Updated Feb. 1, 2021 | by Paolo De Gregorio

Trending FX Pedals

The Delicious Audio StompBuzz is back, with the usual monthly update on the list of trending FX pedals on our site in the previous 30 days period – in this case, that is January 2021!

If this was a year like another, we would have had a deluge of new pedals released in January during the NAMM show. However, since 2021 is a pandemic year, we have seen a limited number of new pedals, but nonetheless some really intriguing ones, which inevitably ended up in this chart.

The gallery below lists the stompboxes that had the most searches in the Month of January 2021*.  It features brief descriptions about each pedal (mouse-over or first tap) and video demos (on click or second tap).

3131393970
Way Huge Atreides
$199 - Inspired by the 1980's EHX mini-synthesizer keyboard, like the original it only features sliders, and works as an envelope-controlled synth-fuzz pedal with a sub-octave and a phaser. Internal trim pots allow you to go as deep as two octaves and fine-tune a few other settings.
Zzounds | Sweetwater |
More
Reverb Amazon
3238238184
Earthquaker Devices Astral Destiny
$199 | A spacey, creative, multi-mode, modulated Reverb with 8 preset slots featuring a pitch shifting engine that can deliver upper and lower octaves and fifths and also ascending/descending bending pitch effects. The Stretch footswitch doubles the length of the reverb while adding an adjustable pitch-bending effect.
Zzounds | Sweetwater |
More
Reverb Amazon
813755050
Hologram Microcosm
$449 - A multi-mode granular looper/phrase looper/delay filter and reverb. Offers 11 unique granular and looping effects with 44 preset variations, Stereo In/Out, Expression In mappable to many controls, MIDI, 60 sec. Phrase Looper, Stereo Reverb, “Hold” function to freeze effects and patterns, pitch modulation, Resonant Lowpass Filter, presets, trails and Tap Tempo.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
3058577132
Walrus Audio R1 Mako
$349 - A Stereo, multi-mode reverb with deep functionality hosted in a compact case, with up to 9 presets. It boasts 6 modes (Spring, Hall, Plate, BFR, RFRCT (Refract), and Air) with deeply editable parameters thanks to Decay, Swell and Mix controls and two 3-mode knobs (Tweak and Tune) giving access to 6 more controls including Rate, Depth and Predelay.
Zzounds | Sweetwater |
More
Reverb Amazon
394227213
Chase Bliss Audio + Meris CXM 1978
$899 | A collaborative pedal adaption of the venerable (1978) Lexicon studio reverb, built on the moving-fader format of Chase Bliss Audio's Automatone series and featuring three algorithms (Hall, Room, Plate). Also features a LoFi Mode for vintage digital sounds and Adjustable Decay Crossover for fully shapeable reverb tail
Perf. Circuit | Reverb | Amazon
https://amzn.to
Strymon Nightsky
$429 - A stereo “reverberant synthesis workstation” that combines reverb, pitch-shifting, a resonant filter, modulation with multiple waves shapes (which can be routed to pitch, reverb or filter), and even a step sequencer! Three footswitches allow several functions including preset storage/recall, sequencer control and momentary effects.
Sweetwater | Reverb | Amazon
2045433549
BOSS OC-5
$129 | The new Vintage mode faithfully recreates the mono sound of the classic 1982 OC-2. The Poly mode can track chords and features polyphonic enhancements, an octave-up feature for extended range, and improved tracking technology for latency-free response. The variable Range knob restricts the effect to only the lower notes, great for bass.
Zzounds | Sweetwater |
More
Reverb Amazon
2874677572
Chase Bliss Zvex Bliss Factory
$450+ | ZVEX’s classic gets the Chase Bliss treatment. All the controls of the original are here, plus a new resonant low pass filter knob, and two three-way toggles for fattening up the tone and setting auxiliary knob functions. Any parameter can be saved to a preset, and controlled by midi or expression pedal using the dip switches on the back. Not cheap but super-versatile.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
4023527467
ProCo Lil RAT
$TBS - A miniature version of the RAT 2, with the same circuit and the same components - but no battery. Delivers exactly the same goodness in half the package.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
3108634164
Boss TB-2W
$800+ used | With the help of Sola Sound, the originators of the Tone Bender, BOSS has created a faithful replica of a vintage Mark II model (serial number 500) as part of their Waza craft series. The TB-2W brings the Bender into the modern era with switchable buffered / true bypass, and a voltage switch that allow you to select 7v for starved gated fuzz, the standard 9v, or 12v for more headroom.
eBay | Reverb | Amazon
3023155856
Keeley Hydra
$249 - A compact Stereo Reverb + Tremolo with 3 modes (Spring, Plate or Room) and tap-tempo enabled Harmonic, Vibrato, or Sine Wave Tremolo. Each effect has its own footswitch and can be placed first in the chain. Dual function knobs are accessible by holding the Color knob, ( black fonts for Tremolo, white fonts for Reverb).  Includes Trails, remote switching compatibility, Expression and Tap-Tempo inputs.
Zzounds | Sweetwater |
More
Reverb Amazon
3795955973
Jackson Audio Modular Fuzz + Octave
$279 - A "platform" pedal that can host a series of circuit cards that will change the fuzz style - with each module costing $49. Fuzz and Octave have separate footswitches and volumes. 3 band EQ with parametric Mids and a Blend knob round out the features.
Zzounds | Sweetwater |
More
Reverb Amazon

Here is the text version of the chart highlighting variations compared to last month. Click on the links below to read our coverage and video aggregation.

  1. (NEW) Way Huge Atreides
  2. (NEW) EarthQuaker Devices Astral Destiny
  3. (-2) Hologram Microcosm
  4. (NEW) Walrus Audio R1
  5. (NEW) Chase Bliss Audio/Meris CXM 1978
  6. (-3) Strymon Nightsky
  7. (=) BOSS OC-5
  8. (-4) Chase Bliss Audio + Zvex Bliss Factory
  9. (New) ProCo Lil Rat
  10. (New) BOSS TB-2W
  11. (-9) Keeley Hydra
  12. (New) Jackson Audio Modular Fuzz

*The search data was collected from our Google Search Console and Google Trends.

—

Related Delicious Audio Posts: