Updated Sep. 1, 2021 | by Paolo De Gregorio

Best New Pedal Releases August 2021

August 2021 is (sadly) over, but it was an exciting month for pedal lovers, thanks to a series of exciting releases both in the gain and non-gain niches!

As usual, we organized the new pedals dropped in August in two interactive galleries. Interested in checking out similar lists from previous months? You can find them on this Best Pedals of the Year aggregate page.

For those who aren’t familiar with our galleries, mouseover or first tap on the thumbnails will open a description of the pedal, while a click or a second tap will open a video in a pop-up window.

Have fun!

Best New Non-Gain Pedals released in August 2021

https://amzn.to
Strymon Zelzah
$349 | a dual, stereo phaser with a 3-mode, 4-stage vintage-style circuit on the left and a more modern 6-stage with controllable resonance one on the right. The voice knob controls simultaneously over 30 parameters and can deliver also flanger and chorus effects. The left channel has an Envelope mode that works like an auto-wah, while Barber mode delivers a continously rising sweep.
Sweetwater | Reverb | Amazon
1272393719
Neunaber Illumine Reverb
$379 | A fully featured 2-knob stereo multi-mode reverb with 17 modes, Midi in/out, Presets (50 factory + 50 user), Exp. in, built-in A/B preset switch without breaks in sound. Two knobs with push function allow in-depth editing, while a free preset manager software helps keep things organized. The two footswitches deal with preset switching and on/off duties.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
2479950572
Old Blood Noise Sunlight
$209 | A creative reverb with 3 algorithms that react dynamically to your performance and freeze the reverb trails. Each mode adds to the reverb different extra effects (wobbling vibrato, stacked resonant delays or step filtering). Decay controls the reverb's length, while the Rate and Depth knobs are mode-dependent, controlling the parameters of the non-reverb effect.
Perf. Circuit | Reverb | Amazon
2923788274
Spaceman Effects Delta II
$229 | A deceptively simple tremolo with an enhanced filter section that delivers a wide range of rhythmic and tone-shaping options. The Lag knob allows the morphing between straightforward throb and the shimmering harmonic swirl. Three modes deliver slight tonal variations (trebly, bassier and more swirly). Freq(uency) and Res(onance) knobs allow for tones both expressive or creative.
Perf. Circuit | Reverb | Amazon
1530984320
SolidGoldFX Lysis MK II
$250 | A high-gain fuzz followed by a series of effects including a resonant hi/lo-pass filter, a polyphonic pitch shifter, and a modulation section with 33 different triangle, sine and square wave shapes and 3 resonance modes. It can do octave down or up voicing and octave down/fifth pitch shifting, for automatic power chords. Includes Tap Tempo, LFO Speed ramping, and breaking.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
2663021532
Mooer R7 x2
$TBA | A stereo compact multiverb with 14 modes, two footswitches, Infinite momentary footswitch, trails option and foot-controlled preset navigation. The 5 knob layout and preset system are identical to the original mini version, with controls for Hi/Low Cut, Mix, Decay and Pre-Delay, but here you can store 14 presets (one per mode)
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
2681631390
Mooer D7 X2
$TBA | A stereo compact multi-delay with 14 modes, two footswitches, Tap Tempo, and foot-controlled preset navigation. The 5 knob layout and preset system are identical to the original mini version, with two mode-dependent "Tweak" knobs, plus Mix, Time and Feedback, but here you can store 14 presets (one per mode). There's also a mono mini version of it with 7 presets.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
2269144476
Champion Leccy swan hunter
$275 | A lo-fi echo interacting with an ambient reverb (in parallel or in series, or anywhere in between). Mysteriously named knobs yield results that may vary from the unexpected to the inspiring. The delay gets grittier at longer settings, and the combination of low pass filters on both effects and borderline self-oscillation capabilities can create dark and spaced out tones.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
1452507328
Sitek Phasia Phaser
$270 | A high end phaser with Tap Tempo three LFO waves (sine, triangular, and hypertriangular) that can be furtherly modified through a Simmetry knob. A Stages switch allows to increase the number of stages from 4 to 5 or six, for thicker results.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
1565335029
LPD Pedals Tidal
$TBA | A mono chorus with two voices 90° out of phase with each other (aka "quadrature") which creates circulars cancellations of some frequencies. Four classic controls for Level, Tone, Depth and Speed. Soft-touch switching and top-mounted jacks round up the features.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon

Best New Gain Pedals released in August 2021

424430679
Flamma Cab FS07
$89 | A stereo cab simulator with 11 modes that can be assigned to the Left and Right output for stunning stereo sounds. Seven presets are browsable through the on/off footswitch. Through the included free software, the pedal can also load third-party impulse responses that allow for a potentially infinite palette of tones.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
3118540468
29 Pedals OAMP
$299 | An output amp with a lot of headroom that acts as a buffer, conditions your tone, an d can also drive your amp with up to 29dbs of boost. It features also a knob for presence, one for low end, and two 3-way toggle switches with different settings for the Input and Output.
Perf. Circuit | Reverb | Amazon
3979660881
NUX Ace of Tone
$119 | An affordable dual, configurable overdrive stacking a tube-like overdrive and a Blues Breaker clone with improved highs. Each channel has its own on/off footswitch that can be configured to be buffered or true bypass through a switch on the back panel. A dip switch in the middle changes the circuits' order. Bright and Low-Mid Bump functions can be activated independently for each channel by holding the footswitches.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
2044106098
Spiral Electric FX Demhe Fuzz
$149 | An extremely flexible silicon fuzz with dual voicing and plenty of output that can also produce overdriven tones. The Detail knob controls the high frequencies while Bias interacts with the Gain to set the fuzz’s character. The 1/2 toggle switch gives you the option of diode clipping and its softer overtones (position 1), or no diode clipping for the louder and more in-your-face tone of the Silicon transistors.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
2359139786
Westminster Augsburg
$219 | An amp-in-a-box with XLR out replicating the tones of the Fender Deluxe Reverb. Just like the amp, it features a comprehensive, 3-way EQ section with Presence knob and a Bright switch. It can do Cab simulation as well.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
1870032703
Wrought Iron H-1
$299 | A fuzz based on four low-gain, Russian-made Germanium transistors with an unstable oscillation circuit activated by the footswitch on the right, which sends the circuit into self-oscillation. Extremely noisy results can be tamed by using the Thrust and Oscillation knobs, for more harmonically rich drive and fuzz tones.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
3431753263
Blammo ZAP MASTER
$129 | A Dallas Rangemaster treble boost clone consisting of one knob (Level) and a 3-way toggle switch that adjusts the amount of bass frequencies. Designed to sound and look like the original unit, the Zap Master’s circuit sports upgrades that make it quieter and less problematic to daisy chain with other pedals. The Output is also greater than the original, allowing players more flexibility in pushing their amps.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
4187877653
Oneder Red Ryder
$175 | a RAT-inspired distortion based on the LM308 chip found in the vintage RAT pedals, but delivering a more amp-like tone. Two clipping modes: stock Asymmetrical Silicon diode and the louder and crunchier LED diode. The two smaller knobs control the Wet/Dry Blend of clean and distorted signal and the Pre-Gain Low End.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
917813339
Perfecto De Castro Bad 94
$150 | a distortion based on the (now discontinued) Marshall Shredmaster, with more gain, higher output and extended treble range. The BAD 94 shares the same controls as the original (Vol, Gain, Bass, Contour, Treble), but can deliver a wider range of sonic results useful for Blues and Alt Rock and even Metal.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
67546311
Weird Noise Pedals What The Fuzz
$140 | a simple 3-knob/2-mode fuzz with a noteworthy range. W indicates the input level (aka “What?” control), T the Tone and F the Fuzz amount. The two modes are Standard and Gated, which produces the classic spitty and broken tones. The interaction of the Fuzz and the Tone controls can produce a wide palette of dirt, from light overdrive to full fuzz, from fat to balanced to lo-fi.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
397286387
Bowman Audio Endeavors The Bowman
$200 | a hand-built take on the evergreen (or rather ever-buzzworthy) Klon circuit. It’s a faithful recreation using quality components.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon

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