gear giveaway

Distortion Pedals

Old Blood Noise Excess V2 Distortion + Modulation

The Old Blood Noise Excess V2 updates the '80s-flavored (pink) modulated distortion pedal by the Oklahoma company with a case that's 1/2 the size of the original unit and updated features, including a selectable harmonized fifth mode (which was there but "hidden" in V1) in the modulation channel. This is a…Click on the title for more

Old Blood Noise Excess V2 Distortion + Modulation

New Pedal: Blammo! + Dirty Haggard Deth Pedal Distortion

Boutique pedal creators BLAMMO! and Dirty Haggard have joined forces to forge a foot-operated, limited edition device inspired by EQD's Life pedal, known as...the DETH PEDAL! Much like the original, this pedal combines a Rat distortion with an analog octave up circuit, featuring a blend control and a separate footswitch…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: Blammo! + Dirty Haggard Deth Pedal Distortion

Intensive Care Audio Death Drive

Born in full pandemic crisis (June 2020) from a rib of what can be called the equivalent to Frankenstein in pedal form (Rainger FX) Intensive Care Audio is a new London-based company with a name for the ages. They already have three cool-looking black pedals in their roster bearing names…Click on the title for more

Intensive Care Audio Death Drive

Frost Giant Electronics The Mountain V2

We had the pleasure to host Texan pedal builder Frost Giant Electronics at our NAMM 2020 Stompbox Booth, and we are therefore excited to see it get some coverage on YouTube. The Mountain V2 is a Rat-inspired pedal that can deliver many flavors of distortion, from overdrive to fuzz, thanks…Click on the title for more

Frost Giant Electronics The Mountain V2

Gamechanger Audio Plasma Distortion

Gamechanger Audio's Plasma distortion turned a lot of heads and ears at NAMM 2018, and finally the first official video demos are arriving. The pedal uses a new method of achieving signal clipping: instead of using LED circuits, transistors or vacuum tubes to produce overdrive, the PLASMA PEDAL transforms your…Click on the title for more

Gamechanger Audio Plasma Distortion

Victory V1 The Kraken High Gain Preamp

The Victory V1 Kraken is the third pedal (and the only compact one) in a series of high-gain stompboxes by UK Victory Amplification. Its siblings are a 180w power amp and a bigger preamp "V4" model. Based on the company's VX Kraken amp, which was born out of a collaboration…Click on the title for more

Victory V1 The Kraken High Gain Preamp

BOSS DS-1w Distortion

The BOSS DS-1w Distortion was an expected update to what's in all likelihood the best-selling pedal ever, launched by the Japanese builder in 1978. Like other models in the Waza Craft, the DS-1w offers a new, Custom mode, next to the Standard one replicating the sound of the original circuit,…Click on the title for more

BOSS DS-1w Distortion

JPTR FX Warlow Fuzz

Built by German boutique pedal maker, the JPTR FX Warlow is a high-gain Op-amp Muff perfect for a low-end-heavy '90s grunge and alt-rock. Using high-grade IC chips and germanium clipping diodes, the Warlow comes in an appropriately large enclosure for its equally huge tones. We added this pedal to our article…Click on the title for more

JPTR FX Warlow Fuzz

New Pedal: Catalinbread Carbide Distortion

The Catalinbread Carbide is the Portland company's take on the "Chainsaw-style Distortion," an effect used and abused by some metal bands who downtune their guitars to add a sense of dread to their tone. Unlike other pedals going for this sound, the Carbide keeps things simple, at least on the…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: Catalinbread Carbide Distortion

Electro-Harmonix Hell Melter

The Electro-Harmonix Hell Melter, as you may have guessed, is not a pedal for the gentle electric guitarist. Catering to the metal crowd (those who use their 6-string to "melt" stuff), this stompbox is a love letter to the "chainsaw" tone made popular by a string of Swedish Death Metal…Click on the title for more

Electro-Harmonix Hell Melter

Benson Amps Preamp Overdrive/Distortion

The Benson Amps Preamp Overdrive/Distortion (listed at $249) sports a circuit Based on the company's Chimera 30 watt guitar amplifier (going for $1949), but substitutes FET transistors for the vacuum tubes. The result is an extremely amp-like and versatile clean boost/overdrive/fuzz pedal that imparts rich harmonics and a very musical EQ to your…Click on the title for more

Benson Amps Preamp Overdrive/Distortion

New Pedal: LiberaToe Blue Crow Overdrive & Distortion

The LiberaToe Blue Crow, a compact stompbox that can be embedded in a modular, cable-less pedalboard with other units by the same builder, is a versatile two-channel analog dirtbox delivering, at the flick of a toggle switch, classic overdrive and vintage-style distortion inspired by the hard rock tones of the…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: LiberaToe Blue Crow Overdrive & Distortion