The Way Huge Penny Saver Royale Modulation & Overdrive is a two-in-one analog pedal that puts an overdrive and a chorus in a single housing. It was built in collaboration with blues-rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa and combines two circuits he already used: the Overrated Special Overdrive on one side and the Blue Hippo Chorus on the other1. Each effect can run on its own, or the overdrive can feed into the modulation for what Way Huge describes as "thick, soupy textures"2.
Dunlop now lists the Penny Saver Royale as a legacy product that is no longer in production2, so players looking for one today are mostly searching the used market.
Overdrive and chorus in one housing
The idea behind the Penny Saver Royale is straightforward: take two existing pedal circuits and combine them into one unit with a single power source5. The right side carries the Overrated Special Overdrive, which Way Huge says delivers "all the punch, grit, and tweakability" of that pedal1. The left side carries the Blue Hippo Chorus' primary mode, with a custom delay time specially suited to Bonamassa's taste1.
When both sides are paired, Way Huge says the pedal combines "electrifying gain and sustain" with the "liquefied intensity of a rotating speaker"6. Each effect can also be used independently, so the pedal works as a plain overdrive or a plain chorus when you want it to2.
Controls
| Side | Knobs | What they control |
|---|---|---|
| Overdrive (right) | Volume, Drive, Tone, Frequency | Gain level, output level, tone shaping and the Frequency control from the Overrated Special5 |
| Chorus (left) | Speed, Depth | Modulation rate and intensity of the Blue Hippo chorus mode7 |
GuitarPlayer's Jackson Maxwell noted the Overrated Special side "offers up serious grit, controlled by drive, tone, volume, and frequency knobs," while the chorus side keeps things to speed and depth7. Gearnews found the control set "nice and simple to work with"5.
The Blue Hippo Chorus' secondary vibrato function was omitted on the Penny Saver Royale. The chorus side is the Blue Hippo's primary chorus mode only71.
A Joe Bonamassa collaboration and the circuits behind it
The Penny Saver Royale is a collaboration between Joe Bonamassa and Way Huge4, and it was not the first pairing: Way Huge had already joined forces with Bonamassa in 2021 on the earlier Penny Saver Modulation and Overdrive pedal8. The Royale unites what Dunlop calls "Joe Bonamassa's beloved Way Huge pedals in a single housing," the Overrated Special Overdrive and the Blue Hippo Chorus2.
Way Huge itself is a long-running effects brand now owned by Jim Dunlop, which acquired the company and brought its pedals back into production9. The brand's line also includes pedals such as the Way Huge Blue Hippo MkIII, the Way Huge Smalls Blue Hippo Analog Chorus and the Way Huge Blue Hippo Analog Chorus MkII, the family the Penny Saver Royale's chorus side comes from.
Power and setup
The pedal runs on 9V DC with a center negative plug and draws 49mA3. Because both circuits share a single power source, one standard 9V supply runs the whole pedal, which was part of the point of combining the two circuits1.
What reviewers said
Gearnews' overall take on the concept was positive:
"Overall, the combined pedals make a lot of sense. This could be a neat all-in-one solution for many players"5
Guitar World reported the pedal as available now at Joe Bonamassa's online store at launch, priced at $2996, and guitar.com likewise noted it would be sold through Bonamassa's online store4. At launch it was also available internationally through select local retailers in the UK, Australia and Japan1.
Videos
Jim Dunlop UK
Leigh Fuge
Guitarsenal
Questions
Can the Penny Saver Royale run overdrive and chorus separately?
Yes. The pedal has an overdrive side and a chorus side, and each effect can run independently. You can also run them together with the overdrive feeding into the modulation, which Way Huge describes as producing thick, soupy textures.
Does the Penny Saver Royale have the Blue Hippo vibrato?
No. The chorus side is based on the Blue Hippo Chorus' primary mode, with a custom delay time suited to Joe Bonamassa's taste, but the original Blue Hippo's secondary vibrato function was omitted on the Penny Saver Royale.
Is the Penny Saver Royale analog?
Yes. The Way Huge Penny Saver Royale is an analog pedal, combining the Overrated Special Overdrive circuit and the Blue Hippo Chorus circuit in a single housing.
What power supply does the Penny Saver Royale need?
It runs on 9V DC with a center negative plug, drawing about 49mA. A standard 9V pedal power supply with the correct polarity will run both effects from a single power source.
Who makes the Way Huge Penny Saver Royale?
Way Huge, the effects brand owned by Jim Dunlop. The pedal was designed in collaboration with guitarist Joe Bonamassa and combines two of his favorite Way Huge circuits in one enclosure.
Where can the Penny Saver Royale be bought?
At launch in March 2021 it was sold through Joe Bonamassa's online store and select local retailers in the UK, Australia and Japan, priced at $299. Dunlop now lists it as a legacy product no longer in production, so it is mostly found on the used market.
Sources (9)
- Joe Bonamassa & Way Huge Launch Penny Saver Royale, Premier Guitar, 2021-03-02
- WAY HUGE® PENNY SAVER ROYALE® MODULATION & OVERDRIVE, Dunlop (jimdunlop.com)
- WAY HUGE PENNY SAVER ROYALE by Dunlop, RockBoard (rockboard.de), 2026
- Joe Bonamassa teams up with Way Huge on the Penny Saver Royale OD/chorus pedal, guitar.com, 2021-03-04
- Way Huge and Joe Bonamassa announce Penny Saver Royale OD/Chorus, gearnews.com, 2021-03-03
- Way Huge and Joe Bonamassa join forces for new Penny Saver Royale Modulation and Overdrive pedal, Guitar World, 2021-03-03
- Way Huge Unveils New Joe Bonamassa Signature Penny Saver Royale Modulation & Overdrive Pedal, GuitarPlayer (guitarplayer.com), 2021-03-03
- NAMM 2024: “From buttery goodness to gnarly thunder and lightning distortion”: The limited edition Way Huge Smalls Geisha Drive packs tumultuous tones into a seemingly peaceful package, Guitar World, 2024-01-30
- Dunlop re-introduces Way Huge effects pedals, MusicRadar, 2009-03-17
