Acoustic SimulatorAlexander PedalsAmp and Cab IR SimBecos FXBest in ClassBig Muff Style FuzzBitcrushing and Lo-FiBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionBufferCatalinbreadChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCompressorCrazy Tube CircuitsCryBabyDelayDemedash EffectsDigital DelayDigital ReverbDigiTechDistortionDOD EffectsDr ScientistDriveDryBell EffectsDual-DriveDunlop EffectsElectro-HarmonixEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQFeaturedFlangerFlower PedalsFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGlitchGuitar Gear ResourcesGuitar Synth and SequencerJackson AudioJAM PedalsJHS PedalsKMA AudioLooperMarshall Style DistortionModulationMulti-DriveMXRNoise GateOverdrivePastFXPedalboard and Pedal-ChainPeterson TunersPhaserPigtronixPitchPlutoneium EngineeringRedbeard EffectsReverbRing ModulationRotary SpeakerSilicon FuzzSinvertekSonic ResearchSource AudioSubdecay EffectsTC ElectronicToneQuestTremoloTunersUni-Vibe and VibeUtilityVolumeWalris Audio+-
NOTE - this article is too large (108 videos) to work properly on Mobile devices - make sure you view on Desktop or Laptop!
This is my largest ever article - and it will unlikely be repeated in this fashion - as this takes so long to compile - and the 108 Pedals / Videos included just take a little too long to load up on the screen. In any case it’s a pretty exhaustive run-down in rough order of preference of my favourite Compact Enclosure Pedals of Each Type.
For a few here there are ...
Acoustic SimulatorAll-PedalAmp and Cab IR SimAnalog DelayAnalog.ManBecos FXBest in ClassBig Muff Style FuzzBitcrushing and Lo-FiBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionCarl MartinChorus and VibratoCompressorCooper FXCryBabyDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDouble TrackingDriveDrive WorkstationDrolo EffectsDSM & HumboldtDual-DriveDumble Style OverdriveDunlop EffectsElectro-HarmonixEmma ElectronicsEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQFeaturedFlangerFulltone EffectsFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGFI SystemGlitchGuitar Synth and SequencerHarmonizerHorrothia EffectsHot Cake Style OverdriveKlone and Transparent OverdriveKorgLooperMarshall Style DistortionMeris EffectsMetal DistortionModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveMulti-FXNoise GateNux FXOCD Style OverdriveOctaverODR Style OverdriveOverdrivePete CornishPhaserPitchPitch-ShiftingPladask ElektriskRed Panda LabReverbReverb WorkstationRock Fabrik EffectsRotary SpeakerSilicon FuzzSitek Guitar ElectronicsSpaceman EffectsStrymonTC ElectronicTech 21 NYCThorpyFXTimmyTone ElectronixTremoloTubescreamer Style OverdriveTunersTweed Style OverdriveTX PedalsUni-Vibe and VibeUtilityVolumeVox Style DistortionWah and Fixed WahWalrus AudioWMD Devices+-
It was about time I did my roundup of favourite and preferred Mid-Size enclosure pedals. This means we’re covering Medium-Slim, Medium-Tall and Medium-Square enclosures - depending on my prevailing mindset - the Horizontal / Medium-Stout types I often group with ’Large’. For my Pedal-Chain in particular - space is very tight - and I really cannot accommodate anything beyond Medium-Square on those slots.
The thought process is deciding between Compact and Medium box solutions involves your ...
Acoustic SimulatorAmbient EffectsAmp and Cab IR SimAnalog DelayBeat MachineBest in ClassBig Muff Style FuzzBitcrushing and Lo-FiBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionBufferChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCompressorCrazy Tube CircuitsCryBabyDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDouble TrackingDr ScientistDriveDrive WorkstationDual-DriveDumble Style OverdriveDunlop EffectsEchoverbElectro-HarmonixEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQFlangerFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzGermanium FuzzGlitchGranular DelayGuitar Synth and SequencerJackson AudioJAM PedalsJHS PedalsKlone and Transparent OverdriveLo-Fi DelayLooperMaestro Style FuzzMarshall Style DistortionModulated FuzzModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveMulti-FXNoise GateOCD Style OverdriveOctave FuzzOctaverOddball DelayOddball FuzzODR Style OverdriveOpAmp FuzzOverdrivePeterson TunersPhaserPitchPlate ReverbRack Style ReverbRat Style FuzzReverbReverb WorkstationRotary SpeakerShimmer ReverbSilicon FuzzSinvertekSource AudioSpacey ReverbSpring ReverbSuper-Fuzz StyleTape DelayTC ElectronicTimmyTone Bender Style FuzzTremoloTubescreamer Style OverdriveTunersTweed Style OverdriveUni-Vibe and VibeUtilityVolumeVox Style DistortionVS AudioWah and Fixed WahWalrus Audio+-
It was only natural that the Compact Format Preferred Versions feature should follow the Mini examples. Again largely inspired by the recent ’12 Degrees’ projects.
Once more I’ve had a change of mind on some of the candidates and the preferred examples are slightly different to those previous references. Obviously new pedals have arisen, and priorities and preferences can shift fairly regularly based on prevailing mood.
That said, most of these are long-term perennial favourites which ...
Acoustic SimulatorAmp and Cab IR SimBanana EffectsBecos FXBest in ClassBitcrushing and Lo-FiBoostBoost and OverdriveChorus and VibratoCompressorDecibelicsDelayDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDouble TrackingDriveDSM NoisemakerEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQFeaturedFlangerFunction F(X)FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGlitchGuitar Synth and SequencerHotone EffectsIbanezKlone and Transparent OverdriveLooperModulationMooerMr Black PedalsMXRNoise GateOctaverOneControlOverdrivePhaserPigtronixPitchReverbSilicon FuzzTC ElectronicTremoloTunersUni-Vibe and VibeUtilityVolumeWah and Fixed Wah+-
This article is in part inspired by my features on ’Mini Pedals State of the Art’, and those various ’12 Degrees’ posts I did at the tail-end of last year. Moreover I have had quite a few readers recently asking me for my preferred recommended mini pedals on various pedal-chain slots.
I last did this sort of exercise 4 years ago - where TC Electronic was kind of the dominant player - covering 8 of those 20 recommendations, with Mooer fairly close with 6 entries, Wampler with 2 and then ...
Acoustic SimulatorAmbient EffectsAnasoundsBeat MachineBest in ClassBitcrushing and Lo-FiBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCompressorCooper FXCrazy Tube CircuitsDelayDelay WorkstationDemon PedalsDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDouble TrackingDr ScientistDriveDual-DriveDumble Style OverdriveEarthQuaker DevicesEchoverbEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQEventideFlangerFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzGated and Velcro FuzzGermanium FuzzGlitchGranular DelayGuitar Synth and SequencerJackson AudioKeyztoneKlone and Transparent OverdriveKMA AudioLo-Fi DelayLooperMarshall Style DistortionMenatoneMetal DistortionMidValleyFXModulated FuzzModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveOCD Style OverdriveOctave FuzzOctaverOddball DelayOddball FuzzOddball ModulationOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzOverdrivePedal ChainPhaserPitchPlate ReverbRack Style ReverbRat Style FuzzRedbeard EffectsReverbReverb WorkstationRotary SpeakerShimmer ReverbShnobel ToneSilicon FuzzSpacey ReverbSpring ReverbStrymonTape DelayTC ElectronicThorpyFXTimmyToneczarTremoloTubescreamer Style OverdriveTweed Style OverdriveUtilityVox Style DistortionVS Audio+-
And so here is the culmination of everything that happened to the pedal-chain in 2020.
There were quite a few more displacements than I had expected - all told 22 slots changed over this year - including 19 Brand New Pedals for 2020, then 3 slightly older pedals, and some incidentals.
The most significant shift, and the one that caused the most disruption was the arrival of Boss GT-1000 CORE in October. This is often the case when you bring in a big new pedal - and you need to re-...
Acoustic SimulatorBossEQHotone EffectsModulationMooerSIM1Utility+-
This post is inspired by the recent launches of the Hotone Omni AC and Mooer Tone Capture Pedals. Before that, the long-standing champions of Acoustic Simulation were the Boss AC-3 and smaller Mooer replica - the Acoustikar. While SIM1’s slightly pricey XT-1 is a sort of more elaborate version of Tone Capture - coming with several high quality presets onboard by default.
Each of these pedals does things slightly differently - although there are degrees of overlap for some of ...
Acoustic SimulatorBoostBoost and OverdriveCompressorDelayDigital DelayEQGranular DelayJackson AudioJHS PedalsKeyztoneModulationOverdrivePickup ModellerRed Panda LabTubescreamer Style OverdriveUtility+-
Carrying on from last year - where I somewhat correctly predicted pedals would continue to get more compact, larger numbers would adapt dual-footswitch functionality and pedalboards and pedal-chains would get increasingly larger - I have now identified 4 more prevailing trends for this year.
I have selected 4 pedals which underscore these trends - three of my favourites from last year, and the forthcoming significantly enhanced and improved Red Panda Particle V2. These pedals individually ...
AC NoisesAcoustic SimulatorBig Muff Style FuzzBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveCornerstone Music GearDelayDigital DelayDophixEffects Pedal MakersFoxgearF-PedalsFTelettronicaFuzzGurus AmpsKlone and Transparent OverdriveKuro Custom AudioMastro ValvolaModulated FuzzModulationNexihum Sound CultOddball FuzzOscillating FuzzOverdrivePedal PlanetPhaserSilicon FuzzSIM1Tape DelayTremolo+-
With its still world-leading designer manufacturing industries I expect Italian pedal-makers to exhibit a certain degree of flair and pizzazz. So I was a touch disappointed when I came across so many poorly designed websites and often rather mediocre designs of pedals. That’s not to say there aren’t some leading lights here which raise the tone - but overall with the glut of pedal-makers I reviewed, I felt that as a nation they did not quite live up to their billing or imaginary status.
I ...
Acoustic SimulatorAlchemy AudioAmbient EffectsAnalog DelayBest of BrandsBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionChorus and VibratoCompressorDelayDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDriveDual-DriveEffects Pedal MakersEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQFlangerFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionHarmonizerKeeley EngineeringLooperMaestro Style FuzzMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionModified PedalsModulationMulti-DriveNoise GateOctave FuzzOctaverOverdrivePitchPitch-ShiftingReverbSilicon FuzzSpring ReverbSuper-Fuzz StyleTalk Box and VocoderTremoloTunersUtilityWaza Craft+-
So last year was the 40th anniversary of the Boss Compact Pedal (1977 - 2017) and I did a feature to commemorate that notable milestone. On that occasion I picked out 20 of my favourite Boss Compacts - past and present.
In the intervening time I’ve got more and more into Boss pedals - particularly modified versions, and have decided to extend the list to cover the additional pedals I am interested in. There is still a part of me that prefers the MXR-style enclosure, especially the twin ...
Acoustic SimulatorAmptweakerBest in ClassBig Muff Style FuzzBoostBoost and OverdriveBossCarl MartinChorus and VibratoCompressorDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDouble TrackingDriveEarthQuaker DevicesElectro-HarmonixElektronEmpress EffectsEQFlangerFree The ToneFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionLooperMarshall Style DistortionModulationMulti-DriveNoise GateOctaverOpAmp FuzzOverdrivePhaserPigtronixPitchRat Style FuzzReverbReverb WorkstationSonuusSubdecay EffectsTech 21 NYCTremoloTubescreamer Style OverdriveTunersUtilityVolumeWah and Fixed WahWhirlwind EffectsXotic EffectsZvex+-
This article completes the fourth part of the quadrilogy which started with the compact pedal overview and was triggered by the 40th anniversary Boss article. If you’re going to go with a large enclosure pedal, you really need it to be of the all-singing and dancing variety, otherwise why would you be sacrificing so much pedal real estate. Traditionally large pedals have meant the big all-in-one workstations - i.e. your classic big box Eventide and Strymon, and now Boss solutions. Technology ...
