gear giveaway

Mini Pedals

New at NAMM 2022: Ovaltone Forty5 Drive Gear (Plexi-Style)

Hailing from Japan, the Ovaltone Forty5 is a mini Plexi-style drive we stumbled upon at NAMM 2022. Its low to mid-gain overdrive tone is inspired by the sound of the Marchall JTM45. It has controls for Volume and Drive, responds well to dynamics and can take a hotter input when…Click on the title for more

New at NAMM 2022: Ovaltone Forty5 Drive Gear (Plexi-Style)

Flamma FC03 Mini Digital Delay

Flamma Innovation is a new, solid Chinese player in the digital pedal realm and they have been churning out new pedals as if there's no tomorrow. The Flamma FC03 is the first pedal in mini format, offering three delay flavors at just about $40. Analog: Warm and smooth classic analog…Click on the title for more

Flamma FC03 Mini Digital Delay

New Pedal: Pigtronix Emanator Analog Delay

Sometimes the resurfacing of a specific chip previously unavailable inspires pedal builders to release new stompboxes. In the case of the Pigtronix Emanator, it's an analog delay based on legendary high-voltage MN3005 BBD chips that were out of production since the mid-'80s. The high voltage allows this mini, limited edition analog…Click on the title for more

New Pedal: Pigtronix Emanator Analog Delay

Hotone Soul Press II Wah/Expression Pedal

The first generation of Hotone's mini, multi-function, multi-mode wah pedal Soul Press was one of the standout products of the Chinese company. MkII takes the concept even further, adding a series of new features: A Tone Mode switch selects Classic or Warm mode One extra function (besides acting as a…Click on the title for more

Hotone Soul Press II Wah/Expression Pedal

Pogo Pedal Harmony Series

Chicago-based Pogo Pedals - known for their Zen Ray overdrive - just unveiled through Reverb.com a new line of mini-pedals called Harmony and consisting in a tremolo, a phaser/vibrato, a fuzz, and octave fuzz and a compressor+boost. The pedals are prices just under $100, they are all 100% analog and…Click on the title for more

Pogo Pedal Harmony Series

Suguru Big Katsu Distortion

Notwithstanding its fun Japanese snack theme, the Suguru Big Katsu Distortion is a pedal made for rather tense musical styles: a high-gain distortion delivering - to quote the manufacturer - "crunchy and thick tones reminiscent of post-rock or shoegaze styles"! Its thick tone with a slight low-end roll-off is delivered…Click on the title for more

Suguru Big Katsu Distortion

Sonicake VolWah Wah + Volume Pedal

The Sonicake VolWah is an affordable, Chinese mini wah/volume that does the job and that’s very popular on Amazon or eBay. Its active circuit prevents Impedance incompatibility issues with other finicky pedals like fuzzes. The case is made of plastic but doesn't feel flimsy. For such an affordable pedal, it's…Click on the title for more

Sonicake VolWah Wah + Volume Pedal

Pigtronix Gamma Drive

In the pedal world, overdrives are a niche that is for the most part based on technology that's not particularly innovative, but the folks at Pigtronix have gotten us used to devices the push the technological envelope: their Gamma Drive does just that, through a circuit that features a unique…Click on the title for more

Pigtronix Gamma Drive

Rainger FX Bleep Fuzz

In all likelihood, you are familiar with Rainger FX's Dr. Freakenstein Fuzz and its little Igor pressure controller; even a quick look at it tends to generate a lasting impression. The London based builder recently unveiled a new fuzz called Bleep that uses that pedal's same "full-on" fuzz circuit but fits…Click on the title for more

Rainger FX Bleep Fuzz

Wampler Plexi Drive Mini

Wampler has been a dominant force in the Plexi-style overdrive niche for a while with its Plexi Drive series (the original version was so popular that the builder released a Deluxe version in 2015). Wampler recently announced the release of the little brother in the series, the Plexi Drive Mini,…Click on the title for more

Wampler Plexi Drive Mini

Flatsons Time Effects Reverb + Delay

Flatsons is one of those Chinese pedal builders whose mini-stompboxes sell like candy on eBay, AliBaba and Walmart (!!!), but don't seem to have their own website. Time Effects is their $59 digital reverb+delay and it frankly looks remarkable, if anything for the fact that it includes an LCD screen,…Click on the title for more

Flatsons Time Effects Reverb + Delay

Donner Ultimate Comp Mini Compressor

The Donner Ultimate Comp is a surprisingly subtle, great-sounding mini compressor. Best for a spanky sound, not so much for sustain. Works well for country, blues, funk, and jazz rhythm tones. Also sold under the Rowing and VSN brands. We added this pedal to our article about the best mini…Click on the title for more

Donner Ultimate Comp Mini Compressor