Updated Aug. 2, 2023 | by Paolo De Gregorio

Best New Pedal Releases | July 2023

Times are ripe for our monthly recap of the new pedal releases!

From the type of releases we had in July 2023, it seems like the chip shortage that affected the pedal realm during and after the COVID-19 pandemic may have finally subsided. After a prolonged time ripe with dirt box releases (which don’t require chips) we finally had a month with a noteworthy number of relevant new digital pedals, including devices from Strymon, Walrus Audio, Electro-Harmonix, and Old Blood Noise, to mention a few.

However, there were also a couple of very interesting analog stompboxes by Milkman (a stereo power amp pedal!) and Electronic Audio Experiment (an intense and powerful analog delay).

But hey, there was a lot more than that – here’s the whole scoop, enjoy!

(Older monthly articles like this one can be found here).

Best New Non-Gain Pedals Released in July 2023

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Walrus Audio Slöer Reverb
$349 | it's the stereo version of the Slötva, with two new algorithms: Rain (Delay Tap Diffusion) and Light (High Octave Shimmer) . Two faders set the inherited, mode-dependent X parameter, and control the new Stretch function, which changes the reverb’s sample rate for lo-fi effects. A 3-way Width toggle, which delivers three stereo modes from normal to wider.
Zzounds | Sweetwater |
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Reverb Amazon
3765746161
chase bliss Chase Bliss Reverse Mode C
$399 | a collaboration with Empress: an expanded version of the Octave Tap mode found in the ECanadian company's old Superdelay pedal. It's an "echo composed of multiple distinct voices that move in different directions - forward, backward, and up - that you can blend, isolate, and sequence, all glued together by some very colorful modulation."
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
3235813111
Strymon Brig DBucket Delay
$249 | a stereo digital delay with a proprietary chip replicating the character of the analog BBD chip: gives you up to 1 second repeats without the artifacts. Add Modulation, a Filter knob, Presets and Tap Tempo, and 3 voices: 3205 is best for slapback, 3005 shines on longer, dreamlike echos, while Milti-Voice delivers multii-delay soundscapes.
Zzounds | Sweetwater |
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Reverb Amazon
3771415164
BOSS GM-800 Guitar Synthethizer
$749 | a powerful do-it-all DSP-based device with last-generation engine that can transform your guitar in any instrument, synth or sample-based. Packed with1200 Tones and 70 Rhythm that can be layered on top of each other in patches (Called "Scenes").
Zzounds | Sweetwater |
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Reverb Amazon
1773622241
Electro-Harmonix Pico POG
$240 | A mini version of the POG with more features than the Nano versions. On top of giving you full volume control of three octave (-1, 0 and +1), it adds a 3-mode filter that can do Tilt EQ, Low-Pass and High-Pass filter. Needless to say, it's polyphonic, so it will track chords as well as single notes.
Zzounds | Sweetwater |
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Reverb Amazon
219213289
Old Blood Noise BL-37 Reverb
$179 | a lofi reverb with an unusual approach delivered by a diagonal Clock Fader that acts as a deviant “size” knob setting the length of the reverb’s tails but also their sonic fidelity and character. Modulation s applied at two points in the trails, conveying a unique wandering and lush character, while the Feedback knob increases the decay of the reverb together with the modulation’s character.
Perf. Circuit | Reverb | Amazon
596823861
Electronic Audio Experiments Sending V2
$649 | One of the most powerful analog delay pedals around, fed by a colored preamp stage that can add saturation to the signal. It has a multi-function LFO section with 3 wave shapes a High/Lo Pass filter knob, Tap Tempo, full Midi Control, 3 Presets, and a host of creative functions (Chaos, Swell, Subdivisions) controllable via secondary functions.
Perf. Circuit | Reverb | Amazon
1800202345
EHX Andy Summers Walking on the Moon
$129 | built in conjunction with Summers, it recreates the liquid flange effect found in classic tracks from The Police. A Filter Matrix switch disengages the LFO, freezing the flanger, for a fixed filter effect with a metallic overtone that can still be tweaked using the Range and Color knobs – with the former controlling the lower limit of the flanger sweep and the latter the intensity of the flanger.
Zzounds | Sweetwater |
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Reverb Amazon
1077245424
mr-black JDD-3000+
$239 | a "Deluxe" version of this unit that recreates one of the most sought-after digital rack delays from the '80s, the KORG SDD-3000, now selling used for over $2,000. It can deliver up to 850mS of delay with modulation. The extra features are trailing echoes on bypass, an optional tap-tempo input, an easy-to-use programmable preset.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
206928185
Side Fx Sputnik
$341 | A two channel stereo pedal with a reverb+tremolo on one side an a delay+pitch modulation on the other, routable in three different ways. Each channel has separate rate, depth and LFO shape option for its modulation. The footswitches trigger the two effects separately, the Tails and also a momentary effect for infinite feedback. Two FX Loops and a Kill Dry toggle round up the features.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
4208073914
Industrialectric 567-M Modulation Machine
$180-$230 | a misfit modulation pedal offering a wide combination of grating effects (ring modulation, bit crushing, and data corruption) mixed with more regular ones (modulation, distortion and filtering). It has four distinct channels of modulation doing different things. It can also do distorted and fuzzy tones. A red toggle switch lets you choose an added effect: Ring Mod, 8-Bit (bitcrusing) or Apreggiator.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
3139602623
LCO Industries Ours & Hours
$199 | an original take on the dual reverb, allowing the blending of a spring reverb and a lo-fi ambient-style delay/reverb. A Filter knob makes things darker, accentuating lo-finess or warmth of the tone. The unique Drag control stretches the extension of the reverb, generating some very gnarly tones at higher settings. Asecond footswitch triggers a momentary effect of infinite self-oscillation.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
2129514481
Otis Audio Lifetones
$399 | a synth-style resonant low pass filter followed by a modulated delay. It has the expected controls with Resonance and Freqency knobs on the top for the filter, three smaller ones in the center row for the delay (Echo, Feedback and Time), and three tiny one at the bottom for the modulation. The Shape knob gives you 8 different wave shapes delivering a variety of rotating patterns and other sonic textures.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon

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Best New Fuzz Pedals Released in July 2023

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Summer School Pep Rally Fuzz
$149 | a louder and “meaner” development of a limited fuzz pedal released by the company. Designed to be the ideal first fuzz with a classic, ’60s-inspired tone, but also able to get a lot nastier at higher fuzz settings, it’s based on a classic two (Silicon) transistor fuzz circuit capable of delivering a wide range of tones.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
2689442773
fuzzrocious Tyrannochorus
$189 | a fuzz embedded in the wet circuit of a chorus, with a separate control for the fuzz. A third top footswitch momentarily maxes up the chorus’ rate/speed with results between the fluttery and the quirky, Four under-the-hood trimpots allow to fine-tune Depth control (2 controls), Blend, and Fuzz Tone..
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
1250339334
Palmer The Solarist
$314 | a Fuzz Face and Rangemaster inspired fuzz+boost with separate footswitches and a variety of clipping options for each channel. A 3-way Range toggle gives you 3 EQ curves on the boost side, from trebly to full range. The fuzz has two input and Bias knobs (the latter change the voltage of the fuzz circuit) that can be toggled via the center footswitch.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
2723342453
KINGTONE Minifuzz V2
$299 | a high-end fuzz that can deliver a huge variety of tones, in Germanium or Silicon variety. The big volume knob can be controlled with your foot while the bias knob lets you starve the voltage for extra spittiness. The three-way switch toggles between Fat/Full (smooth muff-type sounds), Zonk (hairy bender-style tones), and Vintage (mid-focused Fuzz Face tones. Six DIP switches on the side allow extra tweaking.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
3530914524
reuss Repeater Fuzz MkIII
~$250 + | Inspired by the psychedelic explorations of Spacemen 3, it recreates the three built-in effects that came in a few short-lived but influential Vox guitars from the 1960s: a fuzz, a treble/bass booster, and the famously choppy “repeat percussions” tremolo circuit. A send and return loop is included between the boost and the tremolo effects.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
2902125972
Mask Audio & Holy Island STOP!
~$199 | it combines two fuzzes: the HIA Abracadaver octave-up (left side) and the MAE Yes. The Clang knob on the left side sets the amount of octave, while Stronk is a hi/lo gain toggle that can deliver a fuller tone or a milder one bordering on overdrive. On the Yes side, Loud sets the volume and More controls the gain sent to the fuzz. Texture toggle gives you a thick/open and thin/compressed voice.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
120483035
Apollo Approved Steam Roller Fuzz
$TBA | a two-knob Germanium fuzz pedal that can only be ordered by messaging the Indonesian company via their Instagram page. Sporting the rather expensive OC140 germanium transistor, this is a high-quality pedal with a tone appreciated by the few YouTubers that got to try one, hear what they have to say about it – and the tones they get out of it – in the videos below.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon

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Best New Gain Pedals Released in July 2023

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Milkman The Amp Stereo
$799 | the stereo version of the popular The Amp series. The two channels can be used in stereo or dual configuration, or stacked on top of each other (via the SUM footswitch). Each channel has controls for Volume, Treble and Bass, while a Phase toggle flips the phase on one of the channel. Each channel automatically deliver the appropriate amount of power for the connected speaker.
Perf. Circuit | Reverb | Amazon
3157661546
Jackson Audio Golden Boy Mini
$179 | a streamlined version of the super-transparent, Blues Breaker-inspired Golden Boy drive, without boost and presets. It retains the most sought-after features of the original: its tone, the flexible 3-band Baxandall-style EQ, and the most popular two clipping options: LED and Asymmetrical, selectable via a toggle switch.
Zzounds | Sweetwater |
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Reverb Amazon
2690136189
J. Rockett Audio Designs HRM V2
$229 | V2 of an overdrive inspired by the “Hot Rubber Monkey” mod found on some Dumble Overdrive amps featuring an extra EQ circuit, impersonated here by the “Fat” knob, producing a very low-mid centric, throaty sound that cuts through the mix. V2 feature improvements in tone at lower gain settings, in part because of a new set of NOS parts.
Zzounds | Sweetwater |
More
Reverb Amazon
4021884073
Coppersound Kingpin Overdrive
$99 | an affordable, one-knob, one-toggle mini Germanium overdrive with delivering a warm yet bright saturation with plenty of volume on tap. The Clip toggle offers three levels of clipping, allowing for a range of tones from subtly overdriven to heavily saturated, without ever losing your tone’s depth and definition. True bypass and 9-18V for extra headroom nicely round up the features.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
3235585197
Blammo! + Dirty Haggard Deth
$200 | a limited edition device inspired by EQD’s Life Pedal, with an added internal noise gate with a bleeder resistor that significantly reduces unwanted hiss and hum between notes, enabling them to decay naturally. This mod works particularly well for single coil players who despise the noisy interference that accompanies high-gain distortions.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
1622509847
Westerlund One Preamp
$379 | a high-end preamp/overdrive that stays faithful to your tone while offering plenty of boost or “dirt” options through five FET-based clipping modes, a boost with separate level knob and footswitch, a 3-band EQ, and a Bright/Dark switch. The clipping modes are obtained through a combination of a 3-way switch setting Hard/Soft or no clipping and a 2-way switch for Silicon or Germanium diodes.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
3784614239
Spruce Effects The Arborist V2
$180 | V2 of the company's Silicon overdrive that replaces the Tone control with independent passive treble and bass controls, and a new 3-way voice switch delivering 3 modes: smooth, dynamic, and comp. These are based on a unique germanium feedback/diode clipping arrangement and expand the sonic palette of this overdrive in unique and compatible ways.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
757571029
October Audio F Division Drive
$149 | it mixes an overdrive circuit with up to 3 sub octaves. The tree toggles allow you to switch on and off each octave, while the two huge knobs let you set the balance between the drive and the transposed sound, which by itself sounds like a square wave bass fuzz. The sub-octave engine, can produce smooth synth tones that get increasingly glitchy below the 5th fret.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
241736617
FFX Goldmember Dual Overdrive
~$280 | a dual drive with 2 independently routable drives. The right side has two gain controls that can deliver from clean boost to pushed drive, all the way to power amp distortion. The right side provides even more tonal variety, offering additional controls for low and high frequencies, as well as a Feed knob that works with the EQ section to precisely fine-tune the frequency saturation.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon

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