gear giveaway

Distortion Pedals

Rainger FX Pull Focus Distortion + Chorus/Reverb

The Rainger FX Pull Focus, by the London-based kind of quirky pedals, is an analog distortion circuit (borrowed from previous units like the Reverb-X) routed into a second, faded-in digital effect, that can be either a chorus or a reverb. The name chosen for this device refers to a cinematographic…Click on the title for more

Rainger FX Pull Focus Distortion + Chorus/Reverb

Mezzabarba Even Drive

For the electric guitar elite looking to drop close to a grand on an overdrive, there's the Mezzabarba Even Drive, hailing from a country that specializes in spending temptations: Italy. An all-tube preamp the Even uses two 12AX7 tubes to faithfully reproduce the sound of the company's own and renown…Click on the title for more

Mezzabarba Even Drive

Atomic Tone Saturation Tryptic Fuzzstortion

Hand-built by a husband and wife team based in Fresno, California, the Atomic Tone Saturation Tryptic is an analog dirt box that's mostly an overdrive but adheres to modern standards by being able to shine also as a boost, sagged fuzz and everything in between, shining as an overdrive/distortion when…Click on the title for more

Atomic Tone Saturation Tryptic Fuzzstortion

Champion Leccy The Dunsh Distortion/Fuzz

The Champion Leccy The Dunsh is a new release by the British via Philly builder that started as a modification made to one section of the company's own Gett and the Bloody Gett fuzzes, two Black Russian Big Muff variants. That mod was named "Dunsh" and added a "loud, noisy…Click on the title for more

Champion Leccy The Dunsh Distortion/Fuzz

New Pedal: Caroline Wave Cannon Zero Fuzzstortion

A revisitation of one of the South Carolina-based company's early unreleased prototypes, the Caroline Wave Cannon v2 is a bold distortion pedal that delivers everything from subtle crackles to heavy, chaotic, and even self-oscillating tones. Unlike pedals focused on subtle dynamics, the Wave Cannon v2 features intense gain and volume…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: Caroline Wave Cannon Zero Fuzzstortion

Preorder: Kinotone Sparks Overdrive/Wavefolder/Filter/Synth

Kinotone is a relatively new boutique US pedal brand that is grabbing attention for designing unusual and creative compact stompboxes that work well with guitar, synths or any instrument with an output. The Sparks, mostly a filter + distortion pedal, is their second product after the very well-received Ribbons. The…Click on the title for more

Preorder: Kinotone Sparks Overdrive/Wavefolder/Filter/Synth

2024 Best Plexi Pedals & Marshall-Style Distortions: a Buyer’s Guide

(Almost) everyone familiar with the electric guitar loves the sound of a cranked Marshall amp. From Eric Clapton and Angus Young to Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads, Plexi amp and their later, higher gain reincarnations from the JCM series have been used by many guitar players over the years…Click on the title for more

2024 Best Plexi Pedals & Marshall-Style Distortions: a Buyer’s Guide

Benson Amps Preamp Overdrive/Distortion

The Benson Amps Preamp Overdrive/Distortion (listed at $249) sports a circuit Based on the company's Chimera 30 watt guitar amplifier (going for $1949), but substitutes FET transistors for the vacuum tubes. The result is an extremely amp-like and versatile clean boost/overdrive/fuzz pedal that imparts rich harmonics and a very musical EQ to your…Click on the title for more

Benson Amps Preamp Overdrive/Distortion

Universal Audio UAFX 1992 ANTI High Gain Amp

Universal Audio is back with a new member of their UAFX series with the Anti 1992, a stereo pedal that meticulously recreates the iconic sounds of the metal of the '90s, packing a world of distortion into a compact stompbox, whether you're a fan of Scandinavian death metal or Southern…Click on the title for more

Universal Audio UAFX 1992 ANTI High Gain Amp

Most overdrive and distortion pedals are based on pre-existing circuits if not downright clones of stompboxes that have stood the test of time. That can't be said for the JHS Hard Drive, a high gain distortion publicized by the brand as their first attempt "at a full-blown and respectable modern…Click on the title for more

JHS Hard Drive

Updated Pedal: Jam Pedals Rattler Mk.2 Distortion

The Jam Pedals Rattler Mk.2 is an updated version of the company's highly regarded RAT-style distortion pedal. While Mk 1 featured the legendary (and now almost impossible to find) LM308 chip found in the vintage RATs, for this new version the Jam team designed their own custom op-amp that delivers…Click on the title for more

Updated Pedal: Jam Pedals Rattler Mk.2 Distortion

Empress Heavy Menace Distortion

At first glance, the Empress Heavy Menace seems like a pedal that might win the contest for "most tweakable distortion pedal in a compact case." Also, it looks very cool, notwithstanding its demonic references! An evolution in compact case of the company's popular Heavy pedal, the Heavy Menace could be…Click on the title for more

Empress Heavy Menace Distortion