2021 Best of New Boost, Overdrive and Distortion Pedals for the Year

Controls - Gain, Distort, Clean, Low, Mid, High, Low Freq Switch : 60Hz / 100Hz, Mid Freq Switch : 250Hz / 500Hz, Clean Blend : Post / Pre.

A fantastic extended-range addition to the HM-2 genre - which delivers quite a bit more versatility than the average HM-2 candidate. The Clean Blend settings in particular elevate it above most of its peers - a very worthy member of my HM-2 capsule collection.

Controls - Gain, Tone, Clipping : Classic / Asymmetric / LED, Deep : Bass Boost, Level, Dry Tilt EQ, Wet>Dry Mix.

Probably my favourite Tube Screamer style overdrive to date - with incredibly powerful tone-shaping onboard and a plethora of different tones - including fairly high gain output too with LED clipping applied.

Controls - Master Boost Level

Just a beautifully transparent smart temperature-controlled auto-biasing linear boost. I'm still deciding whether I need it and if I would use it regularly enough.

Controls - V for Volume, F for Mid Frequency, Trident for Gain, 3-way Mid EQ-Shift Toggle : High End Focus / Mids Focus / Upper Mids Focus, T for Treble, M for Mids Cut/Boost, B for Bass, Right Footswitch is On/Bypass, Left is HM-2 Mode Engage (additive only).

A spectacular monster high gain pedal with extraordinary sizzle. Really versatile too as it combines the best of Balrog, HM-2 and MT-2 pedals. The only downside really is that you typically need to re-calibrate when flipping between EQ Shift Modes, and you can't just apply the HM-2 Footswitch over anything - the EQ Shift needs to be UP, along with Treble and Mids! Possibly my favourite Super High Gain pedal of all time alongside the Toneczar Openhaus EQ. Alas still no demo!

Controls - Level, Color Mix Low + High, Distortion, Mode : Standard / Custom.

The revived HM-2 Heavy Metal Chainsaw / Swedish Death Metal / Twin Peaks distortion is better than ever. More response, more output and improved noise-floor, along with an amazing even more crushing Custom Mode. Even with all the new extended-range pedals in this category - the HM-2W is still an essential if you love that genre.

Controls - Frequency (2.4kHz > 5 kHz +10dB max boost), Blend (Dry Blend), Saturation (Degree of Feedback in 1st Gain Stage), Mic Volume (Gain/Distortion), Master (Volume).

Of course based on Richie Blackmore's Aiwa TP-1011 Reel-to-Reel Preamp - this delivers a very particularly textured gain - courtesy of some unusual controls. Definitely a different flavour of distortion which I like, albeit have not put it to much use yet!

Controls - Skew (Frequency Response of Boost : stock > full range), Boost (Amount of Boost), Extra (Gain level).

A different kind of Treble Booster - based on the John Hornby Skewes Silicon variety - which kind of stood alone amongst all those period Germanium types. Several celebrated players actually preferred this to the classic Germanium Dallas RangeMaster - and there seems to be something of a trend for Silicon Treble Boosters at the moment.

Controls - Tone, Mids : TS808 / Cut, Comp : More / Less, Presence, Volume, Gain

Essentially a Tube Screamer with a difference - specifically honed to deliver John Mayer's signature tone, as well as render more conventional TS808 flavours. We all know that John's tone is a combination of TS10 and Klon - and this delivers exactly that tonality with richness and nuanced texture. While of course it can be fully deployed too as a more conventional Tube Screamer.

Controls - Tone, Clean, Volume, Comp : More / Less, Gain, Internal Bass Trimmer.

Emilio's take on Robben Ford's recorded tone - the smoother Jazz / Steel String Singer side of the Dumble ODS - versus the 'Rock'ier side. Perfect for Sonny Landreth, Eric Johnson and Stevie Ray Vaughan tones too - the slightly milder and softer side of the Dumble - which this really excels at.

Controls - Gain Two, Master Two, Mid, Bass / Tight-Deep, High, Gain One, Master One.

Superb High Gain classic Rhythm and Lead Dual Channel style preamp - with really tight and muscular output. One of my favourite high gain pedals for sure - just perfectly calibrated really.

Controls - Chanel B} Gain, Level, Tone, Bass Boost : Off/On, Schottky + LED Clipping : Off/On, Channel A} Gain, Level, Tone, Bass Boost : Off/On, 2 x Schottky Clipping : Off / On.

Best Klone ever in my opinion - here in Dual Channel Format with same core circuit but different clipping options on either side. I tend to set the A Side slightly heavier and bassier, the B Side rather more soft and open. Just a beautiful tone-machine all-round - this was the very first new pedal into the chain this year - and it still stands imperiously at the end of the year - the only class of 2021 pedal really that did not move all year!

Controls - Drive, Voice : Modern / Vintage / Fat, Level, Bass, Mids, Treble.

A really great all-rounder versatile overdrive with a huge gain range across 3 different voicings. The Combination of Voice gain structure and 3-Band EQ makes for a very compelling and highly shapable gain stage machine. A truly great overdrive in a year overwhelmed by overdrives!

Controls - EQ : Full Freq > Treble Booster, Grit (Gain 1), Push (Level 1), Gain (2), Level (2).

Joseph's really smart combination drive - which consists of a treble booster going into an Electra style circuit - where you can control the 2 main Gain Stages separately via individual Gain and Level controls. Also the EQ goes from expansive full frequency boost up to focused treble boost. Just an incredibly elegant Overdrive with some really smart controls and beautiful output textures.

Controls - Green Gain, Green Level, Green Clipping : Si / None / Ge, Red Gain, Red Level, Red Clipping : LED / None / FET, Right Bypass/On Footswitch, Left Green/Red Channel Switch.

An excellent compact clone of EQD's discontinued BB-sized Dual DOD250 Clone - Grey Channel. Has pretty much the same parts and arrangement, but in miniature - and sounds every bit as good as it looks! A fantastically textured Dual Chanel Distortion. No demo alas exists for this yet, and so far only made in very limited quantities, lucky to get my hand on one!

Controls - Bass, Mid, Treble, Output, Tight : On/Off, Mode : Drive/Boost, Gain.

Vitalii Bobrov has released some excellent gain pedals this year - while his runaway winner for me in this gain category - is this superb extended range take on Boss's FA-1 FET Amplifier. I mostly prefer it in Boost Mode - where it delivers some fantastic elegant crunch tones for me - another beautifully textured Boost / Overdrive - here with the absolute perfect choice of knobs! Really cool artwork and moniker too!

Controls : Volume, Drive, Low, High, Shift : Up Thick / Down Tight.

John's V2 Dagger is an even better Jr companion / distillation of his flagship Longsword - and has now really evolved along its own lines. The Thick voicing gets you nicely into sort of Rat Territory - while not exactly the same texture - beautiful Fuzzy-Distortion, while the Tight Mode sort of overlaps with an OCD a touch. The powerful 2-Band EQ is particularly potent - where Low needs to be applied very diligently on the Thick Voicing - so as not to get a flubby bottom end - I say no more than 3 o'c!

Controls : Post, Pre, Tone, Depth, Voice : Up Clang / Middle Standard / Down Deep.

The new Halberd really suits its rust-coloured enclosure as to me that kind of suggests / symbolizes the fuzzy gritty tone you get with this discrete silicon transistor Overdrive. A huge variety of tones across the 3 voicings - Clang, Standard and Deep. This and the Dagger make for a very powerful pairing - and both can be somewhat fuzz-edged but have quite distinct tones and textures.

Controls - Volume, Presence, Gain, Bass, Clipping : Nanolog N3 Diode / 1N4148 Silicon Diode, Treble.

A powerful and deep sounding overdrive - particularly on my preferred N3 Diode clipping - really thick and rich overdrive texture. Control topology somewhat similar to Wampler's Pantheon - in having Bass, Treble and Presence controls vs classic 3-Band EQ - works really well on both pedals though!

Controls - Gain 1 (TS808), Gain 2 (MIAB), Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble.

In effect a sonic take on Pearl Jam's debut 'Ten' album tone - which is essentially a Tube Screamer into a JCM800. The 2 Gain Stages replicate the Overdrive and Amp - and are accompanied by a classic 3-Band EQ tone stack. Made available for only £99 - the first batch disappeared in seconds - and there is now a lengthy waiting list of thousands supposedly - where I am somewhere in the January / February queue as far as I'm aware - definitely down for one of these - great value too!

Controls - Volume, Tone, Drive, Gain, Gate : Off/On.

Ryan and Shannon's distillation of the Demon Drive/Distortion into a more compact enclosure. Engaging the Gate and cranking the Gain gets you into really cool raspy fuzz territory - where otherwise the voicing is closer to conventional Overdrive and Distortion. A really versatile pedal with those 5 smart controls - including dual gang gains! Excellent artwork of a Peacock Spider too - particularly in sparkling Canadian dealers edition which is what I have. Fuzzrocious's artwork game is killer at the moment - and reaches its peak on the recent Electric Ocean Fuzz-Phaser.

Controls - Volume, Drive, Clipping : Germanium / Silicon, Treble, Mids, Bass.

Sacha Greuter's really cool new organic / transparent overdrive - which sounds particularly great on complex combination Germanium clipping mode. Has full 3-Band EQ and sounds quite superb. I'm also rather taken by the 'bubbles' look of the enclosure. This came a little late in the year for me - as my December budget goes towards Christmas. Certainly looking to pick it up early in the new year!

Controls - Bass, Mid, Treble, Gain, Boost, Level, Internal 3-position Gate.

Carsten Pinkle's Oh My Goat Devil's Distortion was the first heavy duty distortion I picked up this year. In fact making the BottomShaker Channel from the Grindstein fully stand-alone with some additional tone-shaping. Delivers a crushing distortion with plenty of low frequency oomph - a favourite pedal for many a metal-head this year - and a fantastic addition to my own heavy selection - it enjoyed quite an extended run on the now #27 slot.

Controls - Gain, Clipping : Asymmetircal / Off / Silicon, Low Band : 60>90>150Hz, L'Mid Band : 300>490>1,05kHz, H'Mid Band : 850>1,3k>3kHz. High Band : 1.4>2>5kHz, Gate, EQ Style : HM-II / Both / KMA, Master Volume, Clean Blend, Left Terror Distortion Engage Footswitch, Right Tame Gate Engage Footswitch.

I acquired both KMA's Guardian, and Klirrton's Grindstein within a few months of each other - while the Grindstein was of course launched last year. Both are giants of the HM-2 genre and the pinnacle of extended range within that category - while each goes about it in quite a different way. The Guardian deploys amazing 4-Band Parametric EQ - while the Grindstein combines a HM-2 Channel - with blendable Bassy BottomShaker Preamp. Both sound immense - and I feel that the Guardian delivers even more granularity. These are surely the pinnacle of that genre if you're looking for maximum brutal texture - while the Blackhawk Sauron deserves a mention too - it's definitely been a year for HM-2 / Heavy Metal!

Controls - Bass : ±120Hz / ±20dB, Mid : 350>650Hz, Treble : 1>3kHz / ±20dB, Volume (+40dB).

Giulio's superb Tone Shaper + Boost has the most carefully selected frequency clusters for ultimate musicality - and married to a linear boost which adds up to 40dB of volume. A really smart easy-to-dial-in tone-shaper with very predictable and even action and a myriad of uses!

Controls - Master, Normal (Gain), Brite (Gain 2), Presence, Bass, Mid, Treble.

Giulio has picked up something of a stellar reputation for making exceptionally amp-like preamp pedals  - largely based on his superb Matamp-style T120 - which has always sounded immense - and surely has to be the best of that type out there. This time around he turns his attention to Sunn's Model-T Amp - which is magnificently replicated in the Exegol. It literally feels and sings like a proper tube amp - and Giulio has put a lot of work too into honing the dedicated Power Amp output - which delivers those same extraordinary textures into an FX Loop.

Controls - Red Screamer Channel} Volume, Tone, Gain, Blue Breaker Channel} Volume, Tone, Gain.

Rick Matthews' smart take on the King of Tone / The Duellist / D&M style dual drive combination of Tube Screamer and Blues Breaker Channels. Has a really clever order switching function by press/holding the lower footswitch - where LED colours indicate which channel comes first. A really cool take on that perfect combination overdrive match-up.

Controls - Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble, Gain, Presence.

MXR's Signature Pedal take on Tom Morello's core sound for peak Rage Against the Machine - essentially JCM800 Head into Peavey 4 x 12 Cab. A very familiar 5150 Overdrive style enclosure - which I would really have preferred in vertical orientation. Obviously another MIAB pedal - will be interesting to hear what nuances and distinctions there are when we finally get the demos. Not sure why MXR keep announcing their pedals so far ahead of launch?

Controls - Bass 50hz ±16dB, Mid 950Hz ±15dB, Treble 4kHz ±17dB, Gain (+56dB), Volume (+20dB).

Pete Cornish's superb sort of 3-in-1 Anniversary GC-1 unit - which combines SS-3, G-2, and P-2 gain / texture ranges - for a really wide-ranging and versatile Overdrive / Distortion / Fuzz. Those specific EQ values are very carefully calibrated for maximum impact - my first Pete Cornish pedal, and likely only one for some time! Still aim to get the CC-1 and NG-3.

Controls - Level, Drive, Lows, Highs.

Stephen's experiments with the Chime's Clipping, Headroom and Compression - resulted in a smoother Jr sibling - sporting Blue LED's by default for a higher headroom - more compressed lower gain version of the Chime circuit. Has a wonderful bloom under you fingers - resulting in really great feel - great for those kind of smooth and smeary tones.

Controls - Level, Drive, Lows, Highs.

Stephen's superb vintage take on the Boss OD-1 with superior mojo parts - mine has both the Classic Opamp Mod and NOS Diodes Mod for supreme vintage overdrive textures - you really get amazing harmonics and feel with the Level dimed and then notched back about a millimetre / 2 degrees!

Controls - Volume, Gain, Treble, Bass.

A superb and distinct mini harmonic overdrive - utilising unique GE+LED+Silicon Clipping for amazing Second Order Harmonic Texture. I didn't get around to adding this to the collection this year - certainly one for next year!

Controls - 2 x Volume, Tone, Gain, 2 x undisclosed 3-way clipping

A compact Dual Channel distillation of Darko's original BB-size Floral Green extended range Tube Screamer. Has classic 3 controls per channel plus undisclosed clipping - which looks like 3 Red LEDs, 2 White LEDs, and 2 sets of likely Asymmetrical Silicon Diodes. In any case it sounds fantastic - and has a good range of tones onboard. Probably not spent enough time with it this year - will bring it back into the chain again after Christmas. Not quite as immediate as the Mini Ziffer - but certainly has equally impressive output. No demos yet either - as only made in very small batches so far!

Controls - Volume, Post (EQ) Drive, Pre (EQ) Drive, Freq Gain ±6dB, Freq.

Mikey and Thorpy's superb Overdrive collaboration is the perfect everyday overdrive - with a huge range of easily dialable tones. That combination of single-band Parametric EQ and Pre and Post Gain is just ingenious really - and delivers the maximum impact from the minimum of controls. This is likely my most used of this year's new crop of overdrives.

Controls - Volume, Gain Structure : Vintage / Modern / Ultra, Low End EQ : Medium / Tight / Heavy, Gain, Bass, Top End Attack : Mid & High Freq / Off / + High Freq, Mids, Treble, Mid Range Freq : Mid / Low / High Mid, Resonance, Profile Switch Toggle Up : High Saturation / Low Saturation, Profile Switch Toggle Down : High End Freq Focus / Low End Freq Focus, Presence.

I've no idea how Mr Wu finds ways to keep on improving this N5 line of Preamp Distortions - the very original 2015 No.5 Distortion was already impressive, and I was sure he had reached his peak with 2019's N5+ variant, but amazingly the latest N5+ 3D Gold is even more spectacular than that. Superbly amp like in output and feel - with the minimum of colouring if that's your choice - or otherwise the most powerful tone-shaping arrangement of any compact pedal - in fact few preamps of any size can fully adequately compete with this. The only downsides really is that the latest pedal has minimal to no labels, and I would of course have preferred top-mounted jacks - while you really can't quibble over such an incredible technical achievement - one of the very best state-of-the-art compact gain pedals out there - perfect for those high gain lead tones - Marshall, Mesa, Soldano - prepare to be shocked and awed!

Controls - Volume, Gain, Tone.

A fantastic take on Clapton's 'Beano' tone - just an incredibly creamy and sparkly overdrive - which can veer into fuzzy-drive territory. A perfect combination of Silicon Transistors and Diodes - one of my favourite simple overdrives of the year - this really delivers on its promise.

Controls - Master, Variac, Vol II [19] / Body [22], Mode 19/22 : Plexi/JPM & JCM800, Vol I [19 & 22], Presence, Bass, Middle, Treble, and base-accessible Trim-Pot for Boost Level (via port-hole!).

Chris Tsakalis has done an incredible job on this perfect Plexi + JCM800 Preamp + Boost. Some really smart controls here - including the Variac voltage drop, and the 2 Volume (Gain) stage approach ported across from those original source / inspiration amps. This is the best full-range MIAB pedal out there - where you can dial in both voicings to sound amazing. I still like my Pettyjohn Gold, and I also like to use the Sivertek N5+ 3D Gold on occasion for a really searing JCM800 style voicing - but overall - it's mostly the Room #40 for applications across the MIAB spectrum.

Controls - Volume, (Clean) Blend, Gain, Bass, Clipping Mode : Tight Mode LED, Tight Mode Silicon, Dual Clipping Silicon + Led, Rhythm Mode LED, Rhythm Mode Silicon, Treble.

The distortion companion to the Ages Overdrive - really a vintage style scooped distortion with 5 different clipping modes and wide range of tones for that genre. Very much vintage in frequency profile as missing that Modern Mids Push!

Controls - Gain 2, Level 2, Tone, Response (Input/Output Capacitor), Clipping : Germanium / Silicon / LED / Asymmetrical Germanium / Asymmetrical Silicon / Asymmetrical LED / Transistor+Mosfet / No Diodes, Gain 1, Level 1.

Alex Millar's cool dual-channel gritty overdrive with multiple clipping options - where Mosfet is particularly impressive. Really cool under-the-radar Overdrive - which will no doubt be back in circulation in the chain next year.

• 29 Pedals OAMP Output Amp / Boost - $299
• Analogworm OD808 MKIII Dual Drive - $160
• Amplitude X-Drive Drive/Distoriton/Fuzz Workstation - $300
• Ananashead GT73 V2 Compact Matamp Style Preamp / Overdrive - €140
• Balaguer Fission Drive V2 Overdrive/Distortion - $199
• Bardic Audio Devices HM Demon Distortion - $155
• Becos FX Ziffer Overdrive Mini - €149
• Benson Germanium Boost - $199
• Blackhawk Amplifiers Sauron High Gain Distortion - $250
• Chirality Audio Splinter Drive - €176
• BO Effects OxyTone EPX Low Gain Drive - €219
• Boss HM-2W Waza Craft Distortion - $179
• Boss MT-2 Metal Zone Distortion 30th Anniversary Stealth Edition - $134
• Boss SD-1 Super OverDrive 40th Anniversary Inverted Edition - $82
• Catalinbread Dreamcoat R2R Preamp/Distortion - $179
• Catalinbread Skewer JHS Treble Booster - $179
• CKK Electronics Scream Honey Overdrive SH-1N
• Cornerstone Antique Classic Drive Mayer Style Overdrive - €239
• Cornerstone Gladio SC D-Style Overdrive - €279
• Crazy Tube Circuits Crossfire Dual Channel Preamp / Overdrive - €219
• Custom Audio Art Ultrasonic Dual-Channel High Gain Distortion - €POA
• Decibelics Golden Royale Double Klone - €319/€339
• Demedash 112+ Preamp Distortion Vintage Coral Edition - ¢205
• Demiurge Chroma Drive Treble Booster / Overdrive - £95
• Demiurge Brainbox Grey Channel Clone - £90
• Drunk Beaver [Boba] FET OverBooster (FA-1) - $180
• Drunk Beaver Distortion (DS-tort1on) - $180
• Drunk Beaver Trainer TS-15 Preamp - $120
• Electronic Audio Experiments Dagger V2 Opamp Distortion - $199
• Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd V2 Transistor Overdrive - $249
• Electronic Audio Experiments 0xEAE Boost (Obstructures x EAE) - $299
• Foxpedal Vixen Dimensional Drive - $199
• Frost Giant Electronics Architect of Reality Dual Preamp - $250
• Fulltone Plimsoul MKII Drive - $285
• Funny Little Boxes 1991 'Pearl Jam' Distortion - £99
• Fuzzrocious Li'l Fella Overdrive / Distortion / Fuzz - $160
• Greer Amps Sure Shot Clipping Boost Mini - $160
• Greuter Audio Natural Selection Organic Overdrive - €240
• Hamstead Soundworks Comet Interstellar Driver/Fuzz - £199
• Ibanez Booster Mini - $100
• Interchange Noise Works Streamline I Gritty Overdrive - $110
• Interchange Noise Works Streamline II Light Overdrive - $110
• Interchange Noise Works Streamline I Distortion/Fuzz - $110
• King Tone Heavyhand Overdrive (Blues Breaker) - $265
• Klirrton Manufaktur Oh My Goat! Devil's Distortion - €195
• KMA Machines Guardian of the Wurm Distortion + Gate - €299
• Kuro Custom Audio Bakeneko EQ + Clean Boost - €169
• Kuro Custom Audio Exegol Model-T Style Preamp - €230
• Matthews Effects The Broker Duality Overdrive - $200
• Milkman Sound Pop Top Boost - $229
• MXR Raw Dawg Eric Gale Signature Overdrive - $120
• MXR Signature Tom Morello Power 50 Distortion (JCM800 2205 + Peavey 4 x 12 Cab) - $189
• Nordvang No.1 Signature Klon-Style Overdrive - Kr 1,999
• OneControl Dyna Red Distortion 4K - $219
• OneControl Honey Bee Overdrive - $189
• OneControl Strawberry Red Overdrive DLX - $275
• Origin Effects RD Compact Hot Rod - £320
• Pete Cornish GC-1 3-Stage Overdrive/Distortion - £550
• Pettyjohn Electronics Edge Overdrive - $199
• Pettyjohn Electronics ODI Classic Mods - $277
• Pigtronix Gamma Drive Second Order Harmonic Overdrive - $129
• Pogo Pedals Zen Ray Overdrive - $199
• Polarbear Effects Floral Green V2 Compact Dual Overdrive - €150
• Redbeard Effects Angry Rhubarb Paradynamic Overdrive MKII - £185
• Rock Fabrik Mind Abuse Ultra High Gain Distortion Shiny Edition - €219
• Sinvertek N5+ 3D Gold Edition - $299
• Source Audio Ultra Wave Multiband Processor - $249
• Spun Loud Effects The Litigator Overdrive - $149
• Sunnaudio Rabbithead RH-1 Preamp/Dual Overdrive - $479
• TC Electronic MojoMojo Paul Gilbert Signature Overdrive - $79
• Tsakalis AudioWorks Room #40 MIAB Preamp + Boost - €240
• Vertex Steel String Supreme SRV - $250
• VS Audio Blackbird Dual-Voice Overdrive (Brown/Blackface) - $179
• Walrus Audio Eras 5-State Vintage Style Distortion - $199
• Wampler Gearbox Andy Wood Signature Overdrive/Distortion - $270
• Wampler Pantheon Dual Overdrive Deluxe - $270
• Zander Circuitry Surplus Elemental Overdriver- £149