2025 May Pedal-Chain Update - Episode V - Heavy Riffage

12 new pedals landed in May!

A fairly broad selection of pedals from across most of the key food groups - no particularly dominant group on this occasion - while it would have been Distortion if everything had turned up in time!

Thee are certainly some very formidable pedals in this mix - and he big arrival for the month - was the 4 from Hangman fx!

• 2 x Overdrives
• 3 x Distortions
• 2 x Fuzzes
• 3 x Modulations
• 2 x Utilities

Both the overdrives are killer here - the GermFet is obviously prime - and well onto favourite Harmonic Overdrive of all time status - where it needs to knock out the Spacemen Aphelion from that top perch.

The NOTADÜMBLË is also surprisingly good - I really like both channels - and I really don't care that we got the rarer BBC1 circuit rather than the Later Box - they're both tone-enhancing clean-ish channels - and both sound superb. In that mistaken incarnation - it's actually an even more valuable pedal - so stop giving Josh Scott a hard time about it - it's really no big deal for me - I don't understand why everyone feels the need to chip in on that! For $119 it's an absolute bargain - and I thoroughly enjoyed the circa 15 minute assembly procedure - I still consider it a triumph - and even if Josh issued a 'corrected' version - I'm not sure I would feel the need to buy it! Everyone should buy both of these!

• Hangman fx Lord GermFet Dual Overdrive - Germanium and JFET
• JHS Pedals Notadümblë

This was supposed to be the month of full-on Distortion - the Heavy Riffage month - and while we ended up with a few of the intended targets - there are still a couple of stagers that are now arriving next month. All 3 are impressive in their own ways - the Engl's right-hand footswitch action is a little odd - I'm sure they could have improved that with a dual-press action. But you can't really complain about the output of any of these - they're all pretty glorious - and versatile with it too!

• Engl Fireball IR High Gain Distortion / Preamp
• Fortin Meshuggah High Gain Distortion / Preamp
• Free Fall Diver Twelve Multi Distortion (Rat)

Somewhat rarely for me - there are only two fuzzes that landed this month - both absolutely killer - and I dearly love both of them - ThorpyFX and Hangman fx can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned - obviously those brands have been established for different lengths of time - but they're both incredibly consistent - and everything I've tried from both those brans has been absolutely tip-top - top tier!

• Hangman fx The Atomic World Ender Octave / Gated / Non-Gated Fuzz + Chopper / Drone Device
• ThorpyFX Hanami Blooming Germanium CV Fuzz (Fallout Yard!)

The Modulation category was pretty strong - I finally snagged an EQD Rainbow Machine - which is more of an occasional effect for me - while I feel that the Thermion PowerTrem and PowerVibe will have a really decent outing - as they both sound pretty perfect for that they are! I was initially going to get the EQD Chelsea Low End Fuzz Driver - but at the last minute decided that I should have acquired the Rainbow Machine longs since - so I sprang for that instead!

• EarthQuaker Devices Rainbow Machine Polyphonic Pitch Mesmerizer
• Thermion PowerBolt PowerTrem
• Thermion Powerbolt PowerVibe

We have a simple EXT. Remote Switch Box, and a cool Luma Express Light-Sensing Expression Pedal - which will likely get the more use of the two - particularly in tandem with the Atomic World End Fuzz-Chopper/Drone. Where it's kind of an essential part of that experience! More on the Atomic World End and Luma Express next week!

• Hangman fx Luma Express Light-Sensing Expression Pedal (Micro)
• Hangman fx Switch Box (Micro)

This month's Wishlist is unusually extensive - as I did so many category roundups during the month!

The top targets are the Blue Colander Grimrobe - which I'm waiting for to land at Joe's Pedals - and the KMA Geminus Stereo Double Tracker, and Flower Pedals Hosta V2 Wah Filter are high on the list of priorities too - but don't have an acquisitions date target yet - will probably look to get the latter two more opportunistically!

There are a number of rarities listed here too - where none of those are current available in the wild - so it's a waiting game for a lot of these!

• Analog Music Co. Hybrid Transistor Notorious Rabbit Analog Octave Fuzz
• Anasounds Extended Savage Klone
• Blakemore Effects Deus Ex Machina OpAmp Muff
• Blue Colander Grimrobe Cascaded 2-Stage Rat style Distortion with Hard and Soft Clipping
• Browne Amplification Protein V4 Dual Drive Nobel-Breaker
• Bucha Square Wave (Univox Square Wave Fuzz)
• Catalinbread Wake Dreampop Chorus with Sub-Octave
• Circuitbenders.co.uk - Demon Seed Fuzz
• Creber Instruments - Classic Fuzz : Silicon Face
• D*A*M Meathead Slomatics Belfast Fuzz Machine
• Diamond Pedals Boost/EQ
• Dirty Visions FX Compact Muff Factory
• Dwarfcraft Devices Limited Edition Dark Arts Necromancer Fuzz
• EAE x Pile Mirror House V2 Slippery Pitch Modulator
• EHX Oceans Abyss Stereo Advanced Reverb Laboratory
• EQD Chelsea Low End Fuzz Driver
• Flower Pedals Hosta V2 Wah Filter
• Fortin Fourteen extended range Multi-Voiced Dual Channel Modified Sceamer
• Free Fall Diver CSF Upper Octave Fuzz
• Free Fall Dover ReLK Fuzz Sustainer
• Frost Giant Electronics Massif Savage Wave Destroyer
• Funny Little Boxes Caught By The Fuzz OpAmp Fuzz
• GNI Octa Fuzz
• Hangman fx Tyrannosaur MegaDriver (Overdrive/Fuzz-stortion)
• Hubcap John Effects Pedals - The Sun Dial Germanium Fuzz Face
• Iron Ether FrantaBit Bitcrusher
• Jam Pedals Pink Flow Multi-FX
• Jam Pedals Retrovibe, Ltd Rattler MKI, Ripple, Ripply Fall, and Waterfall
• Katra Drive - Katra Drive Multi-Gain Machine
• KMA Machines Geminus Hi-Fidelity Stereo True Double Tracker
• KMA Machines Pylon Noise Gate / Booster
• Licthlaerm The Key & Gate Noise Gate
• Magnetic Effects Double Feature Fuzz + Fixed Wah V1.2 Compact Edition
• MI Audio Tube Zone Overdrive Full Shiny Chrome V4 Edition
• Noisemaker Effects - Loveless Fuzz/Reverb Shoegazer
• Palace Pedals - Dino Pedal Germanium Treble Booster into Black Russian Muff
• Polyend MESS Multi-Effects Step Sequencer
• RedSeven Amps NGR-1 Noise Gate - with Presets
• Reeves Electro Germanium BlackHatSound
• Reeves Electro ZO: Professional Wedge Zonk Machine MK2
• REVV G-Series G2, G3, G4 V2 Editions
• RhPf Electronics Mosferatwo Touch-Sensitive / Dynamic MOSFET Overdrive
• Sine Effect - Disphoria Distortion
• Sketchy Sounds - Lost Soul expressive echo/vibrato/wow & flutter Fuzz
• SSD Devices Atom Smasher Glitch Delay
• Stone Deaf FX Noise Reaper
• SviSound - Ge Fuzz V3.2
• TC Electronic Sentry Noise Gate
• ThroBak Overdrive Boost V1 Vertical Edition
• Valeton GP-5 Multi-FX Processor & IR Loader
• VFE Fuzz Duo
• Weed Ugeee High Gain Distortion
• Weird Noise 'Fuzz It'

12 new Pedals added for May, with 12 Slots updated : #3, #4, #5, #11, #13, #14, #15, #19, #30, #32, #37, #38.

I could only fit in one of the 2 Hangman fx utility pedals - and there are no videos / demos out of the Switch Box - so that one just gets a mention here! Those secondary utilities are not counted as proper slots in any case.

So we actual have 10 new pedals on the board, with the Great Eastern FX Focus Fuzz Deluxe deservedly making and comeback, alongside the absolutely essential and all-time favourite Tavysh Harm Multi-Gain pedal.

Someone asked me about the distinction between Multi-Drive and Multi-Gain. The former covers Boost, Overdrive and Distortion, where the latter represents several Fuzz tones also onboard! So you can have Multi-Dive and Multi-Fuzz pedals - but then Multi-Gain overlaps with and coves off both of those!

A very mixed and even application this month. Some will be in for a stint, while several for this month are short terms placements - including the Rainbow Machine - which for me has somewhat limited options within my usual style of play. It has one amazing. trick up its sleeves - that kind of fluttery sort of feedback / Magic effects - but even that can get a little tired after a while. It's very coo for the one or two things it does really well - but still offers somewhat limited options for my own playing style - nice to have, and probably and EQD essential - but more of a nice-to-have than essential for my own sensibilities!

I've had ThorpyFX Hanami Germanium Blooming Fuzz : Fallout-Yard! on my board for almost two months now - and it's another fantastic representative of Thorpy's Fuzz credential - taking from both his killer Fallout Cloud and Boneyard Fuzzes - and coming up with something that's incredibly distinct and unique. It's not as versatile as the Boneyard overall. While it takes the Fallout Cloud core sound into uncharted territory with a potent full Germanium onslaught! A must have killer fuzz for sure - and one in short supply owing to its 4 onboard Germanium Transistors - it truly sound immense - with incredibly bloom, seer, and rich harmonic gritty Germanium textures!

I just had the Reeves BHS-D briefly back on the board - in the wake of my visit to Markus Reeves, and his modifying of said pedal - which now sounds better than ever. While the Great Eastern FX Co. Focus Fuzz Deluxe Classic Boost / Overdrive / Fuzz with Upper Octave had only just recently gone on the board - and it deserves a much longer outing - it's a fantastic Multi-Gain pedal for sure - with such a sweet, warm Upper Octave sound - it plays as beautifully as it looks! Also since I had the Hangman fx pedals on the board - it made sense to get more Gold ones back in the mix again. This Focus Fuzz Deluxe is fantastic in every aspect - just look how neat and tidy its interior is - this is for sure going to be one of the big fuzz hitters for the year!

The Hangman fx The Atomic World Ender Octave / Gated / Non-Gated Fuzz + Chopper / Drone Device has been a real revelation - the versatility of the fuzz is extraordinary via its 6 Fuzz Controls - it cover so much ground - including Gated and Octave Fuzz - and it consistently sounds great - even before you apply the Chopper/Drone side.

I've taking to using the Luma Express Light Sensitive Expression Pedal (as below) with this pedal - while I don't really need the Switch Box applied - although both are currently in circulation - while I could only fit one of those in the pedal-chain visual - and of course that one had to be the Luma Express - which add a whole other dimensions of joy to the deployment of the Atomic World Ende!

The Hangman fx Luma Express Light Sensing Expression Pedal - almost entirely used in combination with the above Atomic World Ender Fuzz-Chooper / Drone - while it's out of the chain quite frequently too - and I just manipulate the Chopper Speed control with my big toe!

I actually love everything about my JHS NOTADÜMBLË BBC1 Boost / Overdrive - I even love it more that it contais the rare BBC1 circuit rather than than the intense Later Box circuit. It's a great pedal experience all round - and particularly at the $119 price point. I really enjoyed the 15 minute assembly and I rathe quite like both channels on this. It's not by best ever tone-enhancing clean boost, nor my favourite Dumble Drive by any means - but it is a very decent sounding circuit - and great all-round experience. Not sure why people are making such a fuss of Josh's mistake - I really could not be happier with it - a very worthwhile purchase and exercise. I'm not at all bothered by anything as pertains to John Mayer - yes he's a very decent player - but he's not any kind of messiah - and people shouldn't be so slavish with their devotions!

I've had the Hangman fx Lord GermFet Dual Overdrive - Germanium and JFET for about a fortnight now - and it's shaping up to be my favourite Harmonic Overdrive - both sides sound brilliant - the Germanium one in particular - and they combine beautifully - a really smartly engineered pedal - with superior sounds to match its gilded looks!

My second Free Fall Diver is the Twelve Multi Distortion / Rat+ - recently reviewed. It's a very decent extended range rat - but possibly not quite the top tier - of my favourite few. It's still a fantastic Rat Distortion with significant versatility through those twin capping toggles. This one runs quite fuzzy - I really rather like it - but I have some ever more potent ones in the collection.

The Tavysh Harm Multi-Gain Pedal remains as one of the very finest in my reference collection. It sound superb every which way - and I have no pedal more versatile thank this - it can do near enough every gain voicing there is - including Boost, Overdrive, Distortion, Fuzz, and Octave Fuzz.

The EarthQuaker Devices Rainbow Machine Polyphonic Pitch Mesmerizer is finally in the collection - as part of my recent efforts to lend support EarthQuaker - and to help ensure the continuation of that brand. I came very close to getting the Chelsea Low End Fuzz Driver instead - but decided it was time that I had this classic in the collection. It does a few cool things for me - but it's more of an incidental than a versatile long-ranging or all-rounder effect - as such it will likely just put in periodic appearances. There are a few cool pedals that do one effect for certain players / artists - while this doesn't have enough about it to warrant longer term options - it will be used as an occasional secret weapon - for that Magic fluttery feedback effect.

This Engl Fireball IR High Gain Distortion / Preamp is a much more potent pedal to its prior Powerball pedal - which I always found somewhat underpowered. There are some intricate complexities with this device - particularly for the right-hand Mid Boost. I feel they could have made that function a little better - by employing a dual press or similar. Output sounds great if you dial it in just right. Sounds immense with the Mid Boost assigned.

Another killer high gain distortion from Fortin - the Meshuggah Distortion / Preamp signature pedal for that band and based on their own signature Fortin amp. This has a totally different character to the also brilliant Natas predecessor - where this Meshuggah is very obviously honed towards that percussive palm-muted djent / chug sound. The second Green Channel is significantly Tighter than the Red - while you can overload the Bass a touch more on the Red Channel - and get a little more sag. I much prefer the tighter punchier Green channel - which sounds superb in my rig. Everything about this Meshuggah is distinct from the output profile of the Natas - which is somewhat more open and searing. I really love both - while they're evidently quite different animals - but they do have saturated high gain in common - this new one is just a lot tighter sounding as well as slightly less laser-focused in the Upper Hight and Highs - this one is much more about the low end dynamics! It's pricey - as Meshuggah obviously have to get their royalties too - but it's a great sounding siignature pedal - with a decent amount of versatility!

The Thermion PowerVibe has a fully brilliant - lush Chorus voicing which I wholly love, This budget Uni-Vibe has not right to sound so good - where it really sounds superb - as beautifully textured as the Harmonic side of the PowerTrem - just with even more harmonics and flavour. I don't tough use the Vibrato side very much at all - and so the PowerTrem is overall the more useful for me of this pair!

The Thermion PowerTrem is the very slight favourite of these two PowerBolt devices - as both voicings are superbly usable for me, while for the PoweVibe I mostly just use the more textured Chorus side. Generally I tend to lean into the more textured and flavour-filled voices - while for this PowerTrem I properly love both sides. Which is kind of understandable as this is significantly modelled on my favourite all-time Tremolo pedal - the JAM Pedals Harmonious Monk!

My much anticipated trip to Hello Sailor Joe in Gosport is the key target for next month (should have happened in May originally) - it's  be fairly early on in June, while somewhat later tin the month I will be back up at Willesden Junction for another Rainger FX Launch.

I love popping up to Rainger FX for pedal launches - it's just a few stations up on the Bakerloo line! And I always receive a warm welcome - while the lobby of that building get curiouser and curiouser with every visit!

I don't think there's anything else on then until July  5th - where Phil Steere's Brighton Guitar Show + FX Expo takes place once more, I believe most of the brands in attendance will have been up in Leeds too - per the below details!