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End of Year Pedal-Chain Update - Final Formation - Class of 2023

ALABS AudioAmbient EffectsAnasoundsBig Muff Style FuzzBispell AudioBitcrushing and Lo-FiBixonicBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossBrown Sound DistortionChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCompressorCoppersoundDecibelicsDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDouble TrackingDriveDrive WorkstationDual-DriveEchoverbElectric LoveEmpress EffectsEnvelope Filter and Auto WahEQEventideFjord FuzzFlangerFortin AmpsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzGermanium FuzzGlitchGuitar Synth and SequencerHello Sailor EffectsHologram ElectronicsIntensive Care AudioJackson AudioJAM PedalsKernomKeyztoneKlone and Transparent OverdriveLo-Fi DelayLooperMaestro Style FuzzMarshall Style DistortionMessiah GuitarsMetal DistortionModulated FuzzModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveMulti-FXNoise GateOctave FuzzOctaverOddball DelayOddball FuzzOddball ModulationOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzOverdrivePalmer Custom FXPastFXPedal ChainPedalPalFXPickup ModellerPitch-ShiftingPlate ReverbPoly EffectsPreAmpRack Style ReverbRainger FXReverb WorkstationReverse DelayReverse ReverbRing ModulationRotary SpeakerShimmer ReverbSilicon FuzzSpacey ReverbSpring ReverbStrymonSuper-Fuzz StyleSwellTape DelayTark AudioTC ElectronicThorpyFXTone Bender Style FuzzTremoloTubescreamer Style OverdriveTubesteaderTweed Style OverdriveUtilityVox Style Distortion+-
2023-GPX-Pedal-Chain-Update-Class-of-2023-700.jpg

The final arrangement for the year - all the pedals that impressed the most!

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2023 Guitar Pedals of the Year - The Best of the Best

ALABS AudioAmbient EffectsAmp and Cab IR SimAnalog DelayBest in ClassBig Muff Style FuzzBitcrushing and Lo-FiBlues Driver Style OverdriveBoostBoost and OverdriveBossChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCollision DevicesDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDistortionDouble TrackingDriveDual-DriveEchoverbElectric LoveFjord FuzzFlangerFlower PedalsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGated and Velcro FuzzGermanium FuzzGranular DelayHello Sailor EffectsHologram ElectronicsJackson AudioJAM PedalsKernomKeyztoneLo-Fi DelayMaestro Style FuzzMarshall Style DistortionMeris EffectsMessiah GuitarsModulated FuzzModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-DriveMulti-FXOctave FuzzOddball DelayOddball FuzzOpAmp FuzzOscillating FuzzOverdrivePalmer Custom FXPastFXPickup ModellerPlate ReverbPoly EffectsRack Style ReverbRainger FXReverbReverb WorkstationReverse DelayReverse ReverbShimmer ReverbSilicon FuzzSpacey ReverbSpring ReverbStrymonSuper-Fuzz StyleTark AudioTC ElectronicTremoloUtility+-
2023-GPX-Best-of-the-Best-Pedals-700.jpg

So we featured 120 pedals across the 5 Genre categories this year - as you’ve witnessed over the last 5 days, and those have been whittled and distilled down to these 27 Magnificent and Exceedingly Flavoursome candidates.

 

Picking out the very best of those is obviously a slightly subjective exercise while based on a series of exacting criteria - including innovation, versatility, practicality, variability, playability, quality of manufacture, quality of output and sheer enjoyment.

 

Here ...

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2023 Best of New Modutility Pedals of the Year

ALABS AudioAlexander PedalsAll-PedalAmbient EffectsAmp and Cab IR SimAmpliTubeBeetronics FXBest in ClassBitcrushing and Lo-FiBondi EffectsBossChase Bliss AudioChorus and VibratoCompressorCrazy Tube CircuitsDeath By AudioDr ScientistDrunk BeaverFjord FuzzFlangerFormula BGuitar Synth and SequencerHarmonizerHologram ElectronicsJackson AudioJAM PedalsKeyztoneLooperModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-FXOctaverPastFXPeterson TunersPhaserPickup ModellerPitchPitch-ShiftingRainger FXRed Witch EffectsRing ModulationRotary SpeakerSubdecay EffectsSwellThorpyFXTremoloTru-Fi Guitar EffectsTunersUni-Vibe and VibeUtility+-
2023-GPX-Best-of-Modutility-Pedals-700-.jpg

The Modutility roundup combines Modulation, Utility and Pitch type pedals - it also includes Multi-FX and Multi-Modulation pedals of course. Some years this selection is relatively sparse - while this year it’s totally chock-a-block! In fact it was a struggle to whittle the Longlist down - and inevitably some pedals I wanted to feature did not make the cut - including the Endorphin.es Ghost Pedal Multi-FX and Subdecay Prometheus 3 Dual Super Filter.

 

I still feel that this selection of 26 is...

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ALABS Audio's NovaDrift Modulator Delivers 9 Classic High Quality Full Stereo Modulations with Enhanced Movement courtesy of Explore Mode Gesture Control and Expression Ramping

ALABS AudioChorus and VibratoEnvelope Filter and Auto WahFlangerModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-FXPhaserRing ModulationRotary SpeakerTremoloUni-Vibe and Vibe+-
2023-GPX-ALABS-Nova-Drift-Modulator-700.jpg

Here follows an in-depth look at the ALABS Audio Adam Adventures Series NovaDrift 9-Mode Modulator.

 

A pretty decent mix of algorithms - Vibe (Uni-Vibe), Chorus, Multi-Chorus, Phaser, Filter, Rotary, Flanger, Tremolo and Ring.

 

In my opinion really only missing the Roland/Boss Dimensions Chorus and Harmonic Tremol for a full house!

 

Generally I cite the Wampler Terraform as the Modulator which has the most perfect mix of Algorithms for my preferences - Auto-Wah, Envelope Filter, ...

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2023 November Pedal-Chain Update - Episode XI - Delineated Duality

ALABS AudioBeetronics FXBig Muff Style FuzzBoostBoost and OverdriveBossChase Bliss AudioDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDistortionDriveFortin AmpsFuzzFuzz Face Style FuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionGermanium FuzzHello Sailor EffectsLife Is Unfair AudioMarshall Style DistortionMetal DistortionModulation WorkstationOctaverOscillating FuzzOverdrivePalmer Custom FXPedal ChainPedal PartnersPedalPalFXPitch-ShiftingReverbReverb WorkstationReverse DelayThorpyFX+-
2023-GPX-Pedal-Chain-Update-November-V2-700.jpg

This whole year has occurred at such breakneck speed and volume - with so much happening all day and every day - that I have perpetually felt like I was always in the process of catching up and never quite had time to catch my breath as such. I’ve taken just one whole weekend off in the whole year - and am as close to burn-out as I’ve ever been. Every time I attended a Guitar or Pedal show I was up all night doing the write-up - average time for those articles was / is around 36 hours give or ...

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The Brand New ALABS Audio Adam Adventures Series pedal range takes budget pedals into entirely new realms of quality and innovation

ALABS AudioAmbient EffectsBest of BrandsChorus and VibratoDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbEnvelope Filter and Auto WahFlangerGranular DelayLo-Fi DelayModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-FXOctaverOddball DelayPhaserPitchPitch-ShiftingPlate ReverbRack Style ReverbReverbReverb WorkstationReverse DelayRing ModulationRotary SpeakerSpacey ReverbTape DelayTremoloUni-Vibe and Vibe+-
2023-GPX-ALABS-Range-700.jpg

I’m really proud to be supporting a small fledgling audio products brand based in Singapore - which has only been around for a couple of years or so, and was originally known for making studio quality Microphones, Wooden Earcup Headphones and Mixing Consoles. ALABS Audio’s Jinbo Hui reached out to me back in September - to ask if I would want to support the launch of their new Adam Adventures Series pedal range - and I of course said I needed to be properly impressed by those pedals for me to ...

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With the arrival of the Custom Shop Nectar Tone Sweetener Drive/Fuzz - my Beetronics capsule collection is now up to 9

ArpeggiatorBeetronics FXBitcrushing and Lo-FiBoost and OverdriveChorus and VibratoEnvelope Filter and Auto WahFlangerFuzzFuzz-Drive and FuzzstortionHarmonizerModulation WorkstationMulti-FXOctave FuzzOctaverOddball ModulationOverdrivePhaserPitch-ShiftingRing ModulationSwellTremoloWah and Fixed Wah+-
2023-GPX-Beetronics-Capsule-Collection-V2-700.jpg

When I first started doing the visual for this I thought I had amassed 10 Beetronics pedals to date - but it turns I’m one short of that milestone - it still kind of made sense to mark the occasion of the Custom Shop Nectar’s arrival - which is probably my favourite Custom Shop edition to date. I had to wade through 3 batches to pick out that one - I wanted metal knobs - and a pinkish hue to the core - and the one pictured really captured my imagination. I quite liked my SeaBee at the time of ...

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Hologram Electronics's Chroma Console is a genuinely innovative 20-Algorithm Stereo Multi-Effector that you can route and shape in all kinds of clever ways

Bitcrushing and Lo-FiBoost and OverdriveChorus and VibratoCompressorDelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayDigital ReverbDouble TrackingFuzzHologram ElectronicsModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-FXPhaserPitchPitch-ShiftingReverbReverb WorkstationTremolo+-
2023-GPX-Hologram-Chroma-Console-700.jpg

This is one pedal you definitely need to dip into the manual to understand fully what’s going on - while the Hologram Electronics engineers have imbued this device with so much intuitive smarts that you should be up and running in no time.

 

This pedal is a shoe-in for the Eventide H90 on my #35 slot while they’re quite different beasts really - and the H90 gets you more granular in some ways - with many more algorithms precisely modelled - while you can only deploy two in combination. While ...

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TC Electronic finally releases 2290 P Dynamic Digital Delay & FX Processor Pedal Edition of its legendary 1985 Rack Mount Unit

DelayDelay WorkstationDigital DelayModulationModulation WorkstationTC Electronic+-
2023-GPX-TCE-2290-Delay-700.jpg

It’s great to see that shortly after Boss / Roland revived their 1983 SDE-3000 Rack Delay Unit, TC Electronic is now doing the same for its 1985 2990 Dynamic Digital Delay + Effects Control Processor. Both of these are superb conversions with most of the original features and functions intact. The only thing TC were unable to fit in really was the Keypad from the 1985 unit - but most everything else is present and correct.

 

The Boss SDE-3000 can obviously deliver 4 delays simultaneously - ...

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Boss's ME-90 Hands-On Knobs-based Multi-FX Pedal is a massive upgrade and replacement for the previous ME-80 Model

Boost and OverdriveBossDelayDistortionModulationModulation WorkstationMulti-FXReverbUtility+-
2023-GPX-Boss-ME-90-Multi-FX-700.jpg

Boss has a wide variety of Multi-Effects / Guitar Effects Processor units - whose roster currently consists of 8 devices of various sizes - with the GT-1000, and GT-1000 Core kind of sitting on top of that pyramid as the most potent and menu-driven of those systems.

 

The recent GX-100 offered a number of innovations with a full-colour touch-screen - as a slightly more entry-level alternative to the GT-1000.

 

This ME-90 unit replaces the former ME-80 and takes a quite different approach to...

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