Author Archive

New Pedal: The King of Gear Oxford Monarch

Capturing the aggressive versatility of iconic 1990s dirt boxes, the Oxford Monarch by The King Of Gear (TKOG) packs a dual-channel overdrive and distortion engine into a compact 1590BB enclosure equipped with soft-touch knobs and top-mounted jacks. As highlighted by Guitar Pedal X, the pedal functions as an ultimate “3-in-1” Marshall-in-a-box platform, consolidating three legendary British circuit topologies—the Blues Breaker, Guv’nor, and Shredmaster—into a single flexible box. Engineered to expand upon the frequency ranges and output levels of vintage analog circuits, it transitions seamlessly from a transparent clean boost to blistering high-gain distortion while playing nicely with any amplifier platform. The pedal operates across two independent, fully customizable channels with swappable signal routing: The Gold Channel (Mid-to-High Gain): Delivers two distinct high-gain circuits, each paired with a dedicated 3-band EQ. ’88 Mode replicates the crunchy Guv’nor response using red LED clipping and interactive tone shaping. ’91 Mode employs silicon diodes, a punchy mid-frequency “Contour” control, and an expanded treble circuit to deliver aggressive, Shredmaster-style lead work. The Blue Channel (Low-to-Mid Gain): Focuses on transparent Bluesbreaker-style overdrive via Vintage (brighter top-end for bass-heavy amps) and Modern (neutral EQ with full low-mids) voicings. Dedicated Tone and Presence knobs sculpt top-end bite, while […]... Click on the title for more

New Pedal: The King of Gear Oxford Monarch

New Pedal: JHS 3 Series Pherb Phaser + Reverb

Updated Pedal: Cornerstone Gladio MK 3 D-Style Double Preamp

Continuing the Italian builder’s obsession with capturing elusive D-style tube amp response, the Cornerstone Gladio MkIII elevates the flagship double preamp that built the brand’s reputation. Designed and hand-built in Varese, Italy, the MkIII retains the core dual-channel architecture inspired by the dynamic touch sensitivity of rare Dumble-style circuits, while completely rebuilding the pedal around key player requests. Core Voicing Consistency The MkIII preserves the fundamental dynamic separation between its two preamps. Channel 1 remains the smooth, transparent, edge-of-breakup voice inspired by Robben Ford, delivering clean-to-dirty breakup based purely on pick attack. Channel 2 continues as the midrange-forward, harder-clipping voice inspired by Sonny Landreth. Both channels now feature dedicated Compression toggles to switch between tight/controlled and open/touch-reactive feel. Critical MkIII Upgrades Where the original Gladio (retired in 2022) relied on internal adjustments and fixed routing, the MkIII exposes full control to the front panel and expands hardware flexibility: Channel 2 Ratio Control: A major overhaul to the harder-clipping channel, this clean blend mixes the dry input signal in parallel with the overdrive, restoring transient attack and string definition without sacrificing gain. External Bass Control: The bass response—previously locked behind an internal trimpot—is now an improved, external front-panel knob for instant […]... Click on the title for more

Updated Pedal: Cornerstone Gladio MK 3 D-Style Double Preamp

New Pedal: Turbulent Audio Big Business EQ+Boost

Keeley RK2000 Funk Siren Delay

New Pedal: Crazy Tube Circuits Rapture Overdrive

Hologram Electronics Chroma Console Multi-Effector

Win an Arturia AstroLab 37 via the BK SPXPO (US Only)

JHS Wanderer Dual Overdrive

Updated Pedal: Walrus Audio Fable MkII Granular Soundscape Generator

Walrus Audio Fable Granular Soundscape Generator The Walrus Audio Fable, presented by the Oklahoma City builder as a "granular soundscape generator," is a pedal developed on the successful platform of the Lore, the company's reverse soundscape generator released in 2022.... Click on the title for more

Updated Pedal: Walrus Audio Fable MkII Granular Soundscape Generator

Win 5 Pedals, Studio Headphones & Plugin Combo via the Brooklyn SPXPO!

Reeves Electro Z1 Fuzz