Updated Apr. 2, 2021 | by Paolo De Gregorio

Best New Pedals 2021 (March)

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Starting today, we are going to switch our monthly appointment with the StompBuzz with something a little more subjective than a data-driven chart (which saw the same “winning” pedals featured over and over in it for months on end!).

Enter our new “Best New Pedals of 2021” monthly piece! This is the March Edition, a handy recap of most of the new pedals released in the previous 30-day period.

While the StompBuzz was a chart of the most searched pedals on our blog, this new list is a selection of the 24 most exciting pedal releases from the past month, according to us.

Enjoy it, and please use our affiliate stores’ links if you decide to buy something, it’s a free way to support our blog!

We decided to organize the content in two lists: Non-Gain Pedals and Gain/Fuzz Pedals.

Best New Non-Gain Pedals released in March 2021

937572171
bananana FX tararira
$299 | 8-Step pitch shifter sequencer. Each step can be assigned to a scale (27 presets + 3 for your own). A single note can be transposed to up to 3 notes for each step, and steps can be assigned to a different scale/chord. Steps can be controlled by 4 different envelop shapes (Sustain, Staccato, Fade Out and Fade In), while the sequencer can operate in 8 modes.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
4242711036
Hungry Robot Wardenclyffe Deluxe
$279 | An original and utterly creative, feature-packed lo-fi pedal that offers pitch based modulation, vinyl noise simulation, ambient reverb, a bit crusher and a filter. Tap Tempo functionality and LED rate indicator round up the features.
Perf. Circuit | Reverb | Amazon
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Eventide Micropitch
$249 | A versatile effect machine with a unique combination of dual pitch-shifters with fine-resolution de-tuning, delay and modulation – including new positive envelope and negative envelope modulation sources. Tap Tempo and Midi-enabled, it can store up to 127 presets in memory, with 5 loaded for immediate access. It also offers multiple Bypass options: Buffered, Relay, DSP+FX or Kill dry.
1651174498
Folktek Alter X and Y
$399 | Two experimental Multi-FX pedal with a slightl different focus: time stretch/pitch shift for the Y and granular/pitch/shimmer for the X. Each has 7 modes, a Filter knob and two mode dependent X and Y knobs. Being pedal version of Eurorack circuits, they feature extensive CV patches for modular compatibility.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
3249788244
Dreadbox Kinematic
$199 - This is a 2-in-1 envelope low pass filter and compressor made for funky, plucky, chunky sounds. The VCA compressor can go to extreme ratios and also boost a frequency of your choice. It also features an overdrive circuit and 3 CV patch points for modular synth users.
Perf. Circuit | Reverb | Amazon
2204516683
Spaceman Effects Aurora
$319 | A high-end flanger with 5-modes including 2 LFO types, 2 tape emulations, and a static comb filter, for a wide range of fully analog) flavors. Regen controls the intensity of the classic "jet sound," obtained by feeding a portion of the output signal back into the input. The Range knob controls mode-dependent parameters. Trig Footswitch allows for momentary, mode-specific special effects.
Perf. Circuit | Reverb | Amazon
3758699928
Dreadbox Lethargy
$199 | Designed to work with both line and instrument signals, this is an 8 stage phase filter featuring two different LFO wave options (triangle and square). The Manual knob allows you to set the degree of the initial phase shift, while the balance between that static "phased" sound and the one affected by the LFO can be controlled through the Amount knob. 3 CV patch points (2 Ins, 1 Out).
Perf. Circuit | Reverb | Amazon
773249863
Mojo Hand FX Mr O
$149 | it reproduces the tone of the vintage Maestro Phaser of the '70s and its six stages, with various improvements over the original, although maintaining the unique shape of the LFO waveform at various speeds. The Depth and Speed knobs will deliver what's expected, while the Color one controls the amount of feedback regeneration, adding a bit more or less “whoosh.”
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
551245275
Mythos Oracle
$259 | Inspired by the somewhat dark, warm sound of vintage Japanese echo pedals, the Oracle is a simple 3-knob delay built around two reissue MN3205 chips. The repeats can go up to 600ms of delay time (which can stretch even further if you use the Tap Tempo to dial in the time setting - causing the typical degradation produced by BBD at longer settings).
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
2211228193
Mad Professor ELECTRIC BLUE II
~$199 | High end Chorus/Vibrato that delivers a variety of modulated tones with four knob. The Tone knob allows a range of colors from warm/vintage to bright/modern, and in Chorus mode the Speed knob affects several parameters, optimizing tone at fast and slow LFO. The vibrato is presented as a fully original design, described by the builder as "the most expressive vibrato with expanded vocabulary."
Alt Seller | Reverb | Amazon
2941318950
NUX Analog Chorus
$59 - Even just the color of this Analog Delay betrays the influence of classic Ibanez / Maxon three-knob Bucket Brigade Device delays from the '80s. That's exactly what you get with this pedal: the warm repeats of the 3205 and 3102 BBD chips, for just under $60!
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
1133728848
LPD Rival Delay
$169 | A great-sounding, three-knob digital but analog voiced echo.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon

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Best New Gain and Fuzz Pedals released in March 2021

398233836
SolidGoldFx Imperial MKII
$199 | MkII of this fuzz inspired by the vintage Jumbo muff by JEN Electronica, with an added germanium noise gate. MkII retains the high impedance JFET preamp for low noise floor detail and definition but adds a new Contour slider in place of the mids switch to adjust the frequency of the high-pass filter and boost or scoop your mids.
Alt Seller | Reverb | Amazon
1591715698
Walrus Audio Warhorn Ages Dual Overdrive
$265 | An exclusive Reverb release linked to their upcoming Pedal Movie. It's a dual overdrive marrying two classic Walrus Audio designs in one enclosure.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
3065749862
Milkman The Amp 100
$799 | A pedal-format power amp that gives you 100w of power, in a black case, with an added FET boost circuit that can push or overdrive the tube preamp stage, consisting of a single 12AX7. The 2nd footswitch controls a digital spring reverb with knobs for Decay and Blend. Just like its little brother the 50, it boasts optional cabinet simulation, pedal level output, and headphone output.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
455872387
Pettyjohn Electronics Edge
$199 | A preamp pedal designed to deliver that blend of saturation, harmonic excitement, light compression you get from a tube amp at the edge of breakup. It can reach higher gain overdrive at higher settings, without ever squashing your tone thanks to its high overhead warranted by its dual-rail. The blue LED lights up when the circuit is driven past the edge of breakup.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
1211782020
Fuzzrocious Lil Fella
$160 | It updates their popular Demon drive in a more versatile and compact direction, with a wider range of saturation (from overdrive to fuzz) and tighter EQ. The Gate switch bypasses the Gain knob and not only allows for clean, silent stops/chugs, but at higher Drive settings also takes the pedal into fuzz territory.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
2857236274
Blammo! Electronics Slob Clean Octave Blend
$149 | An Octave Up Fuzz inspired by the pricey Prescription Electronics COB – which stands for Clean Octave Blend. The Slob is hand-made and features a few updates like soft switching and a quieter operation. In this circuit the Level and Blend controls do what you expect them to do, and the Octave one sets the intensity of the higher Octave.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
1324380705
Zander Cranium
~$199 | Multi-mode Rat-style distortion with Germanium (YouDirty Rat), Silicon (Rat 2), LED (Turbo RAT), Asymmetrical GE (more aggressive version of Germanium), Asymmetrical Si (Solo RAT), Asymmetrical LED (more aggressive version of LED), Transistor/MOSFET (FAT RAT), and No diodes (Deucetone RAT). The Blast fotswitch lets you ramp the drive all the way up, activating the Blast volume knob.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
971387043
MXR Raw Dawg Overdrive
$172 | An Eric Gales signature 3-knob mini overdrive pedal based on an original circuit that delivers Tubescreamer-style tone with a little more bite. Output and midrange were balanced out and the gain was bumped up for a sweeter, more natural sound even at higher settings.
Zzounds | Sweetwater |
More
Reverb Amazon
3188262903
Red Noise Germanium Stone Blender
$185 | A multi-mode fuzz based on a Sola Sound Tone Bender, although the four modes deliver tones that aren’t necessarily tied to that venerable circuit. The white De-Clip mode it’s a mid-frequency shaper, adding or removing body and presence to your tone.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
1524355401
Pogo Pedals Zen Ray
$195 | Flexible vintage-sounding overdrive with a wide range of tone sculpting options. The small Mid Saturation knob can increase or decrease the saturation of the critical mid frequencies without affecting the response in the lows and highs, producing tones from crunchy to clean, scooped or piercing. The Germ toggle switch on top of it will engage a pair of germanium transistors for softer clipping.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
4204831937
Electro-Harmonix 15Watt Howitzer
$140 | A 15 Watt pedal power amp with two gain stages (Volume + Gain), three-band EQ and Bright switch, the 15Watt offers noteworthy tonal flexibility and power for such a small power amp. There’s also an FX loop with Send/Return jacks lets you place effects between the 15Watt Howitzer’s preamp section and Volume knob.
Zzounds | Sweetwater |
More
Reverb Amazon
1940304273
Vertex Boost MKII
$199 | 33% slimmer than its predecessor, this is a high-end one-knob boost that delivers up to 16dB of transparent gain, compatible with both line and instrument-level signals. Featuers include Ultra-linear buffers to ensure optimal input and stable output impedance, 1-megohm input buffer compensating for pickup loading, 100-ohm output buffer for consistent results with long cables.
Zzounds | Sweetwater |
More
Reverb Amazon

 

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