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gear giveaway

Preamp Pedals

Benson Portable Distortion 424 MkII

The Benson Portable Distortion 424 MkII is a masterclass in nostalgic tone design, distilling the famously imperfect sound of a 424 cassette 4-track recorder into a portable, pedalboard-friendly format. More than a simple distortion, it functions as a full preamp and tonal management system, offering a remarkably versatile gain range…... Click for more

Benson Portable Distortion 424 MkII

New Pedal: JHS Fumble JFET Preamp

Here's the thing about mistakes: some of them you bury. Some of them you put in a box and sell for eighty-nine dollars. JHS dropped the NOTADÜMBLË in May 2025—a solderless DIY kit with two circuits. One was an overdrive based on the Dumble lead sound. The other was supposed…... Click for more

New Pedal: JHS Fumble JFET Preamp

Tone King Royalist Preamp

Following the success of last year's Imperial preamp, Tone King has unveiled the Royalist: a high-voltage tube preamp pedal that distills the sound of their Royalist MKIII amplifier into a compact, pedalboard-friendly format. Where the Imperial covered American cleans, the Royalist is a full-throated tribute to the golden age of…... Click for more

Tone King Royalist Preamp

Hudson Electronics Broadcast AP-II

The Broadcast preamp pedal from UK builder Hudson Electronics has a stellar reputation and made several best-of lists when it came out a few years ago. The AP version of it, recently updated to the dual version, named Broadcast AP-II, is an evolution of the original design engineered in collaboration…... Click for more

Hudson Electronics Broadcast AP-II

Tone King Imperial Tube Preamp Pedal

One of the most talked-about pedals to emerge from the 2025 NAMM Show was the Tone King Imperial Tube Preamp, a two-channel stereo preamp with tremolo and reverb voiced after the company's namesake amp, and based on a circuit featuring not one but three 12AX7 tubes. Just like in the…... Click for more

Tone King Imperial Tube Preamp Pedal

New Pedal: EarthQuaker Devices ZEQD-Pre

The EarthQuaker Devices ZEQD-Pre is a collaborative tube preamplifier that successfully translates the elusive feel and response of a boutique Dr. Z amplifier into a pedalboard-friendly unit. More than a simple overdrive, it’s a complete, all-analog amplifier system designed for flexible modern use. At its core is a genuine EF86 pentode…... Click for more

New Pedal: EarthQuaker Devices ZEQD-Pre

DryBell The Engine Dual Preamp

Our Croatian friends at DryBell, who have built a super-solid reputation with their Uni-Vibe emulations and the more recent utility pedal Unit67, unveiled at our NAMM 2020 Stompbox Booth a prototype of their first preamp/overdrive, and it looked right away like something special. Sporting a "Foundation Preamp" subtitle, the DryBell…... Click for more

DryBell The Engine Dual Preamp

New Pedal: Shotmaker The Heartbeat Preamp + Tremolo

Based in the Polish city of Zielona Góra, Shotmaker Instruments is a small workshop dedicated to the art of vintage-toned gear. They channel a passion for music into handcrafted tube amplifiers, speakers, and effects, all built with an old-school ethos and a focus on custom, personalized equipment. Their latest release,…... Click for more

New Pedal: Shotmaker The Heartbeat Preamp + Tremolo

Orange Terror StAmp 20w Amp In A Pedal

The Orange Terror StAmp is a Tube/Solid State 20 watt class A/B hybrid amp, with an effects loop, that’s small enough to fit on a pedalboard. Runs at 8 or 16 ohms, so it’s possible to drive multiple cabs, but also includes headphone out, with cab simulator, for late night…... Click for more

Orange Terror StAmp 20w Amp In A Pedal

Friedman IR-J Dual Tube Preamp (Jake E Lee Signature)

The Friedman IR-J is the third comer in the "IR" pedal tube preamp series recently launched by the US brand. The manufacturer is keen to stress that the two 12AX7 tubes inside the pedal aren't there just to "warm up" a digital or solid-state circuit, but are the beating heart…... Click for more

Friedman IR-J Dual Tube Preamp (Jake E Lee Signature)

Color Audio Cassette Preamp

Chasing that warm, saturated, and beautifully imperfect tape sound? The Color Audio Cassette Preamp distills the soul of a vintage Japanese cassette recorder (reportedly, the Porta 2) into a rugged, tour-ready pedal. This isn't just an emulation—it's a part-for-part reproduction of the original circuit, right down to the prized NJM2068…... Click for more

Color Audio Cassette Preamp

MXR Rockman X100 Stereo Preamp

In 1982, Tom Scholz of Boston fame unveiled the Rockman X100, a headphone amplifier that encapsulated the soaring, chorus-drenched guitar tones of 1980s arena rock. The sound of that device is reborn in the MXR Rockman X100—a compact, modern homage to Scholz’s design based on the same MN3007 bucket brigade…... Click for more

MXR Rockman X100 Stereo Preamp