The Wilson Effects Elevate is an overdrive pedal from Wilson Effects, a small builder based in Guilford, Indiana. The maker describes it as an updated version of its overdrive circuit, and the circuit it starts from is a familiar one: Wilson says the Elevate revolves around the 808 Tube Screamer, which he calls "one of the staples of guitarists throughout the years."1 On top of that foundation, Wilson says he has "modded the circuit to provide a bit more gain, more tube like distortion and added some additional options that allows the user to mod the circuit on the fly."1
The Tube Screamer family is a crowded one, and the Elevate sits in it alongside modded versions of the original pedal such as the Fortin-Modded Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer, which Godlyke says offers "even more output level and saturation" than Fortin's previous TS mods.2 Independent builders have worked the same territory: Aion FX describes its own take as based on "the classic Tube Screamer."3 The Elevate's approach is different: rather than a single fixed mod, it puts the modifications on switches so the player can change them between songs or between positions.
Controls and the clip switch
The Elevate carries the Tube Screamer's usual layout plus two modifications Wilson has added: a Fat switch and a three-position clip switch. The Fat switch, in the maker's words, "fattens up the tone of the pedal and also allows the end user to rock it on the bass,"1 which opens the pedal up to bass players as well as guitarists.
The clip switch is the pedal's central feature. Wilson calls it "the cool thing about this pedal," saying "you can alter the gain structure of the pedal by flicking" it.1 Its three positions work as follows:
| Clip switch position | What it does |
|---|---|
| Down | Stock position: "a nice warm tube like overdrive"1 |
| Middle | "A ton more headroom and at times it almost seems like there could be a hint of fuzz in the signal"1 |
| Up | Removes some clipping components and "adds another style of overdrive to the pedal"1 |
Because the switch changes the clipping itself rather than just EQ or gain, it moves the pedal between three distinct characters: the familiar warm Tube Screamer drive, a cleaner and more open sound with extra headroom, and a harder-edged overdrive with some clipping parts taken out of the circuit1.
Power, warranty and buying details
The Elevate runs on a 9V DC 2.1mm center negative power supply or a high quality 9V battery.1 Wilson Effects covers it with the standard one-year warranty on parts and labor that applies to all of the company's pedals.1 Orders ship via USPS Priority Mail, and returns are accepted within 7 days of receiving the pedal, with shipping costs not refunded and return shipping the customer's responsibility.1
Wilson Effects builds the Elevate by hand in small-shop conditions, and the maker's page lists a 7-day return window, shorter than many large retailers offer.
The Elevate sits in the Wilson Effects overdrive range as the maker's updated take on its own Overdrive circuit. Wilson Effects describes it as "our updated version of our Overdrive circuit," with the circuit modded to provide a bit more gain, a more tube-like distortion, and added options that let the user mod the circuit on the fly.4
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Harsh Tones, Inc.
Questions
Is the Wilson Effects Elevate based on a Tube Screamer?
Yes. Wilson Effects says the Elevate revolves around the 808 Tube Screamer, a circuit the maker calls one of the staples of guitarists throughout the years. Wilson has modified that circuit to provide more gain and more tube-like distortion, and added options that let the user mod the circuit on the fly, including the Fat switch and the three-position clip switch.
What does the Fat switch do on the Wilson Elevate?
Wilson Effects says the Fat switch fattens up the tone of the pedal and also allows the end user to rock it on the bass. That makes the Elevate usable as a low-gain overdrive on bass guitar as well as electric guitar, which the stock Tube Screamer layout is not usually set up for.
Is the Wilson Effects Elevate true bypass?
Yes. Wilson Effects states that the pedal is true bypass, so the signal passes through unaffected when the effect is switched off. The maker also notes the pedal is handmade in Guilford, Indiana.
Where is the Wilson Effects Elevate made?
The Elevate is handmade by Wilson Effects in Guilford, Indiana. The maker states this on the product page alongside the true bypass specification.
What does the Elevate's warranty cover?
The Elevate comes with Wilson Effects' standard one-year warranty on parts and labor, which the maker says applies to all of its pedals. Orders are shipped via USPS Priority Mail, and returns are accepted within 7 days of receiving the pedal, with shipping costs not refunded and return shipping the customer's responsibility.
Sources (4)
- Elevate | Wilson Effects, Wilson Effects
- Fortin-Modded Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer Overdrive, Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
- Karkadann Dynamic Overdrive / Way Huge Green Rhino, Aion FX, 2020-06-05
- New Pedal: Wilson Effects Capstone Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2026-04-09
