Gecko Pedals' new O-Face is a unique Analog Overdrive with Optical Modulation of its 3 main control knobs - Gain, Tone, and Volume

Gecko Pedals are hitherto best known of their ingeniously monikered ’Geckoplex Delay’ which is a really great vintage style echo pedal, while somewhat oversized for my preferences. No such problem with the O-Face though which sits in a GPX-approved vertical BB-style enclosure.

This is essentially a sort of Tremo-Drive variant, but way beyond anything else that has appeared before. You immediately see the classic 3-knob Overdrive controls at the top pf the pedal - Gain, Tone, Volume, followed by Speed and Depth dials in the second row - and then a trio of arcade-style switches - where you can activate optical LFO HI∼Low Modulation on each of the 3 core / top knobs.

Gain is oscillated between Low and High Gain, Tone between HPF and LPF EQ, and Volume is your typical Quiet to Loud Amplitude Modulation.

Controls - Gain, Tone, Volume, Speed, Depth, Gain Modulator, Tone Modulator, Volume Modulator, Preset LED’s 1-3, Bypass / Alt Footswitch, Tap / Hold Footswitch, Press Both Footswitches to scroll Presets, Mini Midi In and Out on rear of pedal.

As always I’ve tried to make my visual as descriptive as is useful - with additional icons and legends to indicate more of the secondary features. You reach those by holding down the relevant Modulation arcade button and manipulating the controls indicated. Both footswitches also have Alternative / Secondary functions - of which some of those also are featured in the visual. There really are a lot of those multiple button / f-switch press modes!

I’ve still tried to keep it all rather clear and concise - so you will of course need to access the manual for a full overview / description of all the features and functions.

While as well as being able to set independent Speed, Depth, Waveform and Tap Division for each Modulation, you can further control some of those parameters like for instance setting a Peak Speed and Depth per modulation for each too.

Once you are fully satisfied with how the output is sounding - you can then save it to one of the 3 presets - by holding down the relevant corresponding arcade style button, Bypass and Tap footswitches simultaneously.

At this level this is a pretty new and unique effect - and it will be interesting to see what playing styles emerge - and how players choose to best stack those various elements.

After Chase Bliss included those really cool arcade switches on its Automatone pedals - I excepted to see a lot more of those doing the rounds - but that hasn’t really been the case. So the way that aspect is implemented on the O-Face makes it even more appealing!

It’s a fairly straightforward concept - but supremely executed and with lots of hidden depths - which are all revealed in the excellent manual that I made use of.

I’m not sure how much of regular rotation this pedal would command, and it’s a touch pricey at $329 to be acquired on a whim. One doesn’t typically gamble at those prices - at least not the average punter out there - so it will be really interesting to see who picks these up and how they use them to their full potential.

Of course available right now from the Gecko Pedals Webstore. I definitely kind of want one, but am not sure exactly when that would happen - certainly a pretty unique and distinctive device.

Actually the closest pedal to this is the Josh Smith signature Poly Flat V - which has a slightly more basic version of this sort of thing - but still incredibly potent!

Who’s been inspired by this and is considering getting one in?