Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
A curated selection featuring 6 of the Best Looking Pasta Pedals
So I’ve been seeing Pasta Pedals fairly regularly in my Instagram feed - for a few months now I think, and starting with the Green Line Delay I believe - I think that’s the first one I encountered.
I’m a sucker for a well-place LED or two, and Charles Costa here has a real knack for a striking artwork punctuated by precision-placed LEDs. It’s a pet peeve of mine if there is a creature with eyes as part of the visual - and those eyes are then not used for the actual LEDs. For these following 6 designs - the placement of those LEDs wholly elevates those pedals’ appeal. All 6 featured here are smartly conceived and expertly executed.
This is turning out to be a mini ’Design Week’ following my piece on Custom Knob Designs yesterday!
Charles mostly makes use of PCB’s from Effects Layouts and Pedal PCB, while he has massively elevated those circuit executions with superior visuals and ingenious LED accents - I don’t think I’ve seen this done so consistently well before.
These 6 are rarely in stock on the Pasta Pedals Reverb.com Store - as they’re almost entirely made to order - you will need to contact and commission Charles via his Instagram or Reverb.com Store! Currently there is one FrankenSTEEN available on the store! Where Charles further states that he has capacity for two custom pedals a week.
I’m leaning into the FrankenSTEEN at the moment - while the budget for the month has long since blown - so I will need to circle round again to pick that one up. I can see myself owning a few of these in time! Of course I need to add those to the Infinite Wishlist - and assign a priority. We’re just coming up on Full Metal Racket season - so the focus will be on high gain for the next couple of months!
These following 6 are my favourite looking Pasta Pedals to date :
- The Dude Abider Overdrive (JRAD Dude) - $175
- Sasquatch Germanium Octave Muff Fuzz - $200
- Green Line Delay (Keeley Magnetic Echo) - $175
- Sewer Rat Distortion (Asymmetrical LED Clipping) - $150
- FrankenSTEEN Muff Fuzz (Dwarfcraft Eau Claire Thunder) - $210
- The Underminer Sub-Octave Synth - $160
As mentioned - if you want one - you will need to contact Charles via his Instagram or Reverb.com Store.
Further Details on each below :
The Dude Abider Overdrive (JRAD Dude Dumble Drive) - $175
Controls - Volume, Ratio (Dry Blend), Treble, Bass.
One of the great Dumble Drives here in a proper 'Dude' enclosure. Every way fantastic really! I never got around to getting the J Rockett Dude - settling for the J Rockett Melody instead - which carries the same flavour. This would be an excellent addition to my already fairly expansive Dumble Drive Capsule Collection!
Sasquatch Germanium Octave Muff Fuzz - $200
Controls - Lo EQ, Hi EQ, Fuzz / Gain, Volume, Octave Intensity.
2 of my favourite Fuzzes from Drunk Beaver are the Mykolaiv Grunge and Seattle Driver - both of which are Boosted Octave Up Big Muffs - and this Sasquatch seems to be on similar lines. I already love this kind of format - so surely this is target for me!
Green Line Delay (Keeley Magnetic Echo) - $175
Controls - Time, Feedback, Modulation Intensity, Modulation Speed, Level.
The first one of these I encountered - a great take on that classic Keeley Delay Tape-style Delay. I though like my delays to be fully immersive stereo - so this one isn't really a target for me - even when it looks as good as it does!
Sewer Rat Distortion (Asymmetrical LED Clipping) - $150
Controls - Volume, Rabies / Gain, Filter.
I think my Rat Capsule Collection is nearing 50 now, I really don't need any more, and I typically go for the more extended range ones - but the Clipping and looks of this one make it a worthwhile target for me. There's another Rat pedal target in the shape of a mousetrap - which I've been trying to get my hands on for a while - likely this Sever Rat will pip that one to the post!
FrankenSTEEN Muff Fuzz (Dwarfcraft Eau Claire Thunder) - $210
Controls - Volume, Tone, Gain, Feedback Tune, Tone Stack Bypass Switch, Green LED Bypass Switch, Input Gain Trim.
I can't recall if I ever got the full-size / full-fat Eau Claire Thunder in the end - I definitely have the 'Mini Thunder' compact edition - while this is possibly the most appealing of the Pasta Pedals for me - in how it's been executed - and how it ties in with Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein - really beautifully executed here! It's cool to have the full features of the larger version in this compact enclosure - this one is definitely the strongest target for me!
The Underminer Sub-Octave Synth - $160
Controls - Volume, Filter, Blend, Glitch Switch, 2-Down Switch.
I'm not particularly familiar with this effect - but the 3 Miners with Helmet Lamps is the perfect artwork for a pedal called 'Underminer'. Not sure one of these lies in my future - but it definitely looks cool!
