Guitar Effect Shopping Guides – Delicious Audio https://delicious-audio.com Guitar Pedal Blog, Boutique Effects News, Video Aggregator, Buyer Guides Mon, 04 Mar 2024 15:33:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://delicious-audio.com/wp-content/uploads//2021/01/favicon1.png Guitar Effect Shopping Guides – Delicious Audio https://delicious-audio.com 32 32 The 13 Best Blues Breaker-Style Pedals, Clones & Variants in 2024 https://delicious-audio.com/best-blues-breaker-style-pedals/ https://delicious-audio.com/best-blues-breaker-style-pedals/#respond Mon, 04 Mar 2024 15:22:32 +0000 https://delicious-audio.com/?p=184878
Best Blues Breaker-Style Pedals The vintage Marshall Blues Breaker was an overdrive pedal released in 1991, but the history of that name dates back to 30 years earlier.
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Welcome to our regularly updated guide to the best Blues Breaker-style pedals. We have similar guides for other popular overdrive circuits like the Klon, the Tube Screamer and D-Style pedals, and an overall article about the best distortion pedals organized by type – enjoy!

Best Blues Breaker-Style Pedals

A Brief History of the Blues Breaker

The original Marshall Blues Breaker pedal was an overdrive released in 1991, but the history of that name dates back to 30 years earlier: Marshall took the name from John Mayall and Eric Clapton’s 1960s band, the Bluesbreakers.

Clapton’s guitar tone on their self-titled album is the stuff of legend, created from just a Les Paul plugged into a Marshall 2×12 JTM combo. The amp, which itself was based on a Fender Bassman circuit, became known as “the Bluesbreaker” after the album.

So the amp, the band, the album, and the pedal are all called Bluesbreaker – although the correct spelling of the pedal and the amp features a space between the two words – like in this image:

Vintage Marshall Blues Breaker Pedal

A vintage Marshall Blues Breaker Pedal (1992), it can be found used on Reverb for $500 or more. Click image for a demo.

How Does a Blues Breaker Sound?

Click here to read this section

The Originals: Marshall Blues Breaker / Bluesbreaker Pedals

To this day, Marshall has released three versions of this pedal, although the third one is an identical, yet slightly improved, reissue of the first one, and the second one wasn’t very successful.

Here’s an interactive gallery of these three releases – click or double-tap for a video demo.

Best Blues Breaker-Style Pedals

While the Blues Breaker proved to be a very influential pedal, there were shortcomings that many players and builders wanted to address. The pedals on this list are not straight-up clones, they all add or modify the original Blues Breaker circuit topology in some way, whether it be adding more output volume, more gain, changing the EQ, adding different clipping options, and more.

Here are three lists of the best Blues Breaker-style pedals you can buy right now, in our opinion.

Best Single Channel Blues Breaker Clones

1. Analogman Prince of Tone
Analogman

$ 239+ | Click title for video. Buy it on eBay or Reverb.

In the early 2000s, the King of Tone set the standard for modern Blues Breaker pedals. But If you’d rather not wait 3 years or pay upwards of 800 dollars for one, the Prince of Tone is a fantastic affordable option that is simply one-half of a KOT. Yes, it is made overseas, but the circuit is the same as its bigger brother. If you want a King of Tone with even more flexibility, just get two of these!

2. JHS Morning Glory V4
JHS Pedals Morning Glory

$169 | Click title for video. Buy it on: Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon | Reverb.

The pedal that put JHS on the map, the Morning Glory has become more famous than the original Blues Breaker, maybe more famous than even the King of Tone. And it does sound really good! Josh Scott popularized the idea of adding a JFET output gain stage to the Blues Breaker circuit to bump up the volume available. The V4 Morning Glory includes extra features such as a higher gain stage and a bright cut switch.

3. Browne Amplification Carbon
Browne

$219+ | Click title for video. Buy it on eBay or Reverb.

A high-end Bluesbreaker-inspired stompbox designed to provide the player with a wide array of tonal options with just three knobs. One characteristic of this pedal is that your tone will sound brighter the higher you have the gain set, due in part to the circuit’s massive output potential which allows it to be used also as a clean boost at lower gain settings. A Tone knob lets you fine-tune the low/high-frequency balance to complement your pickup/amp combo.

4. Snouse Black Box 2
Snouse

$275+ | Click title for video. Buy it on eBay or Reverb.

A hand-wired Blues Breaker with lots of customizable features. Demand for the Black Box went through the roof over the pandemic, and now there is a 2 year wait list. But this is a great sounding, meticulously crafted pedal, with boost and presence controls, and the options of external voicing switches.

5. Bondi Effects Del Mar mkii
bondi

$500+ | Click title for video. Buy it on eBay or Reverb.

This is a refined modern mid-gain overdrive that is hard to get a bad sound out of, conceived as a combination of the best elements of a Blues Breaker, a Klon and a Tube Screamer. The two gain voicings can be switched via a central toggle, with the lower position delivering tones often associated with the Blues Breaker, and the top one offering the clean section of the Klon with a TS-style clipping stage, with all its articulate and detailed response. MkII improves the power supply and decreases the noise floor further, also introducing a new quiet true-bypass switching.

6. Jackson Audio Golden Boy
Jackson Audio Golden Boy

$239 | Click title for video. Buy it on: Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon | Reverb.

Designed in collaboration with Joey Landreth, the Golden Boy is an end-all BB-style pedal. Three-band EQ, cycle-able gain stages, four clipping diode voicings, internal presence and tone controls, and a footswitchable MOSFET boost make this the most versatile Blues Breaker on the market.

7. Wampler Pantheon
Wampler Pantheon

$169 | Click title for video. Buy it on: Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon | Reverb.

As is evident in the name, Wampler is taking influence not just from the Blues Breaker, but from the equally famous pedals that have followed in its path. The Pantheon has high and low gain stages, three clipping voices, and a two-band baxandall EQ and presence control for precise and versatile tonal shaping.

8. Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose
electro harmonix 2

$129 | Click title for video. Buy it on: Sweetwater | ThomannReverb.

A refined yet affordable rendition of the Blues Breaker, of which it delivers the renowned smooth breakup, with all the clarity and dynamics you get from a driven tube amp. The 3-way LIFT switch intensifies the drive’s impact generating a compressed, saturated tone while preserving its dynamic and transparent quality, while the pedal’s EQ includes a TREBLE knob for managing high frequencies and an active BASS knob to adjust bass tones—useful for adding body to single coil guitars or refining the low end for warmer humbucker guitars. Additionally, the Spruce Goose offers mechanical relay true bypass switching with both latching and momentary actions.

9. J. Rockett Blue Note Overdrive
rockett

$199 | Click title for video. Buy it on: Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon | Reverb.

JRAD reliably churns out quality pedals in the most compact and sturdy builds on the market. This simple take on the Blues Breaker features a Fat control in addition to the standard Gain, Tone, and Volume, which tailors the low-end trim, useful for different pickup and amp combinations. The Hot toggle switch adds extra gain and mid-range.

10. Mojo Hand FX Magpie
MojoHandFX 2

$179 | Click title for video. Buy it on eBay or Reverb.

Another well-liked pedal that takes inspiration from the King of Tone, the Magpie is a touch-sensitive transparent drive with a three-way clipping option. Up is crunch, middle is boost, and down is overdrive, for a wide range of gain options.

11. SolidGoldFX Commodore

$199 | Click title for video. Buy it on: Thomann | Amazon | Reverb.

Featuring sliders instead of knobs, this is a specially tuned, low to mid-gain BB style drive circuit feeding a very flexible yet unusual sculpting section consisting of a Tone and a Contour sliders, which allow for a variety of tones ranging from black panel spank to Vox-ey chime and British growl. It works with up to 18v for extra headroom.

12. VS Audio Straight Flush
VS Audio

$175 | Click title for video. Buy it on eBay or Reverb.

A Greek company to watch out for, VS Audio makes high-quality pedals inspired by classic designs with modern ease of use. Their Straight Flush is a Prince of Tone-style transparent overdrive with a toggle-able extra gain stage.

13. Rockbox Baby Blues

$199 | Click title for video. Buy it on eBay or Reverb.

Veteran pedal makers Rockbox have a predictably strong take on the Blues Breaker, with standard controls as well as four toggle switches to change EQ boosts and drive modes, all in a compact enclosure with top jacks.

Return to List of Categories

Best Dual-Channel Blues Breaker Clones

The “transparent” nature of the Blues Breaker, along with the fact that some guitar heroes like John Mayer love to stack their transparent drives with other flavors, make the Blues Breaker an ideal candidate for one half (or both halves) of a dual-channel overdrive. Here are the best ones on the market.

 

Analogman King of Tone
Analogman

$850+ | Click title for video. Buy it on eBay or Reverb.

Mike Piera of Analogman was the first pedal builder to take the Marshall Blues Breaker circuit and rebuild it from the ground up to his liking. As a result the King of Tone was born, a dual overdrive with 3 different clipping options on each side: Overdrive, Clean Boost, and Distortion. The King of Tone is arguably the most sought-after pedal on earth, with a waitlist over 3 years long at the time of writing this.

KingTone Duellist V2
King Tone

$349+ | Click title for video. Buy it on eBay or Reverb.

A higher gain option than most pedals on this list, the Duellist is a tone-tweaker’s delight. The “Heavy Hand” side is a highly refined Blues Breaker while the “String Singer” is a modern Tube Screamer. Each channel features “Fat/Stock/Glass” voicing switches for a variety of tonal options. A switch on the side panel lets you change the order of the channels, while using TRS cables you can create an FX loop in  between the two drives. A DIP switch panel on the side of the case allows for six extra tweaks of the the channels’ voicing.

Browne Protein
browne

$339 | Click title for video. Buy it on eBay or Reverb.

A dual-channel overdrive that gives you the same gooodness of the Carbon (featured in the single channel list above), times two. The two circuits have separate footswitches and are stacked on top of each other when both are on. They have a slightly different voicing, with the right side sounding more open and raw than the left one, which is a little more controlled and compressed. The left channel (last in the chain) has a 3-way hi-cut switch (with a flat option in the middle), which comes in particularly handy when the two circuits are feeding each other. Other features include soft-switching, adjustable startup state, and internal switch for use with a looper.

JHS Double Barrel V4
JHS Double Barrell V4 top1 e1503946391574

$293 | Click title for video. Buy it on: Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon | Reverb.

Josh Scott combines his Morning Glory (Bluesbreaker) and Moonshine (Tube Screamer) into one compact enclosure, with order switching and all of the features of the individual pedals intact. The TS side comes with a clean blend for more “transparency.”

Ceriatone Horse Breaker
Ceriatone

$250+ | Click title for video. Buy it on eBay or Reverb.

On one side, a Blues Breaker, on the other, a Klon. Two of the most famous overdrive circuits of all time come together in this highly effective dual overdrive, with order switching and buffer or true bypass options on the Klon side. These are not deviations; they are the original circuits down to a T, with all their charms and quirks.

Wampler Dual Pantheon
Wampler

$267 | Click title for video. Buy it on: Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon | Reverb.

It doubles down on the original, including stereo and MIDI I/O and some other useful features. Each channel sports the same controls as the single version (4 knobs and two 3-way switches for various gain and voicing options) but the Presence knob is shared by the two and at the end of the chain. The second channel has a slightly different voice, and the order of the channels can be configured via a toggle switch.

Nordvang ’83 Drive
Nordvang1

$650+ | Click title for video. Buy it on eBay or Reverb.

The same winning Klon and Blues Breaker combo, but pushed to extreme levels of build quality. The BB side features a 3-way Lows toggle for bass response options, and the Klon side features a 2-way diode clipping toggle. TRS split mode rounds out this boutique dual overdrive.

VS Audio Royal Flush
VS

$199 | Click title for video. Buy it on eBay or Reverb.

The bigger brother of the Straight Flush, the Royal Flush takes its inspiration from the King of Tone. The low and mid-gain channels are put into a dual channel enclosure and can be stomped on individually or stacked for a third gain stage.

Kasleder Toxic Twins
16399021 8001

$261 | Click title for video. Buy it on Thomann or Reverb.

The bigger brother of the Straight Flush, the Royal Flush takes its inspiration from the King of Tone. The low and mid-gain channels are put into a dual-channel enclosure and can be stomped on individually or stacked for a third gain stage.

Return to List of Categories

Other Recent Blues Breaker-Inspired Pedals

There are a lot of pedals out there inspired by the Marshall Blues Breaker. The ones in this interactive gallery are other recently released ones that offer an interesting take.

Return to List of Categories

Relevant Videos about the Marshall Blues Breaker

What Is a Blues Breaker? by JHS Pedals

That Pedal Show’s Blues Breaker Overdrive Shootout

Blues Breaker vs. Blues Driver

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BOSS BD-2 & the Best Blues Driver-Style Pedals in 2024 https://delicious-audio.com/bd-2-best-blues-driver-style-pedals-clones/ https://delicious-audio.com/bd-2-best-blues-driver-style-pedals-clones/#comments Fri, 01 Mar 2024 18:14:53 +0000 https://delicious-audio.com/?p=186142
Boss Blues Driver and its Best Clones, Mods and Evolutions The Boss BD-2 Blues Driver has become a perennial favorite for beginners and pros alike searching for a solid low to mid-gain overdrive. Introduced in 1995, it delivers classic tones that, combined with an affordable price tag, regularly make the BD-2 one of the best-selling pedals in the world each year.
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This is a regularly updated article on the best Blues Driver-style pedals. We have similar guides for other popular overdrive circuits like the Klon, the Tube Screamer, the Dumble, and the Blues Breaker – enjoy!

Best Blues Driver-Style Pedals

Updated on 12.29.2023

 

The Boss BD-2 Blues Driver has become a perennial favorite for beginners and pros alike searching for a solid low to mid-gain overdrive. Introduced in 1995, it delivers classic tones that, combined with an affordable price tag, regularly make the BD-2 one of the best-selling pedals in the world each year.

Circuit and Sound

The BD-2 belongs to the family of transistor-based overdrives (a quick lesson about them can be found here), using stages of FETs (field-effect transistors) to create clipping by pushing them to their breaking point, similar to the way tubes break up in amps. These amplification stages are followed by a gain recovery stage, a bass boosting circuit and buffering. You can find more info about its schematics here.

This kind of circuit doesn’t color the tone with a mid-hump typical of the Tube Screamer, while also retaining the low end of the original tone and touch responsiveness. Also, unlike other transparent overdrives, the BD-2 can veer into distorted tones at higher settings.

This warm, amp-like, touch-sensitive overdrive is a fantastic all-rounder for not just blues players, but anyone who needs a bit of lovely grit (so, everyone).

In this article, we are going to highlight both the original Blues Driver BOSS units and the various mods, clones and evolutions, and also some similar-sounding drives based on a similar FET circuit.

ORIGINAL BOSS BLUES DRIVER PEDALS

If you believe that nothing ever beats the original, look no further. The pedals in this category include the original 1995 Blues Driver (still in production) and its two-voice Waza Craft evolution from 2014.

BOSS BD-2 Blues Driver (1995)
BOSS BD-2

Click title for video. Buy it new: Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon – Used deals on eBay | Reverb.

The classic three-knob layout makes dialing in a great tone dead simple. Though many have tried, it is hard to improve upon a classic! There are very few guitarists out there who would be unhappy with a stock BD-2 on their board, although some think that the now discontinued JHS mod of the BD-2 which gives you a 3-way toggle with expended voicing, elevates this circuit to perfection.

Boss BD-2w Blues Driver (2014)
Boss

Click title for video. Buy it new: Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon – Used deals on eBay | Reverb.

The Wava series updates old BOSS designs to modern specs, adding extra voicings. A deluxe version of the classic BD-2, the BD-2w features a revised all-discrete circuit and a new “custom” mode voicing which provides body and sustain. Just like the original, but with improved circuitry and extra tonal options.

Return to List of Categories


POPULAR BLUES DRIVER MODS (USED)

In the early aughts, a business model surfaced among emerging pedal builders based on improving, through modding, existing pedals. The Blues Driver got particularly lucky in this department, receiving the “attention” of the likes of Analogman, JHS Pedals and Keeley. That business model ended before the beginning of the ’20s, but all of these mods can still be found in the used market.

BD-2 JHS Pedals Mod
BD-2 JHS Mod

Click title for video. Check for price on eBay | Reverb.

A less subtle BD-2 mod than the other ones, this pedal adds a toggle switch that transforms the circuit into a heavily compressed fuzz device. The “regular” Blue Driver channel is also improved with smoother highs, solid bass response and lower noise, and an overall wider tonal range.

BD-2 Analogman Mod
BD-2 Analogman Mod

Click title for video. Check for price on eBay | Reverb.

A mod that improves the original circuit with quality, expensive components (like capacitors) and some values to make the tone control more usable (the original one barely affects the high-end) and the low-end even tighter.

BD-2 Keeley Mod
BD-2 Keeley Mod

Click title for video. Check for price on eBay | Reverb.

A mod that upgrades some key components for a warmer and more dynamic tone. The optional “phat” toggle (pictured) gives you a bassier voice. This is basically the prototype of what then became the Keeley Phat Mod, found in the previous category.


BLUES DRIVER EVOLUTIONS AND VARIANTS

Used loosely here, some of these pedals directly come from the BD-2 while others simply use comparable circuitry to create similar amp-style overdrive!

Keeley Super Phat Mod
Keeley Super Phat Mod

Click title for video. Buy it new: Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon – Used deals on eBay | Reverb.

Robert Keeley’s BD-2 mod was long considered an essential upgrade for the circuit. Now it is available in its own enclosure. Comes with a Flat / Phat toggle switch for a standard full-range response or the signature Keeley mode with warmth and body. There is also a Super Phat Germanium version, and a more recent Super AT Mod one from 2023 engineered in collaboration with Andy Timmons.

Boss / JHS Angry Driver
Boss JHS Angry Driver

Click title for video. Buy it new: Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon – Used deals on eBay | Reverb.

The JHS Angry Charlie and BD-2 Blues Driver in one convenient box! The circuits can be stacked in parallel, series, or selected individually. Three dual-concentric knobs allow for independent tone, level, and drive controls for each circuit.

DOD Looking Glass
DOD Looking Glass

Click title for video. Buy it new: Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon – Used deals on eBay | Reverb.

A FET overdrive designed to produce clear low gain tones all the way to a sagging amp on the verge of blowing up. Designed in collaboration with boutique builder SHOE pedals. Features pre-drive bass and post-drive treble controls, a unique input filter that tames overly bright guitars and a second gain stage with the high/low toggle switch.

Winnipeg Electrical Co Blues Overdrive
winnipeg

Click title for video. Buy it on eBay or Reverb.

ABlues Driver variant with extended tonal controls, including an (unexpected) “fuzz mode.” It made the best of 2023 list of YouTuber Megan L. Compared to the BOSS original, it features Low and Mid controls that allow tweaking of the frequencies in the clipping stage, integrating the Tone knob, which affects the overall signal. A toggle switch introduces es a fuzz mode with higher gain and more low end.

Smallsound/Bigsound Mini
Smallsound/Bigsound Mini

Click title for video. Check for price on eBay | Reverb.

A modern cult favorite, the Mini excels in versatility. Using JFETs to create tube-like grit, the Mini features a bias control to create low-watt saggy amp tones and a bass cut knob for more sparkly chime.

Strymon Riverside
Strymon Riverside

Click title for video. Buy it new: Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon – Used deals on eBay | Reverb.

A multi-stage drive voiced after tube amp circuitry, the Riverside uses a combination of analog and DSP to create a uniquely versatile overdrive. The Riverside can simulate BD-2 tones with ease, or it can do much more – from pushed Fender to cranked Marshall.

Return to List of Categories


BLUES DRIVER CLONES

Joyo Blue Rain
Joyo Blue Rain

Click title for video. Buy it new on Amazon – Used deals on eBay | Reverb

Another very cheap BD-2 clone, but with separate low and high EQ knobs instead of the traditional single tone control. Also comes with a nifty cover to make sure your knobs don’t get knocked out of position.

TC Electronic Cinders
TC Electronic Cinders

Click title for video. Buy it new: Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon – Used deals on eBay | Reverb.

A very affordable take on the BD-2 style circuit from trusted TC Electronic. It doesn’t get much simpler than this, and if you’re in need of a BD-2 with true bypass and top jacks this is an easy choice.

Mooer Blues Mood
Mooer Blues Mood

Click title for video. Buy it new on Amazon | Thomann – Used deals on eBay | Reverb

An affordable OEM clone of the Keeley modded BD-2. The Blues Mood provides the same amp like touch-sensitive overdrive, with a bright/fat switch and a price tag every starving artist can afford.

BYOC Blue Overdrive
BYOC Blue Overdrive

Click title for video. Check for price on Reverb.

A clone kit of the BD-2, the Blue Overdrive can be built with or without the classic Keeley Phat mod. It also features true bypass for the purists!

Biyang BL-8 Blue
Biyang BL-8 Blue

Click title for video. Check for price on eBay | Reverb.

A somehow even simpler Blues Driver, the BL-8 features just level and drive controls inside a polished metal casing. For the musician on a budget who just wants to set and forget, this is a great option.

Return to List of Categories


 

Relevant Videos

BD-2 Blues Driver vs. Tube Screamer

4 Blues Driver-Style Pedal Shootout (BD-2, Waza Craft, Mooer, Keeley)

4 Blues Driver-Style Pedal Shootout (BD-2, BD-2w, TC Cinders, Digitech Screamin’ Blues)

BOSS BD-2 vs BD-2w WAZA Craft

How Kevin Parker of Tame Impala Uses the BD-2

 

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Best Treble Booster Pedals & Rangemaster Clones in 2024 https://delicious-audio.com/best-treble-booster-pedals-rangemaster-clones/ https://delicious-audio.com/best-treble-booster-pedals-rangemaster-clones/#respond Tue, 27 Feb 2024 15:40:58 +0000 https://delicious-audio.com/?p=189225
Best Treble Boosters & Rangemaster Clones The Rangemaster came about due to necessity. In the 1960s, British guitarists such as Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton enjoyed pushing their large Marshall and Vox amps into overdrive. But the more you turned these amps up, the more the mid-low frequencies dominated, creating muddiness and loss of definition.
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Best Treble Booster Pedals & Rangemaster Clones
This article is entirely focused on the best treble booster pedals & Rangemaster clones on the market. The coverage of other boost stompboxes can be found in the boost pedals category

This list was updated on January 25th, 2023

A Brief History of the Dallas Rangemaster, the First Treble Booster

The Rangemaster came about due to necessity. In the 1960s, British guitarists such as Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton enjoyed pushing their large Marshall and Vox amps into overdrive. But the more you turned these amps up, the more the mid-low frequencies dominated, creating muddiness and loss of definition. With its simple Germanium transistor-based circuit, the Dallas Rangemaster solved all this by providing a treble boost “opening up” the amp, while also pushing it into a gnarlier state of overdrive.

Brian May, Billy Gibbons, Rory Gallagher, and Tony Iommi are just a few of the guitarists who swore by their treble booster.

The Original Dallas Rangemaster

The original unit was made to stand on top of the amplifier and featured a simple circuit consisting of a Mullard Germanium transistor, four capacitors, three carbon comp resistors, a potentiometer, and a battery. Nerds can find the circuit’s schematics here.

Original Dallas Rangemaster

An original, super rare Dallas Rangemaster from the early ’60s. It can be sometimes found used on Reverb.com or eBay for over $2,000.

Although it was initially adopted by a number of players the Rangemaster lived in obscurity for more than a decade after the ’80s. To many modern players, it may seem unwieldy or harsh sounding. But for the guitarists who are in pursuit of something that feels “real”- something with touch sensitivity, dynamic range, organic saturation, harmonic color – the Rangemaster does all that in spades. This is certainly one of the reasons why it witnessed a resurgence in the late ’90s.

The Best Treble Booster Pedals & Rangemaster Clones: Our Categories

Such a reputation (and price tag) has prompted many modern effects builders to attempt to replicate or reinterpret the Rangemaster’s tone, with results going from point-to-point clones to wild evolutions.

We decided to organize this list of the treble booster & Rangemaster clones in these three categories.

Best One-Knob Rangemaster Clones
Best Rangemaster Evolutions With Expanded Range
Best Rangemaster Evolutions With Expanded Gain

Best One-Knob Rangemaster Clones

The original Rangemaster had only one knob, just like these authentic recreations that apply some improvements to the original circuits without adding anything new to it.

Pete Cornish TB-83 Extra

Pete Cornish TB 83

~$370 | Click title for video. Check for availability on Reverb or eBay

Fetching for almost $400, this is the one-knob+footswitch follow up to the original TB-83, an “always-on, set and forget” treble-booster box with no controls whatsoever. Famously designed by the legendary UK builder for Queen’s Brian May, it was made specifically for the normal channel found in older Vox amplifiers, but it sounds great on most low gain amps.

BSM Treble Booster

BSM Treble Booster

$249+ | Click title for video. Check for price on Reverb or eBay.

A company devoted entirely to building treble boosters, BSM uses hand-selected NOS germanium transistors in all their pedals. They make several editions of boosters, including low, medium, and high gain versions, tone-controllable boosters, and custom-built models.

JHS Germanium Boost

jhs

$259+ used | Click title for video. Check for price on Reverb or eBay.

Possibly the fastest-selling-out pedal in the history of pedals (it sold out in 7 minutes during the live broadcasting of this video). Based on a rare NOS Black Glass OC71 germanium transistor sourced from a private stash in the UK, this Dallas Rangemaster clone was built in a limited run of 700 units. It’s an accurate reproduction of the original, with the added benefit of a bypass footswitch and a two-way toggle that gives you a separate boosted-frequency option delivering a thicker, more modern tone.

Telesonic Germanium Treble Booster

Telesonic Germanium Treble Booster

$117 | Click title for video. Check for availability on Reverb.

An affordable yet authentic, hand-built, one-knob Rangemaster clone from a very reputable Russian builder employing matched 1t308v Soviet vintage NOS transistor.

British Pedal Company Dallas Rangemaster

British Pedal Company Dallas Rangemaster

$259 | Click title for video. Check for price on Reverb or eBay.

An authentic hand-wired remake of the original “amp-top” treble booster. A no-frills replica made the same way the originals were, down to the iconic vintage look.

Return to List of Categories

Best Rangemaster Evolutions With Expanded Range

These pedals either stay very true to the original Dallas Rangemaster circuit, or add some modern refinements or extra tweaking options.

Analogman Beano Boost

AnalogmanWhite 4 1024x10241

$229+ | Click title for video. Check for availability on Reverb or eBay.

Based on the Rangemaster, uses NOS germanium transistors. Three boost modes: original (treble), mid-range, and low – the latter 2 for more full range boosts. Provides a warm breakup somewhere between a clean boost and an overdrive, excels at pushing into tube amps. Available both in mini and compact cases. Mods available upon request.

29 Pedals JFET

29

$239 | Click title for video. Buy it on Perfect Circuit or on Reverb.com.

A high-quality, carefully designed JFET boost pedal that adds a clean tube-like character to your tone and features three EQ modes. The “N'” one is a variation of a treblebooster, a little more gentle than the original but also more musical. The other two modes deliver a more rounded sound (“F”) and a nearly flat response (“X”).

Laney / Black Country Customs TI-Boost

Laney Black Country Customs Ti Boost

$189 | Click title for video. Check for availability on Reverb or eBay.

Tony Iommi’s signature Treble Booster made by amp company Laney, who also built his favorite LA100BL tube amp. Classic Rangemaster circuitry along with a drive control for adding more grit and Hi and Lo tone controls for tailoring the boost to your liking.

Greer Amps Moonshot

Greer Amps Moonshot

$189 | Click title for video. Buy it new on Thomann or look for deals on Reverb or eBay.

Using a Germanium AC-128 transistor, the Moonshot provides beautifully textured boosting capabilities. Treble/Mid control allows the player to use it as a standard treble boost or introduce more low frequencies into the signal.

Jam Pedals Rooster

Jam Pedals Rooster

$369 | Click title for video. Buy it on Reverb or eBay.

A high-end, limited-edition, point-to-point Rangemaster built on a tagboard, with a fancy leather enclosed box. Uses rare military-spec CV7003 germanium transistors. Comes with a 3-way switch for treble, mid, and bass boost focus.

Fulltone CS Ranger

Fulltone CS Ranger

$232 | Click title for video. Buy it new on Sweetwater, Thomann or Amazon or used on Reverb.

A handmade germanium Rangemaster, with 6 modes: Full range, low mids, mids, Rangemaster 1 circuit, Rangemaster 2 circuit, and highest (presence) boost. Adjustable bias trimmer and top-mounted jacks.

R2R Electric 2-knob Treble Booster (R2RGeMaster)

R2R GeMaster AC107

$129 | Click title for video. Check for availability on Reverb.

This pedal also comes in amp-top and Replica series modes, a part-for-part remake of the original Dallas Rangemaster. Chris from R2R carefully sources NOS components and hand wires everything. This unit features a mod with a 6-position Range control (the right knob) to shift the boosted frequency. 

True North Northern Lights

True North Northern Lights

$159 | Click title for video. Check for availability on Reverb.

An elegant booster using a germanium transistor. Comes with a 3-way switch to select treble boost, mid boost, and full-range boost. Plays well in front of True North’s Tweed Drive or other amp-like drive pedals.

Expresso FX Germanium Boost

Expresso FX Germanium Boost

~269 | Click title for video. Check for availability on Reverb or eBay.

Hand-built on a turret board, and available to be customized with NOS transistors and enclosure and knobs of your choice. Comes with a 7-way rotary switch that allows for full control over what frequency area you want to boost.

Blammo Electronics Zap Master

Blammo

$129 | Click title for video. Check for availability on Reverb.

A refined compact Rangemaster using high-quality components and NOS germanium transistors. A 3-way input capacitor switch allows the user to choose between the original capacitor value or 2 other options which let more low frequencies into the signal.

Seeker Electric Effects Rangemaster (Mass St. Music, no video)

Seeker Electric Effects Rangemaster

$250 | Click title for video. Check for availability on Reverb.

A beautiful hand-wired, point-to-point construction using the same OC42 germanium transistor as the original Dallas Rangemaster. A switch changes the original treble boost input capacitor to another that provides a thicker tone.

KMA Strokkur

KMA Strokkur

~$225 | Click title for video. Buy it on Reverb.

A germanium booster with added tone shaping abilities. Range control goes from just treble to full spectrum, and passive treble and bass controls allow taming of harsh frequencies or muddiness when pushing an amp.

Van Diemens Red Ochre Deluxe

van

From $325 | Click title for video. Buy it on Reverb.

Inspired by the name of a secluded Tasmanian beach near the builder’s house, the Van Diemens Red Ochre Deluxe is a high-quality, hand-built Treble-booster recreation available in two colors (Hammered Gold and Hammered Charcoal) with a 3 position rotary or toggle switch offering a few extra voices. No compromises were made in the parts’ selection, featuring OC44 (when available) or AC107 (standard) transistors, NOS Philips, Mullard mustard and Mullard tropical fish capacitors, NOS Piher and/or Allen Bradley resistors.

Daredevil Silver Solo v2

Daredevil

$169 | Click title for video. Buy it on Reverb.

A Silicon version of the vintage treble booster circuit from the ’60s with Range knob to widen the spectrum of boosted frequenices. It offers a tighter low end, sharper bite, and more output than the usual Germanium Rangemaster clones. It accentuates dynamics and texture while increasing volume, pushing your tone through the mix when you need that extra cut.

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Best Treble Boosters With Expanded Gain

These pedals are capable of treble boost but they deviate from the classic Rangemaster circuit and provide unique takes on a boost pedal, or are combined with other circuits for complimentary gain stacking.

 

Catalinbread Naga Viper

Catalinbread Naga Viper

$179 | Click title for video. Buy it new on Sweetwater, Thomann or Amazon or used on Reverb or eBay.

Based on the original Rangemaster but with modern versatility thanks to two extra knobs: Range and Gain. Range allows the user to go from classic treble boost to a full-range boost. Gain increases the amount of saturation in the signal to achieve a fuzzier boost.

Carl Martin Plexy Ranger

Carl

$299 | Click title for video. Buy it on Thomann, Reverb or eBay.

A dual-channel gain pedal that places a Plexi-style drive circuit after a silicon 15db treble boost, with separate footswitches. Each has an independent EQ section: simple Tone control on the Plexi side and parametric EQ (Range + Freq) on the Boost, which is clean when the Range knob is down to zero. A 3-way Low Cut Filter (off in zero position) tames the low end.

Drybell The Engine

Dry

$299 | Click title for video. Buy it on Reverb or eBay.

A boutique “foundation preamp” that covers classic British 1960s non-master volume amp tones. The left side is a versatile preamp with Marshall and Vox style voicings, drive, and tone-shaping options. The right side is a Rangemaster that boosts into the amp side or follows it. Range controls the frequency area you’d like to boost.

Pedal Pawn Texan Twang

pedal 1

$259 | Click title for video. Buy it on Reverb or eBay.

Based on a treble booster mod used by Steve Ray Vaughan, this combo boost/overdrive is a two-knob, treble booster-inspired device built to interact with your guitar and amp, cleaning up nicely at low guitar output. The right knob is a three-way rotary switch that produces glassy and bite on the Hi setting, tube-like warmth in the Mid setting and punchy growl in the Lo one.

Stone Deaf QBoost

Stone

$160 | Click title for video. Buy it on Thomann, Reverb or eBay.

Much more than just a treble booster, the QBoost comes with a footswitchable frequency boost that ranges from 35hz to 6khz. It also includes a preamp section with a switchable modern/vintage voicing and gain circuit that can go from light saturation to dying-amp fuzz.

Crazy Tube Circuits Super Conductor

Crazy Tube Circuits Super Conductor

$199 | Click title for video. Buy it on Thomann, Reverb or eBay.

An all-analog multi-mode boost pedal that delivers four flavors of boost, each inspired by legendary circuits: “rm” mode is a silicon reinterpretation of the ’60s classic treble booster, using a unique setup with 2 low gain silicon transistors; “ep” is a colored JFET preamp–gain stage voiced after the preamp circuit of the Echoplex; “ma” is based on the clean and “transparent” tone of the MXR Micro Amp; “mf” is based on the ultra-transparent, high input impedance MOSFET boost of the ZVex Super Hard On pedal, famous for its pristine highs. Each mode can then be tweaked via two pushbuttons, one for a “fatter” sound, and one that changes the circuit’s voltage from 9v to 18v, for extra headroom.

Mad Professor Ruby Red Booster

mad professor ruby red booster1

$149 | Click title for video. Buy it on Thomann, Reverb or eBay.

Combines two boost circuits and a master volume in one enclosure. Can function as a treble booster, a full range booster, or an overdrive with internal clipping via the master volume knob. Can provide 40db of boost into the front of an amp.

NRG Effects Poker

nrg

~$325 | Click title for video. Check for availability on Reverb.

A high-end Silicon transistor evolution of the classic Rangemaster-style treblebooster circuit that can overdrive thanks to the Poke knob (gain) triggered by the Poke footswitch. The 2-way Bulk toggle provides a “fatter”: tone while the Horn toggle (3-way) offers two extra voices, one more overdriven and one bordering on distortion

Formula B Fuzz Rangers

Formula B Fuzz Rangers

$249 | Click title for video. Check for availability on Reverb.

Combines two legendary circuits in one box: Fuzz Face and Rangemaster. The effect order can be switched and each one can be engaged independently. The Rangemaster side can boost mid and low frequencies in addition to treble.

Throback Strange Master

Throbak Strange Master

$279 | Click title for video. Check for availability on Reverb.

From beloved pickup maker Throbak, a boutique Rangemaster with extra tweaking options. Switchable Germanium and higher-gain silicon transistors, switchable treble or mid-range boost, and a unique bias control set this booster apart.

Union Tube & Transistor Snap

union

$190 | Click title for video. Check for availability on Reverb.

This Seattle builder has a trilogy of Rangemaster-inspired pedals, and the Snap is the most affordable by far. They all feature a gain knob. The sharp treble booster of the original Pop pedal is replaced with a smoother one, while adding a third center knob to reintroduce bass. Fans of Brian May–type riffs may find something for them here.

Catalinbread Galileo MkII

Catalinbread Galileo

$169 | Click title for video. Buy it new on Sweetwater, Thomann or Amazon or used on Reverb or eBay.

Inspired by Brian May, who ran an always-on Rangemaster into a Vox AC30. The Galileo replicates this signal chain, functioning as a “Boosted Amp-in-a-Box” pedal. Very responsive to guitar dynamics, with a wide gain range from sparkly Vox cleans to blistering fuzzy leads.

Catalinbread Skewer

Catalinbread Skewer

$169 | Click title for video. Buy it new on Sweetwater, Thomann or Amazon or used on Reverb or eBay.

A Silicon limited edition version of the Naga Viper, the Skewer is based on the classic Hornsby-Skewes treble booster used by Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple. The Skewer uses the same control scheme as the Viper, but has more bite.


Videos about Treble Boosters & Rangemaster Clones

Why Everyone Needs a Treble Booster (That Pedal Show)

Treble Boosters – the Most Underrated Effects (Pete Thorn)

Tremendous Treble Boosters (That Pedal Show)

This Is Why You Need a Treble Booster (Leon Todd)

Treble Booster Shootout (Matthias Stockert)

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Crazy, Cool and Weird Delay Pedals in 2024: the Best Psychedelic Echo Stompboxes https://delicious-audio.com/crazy-cool-and-weird-delay-pedals-psychedelic-creative/ https://delicious-audio.com/crazy-cool-and-weird-delay-pedals-psychedelic-creative/#comments Mon, 19 Feb 2024 22:36:49 +0000 https://delicious-audio.com/?p=60481
Crazy Weird and Cool Delay Pedals If you’re looking for a cool delay pedal that can take your sound into another dimension, chances are you’ll find what you want among the machines listed in this article.
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For more classic psychedelic delays check out our Best Tape Delay Pedals article. For a more comprehensive article about delays organized by type, see our Best Delay Pedals article.

Delay is one of the most loved effects for guitar and can serve a range of purposes from subtle slapback to wild self-oscillation swells. If you’re looking for a cool delay pedal that can take your sound into another dimension, chances are you’ll find what you want among the machines listed in this article. Most of the boxes here can do straight delay, but nearly all of them excel at creating unexpected sounds and textures or washes of echo

psych delays

Lists Updated on March 08, 2023.

Types of Unusual and Weird Delay Pedals

Best Multi-Mode Experimental Delays
Best Granular Delays (Sample Based)
Best Experimental Pitch Shifting Delays
Veritable Sci-Fi Machines
Creative Lo-Fi Delay Pedals
Other Creative Single Function Delay Pedals
Advanced Delays with Unusual Features
Best Delays with Reverb

As usual for our lists, mouseover or first tap will open a description of the pedal, while a click or second tap will open a video


Best Multi-Mode Experimental Delays

Let’s start with a few digital devices that give you a LOT of options through a series of delay modes that are far from traditional (for effects of this kind that also cover more traditional delays, don’t miss our other list of the Best Multi-Mode Delay Pedals). Thanks to the variety of functions they offer, these devices can be true mines of new sounds and textures for players interested in sound design, ranging from granular synthesis to pitch-shifted or reversed repeats, etc.

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Best Granular Delays (Sample Based)

If regular delays simply repeat a sound over and over, while advanced ones also apply filtering and modulation to the repeats, digitally sampling the guitar signal and then reorganizing its parts temporarily seems like the next logical step in the evolution of this effect. The latter process is also called Granular Synthesis, and it’s what the stompboxes in this list focus on (although they can do a lot more than just that). You’ll find here some of the most “out-there” effects ever created. This list shares a lot of pedals with our Best Glitch and Stutter Pedals one, so if you are into this kind of device, make sure to check that article too.

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Best Experimental Pitch Shifting Delays

Experimental, creative pitch-shifting delays are all the rage these days. Many players find these pedals inspiring because they facilitate the creation of complex sonic textures and can easily transform a simple part in something that sounds almost magical. These effects are evolutions of harmonizer and pitch shifter pedals, but instead of just adding pitch-shifted notes to the ones you are playing, they add delay to them as well (and sometimes other effects), with the newest models going deep into the myriad of controls offered by the advanced modern delay pedals.

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Veritable Sci-Fi Machines

The creative use of delay became prominent during the Psychedelic ’60s, a musical era that reveled in mind-blending sci-fi atmospheres and that has been extremely influential in the following decades. If you play psychedelia-influenced music you owe it to yourself to check out these truly “out-there,” spacey delay effects.

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Creative Lo-Fi Delay Pedals

Delay and Lo-Fi are effects tied together from birth: early delay devices used magnetic recording tapes that would progressively degrade, therefore acquiring lo-fi traits like hiss, flutter, and high-frequency loss. With the advent of the digital era, the palette of Lo-Fi sounds expanded to include digital sonic artifacts like dithering, aliasing and bit and sample rate reduction. The pedals in this list offer the whole spectrum of lo-fi artifacts combined – of course – with a delay circuit.

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Other Creative Single Function Delay Pedals

The pedals in this list are simpler than the ones you’ll find in the other categories but offer an interesting if not unique take on delay.

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Advanced Delays with Unusual Features

While in this list we don’t include do-it-all multi-mode delay workstations (many of which can replicate a lot of the effects tackled in this article), there are some advanced delays that deserve to be mentioned for their unusual features that open up some creative and spacey tone possibilities.

That’s it as far as our lists are concerned. Here are a couple of interesting videos related to this article’s content!

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The 9 Best Uni-Vibe Pedals in 2024: a Guide to UniVibe Clones https://delicious-audio.com/best-uni-vibe-pedals-ultimate-guide/ https://delicious-audio.com/best-uni-vibe-pedals-ultimate-guide/#comments Fri, 16 Feb 2024 16:49:07 +0000 http://delicious-audio.com/?p=24339
Best UniVibe Pedals Sometimes (more often than not?) life sends people and things on unexpected trajectories. The intriguingly named effect Uni-Vibe has a story to tell in this regard.
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Welcome to our user’s guide to the best Uni-Vibe pedal clones and evolutions. For more realistic Leslie speaker simulations you may also want to take a look at our article about rotary/Leslie pedals, or the one about phaser pedals, an effect derived from the Uni-Vibe. 

best

Ready to buy? Please use our affiliate stores’ links – that’s what’s allowing us to keep this site alive at no cost to you! | Article last updated on October 11th, 2023

Sometimes (more often than not?) life sends people and things on unexpected trajectories. The intriguingly named effect Uni-Vibe has a story to tell in this regard.

The Original: Shin-EI/Univox Uni-Vibe

Originally manufactured as a stand-alone effect (i.e. no footswitch) by legendary Japanese manufacturer Shin-ei, the Uni-Vibe was conceived in the ’60s as a portable Leslie speaker emulator (i.e. a small, “pluggable” version of this giant). Not a terrible idea if you ask us… however, the product bombed rather badly among keyboard players.

Except, towards the end of the decade, some guy named Jimi Hendrix, and then some other guy named David Gilmour grew fond of it, and started using it live and on what came to be a few immortal records (notably, you can hear it in Jimi Hendrix’s “Machine Gun” and in the arpeggio-ed guitar in Pink Floyd’s “Breathe“ – go to 1′.13″ in the video).

Here’s a demo of an original Uni-Vibe from 1970:

Vintage Shin-ei Uni-vibe

What Is a Uni-Vibe?

| Click here to expand/shrink this section |

So, if you’d like to take home the original Uni-Vibe unit from the ’60s, you better start looking around (they are extremely rare) and have $3k or so to burn. But, if you are a shredder with a limited budget like us, here is a thorough list of the Best Univibe pedals on the market you can afford, organized by type and popularity!


The pedals in the following interactive galleries are organized in order of “perceived popularity.” To hear/see the video demo of the effect, click on the images or tap twice.

• Best High-End Uni-Vibe True to the Original

We begin, as usual, with a list of high-end pedals on the market designed to faithfully reproduce the original Uni-Vibe. Some of these are authentic re-creation—employing the same exact components as the Shin-ei unit—while others attempt to improve on the original circuit without necessarily taking it to new places.

Shin-ei Vibe-bro
Shin-Ei Vibe-Bro

$999+ | Click title for video. Buy it on eBay or Reverb.com

This device’s circuit is as close to a Uni-Vibe replica as it gets. Built by the original manufacturer (although today’s Shin-ei has little to do with the one that released the original effect), this is a hand-built version of the Uni-Vibe using a mix of carefully selected new and old components, and designed to recreate the vintage unit’s exact sound and behavior, with a few modern improvements.

Slightly smaller than the original version and solidly built, the Vibe-Bro delivers a gorgeously lush, complex, and textured sound just like the one from the best-sounding vintage units. As expected, it has an option to activate true bypass, avoiding the tone-sucking typical of older Uni-Vibes, although the “non-true” bypass routing setting sends your signal to a preamp whose warm character and color are appreciated by some guitarists.

Just like the original, it allows you to connect an expression pedal to control the effect’s rate, but attention: you’ll need a pedal with a 6-pin DIN connector, so only the Shin-Ei $199 model will work with it. And that’s something you may not want to hear after having spent over $700 for the pedal itself…

Pros: It sounds just like the original unit, solidly built, with a slightly smaller footprint; true bypass option. | Cons: Rather pricey; the expression pedal has a proprietary input that only works with the company’s accessory.

Here’s a list of other more affordable but still extremely authentic-sounding options:

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Pedal Pawn Gypsy Vibe
A Uni-Vibe clone almost as large as the original running at 18v and featuring hand-selected, hermetically sealed photocells, lightbulb lamp matched to original spec. Fully hand soldered and hand-drilled, the pedal features the same controls as the original, and a bigger speed knob that can be controlled with your foot.

Shin-Ei Vibe 2
A smaller version of the Vibe-Bro launched, with extra slow and fast speed controls, which can be toggled through the second footswitch. It shares most of the NOS component of its big brother, including True Bypass but it’s a lot more affordable, maybe because of cosmetic issues and slightly lower overheads.

Sabbadius Fillmore East Funky-Vibe, 2020 Edition
Hailing from Argentina, this is a thoroughly researched Uni-Vibe recreation that captures the “chewy” sound of the Uni-Vibes Jimi Hendrix played in 1969 and 1970. A Cancel footswitch allows you to use the pedal as a Pre-Amp with the character and color of the original Uni-Vibe effect. The Funky-Vibe Woodstock edition improves the effect’s intensity and delivers both faster and slower speed rates.

Black Cat Vibe
A popular but now almost impossible-to-find recreation of the original classic and probably the first stereo vibe. The circuit features slight improvements over the original to increase reliability. Also available in half-rack format.

MJM Sixties Vibe
A hand-wired, classic take on the Uni-Vibe design with accurate photocells and controls. Capable of great low-end “throb”, just like the original, it runs at 18v for higher headroom and sports a case a lot smaller than the original, which is always welcome.

King Tone Vibe 1968
A high-end dual-channel Uni-Vibe where each channel has controls for mode (Chorus/Vibe), Depth, Speed, Bulb and Symmetry. The former adjusts the brightness of the bulb inside the pedal, producing a more or less “wah-like” effect, while Symmetry modifies the shape of the sine wave, producing a variety of LFO types. Internal trimmers set Volume, Mix, and global functions for Ramp Speed, Top Speed, Lowest Speed and Depth.

Horrothia Berkeley Uni-Vibe
A classic, 3-knob take on the Uni-Vibe,  with a signal path almost identical to the original. Some small changes were made to open up the low end and add more liquid movement. Three internal trim pots alter the effect’s behavior to match the player’s tastes: Input Impedance, Phase Notch Depth, and the complex Voicing control which, at extreme settings, gives it a modern or vintage character.

Formula B Vintage Vibe MK2
This is a well-respected high-end unit from Italy running internally at 18v. It offers the same controls as the original plus two speeds that can be easily switched through a dedicated footswitch.

Tru-Fi Ghost Vibe
A high-end US-built Uni-Vibe replica voiced after an original unit from 1968 and A/B’d against several modern variants. Enclosed in a compact case, it features True Bypass and works internally at 18v for extra headroom.

Sabbadius Woodstock Funky-Vibe
An improved version of the Funky Vibe (listed above) featuring exclusive 7mm custom-made CdS Photocells, which increase the intensity of the throb and feature an improved Speed function that allows for slower and faster rates than the original.

R Weaver FX Violet Vibe
Based on a vintage Univibe unit from 1968, it’s an authentic replica with the exact layout circuit board, NOS components including correct spec photocells and bulb, 2SC828 and 2SC539 transistors, and greenie capacitors. It runs on 18vdc center negative. It also features an expression output to control the speed.

Castlendine Supra Vibe
A faithful, hand-made recreation of the original Uni-Vibe, with updates to the power supply for a lower noise floor.


Best Uni-Vibe Pedal Evolution

Humans are never happy with what they’ve got, and engineering is all about challenging perfection in the pursuit of newer, better standards. The following pedals aim at refining the Uni-Vibe’s original design through a myriad of different techniques like innovations in tubes, sliders, or extra control options.

Strymon Ultraviolet
Strymon Ultraviolet

Click title for video. Buy it on Sweetwater, Thomann, Amazon or Reverb.com

An almost compact vibe design propelled by an algorithm that carefully recreates all the nuances of the original optical circuits featured in the vintage Uni-Vibes, with the added bonus of a stereo output.

Two toggles open up some new tonal option, with a blended Chorus/Vibrato mode (in addition to the regular Chorus AND Vibrato modes found in the original) and a 3-way BIAS toggle that affects the shape and timing of the warble as well as frequency emphasis. These Bias modes were inspired by tones obtained by tweaking an internal Bias trim pot found in some of the vintage units:

  • The Low Bias setting offers a peculiar rhythmic pulsation, making it particularly effective for tremolo effects (particularly so in Blend Mode).
  • The Mid setting achieves a balanced character, ideal for producing classic vibe effects.
  • The High setting features a smoother shape with a broader frequency sweep, enabling the creation of sounds reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s “Breathe.”

These bias settings also affect the shape of the LFO, with a slightly asymmetrical sinewave-like waveform in the Mid position, a smoother and more symmetrical LFO shape in the High setting, and a more square wave (but still with smooth “corners”) in the Low position.

Pros: Versatile yet great-sounding compact option with an extended voicing thanks to the Bias and Blend features. | Cons: Quite expensive, no tap tempo nor presets.

These are other Uni-Vibe evolutions you may want to consider:

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Strymon Ultra-Violet
A digital circuit that carefully recreates all the nuances of the original optical Uni-Vibe circuit, with the added bonus of a stereo output, Midi compatibility, and an extra blended “Chorus/Vibrato” mode that’s 30% wet and 70% dry for a subtler effect. A 3-way BIAS toggle with Low, Mid and High settings modifies the shape and timing of the warble as well as frequency emphasis.

Eventide Riptide
A stereo drive + Uni-Vibe with two voicings per effect (green/red), which can be routed either way.
The green drive offers a classic, mid-forward voicing, while the red drive delivers a fatter, smooth boosted overdrive. On the vibe side, the green option gives you traditional Uni-Vibe tones, while the red vibe a more phasey version of it with increased high-frequency emphasis. Fully Midi-compatible.

DryBell Vibe Machine V2
DryBell Vibe Machine V3
One of the most versatile Vibes around, from a company that for several years was fully invested in the Uni-Vibe niche. It has controls for depth of modulation, tone, input impedance (for using different guitars), and output volume. 6 side trimmers let you tweak a series of settings to tailor several parameters related to tone and functions. V3, a 10th-year anniversary edition, retains the same tone but delivers a modulation with deeper depth and character.

Jam RetroVibe Mk3
A Uni-Vibe recreation featuring original NOS 2SC828 transistors and carbon comp resistors, and sporting an internal trim pot that adjusts the sound and feel of the pedal. Like the vintage unit, it offers both Vibrato and Chorus modes and lets you dial in anything from slow-rate wavy sounds all the way to fast Leslie-speaker effect, which can be controlled via an EXP4 expression pedal. Mk3 adds soft click footswitch and improve Expression in compatibility.

Thorpy FX ER-2 Univibe
a quality boutique uni-vibe clone sporting the same a lamp-powered LFO system as the original. The Offset knob subtly changes the way the lamp ramps up, delivering sharper or softer rise and fall of the LFO curve. This can add beautiful yet subtle new textures that expand on the classic uni-vibe sound. A second footswitch allows to switch between the pedal’s two voices (Vibe and Chorus).

Effectrode Tube-Vibe
The only tube unit on the list, the Tube-Vibe conjures up some of the thickest, swampiest tones in classic rock.

Bearfoot FX Mint Green Mini Vibe
A personal take on the Uni-Vibe that delivers a modulation sound somewhere between a Uni-Vibe and a Leslie rotating speaker, with controls for Velocity, Amplitude, and Gain. It’s often used as a boost with the Amplitude setting down to zero.

Sweet Sound Mojo Vibe
A smaller footprint of the Ultra Vibe, this unit is a slimmed-down version. While it doesn’t have quite as many features, it stays true to the tone.

J Rockett Uni-Verb
A high-end Uni-Vibe clone with foot-switchable Vibrato/Chorus selection and added a spring reverb that can also be triggered via its own footswitch. An FX Loop allows inserting other pedals between the vibe and the verb, while the output has a dedicated knob and can push your amp. The Reverb has two simple knobs: Dwell, controlling the effect’s length, and Reverb, setting the level.

Dawner Prince Viberator
An interestingly named Uni-Vibe evolution featuring stereo output, Vintage/Modern switch & Bright trimmer for amp matching, and the unique Shape knob that modifies the waveform that drives the internal light bulb.

Cornerstone Aquarium
An analog, high-end uni-vibe that runs at 18v like the original and uses the same rotating bulb technology, but has been updated to modern specs to ensure no volume loss or tonal change, and features a few upgrades: a fast and slow speed with inertia control, tone control, dual-mode parallel mix option, and increased output.

Fjord FREI Uni-Vibe
A simplified take on the Uni-Vibe that keeps the incandescent light bulb and photosensitive resistors. The large center knob controls time, while the smaller left and right knobs control two different depth ranges. The second footswitch engages the second depth control, so it can function as 2 presets. Also accepts expression control via the TRS jack.

McCaffrey Audio Run Rabbit Run
It emulates all of the classic sounds of the vintage Uni-Vibe TM pedal, adding a new and wide palette of sounds. CRAZY (doubles the rate of the modulation) footswitch to go between normal operations to ring mod/octave/synth features. THUMP (three-way switch) allows you to add low-end response when turning down the DEPTH knob.

Wrought Iron Effects Project 941 Modulator
A high-end, incandescent bulb-driven 4-stage phase shifting vibrato with parallel dry signal using 11 NOS Soviet silicon transistors. It has a Gain knob placed at the end of the signal, which can saturate the effected sound and a Heave switch that adds a low-frequency feedback path for a throb. The 2nd footswitch “Dive” adds another feedback path more focused in the mid-range, delivering over-the-top pulsating sounds.

Vntage Tone Vibe Of Dreams
A rather affordable, great-looking, streamlined uni-vibe clone from South America that, with four controls (Level, Depth, Rate and Voice), can deliver a wide range of juicy vibe tones.

Retroman UberVibe
What sets this pedal apart is the detail of filtering. It features 4 filter knobs to fine-tune the sound, a selectable buffer, envelope shaping and stereo output.

Electronic Orange Moon Vibe MKII
Classic quadruple photocell design with an innovative Symmetry control to shape the waveform.

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• Best Treadle-Based Uni-Vibes

The original Uni-Vibe came with a separate pedal to control the modulation speed. Dunlop—likely inspired by their own Cry-Baby Wah—introduced a model called “Rotovibe” that embedded the entire effect in a treadle-based pedal. Others followed…

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Dunlop Rotovibe
Embedding the treadle within the effect pedal designed to create the infamous rotating speaker effect.

Fulltone MDV-3
Running at 18v, this offering from Fulltone features a treadle for real-time effect manipulation.

Classic Amplification Vibe Baby
Boasting many components true to the original Uni-Vibe design, the Vibe Baby is a treadle-based effect that’s very pedalboard friendly.


• Best Mid-Priced Compact Uni-Vibe ($150-$260)

Mid-priced effects are the most popular among pro and advanced players. They replace hard-to-find vintage or NOS components with newer ones, keeping a high design and quality control standard, without going too crazy in the “extra feature” department.

Earthquaker Devices The Depths v2
EarthQuaker The Depths

$199 | Click title for video. Buy it on Sweetwater, zZounds, Thomann or Reverb.com

Designed to work seamlessly with guitar, bass, and keyboard and to play well with any type of pickup, The Depths is a pedal that seems to get universally good reviews.

Sportings an actual optical vibe circuit in a compact case, its circuit provides ways to recreate a Uni-Vibe effect very close to the original or to improve its tone to complement your instrument or sonic needs. The circuit can also be powered at 9v or 18v for those guitarists who like extra headroom, although at 18v the effect sounds slightly different.

The controls include the usual Intensity, Rate, and Level, but also a ‘Voice’ knob which lets you choose the midrange frequency’s focus, and a ‘Throb’ one, which blends in a sub-harmonic low-end frequency to the modulation to emphasize the low-end pulse.

V2 adds an updated flexi switch delivering either momentary or latching operation, but still doesn’t address Tap Tempo and Expression In functionality, something provided by other pedals in the list below.

Pros: Rather affordable; great sounding; the Voice and Throb controls provide flexibility without complications. Cons: No tap tempo or Expression In functionality.

Here’s a list of other valid options in this category:

 

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JHS Pedals Unicorn V2
Classic sounds with modern control. What really sets the Unicorn apart from the herd is tap tempo functionality and a speed knob for dialing in precise rhythms. A Tap/Exp in lets you plug in a TRS expression pedal or any momentary tap control. Although it’s the best-selling pedal on this list, many users report that it gives them clipping problems when connected to other pedals.

Fulltone Mini Deja-Vibe
A popular, 18-volt, re-engineered, smaller version of the original, now out of production Deja-Vibe, which started the Uni-Vibe clone trend. Mini-toggle switches between the original Uni-Vibe warmth and the “Modern” option (louder, brighter). Also available in Stereo.

Eastwood BB-03 Blue Vibe
A simple 3-knob take on Jimi Hendrix’s favorite modulation effect. Vbe mode has its own sounds and flavor consisting in a subtle pitch modulation, while Chorus mode will activate the Color knob, which changes the phase relationship of the effected signal in relation to the dry one, which slightly modifies the tone’s character depending on the setting.

Foxrox Aquavibe
All analog, classic circuitry, with an interesting “Center” control for altering the balance of the sweep. Standard expression pedal input.

Wilson Effects Haze
A simple stompbox clone with a vintage sound and multiple external controls. Standard expression pedal input.

Mojo Hand Villanova Vibe
A huge depth range allows access to a wide variety of modulation sounds. Tone knob tailors EQ to any rig. No input for expression pedal.

MG-Music Monovibe
A personal take on the Uni-Vibe from Brazil that does a great job at recreating Jimi Hendrix’s sound (high depth, low rate) in Chorus mode and Ray Vaughan (at high rate).

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• Best Affordable Compact Uni-Vibe (Between $110 and $150)

Hey let’s be clear: cheaper doesn’t mean worse. If you find what you need in a more affordable pedal, and it sounds good through your gear (and your ear!), everyone wins. Here’s the selection of more affordable Uni-Vibe emulations. These are mostly not hand-built units, and few feature an expression pedal input.

MXR M68 Uni-Vibe / Dunlop JHM3
MXR Uni-Vibe

$149 | Click image for video. Buy it on Sweetwater, zZounds, Thomann or Reverb.com

A bread-and-butter but great-sounding 3-knob stompbox with chorus/vibrato switch in a compact case from the company that now owns the Uni-Vibe trademark.

It delivers the classic pitch-modulated sound of a vintage Uni-Vibe unit with or without the dry signal mixed in (in the latter case producing a chorus effect. Controls allow setting the modulation Speed and Depth, while the Level knob is useful in matching the wet sound volume to the dry one.

The Dunlop JHM3, with Jimi Hendrix’s Picture on it, is a 70th-anniversary limited edition with the same circuit. No expression pedal input or Tap Tempo.

Pros: Great price/quality ratio, does a good job without breaking the bank. Cons: Played by itself, there are noticeable differences with a vintage unit; it lacked Tap Tempo and Exporession in.

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Digitech Ventura Vibe
A vibe that can conjure tones past and present, it features stacked tone and drive knobs, adding versatility. A toggle switch allows for 3 effect varieties with independent controls. It has expression pedal input.

Electro-Harmonix Good Vibes
While not a full replication of the 1960s classic, the Good Vibes does sport some of the same distinct features – like utilizing photocells to achieve modulation. An added feature is increased headroom, so this pedal can fit right into virtually any rig. Optional expression pedal (assignable to Speed or Intensity) adds even more control.

Voodoo Lab Micro Vibe
An older, larger, no frills unit that’s still popular for its sound, it sports some of the same design features as the original Uni-Vibe, like the sinewave oscillator, bulb, and photocells. No expression pedal input.

TC Electronic Viscous Vibe
A stereo, digital recreation of the famous analog original, this one is a little darker than many of the others. Tone Print enabled, but no expression control.

BBE Soulvibe
A simple 2 knob pedal, perfect for funky 70’s sounds, no expression input.

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• Best Uni-Vibe Under $110

There’s beauty in great deals (and mini-pedals…). Check out these super affordable Uni-Vibe inspired pedals, you may find something that works for you. Most if not all of these are digital pedals and none of these feature an expression pedal input.

NUX Voodoo Vibe
NUX Voodoo Vibe

$79 | Click title for video. Buy it on zZounds, Amazon, or Reverb.com

This is a DSP-based stereo redesign of the Dunlop Uni-Vibe in a mini enclosure featuring both Vibe and Chorus modes and the three classic controls for Speed, Volume and Intensity. A smart footswitch does both on/off duties and Tap Tempo. In chorus mode the intensity will change the depth of the sweeping effect while in Vibrato mode it will affect the amount of pitch modulation.

Quite incredibly, the manufacturer was able to back a full stereo path inside a mini case (we believe the line of pedals the Voodoo Vibe belongs to is the first one to accomplish this feat): if you connect it using TRS cables you’ll get stereo In/Out!

A USB port is available for firmware updates.

Pros: Stereo path in a mini case! Tap Tempo. Cons: Digital, no expression out.

Here’s a selection of other affordable Uni-Vibe clones that will do the job.

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NUX Monterey Vibe
A DSP-based, straightforward mini Uni-Vibe recreation with controls for speed, volume and intensity. Among the mini pedals, it’s the one with the best reviews on Amazon.

Mooer Soul Shiver
A simple dual function Uni-Vibe/Rotary emulation in a mini case. In Rotary mode it delivers shimmering Leslie-like tones.

Moen Shaky Jimi
Incredible value at less than $50 for this pedal that has quite a lot of fans.

Hot Box Pedals HB-VB5
A surprisingly fine sounding chorus, vibrato, and vibe effect pedal.

Hotone Roto
Tiny enclosure with all the controls you need, including chorus/vibe switch.

Kokko FUV2 Mini Pedal Vibe
Rather generic mini-pedal from an obscure Chinese manufacturer – super affordable though!

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• Fuzz’n’ Vibes

The Uni-Vibe sound has surged to popularity because of Jimi Hendrix, and the psychedelic guitarist used it almost exclusively combined with a fuzz. Some manufacturers thought it made sense to provide a pedal featuring both effects, in order to deliver optimized integration between them. Here they are:

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Keeley Monterey
A combo vibe/fuzz designed to conjure the lush sounds of classic rock. It also features auto-wah, and octave up AND down, and offers separate footswitches for each effect.

Carl Martin Purple Moon
An all-analog, dual-speed Vibe with Fuzz with a single footswitch that activates both. It sports a useful fuzz level knob that allows you to control the ratio between the two effects.

Fjord Fuzz Sol
A simple, compact, three-knob, analog fuzz’n’vibe with separate footswitches for the two effects. The vibe has controls for speed and depth, while the fuzz only has one named “db.”

DVK Goldtop
Now out of production, this Fuzz’n’Vibe features a toggle switch that lets you change the stacking order of these effects. The fuzz is loosely based on a ‘Big M’ type.

Make Sounds Loudly Pedals – Jimi Fuzz Face/UniVibe
Instant Jimi. A combined silicon Fuzz Face and UniVibe.

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• Stereo Uni-Vibes

What’s better than a great vibe tone, you ask? Two channels of it, in stereo!

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• Vintage and Out Of Production

Some gem can be found in the used market among the defunct Vibes… 

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P.S. You can find other shopping guides to specific effects here.

Did we forget something or posted incorrect information? Please post a comment and we’ll look into it!


Vibe Clones Shootout Videos

Vibe Shootout! Voodoo Lab, Sweet Sound, Fulltone

Lovetone Doppel Ganger, Fulltone Deja Vibe, Voodoo Labs Micro Vibe and Roger Mayer Voodoo Vibe

5 Vibe Shootout: TC, Danelectro, Nux, Horrothia and Berry

Fulltone Deja Vibe x Mg Monovibe

Dunlop Uni-Vibe vs. Danelectro Chicken Salad

Mojo Vibe – Deja Vibe – Deja 2

Uni-Vibe shootout : Dunlop Uni-Vibe vs. Danelectro Cool Cat Vibe

Uni-Vibe vs Deja Vibe 2 shootout #1 – Uni-Vibe vs Deja Vibe 2 shootout #2

Here’s a cool video about the Uni-Vibe pedal by JHS with some tech details about the effect!

Best Uni-Vibe Pedals Video


 

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22 of the Best Tone Bender Fuzz Pedals in 2024 https://delicious-audio.com/best-tone-bender-fuzz-pedals/ https://delicious-audio.com/best-tone-bender-fuzz-pedals/#respond Tue, 13 Feb 2024 21:41:01 +0000 https://delicious-audio.com/?p=174720
Best Tone Bender Fuzz Pedals Released in 1965 in London, the Tone Bender was the UK’s answer to the Gibson Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz Tone, the very first mass-produced guitar pedal. There was a need in Britain for something similar to the FZ-1, because fuzz guitar could be heard all over recordings by popular bands such as The Yardbirds, The Beatles, and The Kinks.
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Don’t miss our super comprehensive guide to the best fuzz pedals of all kinds.

Best Tone Bender Fuzz Pedals

Updated on May 17, 2023

| Click here to Quickly Compare the Pedals in this article |

Click here for a Brief History of the Tone Bender

In the coveted niche of fuzz pedals, the Tone Bender is nothing short of royalty, being one of the most cloned fuzz circuits in history, together with a few other influential designs like the Muff and the Fuzz Face.

How Does A Tone Bender Fuzz Sound?

The signature sound of the Tone Bender is hairy, spitting, and aggressive. It doesn’t have problems cutting through a live mix like scooped Muff-style fuzzes, and while it doesn’t clean up as elegantly as a Fuzz Face, it has a unique compression and bloom when responding to pick attack. Players such as Mark Ronson, Jeff Beck, Brian May, Ernie Isley, Syd Barrett, Kevin Shields and of course Jimmy Page have all used the Tone Bender to create iconic recorded and live guitar tones.

Best Tone Bender Clones

The Tone Bender has birthed clones that have become almost as famous as the original, such as the Zonk machine and Buzzaround fuzz. Today you can find countless variations on the Tone Bender, some hand-wired using rare NOS parts, and some made affordable for the masses.

Without further ado then, here are some of the best Tone Bender pedals you can buy, aggregated from best sellers on Reverb and reputable Best Of lists on the internet.

1. Boss TB-2W

Boss

Click title for video. Check for availability: Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon | eBay | Reverb.

In collaboration with Sola Sound, the originators of the Tone Bender, Boss has created a faithful replica of a vintage Mark II model (serial number 500) as part of their Waza craft series. Boss brings the Bender into the modern era with switchable buffered / true bypass, and a voltage switch that allow you to select 7v for starved gated fuzz, the standard 9v, or 12v for more headroom.

2. EarthQuaker Devices Park Fuzz Sound

Earthquaker

Click title for video. buy it on ZzoundsSweetwater | Thomann | Amazon.

The branding of the Park Fuzz sound has a complicated history involving clones of clones, but at its core, it is quite simply a Mark III Tone Bender. Using NOS-matched Germanium transistors and a Fuzz knob with twice the gain range as the original, the EQD Park Fuzz Sound is an elegant modern way to get vintage British fuzz on your board.

3. Sola Sound / Colorsound / D.A.M. Tone Bender

Sola Sound Colorsound D.A.M. Tone Bender

Click title for video. Buy it on eBay | Reverb.

Macari’s has tapped UK fuzz veterans D.A.M. to create their Tone Bender reissues. These go on sale in very limited runs every so often, hand-wired using NOS parts. They aren’t cheap but this is as close to the original as you’re going to get. For the nerdiest completionists among us, they also do unique limited runs of hard-to-find Tone Bender variations.

4. Seeker Electric Effects MkII Tone Bender

Seeker Electric Effects Mark ii Tone Bender

Click title for video. Check for availability: eBay | Reverb.

These may be sold out by the time this article is published! Mike Thompson of Seeker Electric effects makes beautiful one-of-a-kind pedals by hand using rare parts. These Mark II’s were made for Mass Street Music store and use NOS AC125 Germanium transistors. If they’re all gone, look for more Seeker pedals on reverb or get in touch with Mike on his Instagram page to custom order a pedal.

5. Warm Audio Warm Bender

warm 1

Click title for video. Buy it on: zZounds | Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon.

A rather affordable Tone Bender recreation with a SAG switch for “dying battery” tones and three modes inspired by different vintage versions of the pedal. The NOS 76 setting provides early Bender tones with cutting highs, clear presence, and a versatile drive; the NOS 75 setting recreates the sounds of the legendary Mark II P Bender with enhanced bass response; the Silicon setting produces a Bender sound with a tighter low and top end response, resembling a smooth distortion-like tone.

5. JHS Bender

JHS Bender

Click title for video. Buy it on: Zzounds | Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon.

This entry in JHS’s legends of fuzz series is based on a 1973 Mark III Tone Bender (which added a tone control) from Josh Scott’s personal collection. The Bender keeps it simple with the three-knob layout in a classic wedge enclosure, but also includes a “JHS Mode” switch that adds a gain and mid-frequency boost for solos.

6. PigDog JUJU

PigDog JUJU

Click title for video. Check for availability: eBay | Reverb.

Another vintage-accurate boutique option, PigDog has a reputation for building dead-on Tone Bender replicas. The JUJU is a Mark III Tone Bender, nothing more, nothing less. It uses NOS OC82 transistors from builder Steve William’s personal stock and is not cheap but is pretty much perfect in its construction.

7. DanDrive Secret Machine

DanDrive Secret Machine

Click title for video. Check for availability: eBay | Reverb.

At the highest end of the market, we have German builder Dan Querner, who sources premium components to hand-build his beautiful fuzz pedals. The germanium transistor Secret Machine is his take on the Zonk Machine, a circuit inspired by the Mark I tone bender with even more bite and the ability to produce an upper octave on lower gain settings. Comes with a bias knob and midrange toggle.

8. Expresso FX MkI Fuzz Bender

Expresso FX Mark I Fuzz Bender

Click title for video. Check for availability: eBay | Reverb.

A made-to-order tone bender with top-quality NOS parts. You can handpick the enclosure, knobs, and additional quality-of-life mods such as an external bias knob. You can even specify modifications to the circuit, such as if you want your bender to be more gated or have more sustain. See also the MkII and iii versions.

9. R2R Electric Supa MKII

R2R

Click title for video. Check for availability: eBay | Reverb.

A circuit inspired by the Sola Sound Tone Bender MKII and the Marshall Supa Fuzz, which were essentially the same pedal made by the same people under two different companies (although the circuit of the later Supa Fuzz slightly evolved with time). This pedal combines the two circuits, producing more volume and a wider sonic palette. Available also in a regular Hammond 1590p1 enclosure with only 2 controls (and fixed bias), the Supa MKII is a high-quality, hand-wired fuzz made almost exclusively with vintage components. There’s also an R2R MKI version of the Tone Bender.

10. Monsterpiece MkI Fuzz

Monsterpiece Mark I Fuzz

Click title for video. Check for availability: eBay | Reverb.

Monsterpiece makes vintage accurate fuzzes at a reasonable price point. Their Mark I Tone Bender is the same as the original, except with a bias knob on the front for a wide range of possible fuzz tones. See also the Mk 1.5 and Mk II models!

Best Tone Bender Fuzz Pedal Evolutions

(List of Authentic Tone Bender Replicas Here)

Just like top-notch chefs try to improve (or give their own spin) to even the most delicious and established recipes, so do pedal builders when confronted with redesigning a classic vintage circuit. Here’s a list of the best Tone Bender-inspired fuzzes that use the original’s character as a starting point but expand on it in different directions.

1. Keeley Fuzz Bender

Keeley Electronics Fuzz Bender Front 1000x10001 e1555596690811

Click title for video. Buy it on ZzoundsSweetwater | Thomann | Amazon | eBay.

Not necessarily made to be a Tone Bender clone, Robert Keeley’s Fuzz Bender instead adds an active EQ after the three-transistor fuzz circuit for extreme versatility. With 20dB of gain at 100hz or 10khz, plus a voltage bias control, the Fuzz Bender allows you to create your own perfect hairy fuzz tone for any situation, from bass-heavy stoner metal to octave-like Hendrix-style effects.

2. Benson Stonk Box Fuzz

benson

Click title for video, buy it on Perfect Circuit or Reverb.com

A Tone Bender MkI variant offering the signature hairy, spitty, and aggressive sound, and featuring the Portland company’s proprietary temperature technology that allows the Germanium diodes at the core of the circuit to respond more consistently to temperature variations, solving a problem that has afflicted many pedal builders dedicated to the development of pedals with Germanium components. The LED will change color when the system is warming up the diodes and green when it reaches the correct temperature.
Benson added Tone and Trim knobs to the original’s Filter and Volume to expand the unit’s sound palette.

3. ThorpyFX The Boneyard

thorpy

Click title for video. Buy it on Reverb.

The result of many years spent playing, testing, and tweaking all of the various Tone Bender vintage pedals and clones in order to create a stompbox that could replicate a wide range of bender-style tones. It’s based on a three (rare) Germanium transistor design, although the Mode toggle allows you to just use two of them, just like in the early MkI and MKI.V originals. While Level, Attack and Toneknobs deliver predictable results, the Feed knob is the little secret weapon here, affecting the voltage of the pedal and therefore the quality of the fuzz’s character.

4. Catalinbread Katzenkönig

Catalinbread Katzenkonig

Click title for video. buy it on: Zzounds | Sweetwater | Thomann | Amazon.

Born from the desire to create a fuzz that is versatile enough for all guitars and all amps, Catalinbread has cleverly combined a Mark II Tone Bender with a ProCo RAT style circuit. Knobs for input sensitivity and a RAT-style hi-pass filter make this distortion/fuzz highly tweakable and useful in the studio and on stage.

5. BAE Royaltone

BAE Royaltone

Click title for video. buy it on: Sweetwater | eBay | Reverb.

Known for their recreations of legendary studio gear designed by the late great Rupert Neve, BAE has started building its own British-style fuzz pedals. The Royaltone has that classic spitty Bender sound, but adds a separate switchable tone stack circuit for more versatility, with treble, mids, and bass controls. This is useful for adding a mid-push or scoop to your fuzz tone.

6. Union Tube and Transistor Sone Bender

Union

Click title for video. Check for availability: | eBay | Reverb.

The Canadian boutique builders Union Tube and Transistor wanted to make a Tone Bender that cleans up like a Fuzz Face, so they did just that! Sitting tonally between those two titans of fuzz, the Sone Bender also was designed to work before or after buffered pedals, which fixes a classic issue with vintage-style fuzzes. See also the Tour Bender, a silicon version of the same pedal.

7. Ramble FX Twin Bender

ramble fx twin bender fuzz 11

Click title for video. buy it on: eBay | Reverb.

This modern Bender solves all of the issues with vintage fuzzes and adds unique features. You get two Bender circuits in one: the Mark II and Mark 1.5, which has one less transistor engaged. The impedance control allows the pedal to be placed anywhere in your chain and the bias knob can starve the voltage or just be tweaked to adjust for temperature. Plus, you get a three-way EQ toggle for a fat boost or mid boost.

8. Blackout Effectors FUBAR

Blackout Effectors FUBAR

Click title for video. Check for availability: eBay | Reverb.

An amazingly creative take on the Bender circuit, the FUBAR stays true to its name with 6 knobs to royally screw up your fuzz tone. With three different voltage controls and expression pedal capabilities, the FUBAR can go from classic British fuzz to self-oscillating, pitch-shifting madness.

9. SolidGoldFx Rosie

SolidGold FX Rosie

Click title for video. buy it on: Amazon | Thomann | eBay | Reverb.

A Mark II Tone Bender for modern players, the Rosie has a combination JFET and silicon transistor circuit, which nullifies any temperature issues and allows you to place the pedal anywhere in your chain with no problem. The tone switch cuts accentuates the low end that can come from humbucker guitars.

10. KMA Machines Minos

minos

Click title for video. buy it on: eBay | Thomann | Reverb.

This hand-built pedal is based on a Mark II Tone Bender, but offers a bevy of tone-shaping options. The input knob adjusts the pre-gain, allowing for overdrive tones on low settings up to thick fuzz at higher settings. A three-way bass switch contours the low-end response and a hi-cut switch prevents the fuzz from getting too harsh on the ears.

11. Cunningham Amps Dual Range Fuzz

cunningham

Click title for video. buy it on: Reverb.

A high-end, hand-wired Tone Bender-inspired circuit made in New Zealand. The circuit is based on the MK 1.6 of the venerable vintage fuzz, but the clipping transistor diode is customizable with Germanium, Hybrid (one germanium and one silicon), Medium Gain Silicon, and Higher Gain Silicon, all delivering slightly different sonic flavors. It also features a boost controlled by a separate footswitch and two knobs, for gain and volume, which, added to the classic Attack and Level controls of the Tone Bender, can conjure up a wide range of tones.

Other Notable Tone Bender Clones and Evolutions


TONE BENDER FUZZ PEDALS VIDEO SHOOTOUTS

That Pedal Show Modern Tone Bender-Style Fuzz Pedals

Tone Bender Special – That Pedal Show & JHS Josh

 

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2024 UPDATE: Best Ring Modulator Pedals – Compare Prices + Features https://delicious-audio.com/best-ring-modulator-pedals/ https://delicious-audio.com/best-ring-modulator-pedals/#comments Tue, 13 Feb 2024 21:12:25 +0000 http://delicious-audio.com/?p=29317
Best Ring Modulator Pedals Of all the effects for guitar out there, the ring modulator might as well rank among the least popular. Why on earth would you want your guitar to sound like this? The answer, in most cases, is: "because I'm an experimental kind of guy."
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Last Updated: June 14, 2022

Of all the effects for guitar out there, the ring modulator might as well rank among the least popular. Why on earth would you want your guitar to sound like this? The answer, in most cases, is: “because I’m an experimental kind of guy.”

Best Ring Modulator Pedals

A guide to the Best Ring Modulator Pedals

 

First introduced in the ’30s in telephone circuits and adopted by synthesizers in the early ’70s, the “ring mod” is despised by most tone purists (I doubt any blues guitarist ever even entertained the idea of buying one). But the adventurous musician might find that this effect’s quirky and unpredictable tendency to drastically alter the instrument’s expected response can produce creative ways to “force” happy accidents. And if atonality and dissonance are your friends, you really can’t do without one.

To get you familiar with its sound, here are some examples of bands using a ring modulated electric guitar: Ex Models – Cursive – Sonic Youth.

WHAT DOES RING MODULATION DO?

To quote the Synthesizer Academy,

300px Ring Modulator1

Schematic diagram of a ring modulator, showing ring of diodes (source: Wikipedia)

A ring modulator multiplies two signals together to create two brand-new frequencies which are the sum and difference of the input frequencies.

Things can get rather technical on that page, but, in simple terms, in your common ring mod pedal, one of the signals mentioned above is the input (your guitar), while the other is what is commonly defined as “the carrier.” The latter is normally a very fast oscillating wave that creates its own pitch according to its speed (that setting is normally called frequency or range). If you slow that wave down below the range of human hearing you’ll get something similar to a tremolo.

The resulting effect you get out of this combination is often dissonant because it includes two different pitches: the original guitar pitch and the carrier’s pitch, which will sound dissonant with the majority of notes played by the guitar.

At extreme settings, it doesn’t really matter what kind of signal you feed into a ring modulator, the result is and will always be weird and grating, but when used with subtlety it can add character and a unique texture, and the few options in this list featuring pitch tracking can actually sound quite musical.

This being said, the ring modulator is undeniably a one trick pony kind of effect. That’s why often this circuit is featured in conjunction with other ones that integrate it and enrich it.

EARLY RING MODULATOR PEDALS
frqa

An early version of Electro Harmonix’s EH-5000 Frequency Analizer Ring Modulator pedal

Electro Harmonix was one of the first companies to put a ring modulator inside a stompbox, with the EH-5000 Frequency Analyzer, released in 1977 (Mike Matthews says there was another unit before this one manufactured by CMI). Devo famously used the pedal in their cover of “Satisfaction” and other songs from their groundbreaking debut album (see it strapped to Mark Mothersbaugh’s guitar here at minute 0.14). The effect was redesigned in the late aughts in a smaller (but still not compact) case and simply renamed Frequency Analyzer. That model is now discontinued because the new Ring Thing features a mode that replicates it.

Here are some relevant notes about the Frequency Analyzer directly from the manufacturer:

The Frequency Analyzer has controllable high order filters that reduce cross distortions and enhance the variations. The course and fine control let the user set a single frequency that will then be both added and subtracted from the original note or chord. Blend control lets you mix the new notes with the original.

Since 1977, a relatively small number of pedal companies gave the ring modulator circuit a go; the first version of the DOD Gonculator (20 years later!) was one of the early followers, while BOSS, believe it or not, hasn’t released a dedicated one yet!

This article’s goal is to gather all the ring mod stompboxes on the market to facilitate your comparative shopping – the models in this list are organized, as usual, in order of “perceived popularity.” Clicking on the thumbnails will open a demo video!

P.S. Multi-effect pedals that feature a ring modulator mode/engine are not included in this list.

SIMPLE RING MODULATORS

Here’s a list of basic ring modulator pedals available on the market. These stompboxes only feature a ring mod circuit, nothing else.

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Electro-Harmonix Frequency Analyzer
An updated (but also discontinued) version of the first popular ring modulator pedal with a smaller footprint. Pretty basic, it features Blend, Shift and Fine knobs and both a direct and Effect out.

Montreal Assembly – Puhzing
Very basic but great sounding ring modulator with just Frequency selector, Dry and Wet knobs. from a Montreal builder with a reputation for experimental pedals.

Moog Minifooger MF Ring V2
A discontinued but always great analog ring modulator based on the expansive Moogerfooger MF-102. An expression pedal in lets you control the pedal’s frequency ratio for pitch shifting, key control, and outright noise insanity.

Copilot FX The Android
An affordable, basic ring modulator with expression pedal out and a two-way toggle mode switch for a wider range of sounds.

Recovery Effects Motormatic
A rather basic ring modulator with volume and frequency knobs and two toggle switches to control the relationship between the original sound source and the carrier frequency.

Burford Electronics Robot
(Discontinued) A two knob, two switches ring modulator. The “Accent” knob (on the back of the pedal) slightly changes the sound’s character, while the Range switch changes the speed range of the oscillation.

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RING MOD EVOLUTIONS

The stompboxes in this list also feature nothing but a ring modulator circuit, but take the effect to new places thanks to unique designs. We call them “ring mod evolutions.”

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Dr. Scientist Phreaq
A 3-mode DSP-powered ring mod that can tune the ring mod frequency to the input signal. Set mode provides a classic ring modulation; LFO mode injects dynamic movement through eight LFO shapes; Env mode dynamically responds to the input’s dynamics, adjusting the ring mod frequency according to them. The circuit also features 7 hidden DSP effects for richer sounds, including reverbs and bitcrushers.

Subdecay Vitruvian Mod
Features optional tracking mode that, through pitch detection, lets you avoid the dissonance. It also works as a regular ring modulator. Entropy mode lets you further simplify the carrier’s steps to the key of your choice.

Pigtronix Ringmaster
An analog ring modulator synth designed to create analog harmonizer and tremolo effects that can be made to follow the notes you play. Features LFO and Sample + Hold modulation sources, pitch following tremolo, and well as wave shaping for both inputs.

Frantone Glacier
(Discontinued) Ring modulator with a selectable carrier (including 3 LFO waves and external in!)

Last Gasp Art Labs Sick Pitch King Jr.
A basic ring mod with a quirk: you can set the motion form of the carrier’s frequencies sweep to be “smooth” or in “steps”. The internal oscillator sound can also be output.

Wilson Effects Mycelium
A unique ring modulator with a sensitivity knob that, when set on the lower settings, bypasses low volume parts, blending in the effected signal at louder volumes (depending on the setting). Internal trim pots let you control noise level and volume.

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RING MODS WITH ADDED DISTORTION

As previously mentioned, many ring mod stompboxes come with other embedded circuits, in an effort to widen the effect’s limited palette. Distortion is one of the most common – here are the pedals that marry the two.

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Warm Audio RingerBringer
A true-to-the-original clone of the Moog MF-102 Moogerfooger, considered one of the best pedals in that niche, and currently selling for about three times the price of this accurate yet smaller recreation. It features everything you can expect from a ring modulator, plus a Drive circuit, two selectable LFO waves, and a Mix control. A Lo/Hi switch allows you to target more precisely the modulator’s frequency.

DOD Gonkulator
A popular reissue of the vintage DOD ring modulator featuring an aggressive distortion circuit. The carrier rate knob (Freq) at lower settings is slow enough to give you slightly skewed modulation.

F-Pedals RobotHolic Ring Modulator
Probably the only ring modulator hosted in a mini case, the RobotHolic adds also a Drive knob and a Lo-Fi switch for extra grittiness and sonic flavor.

HEXE GE – The Carrier
A true “beast” of a pedal (also very rare and expensive) blending an analog octaver, a massive fuzz and an ultra-versatile ring modulator with 6 carrier waves, LFO, and a ton of other options.

Discomfort Designs TMA-1 Jupiter
A quirky PPL-based pedal that feeds a ring mod to another one, producing otherworldy and distorted sounds even without having an actual gain knob. The Anomaly knob sets the carrier frequency, while the Lux/Aeterna doubles it. The Infinity footswitch turns on the Infinity Control, which makes the interaction between the two ring mods more intense.

Lastgasp Art Laboratories Toxic Plant
A rather basic but plenty gnarly ring mod + distortion with added CV/expression pedal input.

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RING MODULATORS WITH STEP SEQUENCER

Step sequencers applied to stompboxes can be a lot of fun, and ZVex has somewhat specialized in this department, releasing a series of pedals in this vein. Ring modulation lends itself well to this kind of approach because it’s rather unpredictable to edit on the fly, and the step sequencer allows the player to program the variations in advance.

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ZVEX Ringtone TT
(Discontinued) Tap-tempo sequenced ring modulator with 8 separate “steps” assignable to the carrier’s rate that can be triggered in sequence, randomly or through a footswitch (step mode). Internal trim pot sets the mix of ring-modulated sound versus direct guitar.

ZVEX Effects Super Ringtone
An expanded version of the Ringtone with 16 step instead of 8, MIDI sync, tap tempo control, tap tempo sync, expression pedal control of speed or glissando, individual step glissando, 8 user programmable memory locations, and delta speed control.

RING MODS WITH EXTRA EFFECTS AND FEATURES

Here are some ring modulators enriched with other effects, you’ll find here some of the most popular pedals in this article.

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Electro-Harmonix Ring Thing
Built on upon the original EHX Frequency Analyzer (recreated here in RM mode), this pedal goes above and beyond the original unit, adding 4 different modes – 3 are ring mod based and one is a pitch shifter. Other features include selectable carrier waveforms, a sweepable filter, presets and ample external control options. Holding the left footswitch tunes the carrier to the input’s note.

Pladask Elektrisk Feber
An expanded, creative ring mod that applies amplitude- and phase-based modulation to your signal at both high and low frequencies, producing also effects like tremolo, phaser, and also combined modulation effects, including step resonant filters and other intriguing and unique textures that can evolve and swell thanks to the momentary footswitch function.

Moog MF-102 Moogerfooger
A fully-featured (but discontinued) ring mod by the legendary synth manufacturer, featuring also a great sounding LFO circuit (modulation) and a not too aggressive Drive knob. The Mix knob lets you moderate the effect by reintegrating some of the clean signal. Stereo output and expression pedal input round up the features.

Fairfield Circuitry – Randy’s Revenge
The extra effect here is a low-pass filter, which, together with the Mix knob, helps tame the ring modulation’s grating edge. Features expanded control voltage (CV) capabilities.

Adventure Audio Outer Rings
This pedal takes ring modulation to wild sonic territories with a series of unusual features, and, thanks to two CV ins, will find lovers also among Eurorack geeks. Check out the video for a thorough gallery of its possibilities.

Way Huge Ringworm
(Discontinued) Adds to the regular ring modulator a Low Frequency Oscillator (modulation) featuring five different waves for a richer and more flexible sound. An expression input lets you control the Frequency knob through an expression pedal.

Dwarfcraft Devices HAX 2
An evolution of one of the company’s oldest pedals, featuring ring modulation with either sine or square wave, lowpass and bandpass Filters, envelope following for ring mod and filter frequency, expression control over the frequency setting in both modes and Control Voltage out which can send the envelop signal to an external synth.

Lovetone Ring Stinger
An incredibly flexible (and expensive) ring modulator + octaver + VCO with tons of sonic options and connections for external control.

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VIDEOS ABOUT RING MODULATOR PEDALS

10 Ring Modulator Shootout (Dennis Kayzer)

Dennis Kayzer: Battle of the Ring mods Part 1: High Pitches & Bells

Dennis Kayzer: Battle of the Ring mods Part 2: Low Frequencies & Trem Sounds

Dennis Kayzer: Battle of the Ring mods Part 3: Unique Features & Specials

If you like this article, you’ll also like:
Best Glitch and Stutter Pedals
Best Psychedelic and Expreimental Delay Pedals
Best Ambient-Shoegazer Reverb Pedals

 

 

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The Best Dumble Pedals (or D-Style Overdrives) in 2024 https://delicious-audio.com/best-dumble-pedals-top-recommendations/ https://delicious-audio.com/best-dumble-pedals-top-recommendations/#comments Fri, 09 Feb 2024 19:42:11 +0000 http://delicious-audio.com/?p=29290 break
Most of us will never get to play through an original Dumble amp, and in all likelihood, nobody reading this article will ever own one. Dumble tone has become legendary, and the fact that these amps sell for the price of a new sports car certainly doesn’t hurt their mythical status.
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Check out also our Guide to Overdrives by Type

Most of us will never get to play through an original Dumble amp, and in all likelihood, nobody reading this article will ever own one. Dumble tone has become legendary, and the fact that these amps sell for the price of a new sports car certainly doesn’t hurt their mythical status.

Urban legends aside, there’s a reason why Dumble amps are a tone chaser’s Holy Grail – they sound phenomenal. They are extremely “toneful,” masterfully built, and extremely difficult to find, even if you can front the giant pile of cash it takes to get one.

Best Dumble Pedals - D-Style Overdrives

This article was updated on March 06, 2023

A Guide to the Best Dumble Pedals, aka D-Style Overdrives

The Dumble amps’ reputation is stellar, and demand is high, but supply is very scarce due to the fact that the company is, and always has been, a one-man operation. Owner Alexander “Howard” Dumble is not interested in mass production — quite the opposite: He fine-tunes each amp specifically to the buyer’s preferences and currently builds only two or three units per year.

Alexander started modding tube amps in the late ’70s and within a decade built a reputation as the “reclusive amp tech to the stars,” according to The Tube Amp Book.

THE ORIGINAL DUMBLE AMPS

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BEST D-STYLE PEDALS (Voiced after the Dumble Overdrive)

There is a great variety of pedals that can get you close to that sacred Dumble tone at a much more affordable price – and some cheaper options that do a decent job as well. What’s more, some of these effects take the sound and features a step further and in interesting directions. Some are simple stompboxes that excel at one particular thing, while others are fully featured preamps with almost infinite tonal options. We’ve divided the offerings by price range into categories for Super High End, High End, Middle and Low End.

Considering the variety of options, to facilitate navigation we decided to organize the D-Style pedals in these categories:

Please use the links with the blue icon when ready to buy

PLEASE NOTE: The pedals in these categories are organized by perceived popularity, based on internet reviews and sales data, so this is, by all means, a “Best of” list.

SUPER HIGH-END DUMBLE PEDALS

The sound and design of Dumble amps has inspired a huge range of in-depth pedals. The selections in this category feature recreation of the Overdrive channel, and some also of the Clean one. Some of them feature two D-Style channels (at a cost!) while all offer top-notch tone, features and build quality, and a price tag as thick as the overdrive that made Dumble amps famous.

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Ethos Overdrive (Dual)
Ethos makes highly versatile preamps that are insanely pedalboard-friendly, and the Ethos Overdrive Amp is by far the most versatile option on this entire list. It features two separate channels of D-Style goodness with their own EQ section – both can be set as Clean or Overdrive through a toggle switch. It also has a Boost controlled by a separate footswitch, and a cab sim out. The control scheme may be daunting, but you can get any sound you want with enough tweaking. That said, If you’re looking for something simple, there are better options on this list.

Shin’s Music Dumbloid Overdrive Special
Even at an insane price tag, the Dumbloid is a total bargain compared to what it would cost to nab an actual Dumble. Drive and Volume control set your level, Accent acts as a presence/high-end EQ, and Tone handles the midrange. A switch toggles between modes for Jazz and Rock. Jazz is cleaner and more subtle, while Rock features more midrange and increased gain.

Cornerstone Gladio
A unique “double” preamp pedal delivering two differently voiced D-style channels that can be played alternatively or stacked on top of each other through the S/D toggle switch. Channel 1 is transparent, smooth and creamy (think Robben Ford) while Channel 2 has a harder clipping sound pretty by Sonny Landreth.

Ethos Clean Fusion II Amp
A more streamlined but still ultra-flexible version of the Ethos Overdrive built on the Ethos Clean design (see “Clean Channel only” section below), the Clean Fusion II include Clean and Overdrive channels with dedicated Gain and Volume knobs, but shared EQ section. It also includes a 30 Watt power amp and cab emulation output. The left footswitch lets you select the channel.

Van Weelden Royal Overdrive
Wired more like an amplifier’s preamp section than a pedal, the Royal Overdrive might be the most fully realized Dumble-in-a-box available. The pedal is completely solid-state, but it responds and sounds as if it’s driven by tubes. There’s a four-band EQ of Bass, Middle, Treble and Presence with a three-way Bright switch to set your color. The Gain knob has a boost switch, and there’s also a switchable Mid Boost.

The Royal Overdrive is expensive, but its tonal fidelity proves that you get what you pay for.

Hermida Audio Zendrive 2
Hermida Audio’s second variation of the Zendrive features the same design as the first but adds a 12AX7M preamp tube into the circuit. This rounds the sound out a little, making it a less crunchy, but all the sustain and tone of the original pedal are present. You can also swap out the tube for any 9-pin preamp tube to choose the sound that’s right for you.

Menatone Howie 
There are many different versions of the Howie, all of which have slightly different features. V1 features a three-band EQ and Gain and Volume knobs, while later versions offer additional tone-shaping options and a boost channel. There is a special edition from Vintage King that features an additional Drive channel with Ratio (gain) and Level knobs, as well as a Presence control. The Ratio knob almost gets fuzzy in the higher end of its range.

Like all Menatone products, it sounds great, but lack of availability and high used prices hurt its appeal. Although its tone is good with all types of pickups, pairing it with single-coils delivers a sound that is truly special.

Shin’s Music Dumbloid Boost and Twin
The Shin’s Music Dumbloid also features a version with an added boost and one with two channels.

HIGH-END DUMBLE PEDALS BETWEEN $229 and $310

These options offer some amazing tones and value as well as a great combination of features, components and design. Some can nail the classic Dumble sound, while many take it in their own direction. They are all hand-built, some have valves in them, but overall tend to have fewer controls than the ones in the previous category.

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Hermida Audio Zendrive 
The Zendrive was one of the first Dumble-style pedals and still leads the pack in terms of authentic replication. The compressed-but-not-too-compressed tone of a real Dumble is there, as well as the thick overdrive sounds. Classic rock tones are readily available, lending the drive and girth needed but never getting smeary or unpleasant. The Zendrive works with both humbuckers and single-coils and can really make a Strat sing. The II version is smoother and a bit less gritty.

Tanabe Dumkudo 
From overdrive masters Tanabe pedals comes the Dumkudo, a versatile overdrive voiced to work best with single-coil pickups. The controls include Gain, Volume, Tone and Jali (high EQ). A switch on the side selects between three modes. Red (Marshall mode) is of course the hottest output and highest gain; Blue is more of a round, original Dumkudo sound, and Green is the Dumble-style voicing. While this pedal’s claim to fame is believable Dumble tones, Fender, Marshall and Vox sounds are not out of the question. It does the sexy low-gain thing and shreddy blues and classic rock sounds equally well. The Dumkudo is one of the more expensive options here, but that shows in the quality.

Cornerstone Gladio SC
A single channel D-Style pedal hosted in a compact case and based on the original Gladio‘s 1st channel, with the exact same sound and controls, except an added clean knob, which blends the clean signal back in with the overdriven signal, for the joy of those guitarists who are fond of that good ole’ texas-blues tone. This allows to give the resulting tone more dynamics, warmth and saturation on the heavy touches.

Free The Tone Overdriveland
A very solid, recent variant inspired by the Dumble Overdrive Special designed by veteran engineer Yuki Hayashi. It features the amp’s clean channel (including Jazz/Rock and Glass/EQ On toggles) and lets you overdrive it by inserting an extra drive circuit before it, toggled via the right footswitch.

Tubesteader Beekeeper Overdrive
A well-received dual-channel overdrive with two 12AX7 tubes running at 12VDC. It features two cascading channels stacked on top of each other. Therefore when you stomp on the Channel footswitch you are actually alternating between the Clean channel on one side and the Clean + Overdrive channels on the other. The EQ and the toggle switches are located right after the first gain stage, so they are affecting both Clean and OD channels at the same time.

Amplified Nation Big Bloom 
The Big Bloom is aptly named, as the overdrive is rich without being overpowering. Another hand-crafted four-knob take on the Dumble, it features a Rock/Jazz voicing switch. Gain and Volume are standard, as are the Accent control for high end and Tone to handle the mids. The Jazz voicing scoops out the mids a bit, smoothing out the sound, and the Rock setting is more aggressive with increased gain.

While it works with all kinds of pickups, the Big Bloom excels with a Les Paul–style guitar. The humbuckers tame some of the bite of the pedal. It eats up some precious pedalboard real estate though, so plan accordingly. Being able to run off of battery or AC power is another plus. A lot of love goes into what these pedal look like, and you can choose between a Tolex, painted or suede enclosure.

Kingsley Page DS 
The Page DS is inspired by the preamp section of a Dumble Overdrive Special and is meant to be run after a clean preamp via an amp’s effect loop. Three knobs set your tone, and there are toggle switches for the bass EQ curve and a high-end boost. The Lows switch gives you access to three different EQ curves: less bass, the same curve as V1 and more bass. Smooth mode makes the pedal play nicer with the front end of an amplifier. Although the pedal can be run into an amp’s front end, it won’t respond as well. More gain is available when it’s pushed by a clean preamp. It doesn’t offer much in the way of high gain, but it can definitely pull of some fiery blues and classic rock tones. Pair it with a really loud amp and the sky is the limit.

Weehbo Dumbledore 
Based on the Dumble Overdrive Special, the Dumbledore sports two channels of solid tone. The channels share an active three-band EQ, and while there’s a gain control for each, they share a common output volume, so you can’t really have any volume difference between the channels. There are also internal controls for Tone and Presence. The toggle switch lets you select between different midrange frequencies for the Middle control. Options include 500Hz, 1kHz and 2kHz. A top-mounted Dynamic switch increases the pedal’s headroom, driving it at 18 volts.

Tanabe Zenkudo 
The Zenkudo is generally the same design as the Dumkudo but is voiced to work best with humbuckers. The three-way voicing switch features the same diverse tones, and there’s a lot of range in the Gain knob, taking you from low-key blues tones to singing, sustained higher-gain sounds. As mentioned, the circuit is voiced to work best with humbuckers, but it’s such a great pedal it will work with any guitar. It sounds especially nice with a Telecaster, as the Zenkudo complements the bite and attack of that style of axe.

Fuchs Plush Valve Job Tube Overdrive 
The Plush Valve Job features a real tube, which adds articulation and a more amp-like response, but it requires that the unit run on AC power. The pedal features a hardwire bypass, which means the input is directly connected to the output in bypass, circumventing the circuit. There’s an output buffer for driving long cable runs.
There is definitely a low-gain vibe here. The tone produced by this pedal is warm, soulful and subdued and sounds beautiful with single-coil pickups.

Kondo Shifuku D-Style 
A flexible, high-end D-Style pedal that delivers a wide range of quality tones from clean preamp, to boost, low gain/medium gain overdrive sounds to singing lead sounds. Four knobs and three toggle switches allow for a wide palette of options

Cause & Effect FET Dream 
As the name implies, the FET Dream uses a FET design to get a more amp-like feel. It’s a pretty low-gain pedal, with the Girth control adjusting the lows/mids pre-distortion, and the Lean knob adjusting your tone after the distortion. It also has a variable Q for even more detail.

There are a lot of 2nd-order harmonics that come in when you drive the pedal. The EQ is set up in a unique way that really adds to the openness of this kind of design.

COMPACT BOUTIQUE DUMBLE PEDALS AROUND $180-$200

The most successful boutique pedal companies tinkering with circuit emulation seem to have found that the right price point for streamlined D-Style circuits hosted in a compact case is around $200 – or, to be precise, $199.99! These are super solid Dumble-inspired pedals that offer an attractive combination of tone, build quality and affordability. There is a great range of options too, as some can get heavier overdrive sounds, some work better as a clean boost and some can do both.

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J Rockett The Dude
The Dude is another well-made, four-knob Dumble emulator. Set your signal strength with the Ratio (gain) and Level controls, and adjust your EQ with Treble and Deep, whose unique sweep adds plenty of versatility. The left side of the dial scoops the midrange and emphasizes treble and bass frequencies, while the right side boosts the midrange and attenuates the highs and lows.

Vertex Ultraphonix Mk II
Designed using four Dumble Overdrive Specials from different years for voicing and calibration, the Vertex Ultraphonix keeps things straightforward with just three knobs (Volume, Filter and Gain). However, you can get a noteworthy variety of tones beyond the D-Style niche through their interaction, from subtle to borderline Plexi and even RAT-like. Thicker sounding than other pedals in this list, it also provides great sustain. MkII adds a Level Out knob adding up to 8dbs of volume.

Wampler Euphoria V2
Wampler seemingly nails the amp-in-a-box thing time and time again. The company’s take on a Dumble comes in the Euphoria, an easy-to-use pedal that sounds fantastic. It has controls for Gain, Volume, Bass and Tone controls, with the Bass functioning pre-gain, allowing you to dial in low end that sounds thick, without muddying up your tone.

A toggle switch lets you choose between three different styles of clipping – Smooth, Open and Crunch. Smooth is the lowest-gain setting, with just enough sustain to make notes sing. Open is a little more of a crunch sound, with the perfect amount of chime. Crunch (ironically) is a little more of a square wave, adding just enough grit to make solos pop. This is a really solid pedal and definitely one of the best Dumble Pedals around, thanks not only to its sound and features but also its lower price point and availability.

JHS Moonshine Overdrive V2
The Moonshine V1 is a three-knob (Gain, Tone and Volume), while V2 adds a Clean blend knob for true parallel distortion and shrinks the footprint. It’s a Dumble-inspired overdrive based on a Tubescreamer topology, offering more dirt and flexibility in tone. Placing the Proof toggle switch in the up position allows for increased headroom, while the down position enables more maximum gain.

The pedal also runs on 18 volts via an internal charge pump, giving it more headroom and preserved low end. The Moonshine Overdrive V2 can sound like a parallel overdrive, keeping the articulation of your clean tone and blending it with the dirty stuff.

Mojo Hand FX DMBL
Touch sensitivity is a hallmark of a Dumble, and this pedal seems to be a little better than others at pulling that off. While most people would use this for high gain stuff, dimming it can really open up some great classic rock tones. A lot of Dumble-inspired pedals go for a higher-gain sound, but this is more subtle than that, even though it has a good amount of gain on tap.

The EQ section is really responsive, and all the controls — Gain, Volume, Treble and Bass — have good range. A toggle switch selects between Jazz and Rock settings. The former offers the articulate, clear tone for which Dumbles are famous, the latter offering increased gain and sustain.

Jetter GS 124
The GS 124 is one of the simpler pedals here. This is not just an overdrive designed to sound like a Dumble—it is meticulously modeled after an Overdrive Special #124 Clone. Just like every other three-knob overdrive, it has Drive, Contour (EQ) and Level controls. It can get sticky without sounding dissonant on open chords and when playing with odd intervals, making it great for country, blues and jazz. There’s not an incredible amount of gain on tap, but enough for a heavy blues tone.

Mad Professor Simble
A real Dumble may be out of reach, but the Simble can get damn close. It’s versatile, too. A unique control setup lets you EQ the signal before and after the overdrive (just like a real Dumble). The Accent control adjusts the brightness before the drive, and Contour sets the brightness after the drive stage. It can really sing with humbuckers and almost sounds better with them over single-coils.

This is definitely one of the most convincing selections on this list. It’s kind of crazy how Mad Professor managed to fit the “transparent distortion” sound Dumbles are famous for into a standard pedal. The woodgrain finish doesn’t hurt its appeal either.

Mojo Hand Extra Special DMBL+
The Extra Special is Mojo Hand’s beloved DMBL on steroids. It features the same control set and delivers the clarity and swampy overdrive of that pedal, but offers a lot more gain. The increased gain makes the Extra Special more useful than the DMBL, and considering they cost the same, it’s a no-brainer which to choose.

Providence Stampede Overdrive SOV-2
The Stampede is a smooth, warm, low-to-medium gain overdrive with controls for Gain, Tone and Volume. It’s powered by 9 volts but is internally increased to 18 volts, as is common with pedals based on the Dumble design. The tone thins out a bit when used on single notes, but it sounds right at home with chords and double-stops. The pedal sounds best with a loud, clean amp. It also offers a single-contact bypass for better fidelity when not in use. Considering its simplicity and higher price point, there are better options on this list.

J Rockett Hot Rubber Monkey HRM
A D-Style variation inspired by a mod found on some Dumble Overdrive Special amps including an extra EQ circuit, impersonated here by the “Fat” knob – the other three knobs are your regular Level, Gain and Treble. That variation was dubbed “Hot Rubber Monkey” – hence the pedal’s name.

Wilson Effects The Lotus
The Lotus offers thick, spanky Dumble-style overdrive. Gain and Volume set the level of each channel, and a 3-band EQ of Tone, Presence, and Low Pass dial in your sound. Each channel also offers a Clipping switch with three extra Dumble flavors. There’s also a Dual Lotus version where each channel has its own input and output, opening up a world of routing options.

Gtown Amps 335 and HolyGrail Overdrive
Built “along the lines” of the classic Dumble amps, these hand-built yet quite affordable D-Style drives offer from clean boost to mid-gain overdrive tones with a transparent, natural and woody sound. Three clipping modes allow to tailor them to varying styles and amp/guitar combinations. While the HolyGrail more closely reflects the tone of an Overdrive Special, the 335 recreates the specific nuance of Larry Carlton D-Style sound.

BEST DUMBLE PEDALS YOU CAN BUILD YOURSELF

These pedals are viable options for those who like the challenge to build things themselves.

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Gaspedals Dumbbell
One of the most beloved DIY effects of all time, the Dumbbell is difficult to find on the used market. Should you succeed in locating one, be prepared to shell out for it. There are a lot of different versions out there, but if you’re handy with a soldering iron, you could consider rolling your own.

One Off Groove Umble
This DIY pedal is based on the Dumble preamp and sounds really solid. It’s not that complicated to build but does require a certain level of skill to assemble.

BEST AFFORDABLE DUMBLE-INSPIRED OVERDRIVES

Dumble is a name that only “tone connoisseurs” are familiar with, and maybe that’s why there’s a shortage of mid-priced models dedicated to recreating the Dumble sound: we only found three such pedals in the $100-150 range, and the more expensive one is actually a high quality mini-pedal.

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Warm Audio Warmdrive
An affordable replica of the now discontinued and highly sought-after Hermida Zendrive, which tops the previous list in this article although discontinued. Just like the original, the Warmdrive adds an extra perk with the Voice control, which, in combination with the Tone one, allows for extended sculpting, letting the player modify the frequency both before (voice control) and after (tone control) the clipping stages.

Caline Mellow Drive
Hailing from China, this is a super affordable but rather generic take on the “D-Style clone,” with Volume and Gain knobs to set saturation and output volume, a Tone control that adds high mids, and a Voice knob for extra presence. Check out also the Caline Enchanted Overdrive, very similar but with only three knobs.

Joyo Tai Chi Overdrive V2
A low gain D-style overdrive with 4 simple controls. Volume, Gain, and Tone are simple enough, but the Voice knob is where the design really gets interesting. It works in conjunction with the Gain and Tone knobs to set the total amount of gain and bass frequency response of the circuit. The pedal is housed in a solid metal enclosure with the durability of being able to handle even the toughest touring schedule.

Sonic Fusion Overdrive
Here’s another Dumble-style offering from Sonic Fusion that has the four familiar controls and a toggle switch that selects between Normal and Fat settings. This enables the pedal to be used as a fat boost, clean boost, super thick drive… whatever you need. The Fat setting has a little more output, a little less gain and a rounder sound. The Normal setting has more harmonics and saturation.

It sounds especially good with the clarity and top-end of single-coils. With the Volume and Drive controls dimmed, it gets really fat, compressed and fuzzed-out.

MINI DUMBLE OVERDRIVE PEDALS

Of course, the “mini-pedal mania” hasn’t left D-Style circuits untouched. The advantage of mini pedals resides not only in their small footprint, but also in their incredible affordability, although a lack of depth comes with the format. Here are the options available.

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One Control Golden Acorn
The Golden Acorn has one of the smallest footprints of any pedal here, and sports just three knobs. Ratio sets the amount of compression/overdrive and essentially acts as a gain control. Bright adjusts the frequency content, and Volume sets your output level. The drive produced by the pedal is smooth and articulate and serves as a convincing Dumble sound. There’s a lot of mojo in the Ratio knob, as it sits somewhere between a control for the amount of gain and a dirty compressor.

Mooer Rumble Drive
There’s a healthy amount of saturation on hand, setting this pedal apart from many of the others on this list. It almost has more of the chime of a British amplifier than the thick overdrive that made Dumbles famous.

Four controls — Gain, Volume, Tone and Voice — are offered to dial in your sound, and the pedal boasts solid construction, considering the price point. And while it might sound a little more smeary than higher-priced options, the extra gain and low cost make up for it.

Hotone Grass
Don’t let the small size or price tag fool you – the Grass is a damn fine pedal that can get you within singing distance of the greatest Dumble tones, at a fraction of the price. Despite its size, there are four controls: Voice and Bright handle the EQ, Volume controls the output level, and a top-mounted knob controls the amount of gain. A small metal bar separates the footswitch from the controls to prevent your foot from accidentally hitting the knobs.

Outlaw Effects Dumbleweed
A solid D-style mini overdrive with 4 simple controls to dial it in with Gain, Tone, Volume, and a Voice switch that allows a variation on the EQ response.

Tomsline ADR-3 Dumbler
In all likelihood the same circuit of the Mooer Rumble.

Rowin Dumbler
In all likelihood the same circuit of the Mooer Rumble.

Rowin Gumble
Maybe not the best Dumble emulation, this pedal features Volume, Tone and Gain controls as well as a switch for Normal or Bright modes. The overdrive can get fairly heavy, but the girth that is characteristic to Dumble amps is missing. It’s fairly articulate for a cheap pedal but is a little smeary in the mids and fatiguing in the highs, even with the Bright setting switched off.

CLEAN CHANNEL ONLY

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Ethos Clean II
Designed to be the clean channel of a Dumble in a box, this pedal offers the usual Ethos tonal “tweakability” through a variety of toggle switches, including the Modern/Classic options of the original Dumble amp. The EQ section is particularly deep with five knobs including Hi Cut and Presence. Selectable Soft/Hard Drive limiting, speaker simulation output and an integrated 30 Watt amp nicely round out the (many) features.

Kingsley Maiden D
The Maiden D is a fully functional preamp based on the clean channel of a Dumble Overdrive Special. The pedal runs on a single tube. Controls include three-band EQ, Volume (gain), Master and a Bright switch. The Mid pot can also be pulled to activate a mid boost. Throw this pedal into your existing signal chain, or run it into a preamp or into your effects return.

Tubesteader Lightkeeper
$269 | A D-style boost/overdrive with a 12AX7 tube in it. Higher gain gradually adds harmonic complexity and saturation to the signal, without altering the dynamics, and overdriving when all the way up. A 3 way EQ section helps with tone sculpting. There are also both a mid boost and a clean boost, which can be assigned to the left footswitch for dynamic shifts.

DUMBLE STEEL STRING SINGER EMULATIONS

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Vertex Steel String Supreme SRV Mini
While the Supreme version of the Vertex SRV closely recreates the controls of the original amp with an added EQ footswitch, this “mini” version (which is not really enclosed in a mini case but a compact one), sacrifices the EQ section and two out of three switches, delivering a more essential, no-frills Steel String-inspired overdrive – at a more affordable price.

NUX Steel Singer Drive
The most affordable Dumble-style pedal out there, the NUX Steel Singer is an analog overdrive that recreates the tone of Dumble Steel String Singer amps from the ’70s at a tiny fraction of the cost.

Vertex Steel String Clean Drive MkII
It faithfully recreates the sound of the “other” Dumble amp (the  Steel String Singer) and it was voiced after the #001 serial number of that amp. It features just three controls – Gain, Filter (tone) and Volume. It sounds killer with lap-steel guitar. The 2020 MKII version adds two voicings (Jazz and Rock) just like the original Dumble amps, selectable through a toggle switch.

Vertex Effects Steel String Supreme SRV
A version of the company’s D-Style flagship pedal inspired by a variation of the Dumble Steel String amp, which sports a tweaked circuit featuring modified Bright/Deep and Jazz/Rock switches. It delivers an even glassier and warmer tone than the regular version, with which shares the rest of the circuit (dual-channel, EQ footswitch, 6 knobs + 2 toggle switches controls).

Vertex Steel String Supreme
It cleverly integrates the company’s Steel String MkII with several new features, found on the top section of the pedal and engaged by the Supreme footswitch. The Output knob opens up a more flexible gain structure, making it capable to go from clean boost to full-on overdrive.
The Fat knob and Bright/Deep and ROck/Jazz switches supply extra tone-shaping potential. The Clean knob lets you decide how much of the “Supreme” to blend with the one produced by the three bottom knobs.

J. Rockett Lenny
This offering from J. Rockett is named after Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Lenny” Stratocaster, which he often used in combination with his Dumble Steel String Singer. The pedal has just two controls – Boost and Tone — putting it somewhere between a clean boost with a tone knob and a low-gain overdrive. It also excels at pushing a clean amp into breakup without much (if any) coloration.

The Lenny boosts the midrange in a pleasant way that works with a variety of gear. There isn’t much gain on tap, but that’s not the point. This pedal keeps your main guitar/amp sound intact, so if you’re looking for a pedal that will totally change your tone, there are better options.

VARIATIONS ON THE D-STYLE FORMAT

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J Rockett Rockett Hot Rubber Monkey HRM
A D-Style variation inspired by a mod found on some Dumble Overdrive Special amps including an extra EQ circuit, impersonated here by the “Fat” knob – the other three knobs are your regular Level, Gain and Treble. That variation was dubbed “Hot Rubber Monkey” – hence the pedal’s name.

Way Huge Overrated Special
The Overrated Special is a limited-edition signature pedal. It came to life from the longtime partnership between blues guitar god (and Dumble fan) Joe Bonamassa and Way Huge Effects. While it doesn’t claim to be a Dumble in a box, it nails the sound.

The Overrated Special has controls for Drive, Tone and Volume as well as a 500 Hz knob. Tone handles the high end, while the 500 Hz knob can warm it up. One knock against the pedal is that the 500 Hz control might not play nice with every guitar/amp setup and could actually make your sound muddy.

Joe knows tone, and the Overrated Special pretty much sounds like a hybrid of a Dumble sound a Klon Centaur sound. The Drive is bold and punchy and the controls have a good, usable range. It’s a fairly medium-gain pedal that is more about clarity than power. As it’s a limited edition, tracking one down might prove difficult.

Sonic Fusion Crystal Lattice
The Crystal Lattice is a marriage between Sonic Fusion Pedals and Runoffgroove, the DIY pedalbuilder’s nirvana. Sonic Fusion studied a number of different models and studio recordings of Dumble amps, and the Crystal Lattice is based on the preamp section of their discoveries.

To lend it an even more amp-like feel, it’s based around a FET design. While obvious changes to the circuit had to be made to accommodate a smaller pedal enclosure, it gives a pleasant tone for not a whole lot of money.

Controls are standard three-band EQ, Gain and Volume. This pedal isn’t the most convincing interpretation on this list, as it’s almost more of a fuzz than overdrive at higher settings. It still has that thick, swampy vibe Dumbles are known for, and the price is just about right for anyone.

DISCONTINUED/OBSCURE DUMBLE-STYLE PEDALS

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MXR Shin-Juku Drive
The Shin-Juku was designed by Japanese amp expert Shin Suzuki as an affordable, accessible overdrive capable of the tone and response of a Dumble style amp. There are a ton of harmonics at higher gain settings. It never gets super dirty, but it definitely sounds like a Dumble. Notes really sing, and there’s just the right amount of grit to the sound. Get a mellower sound with the Dark switch, which rolls off some of the high frequencies. With the switch engaged, the pedal almost turns into a fuzz. This is a solid choice. It’s sturdy, affordable and sounds great.

Barber Small Fry
Another pedal that doesn’t really claim Dumble inspiration but nails the sound anyway is the beloved Small Fry from Barber Electronics.

It has four top-mounted control knobs (Burn, Dynamics, Tone and Volume) and a three-way clipping toggle switch. For deep tone shaping, there are four internal trimpots to control Note Shape, Bass, Midrange and Presence. Perhaps the coolest feature is the Note Shape control, which adjusts your sound from tight to loose – kind of like a resonance switch on an amp. There is also a recovery EQ stage after the gain section of the circuit to add clarity back into the signal.

Barber is well known on the boutique pedal scene, and for good reason. The company’s designs are great, and it makes its pedals carefully by hand. While these units are pretty rare, it’s not too difficult to nab one on the used market. If you’re looking for an option with a good gain range and a crazy amount of control over your signal, the Small Fry is more like a giant.

HAO Rumble Mod RM-1
The Rumble features matched input/output buffers that don’t cause the circuit to work overtime, a common issue with many overdrives. It’s a simple three-knob, one-toggle design capable of a wide variety of sounds.

The switch selects between Boost and Overdrive. The Boost is a clean boost with just a tiny bit of grit to make notes sustain, while the Drive setting smooths out the sound and adds compression and sustain with the increased gain.

Great for lighter stuff like blues and country, this is one of the lowest-gain offerings in the Dumble-in-a-box world. The pedal has also been discontinued, and fetching one on the used market can be as dodgy as it is pricey.

There might be more discontinued, hard-to-find and boutique Dumble pedals than any other type. While a lot of these aren’t that expensive considering their rarity, they’re worth mentioning. They might be near impossible to find on the used market, but that only adds to their mystique.

Velvet Katana
The Velvet Katana touts itself as a clone of the Zendrive, seemingly without shame. It has a familiar four-knob control scheme consisting of Gain, Level, Voice and Tone. It’s good for adding some balls to your signal, but there isn’t a lot of gain. It can add some weight to your pickups, but it can also get a little muddy in the mix, although the two EQ controls help make up for this. And while the pedal serves as a great clean/dirty boost, it falls a bit short as a full on-overdrive.

For that matter, you may find it difficult to locate a Velvet Katana. The company is based in Greece, and tracking down a unit on the used market is a total gamble.

Quinnamp Hot Buttered Scotch
Gain, Volume and Hi Cut control your sound. Where most three-knob overdrives have a tone control setting the midrange, the Hit Cut attenuates treble as you turn it clockwise. The Gain knob has good range and is usable through its entire extent. When it’s dimmed, it doesn’t get fizzy or noisy, going to the higher side of a medium drive. Blasted through a loud amp, it sounds heavenly.

This thing is hard to find even for a boutique pedal. The company has had some ups and downs, and all the tone in the world can’t make up for a total lack of availability. Ironically, it doesn’t seem to sell for insane prices considering its rarity, going for around $125.

Ocean EFX Pearl Drive
Featuring a setup similar to the Tomsline (see below), the Pearl Drive adds a toggle switch that allows you to keep your bottom end intact. There is plenty of gain to be had in this option as well, and it can get great blues and classic rock tones.

There are EQ knobs to control your Treble and Mids, while Gain and Volume set your level. It’s not the most convincing Dumble sound on this list, but it gets you in the ballpark. There are some great ’60s Fender sounds available here as well.

Retroman Dumbox
This Dumbox is more than a pedal with a Dumble sound. It can also serve as a standalone preamp, feed a power amp and power an external cab. A Voice switch chooses Brit or Cali settings, and there’s a Boost channel as well. For that matter, it features a cab-simulation circuit, so you can show up to a gig with just the Dumbox and be good to go.

Amplified Nation Double Bloom
The big brother to the Big Bloom, the Double Bloom is two Big Blooms combined, allowing you to dial in two very different sounds. Amplified Nation also offers a mod for the Double Bloom that allows you to select the channels independently or toggle them. The pedal is also offered in Tolex, painted or suede enclosures. Very cool.


Here’s a selection of videos from pedal shootouts to Dumble-related content.

Seven of the Best D-Style Pedals – That Pedal Show

7 Dumble Style Pedals and how they Sound – Guitar Bonedo

Six Dumble Pedal Shootout

What’s the Dumble Sound?


 

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https://delicious-audio.com/best-dumble-pedals-top-recommendations/feed/ 3 Delicious Audio Dumbloid Overdrive, demo by Pete Thorn/Vintage King nonadult
2024 UPDATE: Best Multi Reverb Pedals | Stereo and Mono https://delicious-audio.com/best-multi-reverb-pedals-multi-mode-workstations/ https://delicious-audio.com/best-multi-reverb-pedals-multi-mode-workstations/#comments Tue, 16 Jan 2024 22:51:11 +0000 https://delicious-audio.com/?p=42750
Best Multi Reverb Pedals and Reverb Workstations - Stereo and Mono Digital reverb is one of those effects that can be, quite literally, "tweaked to death," in particular when it boasts several reverb modes. Let's dive into it with this article about the best Multi-Reverb Pedals!
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Please note: this article is about a very specific niche of reverb pedals we refer to as “multi-reverb” or “multi-mode reverb”. For a wider-angle article about reverbs, see our regularly updated Best Reverb Pedals article. 

Best Multi Reverb Pedals and Reverb Workstations

A Guide to the Best Multi-Reverb Pedals

Digital reverb is one of those effects that can be, quite literally, “tweaked to death.” Its algorithms can be so complex that they can open up infinite numbers of possibilities: type, size, pre-delay, early reflections,  decay time, damping, filtering, and spread are only a few of the many parameters you can find in these units. This may indeed confuse the guitarists who just need a little bit of reverb, but it’s bound to fire the imagination of the tweak-inclined musician.

If a simple spring reverb is a little too spartan for you, we have compiled a list of the best multi-function reverb pedals (aka “Multiverbs”) on the market organized by the depth of features and perceived popularity.

At least one of the pedals highlighted in this page should do the trick for you. They range from stompboxes with three or four different reverb flavors to full-blown workhorses that deliver a dozen ambience algorithms and deep levels of control. Some are big, some are small, but all will tickle your craving for the wondrously wet world of reverb.

Reverb Types

In case you need a refresher about the most common types of reverb found in the pedals covered in this article, here’s a video we made on this very topic!

But let’s dig into the pedal offerings! As usual, Click/double Tap on the pedal thumbnails to open a YouTube video!

MULTI-ALGORITHM, STEREO REVERB WORKSTATIONS

It’s always nice to have a pedal that offers a few different types of reverb, or additional features like delay, modulation, and expression control. But if you want the full package, this list lays right in front of your eyes all the “do-it-all” monster ambiance processors on the market. Most of these units offer nothing short of studio-quality reverb, so you can also use them during mixing or on other instruments.

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  1. Strymon Big Sky
    It delivers 12 studio-class stereo reverbs. Diffused reflections and slower-building density are hallmarks of the Big Sky, as heard in the Bloom, Cloud, Chorale, Shimmer and Nonlinear algorithms. Controls for Decay, Pre-Delay, Mix (wet/dry), Tone, Mod, and two effect-dependent Parameters make the pedal easy to use in any situation.
    Pros: it offers a variety of lush, great-sounding, and tweakable stereo sounds, from classic to creative. | Cons: Expensive and large.
  2. Source Audio Ventris
    It features two separate 56-bit reverb processors and a host of reverb algorithms from traditional to out there. Run the dual reverb effects in a parallel or cascading signal path, or split your reverbs and send a different effect to each of the two outputs. Seamless “spillover” from one preset to the next prevents tails from cutting off. It includes 4 presets and useful Pre-Delay and Treble knobs.
    Pros: Smaller than the competition, and yet dual engine.| Cons: it doesn’t shine on ambient sounds like other devices in this list.
  3. Empress Effects  Reverb
    Small footprint, 24 stereo studio-quality algorithms and 12 algorithm types, including realistic simulations of Room, Hall, Plate, and Spring, plus the unusual Sparkly, Modulation, Reverse, Ghost and Lo-Fi modes. Beer mode gives you access to creative reverbs. It can be updated with new algorithms as they become available. Midi/CV compatible.
    Pros: It has the ability to conjure up a wide range of tones and creative tweakable soundscapes. It’s a lot smaller than the competition. | Cons: It’s quite expensive and doesn’t shine on “classic” reverb tones.

Eventide Space
Space features studio-quality Spring, Hall, Room and Plate reverbs as well as some from Eventide’s flagship rack processors. Varieties include Reverse, ModEchoVerb, DualVerb, MangleVerb, DynaVerb and the spacey BlackHole reverb with Gravity and Anti-Gravity options. The dedicated HotSwitch allows for instant parameter modulation with a switch press. With 100 presets, mono or stereo operation, and real-time control via knobs, MIDI or expression pedal, this knob-studded box has a lot going on.

Boss RV-500
Boss’s flagship reverb processor features studio-quality sounds in a stage-friendly box. It offers 12 modes and 21 newly developed reverb algorithms, from complementary ambiances to deep, immersive sonic atmospheres. Robust DSP means every reverb patch includes access to a full-featured digital delay, and you can even run two reverb patches at once. MIDI I/O, support for external footswitch/expression control and USB for connection to the free RV-500 Editor/Librarian software make this a versatile workstation for reverb devotees.

Electro-Harmonix Oceans 12
A dual stereo digital reverb that takes the Ocean 11 one step further (hence the name) by adding an extra reverb engine (and one extra algorithm). The two reverbs (each featuring 12 algorithms) can be run in series or parallel. Tails switch allows reverbs to decay naturally after you switch off the effect. Each of the four knobs has a double function and the two black knobs on the right of the Type knob control parameters vary depending on the selected mode. It also offers various connectivity options like Return/Send configuration and Exp/Footswitch In.

BOSS RV-200
a stereo multi-mode reverb with presets and Midi modeled after the flagship RV-500 but smaller and with 6 new algorithms including Arpverb, Slowverb, Modulate, +Delay, Lo-Fi, Gate and Reverse. Each mode has something unique to it, like various room sizes or special parameters. Controls include Time, Pre-Delay, Effect Level, two EQ knobs (Low and High) and the variable Param knob.

TC Electronic Hall of Fame 2 x4
A multimode Stereo reverb that enhances the popular Hall of Fame series with extra features: new Shimmer algorithm, 4 footswitches for presets or momentary effects, six Toneprint slots, and Midi in/out.

Free The Tone Ambi Space
A 32-bit dual-core chip and 32-bit high-precision DSP allow the Ambi Space to produce high-quality, musical-sounding reverbs. Suited to guitar, bass and vocals, it’s equally at home on stage and in the studio. The newly developed algorithms Cave and Serene add early reflections and late reverberation in multiple steps to create a complex harmonic structure comprising enhanced frequency components, all of which make for a uniquely transparent and spatial-sounding reverb.

Neunaber Illumine
A 2-knob stereo multi-mode reverb offering 17 modes and sporting all the features you would expect from a do-it-all workstation: Midi in/out, Presets (50 factory + 50 user), Expression in, built-in A/B switch for a quick way to change presets without breaks in sound. Two knobs with push function allow in-depth editing, while a free preset manager software helps keep things organized. The two footswitches deal with preset switching and on/off duties.

IK Multimedia X-Space
A multi-mode, do-it-all stereo reverb workstation that comes with an Amplitube 5 SE DAW plugin including an exact virtual reproduction of the hardware. It features 16 algorithms covering pretty much any possible reverb option, from all the classics to creative modes like Ethereal, Bloom and Magnetic. It features 5 useful cabinet simulations and Midi/USB compatibility.

Seymour Duncan Silver Lake
Fully programmable reverb workstation, combining high-quality reverb algorithms with unique dynamic control and powerful tone shaping options for a deep sonic experience – whether you need subtle sounds or a wash of massive ambiance. The Dynamic Expression feature allows the pedal to react to your playing in real-time, for example controlling the prevalence, or overall mix, of the effect through their pick attack—how hard or soft you play.

Cusack Resound
A digital, stereo reverb loaded with eight different reverbs, the ability to save up to eight presets, and an “Extend” switch to help create complex ambient landscapes depending on the mode. It’s also capable of delivering a rich chorus, freeze, 12-string simulation, and near-infinite decays!

Zander Circuitry Templo
A full-fledged, stereo, 8-mode reverb with 5 presets by a very boutique UK builder. 2 classic modes (Spring, Room), two modulated (Cave and Whirl) and 4 edgy ones (Lo-Fi, Granular, Solid State, and Spectral – the last two are BBD-style reverb and one with hi and low octaves). A tap allows switching between short, medium, and long decay. The other footswitches are for kill dry switch and momentary max decay.

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STREAMLINED STEREO REVERB PEDALS WITH 5 OR MORE MODES

Depth of features, in the reverb pedal realm, comes at a price (or two): if the units on the list above are too costly for your stretched pockets or too bulky for your shrinking board, the stompboxes in this category are valid alternative at a fraction of cost and size, and offer enough algorithm variety (5 or more), while retaining stereophony. Of course, they have less of everything: modes, features and controls – but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a lot of great sounds out of them!

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  1. MXR M300 Digital Reverb
    Featuring six distinct high-end reverb styles, a simple three-knob setup, and a high-fidelity analog dry path with a massive 20 volts of headroom, the M300 sounds as richly detailed as any high-end rack reverb unit. Choose from Room, Plate, and Spring as well as Epic (a combination of interwoven analog-tone delay lines and complex modulation), Mod (plate with modulation) and Pad (a unique combination of sub-octave and octave-up with echoes, shimmer, synth/organ modulation and reverb). You can also connect a Dunlop DVP series volume/expression pedal to toggle and blend between two different knob setting configurations. The Reverb includes a 100-percent Wet mode, stereo I/Os, and True Relay mode and Trails Bypass mode, which lets the effect continue to its natural decay after the pedal is silenced.
    Pros: a pedal that shines for its sounds. | Cons: three knobs may not be enough for the tweaking-inclined guitarists.
  2. BOSS RV-6
    A Stereo in/out reverb by the Japanese pedal standard bearer that offers eight separate modes including shimmer, dynamic and reverb+delay, and three simple knobs to control them all. It features an input for an expression pedal.
    Pros: relatively affordable and great sounding. | Cons: no trails on/off option and the Mode knob is hard to navigate on a dark stage.
  3. Strymon BlueSky
    A powerful and lush sounding, studio-grade digital reverb with three reverb types (Plate, Room and Spring) and three modes (Normal, Modulation and Shimmer), for a total of nine separate combinations. A full pre-delay and damping section provides deep reverb tone shaping.
    Pros: truly lush sounds in an intuitive interface. Cons: The number of reverb algorithms is limited compared to other devices in this list.

TC Electronic Hall of Fame 2
V2 of this iconic reverb pedal includes a new Shimmer reverb that pitches your reverb up an octave through each feedback loop to deliver an otherworldly sound. In addition, it has modes for Room, Hall, Spring, Plate, Church, Mod and Lofi reverb as well as three dedicated TonePrint slots for storing signature effects. It also lets you design your own customized reverb effects from scratch with the free TonePrint Editor. Other features include an innovative pressure-sensitive footswitch and Analog-Dry-Through technology that maintains total integrity of the analog dry signal path even when reverb is engaged.

NUX Verb Core Deluxe
An affordable, stereo multi-reverb pedal with 8 modes (Room, Hall, Plate, Damp, Shim, Spring, Tremolo-Verb, and Mod-Verb) and a momentary freeze effect triggered by holding down the footswitch. The algorithms feature a nice selection of traditional (Spring, Room, Plate, Hall) and more creative and textural options (Trem-verb, Mod-verb, Shimmer and Damp) that should work well for guitarists with a wide sonic palette.

Walrus Audio Mako R1
A Stereo, multi-mode reverb with deep functionality hosted in a compact case, with up to 9 presets. It boasts 6 modes (Spring, Hall, Plate, BFR, RFRCT (Refract), and Air) with deeply editable parameters thanks to Decay, Swell and Mix controls and two 3-mode knobs (Tweak and Tune) giving access to 6 more controls including Rate, Depth and Predelay.

DigiTech Polara
Featuring seven reverbs from DigiTech’s Lexicon line, the Polara’s range of algorithms covers the spectrum. It includes Room, Hall, Plate, Spring, Reverse, Modulated, and the new Halo reverb, featuring cascading octaves interspersed within the decays. The Polara features independent Level, Liveliness, Decay and Type controls, stereo I/Os, a soft-click footswitch, and a Tails on/off toggle. In the “on” position, the reverb tail continues to trail to its decay even after the pedal is silenced. In the “off” position, the reverb ends when the pedal is muted.

Flamma FS02
A very affordable multi-mode stereo reverb with 7 modes (Room, Hall, Church, Cave, Plate, Spring, Mod) each coming with a storable preset. The controls are extremely useful and not generic: Level, High-cut, Low-cut, Decay, and Pre-delay.

Red Panda Context 2
An ’80s-style digital experimental reverb with 8 modes and a clean signal path featuring Burr-Brown op-amps and Cirrus Logic converters. All of the algorithms are adjustable to let you get the right combination of pre-delay, reverb time and tone. V2 adds modulation, “spring” and “grain” settings. Plus, stereo in/out, USB MIDI, fully assignable expression pedal, 3 new modes, delay plus reverb in all modes, separate high and low-frequency damping controls, modulation, dynamic reverb, and infinite hold.

Neunaber Immerse MkII Reverberator
The Immerse Reverberator houses eight stereo reverbs, including Wet, Hall, Plate, Spring, two varieties of Shimmer, Wet+Echo and Wet+Detune. Each has been painstakingly crafted so that, together, they cover the full range of reverb requirements. Five controls for Effect Select, Effect Level, Reverb Depth, Tone (or Echo Time) and the effect-dependent Effect Adjust make it easy to dial up sounds on the fly. This small but potent package also comes with a high-quality buffered bypass, an external Trails on/off switch, an external Kill Dry switch for parallel effect loops and stereo I/O complete.

Alabs Cetus
an affordable yet creative, multi-algorithm, full stereo, compact reverb. It packs Hall, Room, Church, Spring, Plate, Swell, Shimmer, Cloudy, and Wave modes, with a Mod knob setting modulation depth/speed or other parameters. A Freeze function prolongs the reverb’s or, in Creative Explore Mode, lets you create complex creative momentary effects involving multiple parameter changes.

Donner Vintaverb
Sometimes true gems can be found among pedals that are (way) under $100, and the Donner Vintaverb may be one of those, a compact stereo in/out reverb with 7 modes. It includes a very useful Pre-Delay knob, momentary freeze effect, and trails on/off functionality. That’s a lot of goodness for a $75 compact pedal. The seven included modes provide a satisfying blend of classic reverbs like Room, Studio, Hall, Plate and Spring, and more sonically adventurous ones like Modulated and distorted Reverb.

Behringer DR600 Stereo Reverb
A typically super-affordable pedal by Behringer that packs a ton of features in a compact enclosure: 6 Reverb modes can be edited through Level, Tone and Time knobs. It’s stereo but gets mixed reviews.

Mooer R7 X2
A stereo compact multiverb with 14 modes, two footswitches, Infinite momentary footswitch, trails option and foot-controlled preset navigation. The 5-knob layout and preset system are identical to the original mini version, with controls for Hi/Low Cut, Mix, Decay and Pre-Delay, but here you can store 14 presets (one pre mode).

Alexander Space Force
A multi-mode reverb launching a new series called “Leap” featuring stereo in/out and a LED screen. 8 reverb modes: Plate, Mod Hall, Pitch, Spring, Lo-Fi, Analog, Dynamic, and Echoverb. “Morph” function seamlessly morphs between different knob settings on the fly using the built-in ramp footswitch, expression pedal, Neo Footswitch, or MIDI controller.

Mooer ShimVerb Pro
Mooer’s take on the multi-function digital reverb features the company’s signature super-compact and affordable design packing a wealth of controls. You get 5 verb modes to booth: Room, Hall, Church, Plate and Spring, plus an adjustable shimmer effect with 5 different modes and its own dedicated footswitch. Dry/Wet knob, Hi/Low Cut filters, Decay, Pre-Delay knobs and Trail On/Off button allow the player ample room for tone customization, which can be saved in presets.

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COMPACT/MINI MONO REVERB PEDALS WITH 5 OR MORE MODES

This category is virtually identical to the previous one, but with multi-mode pedals featuring a mono output, which is perfectly fine for those who only use their reverb through one amp at a time. In this category, there are also several mini pedals, since no one was able to fit a stereo output in that format just yet.

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  1. Electro-Harmonix Oceans 11
    A mono reverb packing 11 modes: Hall, Spring, Plate, Revrs (reverse), Echo, Trem (tremolo and reverb), Mod (three-mode modulated reverb), Dyna (dynamic-response reverb), Auto-Inf (infinite crossfading reverb), Shim (shimmer) and Poly (polyphonic reverb with two configurable bidirectional pitch shifts). There are only three knobs (FX Level, Time and Tone), but a host of secondary controls allow access to “hidden” parameters to fine-tune the effect. An internal Tails switch provides fadeout or decay if switched to bypass.
    Pros: versatile, great-sounding, reasonably priced. | Cons: the complexity of the secondary functions makes it hard to recall some settings without presets.
  2. Joyo Atmosphere
    Selling well under $100, this is one of the most affordable multi-mode reverbs with more than 3 algorithms (it has 9). Three classic modes (Spring, Church and Plate) are followed by 6 super-creative ones, with names as abstract as Comet, Forest, Pulse and Rewind. Knobs for mix, decay, tone and modulation give the player just enough control, while a trails toggle switch adds a feature many modern ambient guitarists can’t do without.
    Pros: Affordable and well rounded in the algorithm and controls department. | Cons: not the sturdiest build.
  3. Mooer A7 Ambience
    An a”ambient” addition to the Chinese company’s New Micro Series, which offers multi-mode mini pedals with presets capabilities and a signature 7 LED layout. The “7” in A7 stands for the number of ambient and psychedelic reverb effects the pedal offers, while prolonged pressure on the footswitch enables Infinite Trails option. We are also intrigued by the Chaos knob, which adds a touch of unexpected to each ambiance mode.
    Pros: Lots of creative ambient sounds in a small footprint. | Cons: It’s not the quietest pedal around.

Mooer R7
$119 – A mini multiverb that gives the player 7 modes and 7 presets in one tiny enclosure, with five knobs to control it all (including pre-delay) and a trail on/off option. Ranging from Spring and Plate to Church and Cave, the reverb modes are more traditional than the ones in the A7, although the Mod mode can get pretty dreamy.

Valeton Coral Verb 2
Popular (and well-reviewed) on Amazon, this mini pedal offers a whopping 16 modes and Mix, Decay and Tone knobs. The modes go from bread and butter to creative ones like Galaxy, Cloud, Mod, Undersea, Sweep and Shimmer.

Bananana Abra Cadabra
A super creative, unrealistic and out-there mini reverb pedal with 8 modes, including various combinations of filters, pitch shifting, modulation, sampling, and glitch delay. The controls change functions depending on the mode. It includes also trails switch and kill dry switch. It works with Line In.

Dr. Scientist Atmosphere
A creative and quirky reverb pedal that also delivers some more traditional sounds (like the classic spring reverb and swell). But, as its graphics hint, among its 12 modes there are a lot of bizarro lo-fi, bit crushing and pitch/ring modulating options.

Crazy Tube Circuits Splash MkIV
MK IV gathers all the algorithms from the previous versions of the Splash Mk III and Psychic pedals and adds on top three entirely new ones, for a total of eight. The new Expression input lets you control the effect’s Decay or Excite parameters, which can also be controlled by the momentary footswitch on the right, for extra special effects.

Shift Line Astronaut V2
An intriguingly deep and surprisingly small reverb, the new V3, hosted in a slightly wider case, offers 22 different reverb, delay and sampling algorithms. The pedal’s most unique feature is that it can listen to your signal in bypass and play full and massive reverb tails immediately when switched on.  Sustain lovers will also want to try the infinite sustain mode.

Donner Verb Square
Affordable mini-pedal featuring seven modes and controls for Rate, Depth and Level.

HIGH-END REVERB PEDALS WITH 3-4 MODES

If your needs are more specific and fewer reverb modes might just do the trick, here’s a list of pedals that offer three or four different algorithms. The ones in this list are high-end boutique ones, offering top-notch components and, in most cases, stereo out and extra tweakability.

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Walrus Audio Fathom MultiFunction Reverb
This feature-rich mono reverb has four customized reverb settings, including Hall, Plate, Lo-Fi and Sonar, which features high and low octaves that can be blended to taste with the original signal. In addition to three levels of modulation, it has a Dampen knob to suppress high frequencies and an X control to adjust algorithm-specific parameters, including pre-delay and the octave-up/down mix when using the Sonar setting. The Sustain switch momentarily increases reverb time to near-infinite when pressed, and the pedal features Trails and No Trails modes.

UAFX Golden Reverberator
A digital, Stereo, 3-mode (plus 1) reverb pedal with 3 variations for each mode, preset capability, and six knobs controlling Decay, Pre-Delay, Mix, Bass, Treble and Modulation. Modes include Spring 65 (amp-like reverb), Plate 140:, Hall 224: inspired by late-1970s digital reverb algorithms. Bonus Effects are a vintage digital Plate and Chamber 224 reverb.

Chase Bliss Audio Dark World
A feature-rich reverb with a “World” channel created by Keeley that houses Hall, Plate, and Spring algorithms, and an edgier “Dark” channel designed by Cooper FX. The channels can be routed in 33 ways, creating a varied palette of reverb ranging from subtle, tasteful, and lush all the way to broken video cassette, glitch shimmer, and infinite freeze.

Earthquaker Ledges
A quality 4-knob reverb with Room, Plate, and Hall modes, and a Damping knob that lets you tame the reflections’ high-end for a warmer ambiance. It lets you store 6 presets through a rotary knob, and features an Expression in that allows remote control (also via CV) of Length, Damping or Mix. Different EXP assignments can be saved in each preset.

Fender Marine Layer Reverb Pedal
Fender’s entry in the ambiance market provides Hall, Room and Shimmer reverb types. The reverb tails continue when the effect is muted, ensuring a smooth and natural decay. A Fender amp jewel LED, magnetically latched battery door and lightweight but durable anodized aluminum construction complete the package.

Matthew Effects Astronomer V2
A 3-mode hall/shimmer reverb with two foot-switchable channels. The three modes are EchoVerb, Hall + Shimmer and Chamber. The Glow control is a high-frequency filter. One Channel can be activated at a time, letting you dynamically switch between the two reverbs giving you a wide range of options.

Keeley Realizer Reverberator
Based on the left side of the Loomer, this is a 3-mode reverb for shoegaze/ ambient guitarists. The three modes are Focus (recreation of the popular Soft Focus patch from the Yamaha FX500 rack unit), Reverse and Hall (with an octave up). A Warmth knob controls the high frequencies.

Fender Hammertone Reverb
An affordable 3-mode reverb with streamlined controls and a basic look, featuring controls for Level, Time, and Damp, which rolls off the high-end of the reflections for a warmer sound. A 3-way toggle lets you select between Hall, Room, and Plate mode, while the Tone toggle dampens high frequencies, allowing the reverb to sit more naturally in the mix.

NativeAudio Ghost Ridge Reverb
A boutique two-knob/two-footswitch multi-function reverb (Hall, Spring, Plate, and Room) with modulation and preset capabilities in a compact case.

Coffee Shop Pedals Cortado Reverb
A 4-mode, full stereo reverb in a compact case with a Midi-based 3 preset system, and trails on/off option. The modes (Hall, Spring, Tremoloverb, and Octave) are based on original algorithms carefully designed and optimized for traditional and ambient tones. The three top knobs change Mix, Decay, and Tone, while the Control knob affects varying parameters depending on the selected mode.

Mastro Valvola Area Reverb
Features 4 mono reverb flavors: Reverb (Room, Plate, or Hall), Mod (chorus with reverb), Shimmer 8th (2 octaves higher) and Shimmer 8th/5th (higher octave and fifth). Controls for Decay, Damp and Pre-Delay/Shimmer (depending on the selected algorithm) allow for a fair amount of tweaking, while the analog Mix control and dry signal path prevent the effect from getting too washy, so it retains clarity even when using a cavernous reverb sound.

T-Rex Creamer Reverb Pedal
T-Rex designed the Creamer Reverb to be dead simple to operate but with just enough room for tweaking. It maintains an analog signal path for your instrument and features Spring, Room and Hall reverbs, with a Tone control for adjusting high frequencies.

AFFORDABLE REVERB STOMPBOXES WITH 3-4 MODES

There are plenty of incredibly affordable digital reverb pedals with 3 or 4 modes on the market, and some are even stereo! They make do with two or three knobs, but they are perfect for those players that are like the simplicity of a “less is more” approach to guitar effects. Here’s a list of the most popular ones.

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Electro-Harmonix Pico Ocean 3-Verb
An affordable mini pedal offering three of the most popular algorithms found on the Oceans line: Spring, Plate and Hall. The 4 knobs control Blend, Time (i.e. decay), Tone, and (pre)Delay. The latter becomes a 3-way spring-length selector in Spring mode. Both the Plate and Hall mode can deliver infinite reverb at maximum settings, while the footswitch can be configured to have Tails on or off.

Nux Damp Reverb
Remarkably, this is the first mini pedal with stereo in/out – thanks to its two TRS jacks. It offers 3 modes (Plate, Spring and Hall) inspired to specific circuits (the EMT 140 plate reverb, the early spring reverbs found in Fender amps from the ’60s and the hall reverb found in the 1978 Lexicon 224). As if that was not enough, it offers Trail mode and Shimmer and Freeze secondary functions when holding the footswitch.

Flamma FC02 Reverb
The three modes in this >$40 true bypass mini-pedal are Studio (room reverb), Church and Plate, adjustable through three knobs: Decay, Mix and Tone.

Biyang Tri Reverb
Being blessed with the “Amazon’s Choice” tag and costing just over $53 made this Stereo reverb the most popular by far in this category. It has three modes (Hall, Spring and Room) and an A/B switch that gives you two variations on each. The two nobs only control Blend and Time. The users’ reviews are good but not stellar (4 out of 5 stars) but, at this price point, you might even give it a try.

Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Neo Reverb
With Spring, Plate and Hall reverbs, the Holy Grail Neo provides the most sought-after ambiances in an easy-to-use, pedalboard-friendly stompbox. Select the reverb of your choice with the three-position switch and use the Reverb knob to mix the wet and dry signals.

Mooer Audio ShimVerb / Tomsline Ocean Reverb
Mooer licensed the design of this popular and affordable mini reverb pedal to other Chinese brands, including Tomsline. It offers good sounding modes for Room, Spring, and Shimmer, featuring a big knob for Decay and to smaller ones for Color (tone) and Mix.

Outlaw Effects 24K
A warm-sounding mini reverb pedal with three modes: Room, Plate and Spring. The three knobs control reverb level, tone and decay.

Caline Old School Reverb
A 3-mode digital pedal with Room, Hall and Church algorithms, which in conjunction with knobs for Decay, Mix and Tone offer a simple way to dial in the perfect reverb for any needs.

Animals Pedal Bath Time
It offers three distinct and adjustable reverb modes, Spring, Hall and Room, as well as a wet/dry mix control. The wetter the signal, the broader and lusher the reverberation becomes. The time control is very dynamic, providing a range of reverbs from tight slapback to an echoing cathedral, and everything in between.

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by Christopher Scapelliti and Paolo De Gregorio

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2023 Best Plexi Pedals & Marshall-Style Distortions: a Buyer’s Guide https://delicious-audio.com/best-plexi-pedals-and-marshall-inspired-distortions/ https://delicious-audio.com/best-plexi-pedals-and-marshall-inspired-distortions/#comments Wed, 10 Jan 2024 22:19:40 +0000 http://audio.thedelimagazine.com/?p=21878
best plexi pedals (Almost) everyone who is familiar with the electric guitar loves the sound of a cranked Marshall amp.  From Eric Clapton and Angus Young to Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads, Plexi amp and their later, higher gain reincarnations from the JCM series have been used by many guitar players over the years and have defined the sound of iconic rock albums.
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(Almost) everyone familiar with the electric guitar loves the sound of a cranked Marshall amp. From Eric Clapton and Angus Young to Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads, Plexi amp and their later, higher gain reincarnations from the JCM series have been used by many guitar players over the years and have defined the sound of iconic rock albums.

This article is your ultimate, regularly updated guide to the best Plexi pedals on the market, today.

Please use our affiliate links when you are ready to buy. It means supporting our site at no cost to you.

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A BUYER’S GUIDE TO THE BEST PLEXI PEDALS

best plexi pedals

Before we venture into categorizing the various devices belonging to this “pedal family,” it’d be useful to define the terms “Plexi” and “JCM” so that even the least knowledgeable among our readers can understand what we are referring to.

History and Sound of the Marshall Plexi Amps

| Click here to expand/shrink this section |

Boxing the Plexi
If you are in the market for the Plexi sound, but in the more portable stompbox format, you need to thank the Carl Martin Plexitone, a 1994 device that started the Plexi-in-a-Box trend. Since then, dozens of similar pedals have been released in this niche.

This is your ultimate guide to getting the pedal that’s just right for you. We’ll take a look at the best guitar effects on the market that give you the Marshall sound at a fraction of the price (and at more manageable volumes).

This interactive page sums up most of the options you have at different price points; to navigate it, follow these guidelines:

– Hover (or fist tap) on the images for indicative street prices and notes;
A click (or second tap) on the thumbnails will open a demo video!

– In the galleries, pedals are presented in order of their “perceived” popularity. We know this is an imperfect indicator, but it still gives you an idea of how much interest there is around the pedal.

BEST HIGH END/VERSATILE PLEXI PEDALS ($220-$350)

The pedals in this category are more expensive than the average but – for the most part – offer extra features and/or can deliver a variety of Marshall-style tones.

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Friedman BE-OD Deluxe
Two channels of high-gain Plexi-style BE-OD circuits in one pedal with an added mid-range knob, by one of the best living amp makers. The Channel footswitch alternates between the two. There’s also a one channel version, in the following categories.

Universal Audio UAFX Lion
A stereo Plexi-style amp-in-a=box with presets. It offers 3 amp emulation modes (Lead, Bass and Brown) and 3 cab ones, with an added 3 available at registration via the free app, which adds an extra layer of tweaking. A 3-band EQ and (mono) FX loop capability round up the features.

Bogner La Grange
A Plexi-style pedal with a slightly hotter bit of grit – that’s what Bogner likes to do. The variac switch might appeal to Van Halen fans as it lets you recreate the effect of starving a Plexi of some power to make it scream at lower volumes.  The channel blend allows you to mix in two different decades of Plexi amps together and can give you access to an incredibly diverse world of sounds.

Jackson Audio Asabi
A two-channel Plexi-style overdrive + distortion offering digital functionality with a full analog circuit. “Program mode,” allows to chose between 4 different clipping diode options on each channel. The company’s Gain Cycle facilitates the creation of four scalable maximum gain settings. The distortion circuit can be swapped in DIY fashin with a RAT style one costing $50.

Wampler Plexi Drive Deluxe
Based on their standard Plexi Drive (see category below), this Deluxe version offers an additional footswitch for added gain. This extra bit of saturation and volume can make your solos stand out and sound even fatter and thicker.

Two Notes Le Crunch
This is a great pedal if you need a very versatile drive that can get you from Hendrix like Plexi cleans (yes the Plexi can do clean tones marvelously as well as rocking your socks off with filthy saturation) to… well, Hendrix-like drive.  It also features great extras like a cab sim and a great sounding XLR-out, as well as a Headphone out, that way you can practice at night without waking the wife or neighbor, or plug straight into the console in the studio or live.

ThorpyFX The Bunker
ThorpyFX’s reimagining of the legendary Lovetone Brown Source pedal, designed in collaboration with the original builder. A “brown sound” Marshall style overdrive, that can be pushed into distortion. Smaller and louder than the original, it offers extra tonal flexibility through a Texture control, a three-way Mode toggle switch, and second footswitch bypasses the Tone stack.

Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Deluxe
This deluxe version of one of the most popular compact Plexi pedals adds an external voice toggle to select between Super Lead and Super Bass modes, a Presence knob, a Routable Boost circuit with a separate volume knob and footswitch, a low-end cutting Tightness knob, and a 10db Line Out to plug in directly into your recording devices or PA.

Carl Martin PlexiRanger
It combines a Plexi channel and a 15db boost, with separate footswitches. The boost (first in the chain) is a custom silicon circuit inspired by the vintage Treble Booster. Each has an independent EQ section: simple Tone control on the Plexi side and parametric EQ (Range + Freq) on the Boost. This can work as a clean boost when the Range knob is down to zero. A three-way Low Cut Filter (off in zero position) tames the low end.

Victory Amplification V1 The Sheriff
Designed in collaboration with Adrian Thorpe of ThorpyFX, this is a high-end amp-in-a-box version of the company’s actual guitar amp (and the amped and “preamped” pedal versions of it). It nails the classic Plexi overdriven and distorted tones and also includes a 3-way EQ section to sculpt the sound as needed.

Sinvertek N5-MGAT-1
The most tweakable compact pedal in this list, also featuring an FX Loop.
Through a dazzling number of (hand-wired!) controls, this preamp pedal puts at your toe tips the tone of 5 of the most popular Marshall amps: JTM45, JMC800, 1959 SLP, 1987 X, and JVM. Two gain and 4 EQ knobs are integrated by switches offering 4 tone and 4 gain options, delivering hundreds of sonic possibilities.

PedalPalFX 800 V4
A handmade pedal that uses the same circuit schematic (3-band EQ included) found in the most famous British Amps from the ’60s, using transistors instead of vacuum tubes. V4 shrinks the enclosure to compact size and offers a three-voicing toggle switch  emulating the behavior of the classic JCM, a modded tone dear to Guns’n’Roses’ guitarist Slash (#34) and a voice with more tone range & structure response in the gain section (#07).

Carl Martin PlexiTone Dual Channel
The pedal that started the Plexi trend is still in production and hand-built. It serves up medium-high gain sounds via 2 footswitchable channels and an exta 20dB of clean boost controlled by a knob. There is a single gain knob for the crunch and high-gain channels, and they share tone and output volume controls.

Radial Tonebone Plexitube
It has a 12AX7 tube inside of it to give you the “real deal” kind of distortion.  This pedal sounds really rich and beefy with a lot of range for you to play with in the mids department.  The tonal shaping options can be a bit excessive at first but with this remarkable unit you can really go from boomy to scooped mid distortion and anything in between.

Aclam Woman Tone
A pedal tribute to Clapton’s “woman tone” from the 1960s, consisting in rolling back the tone control on his SG or Les Paul to get a muffly, fuzzy sound through a Marshall amp. The pedal combines a Plexi-style overdrive with a humbucker pickup simulator to achieve this. The second footswitch bypasses the woman tone control for two different tonal voicings. Artwork by Marijke Koger, the painter of Clapton’s “The Fool” SG.

LPD Pedals Sixty8 Deluxe
Designed to sound like a 1968 Plexi 12000 series, it delivers that dynamic Plexi tone, with the vintage Marshall amps’ signature sustain, plus an extra switchable higher gain channel and a separate (pre-drive) 24dB boost circuit with its own footswitch. The center footswitch alternates between the two drive channels, which cannot be stacked. For those happy with only one channel of it, there’s the “regular” LPD Pedals Sixty8.

Weehbo JTM Drive
A very dynamic FET-based Plexi-style overdrive that can be used also as a clean boost at lower drive settings. It features a flexible three-band EQ section with a toggle switch to set the center frequency of the Mids knob (from low-mid to high-mid).

Fire Custom Shop Carpe Diem
It offers an excellent playing experience as the Classic mode gets you girthy full low end and does a good job of making your 1×12 speaker feel like a 4×12.  The Lead mode footswitch adds a lot of gain but keeps it sounding like a nice old vintage tube amp.

One Control Dyna Red Distortion 4k
An upgrade to the previous Barefoot version of this full-on Plexi pedal, featuring an extra Presence knob that tames some of the hard mid-range. It’s designed to deliver an organic distortion reminiscent of the early to mid-70s UK voiced amplifiers, cranked up to 10. with the tubes worn down just a little, and maybe a little “browning” of the sound with a Variac. The Presence knob helps dial in the perfect amount of highs for any amp situation.

Gurus Doubledecker MkII
Sporting a real, high-voltage tube at the core of the preamp section, it offers two stackable Plexi-style channels with separate footswitches and knobs for Gain, Volume, Tone and Presence. A toggle switch engages the “Jose Mod,” a popular mod by Van Halen’s tech Jose Arredondo. Channel I is optimized for low-gain tones while II shines on solos. They can stack when both on.

Crazy Tube Circuit Ziggy V2
A dual-channel Plexi distortion that runs internally at 18v for extra headroom. The two channels have separate Volume, Tone and Gain controls. Separate footswitches let you stack them on top of each other. The gain knobs also affect the voicing by adding more bass the higher the settings.

VS Audio Platinum
Employs hand-selected discrete JFETs to create a unique blend of Plexi and Marshall-style tones, based on the Marshall 1987 Silver Jubilee amp.
The controls are Input Gain, Output Master, EQ (Bass, Mid, Treble), and a Presence switch, which can either attenuate negative feedback or boost high-end frequencies. The Channel footswitch alternates between a cleaner rhythm tone and a thicker lead one.

Electronic Audio Experiments Citadel
A Plexi-style preamp-style overdrive that emulates both the preamp and the tube power amp stage of the venerable Marshall series, offering the classic sonic character on the entire gain spectrum, from piano-like cleans, bright overdrive, and sizzling lead tones, always delivering the Plexi’s signature sparkly midrange.

Tsakalis AudioWorks Room #40
Using jfet technology, this is a dual mode overdrive that can recreate the tones of several of older Plexi amps and the more modern JMP and JCM800, applying also Van Halen’s “Brown Sound” hack through the Variac knob, which sweeps the voltage from 7.5V to 21V. A 3-band EQ section + presence allows for ample tone-sculpting. An extra boost circuit can be controlled via a dedicated footswitch and a separate knob.

LPD Seventy4 Deluxe
$299 | a dual channel version of the Seventy4, with a 2nd “green” channel slightly darker and toggles for each channel that push gain and mids. The top knobs are a shared EQ section at the end of the chain. The two channels cannot be stacked, but switched through the Channel footswitch.

Volta Custom 1987 V2 or 1987 Pro
A tweakable, hand-made overdrive with a foot-switchable boost whose gain can be controlled through a separate knob. A 3-way Tight toggle delivers fatter or more defined tones. In the up position, the drive will sound bright and defined and get fatter when the boost is on. The Mids toggle interacts with the Mids knob to deliver humped, scooped, or flat mids. The Pro version adds presets, a knob for Mids, a 3-way Presence switch, and Exp In.

LPD Pedals Eighty7
A flexible plexi overdrive/distortion pedal with a full three-band + presence EQ section and two gain modes, Green mode is percussive and dynamic with plenty of body to punch through even the most demanding mixes. Red is more saturated and compressed for liquid leads and full chugging palm-muted rhythms. The LPD Eighty7 Deluxe version offers two channels of it, adding internal bright switches per channel.

Rift Amplification EL34
A High-quality 3-knob Plexi-style overdrive with an extra boost build in the UK. It helps emulate the tone and harmonics of an EL34 output stage (the tube found in Plexi amps). It can also be used in combination with Marshall amps for extra voicing, tone sculpting and its separate Boost circuit, which has its own footswitch.

Bispell Audio Saxon
A Marshall-style drive with a few more EQ controls than usual, with a 3-way EQ section where the Mids knob doesn’t boost but only cuts, a Presence knob, and two toggle switches to boost the highs or cut the lows. The bass switch delivers Plexi tones in the lower position and JTM45-style ones in the top setting. An internal DIP allows for extra frequency tweaking to fine-tune the pedal to any amp.

XTS Atomic Drive
A pedal with a bit of a saggy distortion that really nails the Turned Up To 11 Marshall sound.  The Mid Selector really helps define how present the guitar is in the mix and can get you from 70’s crunch a la’ Free or Led Zeppelin to Metallica or Megadeth scooped mid metal!

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BEST LAST GENERATION MID-PRICED PLEXI PEDALS ($140-$220)

Marshall-style overdrives and distortion never seem to go out of fashion. The mid-priced stompboxes in this section are somewhat new, having been released between 2014 and 2020.

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Friedman BE-OD
A popular and highly regarded emulation of a JCM amp, from a builder that’s grown a stellar reputation for manufacturing great-sounding Marshall-style amps (the pedal is said to be a compact version of the Friedman BE100 amp).

JHS Angry Charlie V3
A more aggressive version of the company’s Charlie Brown, it replicates the high gain Marshall tones reminiscent of a JCM-800, with lots of range for both gain and tone, the presence knob in v2 was replaced by a full EQ section with Bass, Mid and Treble for extra tone sculpting options.

MXR Dookie
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of Green Day’s legendary album “Dookie,” recreating the sound of Billie Joe Armstrong’s 100w Plexi amp used in that record, and his two favorite settings, achievable through the “Scoop” button: one scooped with a ton of gain and the other with a well-defined midrange.

Friedmann SmallBox
A stompbox rendition of channel 1 of the company’s Small Box, a compact Plexi-style amp. More nuanced and classic sounding than the popular Friedman BE Overdrive, the Smallbox features six controls, just like its big brother amp: Level, Gain and four EQ knobs: Bass, Mid, Treble and Presence. A toggle switch on the side panel changes the effect’s gain structure, delivering an extra push for a more in-your-face, high-gain Plexi tone.

JHS Charlie Brown V4
This lower gain overdrive sounds much smoother than the other Plexi pedals on this list, and can be categorized as an overdrive rather than a distortion. It can still be an aggressive effect depending on how you have the gain set, but it cleans up very well and responds beautifully to picking dynamics.

Friedman Dirty Shirley
Based on the company’s similarly named 40-watt amp, this is a lower gain Plexi-Style pedal that offers a 3-band EQ and Presence knob for flexible tone sculpting, and an extra Tight switch on the side to increase punch. It can deliver a wide range of tones.

Keeley El Rey Dorado Overdrive
It covers a lot of classic British amp tones (including Robert Keeley’s own JTM 45/100 full-stack), with its two gain modes accessible through the Power Toggle: old school crunch in Low Power mode (louder, has more girth, fewer harmonics), super lead tones in the High Power mode (more compression, more harmonics and a more defined tone).

Ramble FX Marvel Drive
The first thing you’ll probably notice about this pedal is the really cool Marshall knobs and red indicator light stolen from a Marshall. This pedal is a great mid-range option that can produce tones reminiscent of the sound of early AC/DC records.

MXR FOD Drive
A lower price evolution of the MXR Dookie,” it’s based on Greenday’s Billy Joe Armstrong’s two custom Marshall 100w Plexi Super Lead amps. A center toggle switch offers mid punch, mid-scoop and a flat option.

Formula B Super Plexi
A two-channel Plexi pedal with a clean boost on one side and a Marshall JTM45 emulation on the other, using transistors to mimic the character of the tubes. Each channel features its own footswitch, and a toggle switch lets you place the boost before or after the overdrive. A tone knob, placed in the overdrive circuit, lets you tweak the signal EQ to your liking.

Tech 21 Hot Rod Plexi
A great amp in a box pedal that can get you Plexi crunch through practically any amp. In Stock mode it emulates the preamp of a stock ‘68 Plexi. Hot engages an extra “12AX7” pre-amp gain stage with up to 28dB of pre-amp boost.

Bogner Ecstasy Blue Mini
It captures the classic blue channel of the company’s Ecstasy amplifier, a popular choice for its classic rock-n-roll Plexi tones. It can deliver also high-gain tones with great headroom thanks to its high internal voltage circuit. Offers great flexibility through a three-way EQ section and toggle switches offering varying levels of gain, pre-EQ and Variac, which produces a looser low gain tone.

Greer Amp/Elliott Guitars Little Samson
A full but natural-sounding high gain pedal with smooth high end and tight low end. Delivers hunky drive at lower gain settings and singing lead tones.

One Control Plexifier V2
Tight bottom end, bright highs, and a thick mid-range is the kind of tone you can expect from this high-end mini pedal, a responsive Plexi-style distortion with a gain range of +6dB to +67dB.

Analog Alien Bucket Seat
Analog Alien makes some truly inspiring pedals and their Bucket Seat overdrive really nails the harmonically rich and dynamic distortion of a great late ’60s Plexi.

Carl Martin Panama
This pedal adds to the Plexi-style three typical controls (Gain, Level and Tone) a Damping knob that tightens the low end, allowing, when necessary, the achievement of a less flabby, more focused tone.

Teisco Distortion
A classic British distortion pedal paired with a colored boost. It offers plenty of tonal shaping possibilities, plus an optional extra gain stage to really ramp things up.

Imperial Electrical Zeppelin
A pedal that distills the sound of Jimmy Page’s EchoPlex + Plexi chain, delivering a harmonically rich and focused tone. It has eparate controls and footswitches for the preamp and amp, with the former having a simple gain knob and the latter – modeled after a 60’s Marshall amp – featuring Pre-Gain, Tone and Master volume.
An LED light turns: green when the preamp is on, red when the Plexi-style drive is on, and yellow when they are both on.

Cusack Music Meta Plexi
This take on the classic Marshall tone gives you all the expected settings and control, plus a second footswitch (Lead) that can add 3, 6, or 9dB boost after the distortion circuit, giving you additional volume without extra saturation. A Toggle switch lets you pick two voicings: “Vintage” (more dynamic and defined) or “Modern” (more saturated with a little mid scoop).

LPD Seventy 4
A pedal that emulates the full distortion delivered by Marshall Plexi and Master Volume amps from the mid to late ’70s, with an extra dose of gain and a 4-knob EQ section (Low, Mids, Highs and Presence) for extra tonal flavor.

Dawner Prince RedRox
A supercharged «hot rod» kind of distortion that can deliver anything from pure clean tones all the way to a grease- melting distortion. The Countour knob lets you pick the overall frequency emphasis (mid boost or cut), while the Tone knob controls the highs.

Missing Link Audio AC/OD
A pedal that puts AC/DC’s Angus Young’s tone at your toe tips. Its high impedance input and circuit based on two premium dual opamps let the unadulterated sound of the gain stages uncompressed come through, while the Tone knob has a wide range that helps tailor the tone to any amp.

Colombo Audio Eruption
A Plexi-style pedal inspired by the guitar tone in the first six Van Halen albums. The Variac knob simulates the guitarist’s mod that allowed him to under-powered his Marshall 1959 Super Lead head, which gave birth to one of the most epic rock sounds.

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TOP STANDOUT BUDGET PLEXI PEDALS (Under $140)

The pedals on this list are more affordable and factory-built, but do a good job in recreating the Plexi sound.

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BOSS ST-2 Power Stack
Even though it’s not presented as a “Plexi” pedal, the Boss ST-2’s golden/black color code betrays a Marshall inspired circuit. As often true with Boss, this pedal delivers exactly what’s promised without frills. However, the “Sound” knob has an interesting spin: it blends gain amount and sound character.

TC Electronic Dark Matter
This is a great dirt box that takes a clean amp and turns it into a hi-gain modded Marshall. Incredibly useful and inspiring for its price range, this Marshall/Plexi-inspired distortion produces very balanced and responsive tones at all gain settings, delivering particularly well at low and medium gain levels. It’s also remarkable when stacked into other high-gain devices.

Electro-Harmonix OD Glove
The Glove is a remarkable pedal that is often mistaken for a metal distortion pedal because of its appearance.  In reality, think more Spinal Tap as the name implies.  This dirt pedal has a really unique internal switch to change the feel from a more spongy vintage distortion to a more clear and articulate type of drive.

NUX Plexi Crunch
An affordable Plexi distortion that gets good reviews for its tone but not for its build quality. With its three gain stages and knobs for Tone and Presence, it looks like a knock-off of the Marvel by Ramble FX.$49 | An affordable Plexi distortion that gets good reviews for its tone but not for its build quality. With its three gain stages and knobs for Tone and Presence, it looks like a knock-off of the Marvel by Ramble FX.

NUX Fireman
A Dual Channel Plexi-Style pedal inspired by the Deluxe version of the Friedman BE-OD. Key differences here are price (almost half!) and an EQ section that affects both channels. It can work at 18v for extra dynamic range and features handing Buffered/True Bypass switch in the back.

Marshall’s Guv’Nor pedal
This is arguably the first “amp in a box” pedal ever created and many of the pedals on this list wouldn’t be here today without it. The late 80’s stompbox found popularity after it was discontinued in the early 90’s and is still the “go to” dirt box for many players who want to add some British-tuned distortion to their rigs. The one pictured here is Version 2.

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BEST PLEXI PEDALS IN MINI FORMAT

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Tone City Golden Plexi
This is a very responsive Plexi-sounding pedal that has tons of gain on tap but still fairs equally well on low gain settings and high gain settings.  At this price, you could buy two and still have plenty of space on your pedalboard.

Wampler Plexi Drive Mini
A boutique mini pedal that delivers the same tones as its bigger, popular siblings but at a lower cost and smaller footprint. The circuit integrates the three basic Gain, Tone and Volume knobs with two toggle switches for Bass and Mids, essentially offering a circuit very similar to the one found on the popular Deluxe version, minus the extra Boost.

One Control Purple Plexifier
The One Control Plexifier might be mini, but, at $149, it’s not exactly affordable. That’s actually the company’s angle: raising the standards of the mini format, and that’s exactly what it does, offering a very responsive distortion and a 67db gain. A side trim pot lets you control the mid frequencies.

Xvive T1 Golden Brownie
An affordable mini-pedal that nails the JCM 800 tone and offers a good amount of sculpting options through the Tone and Presence knobs.

Mooer Blues Crab
Based off a Marshall Bluesbreaker, this mini pedal offers lower gain Marshall drive in a tidy enclosure.

Movall Audio MM-07 PlexiTroll
This is a truly inspiring pedal.  You can turn up the big Fury knob to add a lot of gain or back it down and use the Tone knob to shape a really chimey or warm clean sound.

Outlaw FX Deputy Marshall
It packs all the features you need in a mini enclosure, including tone knob and bright/normal toggle.

Joyo JF-32 Hot Plexi
A pedal that responds well with a clean amp and gives you a classic distortion sound at a low price.

Ovaltone Forty5
A Japan-made JTM45 in a box with controls for Volume and Drive. It has controls for Volume and Drive, responds well to dynamics and can take a hotter input when preceded by a boost.

Biyang DS-10 Max Distortion
This Chinese stompbox sounds like a dying Marshall that is turned up all the way with tubes that are fighting to produce a blissful dirty tone.  It captures the essence of playing through a cranked amp.

Talent PlexiTron
Cheap and easy to operate thanks to just three knobs and one switch.  Lots of fun for the price.

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OLDEN BUT GOLDEN MID-PRICED PLEXI PEDALS

This is a list of pre-2014 Plexi-style pedals that are holding up very well in the current market.

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Wampler Plexi-Drive
Now out of production (replaced by the Deluxe version), this was one of the most popular pedals in this category. It sounds fat and warm with a nice vintage sounding low end that’s not really tight but still has plenty of definition.

Xotic SL Drive
A high gain Marshall-voiced pedal that actually excels at giving you the sound of a JCM 800.  On a lower gain setting, it does sound like a Plexi, but it sounds like a really bright modern Plexi amplifier which is great for cutting through a heavy mix or a band with a lot of different instrumentation.

Carl Martin PlexiTone Single Channel
A vintage-voiced Marshall distortion pedal that sounds organic and not too colored in a way where you can engage it and feel like you’re just using the 2nd channel of your amp.

ZVex Box of Rock
Designed to nail the sound of a dimed Marshall JTM45, it does so convincingly. The controls couldn’t be simpler – Drive, Tone, Volume, and a single volume knob for boost (which can boost up to 50x from unity gain, that’s A LOT of boost!).  The mojo in this pedal is really in the interaction between the Drive knob and your guitar’s volume control – just like old Marshalls. Even when maxed, it never seems to get smeary or harsh.

Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk-III
All the sizzle and spice and everything you love about Plexis in a cool looking pedal. The Preamp and Master gain act like they would on your favorite old British amp and give you a lot of different options for gain staging. This is also Andy from ProGuitarShop’s favorite Plexi-in-a-Pedal!

LovePedal’s Purple Plexi
It lets access many different eras of Marshall Plexi tones via the responsive gain control and tone stock, letting you recreate those enormous tones at a whisper volume. Very responsive to the guitar’s volume and pick dynamics. There’s also a version with an extra boost circuit with its own footswitch.

Rothwell Hellbender
This overdrive pedal utilizes a multistage distortion circuit that helps it feel and sound like a real tube amp.  It is handmade in England and has true bypass for extra signal clarity in your rig.

Tech 21 Sansamp British V2
This pedal is very similar to the Hot Rod Plexi listed above, but it includes a speaker sim so you can plug it into a DI box and record your guitar direct into a recording console or audio interface.  It is a great backup option if your amp happens to break at a show or if you want a dual amp setup live but don’t want to lug around your Friedman Brown Eye 100 to your next bar gig.

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by Matthew Wang and Paolo De Gregorio


Video Shootouts and Other Useful LInks:

The Andertones
Guitar Bonedo
That Pedal Show

Here are a few useful forum threads about the Plexi-style distortions:

Marshall
Gear Page
Harmony Central

Related Posts:
Best Selling Overdrives of 2017
Amp in a Box Overdrives with a Boost Footswitch.

P.S. Did we forget something or posted incorrect information? Please post a comment and we’ll look into it!

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