gear giveaway

Distortion Pedals

KMA Machines Wurm 2 Distortion

The KMA Machines Wurm 2 is an update of the Berlin-based company's high-gain flagship distortion pedal, featuring a circuit based on the BOSS HM-2 but with lots of extra features - or, in the words of the builder, "taking it much further and pushing the envelope of how destructive it…Click on the title for more

KMA Machines Wurm 2 Distortion

Black Mass Electronics The First Herald

The folks at Black Mass Effects, out of Salem, MA, describe their debut pedal, named The First Herald and recently redesigned to fit in a compact case, as a device that "does not reinvent the wheel, but reinforces it" and also "not death itself, but a definitive statement reminding you…Click on the title for more

Black Mass Electronics The First Herald

Wampler Phenom Distortion

The Wampler Phenom Distortion is one of two releases from a new affordable line of pedals called "Collective" by a US-based boutique company with a record of best-selling dirt boxes. Joining a trend developed in recent years by US boutique builders to manufacture quality, compact gain pedals with a price…Click on the title for more

Wampler Phenom Distortion

Rare Buzz Effects Octave Distortion

The Rare Buzz Effects Octave Distortion is a combo pedal that marries the company's 1970 Distortion and 1970 Octave pedals. The two effects feature separate controls and footswitches, which allow to play them separately or in series (Octave into Distortion). The three knobs for the Octave are: Gain: level fed…Click on the title for more

Rare Buzz Effects Octave Distortion

New Pedal: Flamma Black Dist

At just under $30 USD, the Flamma Black Dist is one of the most affordable (mini) distortion pedals on the market, from a Chinese builder whose pedals have been appreciated for their tone and looks - their stylized by stylish graphics make them by far the best-looking pedals coming out…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: Flamma Black Dist

JPTR FX Katastrophe Octave Up Distortion

German buitique pedal builder JPTR FX likes to make its devices big and noisy and also original, and the Katastrophe finds its originality angle in being an octave overdrive/distortion (as opposed to an octave fuzz). This is a pedal that allows you to radically tweak your tone through two gain…Click on the title for more

JPTR FX Katastrophe Octave Up Distortion

New Pedal: Beautiful Noise Exploder Distortion + White Noise

Handmade in Newcastle, Australia, the Beautiful Noise Exploder is a distortion pedal for the heavy yet tweaking-inclined guitarist, with a couple of interesting twists. Besides the expected (white) Gain and Master knob and a 3-way EQ section with (smaller black) Low Mid, and Hi controls, the Exploder offers a 3-way…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: Beautiful Noise Exploder Distortion + White Noise

New Pedal: Westminster Piper Drive V3

The Westminster Piper Drive V3 is a high-gain pedal inspired by the Fulltone OCD but optimized for metallic musical genres. The simple control layout allows to dial in tones ranging from open and transparent to fully distorted with a mid-push. A two-voice toggle switch delivers two different tone flavors, one…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: Westminster Piper Drive V3

New Pedal: Valco KGB Dist JR

The Valco KGB Dist JR is a more compact version of the versatile 4-mode distortion KGB Dist, with the only difference that the latter sports a Blend fader. The rest of the circuit is the same, with the 1-Pole Low-Pass Filter knob shaping the tone, the signature 6-settings Variable Impedance rotary…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: Valco KGB Dist JR

Vaderin Pedals Kroaked Boost/Distortion

The Vaderin Pedals Kroaked is an all-transistor 3-knob dirt-box that can go from pristine cleans to super-saturated and compressed distortion. The LVL knob, when the other two controls are at zero, works as a clean boost. It's not the output but a linear clean boost that precedes the pedal’s second…Click on the title for more

Vaderin Pedals Kroaked Boost/Distortion

Orange Amps Distortion

The Orange Vintage Series Distortion is a high-quality reissue of a vintage and long-discontinued pedal by the UK amp manufacturer, rediscovered thanks to a photo in a message board, together with two other devices. Unlike the two other designs, this one underwent significant circuit "surgery:" the original’s back-to-back diode design was…Click on the title for more

Orange Amps Distortion

Funny Little Boxes 1991 “Pearl Jam” Distortion

The dude at the Let's Play All YouTube Channel is very much into the guitar sound of the '90s, and some time in the first half of 2021 he asked a friend at Funny Little Boxes (a small UK pedal builders) if he could create a pedal that reproduced the…Click on the title for more

Funny Little Boxes 1991 “Pearl Jam” Distortion