Ambient EffectsAnalog DelayBeetronics FXBlack MountainBuzzing Bugs Audio DevicesColortone PedalsConvolution ReverbCornerstone Music GearCosmodio InstrumentsCrazy Tube CircuitsDeath By AudioDelayDelay WorkstationDiamond PedalsDigital DelayDigital ReverbDouble TrackingEchoverbElectro-HarmonixEmpty Head EffectsFjord FuzzGranular DelayHello Sailor EffectsHotone EffectsHungry Robot EffectsKHDKKlowraKMA AudioLo-Fi Delaymentha.worksMojo Hand FXOddball DelayPastFXPlate ReverbPolarbear EffectsRack Style ReverbReverbReverb WorkstationReverse DelayReverse ReverbShimmer ReverbSource AudioSpacey ReverbSpring ReverbTape DelayTru-Fi Guitar Effects+-
In many ways this is the most straightforward category with singular award nominees - GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE.
It’s the second smallest category after Distortions - and the one where I own the least number of pedals in proportion to the whole - just 10 out of these 26.
The order pretty much set itself - with the Cornerstone Nucleo being the clear winner from the start. I’m so impressed with every aspect of that pedal - it’s a perfect Trifecta of Design, Feaures and Playability - pretty ...
Analog DelayBeetronics FXDelayLo-Fi DelayOddball DelayTape Delay+-
A number of Analog and Analog style Delays have recently crossed my path - so there’s evidently a trend happening! I featured the HSE SeaWolf back in March, the Colortone ZeroSum in August, and then the Black Mountain Roto Echo, Anasounds Utopia MK2, Tru-Fi Aqua Echo, PastFX Echo 600, and now this Beetronics Bee Bee Dee all in September!
Beetronics’ Filipe always does things slightly differently, and his Bee Bee Dee Delay is very distinct - with a little bit of Chase Bliss style magic ...
AnasoundsBeetronics FXBest in ClassBig Tone Music BreweryBondi EffectsBoost and OverdriveCKK ElectronicsDecibelicsDrunk BeaverElectro-HarmonixFoxpedalJ RockettJackson AudioJRADKeeley EngineeringKlone and Transparent OverdriveLichtlaerm AudioMatthews EffectsMXROhmless PedalsOrigin EffectsVFE PedalsWalrus AudioWampler+-
My Klon/Klone journey started in December of 2016 with the Wampler Tumnus Mini - very near the start of my overall pedal journey - so very much in the first 50 pedals I acquired. That pedal had emerged a year earlier (2015) - and players were loving it for the extra bass / oomph it has in its low end. The Mini Tumnus is often selected as the favourite in Blind Tests - and has won a few of those Andertons rundowns.
It took me a while to run across my favourite Mini Klone - the Decibelics ...
Beetronics FXBest in ClassBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveChase Bliss AudioCoriolis EffectsDemiurge InstrumentsDual-DriveHangman fxHarmonic OverdriveJackson AudioKlone and Transparent OverdriveLoophole PedalsMenatoneOverdrivePelican NoiseworksTimmyTubescreamer Style Overdrive+-
We’ve seen two new iterative editions of mid-size dual overdrives recently - namely the VS Audio Royal Flush+ and the Browne Amplification V4 Protein. My mind immediately turned to the recent Chase Bliss Brothers AM Dual Overdrive - and I though it would be a good idea to feature a selection of compact enclosure dual overdrives - as many of those are as formidable as the mid-size editions.
The Rules for selection are that these must be Compact Dual Overdrives with independent stackable ...
29 PedalsAC NoisesAmbient EffectsBeetronics FXBig Muff Style FuzzBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBright Onion PedalsBufferCaroline Guitar CompanyChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCompressorDigital ReverbDistortionDOD EffectsDriveDrunk BeaverDryBell EffectsDual-DriveElectric Eye AudioExpressionFlangerFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGranular DelayHamstead SoundworksJHS PedalsJim DunlopKlone and Transparent OverdriveLichtlaerm AudioMetal DistortionModulated FuzzModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveMulti-FXOctave FuzzOddball FuzzOpAmp FuzzOrigin EffectsOscillating FuzzOverdrivePedal ChainRack Style ReverbReverbReverse ReverbRing ModulationRogue RehousingRotary SpeakerShimmer ReverbSilicon FuzzSitek Guitar ElectronicsSkreddy PedalsSpacey ReverbSubdecay EffectsTone Bender Style FuzzTweed Style Overdrive+-
So January 2025 sees a momentous milestone - where we have the peak possible number of pedals in the chain - which now numbers no less than 52 Pedals. It’s an incredibly tight squeeze - and all the available space is now fully used up.
I’ve re-flowed the main visual - where I used to try to have a fixed format arrangement - but now have re-numbered the slots entirely corresponding to the number and order of those pedals. Last January I noted that I was going to switch out my 2 Friedman ...
Acoustic SimulatorAmbient EffectsAnalog DelayBecos FXBeetronics FXBig Muff Style FuzzBitcrushing and Lo-FiBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoColombo Audio ElectronicsColortone PedalsCompressorCoriolis EffectsCornerstone Music GearDecibelicsDelayDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDriveDrive WorkstationDual-DriveFlangerFlower PedalsFormula B PedalsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzGuitar Synth and SequencerHarmonizerHorrothia EffectsJHS PedalsKeeley EngineeringKrozz DevicesLichtlaerm AudioLife Is Unfair AudioMarshall Style DistortionMenatoneMetal DistortionModulated FuzzModulationMulti-DriveOctave FuzzOctaverOddball FuzzOneControlOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzOverdrivePastFXPedal ChainPhaserPitchPitch-ShiftingPoly EffectsPreAmpRat Style FuzzReverbReverb WorkstationSampler / SustainerSentimental Bob ElectronicsSilicon FuzzSinvertekSkreddy PedalsSpacey ReverbStrymonTavysh EffectsThorpyFXTone Bender Style FuzzTremoloTube OverdriveTubesteaderUtilityVox Style DistortionWalrus Audio+-
33 slots updated this year - #2, #3, #4, #5, #7, #9a, #9b, #10, #11, #12, #15a, #15b, #15c, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #22a, #22b, #23, #24, #25, #26, #29, #30, #31, #32, #33, #34, #36, #38, and #41.
There’s been a fair amount of re-routing and re-organising this year - which you should be able to pick via the pattern of changes. The introduction of the stereo Poly Amplitude introduced the biggest change to the board order - to get th most out of that format!
I try to limit acquisitions /...
Beetronics FXBest in ClassBitcrushing and Lo-FiBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCoffee Shop PedalsCoriolis EffectsDecibelicsDelayDelay WorkstationDiamond PedalsDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDriveDual-DriveEchoverbFlangerFormula B PedalsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzGFI SystemGuitar Synth and SequencerHamstead SoundworksHarmonizerHorrothia EffectsJHS PedalsKeeley EngineeringKrozz DevicesLife Is Unfair AudioLo-Fi DelayMarshall Style DistortionMenatoneMetal DistortionModelling AmpModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveMulti-FXMXROctaverOld Blood Noise EndeavorsOneControlOpAmp FuzzOrigin EffectsOverdrivePastFXPhaserPitchPitch-ShiftingPoly EffectsPreAmpRat Style FuzzReverbReverb WorkstationReverse DelayRing ModulationRotary SpeakerSampler / SustainerSentimental Bob ElectronicsSilicon FuzzSinvertekSource AudioStrymonSwellTape DelayTavysh EffectsThorpyFXTomkat PedalsTone Bender Style FuzzTremoloTubesteaderTweed Style OverdriveUni-Vibe and VibeVox Style DistortionWalrus Audio+-
So this is the big one - all the top performers from the year in one selection.
We’ve already covered :
- 35 Boost & Overdrive Pedal Finalists
- 34 Distortion Pedal Finalists
- 32 Fuzz Pedal Finalists
- 38 Modutility Pedal Finalists
- 25 Delay and Reverb Pedal Finalists
Total Overall Finalist Selection of 164 Pedals!
Distilled down to the final favourites selection, where I own 27 of them, and will try to secure the final missing ones next year :
- Coffee Shop Pedals London Fog Tape Delay -
...
Amp and Cab IR SimAmpliTubeBecos FXBeetronics FXBenson AmpsBest in ClassBitcrushing and Lo-FiBlender and MixerBuzzing Bugs Audio DevicesCatalinbreadChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCompressorDiamond PedalsDistortionDouble TrackingDriveElectro-HarmonixElectronic Audio ExperimentsEnvelope Filter and Auto WahFlangerFlattley Guitar PedalsGlitchGreat Eastern FX Co.Guitar Synth and SequencerHamstead SoundworksHarmonizerKeeley EngineeringKinotoneKMA AudioKrozz DevicesModelling AmpModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-FXMXRNative AudioOctaverOddball ModulationOneControlOrigin EffectsPastFXPhaserPitchPitch-ShiftingRainger FXRed Panda LabRing ModulationRotary SpeakerRounder SoundsSampler / SustainerSlicer and StutterSolidGoldFXSource AudioSplitter and Frequency SplitterSwellTC ElectronicTEFI Vintage LabThe King of GearTremoloUni-Vibe and VibeUtilityWalrus AudioWampler+-
There’s an incredibly rich mix here of no less than 38 killer Modulations, Utilities and Pitch-Shifters - no one does rundowns quite like me! I always dive in at the deep end of things - and give you maximum expansive scope!
There are several here that I don’t have yet, in fact some hat I’m somewhat unlikely to ever have - for reasons of rig compatibility, size and overall sensibilities, practicalities, and preferences!
These 19 are still to be acquired or eventually overlooked :
...
29 PedalsBeetronics FXBest in ClassBig Muff Style FuzzCachalote AudioCornerstone Music GearDanelectroDecibelicsDrunk BeaverElectric LoveFarmer Factory EffectsFenderFjord FuzzFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzHello KittyHello Sailor EffectsHorrothia EffectsKeeley EngineeringKuro Custom AudioLichtlaerm AudioLife Is Unfair AudioMaestro Style FuzzModulated FuzzNRG EffectsOctave FuzzOddball FuzzOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzRecovery EffectsSilicon FuzzSkreddy PedalsSpaceman EffectsSubdecay EffectsSuper-Fuzz StyleThorpyFXTone Bender Style FuzzTru-Fi Guitar EffectsWinnipeg Electrical Co+-
There are 32 Finalists in the Fuzz Category, where I own all but 3 :
- 29 Pedals Toki Overdrive / Fuzz
- Cachalote 214 Fuzz
- Subdecay Noise Theory Parallel Waveshaper Fuzz
The Finalists
- 29 Pedals Toki Fuzz Driver - $269
- Beetronics FX Tuna Fuzz - $99
- Beetronics FX Whoctahell V2 Low Octave Beeast Babee Edition - $149
- Cachalote Audio 214 Fuzz - R$1418 / $235
- Cornerstone Nero Dumble-Fuzz - €299 | $299
- Danelectro Nichols 1966 Liverpool Fuzz Tone - $199
- Decibelics Reverend V2 Mini
...
All-PedalAudio Blend EffectsBeetronics FXBest in ClassBleak District ElectricBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBuzzing Bugs Audio DevicesChase Bliss AudioColortone PedalsCoriolis EffectsCornerstone Music GearCusack MusicDecibelicsDOD EffectsDrunk BeaverDumble Style OverdriveElectro-HarmonixKeeley EngineeringKlone and Transparent OverdriveLichtlaerm AudioMuir Audio DesignNobelsNRG EffectsOCD Style OverdriveODR Style OverdriveOlinthusOneControlOrigin EffectsOverdrivePoly EffectsTanabeTavysh EffectsThorpyFXTimmyTube OverdriveTubescreamer Style OverdriveTubesteaderTweed Style OverdriveVS AudioWalrus AudioWampler+-
It’s that time of year when I pick out my personal favourite pedals in each category - starting with the Boost and Overdrive ones. I weigh up each candidate on the basis of my own experiences, preferences and sensibilities - and include pedals also that I intended to get but did not quite yet around to acquiring during the year of release!
For this selection I personally own all but these 8 :
- Aleks K Production Honey Moon Sweet Overdrive V3
- Bleak District Slate Discrete Gemanium
...
