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12 Degrees of Saturation 2023 Compact Edition

12 Degrees of SaturationAll-PedalAudiostormBardic Audio DevicesBig Muff Style FuzzBispell AudioBixonicBlackhawk AmplifiersBogner AmplificationBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionChase Bliss AudioCKK ElectronicsCustom TonesDemon PedalsDistortionDr ScientistDriveDrive WorkstationDrunk BeaverDryBell EffectsDual-DriveEmpress EffectsFeaturedFoxpedalFriedman EffectsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzGreer AmpsHamstead SoundworksJ RockettJackson AudioJHS PedalsJRADKMA AudioMarshall Style DistortionMenatoneMessiah GuitarsMetal DistortionMI EffectsMidValleyFXMulti-DriveNordland ElectronicsOhmless PedalsOpAmp FuzzOrigin EffectsOverdrivePettyjohn ElectronicsRedbeard EffectsREVV AmplificationSilicon FuzzSinvertekSnouse Electric CompanySpaceman EffectsSuhrThorpyFXTone Bender Style FuzzTone InkTsakalis Audio WorksVictory Amps+-
2023-12-Degrees-Compact-Edition-700.jpg

This article has been a long time coming - where I originally started this ahead of the Mini Edition - which went live on January 24th. I was waiting for a couple of new pedals to be released - while the article has been iterated around 20 times now with a number of recent additions.

 

And the pedal I was waiting to launch still hasn’t quite happened, while the builder has authorised me to tease it in advance of its official release. And if I were to do the same exercise tomorrow - no doubt ...

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28 of the Best Enhanced and Extended Range Compact Tube Screamer Style Overdrives

AudiostormBecos FXBig Tone Music BreweryBoostBoost and OverdriveChellee EffectsChirality AudioCornerstone Music GearEarthQuaker DevicesFoxpedalJackson AudioJAM PedalsJHS PedalsKartakou AmplificationKHDKKing Tone EffectsKuro Custom AudioMI AudioNOC3 EffectsOrigin EffectsOverdrivePLBR EffectsPolarbear EffectsSeymour DuncanTate FXTone InkTubescreamer Style OverdriveVemuramVFE PedalsWalrus AudioWamplerWay Huge EffectsXotic Effects+-
2022-GPX-28-Best-Compact-Screamers-700-V2.jpg

So the recent launch of Origin Effects’ Halcyon enhanced TS808 type screamer prompted me to refresh my memory on what the competition to that was - and if the Halcyon was quite as appealing as it appeared to be. So I’ve trawled through all my usual resources, including my own memory banks - and come up with this list of 28 suitable candidates.

 

This list is specifically on enhanced / evolved Compact enclosure Tube Screamer types - so I exclude hybrids - such as Matthews Effects The Broker (...

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32 of the Best Compact Overdrive Pedals - 2022 Ultimate Selection

Barber ElectronicsBest in ClassBJFEBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossCKK ElectronicsCrowther AudioCustom TonesDemon PedalsDumble Style OverdriveFairfield CircuitryFeaturedFoxpedalFulltone EffectsGreer AmpsGreuter AudioHamstead SoundworksHot Cake Style OverdriveJ RockettJHS PedalsJRADKlone and Transparent OverdriveKuro Custom AudioMenatoneMissing Link AudioNeunaberNordland ElectronicsOCD Style OverdriveODR Style OverdriveOverdrivePaul CochranePettyjohn ElectronicsRedbeard EffectsSnouse Electric CompanySpaceman EffectsThorpyFXTimmyTrue North PedalsTsakalis Audio WorksTubescreamer Style OverdriveTweed Style OverdriveWampler+-
2022GPX32CompactOverdrives700V2.jpg

So I last did one of these back in 2020 - meaning that these ’Best of Overdrive’ run-downs seem to be a circa biennial affair. We’ve upped the numbers to 32 this year, while they represent barely a quarter of the overdrives I have in my reference collection - so there are obviously a lot of honourable mentions listed below - before the Final Thoughts section.

 

These types of exercises are incredibly tricky to strike the right balance of generally considered classic overdrive pedals and ...

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End of Year Pedal-Chain Update - Final Formation - Class of 2021

Ambient EffectsAmp and Cab IR SimAmpliTubeBest in ClassBig Muff Style FuzzBlackhawk AmplifiersBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionChorus and VibratoCoppersoundDecibelicsDemedash EffectsDigital ReverbDistortionDriveDrunk BeaverDryBell EffectsDual-DriveEarthQuaker DevicesEnvelope Filter and Auto WahFjord FuzzFlangerFlower PedalsFoxpedalFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGuitar Synth and SequencerIK MultimediaKlirrton ManufakturKlone and Transparent OverdriveKuro Custom AudioMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveMulti-FXOCD Style OverdriveOctaverOpAmp FuzzOverdrivePedal ChainPete CornishPettyjohn ElectronicsPhaserPitchPitch-ShiftingPlate ReverbPreAmpRack Style ReverbRat Style FuzzRedbeard EffectsReverbReverb WorkstationReverse ReverbRotary SpeakerShimmer ReverbSilicon FuzzSinvertekSpaceman EffectsSpacey ReverbSpiral Electric FXSpring ReverbStrymonTimmyTremoloTsakalis Audio WorksTubescreamer Style OverdriveUni-Vibe and VibeUtilityVox Style DistortionWah and Fixed Wah+-
2021GPXSKPedalChainUpdateDecemberFinal700V2.jpg

2021 was another very significant year for me - and one that signals that I probably need to slow down now - as I picked up well over 200 new pedals during the year - which really is excessive. Storage is starting to become an issue - and I will need to be a lot more prudent and strategic in my acquisitions next year!

 

So more than 200 new ones, and in fact 25 slots were switches up during the year - where only 12 were totally untouched and unchanged. A slew of new gain pedals as always - ...

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2021 Best of New Boost, Overdrive and Distortion Pedals for the Year

Ananashead EffectsBardic Audio DevicesBecos FXBenson AmpsBest in ClassBlackhawk AmplifiersBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionCatalinbreadCornerstone Music GearCustom Audio ArtDecibelicsDemedash EffectsDemiurge InstrumentsDistortionDriveDrive WorkstationDrunk BeaverDual-DriveDumble Style OverdriveElectronic Audio ExperimentsFoxpedalFunny Little BoxesFuzzrociousGreuter AudioKlirrton ManufakturKlone and Transparent OverdriveKMA AudioKuro Custom AudioMarshall Style DistortionMatthews EffectsMetal DistortionMulti-DriveMXROverdrivePete CornishPettyjohn ElectronicsPigtronixPolarbear EffectsRedbeard EffectsSinvertekSpun Loud EffectsTsakalis Audio WorksTubescreamer Style OverdriveTweed Style OverdriveWalrus AudioZander Circuitry+-
2021GPXBestNewBoostODDistforYeat700.jpg

The Boost, Overdrive and Distortion category is the most heavily contested, and indeed the most heavily congested category this year. I started with a Longlist of more than 70 and whittled down to the 39 featured here. Note that for balance I have included Rat pedals in the Fuzz Category already listed. This list features some of the more subtle fuzz-edged / fuzzy-drive varieties - although there will of course be some slight degree of overlap.

 

Featured above and listed here are 39 ...

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2021 May Pedal-Chain Update - Episode V - Future Phase

Beetronics FXBig Ear PedalsBig Muff Style FuzzBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossChorus and VibratoCrazy Tube CircuitsD*A*M EffectsDemedash EffectsDistortionDrive WorkstationDrunk BeaverEmanating Fist ElectronicsEQFoxpedalFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzGermanium FuzzHarmonizerJoe GoreKlirrton ManufakturKuro Custom AudioMantic EffectsMarshall Style DistortionModulationMulti-DriveOctave FuzzOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzOverdrivePedal ChainPettyjohn ElectronicsPhaserPitchRat Style FuzzSilicon FuzzThird Man RecordsThorpyFXTone Bender Style FuzzTubescreamer Style OverdriveUtility+-
2021GPXSKPedalChainUpdateMayRevised700V4.jpg

May turned out to be another pretty busy month as far as new releases and the overall collection is concerned. I personally acquired around 20 or so new pedals - with some further acquisitions not having landed yet.

 

Obviously a fair amount of new Overdrives and Phasers in particular - while May covered most of the key pedal categories in one way or another. And most of the pedal-chain additions for the month have been reviewed or touched on in some way previously - with the exception of the...

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2021GPXFoxpedalVixenMain700V2.jpg

May has been a busy month with quite a number of overdrive pedals new on the scene, and within that company the Vixen Dimensional Drive is a particularly special candidate. It has one of the prettiest enclosures you might ever happen upon - with a really special paint-job of a vibrant shade of Royal Blues which is right on the cusp of Purple - so that in certain lights the pedal appears sort of purple - but is most of the time a really deep and vibrant royal blue.

 

I noted before that ...

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Foxpedal Delivers its first new Guitar Pedal in Years - The Highly Appealing Vixen Dimensional Drive

BoostBoost and OverdriveEffects Pedal MakersFoxpedalOverdrive+-
2021GPXFoxpedalVixenDD700.jpg

Back in the day I had some affinity for the Todd Billow era of Foxpedal - and acquired 4 of his then pedals - The City V2 808 Style Overdrive + Boost, the Defector Green Russian style Muff with Clipping Options, the Kingdom Combo V2 Compact Klone + Boost, and Wrath Rat Style Distortion with Ruetz Mod - all of which are still part of the current range and pictured around the new Vixen Dimensional Drive above. Each of those is a long-term favourite of mine and has been featured several times on ...

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12 Degrees of Saturation : 2020 Key Overdrive Categories Edition

12 Degrees of SaturationAion ElectronicsAnalog.ManBarber ElectronicsBearfoot FXBJFEBlues Breaker Style OverdriveBlues Driver Style OverdriveBO EffectsBogner AmplificationBoost and OverdriveBosscmatmodsCrowther AudioCustom TonesDanDrive PedalDecibelicsDemon PedalsDumble Style OverdriveFeaturedFoxpedalF-PedalsFree The ToneFulltone EffectsFunction F(X)Greer AmpsHamstead SoundworksHot Cake Style OverdriveJ RockettJackson AudioJetter GearJHS PedalsJoyo EffectsKeeley EngineeringKlone and Transparent OverdriveKuro Custom AudioLovepedalMad Professor EffectsMenatoneMI EffectsMontreal AssemblyMooerMXRMythos PedalsNobelsNordland ElectronicsOCD Style OverdriveODR Style OverdriveOverdrivePaul CochranePedal DiggersPickdropperSarno Music SolutionsSnouse Electric CompanySpaceman EffectsThorpyFXTimmyTrue North PedalsTsakalis Audio WorksTubescreamer Style OverdriveTweed Style OverdriveVemuramVFE PedalsVick AudioWamplerWay Huge Effects+-
2020GPX12DegreesOverdriveEdition700V2.jpg

So this is one of most significant works in a while, and carries on the legacy of two of my most popular all-time articles on the 12 Degrees of Saturation - the Original that evolved in the early months of 2017, and the follow-up which materialised in September of 2018.

 

I obviously deal with a lot of reader inquiries pretty much on a daily basis, and one of the more popular lines of inquiry has been about overdrives. And while Josh Scott attests to the fact that there are only 5 core ...

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28 of the Best Compact Rat-Style Fuzz/Distortion Pedals - 2020 Ultimate Selection

Acid Age ElectronicsAion ElectronicsAnimals PedalBasic AudioBBE SoundBest in ClassBig Ear PedalsBig Tone Music BreweryBigToneMusicBreweryBYOCCatalinbreadChicago StompworkscmatmodsDistortionDr ScientistEarthbound AudioElectro-HarmonixFoxpedalFreakshow EffectsFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGreer AmpsIbanezJAM PedalsJHS PedalsJohn LandgraffMagnetic EffectsMojo Hand FXOpAmp FuzzPettyjohn ElectronicsRat Style FuzzReuss EffectsStomp Under FootThorpyFXVFE PedalsWalrus Audio+-
2020GPX28CompactRats700V2.jpg

Most should know by now that I’m a huge Rat aficionado - and for me Rat doesn’t just mean those original ProCo Rat varieties but all the different derivatives - direct and indirect - old and new, classics, rarities and outliers. This category is titled ’Rat-Style’ so there’s a few Rat-adjacent pedals here too which share some of the core fundamentals and bring to mind some key associations with that well-known highly textured frequency profile.

 

For me at a fundamental level there are 3 ...

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