Wattson FX is a California based team of developers that specializes in reproduction: they take schematics of classic pedals and revamp them with modern electronics in order to give players the chance to play through legendary stomp-boxes for a fraction of the price.

Brimming with confidence, the Wattson Escape Velocity Overdrive, based off of the Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer, is the self-proclaimed “…Tube Screamer that Ibanez wishes it had built” – featuring (according to the manufacturer) better bass response, more headroom, and an extra row of controls (the “O2” knob and “Trajectory” switch) that respectively changes the level at which the overdrive circuit begins to clip, and allow you to disable the parts of the circuit that cause the infamous Tube Screamer “mid hump.”

The mission at Wattson FX is truly beautiful; if updating classic pedals with modern hardware to increase durability and tone isn’t a precious service to the guitar playing world, then I don’t know what is.