Author Archive
The 
Words like "clear," "organic," and "responsive" are overdrive clichés, but the original Mr. Black Deuce Coupe earned them. Lauded as a true cult classic, it shattered expectations with its unparalleled amp-like feel and uncolored tone. Now, over a decade later, it’s back and better than ever.... Click on the title for more
Let's be honest: on a crowded pedalboard, real estate is precious. Nobody wants an essential-but-subtle effect like a compressor to hog all the space. Thankfully, the Wampler Mini Ego 76 Compressor solves this dilemma, packing the soul of a legendary studio unit into a compact, player-friendly enclosure.... Click on the title for more
The iconic, splattery sound of the 60s is now available in a perfectly petite package. The 
Those of you interested in a king of gnarliness that goes beyond the one produced by fuzz pedals should check out the Discomfort Designs Riemann's Grave, which combines three filters with a sample rate crusher and 4 toggles that modify the way the signal is handled. To quote Jamie of Harsh Tones, "it makes sounds the likes of which I've never heard before."
... Click on the title for more
Dave Jordan of Non-Human Audio is a circuit explorer, the kind who looks at a schematic and asks the questions others overlook. In mid-2024, he fixated on one: why was a specific method of transistor biasing—a key factor in creating distortion—never made adjustable in pedal designs? Theorizing it could unlock a new tonal range, he decided to build the experiment.... Click on the title for more
The 
Chasing that warm, saturated, and beautifully imperfect tape sound? The 
Jack White is at it again with the Third Man Hardware & Eventide The Knife Drop, a combination of sub/high-octave fuzz and analog synth created in collaboration with one of the most established pedal companies in the US, presented through playful graphics inspired by the classic Giallo movies (that's how Italian call the murder mystery genre).... Click on the title for more
From the meticulous workshop of its boutique builder comes the 
It looks like with the new reissue of the original 1991 Blues [space] Breaker overdrive, Marshall has decided to surrender to the common misspellings of this pedal's name, as in "BluesBreaker" (without a space), since their entire online literature spells it that way.... Click on the title for more
