Big Muff Style FuzzBitcrushing and Lo-FiBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveChorus and VibratoCompressorDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDown-TunerEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQExpressionFlangerFractal Audio SystemsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGlitchGuitar Synth and SequencerHarmonizerHot Cake Style OverdriveKlone and Transparent OverdriveModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-FXNoise GateOCD Style OverdriveOctave FuzzOctaverOddball ModulationOverdrivePhaserPitch-ShiftingReverb WorkstationRing ModulationRotary SpeakerSlicer and StutterSwellTimmyTone Bender Style FuzzTremoloTubescreamer Style OverdriveUni-Vibe and VibeWah and Fixed Wah+-
So Fractal Audio Systems has thrown its hat in the ring with its first non-modelling device / unit - the VP4 Virtual Pedalboard Multi-FX Processor - which is quite a departure for the brand.
It’s obviously gunning for Line 6 and Eventide in particular, but also looking to knock out Boss and Strymon Workstation pedals. It has several of its own advantages, but with a number of caveats too. Overall it’s well priced for what it delivers - but for my own preferences it’s still somewhat over-...
Big Muff Style FuzzBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBrown Sound DistortionDistortionDriveDrive WorkstationDual-DriveDumble Style OverdriveFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzHot Cake Style OverdriveKlone and Transparent OverdriveMaestro Style FuzzMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionMulti-DriveOCD Style OverdriveOctave FuzzODR Style OverdriveOpAmp FuzzOverdriveRat Style FuzzSuper-Fuzz StyleTavysh EffectsTimmyTone Bender Style FuzzTubescreamer Style OverdriveTweed Style OverdriveVox Style Distortion+-
When I first glimpsed the HARM pedal - it very much appeared to me to be the full-fat embodiment of my ’12 Degrees of Saturation’ Methodology. Now that I’ve been road-testing it for 3 weeks, I can absolutely vouch for its potency, versatility, and prowess - its range of coverage is extraordinary!
This is the one compact pedal that can pretty much cover all your gain needs. That’s not to say it wholly accurately 100% replicates every gain pedal, while it most definitely gets well beyond the...
Blues Breaker Style OverdriveBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveDumble Style OverdriveHot Cake Style OverdriveKlone and Transparent OverdriveOCD Style OverdriveODR Style OverdriveOverdriveShnobel ToneTimmyTubescreamer Style OverdriveTweed Style Overdrive+-
I’ve waxed lyrical for a long time about the potency of the Daily Driver - where I originally acquired it based on how close it came to the tone and timbre of the Pete Cornish CC-1. The CC-1 can replicate / reproduce the tones of the TS808, Timmy, Klon and Blues Breaker with ease - and this new Boost addition makes it even more versatile.
The original had those 4 key corner knobs - and a single toggle switch for More Hi-Cut / None / Some Hi-Cut. Those 5 controls gave the pedal an incredible...
29 Pedals3rd Power Amps3RD Power ElectronicsAll-PedalAnalog.ManBest in ClassBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveCKK ElectronicsColortone PedalsCrazy Tube CircuitsDaredevil PedalsDeath By AudioDecibelicsDrunk BeaverDSM & HumboldtDumble Style OverdriveEarthQuaker DevicesGreat Eastern FX Co.Hamstead SoundworksHorrothia EffectsHot Cake Style OverdriveJ RockettJHS PedalsKernomKing Tone EffectsKlone and Transparent OverdriveMissing Link AudioMXRNordland ElectronicsOCD Style OverdriveODR Style OverdriveOKKO FXOneControlOrigin EffectsOverdrivePastFXPRSREVV AmplificationSource AudioSpaceman EffectsThorpyFXTimmyTubescreamer Style OverdriveTweed Style OverdriveVictory AmpsVS AudioWamplerWay Huge Effects+-
So it’s that time of year again when I trawl through the releases over these past 12 months or so and endeavour to extract the pedal highlights of the year. This exercise is all about drawing a line in the sand and figuring out which pedals deserve to be on the notable side of the line.
Of course everything I publish on Guitar Pedal X is highly curated - those are my own particular preferences and choices, and those are the pedals that I like the look of. So everything that appears on ...
Barber ElectronicsBest in ClassBJFEBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossCKK ElectronicsCrowther AudioCustom TonesDemon PedalsDumble Style OverdriveFairfield CircuitryFeaturedFoxpedalFulltone EffectsGreer AmpsGreuter AudioHamstead SoundworksHot Cake Style OverdriveJ RockettJHS PedalsJRADKlone and Transparent OverdriveKuro Custom AudioMenatoneMissing Link AudioNeunaberNordland ElectronicsOCD Style OverdriveODR Style OverdriveOverdrivePaul CochranePettyjohn ElectronicsRedbeard EffectsSnouse Electric CompanySpaceman EffectsThorpyFXTimmyTrue North PedalsTsakalis Audio WorksTubescreamer Style OverdriveTweed Style OverdriveWampler+-
So I last did one of these back in 2020 - meaning that these ’Best of Overdrive’ run-downs seem to be a circa biennial affair. We’ve upped the numbers to 32 this year, while they represent barely a quarter of the overdrives I have in my reference collection - so there are obviously a lot of honourable mentions listed below - before the Final Thoughts section.
These types of exercises are incredibly tricky to strike the right balance of generally considered classic overdrive pedals and ...
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 ...
Analog DelayBest of BrandsBig Muff Style FuzzBitcrushing and Lo-FiBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoDelayDigital ReverbDistortionDriveExpressionFlangerFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzGlitchHot Cake Style OverdriveKlone and Transparent OverdriveLooperModulationMulti-DriveOCD Style OverdriveOverdrivePhaserPitch-ShiftingReverbReverb WorkstationSilicon FuzzTimmyTremoloTubescreamer Style OverdriveTweed Style OverdriveUtility+-
I only recently completed my Chase Bliss Audio Gain Section - with the at long last addition of the Condor EQ/Preamp/Filter pedal - essentially a JR version / precursor to the Preamp MKII but with lots of additional ramping functions and a different preamp makeup. This means I now have all 5 of Joel’s gain pedals which were acquired in the below order. This article touches on all the Chase Bliss Pedals I currently own, and covers the entirety of the Chase Bliss Audio pedal range - past and ...
Ambient EffectsBest in ClassBig Ear PedalsBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCooper FXCoppersoundDelayDemedash EffectsDigital ReverbDistortionDr ScientistDual-DriveEarthQuaker DevicesElectro-HarmonixEnvelope Filter and Auto WahExpresso FXFlangerFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzGermanium FuzzGlitchGranular DelayGuitar Synth and SequencerHologram ElectronicsHot Cake Style OverdriveJackson AudioJAM PedalsKlone and Transparent OverdriveMarshall Style DistortionMenatoneMetal DistortionModulated FuzzModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveNeural DSPNordland ElectronicsOCD Style OverdriveOctave FuzzOctaverOddball FuzzOddball ModulationODR Style OverdriveOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzOverdrivePhaserPitchPlate ReverbRack Style ReverbRat Style FuzzRed Witch EffectsRedbeard EffectsReverbReverb WorkstationShimmer ReverbShnobel ToneSilicon FuzzSpaceman EffectsSpacey ReverbSpring ReverbStrymonTimmyTone Bender Style FuzzTremoloTubescreamer Style OverdriveTweed Style OverdriveUtilityVox Style DistortionVS Audio+-
So I’ve now completed 5 preliminary shortlists type articles featuring between 9 and 30 or so of the best pedals released in 2020 - in each of the following categories :
I sincerely apologise if I’ve overlooked any here, while I’m not sure they would have necessarily influenced the final...
Best in ClassBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBrown Sound DistortionCarl MartinChase Bliss AudioCornerstone Music GearCrowther AudioDanelectroDistortionDriveDryBell EffectsDual-DriveDumble Style OverdriveFriedman EffectsHot Cake Style OverdriveJackson AudioJetter GearJHS PedalsKHDKKlone and Transparent OverdriveLawrence Petross DesignMarshall Style DistortionMenatoneMetal DistortionMidValleyFXMulti-DriveMXRNordland ElectronicsODR Style OverdriveOrigin EffectsOverdrivePedal PawnPettyjohn ElectronicsRainger FXShnobel ToneSitek Guitar ElectronicsThorpyFXTimmyTubescreamer Style OverdriveVox Style DistortionWalrus AudioWampler+-
And here is the first of the category overviews for the year - combining those Overdrive and Distortion pedals which sparked some interest for me. Note that there will be 4 of these types of articles - Overdrive & Distortion (this one), Fuzz, Delay and Reverb (exc. Reverb Workstation already covered), and Modulation + Pitch + Untility pedals. Before I then reveal my overall 25 or so favourite favourite pedals for the year in a Best-of-the-Best listing - with possibly some sneaky additions....
12 Degrees of SaturationAion ElectronicsAnalog.ManBarber ElectronicsBearfoot FXBJFEBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBlues Driver Style OverdriveBO EffectsBogner AmplificationBoost and OverdriveBosscmatmodsCrowther AudioCustom TonesDanDrive PedalDecibelicsDemon PedalsDumble Style OverdriveFeaturedFoxpedalF-PedalsFree The ToneFulltone EffectsFunction F(X)Greer AmpsHamstead SoundworksHot Cake Style OverdriveJ RockettJackson AudioJetter GearJHS PedalsJoyo EffectsKeeley EngineeringKlone and Transparent OverdriveKuro Custom AudioLovepedalMad Professor EffectsMenatoneMI EffectsMontreal AssemblyMooerMXRMythos PedalsNobelsNordland ElectronicsOCD Style OverdriveODR Style OverdriveOverdrivePaul CochranePedal DiggersPickdropperSarno Music SolutionsSnouse Electric CompanySpaceman EffectsThorpyFXTimmyTrue North PedalsTsakalis Audio WorksTubescreamer Style OverdriveTweed Style OverdriveVemuramVFE PedalsVick AudioWamplerWay Huge Effects+-
So this is one of most significant works in a while, and carries on the legacy of two of my most popular all-time articles on the 12 Degrees of Saturation - the Original that evolved in the early months of 2017, and the follow-up which materialised in September of 2018.
I obviously deal with a lot of reader inquiries pretty much on a daily basis, and one of the more popular lines of inquiry has been about overdrives. And while Josh Scott attests to the fact that there are only 5 core ...
