End of Year Pedal-Chain Update - Final Formation - Class of 2023

It's always fantastic to see how the pedal-chain had evolved over the year - and which pedals have put in a shift on the board. Every month it's a difficult task of stick or twist for every slot - depending on the incoming new releases. And also if a pedal is potent enough to wholly take over and commandeer a slot as such Not always a fair basis of comparison as some slots by nature have to change pretty much on a monthly basis - like slot #5 of course.

Interesting to see that all but 10 turned over this year as such - while the new Boss NS-1X had but a brief stint on slot #28.

It's important to focus on the long-stay 'Anchor' pedals too - the Boss SY-200, JA Prism and Bloom, Thorpy Heavy Water, Strymon Riverside, Coppersound Triplegraph, Strymon Sunset, Empress ParaEQ 2, TC Electronic Mimiq, and Boss RC-600. Those 10 are currently going nowhere. I've tried alternatives of those slots - but nothing seems to improve on what is already there!

Note also that the Sitek Cristal Buffer has been added as a permanent feature too now - above the Empress ParaEQ - that's actually where it sits on the board - and indeed it comes after the heavy distortion and EQ section.

And the chain is sounding about as good as it ever did. Several steps forward in some way - while also a few steps to the side - simply exploring different options!

A very satisfying year overall in terms of pedal releases - but I've been totally shattered since about October - it's a miracle I've made it this far without collapse. You would not believe the number of hours I've dedicated to this are this year - a punishing regiment for sure - great to be going into a proper Christmas break now!

The following slots were impacted this year - #1, #2, #4, #5, #9, #10, #11, #12, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #23, #24, #25, #26, #27, #28, #30, #31, #32, #33, #34, #35, #36, #38, #39, #40, #41.

And here follow all the individual slot details as is common at this time of the year - in short a full round-up!

The Keyztone Exchanger Pro is an absolutely essential pedal for me - it delivers exceptional Tele and Strat Voicings for my Humbucker-based main guitar. It's the best version yet of this format and really works well for me - much more authentic that using the coil-split. Been in the chain since May!

Only recently added to the chain - but a superb take on a pitch-shifter - with Explore Mode Gesture Control and Expression Ramping - delivering really interesting shimmery / fluttery textures. Only downside is that it doesn't have the Tom Morello +2 Octaves Interval - which limits is long-term impact for me, and means that either the DigiTech Whammy Ricochet or Boss PS-6 will take over sooner than later. Because of the Nova Twins - I'm particularly into the PS-6 at the moment!

The Boss SY-200 still holding its own here - there is no other equivalent still that can compete with this within this form factor. A superb synth pedal in every way - with really easy to use intuitive user interface. I look forward to seeing some proper competition for this one eventually!

First in the chain in August Marc Christiansen's Squidink take on the PLL format is my favourite ever of that type - simply genius - and it sounds incredible!

So many options here - and a very difficult choice in the end. The new version of the Bispell Gleam first hit the board in July, and it's pretty extraordinary in it potency - using 4 silicon transistors to replicate really well those classic germanium-powered fuzzes of the 60's.

No change on slot #6 - I've long since given up finding a replacement for the JA Prism - I've tried various alternatives in that spot and none deliver the same gooey analog warmth as the Prism does - so that one's a keeper for sure!

Another keeper on this slot - the JA Bloom - and I've never used it more really - using all 3 functionalities here - Compression, EQ and Boost pretty much every day - the Low-Cut that I have set on the EQ has been essential for so many bass-heavy pedals this year - which were rather optimised for single coils - having the low cut engaged has pretty much been essential. There is no other pedal that offers up all these features in an instantly switchable way - which means that this one's going nowhere either - a very solid workhorse!

There have been some really cool boosts this year - but oddly none that really challenge this Thorpy Heavy Water 3-in-1 boost. I find it essential to have a Germanium boost in my chain - for enhanced harmonics in particular - while I use all 3 modes - single and combined that is to say - fairly regularly. Looks like the Heavy Water holds onto its protected status for quite a while longer!

So after a long stretch - the Thorpy Scarlet Tunic is taking a break from this slot - and in comes the 'Redverend' XX from my good friend Guillem at Decibelics - deliver 4 superior voicings of Crunch, Overdrive, Distortion and Fuzz - a really excellent pedal for sure - and one that is surely to reign a while on this slot! I still of course really love the Scarlet Tunic - I'm just sharing the love is all.

The Messiah Guitars Eddie Haddad BoostDrive came in during July - and I loved it from first encounter - both Drive and Boost side are just perfectly calibrated for some really cool complementary action - and this pedal sounds superb every which way - I particularly enjoyed running it in Distortion and pseudo-Fuzz voicings. This one is really cleverly engineered and perfectly calibrated!

The Electric Love Aquatone - which only landed just recently - has quickly risen to become one of my favourite overdrives. It basically builds on and expands the Blues Driver format - with 3-Band EQ and 2-way Overdrive / Distortion switch. Delivering far more granularity and entirely new territories for the Blues Driver to expand into. Ben and Brian have properly doubled down on the Blues Driver circuit and made it much the better for it!

This Hello Sailor Effect Anchor Drive arrived in November - and had a massive impact on me. It's simply thunderously good with massive extension, plenty of versatility - and as loud as you like. Also has beautiful guitar volume gain cleanup - just about exactly what I would want from an overdrive where I commissioning it myself. A total under-the-radar monster - that more people really need to get their hands on - sounds IMMENSE!

The Anchor here is applied a little generously as the Riverside was off the board for a few months - to give the 29 Pedals FLWR and airing - but inevitably the Riverside took up its throne again in June and has remained there since - so officially it was there at the start of the year, and at year's end!

There is no holding back the Coppersound Triplegraph - it's still entirely holding its own - there really is nothing else remotely like it! I feel it could do with some extra feature - like Octave Ramping Time and a selector for ±2 Octaves - so you can do the Tom Morello thing with this too - that would make the massive footprint a little more palatable. I certainly feel it's the best at what it does - but could still probably do a little bit more!

I think most of you have gauged my feelings on this pedal by now - the Kernom Moho Magmatic Augmented Analog Fuzz is an absolute essential for all fuzz fans and fanatics! Sure it doesn't do the volume gain cleanup thing perfectly - but it does do it to a significant extent - and all those myriad fuzz voicings - vintage, modern and otherworldly make this a fuzz like no other - it's only got about 1 million flavours - or so!

There's obviously something special about the Anasounds Sandman as it's been glued to slot #16 since June. It basically combines the best version of its Savage Overdrive (Klone), with the best of its Ego Driver (Screamer). Really sounds superb - once you tweak the internal settings appropriately. I've not felt the need to relieve it from its position since it arrived - looks fantastic too!

My very first tube-powered Tubesteade EggNog was just perfect in this format - 3-Band EQ and Boost - all in a compact enclosure, and with a manageable 12V DC[-] 350mA current draw - much more practical and usable than its larger siblings. Sound terrific too - really captures the Tweed Amp tonality - pretty much the perfect Tubesteader for me. I will be getting more if they come in this handy format - alas the most recent one has gone super-size again - and is not to my preferences - hopefully the next one then!

I had the Bispell Saxon on this slot for most of the year - but then the PedalPalFX PAL800 Gold V4 came in for November and bumped it. The PAL800 is the superior sounding MIAB - has something of a more lively texture to it. I've long intended to get one of those in - and now seemed to be exactly the right time. I will swing round for the PAL987 in the new year - to complete that set!

The Bispell Proxy has pretty much owned this slot for most of the year - I had intended on giving the Victory Copper and Sheriff and airing at some stage - but that never quite happened - so that's an exercise for next year. There's also the UAFX Ruby and Lion that I need to check out at some stage. While the Proxy has acquitted itself pretty well on Brian May duties and will probably hold way for a few months longer!

Josh Smith's Signature Poly Flat V has owned slot #20 all year - and will be joined by its Poly Verbs sibling in the new year. I love most everything about the Flat V - but the touch functionality does glitch out occasionally - and isn't always fully responsive - certainly nowhere near the levels as on a smartphone - that said it works well most of the time - and delivers some great tones - with the unique amplitude and resonance modulation!

For a while the Rainger FX Dr Freakenstein Chop Fuzzz looked like it was going to claim the Fuzz of the year title - but it's been such a strong year - and so many innovative new pedals in that category, Regardless of all else this is the finest pedal David and his team have built to date - sounds superb with 3 different ways - and looks killer too - with custom knobs and custom modded VU meter. 

Another perennial favourite and Anchor pedal - the Strymon Sunset - hasn't budged from this slot for years - while I still mostly use it as a downstream boost - and mostly Treble Booster at that!

One of the surprise highlights of the year - which I managed to get hold of rather unexpectedly right at the start of the year - in January. The Bixonic Axentrix has been on and off the board a few times this year - where it really is a superb kind of hybrid Expandora which totally excels on the Fuzz voicing. It has lots of extra features for more extensive tone-shaping - it sounds consistently vibrant and lively - and not at all 'digital' just a fantastic new take on the Expandora.

The Intensive Care Audio Vena Cava Filter / Distortion first entered the chain in October - and made an instant impact. It's exactly the kind of wall-of-sound filter-distortion that I so love - beautiful rich textured breakup - with lots of volume on tap - a perfect pedal for me really!

Palmer Custom FX has two brilliant pedals on its hands currently - both the superb Solarist pedals - the Swiss-Army-Knife Ge/Si Fuzz Face + Ringmaster types - and I love the simpler Green Edition almost as much as the full-fat V2 Edition. Both sound amazing - and some will indeed prefer the simpler take to the more feature-rich one - where there's a significant saving to be made also!

It was a close-run thing this year between the Fortin Natas and the Electric Eye Thrasher to claim my best metal pedal of the year - both sound amazing - have plenty of range on tap and just work beautifully in and even and predictable manner. While there is something extra special about the Natas - it is a little more poised and precise in its delivery - and those extra controls really help you fine-tune the pedal to your preferences. Both the Natas and Thrasher are superb - and its a very close run thing - but the Natas has it by a hair!

So there have been a few different pedals on this slot - including the quite superb Fjord Fuzz Loke Dual Delay Line Manipulator / Modular / Virtual Reel-to-Reel Tape Machine! When it not only covers you for Short to Medium Delays, but all manner of tape-based modulations - like flanging and chorusing. I was even getting some cool metallic steel drum sounds out of it at one stage. Mostly aided and abetted by an ingenious smart random modulation - which delivers some very unusual fluttery textures and derivatives. The only downside with this pedal really is that it's too versatile and does too much - and there is no way to preserve although marvellous unique tones you uncover - really needs presets!

The Boss NS-1X was on the board for a month back in September - and while I liked a lot about it - my custom modded NS-2 actually sound better most of the time - and more natural, The NS-1X didn't seem to quite gel with the rig - it has no Analog-Dry-Thru - so it's continually converting the signal form Analog to Digital and back to Analog again - and something about the didn't site quite right with me. The NS-1X works wonderfully in all manner of scenarios - but for me I was always conscious that there was some slight different in texture - however minute. I guess it depends very much on you rig and your auditory sensitivity. I love much about it - particularly its extensive granularity and fine-tuneability! For some reasons though the Alchemy Audio Modded NS-2 sounds better in my rig, So the NS-1X was on for the month of September - and then the NS-2 too over duties again!

Regardless of my exile from Empress Effects (I was pushed!), I still really rate their ParaEQ DLX MKII - and it remains my EQ of choice. I kind of liked the recent GFI System Enieqma - but that's far too massive to sit on any journeyman's board - much more of a study tool surely. So for me it's really either the ParaEQ DLX MKII or the Alchemy Audio Modded Boss GE-7. I really like the ParaEQ - which is why it's remained in place ever since it first emerged - still one of the finest of its kind in my opinion!

Coming directly after the ParaEQ, the Sitek Cristal Signal Buffer has been essential in painting signal clarity and fidelity this last few months! if first entered the signal chain in April - and has held its place ever since. Really adds some magic sparkle to the signal when it's engaged - which is why it's always on!

I did really love the Rainger FX Flanger X too - but my stand-out Flanger for the year - in fact probably my favourite flanger of all time - was the super rare PastFX 80/A with the rarest of NOS BBD Chips onboard. There is definitely some Mojo in that chip as it sounds phenomenal, extraordinary! Simply the most flavoursome and versatile Flanger I own - a must for ever Flanger Fans - in fact I would say the entire PastFX Flanger Quadfecta / Quadrilogy was a must buy - I have all and love alll - and for me the 80/A is the Best of the Best!

Simply my favourite ever Harmonic Tremolo - improved - the MK2 edition has more features and granularity Than the MK1 and more versatility. And don't just take my word for it - it's also Markus Reeves' favourite tremolo too. Comes as close to sounding like a Uni-Vibe as any Tremolo that I've ever encountered - just beautifully wonderfully richly textured.

No matter how strong and versatile and brilliant sounding the Beetronics SeaBee is - and it really is - this JA New Wave is my champion Chorus for the year. The Beetronics SeaBee with all its extra features is just too complex to manage without having the manual always at your site. By contrast the New Wave is immediately intuitive and remarkably easy to use - with a broad range of tones and patterns - courtesy of some custom waveforms. I have my issues with Jackson Audio as every one knows by now - but this pedal is not one of them - one of my favourite choruses of all time! Note that is has some sensitivity towards the right power supply - where only Cioks will do really! A fantastic all-round Chours / Vibrato / Rotary / Harmonic Modulator - with some significant tricks up its sleeve - but still incredibly easy to operate!

The new and improved full stereo Chase Bliss MOOD II Micro Looper & Ambience Generator is every way improved over its predecessor while there seems to be some variance in the time-stretching function - for delivering Sigur Rós tones - that the MKI did particularly well. This is still Chase Bliss's best pedal in many ways - certainly still its most popular - it just covers so much grounds - and makes almost anything sound more interesting!

Obviously the Stereo Gen Loss II entered this slot right at the start of the year - and I've gone with a different Lo-Fi Modulator - the Chase Bliss x Goodhertz take on the latter's celebrate Data Compression Degradation plugin. A real cool de-rezer which can indeed have a degree of musicality about how it's deployed - as long as you do it softly and gracefully - capable of some really cool sounds - and very unique in the pedal world. Chase Bliss rarely fail to surprise!

The Eventide H90 has held its spot all year - I still haven't fully delved into all its different possibilities properly - albeit I've circled through all the presets quite a number of times - but not really yet had that major of a deep-dive. It's an exceptional Multi-FX pedal for sure - while some of those presets do need fine tuning - and all the gain ones for some reason are set to way too low an output? I've now determined that this is the most likely slot for the Hologram Chroma Console - that being a Multi-FX unit also. I really just need to decide on timings there - and of course pending availability! I would like to spend a little longer with the H90 before I flip over!

This slot was occupied by the Red Panda Raster 2 for the most part - which I had a lot of fun with, while I've gone with the more recent Chase Bliss Reverse Mode C Multidirectional 3-Voice Delay - which I found to be even more instant and more fun for what I was wanting to do. Both have a degree of overlap on the Reverse Delay side - while the Reverse Model C has a little more to it overall in that area!

The TCE Mimiq is still an absolute essential for me - 'fairy dust' for stereo rigs - makes everything sound grander and more immersive. Me and Brian Wampler really love this one - sure it's a smart double-tracker of sorts - but it really does do something magical to my rig in particular - one of my always always-on pedals!

There's been some killer pedals on this slot this year - the Strymon Cloudburst Ambient Reverb, Keeley Andy Timmons Halo Dual Echo - Light-Bending Edition, and finally the ALABS Audio Cetus Reverb - which earns primo slot status via its exceptional 2nd-half algorithms. Really does sound superb - and for a $99.99 pedal - it's an embarrassment of riches really!

The Hologram Microcosm has been on this slot since the start of the year - I've had spells with where I've used it quite a lot, but for the majority of the time it's more of an occasion punch-in effect. Still sounds magical! I'm thinking of getting in the Endorphin.es Ghost Pedal in on the rotation on this slot - to alternate with the Microcosm - I feel that the Ghost Pedal can deliver some similar and differentiated flavours along similar lines - although that will be quite a bit later in the year - lots of priorities for the first quarter!

We started with the Meris LVX on this slot, then brought in the Boss SDE-3000EVH very briefly for May - it took me the whole of that month to fully get to grips with all the submenus - but was very rewarding when I did. Then in June Boss released their magnificent DM-101 - which is amazing every which - apart from that MISO routing thing I've raised on each of those posts. A fantastic analog delay with the most variations and patterns - missing LPF and HPF filters that some of the others have, and is Mono In - Stereo Out - which is not exactly optimal for my rig - but which I make do with - it means I can't run any of my stereo modulations into the delay - they either need to be mono, or come after! 

The Empress Reverb served very nicely on this slot right up until the release at last of the Boss RV-200 which took over duties in November. Another fantastic 200-Series pedal - every bit as good as the fabulous DD-200 - and with the perfect mix of algorithms in place - including the really cool new ArpVerb. For its size and form factor it's nigh perfect - and definitely mission accomplished for Boss. That said I already have the next occupant for this slot - the cool Poly Effects Verb - that was my last acquisition of the year and landed just earlier this week. I'm probably putting it on the board in January - need to decide when really!

Of course the Boss RC-600 Loopstation is going nowhere - the king of floor-based loopers as far as I'm concerned - and however deep I get into it - I still only ever seem to be scratching the surface - a really superb piece of performance kit that some artists use in such a virtuoso fashion that the mind boggles - requires a lot of dexterity and foot-to-eye coordination!