sound to complement your amp, "with Girth putting some bark or weight in the tone or alternatively dialling in a bit of a scoop"1.
The Boost runs on its own footswitch, so you can kick the front end of the drive section for more saturation, or use it independently from the effect as a clean boost21.
Power and connections
The OMG runs on a 9V alkaline battery, which is not included, or on Tech 21's optional DC power supply, Model #DC4-A2. The pedal has a 1/4-inch high-impedance input and a 1/4-inch low-impedance output, with metal footswitches and jacks and silent-switching custom footswitch actuators2. At 3.75" x 4.75" x 2.0" and 12 oz, it takes up a standard pedalboard footprint rather than a mini one2.
Richie Kotzen's signature version and the Fly Rig connection
The OMG pedal is one half of a two-product signature relationship. The other is the Richie Kotzen RK5 Signature Fly Rig, a multi-effects unit that debuted in 2014 with an overdrive section tuned to Kotzen's specs and employing a Class-A-style distortion45. That overdrive section is the OMG, which Tech 21 says brings in the organic distortion of single power tube Class A amplifiers with a tighter, quicker and snappier response36.
The Fly Rig's OMG section is simpler than the standalone pedal: it carries Level, Tone and Drive controls, and its Boost kicks in up to 21dB of pre-amp gain, less than the pedal's 28dB, and can be used independently to boost the SansAmp and delay sections or on its own to push your amp31. The 2019 V2 version added a Fuzz mode to the OMG overdrive and a switchable FET-based compressor in the style of the 50s and 60s on the Boost7. A V3 followed, with anticipated availability in January 2025, adding a switchable Pre/Post Boost and an effects loop4.
Pete Thorn demonstrated the RK5 on his YouTube channel in 2017, running his signature guitar into a tuner, then the RK5, then the clean channel of a PT100 amp, and using the Fly Rig for all the distortion, delay and reverb sounds on his demo track8. He noted the OMG section carries the basic controls you'd find on any distortion pedal, with a separate boost you can switch independently to saturate the drive, and that the whole unit doubles as a direct backup into the PA if your amp fails at a gig8.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's review summed up the OMG as "Powerful and flexible overdrive and distortion with plenty of tonal variations, plus boost to kick it up when needed"1. The same review flagged two drawbacks: the pedal "Can sound loose and over-compressed"1, and on price, "Some will regard the asking price as a lot of money for a distortion pedal"1. Curwen's overall framing was that Kotzen and the Tech 21 designers "have come up with a practical if pricy variation on the overdrive/distortion pedal genre"1.
For more on the category, see our pages on overdrive pedals and distortion pedals, or other Tech 21 drive designs like the Screaming Blonde and the TRI-O.D..
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Questions
Is the Tech 21 Richie Kotzen Signature OMG analog?
Yes. Tech 21 describes the OMG as 100% analog circuitry, and MusicRadar's review calls it an all-analogue distortion pedal. The pedal uses a slightly asymmetrical clipping design that emulates the distortion of a single power tube Class A amplifier, but with a tighter, quicker and snappier response.
Does the Richie Kotzen OMG run on a battery?
Yes. Tech 21 lists the pedal as operable with a 9V alkaline battery, which is not included, or with an optional DC power supply. So it can sit on a board without a power feed, though you have to supply the battery yourself.
Which power supply does the Tech 21 OMG use?
Tech 21 specifies its own optional DC power supply, Model #DC4-A, alongside the 9V alkaline battery option. The battery is not included with the pedal, so you need either the Tech 21 supply or a battery to run it.
How much gain does the OMG's boost add?
The Boost kicks in up to 28dB of pre-amp gain when the OMG is engaged, set by its own knob and activated on its own footswitch. MusicRadar's reviewer found it also works well as a pure boost pedal, from small volume hikes up to pushing an amp hard.
What does the Girth knob do on the OMG?
Girth is a custom active midrange control designed to work with tube amp tone stacks. It cuts or boosts mids from a null point at 12 o'clock. MusicRadar's reviewer found it can add bark or weight to the tone, or be dialed back for a scooped midrange.
How big is the Tech 21 Richie Kotzen Signature OMG?
Tech 21 lists the pedal's actual size as 3.75 inches by 4.75 inches by 2.0 inches, with a weight of 12 oz. That is a compact but not mini-format enclosure, roughly the footprint of a standard single-effect pedal.
Sources (8)
- Tech 21 OMG Richie Kotzen Signature Overdrive review, MusicRadar, 2015-10-03
- OMG - Tech 21 NYC, Tech 21 NYC, 2019-05-04
- RK5 v1 - Tech 21 NYC, Tech 21 NYC, 2019-06-24
- Richie Kotzen RK5 Signature Fly Rig V3 by Tech 21, Premier Guitar, 2024-12-21
- Tech 21 Intros Kotzen Signature Fly Rig 5, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2014-12-01
- Tech 21 Unveils Fly Rig Brit And Fly Rig Cali At LA Stompbox Exhibit, Delicious Audio, 2016-11-30
- Tech 21 updates Richie Kotzen RK5 Signature Fly Rig to V2, gearnews.com, 2019-02-13
- TECH 21 RK5 Richie Kotzen Flyrig, demo by Pete Thorn, YouTube (Pete Thorn channel), 2017-07-01
