gear giveaway

EQ Pedals

Catalinbread Tribute Low-gain Overdrive

The Catalinbread Tribute is the new low-gain overdrive from the Portland-based company and - if memory doesn't betray us - the first device in their roster featuring a parametric EQ since the VariOboost, the very first pedal released by Catalinbread, a now-discontinued boost pedal that inspired this new model. This…Click on the title for more

Catalinbread Tribute Low-gain Overdrive

BOSS IR-200 Amp and IR Cabinet Simulator

The BOSS 200 series welcomes another member to its growing family, the IR-200 Amp and IR Cabinet Simulator, an uber-comprehensive stereo device for performing, rehearsing, and recording without the burden of real amp and cabinets for both guitar (8amp types) and bass (3 amp types). We could spend all day…Click on the title for more

BOSS IR-200 Amp and IR Cabinet Simulator

New Pedal: Master Effects Transmission V2 Preamp/EQ

Bassists (and also guitarists) obsessed with Joy Division and New Order should rejoice! The Master Effects Transmission Preamp is based on the preamp circuit found in the vintage Yamaha BB1200 basses utilized by Peter Hook, who played in both bands. Hand-assembled in Calgary, Canada, and featuring high-quality components, this pedal…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: Master Effects Transmission V2 Preamp/EQ

KMA Machines Guardian of the Wurm

Earlier this year, I stood in front of a contemporary art installation from a Quebec-based artist asking me to trigger, via pedal, the end of the world. Irresponsible as I am, I stomped on it, but nothing happened (Quebequas are renowned for loving provocations). Today I am presented with a…Click on the title for more

KMA Machines Guardian of the Wurm

TWA Triskelion Mk III Harmonic Energizer

New Jersey's TWA (an acronym for Totally Wicked Audio) unveiled the Triskelion Mk III Harmonic Energizer, a midrange booster with adjustable gain based on the vintage Systech Harmonic Energizer used by the likes of Frank Zappa, Greg Lake, Joe Walsh and other 70’s icons. Acting as a cocked wah pedal with…Click on the title for more

TWA Triskelion Mk III Harmonic Energizer

KMA Machines Chief Disruptor Fuzz

German pedal makers KMA Machines have increasingly been gravitating towards uber-tweakable devices (with a soft spot for toggle switches), and the Chief Disruptor (sold direct by Thomann) is their take on the uber-flexible, do-it-all Muff-style fuzz. The core of this circuit is the Voicing toggle, which delivers the following three fuzz…Click on the title for more

KMA Machines Chief Disruptor Fuzz

New Pedal: Pettyjohn Tilt EQ

The Pettyjohn Tilt is an ingenious Preamp/EQ pedal that can deliver up to 20dB of clean gain, but whose preamp section offers four different voices, each with its own color that can be tweaked in a unique way. The Range knob is a rotary, four-position knob that selects the preamp's sonic…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: Pettyjohn Tilt EQ

Redbeard Effects Angry Rhubarb MkII Overdrive

Guitarists were seldom faced with the words "parametric" and "EQ" in the same sentence since that's a kind of EQ that is normally found on pro audio consoles and equalizers, rather than effects and amps. However, in the last few years, we've seen that kind of circuit in an increasing…Click on the title for more

Redbeard Effects Angry Rhubarb MkII Overdrive

Stone Deaf FX Q Boost/Distortion

Father and son British pedal builders Stone Deaf FX released some ingenious and imaginative stompboxes in the past, but today they unveiled something rather simple yet extremely intriguing. At a first look, the (Mickey Mouse-themed) Q Boost appears to be a simple boost pedal/preamp with an extra, sweepable mid-frequency boost,…Click on the title for more

Stone Deaf FX Q Boost/Distortion

Jackson Audio Bloom V2 Compressor/EQ

In the last couple of years, innovation in the pedal realm has been mostly about fitting in a compact enclosure what in previous years would fit in larger cases. However, a handful of companies went beyond that goal, and Houston's Jackson Audio belongs to that shortlist. Their Bloom v2 can…Click on the title for more

Jackson Audio Bloom V2 Compressor/EQ

Stone Deaf FX Warp Drive

Since its inception in 2010, Manchester, UK based Stone Deaf FX has been able to stand out from the pack of new stompbox manufacturers by offering effects at once quirky looking, edgy sounding and overall inspiring. That this company belongs to the "forward-thinking" segment of the pedal manufacturing field is clearly stated…Click on the title for more

Stone Deaf FX Warp Drive

Whimsy Machines King Spark Overdrive + Filter

If "Tube Screamer-inspired" overdrive is a soundbite that instantly turns you off, even just the looks of the Whimsy Machines King Spark Overdrive should make you reconsider your first instincts. A quick glance at the manufacturer's description of the pedal will likely trigger intrigue: King Spark is a highly modified…Click on the title for more

Whimsy Machines King Spark Overdrive + Filter