gear giveaway

Distortion Pedals

Walrus Audio Fundamental Distortion

The Walrus Audio Fundamental Distortion belongs to the Oklahoma company's first sub-$100 line of pedals, but its circuitry borrows from about a decade of experience in designing distortion pedals costing over twice as much. Although the three controls are what you would expect on any distortion pedal (Gain, Tone and…Click on the title for more

Walrus Audio Fundamental Distortion

Fairfield Circuitry Roger That RF Distortion

The Fairfield Circuitry Roger That, a distortion inspired by FM radio communication, is another intriguing and imaginative pedal by a Canadian company with an uncanny ability to design original yet rather intuitive effect circuits, outside all trends. Using an "FM modulation and demodulation scheme," the Roger generates tones ranging from…Click on the title for more

Fairfield Circuitry Roger That RF Distortion

New Pedal: Dirty Haggard Koffein Distortion

You could say that the Dirty Haggard Koffein distortion, born out of a collaboration between the Portland-based builder and Oak & Crow Coffee, is a caffeinated pedal - or, at the very least, that it can keep anyone awake. A loud creature at heart, this pedal has a plenty of…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: Dirty Haggard Koffein Distortion

Jam Pedals Rattler RAT-style Distortion

Using the coveted LM308 chip, the Jam Pedals Rattler delivers dialed-in, refined RAT tones in a boutique construction with hand-painted graphics. In 2021, the Rattler was the victor of the Andertons TV blind RAT shootout! This pedal made Delicious Audio's list of the best RAT-style distortions! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_ahaRpxqp4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QaLRY_cbcE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEGpXnF6Uwo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXeeR5B5Ofc&t=651s…Click on the title for more

Jam Pedals Rattler RAT-style Distortion

Frost Giant Osiris Overdrive

The Frost Giant Osiris is an original overdrive circuit based on a circuit that introduces some innovation in a pedal niche that's been mostly developing around a few established designs, with the specific goal of turning small amps into huge-sounding tone monsters. Running internally at 18v, the Osiris is a…Click on the title for more

Frost Giant Osiris Overdrive

New Pedal: Marshall ShredMaster

As implied by its name, the Marshall ShredMaster is a distortion pedal for guitarists with shredding tendencies, therefore of the high-gain variety. Released in the early '90s, it was one of the first pedals to target metal and hard rock guitarists. Marshall has reissued it in all its glory in…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: Marshall ShredMaster

Lichtlaerm Audio Gehenna Metal Distortion/Preamp

The Lichtlaerm Audio Gehenna is an ambitious distortion pedal/preamp with 2 switchable gain stages created with the metal guitarist in mind. It aims at delivering tones ranging "from classic NWOBHM to early 2000s Core-music, from raw Black and Death Metal to super tight and modern Djent." It does so through…Click on the title for more

Lichtlaerm Audio Gehenna Metal Distortion/Preamp

Boost Blurry RAT-Style Filter Distortion

The Blurry is a limited edition pedal with a particular story that was highlighted by the JHS Show in their "Best of 2022" episode. It now sells for around $500 used on Reverb.com. Commissioned by Berlin-based cult electronic artist RIP Swirl to a product design studio called Boost (which has…Click on the title for more

Boost Blurry RAT-Style Filter Distortion

Mask Audio Line Blur EQ

The Mask Audio Line Blur (for which we can't find a web page yet) is a semi-parametric EQ and overdrive pedal for guitar and bass with audiophile-grade op amps, meaning that it's lo-fi in a hi-fi kind of way (those are components you'll find in a home stereo system rather…Click on the title for more

Mask Audio Line Blur EQ

DSM Humboldt Black Clouds Distortion

The DSM Humboldt Black Clouds is a new pedal by the collaborative Chilean company that rose to prominence through the Simplifier, an analog amp/cab simulator. It's their own take on the flexible high-gain distortion pedal (read: this is not a clone of an existing circuit). The flexibility here is delivered…Click on the title for more

DSM Humboldt Black Clouds Distortion

Greer Amps Gorrilla Warfare MkII

At Summer NAMM 2019, Greer Amps unveiled a new chapter in their dirt box saga: the Gorilla Warfare MkII is an updated version of their Rat-inspired distortion, an "angry, aggressive, larger-than-life and not-holding-back version of the old familiar circuit." Nick Greer is a well-respected pedal and amp designer, so you…Click on the title for more

Greer Amps Gorrilla Warfare MkII

2023 UPDATE! The Best Distortion Pedals | A Buyer’s Guide

This regularly updated page gathers a list of what can be considered the best distortion pedals on the market according to a list of reputable online sources and reviews. Together with fuzz and overdrive, distortion stompboxes fall under what electric guitarists commonly refer to as the "dirt box" umbrella. If…Click on the title for more

2023 UPDATE! The Best Distortion Pedals | A Buyer’s Guide