The Tone For Punk Trebled Youth is a three-stage gain pedal built by the maker Tone For Punk's Müs. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, reviewing it in October 2023, described it as "a versatile 3-stage gain machine covering clean boost, overdrive, distortion and fuzz", sitting somewhere among boost pedals, overdrive pedals, distortion pedals and fuzz pedals rather than in any one camp. In a later piece, Karlsson characterized the circuit as one "which essentially combines a Treble Booster, with and Overdrive and Distortion - sort of progressive gain stages"12.
Controls
The pedal carries four knobs plus the clipping switch, and the three gain stages can run independently, in pairs or all together, which Karlsson said creates "interactive textures"2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Push | Determines how much of the first gain stage feeds into the rest of the circuit2 |
| Riff | Gain 1, with a somewhat mellower range than Raff2 |
| Raff | Gain 2, distorts generously when used on its own2 |
| Slash | EQ, working with the Volume knob and the silicon/germanium clipping switch2 |
| Volume | Output level; riding it pushes the clean boost state up further with minimal coloring2 |
| Clipping switch | Symmetric silicon / asymmetric germanium diodes3 |
Müs himself frames the three stages in gain-structure terms. Karlsson relayed it this way2:
"He told me he considers PUSH to be kind of like the Intensity of the circuit, RIFF is the core Texture, and RAFF is kind of the Body of the overall gain structure."
Silicon and germanium clipping
A three-way Clipping/Diodes switch selects symmetric silicon or asymmetric germanium clipping2. The two diode types behave differently: Karlsson described the silicon as "cooler / darker and more searing", while the germanium is "warmer and more open with its signature soft-ish" character2. Switching between them changes the whole personality of the gain stages, which is why the published presets specify a clipping choice alongside the knob positions.
Settings and presets
Karlsson published several starting points that show the pedal's range from light drive to full fuzz2:
- Fast/Light Distortion: Slash at 10 o'clock to 1 o'clock, Push just below noon, Volume to taste, Riff and Raff around noon
- Classic Treble Boost: Slash at max, Push at a fraction (around 7:30), Volume to taste, Riff at about 1 o'clock, Raff at minimum
- GPX Bonus Drive: Slash at noon, Push at 3 o'clock, Volume at max, Riff at 3 o'clock, Raff at 9 o'clock, germanium clipping
- Blow-Out Fuzz: everything at max, silicon clipping, which Karlsson called one of his favorite settings
The Classic Treble Boost preset is the Rangemaster-style setting: with Slash at max and Push engaged, the pedal forms a Rangemaster/treble booster voicing2.
What reviewers said
Karlsson's verdict was strongly positive on versatility, with a clear ceiling on gain. On the character of the pedal: "I really loved the somewhat raw punky garage rock tones I was hearing. While the makeup of this pedal is so versatile" it could turn to almost any purpose, in his view, apart from proper high gain2. His overall assessment:
"this is one of the most granular gain pedal I've encountered and one of my very favourites for that reason. Just really"
For players comparing gain pedals, the Trebled Youth sits apart from single-purpose drives like those in the Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer comparison: its three stages and diode switch make it a multi-voiced gain machine rather than one fixed overdrive character2.
Videos
Harsh Tones, Inc.
Pedal Haven
Matt Foy
Questions
How much does the Tone For Punk Trebled Youth cost?
Guitar Pedal X's 2023 buying guide of the year's best new boost and overdrive pedals listed the Trebled Youth 3-Stage Gain Machine at $165 USD. That figure dates from December 2023, so current pricing may differ.
Can the Trebled Youth do high gain metal tones?
Not really, according to Guitar Pedal X's reviewer Stefan Karlsson. He loved the pedal's somewhat raw punky garage rock tones and found it versatile enough to turn to almost any purpose, but drew the line at proper high gain. Players after metal voicings would look elsewhere.
How do I get a Rangemaster sound from the Trebled Youth?
Guitar Pedal X published a Classic Treble Boost preset: Slash at max, Push at a fraction (around 7:30 on the dial), Volume to taste, Riff at about 1 o'clock, Raff at minimum, with the germanium clipping selected. At max Slash with Push engaged, the pedal forms a Rangemaster-style treble booster.
What do the Push, Riff and Raff knobs do?
Push sets how much of the first gain stage feeds the rest of the circuit. Riff is Gain 1, with a somewhat mellower range than Raff, which is Gain 2 and distorts generously on its own. Müs of Tone For Punk thinks of Push as the circuit's intensity, Riff as its core texture and Raff as the body of the gain structure.
Sources (3)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-08-12
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-10-10
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-12-16