The Wampler Golden Jubilee is a dual-channel distortion and overdrive pedal from Wampler, designed by Brian Wampler as his take on "those fire-breathing amps that defined the sound of the 1980s"1. One side is an overdrive voiced after the Marshall Silver Jubilee, the other a distortion inspired by circa MESA/Boogie Mark IIC/+ circuits, and the two can be run separately or stacked2.
Wampler describes the Distortion (DS) channel as capturing "the smooth, articulate punch of those mid 80s high-end California boutique amps," while the Overdrive (OD) channel delivers a saturated, muscular British crunch1. Guitar World's reviewer heard the OD side as "voiced after the iconic Marshall Plexi, capturing that saturated, muscular British crunch that's all over the records you love"3. It sits alongside Wampler's other amp-voiced drives such as the Wampler Plexi-Drive and Wampler Black '65 in the maker's overdrive range.
The two channels
The pedal carries two independent gain stages, each with its own footswitch: a DS side modeled on the Mesa Mark IIC/+ and an OD side modeled on the Marshall Silver Jubilee2. Each can be engaged on its own, or both together for a stacked sound.
MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley described the distortion side as "inspired by mid '80s Mesa amps, that high-end tube amp saturation that somehow remains articulate" enough for note separation even at high gain4. With both channels running together, Wampler promises "a massive, exceptionally full tone, perfect for high-energy solos, fast shred runs, and smooth, fusion-style legato playing"4.
The controls
Each channel has its own set of Level, Gain and Tone dials14. Between them sit three central toggles: two character switches and an order switch1.
| Control | Channel | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Level, Gain, Tone | Both | Independent volume, gain and tone for each channel1 |
| Character switch | DS | Governs presence: bright opens the top end for extra treble and cut, dark reins in the highs for a more focused, less aggressive response3 |
| Character switch | OD | Reshapes the gain profile, pushing into higher-gain territory with noticeably more compression3 |
| Order switch | Both | Sets the stacking sequence of the two drives1 |
MusicRadar notes the character toggle works differently on each side, operating "as a Bright switch on the distortion side, and a gain boost on the overdrive side"4.
The order switch and stacking
The central Order switch determines the internal routing: whether the overdrive feeds into the distortion or vice versa3. Reversing the order changes how the two gain stages interact, so the same knob settings produce two different stacked sounds. This is the same kind of routing control Wampler has used on other dual drives such as the Wampler Dual Fusion and the Wampler Brent Mason Hot Wired.
Switching between using one channel and then the other cannot be done with a single press of a footswitch. Guitar World's reviewer found the current setup "requires a bit of choreography by pressing two switches"3. The pedal uses soft-action footswitches2.
Power
The Golden Jubilee runs on a standard 9V DC center-negative power supply, or 18V DC if you want extra headroom, drawing 30mA at either voltage13. Wampler specifies not to exceed 18V DC1. Connectivity is a 1/4" input and output3.
Build, finish and price
As with every Wampler pedal, the Golden Jubilee is built in the U.S.A., and it carries a limited 5-year warranty1. The enclosure wears a premium evergreen emerald sparkle finish with gold anodized hardware1, which Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson called Wampler's best-looking pedal to date1.
The maker lists it at $239.971. At launch, Guitar World gave the price as $239 (or £209 GBP)3, and MusicRadar listed it at £/$2394.
What reviewers said
Reviews were strongly positive. MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley considered it possibly the best of Wampler's drives, especially for players whose tastes were shaped by hot-rodded Plexis and Mesa/Boogie amps4:
"But has he just topped the lot of them? Well, maybe, but quite possibly if your tastes in electric guitar were shaped by" hot-rodded Plexis and Mesa/Boogie amps.
Guitar World's reviewer, who plays in a punk band blending grunge and metal elements, wrote that "from the first notes through this pedal, it felt like it was made for exactly that context"3. The maker's own product page rates it 5 out of 51.
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Questions
Can you switch between channels on the Golden Jubilee with one footswitch?
No. The pedal has separate DS and OD footswitches, and toggling between using one channel and then the other takes a bit of choreography, pressing two switches rather than a single press. Each channel can be engaged independently, and both can run together.
What does the order switch do on the Golden Jubilee?
The central Order switch determines the internal routing when both channels are stacked: whether the overdrive feeds into the distortion or the distortion feeds into the overdrive. Reversing the order changes how the two gain stages interact, giving two different stacked sounds from the same settings.
Is the Golden Jubilee good for metal?
The distortion channel is voiced after mid '80s Mesa amps, high-end tube saturation that stays articulate at high gain, and Wampler describes the pedal as a take on the fire-breathing amps of the 1980s. Guitar World's reviewer, who plays in a punk band blending grunge and metal, found it suited that context from the first notes.
Where is the Wampler Golden Jubilee made?
It is built in the U.S.A., as with every Wampler pedal, and carries a limited 5-year warranty. It comes in an evergreen emerald sparkle finish with gold anodized hardware.
Sources (4)
- Golden Jubilee, Wampler
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-02-23
- Wampler Golden Jubilee review, Guitar World, 2026-03-23
- “Brian Wampler's take on those fire-breathing amps that defined the sound of the 1980s”: Love hotrodded Plexi crunch and Mesa high-gain drive? Wampler's Golden Jubilee serves up both in one sparkly green stompbox, MusicRadar, 2026-02-23
