BBE Two Timer
Inspired by the long-gone Boss DM-2 (made from 1981 to 1984), the Two Timer ($209
retail/$149 street) analog delay provides two independently adjustable delay times of up to
330ms that you preset with the Time 1 and Time 2 controls and then select between them
using the Time 1/Time 2 footswitch. A master Repeat control determines the number of
echo repeats for both delay settings, while a Mix control adjusts the wet/dry signal ratio.
Infinite repeats are available at high Mix settings, making it possible to elicit spacey feedback
effects à la early Pink Floyd. The Two Timer delivers warm-sounding delay effects at
extremely low noise levels, however, the ability to preset two completely different types of echo
is somewhat hampered by having only one Repeat control. Still, for what it offers, the Two Timer
is a sweet deal. —Art Thompson
KUDOS Two independent delay times. True hardwire bypass. Quiet operation.
CONCERNS Can only assign one repeats setting to both delays.
CONTACT BBE Sound,(714) 897-6766; bbesound.com
Burriss Boostiest II
A combination distortion and boost pedal, the Boostiest II ($299
street) features a booster preamp with Output, Highs, and Input controls,
and a “TS flavored” overdrive circuit with Gain, Tone, and Level
controls. The two circuits can be used separately or combined. Power
is provided by a 9-volt battery or external adapter (not included), and
the voltage is stepped up internally to 16-18 volts for the Booster
channel only. The Booster’s Output knob provides a huge range of
clean signal, and the stepped Input control is actually a bias adjustment
that sets the overall gain of the preamp. Switching to the Overdrive side
brings you into familiar TS-808 territory, with gobs of touch-sensitive distortion
available via the Gain control and plenty of output. Using the two
circuits together, however, creates a massive overdrive sound that is beyond
what even two TS-808s could achieve. —Art Thompson
KUDOS Extremely flexible distortion/overdriver. Excellent clean preamp.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT Burriss Amplifiers, (800) 513-2256; burrisamps.com
Danelectro Cool Cat CF-1 Fuzz
This diminutive orange pedal will make a lot of guitarists on tight budgets very
happy. Despite its compact size and bargain price, the CF-1 ($39 retail/$29 street)
sports 3PDT true-bypass switching and a metal casing with metal jacks. Inside, the
unit’s modest electronics are tidily organized (though after putting the bottom
plate back on, there was a small pile of metal dust on my countertop). The tones
are squarely on the corpulent side, boasting sizzling highs, robust mids, and a
pleasingly flabby low end—with lots of gain on tap. This entry-level pedal gets the
job done at a way cool price. —Barry Cleveland
KUDOS Lots of buzz for the buck.
CONCERNS Tones not particularly focused.
CONTACT Danelectro, (805) 389-4605; danelectro.com
Danelectro Cool Cat Drive CO-1
Very possibly the lowest-priced distortion pedal on the market, the Drive ($29 retail/$24
street) offers a metal housing with metal jacks, true-bypass switching, and a set of Drive,
Tone, and Volume controls. This pedal has lots of gain and output, and you can turn the
Drive down for bluesier vibes and still hit your amp with a strong signal. This pedal’s distortion
tones aren’t particularly inspiring, but they get the job done, and the Tone control
has sufficient range for dialing-in humbucker and single-coil guitars. What’s missing
here is mainly sonic detail and focus—things you expect from pricier distortion pedals—
as well as the dynamic response that allows the clipping circuit to clean up when
you turn down your guitar. For beginning players the Drive might be just fine, and it could
also be a good back-up pedal to keep in your gig bag for emergencies. —Art Thompson
KUDOS Abundant distortion and output. True-bypass switching.
CONCERNS Removable battery door could be easily lost.
CONTACT Danelectro, (805) 389-4605; danelectro.com
Danelectro Transparent Overdrive
Though its burn quotient is less than that of the Drive, the Transparent Overdrive ($49
retail/$39 street) is more tweakable thanks to having Bass and Treble controls, which are
arranged concentrically on a dual-potentiometer. The TD’s extra EQ capability is handy for
getting more buff tones from single-coil guitars, as well as for doing the heavy bottom/
bright top thing when rocking out with humbuckers. This pedal’s studly output can also
work in tandem with your amplifier to elicit more distortion goodies. As with the Drive
pedal, the Transparent Overdrive TD doesn’t clean up well when you turn down your
guitar, but overall, it’s a good choice for blues and classic rock when cost is a primary
consideration. —Art Thompson
KUDOS Affordable all-around distortion/overdriver. True-bypass switching.
CONCERNS. Removable battery door could be easily lost.
CONTACT Danelectro, (805) 389-4605; danelectro.com
Demeter RVB-1 Reverbulator
Heir to the celebrated rack-mounted RV-1 Real Spring Reverb, the
Reverbulator ($499 retail/$429 street) delivers wave upon wave of the same
luscious sounds in a comparatively small (10" x 6" x 1.75") package. Its two
Accutronics 3 springs—one set to short and the other to long decay—can be
used individually or in combination, and you can reverse the long spring’s
phase for a cool variation. The shielded cabinet and use of Burr Brown chips
result in ultra-quiet performance, and the input Gain and output Volume controls
allow you to configure the unit for use as a pedal, in your amp’s effects
loop, or as an outboard studio processor—and the Reverbulator performs
spectacularly in all three applications. With the possible exception of the (less
versatile) original ’60s Fender tube reverb this is the best-sounding device of
its kind I’ve ever heard, and it gets an Editors’ Pick Award. —Barry Cleveland
KUDOS Super-rich reverb. Quiet. Versatile.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT Demeter Amplification, (805) 461-4100; demeteramps.com
DigiTech HardWire CR-7 Stereo Chorus
Since their inception, I’ve been impressed with DigiTech’s HardWire series of stompboxes
due to their bulletproof construction and great tones. Well, the CR-7 has only
reinforced those good feelings, because this is one righteous chorus pedal. It features
true stereo operation, seven different flavors of modulation, Speed and Depth controls,
plus the all-important Level control. On an ’80s gig, I got sparkling, glistening clean
sounds with a Strat into a Budda Twinmaster and absolutely bitchin’ Lifesonesque dirty
tones when I mated it with some distortion. I couldn’t beat the Multi setting (a true eightvoice
chorus) but the other choices—Studio, Modern, Boutique, Analog, Jazz, and Vintage—
all have their charm, and several of them can even do a cool faux-Leslie tone at fast settings.
There is something for every chorus lover in the CR-7, and it gets an Editors’ Pick Award.
—Matt Blackett
KUDOS Eight types of lush chorusing. True stereo operation. Rock solid construction
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT DigiTech, (801) 566-8800; digitech.com
DigiTech Hardwire SC-2 Valve Distortion
This natty looking member of the Hardwire clan has a cool, burnt-orange finish, a complement of
Level, Low, High, and Gain controls, and a 2-position mode switch with Crunch and Saturated
settings. The SC-2 is more aggressive sounding than the Hardwire Tube Overdrive, and it has
quite a bit more gain, too—something you instantly appreciate when you click the minitoggle
into Saturated mode. The sustain is intense here as you nudge the Gain knob into its
higher realms, and between the engorgment of harmonics and spongy feel you get when digging
into the strings, the SC-2 gets good marks for copping the vibe of a high-gain tube amp.
The SC-2 is great for hard-rock shredding or any other style that demands tons of distortion,
but this pedal’s tube-like character and ability to kick out a hot signal even at lower
Gain settings makes it suitable for blues and roots styles too. —Art Thompson
KUDOS Yards of gain. Well voiced EQ. Tube-like sound and dynamic resonse. Clever
battery access.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT DigiTech, (801) 566-8800; digitech.com
DigiTech HardWireRV-7 Stereo Reverb
The RV-7 Stereo Reverb ($199 retail/$149 street) is built around a Lexicon reverb chip and it sounds
like it. Providing true discrete stereo I/O in addition to mono, the RV-7 offers a choice of Room,
Plate, Hall, Reverse, Modulated, and Gated reverb types, along with variable reverb Level, Decay
time, and Liveliness (high frequency response). There’s even a Tails Switch that circumvents the
true-bypass switching so reverb tails trail off when the reverb is disengaged. Superb reverb algorithms
and effective controls facilitate everything from a touch of ambience to cavernous halls,
and the Reverse reverb is outstanding, sounding a lot like actual tape reverse. Stereo or mono,
pedalboard or effects loop—the RV-7 delivers major vibe for minimal bucks and receives an
Editors’ Pick Award. —Barry Cleveland
KUDOS Versatile. Superior algorithms. Intuitive controls.
CONCERNS Spring reverb relatively unconvincing.
CONTACT DigiTech, (801) 566-8800; digitech.com
DigiTech Hardwire CM-2 Tube Overdrive
Sporting the same beautifully designed metal case, stepped controls, and true-bypass switching
found on all Hardwire series pedals, the CM-2 ($139 retail/$99 street) specializes in warm, tubeflavored
distortion. Along with Level, Low, High, and Gain controls, the CM-2 has a 2-position
mini-toggle switch that provides a lower gain level for crunch rhythm playing in Classic mode,
and a higher gain level for lead work in Modern mode. The EQ controls are voiced well for getting
rich, creamy tones from humbucker and single-coil guitars, and the dynamic response is
ideal for players who prefer to keep their distortion pedal on, and control the grind with their
guitar’s volume knob. The CM-2 has lots of output, and you don’t have to run the Gain control
up high to get it. Also, because this pedal doesn’t overtly color the sound, your guitar’s
natural tone stays well preserved. —Art Thompson
KUDOS Touch responsive, tube-flavored distortion. Great choice for blues or classic rock.
Clever battery access.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT DigiTech, (801) 566-8800; digitech.com
EBS TremoLo
One of the smallest true-stereo tremolo pedals we’ve seen, the Swedish-made TremoLo ($229
street) is an analog unit that gives you a choice of three different waveshapes: sine, sawtooth,
and square. The TremoLo also has Depth and Speed controls and a Volume/Filter mode switch
that purportedly bypasses the low frequencies for more subtle flavors of modulation. The variety
of sounds that this box delivers is impressive—everything from round, amp-style modulation
to helicopter chop—and at an extremely wide range of speeds. I found the Filter mode less
useful overall, however, and it also pulses annoyingly when combined with a square wave setting—
even when you’re not playing. That said, the TremoLo offers such a menagerie of trem textures
that it’s kind of hard to imagine a situation where this pedal would not be able to deliver
exactly what’s needed for the song. —Art Thompson
KUDOS Three waveshape choices. Stereo inputs and outputs.
CONCERNS Somewhat puzzling Filter mode.
CONTACT EBS, bass.se
Electratone No. 1
When I first saw the No. 1 ($749 retail/street N/A) at a NAMM show, I
was pretty jazzed. I loved the idea of a distortion “workstation” with
three dedicated channels—each with knobs for Tone, Gain, Volume, and
roar flavor (Fuzz, Distortion, Overdrive)—as well as a Boost channel
that offered from 3dB-20dB of extra gain to blast through a dense
stage mix (or startle the timid). The casing is as heavy as a Harley and
just as tough, and an XLR output (for direct-to-P.A. applications) is
included along with the 1/4" input and output. However, the brutish
No. 1 is so aggro that it’s almost unusable when you crack the Gain
beyond 9 o’clock. At that point—whether you select Fuzz,
Distortion, or Overdrive—the No. 1’s raspy buzz sounds as if a
tube is freaking out, a speaker is busted, or a 9-volt battery is rapidly
dying (the No. 1 is AC powered). The No. 1 is a fabulous concept
that needs a bit more tonal R&D. —Michael Molenda
KUDOS Decent “slightly overdriven” tones. Bulletproof.
CONCERNS “Broken tone effect” at moderate-to-high Gain settings. Very expensive.
CONTACT Electratone, electratone.net
Fryer Guitars Brian May Treble Booster Deluxe
You have to love what this magical little box does, because once it’s in line, you can’t turn
it off nor can you vary its output. Thankfully, I do love it. What the Treble Booster Deluxe
($185 retail/street N/A) does is slam the front end of any amp with a whopping 35dB of
boost that is centered at approximately 3kHz, but it’s boosting all frequencies from 200Hz
through 10k and beyond. The effect it had on the clean channel of a Bogner Alchemist was
intense, musical, and just plain awesome. It produced a glorious, mid-heavy tone that was
crunchy when I hit it hard, and clean when I picked softly, with almost every note on the
neck singing with gorgeous sustain. Rolling down the guitar’s volume control gave me the
brilliant bell tones that are on every Queen record. Also, despite the massive boost, this
thing is dead quiet. To quote Freddie Mercury, “it’s brilliant, darling,” and we’re giving it
an Editors’ Pick Award. —Matt Blackett
KUDOS Amazing, dynamic overdrive. Unreal sustain. Quiet operation.
CONCERNS Can’t turn it off.
CONTACT Fryer Guitars, (011)+61 2 9938 3379; fryerguitars.com
Hartman Tommy Bolin Fuzz
Reverse engineered by analyzing the same model Sam Ash Fuzz used by Bolin, and re-amping
tracks from his original multi-track masters for comparison, the handwired Tommy
Bolin Fuzz ($190 retail/$169 street) strives to deliver its namesake’s distinctive sound.
Bolin reportedly left his fuzz on constantly, varying the amount of distortion with his guitar’s
volume control, and this box excels at that, cleaning up beautifully and retaining its
tight treble and solid mids and lows even with the guitar volume rolled way back. Other
classic rock tones—early ZZ Top sprang to mind—were also on tap. Even with the
Volume and Attack controls fully cranked, however, the output level barely exceeded
unity gain, which may prove insufficient for soloing over a band. That caveat aside, this
unique pedal will definitely let you get your Bolin rollin’. —Barry Cleveland
KUDOS Great Bolin and other classic rock tones. Responds beautifully to
changes in guitar volume.
CONCERNS Insufficient output level.
CONTACT Hartman Electronics, (415) 652-8260; hartmanelectronicstore.com
Hermida Audio Technology Dual Booster
As its name implies, the Dual Booster ($179 direct) is a
clean boost pedal with two switchable gain levels that you can toggle between using the right-hand
A/B switch. The On/Off switch bypasses the active circuitry when you don’t need any boost, and
a trio of LEDs indicate when the unit is active, and which gain channel is selected. The Dual
Booster is cool because it lets you dial-in a subtle amount of gain to enhance your rhythm tone
and then instantly unleash a wad of signal boost to push your tube amp into sustain and/or
controllable feedback. Quiet circuitry, a rugged metal casing, and an external adapter jack,
make the Dual Booster a great choice for those who’d like to have the option of kicking in
a little more, or less, signal boost as the song requires. —Art Thompson
KUDOS Two independently adjustable boost settings.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT Hermida Audio Technology, hermidaaudio.com
Hermida Audio Technology Distortion
There’s no mistaking what the Distortion ($199 direct) brings to the party, although having to
following Hermida’s popular Zendrive pedal isn’t the easiest trick to perform. With its smooth,
rich voice and abundant gain, the Distortion makes it easy to get sweet-sounding grind
with pretty much any guitar/amp combination. The Voice control is the key to
dialing in the mids for the clearest focus with humbuckers or single-coils, and
once you’ve got this set where you want it, all it takes is a twist of the Tone
knob to either fatten the lows or put a little more sheen on the top. The Volume
control provides substantial boost even at lower Gain settings, which makes the
Distortion very suitable for anything from blues to hard rock to modern shred.
—Art Thompson
KUDOS Smooth, tube-sounding distortion. Wide gain range. Effective Voice control.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT Hermida Audio Technology, hermidaaudio.com
ISP Totally Blues Overdrive Pedal
Housed in a chromed metal case, the Totally Blues ($139 retail/$117 street) has electronic
true-bypass switching, a front-mounted center-negative DC input, and Gain,
Level, Tone, and Mojo controls. Sonically, the Totally Blues runs from useful texture
and thickness at lower Gain settings to serious hair when you wind it up, with more
than enough Level on tap to drive the amp into clipping. The asymmetrical waveform
definitely adds some girth and tubey dimension to the tone, while the Mojo control
proves great at tweaking your way between an eviscerating Buddy Guy-like lead tone
and a smoother, Claptonesque purr. This pedal definitely colors your tone at all settings,
and fans of super-smooth overdrive might look elsewhere—but that’s the idea,
and it does retain good dynamics at all settings. —Dave Hunter
KUDOS Thick, full-bodied lead tones with juicy harmonic content.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT ISP Technologies, (248) 673-7790; isptechnologies.com
Jacques Meistersinger BBD Analog Chorus
The Meistersinger ($175 retail/$139 street) is buffered rather than true bypass, a state of
affairs that keeps it—and everything—sounding better on a multi-pedal board, or so claims
its maker. That said, there’s no noticeable degradation in tone in “off” mode, and just the
tiniest bit of added ambient noise when activated. Anyone who has spent time playing
the great, simple but effective analog chorus pedals of old will bond with the
Meistersinger’s round, watery sound. And aside from the wobbly “carsick in the house”
sounds found at the extreme end of the Rate control, there are usable sounds at just about every
twist of the knob. It’s a breeze copping anything from a buoyant Andy Summers “Message in a
Bottle” tone to a swirling Nirvana-esque crunch with a little dirt behind it, as is dialing in subtler
textures to thicken up your own licks. Inspiring stuff. —Dave Hunter
KUDOS Great analog chorus. Straightforward and easy to use.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT Jacques Stompboxes, ts808.com
Jacques Katapult Germanium
Vintage Treble Booster
Inspired by the legendary Dallas Rangemaster, Jacques has given the Katapault
($200 retail/$179 street) added versatility courtesy of a 3-way switch for Mid/
Treble/Full voicings. A relay-based true-bypass switch also makes it more desirable
for players who want to go straight to their amps via this single-knob booster.
Through a cleaner amp the results can sometimes be a little harsh and jagged, but inject
this pedal into a tube amp set on the edge of breakup, and it yields a singing, soulful, sustaining
overdrive. Full is my favorite setting, but Mid makes a good all-purpose crunch boost,
and Treble is great at adding slice and bite to humbuckers or neck pickups for lead work.
There’s also enough gain on tap to generate a mild fuzz of sorts up toward full whack. The
Katapault definitely gives you a taste of the Marquee, London, circa 1965, and that’s exactly the
intention. —Dave Hunter
KUDOS Good vintage-styled and totally obtrusive boost, from subtle to outrageous.
CONCERNS Noisy at higher gain settings.
CONTACT Jacques Stompboxes, ts808.com
Jacques
Kapellmeister BBD Analog Flanger
The Kapellmeister ($179 retail/$139 street) promises otherworldly swirl in a smoother, more
organic mood. Rate and Depth knobs govern the speed and intensity of the effect, while Regen
allows you to determine the extremity of the swing between frequency notches and peaks. The
Manual control is not for manually sweeping the frequency range, but lets you tweak the Q
(bandwidth) of the effect to fine-tune the tone. Subtle Rate and Depth settings provide great
motion and texture with both clean and dirty amp tones. From broad, deep sweeps that are perfect
for dramatic “Barracuda”-style rhythm excursions, to adding just a glimmer of shine and
dimension to clean arpeggios and cranked up lead runs alike, the Kapellmeister proves an
able analog accomplice. —Dave Hunter
KUDOS An extremely usable and good-sounding flanger at this price.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT Jacques Stompboxes, ts808.com
Jacques Fat Burner
Compressor/Booster
Compressors often have a gain circuit for boosting the output at high compression/sustain
settings, but the Fat Burner ($150 retail/$129 street) goes a step further by adding a
dedicated Boost output with its own Boost level knob. The dual outs let you split the
guitar signal to two amps, or you can use just the Normal output or the Boost out
for compression and boost. The Fat Burner is great for adding chime to jangly runs,
or for smoothing out country style chicken pickin’, and it couches each note in a
buoyant aura that makes lead work a lot of fun, too. The Fat Burner attenuates
the front end of the notes quite dramatically, however, and rather than simply
increasing sustain, it swells the output in a way that can be a little awkward to
control. —Dave Hunter
KUDOS Juicy tone, excellent sustain, and a useful added booster/splitter.
CONCERNS Compression circuit can be tricky to control. Volume swells are
sometimes extreme.
CONTACT Jacques Stompboxes, ts808.com
Joemeek floorQ
Despite its name, the floorQ ($249 retail/$199 street) is a compressor
not an equalizer. (“I just like saying ‘floorQ,’” quips Joemeek’s
Alan Hyatt). In fact, it’s essentially the same optical compressor
found in the company’s twinQ and threeQ studio boxes, built into a
pedal for non-studio use, particularly by guitarists. Controls for Attack,
Release, Slope, and Compress serve up everything from a cool shimmer to
whacky pumping and breathing effects, and a tad of squeeze enlivens any
guitar tone so much you’ll want to leave the compressor on constantly. On the
other hand, the 20dB of gain boost on tap can drive the floorQ’s Class-A
preamp into delectable crunch and even “Revolution”-like distortion, especially
when used with a tube amp, so you might also opt to use it as an overdrive or boost.
It sounds good—it is good, and it gets an Editors’ Pick. —Barry Cleveland
KUDOS Versatile, studio-quality compression. Killer overdrive.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT Joemeek, (310) 323-9050; joemeek.com
Lizard Leg Effects Flying Dragon
The Flying Dragon ($169 direct) is a clean booster that’s designed to be completely transparent—
i.e., it doesn’t boost or cut any particular part of the frequency spectrum. You can
place the Flying Dragon ahead of your other effects to work as a line-driver/buffer (especially
useful when driving long lengths of cable), or you can use it last in line before
your amp as a volume booster to help your solos stand out. Used by itself, the Flying
Dragon is also great for eliciting ballsy distortion from an amp that’s set for a grinding
rhythm sound. The Dragon’s Boost control has a lot of range, so finding a
level that works for your particular rig and playing style is just a matter of
dialing it until you find the setting that makes your clean tones sound fuller
and more present, and your overdriven tones assume some fire-breathing
attitude. —Art Thompson
KUDOS Clean, quiet signal boost.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT Lizard Leg Effects, (225) 938-2521; lizardlegeffects.com
ModTone MT-CTChromatic Tuner
All the ModTone pedals were tested using the company’s MT-PB8 Powered Pedalboard that
includes all cables and AC power for up to eight stompboxes, with everything housed in a
hardy nylon road case with a shoulder strap. (Each box can also be powered by a 9-volt battery.)
Test gear included a PRS SE Paul Allender, a Danelectro Dead on ’67, a Guild X-160,
an Orange Tiny Terror and Mesa/Boogie 1x12, an Egnater Rebel-20 and Egnater 1x12,
and a Mesa/Boogie Stiletto and Marshall 4x12. The ModTones are manufactured in
China, and the road-tough metal casings are sealed and corrosion resistant. The
MT-CT ($99 retail/$79 street) offers Bypass (blue LED) and Mute (red LED)
modes with no option to see notes displayed while in Bypass. Tuning is accurate,
but the display can be sensitive. If I cranked the guitar tuners a little
too fast, the big blue LED that displays the input note went nuts, and the
line of red LEDs that denote sharp or flat (in cents) zipped around like
a drunken greyhound. —Michael Molenda
KUDOS Good visibility on both dark or light-blasted stages.
CONCERNS Go slow and easy on your tuning pegs.
CONTACT ModTone, modtone-effects.com
ModTone
MT-AD Vintage Analog Delay
The Analog Delay ($119 retail/$99 street) is actually a hybrid that marries analog
circuitry with a PT-2399 processing chip. But the digital element obviously has no
bearing on the warm, natural, and almost lush tone this pedal delivers. In fact,
the sound you put into the MT-AD is pretty much the sound that comes out.
There is no significant boost, or slightly hyped midrange, or any thinning or
deterioration of the source sound. The 130ms-350ms range of the Time control
is broad enough to allow everything from rockabilly slapbacks to Robert
Fripp-like note cascades with multiple repeats. Dynamics are excellent, as
well. You can softly caress a note or brutally punish it, and your attack (or
lack thereof) will be accurately translated. The MT-AD isn’t a particularly
vibey delay that emulates tape delay or lo-fi colors, but its toasty clean
sheen is as comfy as your favorite robe. —Michael Molenda
KUDOS Warm, clear tone.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT ModTone, modtone-effects.com
ModTone MT-CH Aqua Chorus
Like its sibling, the MT-AD Vintage Analog Delay, the Aqua Chorus ($99
retail/$79 street) endeavors to simulate the sound of old-school chorus pedals,
and, hey, it pretty much nails that goal. While some chorus effects tend
to take center stage the moment you hit the footswitch, the MT-CH sits back
in the tonal pocket. There are very small level and high-midrange boosts
when the effect is activated, but these are not enough to distract your ears
from the soft, elegant shimmer that almost takes you by surprise. Now,
there’s certainly nothing wrong with more sonically aggressive chorus
effects, but if you like hiding cool little colors in washes that almost surreptitiously
unfold to seduce more and more aural interest, then the bufferedbypass
MT-CH is for you. —Michael Molenda
KUDOS Lovely, sophisticated sparkle.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT ModTone, modtone-effects.com
ModTone MT-DS Speedbox
Distortion XL
The Speedbox ($59 retail/$49 street) shifts into big, Marshall-style tone,
with the Gain control providing a nice range between sharp, AC/DC-esque
overdrive and more saturated classic-metal sounds. Start goofing with the
Tone knob, and you can further twist your sound from a midrange burn to
a bass emphasis that gets you pretty close to creamy Tony Iommi lows without
bringing in boominess or mud. All the tones rock heavily with ’70s
machismo, and that aggression is full-on, baby. This isn’t a particularly
dynamic distortion—once you set your guitar’s volume, the Speedbox’s
tonal character is about the same whether you pick softly or bang the
strings like an angry gorilla. And speaking of volume manipulations, when
the pedal’s Gain is full up, and your guitar’s level is down to around the
halfway point, the Speedbox produces audible, howling-wind hiss. Keep
this split-bypass pedal to the metal, however, and it’ll rev up like a Ferrari.
—Michael Molenda
KUDOS Rowdy and rockin’ British Isles rage.
CONCERNS Audible hiss when Gain is cranked and guitar volume is low.
Limited dynamic tracking.
CONTACT ModTone, modtone-effects.com
ModTone
MT-PH Atomic
Phaser
Get your ELO on! The Atomic Phaser
($119 retail/$99 street) nails the lush,
pinging shimmer of your favorite ’70s
tracks. Much like the Aqua Chorus, the
Atomic Phaser gives you all the creamy
effect you need without selfishly stealing
the tonal spotlight. Midrange peaks deliver
the ringing timbres that let the phasing
effect stand out in the mix, but the peaks
are not strident or overly sharp. Once
again, ModTone has served up a box that
gets you into vintage-tone territory without
imposing boutique-pedal prices on
your budget. —Michael Molenda
KUDOS Classic ping, ring, and swoosh.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT ModTone, modtone-efffects.com
ModTone
MT-HT
Harmonic
Tremor Pulsating
Tremolo
A cool variable waveform knob is one of
the hipper aspects of the MT-HT ($99
retail/$79 street), as it lets you dial in
subtle—or unsubtle—pulsations that can
span from polite warbles to sequencerstyle
stutters (with the Depth control
cranked). I like to go with wide pulses that
almost sound like digital edits, and the MTHT
didn’t let me down. The split-bypass box
also didn’t mess with my tone, add any
annoying artifacts, or cause any level discrepancies.
This is a fabulous tremolo at any price.
—Michael Molenda
KUDOS Variable wave control.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT ModTone, modtone-effects.com
ModTone
MT-OD Dyno
Drive
The Dyno Drive ($99 retail/$79
street) fills in the less-overtly macho
flavors not covered by the Speedbox.
The split-bypass pedal serves up barely
overdriven, Fender-style tones, and it
can also get you up to the ballsy gronk of
a cranked Deluxe. This would be a fabulous
classic-blues machine if the dynamic
response allowed you to get a little more
SRV-style attack by digging in. However, it
shares the dynamic personality of the
Speedbox, and doesn’t really translate varied
pick attacks. That aside, the Dyno is an
excellent and natural-sounding overdrive
that’s tremendously cool for rock and roll,
garage rock, country, and other Americana
styles. —Michael Molenda
KUDOS Organic overdrive tones.
CONCERNS Limited dynamic tracking.
CONTACT ModTone, modtone-effects.com
MXR
’76 Vintage
Dyna Comp
The MXR ’76 Vintage Dyna Comp ($299
retail/$174 street) is a meticulous Custom
Shop recreation of the original, right
down to the hand-screened “script” logo
and (NOS) “metal can” CA3080 integrated
circuits. This two-knob wonder sounds
remarkably like its predecessor, aggressively
squashing signals without eviscerating
tone, particularly highs—and it is
actually quieter. Turning up the Sensitivity
control increases the compression ratio
while maintaining a relatively slow attack
time (giving the pedal its characteristic
pluckiness, as the initial part of the waveform
gets through)—a combination that’s
great for everything from funk rhythm
playing to chicken pickin’ to heavy
power chording, which helps
explain the pedal’s cross-genre popularity.
As with the original, there’s
no status LED, true-bypass switching,
or external power adapter jack—
but who really cares? —Barry Cleveland
KUDOS Faithfully reproduces the
original.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT MXR, (707) 745-2722;
jimdunlop.com
MXR M159
Stereo Tremolo
The M159 ($298 retail/$169 street) uses
analog circuitry to work its stereo modulation
magic. The device runs on 18 volts for
increased headroom and requires two 9-
volt batteries or an external supply (not
included). The Shape control lets you dial
in everything from smoothly rounded
pulses to staccato effects, and at all settings
the sounds are warm and enveloping.
The M159 sounds great in mono,
but through a pair of amps it really
comes alive—especially with the Pan
footswitch engaged, where the pingponged
pulses create a gorgeous sense of
dimension and motion. The Depth and Speed controls
allows you to slather the tremolo on as thick as
you want, at everything from a swampy crawl to a
galloping aural assault that sounds like it could crumble walls if the volume were
cranked high enough. The M-159 gets an Editors’ Pick Award. —Art Thompson
KUDOS Awesome stereo effects. Very compact. Stereo I/O. Quiet operation.
CONCERNS Unattached battery door can be easily lost.
CONTACT MXR, (707) 745-2722; jimdunlop.com
Pigtronix Philosopher’s Tone
The adroitly named Philosopher’s Tone ($209 retail/$169 street) possesses seemingly
magical powers, most notably its ability to sustain single notes and chords
nearly indefinitely without the tone squashing or noise common to most “clean sustainers.”
And the versatile Sustain (threshold) and Blend (ratio) controls let you
dial in everything from subtle compression to brick wall limiting, while the Treble
(2kHz) and Volume controls compensate for any reduced highs or gain. There’s also
a Grit control for adding smooth overdrive with or without compression, and with
Grit and Sustain turned down, the Volume control provides a de facto clean boost.
The pedal sounded great alone, but patching
various fuzz and distortion boxes
before and after it yielded truly amazing
tones, sustained and otherwise.
The first 100 pedals feature a handpainted,
gold sparkle finish. The
Philosopher’s Tone’s supernatural
sustain, capacity to blend
compressed and overdriven
sounds with the straight tone,
and Treble control set it apart
from the competition, earning
it an Editors’ Pick award.
—Barry Cleveland
KUDOS Uncanny clean sustain.
Brilliantly implemented controls.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT Pigtronix, (917) 941-2861; pigtronix.com
Roadrunner Supersonic Fuzz
Hailing from France, the Supersonic Fuzz ($320 direct) seeks to recreate the
sound of ’60s-era fuzzes—in particular the three-knob Sola Sound Tone Bender.
Housed in a rugged aluminum case, the pedal’s cleanly wired and neatly organized
electronics include true-bypass switching and an internal trim-pot for finetuning
output volume. An LED lights green when the pedal is powered on,
changing to red when the effect is engaged. The wide-ranging Tone control
sweeps from dark and beefy to a tight and smooth midrange to a crisp but not
harsh high end. The versatile Fuzz control dials in relatively clean amp-like distortion
to fat “Sunshine of Your Love”-type tones to a quirky sound reminiscent
of a vintage Octavia. Cool old-school fuzz with a few fresh twists. —Barry Cleveland
KUDOS Authoritative ’60s-type sounds. Plenty of personality.
CONCERNS Pricey. Potentially confusing LED.
CONTACT Roadrunner Guitars, +33(0) 383 35 64 03; roadrunner-guitars.com
Toadworks Barracuda
Analog Flanger
The Barracuda ($300 retail/$250 street) is designed to replicate the sound of the custom-
made flanger that guitarists Howard Leese and Roger Fisher used on Heart’s
1977 debut album Little Queen. The all-analog Barracuda sports co-designer
Leese’s signature along with Level, Depth, Regen, and Rate controls. It also has
stereo outs and an expression pedal input for manual control of the sweep. Power
is via 9-volt battery or 2.1mm AC adapter (not included). Sonically reminiscent of
the classic ADA Flanger, the Barracuda practically demands that you immediately set
the knobs to replicate that vibrant, over-the-horizon swooshing effect on its namesake
song. Varying the Rate and Regen controls takes you to plenty of other flange zones as
well (though not quite to steel-drum territory), and having a Level control helps ensure
the effect doesn’t get lost in a dense band mix. The Barracuda gets an Editors’ Pick Award.
—Art Thompson
KUDOS Beautiful sound. Stereo operation. Quiet operation. Expression-pedal jack.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT Toadworks, (415) 462-5539; toadworksusa.com
Toadworks Texas Flood
Following on the theme of naming pedals after classic tunes, the Texas Flood ($190
retail/$150 street) is designed to deliver tube-sounding overdrive in the ilk of the famous
Ibanez TS-808, while optimizing the response a bit where needed. The Drive, Tone, and Level
controls elicited juicy and well-balanced distortion tones with all of our test guitars, and the
slightly boosted gain is something Strat players will certainly dig. The output level is strong
enough to overdrive the front end of an amp, though, as with an ’808, you have to keep the
Drive turned up to obtain the maximum output. The Flood’s Tone control is also voiced so that
it’s not necessary to set it to zero to elicit those buttery, EJ-style tones. —Art Thompson
KUDOS A smart redux of a classic distortion box.
CONCERNS None.
CONTACT (415) 462-5539; toadworksusa.com
ToneCandy Sweet Drive
The Sweet Drive ($250 retail) gets high marks for its tank-like construction,
top-quality parts, and smooth, solid knobs. I tested it with a Strat and a Les
Paul into a Bogner Alchemist and a VHT Standard 18. The first thing I noticed
is that it packs a ton of output—this cute purple box will definitely bring any
solo to the front of the mix. The overall voicing is dark, although not in a bad
way. With a Strat on the bridge pickup, I needed to crank the Tone control to three
o’clock or higher, even with the Bright Boost Switch engaged. The Sweet Drive’s
gain structure is more in the overdrive camp than full-on distortion, but there’s
plenty of grind on tap. The O-Drive and Intensity knobs work in tandem to regulate
the amount of dirt. For me, the sweet spot on the Sweet Drive was with both of them
around one o’clock, which was punchy and throaty. —Matt Blackett
KUDOS Quality construction. Punchy overdrive. Loud as hell.
CONCERNS Voiced on the dark side.
CONTACT ToneCandy, tonecandy.com
Vox Big Bad Wah
Co-designed by Joe Satriani, the Big Bad Wah ($280 retail/$219
street) features two separate wah circuits: Wah 1 is a fixed wah
that’s based on a classic Vox design, but modified to Satch’s specs.
Wah 2 can be customized to your specs via the Drive control (which
adds up to 10dB of boost) and the Voice switch, which has bright and
dark settings. There’s also an Inductor button that selects between
“U.K.” and “U.S.” type inductors. The Japanese-made pedal is activated
with a toe-down footswitch and is powered by a 9-volt battery or optional
adapter. LEDs provide clear indication of which wah circuit is active and the
inductor you’ve selected. The Big Bad Wah offers a great range of effects—
from Tibetan-monk throatiness to ultra-funky stabs and shimmers—and it has
a very smooth and musical sounding sweep courtesy of a custom-made potentiometer.
Switching between the two inductors is a fairly subtle event, though
the Drive control provides a substantial kick in volume when needed to help you
stand out in a band mix. —Art Thompson
KUDOS Like having two wahs and a booster in one box. Excellent range of sounds.
Nice construction.
CONCERNS Wide footprint could crowd an already tight pedalboard.
CONTACT Vox Amplification, (631) 390-6500; voxamps.com
Xotic Effects Robotalk 2
Envelope filters are cool for adding wah-like expression to your
sound, and the Robotalk 2 ($289 retail/$249 street) ups the ante
by featuring two independently voiced envelope-filter channels.
This analog, true-bypass pedal has dual sets of Sensitivity and
Decay controls, along with smaller Resonance and Volume knobs.
Both channels share a Direct Volume control that adjusts the
wet/dry mix. A pair of internal switches also lets you vary both the
filters’ frequency range and the input sensitivity. Each channel has
its own on/off footswitch, making it easy to preset two different
envelope-filter sounds and toggle between them to distinctly embellish
rhythm and lead parts. You can also activate both channels
simultaneously for dynamic effects that have a slightly phaseshifted
quality. The Robotalk 2 is tweakable for optimum response
whether you pick lightly or bash with abandon, and the Resonance
and Decay controls can elicit everything from deep vocalized rumbles
to ultra-squirty funk tones. —Art Thompson
KUDOS Two envelope filters in one box. Funkier than James
Jamerson’s insoles.
CONCERNS Control labels are difficult to read.
CONTACT Xotic Effects, xoticeffects.com.