gear giveaway

Distortion Pedals

New Pedal: CGI Brutalist Distortion

God City Instruments is the brainchild of Kurt Ballou, guitarist of yesteryear's metalcore band Converge and producer and owner of a studio in Massachusetts under the same GCI namesake. While the GCI Brutalist is not his debut pedal, it proudly stands as the first creation that has undergone over a decade…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: CGI Brutalist Distortion

New at NAMM: Third Man Hardware Donner Triple Threat

Third Man Hardware and Donner have collaborated to make The Triple Threat, an analog multi-effects pedal that features three different effects: distortion, phaser, and echo. It is designed for beginner guitar players who want to experiment with various sounds and styles. The pedal was inspired by Donner’s Alpha series pedals,…Click on the title for more

New at NAMM: Third Man Hardware Donner Triple Threat

New at NAMM: EarthQuaker Devices Blumes

The EarthQuaker Devices Blumes is an overdrive pedal that can deliver a wide range of tones, from crunchy to clean. This pedal is based on the classic screamer circuit, but with some modifications that make it more suitable for bass players. The Blumes is an all-analog pedal that uses internal…Click on the title for more

New at NAMM: EarthQuaker Devices Blumes

Electronic Audio Epxeriments The Bard Preamp

The Electronic Audio Epxeriments The Bard Preamp pays homage to the Music Man HD130, a classic guitar amp known for its unique blend of a solid-state preamp and a tube power amp, delivering a rather unique tone. Capturing the soul of these iconic amps, The Bard takes you on a…Click on the title for more

Electronic Audio Epxeriments The Bard Preamp

DOD Chthonic Fuzz

A dark and sludgy take on the early fuzz circuitry, the DOD Chthonic Fuzz is the first release by the pioneering US pedal company since it was acquired by Cortek Guitars from Samson within the sale of DigiTech. In perfect DOD style, it's a pedal that caters to alternative guitarists,…Click on the title for more

DOD Chthonic Fuzz

DOD Gunslinger Distortion

The DOD Gunslinger is a versatile overdrive/distortion pedal, utilizing a MOSFET circuit and capable of providing a very wide range of overdriven tones from light grit to full saturation. Given the MOSFET design, the Gunslinger provides the touch-sensitivity and articulation of playing a tube amp, available in a compact, familiar…Click on the title for more

DOD Gunslinger Distortion

2023 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

2023 Best Plexi Pedals & Marshall-Style Distortions: a Buyer’s Guide

Idiotbox Redrum V2 Distortion

Born as a one-knob hybrid Rat/HM-2 circuit (with the distortion of the former running into the tone stack of the latter), the Idiotbox Redrum - with its Kubrick-inspired name and graphics - was recently updated to V2, which provides more control without losing any of the original murderous tone. The Drive…Click on the title for more

Idiotbox Redrum V2 Distortion

Master Effects Martyr Distortion V2

Built by a Calgary-based company specializing in guitar and bass pedals for loud rock genres, the Master Effects Martyr is a pedal voiced after the sound of the Marshall Valvestate 8100 from the '90s, a guitar amp that defined the sound of death metal. This is V2 of this circuit,…Click on the title for more

Master Effects Martyr Distortion V2

EarthQuaker Devices Zoar Distortion

The EarthQuaker Devices Zoar is the Ohio company's take on the modern-sounding, transistor-based medium-high gain distortion. Moderately tweakeable thanks to the (passive) 3-way EQ section, which operates on the frequencies between 0 and 800Hz for Bass, 500Hz and 3kHz for Middle and 1kHz and 10kHz for Treble, the pedal also…Click on the title for more

EarthQuaker Devices Zoar Distortion

New Pedal: NRG Effects Gnawer Distortion

The NRG Effects Gnawer is a RAT-inspired dual-channel overdrive by a small British builder that has built a reputation for solid and tweakable pedal designs. Unlike original RATs and many of its variations, it has a very usable range of tones also at lower gain. Based on a NA5534P op-amp…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: NRG Effects Gnawer Distortion

Fuzzrocious Lil Fella Overdrive/Distortion

Fuzzrocious is not only the pedal company with the best name out there, but also a family-run business with a mission to explore new ways to distort guitar (and bass) tone in new and inspiring ways. Their new release Li'l Fella continues this tradition with a circuit that updates their…Click on the title for more

Fuzzrocious Lil Fella Overdrive/Distortion