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Rob Chapman's All-Time Favourite Guitar Pedals

Amp and Cab IR SimAtomic AmpsBad Cat AmplifiersBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossCryBabyDawner Prince EffectsDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDigiTechDistortionElectro-HarmonixEQFuzzG-Lab Guitar LaboratoryGuitar Synth and SequencerJim DunlopKlone and Transparent OverdriveKorgMarshall Style DistortionModulationMooerMXRMythos PedalsNeunaberOctave FuzzOddball ModulationODR Style OverdriveOverdrivePitchPitch-ShiftingPreAmpReverbReverb WorkstationRob ChapmanRockBoxSilicon FuzzThropyFXUAFXUniversal AudioUtilityVemuramVox Style DistortionWah and Fixed WahZvex+-
2023-GPX-Rob-Chapman-Favourite-Pedals-700.jpg

So right at the end of last month Rob Chapman posted up a YouTube video of a rundown of his all-time favourite guitar pedals. He initially states he’s going to name his 10 most favoured ones - but goes on to mention 20 - which I’ve fully included here.

 

Rob has a great ear for tone - as countless of his own and Anderton’s videos have proven time and time again. And I really love his everyman approach to guitar gear. I’ve encountered him in person 2 or 3 times now over the years - and he’s ...

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Electro-Harmonix throw their hat in the ring for Bluesbreakers with their new Spruce Goose Overdrive

Blues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveElectro-HarmonixOverdrive+-
2023-GPX-EHX-Spruce-Goose-OD-700.jpg

Readers will know how big a fan of the Bluesbreaker circuit I am - with an extensive reference / capsule collection of perennial favourites for that genre - including Singles : Drunk Beaver Inglorious Bastard, Jackson Audio Golden Boy, Snouse Blackbox Overdrive 2, Tsakalis Audioworks Six, VFE Blues King, and Wampler Pantheon among many others, as well as Doubles : Analog.Man King of Tone, Demiurge Teras, Keeley D&M Drive, King Tone Duellist, and VS Audio Royal Flush. And I still have a few ...

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Electro-Harmonix unleashes full-featured Pico Series (Mini) DSP Editions of some of its most iconic pedals

Best of BrandsBoost and OverdriveCompressorDelayDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionElectro-HarmonixFuzzHarmonizerOctaverOddball ModulationPitchPitch-ShiftingReverbSamplerTape DelayUtility+-
2023-GPX-EHX-9-DSP-Pico-Pedals-V2-700.jpg

I’ve obviously featured the Pico POG previously as the first in this particular series / range to be released - where we now have 9 fully formed candidates - 7 mini editions of EHX Classics - and 2 brand new formats - the Rerun Tape Delay, and Triboro Overdrive + Distortion + Fuzz pedal - all DSP types.

 

These are somewhat streamlined in feature sets mostly compared to their Nano / Compact equivalent forebears - while some here actually have a little more to them - including the Pitch Fork, ...

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2023-GPX-EHX-Pico-POG-700.jpg

The Pico POG is just the second of EHX’s Pico (actual Mini enclosure size) Series where from background shots it looks like we have at least another 6 EHX Pico edition pedals waiting in the wings for imminent release. I believe all recent previous POGs were DSP circuits - like this Pico Edition, where this smallest variety out-muscles some of its siblings with new and extended features.

 

Of course it cannot compete with the full-fat POG 2 featured in the above visual - while it has more to ...

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2023-GPX-EHX-Walking-on-the-Moon-700.jpg

Once bitten twice shy they say! And after the J Mascis signature Ram’s Head episode I can’t really trust anything that EHX puts out per se. Some will say this is great marketing - getting the best known user of your particular pedal to have their signature on it as an endorsement. While for a brand strategist and marketer like myself this is a somewhat cynical exercise which takes customers for fools.

 

Where I feel that as for the J Mascis Ram’s Head Muff - which was just a skin-job on the ...

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16 of the most notable 'Bread & Butter' Pedals!

Analog DelayAnalog.ManBehringerBig Muff Style FuzzBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossCompressorDelayDistortionDriveDual-DriveEarthQuaker DevicesElectro-HarmonixFulltone EffectsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzGreer AmpsGuitar Pedal 101IbanezIconic GearJHS PedalsKeeley EngineeringKlone and Transparent OverdriveLooperMXROCD Style OverdriveOrigin EffectsOverdriveSilicon FuzzSuper-Fuzz StyleTC ElectronicThorpyFXTubescreamer Style OverdriveUtilityXotic EffectsZvex+-
2023-GPX-Bread-n-Butter-Pedals-700.jpg

I’m expecting this post to attract a lot of ’whataboutisms’ as many of my rundowns seem to do. While every single choice / selection here is well considered, pondered upon on and properly weighted up against pertinent criteria and then further rationalised, whittled and distilled down into a top 9 or 16 or 25 - as I always favour symmetrical grids.

 

If I find 18 or 19 suitable candidates - then only 16 can be featured on the grid etc. - you need to draw the line somewhere. And you can also ...

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2023 May Pedal-Chain Update - Episode V - Team Timmons

Big Muff Style FuzzBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossChampion LeccyCKK ElectronicsDelayDigital DelayDistortionDouble TrackingDriveDrunk BeaverEchoverbElectro-HarmonixEmpress EffectsEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQFjord FuzzFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGreer AmpsHoopla PedalsJHS PedalsKeeley EngineeringKeyztoneKlone and Transparent OverdriveMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionModulationMulti-DriveOctave FuzzOpAmp FuzzOverdrivePedal ChainPickup ModellerRed Panda LabSinvertekSubdecay EffectsTape DelayTubesteaderTweed Style OverdriveUtilityXotic EffectsZvex+-
2023-GPX-Pedal-Chain-Update-May-Timmons-700.jpg

So May started with my posting the last of the NAMM Show stragglers, followed by an initial eclectic mix of different pedal types - while gradually leaning into ’Andy Timmons’ Month. I’ve always thought Andy to be a wonderful human being and a particularly fine journeyman guitarist. While it’s only in fairly recent years that he’s become somewhat more elevated in my affections as one of my all-time favourite guitar heroes. You will note that he did not feature in my last article on personal ...

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Andy Timmons Pedalboard Dynamics and Essential Tone Components

Andy TimmonsArtistArrayBlack Country CustomsBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossCarl MartinChorus and VibratoCompressorDelayDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionEchoverbElectro-HarmonixExpressionFuzzGNI MusicIbanezJAM PedalsJHS PedalsJim DunlopKeeley EngineeringLoop-SwitcherMarshall Style DistortionModulationNeunaberOctave FuzzOctaverOverdrivePitchReverbSonic ResearchTape DelayTheGigRigTubescreamer Style OverdriveTunersUni-Vibe and VibeUtilityVolumeXotic Effects+-
2023-GPX-Andy-Timmons-Pedalboard-Order-700.jpg

This exercise has totally underlined just how much of a tone genius Andy Timmons is. His pedals are selected incredibly carefully and deliberately - and don’t just have that certain glorious sound about them - but beautiful dynamics, harmonics, smart guitar volume gain clean-up and an abundance of musicality. 

 

Andy wrings magic out of each and everyone of these pedals - and his Halo Dual Echo algorithm / preset is amazing - and can sit under anything and make it sound at least 50% percent ...

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World Championship of Heavyweight HM-2 Heavy Metal Brawlers

DistortionElectro-HarmonixKlirrton ManufakturKMA AudioMetal DistortionREVV Amplification+-
2023-GPX-Heavy-Metal-Heavy-Weight-Champions-700.jpg

My mood is one of bemusement on considering this matchup - and you will note that I did not feature the REVV Northern Mauler when it was launched last November - as I considered it a slightly lesser rip-off of the Klirrton Grindstein, and now EHX has launched the Hell Melter - a slightly lesser equivalent to the KMA Guardian of the Wurm - all 4 are pictured above, and at the start of this overview I must say I’m somewhat overwhelmingly biased in favour of my own king-sized reigning champions of...

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2023-GPX-EHX-Satisfaction-Fuzz-700.jpg

EHX originally released its Satisfaction Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz Tone take back in 2014 I believe. I acquire me own copy of that a few years later - in the guise of the JHS Pedals Modified version of that. JHS used to do a number of EHX Modded pedals - and I own several of those - including all the Modded Big Muffs that Josh Scott did. Once JHS reached a new level of popularity - those modifications were discontinued, so I’ve switched over to Alchemy Audio for those types of editions nowadays.

 

...

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