The Third Man Hardware Triple Threat is a 3-in-1 analog multi-effects pedal that puts high-gain distortion, a classic phaser and an analog echo in one compact metal enclosure1. It came out of a collaboration between Jack White's Third Man Hardware and Donner Music, announced in January 2024, with the circuit design and tone crafted to White's specifications and the external appearance designed by Third Man Hardware23.
Each of the three effects has its own footswitch, so you can run distortion, phasing and echo individually or stacked. The effects sit in a fixed order in the signal chain that cannot be rearranged4. Donner describes it as an analog multi-effects pedal, and reviewers across the press consistently describe the platform as all-analog, with three separate analog circuits combined in one enclosure123.
Distortion, phaser and echo in one all-analog pedal
The three sections are each built on circuits with a Donner lineage. The distortion is described by MusicRadar as "wide-range, high gain distortion," and Guitar Pedal X reports it is likely the same or similar to the analog British-voiced (Marshall-style) high gain distortion found on Donner's Alpha Cruncher82. The phaser is an evolution of Donner's Pearl Tremor unit with extra modulation controls28. The echo side traces back to the Yellow Fall Analog Delay, Donner's first-ever pedal release from 2013, with warm analog tone and rich feedback98.
GuitarPlayer's Art Thompson, reviewing it in April 2024, found the echo "bone simple and effective"7:
"it's bone simple and effective, offering warm, tape-style delays that can be dialed in for everything from short, reflective, and slap-back effects to ambient echoes of up to 600ms that fade out with progressively grainy repeats"7
Premier Guitar's reviewer compared the delay repeats to familiar analog benchmarks, finding that at its highest mix levels the repeats are much louder than at equivalent settings on analog echoes, brighter than the MXR Carbon Copy, Electro-Harmonix Memory Man and Boss DM-2, and thicker sounding than the Boss DD-310. MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley found the phaser interaction a highlight, writing that "it brings out the beast in the phaser"5.
The controls
Each module is fully adjustable with mini knobs fitted with grip-friendly rubber rings9. The layout, per MusicRadar's review:
| Section | Controls | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Distortion | Volume, Gain, Tone | Shapes what Guitar.com calls "a threatening rock sound"3 |
| Phaser | Level, Rate, Depth | Sets phaser level, speed and modulation depth5 |
| Echo | Level, Feedback, Time | Time spans 20ms to 620ms52 |
Each section also has its own footswitch for independent switching2. One behavior worth knowing: MusicRadar notes the echo can be pushed into spiralling self-oscillation when the Feedback knob is all the way up, making it, in their words, "a hard-working and practical effect that can also be as wild as it comes"5.
Yellow Limited Edition and black Standard Edition
The Triple Threat arrived in two colorways: a limited-edition yellow, exclusively available at Third Man's Reverb store, and a standard black finish3. Donner's product page states the difference is only in the color, and the functions are the same1.
| Edition | Launch price | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Limited Edition | $12937 | Third Man's Reverb store3 |
| Black Standard Edition | $9937 | Third Man Hardware webstores and Reverb.com2 |
Guitar Pedal X initially listed the Yellow Limited Edition at $149 and the Black Standard Edition at $99 at announcement, while Guitar.com, GuitarPlayer and MusicRadar all put the yellow version at $129237. MusicRadar's review notes the black edition is also available at the same price as the yellow in its listing, and describes the enclosure as Donner's Alpha Cruncher aluminum enclosure resprayed in taxi cab yellow or black5. Donner's product page lists a regular price of $119.99 and a sale price of $99.99 as of October 20261.
The enclosure carries Third Man Hardware's signature patterns: lightning bolts from the Tesla tower on the panel, three sharp stripes in front, and the diagrams from Third Man Hardware's logo on both sides1112.
Where it came from and who it is for
Third Man Hardware designed the pedal and Donner manufactured it12. Jack White worked with Donner to design and manufacture the Triple Threat, but Guitar Pedal X points out that none of the individual effects are based on any of the pedals White normally has on his board, on his albums or in his live gigs, and that White framed it as affordable kit for newcomers rather than a signature-sound pedal2. That same writer admitted some skepticism about the concept, saying he was "not sure it holds up from a demographic targeting or fully contextual standpoint"2.
The pedal shares its enclosure size with Donner's Alpha Crunch and Alpha Force, three-in-one units in identically sized boxes, and Premier Guitar notes the resemblance10. Guitar World's budget multi-effects buying guide included it, noting that "although the effects are in a fixed order and can't be changed, the Triple Threat is a great tool for adding Stripes-like" textures4.
What reviewers made of it
GuitarPlayer awarded it an Editors' Pick in April 2024, with Art Thompson praising its sound, size and price7. Pedal of the Day was similarly taken with the value:
"Now, for just $99, you might not think a multi-pedal would sound this good"9
MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley highlighted the included power supply as a plus, noting "it even comes with its own wall wart for powering-up immediately"5. At launch, MusicRadar called the $99 price "ridiculously affordable for a multi-effects pedal for guitar"13.
Videos
Guitar World
Premier Guitar
Reverb
Questions
Is the Third Man Hardware Triple Threat analog or digital?
It is all-analog. Donner combined three separate analog circuits, one each for distortion, phaser and echo, into a single metal enclosure. There is no digital processing in the signal path.
Does the Triple Threat come with a power supply?
Yes. The pedal runs on a standard 9V DC power jack and ships with its own included adapter, so it can be plugged in and played immediately. Guitar.com reports a 100mA current draw.
How much does the Triple Threat cost?
The black Standard Edition launched at $99, while the limited-edition yellow version sold for $129 through Third Man's Reverb store. Donner's product page lists a regular price of $119.99 with a sale price of $99.99 as of October 2026.
What is the echo time range on the Triple Threat?
The Echo section's Time control spans 20ms to 620ms, covering everything from short slap-back to longer ambient echoes. GuitarPlayer's reviewer described the repeats as warm, tape-style delays that fade out with progressively grainy repeats.
Can you use each effect on its own?
Yes. Each of the three effects has its own footswitch, so distortion, phaser and echo can be engaged individually or in any combination. However, the effects sit in a fixed order in the signal chain that cannot be changed.
Is the Triple Threat a Jack White signature pedal?
Not in the usual sense. Jack White worked with Donner on the design and the tone was crafted to his specifications, but none of the effects are based on pedals he uses on his board, albums or live gigs. He framed it as affordable kit for newcomers rather than a signature-sound pedal.
Sources (13)
- Triple Threat 3-in-1 Analog Multi-Effects Pedal Donner X Third Man Hardware, donnerdeal.com
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-01-26
- Donner teams up with Third Man Hardware for budget-friendly multi-effects unit, Guitar.com, 2024-01-25
- Best budget multi-effects pedals: a world of effects, Guitar World, 2022-09-27
- “It's built in Jack White's spirit, with abundant potential for dialling in sounds that range from the practical and useable to wild and anarchic”: Donner x Third Man Hardware Triple Threat review, MusicRadar, 2025-06-02
- Donner Triple Threat review: Jack White-approved multi-effects, Guitar.com, 2024-02-09
- “Kudos to Jack White and Donner for creating this great-sounding and affordable piece of hardware”: Donner Triple Threat review, GuitarPlayer (www.guitarplayer.com), 2024-04-29
- Bored of your 'board? Stomp this way for the must-have new guitar effects pedals of 2024, MusicRadar, 2024-03-28
- Donner / Third Man Triple Threat Jack White Multi-Effect, Pedal of the Day, 2024-11-16
- Donner X Third Man Triple Threat Guitar Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2024-07-23
- New At NAMM: Third Man Hardware Donner Triple Threat, Delicious Audio, 2024-02-05
- Meet the Triple Threat, the ultracompact, three-in-one analog pedal collab from Donner Music and Jack White's Third Man Hardware, Guitar World, 2024-01-26
- NAMM 2024: Jack White says build your own fuzzbox as Third Man launches new $75 Fuzz-a-tron, “a basic no-fail DIY guitar pedal kit” for players of all abilities, MusicRadar, 2024-01-25
Jack White
