The Third Man Hardware Knife Drop is a sub-octave fuzz and analog synth pedal, released on October 29, 2024 as a collaboration between Third Man Hardware, Jack White's gear company, and Eventide1. It merges what Guitar World's launch coverage called "aggressive octave" fuzz with "earth-shaking analog synth tones," and Eventide's own tone notes promise "bone-rattling distortion and generous heaps of sonic chaos"2.
Under the hood it is a monophonic analog synth pedal with an overdrive circuit and octave up and down functionality, developed in collaboration with Jack White3. Guitar.com's review notes that the sounds crammed into the box are derived from White's personal favorite bits of Eventide's H9 multi-effects, including tones heard on "Blue Orchid"4. Guitar World's later review put the range in perspective:
"It can do a decent imitation of an octave fuzz, but just using it for that would be a huge waste in my opinion"3
Who made it, and where it came from
The Knife Drop was announced by Eventide in collaboration with Third Man Hardware, with Eventide Audio CTO Russell Wedelich named on the project5. Guitar World's review frames the pairing as "Coming from Jack White's Third Man Hardware and effects legends Eventide," and the pedal is developed in collaboration with White himself, making it his latest signature pedal and, in Guitar.com's words, his most technologically advanced yet3. Pedal of the Day describes the design as "Combining Jack White's unholy fascination with subversive tones and Eventide's cutting-edge sonic sorcery"7.
At launch it was available in the United States through Third Man Records' website and internationally through Eventide's authorized distributors5. The standard black version sold for $299, with a limited edition yellow version at $333 exclusive to Third Man's channels15. MusicRadar, however, listed the yellow version at £/$399, so the reported prices for that edition differ2. Guitar Pedal X also noted the UK price of the black standard edition as £329 against the original $299 US price6.
The controls
The pedal has three knobs, Synth, Drive and Level, plus two footswitches: one engages the effect and the other toggles the octaves on and off1. Each knob has a secondary function, Attack, Resonance and Cutoff, reached by pressing and holding the "alternate endings" button next to the Level knob15. Guitar.com notes this is a two-handed job, since you hold the button and turn the knob at the same time4.
| Control | Primary function | Secondary function |
|---|---|---|
| Synth | Synth voice level | Attack: sets attack speed between 0 and 1000ms |
| Drive | Adds the overdrive circuit, movable pre or post-filter; controls gain in the circuit | Resonance: increases resonance of the low pass filter |
| Level | Output volume | Cutoff: starting frequency for the filter envelope sweep |
| Octaves button | Toggles Off (all octaves off), Green (upper octave only), Red (upper and sub octaves) | LED visual aid |
The filter is the heart of the synth side. An ADSR-style envelope sweeps the cutoff frequency of a resonant lowpass filter with adjustable Attack, Resonance and Cutoff7. There are also precise filtering options with pre/post distortion routing, so the drive can sit before or after the filter1. An expression pedal plugged into the TRS input can amplify the pedal's dynamic capabilities1.
Presets, MIDI and connections
The Knife Drop saves five presets, with room for more via MIDI, and you can design your own12. It ships with exclusive presets handcrafted with Jack White, which Pedal of the Day reports "pulse with +6db of additional gain," and you can store your own creations alongside his, guided by an LED ladder7. Guitar.com's review lists full MIDI control and expression pedal/external footswitch operation among its features4.
Connections are flexible for a pedal this size:
- A single 1/4-inch input that can be used with a TRS cable for stereo input3
- Two 1/4-inch outputs, with stereo out via a TRS stereo jack3
- A mono/stereo switch and a guitar/line level switch, so it works with different instruments and sources65
- A 1/4-inch TRS input for an expression pedal or additional switch3
- Mini-B USB6
The dual I/O configuration supports both mono and stereo operation, and the guitar/line level switch means it is not limited to guitar level signals56.
What reviewers made of it
Guitar.com's full review credited the pedal with "Massive sonic versatility"4. Guitar World's reviewer found the octave fuzz impression decent but considered the pedal's real value to lie well beyond that3. Pedal of the Day leaned into the pedal's character, calling it "a pedal so maniacal, so drenched in sonic chaos," while noting its ton of options, stereo connectivity and five presets7. Guitar Pedal X heard "A cool off-kilter Octave Fuzz combined with Analog Monophonic Synth," one that "delivers suitably creepy supernatural horror"6.
For players weighing it against a straight octave and pitch box or a simpler fuzz, the consensus across coverage is that the Knife Drop is a synth instrument first: the fuzz and octave sounds are one layer of a pedal built around a filter envelope, presets and MIDI control361.
Videos
Eventide Audio
Reverb
Eventide Audio
News
Questions
Who made the Third Man Hardware Knife Drop?
The Knife Drop was made by Eventide in collaboration with Third Man Hardware, Jack White's gear company, and was developed with White himself. Eventide Audio CTO Russell Wedelich is named on the project. It was released on October 29, 2024.
Is the Knife Drop made with Eventide?
Yes. Eventide announced the Knife Drop in collaboration with Third Man Hardware, and coverage from Guitar World, MusicRadar, Premier Guitar and Guitar.com all describes it as a joint Eventide and Third Man Hardware project. Guitar.com notes its sounds are derived from White's favorite parts of Eventide's H9 multi-effects.
Does the Knife Drop work in stereo?
Yes. The single 1/4-inch input can be used with a TRS cable for stereo input, and there are two 1/4-inch outputs with stereo out via a TRS stereo jack. A mono/stereo switch and a guitar/line level switch set the dual I/O configuration for mono or stereo operation.
Can you use an expression pedal with the Knife Drop?
Yes. It has a 1/4-inch TRS input for an expression pedal or an additional switch, and the press materials describe flexible expression pedal integration for dynamic control. Guitar.com's review also lists expression pedal and external footswitch operation alongside full MIDI control.
How many presets does the Knife Drop have?
Five. You can save your own presets, and there are more slots available via MIDI. The pedal also ships with exclusive presets handcrafted with Jack White, which Pedal of the Day reports pulse with +6dB of additional gain, and an LED ladder shows where you are.
Where can you buy the yellow Knife Drop?
The limited edition yellow version was offered exclusively through Third Man Records' website and the Third Man Hardware Reverb storefront. Coverage gives its price as $333, though MusicRadar listed it at £/$399, so the reported figures differ. The standard black version sold for $299.
Sources (7)
- “Conjuring nightmarish soundscapes through a sinister blend of distortion and synthesis”: Jack White's Third Man Hardware teams up with Eventide on Knife Drop, Guitar World, 2024-10-29
- “A commanding new effects pedal that merges aggressive octave fuzz with earth-shaking analogue synth tones”: Third Man Hardware joins forces with Eventide for the Knife Drop, MusicRadar, 2024-10-29
- Eventide x Third Man Hardware Knife Drop review, Guitar World, 2025-01-23
- Eventide Third Man Hardware Knife Drop review: outrageously fun, Guitar.com, 2025-02-28
- Eventide and Third Man Hardware Knife Drop Announcement, Premier Guitar, 2024-10-29
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-10-30
- Eventide / Third Man Knife Drop Sub-Octave Fuzz & Analog Synth Terror, Pedal of the Day, 2025-01-30
Jack White
