Tonebox Recommended Pedals
Line 6 HX Stomp
Achieve the sound of Helix amps, effects, and cabs in a portable pedal with the Line 6 HX Stomp. You may utilize this professional-grade multi-effects processor as a super stompbox, an add-on tone expander, audio interface, backup or travel rig, or even a full bass or guitar rig. The HX Stomp leverages the same HX Modeling technology as Helix. It can run as much as six processing blocks simultaneously, making it the most versatile and powerful stompbox-sized multi-effects processor in the market.
HeadRush Pedalboard
Packaged in a sturdy, tour-ready steel enclosure with a cable route built into the bottom so your stage stays neat, the HeadRush Pedalboard boasts several well-thought-out features for utilization on stage. Everything about the Pedalboard is meant to make it intuitive, simple, and quick to jump right in and produce great sounding rigs instantly. It features a custom-designed quad-core processor, gapless preset switching with reverb/delay spillover, and more than 100 realistic FX, cab, amplifier, and microphone models.
Two Notes Torpedo C.A.B. M
Two Notes’ Torpedo C.A.B. M is a true cabinet in a box, giving you a direct line from your guitar rig to a PA system, mixer, or recording interface. A lot of things may change between each gig, from your backline to the room quality, but with the Torpedo C.A.B. M you can be sure your preferred tone will stay the same. The Torpedo C.A.B. M comes with a carefully curated selection of 32 of the most highly prized amp tones, plus you can load it with your own IR files.
Fender The Bends
The Bends by Fender is a compressor pedal packed with tone-friendly features. It was meticulously built to give you all the necessary dynamic control for sweetening your tone while preserving the natural response and feel of your instrument. You can fine-tune its incredibly fast recovery ability to achieve your ideal feel. The Bends consists of Level, Blend, Recovery, and Drive knobs. The Blend knob lets you return as much of your untouched signal as you want.
Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man 1100-TT
Electro-Harmonix just made the classic Deluxe Memory Man delay pedal even more versatile and powerful with the Deluxe Memory Man 1100-TT. This organic delay and modulation stompbox comes with 1100ms of maximum delay time and a Tap Tempo feature so you’re sure to always stay in sync with the music. Electro-Harmonix also bolstered the Deluxe Memory Man 1100-TT’s already formidable tone-shaping prowess with support for an external expression pedal and an effects loop for freely injecting additional effects into the wet signal.
TC Electronic Polytune 2 Mini
Ever since the PolyTune’s introduction in 2010, TC Electronic has been looking to make tuning speedier, better, and more impressive. The PolyTune 2 Mini guitar tuner does all of that in abundance. With 109 super-bright LEDs, it is easily readable at any stage condition. The PolyTune 2 Mini is an incredibly compact tuner with chromatic, strobe, and polyphonic tuning for precise and fast tuning. Polyphonic tuning lets you tune all your strings simultaneously, while speedy chromatic tuner delivers 0.5 cent precision.
Drive Pedals
Mosky Obsessive Overdrive
There’s no question which popular overdrive pedal budget guitar effects pedal manufacturer Mosky Audio took its cues from when it designed the Obsessive Overdrive. Like the similarly-named boutique Fulltone drive stomp it’s based on, the Obsessive Overdrive comes with a two-position High Peak and Low Peak switch. The High Peak setting gives you more gain for a thick British-style crunch, while switching to Low Peak provides a more transparent overdrive that keeps your core tone intact.
J. Rockett Animal
The Animal is J. Rockett’s faithful reproduction of an overdriven 1960s Plexi tube amp. It features an enhanced gain structure to cover all the vintage Animal overdrive tones and more without requiring the Snarl Switch of the original Animal. It also boasts a touch-sensitive response from the utilization of your guitar’s volume control for dynamic playing. The Animal consists of Volume, Treble, Bass, and Gain knobs that are pretty easy to use, and regardless of where they are set, they produce a remarkable tone.
Dr. No Effects DRIVE-O-MATIC
The Drive-O-Matic is the first and most epic Dr.No stompbox. Everything began as a fun side project while working as a guitar roadie for Peter Pan Speedrock. Witnessing the band perform for years, Peter mentioned he wants a handy booster/distortion to boost his lead gain. Fast forward, Peter now utilizes the Drive-O-Matic in the studio and live, demonstrating its versatility and durability. Dr.No’s first endeavor into the field of effects engineering has been a quick hit.
Big Joe B-309 Texas Screamer
Developed in collaboration with legendary blues guitarist Johnny Winter, the Big Joe B-309 Texas Screamer Johnny Winter Edition is a simple, rugged, and great-sounding true analog overdrive guitar effects pedal. With just three knobs—Gain, Tone, and Level—dialing in the amount of tube-style overdrive you want to get that vintage, juicy blues-rock tone is simplicity itself. The Big Joe B-309 Texas Screamer requires a 9V battery or a 9V DC power supply and comes with true bypass switching.
JHS Pedals Sweet Tea V3
Blending JHS Pedals’ Angry Charlie V3 and Moonshine V2 into one stompbox, the Sweet Tea V3 does everything from yelling tube-esque overdrive to British high-gain distortion. On the right side, you will find the Moonshine V2, which takes your instrument’s signal and adds an attitude. The left side houses the Angry Charlie V3, which captures the spirit of the iconic Marshall JCM800, transforming your guitar into a sonic monster. The Sweet Tea V3 is handmade for durability and exceptional sound.
Boss ODB-3 Bass Overdrive
Bassists already excel at putting out chest-pounding rhythms and lines, but if you want to push the envelope even further then the Boss ODB-3 Bass Overdrive pedal is the right stompbox for the job. Designed specifically for bass guitar signals, the ODB-3 gives you all the bone-shattering distortion you need for your aggressive hard rock, thrash, and punk riffs. You can control your dry and overdriven sounds with the Balance knob, while an onboard two-band equalizer lets you sculpt your tone even further.
Ibanez SD9M
The Ibanez SD9M Sonic Distortion Mod comes packed with all the tone thrashing goodness that has put the vintage TS9 Tube Screamer on the map. It boasts a gain boost switch, which many distortion pedals lack. Couple that with a mid boost switch designed to sharpen your tone’s edge, and you have a monster drive with plenty of teeth. Whether you are big on high-gain glory or a metal-head, the SD9M is your answer for exaggerated distortion.
CNZ Audio Crossfire Metal
The CNZ Audio Crossfire Metal pedal transforms your clean guitar signal into a war zone of intense and unique distortion tones. It consists of Tone, Distortion, and Volume knobs. Crazy levels of saturation, sustain, and distortion can be unleashed with the turn of some simple knobs. The Toggle switch provides three settings for your pedal—Boost-Off (more mid-range meaty tone), Hi-Boost (more treble, less body), and Lo-Boost (extremely full mid and deep tone). All three choices work nicely across various genres and effects for players.
Donner Metal Head
Donner’s Metal Head is a tiny, all-analog circuit metal distortion pedal. The enhancement of the pedal’s high frequency makes the heavy tone color and hard skills perform better. The Metal Head is complete with basic adjustment knobs—Tone, Volume, and Gain. Use the Tone control to set the effect brightness of tone, Volume to select the effect output volume, and Gain to determine the gain of distortion sound. The Metal Head also includes a toggle switch that lets you select between Normal and Boost modes.
Electro-Harmonix Bass Soul Food
The Bass Soul Food overdrive effects pedal from Electro-Harmonix lets you add a layer of overdriven and clean boosted attitude to your bass guitar’s signal without compromising your original sound’s unique character. Dedicated Treble, Drive, and Tone controls let you shape the exact overdrive tone you want, while the Blend dial lets you fine-tune how much of that gets mixed with your original tone. The Bass Soul Food is also useful for guitarists who want to add more crunch and punch to their low end.
ZVex Box of Rock
The Box of Rock boutique overdrive guitar effects pedal from Zvex is a hard hitting little monster voiced to simulate the roaring sound of an overdriven 1966 Marshall JTM45 with all the knobs cranked up to 10. It dishes out classic rock tones from the mid ’60s to early ’70s like there’s no tomorrow and can also be used as a high headroom, low noise clean boost . The Box of Rock Vertical packs the same great tone as its horizontally oriented sibling, but the more “standard” pedal structure makes it easier to slot into your pedalboard.
Dunlop Germanium Fuzz Face Mini
Based on the mid-’60s Fuzz Faces, Dunlop’s FFM2 Germanium Fuzz Face Mini distortion pedal gives you warm vintage fuzz tones thanks to slightly mismatched germanium transistors. It features an AC power jack, battery door, and status LED. Unlike traditional Fuzz Face pedals that come in an unusually large housing, this pedal provides you with the convenience of a pedalboard-friendly enclosure. If you are craving for that vintage germanium fuzz tone, the FFM2 Germanium Fuzz Face Distortion Mini has got you covered.
Joyo Dr.J PLANES WALKER
No magic of any kind gathering here; just impeccable fuzz stomp craftsmanship packed into a budget- and pedalboard-friendly pedal. The Joyo Dr. J D-56 Planes Walker fuzz guitar effects pedal gives you the power to choose between the warm, vintage fuzz of a germanium transistor or the harsher, edgier bite of a silicon transistor. It’s basically two different fuzz pedals in a compact, road-tough unit that opens up new sonic soundscapes for you to explore.
Source Audio Soundblox2 OFD Guitar microModeler
The Soundblox 2 OFD Guitar microModeler by Source Audio gives you an extensive range of vintage and modern overdrive, distortion, and fuzz tones in a portable, stage-ready enclosure suitable for guitarists of any genre. Every effect was meticulously created to deliver naturally responsive and precise tones, from chunky, warm tube overdrive to exaggerated fuzz. The Guitar OFD serves up twelve noticeably natural tones modeled after favorites, including Mesa Boogie preamp overdrive, Big Muff Pi, Fuzz Face, Octavia, Pro Co Rat, Tube Screamer, and Marshall Amplifiers.
Suhr Rufus
Whether you are into the vintage tones crafted at The Fillmore East back in ’69 or want the Grunge era’s more in-your-face, mid-scoped characteristics, the Rufus fuzz pedal from Suhr has you covered. It serves up an abundance of fuzz tone effects with the tactile response and dynamics of a tube amp. Press and hold the footswitch to change between Rufus’ two modes (fat and normal) in mid-performance. Configured for supreme versatility, the Rufus features a three-band EQ that lets you conveniently sculpt its tone without sacrificing your rig’s sound.
Fulltone ’69 mkII
With a matched pair of germanium transistors powering its top-shelf brand of mean, hairy fuzz, the ‘69 MkII Fuzz pedal from Fulltone has all the vintage vibe you need. You get four knobs for shaping your sound: Input, Fuzz, Contour, and Volume. There’s also an internal switch that lets you control clipping symmetry, harmonics, and tracking. The ‘69 MkII is also very responsive, going from ultra-clean vintage sound to full-on fat and harmonic with a single twist of your guitar’s volume knob.
Fairfield Circuitry The Unpleasant Surprise
If you’re looking for a simple, straightforward fuzz pedal, then the Unpleasant Surprise will surely live up to its name. For those who want to dabble in mad fuzz science, however, this unique fuzz pedal from Fairfield Circuitry is anything but unpleasant. A pair of Volume and Onset knobs plus a trio of switches controlling treble cut, amplifier bias, and compression let you dish out some of the weirdest and most unique fuzz tones ever conjured up by man. The Unpleasant Surprise is not subtle, not average, and definitely not for the faint of heart.
Electro-Harmonix Op-amp Big Muff Pi
Op-Amp Big Muffs from the late ‘70s may be selling for about half a kidney right now, but you can still get that massive, crushing Big Muff sound for way less via the Op-Amp Big Muff Pi. This compact and affordable reissue uses op-amps rather than transistors to create that signature crunch popularized by Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan and James Iha on the Siamese Dream album. Control the fuzz texture via dedicated Volume, Tone, and Sustain knobs and use the tone bypass toggle for maximum aggression.
Wampler Tumnus Deluxe
Any conversation about legendary overdrive circuits will invariably include a mention of the Klon Centaur. Never one to shrink away from a stompbox challenge, Brian Wampler took the classic Klon sound and replicated it to create the Tumnus. With the Tumnus Deluxe drive pedal, Wampler gives you unrivalled control over that legendary sound via an onboard three-band EQ and a toggle that lets you switch between the Tumnus’ original gain levels and a new higher gain mode.
Animals Vintage Van Driving is Very Fun
Animals Pedal’s Vintage Van Overdrive/Boost Pedal is an extremely versatile stompbox that you can use for a quick, clean boost or add some medium-gain overdrive dirt to your sound with a single flick of a toggle switch. Under the OD mode, you can make even an amp at moderate levels sound like its tubes are being driven to the max, while in Boost mode you can use it to give your digital or tube amp a rich, full push. The Vintage Van Overdrive/Boost Pedal features artwork by Jonas Claesson and comes with true-bypass switching.
Xotic AC Booster
The AC Booster stomp from boutique guitar effects pedal maker Xotic is a boost pedal packing a gain range wide enough to push your signal past the drive threshold. The AC Booster delivers a warm boost that that can go from subtle and pleasant to breakup overdrive. Dial in the boost amount using the dedicated Gain knob than tweak your tone further via the Treble and Bass pots. Use it with another overdrive to really watch the sparks fly.
Fender Engager Boost
Whether you are looking for a thicker tone or more volume, the Engager Boost from Fender is the perfect clean boost pedal. The onboard three-band EQ allows you to dial in your tone to cut through the mix, while the Frequency switch enables you to choose the middle frequency range, perfect for dead-on tone sculpting. The Engager Boost is suitable for boosting your signal into a tube amp’s preamp, beefing up your tone. Buffered and true bypass modes guarantee that this pedal works exceptionally in any rig.
T-Rex Octavius
A tri-tone generator with a brilliant Boost function and a comprehensive set of controls, the Octavius by T-Rex Engineering delivers everything you seek in octave generation—plus a beautiful T-Rex tone. It enables you to capture that classic octave-down effect heard from Machine Gun by Jimi Hendrix and other recordings. You may also add in a high octave and blend the octaves to your liking to produce your signature sound. The Octavius is controllable using the Boost, Master Mix, Lo Oct, and Hight Oct knobs.
Carl Martin Hydra Boost
Flaunting a classic, pedalboard-friendly design, the Carl Martin Hydra Boost delivers a clean, 15dB low noise boost. It will give you some extra clean dB’s to boost your input on your amp for more sustain and bite. You can also utilize it to drive your distortion pedals for extraordinary results. The Carl Martin Hydra Boost features a 9V battery adapter, high bright blue LED indicator, rugged housing, vintage style pointer knob, and low noise design.
EarthQuaker Devices Bows
Germanium transistors have long been the go-to transistors for guitar effects pedal makers who want to create truly vintage sounds. EarthQuaker Devices went one step further with the Bows preamp booster by basing it around the rare, low-noise NOS black glass OC139 germanium transistor. Using it is dead simple. Select Treble for a brighter tone or Full for a more bass-heavy sound using the two-way toggle switch and then dial in an output level with the Level knob.
MOOER 011 Cali-Dual
Mooer Audio’s Micro Preamp line of guitar effects pedals is all about giving shoestring budget shoegazers easy and affordable access to the legendary tones served up by classic and boutique amp models. The Mooer 011 Cali Dual earns its name by replicating the very versatile Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier amp from the ‘90s. It comes with two switchable channels as well as volume, gain, bass, mid, and treble controls. It also features a cab sim on and off switch.
T-Rex Spindoctor 2
Music equipment critics and musicians were fascinated when T-Rex Effects unveiled the SpinDoctor, a tube-driven preamp stompbox featuring four programmable channels, a beautiful vintage tone, motorized knobs, and a comprehensive arsenal of tone controls. Equipped with all the innovative features of the original, the SpinDoctor2 incorporates revamped electronics that gives a richer, more vibrant tone and a broader spectrum of dirty and clean sounds. When connected to your stage amp, the SpinDoctor2 is nothing less than the best overdrive pedal ever existed.
Walrus Audio Voyager
Whip up a full spectrum of overdrive tones with the Voyager preamp and overdrive pedal from Walrus Audio. The Voyager can dish out everything from soft and subtle drive to thick and heavy saturation without losing clarity or tonal transparency; even when the Voyager’s overdrive circuit is pushed towards its higher gain settings, your tone will still retain the clarity you need to make every note of your scorching hot solo sing out above the mix.
MOOER 007 Regal Tone
Mooer Audio’s Micro Preamp line of guitar effects pedals is all about giving shoestring budget shoegazers easy and affordable access to the legendary tones served up by classic and boutique amp models. The Mooer 007 Regal Tone gives you a sound fit for a king by replicating the sweet, high-end tone of a boutique ToneKing Falcon. It comes with two switchable channels as well as volume, gain, bass, mid, and treble controls. It also features a cab sim on and off switch.
MOOER 001 Gas Station
Mooer Audio’s Micro Preamp line of guitar effects pedals is all about giving shoestring budget shoegazers easy and affordable access to the legendary tones served up by classic and boutique amp models. The Mooer 001 Gas Station, in particular, takes its tonal cues from the Diezel Hagen, a German-engineered amp that’s become known for its versatile, modern tones. It comes with two switchable channels as well as volume, gain, bass, mid, and treble controls. It also features a cab sim on and off switch.
Wampler dB+
Tone suck—it’s what happens when you have too many cables between your guitar and your amp. Your tone suffers and loses those sweet natural high frequency notes, giving you a muddy overall sound. Wampler’s Decibel Plus solves that problem by delivering top of the line independent buffering and full frequency boosting without taking up a lot of space on your pedalboard. Not only do you get to keep those natural high frequencies, you also get a clean boost to make sure your guitar floats above the mix.
Walrus Audio Emissary
Make your solos soar over the mix or push your tube amp into natural breakup territory with the Emissary parallel dual boost box from boutique guitar effects pedal maker Walrus Audio. It features two independent boost circuits that can be run in parallel or independently. The Bright boost circuit packs a high headroom, JFET-powered boost. The Mid boost is a more targeted one that you can set to either 1kHz or 800Hz via a toggle switch. Use the Bright and Mid pots to dial in the output level of each circuit.
Mosky TW Distortion
Mosky Audio’s TW distortion guitar effects pedal doesn’t do subtle. It either goes Hard, or it goes Brutal. Note the capitalization; those two are the official names for the TW’s distortion voicings. Hard mode serves up a warmer thump while Brutal is a more full-range attack. Both voicings are, of course, built around the TW’s thick, high gain, which in itself has a lot in common tonally with a Peavey 5150 amp. Oh, and Mosky also threw in a boost switch.
Chase Bliss Audio Condor
The Chase Bliss Audio Condor multi-effect pedal enables control over a broad range of effects, including tremolo, boost, overdrive, EQ, and filter tones. Boasting the ability to store presets and a potent parametric mids control, the Condor proves to be as majestic and powerful as the bird it is named after. This pedal also features a switchable overdrive circuit for shaping the guitar tone you want. The overdrive circuit complements stacking, so using it together with your favorite overdrive stompbox is recommended.
MOSKY Silver Horse
The Klon Centaur is, hands down, one of the most copied overdrive pedals ever. It’s so often copied, in fact, that budget guitar effects pedal brand Mosky Audio made two Centaur-based overdrive pedals: the Golden Horse and this one, the Silver Horse. What differentiates the two is a two-way switch on the latter that lets you choose between Hard and Soft clipping modes. The Silver Horse also features a trio of dedicated control knobs for tone sculpting.
KHDK No.2
The No.2 is KHDK’s Clean Boost pedal boasting dynamic responsiveness akin to a tube amplifier without compression. Equipped with four control knobs for Bass, Volume, Treble, and Gain plus a Hi/Lo gain mini toggle switch, the No.2 lets the natural and transparent EQ controls completely sculpt your sound. It delivers a warm, tube-esque boost and works as a precision tool for shaping your tone. When the No.2 is engaged, two little LEDs glow in bright purple.
Modulation Pedals
Fairfield Circuitry Shallow Water
Fairfield Circuitry took simulation mathematics—or K-field math—theory and used it to create a stompbox capable of generating familiar but still unique tone modulation effects. The Shallow Water effects pedal creates a short time delay then randomly modulates the delayed signal to give it a sprinkling of unexpected pitch shifts. The Shallow Water might look like some simple aluminum box, but this versatile stomp gives you a wide range of chorus, vibrato, pitch-shifting, and other vintage tape-style effects with which to wash your signal.
Keeley Super Mod Workstation
Pedalmeister Robert Keeley wasn’t kidding around when he named this modulation multi-effects pedal the Super Mod Workstation. It features two banks loaded with eight high-quality modulation effects each, from thick chorus and pristine digital delay to rotary emulation and wah. Mix ‘em, match ‘em, stack ‘em–you have the power. The Super Mod Workstation also comes with a dedicated tap tempo footswitch as well as expression pedal support for real-time parameter control. A truly super stompbox.
MXR EVH 5150 Chorus
Capture Eddie Van Halen’s classic chorus sound tweaked for modern rig flexibility with the EVH 5150 Chorus from MXR. It is inspired by the chorus unit utilized by Eddie to add dimension and texture to several of his classic recordings in the early 80s. The EVH 5150 Chorus features a straightforward three-knob design for convenience of use. It carries Output Level and Input Level switches for optimizing your signal-to-noise performance and obtaining unity throughput gain. Couple this pedal with your 5150 Overdrive for a massive chewy and thick sound.
TC Electronic Corona Chorus+
Created with a tip of the hat to the aesthetics of the original chorus, the limited-edition Corona SCF comes with several features that make the Corona a very popular design. It boasts the TonePrint technology by TC Electronic with access to exclusive TonePrints of the classic SCF sound. It combines the aspects of two of TC Electronic’s most iconic designs. While the chorus pedal comes in a pedalboard-friendly modern chassis, the Corona SCF features the original’s straightforward look with model-correct graphics.
Blackstar HT-Modulation
The Blackstar HT-MODULATION delivers all the musicality of standard vintage effects, from mild tremolo to roaring jet engine flange. For the convenience of use, the SLOW/FAST control allows you to set the modulation time of the eight modulation effects as you play. You may add harmonics and real tube compression through the SATURATION control. The SLOW/FAST mode footswitch allows seamless control. The eight modulation effects include Phaser 1, Phaser 2, Multi Chorus, Vintage Chorus 1, Vintage Chorus 2, Flanger, Rotary, and Tremolo.
Maxon CS-550
Designed alongside professional guitarists, the Maxon CS550 provides you with a full range of distinctive chorus effects. It consists of Depth, Speed, and Delay Time knobs. The Delay Time control varies the effect’s modulation time. True Stereo outs enable stereo, mono, or inverted mono outputs. A rear-mounted Mix control combines your effected and dry signals for a better low-end response (works well with bass guitar). The CS550 leverages Panasonic MN3207 IC chip to give you the ultimate analog tone.
Dwarfcraft Devices Grazer
The crazy-cool Grazer Granular Repeated guitar effect pedal from Dwarcraft Devices serves up some weird sonic insanity by sampling tiny snippets of your input signal and then repeating them as you play. You can set the size of the micro samples (or “grains”) via a dedicated control knob or with an external expression pedal. There’s also a Pitch knob that lets you push the grain pitch up high for crazy computer beeps, a Mix knob for dialing in how much you want the dry and wet signals to blend, and a toggle that controls forward and reverse playback.
Fairfield Circuitry Randy’s Revenge
We don’t know who pissed Randy off, but his revenge is pretty darn sweet. The Randy’s Revenge effects pedal from Fairfield Circuitry is a tonally rich, all-analog ring modulator with that patented Fairfield edge. This pedal takes the whole ring modulation concept—multiplying the guitar signal with a sine wave or another simple waveform—by using not one but two simple waveforms in the mix, in this case, a sine wave and a square wave. This gives you a very wide range of highly musical tremolo and vibe effects.
WMD Protostar
“Maker of the most powerful and versatile envelope filter on Earth” is a tough claim to prove, but WMD does just that with the Protostar. This so-called harmonic density engine packs quite the list of features. It has a built-in LFO, four different filter modes, a full-featured CV patch bay, and an input jack for an expression pedal / CB. It even tightens up your tone with an onboard compressor section and extends your control further via a dry / wet mix knob.
Aguilar Filter Twin
The Filter Twin utilizes two similar filters sweeping in opposite directions—one down in frequency, the other up in frequency—to produce original filter tones or classic 70’s-inspired funk sounds. Two filters sweeping at once provide you a more natural, vocal quality and let you create expressive new sounds. Use the THRESHOLD control to determine the unit’s sensitivity to different playing styles, BLEND to adjust the mix between the filters, and VELOCITY controls to determine every filter’s speed.
Rowin Slow Hand
No, the LEF-326 Slow Hand doesn’t magically turn you into Eric Clapton. This unique little creation from budget guitar effects pedal maker Rowin actually packs an arguably more interesting effect than that. The LEF-326 Slow Hand lets you cut off the attack of each note you play, producing a volume swell similar to rolling up your guitar’s volume knob from zero and making your sound seem like it’s been slowed down. Pair it with a delay and you can conjure up some interesting reverse-like sounds.
Eventide H9 MAX
With 51 effect algorithms that include literally everything Eventide’s TimeFactor, ModFactor, PitchFactor, and Space pedals can do, the H9 MAX Harmonizer is basically an entire pedalboard in compact effects pedal form. It features reverb, chorus, delay, modulation, pitch-shifting, distortion effects, all of which can be tweaked and edited via an intuitive single-knob interface. The H9 MAX comes preloaded with 99 presets, plus you can get over 500 more for free via the H9 Control app.
Big Joe B-306 Analog Flange
The Big Joe B-306 Analog Flange guitar effects pedal successfully packs all the screeching and swooshing flanger tones you’ll ever need into a small and sturdy three-knob stompbox. Set the flange effect’s rate with the Speed knob, control the intensity with the Depth knob, and adjust how much of your signal gets fed back into itself to control how pronounced the flange effect is with the Regen knob. Whether you want a super subtle flange or balls-to-the-wall psychedelic effects, the Big Joe B-306 Analog Flange has what you need.
Caline Lucky 7
The Caline CP-38 Lucky 7 Seven Modes guitar effects pedal packs seven different modulation effects into a tiny, sturdy, and very affordable stompbox. You get high-quality Detune, Flange, Phase, and Vibe effects, plus custom effects including a bias tremolo effect, a classic Roland amp-style jazz chorus, and a U-Vibe effect that simulates an effect close to the classic tonal characteristics of the venerable Uni-Vibe chorus and vibrato pedal. The Caline CP-38 Lucky 7 comes with a true bypass feature.
NUX MOD Core DELUXE
The Mod Core Deluxe from NUX is a pro-quality modulation effects pedal featuring eight modulation effects (Phaser, Chorus, Pan, Flanger, Tremolo, U-vibe, Rotary, and Vibrato) with two kinds of algorithms suiting the needs of every musician for sound enhancement and colorization. Add-in Depth and Rate controls to adjust the primary parameters and Tweak knob to set relevant parameters for every effect, and you get more tone-sculpting possibilities compared to other modulation pedals. The Mod Core Deluxe includes a tone lock function to prevent improper operation.
MXR Flanger
The MXR M-117R Flanger provides you with an arsenal of wild sounds from short delay, vibrato, and chorus to a dynamic jet plane and cool space effects. You get full control over the filter so you can shape your sound to your liking. The M-117R Flanger consists of Regen, Speed, Width, and Manual knobs, as well as a footswitch. This mainstay of 70s funk and rock is back by popular demand, featuring dynamic and wild sounds. Use it with bass, keyboards, guitar, or vocals.
Strymon Mobius
The Strymon Mobius packs twelve iconic modulation effects into a convenient guitar effects pedal. Handcrafted from the best components available, it brings together twelve of the most expressive, versatile, and organic modulation effects ever existed. Each vintage effect has been painstakingly emulated and then expanded upon to enhance versatility and broaden sonic possibilities. The Mobius is equipped with 200 inbuilt presets enabling the perfect modulation sound to be recorded and recalled at any time. That function is also controllable by a MIDI foot pedal to streamline the process.
MOOER Mod Factory MKII
If modulation effects are what you’re looking for, you won’t go wrong with the Mod Factory MKII guitar effects pedal. This tiny wonder from budget-priced stomp creator Mooer packs 11 distinct modulation effects into its tiny, pedalboard-friendly chassis. It lets you dial in everything from a watery chorus to a dynamic auto wah and through to an extreme envelope ring effect. Three control knobs give you enough flexibility to create a wide range of lush sonic soundscapes for each effect mode.
Empress Effects Phaser
Leveraging an innovative VCA-based design, the Empress Effects Phaser delivers exceptional signal-to-noise ratio. It is the new generation in the advancement of digitally-controlled analog tech. It boasts a pure analog signal path but is managed by a microprocessor, enabling it to preserve its analog flavor and character while adding possibilities for adaptability and control. It is capable of very funky auto-wah, classic jet sounds, and ring modulators, as well as Univibe and vibrato sounds on tap.
Xvive Wave Phaser
The Wave Phaser is another product of the close collaboration between budget guitar effects pedal company Xvive and Howard Davis, the brains behind Electro-Harmonix’s popular Deluxe Memory Man delay pedal. The star of this fully adjustable phaser’s feature list is, hands down, its intelligent envelope detector circuitry, which lets you play rapid staccato notes with muted strings in between. The Wave Phaser also features envelope and LFO sweep controls, built-in noise reduction circuitry, and true bypass switching.
Aguilar Grape Phaser
If you are in the market for a bass phaser that will not zap your low end and is easy to use, check out the Aguilar Grape Phaser. This simple two-knobber produces fat, funky filter effects and liquid-y movement on the fly. The Grape Phaser contains a RATE control that manages your modulation speed and COLOR control that sends a portion of your signal back through the phase-shifting circuit to produce super funky and unique bass sounds. Needless to worry about root notes popping through as its four-stage circuitry maintains your low end.
Electro Harmonix Nano Small Stone
The Small Stone made waves when it Electro-Harmonix released it in the ‘70s, and now the 21st century has its own full-bodied, three-dimensional phaser pedal in the form of the Small Stone Nano Analog Phase Shifter. A simple two-knob interface lets you add a dash of swirl to your sound or crank it up for jet plane wooshes. The Small Stone Nano perfectly captures the sound of its bigger predecessor in a small, extremely pedalboard-friendly body.
Behringer Vintage Phaser
Create sounds reminiscent of classic phased tones from the ‘60s and ‘70s with the Behringer VP1 Vintage Phaser guitar effects pedal. Control is as simple as it gets; the VP1 has a single Rate knob that lets you go from rapid rotary speaker phase shifting to screaming jetplane effects, plus a simple Tone switch for fine-tuning the phase speed and tone. No matter what kind of vintage phased tone you want, you can get it with the VP1.
Fender Lost Highway Phaser
The Lost Highway Phaser by Fender delivers a powerful, versatile analog phasing to your rig. This eight-stage analog phaser boasts switchable waveforms and speeds. It also includes a sensitivity control that enables modulation rate changes according to your playing dynamics. A Fender amp jewel LED adds a classic one-two audiovisual punch to your pedalboard. LED-backlit knobs let you see your control settings on a dim stage quickly. The Lost Highway Phaser comes in a sturdy, player-friendly design.
Keeley Super Mod Workstation
Pedalmeister Robert Keeley wasn’t kidding around when he named this modulation multi-effects pedal the Super Mod Workstation. It features two banks loaded with eight high-quality modulation effects each, from thick chorus and pristine digital delay to rotary emulation and wah. Mix ‘em, match ‘em, stack ‘em–you have the power. The Super Mod Workstation also comes with a dedicated tap tempo footswitch as well as expression pedal support for real-time parameter control. A truly super stompbox.
Chase Bliss Audio Condor
The Chase Bliss Audio Condor multi-effect pedal enables control over a broad range of effects, including tremolo, boost, overdrive, EQ, and filter tones. Boasting the ability to store presets and a potent parametric mids control, the Condor proves to be as majestic and powerful as the bird it is named after. This pedal also features a switchable overdrive circuit for shaping the guitar tone you want. The overdrive circuit complements stacking, so using it together with your favorite overdrive stompbox is recommended.
EarthQuaker Devices Hummingbird V4
EarthQuaker Devices’ Hummingbird repeat percussion tremolo pedal is an absolute beast when it comes to adding tremolo textures to your sound. Pick between the Slow, Mid-Tempo, and Fast modes then play around with the Rate and Depth control knobs to dish out everything from classic shimmering tremolo effects to helicopter chops and abrupt, synth-like pulses. V4 adds Flexi-Switch capability, which means the footswitch can act as both a latching and a momentary-type switch. Plug in an external expression pedal and you get even more freedom of control over the tremolo rate.
Source Audio Vertigo
Enjoy three distinct tremolo effects with the Vertigo Tremolo pedal from Source Audio. Normal tremolo gives you a divine regeneration of the thumping “opto trem” amplitude modulation seen in old-school Blackface Fenders. Harmonic revitalizes the unforgettable sway of the early 60s Fender Super’s “Vibrato” effect. Ultimately, the sweetly overdriven Bias tremolo simulates the swampy “bias wiggle” of vintage tube bias modulation. The Vertigo Tremolo is taking the tonal possibilities further with its Shape control, which lets you morph the LFO wave shape from square to opto or sine to saw tooth.
Ernie Ball Expression Tremolo
WIth its rocker-style pedal form, the Ernie Ball Expression Series Tremolo pedal gives you complete and precise control over its sweepable tremolo effects without requiring any extra expression pedal attachments. Choose from five different tremolo waveforms—Slow Rise, Slow Fall, Sine, Square, and Harmonic—and then use the treadle to control the tremolo depth and rate individually or both at the same time. Leave the treadle open in the zero position and you get an ultra-clear transparent signal that doesn’t color your core tone at all.
Joyo Extreme Metal
The JF-17 Extreme Metal guitar effect pedal’s name speaks for itself. This distortion pedal from Joyo serves up epic metal tones swimming in defined highs and subterranean bass; cut or boost the mids–it’s your choice. In fact, the three-band EQ lets you boost or cut whichever frequency you want. The JF-17 Extreme Metal, by itself, already goes up to 11, but once you engage the Boost switch, which has its own Boost dial, you can crank this baby up to 12.
Mooer Soul Shiver
The Soul Shiver guitar effects pedal from budget stomp maker Mooer serves up a trio of classic psychedelic sounds straight from the ‘60s. Packed into the Soul Shiver’s compact enclosure is a thick, watery Chorus; a Vibrato that emulates the natural sound of an actual finger-based vibrato; and a swirling, choppy, Leslie speaker cabinet-like Rotary effect. You also get dedicated Volume, Intense, and Speed knobs for precise tone sculpting. Highly musical classic vibes in a tiny pedalboard-friendly package.
Danelectro DJ-15 Chicken Salad Vibrato Mini
With psychedelic swirling speaker vibrato effects ripped straight from the ‘60s, the Danelectro DJ-15 Chicken Salad Vibrato will have your tone doing the funky chicken in no time flat. This budget-priced pedal packs a serious UniVibe punch thanks to a lightbulb and photoresistor design based on the same circuitry powering that legendary guitar effect pedal. You get three-dimensional, way-out-there swirls with just the right touch of off-kilter weirdness. Funky fresh and great vibes all around.
JAM Pedals Ripply Fall Bass
Following years of promoting the Ripple and WaterFall as a match made in heaven, Jam Pedals set out to offer both pedals, packed side-by-side, within one chassis—the Ripply Fall Bass. The WaterFall and Ripple still function as standalone units, but Jam Pedals incorporated several additional features. The combination of both pedals creates a rich and deep modulation making up for some excellent contemporary UniVibe tones. Engaging the middle footswitch lets you discover uncharted territories.
TC Electronic Viscous Vibe
The Viscous Vibe by TC Electronic is a marvelous vibe pedal that allows you to emulate the Shin-Ei Uni-Vibe’s iconic sound in a contemporary, portable piece of kit. It features spot-on accurate reproduction of the unique tones and dramatic swirls of the Shin-Ei Uni-Vibe plus the ease of a modern pedal. It is TonePrint-powered so you can beam beautiful signature tones into your pedal using the free TonePrint App. The Viscous Vibe comes in a durable die-cast metal chassis built for life on the road.
Fulltone Custom Shop Mini DejaVibe Mk II
Massive Uni-Vibe sound from the smallest Uni-Vibe clone ever. Fulltone cast some weird voodoo magic on the original Mini DejaVibe to make it 30 percent smaller and create the Fulltone Custom Shop Mini DejaVibe Mk II. The Mini DejaVibe Mk II also features a wider range of vibe speeds compared to older Fulltone vibes while retaining its vintage-flavored vibe effects. Also added were a linear-ramping Speed knob, expression pedal support, and twice the available volume of any Uni-Vibe clone.
Boss VB-2W Vibrato Waza Craft
The Boss VB-2W Vibrato brings 1982’s classic VB-2 Vibrato pedal to the 21st century, complete with Boss’s signature Waza Craft magic. The VB-2W faithfully recreates the VB-2’s expressive, one-of-a-kind sound using all-analog circuitry and a bucket brigade device (BBD) vibrato line. With the flick of a two-position toggle, you can easily switch from the classic VB-2 vibrato effect to a Custom mode that features a completely new vibrato voicing powered by a unique filter wave.
JOYO XVI OCTAVE
Need to fatten up your sound right quick? The R-13 XVI polyphonic octave stomp from budget guitar effects pedal company Joyo will do the job better than some other pedals twice or even three times its price. It lets you add an extra octave and sub octave onto your signal and, like any octave pedal worth its salt, it does it all fast. It features dedicated volume controls for both the octave and sub-octave, a dry/wet mix knob, and a built-in modulation circuit that lets you add more texture to your sound.
MOOER Tender Octaver Pro
Budget stomp maker Mooer has given their popular but discontinued Tender Octaver a Pro makeover. The original’s accurately tracked true polyphonic pitch shifting ability is still there, but the Tender Octaver Pro enhances the original’s Pog-based design with dedicated footswitches and parameter controls for the sub and upper octaves, including Dry dials for controlling the original signal level. Mooer has also added the ability to store and recall memory presets along with expression pedal compatibility.
Donner Harmonic Square
The Harmonic Square from Donner is an octave pedal boasting seven modes effect and a three-way toggle switch that allows you to choose from Sharp, Detune, or Flat modes. The pedal also consists of Dry and Wet knobs which you can tweak to select the dry signal level and control the harmonic signal level respectively. Packaged in a sturdy, aluminium-alloy enclosure, the Harmonic Square includes an LED indicator displaying the working state, digital circuit design, and true bypass producing a transparent tone.
EarthQuaker Devices Hoof Reaper V2
EarthQuaker Devices’s Hoof Reaper double fuzz with octave up guitar effects pedal dumps a lot of fuzz power right at your feet. This unholy hybrid of the popular Hoof and Tone Reaper stompboxes already puts out massive levels of thick, meaty fuzz, and then EarthQuaker went ahead and added an old-school analog octave up function. Each effect can be used alone or in a series, plus in V2 the octave effect features Flexi-Switch technology so you can use it as both a latching and a momentary-type footswitch.
Boss PS-6 Harmonist
The Boss PS-6 Harmonist is four intelligent pitch-shifting effects in one sturdy stompbox: Harmony, Pitch Shifter, Detune, and the all-new S-Bend (Super Bend). The latter, in particular, gives you control over authentic pedal-bending effects and mind-bending three- and four-octave pitch sweeps. Plug in a compatible external expression pedal and you can control the pitch even more precisely. Need rich, three-voice harmonies? Just choose a major or minor key and set the Shift knob to the 3-Voice setting.
Walrus Audio Luminary V2
With four octave options available, the Luminary quad octave generator from boutique guitar effects pedal maker Walrus Audio is a polyphonic force to be reckoned with. You can dial in any combination of the octave options, which range from -2 to +2, to create complex and dynamic textures. For the Luminary V2, Walrus Audio increased the attack time, added a tremolo effect to the Flutter dial, threw in Smart Momentary Bypassing, and revised the octave volume knobs as well as the envelope low-pass filter.
Timing, Dynamics & EQ Pedals
Animals Pedal Relaxing Walrus Delay
The vintage-voiced Relaxing Walrus Delay from Animals Pedal brings the lingering echoes of Japan’s legendary echo spirit, the Yamabiko, onstage. Featuring delay times of as low as 1ms up to a max of 1250ms, a wet/dry Blend control, and a Repeat knob for precise echo adjustments, and an internal trimpot for fine-tuning self-oscillation, the Relaxing Walrus Delay is a monstrous delay machine in a small stompbox package. The Relaxing Walrus Delay features artwork by Jonas Claesson and comes with true-bypass switching.
EarthQuaker Devices Dispatch Master V2
Rich, cavernous reverbs and lush, shimmering delays are a single stomp away with the Dispatch Master digital delay and reverb guitar effects pedal from EarthQuaker Devices. The Dispatch Master lets you serve up delays that don’t degrade despite ultra-long repeats, versatile reverb tones that go from tight to super spacious, or a highly musical and unique combination of the two. V2 builds on the original Dispatch Master by adding soft-touch relay-based switching for truly silent operation.
Mooer Repeater
If there’s one thing a digital delay should be, it’s transparent. It should be able to repeat the exact sound you play without adding any tonal colorations or tracking issues. Budget stomp maker Mooer’s Repeater guitar effects pedal does just that on its Normal mode setting. If you feel more adventurous, try the Kill Dry mode to remove the original signal entirely and play only the repeats. The Repeater also has a Mod mode that adds a layer of modulation for a spacey, chorus-like delay.
JOYO R-07 AQUARIUS
With multiple built-in delay effects, a tap tempo function, and a looper with five minutes of max recording time, the R-07 Aquarius gives you a ridiculous amount of bang for your buck. The delay comes in eight flavors—Digital, Analog, Tape Echo, Tube Echo, Reverse, Low Bit, Galaxy, and Mod—plus you get dedicated Volume, Tape (Feedback), and Tone controls for tone shaping. The R-07 Aquarius is an R Series pedal, meaning it has cool ambient LED effects built into it.
Strymon Brigadier
With the Strymon Brigadier dBucket Delay, you get all the tone and none of the noise of standard vintage bucket brigade chips, unless you decide to add it back using the Bucket Loss knob. It features a hand-wired dBucket algorithm for dead-on emulation of each stage of an analog bucket brigade chip and related clock driver circuitry. You can go from clean and warm repeats to noisy, saturated delays. Add to that the dedicated filter and modulation controls, assignable expression pedal input, and tap tempo, and you have yourself an incredibly flexible delay powerhouse.
Donner Revecho
The Donner Revecho is a compact twin pedal that gives you thoroughly selected reverb and delay effects. It features a Tap Tempo function for seamless delay time control. It consists of Delay, Feedback, Level, Decay, and Reverb knobs for controlling the delay time, delay feedback, delay effect level, reverberation time, and reverb effect level respectively. The Revecho fits any music style. Other features include an LED indicator, buffer bypass, as well as Reverb and Delay footswitches.
Seymour Duncan Dark Sun
The Seymour Duncan Dark Sun Digital Delay + Reverb was built based on Mark Holcomb’s favorite sounds from the Silver Lake Dynamic Reverb and the Andromeda Dynamic Delay. It blends a clean, warm digital delay algorithm and a rich Hall reverb, plus the ability to route both in virtually any configuration you desire. You may also sculpt the effect’s EQ, add saturation, or rich choral modulation, or utilize Dynamic Expression to adjust the effect’s mix with your playing.
Electro-Harmonix HOLY GRAIL NANO
Belying its stature as one of the simplest digital reverb pedals available on the market, the Holy Grail reverb guitar effects pedal from Electro-Harmonix lets you add a layer of truly heavenly reverb to your tone. In the Holy Grail Nano, you get all three of the original Holy Grail’s selectable reverb modes in one tiny, pedalboard-friendly unit. The Holy Grail blesses your sound with faithful recreations of classic guitar combo-type Spring and lush, spacious Hall reverb modes plus the completely unique flange-flavored Flerb reverb.
TC Electronic Hall of Fame 2
The legendary reverb pedal is back better than ever with an added shimmer effect and revolutionary pressure-sensitive footswitch. The Hall of Fame 2 Reverb by TC Electronic boasts cutting-edge technology that takes an extensive range of creative expression to the party, controlled only by the amount of pressure you give to the depressed footswitch. Years in the making, and found only in select TC Electronic units, this groundbreaking innovation elevates the standard footswitch well above typical functions like on/off. Ultimately, MASH levels up your performance.
Danelectro DSR-1 Spring King
You can’t get any more authentic spring reverb than with the Danelectro DSR-1 Spring King Reverb. After all, this guitar effect pedal actually has an honest to goodness spring inside it! You get all the depth, warmth, and richness of classic vintage reverb units, plus there’s even a built-in kick pad that lets you simulate the explosive sound of kicking an actual vintage reverb unit. You also get a wide range of flexibility thanks to dedicated Volume, Tone, and Reverb controls.
Strymon BlueSky
The BlueSky Reverberator from Strymon brings virtually any reverb sound you will ever need for the studio and stage in pedal format: subtle room ambience, spanky tube-amp springs, and lush studio plates, each with controls for easy tweaks. Standard mix, decay, and damping controls will have you achieving your preferred reverb sounds in a flash. If you want more advanced textures, the Modulation mode allows you to color your reverbs with mild tonal movement while Shimmer mode provides infinite sustain to your chords and leads.
Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Plus
Belying its stature as one of the simplest digital reverb pedals available on the market, the Holy Grail reverb guitar effects pedal from Electro-Harmonix lets you add a layer of truly heavenly reverb to your tone. The Holy Grail Plus does the original one better, adding a new, graceful Room reverb. Faithful recreations of classic guitar combo-type Spring and lush, spacious Hall reverb modes plus the completely unique flange-flavored Flerb reverb round out the Holy Grail Plus’ four selectable reverb modes.
Diamond Bass Comp
The Bass Comp is the first Diamond pedal specially designed for bassists. It was launched in response to the interest of bassists in its famed Compressor. With higher headroom and low-frequency response extending down to 20Hz, the Bass Compressor is perfect for active and passive 4/5/6 string basses. The Tilt EQ control has been revoiced, letting you select between the original 900Hz and new 250Hz setting using the mini toggle. The Bass Comp boasts premium audio components, smooth optical compression/limiting, and true bypass signal path.
Emma Electronic Transmorgrifier
Working musicians need various compressors in their arsenal to be ready for different playing situations. The TRansMORGrifier eases their job by providing additional tools for the task at hand. It loads the best qualities of several classic compressors into a single unit while simultaneously eradicating the drawbacks typical to vintage designs. It consists of Ratio, Attack, Release, and Level knobs to assure you a continuous and precise variation to your sound. Highly interactive, these controls enable custom tailoring the compression to suit the job at hand.
Carl Martin Comp/Limiter
Carl Martin’s Comp Limiter is a studio-quality compressor within a pedalboard-friendly enclosure. It was born out of the request of musicians seeking a studio-level compressor that comes in a convenient, yet versatile pedal. Limiting and Compression are serious business for guitarists. These are capable of transforming your tone from being incredibly musical to sounding as if you are playing via a crushed tin can. To make this extremely dynamic pedal user-friendly, Carl Martin pre-set the Response and Threshold controls, leaving only the Level and Compression knobs.
Electro-Harmonix Soul Preacher
Whether you rock a guitar or a bass, the Soul Preacher compressor pedal from Electro-Harmonix will fit right in your pedalboard. It packs three selectable attack modes–a 20ms Fast rise, a 50ms Medium rise, and a 100ms Slow rise–coupled with a Sustain knob that lets you dial in silky, lengthy sustains. The Soul Preacher gives you highly articulate compression without compromising your core tone. This compact, road-tough pedal also comes with a true bypass feature.
Carl Martin Compressor Limiter
The Carl Martin Compressor Limiter gives you the same sonic clarity and features available only in top-grade professional studio compressors. It incorporates a Threshold control working anti-clockwise, determining the amount of signal to be compressed. The Comp, Resp, and Gain knobs work clockwise. Comp determines the amount of compression applied to the signal enabled by the threshold setting, Gain sets the overall gain, while Resp determines the release/attack times. Busy shows how much compression is being applied, even in bypass mode.
Electro-Harmonix Tone Corset
Just like its namesake, the Tone Corset squeezes your tone to give it all the right curves. This analog compressor pedal from Electro-Harmonix features an intuitive four-knob design for all your compression needs. You can control the amount of compression via a Sustain knob, adjust the compression’s recovery rate with the Attack knob, adjust the compressed and dry signal mix with the Blend knob, and dial in overall output with the Volume knob. The Tone Corset also has a Pad switch that helps minimize unwanted distortion caused by high-output pickups.
JOYO BAND EQUALIZER
Whether you shred or keep the bottom end tight, Joyo’s R-12 10-Band Graphic Equalizer will be a welcome addition to your pedalboard. The 10-band EQ sliders give you full control over the 31.25Hz to 16 kHz frequency bands for serving up subterranean lows, sparkling mids, and highs that break through the stratosphere. As a part of Joyo’s Revolution or R Series line of pedals, the R-12 comes with some cool switchable ambient LED effects.
Orange Two Stroke
Two Stroke is Orange’s take on the classic clean boost pedal, boasting increased flexibility. With an active dual parametric equalizer coupled with up to 12dB of output boost, the Two Stroke serves as an exceptional tool for fine-tuning your sound or driving the front end of your amp with unparalleled control. The dual-parametric active EQ enables anything from wide, mild cuts and boosts to narrow dips or peaks. The Two Stroke also features transparent buffered bypass and internal charge pump.
Alexander Pedals Equilibrium DLX
The Equilibrium DLX is Alexander Pedals’ newer vintage modulation pedal—evoking the wobbly, sputtery, buttery sounds of yesteryear. The vintage sounding Equilibrium DLX packs all the “mod cons” into a pedalboard-friendly unit. The Equilibrium DLX draws inspiration from vintage tremolos. Painted in a unique ‘50s style finish and featuring three different modes, it boasts a tremendous appeal in both its tone and look. The Mix, Depth, Rate, and Shape knobs give you better tonal control. The Equilibrium DLX offers only the finest in authentic retro trem/vibe tones.
Amptweaker Curveball Jr
The Amptweaker Curveball Jr 3-Band EQ boasts dual Boost functions and can be utilized as a clean channel preamp. The Curveball Jr is a convenient but potent tool for tweaking your pedalboard, boosting your amp, or shaping your tone. This 3-band active EQ is flat when set halfway and can emulate different classic passive guitar amp EQs. The Mid switch allows you to select the mid frequency for Thrash, UK, or US style of midrange. You can use the Curveball in front of distortion to increase the gain while tailoring the thickness and attack of your distortion.
Tom’sline Guitar EQ
Budget guitar effects pedal manufacturer Tomsline’s Guitar EQ stomp does exactly what it says on the tin: let you shape the overall EQ and tone of your guitar signal. The five EQ bands—100Hz, 250Hz, 630Hz, 1.6KHz, and 4KHz—can each be cut or boosted by up to 18dB. You also get a single Level pot for controlling the overall volume output. Use the Guitar EQ to brighten up your sound, build a heftier bottom end, or tame any unwanted frequencies in your signal.
J. Rockett Rockaway Archer
The Rockaway Archer from J. Rockett was built as a complete solution to iconic guitarist Steve Stevens’ EQ and overdrive needs. It boasts an extensive range of sounds, from clean boost to tube-like distortion that integrates smoothly with the tone of various amps. It falls under the “transparent overdrive” category, allowing you to dial in a nice amount of gain without drastically changing your guitar’s tone. The Rockaway Archer is an excellent way to hit the front end of an amp harder compared to a stock Archer pedal.
Utility Pedals
Rowin Power Tuner
Whether you’re practicing, recording, or performing, it’s important to always make sure that you instrument is in tune. LT-920 Power Tuner from budget guitar effects pedal manufacturer Rowin is fast tuner with a large display whose chassis is small enough to fit even the most crowded pedalboards. Not only that, but it also pulls double duty as a power supply. The LT-920 Power Tuner can provide power to up to six 100mA pedals and upt to two 500mA pedals.
Digitech LUXE
If you want to beef up your tone without that weird warbling effect from a flanger or chorus, you need to see the DigiTech Luxe. The Luxe is an astounding unison/detuning pedal that sounds fantastic on your bass or guitar. It allows you to blend a slightly detuned input with the dry signal to produce a constant thickening sound identical to the studio technique of double tracking. Whether you are playing chords or single notes, the Luxe delivers a solid, rich, and true pitch-detuning effect.
Koogo Tuner LT-901
The Tuner LT-901 from Koogo is a compact, high precision tuning pedal capable of being accurate to 0.5 cent. This chromatic guitar tuner is perfect for broad range tuning. It consists of an LED screen that shows you clear, easy to read tuning results and information. It features a real signal, true bypass, and no loss of tune. The Koogo Tuner LT-901 works with most electro-acoustic or electric instruments including five-string bass as well as seven-string guitar.
BOSS TU-3s Tuner
The Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner is the go-to stompbox tuner for any and all serious musicians, and its little brother the Boss TU-3S Compact Chromatic Tuner serves up everything the TU-3 can, in a more compact form factor. Everything from the bigger TU-3’s performance and durability to its tuning functions and display are recreated in the TU-3S, minus the actual pedal switch. If you’re running low on precious pedalboard space, the Boss TU-3S Compact Chromatic Tuner is what you need.
Lehle Dual
The Lehle Dual amp switcher features three sets of outputs. It routes your instrument signal to three amplifiers or two amps and one tuner simultaneously and enables switching all at once or of whatever combination. The patented LHTZ high-end transformer electronically isolates each signal path avoiding any hum or noise. Crafted in Germany, the Dual features full stereo functionality as well as gold-plated relays and switches. It can be controlled and synced with other Lehle SGoS switchers through MIDI.
Korg Pitchblack Mini (Black)
Bassists and guitarists worldwide love Korg’s Pitchblack pedal tuners for their design, quality, and durability. While the Pitchblack mini comes in a tinier, sleek package, it possesses all of its exceptional tuner functionalities. It boasts a large LED screen with excellent visibility and supports battery operation despite its small size. The Pitchblack mini contains stabilizers to avoid overturning. It also features a high tuning precision of +/- 0.1 cents. Small yet powerful, the Pitchblack mini can satisfy your demands.
Electro-Harmonix 720 Stereo Looper
Packing twice the recording length of the Nano Looper 360, the 720 Stereo Looper from Electro-Harmonix is the perfect looping tool for both in-studio recording and onstage performances. You can record up to 10 independent loops of high-quality, uncompressed audio thanks to the 720’s onboard 24-bit A/D/A converters. You also get unlimited overdubs, stereo in and out, a jack for an external footswitch, a loop fadeout mode, Reverse and Half-Speed effects, and more.
MOOER Pedal Controller L6
The L6 Pedal Controller works equally well whether you want to rein in over a dozen stompboxes or just want to control half that number of pedals without worrying about stray stomps. This switcher unit from budget stomp maker Mooer features two modes, Preset and Live. The former is for consummate shoegazers, giving you a total of 36 possible preset effect loop combos. The latter is more straightforward, with each footswitch simply engaging and disengaging its respective effect loop. The L6 comes packed with a tuner, too.
Xvive Duet Looper D3
Although the Duet Looper from budget guitar effects maker Xvive may not be the first micro stereo looper pedal on the market, it does have the distinction of being the first to let players use series recording and dual loop playback. It features two modes you can switch between via a toggle. In Undo/Redo mode, you can record a five-minute loop with undoable and redoable overdubs. Verse/Chorus mode, meanwhile, lets you record two separate loops of up to five minutes each. you can then record, overdub, or play these loops separately.
Digitech Jam Man Express XT
The JamMan Express XT is the easiest-to-use and most compact DigiTech looper yet. DigiTech describes it as the “most full featured compact looper” available. The JamMan Express XT looper loads plenty of handy features into a sturdy, compact, all-metal package. Featuring ten minutes of stereo looping, Jam Sync, Silent Clear, and true-bypass, the Express XT is a welcomed addition to your JamMan XT looping set-up. The revolutionary JamSync function allows you to hook up several units to create a multi-track looping rig.
ammoon Mini Loop Box
The Loop Box Pedal addresses some typical signal path scenarios. It features an LED indicator light displaying the working status as well as RETURN and SEND jacks for other effects to get true bypass function. You can use the Loop Box pedal to split one signal to two amps and switch from several instruments. You can plug two instruments simultaneously—one into the IN jack and another in the RETURN. You can switch between them modestly and without needing to unplug instruments.
Keeley True Bypass Looper
Name aside, the Keeley Looper guitar effects pedal isn’t actually a looper; it instead lets you add an extra effects loop to your pedalboard. You can create new signal chains or isolate noisy pedals. It features true bypass, which means any non-true bypass pedals you connect to it will benefit from that function as well. A quick, useful solution that lets you keep using your older pedals without having to worry about them sucking out your tone.
Caline Overdrive
Use the Caline CP-18 Orange Burst Overdrive as a subtle volume booster or crank up the Gain for a warm, mild fuzz. Dedicated Treble and Bass dials let you precisely control your guitar’s overdriven tone, cutting and boosting the high and low ends as needed for more versatility. Power it with a 9V battery or a compatible power supply unit and get ready to go to overdrive town with the Caline CP-18 Orange Burst Overdrive.
Donner Vowel Mini
The Donner Vowel Mini is a two-in-one Wah/Volume pedal that delivers an exceptional Wah response based on the original Crybaby response along with a Volume function. Donner gives you all that within a footprint smaller than a standard Volume or Wah pedal. Press the footswitch to shift between Volume mode and Wah mode. The Vowel Mini includes two LED lights that show you the current mode: red for Wah and green for Volume. As a Volume pedal, the Vowel is capable of fulfilling the strict demands of each guitarist.
Joyo Vintage Overdrive
The Ibanez Tube Screamer is one of the most cloned pedals around, but Joyo’s JF-01 Vintage Overdrive goes the extra mile to one-up the original at its own game. This guitar effects pedal is powered by an updated JFC4588 chip and makes the Tube Screamer’s creamy overdrive less muddy in the mids for greater tonal clarity. It also packs a wider gain range compared to the pedal on which it is based and costs much less than other enhanced Tube Screamer clones.
Chase Bliss Audio Faves
Delivering increased functionality within a tiny package, the Chase Bliss Audio Faves MIDI controller pedal serves as an ideal companion for your favorite Chase Bliss pedals. The Faves gives you access to six presets and live mode on-the-fly settings. It is incredibly convenient to use and only requires a 9V power source. With its streamlined design, simple connectivity, and multi-functional footswitch, the Faves MIDI controller pedal is a nice add-on for any Chase Bliss pedal.
Donner Ultimate Comp
Find your ideal sound with the Donner Ultimate Comp. It carries Level, Tone, and Comp (compression) knobs that allow you to adjust the output volume, tone of the sound, and intensity of the compression respectively. It also includes a toggle switch that lets you select between Treble and Normal modes. The compressed tone is smooth and round, filled with musicality, and keeps your original guitar tone. Donner’s circuit has been optimized based on the components of an electric guitar and works exceptionally over various playing styles.
Line 6 FBV2
Get yourself the FBV2, and you no longer have to carry around a full-sized foot controller. It allows you to browse through the first bank of four presets. This two-button footswitch is lightweight and compact enough to fit inside your gig bag. Boasting an aluminum housing, road-ready metal construction, and extremely reliable switches, the FBV2 can withstand any abuse you throw at it. It is compatible with Spider Valve, Flextone III, HD147, Vetta, Vetta II, and others.
Sabbadius Mostro Synthesizer Fuzz Modulator
A significant fuzz pedal created using top-grade materials and silicon transistors. The Sabbadius Mostro Synthesizer Fuzz Modulator was designed and inspired by Dante Spinetta, who asked Nico if he could devise a pedal for his band, IKV, and said he wanted one that is capable of delivering an explosive fuzz sound yet very deformed. The Mostro Synthesizer Fuzz consists of Wah Wah Trick, Bias, Fuzz, and Synth Controller knobs, as well as a toggle switch that lets you select from Normal or Deform settings.
Marshall Original Footswitch
Every good pedalboard setup needs an amp footswitch or two. If you’re gunning your signal through a Marshall amp, then there’s no better fit than a Marshall footswitch. The PEDL-10009 or P802 footswitch is a dual footswitch pedal; it’s basically the big brother of the P801. This musician must-have is built to work with both valvestate and tube amps and handles switching duties for your amp’s channels and reverb. It’s built to be road-tough, so you don’t have to worry about it conking out while you’re onstage.
JHS Pedals Switchback
The Switchback from JHS Pedals is a little unassuming box boasting an extensive feature set. It started as a tool designed by JHS Pedals for themselves to examine and compare pedals in their workshop but later on recognized that it was incredibly handy for anyone’s rig in the studio or on stage. The Switchback includes two separate selectable effects loops (Return/Send), an input, output, as well as an A/B toggle controllable using the Red Remote switching system.
Boss ES-8 Switching System
For pedal-obsessed musicians, the Boss ES-8 Effects Switching System is a straight-up gamechanger. You can create elaborate pedal chains and route them however you want with its eight separate loops. You can customize and store up to 800 patches in its onboard memory and add specific control parameters such as patch delay times. You can customize the pedal function assignments. All that plus LCD and seven-segment LED displays, switchable buffers, and an analog circuit that keeps your tone crystal clear.
Walrus Audio Two Channel Remote Switch
Walrus Audio’s Two Channel Remote Switch is built specifically to give you remote control over the Descent and Vanguard’s preset and bypass footswitches. This means you can stick either of those two stompboxes at the back of your pedalboard and use the Two Channel Remote Switch to free up valuable space at the front. The preset footswitch lets you cycle between presets. The bypass engages and disengages the effect when used as a latching switch, but it can also act as a preset save switch when held down until the preset LED starts flashing.
Empress Effects Buffer
The Buffer from Empress Effects has been built to serve as the complete I/O interface for your pedalboard while preserving the highest fidelity of your guitar signal. For decades, guitarists have been struggling with signal loss resulting from long, unbuffered cable runs. The Buffer aims to erase that signal loss, making sure that your cables will never affect your tone. Moreover, it consolidates all your pedalboard’s connectivity to make the set up convenient and fast.
Orange Amp Detonator
Running two amps is an accepted way of capturing bigger tones in the studio and on stage. No matter if it is changing between two amps for their characteristics or employing them simultaneously for vast walls of sounds, professionals have been using this setup for years. The Amp Detonator by Orange is arguably the tiniest active, wholly functional, buffered ABY pedal available. The transformer output was painstakingly engineered to become as transparent as possible, while the two outputs are buffered with a low-noise, linear circuit. Drive lengthy cable to your amplifiers without clarity loss and change quietly between them.
Morley Buffer Boost
The Morley Buffer Boost isn’t a guitar effects pedal, per se. Instead, it’s an essential weapon in the constant battle against tone suck. The Buffer Boost contains a buffer circuit that gives your guitar signal that extra push it needs to maintain its output level and tone, no matter how many pedals you may have in your pedal chain. You can place the Buffer Boost at the front or back of the signal chain and use it as a clean boost with up to 20dB of extra output.
Old Blood Noise Endeavors Buffer + EQ
Old Blood Noise Endeavors Utility 3 is a switchable three-band EQ and always-on Buffer. You will find the EQ useful in tailoring frequencies to particular parts. The Buffer is perfect if you are utilizing multiple pedals or lengthy cable setups. The On/Off switch works to activate or deactivate the three-band EQ. The EQ + Buffer carries Low, Mid, and High knobs that allow you to adjust the low, mid, and high frequencies. It is made in the USA and features true bypass.
Suhr Buffer
Modern players demand reliability, quality, and exceptional tone. The Suhr Buffer leverages only top-grade components, including a machined billet aluminum chassis, Glass Epoxy PCB, and low noise audiophile Op-Amps, to guarantee that your tone investment is preserved across your signal chain. Regarding reliability and quality, Suhr designed the Buffer with the same attention to detail as its other award-winning products. It is equipped with two individual outputs and comes in a portable, solid, aluminum enclosure.
TC Electronic Bonafide Buffer
Joining TC Electronic’s renowned collection of mini pedals, the Bonafide Buffer is another essential tone tool that will help you win the battle against treble loss due to massive pedalboards and lengthy cable runs. This no-frills pure analog buffer provides you with a 1K ohm output and 1M ohm input so your instrument’s signal can flow freely through your chain. You get an unaltered and transparent tone just like you would when you connect directly to your amp. The Bonafide Buffer serves as your natural gateway to a strong tone.
Caline The Noise
Any noise in your guitar signal should only be limited to the noise you want to add to it. Cut out any unwanted noises and hums with the Caline CP-39 The Noise, a noise gate pedal that won’t take a big chunk out of both your wallet and your precious pedalboard real estate. Two main control knobs drive the CP-39: a sensitivity knob that dictates at what level the noise gate becomes active and a two-way toggle that lets you choose between a steep volume cut or a smoother, more gradual cut.
Rowin Noise Gate
Make unwanted signal noise a thing of the past with the LEF-319 Noise Gate from budget guitar effects pedal manufacturer Rowin. With this in your pedal chain, you can cut out all of the hisses, buzzes, and hums that dirty up your signal without sacrificing your core tonal characteristics. A dedicated threshold knob lets you dial in that sweet spot where you want the gating effects to kick in, while a two-position toggle lets you switch between hard gating and soft gating.
CNZ Audio Noise Gate
If you are looking to minimize the buzz in your signal when you are not playing, look no further. The Noise Gate from CNZ Audio successfully tames your overdrive pedals, guitar signal, and whole effects chains. The Toggle Switch includes two settings: the Soft setting relaxes on the release and lets it end less abruptly, while the Hard setting is ideal for removing undesired string noise and creating clean silence in between a heavy-metal riff’s notes.
Joyo Gate Of Kahn
No pedalboard setup built around high-gain stompboxes is complete without a reliable noise gate. The JF-324 Gate of Kahn guitar effects edal from Joyo may be small but it fill this role admirably. Dial in the perfect Threshold setting to keep away unwanted buzzes, hums, and hisses from your guitar signal then go to town with your high-gain units. As one of Joyo’s Ironman pedals, the JF-324 Gate of Kahn is small enough to fit in your front pocket and features a flip cover for keeping your control dial settings safe.
Behringer Noise Reducer
Cut all those annoying hums, buzzes, and unwanted noises out of your guitar signal entirely with the Behringer Noise Reducer NR300. You can dial in your perfect response using the Threshold and Decay knobs, use the send and return loop to reduce noise from your other pedals, or even cut out your signal entirely with a single stomp. If you love using guitars with single-coil pickups and high-gain amps but hate all those extra noises that clutter up your signal, this is the pedal for you.
Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor
Noisy signals are the bane of musicians the world over. That’s why noise suppressor pedals have become pedalboard mainstays, and the Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor is one of the best options available. It uses a unique noise detection circuit that identifies and separates your instrument’s signal from the noise and hum components, eliminating the latter while letting the former shine through with its natural attack and sonic envelope perfectly preserved. You can dial in the precise amount of noise elimination and suppression via dedicated Threshold and Decay knobs.
BOSS DB-90 Talking Dr. Beat
Practicing alone becomes a whole new experience with the Boss DB-90 Dr. Beat, the flagship product of Boss’s Dr. Beat Metronome line. This monstrous metronome packs four great metronome sounds—including human voice!— as well as dozens of drum patterns in its tiny, lightweight frame. The Boss DB-90 Dr. Beat also comes with a Rhythm Coach function, a reference-tone tuning function, instrument and MIDI input, and other useful tools for making solo practice less mundane.
JOYO O.M.B
Joyo’s OMB Looper and Drum Machine turns you into a one-man band with a single stomp. This single pedal can act as a looper, a drum machine, or a combo looper plus drum machine. The looper function lets you record up to 40 minutes of audio and features unlimited overdubs, auto-align, and count-in. You get seven drum patterns and seven drumbeats in drum machine mode, plus you can add fills to the patterns and use a tap tempo function. The OMB is an R Series pedal, meaning it has cool ambient LED effects built into it.
Joyo JAM BUDDY (Orange)
With its pair of built-in 2” speakers packing 4W of output each, the Jam Buddy is Joyo’s solution for musicians looking for a quick way to practice without having to lug along a big and heavy amp. Bluetooth connectivity also lets you connect your phone or media player to the Jam Buddy so you can play along to a song or rhythm track. This floor-based multi-effects unit also features clean and overdrive channels,
Digitech Jam Man
DigiTech’s JamMan Stereo Looper boasts the ability to save 35 minutes of CD-quality loops within 99 internal memories and an SD memory card expansion slot that allows you to store more than 16 hours of material in an added 99 slots. It also includes reverse playback, true stereo looping, and a mic input making it suitable for DJ applications and backing tracks. The JamMan Stereo has USB connectivity and will sync to the JamManager XT software which organizes and records your JamMan Stereo loops to your Mac or PC.
Nux Loop Core
The NUX Loop Core is a turbocharged variant of the original and already the most versatile Looper in the market. NUX covered all the essentials in a Looper that lets you record and play back several layers, but now it incorporated a different level of goodies. Boasting 99 personal-user memories, 40 inbuilt drum patterns and now, a new range of well-thought-out user assists. Whether you compose, rehearse, or play live gigs, you will appreciate the innovative features of the Loop Core.
NUX JTC
When the NUX Mini Core pedals hit the market, NUX has received requests to include a loop pedal in the collection, so here comes the Jam Track Creator (JTC) Drum & Loop pedal. It is the tiniest 24-bit loop pedal featuring an auto-detection drum machine. The JTC Drum & Loop Mini allows you to select from 11 inbuilt drum rhythms. It gives you unlimited overdubs and up to six minutes recording in 24-bit high-resolution audio quality. Loop and Drum volumes are adjustable individually.
Other Pedals
Ernie Ball WAH
It’s dead easy to use the Ernie Ball 6185 Wah guitar effects pedal. It takes just two steps: step one, plug guitar jack in; step two, sound great. The 6185 Wah pedal is built to sound amazing no matter the footswitch setting so you’ll get highly musical wah effects whether you rock it or you cock it. With its sweet and smooth Kevlar drive, 12-degree foot sweep, and rugged construction, the 6185 Wah is pure joy for wah lovers to use.
Morley Bad Horsie II
Steve Vai’s signature wah, the Bad Horsie, has become one of the most legendary wah pedals today—not to mention Morley’s best selling wah ever. Now, Morley has gone and enhanced the Bad Horsie with an all-new Contour Wah mode that lets you alter the pedal’s wah frequency and output via dedicated control dials. If you’re still hankering for the classic Bad Horsie wah tone, don’t worry. The Bad Horsie II over to Bad Horsie Wah mode and you’ll get the original’s Vai-approved wah tone.
Vox V846-HW
The famed V846 returns better than ever as the V846-HW hand-wired wah wah pedal. It is the ultimate wah wah pedal for tone enthusiasts, boasting top-grade components and hand-wired turret board construction. While its iconic tone is undeniable, the V846-HW was not built merely to repeat history, but to create new chapters. Each of its component, including the capacitors, resistors, potentiometer, and inductors, has been meticulously picked for supreme fidelity and tone. It also incorporates a tone-preserving true bypass.
Morley Classic Wah
A classic and much-imitated wah tone repackaged in a new electro-optical pedal unit. The CLW Classic Optical Wah lets you serve up classic old-school Morley wah tones ripped straight from the ‘70s and ‘80s. It has a dedicated On/Off switch, so you can just find your personal wah sweet spot and leave the pedal at that sweep point. It can also handle a wide variety of input signals; plug in a guitar, bass, or keyboard and it’s off to funk heaven.
Big Joe Wah Wah
Big Joe’s wah guitar effects pedal offering, the Big Joe B-601 Wah Wah, is a flexible, easy-to-use tone monster powered by a proprietary, specially-voiced, vintage-spec custom inductor. A three-way selector enables you to choose between three different resonance ranges: Classic, British, and Big Joe. The first two profiles let you go all the way back to the ‘60s and ‘70s with classic rock wah tone signatures, while the latter’s broader bandpass shape gives you a meatier, more unique sound.
Mission Engineering Rewah Pro Bass
Built around a custom inductor similar to the Rewah Pro for guitar, the Rewah Pro Bass incorporates a specially crafted circuit design suited for bass instruments. Both the large-core custom inductor and JFET output buffer work to minimize unwanted noise and distortion, maintaining the low end of your keyboard or bass even with the effect engaged. If you are in the market for a quality wah designed for bass, be sure to check out the Rewah Pro Bass from Mission Engineering.
Boss AC-3 Acoustic Simulator
Want to dive into a soft and sweet acoustic ballad in the middle of a set but don’t have the slightest inclination to bring along a big and bulky acoustic guitar? The Boss AC-3 Acoustic Simulator lets you travel light. With its powerful Composite Object Sound Modeling (COSM) technology and four different acoustic simulation modes, you can turn any electric guitar into a variety of warm and bright acoustics using the Boss AC-3 Acoustic Simulator.
Zoom AC-2 Acoustic Creator
The AC-2 Acoustic Creator by Zoom is a revamped direct box that serves up everything you need to achieve your natural acoustic tone anywhere you play from the studio to the stage. It instantly restores the tone lost via acoustic pickups, guaranteeing that your live sound stays resonant, lush, and true to your selected instrument. The AC-2 Acoustic Creator features high-quality preamp, piezo/magnetic input pickup select, reverb effect, and three-band equalizer. It also includes an inbuilt chromatic visual-led Tuner and Anti-Feedback control.
Radial AC Driver
The Tonebone AC Driver from Radial is a portable acoustic instrument preamp designed for live performances, boasting innovative features for streamlining your setup and optimizing your acoustic-electric guitar’s tone. It includes Radial’s Class-A buffer circuit to guarantee the superb audio quality, allowing you to employ longer pedal chains and cable runs sans signal degradation or loss. Compared to a simple DI box, the AC Driver gives you more control over your sound, making it perfect for onstage use, especially if you have no dedicated sound engineer.
Mooer Baby Water
The Baby Water delay and chorus guitar effects pedal from budget stompbox maker Mooer provides acoustic guitar players a pair of must-have effects in a very tiny, very affordable package. Even if you don’t have a pedalboard, the Baby Water is so small you can literally put it in your pocket and take it to gigs. It comes packed with delay and chorus effects that can be used either individually or in conjunction with each other, all selectable via a dedicated rotary dial.
Tom’sline AC Stage
Much like the slightly bigger Acoustic, Tomsline’s AC Stage budget guitar effects pedal is a workhorse acoustic simulator pedal that gets the job done, giving your electric guitar the full-bodied resonance and natural woody sound of an acoustic. The Acoustic also features a three-way toggle that lets you switch between three voicing modes: Piezo, Standard, and Jumbo. The AC Stage features Tomsline’s patented stop bar design to keep your foot from messing up the pedal’s settings when you stomp on it.
Donner Alpha Acoustic
Distinguished by its remarkable tone, user-friendly form factor, and compact size, the Donner Alpha Acoustic is an effects chain combining three effects in one, including a hall reverb, acoustic preamp, and dreamy chorus. It features an LED indicator that shows you the working state and buffer bypass that gives a transparent tone. The Alpha Acoustic consists of a Reverb module with natural decay and rich spaciousness, Preamp module for tonal improvement, and Chorus module for making the natural sense of space.
Tom’sline Bass EQ Mini
Budget guitar effects pedal manufacturer Tomsline’s Bass EQ stomp does exactly what it says on the tin: let you shape the overall EQ and tone of your bass signal. The five EQ bands—62.5Hz, 125Hz, 500Hz, 1KHz, and 4KHz—can each be cut or boosted by up to 18dB. You also get a single Level pot for controlling the overall volume output. Use the Bass EQ to brighten up your sound, build a heftier bottom end, or tame any unwanted frequencies in your signal.
EBS Uni-Chorus
Suitable for bass, guitar, or whatever you play, the UniChorus by EBS provides you with a sort of quality modulation effects you would expect from an expensive unit of EBSOC studio gear. It makes dialing your sound a breeze. It carries a three-way switch that allows you the choice between low noise studio-quality Flange, Chorus, and Pitch Modulation effects, letting you craft effects ranging from surf rock vibratos to classic Hendrix-style flange. You only need two knobs to select the depth and rate of the modulation.
Source Audio Soundblox Pro Multiwave Bass Distortion
The Soundblox Pro Multiwave Bass Distortion from Source Audio takes the clarity and power of the original Soundblox Multiwave Distortion and tailors it to the bass guitar’s frequency range. It allows bassists to mix complex chords and intervals with distorted tones efficiently—the multi-band processing eradicates the mush and lets every note ring true and clear. The Soundblox Pro Multiwave Bass Distortion includes a one band processing for more conventional distortion sounds. The pedal is suitable for both the stage and studio.
Electro-Harmonix Battalion
The rugged, versatile, and 100% all-analog Battalion Bass Preamp and DI is an essential addition to any bass player’s pedalboard. Its powerful tone-shaping features include a four-band equalizer with dedicated Bass, Lo Mid, Mid, and Treble controls; a compressor for extra fat sound and lengthy sustain; a noise gate with adjustable threshold control; a MOSFET distortion section that can dish out a wide variety of bass-optimized distortion effects and has its own footswitch; and more.
Donner Alpha Bass
The Donner Alpha Bass is a mini effects chain that features three types of bass guitar effects, including a rich chorus, a versatile bass drive, and an opto-voiced compressor. Distinguished by its user-friendly form factor, portable size, and remarkable tone, the Alpha Bass is perfect for any music style. It features an LED indicator displaying the working state, buffer bypass that offers a transparent tone, and classic-voiced bass drive with a broad tonal range.
EBS OctaBass Studio Edition
The EBS OctaBass Triple Mode Octave Divider identifies two to three-note chords and triggers the lowest note. It takes the vintage octave pedal and loads it with new features. Capable of adding a Korg-esque quality to the sound for dance-punk or sending a bass signal falling into stoner metal lows, this handcrafted pedal performs the job of three different octaves and plays nicely with other effects for more innovative sounds. The OctaBass can also work well with distortion.
Dunlop Volume X Mini
With the DVP4 Mini Volume (X) Pedal, conserving space does not mean sacrificing functionality or durability. It lets you manage volume and FX parameters without congesting your pedalboard. It is capable of anything the larger DVP3 does. For ultimate precision and convenience, the DVP4’s rocker tension is adjustable. The AUX output merges tuner and expression functionality into a single jack which can be toggled with a switch on the pedal. You no longer need to give up control of your volume level and FX pedals when employing a travel-sized board, thanks to the DVP4 Volume X Mini.
Boss FV-500H
The FV-500 series takes Boss’s industry-standard volume pedal designs into the future. Tank-tough with a stylishly designed high-grade aluminum body and packing silky smooth action, the FV-500 line of volume pedals were created to go above and beyond the needs of even the most hard-touring and demanding musician. The FV-500H is the line’s mono high-impedance model with inst. level input, a tuner-output jack, and an expression output for use with expression pedal-compatible amps, effects, and synthesizers.
Tom’sline Slow Hand
Create dramatic volume swells to make your sound more epic with budget guitar effects pedal maker Tomsline’s Slow Hand stompbox. It cuts off the attack of each note you play to produce a volume swell similar to rolling up your guitar’s volume knob from zero. You can even use it to make your guitar sound like a violin. The Slow Hand features Tomsline’s patented stop bar design to keep your foot from messing up the pedal’s settings when you stomp on it.
Lehle Mono Volume
If you want a powerful and precise volume pedal, the Lehle Mono Volume pedal is worth your while. This premium volume pedal belongs to any type of rig. Omitting the usual potentiometer-driven design, Lehle employed a magnet-controlled VCA design for unprecedented accuracy in a volume pedal. Using the gain control, you can select the volume range from -92dB to 0dB, as well as add a +10dB boost if necessary. A direct output allows you to send your unaffected signal to another amplifier, a mixer, or a tuner.
Boss FV-50L Stereo Volume
Boss has long been known for its durable, high-quality volume pedals, and if you’re looking for some of that Boss magic at a more affordable price point, then the FV-50 series of volume pedals is exactly what you’re looking for. The Boss FV-50L Stereo Volume pedal is the line’s low-impedance stereo model built to directly control keyboards and other guitar effects pedals. It comes with a Minimum Volume knob that lets you set a minimum volume and a handy Tuner-Out jack for quick and easy onstage tuning.
Fender Downtown Express
The Fender Downtown Express is your one-stop-shop for bass tone sculpting, carrying all the bass essentials—overdrive, three-band EQ, and compressor. It is an all-original Fender circuit designed by Alex Aguilar. The Downtown Express features a direct output that allows for convenient integration into any studio or performance situations. Fender acknowledges that a strong signal chain has to be versatile, so it added a switch that allows you to reorder the overdrive and compressor circuits to your liking.
Ernie Ball Ambient Delay
The Ernie Ball Expression Series Ambient Delay pedal gives you access to lush digital delay and plate reverb effects. Intuitive controls let you dial in a delay time ranging from 50ms to 1s, delay feedback, and reverb level. Since the Ambient Delay already comes in expression pedal form, you don’t need to plug in an external expression pedal to control the sweepable effect levels. Leave the footswitch open for a clean, transparent tone and rock the treadle forward to increase the amount of delay and reverb.
Boss EV-30 Dual Expression
Every pedalboard owner knows space is a premium. Boss kept that in mind when designing the Boss EV-30 Dual Expression Pedal, giving it a small form factor and big expression features that rival that of any full-size expression pedal. The EV-30 comes with isolated dual expression outputs so you can control two separate effects with a single pedal, independent pedal range adjustments for each output, and a polarity switch that makes it compatible with most pedals that support an external expression pedal.
Mission Engineering Chris Broderick Signature SP-1
Sporting Chris’ trademark white finish, the Chris Broderick Signature SP-1 from Mission Engineering is the same SP-1 utilized and loved by numerous guitarists across the globe. The SP-1 consists of two 1/4″ output jacks—one for the switch and another for the expression pedal. You can operate the switch by shoving down on the front with your foot, just like in a standard wah pedal. That is utilized to turn a pedal-driven effect (vibrato or wah) on/off at the pedal itself.
Tapestry Audio Bloomery Passive Volume Pedal (Black)
The Bloomery passive volume pedal from Tapestry Audio features some very unique differences from a regular volume control pedal. This compact (measures only 7.8″ x 2.25″), convenient to use, and efficient passive volume pedal comfortably fits on your pedalboard. The Bloomery is machined out of steel for a tough, durable solid feel. A slide potentiometer alongside a direct shaft drive eradicates the need for annoying strings. With a smooth volume curve, you get a more nuanced pedal sweep. The Bloomery quickly turns tuner output into an expression output.
Donner Viper Mini
The Donner Viper Mini is a two-in-one Expression/Volume pedal with a super lightweight housing that gives you convenience. This mighty little pedal features an excellent Expression response as well as Volume function. The Viper Mini instantly detects and catches the output source (EXP/Vol) objective. It also includes a special analog circuit design and smooth taper that precisely responds to different parameters. The Viper Mini comes in a sturdy, hard plastic compact enclosure and works without a pedal power supply or battery.
Tapestry Audio Bloomery Active Volume Pedal (White)
Save precious pedalboard real estate with the Tapestry Audio Bloomery, an efficient, compact, and user-friendly active volume pedal. It boasts several differences from a standard volume control pedal. It is machined out of steel, getting that tough solid feel. A slide potentiometer is paired with a direct shaft drive, eradicating the need for pesky strings. The active model lets you avoid tone loss at high-end frequencies and preserve a clean instrument tone. With a smooth volume curve, you get a more nuanced pedal sweep.
Two Notes Torpedo Captor 16
The 16 Ohm Torpedo Captor from boutique guitar effects pedal maker Two Notes is the minified version of the award winning Torpedo Reload reactive loadbox. Using Two Notes’ reactive technology, the Captor can mimic the impedance of a speaker perfectly, making you sound like you’re connected to a real amp cabinet even when you’re plugged straight into a PA, a mixer, a recording station, or even a pair of headphones. Use it with the Torpedo C.A.B.’s virtual cabinet collection for an even wider array of ampless tonal possibilities.
Joyo JF-310
Despite its tiny size, Joyo’s JF-310 Orange Juice amp sim pedal packs the full, in-your-face British-flavored power and attack of a vintage Orange amp. It perfectly captures an Orange amp’s dynamic, highly defined, and aggressive overdrive assault. Dedicated Drive, Tone, and Voice control pots give you plenty of built-in tone sculpting tools to dial in the exact tone you want. Whenever you need to layer some dirt onto you signal, the JF-310 Orange Juice will deliver.
Two Notes Torpedo Captor 8
The 8 Ohm Torpedo Captor from boutique guitar effects pedal maker Two Notes is the minified version of the award winning Torpedo Reload reactive loadbox. Using Two Notes’ reactive technology, the Captor can mimic the impedance of a speaker perfectly, making you sound like you’re connected to a real amp cabinet even when you’re plugged straight into a PA, a mixer, a recording station, or even a pair of headphones. Use it with the Torpedo C.A.B.’s virtual cabinet collection for an even wider array of ampless tonal possibilities.
Mooer Acoustikar
The Mooer Acoustikar does just what you’d expect a pedal with that name to do: give your electric guitar the strummy, woody sound of an acoustic. It shines at giving your guitar signal the shortened, glassy resonance that characterizes a good acoustic guitar. Of the Acoustikar’s three modes, Standard is pretty much your basic acoustic sound. The sound of a full-body dreadnought guitar is simulated by Jumbo mode. A Piezo mode rounds out the three voicings.
Koogo Dumbler
Boasting high build quality and robust strength, the Koogo Dumbler is a classic Dumble amp simulator that delivers a distinctive vintage overdrive sound. Sculpt your sound using the Tone, Gain, and Volume dials (these functions offer supreme control of your ideal effect). The Dumbler also includes a Voice dial that gives a crisp bite and enables you to customize the color of your overdrive sound. The heavy-duty and durable true bypass footswitch engages it with a smooth action sans affecting the natural tone.
JOYO Clean Glass Mini
The JF-307 Clean Glass guitar effects pedal from Joyo brings the classic tone of blackface-era Fender amps straight to your feet. As its name suggests, this tiny stompbox does justice to Fender’s classic twangy and clear clean channel sound. There’s also a dedicated Drive knob for when you want to add saturated, sustain-friendly dirt. The JF-306 Night Train is an Ironman pedal, so it’s small enough to fit in your front pocket and features a flip cover to keep your control dial settings safe from stray stomps.
Earthquaker Devices Data Corrupter
EarthQuaker Devices’ Data Corrupter puts your guitar signal through a meat grinder, mangling it beyond all recognition—and in this context, that’s a good thing! A modulated monophonic PLL circuit turns your tone into a three-voice synth with a heaping helping of thick fuzz, and with six dials, two rotary selectors, and two toggle switches you get all the tone sculpting tools you’ll ever need. If you really want your guitar to stop sounding like an actual guitar, plug it into the Data Corrupter and watch the sonic sparks fly.
WMD Geiger Counter Civilian Issue
This is the future of digital dirt. WMD’s Geiger Counter boutique distortion guitar effects pedal delivers a cornucopia of dirt tones, from the classic and recognizable to some insanely twisted, octave folded lo fi fuzz that brings to mind the irradiated wind that follows in the wake of a mushroom cloud. The Geiger Counter Civilian Issue is a stripped down version of the original, featuring 32 preset sounds and a far less complicated control layout.
Tom’sline Mario Bit Crusher
The aptly named Mario stompbox is a powerful bit crusher pedal from budget guitar effects pedal maker Tomsline that lets you reduce the sample quality of your guitar signal to make it lo-fi and degraded. Blend your dry and wet signals with the Mix knob and control the reduction of the sample’s rate and depth using the Bit and Crush pots, respectively. It also comes with a three-way toggle that lets you switch between low-pass, high-pass, and normal modes.
T-Rex Quint Machine
While standard octave doubling is nice, throwing in a fifth up and providing all three modulated sounds with a separate volume control unlocks a different world. The Quint Machine by T-Rex Engineering lets you emulate an organ, 12-string, or synth sound. Eliminate your dry signal and sound like a synth merely possessing that lonely heart. Designed to give you more, the Quint Machine will keep you discovering new sounds for years. It consists of +1 Fifth, +1 Octave, -1 Octave, and Mix knobs.
Seymour Duncan FOOZ
The FOOZ pedal from Seymour Duncan transforms your guitar into an over-the-top analog synth. It leverages an extremely saturated square-wave fuzz to turn your instrument into the “oscillator,” geared to be shaped by other blocks—it also makes for an exceptional fuzz tone alone. It consists of Depth, Speed, Wave, Shape, Freq, Resonance, Level, and Gain controls. Inspired by synth flexibility and iconic guitar tones, the FOOZ imparts the spirit of synth creativity in your guitar.
Electro Harmonix Superego Plus
Make your guitar sound like a synthesizer; give your tone insane levels of sustain; sustain a chord then freeze it so you can solo over it—the Superego+ has all of the features that made the Superego Synth Engine great, but with tone-sculpting features cranked up to 11. Electro-Harmonix has added 11 onboard effects, each of which can be independently switched on to give your tone added depth. You can also control individual parameters with an external expression pedal.







































































































































































































































